Adam Schindler’s “Intruders” (formerly “Shut In”) works with a fairly solid concept that begins with a clever note and then uses the concept to keep out of gimmicky trappings and implement it as a means of exploring a very unique kind of horror protagonist. By the end of “Intruders” you’ll either really care about Anna’s plight, or really fear what kind of maniac she’s capable of becoming, especially when she decides to approach her enemies with a swift and merciless motion.
“Backcountry” is not “Jaws” so much as it is “Open Water” set in the woods. It’s more of an unsettling survival drama centered on a young couple, both of whom bite off too much when they venture into the wilderness. As with most survival dramas, director Adam MacDonald begins the film on an more serene albeit unsettling note and, much in the vein of “Frozen,” begins setting up a lot of mistakes our characters make that will come back to haunt them much later on. Mainly, “Backcountry” is a slow boil where Jenn and Alex find themselves slipping up at every turn and can never seem to take a hint on looming danger.
The crude animation for “World of Tomorrow” seems like something that would distract from the overall experience, but thankfully Don Hertzfeldt’s short is still very powerful. The impact of the message and the ideas about time travel and unchangeable destiny still resonate, and the crude animation and simplistic voice work almost seem to compliment the abstract ideas presented here.
Chiller Films’ “Chilling Visions” is on its way to being a solid series of anthology films made up of some of the best horror voices around. While I really enjoyed “5 Senses of Fear” despite being a mixed bag, “5 States of Fear” is a noticeable step down in quality. I really like the devotion of horror tales to certain ideas of psychology and fear. I also really like giving indie filmmakers a voice with highly publicized anthology horror films, I just wish “5 States of Fear” was more well put together and coherent. It’s not a bad movie, but the producers stretch the idea so far, it’s kind of pointless continuing the gimmick by tale two.
Playing at the Alamo Drafhouse Yonkers, January 17th
New teacher Andrew Norris is fighting the rising tide of what would later become the future of the youth. “We are the future,” chants leader Stegman with his gang of punks. “I am your future,” he consistently tells Mr. Norris, and whodathunk he’d be correct? In “Class of 1984” (the prophetic remake of “Blackboard Jungle”) envisions a not too far future where the youth have all but spiraled out of control and our schools are now warzones with the potential for death at every turn. In 1982, “Class of 1984” was something of an exploitation revenge film, but decades later after utterly horrific accounts of school shootings, and students victimizing their teachers, “Class of 1984” is actually ahead of its time.
There was different energy behind David Bowie as Ziggy Stardust that ensured you were in for a whole other wild experience unlike any before it. Director D.A. Pennebaker keeps the mystique and wild tone of Ziggy Stardust alive from the opening title and then is quick to jump right in to the line outside Ziggy Stardust’s concert zooming in on the type of lovable oddities and weird wonders that worshiped Bowie and his adored his music, bringing us in to the full arena of the kind of minds and hearts David Bowie touched.
Boobs! Big Boobs! Big beautiful breasteses! Now that that’s out of my system, “Heavy Metal 2000” is primarily a sequel to pay tribute to the walking Amazonian that is Julie Strain. While it is adapted from a “Heavy Metal” novel like its superior animated entry, this is a film very much of its decade that is hell bent on convincing you that Julie Strain is a goddess. Not that it takes much convincing, mind you, but Strain succeeds in pull off a heroine who is very sexy but also tough as nails, and doesn’t mind getting her hands dirty; especially when her equally sexy sister is taken hostage.