Gabriel Ricard on some of the most infamous cult horror classics of all time in his latest Captain Canada’s Movie Rodeo column.
All in Film
Gabriel Ricard on some of the most infamous cult horror classics of all time in his latest Captain Canada’s Movie Rodeo column.
If The Revenant qualifies for “nature porn,” then First Man is the logical extension of Blade Runner 2049: “Ryan Gosling Porn—in Space!” When the camera isn’t focused on Gosling’s helmeted face, it’s on CGI constructions that suck the life out of this zero-gravity biopic. This occasionally engaging special effects extravaganza is pretty to look at, but mostly absent of the soul-stirring emotion that fueled Apollo 13 and Hidden Figures. Whereas director Damien Chazelle showed promise with his debut Whiplash, his latest feature fits into a pattern of dressed up homages to Hollywood’s past and doesn’t even qualify as revisionist history.
The Wailing (2016, dir. Hong-jin Na) has a brutal, naked approach to horror: the blundering confusion & fright in supernatural circumstances lends a realism to each actor’s performance. Hwan-hee Kim spookily portrays Hyu-jin, a sick child whose ominous illness drives her father, a detective named Jong-goo [Do-won Kwak], to desperation. Kwak shakes, scrambles, cries, & fumes as Jong-goo, whose increasingly reckless bumbles felt relatable as I grasped at theories, not knowing who to trust. The Wailing has just enough gore, tingly suspense, & and an ending that left me guessing how slight the edge is between safety & grizzly death.
After giving us the genre-bending Cabin in the Woods, Drew Goddard takes a stab at the neo-noir with Bad Times at the El Royale. Although elaborate in its narrative setup, the film falters from time to time. While acting is mostly solid across the board—especially by Jeff Bridges and Cynthia Erivo—pacing drags considerably and emotional moments do not always click in this story about strangers who convenes upon a rundown hotel for different nefarious motives. Despite these detractors, the film is freshly original, full of tension and dark humor. It is an enjoyable reprieve from mainstream dribble that constitutes studiofare.
The Old Man & the Gun is a good ol’ yarn, the type your grandfather would tell. This laidback, romantic affair about an aging bank robber possesses a myth-like quality. While the narrative’s pacing may be slow for some people, the cast’s charms make up for it. Magic especially shines between veterans Redford and Spacek. By not taking the material too seriously, director David Lowery explores topics such as aging and love with a dose of fun. When a film keeps a smile on your face the whole running time, it’s bound to stay with you long after the credits roll.
The best portions of A Star is Born play out more or less like the film’s well-edited trailer: fast-paced, gorgeously photographed scenes set against emotional tunes. But once past the moment in which Gaga gets her big break (a scene which is a contender for the very best of 2018) the movie settles into rote Behind the Music cliché. Cooper is better than he’s ever been, and shows great promise as a director. Gaga is, as ever, playing for the back row in every scene, whether she’s singing or acting. I’ll leave you to work out if that’s a compliment.
Sean Woodard’s column Finding the sacred Among the Profane, which explores religious themes in horror films, returns with a look at the Vincent Price classic Witchfinder General.
Gabriel Ricard with an all-Shudder Halloween edition of Captain Canada’s Movie Rodeo
The Little Stranger contains everything that should result in an intelligent gothic chiller: atmosphere, methodical pacing, and a character-driven drama that hints at something grander beneath its surface horrors. Through its luscious cinematography, dense script, and acting strengths—Will Poulter is particularly excellent as a burned and shell-shocked war veteran—the film does an extraordinary job examining gender and 1947’s English class structure. Yet, the film is nearly derailed by its perplexing central conceit—is it a ghost or something else? By removing the horror elements, the film may have been a more effective standalone period piece about class relations and mental illness.
You don't have to be a fan of the original Halloween series in order to enjoy the new sequel; you really only have to like the first one, because everything after that is disregarded. Even a couple missteps and a strange bowl of party pudding (I mean what?!) don't detract from what is a pretty solid addition to the franchise, with plenty of gory nonsense to get you excited for the spookiest season of all. Jamie Lee Curtis is a treasure. We don't have to protect her, though; she's got it under control.
There are no shortage of films addressing the way we gather information in the age of social media, but what makes Searching more than just a gimmick (the film is told entirely through computer and phone screens) is the fine editing work and the multi-layered performance of John Cho as the missing girl’s father. Cho never goes big, and because we believe him we go along with some fairly hoary plot devices (the moment where we switch devices to follow along a car on Google Maps is unintentionally hilarious) to deliver a shockingly resonant narrative and emotional payoff.
Sean Woodard breaks down the use of music in Rob reiner’s 1986 coming-of-age classic Stand by Me.
Gabriel Ricard with an all-Mystery Science Theater Edition of Captain Canada’s Movie Rodeo.
The Happytime Murders is Meet the Feebles-lite, and while it's obvious scenes have been scrapped for whatever reason (I'm guessing time), it's still a worthwhile movie to watch if you're not in the mood to think too much while having a few guilty laughs. Melissa McCarthy delivers as Edwards and Bill Barretta once again shows his puppetry mastery as Phil, her curmudgeonly ex-partner. Come for the murder mystery, stay for the copious amounts of puppet ejaculate.
In his latest column exploring religious themes in horror films, Sean Woodard breaks down the Lucio Fulci giallo film Don’t Torture a Duckling.
A fascinating interview with film historian and folklore expert Mikel J. Koven on the impact of Italian Giallo Cinema.
Gabriel Ricard looks at Marvel, The Rock, and low-rent shlock horror in his latest Captain Canada’s Movie Rodeo column.
What may have begun as an interesting concept has devolved into repetitive ilk. I don’t think anyone who wanted another Purge movie, and yet people flocked out to see it this week. I don’t know which was weaker: the characters, the social commentary, or the thrills. The film explores how the Purge evolved from a social experiment on Staten Island, where participants would receive a monetary stipend for their participation. I feel the cast and crew did the same when Hollywood asked them to make this film. The film’s one redeeming quality is that it emphasizes the importance of community.
Sean woodard on the cult classic The Phantom of the Paradise: “The film features plenty of trademarks that would later define De Palma’s cinematic style—split-screen, intricately choreographed sequences, optical effects—but the standout is its inspired soundtrack, composed by Paul Williams.”
“ … the reality is that Diana, and the Wonder Woman film itself, cannot escape the male gaze.”