Movie Review - The Collection

The Collection

2012

The Cast

Though this is the sequel to "The Collector" and ties in well with the ending of the first film, it actually has very little to do with the original.  For starters, you have to forget the premise of the first as well as The Collectors modus operandi.  Like the original, these films work well if you don't think... at all.  Once you do you'll start spotting the massive gaping flaws in the story.  So in this chapter, The Collector has upped his game and has gone after a club full of young adults.  From which one survives.  Luckily for her, she has a loving and rich father who will do anything to get her back... so he sends in his own band of mercenaries to get her out... okay, everybody, let's march into the blood-spattered decrepit hotel and chant at the top of your voices, "Let's Go Die, Let's Go Die".  And so the carnage continues.

The thing which made the previous film so good is the same thing that makes this... the tension and suspense.  Dunstan is a maestro at manipulating the pace and atmosphere to get you on the edge of your seat.  Every time a trap is sprung you wonder how nasty it'll be... answer... very nasty.  That's the second thing keeping the audiences attention, the kills and the action.  There is a tonne of gore, enough to keep Hershall Lewis smiling in heaven, and plenty enough for the gorehounds.

Stewart is much better as Arkin in this film.  It would appear that being the collector's plaything has added an extra depth or two to him.  His motivation to escape is evident in every scene he's in.  Lee Tergesen does a passable job as the hired killer Lucello.  However, the rest of his merry men are ten-a-penny redshirts... proper cannon fodder.  So, it would appear that the writers decided not to fill out their characters too much.  Then there was Fitzpatrick as Elena, who was okay while she didn't say anything.  However, when she did speak she spoke with wooden tongue.

The special effects were awesome, the re-breaking of Arkin's arm and the escape attempt is quite nearly sickening.  The sewn together body parts is eerie and disturbing.  And the traps are gruesome and deadly.  Hopefully, all of this should be enough to satisfy, who needs a story, right(?)

The story really could have made this into a better and stronger film.  In the original, all you had to do was forget that it takes time to jerry-rig a house with all the traps, the collector used - forgivable, for entertainment's sake.

The character of the collector breaks into a house and leaves a present for the homeowners.  A trunk, inside of which is a tortured person from his previous escapade.  This "Present" is for shock value to throw the prey into confusion and fear.  Then he sets about torturing and killing everyone, but one, in the house... nobody lives.

This is even mentioned on a TV News Broadcast in the sequel.  There's been a spree of home invasions with this MO.  Even though it's the police being interviewed in the broadcast there appears to be no manhunt for The Collector.  No Task Force.  No FBI.  Then there's a party at a secret location... not too secret as TC's had time to set up a really nasty combine harvester trap, which is rigged to the trunk, hidden away in one of the rooms of the derelict house.  Boy, he was really hoping that somebody would be curious enough to go looking through a condemned building, so they'd set the trap off.

Then when we get to his hotel it just gets worse.  Not only does this killer torture and murder homeowners but he must also be picking up people off the street judging by the number of dismembered cadavers laying around...  Not only that, but he now has "The Collection" roaming around the place too.  People too scared to try and escape.  Most of which are high on drugs.  TC must be cooking the stuff or he really is one sick rich dude.  However, the strange thing is the traps in this place... a place that's his so he has all the time in the world to construct the best traps ever,  but are really weak-assed.  One of them is a hallway of plywood with nails knocked through them.  They don't even move together.  Another is a hallway full of bear traps.  Which you can easily get through by just walking to the side of them.  Damn this place really needed Kevin McCallister's touch.

Then there's the stitched together body parts.  Looks, like TC's been watching The Human Centipede, what a sicko...  This absolutely breaks with his persona.  There is no way that he would do this.  And then to arrange them in some kind of fluid inside glass canisters... believability is out the window.

Had the writers chosen, not to go down this path but to remain on the original and begin to explain TC's psychosis and background a little then it would have only helped to define the character better.  The strongest films give their audience an inkling into the psychopath and his thinking.  You know what's eating Norman, what's driving Michael, why Freddy is so evil, and even Jason gets a backstory and motivation.  These add to the power of their characters and hopefully the films.

If you're a gorehound then this film is definitely for you.  If you don't like blood then I'd recommend you stay away.

I give this a blood-soaked and gore-stained 6 out of 10.

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Movie Review - A Colder Kind Of Death

A Colder Kind Of Death

2001

The Cast

There are a lot of pokers in the fire in this story of political corruption, which makes for an interesting film.

Six years ago, Peter Kilbourn was murdered by the side of the road.  Finally, the case is reopened when an alibi recants his statement and admits that the main suspect in the case had committed the crime.  Kevin Tarpley is arrested.  All throughout the interrogation he apologises but never revokes his innocence in the murder.  However, when he is being transferred Tarpley is shot and killed by a sniper, making Joanne Kilbourn (Crewson) suspect ulterior motives, so she sets about tracking down Tarpley's murder in the hopes of resolving her husband's.  This is the beginning of a complicated, though well structured and nicely interwoven, story where everyone could be a suspect and possible murderer.

For the most part, Turner does an okay job with the direction.  Opting for a standard style so as to let the story speak for itself.  It would have been nice to have a few interesting camera pans instead of the usual kind.  The pace is steady as well.  Once again this is okay for this type of story, but a few peaks of tension wouldn't have gone amiss.

All of the actors and actresses did well in their portrayals of their characters, though a couple did stand out for me.  Kari Matchett makes a really good bad girl - I'd love to see her in more tough girl roles.  Robin Dunne, who would've been put to good use in a few more scenes, had a presence and his slightly comedic character helped to lift the mood of the film and stop it feeling stale.  When these two were on screen the film skipped up a notch.  That said, none of the other actors and actresses was anywhere near bad; even the smaller parts were interesting.  I particularly liked the Hair Dresser and the School Principal.

However, it is the story that carries the film and as such makes the reveal hard to solve.  This is why, I would recommend this to all Mystery & Thriller Lovers, Armchair Detectives, and Whodunnit Pundits.  This is a political conspiracy I challenge you to solve.

I give this an unpolitically correct 6 out of 10.

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Movie Review - Killer Assistant

Killer Assistant

2016

The Cast

Love is eternal.

Suzanna Austin (Zucker) is a successful magazine editor.  Used to working by herself, her boss, Janet McAlper (Baron) assigns her an assistant, David (Eaton), after noticing how stressed she's been getting.  David appears too good to be true and as time progresses Suzanne begins to believe he's got an ulterior motive...

I really liked this story for its characterisations.  Tilson and Wakefield have created a well structured and ingenious tome.  Suzanne is a strong career-minded woman, who can be relied upon to get the magazine out... but not to be a great mother or wife, as she spends most of her time at work.  Then when David's character enters the story we get to see how the stress of her work and family life help her to become suspicious and paranoid.  This starts off small but builds up fast, to the point she's worrying about her own sanity.  Add the element of her family getting to know David and actually trusting him, into the mix, and this keeps the story interesting... at times, actually engrossing.

The good thing is, both the lead actor and actress are great in their performances and bring their characters to life; giving the film and story strength.

Though Boyle does add a couple of nice shots the filming is pretty standard, which is okay when you have a good cast and an even better storyline.  However, it would have only strengthened the movie to make it more engaging for the audience.  Thank God, he's better at manipulating the pace.  Boyle is good at building the tension and atmosphere from a simmer to a full boil.  This starts right at the beginning with the "Years Earlier" scene up to the climax.  He also throws in a couple of peaks along the way, giving the audience a rollercoaster ride.

I'd recommend this to all Mystery Lovers and Armchair Detectives worldwide.

I give this mysterious soul-mate a 6 out of 10.

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Movie Review - Lies And Deception

Lies And Deception

2005

The Cast

Jean Brooks (Amick) is surprised when Detective Ortuso (Calabretta) turns up on her doorstep with news of her husband's death.  This is a shock as her husband died five years earlier.  The mystery grows deeper as the dead man's identity is proven to be Jean's Husband Sam (Thibaudeau).  Unable to help her, Ortuso recommends P.I. Eddie Fate (Walker).  They set out to discover what Sam had been doing for the missing five years.

This is a slow burner of a mystery film as the twists and turns unravel slowly.  However, this works well within the confines of the story and it allows the actors to shine.  Everybody does a good job with their characters, though I think Amick's portrayal is a little lax and lazy.  I would've  expected more emotion coming from a person in her predicament.  Walker does a respectable job with his character and keeps his portrayal engaging, for the viewers.

Belanger directs the film to an average standard.  There's no wonderful or iconic shots or camera angles in the movie.  He doesn't even use filters to change the atmosphere and mood, opting to work in optimal light at all times.  This isn't a bad thing, it doesn't detract from the film but it doesn't add anything new or interesting to keep the audience's attention.

Though it's not too original or adventurous in it's filming I still found the movie enjoyable.  For a TV Thriller, it's worth at least one viewing, though I'd only recommend watching it if you have nothing else to watch.

I give this undead dead husband a 5.5 out of 10.

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Movie Review - Time Lock

Time Lock

1957

The Cast

This is a simple story of a boy who finds himself trapped in the vault at the bank where his father works and the race to get him out alive.  It's Friday and the Bank is getting ready to close for the weekend.  Stephen Walker (Winter) has just turned six and as a treat, his mom, Lucille (McDowall), takes him to meet his father, Colin (Patterson), out of work.  His dad just has to close up the vault and then they can go and celebrate.  However, while Colin and his boss, George Foster (Gifford), lock up the vault there's an automobile accident just outside the window, which takes their attention away for a couple of seconds.  When they finally close the door and the time lock kicks in it's the teller, Evelyn (Francis), who alerts them to the child's predicament... now the race is on...

What I really liked about this was the simplicity of both the story and the location.  You get a few outside shots, which only take up a couple of minutes, at most, and then the rest of the movie is set in two rooms.  Though you never really notice as the Director, Thomas, keeps you involved in the unfolding story.  As time passes, the question, "Will they be quick enough?" becomes more and more imperative... while the outlook grows bleaker and bleaker.  Thomas uses the limited space well, moving the camera around to its best advantage.

Then there's the acting, which is above par.  Every person involved in rescuing the boy has an urgency in their voice and in their movements.  Robert Beatty really sells the self-assured and strong-minded Pete Dawson, the mind who is responsible for the banks' security.  He is quick with a plan and quicker to rally the troops.  Whereas, Gifford as the Bank Manager Foster hits all the right notes in portraying a man who feels accountable for the accident and the possible death of a child. One thing which got under my skin was how little the parents appeared in the film.  It would have been better if these two characters had been stronger, then you would have had a near-perfect cast.

I'd recommend this film to all.  It's a nice way to spend an afternoon on these cold winter days, while the central heating keeps you nice and cosy.

I give this a time-critical 6.25 out of 10.

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Movie Review - My Daughter Is Innocent

My Daughter Is Innocent

2017

The Cast

When two high school friends realise they're going out with the same guy it puts a strain on their relationship.  One of the girls, Amber (Sarah Fisher) is happy to walk away from Alex.  While Kelly (Hannah Vandenbygaart) decides he's preferable to her best friend.  Upset and wanting to understand why he'd do such a thing, Amber sneaks out of the house for a meeting.  The next morning Alex is found injured at their meeting place.  With his future looking bleak the girls are questioned by Detective Grayson (John Koensgen).  Unfortunately, when he dies, Amber is charged with his murder and her mother, Lisa (Victoria Pratt), takes it upon herself to solve the murder.  With the help of her friend and Kelly's mother, Heather (Christina Cox), they start to delve into the man's sordid life.

This is a nice little film that probes into the relationships between mothers and daughters, between best friends, and their lovers.  This adds quite a few contrasts and gives more depths to the story, which in turn, keeps it interesting.  

Then you have the characters themselves.  For the most part, the characterisations are perfect and everybody has their own traits and their way of doing things and coping with stressful situations.  Though I do feel a little sad for Vandenbygaart.  Kelly should be one of the major characters though she gets overlooked too much.  Had their been more between her and her mother it could have only strengthened the story and film.

You could also use this movie to warn girls about the perverts that troll the internet.  Both Amber and Kelly meet Alex online first, though he's using aliases (another twist that could have been utilised more).  The thing that made me uneasy was the age of the boyfriend.  This guy was no boy.  He even worked at a bar and picked up whomsoever was around.  With the number of victories he could get from the bar alone why does he need schoolgirls?  Pervert.  I can understand somebody wanting to knock him off.  The list should be endless.

The actresses and actors are good in their portrayals and Max McGuire directs well.  Even though the twist in the tale is quite obvious it shouldn't detract from the enjoyment of the film.  I'd recommend this tale of murder and mystery to all Armchair Detectives everywhere.

I give this one night stand gigolo a 6.25 out of 10.

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Movie Review - The Third Alibi

The Third Alibi

1961

The Cast

This is now one of my favourite films.  As a writer, you come across a story once in a while that you wish you wrote... this is one of mine.

Marriage isn't going well for Norman Martell (Payne), though his wife, Helen (Dainton), has no idea about how he feels.  Norman is so discouraged that he has an affair with Helen's stepsister, Peggy Hill (Griffiths).  Upon hearing the news that Peggy is pregnant he tells Helen he wants a divorce.  Unfortunately for Helen, when he can't get a separation he and Peggy form a plan to kill her...

Even though the twist is telegraphed early on it's not the climax, that you know is coming, that sells this film.  It's the story, acting, and direction.  All the cast give solid, credible and realistic performances.   No one actor or actress is better than the rest.  And even though the pace is steady throughout it's the combination of timing, writing, and great characterisations that makes the ending perfect.  All the pivotal and important elements weave together at precisely the right time.

One of the best things for me is the ending itself which is delivered like a punchline.  Which is fitting, especially if you like dark humour and believe in karma.  I admit to actually saying, "Oh Yeah," out loud, along with the closing line, which is really easy to figure out... with a huge grin on my face.

I loved this film... actually, loved this film.

It's with that affirmation in my heart that I recommend this murder mystery to all out there.  If you don't enjoy it then there's summat up wit'ya.

You even get a free song from the marvellous voice of Cleo Lane - you can't get any better.

I give this dysfunctional family affair a heartfelt 7.75 out of 10.

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