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Actors: Rashida Jones, Jason Schwartzman,
Joan Cusack, J.K. Simmons, Norm MacDonald, Will Sasso, Sergio Pablos, Mila
Brener, Neda Margrethe Labba
Blurb
from IMDb: A
simple act of kindness always sparks another, even in a frozen, faraway place.
When Smeerensburg's new postman, Jesper, befriends toymaker Klaus, their gifts
melt an age-old feud and deliver a sleigh full of holiday traditions.
Selina’s
Point of View:
This
is it. This is the one.
Always,
almost without fail, the same question comes up in December. People ask me, “what’s
your favorite holiday movie?” Now, people have been asking me this since I was
kid. It has nothing to do with the blog. Everyone I’m close to just knows how much
I love movies.
Every
year, without fail, I don’t have an answer.
I
know everyone likes A Christmas Story (1983), but I actually kind of
despise it. Objectively it’s a good movie, but for my tastes? No thanks. There
are all the classics – like A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965), Rudolph
the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964), Miracle on 34th Street (1947/1994), It’s
a Wonderful Life (1946), Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas
(1966), The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), Mickey’s Christmas
Carol (1983), etc. – but as much as I like them, I couldn’t really ever
choose one as a favorite. They were all just movies I watched if they happened to
be on. They weren’t movies I sought out.
Honestly?
I felt kind of weird not having a favorite.
I don’t
have to worry about that know. Klaus is my favorite Christmas film. This
is the movie I’m going to put on every year when December starts.
Klaus gives an interesting look at the
origin of Santa Claus, and it covers all the morality lessons behind the season
without feeling preachy. It shows a dark and dangerous world that becomes
lighter because of some good deeds. It even goes into how ANY good deed can
lead to goodness, even if it didn’t originally come off as selfless.
I
have absolutely no complaints about this film. I look forward to a long
tradition of watching it on Christmas morning.
Cat’s
Point of View:
I’ve been waiting with much
anticipation for Klaus. The trailer looked great and, honestly, the only
reason it didn’t make it onto my Top 20 for this month was that I simply had
too many movies to choose from and only 20 slots to fill.
As an added bonus, my daughter
piled in on the couch to watch this one with me. Talk about a holiday win-win.
The movie didn’t disappoint. Klaus’
story is original and tells the Santa origin story with a new spin. Not only
does it give us the beginnings of the big guy in red, but also the tradition of
writing him letters filled with Christmas wishes.
The story was witty and well-told
so that viewers of all ages would likely enjoy it quite a bit.
I was also quite surprised and
pleased to find that this animated feature broke new ground in the genre in its
production. Writer and director Sergio Pablos (Despicable Me, Smallfoot, Rio)
had the film animated in the traditional hand-drawn style. However, to update
the style a bit he added lighting and textures using CGI. This was the first
film to be created in that manner.
Did I mention that this is Pablos’
directorial debut? He has quite a few animating credits to his name for
well-known movies, as well as writing credits, but this is his first full-length
direction. I’d say that this is a stellar first offering, and I can’t wait to
see what he might put together next.
I would definitely recommend this
movie for family holiday viewing, and will likely be watching it again at my
daughter’s request before this season’s over.
Through “This Week in Crowdfunding,” you’ll find five of the
best projects Trust the Dice found hosted on crowdfunding sights this week.
These are Films/Web Series’/Shows of varying lengths and genres that we believe
in. If you like any of the projects you see here, donate to them, tell your
friends, and/or post it on social media.
These projects don’t just need money, they need people to
care and spread the word that they exist.
Support creativity. Support indie artists.
Remember that every actor, director, writer, and movie you
have ever fallen in love with had to start somewhere.
Trust the Dice does not, and will not, accept payment from project
creators for
appearance on this list. Projects are chosen solely on the merit of the
idea,
proposal, and people involved.
5 – M.O.T.H.E.R
Knows Best
Crowdsource Platform:
Kickstarter
Director: Chris
Mayo, Scott Kingsnorth
Writer: Chris
Mayo, Scott Kingsnorth
Other Staff: Holly
Mallett, Carla Harrison-Hodge, Evelyn Lockley, Hannah Warman, Jenny Walters,
Emma Tansley, Megan Smith
Amount Requested:
$1,707
Current Standing (as
of Saturday night): $2,052 raised by 32 backers.
Between when I first saw this comedy series on Kickstarter
and when I started writing this article, M.O.T.H.E.R
Knows Best reached, and exceeded, their goal. That means that it made over
$1k in a matter of days.
I think that says a lot about what the series is. Clearly, I’m
not the only one that thought there was something worth paying attention to.
Even before checking out the video, I was attracted to this
project because of the dystopian dark comedy factor. I’ve seen precious few
films and shows that have fallen into that specific category. There’s a kind of
unique quality to it that’s very interesting.
The only real problem I’ve seen with the series is that the
page doesn’t do very well at explaining what it’s about. You get a couple of
sentences, but the rest is dedicated to the technique, and people, involved.
There’s nothing too wrong with that, I just prefer to know more about the
project in general, which is why this series isn’t higher on the list.
Lowest Fund Reward:
$13.07 – Hearty Thanks – You’re a modern day hero! You will receive hearty
thanks either in a tweet or by email from the creators of the show.
Highest Fund Reward:
$653.49 – Executive Producer Credit – Holy bananas! This is the big one. A
large executive producer credit (just like George Lucas) plus: A poster, early
access to all episodes, a drawing from Scott, a short story from Chris and a
hearty thank you from M.O.T.H.E.R. herself. PLUS exclusive additional footage.
4 – Today in New
York
Crowdsource Platform:
Kickstarter
Director: Michael
Labbadia
Writer: Michael
Labbadia, Madeleine Meigs, Gus Halper
Other Staff: Andrea
Goocher, Rob Levy
Amount Requested:
$8,000
Current Standing (as
of Saturday night): $1,365 raised by 28 backers.
I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. I’ve lived in various
neighborhoods, but always right here. There’s no naivety in my love for this
place, so it’s almost amusing to me when I meet people who come here with that
innocence still intact.
That was partially what drew me to this project, but then I
saw the video.
The Kickstarter trailer that the Today in New York team put together was incredibly unique. It did a
phenomenal job on not only drawing my attention, but of forcing me to want to
learn more. The kind of stereotypical old-school New York accent combined with a
mix of the older and current New York background brought up images of some of
the great films created in the city.
As trailers for projects go, especially projects that don’t
have too many scenes to show yet, this was one of the best.
Everyone involved in the making of this film has some kind
of experience living in New York.
“Although we are all from different places, we have all spent
enough time in the city as young artists to understand ‘the struggle’... And
our main character in the web series is experiencing her very first day in NYC
so it's actually great that we all still freshly remember our first days,”
writer Madeleine Meigs told Trust the Dice in a short interview. “In fact, each
episode is based off of our actual experiences that we had when we first moved
here.”
Crew members from New York mixed with transplants to make
this series. I think it’s very important to note that, because it indicates
that every aspect of the series will be as true to life as it could be while
still remaining fiction.
The only reason I could see this series failing to make
their goal is because it seems to be directed only toward New Yorkers, but that’s
not how Meigs sees it.
“We want the series to be relatable to anyone and there will
be many themes such as being a ‘20 something’, naivety, humility, and independence
that will be explored,” she wrote.
The target demographic has little to do with New York and
everything to do with young adults starting to strike out on their own.
Everyone can relate to that at some point in their lives.
Lowest Fund Reward:
$10 – New Yorker – Like any real New Yorker you are there for your neighbors
and friends when they need your help! We would like to thank you with a
Facebook shout out and a more personal thank you email.
Highest Fund Reward:
$1,000 – Rockefeller – Your generosity towards our vision blows us away! Thank
you from the bottom of our hearts. Please select two of your favorite songs,
and Gus and Mike will sing them for you (via video). Along with that thank you,
you will be credited as an executive producer, sent a monthly update on our
progress with behind the scenes photos, and an exclusive digital premiere of “Today
in New York” with interviews from key cast and crew members.
3 – Mara: The
Seal Wife
Crowdsource Platform:
Indiegogo
Director: Uisdean
Murray
Writer: Uisdean
Murray
Other Staff: Adam
Keltie, Donald Coutts, Jason Weidner, Philip Smith, Kevin Kelly, Sarah
Pritchard
Amount Requested:
$13,070
Current Standing (as
of Saturday night): $3,836 raised by 16 backers.
Spending time browsing Trust the Dice would inform anyone
that both Cat and I love myths and legends. We’ve both spent extensive amounts
of time reading about various cultural creatures and stories. Cat is the one
obsessed with Irish, Scottish and Celtic legend, but I still find plenty of
interest in it myself.
Selkies are new to me, I just started reading about them a
few weeks ago. That made this a prime time to run into a short film based
around the myth.
I contacted the writer of Mara: the Seal Wife, Uisdean Murray, and found out some pretty
interesting facts.
“The short film I am working on now and running a
crowdfunding campaign for is essentially the backstory of two small but
important characters from my feature film project,” Murray told Trust the Dice.
In fact, by supporting Mara:
the Seal Wife people are actually giving life to one piece of a much larger
puzzle. Not only is Murray interested in adding that original full-length film
to the short, but he also seemed interested in exploring other
folklore-inspired tales.
Supporting this one film tells the writer that his other
ideas could have some serious backing as well. I think, in this case, that’s a
very good thing. His short film looks heartbreaking and intriguing in ways that
not every story could.
“Mara: the Seal Wife is set during the 80s and 90s and it
contains a unique interpretation of the traditional Selkie tale,” Murray wrote.
“The film is in part about a man suffering tremendous grief after the loss of
his wife in tragic circumstances and years later happens upon a Selkie on the
beach who appears to look like his long-deceased wife.”
I urge you to look up some of the selkie tales available
on-line. They are a very mermaid-like species, but with some seriously dark
twists. Seeing them used in a cinematic world is worth a few dollars in
donations.
Lowest Fund Reward:
$1.31 – Join us on our adventure – A shout-out on twitter and exclusive updates
throughout the production.
Highest Fund Reward:
$3,267.44 – Producer Credit – You will receive an Opening Credit and End Credit
screen all to yourself with your name and ‘Producer’ credit!
2 – Around the
World
Crowdsource Platform:
Kickstarter
Director: Tom
Cheve
Writer: N/A
Other Staff: Clement
Reubrecht, David Amouzegh, Ricardinho Chahini, Laura Biondo, Jordan Meunier,
Esteban El Pantera, Archie Crispy, Juan Roberto Aguilo, Michal Rycaj, Ibuki
Yoshida, Fagerli Brothers, Caitlyn Schrepfer, Andrew Henderson, Sean Garnier
Amount Requested:
$57,494
Current Standing (as
of Saturday night): $2,929 raised by 52 backers.
Soccer is not nearly as popular in the United States as it
should be. Of course, that’s coming from someone who hates American football. I’d
much rather refer to soccer as football… but I was partially raised by an
Englishman so… I guess that makes sense.
That said, something we do love here in the U.S. is
freestyle. Doesn’t really matter what kind: rap, dance, hacky sack… pretty much
anything that could possibly be considered impressive. Well, freestyle soccer
definitely applies. People talented in that kind of freestyle can do things
with their feet that would make even the best break dancers green with envy.
I spoke to the Around
the World team and found out that freestyle soccer is a lot more than it
seems to be.
“Most of the freestylers see freestyle as an athletic
performance by surpassing its limits. You know, it's a young culture created
around the beginning of this millennium. That's why the community needs time to
be really openminded as well and accept the ‘sensitive’ part of freestyle,” the
team told Trust the Dice about the sport aspect of freestyle soccer.
Athleticism, however, is not the only motivation behind the
subject of Around the World. The team
went on to explain that, to some freestylers, it’s all about the art.
“Some freestylers like Clem Keym,” the team wrote, “find
inspiration in dance, and especially in breakdance. It's like a new wave in
this culture and it's growing up each day!”
Now, most people know that documentaries aren’t really my
thing. I find that they can get boring and monotone. I don’t see that being an
issue here. Just go to YouTube and search for ‘freestyle soccer’ or ‘freestyle
football.’ The sheer level of impressive feats the athletes are capable of will
have you glued to the screen.
Take into account that this documentary is going into how
freestyle soccer is approached by various countries, as well. It’s easy to
associate soccer with England, less-so with some of the other areas they intend
to hit.
I admit, I could be a little bias because of my love of the
sport, but I don’t think that’s all there is to it. The Kickstarter page is
incredibly well thought-out and, though ambitious, seems doable.
I’ll admit that they are asking for quite bit of money, but
for what they need it for… it’s not that much.
The team of this documentary is passionate about the stories
they want to tell, and they have a subject that could be interesting to people
that know nothing about it. They don’t intend to stick to technique, they
intend to focus on the humanity and skill of their subjects. I think all of
that is a recipe for a great documentary that could even speak to people who
don’t enjoy the genre.
Lowest Fund Reward:
$1.18 – We Thank You – Hey every little counts at this point, so thank you for
your generous support.
Highest Fund Reward:
$8,861 – Executive Producer Credit – Your name or company will be in the
credits at the beginning of the documentary. Everybody will see it, and see you
as the Executive producer, and will associate our documentary to your name or
brand. We’ll also make sure to bring forward your brand during our
communication.
1 – Night Run
Crowdsource Platform:
Indiegogo
Director: Erick
Solis
Writer: Erick
Solis
Other Staff: Elizabeth
Salazar, Jake Hays, Tyler Cole, Rebecca Weaver, Tim Andrews, Cameron Tagge,
Patricio Reano
Amount Requested:
$28,000
Current Standing (as
of Saturday night): $1,360 raised by 16 backers.
I cannot explain how excited I am for this project.
In a world of sequels and remakes, we’re finally getting a
brand new 80s film. Not a reboot of an 80s film just… an 80s film. Sure, movies
were a bit cornier back then… but I’ll be damned if they weren’t pure.
As an 80s kid, this Indiegogo instantly spoke to me. Loudly.
It had everything one could expect from the type of film the team was going
for. They had an intriguing trailer, a sample of their music that sounds right
out of Knight Rider (1982-1986), even
the names of the characters are super 80s. Hell, there’s even a VHS available
as one of the rewards! I still have some VHS tapes that I’ll likely never get
rid of. They’re probably worth nothing, but they hold a strong place in my
heart.
Clearly, this film isn’t made in the decade its
representing, so the creator, Erick Solis, has to rely on manufacturing an 80s
feel. The actors, the setting, the script… everything needs to feel right in
order for this film to work.
The problem is, we live in 2017. Cars aren’t that old, the
settings are modern, and it would take a lot of budget to change that. So, I
asked Solis what his plans were in that regard.
“In terms of recreating 80's car chases, we'll be on the lookout
for companies that rent out cars for commercial purposes,” Solis told me. “There's
a lot of companies that provide rentals at a fairly decent price, the problem
is finding cars from the 70's and 80's. Trying to avoid Computer Generated (CG)
cars is my main goal, so I plan on shooting wide shots of the real cars and
cutting to the close up of the actors inside a studio, it'll be a combination
of many things, but I'll avoid as much CG as I can.”
He went on to add, “not a lot of the budget will go to make
the world look older. You can get away with things seeming older just by not
including a lot of modern cars, a right amount of budget will go directly into
wardrobe and finding the right locations.”
The desire to steer clear from CG, on his budget, is an
honorable – and difficult – one. However, it shows just how committed he is to
doing this film correctly.
Just for fun, I asked Solis who he would have hired to play
the characters in his film if he was actually making it in the 80s with an
unlimited budget.
“I never thought about that,” he said. “I'd say Ralph
Macchio as Daniel, Elisabeth Sue as Jennifer, Johnny would be played by Patrick
Swayze, Sheriff Atkins by Tom Atkins!!! For Jason and Billy they'd have to be
played by one of the guys from The Lost Boys!”
To show my confidence in this project, I have donated a
small amount toward its success.
The promise of a new 80s film that’s handled the way an 80s
film should be, is something I can’t ignore.
Lowest Fund Reward:
$5 – Bragging Rights – Complete bragging rights that YOU made this movie
happen, like for real. Without you we couldn’t make this.
Highest Fund Reward:
$1,500 – Executive Producer – The Executive Producer credit which will be
featured in the opening titles and posters and any promotional material
involving the film. You’ll also receive the movies’ Blu-ray, the limited
edition poster, a digital download of the film and soundtrack plus the official
logo t-shirt and the Compilation Album.
Production Companies:
Atlas Entertainment, Cruel & Unusual Films, DC Entertainment, Dune
Entertainment, Tencent Pictures, Wanda Pictures, Warner Bros.
Producer: Jon
Berg, Wesley Coller, Tommy Gormley, Geoff Johns, Stephen Jones, Curt Kanemoto,
Charles Roven, Rebecca Steel Roven, Enzo Sisti, Deborah Snyder, Zack Snyder,
Richard Suckle
Director: Patty
Jenkins
Writer: Allan
Heinberg, Zack Snyder, Jason Fuchs, William Moulton Marston
Actors: Gal
Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright, Danny Huston, David Thewlis,
Said Taghmaoui, Ewen Bremner, Eugene Brave Rock, Lucy Davis, Elena Anaya, Lilly
Aspell, Lisa Loven Kongsli, Ann Wolfe, Ann Ogbomo, Emily Carey, James Cosmo,
Martin Bishop, Eleanor Matsuura, Josette Simon, Doutzen Kroes, Hayley Warnes,
Samantha Jo, Brooke Ence, Madeleine Vall, Hari James, Jacqui-Lee Pryce
Stunt Doubles: Georgina
Armstrong, Adam Basil, Joanna Bennett, Richard Cetrone, Caitlin Dechelle,
Harley Durst, Mickey Facchinello, Gary Grundy, Bobby Holland Hanton, Antal
Kalik, Gary Kane, Chelsea Mather, Monia Moula, Ian Pead, Christiaan Schodel,
Alicia Vela-Bailey
Blurb from IMDb: Before
she was Wonder Woman she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained warrior.
When a pilot crashes and tells of conflict in the outside world, she leaves
home to fight a war to end all wars, discovering her full powers and true
destiny.
Selina’s Point of View:
My mom was the one that stoked my interest in films. She
didn’t really watch any herself, though, she just never had the ability to sit
still long enough. I made her take me to see Titanic (1997) in theaters, it must have been hell for her.
With my breathing issues as a very young child, that lasted up
until about half-way through middle school, I wasn’t able to do all that much.
I was on a ton of medication and I spent a good amount of time at home, in bed.
Keep in mind, this was before the internet we all know and get devoured by. I
didn’t even have my Amiga yet, let alone a computer that could fit into the
palm of my hand.
(It actually turned out I was on too much medication and that
was what was causing the issue, so things worked out for me after my next
doctor took me off 95% of them.)
But I digress.
To keep my mind off the fact that I couldn’t really do
everything the other kids could, my mom would buy tons of movies on the way
home from work and she would sit with me and we’d watch them and her favorite
shows together. I was exposed to episodes from Bewitched (1964-1972), I
Dream of Jeannie (1965-1970), Murder,
She Wrote (1984-1996), M*A*S*H (1972-1983),
and – of course – Wonder Woman (1975-1979).
My mom and I would sit and watch the beautiful Lynda Carter
take control of situations and beat the bad guys and it was a huge inspiration
to me. I was thrilled when I heard they were going to make a modern feature
film for her.
Needless to say, I went to the very first showing I could
manage.
Gal Gadot (Kathmandu,
Furious 7, Triple 9) was an amazing Wonder Woman. She absolutely looked the
part and had the confidence to pull off every aspect of the role.
I must admit that I’m not as familiar with the comics as I’d
like to be (I’m more of a Marvel girl) but I can say that I enjoyed the way DC
formed the origin story they told. I liked getting a look into Amazonian life
in Themyscira and I enjoyed watching Diana get acquainted with the rest of the
world when she traveled out of her homeland for the first time.
The way the Ares portion of the story was done was decent
and I loved who they got to play him. Actually, the entire cast was chosen
well. My only issue with it was that I spent roughly a half hour trying to
remember where I knew Steve’s secretary from.
Lucy Davis’ (The
Family Lamp, Maron, The TV Set) voice told me I knew who she was but she
looked completely different than she did in Shaun
of the Dead (2004).
There were some minor issues with the film. The final battle
didn’t quite have the amazing flow expected, and there were some bits of dialog
that made me sigh and shake my head… but as superhero origin films go, DC did
right by Wonder Woman and all of her many fans.
I do have to acknowledge the fight scenes in general – even the
final one with rough flow. The battle choreography was absolutely insane. I
honestly believe that this film beat out the other superhero films where that
choreography was concerned by miles. I’d re-watch the entire film on mute so
that I could properly appreciate the fights.
In a world where some people are blaming the slump in comicbook sales on diversity, I can’t help but hope that Wonder Woman kicks a whole load of ass in its opening weekend. The best
revenge to nay-sayers is always to do, and be, the best possible.
I think this film can pull it off.
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 93%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 99%
Metascore - 76/100
Metacritic User Score – None Yet
IMDB Score – 8.5/10
Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 4/5
P.S. No after-credits scene. If you get the
signature 3D glasses to watch the film in theaters and you already wear
glasses, get a normal pair too. The signature 3D glasses do not fit well on top
of prescription lenses.
Tagline: For
centuries, a secret organization has protected the world's greatest treasures.
Meet the next generation.
Genre: Family,
Action/Adventure
Length: 89
minutes
Rating: PG
Production Companies:
Content Media, Arc Entertainment, Raindance Entertainment, Eh-Okay Productions,
The Canadian Film and Television Tax Credit, The Province of British Columbia
Film Incentive
Producer: Ian
Birkett, Nisha Ganatra, Janet M. Morrison, Jason Netter, Heather Puttock
Director: Nisha
Ganatra
Writer: Matthew
Huffman, Jeff Schechter, Joshua Williamson
Actors: Victor Garber,
Michelle Forbes, Alexa PenaVega, Robbie Amell, Keenan Tracey, Kira Clavell,
Darryl Quon, Eric Breker, Dan Payne, Alex Zahara, Dean McKenzie, Mark Ghanime
Blurb from Netflix:
What if all mythical artifacts, from Jason’s Golden Fleece to Cinderella’s
glass slippers, were real -- and protected by a secret society?
Selina’s Point of View:
When I first took note of this film, I thought it would be a
watered down version of Warehouse 13 (2009-2013).
Really the only thing the two had in common was the secret society dedicated to
protecting relics. Instead, The Hunters
was more like a PG rated version of Tomb
Raider (2001), with an emphasis on family relations.
I’ll be the first to admit that the film followed a very specific
recipe. If you’re playing trope bingo, every square will be filled by the end
of the movie. Still, I wound up truly enjoying it.
I wasn’t fond of the actors that played the parents.
Michelle Forbes (The Returned, The
Killing, 24) and Dan Payne (Cabin in
the Woods, Stranger in the House, Tower Prep) weren’t believable, they were
stiff, and because the movie started off with them I figured the entire film
would follow their lead.
I was pleasantly surprised.
Robbie Amell (ARQ,
Code 8, The Tomorrow People) and Alexa PenaVega (Nashville, Spare Parts, Machete Kills) were great, but that was
expected. I was really surprised, however, by how much I enjoyed Keenan Tracey’s
(The Returned, Bates Motel, The 100)
performance. This was my first time hearing about him and I’m looking forward
to seeing more of his work in the future.
Altogether, I really enjoyed the film. I know I probably
liked it more than I should have, but I don’t care. It was fun, entertaining,
and easy to watch. It could easily be appealing for children without boring the
hell out of their parents. The Hunters
strikes that happy medium where a family might actually WANT to watch it
together instead of just trying to accommodate the kids.
I’d watch it again and recommend it to any family with kids
in the preteen, or young teen, ages.
Cat’s Point of View:
I have to admit that it was quite a relief to have something
more light-hearted to watch this time around.
Several of the primary cast members of this film have a bit
of a six-degrees connection going on through prior works. It makes for an
interesting trivia hunt. I find it fascinating when that happens. One wonders
if the casting was done purposefully because of such connections or if the
former colleagues were assembled randomly by auditions.
That doesn’t tell you anything about the movie, though.
To sum up my reaction to this film: it was cute, well executed,
and enjoyable. I just felt like I’d seen it before, for the most part. The
action was good. I appreciated the fight choreography. There was a really good
sense of adventure, it was clever, and I was invested in the characters. I
can’t really fault any of that.
I just felt like was watching a more sophisticated version
of Spy Kids (2001).
Funny enough, that’s one of the movies that Alexa PenaVega (Repo! The Genetic Opera, The Mine, The
Tomorrow People) is best known for. She executed her role well, here.
Seasoned actors Victor Garber (Take Me Home, Argo, Self/less) and Michelle Forbes (True Blood, Highland Park, Powers) were
a grounding force which helped anchor the plausibility of the story. If only
there were more originality to it.
All in all, it was fun and a good movie to enjoy with the
family. I wouldn’t have a problem watching it again or recommending it to
others. I just don’t think it’s going to be at the top of anyone’s ‘must watch’
list.
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – None
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 35%
Netflix’s Prediction for Selina – 2/5
Selina’s Trust-the-Dice Score – 4/5
Netflix’s Prediction for Cat – 2.5/5
Cat’s Trust-the-Dice Score
– 3.5/5
P.S. Based on the
graphic novel Mirror Mirror by Joshua
Williamson.
Production Companies:
Syfy, UFO International Productions
Producer: Jeffery
Beach, John Cappilla, Cherise Honey, Phillip J. Roth
Director: Patrice
Dinhut
Writer: Frank H.
Woodward
Actors: Tinsel
Korey, Dhaffer L’Abidine, Andy Clemence, Oliver James, Lally Percy, Sapphire
Elia, Howard Charles, Ben Cross, Tobias Hewitt, Jesse Steele, Sarah Brown, Mike
Straub, Velizar Binev, Evelina Popova
Blurb from Netflix:
When tourists visit a European village and agree to observe a pagan ritual in
the forest, they become trapped in an alternate fairy tale dimension.
Selina’s Point of View:
This is not the first film that has used the idea of people
being trapped in fairy tale dimensions. Hell, TV shows even tend to pull off
this recipe with some amount of success. I remember fondly the fairy tale
episode of Charmed (1998-2006).
Normally, it’s difficult to fail the fairy tale recipe.
Everyone knows all the stories, they see them as nostalgic. On top of that, even
if people don’t love fairy tales, there’s still usually some warm and fuzzy
feelings toward them. Due to that ingrained interest in those tales, it’s very
difficult to screw the recipe up.
Black Forest
managed to do just that.
I didn’t care about the characters, the actors barely seemed
to be attempting to try to make anything believable and even the story was so
lackluster that it was almost difficult to place the references as they were
supposed to be.
There was nothing that saved this film for me. I simply did
not enjoy it.
Cat’s Point of View:
I love a good fairy tale. Stories that give them a new spin
or shine a different light on them appeal to me as well. The ones that shine
the proverbial light into the darker aspects of fairies and their kin tend to
appeal the most. The premise of this movie attempted to promise something like
that. Unfortunately, I don’t think it delivered.
While I had mixed sentiments regarding the movie The Hallow (2015), which we recently
reviewed; I feel it was more successful in accomplishing the goal of showing
that things of the fairy world do go bump in the night.
Black Forest was a
made-for-TV movie from the SYFY channel. Normally, I take this sort of movie
with an extra grain of salt. I expect
these movies to be lacking in some areas, while hoping to find that diamond in
the rough. This one was just rough.
It feels like this film just fell into the pitfall of taking
itself too seriously. It wasn’t over-the-top enough to be one of those comedic
gems like Sharknado (2013); and it
wasn’t delivered with enough finesse to pull off an earnest attempt at
suspending disbelief.
Some of the interactions between cast members just felt
awkward, and it doesn’t seem like it was intentional. Most of it could be
chalked up to the movie bearing the weight of a convergence of an inexperienced
director and a fantasy horror script written by someone who is known for an
impressive body of work in documentaries.
Giving credit where it is due, however, I think the effects
for this movie were better than expected. The amount of blood and gore was also
surprisingly minimal.
All in all, I wasn’t bored out of my mind – just a bit disappointed.
My recommendation? If you’re looking for a horror-lite movie with training
wheels to see if it might give your kids nightmares, maybe this one’s for you.
Other than that, I would encourage seeking out something better for your time.
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – None
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 27%
Netflix’s Prediction for Selina – 2.5/5
Selina’s Trust-the-Dice Score – 1/5
Netflix’s Prediction for Cat – 2/5
Cat’s Trust-the-Dice Score
– 2/5
The Random Rating:
PG-13
P.S. Three movies of the same name came out between 2010 and 2012. Because of that, the above image is most likely for the wrong Black Forest. The trailer below is the best that could be found, it's a trailer for two movies at once and not all the scenes represent the film we watched for this blog installment. If you know of a better image or trailer, please let us know in the comments below.
Update: The movie poster image for Black Forest has been fixed.
Production Companies:
Occupant Entertainment, Hyperion Media Group, Prescience, Altus Media (Five),
The Electric Shadow Company, Bord Scannan ne hEireann / Irish Film Board,
Fantastic Films, Altitude Film Entertainment, Hallow Film
Producer: John
Brady, Jules Claassen, Will Clarke, Cathleen Dore, Rory Gilmartin, John Jencks,
Deirdre Levins, Michael J. Mailis, Brendan McCarthy, John McDonnell, Joe
Neurauter, Kate Sharp, James Swarbrick, Jay Taylor, Susan Wrubel
Director: Corin
Hardy
Writer: Corin
Hardy, Felipe Marino, Tom de Ville
Actors: Joseph
Mawle, Bojana Novakovic, Michael McElhatton, Michael Smiley, Gary Lydon, Wren
Hardy, Stuart Graham, Conor Craig Stephens, Joss Wyre, Charlotte Williams, Luc
Walsh
Blurb from Netflix:
When a London man moves his family into a secluded mill house, he discovers
that the surrounding forest is filled with demons who prey on children.
Selina’s Point of View:
The Hallow was
absolutely incredible and I can never, ever, watch it again.
I was so totally creeped out by this film that there were a
couple of scenes I simply couldn’t watch. At all. I had to look away from the
screen completely and wait for some kind of cue that said the story had moved
on to another scene. There were moments of gut-wrenching anticipation, triggers…
I just… I can never watch this film again.
Although this film is not torture porn-esk, it’s still very
much not for the squeamish. Keep that in mind if you intend to watch.
Cat’s Point of View:
I was really excited when this movie came up. I’ve mentioned
before my love for all things Irish, yes? I probably have about 3 anthology
books of Irish ghost stories. This movie was filmed and based in Ireland and
draws partially on Irish folktales. Talk about a win-win, right?
I can assure you that while I do have a bias in favor of
Ireland, I still managed to watch this movie with an open mind.
It’s said that the director, Corin Hardy (Strangers, In the Back, Watchtower),
applied the influences of Alien
(1979), The Evil Dead (1981), and The Thing (1982) paired with the draw
from Irish folktales. These influences are definitely apparent throughout the
movie - from ambiance to effects.
This film was a creature feature without a whole lot of
bells and whistles. I think the heavy use of practical physical effects over
computer graphics served this movie well. There were definite bits of CGI here
and there, but it didn’t look hokey.
Some of the creature work bothered me but it really was
pretty good overall. I think it was because I could clearly tell that there was
a person inside a costume instead of a seamless monster performance. This held
me back from getting entirely invested in those scenes.
Honestly, I was more unnerved when you couldn’t see the
source of what was going on. There’s a lot to be said for the human imagination
building an unseen boogeyman in the mind’s eye rather than actually laying eyes
on the manifested form.
This appears to be this writer/director’s first full length
feature film, so there were definitely lessons that could be taken from this
movie into his next. Although, it’s said that Hardy has been tapped to direct
the upcoming reboot of The Crow
(1994).
I’m a bit skeptical of that entire endeavor. Some things
just shouldn’t be messed with. I’ll chalk that up to a big ‘we’ll see.’
I digress.
Here’s another tidbit for you. This isn’t the first time
that Michael McElhatton (Parked, Norm of
the North, Strike Back) and Joseph Mawle (The Awakening, Shell, Kill Your Friends) have shared the screen.
They’ve also been major characters in Game
of Thrones (2011-). McElhatton played Roose Bolton on the well-known HBO
series, and Mawle portrays the part of Benjen Stark. It’s said that Hardy wrote
the lead character part for Mawle after seeing him on the series.
I like that this story delves into the darker side of Irish
lore – where things aren’t cute or pretty. Pixies and leprechauns and fairies,
oh my! When one thinks of the ‘fair folk,’ images of adorable little smiling
faces on tiny creatures with wings or clutching treasure come to mind. The
elfin-like sidhe and the Tuatha that live in Tír Na nÓg (the land of eternal
youth and beauty) are also popular to envision. There are, however, many things
that are not cute, cuddly, friendly, or in any way pleasant.
I am not sure that I’d watch this one again, but I enjoyed
most of it.
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 71%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 42%
Netflix’s Prediction for Selina – 3.5/5
Selina’s Trust-the-Dice Score – 4.5/5
Netflix’s Prediction for Cat – 3.5/5
Cat’s Trust-the-Dice Score
– 3/5
The Random Rating:
R
P.S. Scenes during
the start of the credits that lead to a mid-credit scene.
Tagline: There
are places you should never visit. This is one of them.
Genre: Horror
Length: 85
minutes
Rating: R
Production Companies:
Kilburn Media
Producer: Trey
Bohn, Mark C. Manuel, Ted O’Neal, Bryan O’Reilly, James Samson, Matthew
Therrell
Director: Alastair
Orr
Writer: Max
Roberts
Actors: Zachary
Soetenga, Lindsey McKeon, Sofia Pernas, Pierson Fode, Jamie Anderson, Juanxo
Villaverde, Laura Penuela, Yana Galuz, Michael Mealor, Jaime Newball, Mark
Steger
Blurb from Netflix:
When five American tourists take a pleasure trip to Panama, they ignore
warnings by the locals and come face-to-face with a bloodsucking monster.
Selina’s Point of View:
Once again, I had no connection to this film.
The settings were fine, the actors were fine, and even the
script was fine. But that’s all it was. It was fine. Nothing stood out. Nothing
was super interesting. The characters were completely depthless. Even the big
bad wasn’t super interesting. It looked like a cross between the original Nosferatu (1922) vampire and Gollum from
the Lord of the Rings (2001-2003) trilogy.
I won’t be watching the film again and I won’t be
recommending it to anyone looking for entertainment instead of background
noise.
Cat’s Point of View:
I get excited when we come up with a creature feature. The
majority of these movies tend to fall into the B-movie category. This film
would definitely be one of those.
There were, unfortunately, few things in this movie that
would transcend mediocrity.
The acting was ok, and the Panamanian setting was beautiful
and lush. The film fairly accurately depicts how easy it is to get lost or
separated in densely wooded areas – especially ones you are unfamiliar with.
The creature was…interesting. I think that Mark Steger (The Pact, 400 Days, Holidays) did a
great job bringing that swiftly moving nightmare machine to life. My problem
wasn’t with the performance. My issue was how they identified the creature. To
me, at least, it didn’t seem to fit the mythos presented.
Further, you could almost feel that this movie was following
a recipe. There were so many tropes going on. I felt like I’d seen the movie
before (and I know I haven’t). The social media element made it a little more
‘relevant,’ but that’s a stretch.
I think I actually sighed a bit because the film had nothing
original to offer me. I almost missed the decent ‘noises in the foliage’ and
‘getting lost in the dark’ suspense factors because I was so tempted to haul
out my phone to play a game.
This movie wasn’t terrible; but it was vanilla. There wasn’t
anything to set it apart among creature features to make it worth either
watching again or recommending.
Production Companies:
Paramount Pictures, MGM, Flynn Picture Company, Radical Studios, Mid Atlantic
Films
Executive Producer:
Sarah Aubrey, Peter Berg, Jesse Berger, Ross Fanger, Stephen Jones
Director: Brett
Ratner
Writer: Ryan
Condal, Evan Spiliotopoulos, Steve Moore
Actors: Dwayne
Johnson, Ian McShane, John Hurt, Rufus Sewell, Aksel Hennie, Ingrid Bolso
Berdal, Reece Ritchie, Joseph Fiennes, Tobias Santelmann, Peter Mullan, Rebecca
Ferguson, Isaac Anderson
Hercules has gotten out of the hero game. He’s a mercenary
now, working for gold. He and his team are celebrating their latest feat when
they are hired by a noble woman.
Selina’s Point of View:
I was underwhelmed by Hercules.
I didn’t like the way the main character was portrayed and I didn’t like the
plot. At the same time, I didn’t exactly hate the film either.
I have a guilty pleasure spot in my heart for Dwayne Johnson
(Ballers, Furious 7, San Andreas) and
there’s no denying the talent in John Hurt (Snowpiercer,
Doctor Who, Only Lovers Left Alive). I knew they’d bring something great to
the film from the beginning. Ingrid Bolso Berdal (Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, Chernobyl Diaries, The ABCs of
Death) and Rebecca Ferguson (The White
Queen, Mission: Impossibe – Rogue Nation, Drowning Ghost) were another
story, they were new to me. I adored the way Atalanta played out and Ferguson
took a rather shallow character and made her worth watching.
In the end, Hercules
is not the greatest film featuring the legend. It had a somewhat unique take on
it, but not necessarily a good one.
As “meh” as I am about the film, there is something I feel
very strongly about.
The MPAA rating.
This movie featured several instances of nudity and a great
deal of blood and gore, but was labeled PG-13. I remember watching G.B.F. (2013) a while back. There were a
couple of kisses, no nudity, no gore and only a few dirty words thrown it. It
was rated R.
Where the fuck are they getting these ratings from? Are they
picking them out of a hat?
I hear rumors constantly about how the MPAA ratings are more
political anything else. All back room deals and bribes, with lower budget
films left treading water. The more movies I watch, the more I’m willing to
believe those rumors.
There’s no doubt in my mind that Hercules should have been rated R.
Shame on you MPAA. Shame.
Cat’s Point of View:
2014 was ‘the year of Hercules’ at the box office. I
remember the dueling trailers for the two Hercules movies that were set to come
out that year. The Legend of Hercules
(2014), starring Kellan Lutz (Immortals,
Arena, Prom Night), was the first to hit theatres in January. This
Hercules, starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson (Fast Five, Pain & Gain, Snitch), was released in July.
I’ve seen both films. I’d have to say I enjoyed this one far
better than Lutz’s version. His wasn’t horrible, but it didn’t feel like it
stayed as true to the iconic legend as much as this film did.
Hercules was
gritty and offered a glimpse at the ‘behind the scenes’ of the mighty warrior’s
famous legend. This film should be a treat for the realists out there or those
that enjoy when ghost hunting shows debunk paranormal experiences (pressure
changes and drafts that close doors, plumbing issues causing pipes to shake
noisily, and dust or insects are the ‘orbs’ on security footage, etc.).
Dwayne Johnson is a big man, and has always had an
impressive physique due to his athletics up through his college years and the
many years he has successfully been a professional wrestler with the WWE. He
wanted to take this role to the next level, though, and I believe he nailed it.
Eight months of training put the cast through their paces,
in efforts to let them work as a cohesive team through the fighting sequences
of the movie, etc. Johnson was very meticulous that he live up to the image of
Hercules, and was committed to this role above and beyond the likes of which we
lowly mortals are used to.
The man sustained an injury during a high-profile wrestling
match where he tore 2 tendons from his pelvis, and that didn’t daunt him from
this high-impact film. Unfortunately, it did lead to a triple-hernia surgery
that delayed the beginning of principal photography… by only two weeks. He
rehabilitated himself while filming was going on.
Johnson has come a long way since The Scorpion King (2002); and while I could say much more regarding
his performance in this film, I must also address his cast mates.
The ensemble cast of Hercules’ compatriots helped add depth
to this sword and sandal flick – helping paint the picture of the man behind
the legend so that the intended question looms. Was he truly a demigod, son of
Zeus, or was he merely a phenomenally gifted mortal?
Ingrid Bolsø Berdal (Women
in Oversized Men’s Shirts, Hellfjord, I Travel Alone) was strong as the
Amazon. Rufus Sewell (A Knight's Tale,
The Holiday, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) brought great wit and
subtlety to his role. There were exchanges of expression alone between himself
and other actors that spoke volumes that words did not need convey.
My favorite of Hercules’ companions were the ‘failed oracle’
played by Ian McShane (Kung Fu Panda,
Jack the Giant Slayer, John Wick), and the near feral Tydeus portrayed by
Aksel Hennie (Age of Heroes, Pioneer, The
Martian). The former brought both wisdom and levity to the story and the
latter’s tale was heart wrenching. Hennie’s character wasn’t a speaking role,
and yet his performance was clear and profound in the telling of his personal
story.
I could ramble on about this film; but the nutshell is that
I really enjoyed this story and would recommend experiencing this movie – if
only to marvel how Johnson pulled off this role with the physical challenges he
was experiencing.
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 60%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 49%
Netflix’s Prediction for Selina – 4.5/5
Selina’s Trust-the-Dice Score – 2/5
Netflix’s Prediction for Cat – 4.5/5
Cat’s Trust-the-Dice Score
– 4.5/5
The Random Rating:
R
P.S. During the credits there are still shots of what really
happened (according to the movie’s version of the legend) during Hercules’ “labors”
