As Above, So Below Review

As Above, So Below

Dir: John Erick Dowdle

Starring: Perdita Weeks, Ben Feldman, and Edwin Hodge

93 Minutes

Claustrophobic and in moments creepy, director John Erick Dowdle gives “As Above, So Below” a fighting chance amongst genre clichés and forced frights. Using the rudimentary “found footage” style Dowdle transports a cast of young explorers into the catacombs underneath the streets of Paris. The unsettling location creates some wonderful atmosphere. Unfortunately the narrative foregoes exploration of some provoking historical elements introduced early on and the film becomes overly predictable and filled with the usual telegraphed scares that flaw films using this style choice.

Scarlett (Perdita Weeks) is a single-minded researcher bent on finishing her deceased father’s life work of finding an ancient historical artifact. This leads her initially into a dangerous cavern in Iran that almost kills her. Following the clues from Iran she is lead to Paris and into the forbidden section of the catacombs below the city. Looking for a secret doorway, Scarlett and her crew are trapped in the mazelike tomb leading them into the supernatural and face to face with their innermost fear.

The story begins as a treasure hunt in the vein of “Tomb Raider”, though not as intelligent or action packed. The history mystery has Scarlett investigating artifacts and piecing together a puzzle started by her father. This ultimately serves to accommodate the plot change, which brings a larger group of people to aid Scarlett into the catacombs of Paris. Once below the group is haunted by apparitions that reflect their own traumas and fears. The film only touches the surface of character development, though it could have offered an interesting inquiry into the secrets of past civilizations and the personal horror hidden inside the individual. The introduction is fairly sloppy though when the transition from adventure to horror happens, the atmosphere takes control and things get interesting. While nothing narratively will be particularly unique for horror fans, Dowdle shrewdly utilizes claustrophobic spaces, the confusion of darkness, and disorienting sound designs to keep things sinister. In one scene the simple design of a chanting chorus, along with a nightmarish situation for one of the characters, really brings the journey into the cavernous unknown to echoing life.

It’s unfortunate that the film uses the “found footage” technique. Whether a budgetary or production concern the hand-held approach hurts the frightening potential that the disturbing environment possesses. Every scare becomes telegraphed and the camera shakes away the atmosphere.

“As Above, So Below” has an effectively creepy mood to work with, and for a moment the location hides the weaknesses of the narrative. Perdita Weeks gives a decent performance as the brave and ambitious to a fault researcher but unfortunately the tiresome shaky filmic technique hinders the terrifying experience proposed in the premise.

Monte’s Rating 

3.00 out of 5.00

Life After Beth Review

Life After Beth

Dir: Jeff Baena

Starring: Aubrey Plaza, Dane DeHaan, John C. Reilly, Molly Shannon, Paul Reiser, Cheryl Hines, Matthew Gray Gubler, and Anna Kendrick

91 Minutes

Rated R

There is never a lack of social commentary or awareness in the horror genre, but it seems rather prominent in zombie films. Going back to Romero’s films, zombies may not say much coherently but that doesn’t mean they aren’t trying to say something. “Life After Beth”, a romantic zombie comedy from director Jeff Baena, avoids delving too deep into sociopolitical sentiments but instead attempts to showcases the complications and awkwardness of love and relationships.

Beth (Aubrey Plaza) is dead. Having died in a hiking accident after getting bit by a snake, her boyfriend Zach (Dane DeHaan) is mourning and struggling with the guilt of the shaky ground their relationship was left on. Zach visits Beth’s parents (John C. Reilly and Molly Shannon), playing chess with her dad and organizing belongings into boxes with her mom. Zach is coping until Beth’s parents begin to act strange, not answering their door or communicating with him. Frustrated and wanting answers Zach spies into their home and witnesses something unbelievable, Beth alive and walking around in the house.  

Aubrey Plaza has proven capable in small roles like a supporting spot in “Parks and Recreation” and in leading roles like “Safety Not Guaranteed”. Whether the expected deadpan sarcasm she is known for or a surprisingly heartfelt dramatic turn, Plaza has displayed potential range.  She shows these qualities quite well in “Life After Beth”. After returning from death, Beth is oblivious to her demise and confused about her past. All she is sure of is her relationship with Zach and an unexplained test that she has to prepare for. Baena, who also wrote the script, touches on some interesting relationship ideas. Zach is offered the fortunate position of amending his regrets with Beth, but just as relationships change so has death changed Beth. She isn't the same, and the narrative builds this up comically with uncomfortable private moments that find the highly affectionate couple struggling with intimacy, like a funny moment where Zach has difficulty kissing Beth because of her unpleasant breath. But there are also moments of tension and fury involving Beth, who is confused emotionally and increasingly agitated at the people trying to control her.

Unfortunately the interesting themes of love and relationship are clouded by forced comedy. In one scene involving a funny and unexpected cameo, the timing feels unneeded at that particular moment in the film. This continues to happen during moments that seem to hold the most meaningful intent for the characters. While a few of these comedic breaks keep the tone from becoming too serious, it mostly functions in undermining the potential narrative insights. As the film progresses, the good ideas become more muddled and the film loses grasp on the direction it wants to go and the statement it wants to make.  

“Life After Beth” can be quite humorous in parts, displaying a charming touch of comedy amidst some inventive genre touches. DeHaan and Plaza shine in the leading roles, with good support from the assisting cast, however the film struggles with finding a direction to go and balance between when it should be insightful and when it should be funny.

Monte’s Rating

2.50 out of 5.00

Sin City: A Dame To Kill For Review

Sin City: A Dame To Kill For

Director: Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller

Starring: Josh Brolin, Eva Green, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jessica Alba, Mickey Rourke, Rosario Dawson, Powers Boothe, Jeremy Piven, Christopher Meloni, Ray Liotta, Juno Temple, Dennis Haysbert, Bruce Willis, and Christopher Lloyd

102 Minutes

Rated R

In 2005 director Robert Rodriquez transformed author Frank Miller’s neo-noir graphic novel “Sin City” into a stunning, cutting-edge film. Rodriguez, adoringly making a living comic book, utilized a groundbreaking mix of digital style and animated renderings. “Sin City: A Dame To Kill For” is a continuing story involving old and new characters. Miller, who also co-directed, utilizes an established story as inspiration but also includes two new tales. The narrative, somewhat fragmented, is again a gritty crime noir piece with intensified aesthetics of violence, sex, and revenge. Rodriguez and Miller keep everything relatively familiar, though “Dame” wields uncompromising style into every scene it doesn’t demand much more.

No one is innocent in Sin City. Some familiar faces still dodging their demise, but also a few new ones looking for trouble, journey about Sin City’s desperate streets. Nancy (Jessica Alba) hasn’t been the same since the suicide of her protector in the first film, a cop named Hartigan (Bruce Willis).  An early image of a lost Nancy, scantily clad with a bottle of hard liquor and a handgun, is the descriptive sum of themes for the film. Her plight of desperation and revenge is one echoed throughout the mirage of extravagant visual style and outlandish violence. Nancy’s entrancing dance has a purposeful aggression this time around; her vengeful sights are squarely set on the powerfully corrupt Senator Roark (Powers Boothe). Willis makes a welcome cameo as a ghostlike guardian of sorts, while Boothe shines in an unpleasant role within two of the stories. The narrative struggles with keeping the shifting stories interesting. Especially Nancy’s story which unfortunately gets lost amongst the others but displayed potential of being the most interesting because of the characters extensive arc within the world.

Just like the first incarnation, “Dame” weaves storylines throughout each other with Nancy’s dive bar workplace playing the community intersection for the stories. Marv (Mickey Rourke) a bruising and bruised staple in the degenerate packed tavern watches over Nancy, but visitors are always welcome. This includes a cocky gambler named Johnny (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who is playing a dangerous hand during a card game with Senator Roark. While Dwight (Josh Brolin replacing Clive Owen), a returning character from the first film, seeks retribution after deadly dealings with a femme fatale (Eva Green). The cast, even some unmentioned here, are exceptional throughout. Rourke in full comic makeup seems tailored to play Marv’s brawly presence.  Gordon-Levitt is also good, squaring off against Boothe in a flow of tough guy sentiments and power gestures that are heightened in the realm of a poker game. Brolin, always interesting to watch, seems somewhat overshadowed playing opposite the best performance in the film by Eva Green. Green’s hyper sexualized performance as Ava seems to share all the best attributes of villainous women all wrapped into her character. Vulnerability and voluptuous beauty utilized to make men into her controlled marionettes.

“Sin City: A Dame to Kill For” continues its seedy sex and violence fueled tale with the same unique visual style established in the original nearly ten years ago. While the style and story are not entirely fresh, Frank Miller’s knack for constructing interesting characters and Rodriguez’s capable skill as a director keeps a relatively average sequel entertaining enough for those ready for another trip to Sin City.

Monte’s Rating

3.50 out of 5.00

The Giver Review

The Giver

Dir: Phillip Noyce

Starring: Brenton Thwaites, Odeya Rush, Jeff Bridges, Meryl Streep, Alexander Skarsgârd, and Katie Holmes

The beloved Lois Lowry novel “The Giver” was a self-interpretive experience for readers. Discovery of individualized emotional conditions and thought provoking open-ended questions were two major components in bringing the reader into the dystopian world. Director Phillip Noyce offered some interesting design elements but adapted the source material with highlights and forced interpretations, unfortunately giving the viewer nothing to truly contemplate.

Jonas (Brenton Thwaites) lives in a colorless world of contentment and conformity. When young adults in the community reach a certain age they are given responsibilities within society. Jonas is given the special calling as the receiver of memory. The Giver (Jeff Bridges) has been the sole keeper of memory as a source of guidance to the governing authority. Jonas’ power is knowledge and while at first his experience is eye opening with excitement and a happiness never felt, it soon turns to fear and anger over the secrets of the past and how they are hidden from the community. In order to save the people he cares for, Jonas must escape.

“The Giver”, coming first in the recent hash of dystopian young adult novels, had a clear influence on the “Divergent” and “The Hunger Games” series.  It didn’t take long to see how familiar everything felt and looked on screen in this rendering. Much like the film adaptation of the formative science fiction novel “John Carter”, “The Giver” suffered from being a late bloomer. Characters, settings, and narrative twists felt overly familiar. A complaisant dystopia society with varying degrees of controlled class structure lead toward a rebellion. At the center of the story was a young savior tasked with demanding expectations that ultimately displayed lessons of admirable character qualities. This simplistic description could describe all these films. However, while familiarity and a one-dimensional approach to the challenging source material ultimately hindered “The Giver”, Noyce displayed some great design qualities throughout. While Jonas was in the early stages of discovery, shown through a boring clutter of representative images, he began to experience strong emotions of love and happiness.  After this gained feeling Noyce changed the gray world palette with bursts of color to show Jonas’ enlightenment.

Jeff Bridges did a decent enough job as The Giver, the best scenes involving Brenton Thwaites and Bridges discussing the ramifications of the past. The remaining cast, all fine actors like Meryl Streep as a cold authoritarian or Katie Holmes and Alexander Skarsgârd as an unfeeling “family unit”, had a few worthwhile scenes but were unfortunately shouldered with a script that didn’t offer much more for them. 

The interpretation of “The Giver” may mean something different today because of emotional maturity and experience, that’s the brilliance of great literature. This film adaptation was underwhelming and overly simplified, proposing a valuable message within a muddled and vague portrayal.

Monte’s Rating

2.00 out of 5.00