Day: October 12, 2020

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Movie Review

The Driver (2019) Movie Review

Director: Wych Kaosayananda

Writer: Steve Poirier (Screenplay) Wych Kaosayananda (Story)

Starring: Mark Dacascos, Julie Condra, Noelani Dacascos, Jeremy Stutes, Adam Zachary Smith

Plot: In a zombie apocalypse, one man desperately tries to keep his family alive.


Tagline – He fought the Baba Yaga. Now, he is fighting the undead.

Runtime: 1 Hour 37 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: The Driver starts as we meet The Driver (Dacascos) a husband and father living in a small community during a zombie apocalypse, he goes on the trips to retrieve supplies or get rid of problems within the community, he wants to take his wife Sharon (Condra) and daughter Bree (Dacascos) away from this community, with information from the only two people he trusts Lee (Ruedpokanon) and DJ (New).

When the community comes under attack, The Driver is left with no option but to take his family and flee into the zombie infested world, a place where he will do anything to keep them safe, in his search for a safe haven.

Thoughts on The Driver

Characters – The Driver was once a hitman in everyday life, now in a zombie apocalypse he does runs for supplies or to dispose of the problems the community is facing, he wants to take his family away and after the community is attacked, he is forced to flee with his daughter, needing to prepare her for the outside world, he knows he has a race against time to find a new shelter. Bree is the Driver’s daughter, she hasn’t been exposed to the outside world and she must deal with a big loss, while getting a crash course on how to survive the zombie infested world. This does put a lot of focus on the father daughter relationship, with any other characters we meet getting used for information more than anything else.

Performances – Mark Dacascos has always been an action we have seen in horror films, John Wick Chapter 3 might well have elevated him into the mainstream at long last and here he proved why he has been in the action genre for so long, bringing to life the father that will do anything in a zombie infested world, having his own real life daughter Noelani Dacascos playing his on screen daughter adds to both of their natural dynamic throughout the film.

Story – The story here follows a father that must find a new shelter for his daughter in a world filled with zombies after his current home comes under attack. This is a story that does keep everything simple, it focuses on the father daughter relationship to hold the story together, while the calm reality needing to get every message through, while in a world where zombies could be around every corner. It might not get to the deepest levels, and there is plenty more we could have learnt about the community at the start, but the point of the story is a crash course in prepare someone to this new world.

Action/Horror – The action in the film is everything you would expect from a zombie movie, we have fast moving zombies being gunned down, with the attack on the community being the most standout moment in the film. The horror is all about the idea being in a zombie filled world, it doesn’t feel as dread covered as it should be for the situation though.

Settings – The film uses the community, with the open roads to show us how empty the world is, we never go near big cities, which would be key to surviving this world.


Scene of the Movie – Community attack.

That Moment That Annoyed Me – Certain things Bree does, don’t fit the world.

Final Thoughts – This is an entertaining zombie movie that does focus a lot more on the relationship between the father and daughter in which the Dacascos family shine in showing us.



Categories
Movie Review

ABC Film Challenge – Horror – L – Lakeview Terrace (2008) Movie Review

Director: Neil LaBute

Writer: David Loughery, Howard Korder (Screenplay) David Loughery (Story)

Starring: Samuel L Jackson, Patrick Wilson, Kerry Washington, Ron Glass, Justin Chambers, Jay Hernandez, Regine Nehy

Plot: Based on a true story, a troubled and racist African-American L.A.P.D. Officer will stop at nothing to force out a friendly interracial couple who just moved in next door to him.


Tagline – What could be safer than living next to a cop?

Runtime: 1 Hour 50 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Verdict: Slow Burning Thriller

Story: Lakeview Terrace starts when couple Chris (Wilson) and Lisa (Washington) move into their new home, one of their neighbours is widowed cop Abel Turner (Jackson) isn’t keen on having a mixed-race couple next door to him, starting by teasing Chris.

When Abel continues to clash with Chris, the games start to become more targeted, with damage to property and with Abel using his power of being on the side of the law, it makes it very difficult to deal with the neighbour from hell.

Thoughts on Lakeview Terrace

Characters – Abel is a widowed father and police officer, he has very strict rules for his children to follow, which is pushing them away from him, when he see the mixed-race couple move in next door, he doesn’t like them in anyway and always finds a way to get back at time, if they do something that he doesn’t like. His action and position of power make him feel like he could get away with anything. Chris the husband in the couple, being white he attracts the attention of Abel who takes an instant dislike towards him, his temper doesn’t help as when he clashes with Abel, he doesn’t handle it in the best way and his constant seeking approval from his wife father only adds pressure to him. Lisa is the wife that spends a lot more of the time in the home, she wants to be a good neighbour and be open for the children next door, only for her desire to start her own family being stronger desire to future. Harold is the father of Lisa that has always looked down on Chris, and wanted more for his daughter.

Performances – Samuel L Jackson is very unsettling through this film, we see just how demanding he wants to be through the film. Patrick Wilson is always strong in his roles in film, this is no different, while Kerry Washington holds her own in the mix, even if her character does seem to just be woman at home.

Story – The story here does follow a couple that finds themselves living next door to the neighbour from hell, who wants to torment them because he doesn’t believe in mixed race couples. This does focus on the slow build of a neighbourly rivalry before it starts getting completely out of hand. It does show how people in a position of authority can abuse their power to make other people’s a living hell, which is what we see with everything that happens in this film, the couple are left feeling powerless when it comes to dealing with the neighbour. The pacing is slightly weaker because it does seem to show us how one minute they get on the next they hate each other, which just doesn’t add up to everything going on.

Crime – The crime side of the film follows the actions of the law enforcement officer that does seem to just do what he wants believing the law with support him.

Settings – The film keeps the settings in the neighbourhood, where we see just how the two must learn to get on even though they live next to each other and don’t like each other.


Scene of the Movie – Incoming fire.

That Moment That Annoyed Me – Lisa does just seem to be female character or wife, while she makes a point about her job, but never seems to go to work.

Final Thoughts – This is a simple thriller that does push the limits on how you would or could treat your neighbour.

Overall: Simple thriller.

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Movie Review

Supernova (2020) London Film Festival Movie Review

Director: Harry Macqueen

Writer: Harry Macqueen (Screenplay)

Starring: Colin Firth, Stanley Tucci, Lori Campbell, James Dreyfus, Ian Drysdale, Julie Hannan,

Plot: Sam and Tusker are traveling across England in their old RV to visit friends, family and places from their past. Since Tusker was diagnosed with dementia two years ago, their time together is the most important thing they have.

Runtime: 1 Hour 33 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Supernova starts as we meet Sam (Firth) and Tusker (Tucci) who along with their pet dog Ruby are travelling across England, living through the memories of the life they had together, with Tucker suffering from dementia, with the signs showing it is starting to get worse.

As the journey continues, we see how Tucker has his good and bad days, while hiding the true extent of loss of abilities from Sam, in what is a time filled with celebration, it could well be the last time they are truly together.

Thoughts on Supernova

Characters – Sam is a famous musician that is preparing himself for life when Tusker isn’t the same man he fell in love with, he knows it will be hard and will do anything for the love they have. Tusker is a famous novelist who has seen his dementia starting to take over his life, he knows that he doesn’t have as much time in control left, he wants this one last trip down memory lane. The pair have spent most of their lives together and will always want to support each other through the good and bad they will be facing in life.

Performances – Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci are brilliant together here, showing the pure love the characters have and how they are both trying to hold everything together with the changes coming their way.

Story – The story here follows a couple that are going on a journey across England going through memory lane, before one loses the abilities of everyday life, with his dementia starting to take over his life. This is a story that will look to give you all the feelings in the world, filled with emotional impacts of seeing a loved one suffering with a disease that will see them lose everything they once were. The idea of travelling down memory lane will give hope, but the reality it not going to be a happy one for the pair, who are both preparing for different stages of the life together.

Settings – The film uses the beautiful backdrops of the English countryside that shows and reflects that the couple’s life is going to slowly to be going slower in the future.


Scene of the Movie – The recording.

That Moment That Annoyed Me – More of the dog please.

Final Thoughts – Supernova is a beautiful movie that has two of the best performances of the year in, becoming one of the most essential movies of 2020.