American Horror Story: Asylum (2012)

In modern day a young newlywed couple, taking a haunted honeymoon tour around the country, comes to Briarcliff, an old insane asylum that reached its peak of weird in the sixties, its most famous patient a violent serial killer called Bloody Face. Not too long after arriving the couple is killed by an unseen force and we are flash-backed to the sixties where we see Briarcliff in its day. Not too different than its current proceedings it is a grimy patient care facility that is supervised by the cruel Sister Jude and run by Rome driven Monsignor Timothy Howard. Of its newly recent patients there's Kit Walker, a twenty some year old average Joe who's wife was brutally murdered by the unknown killer Bloody Face. Mistaken for her murderer Kit is thrown into Briarcliff and is committed as he claims aliens abducted him then killed his wife Alma. With his face now being the poster child of the violent crimes where the killer has been skinning the women he captures and wearing their skin as a mask Kit's arrest attracts Lana Winters to Briarcliff. A journalist Lana has all the right girth as a reporter who'll do anything to get her story but her nosing in Briarcliff and its conditions lands her a bed in the hospital, her condition symptom by Sister Jude of her interest in the same sex. Inside Briarcliff Kit and Lana are exposed to the often inhumane treatments and unsanitary living conditions the hospital offers. Not to mention its sometimes mid-evil practices for punishment. The only option the two have is to prove their innocence as the real Bloody Face killer is still lurking around. But along the way they have other horrors to triumph over which include Sister Mary Eunice who's purity is left dead inside her by a malevolent demon and Briarcliff's own residing doctor, Doctor Arden, who's experiments and history bring a whole new shade of evil to the patients. 

As last year the metaphoric horror was dealing with the ghosts of the past this season played a more rising from the fall as survivors were made in the tender walls of Briarcliff.  Conscious of its time AHS: Asylum tackles the issues of woman's oppression, Civil Rights movement, and the deeply misconceived understanding of mental health. Each of its vivacious characters represent a different struggle all of which seek the same outcome for freedom, independence, and choice. The horror likely more present this season with the works of mutated zombies, Nazi doctors, aliens, a murderous Santa Claws, mean nuns (and possessed, mind you), and a serial killer who's fond of the work of Buffalo Bill to add to a list of things that might keep you up at night. The Bloody Face mask is a brutal conception from the makeup and special effects department. A vivid, ruthless imagining of a more than deeply unhinged killer and his prominent work. Lets just say Leatherface would be proud. There's a natural uneasiness of mental institutions as the real life horrors of mental illness are often the darkest and most grieving to watch giving Asylum a perch above the prior season's location. Also an improvement from last year is a more guided direction where the story arcs actually sought out a conclusion, for the most part at least. There are inconsistencies that don't pose fatal to the tack of the show but are weird plot motions such as Alma's final years and Dr. Arden's last act. The latter maybe not odd but more of a disappointing end to a well built deleterious villain. The composure at the end of the season is really quite lovely though, for a show that often doesn't know where it's going it manages to tie up things in a quiet but significant end that changes the perception of the show. Another happy ending with the remnants of dread still looming beneath the surface.

Evan Peter's Kit Walker is about as opposite as it gets to Tate Langdon, a hard working man who's aim in life is to live a happy one with his wife loses everything in a single night to otherworldly beings. Peter's is a good actor and is good in the part, his accent, appearance, and matured performance all strong, but Kit's story falls a little bit short to some of the other dealings going on at Briarcliff. While its still an interesting story line and ends in an unsettling yet somehow comforting finish, it differs from the tone for the rest of the season. Of all the stories I enjoyed Lana's the most as it showed a strong uprising from a character who was initially strong to start with but was shattered when she lost everything in the asylum and all her strength is put to the test. Sarah Paulson is fantastic in the part with the heart and spirit of the time evident in the character. Lana can be forceful and she does her fair share of questionable things but Paulson plays the ups and downs with no problem and keeps the character at a constant and likable. Jessica Lange's Sister Jude also an unexpected tale of triumph and demons as initially she's portrayed as the 'bad guy', so to speak, having wrongly committed Lana so she wouldn't expose the truth that lurked behind Briarcliff's walls. Not to mention her always pleasant collection of whips. But as the show progresses we see Jude in a time before she joined the convent and the spirit that follows her around. Her tough exterior is not only a cover up for a very broken individual but her strongest asset against her work enemy, Doctor Arden, who often sees to undermine her authority as he considers her nothing more than a woman. Lange is a force in the part but it lacks the same punch of her performance in the first season.

Past season favorites Lily Rabe and Zachary Quinto return with genuine performances that account for a lot of the fear instilled within the episodes. Frances Conroy also rejoins the cast as The Dark Angel of the season, having a significantly smaller role but managing to steal most every scene she appears in. AHS still utilizes a very defined and seamless display of cinematography, choosing a darker palate this year to tone the melancholy of the asylum. The production also again consistently strong and attentive to detail. There's a far deal more I could say about the second season of FX's prominent new show but this particular review has carried on long enough. Murphy and Falchuk can simply be brilliant, as was evident last year. AHS is different, unlike any show horror and non to be present on TV, and with more cohesion in their telecasts this year its made its mark. Like its first season American Horror Story: Asylum is riddled with exceptional acting, strange and addictive horror, a strong finish, and unsurpassed writing. With only two eras and two types of locations covered there's endless possibilities for this show that has a love for all types of horror and makes a regular effort to pay homage of past films. Last year I was unsure, albeit addicted, about the overall composure of the show. This year I'm purely addicted. To put it simply if you are a horror fan and your not watching American Horror Story your missing out on some of the best the genre has to offer.

Fractional (2011)

Mental patient David Crowe is about to reveal a dark secret of his former psychiatrist's John Hatchet's past. A secret that has stayed so hidden John will do anything not to reveal it. As Crowe subjects John to five days of mental and physical torture inside an abandon warehouse John's facade fractures and the truth begins to come out. The more honest John becomes the more tragic the events unfold. And as Crowe gets his way his mental incapacity becomes all the more apparent. With John running out of time he must find a way to survive to not only protect his past but also the ones he loves.

Initially I didn't understand Fractional or where it was intending to lead. My initial impression, as the film opens to a similar torture porn construct, was exactly that, another torture porn. The sub-genre often surprises though and as Fractional unraveled the body may be meant for the genre but the soul of the film is entirely psychological. Its about the unabridged horrors that the human mind is exhausted through, may that be loss or insanity, etc and in how that torture drives us. The story structure is a bit jagged, moving swiftly between hours and days, and comes off oddly paced. There's minimal gore as despite a quite lovely display of harmful instruments most of the torture is the extent which is done on to the mind. The general setting of the film takes place in one room, the dark warehouse that John is trapped in, but flashes to past moments to give us a pleasant change of scenery. Yet nothing escapes the grim tone of the rather dreary subject matter in the film.

John's character is a fair counter to the mind game of Crowe, his darker past and professional insight useful weapons as the victim. Desmond Daly is decent as the lead and responds well off Peter O'Toole. Crowe's character takes precedence as the far more interesting character though, as he's a variety of psycho that would get along well in a ward with the big league monsters. O'Toole has acquired depth to his role and with director Malcolm Deegan creates a disturbing but mastered villain. There's a particular moment in the film where Crowe has an honest confessional of what he's responsible for in John's past that is played out like a conductor instructing an orchestra, the acting with the choice of music makes the moment both lovely and chilling. Other choices such as leaving the camera on Crowe for an uncomfortable amount of time give him a sinister advantage or by using the echos off the wall give his voice an otherworldly feel.

The film's photography was to my liking, with the lighting and camera angles satisfying to the eye. There's a basis of mystery here beneath the horror plot as the angles are constantly at change. The mystery surrounding John's previous wife's death and his patient relationship with Crowe taunt the viewer with that simple question of who the real monster really is. Fractional was an interesting watch that didn't go where I expected, I thoroughly liked the psychological horror of the film and the dialogue between the two leads. Fractional is available to rent on the films website, and I'd recommend it as a good watch.

Gut (2012)

Childhood friends Dan and Tom are growing apart. Dan sees that Tom has become distant with his friend, his job and from his family. Wanting to bring Tom out of his rut Dan shows him a video that he has to see to believe. What shows is an explicit underground horror film that blurs the distinction between being real or fake. At first Tom carries out with his unsociable qualities and leaves Dan's house in anger. But as the confusion subsides and Tom lets down his guard he begins to see the appeal to the film in which Dan showed him. With their friendship being at it's best in years Dan convinces Tom to watch another. As it is it begins to consume them, Dan starts missing work and submerges his life in the films. Tom carries on in his aloof manner but sex with his wife brings erotic flashes of the film as he becomes increasingly unhinged mentally. But of course things get much worse as the creator of the films has to make his influence in the friends lives. 

Gut is another addition to the increasingly small sub-genre of snuff films exploration. My sentiment of them is that I've only seen three ways to execute such, by becoming obsessed, by being a participant, or in the rare cases being the person to pull the trigger, so to speak. In that filmmakers that choose this type of film have a narrow space for originality. As is the issue with Gut, as it's a worthy addition to the collection but is nothing exceptional. The plot is thin, the story involving around the film engulfing the two friends lives. Not that Gut doesn't attempt to be thoughtful, cause in it's way it does. It's intent is to show the destruction of the family life and the ever distant friendship between Tom and Dan being held together by lies and seedy interests. But intent is only intent with this as it never fully develops on screen. Voyeurism and other topics are at play but come naturally with the films subject matter.

Tom's asocial attitude and Dan's overtly bro love for his friend makes it hard to like the characters. All you want is for Tom to lighten up and for Dan to take it down a notch and find a life. This fault is in both acting and writing as they escalate the horrible traits of the characters to the very end. Maybe all done intentionally but the only moment we see of the two's past shows an absolute no change in either character. Even as twelve year old Dan imposes his interest on Tom in attempt for friendship and Tom remains completely cold and uninterested. It's hard to like desperate and antisocial. If to salvage anything though I do think that when Jason Vail (Tom) is with Sarah Schoofs they're marriage is believable, and the small moments within the film that allow for realistic emotional responses are well played and convincing. There isn't an phenomenal display of cinematography but Gut does have a few good shots. And it's overall well made and has a professional look to it.

Though some may find excessive, Gut offers up an appropriate use of nudity and blood that are display in Tom's life and in the snuff films the two become infatuated with. The films themselves are done well and if anything are a bit tame. There's also a mystery as you never really know who's making the films. However, the ending is sought out in the beginning, and it's apparent as soon as the characters start to develop as to how this is going to end. Maybe I've mislead a bit Gut is not a bad film, it kept my interest well, or until the hour mark where the tension felt appropriate to an ending but then carries for another half hour. And as I mentioned it really is a fine film in dealing with the topic of snuff films, the concept has just been better executed in films like A Serbian Film or even Videodrome. It's also well made with a solid production behind it and ultimately I think it achieves what it wanted to achieve. There's no loss in watching Gut and if you're interested in doing so don't let my review sway you otherwise. I just don't see myself watching it again in the near future.

TDHorror Retro Review

This was suppose to be posted on Saturday to make the two post deadline for the month of September but complications, as in a slow computer, prevented it from happening. I figured what the hell though I never make the two month post limit anyways and this way it's more likely to happen for October because it's only the second.

"Viewers be warned DON'T LOOK NOW is a taunting thriller that takes you through a cautious two hour pace before delivering its only true shock and scare moment. It's a character heavy film in that not much occurs but the depth and understanding to Laura and John's loss. Essentially that is all the film is really about, a mourning couple who becomes lightly touched by the supernatural at the effect of their daughter's death. It's definitely a film study where there's an array of themes and motifs, almost as much as novel, where there's less of action and more of reaction"

You may read the rest here. I don't have much as far as updates since I posted a huge update post last Friday. Nothing has changed since, except I believe I finally came up with a good idea for the Bad Dollar contest. As of right now though I don't have any reviews planned for this blog, but I am (hopefully) going to the Mile High Horror Film Festival Saturday and I'm seeing two films as well as a lot of short films so I'm sure somewhere in there I'll find something to write about. Again I'll try to be as present on this blog as possible. Thanks for all your support. And please read and comment on the Retro Review.

The Muse (2012)

Addison Taylor is a one hit wonder who's been secluded in his song writing for the past three years. Overdue by the record companies standards Addison neglect of writing a song strung with poetic rhythm and a general sense of being good steams from the excessive one night stands and pill addiction he's been living in. Spilling his insecurities on air it's clear Addison has developed an acute paranoia lead by depression from the pressure to be better. A deadline nearing his manager, Jimmy, suggests that he stay a few weeks at a cabin on Granite Lake and find himself and his music again. The lake house strums more than asked for though as it draws severe influence to Addison but also unsettles. When a beautiful women begins to appear in Addison's vision he finds the muse he's been searching for. But behind the beauty of his muse a dark past and sinister agenda lie. Obsessed with immortality in his music and intoxicated in his muse, Addison becomes lost in inspiration and a slave to her.

I've again been blessed to have been offered to watch a film before it's distribution, how I've been so lucky is beyond me but I'll always be thankful. The Muse is another one of those beautiful quiet pieces that shows an unrelenting haunt. Emotionally deep in the loss of oneself in music it's a unique rock horror that differs from the typical expectant of the small sub-genre. It takes much more to a indie flow paired with the build of a psychological thriller rather than something like Rob Zombie's rock horror films that have loud music and the raw grit (don't mistake, I love both kinds). The story structure could have been better built, Oliva almost appeared out of nowhere and it can be very easy to get lost if not paying attention. But overall a well composed cadence of the ghost story. I'm always impressed when director and set crew alike are able to draw emotion from inanimate object. The old guitar that seduces Addison has an enigmatic air to it, attribute to the scratches on its facial and director Rufus Chaffee's still shots of it.

Isaac Simons takes to your attention as Addison, he carries most of the film on his performance as often he's alone. As mentioned in the synopsis that Addison isn't really all the way there, he's paranoid and in a deep depression. Impressive as he also did the music for the film. Marguerite Insolia reminds me of Jenny Spain in Deadgirl for their similar usage of unconventional facial features. As much of an insult as that may sound its not as she has a unqiue beauty that is able to twist into an uncanny aura when she comes on to screen. Rene Miller fades in an out as Frances but she's still good and its clear she's a veteran actor. As I was told before hand the film is not in full completion as it has a few touch ups before release, one of these is color correction. DP Doug Gordon has a good sense of capturing images for the film, and really quite exceptional for being his first feature film. Chaffee also directs and captures his set location beautifully, as you really become immersed in the lake.

As you can tell I really did like The Muse, in fact I think I actually loved The Muse. The film doesn't really feel like a horror film from it's start, and in actuality continues to do so for a good portion of the time, substituting humor and music instead. However when it does climax to it's psychological build it proves unsettling in nature. I didn't get to see the film in full completion but for the most part what I saw stands. I ignorantly told the director when he asked me to do the review that the temporary use of music was irrelevant to me as I don't pay attention to that. This is dumb considering the film is about music and I would of liked to have heard the finish product to complete the film, but that's just an excuse to watch it again. Aside from my small nit picks The Muse is a real lovely film. An eloquent thriller that is undoubtedly to impress those who revel in psychological horror.

Skew (2011)

Simon, Rich and Eva are on a road trip heading to a friend's wedding. Simon brings along his new camera to document the highly anticipated trip. What starts out hopeful though turns sour quickly when Simon begins to notice that his camera isn't capturing images right as it creates an askewed vision of the persons' face. And when the blurred people become victims of horrible deaths Simon starts to infer that his camera may be more unique than he thought. Not all is at surface value though as the three friends seem to have a heavy strain on their relationship and the camera is only irritating things more.

Skew succeeds in being a genuine mind fuck, for lack of a better phrase. Inexplicably the camera has a draw to it's carrier Simon and chooses it's victims based on his tampering with matters of life and death. At the core though Skew isn't about the odd deaths that occur from the lens of the camera but the secrets that possess each friend. There's quite a bit of baggage that's weight is felt throughout the film, even as details become apparent and the big 'secret' is revealed you still fell that you've only gotten part of the story. Which is an attribute to the screenwriter and director Seve Schelenz who did successfully instill that tension between each friend and create depth in this portion of the script. The film does drag though and be cautious that you'll spend a good portion of it not understanding what the hell is going on. Also Skew just has some genuinely creepy moments, hence my photo choice below.

Acting is really weak, not awful all around but a good portion of it seems to be trying a bit hard and a little unnatural. Though each character has their moments of seriousness and they are convincing there are a lot of other parts where it's just not strong. It's not all the actors fault though as a good bit of the problem lies in the writing of the character's themselves. Eva's is difficult to like as she comes off rather pissy from the start, not really allowing us to get a good side to her character even if her anger is warranted. Rich felt almost absent from the film, having few lines and not really making a noticeable presence till the end. And lets be honest, no one really likes the person behind the camera, whom which this unfortunate is Rich. It's that unsought out narrator role that requires constant commentary. Found footage films make it hard for me to address the DP of a film as often they are shaky but as far as cuts, editing, and basic lighting go it's all fairly good.

This film came to my attention through Jason at Film Reviews From the Basement who was tweeting while watching the film and expressed much perplexity as the events came to focus. Which in itself is a fair assessment of the film as it really works on a level of disrupting logic to the viewer. I'm not sure if I even liked Skew per-say but it is unique and serves as an interesting take to the found footage genre. It does suffer from a few possessions found in the sub-genre, such as Simon's typical and annoying 'I won't put the camera down' pester that easily pisses off Eva, for good reason. This does, however, have the most feel to the original sub-genre film, The Blair Witch Project, than those that have followed. It picked up a lot of intentional or maybe unintentional homage which I respect, despite not having liked The Blair Witch Project. Based on the rating on IMDB a lot of people didn't like it and as I said I'm not even sure I liked it, but it's interesting and it at the least deserves a watch. 

Blue Velvet (1986)

Jeffrey Beaumont has returned to his small suburbia home town to help out with his ill father. When he's walking home from the hospital one day he comes across a severed ear in a field. Being the proper raised college boy that Jeffrey is he takes the ear to the police in search of answers. But when the police reply with ambiguity and he realizes that they've been quiet about all they know he seeks out answers for himself. His romantic in the police chief's daughter Sandy leads him to Dorothoy Vallens apartment, a lounge singer who's dark secrets take Jeffrey on an erotic and dangerous journey to a man named Frank Boothe. However, Jefferey doesn't realize that he's no longer in his safe suburbia and has entered Frank's world, a dark place rooted with childhood trauma and wielded by a man with a short temper.

A arch in the psycho-sexual thriller from the preeminent director of the bizarre. Blue Velvet sets you off balance from the opening sequence of bright red roses against a white picket fence and ocean blue suburban sky as the cadences of "Blue Velvet" linger in the background. The uncanny temper is at play in the film's script, acting, and optics as there's nothing quite right in a David Lynch film, and the term Lynchian creates a genre of it's own. This is my first Lynch film to be quite honest, I'm familiar with the term Lynchian and know of Eraserhead and his series Twin Peaks (both on my list to watch), but this is the only actual exposure I've had. That being said I get it, he precede's logic and perceives the abnormal, but in ingenious way that it doesn't really qualify among other scripts that are driven by the macabre. The score to Blue Velvet is for, lack of a better phrase, the cherry on top of a deeply disturbed film. I could of done without the love music to Sandy and Jeffery's characters but the off-set rhythm to the score when Jeffrey leaves Dorothoy's apartment and of course the haunting flow of the title song "Blue Velvet" tightens an already tense halo.

I don't care to think in absolutes as I believe that limits how I percieve things but if you're not bothered or intrigued by Dennis Hopper's performance you have no taste in acting, and are likely a sociopath. Hopper takes a risk and plays Frank Booth with an over the top performance but in that it feels so real, your under the belief that this man is undoubtfully delusional. There's a tinted hilarity in the portrayl as well which adds to the more unsettling nature of it. Kyle MacLachlan is awful, I'm sorry but his performance did not seem sublte, often he was stiff and monotonic as well as a little troubling, and not in a good way. He upset me with his leering stare and soft voice, maybe if he was playing a child molestor this would have been a good acting exploit but he's suppose to be the unsought out college hero. Isabella Rossalini is almost as delusional as Hopper in the lost sanity of Dorothy, you see the victim but also the disturbed woman that's taking over, as well as other layers. Complex photography intertwines with the plot to create a very delude sense of reality. The apartment scene is disquieting in it's unimaginable play out. Lynch takes the script and the viewer to a place absent of safety.

Execution in surrealism is hard and often falls to the absurd and unrealistic. Lynch knows surrealism likely better than he knows reality. Blue Velvet is weird but rhythmically strung with tension and moments to make you feel lost, as Dean Stockwell's lip syncing of In Dreams pulls you from the film. I was also a bit lost as to where to place this film, I almost wanted to say giallo but ill-fitting as even though Jeffrey goes about his own investigation there not enough blood or close ups of murder. Then I possibly thought Suburban Gothic but PissedOffGeek on twitter rebut that with his insightful depiction that though Jeffrey lives in Suburbia there's never any danger there, it's all in the urban constants of the apartment where the real horror occurs. Therefore all I can conclude is that the film doesn't fall under any category as it is a class of its own, hence Lynchian. Blue Velvet is an important cinematic piece that should be seen by not only horror lovers but film addicts as well. I was captivated and seduced by Lynch's use of medium and therefore loved it. It's unlike any viewing experience and commands that attention of being unique. Not everyone will like it per say but everyone needs to see it. 

After.Life (2009)

Anna's life has begun to fray as she seems to be a little lost in her job, relationship, and the generality of her life. As life is though it gives Anna no time to mend the broken and she dies in a car accident, leaving behind a grieving boyfriend. When she wakes up in the basement of a funeral home, being prepared by the funeral director Elliot, she's afraid and bemused by what's happening. Understandably addled, Elliot explains to Anna that this is what happens after a person dies and that he's been given a gift to speak to the dead to help them pass over. Anna can't leave the feeling though that she's not quite dead, despite an autopsy proving dead-on-sight to her car accident. Trying to convince her Elliot's only response is frustration and his only solution is for her is acceptance. Her boyfriend Paul however is also not convinced that Anna is gone and finds suspicious in Elliot's character. As Anna's funeral draws closer there is no indication as to what really happened to her, leaving you to question is Anna dead or alive?

The film does have genuine creepy moments but overall it suffers from a lack of intrigue. The characters are uninteresting, dully pulled by the happening and the mystery of Anna's death. Maybe it was just me but I felt that so much more time had passed than that suggested in the film. Anna had till Friday to get her after.life together, I believe which was only three days away, instead it felt like two weeks had passed. Also ridiculous was the use of CGI in unneeded scenes. In visual perception it wasn't quite as clear, there are shots of beauty and then shots of nothing special. A common thing I hate in films is when they try far too hard to create a color scheme and it's painfully obvious, here it isn't so vibrant but the noticeable color of red was throughout. It didn't compliment against the morticians green walls but overall it wasn't bad to look at.

The script isn't bad and as said the concept has some weight to it, but falls flat and never really picks up. As does characters, most are just unlikable and account for nothing more than that. Christine Ricci plays out most of her role a la nude, a favorable asset to you male viewers I'm sure. She does what she can with the cold Anna and is consistently good throughout. Liam Neeson is the man to shine here though, his character is by far the most interesting, a little bi-polar and psychopathic with his very polite manner to the living and his low patients towards the dead. I wouldn't go as far to say he's creepy, more or less odd with his lurking at love ones saying goodbye and his ability to speak to the dead. Paul is prone to fits of alcoholism and crying, all understandable as he's really the only one appropriately mourning over Anna. Justin Long is fine in the role, he seems heartbroken enough, if not more so than those around him.

At the end it just feels useless. In doing research I peaked on the film's IMDB discussion board and there are rather intriguing opinions and analysis's of the film from fans as to what it all means. I even saw one in how this film could be a literal interpretation of how the brain dies slowly and what people really experience in near death experiences could be similar to Anna's story, or in likes too. But those still prove far more interesting than the film. I've also seen a few comparisons to another film of this supernatural thriller nature, Dead Awake, but the difference is Dead Awake is awful, where as this mostly just boring. Not my recommendation for a psychological thriller but it's not an entire waste neither.

Horror Short: Seizure (2011)

Written and directed by James Neff and Joseph Dean Martinez
Staring Brian Ardolino and Danica Deering
Director of Photography Joseph Dean Martinez

The Horror Shorts have been absent for a little more than a month because of the top five lists but I'm glad to bring it back with Night Walker Cinema's short film Seizure, a contestant for the Universal Halloween Horror Nights short film contest. Isolation has constricted Jordy more than anything, with his only real line to the outside world being his answering machine. His tormenting visions having been written off as mental illness and a pursued fixture by medication, but this may not be medical at all, and Jordy seizures may just be caused by something far more terrifying. This is Night Walker Cinema's first short film and an appealing first piece. The film runs a few seconds short of three minutes and provokes a feeling stylized to what the hell is going on. It comes equipped with a nice little twist ending that may or may not send a chill down your spine, depending on how you feel towards this type of horror.

Brian Ardolino is the man of focus, being the only physical person on screen. His performance is a bit extreme at moments but it makes for a more intense experience and overtly effective. Direction is solid by the two directors, I'm a little taken back as to why this was not accepted in to HHN, though not perfect a lot more adequate than some shit that seeps into film festivals. Cinematography wise it's not exceptional but good for first time DP, particularly the end shot that very cautiously reveals the twist, in the right amount of light. And I really quite liked the font they picked for the credits. A definite watch Seizure is available on youtube for free at Night Walker Cinema's channel. You should also follow them on Twitter for more updates on this film and their upcoming projects.

Scanners (1981)

If I write, David Cronenberg, what film comes to mind? The Fly? Videodrome? Eastern Promises? Which ever of his films is your initial fix on his stuff you can't go in your Cronenberg viewing experiences without ever seeing Scanners.

Scanners is a Sci-fi/Psychological Thriller about two groups of psychics going head to head, literally. The main character is Cameron Vale, a new found scanner hired by Dr. Ruth to infiltrate an underground scanners operation run by Darryl Revok. What exactly is a scanner? It's an individual who has a mix of mind powers such as telekinesis, telepathy, and on occasion pyrokinesis. 

The plot build up is a bit odd and there's obvious holes but the two bigger reveals at the end are cool (truthfully though you can see one coming). I really liked how the scanners gene was explained, that brought the movie to another level. If the movie had more of a development as far as plot goes it may have been a lot better than it was. But then again it wouldn't really be a Cronenberg film without his B-style film making. 

This movie contains a rumor that it's about head's exploding, that's sadly not the case. There is one head explosion that is amazing in it's own right, but it's honestly the only one. The typical style of gore is here for Cronenberg, and despite how it can at times look fake I love watching it. The best scene though is at the end where like I said the 'good' scanner and the 'bad' scanner go at it with their scanning powers. The effects used with the viens are really great to watch.

Acting wise Michael Ironside was great as Darryl and Jennifer O'Neill wasn't bad as Kim. It's Stephen Lack as Cameron that about destroys the thing. He's stiff and reads all his lines, I'm not exaggerating, ALL his lines in monotone. At first it's a simple annoyance but as the movie precedes it becomes a distraction.

Scanners isn't the best movie ever made, nor is it the best Cronenberg film ever. But I'd say it's not a complete waste of two hours.