Tag Archives: Indie Film

Proxy (2014)

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It’s a long road to go before “Proxy” ever really gets to the point of the entire narrative, and though director Zack Parker is very good at handling multiple sub-plots, “Proxy” is almost too crowded with them. “Proxy” is a seemingly simple thriller that over complicates itself with twists and turns that don’t really amount to much. It’s not many horror movies that revolve around the very disturbing psychological condition Parker highlights as a means of moving the narrative ahead, but “Proxy” often feels like it’s just jumping from shocking moment to shocking moment without much cogency or complexity. None of the characters are likable or empathetic, thus much of the movie feels cold and listless.

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The Sacrament (2014)

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It’s really tough in this day and age to come up with new insight in to the mindset of the cult. Director Ti West manages to accomplish such a feat during the narrative of “The Sacrament” where he not only explores the facade of the utopian cult that many flock to, but the inherent mind set behind the structure of the cult. “Many people come here out of desperation,” explains character Sam, thus it’s apparent why community Eden Parish is able to thrive and live for so long without being disturbed. Even though many of the leaders of these cults are conmen, on occasion they’re also desperate individuals seeking isolation and a like minded civilization they can rule, or destroy in one fell swoop.

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Blue Ruin (2014)

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“An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.”

When we meet Dwight, he’s already defeated. He has a beard and long hair, he’s homeless, he digs through trash behind a carnival for dinner, he sneaks in to people’s houses for baths when they’re out for the day, and he sleeps in his old shelled out car on the side of the beach. One night Dwight is picked up by the police, and informed that the man that ruined his life is being released from jail after a court acquitted him. And now Dwight has made a decision that will decide the rest of his life. Director Jeremy Saulnier’s “Blue Ruin” is one of the least glamorous revenge films ever made. It’s an ingenious and brilliant look at the actual repercussions of vengeance and how it can create a ripple of unintentional consequences and violence that eventually spirals out of control.

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The Days God Slept (2013)

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I admit that I went in to “The Days God Slept” with no real idea of what it was about. And then when it ended I felt like I’d been sermonized, which left me with a cringe. It’s the all too familiar religious guilt aspect that bothered me, and really doesn’t mesh with the story of “The Days God Slept” too well. I really liked the idea of men building up the image of a stripper and or erotic performer and never quite allowing themselves to see the human beneath the image. But once the religious aspect is introduced, it’s completely lost.

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Camp Dread (2014) (DVD)

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Director Harrison Smith’s “Camp Dread” is a mixture of “My Little Eye” and “Friday the 13th.” In fact, go watch those movies instead. In all seriousness, “Camp Dread” has a pretty clever premise, it just has absolutely nothing to do with it. It’s a straight faced slasher film set in a summer camp and barely uses the opportunity to reference the “Friday the 13th” films, and yet it takes full advantage with Danielle Harris as the local sheriff. Her character’s brother is named Michael, and she hates horror movies. You see, it’s opposite. It’s clever because it’s opposite!

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Nightbeasts (2010)

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“NightBeasts” is a really silly, camp drenched movie. It’s Sasquatchsploitation with a surprisingly tongue in cheek tone that undercuts all menace it possesses. And the good thing is that star Zach Galligan at least seems to be in on the joke. He sports a terrible Southern accent, is probably the worst father in the world, and really does nothing but puff his chest and go shooting at some sasquatches in the woods. “NightBeasts” doesn’t aim for “Abominable” levels of horror, but it’s worth a viewing, if only for Galligan who hams it up big time.

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Fallout (2011)

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I’m not entirely sure what “Fall Out” was aiming for from minute one. All I know is that director Derek Dubois keeps the audience in the dark, providing a narrative that’s about eighty percent ambiguous. And I was okay with that. If you can’t really offer a larger exploration of the world you’ve built, especially considering when it’s set during the apocalypse, the best thing to do is focus on getting us to know the characters in this situation, and director Dubois accomplishes that in spades.

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