#D.O.A. movie review

[corikane]

Favorites

Well, August went by quickly – and so did September. I made a list, I wrote some scripts but it took me ages to even get these three videos out. Depression will play you like that and I’ve just been through another month of that. And I so wanted to review so many of my favorites, some of which are on this list. You can’t really make a list with all your favorites, it’s an impossible task but…

[dollycas]

#FlashbackFriday - Viviana Valentine Gets Her Man: A Girl Friday Mystery by Emily J. Edwards #Review / #Giveaway @crookedlanebks #emilyjedwards #vivianavalentine

On Flashback Fridays I will share with you the books I was not able to review when they were first released that have been screaming at me from my To-Be-Read bookshelf.

Viviana Valentine Gets Her Man: A Girl Friday Mystery Historical Mystery/Female Sleuth 1st in Series Setting - New York Crooked Lane Books (November 8, 2022) Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 288 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1639101829 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1639101825 Paperback ‏ : ‎ 320 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1639104275 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1639104277 Kindle ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09S3L5K6R

New York City, 1950. Viviana Valentine is Girl Friday to the city’s top private investigator, Tommy Fortuna. The clients can be frustrating, and none more maddening than fabulously wealthy Tallmadge Blackstone, who demands Tommy tail his daughter, and find out why she won’t marry his business partner, a man forty years her senior. Sounds like an open-and-shut case for a P.I. known for busting up organized crime—but the next day, Viviana opens the office to find Tommy missing and a lifeless body on the floor. The cops swoop in and Detective Jake Lawson issues a warrant for Tommy’s arrest. Desperate to clear Tommy’s name, Viviana takes on the Blackstone case herself. When she goes out for a night on the town with the heiress, she begins to learn the secrets behind Tallulah’s headline-grabbing life. Meanwhile, Lawson is itching to solve his murder case, and continues harassing Viviana for answers—until she’s the victim of a series of violent attacks. But Tommy’s still missing, and Viviana is scared. As she digs into the dirty history of the Blackstone empire, she suddenly realizes the true danger at hand. Now, it’s up to her to find her missing boss and make sure he doesn’t turn up D.O.A. Dollycas's Thoughts Viviana Valentine works for the city's top P.I. Tommy Fortuna as his Girl Friday. His current case is to tail young socialite, Tallulah Blackstone, for her father to see why she hasn't accepted the marriage proposal from his business partner who just happens to be 40 years older than she is. This should be an easy case. Both Viviana and Tommy are at a party where Tallulah makes an appearance. But the next day Tommy fails to show up at the office and Viviana finds an unconscious man in his office. When the cops arrive they quickly pin Tommy to the top of the suspect list and Detective Jake Lawson issues a warrant for Tommy’s arrest. With no idea where her boss is Viviana knows she needs to find Tommy but Tallmadge Blackstone wants answers. Detective Lawson is on her tail as well thinking she will lead him to Tommy. So Viviana makes friends with Tallulah at the same time she is working to get a lead on Tommy. When she starts uncovering some dirty deals her life is on the line. Can she keep herself safe and bring Tommy home or will she die trying? Ms. Edwards catches the 1950s perfect with slang, idioms, fashion, the heat of the city, and all the situations the characters get involved in. It was like watching an old black-and-white movie. The characters really came to life off the pages. Viviana Valentine is one smart cookie with a determination to find the truth and her boss. I really enjoyed the way she became friends with Tallulah Blackstone. All the girls at the boarding house are friends too. They all cared about each other and worked together to help Viviana. Tommy may be her boss but there is more there too. The author has introduced a nice cast of core characters with a real friendship theme and they developed so nicely over the course of the story. The mystery was filled with secrets and lies. I enjoyed following along with Viviana and she worked through the clues but took time to have a little bit of fun too. She really took on the life of a private investigator searching out alternate suspects with the right motive. It really was a complicated mystery with a lot of moving parts. I loved when all the clues fell into place and Viviana called a meeting of all the interested parties to out the killer. Again just like an old gumshoe movie. I appreciate the way the author tells a story and sets the scenes making her readers feel like they are in the middle of the action. Vivianna is a formidable woman an quite a sleuth with a lot on her plate but she doesn't ever give up. Viviana Valentine Gets Her Man was a delightfully entertaining read with a strong female protagonist. Ms. Edwards' words easily allowed me to escape to 1950s NewYork and I can't wait to return soon. I have moved Viviana Valentine Goes Up the River up on my TBR stack so I will be ready when Viviana Valentine and the Ticking Clock comes out in November. 

Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent About the Author Emily J. Edwards is the author of the Girl Friday series. She earned her degree in writing, literature, and publishing from Emerson College and took the long road to becoming an author, working for over a decade as a wine and spirits journalist, radio producer, and podcaster. She currently lives with her husband and several quadrupeds in Connecticut. Website   Twitter    Instagram

Coming November 7, 2023

Thanks to the publisher I have 1 hardcover copy of Viviana Valentine Gets Her Man to give away! The contest is open to anyone over 18 years old with a US or Canadian mailing address. Duplicate entries will be deleted. Void where prohibited. You do not have to be a follower to enter but I hope you will find something you like here and become a follower. Followers Will Receive 2 Bonus Entries For Each Way They Follow. Plus 2 Bonus Entries For Following My Facebook Fan Page. Add this book to your WANT TO READ shelf on GoodReads for 3 Bonus Entries. Pin this giveaway to Pinterest for 3 Bonus Entries. If you share the giveaway on Twitter or Facebook or anywhere you will receive 5 Bonus Entries For Each Link. The  Contest Will End July 21, 2023, at 11:59 PM CST The Winner Will Be Chosen By Random.org The Winner Will Be Notified By Email and Will Be Posted Here In The Sidebar. Click Here For Entry Form Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”                                    Read the full article

[chiefarbitermoon]

The First Fordham Student to win an Oscar for Acting

The First Fordham Student to win an Acting Oscar ….

It may not be who you think.

During the evening of the Academy Awards for 1954 the award for Best Performance, from an actor in a supporting role was announced. “... and the winner is Edmond O’Brien.!”

He won for his performance in Joseph Mankiewicz’s mystery/romance, The Barefoot Contessa.

Starring Humphrey Bogart and Ava Gardner, in the title role, O’Brien plays a sweaty PR specialist and studio yes man who nervously talks faster and faster as each man-made crisis grows. In its review, Variety described Edmond O’Brien, “... as a glib, nervous, perspiring combination of press agent and (apparent) procurer…” It was his one oscar, but not his one great performance in a career that lasted over 35 years.

At this point, O’Brien was about half way through his career as a major movie character actor. He started his acting career working in summer stock in Yonkers. He made his first Broadway appearance at age 21 in Daughters of Atreus. When Hollywood came calling, he was cast alongside Charles Laughton and Maureen O’Hara as the playwright Gringoire in the 1939 classic The Hunchback of Notre Dame. In 1949 he co-starred-as the good guy-opposite James Cagney’s, psychopathic, oedipal villain in White Heat. His last major cinematic role came in Sam Peckinpah’s western classic The Wild Bunch in 1969 when he was cast as a grizzly old horse trader of questionable morals.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939)

He received an additional academy award nomination for his work as a brave Southern Senator in Seven Days in May, set against the backdrop of cold-war tensions and an attempted political cabal  in 1964. 

A Bronx Boy

Eamon Joseph O'Brien (1915 to 1985) was reportedly a neighbor of Harry Houdini while growing up in The Bronx and decided to emulate Houdini by becoming a magician himself. He took part in student theatrics in high school and majored in drama at Fordham. 

The powerful, no nonsense, very human roles seemed suited for the man who was married twice and as Turner Classic Movies stated:  “He lived just as large off-screen, where he was noted for his generosity, ability to converse intelligently on almost any topic and heavy drinking.

Lead in B-Movies

For a time O’Brien did play the leading figure. He was the title character in Ida Lupino’s The Bigamist (1953) and in one of the truly great film-noir performances, he played Frank Bigelow, a man, with 48 hours to life, who knows he has been poisoned, in the classic D.O.A. (1949). 

Counting both film and television, he completed approximately 120 roles. Both large and small. Or to paraphrase one of the kindest things that can be offered up to career, “second banana”: He may not have kissed the girl, but he could probably have lent money to the guys that did.

The Everyman of Film-Noir

In his 2018 biography of the late actor entitled Edmond O’Brien Everyman of Film-Noir Derek Sculthorpe described the overall context in which the actor worked. “He was a devotee of Shakespeare, impressing John Gielgud in his performance of Casca in Julius Caesar (1953) ... O’Brien also worked in radio and contributed to this medium from the mid-1930s for nearly 20 years between his film and other work.”

He added: “It is often forgotten that he was a stage actor of some reputation before he cast his lot with Hollywood. The verse of the immortal Bard retained a special resonance for him and it was a perpetual joy for him to act in his plays on stage with some of the great Shakespearean players of the time including Laurence Olivier and John Gielgud. O’Brien even recorded an album of romantic poems which revealed a far less familiar side of him.”

 Since You’ve Read This Far I might have an answer

I have been a fan of Edmond O’Brien since I first saw him in D.O.A. as far back as my late twenties. For a long time after that, I had no idea he had ever attended Fordham University. Perhaps the reason he is not mentioned among our Alma mater’s great acting fraternity of Alan Alda and Denzel Washington (yep, he’s the academy award winner I was thinking of) is that Edmond O’Brien never graduated? After enrolling in Fordham University, he dropped out  to join the first class at the Neighborhood Playhouse, studying acting under Sanford Meisner … In my research, I found some unsubstantiated reporting that he left school to earn money to support his family; in any event, he did come of age during the Great Depression.

Though he doesn’t have a diploma, he is among our treasured school family.

Donna Reed Bestows a kiss on Edmond O’Brien on Oscar Night.

Kevin Bergin

Gabelli

Class of 1980Can be reached Fordham Class of 1980 Facebook site: https://www.facebook.com/groups/537184563628982/about/

[adamwatchesmovies]

D.O.A.: Dead or Alive (2006)

D.O.A.: Dead or Alive is difficult to review. It knows exactly what it wants to be, and at this, it excels. Based on the video game by Tecmo, it's an excuse to have scantily-clad, physically fit women in hand-to-hand combat. This film isn't concerned with characters, plot, depth or anything else for better and for worse.

It’s about a tournament organized by Dr. Victor Donovan (Eric Roberts). He assembles the world’s leading hand-to-hand combatants to compete for the ultimate prize of $10 million. Each fighter is more stereotypical and ridiculous than the last. Most noteworthy are pro-wrestler Tina (Jaime Pressly), Kasumi (Devon Aoki), a ninja princess searching for her lost brother, and flirty master thief Christie (Holly Valance). Who will win the tournament? More importantly, does Donovan have nefarious plans for the winner? You know he does, but what are they?

If you’re 13-years old and your parents let you pick a movie (nothing with nudity or cursing) and you want something that'll rustle your jimmies and throw in some action too, D.O.A. was made for you. There’s a lot of action in a variety of formats. Each competitor has their own fighting style so there’s always a fight coming up. Even better, the actresses throwing the punches and kicks are all pretty good at it. The movie’s sold on seeing women beat each other up and then relax by playing beach volleyball in bikinis. Critiquing it for this means you missed the point. 

I’m not saying D.O.A. is a great movie. I would actually say it sets its ambitions so low, it gets downright bad at times. The plot makes no sense at all. The end, in particular, is ludicrous. You'll be laughing too hard to pay attention to the flimsy explanations behind Donovan's plan.  It features some of the stupidest police officers ever seen on film and I’m not entirely sure writers Adam Gross, Seth Gross, and J.F. Lawton understand what the word “shinobi” means either. 

D.O.A. is not a good film, but it is entertaining. It’s the equivalent of a bowl of children’s cereal. Colorful, aimed at a specific audience and no one else, probably not very good for you, but if it’s what you’re craving, it hits the spot. I have to give credit where credit is due: D.O.A. is what it is and at what it wants to do well, it excels. It isn’t for everyone, and I know some will see this and call me nuts for recommending it, but I had fun. (On DVD, October 12, 2014)

[twopointthreeninetoone]

D.O.A. (1950)

So this was a weird little movie. An accountant is poisoned while on vacation in San Francisco and takes it upon himself to find his killer. It’s rather interesting because he’s not actually looking for an antidote for the poison, because there really is none; he really is, in effect, trying to catch his own murderer. While there are some rather corny lines (“This is a case for homicide.” “Homicide?” “I don’t think you understand. You’ve just been murdered.”), and for some reason, whenever the protagonist sees a pretty woman at the beginning of the film you hear a slide whistle (I get it–he thinks hot women are hot and wants to bang them. But every single time…) But the case is pretty interesting and it does have a sort of grittiness to it. It’s a fine example of more obscure film noir.

(Apparently this was Beverly Garland’s film debut. Fans of “Mystery Science Theater 3000” will understand the relevance. It took me a second to identify her because she sports curly black hair in this. She plays the secretary who Bigelow keeps roughing up, for some reason.)

[societyofaustralianpunk]

Punk Films and Videos from the UK, USA and Canada

A ton of films, documentaries and videos have been made about the punk subculture in both the UK and the USA, spanning back to 1976 until the present day.  Below is a huge list of punk films, documentaries and videos that you can watch for free - Enjoy!

25 Years of Punk Documentary

A Band Called Death - Before There Was Punk

A Brief History of Horror Punk - Anarchy in the World

A Brief History of Post-Punk - Anarchy in the World 

A HISTORY LESSON Punk Rock in Los Angeles in 1984 

A Unique Punk Landscape 

Adam & the Ants - Banshees & other Creatures

AFROPUNK: The Movie

Anarchism in America (1983) - Documentary on the American Anarchy Movement.

Another State of Mind

BBC Archive - Punk

BBC The Story of Skinhead - Don Letts

Before 1976 Revisited: How Punk Became Punk

Black Flag Reality 86'd

Brass Tacks PUNK documentary Manchester 1977

By Any Means: A Brief History of Black Flag: Part 1 - 1976-1980, Part 2: 1980-1986

Bunchofuckingoofs (BFG) New Music 1989

CBGB'S DOCUMENTARY 1978

Circle Jerks - My Career as a Jerk

Clockwork Orange County

Crass - Steve Ignorant on Crass. Un-Cut

Crass - There is No Authority But Yourself

Dancing in the Streets - No Fun

Dead on Arrival - The Punk Documentary That Almost Never Was

D.O.A. A Rite of Passage (1981)

Ears, Eyes and Throats: Restored Classic and Lost Punk Films 1976-1981

Fresh Fruit For Rotting Eyeballs (Dead Kennedys) 

Greetings from New York 1983

History of Punk: Sound of Rebellion

Islington Squatter Punk Documentary,  1983

Live Fast Die: The GG Allin story

London Ontario Punk Rock Documentary - Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Made in Belfast

Made in Huddersfield

Never Mind The Baubles - Christmas '77 with The Sex Pistols

NOT DEAD YET -  Toronto 83 Hardcore Punk Scene

OFF!'s Keith Morris talks about his time in Black Flag & Circle Jerks

One Nine Nine Four: 90's Punk Rock

Punk : ??? - A (very) DIY documentary

Punk '76

Punk 76-79 (the Vancouver scene) - Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

Punk And Disorderly

Punk & The New Wave 1976-1978 ~ The Way They Were

Punk & The Pistols 1995

Punk Attitude

Punk Britannia Part 1 (1972-1976)

Punk Britannia Part 2 (1976-1978)

Punk Britannia Part 3 (1978-1981)

Punk feature on 'Review' - Ulster TV - 1978

Punk In Drublic Documentary

Punk in London

Punk The Early Years (1978)

Punk's Not Dead

Riot Grrrl: The '90s Movement that Redefined Punk

Ramones - Rock Milestones

Rock Family Trees: Banshees and Other Creatures

Rock Family Trees - New York Punk - Parts 1, 2, 4,

SLC Punk Full Movies - 1 & 2

Sex Pistols - Live in The USA

So Cal punk documentary

Somewhere to Go: Punk Victoria

Sounds of the 70s - Punk (Anarchy on the BBC)

Step Up and Be Vocal (Queer Punk)

StreetPunk - The Movie (2000)

Suburbia (Full Movie)1984

Surfpunks L.A. punk doc Dutch TV 1981

The Art of Punk - Black Flag - Art + Music

The Art of Punk - Crass - The Art of Dave King and Gee Vaucher

The Art of Punk - Dead Kennedys - The Art of Winston Smith

The Blank Generation (1976)

The Clash - bbc4 documentary

The Culture Show "Girls Will Be Girls" BBC 2 Women in Punk

The day the country died - history of anarcho punk

The Decline of Western Civilization 1981

The Decline of Western Civilization - Part 2: The Metal Years

The Decline of Western Civilization - Part 3: Gutter Punks

The Disrupters, The story of a Punk band

The Exploited

The Final 24 - Sid Vicious

The London Weekend Show Punk Rock 

The Shape of PUNK CINEMA

The Slog Movie

The Year of Punk Documentary London Weekend Television

Under The Influence: 2 Tone Ska 

Under The Influence: New York Hardcore

Urban Struggle

Visual Vitriol; The Art Of Punk

Where Did Punk Start?

X - The Unheard Music Documentary

You Weren't There

Related Articles:

Ears, Eyes and Throats: Restored Classic and Lost Punk Films 1976-1981

Related Websites:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_punk_films

Related Books:

Destroy All Movies!!!: The Complete Guide to Punks on Film /  Video preview of the book.

[brokehorrorfan]

Blu-ray Review: Tales from the Darkside: The Movie

Tales from the Darkside: The Movie is, of course, a feature film based on the horror anthology TV series, but many fans also recognize it as the true Creepshow 3. Unlike the eventual third installment, which was made years later to cash in on the title recognition, Tales from the Darkside involved many of the crew members behind the first two Creepshow films. George A. Romero served as a writer, bestowing directorial duties to frequent collaborator John Harrison (who served as first assistant director of Creepshow and Day of the Dead). Produced independently, the film was released by Paramount in 1990, just two years after the series wrapped its four-season run.

In lieu of repeating Creepshow's comic book inspirations, Tales from the Darkside: The Movie adopts a Grimm's fairy tale approach. The Hansel and Gretel-esque wraparound, written by Michael McDowell (Beetlejuice, The Nightmare Before Christmas), stars Debbie Harry (of Blondie fame) as a suburban housewife preparing for a dinner party. The main course? A young boy (Matthew Lawrence, Mrs. Doubtfire). In an attempt to prolong his life, the imprisoned child regales his captor with three spooky fables.

McDowell adapts Arthur Conan Doyle's "Lot 249" short story for the first segment. Steve Buscemi (Reservoir Dogs) plays Bellingham, a grad student who brings a 3,000-year-old Egyptian mummy back to life to exact revenge on his preppy classmates - Andy (Christian Slater, Interview with the Vampire), Lee (Robert Sedgwick, Die Hard with a Vengeance), and Susan (the big screen debut of Julianne Moore, The Lost World: Jurassic Park) - who conspired to cheat him out of a fellowship.

Originally planned for Creepshow 2, the middle segment sees Romero adapting Stephen King's "The Cat from Hell" short story (later collected in Just After Sunset). In it, a rich, wheelchair-bound old man, Drogan (William Hickey, Christmas Vacation), hires a hitman, Halston (David Johansen, of the New York Dolls fame), to eliminate an unlikely target: a black cat, which Drogan alleges already killed the manor's other three inhabitants.

The final story, "Lover's Vow," is the strongest. McDowell wrote it based on the Japanese legend of Yuki-onna. It centers on Preston (James Remar, The Warriors), a struggling artist whose life turns around after a run-in with a giant, talking gargoyle. Preston is sworn to secrecy in exchange for his life. 10 years later, he must face the consequences when he shares the secret with his wife, Carola (Rae Dawn Chong, Commando), who he met that fateful night.

With polished production values, a star-studded cast, and top-notch special effects, Tales from the Darkside: The Movie stands strong among the best horror anthologies. A rarity for the subgenre, it's fairly consistent in terms of quality among the segments - arguably even more so than either Creepshow film. While Tom Savini's handiwork is missed, there are no complaints about the special effects accomplished by KNB EFX Group (From Dusk Till Dawn, Scream), with the legendary Dick Smith (The Exorcist, Scanners) serving as consultant. The gargoyle is their most impressive feat, with an expensive animatronic head plus a gnarly transformation sequence, while "Cat from Hell" showcases the goriest scene.

The wraparound helps the film play as a cohesive piece, but Harrison worked with cinematographer Robert Draper (Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers) and the composers to give each segment a unique aesthetic. The wraparound offers a modern look and features music by Donald Rubinstein (Martin), including a reimagined, orchestral version of his theme from the TV series. "Lot 249" draws inspiration from 1940s adventure cinema with a warm color palette and an orchestral score by Jim Manzie & Pat Regan (Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III). "Cat from Hell" embraces film noir with shadowy camerawork and blue-tinted flashbacks (with clever, in-camera transitions) and an atonal score by Chaz Jankel (D.O.A.). "Lover's Vow" features a cool color palette and soft lighting to reflect the romance, which is echoed in Harrison's own music.

Tales from the Darkside: The Movie has received a Collector's Edition Blu-ray from Scream Factory. The film’s existing high definition transfer is presented with DTS-HD Master 5.1 and 2.0 audio options, along with two audio commentaries. The first is a new track by co-producer David R. Kappes. Perhaps better suited for the documentary portion, his memory is understandably hazy after 30 years, but he looks back fondly on the film plus shares anecdotes about working on Jaws 3-D and Harrison's Dune. The second commentary is an archival track with Harrison and Romero recorded for a DVD release circa 2000. It's a warm chat between longtime friends.

The Blu-ray is worth the upgrade for Tales Behind the Darkside: The Making of Four Ghoulish Fables, a feature-length documentary featuring Harrison, Remar, Chong, and various crew members. It's broken up into six parts (one for each segment, pre-production, post-production, and the release/legacy), totaling over 100 minutes. It's a joy to see Scream Factory return to the cohesive, documentary format rather than individual interviews. Michael Felsher was the perfect candidate to pull it off; not only is his Red Shirt Pictures is responsible for many of the best Blu-ray extras, but he also helmed Just Desserts: The Making of Creepshow. The disc also includes 11 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage from KNB, the theatrical trailer, two TV spots, three radio spots, a still gallery, and a behind-the-scenes gallery.

Tales from the Darkside: The Movie will be released on Blu-ray on August 25 via Scream Factory.

[newyorktheater]

I think if I were eight years old I might have loved “The Lightning Thief” on Broadway, but that’s mostly because I would then have been too young to have seen it at the Lucille Lortel Theatre five years ago. Downtown, this musical about Percy Jackson, a modern American adolescent who also happens to be a demigod from Greek mythology, was just an hour long, charming in a do-it-yourself low-budget way….and free of charge!

At Broadway’s Longacre Theater, “The Lightning Thief” is two hours long, not as charming…and very much not free.

Bringing the musical to Broadway hasn’t made The Lightning Thief a better show — it’s ballooned beyond its fighting weight — but I can understand why the creative team might have felt compelled to do so.   Percy Jackson began life as the hero of a series of bedtime stories that Rick Riordan created for his son, then became the protagonist on the pages of Riordan’s bestselling novels. The novels  were adapted into a couple of blockbuster movies starring Logan Lerman. Once the story was further adapted into a Theatreworks children’s stage musical by playwright Joe Tracz, composer Rob Rokicki and director Stephen Bracket, it must have seemed inevitable to continue the trajectory.

There is still some charm and wit, especially for those who have read the books, in the story of Percy (Chris McCarrell), a boy who doesn’t fit in, discovering that he is the son of Poseidon, the god of the sea, and one of the three most powerful deities.

He finds this out after his mortal mother Sally (Jalynn Steele) has sent him to Camp Half-Blood where he meets other children from mixed families (half mortal, half divine.) Together they sing “The Campfire Song,” the cleverest of the 18 in the show, expressing their resentment of their absent god parent:

Oh things couldn’t be worse When your parents run the universe

We’re introduced early and often to this sometimes amusing crossbreeding of myth and adolescent angst – increasingly familiar on Broadway, as well as on young adult bookshelves – which would be funnier if there were less of it. Similarly, the inspirational message for the kiddies is hammered home in song after song. In “Strong,” for example, Percy laments:

if you’re weird, you’re weak

His mother Sally replies melodically: That’s where you’re wrong The things that make you different are the very things that make you strong

The plot too is familiar – a hero’s quest, which kicks in soon after Percy learns that Zeus (his uncle) thinks Percy has stolen his thunderbolt. Percy travels by bus from New Jersey to L.A., where Hades is located. He is ccompanied by his best friend Grover (Jorrel Javier), who’s a satyr, half-man, half-goat, and by Annabeth, the super-competent but of course neglected daughter of Athena (Kristin Stokes, the only performer in the seven-member cast who was also in the Off-Broadway production.)

But on Broadway, audiences must now withstand the irksome effects from the overblown Broadway special effects playbook –  the production flashes bright lights in our eyes, and thunderous booms in our ears, drops confetti on our heads, plus (admittedly a novel one) uses leaf blowers to drape us with rolls of toilet paper, as if we’re suburban trees during Halloween. My reaction to these touches reminds me of an old Borscht Belt joke: Catskill resort guest: “The food in this place is terrible.” Her friend: ‘Yeah, and such small portions.” Nobody who’s been to Broadway before is going to ooh or ahhh at the effects, or at the parade of colorful (mostly low-tech puppet) monsters with whom Percy and his pals do battle, via sword or fist or just tumbling and fumbling around — Furies, a minotaur, Medussa, Chime, Hades, a surprise traitor in their midst….. “The Lightning Thief” has its pleasures. Among them are the chance to see stand-out cast memer Jalynn Steele work her way through half a dozen mythic or monster characters. This includes Charon, who ferries people to the Underworld, and late in the show does a full-on, soulful show-stopper called “D.O.A.” with cameos by Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain, and Mozart. Not everybody stuck it out to see it the night I attended; two adults sitting to my left and two immediately in front of me left at intermission. But I didn’t see any kids leave.

Click on any photograph by Jeremy Daniels to see it enlarged

The Lightning Thief Longacre Book by Joe Tracz, based on the book by Rick Riordan; Music and lyrics by Rob Rokicki; Choreography by Patrick McCollum; Directed by Stephen Brackett.

Scenic design by Lee Savage, costume design by Sydney Maresca, lighting design by David Lander, sound design by Ryan Rumery, new puppetry designs by Achesonwalsh Studios, fight direction by Rod Winter, hair, wig and makeup dieting by Dave Bova. Cast: Chris McCarrell, Izzy Figueroa, Jorrel Javier, Ryan Knowles, Sam Leicht, Sarah Beth Pfeifer, James Hayden Rodriguez, Jalynn Steele, T. Shyvonne Stewart and Kristin Stokes Running time: Two hours and ten minutes, including one intermission Tickets: $39 to $199 The Lightning Thief is on stage through January 5, 2020.

The Lightning Thief Review: On Broadway Battling Beasts and Bloat I think if I were eight years old I might have loved "The Lightning Thief" on Broadway, but that’s mostly because I would then have been too young to have seen it at the Lucille Lortel Theatre five years ago.

[onlyhindinewstoday]

'Kate' review: Mary Elizabeth Winstead stars in a Netflix action movie that looks D.O.A. in more ways than one

‘Kate’ review: Mary Elizabeth Winstead stars in a Netflix action movie that looks D.O.A. in more ways than one

Aside from Winstead’s recent role as Huntress in the “Harley Quinn” movie, the most obvious point of reference would be “D.O.A.,” the 1950 film noir starring Edmond O’Brien (subsequently remade with Dennis Quaid) in which a fatally poisoned man spends his remaining hours trying to unravel the mystery of who killed him. In similar fashion, Kate — a Tokyo-based killer for hire — ingests a…

[constablewrites]

Writing Lesson Wednesdays: Why Calling a Story “Good” or “Bad” is Useless

Recently for one of our movie nights, we were in the mood for a bad movie. Not straight-up horrible, but something entertainingly bad. After some discussion, we settled on D.O.A.: Dead or Alive: an adaptation of a fighting game probably best known for its boob physics. Certainly not anyone’s idea of high art.

When the movie was over, I turned to the friend who suggested it. “Wait a second,” I said, “I was promised a bad movie.”

See, I’ve long held that it’s rather meaningless to refer to art as simply “good” or “bad.” For stories especially, they’re complicated mechanical creatures that have to function in many different capacities. It’s more useful to say that a story is good or bad at something. 

D.O.A. is a fantastic example of this. It is good at providing visually impressive action sequences; at leaning into its own silliness without crossing the line into caricature; and at establishing who each character is, what they want, and how they’re connected to each other. (Seriously, I have seen prestige films handle large casts far less competently.) It is bad at having a coherent plot or an intimidating villain. It is neither good nor bad at acting and the quality of dialogue--meaning, it’s certainly not great but there’s nothing notably cringeworthy. It’s just there.

How much you enjoy the film depends on how you weight each of these factors, which comes down to both personal taste and the expectations you bring in. Since D.O.A. was pitched to me as being entirely terrible, everything it did well was a pleasant surprise.

Compare that to Gravity, which has a 96 Metacritic score and which I haaaaaated. It is not good at pacing, plot, plausibility, physics, or protagonisting. But it is indeed very, very pretty, and sometimes that can be enough for a satisfying experience. Again expectations are a big part of it, because something tells me that if the reviews I’d read had been less “definitely one of the best movies of the year” and more “script is a mess but holy balls those effects,” I might have felt a bit more generous toward it.

(This, incidentally, is why it’s a good idea to be specific when you leave a review of something. A negative review can be a selling point when that person’s “yikes hard pass” is someone else’s “oh hell yes.”)

This tactic--asking not whether something is good or bad but judging it in context of what it is supposed to be accomplishing--is tremendously useful in the revision process. When you approach editing as trying to make it better, the competing priorities can just leave you confused as to whether your changes are actually helping. After all, this scene is very good at dialogue and character development, so it’s a good scene, right? But if what the story needs most at that moment is to advance the plot and this scene doesn’t do that, it needs to be overhauled or cut. That’s basically what a darling (as in “kill your darlings”) is: a bit that is very good at one thing, just not the thing that’s needed. “Am I making it better or just different?” is difficult to judge, but “Does this change help me accomplish this particular goal?” is a more concrete question.

Now, developing your instincts so you can identify what a given chapter, moment, or sentence needs to be good at doing? That’s tricky. (That’s part of why this blog is here.) One good way to do that is to interrogate your reaction to a story--not just the parts you liked or didn’t, but how much those elements mattered to your overall experience and why something resonated or fell flat. When you start to recognize how those pieces work together, you’ll be better able to apply that knowledge to your own writing.

[east-is-dema-dont-control]

The Lightning Thief Musical Soundtrack Review

Alright, this is going to be a long post, so brace yourself. I have a lot of feelings and need to nerd out. I just got my copy of The Lightning Thief Musical Cast Album in the mail today (finally) and have been listening to it all day, and let me tell you a thing, it is fabulous, amazing, fantastic, and exceeded my every expectation (which were pretty high, btw). This musical perfectly captured the very essence of Percy Jackson, which the movies completely failed to do. As a standalone musical, I’m not sure how successful it would be, I think you would have to know the plot of the book to enjoy it. But as an adaptation, it is beyond successful. I have never liked an adaptation more, because no other adaptation has ever captured the characters and style so well. I certainly hope they produce a video of the actual musical itself, I would pay to watch it! Every song on this album was a different style, and the styles all worked wonderfully for each character or event that was going on. I have to give mega props to Rob Rokicki for his work! You can clearly tell that the book was read over and over by the writers of this musical!

As far as accuracy goes, I think they hit the mark pretty well. To condense an almost 400 page book into an hour and a half is not easy. However, the writers managed to have almost every significant event of the books, or at least mention them. I appreciate that they didn’t try to change the major plot points, like the movies did, but rather just shrink it down. That is how to make a successful adaptation. 

The writing is pure genius. It has all the wit, sass, and sass that I would expect from Percy Jackson. I don’t believe Uncle Rick had anything to do with the writing, but a lot of the lines sound like the came right out of his mouth. All the characters sound exactly like they do in the book. 

I really love the first song, Prologue/The Day I Got Expelled. I appreciate how it includes lines from the book, like, “I didn't want to be half-blood” and the lines about running away if you think you’re a half-blood too! It made me feel things and I haven’t been this excited over something in a very long time. This song got the first 2-3 chapters of the book perfectly. I have to say, that line, “This ain’t Disney, this is Odyssey”, is on point! That’s something I would expect Rick to put in one of his book like Greek Gods or Greek Heroes. 

The next song, Strong, is so beautiful and gives me all the feels. I think it really captures Sally, and what a great mom she is, telling Percy what he thinks makes him weak is actually what makes him strong. It even included blue food! I was grinning so much! 

The Minaotaur/The Weirdest Dream made me laugh, I’m so glad it included the whole “You drool when you sleep” line! Event the graphic novel didn’t include that part!

Mr. D’s song, Another Terrible Day is a literal work of art. ‘Professor Hay-for-Breath’ and ‘Peter Johnson’ alone make that song deserve a Grammy. Again, this captures Mr. D’s personality and how little he could care about the camp. I loved the reference to the orientation film, especially since we have the Camp Half-Blood Confidential book, which includes that film! Also, the fact that Silena Beauregard and Charles Beckendorf were in there was perfect. The only thing it was missing was a reference to Diet Coke!

I really appreciate Clarisse’s song, Put You In Your Place, was the perfect song for her. I’m so happy they included a bit about Capture the Flag, it’s such an essential part of Camp Half-Blood, it would be a crime to leave it out. 

The Campfire Song was excellent. It brought in the campfire sing-a-longs and warmed my heart. I thought it was hilarious that the sing-a-long wasn’t a typical campfire song, but the kids throwing shade at their parents!

Good Kid is a fantastic song, and it really shows who Percy is, how he feels like he’s trying to do right but keeps getting into trouble, and how much he loves his mom. It’s just the perfect song for Percy. The same goes for Annabeth’s song, My Grand Plan. Again, this is Annabeth in a song. It shows her ambition and how she wants her mom to recognize her and be proud. These 2 are probably my favorite on the album. 

Drive is such a fun song! It covers a lot of ground in the plot. My favorite thing is that they mention the dam snack bar! I couldn’t believe it! The Lotus hotel, the encounter with Ares, all fantastic. Of course, they didn’t go into the Lotus hotel, which I’m sure would have been a great song, but I can forgive them for skipping it, since they referenced it well enough. 

The Tree on the Hill, Thalia’s song was a good addition. Thalia would be one of the points I would have expected them to skip, so I was pleasantly surprised they included that song. It’s these details that make this album so successful. 

The last song I’m going to comment on is D.O.A. This is an excellent song for the Underworld. It was so much fun! I mean, who could resist DJ Cerberus? I want him to do the music for my next party! 

All of the details, like mentioning Seaweed brain, the dam snack bar, having to apologize to the squirrel, Auntie Em, everything was just amazing and made this such an amazing and fun adaptation. I was grinning the whole time, I wouldn’t want this musical done any other way. I want every one of Uncle Rick’s turned into a musical by these people. I really hope that they start working on a Sea of Monsters musical soon! Fingers crossed! This musical is full of Rick’s characteristic sass, satire, and wit. There was plenty of heart, and it stayed so true to the story line in the book. This musical was perfect and exceeded all my expectation. I would highly recommend this, if you’re a Percy Jackson fan, go pick this up and listen, you won’t regret it!!

[jsbg]

today i was reviewing some of my favourite movies and this song immediately stood out. only today did i notice the similarity in vibe between throbbing gristle and gaspar noe. it is amazing how, not only the music supports his pictures, but also do the pictures complement the music incredibly well. i’ll have to dive deeper to find out if this is always the case or if there usually is an imbalance between the two (maybe it depends on the level of abstraction?).

(mute artists, 1978)

[scott-andrews-blog]

(800-1000 words) Evaluation

- How the brief was met

The brief was met as a group in different roles we were each given a MacGuffin to create a 1-3-minute video. The video which my group created fell just under the 3-minute mark. It contained little to no dialogue and only used one location (TV Studio with some extra props to fit the scene and time it was set in). The only dialogue we used was in the editing of the video with a voice narration by Callum Hughes which we used a task cam, the voice actor put on an American accent to make it fit the time and enhance the film noir style.

- Technical standards

In my opinion we met the technical standards, the production values were high and everything looked clean, there didn't seem to be any errors in the video whilst re-watching it, apart from one or two audio edits which could have been refined better, but overall the editing was sharp and the filming went to plan besides one major fault with us using 2 video cameras rather than 1 to get different angles of the scene since we did the scene all in 1 take.

Both cameras were attached to pedestals (a tripod with wheels which was moveable) the footage we shot on one of the cameras seemed in focus but the movement can cause the footage to become out of focus. When the footage was reviewed and none of the footage from that camera was usable however because of time constraints and the group being on the final week of the project it made it hard for us to reshoot our footage with 2 days left to edit so we had to edit the footage the best we could from just one camera. The project still managed to turn out good because all of the footage on the Canon EOS 70D was useable and the footage on the Canon EOS 600D were mostly just additional side angles.

 - Story structure

Since our Mac Guffin was a postcard our group was really turned to the idea of creating a short crime film noire scene, with one of the codes and conventions being it was all black and white. This was an idea that we wanted to experiment with since none of us had done any kind of video produced in all black and white, this gave us the hard task of making the setting feel like it fit the 1900s but also let us not worry about the colour since it would later be edited in post production.

Narrative:

A detective is sat in his office working on a case. There is a killer on the loose who sends a postcard to his victims before he kills them. A postcard then arrives at his office. He is the next victim.

-       Detective is looking at board.

-       Colleague places down postcard on desk.

-       Detective turns and sees postcard.

-       Detective walks over to table.

-       Detective looks at postcard.

-       Detective sits down at desk.

-       Detective starts typing on typewriter.

-       Gun silhouette on black background goes up to detective’s head and fires.

-       Cuts to black.

 Props / Set:

Black Background, Suspect Board, Framed Pictures, Table, Typewriter, Old Telephone, Piles of Paper, Coat Stand, Filing Cabinets, Pistol.

Roles:

Jordan Jamieson - Director, Camera Operator 2

James Coyne - Editor, Camera Operator 1, Tascam

Scott Andrews - Boom Operator, Assistant Editor

Jonathon Beck - Actor (Detective)

Callum Hughes - Voice Actor (Detective)

 Shot Ideas:

Shot of blood hitting postcard of Detective

Dolly zoom

 -       Establishing dolly shot (Forward, Backwards, Left to Right, Right to Left) - actor looking at murder board + actor sat typing. I felt like this shot worked really well for us to introduce the scene to the viewer.

-       Close up panning shots of murder board (Following the string, each item on it, all sticky notes)

-       Shots of actor looking at murder board + sat typing (Close up/mid/wide shots from front, back, left and right)

-       Panning/close up/establishing shots of set

  - Organisation

Looking back on the project as a whole organisation would be one of the parts in the project I would focus on the most next time. As a group we still managed to get the filming and editing completed in time however it gave us the extra unnecessary stress of leaving everything until the last week, this was when the actor was available, so unless we found a different actor it couldn't have been helped. On the final week before the deadline we gave ourselves 1 day (the Tuesday) to setup the set in the TV studio which took around 4 hours (1-5pm). The following Wednesday we spent time going through the video, rehearsing, redoing shoots, and coming up with ideas of how the video was going to play out. We knew in our heads what the video should look like however the planning of the video wasn't clear since

- How the video was suitability for target audience

The video in my eyes was fairly suitable since there was no inappropriate content such as swearing or being too violent, a gun was the only weapon the video contained however it just cuts to black straight after the gunshot and the audience can't see what happens after that because the video ends.

The age of a recommended viewer would aim towards older people around 30-50 years old since Film Noirs were most popular in the 1900s and they would enjoy the complicated plots. However younger people may also enjoy the crime aspect of it since it is a modern film noire rather than a remaster of an older one.

- Responding to feedback throughout the edit & final screening

Positive feedback we received: People really enjoyed how we thought about each aspect of the video to make it fit the style we wanted the video to look like a film noire because we thought about props, lighting, and the New York voice accent it all came together really well.

Constructive criticism: A few ways in which it could have been improved was mostly the audio being too loud or slightly off sync and still playing in some clips. For example, you can still hear the type writer during a shot where he is looking over the notice board. Another thing we fixed throughout the edit was reducing the audio levels tweaking it slightly to make it less noticeable because someone said that it was rather loud when they watched the video early on throughout the edit.

         - Comparing my own film to other films (using screenshots) which contain similar elements.

D.O.A. is one example of a black and white film noir crime/thriller which was used to take inspiration from especially the layout of how props are aliened in the office. We arranged them the same way on our desk to our short movie 'The post card killer' look similar to this classic movie which was produced in 1949. One difference which the audience can easily spot between the short film we made and D.O.A. is the black bars which weren't used in 1949 but we decided to use them for a more cinematic effect rather than recreating a scene such as the one in the movie entirely. We even went as far as to go for the project to buy a detective outfit which you can see his coat hung up in the screenshot, comparing the two scenes in my opinion the lighting is very similar, different parts of the room are lighter and darker than others in both, I am also satisfied how the shadow in the back turned out, the silhouette isn't as sharp as it could have been but it still turned out good.

[katiezstorey93]

December 26 Digital, Blu-ray and DVD Releases

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December 26 Digital, Blu-ray and DVD Releases

Welcome into ComingSoon.net’s December 26 Digital HD, Blu-ray and DVD column! Since you can see, we’ve added a video player in the top emphasizing the week’s releases, and you’ll be able to find more detailed write-ups of distinct titles and exclusive movies below! Click each highlighted title to buy through Amazon!

New Movies on Blu-ray/DVD

 (exclusive clip) Idris Elba and Kate Winslet star in this play about two strangers who charter a trip during a storm, but when their plane crashes in the hills they must work together to survive. ComingSoon.net has a distinctive clip concerning the real stuntwork Kate Winslet did immersing herself in icy water on place. Check it out below!

Vince Vaughn provides an unbelievable comeback performance as an ex-boxer who lands in prison. Once there, a dishonest character played by Udo Kier blackmails him with all the life of his infant child ahead of some dirty job in the prison.   Jennifer Carpenter and Don Johnson co-star in this gripping grindhouse pic from writer/director S. Craig Zahler (Bone Tomahawk).

Out on Blu-ray this week’s this pseudo-remake/sequel into Joel Schumacher’s 1990 cult classic. This time a fresh crew of young med students (Ellen Page, Diego Luna, Nina Dobrev, James Norton, Kiersey Clemons) decide to play god by murdering each other temporarily under controlled conditions in order to experience the afterlife.   Kiefer Sutherland returns playing sort-of exactly the same role as the first.

Mayhem The Walking Dead‘s Steven Yeun celebrities in this action horror comedy about a man who gets fired by a law company exactly the identical day an aerial virus breaks.

Reissues

James Cameron’s explosive blockbuster sequel is at least as hard-hitting and emotionally strong as it had been in 1991. Because of a brand-new 4K digital recovery additionally, it looks just as good if not BETTER, and reminds us once again that great effects and a killer narrative are always the best combo. Click here to see our exclusive interview with star Robert Patrick!

Billy Wilder’s 1960 Best Picture-winning comedy-drama arrives to Kinect at a special deluxe collection from Arrow Video. The limited edition contains a sparkling new 4K recovery from the original camera negative, and tons of extra features in addition to a distinct hardcover publication of selected critical writings on the movie, which stars Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine. Lemmon plays a sad sack worker of a Manhattan office whose livelihood requires an upswing when he starts loaning out his apartment to top direction to tryst with their mistresses.

D.O.A.: A Right of Passage This classic punk documentary from 1980 chronicles the Sex Pistols’ initial and just U.S. tour, in the end of of that the iconic band broke up. You’ll also find incredible footage of additional punk groups such as Generation X, The Dead Boys and Sham 69.

Fresh on Digital HD

Ryan Gosling tries to match the shoes of Harrison Ford in manager  Denis Villeneuve’s stunning, psychological but ultimately unnecessary sequel to Ridley Scott’s 1982 sci-fi timeless. While the initial plot was compact and easy, this one is pointlessly convoluted and leaves room for a second sequel that will probably never occur. Harrison Ford is game as the coming Rick Deckard, though it’s Ana de Armas’s brand new kind of Replicant that steals the show.

Jackie Chan plays a former special forces man who seeks revenge following his daughter is killed in a bombing committed by former IRA terrorists.   Pierce Brosnan co-stars as a former IRA member turned politician which Chan’s character supposes.

TV on Blu-ray and DVD

(exclusive clip) This 8-part miniseries from Discovery stars Paul Bettany as Ted Kaczynski, the notorious Unabomber who had been apprehended in 1996 after killing 3 people and injuring 23 others within a period of almost two years.   Sam Worthington plays FBI agent Jim Fitzgerald, whose profiling expertise resulted in the capture. The 2-disc Blu-ray collection includes three featurettes, and ComingSoon.net has a distinctive clip comprising the real Fitzgerald speaking about his encounter with the Unabomber. Check it out below!

Book Club

You may have read lots of “Best Christmas Horror Movies” lists recently, but this wonderful new quantity from Spectacular Optical covers this sub-genre IN-DEPTH. Edited by Paul Corupe along with Kier-La Janisse, “Yultide Terror” contains entire chapters dedicated to these seasonal terror tales as Christmas Evil, Silent Night, Deadly Night and P2, in Addition to a focus on tv terror with a Fantastic chapter on the BBC’s A Ghost Story for Christmas, in Addition to an interview with HBO’s Tales From the Crypt screenwriter Fred Dekker. Best of all, it has a compendium in the back listing tons of movies using capsule reviews for you to create a Christmas checklist!

This spectacular limited edition collector’s item comprises six magnificent illustrated pop-up scenes that have been taken straight from the crush family picture and lovingly nominated for Paddington lovers.   Now you also can be hauled, just such as Paddington and Aunt Lucy, to some glorious paper-engineered globe and visit mythical London sights including St. Pauls, Big Ben, Tower Bridge and the Houses of Parliament. A perfect accompaniment to the upcoming Paddington 2!

The Mountain Between Us

The Mountain Between Us

The Mountain Between Us

The Mountain Between Us

The Mountain Between Us

The Mountain Between Us

The Mountain Between Us

The Mountain Between Us

The Mountain Between Us

The Mountain Between Us

The Mountain Between Us

The Mountain Between Us

The Mountain Between Us

The Mountain Between Us

The Mountain Between Us

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[nightmareonfilmstreet]

[Review] INOPERABLE is an Ambitious Attempt but is Ultimately Found D.O.A.

In September of 2001, The Washington Wizards (Yes, this is a sports-ball reference. Apologies.) of the NBA were given an amazing opportunity. Michael Jordan was coming out of retirement and joining their team. He was getting up there in age, so of course he couldn’t do what he once could, but 60% of Michael Jordan was better than anyone else in the league. Not only that but you knew that he was going to give you everything he had, every night. Sounds amazing, right? So, how did the Wizards franchise capitalize on this incredible, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? They surrounded MJ with the worst group of rag-tag teammates ever assembled, led by Ronald “Popeye” Jones and Kwame “Charmin-Soft” Brown.

Inoperable reminds me a lot of those Wizards teams from 2001-2003. Producing company Zorya Films had a script with an interesting central concept, an awesome location that could be filmed at for cheap and Danielle Harris on board to star. What could possibly go wrong?

Spoiler Alert: A lot.

First, let’s talk about what works in the film. Inoperable, as I mentioned above, has a very interesting central premise. The film follows Amy (Harris) as she wakes up in a seemingly abandoned hospital after being involved in a car accident. Televisions throughout the hallways alert us to an approaching ‘Category 5’ hurricane about to make landfall. After leaving her room, she wanders the halls trying to either find a way out or someone that can let her in on what the hell is going on.

As she roams the hospital, she keeps running into the same orderlies, nurses and patients that all seem to coming after her with bad intentions. On top of all that, Amy keeps getting smacked with headaches, a bloody nose, and a bad case of waking up back in her car to start the cycle all over again. Amy remembers a little more each time she wakes up, so she avoids pulling out her I.V. and puts on shoes to avoid broken glass by the third cycle. On one of these rounds through the hospital, she runs into Police Officer Ryan (Jeff Denton) and Bachelorette Party-Participant Jen (Katie Keene) in the waiting room. They, too, are stuck in these time-loops and together, the three of them must find a way to avoid the murderous doctors and find a way out before the hurricane passes overhead. Time loops have been done before, but it is still an interesting and ambitious story.

Another thing Inoperable has going for it is the location. Danielle Harris confirmed to us during our interview that it was filmed in an abandoned hospital in Florida, and the filmmakers had to dress it up to make it look nicer than it actually was. It had just the right amount of hanging ceiling tile and grimy grout to convince the viewer than there was something not quite right within those walls. Director Christopher Lawrence Chapman used these hallways and offices very well during some of the “chase” scenes involving the nurses and Amy.

Chapman’s close-quarter camerawork is another place where Inoperable shines. There is one scene in particular that follows Amy as she navigates her way through the labyrinthine hallways and offices of the hospital, looking for a way out. The shot is so well staged and executed that you are given a glimpse of another patient in the doorway, only to disappear when the frame comes back to center. It is an effective scare and one that is done entirely in-frame with good, old-fashioned camera skills.

The gore and visual effects were scarce in the film, but what we did get to see was very well done. As Amy runs the halls, she comes across rooms where the doctors are torturing patients in exceedingly gruesome ways. We get exposed brains, cheese-grater skin treatments, cut throats and a particularly unsettling disembowelment thrown our way and each of them look incredible for a movie with a limited budget.

That, unfortunately, exhausts the list of positives that I found with the film. Yes, Inoperable has an interesting premise, but absolutely nothing becomes of it. Chapman, who also co-wrote the film with Jeff Miller, could not turn this story to anything close to resembling a complete thought. There were twists and turns throughout the film, but that’s simply because nothing made sense. It’s like if you were judging the Westminster Dog Show and someone walked in with a rotten whale carcass. Technically, that would be considered a twist, but it does nothing to serve the story. It’s just a random occurrence with no build up and no payoff.

Take, for instance, the time loops that Amy and company are stuck in. Instead of just letting them be what they are, the screenwriters tried to explain to us why they are occurring. Apparently, the hurricane traveled over a military research center, causing “paradoxical time anomalies” to become unleashed and trapping the characters in these ever-quickening cycles. Each cycle also brings Amy back to her car as it is sitting in traffic before her accident. Each time, she brandishes her trusty 2006 flip-phone and tries to call 911 before being cycled a second time (teleported?) into her hospital room. She tries this call every single time. She learns to remove her I.V. before running into the hallway, but nothing sticks when it comes to the pointlessness of making that call. Some things are held over from one cycle to the next, but our characters don’t learn anything of value or worth from jump to jump. Instead of unraveling any of the mystery surrounding them, they simply go through the motions each time like a skipping record.

Like the 2001 Washington Wizards, Inoperable did not capitalize on having a world-class talent on the roster. They surrounded Danielle Harris with actors that just couldn’t deliver. Most of the lines were bad (“It’s the T-Rex of Hurricanes”), yes, but they were read in such a wooden and robotic manner that there was no urgency or emotion on screen. You can get away with that in a film like this if you allow your star to chew up the scenery and bring life to their role. Chapman did not do this with Harris. It’s as if she was told to “Run through these halls and look scared”. She did this very well, but we needed so much more. There was only one scene in the entire film where she was even allowed to act. That scene, a conversation between Amy and Jen in an air duct, was beautiful and lent the film some emotional weight. Once that scene ended, however, we never got to see Danielle flex again. If you have an All-Star on your team, don’t sit them on the bench. Let them do what they do and improve the performance of those around them.

The ending of the film twisted things around in a way that, again, could have been fantastic but ultimately made no sense and fell completely flat. The viewers are left with a sense that there was so much wasted potential in this film, which makes the criticisms much harsher. Inoperable could have had fun with its star and premise, but it chose to take itself far too seriously. If it would have abandoned the twists and turns that never paid off and allowed Danielle to have fun with the material, it could have been a low-budget Happy Death Day. Instead, we got a nonsensical film that shot for the moon but ended up in the dirt.

1 / 4 eberts

  The post [Review] INOPERABLE is an Ambitious Attempt but is Ultimately Found D.O.A. appeared first on Nightmare on Film Street - Horror Movie Podcast, News and Reviews.

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[theboisebeat]

DVD/BD Review: D.O.A. - A Right Of Passage (MVD Rewind Collection)

DVD/BD Review: D.O.A. – A Right Of Passage (MVD Rewind Collection)

One of the recurring themes in the movie D.O.A.: A Right Of Passage, filmed in 1978 in a semi-aborted attempt to document the Sex Pistols’ American tour, is the frequent accusation that punk rockers are all in it for the money. Longhairs from record companies tut-tut the punk rockers’ bad behavior and declare “This is not a viable form of music in America,” and thus has no reason to exist. One…