Relic Film Review

Relic is a daring horror drama about the dangers of Dementia. It encompasses the heart of both horror and compassion in one of the best IFC Midnight films I have seen to date.

Kay (Emily Mortimer; Mary Poppins Returns, Shutter Island) and her daughter Sam (Bella Heathcote; Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Dark Shadows) travel to visit Kay’s mother, Edna (Robyn Nevin; The Matrix Reloaded, Gods of Egypt) after she mysteriously vanishes from her home. While in the process of taking care of her grandmother, Sam starts to notice strange happenings in the house that seem rather harmless at first glance. Over time the duo discovers that something seems a little off about Edna and she seems to have returned a shell of her former self.

Relic is one of the most unique genre films I have seen in a long time. It encompasses both family and horror in the same realm without trying too hard to win over its audience. It flows beautifully and tells the tale of a daughter struggling to come to terms with her mothers dementia. The choice to use the house as a metaphor for the disease was a brilliant choice and adds to the dark atmosphere of the film. The lack of jump scares and cheap thrills is a welcomed change in modern cinema, especially ones of this caliber. I thought the darkness tone of the film matched beautifully with the haunting music and the artistic videography. They all worked so well together to create a cohesive film that is both memorable and enjoyable.

I first discovered Emily Mortimer when she played Chloe in the 2005 Woody Allen film Match Point opposite Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Scarlett Johansson. After watching the trailer for Relic I could already see her character coming to life. She has this gift you rarely see in films these days. She pulls genuine emotion from her audience and makes them feel like the character she’s playing is a real person. Even though I didn’t know Kay very well as a character I identified with her as a woman and as a daughter.

Bella Heathcote is known for her portrayal of Victoria Winters in Tim Burton’s interpretation of Dark Shadows. It was great to see Bella in a more controlled environment. Her skills as an actress really shined here. Sam is a young woman who is struggling to figure out what it is she wants to do with her life and incorporating that into this story makes her someone people of all ages can relate to.

Robyn Nevin did a superb job playing Edna. I believed that she was someone’s loved one who is going through a big change in the later years of her life. I really cared about what happened to her. The way Robyn portrayed Edna’s disconnect from reality was both convincing and heartbreaking. I would definitely recommend watching her other films.

I would suggest Relic to fans who enjoy a little drama and realism in their horror films. If you’re looking for some thing that is both Erie and relatable I think this is the film for you. The entire cast is phenomenal. They bring this story to life and I really enjoyed it. I give Relic a 9/10. I wish we had gotten to know Edna before her disappearance in order to really get a good glimpse at how shocking her transformation really was. Aside from that I thought it was brilliant. Relic was praised during its 2019 opening at Sundance Film Festival in 2019. The film opens on July 10 In Theaters and also available On Demand / Digital Rental.

Camp Cold Brook Film Review Starring Danielle Harris and Chad Michael Murray

In order to go out with a bang, a team of veteran paranormal investigators travels to Oklahoma to investigate an abandoned camp where a brutal massacre occurred years earlier.

Chad Michael Murray (Gilmore Girls, House Of Wax) and Danielle Harris (Halloween 4, Rob Zombie’s Halloween 1 & 2) star in this old school style horror tale that is sure to keep you on the edge of your seats. It’s witty, It’s dark, and it’s a lot of fun. Chad and Danielle have such great on screen chemistry. They act like professional paranormal investigators and I believed them.

When audiences hear about a horror film that takes place at a camp there’s always that fear that the film will be lazy and ride off the coat tails of previous horror franchises. Camp Cold Brook doesn’t need to do that and is able to stand on its own. I felt like this film was a mix between 80’s horror and Ghost Adventures. The good Ghost Adventures. You know, before they started making everything up for ratings.

It’s very easy to make a paranormal film boring. It’s also very easy to rely on jump scares to carry the film. The filming techniques that were used in this movie allow the audience to have a completely different experience. I love that the creators were very mindful about how they included the technological equipment. It was very similar to what you’d see during a real paranormal investigation. You can tell everyone involved in the film did their homework on the subject and I have a lot of respect for that.

Through out the movie the team begins filming via found footage angles in order to record the events for the teams television series. This was a bold choice but I think it works really well for this specific film. I have never been a fan of the found footage genre but I think it works really well when used this way. It adds that extra “We’re not alone” feeling that helps breathe life into the film.

Camp Cold Brook is the winner of not one but two awards. Horrorhound Film Festival for Best Feature and Shriekfest for Best Horror Feature. I agree with their decisions. I think this film definitely deserves the recognition it’s receiving.

If you’re a fan of well thought out paranormal films definitely check out Camp Cold Brook. It reminds me a lot of horror films from the late 90’s and early 2000’s while remaining current and I think this will resonate with a lot of viewers. Writer Alex Carl and Director Andy Palmer are both fun and artistic filmmakers. I’ll be keeping my eye out for future projects.

Swallow Film Review- Final Girls Film Festival

Hunter, an expectant mother begins her journey down a dangerous path to self destruction. Can she find a better way to cope with her loneliness or will she let it consume her? It becomes obvious very early on that although Hunter loves her husband their marriage isn’t ideal. She is constantly trying to be the perfect wife for Richie and in doing so she loses a part of herself. She lacks the ability to control her life and in an effort to gain back that control she starts experimenting by swallowing small objects. It seems perfectly harmless at first but as we dig deeper we start to realize that this has become a dangerous obsession.

Swallow is a great example of a film that concentrates on the darker side of marriage. It explains in detail what can happen when you marry someone and you spend that entire relationship not being yourself but trying to be someone else for the one you love. It’s a great way to look into a relationship without rose tinted glasses. Few films are able to do this in a way that is truly relatable.

Haley Bennett’s portrayal of Hunter is fantastic. She is able to make her character seem both relatable and detached all at the same time. It’s almost as if she’s playing two separate characters that merge together seamlessly and I applaud her for her abilities. After seeing this film I cannot imagine anyone else playing the role of Hunter.

Denis O’Hare plays the pivotal role of Irwin in this story. Sometimes it’s the characters who provide the backstory that are the important ones. They tell us about who the main character is and what they’ve gone through to lead up to the moment when we meet them. I have been a big fan of Denis’s work and I think he really shines here.

If you are a fan of strong female characters I urge you to check out Swallow. It gives a real, heartfelt look into life and shows that no one is perfect even if it appears so from the outside. I give Swallow a 10/10. The directing, writing, acting, cinematography, and music are all brilliant. It all comes together to tell the story of a perfectly imperfect housewife. Swallow debuts in select theaters and on demand on March 6, 2020 and is currently being shown at Final Girls Film Festival in Berlin, Germany.

The Wave Film Review Feat. Justin Long and Donald Faison

Frank (Justin Long) has been searching for his big break at the firm for six years. When the day finally arrives he just wants to get a good nights sleep to prepare for his presentation the next morning. Friend and colleague Jeff (Donald Faison) insists they head out of town to celebrate. The duo runs into trouble when Frank is given a hallucinogen that alters his perception of reality. Their lives will be forever changed in Gille Klabin’s The Wave.

I was blown away by how creative this film is. It’s purposely misleading which I think is a brilliant concept. The movie is filmed in a way where it seems cut and dry but then the action takes over. Once Frank realizes the substance he was given is taking effect is where things really take off. There is a scene where Frank is brushing his teeth and it is shot so flawlessly. There was no disconnect in the first reveal which makes the story that much more believable.

There is so much that goes on in this film that in any other setting I think it would be too much. A film that is this ambitious requires a certain amount of skill, patience, and an eye for detail. The Wave includes all of these and more which is why I was impressed with it. The writing, directing, and acting are all top notch. It was both fascinating and entertaining to watch Frank react to both reality and the world he was seeing due to hallucinations. Those scenes were done in a way where they felt realistic rather than cheesy or over the top. I found myself being somewhat sympathetic to Franks situation. On one hand, you shouldn’t take drugs. Especially from strangers. On the other hand, it’s clear to me that Frank doesn’t exactly make the best decisions. Especially under pressure.

Sheila Vand plays Theresa. Although she’s a secondary character her existence is pretty important to the story. While in his “medicated” state Frank sees Theresa and tells her all about the man he wants to be. It’s clear that the man he is isn’t who he wishes to be. This reveal is something that is relatable to all of us. No matter how ideal our lives may be there is always something we wish we could change. Wish we could do better. I loved how this scene took a movie about an altered reality and turned it into something that is prevalent in the real world. It makes Frank a relatable character which I was very fond of.

Justin Long and Donald Faison have such great on screen chemistry. I love Justin’s ability to become his character so effortlessly. He does a great job at portraying the every day Joe with the 9 - 5 job. That is not something all actors are capable of because it becomes stale over time. He has mastered it in a way where it’s enjoyable in any setting. The Wave is no exception to this. I have yet to see a Justin Long Film that I didn’t like. Donald has played a variety of different characters throughout his career and this is a role I really enjoyed him in.

Overall this film was great. The characters felt so real that I connected with them in a way. This is rare for me and I don’t take this experience lightly. If you’re a fan of Justin Long and or films about altered reality I would definitely give The Wave a watch. I give this movie a 10/10 easily. It was a very enjoyable experience. The film comes out in select theaters and on nationwide VOD on January 17th. I applaud Director Gille Klabin and Writer Carl W. Lucas for their brilliant work and look forward to viewing future projects.

Album Review - Ghost - Seven Inches Of Satanic Panic Single

On September 13, 2019 Swedish rock band Ghost released their highly anticipated single, Seven Inches Of Satanic Panic. The single consists of two brand new songs, Kiss The Go-Goat, and Mary On A Cross. Since these songs were performed by Papa Nihil in the 1960’s, The songs are very reminiscent of that time period.

The bands previous effort, Prequelle swaps out the Satanic theme for a more personal recording while still remaining a concept album about the Black Plague. This album features a few gems such as Dance Macabre, Witch Image, and Life Eternal. It is my opinion that this new single is very similar to songs from the bands first album, Opus Eponymous. The “Satanic” symbolism and lyrics work so well with the themed music. I’d say these are my favorite songs they’ve released since Meliora. As much as I love Prequelle, these songs just scream GHOST. Of the two songs my favorite is Mary On A Cross. It has that catchy, groovy beat that I absolutely love. I found myself putting it on repeat and memorizing the lyrics rather quickly. Kiss The Go-Goat is a great song as well, and even has its own music video.

Tobias Forge, singer and mastermind behind Ghost has stated that the band will be taking a break from touring in 2020 to focus on their next full length album which will debut in 2021. In the mean time, a limited edition box set entitled Prequelle Exaulted became available as of September 20, 2019. Only 5,000 copies were produced worldwide. This boxset includes a transparent black and orange vinyl record, Live Photo prints, a 12 page booklet, a 7” vinyl featuring previously unreleased recordings, and a 7” adapter. Ghost is currently embarking on a tour across North America in support of their 2018 album, Prequelle. I will be catching their live show in Worcester, MA on October 21, 2019.