Pairic Reviews

Goodbye Earth (2024)

A Bit Convoluted But Better Than Many Say

[8/10 · 23 May 2024]

Goodbye Earth: South Korean Pre-Apocalypse series. An asteroid is going to hit the Earth in 200 days, it's point of impact being the Korean Peninsula. There is much cutting backwards and forwards which does make things a bit convoluted but this series is worth sticking with. !2 episodes may have been too many though and at times I found myself rooting for the asteroid to gain speed. At the 200 day mark, there has already been an attempted coup and mass prison escapes, with the escapees getting involved in people trafficking. The flashbacks are vtal to understanding this and further developments as the clock counts down from 200 days. The wealthy are using their influence to flee the country and strip it of supplies. Honest soldiers and ordinary citizens have to combat corrupt security units who are in league with criminals. There are cults involved in scams regarding survival arks, maybe a few will survive though much of this is magical thinking. Other cults see the asteroid as bringing salvation. How ordinary people navigate these problems does get a touch soap opera like at times but the human stories give life and meaning to the struggle against evil when no future seems possible for the mass of humanity. Some gruesome scenes and violence as you might expect. On Netflix. Written by Jung Sung-joo, Directed by Kim Jin-min, based on the Novel of the same name by Kotaro Isaka. 7.5/10.

28 Days Later (2002)

Fast Zoimbies

[9/10 · 22 May 2024]

28 Days Later: Saw it again in the cinema last night, showing as part of Danny Boyle season, I thought it was going to be a 4K remaster but it was the old stock ir a DVD. Still that lent it a crtain grainy charm,. Great opening sequence Where an ape is strapped to a gurney, electrodes in head as it watches violent news on multiple screens. No, it's not Donald Clarke the Irish Times' film critic, it's another bald bonobo. Activists break into this lab and release ape which have been infected by the Rage virus. An unimpressed chimp ears the face off an activist and she rapidly becomes infected. Cut to Cillian Murphy awaking from a coma in a deserted hospital ... 28 Days Later. Moving across London he is attacked by a Father Jack like priest but apologetically knocks him down, Chased by speeding zombies he is rescued by Moltov Cocktail throwing couple, The infected still run whilst ablaze! I'd forgotten so much of the detail of the film., Brendan Gleeson with his tank like black cab, reminded a bit of Ernest Borgnine in Escape From New Yi=ork. The trip north through a devastated countryside, Manchester in flames. The crazed soldiers. You can see how this film influenced The Walking Dead, The Girl With All The Gifts and other films and TV shows. A great story, great direction, effects and acting. A classic Zombie film. Directed by Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland. 9/10.

Tiger Stripes (2023)

Tiger Lily!

[8/10 · 20 May 2024]

Tiger Stripes: A Malaysian coming of age shape-shifter body horror film. Zaffan (Zafreen Zairizal) attends a conservative school, along with the other girls she is forced to wear a hijab and long robes. Being a rebel she takes the hujan off and dances on Tik-Tok. This gets her in trouble at school and with her pious mother. She is the first in her class to menstruate and this gradually leads to her being excluded by her friends and bullied. Her body changes though in surprising ways. Blotches, stiff hairs to start with but then claws develop. This is a tale which involves many Fortean tropes demons of the forest which Zaffan sees sitting in trees, mass hysteria of schoolgirls having fits, an exorcist Imam, a shape-shifting transformation into Werechild. Mostly though it is a story about revolt against medievalist misogyny and a girl fighting for her freedom. There is one scene in particular where Zaffan deals with an Imam which fair gladdened my heart and made me laugh out loud. It is in the tradition of Carrie and Ginger Snaps. Tiger Stripes: was released in Malaysia in a heavily censored version, and the director has disowned that cut of the film. Written and Directed by Amanda Nell Eu. 8/10.

The Strangers: Chapter 1 (2024)

A Folk Horror Vibe

[7/10 · 19 May 2024]

The Strangers: Chapter 1. A reboot which is intended to be a trilogy. Maybe I was expecting too much to be explained in the first film but it did kind of promise more than it delivered, A couple's car breaks down in an eerie small town in rural Oregon. Most of the locals are odd, even the cops stare at them in the diner. Weird blank faced kids offer them religious tracts. They manage to rent a cabin for the night but soon have strange visitors. A battle ensues, fought in the can, in the crawl space and in the woods. The visitors are suitably menacing in their masks. Gory and violent, once again not a film for the squeamish. Definitely a Folk Horror tinge to it. I spite of my caveats it is worth watching, definitely better than The Strangers: Prey at Night (2018). Directed by Renny Harlin, from a screenplay by Alan R. Cohen and Alan Freedland. 7/10.

Monster (III) (2023)

Not Such A Quiet Place

[8/10 · 18 May 2024]

Monster: Indonesian horror film with no dialogue as such, just a few names being shouted out along with background noises. Two 11 year old children, Alanna and Rabin are kidnapped, Alana manages to free herself from a car boot but goes from the garage into the house to find her friend. It is quite literally a house of horrors. She finds the body of another dead boy and it is soon clear that she is in the hands of cannibals who operate a take away service. The house becomes a battlefield with many hiding places but Alana will fight. The combat is well imagined and is not beyond the capabilities of a brave and determined child. Alana is determined to free Rabin. Quite terrifying in parts, the lack of dialogue enhances the tension and sense of existential fear. There are a couple of homages to The Shining, the best being when an ax crashes through a bathroom door, a lot of ax work ala The Shining actually along with a chainsaw which brings Texas to mind. Incredible performance by Anantya Kirana as Alana with good support from Marsha Timothy and Alex Abbad as the cannibals. Directed by Rako Prijanto, Written by David Charbonier, Justin Powell, Alim Sudio. On Netflix. 7.5/10.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)

Back To Basics But With A Potential For Growth

[8/10 · 17 May 2024]

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes: Generations have passed, the intelligent apes have split into different communities. Humans have lost intelligence and the ability to speak, become feral. Noa (Owen Teague) is a bonobo in a falconry-practicing clan,. Going through a rite of passage he has a run in with a human scavenger. He encounters apes with electric weapons and returns to his village to find it in flames and his people enslaved by the guerrilla gorillas. He meets up with Raka (Peter Macon), an orangutan who guides him towards the settlement of the pugnacious primates. Taka adopts a stray human Nova (Freya Allan) who seems brighter than your average sapiens. During another encounter with the angry apes, Nova reveals that she can speak and that there is a community of intelligent humans. In some ways Kingdom returns to the original 1968 POTA: humans are hunted by apes, especially by gorillas, nets are used. Orangutans are wise, even philosophical. The gorillas are bellicose, bonobos are calmer but will fight when necessary, chimps can also be aggressive as is seen in the fights and hunts. The leader of the offensive apes is a chimp, Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand), he has built a coastal encampment close to a human vault containing weaponry and technology. He has a renegade human scientist, Trevathan (William H. Macy) as a semi-prisoner and part-time Merlin. A film about trust, what is intelligence, interdependence and the struggle to rebuild civilization. Will simians or sapiens prevail or ciuld they work together. The apes are really well characterised with good performances also by Macy and Allan. Directed by Wes Ball and written by Josh Friedman. 8/10.

Bodkin (2024– )

Some Good Dark Comedy And Action But The Pacing Is Off.

[7/10 · 16 May 2024]

Bodkin: Set in Bodkin, a village in West Cork this black comedy thriller falls between two or perhaps even three stools. The pacing is off and it doesn't really pick up until the third episode. The Red King shows how a story like this should be done. Three podcasters arrive on Bodkin to investigate the mystery of the disappearance of three people during the Samhain Festival 20 years before, A local entrepreneur, he runs a server farm, is now organising the first Samhain Festival to be held since then. There are secrets in Bodkin, some are kept by nuns who run yoga workshops and drink pints in pubs, others are kept by smugglers but no one will talk about the disappeared. To add to the mix one of the podcasters, investigative reporter Dove (Siobhán Cullen) has been sent by her editor to cool her heels in Ireland after a source "commits suicide". There is a lot of humour in Bodkin, Dove perhaps having the best lines but there's also some serious criminal business going down. INTERPOL, MI5 and the troubles rear their ugly heads. It might also be a bit too clever for it's own good with the plot twists but it is worth watching. You might think some of the locals are unbelievably weird but this is West Cork. Created by Jez Scharf. Seven episodes on Netflix. 7/10.

Catch Me a Killer (2024)

Criminal Minds In South Africa

[8/10 · 15 May 2024]

Catch Me a Killer: in the 1990's multiple serial killers were at work in South Africa, there were no profilers, Micki Pistorius (Charlotte Hope), a forensic psychologist was recruited to South African Police Service (SAPS) in 1994, where she founded and headed the Investigative Psychology Unit (IPU) as chief investigative psychologist. She was also given the rank of Captain (Superintendent) as not all police chiefs would be happy to take advice from a psychologist. This series is based on her memoir Catch Me a Killer (2000), eleven episodes cover her story from her early days through to her setting up training programmes for profilers. She eventually trained 100 police officers as profilers. She didn't just sit in an office drawing up profiles, she went into the field, hunting and confronting those whom she would never see a monsters. Her belief was that she had to see the human they had once been if she was to make a connection. She came face to face with these killers and once was shot and wounded when a serial killer set up an ambush. Catch Me a Killer is no dry docu-drama it is more akin to Criminal Minds. Some really disturbing cases and graphic portrayals of violence and death, not something for the squeamish or faint of heart. Jessica Ruston was the Showrunner, wrote 7 of the screenplays and contributed to all 11 episodes. On Alibi Channel. 8/10.

Love Lies Bleeding (2024)

Neo Noir Romance

[8/10 · 9 May 2024]

Love Lies Bleeding: A much darker version of Drive-Away Dolls, the comedy is sparse and understated in this Neo-Noir Lesbian Romance. Jackie (Katy O'Brian) arrives in Crater New Mexico, she's a bodybuilder, intent on winning a competition in Las Vegas as she drifts from town to town. She soon catches the eye of gym manager Louise (Kristen Stewart). They hit it off after Jackie has a run in with a local bully. Things could be good for both of them except that Jackie has already gotten a job as a waitress at Lou's (Ed Harris) bar and shooting range. Lou is Louise's estranged father who is the local organised crime boss, a big fish in a small town. A further complication is JJ (Dave Franco), Louise's brother in law and lieutenant to Lou. He is also violent towards his wife, something Lou let's slide. But that's not enough, there's also Daisy (Anna Baryshnikov), Louise's ex who can be manipulative and demanding. There are three femmes fatale in this story. Extreme scenes of violence define this film as both Louise and Jackie reveal hidden strengths and psychoses. At times Jackie appears like an avenging angel, Wonder Woman and/or The She Hulk whilst the cooler killer Louise has deeper plans. Will they be a match for Lou who is the very embodiment of evil in a chilling performance by Ed Harris? Oh, there's also a couple of FBI agents sniffing around. All of thus occurs in the Autumn of 1989 as the Berlin Wall falls on TV in the background, local power structures crumble in Crater. Stewart, O'Brian and Baryshnikov are convincing in their different ways as a dangerous menage a trois. Directed by Rose Glass, screenplay by Glass and Weronika Tofilska. 8/10.

Tarot (I) (2024)

Standard Horror Fare But Some Good Effects

[6/10 · 8 May 2024]

Tarot: Fairly standard horror film. Seven college students celebrating a birthday rent a crumbling house in the woods. They run out of booze and search the house, ignoring a no entry sign on the basement door. The cellar is packed with old fortune telling and astrology gear. Thry find an astrological tarot card set and though Haley is reluctant to give readings she is prevailed upon to do so. Sigh. Every warning ignored. It's an old hand painted set with gruesome Arcana. Naturally it turns out to be a cursed deck. Various monsters as depicted on the cards hunt the students with horrible deaths resulting. Some good effects with an attic ladder proving to be a formidable weapon, blocks of darkness and light also attack. The Fool is truly terrifying as he appears, taking the form of a crazed Harlequin/Jester. Olwen Fouéré plays Alma Astryn. An Astrologer who tries to help the students, good acting though her part is little more than a cameo. Nothing particularly new or surprising here but worth watching. Written and Directed by Spenser Cohen and Anna Halberg based on the novel, Horrorscope. By Nicholas Adams. 6/10.

I.S.S. (2023)

Satellite of Mistrust

[8/10 · 6 May 2024]

I. S. S.: In space aboard the International Space Station while a nuclear war rages below on Earth. The film opens with 2 US astronauts arriving at the ISS, one of them is a rookie astronaut, Kira . We see her adjusting to life onboard, dealing with liquids, free fall, dealing with her experimental mice. Six crew in total, three US, three Russian. Kira is in the cupola when she sees flashes on Earth, thinking at first they are volcanic eruptions but another astronaut realises what is happening and seals off the cupola to prevent Electromagnetic Pulse damage. The ISS had dipped to a lower orbit to receive a supply rocket and now cannot re-boost to higher orbit putting it at risk of burning up on re-entry in 24 hours. Before all communications with Earth is lost both the Russians and Americans are ordered to seize control of the ISS. Co-operation rather than conflict is the norm aboard the ISS but this fragile peace starts to break down. Close quarters combat in zero gravity is not easy even for Military veterans especially when you're all struggling to stay alive. The dangers of spacewalks, surprising collaborations, there are more than two sides in the antagonism in this tin can in the sky. A satellite whose corridors are roomy enough for pursuit and hiding. A tense drama with more than a few surprises and convincing effects. Directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, written by Nick Shafir. 8/10.

Melchior: The Apothecary (2022)

Medieval Mystery

[8/10 · 2 May 2024]

Melchior the Apothecary: Melchior is an Apothecary in medieval Tallinn,, he's also good at solving mysteries. He tracked down the deranged leper who single handedly slaughtered Melchior's father. So when a famous knight is murdered the city Sheriff deputises the awesome Apothecary. The knight had defeated and slain the Baltic pirates who had infested the sea for so long, now he had been decapitated and coins put in his mouth. This is a mystery which involves the Teutonic Knights as well as lost treasures of the Knights Templar. The murders continue as Melchiot has to contend with a hunchback friar and an incompetent builder, he also has a newly arrived boy intent on becoming his apprentice. There are elements of black comedy here which leaven a dark tale. Life is cheap and those who bring bad news are punished, the maid who found the knight's body is whipped, Colourful costumes are worn but the city is dirty and even many of the rich burghers are unwashed. Red herrings abound but if you may close attention you will elicit clues. There are elements of Shakespeare here - nobody notices that a male is really a female in disguise and it also has a touch of The Name of the Rose. The first in a trilogy involving this Medieval sleuth. Directed by Elmo Nüganen, Screenplay by Elmo Nüganen and Olle Mirme, based on the novel by Indrek Hargla. 7.5/10.

24 Hours with Gaspar (2023)

Organ Leggers, Mass Graves And An Obsession.

[7/10 · 30 April 2024]

24 Hours with Gaspar: Indonesian dystopian thriller set in about 2050, Gaspar is a PI investigating mass graves. He seems to have links with one section of State Security but another wing kills his informant and tries to assassinate him. He's also investigating organ leggers, their past and current crimes, his childhood friend Kirana disappeared 23 years ago and he is obsessed with solving the mystery, Flashbacks to that period illustrate how important she was Gaspar. The narrative is opaque at times and you will have to pay close attention. It's all set to the background of a decaying society where health care is non existent. Locals, including Gaepar, depend on a medic from a fight Club. Due to the malfunction of the implant managing Gaspar's dextrocardia, he has only 24 hours to live. He assembles a motley crew in a last attempt to solve all of the mysteries. Good action scenes with choreographed fighting, an area that stinks of desperation, exploitation of the poor, an epidemic which took place in 2025. There's a lot going on here. It has some flaws but is well worth watching. Directed by Yosep Anggi Noen, Screenplay by M. Irfan Ramli based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Sabda Armandio. On Netflix. 7/10.

Dead Boy Detectives (2024– )

Phantom P.I.s

[8/10 · 28 April 2024]

Dead Boy Detectives: A supernatural horror detective comedy-drama television series set in The Sandman Universe. Reprising their roles (as guest stars) from The Sandman are Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Death and Donna Preston as Despair. The main protagonists are ghosts Charles Rowland (Jayden Revri) and Edwin Paine (George Rexstrew), who decided not to enter the afterlife and instead stay on Earth to investigate crimes that involve the supernatural. Their clients are ghosts who have stuck around. They are persuaded to help a young psychic Crystal Palace (Kassius Nelson) who is possessed by a persistent demon (David Iacono) and also help out Niko Sasak (Yuyu Kitamura) who is beset by Dandelion Imps. The Dead Boys are now joined by Live Girls in their investigations. Their cases take them to the US where they clash with a Witch (Jennifer Lyon) and the Cat King (Lukas Gage) among others. Quite dark, with Demons dragging reluctant ghosts off to Hell whilst Death usually applies a gentler approach. As well as Demon and Angry Ghosts. Human murderers are also a problem. Not to mention the Night Nurse (Ruth Connell) one of Death's mid-level staffers who is intent on returning the Dead Boys to their rightful places. Did I mention that Edwin spent more than 70 years in Hell before escaping? It was an administrative error but the Afterlife has a vast Steampunk style bureaucracy. I'm loving this series though it also deals with the personal traumas and secrets of both the live and dead characters. Quite literally a matter of life and death. Too many other characters to mention. Just watch it! Developed by Steve Yockey based on the DC Comics characters of the same name by Neil Gaiman and Matt Wagner. Showrunners are Yockey and Beth Schwartz. Eight episodes on Netflix. 8/10.

The Doomsday Cult of Antares De La Luz (2024)

Dark Stars

[7/10 · 28 April 2024]

The Doomsday Cult of Antares De La Luz: A small scale Chilean Cult which had a larger effect due to human sacrifice.. The founders names was originally Ramon de la luz but he changed it to Antares de la luz, Antares being a rather bright star. He was a musician, tutored village kids, talking heads in the documentary speak well of his pre-cult activities. He took to using hallucinogenic drugs, mostly consisting of ayahuasca-derived substances after going through a ceremony with a shaman who appears in the film. He formed a cult whose members lived a regimented lifestyle. Shortly afterwards he discovered he was God. Now how could you disobey the edicts of the Supreme Being? Several cult members are also interviewed and footage of them with the police is also shown. They don't try to downplay their roles in the crimes but do plea that they were under duress and heavily drugged. You'll have to view the documentary ro learn how the cult moved from sacrificing animals to slaying an infant. Interesting documentary, could have been tightened up though, would have benefited from a 15 minute cut in it;s 100 minute running time. Directed by Santiago Correa, Written by Valerie Schenkman. On Netflix. 7/10.

The Witches (1966)

A weird little village

[7/10 · 26 April 2024]

The Witches (1966): A Hammer Horror production which begins with missionary Gwen Mayfield (Joan Fontaine) being driven out of Africa by Witch Doctors. After recovering from a breakdown she is offered the post of Headmistress of the village school in Heddaby by Reverend Alan Bax (Alec McCowen). Upon travelling to this remote rural area she meets Alan's sister and finds out that Alan isn't actually a Vicar, hewears the dog collar out a need for security. Nevertheless this wealthy eccentric pair endow the village school. This is literally a village of the squinting windows. The inhabitants are outwardly friendly but a an air of menace and suspicion abounds. A relationship between young teens Linda (Ingrid Boulting/Brett) and Ronnie (Martin Stephens) is actively discouraged, Gwen encounters incidents of witchcraft or at least sympathetic magic. This escalates to the point where Gwen is gaslighted. An interesting Folk Horror gem which I hadn't encountered before. The villagers though are mostly little better than yokels and an elaborate ritual though well choreographed isn't particularly convincing. Still the elements of psychological horror combined with a community beholden to the Old Religion is gripping to some extent. The central plot of the The Witches is dastardly indeed and may have influenced The Wicker Man. A quintessentially English folk Horror film. Directed by Cyril Frankel, adapted for the screen by Nigel Kneale from the 1960 novel The Devil's Own by Norah Lofts (as Peter Curtis). 7/10.

No Exit (I) (2022)

Chill In The Air

[7/10 · 25 April 2024]

No Exit (2022): Horror/Thriller. Darby is in Rehab, a recovering addict, she learns her mother is in hospital with a brain aneurysm and due to bureaucratic staff has to engineer an escape. Driving over mountains she's trapped by a snowstorm and has to shelter in a visitors centre with four other people, she soon discovers a young girl who is tied and gagged in one of the vehicles outside the centre. Discovering who is the abductor doesn't solve any problems as things start to get even more complicated. People have different beliefs regarding the reason for kidnapping the girl, this results in a series of plot twists which would be a spoiler to reveal. The film takes a very dark turn with torture and gruesome murders. A nailgun can be a very effective weapon. The weather is also a protagonist which proves a challenge to all involved in this horror thriller. The script has maybe one too many twists, ending up a bit too clever for it's own good. Still, the tension is well maintained, certainly worth watching. Directed by Damien Power, screenplay by Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari, based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Taylor Adams. 7/10.

Abigail (2024)

Dark Dancer

[8/10 · 24 April 2024]

Abigail: A horror film with elements of (very) Dark Comedy. Abigail (Alisha Weir), a 12 year old girl who delights in her prowess as a ballerina is kidnapped by a six person gang. They take her to another mansion where the caper organiser Lambert (Giancarlo Esposito) tells them that they just have to hold her for 24 hours while he collects the ransom from her father. They will each receive $7 million. Seems like money for jam? Abigail is soon manipulating Joey (Melissa Barrera} a former combat medic assigned to care fot Abigail. The house itself is odd, some well appointed rooms but there are derelict quarters leading off them. The most annoying member of the gang is found decapitated, The others confront Abigail but it turns out that she is a vampire and the tables are turned. While a strong strain of black humour runs through the film this is very much a horror movie, laughter tends to die in your throat (if it isn't bitten out). Heads are lost, faces bitten out and blood sucked. The old house becomes a hunting ground as the gang fights to love rather than be undead. Some interesting vampire lore is revealed as we find out what threatens this particular type of vampire as she plays with her food. Abigail dances with a decapitated corpse, pirouettes and kick boxes ro the strains of Swan Lake, this is indeed a Black Swan. A stunning performance from Alison Weir who was 12 when Abigail was filmed ably supported by scream queens Melissa Barrera and Kathryn Newton as Sammy, as a hacker. A few interesting plot twists as well. Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett from a screenplay by Stephen Shields and Guy Busick, based on and a reimagining of the 1936 film Dracula's Daughter. 8/10.

Parasyte: The Grey (2024– )

Puppet Masters From The Stars

[8/10 · 23 April 2024]

Parasyte: The Grey: South Korean Science Fiction / Horror series based on the manga series Parasyte by the Japanese artist Hitoshi Iwaaki . Sort of an Invasion of the Body Snatchers story but would more closely resemble Robert Heinlein's The Puppet Masters which was published in 1951 which preceded the 1954 story Invasion was based on. The Puppet Masters film (1994) is less well known though. Parasitical alien creatures rain down on South Korea (and presumably elsewhere) taking over human hosts by wriggling in through ears. Mouths etc. Some overreact and start killing humans en mass. Most successfully overcome their human hosts and live clandestine life. They dine on humans and keep meat lockers. One woman is altrady seriously injured when she encounters the parasite and forms a mutant with both personas surviving. There is a secret task force Parasyte Grey which hunts down the turned humans, led by a slightly unhinged woman who has a strange "tracker dog",. The parasites also make use of a cult/church to hide their activities. Pretty good special effects with some gory death scenes, the parasite humans can split their head into tentacles. The cynicism if political forces intent on saving face adds a satirical edge. All in all a good SF/Horror adventure. Directed and co-written by Yeon Sang-ho (Train to Busan). Six episodes in Netflix. 8/10.

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

A Crazy Road

[9/10 · 23 April 2024]

Saw Fury Road again last night in cinema. Great as ever with the non-stop action and great effects and vehicles. Great production design, by Colin Gibson with stunning costumes. Hardy and Theron both put in impressive performances even if Hardy's was mostly nonverbal. Still think he was too young for the back story though. But In Fury Road I think he built on and surpassed Gibson's interpretation of Mad Max, maybe it's what Gibson would have done if Thunderdome hadn't been made. He was just convincing as the Road Warrior, a flawed hero rather than an anti-hero. Resident Evil The Final Chapter. Was heavily influenced by Mad Max: Fury Road.

All You Need Is Death (2023)

A Dark Song Of Love And Death

[8/10 · 22 April 2024]

All You Need is Death: Searching for rare traditional songs is an art, you can't just be a chancer, you have to understand and appreciate the topic, but there is money to be made, rich collectors will pay for previously unheard variations but will pay a lot more for lost songs, so the trade does attract some mercenary characters. A couple, maybe mid twenties, Anna (Simone Collins) and Aleks (Charlie Maher) travel around bars, houses and towns, looking for old folk songs. They'll even stage mock fights in an attempt to draw out more information, with Anna being the damsel in distress. They get some garbled account of a folk singer who has unknown songs but the trail peters out. They attend a seminar of like minded song hunters, run by Agnes (Catherine Siggins) who informs all participants that she might only be able to set them on the road to finding the rare songs. Impressed by Anna's singing she provides them with the name of the singer. Rita Concannon (Olwen Fouéré), and her hometown, Crossmaglen but claims she is dead. When they finally get to Rita's house they find Agnes already there, speaking to the hard drinking Rita who is very much alive and in a wardrobe. Coming out of the closet she sings a song for Anna which is in an unknown language, containing elements of Old Irish. While Anna doesn't record the song, Agnes clandestinely does so. This seems to unleash powerful malign forces.

Music and song is very important to this film, how old songs are handed down, in this case over millennia from mother to daughter. The main song 1s by Lankum's Ian Lynch and Paul Duane, is really magnificent. The forces summoned up are seen as smudges at times but can forcefully slay their victims, indeed this a gory film with some very disturbing scenes but a lot of the horror is psychological. There are also elements of body horror introduced as the narrative unfolds and we see flashbacks to an ancient time when the events in the song took place. It would probably be a spoiler to reveal much more of the plot except to mention Rita's son, Breezeblock (Nigel O'Neill) a puppeteer and children's entertainer who is as highly-strung as his marionettes as he goes on a murderous rampage across Ireland. Though Olwen Fouéré's role is little more than a cameo it is central to the film as she convincingly portrays a wisewoman/keeper of secrets who is plagued (quite literally) by her demons. Simone Collins is impressive not least in her singing abilities and her change in character half way through the movie. There are some problems with pacing but this is a worthy addition to the Irish Folk Horror Film Canon. Written & Directed by Paul Duane. 8/10.

Civil War (2024)

Traversing A Devastated Disunited States

[9/10 · 17 April 2024]

Civil War: It's the near future, the USA is wracked by a Civil War. We're never given a full explanation of how it's come about, we get hints from throw away remarks, a president in his third term, FBI abolished, tryannical rule, who might this president be? As the film opens we see a president about to face the camera, he rehearses his boasts about how he has achieved the greatest military victory ever recorded in history and demands the immediate surrender of the rebel forces. In fact he is more like Hitler in Downfall, he controls a shrinking area around Washington DC as the Western Forces (California and Texas) and the Florida Alliance close in. This is a Civil War though and fighting continues in other parts of the country often between irregular units. The narrative unfolds around a group of journalists who travel from New York to Charlottesville where the Western Forces are assembling for their final push, and on to DC. Normally a distance of 226 miles, detours take it close to 1,000 miles. Veteran journalists Lee (Kirsten Dunst) and her colleague Joel intend to travel to Washington, D. C., their dream to interview and photograph the president before the city falls. An old reporter friend Sammy asks to come as far as Charlottesville, as does a young photographer, Jesse (Cailee Spaeny).

They traverse a devastated country, fighting still going on in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The neophyte Jesse gradually becoming a better war photographer, Lee is less protective of her, The savagery of the war is plain to see with a mass grave of victims slaughtered by the presidents partisans but even the rebel irregulars are prepared to shoot surrendering enemy combatants. The action is convincing, especially when the photographers are in the thick of the combat, stills appearing mid action provide even greater verisimilitude. The US dollar isn't worth much outside of cities, it takes Canadian dollars to buy gas, looters are tortured, a suicide bomber waving the stars and stripes blows up police and thirsty civilians as they gather around a water truck in New York, the UN run refugee camps; remember this is in the US. This film is reminiscent of Under Fire, which also featured journalists in the last days of a civil war. Great performances from Kirsten Dunst and Cailee Spaeny. A cautionary dystopian tale perhaps rather than a prediction. Directed and written by Alex Garland. 8.5/10.

Anthracite (2024)

Killer Cult In The Alps

[8/10 · 15 April 2024]

Anthracite: 1994, a murderous cult commit mass suicide in Levionna in the French Alps, the only survivor being the cult leader. 2024, a journalist who had covered the original story is apparently kidnapped, his web sleuth daughter goes to Levionna to investigate. Another body turns up, are the cult active again? This series involves many plot twists and may well be a tad too lever for it's own good. It's worthwhile sticking with Anthracite though, convoluted as the plot is it involves many interesting tropes. A pharmaceutical company which may be carrying out secret tests on the local populace, a possible serial killer responsible for many disappearances over the last ten years, strange abandoned coal mines which are being reopened by the pharmaceutical company. There are some soap like elements to the plot and who is whose father/mother brother/sister theme which makes you hear dueling banjos playing in the background. It has enough, tension and action to keep you interested as gory violent scenes accumulate plus a nurse who could give Nurse Ratchet a run for her money. Directed by Julius Berg, Written by Fanny Robert, Maxime Berthemy, Sophie Lebarbier, Mehdi Ouahab. Six episodes in Netflix. 7.5/10.

Monkey Man (2024)

Hanuman Lives!

[8/10 · 11 April 2024]

Monkey Man: Dev Patel is Monkey Man/Bobby/Kid, he competes in an underground fight club in the Indian City of Yatana, his job is to get beaten up by the "Champion", he gets paid extra if enough blood is knocked out of him, but he also seeks revenge for the murder of his mother and most of his village during a land grab facilitated by a corrupt policeman. He infiltrates an exclusive club/brothel working his way up from the kitchen to becoming a waiter. Knowing that some of his targets will be there. In some ways he's like John Wicks, he even adopts a stray dog. Teaching it to deliver his weapons. He more closely resembles Martin Feeney from Black '47 though, his targets go beyond the cop who is now Police Chief, they include a fake fakir, Baba Shakti who is stirring up religious nationalism which benefits his henchman Adesh Joshi a political leader who is set to take power in an upcoming election. All three were involved in the massacre of his people, Shakti building a factory on the site if the village. Bobby is confronting a system of power and privilege. His first assault on the trio goes awry and he is taken in by Hijra who live at a Temple of Ardhanarishvara. The Hijra community, transgender, intersex, and eunuch people are also being persecuted by Baba Shakti acolytes. Bobby licks his wounds and prepares for a return engagement.

The fight scenes are beautifully choreographed but also extremely violent, nobody could survive many of the blows inflicted, these are not sham fights. The bouts in the underground club whilst bloody pale in comparison. In flashbacks we observe Monkey Man's idyllic life as a child before the massacre which unfolds in brutal detail as his clan and mother are brutalised, shot and burned alive. His thirst for vengeance is understandable as is the way he deals with the minions of his targets. Bobby has always been inspired by Hanuman, the Monkey God, as he goes through a hallucinogenic experience he literally becomes an avatar of Hanuman. A tale of struggle against injustice and corruption where people refuse to accept the role of victims, a story which seems to be an allegory of modern day India where Hindi Nationalism prevails, and corruption flourishes and the poor can be further dispossessed. Co-Written, Directed and Produced by Dev Patel. 8/10.

Ripley (2024)

The Creepier Mr Ripley

[9/10 · 8 April 2024]

Ripley: A new take on Ripley is rendered in monochrome giving it a sinister tinge of Noir. Largely faithful to Patricia Highsmith's creation it does however make tings clear from the outset that Tom Ripley (Andrew Scott) is no innocent abroad as we see him dragging a body down a stairs observed by a cat, Luigio, who inadvertently (?) becomes Tom's accomplice. Fade to six months earlier in New York where Tom is running low level scams, living in a tenement. He is mistaken for a friend of the absent Dickie Greenleaf (Johnny Flynn) and is hired by Dickie's wealthy father to convince him to return home from Italy. Tom travels to Arani, outside of Naples where he visits Dickie, pretending to have met him previously. He enters the life of Greenleaf and his girlfriend Marge Sherwood (Dakota Fanning), both are aspiring artistes with little talent, Dickie a painter, Marge a writer, they do however possess the means to play out comfortable lifestyles. Marge is suspicious of Tom, thinking that he is a parasite, she is also jealous of his bromance with Dickie. A friend of Dickie, Freddie Miles (Eliot Sumner) also questions Ripley's motives. In the 1999 film The Talented Mr. Ripley, Tom was more motivated by wanting to fit in and his resulting violence was driven by jealousy. Here Ripley is more of a conman from the outset and while he does value Dickie's friendship he has always had his eye on Greenleaf's remittance cheques. His violence thus is more cold and calculating rather than impulsive or opportunistic. He always is prepared for violence though when there's a risk of his plans going awry. Scott is impressive as the sociopathic Ripley who is not a pathological liar, every untruth advances his agenda. Good performances from Flynn and Fanning but Sumner doesn't convince as Miles, a role in which Philip Seymour Hoffman excelled in the 1999 film. John Malkovich who played Ripley in Ripley's Game (2002) has a cameo as an art critic. The series was created, written and directed by Steven Zaillian. Eight episodes on Netflix. 9/10.