Every Town Has Its Monsters

I Am Not A Serial Killer
2016 | R | 1 hr 44 min | Drama/Thriller | IFC Midnight


Director: Billy O'Brien

Writers: Billy O'Brien, Christopher Hyde

Stars: Max Records, Christopher Lloyd, Laura Fraser

Synopsis:

In a small Midwestern town, a troubled teen with homicidal tendencies must hunt down and destroy a supernatural killer while keeping his own inner demons at bay.

If you are new to the cave or stopping by to check out my entry into the Mystery Mania Blog-a-thon hosted by Pop Culture Reverie welcome and enjoy as we talk about the most whacked out mind trip I have seen in years!

Based on the 2009 novel by Dan Wells, Billy O'Brien tests how far our sympathies can be stretched as we try to identify with amoral or mentally ill protagonists.  And the path O'Brien takes on down is intriguing, to say the least.  O'Brien being from Ireland paints a very harsh and cold look of Minnesota in the winter so elegantly. Shot on 16 millimeters (something rarely done today) his thoughtful visual plan, aligning us with a perspective seen through the eyes of our young star making the most of the drab backdrop of smokestacks, icy roads, and bare trees.

Our young star is played by Max Records and besides the cool name, his big break came from Where the Wilds Things Are. Records took home many independent awards for his role as John Wayne Cleaver our anti-hero now grown into a convincingly sour teenager. Diagnosed as a sociopath, John is obsessed with serial killers, fearing he might develop into one himself. When evidence surfaces that a real killer is operating in his town, John launches an investigation of his own. One obvious suspect is his creepy neighbor Mr. Crowley, played very effectively by Christopher Lloyd, whose rasp and shambling movements establish him as a figure of menace even from afar.

Loyd and Records are pure magic together weaving there stories together twisting and turning every other minute and you just don't know what it is your watching. Without giving too much away your never sure if you're watching a very uncomfortable teen comedy, an odd drama, or something straight out of the twilight zone.  The one thing I can say is this one grabs you in the gut while building up so much tension that you can feel every squeeze as it gets tighter and tighter. Even if your not sure what the hell is going on you can not look away and it is amazing!

This movie has it all a great cast, and off the rail storyline, and the look and feel that brings you right into a small town. The only downfall is this one is a slow burn, in fact, its a toss it into a crockpot it's going to be a while slow burn.  But yet you walk away full and satisfied with the payoff. 

Independent cinema always brings out the best in people and I Am Not a Serial Killer was a perfect blend for Christopher Loyd. Loyd alone is worth the price of admistion. Streaming now on Hulu this is a well painted grim story that a nice twist at the end.  

I Am Not a Serial Killer is a much see.

4 Bloody Brains out of 5

Now make sure to click the banner below and check out the other bloggers taking part in the Blogathon. 

Burn, Witch, Burn 1962

Burn Witch Burn
1962 | NR | 1 Hr 30 Min | Horror | Independent Artist

Director: Sidney Hayers

Writers:

Fritz Leiber Jr. (novel) 

Charles Beaumont (screenplay)

Richard Matheson (Screenplay)

Stars: 

Peter Wyngarde

Janet Blair

Margaret Johnston

Synopsis:

A skeptical college professor discovers that his wife has been practicing magic for years. Like the learned, rational fellow he is, he forces her to destroy all her magical charms and protective devices, and stop that foolishness. He isn't put off by her insistence that his professional rivals are working magic against him, and her protections are necessary to his career and life.

This post is part of The Richard Matheson Blogathon! so make sure to check out the other's, and if this is your first time to the cave welcome!

Norman Taylor (Wyngarde) is a psychology professor lecturing about belief systems and superstition. One day he discovers that his wife is practicing witchcraft. She insists that her charms have been responsible for his rapid advancement in his academic career and for his general well-being. Upon this discovery, He forces her to burn all of her magical paraphernalia and that's when all hell breaks loose. But sadly for me the movie never really finds its legs never really drawing the tension it was trying to conceive. 

The good news for its writer Matheson, he will go on to write some B-movie classics like Jaws 3-D, The Omega Man, and Trilogy of Terror. The one bright spot for me has to be Wyngarde with his smooth looks and fine acting as he takes the wheel and drives this one home. The rest of the cast was just ok nothing overly special. 

The look and feel of Burn, Witch, Burn, has its appeal and works with the story trying to make it more dramatic. Nothing outstanding about the score as well leaving you with a slow burn or maybe even a simmer that never really comes to a boil. 

Witch stories are some of my favorites but this one just did not grab me. With a rather dull cast to go with a pretty tame story Burn, Witch, Burn, falls short for me in a big way, and it is sad as this one is coined as one of the best British horror movies of the 60s'. 

2 Bloody Brains out of 5

A Pop-Cultural Staple 9 to 5

Nine To Five
1980 | PG | 1Hr 45Min | Comedy | 20th Century Fox

Director: Colin Higgins
Writer: Patricia Resnick

Stars:

Jane Fonda

Lily Tomlin

Dolly Parton

Synopsis:

Meet Franklin Hart (Dabney Coleman). The biggest "sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot" boss on the planet. He thrills in taking advantage of his head female office staff; humiliating, downplaying, and condescending against them whenever conveniently possible, particularly his top assistant Violet (Tomlin). Long-exhausted over his gruesome bullishness, Violet, alongside co-workers Doralee (Parton) and Judy (Fonda) comprise comical methods of "doing him in" when a freak incident occurs. They then manage to kidnap Hart and trap him in his own house, while assuming control of his department, and productivity leaps. But just how long can they keep him tied up?

How many of you grew up on HBO being that small little box that sat next to your tv? If so I'm willing to bet you watched Nine to Five or maybe even The Incredible Shrinking Women hundreds of times. What a great time to grow up and not to mention the movies of the eighties were always fun to watch. So the main question for me when choosing this movie for the Fonda Blogathon, does it hold up after all these years.

The answer is simple Hell Yeah! Even with today's #metoo movement, 9 to 5 is still a simple pleasure to watch almost 40 years later. Fonda plays Judy Bernly, a middle-aged divorcée entering the workforce for the first time in years.  Judy's first-day outfit was inspired from a conservative wardrobe with over-sized glasses, an elaborate hat, and an over-done hairstyle.  Fonda interviewed numerous women who had entered the workforce late in life due to divorce or being widowhood just to come up with her fashion in this movie. 9 to 5 was also the first female-dominated film to gross $100 million dollars and it's popularity lead itself to a spin-off tv series. 

Considering the recent sexual misconduct that has swept through Hollywood, a retooling of 9 to 5 seems like the perfect project for the modern era. As a refresher, the original film ends with (decades-old spoiler ahead!) Tomlin’s character getting a major promotion, Fonda’s character getting married, and Parton’s character zipping off to country stardom. Fonda announced that the trio will indeed reunite for a sequel. Both Fonda and Tomlin will executive produce the film, and will collaborate with its writers as well. The film will swing ahead to the present day, though it will still be set at the "Consolidated Companies" workplace. The plot will focus on oft-discussed issues like the wage gap and harassment in the workplace they hope to have it on the big screen later this year.

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In the end, this Pop Cultural staple is well worth a revisit! The humor still stands true today but sadly the workplace has not changed much!

This short look back on 9 to 5 is part of The Fondaton Blogathons hosted by Sat In Your Lap so make sure to head over to the site by clicking here for a full list of posts. 

As for Nine to Five, you still stand true with a score of,

4 out of 5 Stars

Only one man can stop the Yakuza.

Into The Sun
2005 | R | 1Hr 37 Min | Action | Columbia Tri Star

Director: mink
Writers: Steven Seagal (story), Joe Halpin (story)

Stars: 

Steven Seagal 

Takao Ohsawa

Juliette Marquis

Synopsis:

Ex-CIA agent Travis Hunter (Steven Seagal), is called to bring down the criminals who murdered the governor of Tokyo. Hunter uncovers a Yakuza plan to build an enormous drug-dealing network in conjunction with the Chinese Mafia. With time running out and the cold-blooded Yakuza determined to see their plan through, Hunter must thwart the operation, and then get out alive.

Well crap, this movie has left me with so many questions! Into the Sun is part of Box Office Jocks Blogathon hosted by Dubsism and Return to The '80s. The idea behind it simple it is all about movies featuring actors who used to be athletes at the college, Olympic, or professional level, OR movies in which a famous athlete appears. So I picked Into the Sun starring Steven Seagal and wanting to keep up with the Super Bowl-themed weekend this also star's Tennessee Titans Running Back Eddie George. 

Looking kick ass Seagal!

Who didn't enjoy those great action stars of the late '80s like Van Damme, Stallone, Schwarzenegger and of course Seagal? With a box office smash Above the Law in 1988, Seagal became a cinema legend. And here he is in 2005 keeping that action movie mojo alive well to him anyway. It is cool to see him still working but after watching Into the Sun I'm not convinced I need to watch any of his newer stuff. Being a Master in Japanese Kendo you should be in for a treat and as of 2006, his movies have earned $600 million worldwide. So why did I have a hard time getting into this flick? But first Eddie...

Eddie George the badass.

**Spoiler Alert** Eddie George looks badass in the opening minutes playing a CIA Agent going undercover. But sadly that is it! I have let this Blogathon down as he was only in this movie for maybe seven minutes! I was so excited to learn he was in this bad boy with Seagal but that quickly turned to let down. This movie needed more George! Sorry gang but the review must go on.

Sorry to see you go, Eddie.

I would also like to point out this was the directorial debut for mink, yeah I have never heard of him as well. In fact, he has only done 4 movies in his career. What I will say about him he took a crap script and made it look fantastic. He actually shot the film in Super 35 with the intention of framing the completed picture in the 2.35:1 aspect ratio for theatres, but sadly Sony decided to send the film straight to DVD, the studio re-framed the picture to 1.85:1. And one quick note about the soundtrack its horrible in fact it will spoil the moment at times and it is so frustrating.

The movie does look good!

What was more frustrating then the score is the story! It is all over the place and if you did not study Japanese culture you'll find your self on google a lot! And it really does not help that Seagal is talking in Japanese tongue so you find yourself reading the dialog way too much. Then out of the blue, they speak English again. This back and forth is a bunch of crap! So you would think the saving grace would be the action but sadly it lacks their as well. They set the movie up for what should be an epic sword battle that ends up being well MEH. 

The fighting is framed so tight that you can only imagine that it is from Seagal's age or maybe that damn leather jacket that kept him from moving around. Into the Sun seems to have signaled the end of his Action movie career and yet here we are in 2018 and he has been pumping them out year after year, 36 other flicks to be exact! So hopefully he has learned from this one.

I really like Seagal's early body of work and was excited to get reacquainted with him once again. Sadly Into the Sun is a dull action flick that looks good but falls way short on fun. I sure hope the other bloggers had more luck with there picks so make sure to check those out here and here.

2 out of 5 Stars

The end of Earth will not be the end of us.

Interstellar
2014 | PG-13 | 2hr 49min | Sci-Fi | Paramount Pictures

Director: Christopher Nolan

Writers: Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan

Stars:

Matthew McConaughey

Anne Hathaway

Jessica Chastain

Synopsis:

Earth's future has been riddled by disasters, famines, and droughts. There is only one way to ensure mankind's survival: Interstellar travel. A newly discovered wormhole in the far reaches of our solar system allows a team of astronauts to go where no man has gone before, a planet that may have the right environment to sustain human life.

If this is your first visit to the Cave welcome! Interstellar is part of the Robots In Film Blogathon Hosted by Quiggy over at The Midnite Drive-In and Hamlette's Soliloquy please make sure to check out the other 18 bloggers taking part in this event. 

From his humble low budget independent cinema roots to some of today's biggest blockbusters Christopher Nolan has become one of Hollywood best storytelling and acclaimed writer-director. Here is a quick recap in case you have forgotten, Nolan's first break came from his own independent movie Memento that landed him Batman Begins trilogy to Oscar Nominations for Memento, Inception, and of course his latest hit Dunkirk the man does amazing work. And Interstellar was an Oscar winner for Best Achievement in Visual Effects and maybe Han's Zimmer deserved a little more Oscar love with an amazing soundtrack! Although we are not here to talk about Nolan so let's talk robots and the true heart of this movie his daughter. 

You can not take away just how beautiful this movie is without a great cast and story to go along with it. Hidden underneath all the Sci-Fi jargon and amazing special effects lays a wonderful story about a Father and Daughter. Mackenzie Foy may have started her movie career with Twilight but in Interstellar she turned on her acting prowess pulling hard at your heart strings! The father-daughter storyline really had me close to tears along with a clear punch to the stomach making sure the audience felt her pain! Such an amazing job for this young star. She was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in several award groups that year and winning four of them. Honestly, Interstellar would not have been as good without this young one. Ok, the Robots...

TARS and CASE are the two robots which are part of the Endurance crew. TARS is a former marine robot with angular limbs and a sarcastic attitude. TARS' personality can be characterized as witty, sarcastic, and humorous, and with those traits programmed into him, they make him a better-suited companion. TARS also appears to be somewhat more versatile than CASE, being suited for tasks ranging from piloting to data collection. Voiced and puppeteered by American actor Bill Irwin who also operated and controlled the heavy machinery which weighed almost 200 pounds. Later the actor was digitally removed during post-production as he was a few inches taller than TARS.

Despite being a robot who follows the order of his crew, TARS is quite intelligent and is capable of acting on his own. I really love the idea that TARS is not your atypical R2-D2 type robots, in fact, he is pretty basic, he is a block. I suppose here on earth if we can't save our planet how are we going to build fun looking robots right?

Even tho he is a block he is pretty amazing and holds the space story together like most robots do. With that said not only where Foy and TARS amazing Nolan had a job to do bring us a space odyssey that we have not seen since Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey.  But fear, not Nolan contrives a great scene:**Light Spoiler** When Cooper comes out of the hole to find that time has slipped forward decades while he’s been away he has 20 years’ worth of video messages that show his little kids have turned, in the blink of an eye, into two middle-aged adults.  And all of this is underscored by Zimmer who playfully toys with the audience with Straussian themes relying on heavy, wheezingly religiose, organ-type chords moving you to tears!

As a light-year-spanning quest to save the human race, this is the director’s broadest canvas by far, but also his most intimate. And against the alien backdrop of black holes, wormholes, and strange new worlds, Interstellar stands as Nolan’s most human film to date. The visuals will keep you in the movie, the heartfelt story of a father and daughter will move you, and the soundtrack emerges you completely into a new world. Interstellar is well worth the three hours of couch time!

4 out of 5 stars