In this series, "Experiments in Weirdness," I will examine the weirder, darker corners of filmmaking. I do not mean anything negative by calling these films "weird". Many of the films will be artistic, short films by serious and respected artists. Others will be utter trash.
What I have done is to create a list you can find here:
Random Weirdness Generator https://boxd.it/cUdCo
I will randomly select a film from this list and watch it. Mostly I will try to provide my real-time comments.
Another real-time thoughts edition:
A family moving into a new house in the country. Such a clever premise.
Well it's a pastor's family so this is a bit different. So far it's kinda slow but not bad. Some good editing with rising tension.
Clancy Brown as the town's previous pastor. Guess he's retiring?
His character just confirmed it... "I'm ready to retire"... "This town is ready for new blood." Hmmmmm... Foreshadowing!?
Ooh! Nice first night scare!
This is turning out to be a nice family drama with a few scares. Like if they suddenly dropped some gore right into the middle of a Seventh Heaven episode.
Townspeople are acting a bit strange and there are teeth in the family's welcome-home cake.
But that's all right since Cute Boy Who Slaughters Lambs is showing the eldest daughter all the cool hang out spots. Like under the bridge. Or laying on a log.
The movie is filmed mostly hand-held and many scenes are shown in long or wide shots giving it a voyeuristic feel. The townsfolk are staring at the young girl and every once in a while we get an over the shoulder shot like someone...or something...is watching from afar.
I had assumed this would be a throw away film since it's a second feature in a double pack with Lords of Salem.
But it's got a nice creepy vibe to it. One of those "the whole town feels wrong" kinda joyntz.
Holy shit! The mother IS Anne Heche. This while time I've been thinking, "gee the mom really reminds me of Anne Heche"... And it is!
Talk about slow burn... Nearly an hour in and we have had two weird dreams and a couple of odd occurrences. I do give the film points for not doing random needless jump scares
And then just as I write that there is a jump scare w/music sting.
But it does seem that the director opts more for odd character behavior, creepy stalkers, and what-the-fuck moments than in-your-face jump scares.
So, doing better with building the tension than 90% of these kinds of movies
The movie is 100 minutes. If anything it's a bit slow and boring. Should have been more like 75-90 minutes instead
Finally something happens as the younger daughter is kidnapped from the town block party
Hmmmm... Blood rituals. I'm starting to not trust these nice townfolks
Ah the good ol' spreading blackness/corruption trope. Oh I get it now! The mouse the younger sister saw when they first moved in represents the underlying corruption and evil lurking below the surface of this seemingly normal, nice rural town
Ah, heavy-handed metaphors. Gotta love them. And then lamb's blood on the door. Nice touch.
A lot of people make fun of the "distended face with blackened eyes and mouth" trope but I find it incredibly effective and creepy.
It's a Samara cult!
Daughter is infected by the little girl from The Ring. Awwww isn't that sweet, she's doing the creepy crawl thing!
Okay this movie just lost all believability when a kid jumped out of the back door of a car. An ultra-religious family and they don't have the child safety locks engaged? Come on!
A few nice Lynch-inspired shots of traffic lights.
Ah I just got it... Silent Hill meets Seventh Heaven! That's the mash-up I've been trying to name!
So with a small town like this I have to wonder if there isn't at least one family that's moved to town recently that isn't up on the local rituals, they don't know to put lamb's blood on their door... Do you think they meet their demise as well as the family the movie focuses on?
Hmmm... At least they got the "arteries spray, veins seep" rules right.
So as a new family rolls into town with cheaper Jake Gyllenhaal, I am left to wonder how does The Church (denomination unspecified) not notice that they keep asking for replacement pastors?
Otherwise, a fittingly grim and circular ending. The new song by Slash slaps.
Better love story than Twilight, Love Games, or 50 Shades of Grey. I have not see 365 Days yet but I'd be willing to venture a guess.
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