Category: Thriller

03Oct

[FILM REVIEW] PIGGY Review (2022)

Posted in Film, Film Genre, Home Page, Horror, Thriller | Leave a comment

Summary:  An overweight teen is bullied by a clique of cool girls poolside while holidaying in her village. The long walk home will change the rest of her life.

Year: 2022

Cinema Release Dates:  TBA

VOD Release Dates: TBA

Country: Spain

Director: Carlota Pereda

Screenwriter: Carlota Pereda

Cast: Camille Aguilar (Roci), Pilar Castro (Elena), Chema del barco (Juan Carlos), Fernando Delgado-Hierro (Juancarlitos), Irene Ferrerio (Claudia), Laura Galan (Sara), Richard Holmes (Desconocido), Lia Lois (Amaya), Carmen Machi (Madre), Stephanie Magnin (Rosa), Jose Vincente Moiron (Padre Pedro), Jose Pastor (Pedro), Claudia Salas (Maca), Fred Tatien (Padre Roci)

Running Time: 90 mins

Classification: TBC

OUR PIGGY REVIEWS

Kyle McGrath’s Piggy Review:

I love revenge movie of all types, horror, action, thriller etc. There’s movies like Death Wish which glorified vigilantism much to the chagrin of original author Brian Garfield and then there are movies like ‘Death Sentence’ which did the complete opposite. There are creative films such as a personal favourite Irreversible which in portraying a horrific act and the resulting vengeance in reverse order managed to make things so much more uncomfortable as the audience was robbed of all hope for catharsis. As a subgenre revenge films are more varied than many would give credit for.

Piggy is a drama/horror written and directed by Carlota Pereda based upon her previous short film. Sara (Laura Galán) an obese teenager living in a small Spanish village is the target of much derision from other more popular teenagers. While they spend their summer socialising and having fun she remains behind the counter of her family’s butcher shop, even in hiding she can not escape the taunts and online bullying. One hot day when she believes it’s safe to do so Sara travels to the local pool to cool off only to be accosted, tortured and humiliated by other girls. On her walk of shame back home she happens to witness the kidnapping of one of these girls by an anonymous stranger (Richard Holmes), in showing Sara an act of kindness a silent bond forms between the two. As other teens disappear and bodies start piling up all eyes in the small village begin to focus on Sara and she must decide what to do as her tormentors may very well now be at her mercy.

I was initially interested in the premise of the movie and seeing how it would blend the topics of modern bullying within a small town. What also drew me in was wondering how the obvious horror element (as promised by its poster of Sara drenched in gore) would play into it. I guess in some ways I would say the film subverts your expectations as it focuses much more on Sara’s moral struggles with the guilt of her bond with this unknown kidnapper than it does any traditional horror or gore aspect.

Laura Galan gives a great lead performance in her role as Sara. When film’s deal with characters with body issues I’m always impressed by the bravery of actors who are willing to put themselves in the spotlight where all eyes will be on them as the script itself points at them saying  “look how fat/old/ugly they are!”. These scenes of horrific abuse are extremely hard to watch and we immediately empathise with Sara and can even sonewhat understand her decision to stay quiet when her tormentors start disappearing one by one.

While the twist of not having this film be an all out splatter revenge fantasy film was not an entirely unwelcome one things still felt like they dragged for the majority of the movie. It was odd as the unspoken agreement occurs so early in the film I at first felt it was rushing things, instead the plot dragged as it built towards an unsatisfactory and poorly thought out conclusion. There is decent characterisation of Sara’s domineering mother Asun (Carmen Machi) however little of the victims before its too late to care about them.

Like some other recent movies (True Things, The Nightingale, The Lighthouse) this film is presented in a 4:3 ‘square’ aspect ratio, unfortunately unlike many of those films I failed to see the purpose here. Usually when modern films use this style there is a thematic or stylistic reasoning which serves to enhance the audience’s experience. In Piggy it largely served to frustrate me throughout the film as focal points were off screen or out of frame and coupled with a lack of establishing shots it felt like I often had to deduce what the characters were looking at rather than just seeing it for myself.

I did feel myself transported to this small village and thanks to a brave performance by Galán Piggy sucks you in early but unfortunately with nowhere really to go from there. As a horror film it’s lacking where it’s gore is only for temporary shock value and it feels like it only dips it’s toes into the heavy subject of bullying as a means to an end. The short film Piggy is based on was only 14 minutes and unfortunately despite the potential there just isn’t enough on display here to justify expansion to feature film territory.

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29Sep

[FILM REVIEW] EMILY THE CRIMINAL Review (2022)

Posted in Crime, Drama, Film, Film Festivals, Film Genre, Home Page, Thriller | Leave a comment

Summary:  Down on her luck and saddled with debt, Emily gets involved in a credit card scam that pulls her into the criminal underworld of Los Angeles, ultimately leading to deadly consequences.

Year: 2022

Cinema Release Dates:  12th August 2022 (USA)

VOD Release Dates: TBA

Country: USA

Director: John Patton Ford

Screenwriter: John Patton Ford

Cast: Jonathan Avigdori (Khalil), Bernardo Badillo (Javier), Megalyn Echikunwoke (Liz), Amje Elharden (Robert), Ricarlo Flanagan (Mike), Gina Gershon (Alice), Wesley Han (Mike), Sheila Korsi (Luna), Janice Sonia Lee (Becca), Roman Mitchyan (Armen), Tomas Pais (Taylor), Aubrey Plaza (Emily), Ben Rodgers (Jason), Theo Rossi (Youcef), Kimiko Singer (Sarah), Brandon Sklenar (Brent), Jack Topalian (Vaz), Lamar Usher (Lamar)

Running Time: 97 mins

Classification: M (Australia), 15 (UK), R (USA)

OUR EMILY THE CRIMINAL REVIEWS

Kyle McGrath’s Emily The Criminal Review:

I’ve always loved crime films regardless of what level of crime or what country these films come from. With The Godfather, Once Upon a Time in America, Goodfellas and Pulp Fiction being considered some of the greatest movies ever made it’s undeniable that many filmgoers feel the same way that I do. While not always realistic the genre can be approached from all sorts of angles not simply being about the crime itself but often as interesting character studies on people and what it is in their lives which drives them to the wrong side of the law.

Emily the Criminal is a drama thriller which acts as the debut feature film from writer director John Patton Ford. It follows Emily (Aubrey Plaza) a former artist with a past criminal assault record weighing her down. She struggles to make ends meet and pay her student debt with her low paying job, by chance one day a co-worker gives her the opportunity to make some quick cash via a credit card fraud ring operated by Youcef (Theo Rossi) and his cousin Kahlil (Jonathan Avigdori). Quickly Emily becomes seduced by the allure of making fast money and developing a relationship with Youcef however this new life of crime she has adopted begins leading her down an increasingly dark path she may not be ready for.

Along this entire journey is a distinct feeling of intensity which never let’s up. Although there is definitely a sudden change at some point I felt the film hadn’t earned up until then Emily feels like someone who doesn’t quite gather just how deep she’s digging this hole for herself and around this John Patton Ford crafts some nail biting sequences for sure.

What I found interesting about this movie is how it only really scrapes the surface of the crime world Emily becomes involved in. Some might find this disappointing however as there isn’t a lot to this story that we haven’t seen before in other films. We never go too far into the organisation or branch out into different areas it largely stuck with simple credit card fraud in action coupled with the bond which grows between Emily and Youcef.

I admit I have not seen all of Aubrey Plaza’s recent work however she always struck me as an actress with a particular charisma and she puts her all into this movie. As the stakes get higher and Emily goes from someone who is simply a cog in the machine to the person calling the shots it was great seeing that when pushed she can definitely take care of herself, all the while still there are hints that she is still a good person underneath.

The relationship which grows between Emily and Youcef leads to us seeing Youcef in a completely new light as time goes on. It never really struck me as a cliched ‘thief with a heart of gold’ character arc rather it was a role reversal I enjoy seeing done well in films. Through Theo Rossi’s great performance over the course of the film there is almost a switch as he becomes the out of his depth character while Emily is the one willing to get dirty and hurt people for a big pay day.

Something I disliked was how the film seemed to have the same issues a lot of others have in where to go with this type of story. This isn’t at all a good vs evil Robin Hood-type storyline and while I don’t wish for any morale grandstanding Emily’s ambitions are quite shallow and her capabilities and competency as a master criminal is debatable. As such I think the final act definitely needed work to create something with more significance all things considered.

Ford has does an excellent job creating a thrilling crime flick beginning to end with Aubrey Plaza & Theo Rossi nailing it showing off their respective talent. Unfortunately the film strikes me as not building towards an ultimate goal and I felt myself disappointed when the ending credits rolled on.

Other Subculture Emily The Criminal Reviews:

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27Sep

[FILM NEWS] BARBARIAN Trailer Released

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In “Barbarian,” a young woman traveling to Detroit for a job interview books a rental home. But when she arrives late at night, she discovers that the house is double booked, and a strange man is already staying there. Against her better judgment, she decides to spend the evening, but soon discovers that there’s a lot more to fear than just an unexpected house guest.

From 20th Century Studios and New Regency, “Barbarian” stars Georgina Campbell, Bill Skarsgård, Justin Long, Matthew Patrick Davis, Richard Brake, Jaymes Butler and Kurt Braunohler. The film was written and directed by Zach Cregger. The producers are Arnon Milchan, Roy Lee, Raphael Margules and J.D. Lifshitz. Yariv Milchan, Michael Schaefer, Natalie Lehmann, Danny Chan, Alex Lebovici and Bill Skarsgård are the film’s executive producers.

26Sep

[VOD NEWS] GANGS OF LONDON SEASON 2 Release Date Announced

Posted in Crime, Drama, Film, Film Genre, Film News, Home Page, News, Thriller, TV | Leave a comment

 Stan today confirmed the highly anticipated second season of the critically acclaimed criminal drama series Gangs of London will premiere 20 October, same day as the U.K. and only on Stan.

To watch and share the trailer, click here: https://youtu.be/XSZ8Wtbw6H4 

One year after the death of Sean Wallace and the violent reckonings of the first season, the map and soul of London has been redrawn. The surviving Wallaces are scattered, the Dumanis broken and estranged, and ex-undercover cop Elliot is now being forced to work for the investors. To restore order, the investors have aligned behind heroin baron Asif Afridi and together they have installed a new ruling force in London in the form of brutal gang leader – Koba. His vision for the criminal landscape is a dictatorship, a world in which old school gangster codes don’t exist and in which he holds a complete monopoly over London’s drug trade. But this monopoly can’t last forever. The gangs are fighting back – who will win the battle for the soul of London?

The brand new season of Gangs of London  will see our old favourites and new players fight back against the new order, forcing sworn enemies to work together and family members to betray each other. Full of twists, turns and exhilarating, cinematic action sequences, the series will introduce us to new characters and unexpected leaders will emerge.

Season two will see the return of Ṣọpẹ Dìrísù (Humans), Paapa Essiedu (I May Destroy You), Lucian Msamati (The Good Liar), Michelle Fairley (Game of Thrones), Orli Shuka (EastEnders), Pippa Bennett-Warner (Chloe), Brian Vernel (The Tunnel), Narges Rashidi (The Allegation), Asif Raza (Khalish) and Valene Kane (The Fall) reprising their roles.  

Joining the ensemble cast include Waleed Zuaiter (Baghdad Central, The Spy) as Koba, French rapper Jasmine Armando in her first TV role as Saba, Fady El-Sayed (Baghdad Central, A Private War) as Faz, Salem Kali (Un Prophete, Dealer) as Basem and Aymen Hamdouchi (SAS: Red Notice, Criminal: UK) as Hakim.

The award-winning series is created by Gareth Evans and his creative partner Matt Flannery. Gangs of London is a Pulse Films production in association with SISTER for Sky Studios and AMC.

Executive Producers are Thomas Benski, Jane Featherstone, Tom Butterworth, Corin Hardy, Helen Gregory, Gareth Evans, and Matt Flannery. Series Executive Producer is Hugh Warren. Season 2 is directed by Corin Hardy, Marcela Said and Nima Nourizadeh. The series is written by Tom Butterworth, Lauren Sequeira, Danusia Samal, Rowan Athale, Meg Salter and co-written by Steve Searle.

Gangs of London Season 2 will premiere 20 October, same day as the U.K. and only on Stan.

24Sep

[FILM REVIEW] YOU WON’T BE ALONE Review (2022)

Posted in Film, Film Festivals, Film Genre, Home Page, Horror, Thriller | Leave a comment

Summary:  In an isolated mountain village in 19th century Macedonia, a young girl is kidnapped and then transformed into a witch by an ancient spirit.

Year: 2022

Cinema Release Dates:  22nd September 2022 (Australia), 1st April 2022 (USA)

VOD Release Dates: TBA

Country: UK, Serbia, Australia

Director: Goran Stolevski

Screenwriter: Goran Stolevski

Cast: Leontina Bainovic (Nevena/Young), Amini Cishugi (Self), Carlotta Cotta (Boris), Arta Dobroshi (Stamena), Alice Englert (Biliana), Djorde Zivadinovic Grgur (Stoyan/Young), Anastasija Karanovich (Biliana/Young), Sara Kilmoska (Nevena), Anamaria Marinca (Maria/Wolf-Eatress), Felix Maritaud (Yovan), Djordje Misina (Miroslav), Marija Opsenica (Ur-witch), Milos Pantic (Dusan), Noomi Rapace (Bosilka/mother), Nikola Ristanovski (Milan), Irena Ristic (Elica), Danilo Savic (Yovan/Young), Komka Tocinovski (Yoana), Teodor Vincic (Vladimir), Mladen Vukovic (Stoyan)

Running Time: 108 mins

Classification: MA15+ (Australia), 15 (UK), R (USA)

OUR YOU WON’T BE ALONE REVIEWS

David Griffiths’ You Won’t Be Alone Review:

Dave’s rating Out Of 5

Kyle McGrath’s You Won’t Be Alone Review:

You Won’t be Alone is a fantasy horror film set in the 19th century and inspired by Macedonian folklore. It tells the tale of mute 16 year old Nevena (Sara Kilmoska) who’s mother has hidden her away in a cave since birth attempting to keep her safe from the evil shape shifting witch Old-Maid Maria (Anamaria Marinca). Inevitably the witch succeeds in capturing & transforming the girl into her protégée although frustrated by Nevena’s naivety & lack of malice quickly abandons her to wander the world alone. Completely isolated her entire life Nevena understands nothing of society or nature and after accidentally killing a nearby villager (Noomi Rapace) Nevena begins her new life as a skin walker taking the form of different people man or woman, adult or child experiencing a range of lifestyles as she attempts to understand this world. Always in the shadows Maria, bitter and twisted watches over her certain that Nevena will live a life as painful as her own.

A very peculiar and at times hard to watch film I first became interested due to the involvement of Noomi Rapace as executive producer as I’ve enjoyed many of the other weird and exciting films she has been involved with. Also a somewhat Australian film, it is shot entirely in Serbia in a Macedonian dialect but with post production provided by Film Victoria.

Macedonian Australian Writers/Director Goran Stolevski has traced myths and legends from his family’s homeland to create something familiar although with a fresh take which is not seen often on the big screen. European fairytales of evil witches and curses have been so watered down by Hollywood and made safe for children I appreciate when movies, books or video games get back to the nitty gritty and remember that these stories are actually supposed to terrify at times.

The decision to feature mostly in-camera and physical special effects is a wise one which pays off. With brutal gore, body horror and make-up effects throughout the only times I feel the effects hold the film back are those few instances where CGI was actually used. The results of which whether due to budgetary constraints or not appear out of place and inconguent with the natural flow the rest of the production has. I hate to say but the one time we see a transformation happening before our eyes it looks like something from the a late 1990s Nickelodeon kid’s show.

I can’t say enough good things about the beautiful scenery throughout this movie. A wider aspect ratio or at least transitioning to one later in the film, although gimmicky I think would have been beneficial as much is made of the world opening up to Nevena when she is finally freed from her protective confinement. The Serbian landscape provides at times both a picturesque yet haunting backdrop for this tale.

With multiple actors of varying ages and genders playing the same character this is a tall order for the cast with Rapace playing a much smaller role than one might think. She does however do the lion’s share as she plays ‘Nevena’ at her most curious at human interaction and social norms. Having never even had contact with another person save for her deceitful mother and the evil witch Rapace as Nevena delivers a heartbreaking and at times surprisingly amusing performance.

Not to be outdone the rest of the actors and actresses portraying Nevena do an amazing job at playing her at different points of her awakening and understanding of the world. Kilmoska who plays her at the beginning of the film and again several times throughout has the most screentime but everybody involved makes the role their own.

The overall standout of the film is Anamaria Marinca’s ‘Old Maid’ Maria. Between her performance and how Maria is written as a character this makes for one of the most interesting depictions of a witch I’ve seen in a movie. Although much screen time passes without her she is always in the back of your mind and you know she is watching.

Much like 2020’s Gretel & Hansel, You Won’t Be Alone is a twisted fairy tale showcasing the clash between two witches on opposite sides of the spectrum of morality however here I think much more is said about the very nature of the world, our roles within it and where we go from there. I honestly was not expecting to have moments of introspection while watching a supernatural fantasy film inspired by Macedonian folklore but Goran Stolevski has crafted a facinating movie which I highly recommend.

Average Subculture rating Out Of 5

Other Subculture You Won’t Be Alone Reviews:

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23Sep

[FILM NEWS] KNOCK AT THE CABIN Trailer Released

Posted in Film, Film Genre, Film News, Home Page, Horror, News, Sci-Fi / Fantasy, Thriller | Leave a comment

While vacationing at a remote cabin, a young girl and her parents are taken hostage by four armed strangers who demand that the family make an unthinkable choice to avert the apocalypse. With limited access to the outside world, the family must decide what they believe before all is lost.

From visionary filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan, Knock at the Cabin stars Dave Bautista (Dune, Guardians of the Galaxy franchise), Tony award and Emmy nominee Jonathan Groff (Hamilton, Mindhunter), Ben Aldridge (Pennyworth, Fleabag), BAFTA nominee Nikki Amuka-Bird (Persuasion, Old), newcomer Kristen Cui, Abby Quinn (Little Women, Landline) and Rupert Grint (Servant, Harry Potter franchise).

Universal Pictures presents a Blinding Edge Pictures production, in association with FilmNation Features and Wishmore Entertainment, an M. Night Shyamalan film. The screenplay is by M. Night Shyamalan and Steve Desmond & Michael Sherman based on the national bestseller The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay. The film is directed by M. Night Shyamalan and produced by M. Night Shyamalan, Marc Bienstock (Split, Glass) and Ashwin Rajan (Servant, Glass). The executive producers are Steven Schneider, Christos V. Konstantakopoulos and Ashley Fox.

19Sep

[FILM NEWS] HUNT To Get Australian Cinema Release

Posted in Crime, Film, Film Genre, Film News, Home Page, News, Thriller | Leave a comment

MONSTER PICTURES in pleased to reveal both the Poster Artwork and list of Australian Cinemas that HUNT will open in from September 22.

Lee Jung-jae made history earlier this week for becoming the first actor of Asian ethnicity to win an Emmy award for Best Male Actor in a Drama, for his role as Seong Gi-hun in the hit Netflix series SQUID GAME. 

In addition to starring, Jung-Jae also makes his directorial debut with HUNT and it has already proven a box office juggernaut, taking over $45 million at the Korean box office to date, earning more than BULLET TRAIN and NOPE combined in the territory.

After a high-ranking North Korean official requests asylum, KCIA Foreign Unit Chief Park Pyong-ho (Jung-jae) and Domestic Unit Chief Kim Jung-do (Jung Woo-sung, STEEL RAIN) are tasked with uncovering a North Korean spy, known as Donglim, who is deeply embedded within their agency.

When the spy begins leaking top secret intel that could jeopardize national security, the two units are each assigned to investigate each other. In this tense situation where if they cannot find the mole, they may be accused themselves, Pyong-ho and Jung-do slowly start to uncover the truth. In the end, they must deal with an unthinkable plot to assassinate the South Korean president.