REVIEW: “Nocebo” (2022)

November 2, 2022 by Keith Garlington

In “Nocebo”, Eva Green plays a fashion designer who’s suffering from a unexplained illness. She’s seen several doctors and has been prescribed numerous medications, but nothing has seemed to help. Her husband (played by Mark Strong) is growing impatient which has put a strain on their marriage. But when a mysterious woman shows up at their door, the story moves from a family drama to something darker and far more twisted.

That might be the basic setup for the movie, but “Nocebo” has quite a bit going on under its surface. It’s a creepy and sometimes gnarly psychological horror film. Yet at times it plays like a socio-political thriller, especially in its sly digs at class, greed, entitlement, and corporate oppression. Director Lorcan Finnegan finds room in his film for both genre and commentary. And while I’m still not sure how well all of the pieces connect, Finnegan, along with screenwriter Garret Shanley, craft something that’s both entertaining and surprisingly thought-provoking.

Christine (Green) has enjoyed a successful career designing children’s clothing. She lives in a posh home in an upscale neighborhood with her marketing strategist husband, Felix (Strong). Their daughter Bobs (Billie Gadsdon) attends an expensive private school. Without question it’s a comfortable life of plenty, but that suddenly changes. While presenting her latest clothing line at a fashion show, Christine is jarred by a frightening vision (or is it a vision?). She sees a mangy, milky-eyed dog covered in large clumps of blood-gorged ticks. I won’t spoil the details of this genuinely creepy and deliciously gross scene, but it ends with her snapping back as if from a dream yet with one pretty nasty tick bite on the back of her neck.

Shortly following her ghastly vision, Christine begins suffering from an assortment of symptoms such as headaches, tremors, trouble sleeping, and absentmindedness. Eight months pass and her condition has only worsened, affecting her life at work and at home. But then she’s suddenly surprised when a petite Filipina caregiver named Diana (Chai Fonacier) shows up at her door seemingly unannounced. The mysterious and unassuming woman says Christine hired her and this was to be her first day. Fearing she’s having another memory lapse, Christine invites Diana in and gives her a room upstairs.

So did Christine hire Diana and forget or is there something more sinister going on? That’s a key question and we feel we know the answer pretty early on. But much of the fun comes from watching Finnegan and Shanley carve in the details as they unpack the truth. And the cast gets some good material to work with, especially after Diana arrives. Her creepy yet cryptic presence drives a wedge between Christine and Felix. He quickly grows suspicious of Diana’s strange medicines and folk remedies while Christine slowly grows more dependent on them. Green, Strong, and Fonacier are a proficient trio with each filling in certain pieces of the overall puzzle. Green is especially good, especially in the second half as her character begins to completely unravel.

“Nocebo” earns points for it’s underlying message which comes to the surface through Diana’s interwoven backstory. It’s a well shot and well incorporated addition even if it doesn’t quite pack the final punch it could have. Still, the message in itself is potent and makes us look at the story through a new lens. And while most of the film relies on the audience’s patience, it loses some of that trust in a final act that’s a touch on-the-nose. But none of those things lessen the fun or dull the film’s psychological edge. And Lorcan Finnegan shows himself to be a compelling craftsman, using folk horror (yes, the ticks return) and evocative symbolism to dole out some genuinely unsettling scenes. “Nocebo” opens in select theaters this Friday, November 4th and on VOD November 22nd.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

REVIEW: “Enola Holmes 2” (2022)

November 1, 2022 by Keith Garlington

One of the biggest surprises (and quite frankly one of the biggest treats) of 2020 was the jaunty mystery film “Enola Holmes”. Based on the young adult series of detective novels (that I know practically nothing about), the feature film adaptation sported good direction from Harry Bradbeer, a great script by Jack Thorne, and a terrific supporting cast that included Henry Cavill, Sam Claflin, and Helena Bonham Carter. But it was the magnetic charisma of its star, Millie Bobby Brown that made the film such a delight.

Following the success of its predecessor, Netflix was quick to green-light “Enola Holmes 2”. Brown reprises her titular role, brandishing the same personality and charm. Bradbeer returns to the directing chair with Thorne again handling the screenwriting. Also returning is Cavill as Enola’s brother, the renowned detective Sherlock Holmes, and Carter as her loving renegade mother, Eudoria who’s still on the run (see the previous film) and who has quite the affection for explosives. Several other familiar faces return along the way (but where’s Sam Claflin???).

Following the success of her unofficial first case in the first film, Enola is all set to become a full-time detective. She opens up Enola Holmes Detective Agency, but quickly finds that securing clients isn’t easy for a young lady in her late teens, especially in the patriarchal Victorian England of the 1880s. She also finds herself still living in the shadow of her famous older brother Sherlock. After a long stretch of no cases and no income, Enola is set to call it quits and move back to Ferndell Hall.

But while boxing up her things Enola is surprised by a visitor – a young girl named Bessie (Serrana Su-Ling Bliss) seeking help in finding her missing sister, Sarah (Hannah Dodd). After doing a little investigating, Enola decides to take the case which (to no surprise) turns out to be more than a missing woman. Soon Enola finds herself in a web of greed, corporate corruption, extortion, oppression, and women’s suffrage. And as her case intensifies, she discovers that she doesn’t have to go at it alone. Sometimes everyone can use a little help.

While the first film was all about finding herself, “Enola Holmes 2” is a straight detective story, with Enola following in the footsteps of her famous older brother yet carving her own path and honing her young super-sleuthing skills. She’s still smart, perceptive, and fiercely independent. And she still routinely breaks the fourth wall to offer us some hilarious commentary or sometimes just to get things off her chest. This is where Brown’s performance really shines. Her ability to shuffle between comedy and drama is impressive. And she’s able to retain Enola’s playfulness from the first film while also showing some meaningful growth. Brown fully embodies her character.

While Brown is unquestionably the star, she’s surrounded by an array of wonderful supporting players. Cavill works at just the right temperature and fills his character’s sizable shoes well. He and Brown have a sweet chemistry and share some great scenes together, especially in Sherlock’s Baker Street flat. Louis Partridge remains a nice fit as the geeky yet noble Lord Viscount Tewkesbury. “He’s still a nincompoop,” Enola tells us as she tries to hide her fondness for him. Carter doesn’t show up much but is a lot of fun when she does. And new to the cast is David Thewlis, the film’s snarling heavy.

As happens often in these kinds of movies, some aspects of the mystery are a tad too convenient, as some clues seem to fall right into Enola’s lap. And there’s a significant final act reveal that’s certainly ambitious but not as impactful as it wants to be. Those things aside, it’s hard not to be (once again) swept up in a playfully energetic Enola Holmes adventure. This well-oiled sequel has all the heart and humor of the first film, yet it’s also not afraid to dip its toes into some pretty weighty themes.

“Enola Holmes 2” might not be as light on its feet as its predecessor. But the snappy direction, the smart and witty script, a great supporting cast, and (most importantly) Millie Bobby Brown’s infectious presence make this a more than worthy follow-up. And best of all, it shows there’s plenty of mileage in this series if Netflix chooses to keep it going. So yes, the game is afoot…again. And I am completely onboard for more. “Enola Holmes 2” premieres November 4th on Netflix.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

REVIEW: “Prey for the Devil” (2022)

October 31, 2022 by Keith Garlington

2022 has been a pretty lackluster year for the horror genre. It’s been a year where “big swings” by filmmakers have become more important than good stories or (dare I say it) actual scares. It’s been a year where several old franchise favorites have returned in what amounted to pretty dreadful reboots. Thankfully there have been a few welcomed exceptions such as “Pearl”, “Smile”, “Fresh”, and “Orphan: First Kill”. Otherwise it has been pretty unremarkable.

New to the fold is “Prey for the Devil”, a supernatural horror film from director Daniel Stamm and screenwriter Robert Zappia. Arriving just in time for Halloween, “Prey” doesn’t do much to change the course of the 2022 horror movie year. And while it might grab itself an audience who are hungry for some holiday frights, it’s unlikely to stick with you for very long afterwards. That’s because it plows some very familiar ground, and it doesn’t give us much that we haven’t seen before. Yet it has a few things going for it that helps make it fairly entertaining.

Jacqueline Byers plays Sister Ann, an ambitious young nun with a troubled past who finds herself face-to-face with a malevolent demon that’s had its eye on her since she was a child. Sister Ann grew up in a troubled home with an abusive mother (Konya Ruseva in flashbacks) who was diagnosed with depression and schizophrenia. But Ann loved her mother and was convinced there was something else wrong. That belief and her childhood trauma led her to become a nun where she began learning about possession.

Noting a sudden increase in possessions around the globe, the Vatican decides to reinstitute exorcism training. Sister Ann has an immediate interest, but women are prohibited from performing the rite of exorcism. But she finds an advocate in Father Quinn (a solid Colin Salmon) who admires her eagerness and recognizes her special gifts. He agrees to let her sit in as an observer as he trains a group of young priests. This doesn’t sit well with the stern Sister Euphemia (Lisa Palfrey) or the skeptical psychiatrist Dr. Peters (Virginia Madsen). But Father Quinn sees something in our protagonist.

As expected, their training quickly turns into something much more sinister after Father Quinn and his group of exorcists-to-be encounter a 10-year-old girl named Natalie (Posy Taylor). Her family believes she may be possessed (I suppose sudden scars all over her body, the snarling voice, and ability to climb walls like Spider-man can lead to such suspicions). As the evil spirit starts manifesting itself in more violent ways, Sister Ann begins to suspect it’s the same demon that tormented her late mother. With the help of her friend and fellow trainee Father Dante (Christian Navarro), Sister Ann covertly bends a few church rules to prepare for what’s to come. It leads to an inevitable supernatural showdown that unfortunately fizzles rather than frightens.

Surprisingly, the movie’s strongest moments aren’t the one-on-ones with the demon. Those scenes are pretty by-the-book and come packaged with many of the usual tricks – milky eyes, gnarly body contortions, super-human strength, etc. Instead it’s the more serious-minded procedural aspect of the training, the church politics, the internal discussions over the Vatican’s process of handling “terminal” possession cases. There’s also an interesting consideration of the psychological versus the supernatural. Sure, all of these things could have been explored more. But they add some unique and compelling layers to the story.

There are also things to appreciate about Stamm’s direction, such as his use of silence which leads to some legitimate edge-of-your-seat tension. And there’s a couple of good jump scares that actually don’t feel annoyingly cheap. Stamm also gets some fitting atmosphere from his Sofia, Bulgaria shooting locations. On a sad note, the brilliant Ben Cross who plays Cardinal Matthews passed away only ten days after finishing his scenes. This marks the final feature film for the talented English actor.

Interesting bits aside, “Prey for the Devil” still can’t quite get over the hurdle of familiarity. There’s just too much that feels rehashed from countless other films. And it’s not helped by a rather unsatisfying ending that doesn’t exactly provide the payoff the film needs. It’s a visually dark and murky climax by choice that, rather than adding atmosphere, just makes it tougher to decipher than it needs to be. Together, these frustrations are simply too pronounced, and the movie doesn’t have enough ingenuity of its own to overcome them. “Prey for the Devil” is now showing in theaters.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS

First Glance: “Savage Salvation”

October 28, 2022 by Keith Garlington

Robert De Niro plays a small town sheriff in the upcoming crime/revenge thriller “Savage Salvation”. Peculiar title aside, the story looks to cover a lot of familiar crime movie territory. But interesting casting and some potentially good action may make this a pretty fun and gritty feature. It’s directed by Randall Emmett who’s recently been best known for producing the recent wave of direct-to-VOD Bruce Willis movies. Hopefully “Savage Salvation” has a little more to offer.

The trailer sets the story up like this: a former addict named Shelby (played by Jack Huston) is devastated when his fiancé (Willa Fitzgerald) loses her battle to get clean and dies of a heroin overdose. Furious and seeking revenge, Shelby sets out to pay back the drug dealers who supplied her. With the bodies stacking up, a sympathetic sheriff (De Niro) seeks to help Shelby before he takes things too far. Again, several familiar elements to the story, and some of the action looks a little cheap. But hopefully there’s a good enough to story to make it all worthwhile viewing.

“Savage Salvation” opens December 2nd in select theaters and on VOD. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

REVIEW: “All Quiet on the Western Front” (2022)

October 28, 2022 by Keith Garlington

(CLICK HERE for my full review in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)

Erich Maria Remarque’s 1929 German novel “All Quiet on the Western Front” and Lewis Milestone’s 1930 landmark American film adaptation remain among the most defining anti-war treatments to date. Neither the book or the movie were vague about their ‘war in hell’ message, and both sought to depict it realistically and truthfully.

Now 92 years later we revisit “All Quiet on the Western Front” through the lens of German filmmaker Edward Berger. As far as feature films, this is the first attempt at taking on Remarque’s weighty material since 1930 and (obviously) the first ever German film adaptation. Berger’s epic-scaled polemic brandishes the same scathing anti-war messaging. But he and DP James Friend utilize today’s technology to deliver powerful imagery both on the battlefield and on the faces of the young soldiers sent there.

Much like Remarque’s novel and Milestone’s film, there is nothing patriotic or partisan about Berger’s movie. There are no depictions of glory on the battlefield, and you won’t find a single scene that could be reasonably perceived as propaganda. Rather this is a relentlessly bleak and unflinching account; one that emphasizes the brutality and inhumanity of war, resulting in some of the grittiest and most visceral battle sequences ever put to film. Yet the human cost always remains its focus.

The story begins with a shattering prologue that not only sets the tone, but lays out the film’s message with startling clarity. A young German soldier named Heinrich, not even 20-years-old, stands in a muddy trench with what’s left of his regiment as the call goes out to charge. Terrified, Heinrich musters what courage he can and climbs out of the trench with his fellow soldiers, rushing towards the enemy gunfire. Bullets scream by, artillery rounds gash the earth, gnarled bodies cover the battlefield.

After cutting to the title card, the film comes back to show a lifeless Heinrich laying in a truck full of dead soldiers. We watch as the uniforms are stripped from the corpses and sent off to be washed and mended. They’re then given to the next batch of starry-eyed recruits who proudly celebrate their fresh ‘new’ duds. It’s a heart-wrenching sequence of events filmed and edited with such brutal authenticity. It gives the audience a good sense of what they’re in for.

Among the new recruits is Paul Bäumer (Felix Kammerer) who lies about his age in order to join his military bound childhood chums Albert (Aaron Hilmer), Franz (Moritz Klaus), and Ludwig (Adrian Grunewald). The four friends join a room full of other elated young man who have all been sold the same lie. A German officer rouses them with promises of fabled glory, but it’s nothing more than a devious sales pitch. There’s no glory awaiting them on the frontlines. We understand that. It won’t be long before the boys understand it too.

But all we can do is watch as this company of new troops – giddy and naïve – joyously sing as they march towards hell, oblivious to what truly awaits them on the Western Front. But once they step foot in the muddy and blood-soaked trenches and peer cross the ravaged wasteland, every romanticized notion of war crumbles. Berger wastes no time shattering their illusion, immediately thrusting the four friends (and us) into the savagery of World War I combat. Cutting no corners and sparing no details, Berger and Friend not only visualize the horror, but they make us feel a part of it. One especially intense and magnificently captured battle scene was more terrifying than anything I’ve seen from the horror genre all year.

The bulk of the film is shown through Paul’s eyes and plays like a coming-of-age tragedy. Kammerer’s sublime performance is key, channeling Paul’s descent from wide-eyed and enthusiastic to scared and shell-shocked to cold and deadened. Along the way we’re given some much-needed breathers as Berger pulls Paul away from the frontline, allowing him and his buddies to develop their friendships. He has especially good camaraderie with Kat (an excellent Albrecht Schuch), a seasoned older soldier who he first meets in the trenches.

Berger also spends time highlighting the vivid contrast between those orchestrating the war and those fighting it. French and German decision-makers debate and barter in the comforts of lush country estates and elegant train cars. Meanwhile young men die horrific deaths at a sickening pace. Working towards peace was real-life German official Matthias Erzberger (the always solid Daniel Bruhl) who’s tasked with negotiating a surrender that would appease the prideful Prussian generals and allow Germany to bow out with its dignity. Of course history tells us France’s desire to humiliate its enemy set the table for Adolph Hitler and World War II.

With “All Quiet on the Western Front”, Edward Berger hasn’t just remade an old classic. He’s given us an eye-opening anti-war treatise that speaks to both history and modern day. He’s also made one of best movies of the year. The craftsmanship alone is outstanding. But then you add the deeper themes which culminate in a final shot underscoring the war’s heart-breaking cycle of death. It makes for an experience that can be hard to endure and even harder to shake. But those aren’t bad things. Especially with a movie and a message this potent. “All Quiet on the Western Front” premieres today on Netflix.

VERDICT – 5 STARS

First Glance: “Plane” (2022)

October 27, 2022 by Keith Garlington

Let me be honest. There’s nothing about the new trailer for the upcoming flick “Plane” that will have any critic rethinking their awards season ballots. Yet I have to admit, I really get a kick out of these wacky (and sometimes undeniably bad) action romps. And sometimes a little disposable nonsense is all I really need from a movie. Gerard Butler has certainly provided plenty of that in recent years. But to be fair, he does occasionally surprise us with an unexpectedly good movie. That considered, it’s hard to tell where “Plane” will land (see what I did there?).

Make no mistake, the generically titled “Plane” looks absolutely absurd. In it Butler plays a commercial pilot named (and this is such a Gerry Butler movie name) Brodie Torrance. When his plane is damaged during a severe storm, he’s forced to do an emergency landing. The problem is he lands in a territory full of hostile militants who take his passengers hostage. With the help of a federal prisoner (Mike Colter), put on his plane for extradition, Brodie sets out to rescue the passengers as only Gerry Butler can. Silly beyond measure but potentially fun….maybe?

“Plane” hits theaters January 27th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.