Andrew Leavold, a cult video store owner, goes on the search for a mysterious movie star from the Philippines, the 2’9” action star Weng Weng who did less than a dozen films but left a huge mark on his fans. Leavold through his documentary shows the star’s childhood, rise, and fall until his untimely death. Written by Andrew Leavold and Daniel Palisa (as Daniel Haig) and directed by Leavold, it follows its director’s journey from Australia to the Weng Weng’s native Philippines where he finds footage of the star he had never seen, movies he had never heard about, and plenty of people ready to talk about the star.
Author Archives: Emilie Black
Two Lovers and a Bear (2016)
In the very Northern part of Canada, where not much happens and people do as best they can to survive and entertain themselves, two damaged but passionate souls in love are trying to make it and better their lives. Written and directed by Kim Nguyen, based on an original idea by Louis Grenier, the film follows the lives of two young adults fighting inner demons and rough past and trying to love each other and do what is best for each other. Their struggles feel rather real and the way they push and pull at each other grabs the viewer and brings them in. The characters built feel like actual people, filled with issues and difficulties, self-loathing and worries.
If There’s a Hell Below (2016)
A young, ambitious journalist meets up with a mysterious woman in the middle of nowhere as she has a big revelation for him. She puts him through a lot before starting to talk and having things take a bad turn. Written by Nathan Williams and Matthew Williams and directed by Nathan Williams, this thriller gains from its simplicity. The setting is almost desolate with fields and wind farms as far as the eye can see and mountain background.
Curse of the Man Who Sees UFOs (2016)
Christo Roppolo is a former filmmaker who now sees UFOs. Through interviews with him and people around him and videos he took of what he claims to be UFOs, this documentary explores his history of UFO sightings, how it has affected his life, how he almost preaches about them, and how he is seen as he basically obsesses over these sightings and what they may mean. Roppolo reached out to director Justin Gear by sending him hours and hours of video from his sightings and investigations of them. Gear takes this footage and mixes it with interviews of Roppolo and his neighbors, friends, and people of his town to show what he sees or claims to see with experiences from others and feelings directly from the source.
Emilie Black Wraps Up Blood in the Snow 2016
Blood in the Snow, also known as BITS, ran from November 25th to the 27th in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and showcased as it usually does a wide array of horror and genre related feature films, short films, and documentary. This year’s crop of films has something from everyone including a documentary on the resurgence of posters as collectibles, a postpartum-tinged thriller, a short about a cannibal runner, etc.
The films were of high quality and most were great fun to watch. In case you missed any of Cinema Crazed’s coverage, here it is in one nifty spot.
The Shorts of Blood in the Snow 2016 – Part Three
Ingrid & the Black Hole (Canada) (2016)
A boy and a girl see what they think is a black hole one night and ponder on time travel. Written and directed by Leah Johnston, this short is sweet without being saccharine and it has a touching way of going through these two kids’ lives and showing how a small thing can affect someone for a very long time. The cinematography by Christopher Ball looks great and shows the night sky in a beautiful manner as well as the interpersonal relationships of the characters through the years.
The Sublet (2015) [Blood in the Snow 2016]
A young couple with a baby move into a sublet with a mysterious locked room and a few secrets. As he works more and more toward getting his acting career on track, the more she spends time alone in the sublet with their son. As time goes by, odd happenings add up and she begins to seemingly lose her mind. Written by John Ainslie and Alyson Richards with Ainslie directing, The Sublet build tension as the characters drift apart due to life and due to whatever force is working on the new mother, Joanna. As her mind seems to unravel, the potentially supernatural happenings multiply and so does the tension.