While the Alien Covenant film is tolerable, mostly due to the visuals, the crew you should be rooting for during any crisis they may be facing is less than memorable. None of the characters are especially noteworthy and you won’t grow particularly fond of anyone as the story progresses. It’s this connection that’s needed and is so important for a story like this to propel you into the world they inhabit.
Fearing for a character’s safety, especially in this particular franchise, is paramount to it being a success. Though Covenant does bring back the horror element that was more dominant in the first film, Alien, it doesn’t quite capture the consternation that the original had. That said, it is more on the gory side of the horror, sci-fi genre. It’s set about a decade in the aftermath of Prometheus, a film not well loved by the Alien faithful. Though the film may not have been well received, Michael Fassbender was and is in this film, as well. He’s back as David and also as Walter, another synthetic. Walter looks like David, has many of the qualities of David except for one little important difference. I’ll let you discover that on your own.
Walter Minds the crew and the ship, Covenant, as its crew members and cargo of pilgrims make their journey to another planet similar to our own in the hopes of colonizing it. A short time passes and, of course, insert one of the typical problems that happen in films where spaceships are floating along in deep space; they’re hit by something that does damage. This also awakens most of the crew who have been in a deep sleep… killing a few along the process.
They receive a strange message from a planet closer to the one they had originally charted their course for. This seems a little too convenient but the captain (Crudup) says it’ll be worth a shot and they set out for this planet instead. This is where it really gets sloppy because the things these skilled professionals are doing say to a filmgoer that the filmmaker doesn’t take your intelligence into consideration when creating a story. Several things happen that get different members of the crew ill when they land on this unknown land. They aren’t really quarantined which leads to more devastation but at least it’s entertaining. Per usual, the effects are great and the visuals of the first person, who shows signs of being taken over by a foreign entity and thusly being killed by it, is ghoulish and eerie… everything you could have hoped for.
Eventually they find David who has been alone here (obviously he’s the one who would have sent the message for them to pick up) and he and Walter get to know one another; and as long as you don’t get lost as to which is which it’s fairly easy to deduce that one is up to something and the other is now a useful pawn.
A spaceship has issues; check. We have aliens; check. The film has formulaic touches you’d expect it to have; check. Unfortunately, its pacing is slow and flat in the beginning and the characters so drab, (which is sad because one is supposed to be the descendant of Ripley from Alien) that it’s hard to really get into it. There are so many, if you really want to tear it apart, problems with it that if you concentrate on them, your brain will explode so, best not to. One specific thing I feel I must address, though, is their brains. This crew does this for a living and they just disregard all policy, procedure, rules and… all common sense the minute they land on a strange planet?! It makes no sense so try not to think about it too much. Just let things that defy logic or are the completely unexplained go. If you love sci-fi films and the Alien franchise as a whole, you might have some need for this. You’re not going to totally dislike it, you’re just not going to love it. It’s not the worst of the bunch; however, it’s certainly not the best. Rumor is there will be a few more of these… I hope Scott turns the helm over to someone who can steer a little better.
Joel Edgerton, Riley Keough, Christopher Abbott, Carmen Ejogo and Kelvin Harrison Jr.
WRITTEN BY
Trey Edward Shults
DIRECTED BY
Trey Edward Shults
Trey Edward Shults’ highly anticipated horror-thriller stunned critics at a secret screening at the famed Timberline Lodge this past weekend. Watch Joel Edgerton give us the rules for survival in terrifying new trailer.
Are you a horror fan looking for something new? Then don’t miss Blackcoat’s Daughter; another winner from A24! The short answer as to why you can’t miss this is that it totally embodies the newpart that you’ve been looking for. So, here’s a bit of unsolicited advice for you, if you don’t mind, don’t read much more about the film. Don’t watch a trailer. Go in cold, only knowing that you have to see it. You’re a horror fan and that’s all you need to be. If you’d like to continue reading, I don’t give away too much.
Cinematically, it’s a stunner. I’m ready to watch it again for the pure enjoyment of it. The music is so unsettling, the way bows screech across their string instruments or the strings are plucked hard to get your attention in a given moment… genius. Much like horror classics, the music is central in setting the sweeping tenor of the film. It was absolutely unnerving.
You’ll also be impressed with how this story, that centers on three different girls, starts to unfold. Kat (Shipka) and Rose (Boynton) are stuck at their Catholic school in Bramford during winter break. When their parents don’t come and pick them up, the headmaster asks that they are watched over by a couple of nuns. Kat and Rose don’t know one another very well, nor do they particularly like one another, but they’re making due with the situation they find themselves. Then we are introduced to a young woman on the road named Joan who is played by Emma Roberts. She’s odd; almost lifeless when she is approached by Bill (Remar) and Linda (Holly) who assume the girl’s in trouble and would like to help. She reminds Bill of their daughter and he can’t help but tell her so. Uncomfortable, but desperate to get to Bramford, she accepts the ride. As Joan gets closer to Bramford, she gets more and more dark and we cut back and forth to and from the other girls.
We begin to pick up on more of each storyline. Things are revealed about Kat who is having terrifying visions and she, like Joan, seems to get ill while her demeanor changes, as well. Rose overhears something sinister and creeps around in the dark, abandoned school halls. She does something that I don’t believe anyone in her situation would, however, and that is go downstairs where it’s dark and peeks through the window in a door she has no business looking through. It’s here she sees something she wishes she hadn’t. But when did this happen exactly and are you sure? Just when you think you have this movie figured out, you didn’t know a thing. What really works is how the tension builds in both storylines and you cannot wait to see them intersect… if that’s in fact what’s going to happen.
Perkins’ writing and directing mixed with cinematographer Julie Kirkwood’s style, who worked with Perkins on the Netflix original I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House, as well, will leave an impression on you. This is a well told, rare, impactful story. Perkins took special care in making sure you remembered his characters long after the movie was over. I can assure you that you will. The weather adds shading, the sets add mood, the lighting creates fear and, of course, the performances grip you. Perkins wastes nothing in enhancing the film’s ambiance to set a specific tone for you.
I couldn’t wait to see where the stories would come together. As the movie got further and further in, I was getting more and more uncomfortable watching it alone… I’ll admit to then allowing a little daylight in by opening the curtains. Let’s see how you fair. Catch Blackcoat’s Daughter exclusively at the Alamo Drafthouse in Chandler, or wherever it’s playing near you, this weekend. Good luck!
In the Town of Derry, the local kids are disappearing one by one, leaving behind torn body parts/remains. In a place known as ‘The Barrens’, a group of seven kids are united by their horrifying and strange encounters with a clown called Pennywise.
Directed by: Andrés Muschietti Starring: Bill Skarsgård, Finn Wolfhard and Javier Botet
New Line released the trailer for the Andres Muschietti-directed horror film in English along with 30 localized versions starting at 9AM Wednesday. Of the trailer’s 197M global views, more than 81M views and over 1.8M shares on the U.S. Facebook instance alone. Within hours after dropping, the It trailer became a viral sensation, trending across Facebook, Twitter and rising to the top of the Reddit Homepage with 30K-plus up votes in four hours. The video quickly rose to the No. 1 position on YouTube’s trending videos and remained there throughout the day.
The trailer helped It trend globally on Twitter with trends for It, It Movie, Pennywise and the Red Balloon Emoji all appearing.
It is based on the 1986 novel by King, and follows seven children who are terrorized by the eponymous being, who exploits the fears and phobias of its victims in order to disguise itself while hunting its prey. It generally appears as a clown in order to lure young children.
Several years after the tragic death of their little girl, a dollmaker and his wife welcome a nun and several girls from a shuttered orphanage into their home, soon becoming the target of the dollmaker’s possessed creation, Annabelle.
Director: David F. Sandbert
Starring: Miranda Otto, Javier Botet, Stephanie Sigman and Anthony LaPaglia
I had a chat with fellow Wisconsin native turned L.A. filmmaker, Hunter Adams, about his new release, Dig Two Graves, which is available to watch on iTunes and at a theatre near you. His film is a suspenseful thriller that is summed up perfectly by its tagline. ‘A young girl’s obsession with her brother’s death leads her on a nightmarish journey where she is faced with a deadly proposition to bring him back.’ I was excited to speak to him and could have talked to him all night but administered some self-control and kept it short. Here is some of that chat:
Me: So you’re from Wisconsin, I see.
HA: Wisconsin has a long history of serial killers and great directors.
Me: (I resisted asking him if he were also a serial killer.) A lot of great actors, as well.
HA: Yeah. I’ve met a lot of crew out here in L.A. who are Wisconsinites.
From my experience, Wisconsin schools always encourage the arts and most Midwesterners are escaping the cold so this makes sense to me. Moving on, I asked him where his fairly unique and bizarre story came from.
HA: It started off as a simple story about a young girl who loses her brother and then makes a deal with the devil, by way of these three hillbillies. Ultimately, I decided I wanted to give them more of a concrete narrative… to be messing with the girl. They were originally drawn in the Shakespearean tradition (the witches from MacBeth) where you just weren’t quite sure how much supernatural power they had or if they were just being manipulative. I kinda wanted to walk that fine line. But in the final version, we do have an actual reason for messing with the girl.
Me: Where did you originally get your love of films?
HA: From my mother. She’s in my first film, The Hungry Bull.
Me: That’s a nice thing to be able to do. What does she think of this film?
HA: My mom passed away while I was writing the script so she didn’t get to see the final product, unfortunately.
Me: I’m sorry. She’s with you, though.
HA: She definitely influenced the film.
Me: Did you go to film school?
HA: I didn’t really have a film school education per se. Its been mostly a hodge-podge of classes and self-teaching and just watching as much as I can.
Me: How long does it take to get a film like this made from script to screen?
HA: We started in 2011 and we went through a program called IFP (Independent Feature Project) New York, which is a big non-profit program. So, we did their– we went to this film week in New York. We went to a script lab and after that, we made some connections that led us to some investors and we ultimately started shooting in 2013. It was about a year of editing afterward. We shot for four weeks in January in the dead of winter and we went back for a few days in the summer for the opening shots of the two kids in the quarry. And then the underwater sequences, which are at the end, we did that here in L.A.
Me: You clearly love both writing and directing, is there one you’d prefer over the other if you could choose only one?
HA: Directing. I like to have the control. I love being on set and the collaboration, working with actors… the whole process; post production, working with the sound team. All that stuff. And I love the technical side as much as I do the artistic side.
Me: Do you have a say in editing your projects?
HA: I edit a lot on my own for a living. That’s how I pay the bills. It’s something I’m heavily involved with but I had a good editor who worked with me on this one.
Me: I loved the tone, the color, and the overall feel that the landscape gave the film. Where was this shot?
HA: We shot it in an interesting part of the country called Little Egypt. It’s in southern Illinois. Everything there is Egyptian themed. Down there it isn’t flat and boring, it’s really wild and it has swamps and hills and cliffs and lots of slivers. It’s a really interesting place; a great backdrop for a supernatural setting. It’s about six hours south of Chicago.
Me: What was the most difficult thing to shoot in this production and what was the easiest?
HA: It’s sort of hard to narrow it down. There were so many difficult shots. So much of it was shot at night in very rural locations in the dead of winter and during one of the coldest winter spells on record in Illinois. That made everything pretty challenging; pretty grueling. But there were a couple of really technical things that were hard to achieve. There was a fire scene… and the underwater sequence was really hard both for the actors and for me because as the director, you’re giving over control to the underwater technicians and it’s a really slow process. That was really frustrating because I like to keep things moving. So, I have to say the fire and the water. They were the most technical and the hardest to pull off. I think the easiest were the scenes between the grandfather and granddaughter. They had such a natural chemistry together. There wasn’t really very much I had to do except just get out of their way and let them be great actors together. They’re the real heartbeat of the story. They’re the real emotional arc and I think that they both did a terrific job. That makes me look good and makes my job easier.
Me: Are you ever going to direct someone else’s work?
HA: It’s possible if the right script came along. There’s nothing in the works at the moment. I have a few projects that I’m developing but those are things that I’ve also written… but I definitely have my eyes and ears open. If something came along I would not be opposed.
Me: Tell me about your writing process.
HA: To me, because I’m writing, directing and am involved from the conception to completion, the writing process is pretty fluid and doesn’t just start and end on the page. That’s one part of the process. I also went down to southern Illinois, spent a couple of months down there… scouting locations and talking to locals and incorporating some of the folklore that I heard, into the screenplay. Some changes come when you’re on set and you’re with the actors and they’re bringing their instincts in, it continues to change. Then in post (production) we significantly re-shaped the storyline, as well. But when I’m specifically writing, I try and set hours, you know? I’ll get up at three in the morning and try and work; try to be as diligent as possible. I have to really be regimented or I won’t get anything done. I consider the writing process to be throughout the entire filmmaking process. I was making changes right up until the last day of the sound mix; cutting shots out. It’s an evolution, for sure.
Me: Congrats on doing such an amazing job of casting.
HA: We knew casting the girl was going to be the most important decision we made on the movie because it really rests on her shoulders and if the audience doesn’t take the journey with her than there really is no movie. So, we spent a long time looking for the right actress to play that part and pretty late in the process we had a tape in the mail from Sammy (Samantha Isler). She was living in Tulsa OK, had never been in a movie before and when we got the tape I knew, pretty much right away, that she was the one. She had great instincts, she was smart and understood the subtext… had a real intention behind the words which is pretty rare to see in someone of that age and still have that innocence, you know, that wide-eyed look that we needed. So, we got pretty lucky that we found her and a lot of the other cast were Chicago-based. We were trying to cast locally as much as possible because of the budget. So, we tapped into the local T.V. and theatre scene there and got some great actors and then Ted Levine was on our short list of actors we were looking at. Short because the actor had to be a pretty specific age because we age him up and down for the two time periods. And I’ve always loved his work. He’s played some pretty iconic roles, Buffalo Bill from Silence of the Lambs being the most notorious, but I was excited to see him play a meaty role for a change. We gave him a chance to dig into a morally complex character. We got lucky with him. He’s a real method actor; he gets into the part… pretty obsessive about wardrobe and costuming and all that kind of stuff. It was an honor to work with him. I can’t even imagine another actor playing that role now.
Me: Tell me about your next project, Blue Palms.
HA: The guy that did the storyboards on Dig Two Graves is a cartoonist friend of mine and we concocted a graphic novel that’s best described as a demented version of Three’s Company. So, it’s kind of a wacky comedy about these eccentric artists living in a dilapidated apartment in Hollywood. And we’re getting ready to publish the first volume of that and try to spin that off into an animated comedy series. It’s very different in tone from Dig Two Graves but sometimes you gotta swing the opposite way and keep in interesting.
Me: Give me some words of wisdom for any budding filmmakers who may be reading this.
HA: If you want to be a filmmaker, it’s important to watch movies. To watch a lot of great movies; old movies and really understand the potential of the medium. I think, a lot of times with a first-time filmmaker, they can be a little bland in a cinematic sense. Sort of shot after shot of talking heads. They don’t utilize the full vocabulary of the medium. When you’re ready to make a movie, my advice is, it’s such a laborious, time-consuming process that you really have to make something that you’re passionate about, not something that you think is going to sell or be popular cuz chances are it’s not going to necessarily make millions of dollars. You’re going to be spending years of your life on this. You gotta invest your time in something you really believe in. And enjoy the process as much as the final product.
Me: How do indie filmmakers get their films seen?
HA: We played the festival circuit and then the last year or two had just been trying to figure out the wild, wild west of independent film distribution. We finally got that sorted out. It’s now releasing in theatres and on VOD. Its been a long journey. We’re doing an iTunes exclusive for the first four weeks and then it’ll be available on all VOD platforms; Amazon, Playstation… all of them. That’ll be April 21st. All VOD platforms. Just search Dig Two Graves right now on iTunes and it’ll pop up.
What are you waiting for?! You heard the man. Go check it out and watch this little gem. If you’re a horror fan and like a good indie film, this is a strong story with great characters that is filmed beautifully be someone who appreciates a good movie and wanted to create something for his audience to remember. Hunter Adams was a joy to talk to. I believe he’s a director to watch out for and a name you’ll hear more of in the future. Start now and don’t miss a thing he does.
The Chinese proverb, ‘When you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves,’ is where the title for the film comes from. I had never heard it before and now don’t think I’ll ever forget it. Dig Two Graves is set in the 1970’s and partly told in well-established flashbacks. It’s an award-winning thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat for most of the time. It was written, produced and directed by Hunter Adams, he wrote it with Jeremy Phillips, stars relative newcomer Samantha Isler, from last years Captain Fantastic, and also stars the fantastic Ted Levine from Silence of the Lambs. Adams, relatively new himself, only has five directing credits to his name, two of them shorts, so if this film is an indication of what’s to come, I’d have to say it won’t be long before his resume doubles.
In this creepy mystery, you’ll fear for the life of an innocent young girl who may or may not be so innocent by movies end. Beautifully shot in a location scouted by the director himself, it takes place in a remote town where siblings, Jake (Isler) and Sean (Ben Schneider) are, essentially, one another’s best friends. In the beginning of the film, an assumed accident happens and Sean vanishes after jumping off a cliff into a quarry below. Devastated and feeling somewhat abandoned, Jake, who witnessed the leap, is filled with guilt for having not jumped herself. Unable to truly move on from his disappearance she retreats from life, eventually believing she’d do anything to get her brother back.
If someone has passed away it’s a silly notion to think it’s possible to bring them back to life but she meets a man who convinces her it’s not such a crazy idea. Her anguished young heart comes across the dark and intimidating vagabond, Wyeth (Ruptash), and his two nomadic pals, who have a history with her grandfather, Sheriff Waterhouse. The sheriff is played devilishly well by Levine who won Best Actor at the Beaufort International Film Festival for his role. He’s not channeling Buffalo Bill in this tale but his voice is still penetrating nonetheless. Waterhouse is carrying guilt regarding the former sheriff that’s eating him alive; consuming his spirit. If you only know Levine from Silence, this is the film to see and watch him spread his wings.
As if stalking prey, Wyeth pops out of nowhere and zeros in on exactly what Jake needs and promises to deliver if she does something for him. She must retrieve an item that was taken from him; a medallion. The medallion summons the power that’s needed to bring her brother back. Agreeing to help him if he helps her, she is now contractually obligated to oblige and fulfill her end of the bargain, however, as often happens in a deal made with the devil, the medallion is only one part of her obligation.
I loved the acting in this film and not just by Levine. Ruptash invokes a Jack the Ripper type feel in his character of Wyeth, as he is so solidly played it was hard to tell if he were human or from the spirit world. Also, this was a great film for Isler to launch her career and deciding to cast her was a brilliant decision by Adams. Of choosing her he told me, ‘She had great instincts. She was smart and understood the subtext… had a real intention behind the words which is pretty rare to see in someone of that age and still have that innocence, you know, that wide-eyed look that we needed.’ So, with this substantial combination of weighty script and successful casting, Adams claimed the Best Director award at the 2015 Beaufort International Film Festival and the Director’s Choice Independent Spirit Award at the Sedona International Film Festival in 2015. If you didn’t catch the film during its festival run, you can catch it now at a theatre near you and on iTunes.
‘We played the festival circuit and then the last year or two has just been trying to figure out the wild wild west of independent film distribution. We finally go that sorted out. It’s now releasing in theatres and on VOD. It’s been a long journey. We’re doing an iTunes exclusive for the first four weeks and then it’ll be available on all VOD platforms; Amazon, Playstation, VooDoo… all of those. That’ll be April 21st. All VOD platforms. Just search Dig Two Graves on iTunes and it’ll pop up.’ -Hunter Adams
Enjoy the film and if you’d like, please come back and share your thoughts.
In a word, Raw is… raw. A movie about cannibalism might frighten you away but keep reading before you make your final decision. It’s an unquestionably unique film, from the opening shot to the final moment. Cinematographer, Ruben Impens (The Sky Above Us), approaches the film by seeing it as a blank canvas in which to paint a bold piece of art; one that so intrigues you that you’re unable to look away. He’s able to extract elegance from a world of complete ugliness and if your first instinct is to not see this due to the content; I hope to change your mind.
Raw will be an uncommon guilty pleasure but you’ll have to experience it to know what I mean and watching with others is the best way to go for this particular trip. There will be moments where trying not to think about the cannibalism will be futile but just sit back and watch the story unfold. Masterfully, director Julia Ducournau, keeps your interest in the character development and you don’t focus so much on the disgusting thought of a human wanting to eat another human… cooked, let alone raw! But I assure you, if you like the abnormal and unconventional, Raw is the film for you.
Justine (Marillier), a young student new to veterinarian school, who is also a vegetarian, ends up devouring plenty of meat throughout the film once she gets a taste for it. This happens after she goes through a hazing ritual where she’s commanded to eat raw rabbit kidneys. Wanting to fit in like her big sister, Alexia (Rumpf) who’s very popular at the school, she does as ordered. After that and a Carrie-style blood soaking, something inside her awakens; a thirst and hunger for more. You’d think behavior such as this wouldn’t take part in a vet school but alas, that’s where we find ourselves, however, it isn’t animal flesh she now craves. A situation arises where she can consume human flesh and as much as she tries to fight against the urge, her animalistic lust kicks in and she gives in to it.
If you get sick at the idea of this happening, the film might not be for you. If you’re worried the film is going to be too graphic and that’s your only concern, don’t be. It may be hard to believe but Raw is a magnificent piece of cinema. Ducournau uses makeup, paint, effects, animals and fantastic music to force us to peek into the macrocosm that is Justine’s life. Alexia loves to watch as her innocent baby sister gets her personal boundaries pushed to the breaking point but she goes beyond the point of breaking and snaps completely in two. Once she does, she’s much stronger than she thought she’d ever be and Alexia and the audience catch a glimpse of a devil once believed to be an angel. However, when you think the story is all Justine, give Alexia another look. What once might be thought of as a sibling rivalry might just be one sister following in the others footsteps… and perhaps just a little too closely. The scenes Garance Marillier and Ella Rumpf are in together are outstanding, believable and realistic even though the situation they’re in isn’t quite so much. Their performances alone are worth the ticket price.
Getting you to see his on the big screen is my goal because I think the artistic nature for which the film was made will be appreciated fully at theatre but I can’t say much more without giving too much away. Yes, this is ultimately a gory movie but at its core, it’s the story of a girl becoming a woman and this is one way I can guarantee you’ve not see the subject tackled before. So, for an unimaginable look at a story told a million times before, see Raw this weekend at Harkins Valley Art in Tempe or wherever you can near you. I can assure you of one thing… you’ll never look at your sister the same way again, especially if she eats Steak Tartare.
Written and directed by: Hunter Adams Starring: Ted Levine (Shutter Island, Silence of the Lambs) Samantha Isler (Captain Fantastic, TV’s “Supernatural”) Danny Goldring (The Dark Knight, The Fugitive)
Ann Sonneville (“Chicago P.D.,”) Troy Ruptash (TV’s “General Hospital,” “Prison Break,”) After 13-year-old Jacqueline Mather (Samantha Isler) loses her brother in a mysterious drowning accident she is soon visited by 3 moonshiners who offer to bring her brother back to life, but at a grim cost. As the dark history of her grandfather, Sheriff Waterhouse (Ted Levine) is unearthed, the true intentions of the moonshiners come to light.
Everyone in Justine’s family is a vet. And a vegetarian. At sixteen she’s a brilliant student starting out at veterinary school where she experiences a decadent, merciless and dangerously seductive world. Desperate to fit in, she strays from her family principles and eats raw meat for the first time. Justine will soon face the terrible and unexpected consequences as her true self begins to emerge.
Director: Julia Ducournau Writers: Julia Ducournau (dialogue), Julia Ducournau (screenplay) Stars: Garance Marillier, Ella Rumpf, Rabah Nait Oufella RAW Opens Friday, March 17th, 2017 exclusively at Harkins Valley Art
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