Movie Loner

Shocktober comes to a rousing conclusion with my favorite horror sub-genre. The werewolf movie. Nothing like menacing lycanthropes to brighten your day. Whether it’s Lon Chaney, Jr. in The Wolf Man or Michael J. Fox in Teen Wolf, I’ve always had a soft spot for half-man, half-wolf creatures of the night. Until now, Wolfen and The Howling resided at the top of my list. Not anymore. The new top-dog is Dog Soldiers, a kick ass flick that’s a cross between classic actioners Aliens and Predator. Turn down the lights and lock the doors for this one. It will definitely raise the ol’ heart-rate.

A six-man British Army squad is dropped in the Scottish highlands to perform a routine training exercise. The tight-knit team traverses a dark forest heading for its objective point. Watching from afar is a ruthless Special Forces Captain named Ryan. Unbeknownst to the squad, Ryan is using them as bait to spring a trap. Before Ryan can complete his artifice he and his men are viciously attacked by something. The Army team discovers their camp with a wounded Ryan the sole survivor. The six men arm themselves to the hilt as Ryan warns of an unstoppable enemy. As the squad retreats giant wolf-like beasts advance from the shadows.

Heading for a nearby road the team flags down an approaching vehicle driven by a local zoologist named Megan. She takes them to a remote cottage deep in the forest where they hold up to rest and regroup. It doesn’t take long to discover the werewolves have followed and surround the farmhouse. With their sergeant badly wounded, Pvt. Cooper takes charge of the men. He directs his soldiers to stay alert and prepare to make a stand. With a full moon shining high in the night sky, the creatures converge on the cottage. A back-and-forth bloody melee between man and beast lasts well into the late hours. Can the squad survive until morning or will the werewolves lay siege on their makeshift fortress?

Damn, this was a good movie. I remember when it was released back in ‘02 but it seemed somewhat budget at the time. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Writer/Director Neil Marshall hits the gas and surges a sharp action-packed plot to a booming conclusion. Quick dialogue and excellent character development separate Dog Soldiers from its many cousins in the genre. The werewolves are the best I’ve ever seen on film; an accurate and frightening depiction of man/beast hybrids. A fine cast is led by Kevin McKidd (Rome) as the fearless Pvt. Cooper. Adding credible support are Liam Cunningham as Capt. Ryan and Sean Pertwee as the dedicated Sgt. Wells. Dog Soldiers is not only an incredible horror film, it’s a legit movie period. Not to be missed.

The trailer for Dog Soldiers:

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Shocktober wouldn’t be complete without a haunted house movie. Creaking doors, mysterious footsteps, ghostly apparitions are all staples of this sub-genre of horror. It’s very easy to mess up these kinds of flicks. Endure the awful House on Haunted Hill series and you’ll know what I mean. One of the best haunted house films isn’t even classified as horror, but rather science-fiction. Alien is about seven people trapped in a confined space, in this case a spaceship, with a strange being that goes largely unseen. Dead Birds isn’t in the class of Alien, but it is a damn scary story that was ignored a few years back.

In 1863, a gang of former confederate soldiers pulls off a bloody bank heist. Carrying a booty of gold the robbers stop at an abandoned Alabama plantation to spend the night before crossing the border into Mexico. The group of six take refuge inside the house to wait out an approaching thunderstorm. The leader of the pack, William, retires to an upstairs bedroom with gal pal Annabelle, while the rest of the crew play cards and swap tales. Things take an eerie turn after one of the men discovers strange dog-like footprints in one of the rooms. Shortly after another of the gang disappears while putting the horses into the barn. As the storm nears a frightening force grips the house and all its residents.

The odd goings-ons make William question his trust of the others. He’s determined to keep the gold safe from greedy hands. Meanwhile, visions of sickly children and bound slave girls begin to haunt Annabelle and the rest. The visions reveal a ghastly past and make the gang realize it would be prudent to leave this forsaken place. The longer they stay the more real the sightings become. Something horrific is stalking the robbers one by one. Will they escape in time or will they succumb to the terrifying entity that permeates this desolate estate?

The Civil War setting makes this film more compelling. I’m not even sure why, but if it took place in present day I don’t think it would work. The location and set design is fantastic. A creepy dwelling is integral in a haunted house movie and the plantation chosen meets that criteria. The creature effects are solid, even though they are directly borrowed from The Ring and The Grudge. A credible cast features Henry Thomas, Patrick Fugit, Nicki Aycox and Isaiah Washington. Dead Birds is perfect viewing for a rainy autumn night. It won’t cause you to lose any sleep but it has enough scares to make the hair on your arms stand at attention the next time your bedroom door closes by itself.

The trailer for Dead Birds:

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Do you like scary movies? If so, here’s what you do. Rent a cabin or cottage in the woods with your significant other. Once your settled, wait until dark. Get comfortable in front of the television. Load Them into the DVD player. Kick back and enjoy, remembering it’s only a movie. I’m nothing if not responsible so I feel it appropriate to inform you it’s a movie based on actual events. That’s right, the events depicted happened for real. I’m not prone to hyperbole, so when I say this is one of the more disturbing films I’ve seen in years, I mean it.

Late one night a mini-van runs off a remote country road leaving a mother and daughter stranded. Something or someone is waiting in the nearby woods. The mother soon vanishes. The daughter leaves the van to search. A voice from the trees sends her running back to the van. In a panic, she locks herself inside. She is not alone.

The next day a teacher named Clementine drives the same country road returning to her massive estate house located in the dense forest where she lives with her boyfriend Lucas. Clem and Lucas talk about their days, eat dinner, watch television, then retire to bed. Clem, an insomniac, returns to the living room to do some work. The phone rings. She answers but hears only odd static. She hangs up and decides to go back to bed.

In the middle of the night, she awakens. Loud music can be heard outside. She revives a sleeping Lucas. Together they stumble downstairs to investigate. Lucas ventures out the front door. Someone is stealing Clem’s car. An angry Lucas gives chase but the car drives off. Clem and Lucas go back inside to call the police. The lights go out and the phone goes dead. Panicked, the couple lock themselves in their bedroom. Strange noises filter from downstairs. Lucas and Clem are trapped. They have invaded. They won’t leave. But who or what are ‘They’? Strap in for a terrifying game of hide-n-seek that will stick with you long after the end credits roll.

Them dispels the myth of domestic security. A beautiful house in the country, away from the dangers of the city, the dream of every young couple. This dream, and its implied safety, is shattered by the most egregious of personal attacks: Home invasion. Lucas and Clem’s bucolic lifestyle offers a promise of happiness. The grim actions perpetrated on their ideal existence serves as a brutal reminder that the evils of the world can befall anyone, anyplace, anytime.

The most shocking element is the identity of these purveyors of savagery. Without giving away anything, the revelation makes a chilling statement on the spread of societal violence. In the film’s coda, one of the guilty provides a sadistic explanation for the acts committed: “They wouldn’t play with us.” These ominous words should be a warning to every man, woman and parent who falsely believes in the guarantee of protection.

73 minutes. That’s all it took to tell this harrowing tale. Not a second of film is wasted by Writers/Directors David Moreau and Xavier Palud. They allow no chance to catch your breath once the plot gets going. Sound sells the terror. Hurried footsteps, plastic sheets flapping in the wind, a tree trunk cracking, the unnerving screech of a noise-maker. Them is pure horror through and through. Olivia Bonmay and Michael Cohen are phenomenal playing terrorized couple Clem and Lucas. Flawless nighttime cinematography by Axel Cosnefroy adds tone to the frightening atmosphere. Normally, I would include a trailer but to do so would ruin the film. If you’re a horror fan, see Them. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

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This edition of Shocktober takes us across the pond to jolly ol’ England. Do you remember the classic comic book Tales from the Crypt? Not the HBO retread from a few years back, but the original comic book? Every kind of scary scenario, be it vampires, werewolves, zombies, ghosts, etc., were transformed into stars on the pages of this seminal comic. The weird and the macabre came alive with terrifying results. Vault of Horror was one the first cinematic adaptations of these spooky stories. Five bloodcurdling tales guaranteed to make your spine tingle.

Five men get off an elevator and step into a basement chamber to have a drink. While relaxing with their favorite spirit, the men agree to share nightmarish anecdotes that are frighteningly real. First up is boastful Rogers, who relays a dream in which he searches for his sister in a remote town populated by vampires. Second to speak is Critchit, an anal dapper dandy whose set-in-his-ways lifestyle drives his dutiful wife to insanity. The third episode features Sebastian, an arrogant magician who resorts to murderous ways in order to find a new illusion for his act.

The fourth tale is told by Maitland, a man so desperate for riches he concocts an insurance scam that involves him being buried alive. Of course, the plan goes horribly awry and has a “head-popping” outcome. The final story takes us to Haiiti where a struggling artist named Moore enlists the aid of a voodoo priest to reap vengeance upon those in the artworld who have wronged him. As wicked as these yarns may sound the real mystery is why these five men have gathered. The reason proves to be much more ominous than any of the stories recounted.

Vault of Horror falls into the B-movie category but that shouldn’t be taken as a slight. All the plots are comical, bordering on ridiculous. That acting is appropriately over-the-top without impacting the drama. Tom Baker, in particular, gears up the ham meter in his portrayal of the frustrated artist. The third and fifth installments contain the greatest level of creepiness and still manage to hold up after 35 years. I can’t recommend purchasing Vault of Horror, although you could probably get it cheap. Instead, look for it on your cable/satellite this month and you might catch it. I saw it on “Chiller” last weekend so be on the look out — if you dare.

The trailer for Vault of Horror:

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It wouldn’t be Shocktober without a good vampire movie. Bloodsuckers have been all the rage in recent years what with the Blade and Underworld series racking in mucho dinero. The iconic Dracula and the myriad of Hammer films produced during the 1970s have made vampires a staple in American cinema. Be it Angel or Lestat, the immortal creatures of the night never seem to disappear from mainstream culture. True Blood, currently running on HBO, and the upcoming Twilight are proof that vampires are alive, or rather dead and well in 2008.

Caleb just met the girl of his nightmares, a quiet young lass named Mae. A night of star gazing and heavy petting ends with a love-bite for Caleb. A love-bite on his neck. Come sunrise Caleb is feelin’ a little toasty. He tries to hump it home but gets kidnapped along the way by a Winnebago of weirdos. Saving him from death by fire is Mae’s “family”. Daddy Jesse, mommy Diamondback, big bro Severen and Grandpa Homer. Now, their not what you would call a traditional family. They’re vampires who roam the Kansas plains in search of fresh blood.

Caleb’s acceptance into the unit will be complete once he makes his first kill. His reluctance to do so puts him at odds with the undead clan. Mae’s love will only carry him so far. Meanwhile, Caleb’s father and little sister are worried sick. The police offer zero help so they hit the road to find Caleb themselves. Caleb, initially seduced by becoming a vampire, finds Jesse and the rest to be a little overzealous when brutally murdering and bloodletting innocent country folk. Caleb wants out and once his family is threatened by the “family” he takes his leave. But Jesse and Co. hold a grudge and follow Caleb back to Oklahoma to settle the score once and for all.

Writer/Director Kathryn Bigelow broke onto the scene with this gory tale. There’s no elaborate creature-effects or tedious backstory. It’s vampires baby, nothin’ but vampires. That’s a complement not a criticism. My favorite succubus flicks are those that eschew the glitz and glamour (The Lost Boys, Salem’s Lot). I’ll take slit throats and burning flesh over castles and accents anyday. A cast of familiar faces includes Bill Paxton, Lance Henriksen and Jeanette Goldstein, all of whom would go on to star in James Cameron’s catalog of films. Near Dark is one of the better bloodsucker movies I’ve seen. If you haven’t caught it yet get yourself a copy and enjoy.

The trailer for Near Dark:

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They say freedom isn’t free. This may be true, but is there too high a price to pay for said freedom? How far do we go to protect our own interests? Is it right to sacrifice humanity? Do we toss morals aside in the name of national security? In our dogged pursuit to eliminate potential threats, are we becoming the thing we set out to destroy? There are no easy answers to these questions. Both sides of this heated issue vehemently defend their position. No matter which side you fall on watching Rendition will open your mind to the pitfalls of living in a constant state of fear.

A terrorist attack in a North African city leaves a CIA operative dead. Swift response from the U.S. government leads to Egyptian born chemical engineer Anwar El-Ibrahimi being covertly abducted on his way back into the states. Evidence links Anwar to a leading terrorist suspect. Anwar’s American wife Isabella becomes suspicious and seeks help from a college friend who works for a Senator. While Isabella desperately searches for answers, Anwar is flown to a black ops prison run by an American employed North African strongman named Abasi. Observing the interrogation is CIA analyst Douglas Freeman, a circumspect man unaccustomed to torture techniques. Freeman wants answers, but he questions Anwar’s guilt after Abasi’s methods fail to cull reputable information.

Back in D.C., Isabella’s quest for the truth about her husband’s disappearance is stonewalled. Saving bureaucratic face takes precedent over helping a citizen in need. Debating national security policies equates to committing political suicide. Isabella is left with little hope. Meanwhile, Freeman continues to butt heads with Abasi. A coerced admition from Anwar does little to suade Freeman’s position that Anwar is innocent. Further probing leads Freeman to conclude Anwar’s incarceration is unwarranted, not to mention illegal. His career on the line, Freeman is faced with doing his job or doing what is right. Whatever he decides means life or death for Anwar.

I’ve written before that films dealing with current hotbed political issues are often swept under the rug. In light of Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo it’s not surprising Rendition didn’t garner significant publicity. Ignoring a problem doesn’t make it go away. Director Gavin Hood and writer Kelley Sane tackle the subject of torture with a no-holds-barred approach. The mental anguish endured by Isabella is as equally unsettling as the physical punishment suffered by Anwar. It’s difficult not to relate to the helplessness and rage felt by the characters. A terrific cast features Reese Witherspoon, Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, Alan Arkin and Meryl Streep. Rendition definitely leans to one side but don’t allow that to discourage you from seeing this fine film. It might not change your mind but it will get you thinking.

The trailer for Rendition:

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Glancing at the calendar the other day I realized it’s Shocktober. Ghouls and goblins will soon be knocking on doors looking for delicious treats. At Movie Loner we’re looking for some frightfully good horror flicks. With that in mind I’ll do my best to point out a few of my faves this month. The terror genre is filled with fraudulent franchises like Saw and Hostel, so finding good ol’ fashioned creep-fests is difficult. First up is Jeepers Creepers, a solid little film chock full of scares and gore.

Bickering bro and sis Darry and Trish Jenner are driving home for college spring break. A remote rural highway is their route of choice. Their ordinary journey is interrupted by an ominous 1941 Chevy truck that attempts to run them off the road. Narrowly avoiding a crash, Darry and Trish regroup and try to laugh off their intense confrontation. They resume their drive and stumble-upon the sinister truck driver dumping “something” down a roadside drainpipe. Another chase ensues and once again Darry and Trish escape. A reluctant decision to return to the drainpipe results in Darry falling down the pipe and discovering a cavernous mausoleum lined with hundreds of petrified corpses.

A freaked-out Darry and a panicked Trish rush to the nearest gas station seeking help. The police arrive but they find Darry’s outlandish tale a little suspect. After some coaxing, the cops follow the kids out to the drainpipe to investigate. A short trip meets a disturbing end when a flesh-eating winged demon eviscerates and decapitates the cops. Not good. Darry and Trish lay some rubber with the demon in pursuit. The siblings take refuge inside a police station where they meet a nutty psychic who warns them of a creature that appears every 23rd spring to feed for 23 days and is fond of the song “Jeepers Creepers.” Once it catches your scent, you’re dead.

Writer/Director Victor Salva keeps things simple in this wickedly creepy thriller. No unnecessary subplots or ridiculous twists, just demon versus teens going mano-y-mano. The creature is pretty damn terrifying; it’s a cross between a gargoyle and the Predator, with a penchant for whistling. Justin Long, before he became the Apple guy and a movie star, shows some real chops playing Darry. But the real star is the Creeper, who seems to relish consuming various body parts. He also has something many evil demons lack — a sense of humor. The license plate on his truck reads, BEATNGU. Get it? Of course they made a sequel, but it pretty much blows, so don’t bother. And yes plans to make a third installment were recently announced, starring Gina Philips who portrayed Trish. Anyway, if you like these types of movies and you missed it the first time around check out Jeepers
Creepers.

A scene from Jeepers Creepers:

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Whatever happened to the western? You know, flicks about quiet men with quick draws who aim to right a wrong. Last year’s 3:10 to Yuma and the upcoming Appaloosa are an attempt to revive the once great genre but it seems apparent that the western belongs to a past generation of filmmakers and movie-goers. Me, I always dig a good cowboy movie. Down in the Valley is a sorta revisionist western set in the modern-day San Fernando Valley. It can’t be confused with a John Wayne or Clint Eastwood picture, but it certainly possesses the necessary attributes.

Edward Norton plays Harlan, a man-child vagabond who fancies himself a cowboy. He looks every bit the part, down to the hat, boots and six-shooters. While odd-jobbing at a gas station Harlan meets a rebellious teen named Tobe (Evan Rachel Wood). Tobe likes Harlan’s style so she invites him to join her and her friends at the beach. Harlan accepts and soon finds himself involved with the aggressive young girl. Tobe takes Harlan home where he meets Tobe’s little brother Lonnie, a quiet lonely kid in need of a friend. Harlan likes Tobe and takes him under his wing. However, Tobe’s stern father Wade (David Morse) is immediately suspicious of the strange Harlan.

When he’s not seeing Tobe, Harlan spends his days holed-up in his ratty hotel room playing cowboy. This child-like behavior appears innocent, but a darker tone stirs below the surface. After a brush with the law, Wade forbids Tobe to see Harlan. The emotionally fragile Harlan begins to crack. He grows obsessed with the notion of running off with Tobe and starting a whole new life together. A rational Tobe doesn’t take kindly to Harlan’s delusional ideas. A tragic accident sends Harlan running for the hills with Lonnie in tow. An enraged Wade rounds up a posse and rides out looking to bring Harlan back, dead or alive. A final showdown between Harlan and Wade ends with a bloody construction site shootout. Will the bad guy be brought to justice, or will he ride off into the sunset?

What starts as a simple teen love story gradually transforms into a sullen tale about an unstable man living in the wrong century. Writer/Director David Jacobsen borrows from the “western” playbook frequently including character names (Harlan, Wade, Lonnie) as well as traditional plot points (fighting for a woman’s honor, hiding out from the law). Edward Norton is stellar in his portrayal of Harlan, a nice guy with a checkered past who is mentally disturbed. Equally good is Evan Rachel Wood. The 21 year old actress is compiling quite an impressive list of credits. Look for her later this year alongside Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler. Down in the Valley is one of those smaller films that got lost in the shuffle a few years back, but it’s definitely worth a couple hours of your time.

The trailer for Down in the Valley:

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