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Nick (2016)
More of a TV Pilot than a Movie
Outlier or Nick (the title in which I viewed the movie)would have been better off as a start to a TV series than as a movie.
The film takes a very long time establishing the day to day activities of the main characters as well as the volatile relationship between the stars of the film (the town officer & her step-brother).
In between all this, a killer is stalking the town murdering at will & going undetected. After 3 quarters of the film's running time, the story begins to pick-up with some tension & a slight turn in the direction of the supernatural. This however, gets interrupted with more character establishing dialogue which diminishes the film's most tense moment. An attempt is made to rebuild the tension, which does work. However, that is unfortunately the conclusion of the film.
****Possible Spoiler: In short, nothing is resolved.****
This was clearly meant to be the 1st in a series of episodes. The film makers didn't take time to think however that for television, the viewer only has to wait till next week to see the continuation of the story. Nick though is a movie and ending it at a cliffhanger with no guarantees that a sequel will be made is a frustrating viewing experience for the audience.
A let-down overall.
Knight of Cups (2015)
Hated it, but............
Despite being a fan of Terrence Malick, I was not at all impressed with his Knight of Cups. This is his most non-linear & unstructured film to date. The audience sees dialogue being spoken, but is not invited into any of the discussions; which was frustrating. Only bits & pieces of voice-overs from different characters is heard (which is fragmented in an out-of-sequence layout).
As the film's title alludes to, the story is divided into sections based on tarot card readings. Only after looking up the tarot definition of the Knight of Cups did I begin to appreciate what the film brought forth.
The Knight of Cups, depending on whether the card is dealt upright or reverse,can either be:
_ romantic, artistic & well defined, but easily bored & requiring constant stimulation. Or,
_unreliable, reckless & unable to discern the truth from lies.
The movie follows this very definition. The audience sees both the upright & reverse qualities of the main character (he pulls women into relationships without effort & he is obviously rich, talented & yearning for more of the same or something/someone different. He also parties to no end, prances around aimlessly & is clearly in search of self meaning).
And that's it. If the director's intent was to bring this tarot card character to life, he succeeded. If the Knight of Cups were to walk the earth, this film showcases what his daily life would entail.
Although I can't readily recommend this film to anyone, I can appreciate what was accomplished by its writer/director, actors, etc.
Unnatural (2015)
Not the best killer animal story....but still fun
Unnatural,or Maneater which is the title I saw it under, is a fun nature-runs-amok horror movie.
Some of the reviews here made this movie out to be a statement on the ecological effects of global warming. I completely disagree. Although the subject gets its mention, its pretty much isolated to the final reels of the film; the audience is not beaten over the head with it. Like cooking with bourbon, the alcohol is in there, but not anywhere near enough to get you drunk. This is not an ecological thriller. Its a killer bear movie.
Although this film is not as effective as The Edge (probably the best movie dealing with a rampaging bear) or as the gore-soaked guilty pleasure Grizzly, its the better of the killer bear movies as of late.
Thanks to the a great cast of character actors who play this story straight, truly gorgeous photography & a high body count, Unnatural is entertaining movie junk food. No heavy thinking required here. Just some horror movie-loving buddies who brought beer & wings.
Catch Me Daddy (2014)
Great build-up leads to a flat conclusion.
Catch Me Daddy builds suspense & tension throughout its running time. It is very engaging due to the story revolving around sympathetic lead characters. This is why it ends up being somewhat disappointing when the audience is not given a definitive conclusion to the story.
The story is pretty much a chase movie where a couple are being pursued by the brothers of the female along with hired thugs who plan to take the female back to their native home (she is from Pakistan but ran away to England to live with her boyfriend). For a simple & low budget movie, everything works; the locations, performances & action all shine. The script gains extra points when exposing the underlying tension between the English thugs & Pakistani family as well as how women are treated in Pakistani culture.....its disturbing.
Then however, just when the pace & visceral intensity are both amped up, the story is concluded. And as a result, there are many questions left open. As to what happens to certain characters, that too is rendered a mystery. In the end, it really feels as though the movie was released even though it was unfinished.
In conclusion, the film is a well shot & well told story that will leave the viewer with questions to ponder & answer for themselves.
The Pack (2015)
Not much to it, but not bad......
The Pack is pretty much a home invasion movie where feral dogs instead of masked marauders play the intruders attempting to gain entry into a barricaded house of terrified inhabitants.
As to why the pack is attacking, the following explanation, which occurs before the opening credits, is given:
"Around the world, packs of dogs roam freely. Killing at will. Now they have developed the taste for a new prey......"
And that's it. From there, the audience is launched into the 1st action sequence. Then the starring family is introduced, the pack launches into another separate attack, afterward making their way to the family & all hell breaks loose.
Although simply scripted, the overall production is well done. The photography is pretty, the performances are fine & the choreography of the dogs in action is well staged. Very good gore make-up FX too.
And again, that's it. Overall, a very good time killer for horror fans on a boring night. Recommended.
The Curse of Downers Grove (2015)
Not Bad
This small film provided a nice surprise by rising above expectations & being totally different than how it was sold (spoiler: its not a supernatural horror movie).
The film is a pretty real look at a town of high school teenagers on the verge of graduating & starting their summer vacation. The catch: every year during these final days of school leading up to graduation, someone dies. Although this "curse" is on everyone's mind, teens will be teens; so parties & what results from these parties will continue. During one such party, the main character is set upon by a gang leader & she fights her way out of the attack; maiming her attacker in the process. This leads to her & her friends/family being stalked by the gang until the final confrontation during a house siege.
The actors do a very good job in creating likable characters, the setting is picturesque & the action is viscerally strong. The closing moments are surprising, but in my opinion, were not necessary.
Overall, an enjoyable waste of time. Fans of the following movies (I'm dating myself here): The New Kids, Massacre at Central High & the updated version of The Town That Dreaded Sundown should seek this one out.
Happy Hunting.