ADaemonIsBorn Reviews

Almost Human (2013)

A well-made, decently acted and cricket-free indie

[7/10 · 6 June 2014]

Yeah, it's true: the acting in 'Almost Human' isn't on a par with your standard Hollywood fare. Then again, it's better than most of the 'Star Wars' prequels' performances and you sat through those too, didn't you?

However, this should not deter you from watching the movie. If, like me, your attention was peaked by the 80's throwback poster, you know what you like in this type of movie.

The story, derivative as it is (think Body Snatchers), serves as a vehicle for a slasher-like succession of grisly, well-shot murders. In a sparse visual style, maybe even a little bleak due to the setting, we see the events unfold methodically and with increasing intensity to the suspenseful finale.

In a mere 80 minutes, 'Almost Human' shows what a gifted director can do: very much with very little. You will not be surprised, but you will be entertained.

P.S.: To the guy who kept hearing crickets during the second half of the movie: you might wanna get your ears checked. My copy was entirely cricket-free.

Twixt (2011)

At this point, Coppola and Kilmer deserve each other.

[4/10 · 16 August 2013]

I don't write many reviews, only making time to get behind the keyboard when I found a movie to be especially poor or strong while seeing that my opinion differs significantly from the on-line consensus.

"Twixt" was heralded as a return to F. F. Coppola's roots, having begun his career with genre fare such as "Dementia 13" and "The Terror". Critics however forget to mention that these flops would have been deservedly forgotten if their director had not gone on to produce the fine works of art he is revered for today.

At this point, Francis Ford Coppola and Val Kilmer deserve each other. Both washed up artists having suppressed whatever talent they had due to excessive substance abuse, these two gentlemen have become increasingly inconsequential since the 1990s. Coppola now only makes movies to please himself, sacrificing the most basic cinematic quality control for a "fix it in the mix" mentality. He can, of course, afford all the CGI tomfoolery he wants. Kilmer, on the other hand, has wandered out of breath and red-faced from one paycheck to the next for well over ten years now; the toll of his personal life has become painfully clear in his physique.

Their collective stab at Gothic horror is a spectacular failure due to plot holes, sub-par performances, amateurish sound mixing and some of the most god awful CGI image doctoring you'll ever see in mainstream cinema. The only thing "Twixt" has going for it is the presence of Kilmer, who as usual stumbles sleepy-eyed through sets and dialogs - and yet still manages to invoke some of the mesmerizing charm that made him so popular in his heyday. Like an old lion shunned by his pride, he's only looking for an easy meal ticket. He has my sympathies.

Apparently other reviewers consider "Twixt" to be a gem of art-house cinema, a cult classic in the making, a "difficult" movie that is "not for everyone". They even find similarities to David Lynch' work, e.g. "Twin Peaks". Not so, dear friends: Coppola's latest is a stinker, a dud, a bomb. It is neither for fans of mainstream cinema nor for fans of the horror genre.

Be warned.

Todd and the Book of Pure Evil (2010–2012)

Like "Buffy" with stoners and more gore

[8/10 · 14 May 2012]

"Todd" plays out like a Canadian "Buffy" with a little more risqué humor and lots more gore: a group of high school students team up to fight evil (invariably caused by the titular Book) and have to defend themselves and their fellow students against a monster-of-the-week type occurrence. Except that they don't very often succeed in keeping the body count to a minimum.

Being produced outside of the United States, "Todd" is a lot less MOR than most American series: the producers are unafraid to veer off into directions that will send some accidental viewers running for the hills, especially if said viewers have homophobic issues.

The four lead characters are well cast, but the supporting actors are simply a joy to watch. Chris Leavins (as guidance counselor Atticus Murphy) and Jason Mewes (as Jimmy the janitor) steal most every scene they're in, but even one-line characters get the talent they deserve.

The overall tone is very dry, which brings out the dark humor in even the most gruesome scenes. The ensemble's collective timing is some of the best comedic group work I've yet seen.

The only problem I can find with "Todd" is that the 20-minute episode length limits the show to sitcom-like story lines, with little attention spent on larger story arcs: things get out of hand, the gang saves the day (sort of), and things reset for next week's episode. Should it get picked up again, I don't really see "Todd and the Book of Pure Evil" evolving into something that could be quite as heart-wrenching (or as emotionally involving) as Joss Whedon's magnum opus.

But hey, if you're a fan of intelligent horror comedy, this show is for you. Here's hoping some guy in a suit will find enough financial incentive to renew "Todd" for a third season. Tell your friends.

Deadheads (2011)

A near flawless zombie comedy

[8/10 · 7 December 2011]

I was initially put off by the relatively low score this movie has on here, but I quickly discovered the fallacy of the current 5.0/10 rating.

"Deadheads" is smart, touching and revolting in the right places, without ever losing sight of what it is: a really good zombie comedy.

While the romantic interest that propels the story would be a risky device in the hands of lesser directors, the Pierce brothers add just the right amount of deflating humor to the mix to ensure "Deadheads" doesn't head off into romcom territory.

The two leads, Michael McKiddy and Ross Kidder (brother of Margot!), make a great "smart zombie" team, but the film truly distinguishes itself through the other cast members: Markus Taylor as "stupid zombie" Cheese, Harry Burkey as old man Cliff and Benjamin Webster and Greg Dow as the zombies' pursuers all give strong performances.

Some hardcore "gorehound" horror fans will likely be of the opinion that there's not enough blood and guts flying around, but if that's your kind of thing, just go get a job in a slaughterhouse and leave the rest of us in peace.

With "Deadheads", the brothers Pierce (their dad worked on "Evil Dead", btw) have delivered a solid horror film which has everything in it to become a modern cult classic.

I can't wait to see what they'll do next...