The Hole
Plot: Dane (Chris Massoglia) and Lucas (Nathan Gamble) move into a new home with their mother, Susan (Teri Polo). Along with their neighbor, Julie (Haley Bennett), they discover a hole in their basement that leads to nowhere. It turns out they unleashed a demon that preys on their fears.
Review: Let it be known that I love Joe Dante. I’ve been a fan of his ever since I was a kid and seen the “Gremlins” films. I even loved “Small Soldiers”, his lesser revered film. I’d go on record to say he’s one of my favorite filmmakers! He also seems like a genuinely nice human being with a passion for film that I’d love to sit down and talk to someday. I just won’t be bringing up “The Hole”.
This film sat on the shelf for three years and I’m beginning to see why. It was shot in 3D, but never made it to theaters to “impress” audiences with it’s effects. That may be because, while the plot opens up a door of possibilities, Dante surprisingly takes the easy way out and skimps on the thrills. It’s possible studio interference and the budget played a role in that, as I know he’s stated in recent interviews his displeasure with the studio’s handling of this film.
The only fear we know of off the bat is Lucas’ coulrophobia. Dane taunts him with a creepy clown doll which comes into play later on. This was the only tactic employed in “The Hole” that I felt worked. The other few scares were interesting to look at, but probably sounded better on paper. I won’t reveal what they are, as it’s kept a surprise, but they’re rather predictable and anemic.
It is to the film’s benefit that Joe Dante is the director. He adds a certain flourish to the proceedings that makes the happenings intriguing to watch (however minimally). He also brings along his good friends Dick Miller and Bruce Dern for cameos to my delight. I liked the way he built tension and utilized the settings. He has a creative mind, but it’s not on full display. A good example would be where the finale takes place. It reminded me of his segment in “The Twilight Zone Movie”, except scaled back. So-so special effects didn’t help matters.
The best way to describe “The Hole” is as a decent episode of “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” The plot seems ripe for the young adult show that I grew up watching. You’d think that’d make me appreciate it more, but I didn’t. It sustained my attention for the time being, but left me wanting more. A disappointment from the wonderful Joe Dante!
Final Rating: C+
Natural Selection
Plot: When her husband grows terminally ill, Linda (Rachael Harris) goes in search for his long lost biological son. Who she finds is Raymond (Matt O’Leary), a foulmouthed junkie whose only traveling to see his dying father to avoid trouble. Her Christian views and his devil may care attitude clash.
Review: “Natural Selection” is the type of religious film I like. It doesn’t beat you over the head with it’s message. Robbie Pickering’s message isn’t even religious. It’s more about the fragility of the human soul and how we all share the same desires, no matter what our outlook is. How two people can be drastically different personally, but share a lot of the same problems and bond over them. It involves questioning one’s faith and pulling back the curtain to see that even the most religious of folk are flawed. A Kirk Cameron film, this is not!
Pickering immediately tells the audience in the opening scene this isn’t a squeaky clean religious film. Linda is trying to seduce her husband, Abe (John Diehl), who refuses her advances due to his belief that the Lord only wants two people to have sex for the creation of a child. Since she can’t get pregnant (due to a traumatic situation brought up later in the film), he feels them getting intimate for pleasure is a sin. She doesn’t feel that way and consults her fellow churchgoer, Peter (Jon Gries).
Peter is the most interesting fellow in the film, sans Raymond. On the outside, he appears to be a holier than thou Christian. Peel back the layers and we see someone who swears, listens to heavy metal and occasionally hits on Linda. Early on he almost kisses her (unbeknownst to her), but is distracted by the phone call that her husband’s in the hospital due to a stroke. A stroke in which was caused by him masturbating to pornography (with promiscuous nuns, no less) at a clinic.
Linda discovers this clinic holds his sperm and one of his deposits is responsible for birthing Raymond. She drives the whole way from Texas to Florida to retrieve him, as that’s her husband’s dying wish. Here’s where I felt the film would stumble. Upon meeting Raymond, I thought she’d feed him the gospel and he’d insult her and yadda yadda yadda. While he does insult her (and blatantly lie about his reasonings for tagging along with her), she complies to his beliefs. She may bat the occasional eye, but she doesn’t judge him to his face or feed him sermons. He even tricks her into participating in heavy drinking, solely because she wants to make him happy.
The film plays out like a madcap road comedy except it’s taken seriously. Through conversations and circumstances, we learn more about Linda and Raymond. And not just their religious beliefs. That basically takes a backseat as Bickering examines the human soul and it’s shortcomings. Which is honestly how religious films should play out. Not everything is as it seems and nothing gets tied up into a neat little bow. That could be aimed for at films in general, not just the religious variety, but those tend to do it the worst. So, if you’re worrying this is going to be another Kirk Cameron type film, breathe a sigh of relief. It’s actually a well-crafted piece on the human spirit!
Final Rating: A
Snowman’s Land
Plot: Walter (Jürgen Rißmann) is an assassin hired by Berger (Reiner Schöne), a mafia boss, to look after his mountain home and wife. When Sibylle (Eva-Katrin Hermann) is accidentally killed by Walter’s partner, Micky (Thomas Wodianka), the two try to hide the body and protect themselves.
Review: As much as I dislike snow in real life, I love it cinematically! There’s nothing more visually pleasing than a snowy landscape. The empty mountains not only make for wonderful cinematography (done by Ralf M. Mendle here), but good atmosphere and a sense of claustrophobia. Tomasz Thomson knows this and uses it to his advantage, sticking a guilty hitman into the clear white abyss and giving him no escape.
Thomson uses the secluded mansion just as well as Stanley Kubrick did the lodge in “The Shining”. He settles the viewer into a sense of unease and traps the main character within it’s confines. He also traps in the annoying sidekick, who I’d rather have not existed, even if he did serve a purpose. It’s possible more dread would have been developed had it solely been Walter on the mission, but I digress. What I got from Thomson by having a two man crew was a tightly wound thriller with a pinch of dry comedy!
The more I think of it, the more I can’t complain about Micky’s inclusion. Without him, Sibylle’s death would have been avoided. I just wish he wasn’t as irritating. Granted, he does deliver some of the film’s laughs (bouncing off of Walter mostly) and Wodianka gives a decent performance. The character just limits him.
The only other issue I had with the film was the narration, which I just felt was a tad unnecessary. There’s nothing wrong with it, more a personal opinion. I don’t want to continue with my gripes, as I’m making this film sound lesser than what it is. It’s a polished and tense thriller set in the snowy mountains done by a director with a strong knack for storytelling! Rißmann is a strong lead and says a lot with his face and body movement than he does with words! Dennis Harvey of Variety stated this was a mix of Tarantino and Jarmusch and I think that’s a justified statement. Fans of both of those directors will love this film, but won’t feel as if Thomson is solely ripping them off. He has his own style and rhythm, one that lends itself well to screen!
Final Rating: B+
The Color Wheel
Plot: JR (Carlen Altman) has just broken up with her professor/boyfriend and needs assistance in moving out. She calls on her brother, Colin (Alex Ross Perry), who she’s had a falling out of sorts with. Throughout the trip, they reconcile and slowly patch up their qualms.
Review: “The Color Wheel” was moving along at a genteel pace. Alex Ross Perry’s direction reminded me of a young Kevin Smith. He focused his attention more on the characters and their rather witty dialogue than a story. After all, the story exists solely to have JR and Colin interact with one another. That’s not a criticism, as films with a streamlined plot can be quite exceptional! While “The Color Wheel” never quite reached that point for me, it was starting to ease into a comfortable position in my positive reviews pile.
Then the ending occurred. I obviously won’t spoil it. I will, however, state that if you get this sinking feeling throughout the film that it would take an uncomfortably awkward turn, you’d be right. I had a sense of how the film was going to play out, but brushed it off as a weird feeling I had. I didn’t think Perry would go through with it. I applaud him for the audacity, but feel it’s presence was more of a forced lasting impression than anything else.
That’s not to say the ending sank “The Color Wheel”. I’d still recommend people giving it a watch, but only slightly. For starters, it’s only going to appeal to a niche group (which I’m sure Perry is fine with). As I mentioned, it’s heavily reliant on dialogue more than story. I’d be willing to say if you liked Kevin Smith’s first film, “Clerks” (one of my personal favorites), you’d be willing to give this a shot. It’s a tad more dry than that, but with a bit more insight.
As the poster entails, the film is a comedy about disappointment and forgiveness. The disappointment aspect playing off of both JR and Colin’s view of how their lives turned out (more so JR, as Colin seems content). The forgiveness prying on the two trying to forgive one another and patch things up. These two qualities make “The Color Wheel” both relatable and sincere. Underneath the vulgarity is a heart.
These two qualities help make “The Color Wheel” intriguing, even during the weaker scenes. Perry’s main problem is letting certain scenes drag on (the perfect example being the party sequence). This is a common issue in dialogue heavy films as it’s hard for a director to tell when to stop the scene and move on. After all, most people continue conversations well past the point of interest for the rest of the population. It’s a sense of realism that doesn’t translate well to screen. At least the genuine feel does. Well, at least until the end.
Final Rating: B-
Beyond the Grave
Plot: In a post apocalyptic world, zombies run rampant. A group of survivors, led by an Officer (Rafael Tombini), to survive the plague and each other. Along the way they search for a possessed serial killer that the Officer holds a grudge against.
Review: I’ve grown tired of zombie films where it’s come to the point that I mostly avoid them. The only ones I tune into come recommended to me or, in the case of “Beyond the Grave”, a requested review. I went in with trepidation, but was hopeful for Davi de Oliveira Pinheiro’s film as it didn’t seem to be a straight up zombie film. And it’s not. I wouldn’t even say it’s a straight up post-apocalyptic film. It’s more of a character study of those involved in such a scenario than anything else.
This does make the film run into a problem, though. While the characters are written well and have sublime dialogue, the actors portraying them are a bit shaky. Rafael Tombini, who plays Officer, has a good look to him, but it is a bit wooden. Same goes for Alvaro RosaCosta as Franco, Officer’s pseudo partner. It’s the younger crowd that shows more charisma in spite of their purposeful annoying characteristics. None of this is crippling to the film, but it does weaken the more dramatic moments.
When those scenes unfortunately start to lose the viewers’ interest, Pinheiro yanks them back in with capricious narrative! This may seem like a predictable film on paper, but it has more twists and turns in it than one might expect. This keeps the viewer on their toes and gives the film a sense of uncertainty. Perfect for a post-apocalyptic zombie film!
Speaking of the zombies, the makeup here is fantastic! I was worried at first, as the first few zombies to appear looked like they walked out of a cheap costume store. Once the heavies came in, that notion changed immediately. Each one has their own visual style, with my favorite being the blind one, Maquiavel (Isidoro B. Guggiana). The biggest complaint I have with low budget zombie films is their familiar look. “Beyond the Grave” stands out due to it’s unique visuals!
When put up against other zombie and post-apocalyptic films, “Beyond the Grave” fairs decently. It’s characters aren’t as strong as those in the higher tier films, but it’s pacing (which I’ll admit can be off-putting at times) and narrative keep you on your toes. It’s also blessed with a director whose willing to take chances, both cinematically and structurally, and a cinematographer (Melissandro Bittencourt) who has a keen sense for atmospheric beauty! It’s a mixed bag, but the goodies inside make it worth a watch!
Final Rating: B-