Genre: Indie

Adventureland (2009) – Film Review

/ Joe Baker / Leave a comment

This comedy-drama from 2009 is an underrated classic, in my opinion, as director Greg Mottola (Superbad, Paul, Keeping Up with the Joneses) brings us a simple yet effective story of two young people from different worlds meeting over one memorable summer, and while it may not be as hilarious as some of his other films. I do feel Mottola has brought us a much more emotional story this time around, with the comedy not too far behind.

Plot Summary: In the summer of 1987, teenage college graduate, James Brennan, takes a ‘nowhere’ job at his local theme park as he awaits to leave his hometown. Only for him to soon find it’s the perfect course to get him prepared for the real world, meeting new friends and sending him down a different life path…

For a film like this, it’s crucial that the characters are likeable and are given plenty of development as, in my opinion, drama really only works within film if the characters are developed enough to be invested in. Luckily, the film does succeed here, crafting some very funny and (mostly) realistic characters within only a short amount of time, as the film doesn’t waste screen-time setting up its narrative and characters, but always does so in a way that doesn’t feel too fast-paced.

All of the cast are also pretty great here, as Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Kristen Wiig and Ryan Reynolds all have decent chemistry with each other, and don’t simply treat their characters as joke machines. Despite Bill Hader as the park manager, ‘Bobby,’ definitely being my personal favourite, however, purely through his hilarious dialogue leading to many brilliant moments throughout the runtime.

Being set in a theme park local to the home of the protagonist, this is where the cinematography by Terry Stacey really shines, as the film really uses the different rides, games and attractions as well as the colourful lighting as a beautiful backdrop for many great scenes, as the film is always very inventive with the different locations of the park, exploring new areas in each scene, with some locations even being used to reflect a character’s personality. The film also uses a bright orange, yellow and blue colour palette throughout the story, which really helps to enhance the film’s visuals, and meshes perfectly with the film’s more light-hearted tone.

The original score by Yo La Tengo also helps add to the 1980s atmosphere, being mostly subtle yet still effective in many scenes in spite of its general lack of memorability. Various songs from the ’80s are also used throughout the film, everything from iconic classics to more unknown songs get a short appearance, with all of it eventually adding up to a pretty fantastic soundtrack, as well as another link back to the time period.

The main issue with the film for me is its comedy, as already mentioned. Although the film does have plenty of comedic moments throughout. I simply feel the film has far more in regard to drama than comedy, as the majority of its memorable moments are for more emotional purposes. There was also a subplot between two characters which I personally felt was a little rushed over, but as this was near the end of the film, this may have been done to avoid a lack of focus and conclusion.

In summary, even though ‘Adventureland’ is nothing incredible in relation to its filmmaking, I personally really enjoy the film, as I’ll always find myself turning back to it when in need of a more upbeat comedy-drama, as with a unique location and a great cast of characters, there isn’t really much to dislike here. Although some of the film’s comedy could be improved, I wouldn’t say this drags the entire film down. Check this one out, if you can, as I feel it really deserves more attention from audiences. Final Rating: low 8/10.

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Get Out (2017) – Film Review

/ Joe Baker / Leave a comment

Actor and comedian Jordan Peele tests his hand at directing for the first time with this intelligent thriller, as ‘Get Out’ utilises its original story and some great performances to become a definite step-up from Blumhouse Productions’ usual standard for films. However, although many viewers think this film is phenomenal throughout it’s most of its runtime, I personally don’t agree, as I actually feel there is more than a few areas in need of some improvement.

Plot Summary: When a young African-American man visits his white girlfriend’s parents for the weekend, his simmering uneasiness about their reception of him eventually reaches an extreme boiling point. Leading ‘Chris’ to believe more sinister forces may be at work…

As already mentioned, the film’s narrative is original, and any regardless of quality, I always appreciate originality when it comes to storytelling. Despite ‘Get Out’ being initially pitched and advertised a horror, however, the film is really anything but, as the film actually has many inclines of comedy mixed-in with some tension-filled moments here and there, and although the film is entertaining, ‘Get Out’ never really manages to build-up an eerie atmosphere or becomes particularly creepy, which is why I believe that the film is now classed as a thriller rather than a horror by most.

The best aspect of the film for me is by far the performances by the cast, as Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Bradley Whitford, and Catherine Keener are all exceptional throughout, with Daniel Kaluuya as the protagonist; ‘Chris Washington,’ in particular, really keeping me engaged, as he delivers a very ranged performance, managing to portray a very likeable and realistic character within only a short period of time. Unfortunately, not all of the supporting cast quite level-up to this standard.

The cinematography by Toby Oliver is a decent throughout the film, as although there are plenty of attractive shots (most of which make great use of the large open spaces the majority of the story takes place in (especially in the opening scene of the film, which is executed perfectly). There are also a variety of fairly bland shots, this may also be due to the film’s colour palette, however, as throughout the film the use of a very restrictive colour palette results in the film feeling a little visually dull, rather than using its colours to play into its story or genre.

Personally, the weakest element of the film for me is the original score by Michael Abels, as the entire soundtrack itself feels very unusual, and although unique, it usually comes off as incredibly distracting throughout many scenes within the film. Using an orchestra as well as vocals, the score attempts to reflect some of the more surreal scenes nearing the end of the film, and although I appreciate the attempt, I simply don’t think it works, with the track; ‘Sikiliza Kwa Wahenga,’ feeling particularly out-of-place as a result of its bizarre lyrics.

Although the original score may be lacking, the writing throughout the film is brilliant throughout, as writer and director Jordan Peele balances the screenplay’s comedy and horror, in addition to building-up an engaging mystery throughout the story, as every piece of dialogue contains many subtle clues and hidden meanings which come into play later in the narrative. Of course, with a plot such as this one, there is also an enormous amount of themes and social commentary underneath the story itself, and while I did find the majority of the film’s ideas very interesting and thought-provoking, I also found that some of the themes of racism and social issues can often overshadow the film’s main story.

In summary, ‘Get Out’ is a decent thriller, as despite the fact that the performances and writing on display throughout the film is definitely impressive, I still feel the lack of an eerie atmosphere in addition to a suitable original score for the film’s tone really hurt the film. Regardless of this, ‘Get Out’ is still a thriller will plenty of entertainment value, while nothing absolutely amazing, the film definitely has its moments, and I would say the film is a solid watch if you enjoy the occasional thriller. Final Rating: 7/10.

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Pyewacket (2018) – Film Review

/ Joe Baker / Leave a comment

From director Adam MacDonald (Backcountry, Out Come the Wolves, This Is Not a Test) ‘Pyewacket’ is a Canadian, character-focused indie horror. The film mostly being a small-scale narrative, having a very refreshing look and feel for a modern horror, complete with an eerie location and a brilliantly tense atmosphere. Containing very little jump-scares, CG effects or gore, in favour of eerie silence and well-written dialogue.

Plot Summary: After Leah, a grieving, occult-obsessed teen, performs a ritual in the woods to summon a demon to kill her estranged, newly widowed mother in a fit of rage, she immediately regrets her impulsive act, attempting to undo the curse as strange, terrifying events escalate around her…

Although I’m personally not a huge fan of jump-scares, and I do very much appreciate the film’s draw towards creating an eerie atmosphere. I do feel one or two scattered throughout the film wouldn’t have done any harm, as I feel they would’ve done a great job of scaring the audience when they least expect it and would’ve broken-up some scenes of tension nicely. The film does succeed in creating tension in other ways, however, as MacDonald manages to incorporate darkness extremely well throughout the film, using dark lighting and colour palette to focus on the audience’s paranoia of what lurks in the dark corners of the screen. However, the scenes are never overly dark to the point of obscuring the audience’s view, and this works very effectively.

Nicole Muñoz portrays the protagonist; ‘Leah,’ as a mostly unknown actress, Nicole does a fantastic job of playing an angry teenager dealing with a broken family. Laurie Holden from AMC’s ‘The Walking Dead’ is also surprisingly great as her mother, which I definitely wasn’t expecting as I never really cared much for her character in the TV show, believing her to be very annoying and unlikeable. But, it’s clear to me now that this was mostly an issue with the writing on the show, and not with her performance, as here she really does a well with her character.

Alongside the use of darkness and great performances, the film also has amazing cinematography by Christian Bielz, as the film always uses the camera to the best of its advantage to create fear and tension. One shot in particular was a fast-paced P.O.V. shot, which reminded me very heavily of the classic; ‘Evil Dead’ trilogy, and really sent a shiver down my spine when it first encounters one of the characters. The original score by Lee Malia is, unfortunately, nothing too memorable, however, coming across as a mostly cliché horror soundtrack with the odd emotional tone mixed in. 

My main issue with the film is the pacing, as the film is a rather slow build, it can sometimes drag. The film mostly does a good job at keeping the audience invested with that brilliant horror atmosphere and great character drama. But, some of the scenes set at ‘Leah’s’ high school can really feel somewhat bland and drawn out, especially when you compare these scenes to the scenes in the forest surrounding ‘Leah’ and her mother’s home, as these are always brimming with tension and are incredibly fun to experience at any point during the film’s runtime.

In addition to this, without spoiling anything, the ending of the film is also very memorable, as the film truly leaves the audience on a dark and shocking note, which is sure to stick with you long after the credits have rolled, and genuinely helps the film become far more of a standout when compared to similar film’s in its genre. The film also has many small details, one being the title of the film itself, as the name ‘Pyewacket’ comes from the 1647 British pamphlet; ‘The Discovery of Witches,’ in which author Matthew Hopkins claims to have interrogated witches in Essex County. One witch names many familiars, including the spirit; ‘Pyewacket,’ which appeared to her as some sort of animal.

In summary, although ‘Pyewacket’ probably isn’t one of my favourite all-time horror flicks, it is one I would recommend to most. Although the slow pace and lack of jump-scares may frustrate some viewers, the film does build up an amazing atmosphere, with great performances from the small cast and some decent dialogue to back it up. The film isn’t perfect but it does mostly contain what I personally desire from a modern horror film, and I think ‘Pyewacket’ can be a great watch for a ‘different’ kind of horror fan. Final Rating: 6/10.

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Attack the Block (2011) – Film Review

/ Joe Baker / Leave a comment

From producer Edgar Wright and director Joe Cornish (The Kid Who Would Be King) comes a violent, thrilling and exciting sci-fi spectacle. Despite a smaller budget, the film manages to create an incredibly entertaining film with a variety of brilliant effects. All equalling to a super enjoyable British thrill-ride.

Plot Summary: After an unlucky women is mugged by a tough teenage gang in South London, they reluctantly agree to work together to defend their block of flats when an invasion of savage alien creatures fall from the sky in large meteorites…

After I first heard about this film’s plot, it’s fair to say I went into my initial viewing with intrigued yet cautious, as I genuinely didn’t know what to expect. After watching, I was very surprised that the film was more than just a simple science fiction thriller, as the film is not only very tense during some scenes, but also funny, and even somewhat thought-provoking at points. Having themes of racism, crime and abandonment, most of the action in the film is also very well-executed, not being overly edited, or shot with too much hand-held camera (unlike many action films or thrillers today). The film also manages to keep a really fast pace throughout, only ever having small breaks in between action scenes to develop the characters and give the audience a quick breather.

The main gang of teenagers are portrayed by John Boyega, Alex Esmail, Franz Drameh, Leeon Jones and Simon Howard. Who, I think all do a great job acting like a rebellious group of London teens, having many comedic moments playing London ‘chavs,’ without taking their portrayals a little too far. Jodie Whittaker also appears in the film as a young woman who gets mugged by the group, and while she is less interesting as a character, I still felt she really helped to give the audience more of a perspective throughout the story. Even Nick Frost gets a small appearance as ‘Ron,’ a drug supplier who has many hilarious moments.

On a rewatch, I also noticed the cinematography by Thomas Townend is surprisingly well-done, while I wasn’t expecting to be terrible by any means. It isn’t nearly as bland as I remembered it being, utilising many different shots in both the action and non-action scenes. The cinematography also benefits many of the various effects in the film, both practical and CG. The film’s effects still hold up today and work very well within the narrative, even many of the gore effects for various character’s death scenes are still impressive, and remain shocking to me even now.

The original score by Steven Price is another element of the film I really enjoy, combining a decent sci-fi soundtrack alongside an almost hip-hop-like beat works really well with the idea of the inner London city clashing with outer-space. I personally believe this to be one of his most underrated scores right to next his original scores for both ‘Fury’ and ‘Gravity.’

Personally, I think the only really weak element of the film aside from a few slightly cheesy scenes here and there, is the film’s sound design, as although I really like the various noises of the alien creatures themselves (as I believe it goes along with their amazing designs extremely well) there are a variety of other sounds I simply don’t feel fit with their placement in the film. Whether that’s because they feel out-of-place or simply come across as a little cringey at points.

In summary, ‘Attack the Block’ is simply awesome, it remains a very exciting film from start-to-finish, knowing exactly what it is whilst not afraid to push itself ever so slightly further to elevate above other films within its genre. While I don’t think the film is perfect by any means, and I don’t believe the sound design could be improved. ‘Attack the Block’ is still a solid sci-fi thriller, and definitely one to watch if you’re interested. Final Rating: 8/10.

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