Movie Review: Besetment

When I first approached watching Besetment, I had a question, probably one that I shouldn’t have before watching a movie. I guess, more than that, I probably should have had the answer before even getting this far. I blame the educational system. Anyway, I did not know what the title meant. What is besetment? Well, it is defined as to attack on all sides; assail; harass. With that cleared up, we can move onto the movie itself. It is another in a long line of direct to video, low budget outings that seek to execute an involving story made with very little money. It can be done, but it just seems to be be out of reach of so many. So far as this one is concerned, it has a lot going for it, but it just doesn’t quite take it all the way.

Movie Review: Starry Eyes

If anyone tries to tell you they don't make good horror movies anymore, you have my permission to scoff at them. Seriously, there are plenty of good horror movies out there, you just may have to search beyond the local cineplex in order to find them. Sure, we have the Insidious films and a few other solid to great mainstream horror films, but for the most part, they are just looking for a way to get the money out of teens pockets. Now, if you go beyond the theater and look a little deeper you may be surprised by what you find. The latest one to catch me by surprise is Starry Eyes.

Movie Review: Faces (2014)

You have got to admit, when approaching a low to no budget horror movie, you have got to at least be a little bit scared. It is true that talent has to come from somewhere and also that talented individuals can shine with little around to pick up the slack. Still, there is so much junk out there that it might be a daunting task, one which will scare even the heartiest of cinema junkies away, or at the least, leave them twitching from one too many no-budget zombie farces. On the other hand, all it takes is one good movie to make it all worthwhile. Is Faces that one good movie? Perhaps...

Movie Review: Blue Ruin

Much like The Babadook, Blue Ruin came to my attention amid a decent deal of hype. No, it was not quite Babadook level, but virtually everyone who has seen it has had nothing but positive things to say about it. Of course, this raises my level of skepticism a few notches. Surely it isn't that good, is it? I purposely avoided full reviews or plot descriptions, but I also avoided the movie as a whole for awhile. It popped up on Netflix not long ago, so I added it to my queue and there it sat, starring at sappily with its big blue letters. Daring me to watch it. The time has come and I watched it.

Movie Review: Laggies

Do you ever feel disembodied, boundless, like you are spinning helplessly through space? Of course you have, we all have. That is what is at the center at Laggies. It is a young woman hitting a quarter-life crisis, facing the dawning realization of adulthood and the impending responsibilities that comes with it. It is not a great movie, nor does it have any aspirations to be. Laggies seems to be a movie that has a lot in common with its protagonist, it does not aspire to be anything more than it is at this time, yet it faces expectations from the viewing public that it is not yet ready for. You could think it is a touch clever in that regard, or it could just be happy coincidence.

Movie Review: Contracted (2013)

Do you have any idea how hard it can be to pick a movie to watch? If you over think it, you may end up not watching anything. Sometimes it is just better to close your eyes and point. That is pretty much how I cam to watch Contracted, a low budget indie tale of body horror that is plenty gooey and initially offers some social commentary before devolving into straight up grossness. It is not a perfect film, but it is one that will get under your skin, as it begins to rot away, that is.

DVD Review: Fairview Falls - Insanity Edition

My first exposure to Glen Baisley and his work came a few years back at the inaugural Hudson Horror Show (if you have not had the pleasure of attending, look them up, they put on great shows). The show featured a few short pieces directed by Mr. Baisley, including the show introduction (featuring my first glimpse of the Black Rose Killer, whose presence casts a long shadow over Fairview Falls). While I was there primarily for the feature films (with Zombie and Evil Dead), it was certainly interesting to see some indie sensibilities playing in the horror playground.

Movie Review: Safety Not Guaranteed

The mumblecore genre has certainly grown up. I wonder if it has grown out of the term used to describe it, or at least gotten to the point where the films can be defined by their actual genre. I don't know, I cannot say I ever paid all that much attention to them, outside of seeing a few recent outings that employ more recognizable faces then the early outings, like Cyrus and Jeff Who Lives at Home. Anyway, the latest of this type of movie brings in some science fiction elements, yet never gets bogged down in the details of it's execution. The movie is Safety Not Guaranteed and it is a quirky, indie, romantic, time travel hybrid.

Movie Review: Rage (2010)

Independent movies can definitely be a questionable affair. For every gem you uncover, there are a hundred more that you have to wade through to get there. This is not necessarily a bad thing as everyone has to start somewhere and these early efforts can put the talent of potential on display and help to hone those skills for projects that are more fully developed and executed. Still, it is these questionable and, let's be honest, downright awful indies that help us appreciate the gems that much more. With Chris Witherspoon's Rage, I did not know what to expect, and with that in mind I am happy to report that we have a gem on our hands.

Blu-ray Review: The Art of Getting By

When it played Sundance earlier this year the film went by the name Homework. I am not sure if the name change was the only change or if it underwent any other edit in the wake of its distribution deal, but I can say that the new title is certainly an improvement. Don't you think The Art of Getting By sounds better? The original name makes it sound like some lame MTV Films production, whereas the final title makes it appear more like the quirky indie that it is. It also sounds like it would make a great double feature with It's Kind of a Funny Story (which, coincidentally, also co-stars Emma Roberts). Both are populated with quirky characters and a central character trying to deal with the world around him in angsty, indie fashion.

Music Review: A Lull - Confetti

A Lull. Taken on its own, that certainly sounds boring. Can you believe that is actually the name the band? Just when you thought all the good names may be taken, you find you just may be right. I kid. Seriously, it just strikes me as an uninspired name that is not likely to garner a lot of attention sitting on the shelf. Maybe I am wrong , anyway, what's in a name? It sort of reminds me of Lonely China Day, who I enjoy very much. As it turns out, A Lull's latest release, and my first exposure to the band, is actually quite interesting.

Music Review: Thomas Giles - Pulse

Let's be right up front with this, this is not an album by an artist named Thomas Giles, oh no. Thomas Giles is a pseudonym/side project for Between the Buried and Me front man Tommy Rogers. That is a band that I have had limited experience with, but the little bit I have had the pleasure of listening to is pretty awesome. Now you can color me surprised putting that stuff up next to this. All of the music on Pulse is of a decidedly different nature than, say, the stuff on Colors. Despite some dramatic differences, you can tell they were both made (at least in part) by similar creative minds.