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The Woman in Black (DVD)
by giksy21
Daniel Radcliff is one of the luckiest young people on the planet. Plucked out of his life as a normal child, he was thrust upon us as the young harry potter. Several years, and films later, that ship has now sailed for poor Daniel, leaving him naked on stage playing with horses, and more recently, being Harry Potter with a different ... name in The woman in black.
Now, perhaps I am being unfair. Poor Daniel is only continuing on in the way he was taught to act. He continues to do the same things, using the same actions, and mannerisms that were so succesful last time out. However no-one has mentioned to Mr Radcliff that there is more out there in the big bad world than Harry Potter. It seems that we are destined to see a number of wooden performances from him, as he struggles to come to grips with what is known in the trade as character acting.
In brief, with no spoilers, the woman in black centres around Radcliffs character Arthur Kipps. Kipps lost his wife to childbirth, and has since struggle in his job as a lawyer to provide for his son, who survived the ordeal. In a kind of "last chance" sort of way, his boss sends him to a remote town to tie up the loose ends, after a woman dies. Her paperwork has been poorly looked after, and it is up to kipps to sort it out, aso the womans estate may be apportioned as it should be.
It soon becomes apparent that all is not what it seems in the town, and especially in the house when all manner of mysterious and eerie goings on occur, leaving poor old mister kipps in a right mess. He gradually learnds more of what took place here, and is left to pick up the pieces, and ultimately save the town.
The film was adapted from the 1983 gothic novel of the same name, written by Susan Hill. It was since made into a tv film, again of the same name in which, by sheer coincidence Harry potters on screen father, played the role of Kipps, since undertaken by his estranged on-screen son. The storyline is sound, and seems to be typical gothic horror fare. It has a decent background to it, and plenty of scope for scares along the way. Indeed, this translates in the modern version, and what we have is a none to shabby horror flick, which will make you jump if you let it. However, I personally found it hard to get that involved, due to the main character being so woodenly acted by radcliff.
A more competent actor, could have turned this round and you would have had a decent little film here, but as it is it blended into mediocrity at best. Other actors in the film are competent, and it seems to me that what has happened is they took a bit of a gamble on the lead, and he duly fell at the first hurdle. Perhaps its time that Mr Radcliff either puts Mr potter to rest, or realises that the only other option is to lay his career to rest instead.
The film came as a huge dissappointment to me, as I really was a big potter fan. He was so suited to those roles, and in fairness to him, his fortune is already made. That said, he has the potential to be a household name for many a year to come if he can simply shrug the invisibilty cloak that Potter as shrouded him in.
In conclusion. The film is OK. The majority of the actors ar OK. The story is strong, and the atmosphere that the film makers managed to get is good. The one major let down, is the fact that you cannot create any empathy, or reaction to the lead character. That in itself is usually suicide for any film. The film is typically bleak, with little or no happiness throughout its entirity, which gives you the strange feeling that you have certainly enjoyed some bits of the film, but you don't really know why.
Overall, I would still say its worth a watch, but I would not be expecting miracles. The odd hair will definately stand on the back of your neck, and all credit to the effects team for that, but it will not live long in the memory.
CastDaniel Radcliffe as Arthur Kipps, a young lawyer
Ciarán Hinds as Sam Daily, a local landowner
Janet McTeer as Elisabeth Daily, Daily's wife
Liz White as Jennet Humfrye, The Woman in Black
Roger Allam as Mr. Bentley, senior partner of Arthur's firm
Tim McMullen as Jerome, the local solicitor
Jessica Raine as Joseph's Nanny
Daniel Cerqueira as Keckwick, the carriage driver
Shaun Dooley as Fisher, village innkeeper
Mary Stockley as Mrs Fisher
Molly Harmon, Emma Shorey, and Ellisa Walker-Reid as the Fisher Daughters
David Burke as PC Collins, village constable
Sophie Stuckey as Stella Kipps, Arthur's wife
Misha Handley as Joseph Kipps, Arthur's son
Aoife Doherty as Lucy Jerome, Jerome's daughter
Victor McGuire as Gerald Hardy, a villager
Alexia Osborne as Victoria Hardy, Hardy's daughter
Alisa Khazanova as Alice Drablow
Ashley Foster as Nathaniel Drablow, The Woman in Black's son
Sidney Johnston as Nicholas Daily, Daily's son
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Carver (DVD)
by GentleGenius
RELEASED: 2008, Cert. 18
RUNNING TIME: Approx. 97 mins
DIRECTOR/ SCREENPLAY: Frank Guerrero Jr.
PRODUCER: Richard Finney & 4 others, including Frank Guerrero Jr.
MUSIC: Christian Szczesniak
MAIN CAST:-
Matt Carmody as Pete
Jonathan Rockett as Zack
Ursula ... Taherian as Kate
David G Holland as Billy Hall Carver
Erik Fones as Bobby Shaw Carver
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FILM ONLY REVIEW
A group of young people decide to get away from it all and go on a camping holiday in the backwoods.
On arriving at a remote roadhouse type of place where the bartender is decidedly odd and having drink with him, the group decides to move on to try and find their campsite. The creepy bartender asks if they'll help him clear up his outhouse close by, offering them a reward of free drinks for the whole of the evening, and he introduces the young people to his equally strange brother.
When the group, after reluctantly agreeing to assist the bartender, enters the outhouse, they stumble across a cabinet full of Super 8 movie material and out of curiosity, they play one of the films which turns out to be an extremely nasty, violent scene of torture and murder. Initially the group assumes this film is no more than a gross porn movie, but on leaving the outhouse and making their way to the campsite, they find evidence that the film they've just seen is for real, being part of a collection of grisly murders which have actually been committed.
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The opening credits of Carver state that it is based on a true story, yet what follows makes one wonder how close to real events it actually sticks to, or if it is an accurate portrayal, has society become too sick for words?
The atmosphere right from the first frame is set perfectly, showing the torture and brutal slasher-style murder of a young girl, performed to an auditory backdrop of otherwise innocent-sounding redneck music. It is the matter-of-factness of the way the at that point unseen killer carries out his grisly tasks, coupled with the rather jolly-sounding borderline blue-grass record spinning around on the record player which makes it so very sinister.
That first scene is short, with the film then launching into the main storyline....and, I was gripped straight away.
There is a skin-crawling, edge of your seat disturbing atmosphere throughout Carver, especially during the first forty or so minutes of the film. The Carver brothers are a very unnerving double act, and I can honestly say that if I encountered them on a tour through what (going by the flora and fauna) appears to be the southern states of America - or perhaps somewhere like one of the Virginias - I'd flee from that roadhouse like a bat out of hell in the opposite direction.
The acting in Carver is pretty good....by no means up to shiny award standard, but convincing, especially that of David G Holland and Erik Fones who play the Carver brothers. They certainly played their parts with a creepy and disturbing finesse which made me feel quite crawly and spooked, even sitting in the safety of my own living room....and, I'm not someone who is easily unnerved. What was so jarring about these brothers was the realisation that in real life and in some of the less socially developed parts of the USA, people this worrying really do exist.
There were a couple of things which I found a bit irritating about Carver, the first being the music which although good and very suited to the overall sinister atmosphere, it is far too loud and it distracted me somewhat from the events taking place on screen. There is nothing wrong with this film score as it is ideal - merely that it is out of balance and needs to be pushed into the background a bit more. It is very avant-garde orchestral (possibly some of it being synthesised) music, heavy on percussion and creepy-sounding in itself, even without what is happening in the film. I did raise a little smile when the final credits went up, as the play-out song is very much of a soft jazz, lounge music style. The other thing which frustrated me somewhat is that, especially towards the end of the film, some of the scenes are shot in darkness and it thus is difficult to work out exactly what is happening at those points.
The violence in Carver really is extreme, using some very good special effects to convey all the blood and gore, and I found it very disturbing to watch. There is one particular scene where I just had to shift my eyes away from the screen, because it is so well done...and, it isn't just the way what was happening is presented....my levels of squeamishness were bombarded by what the killer was actually doing to somebody.
I ought to warn anybody with a vomit phobia who is maybe contemplating watching Carver. There is a particularly horrible throwing-up scene which isn't part of the gore and violence as it is merely a result of somebody having had too much to drink, but the way it is portrayed is very - and I mean VERY - realistic.
There are some other disgusting things, like the toilets in the roadhouse being utterly putrid....I won't be too graphic in my description just in case any of you are eating your dinner or similar whilst reading this review, but if you are that curious, you can always watch the film yourself. In some ways, the state of the toilets and the vomiting scene (mentioned in the last paragraph) are almost as gut-churning as the slasher-type violence which rampages through most of the film.
One or two loose ends in the storyline didn't quite get tied up, but I don't think it really matters, as by the time I'd finished watching, my mind had been blown from one end of the gore and horror universe to the other. It is difficult to say whether the extreme violence in Carver is done just for the sake of sensationalism, or whether it is an accurate as dammit portrayal of what really happened when this allegedly true life event took place....but, I do think that the direction and production team have deliberately set out to shock - and, at least with me, such succeeded. I was able to immediately bring myself down to earth after hearing the music which the closing credits is played to, and I am left wondering if such was deliberately chosen as the final part of the musical score for that very reason, like a cherry on the cake sweetener to smooth and ease viewers gently down into the comparative safety and normality of their own world.
When the violence in Carver really gets underway, it does appear to go rather over the top, with very little else happening other than people being attacked with saws, knives, hammers and other instruments which can cause serious injury.....but, the overall atmosphere running throughout is tense, sinister, evil, and leaves a nasty taste in your mouth.
From all that I've said above, it seems perhaps as though I didn't like Carver, but I did, especially the first part of the film when the atmosphere was set so well, that I felt I could almost slice it in two. It would have been a lot better I feel to expand on the storyline, alternating different events with the scenes of violence and torture, as it all became very same-ish after a while.
If you are a fan of extremely bloody slasher-type horror films, then this could be something you'd manage to stomach, but I consider it possible that even the toughest constitution may find the violence in Carver difficult to take. It is a film which certainly lives up to its name!
In summary, Carver is a highly atmospheric, gripping, disgusting film to watch, that if really true to the actual events it is based on, is incredibly disturbing....but, in a grimly fiendish, strange sort of way, I quite enjoyed it. However, I would worry if a DVD copy of this film got into the wrong hands and was seen by minors or somebody whose sanity is, aggression-wise, hanging in the balance.
Over and out...I am now going to watch something warm, snuggly and fluffy on YouTube to regain my equilibrium!
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At the time of writing, Carver can be purchased from Amazon as follows:-
New: only one copy currently available @ £34.99
Used: from £7.87 to £11.98
Some items on Amazon are available for free delivery within the UK, but where this doesn't apply, a £1.26 charge should be added to the above figures.
Thanks for reading!
~~ Also published on Ciao under my CelticSoulSister user name ~~
Read the complete review |
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Possession (2012) (DVD)
by GentleGenius
RELEASED: 2009, Cert. 18
RUNNING TIME : Approx. 85 mins
DIRECTORS: Joel Bergvall & Simon Sandquist
PRODUCERS: Doug Davison & four Others
SCREENPLAY: Michael Petroni, Won-mi Byun & Min-ho Song
MUSIC: Andreas Alfredsson & Christian Sandquist
MAIN ... CAST:-
Sarah Michelle Gellar as Jess
Lee Pace as Roman
Michael Landes as Ryan
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FILM ONLY REVIEW
Jess and Ryan are blissfully married, but there is a blot on the landscape of their relationship. Ryan's ex-con brother, Roman, has recently been released from prison and is staying with the couple. Whereas Ryan is a really nice, gentle, warm and loving person, Roman is the opposite....hostile, aggressive and churlish.
After overhearing a discussion Ryan and Jess were having about the possibility of arranging for him to be sent to live at a halfway house, Roman packs his bags then angrily storms out of the house and drives off in a blind rage. Ryan follows in pursuit, hoping to catch his brother up and pacify him, but as the pair cross the Golden Gate Bridge in their own cars, their cars crash into one another. The brothers are taken to hospital, both in comas, and placed in beds in a ward next to one another.
The weeks pass by, with Jess paying regular visits to Ryan, being told by the medical staff that the chances of her husband making a full recovery are doubtful.
One day, Roman wakes up from his coma, yet with the memories and psychology of his much nicer brother....whilst Ryan remains in a coma, with his life in the balance. Believing himself to have somehow taken on his brother's character, Roman tries to convince Jess that he actually is Ryan, just in a different body. At first, Jess is extremely wary, but she gradually allows herself to be convinced that what Roman claims is true, so after listening to things Roman tells her that were completely personal and confidential to both her and Ryan....things that nobody else would or could ever know....she relents and begins to treat Roman as her husband.
Occasionally Jess will have niggling doubts about the authenticity of now nice guy Roman's claims, but he then always says or does something to convince her that somehow Ryan's whole persona has been transmuted into him.
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Possession is apparently a remake of a Korean film called Addicted. I haven't seen the Korean film, so am unable to comment on which one is the better of the two, or how closely Possession sticks to the original.
The acting in Possession is what I'd call average; nothing special, yet not overly bad, but I am unable to pick a favourite member of this small main cast, simply because there was nothing to choose between the actors' abilities.
Possession is a very easy film to watch, and I couldn't help being charmed by the lovely, warm and gentle Ryan, yet equally repulsed by his nasty brother, Roman. The interest factor throughout is quite high, and until a certain point in the storyline, it isn't easy to predict where it is going, but as it progresses and various things unfold, the outcome presents as all too obvious.
The idea is one which has, albeit in a different setting and with a different storyline, been done before....well, sort of! Once nasty brother Roman psychologically turns into nice brother Ryan, I did wonder if a supernatural element may be about to unfold, but as to whether it does or not, you must see the film for yourself as to reveal which way the film swings, would be a definite spoiler.
There is an overall mood about Possession which I found quite bleak and depressing, as I could imagine myself in the same situation as Jess....one of despair mixed with dubious hope. However, some of the scenes of affection between husband and wife are rather sweet and heartwarming, although they happen early on in the film.
The music is OK, but nothing special, being light orchestral in content, turning from tender to dramatic at the appropriate moments. I did find it a little too overbearing in parts, and I'd have preferred it to be pushed into the background a bit more, as I felt it interfered with rather than enhanced the storyline.
There is a thread of mystery running through Possession which centres around wondering who the good guys and who the bad guys are, but I feel it perhaps could have been put across more powerfully. This vague tinge of suspense, although interesting and keeping the viewer hooked into the film, isn't really edge of your seat stuff. It is also very much in the 'watch once only' vein, simply because once you know the ending, then there is little point in second helpings. Were the power of the film more stringent, then perhaps a second viewing might be something to consider, but it doesn't quite have the necessary 'oomph'.
I did enjoy watching Possession, but would class it as no more than a piece of entertainment which is quite interesting in parts, but doesn't contain anything profound, spine-chilling or particularly gutsy.....it certainly isn't boring though.
I feel what would have given this film an extra bite, perhaps could be a different ending, because the one it has (as I touched on above), is from a certain point in the proceedings too predictable, and at the actual end, one or two loose ends are left hanging which shouldn't have been.
However, Possession is a moderately decent psychological thriller which is entertaining and interesting enough to focus on, being a reasonable choice to make for an evening's viewing, if you like this genre of film, but I don't think it is something which will stick in my mind for very long. I did enjoy it, but it could have been better.
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At the time of writing, Possession can be purchased on Amazon as follows:-
New: from £3.09 to £10.95
Used: from £3.50 to £4.99
Some items on Amazon are available for free delivery within the UK, but where this doesn't apply, a £1.26 charge should be added to the above figures.
Thanks for reading!
~~ Also published on Ciao under my CelticSoulSister user name ~~
Read the complete review |
