Archives For Unforgettable

March Movie Round Up

April 5, 2018 — Leave a comment

Here’s a round up of everything I’ve written in March.

Annihilation (2018, Dir: Alex Garland) – ‘A surprisingly deep film…’

Anti Matter (2016, Dir: Keir Burrows) – ‘A satisfying experience.’ 

Black Roses (1988, Dir: John Fasano) – ‘Death by stereo indeed.’ 

Death Note (2017, Dir: Adam Wingard) – ‘Death Note is a sluggish, tonally uneven film which cribs from the Donnie Darko style guide.’

Deliver Us From Evil (2014, Dir: Scott Derrickson) – ‘Should you see this in your partner’s Netflix queue, break up with them immediately.’ 

Game Over, Man! (2018, Dir: Kyle Newacheck) – ‘Unbelievably smug.’ 

Inside No 9 S4E1 Zanzibar (2018, Dir: David Kerr) – ‘A sparkling start to the series.’ 

Inside No 9 S4E2 Bernie Clifton’s Dressing Room (2018, Dir: Graeme Harper) – ‘Poignant piece of TV.’ 

Inside No 9 S4E3 Once Removed (2018, Dir: Jim O’Hanlon) – ‘…impish comedic behaviour.’

Insidious (2010, Dir: James Wan) – ‘…eerily like the dream world of Drop Dead Fred.’

Kangaroo: A Love Hate Story (2018, Dir: Kate McIntyre Clere, Michael McIntyre) – ‘A well-made and emotive film.’ 

Kangaroo: Love it or Cull it – Interview with Kangaroo: A Love Hate Story director, Mick McIntyre 

Killer Barbys (1996, Dir: Jess Franco) – ‘It’ll be hard to find anyone who would wilfully cheer this one on from the sidelines.’

Leprechaun: Origins (2014, Dir: Zach Lipovsky)  – ‘No limericks, no green hats and no fun.’ 

Les Diaboliques (1955, Dir: Henri-Georges Clouzot) – ‘Buy it, treasure it, and never let it leave your side.’

Paranormal Entity (2009, Dir: Shane Van Dyke)  – ‘Boring.’ 

Prayer of the Rollerboys (1990, Dir: Rick King) – ‘I’d like to acknowledge the glacial romance between Haim and Arquette that is more comical than it is sexy.’ 

Prevenge (2016, Dir: Alice Lowe) – ‘The film manages to comfortably navigate through nihilism and comedy.

Red Sparrow (2018, Dir: Francis Lawrence) – ‘A rollicking spy thriller.’ 

See No Evil (2006, Dir: Gregory Dark) – ‘Thankfully, it ends.’ 

Serial Kaller (2014, Dir: Dan Brownlie) – ‘Tepid Entertainment.’

Stepping Out of the Hundred Acre Wood – Interview with Christopher Robin’s Director, Marc Forster

Straight on Till Morning (1972, Dir: Peter Collinson) – ‘Mean-spirited, gritty and with a gut punch of an ending…’ 

The Bat (1959, Dir: Crane Wilbur) – ‘They don’t make them like Vinnie anymore.’ 

The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017, Dir: Yorgos Lanthimos) – ‘More accessible than The Lobster, but just as confronting.’ 

The Nanny (1965, Dir: Seth Holt) – ‘The Nanny demands a spot on anyone’s DVD shelf.’ 

The Open House (2018, Dir: Matt Angel) – ‘All the fast pace action of an iceberg.’ 

Unforgettable (2017, Dir: Denise Di Novi) – ‘Trundles along.’

Veronica (2018, Dir: Paco Plaza) – ‘Veronica is the kind of film you want to succeed, which makes its failure to do so even more disappointing.’

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Trifecta of Horror: Unforgettable (2017), Straight on Till Morning (1972), The Nanny (1965)

March 16, 2018 — Leave a comment

Unforgettable

Harking back to the days of Single White Female and The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, Unforgettable is a time capsule of thrillers from the late 80s and early 90s. Rosario Dawson plays Julia Banks, an online editor who is finally taking the plunge and moving in with her boyfriend. Said boyfriend also has a daughter who lives with her mother, Tessa (Katherine Heigl), who really doesn’t appreciate Julia’s presence. It’s not long before she’s trying to mess up the new stepmum’s life in the all the ways you’d expect from these psycho-based thrillers.

Directed by Denise Di Novi and written by Christina Hodson (Shut In), it’s easy to believe that Unforgettable is a straight-faced parody in line with Lifetime’s Will Ferrell and Kristen Wiig vehicle, A Deadly Adoption. After all, why else would Heigl turn it up to 11 in her first scene if not to overtly telegraph the fact that she is the baddy. Alas, as the film trundles along, it becomes apparent that what was believed to Grade A quality apery is really just poor acting decisions. Dawson comes out on top of this whole heap, and that’s not saying much sadly.

Unforgettable will undoubtedly become a camp classic in years to come, but for now, be warned!

Straight on Till Morning

A young naïve Liverpudlian, Brenda, seeks a new life in the crazy world of London. Wanting ever so desperately to have a baby, the woman-child kidnaps a man’s dog, returning it to him in the hopes of a blossoming romance. The man in question is Peter, a psychopath who believes everything is for him to control.

A sadistic blend of Secretary and Peter Pan, it all makes for uncomfortable viewing. This is mainly down to the fact that deep in its cold centre, this is almost a love story. No matter how manipulative Peter is, Brenda will stand by him.

Mean-spirited, gritty and with a gut punch of an ending, Straight on Till Morning is the possibly the closest Hammer will ever be to producing a romance.

The Nanny

The Nanny is the least Hammer Horror film Hammer has ever produced. Bette Davis comes out swinging as a devoted family nanny looking after a young boy, recently returned from a home for the disturbed, who accuses her of trying to kill him. Director Seth Holt cranks up the tension and as ward versus nanny in a battle of wits, the real question is who is telling the truth.

Skilfully shot with a lean script, The Nanny demands a spot on anyone’s DVD shelf.

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