Phil's Halloween Horrors Marathon, Day 8: Phil reviews DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK (2009) DVD from IFC Films-October 8, 2012

Original DVD Cover (2012)

DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK
Starring: Jen Soska, Slyvia Soska, Rikki Gagne, C.J. Wallis, Tasha Moth, Lloyd Bateman, and Farley M. Gagne
Written, Produced, and Directed by The Soska Sisters
A Twisted Twins Productions
Released by IFC Films

Welcome to Day Eight of my Halloween Horrors Marathon! When you think about countries that have contributed to the horror and exploitation genre, majority of the time Canada has either been overlooked or forgotten. The films that our neighbors to the north have made are now considered to be classics among fans. Films like 1974's BLACK CHRISTMAS, 1981's MY BLOODY VALENTINE and HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME (and recent additions like HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN and FATHER'S DAY) have been regarded as influential films that have inspired countless aspiring movie makers. Enter the Soska twins, Jen and Sylvia, who on a shoestring budget of just $2,500 have added another title to this illustrious list of Canadian films. The end result is that their debut film DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK is a modern day exploitation classic that lives up to the high standards set forth by its cinematic predecessors.

Taking place in the beautiful city of Vancouver, the film follows four individuals: Badass (Sylvia), her twin sister Geek (Jen), Badass' rock star friend Junckie (Rikki Gagne) and Geek's Bible thumping, Jesus loving friend Goody Two-Shoes (C.J. Wallis). The day starts off when Geek asks her sister Badass and Junkie to take her to pick up Goody from Youth Group. After they pick him up, their normal day of doing errands becomes more complicated when they discover a dead hooker in their trunk. This spirals into a journey of them trying to dispose of the body and figure out whether of not Badass and Junkie were responsible for killing the hooker. To make matters worse, the hooker's cowboy hat wearing pimp is hot on their trail as well as a mysterious hooded psychopathic killer who may hold the answers that the four friends are searching for.

Original Movie Poster (2011)

The film is filled with eccentric and over-the-top characters, a lot of violence consisting of hooker beatings, gun shootings, Junkie's arm being chopped off, then sewn on only to be torn off by a passing semi truck, brains being blown out, and a baseball bashing that knocks out Geek's right eye. So right there you know you're going to have fun watching this! And this was just the tip of the iceberg folks! Needless to say there's more but I want you readers to be surprised.

The Soska do their best to entertain you by giving you snappy and colorful dialogue, a good amount of Tarentino-esque violence, great FX and buckets of blood and gore that would make Troma fans gush with joy. Now some might complain about the shakiness of the camera. At first I was put off by this, but after viewing it a couple of more times I didn't even noticed it anymore. I was too involved in watching the hilarity and madness unfold before my eyes. My attention was focused on these characters and their nightmare situations they find themselves in. Plus in the world of independent filmmaking, the main thing is this: you make your film and you make it on the cheap. Half the time you can only get one take and that's it. A lot of the time you are shooting on the fly and forget about getting permits. Like the great Roger Corman said, "Just go out there and shoot!" So the Soska sisters are to be commended to their commitment of their vision and getting their film made.

The film is released by IFC Films as part of their midnight series. The special features include deleted and alternate scenes, a funny and interesting behind the scenes feature, an interview with filmmaker/EL MARIACHI star Carlos Gallardo who talks about indie filmmaking with the Soska twins. He briefly talks about his indie film SINGLE ACTION, which was shot on 16mm film for only $11,000, The interview is very brief and it would have been interesting to see more of this, but still it's very cool to see. There's also the film's theatrical trailer as well as several trailers for upcoming IFC Films releases, including the infamous THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE II: FULL SEQUENCE.

DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK is a fun-thrilled, gore soaked, feel-good exploitation ride of the year! The film also shows that Canada has more to offer than just hockey, beer, and Rush. The spirit of independent filmmaking is going strong there and it also shows that we will be seeing more of the Soska sisters in the very near future (their next film is the highly anticipated AMERICAN MARY). So if you're looking for a fun midnight movie to watch, then this is right up your alley. 5 out of 5 stars! Highly recommended!

DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK is currently available at your local retailer as well as at Jen and Sylvia's Twisted Twins Productions website. To purchase a copy visit www.deadhookerinatrunk.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the sreaming!

Phil sees YOUR SISTER'S SISTER at the Camera 7 Pruneyard Campbell-July 4, 2012

The second film I saw on the Fourth of July at the Camera 7 was the new IFC Films comedy/drama YOUR SISTER'S SISTER. The film starred Emily Blunt, Rosemarie DeWitt and Mark Duplass and it was written and directed by Lynn Shelton.

It's been a year since Jack's (Duplass) brother passed away. To help him get over his loss and to find himself again, his best friend Iris (Blunt) sends him off to her father's cabin in the woods Upon his arrival at the cabin he meets Hannah (DeWitt), Iris' vegan, lesbian half-sister, who just broke up with her girlfriend of seven years and was looking for some time alone. The two share their problems over a bottle of tequila, and before you know it, the two wind up sleeping with one another. But when Iris shows up the next morning, both Jack and Hannah try to hide this secret from her, fearing it would ruin their friendship. However Iris is hiding a secret of her own as well.

The film is a character driven film that really exams a wide array of human emotions; from grief and loss to love and rebirth. Blunt is wonderful in the film; sweet, kind, vulnerable when she bears her heart to her sister Hannah, which by the way, DeWitt nails her character perfectly. Duplass' Jack is somewhat of a whiny individual, and I didn't really like him at the start of the film, which we're supposed to do. As the movie progresses, so does Jack, as he becomes the adult that he's supposed to be. All three actors play off splendidly with one another, which gave the film that sense of realism, like we know these people as if they were our friends.

Shelton crafted a fine script and looks like she gave her actors some space for improvisation, which gives the film that indie charm that I love so very much. It was a well paced film, shot with mostly hand held cameras, while some with a steady camera, like the shots of the beautiful cabin surrounded by the woods an the nearby lake. Within this tranquil scenery, there is this house that's filled with raw emotions that engulfs our characters to the point of self destruction.

YOUR SISTER'S SISTER is a wonderful, emotionally thoughtful film that demands your attention. With Hollywood beating us over with their summer blockbusters, here is a small and engaging indie film that really gives you what you need: a solid story, great acting, and superb directing. Four out of five stars!

YOUR SISTER'S SISTER is currently playing in theaters nationwide, including at the Camera Cinemas here in the Bay Area. To view showtimes, visit their website at http://www.cameracinemas.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil's Horror Watch, Day 28: Phil watches THE HUMAN CENTERPIEDE (FIRST SEQUENCE) (2009)-October

Welcome back to Day 28 of my horror movie marathon! Tonight's movie is one of the most disturbing horror films ever. A film that shocked audiences and critics alike upon its original release. With the release of the sequel hitting theaters this weekend, I thought it would appropriate to view THE HUMAN CENTERPIEDE (FIRST SEQUENCE) for tonight's choice.

Theatrical Movie Poster (2010)

A gifted but mad scientist named Dr. Heiter (Dieter Laser) kidnaps a trio of tourists: best friends Lindsay and Jenny (Ashley C. Williams and Ashlynn Yennie respectively) and a man named Katsuro (Akihiro Kitamura). In his secret lab in the basement of his home, he performs an inhuman experiment of stitching their mouths to their rectums, thus creating a "human centipede."

OK, this is a hard film to watch. Just the sheer thought of stitching someone's mouth to another person's anus is grotesque and shocking. Director Tom Six pushes the envelope with the film, and dares go to places that other filmmakers never thought of or dreamed of.

The film played on the festival circuit in 2009, including the London FrightFest Film Festival, Sitges Film Festival, and the Screamfest Horror Film Festival. It opened in New York the following year and soon was had a limited theatrical release thanks to its distributor IFC Films.

OK this is all I'm gonna say about THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE. This one of those films that has to be seen to believe. So if you are brave enough to see this film, prepare to have you vomit bag handy!

THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE (FIRST SEQUENCE) is currently available on Blu-Ray and DVD from IFC Films. To purchase a copy, visit your local retailer or visit the IFC website at www.ifcfilms.com

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil sees SUPER, YOUR HIGHNESS and HANNA at the Camera 12-April 15, 2011

Last weekend I fell extremely ill, and I stayed home in hopes that I would feel better by the end of the week. Luckily I made a complete recovery, and to celebrate, I decided to go on a film binge. I returned to the Camera 12 in downtown San Jose to see not one, not two, but three movies! That's right, three movies!! So strap yourselves in folks, and away we go!

The first film I saw was the new IFC film entitled SUPER, directed by the talented writer/director James Gunn. The film stars Rainn Wilson as Frank D'Arbo, a sad, pathetic loser who's only gleaming joy in life is his adorable wife Sarah, portrayed by Liv Tyler. But when Sarah falls for sleazy drug lord Jacques (Kevin Bacon), grief stricken Frank transforms himself into the Crimson Bolt, whose heroic antics are best left to be seen. However, he realizes that to save his captive wife, he needs a lot more training. Enter Ellen Page as comic book geek Libby, who befriends Frank and later becomes his trusted sidekick Boltie. Together they fight crime, injustice, and wreck havoc on the Jacques' henchmen, as they inform him that he's next on the Crimson Bolt's list.

James Gunn first made a name for himself as a screenwriter for the film TROMEO & JUIET, which was distributed by the world's oldest independent movie studio Troma, and directed by its president and founder Lloyd Kaufman. Later he made several film appearances in other Troma classics such as TOXIC AVENGER PART IV. His 2006 horror film SLITHER garnered him even more acclaim. With this film, Gunn returns to his indie roots, by combining dark humor, gore, and social commentary that made TROMEO & JULIET such a cult classic.

While many will say that Gunn's film is patterned after the 2010 film KICK ASS, that statement couldn't be farther from the truth. In fact, SUPER is a lot darker, more edgier, and quite frankly, more realistic. The film is so set in the real world, and the reality is that if some regular average joe was pushed to his limits, this might be the end result. It's quite possible that one day we might turn on the news and we see a report on a local superhero fighting crime. However, Gunn's film takes that idea and tweaks it to the Nth degree. Saturated with grotesque language, religious metaphors, superhero sex (yes, you read that right), and over-the-top violence, SUPER has all the makings of a cult classic, one that could live on at midnight shows. A fantastic film that will live forever in infamy.

The second film I saw was director David Gordon Green's new comedy YOUR HIGHNESS. The film stars Danny McBride and James Franco as brothers Thadeous and Fabious, who couldn't be any more different from one another. Fabious is the king's favorite son, a brave knight who is about marry the beautiful Belladonna (the sultry Zooey Deschanel). Thadeous, on the other hand, is happy being a sloth, whose only purpose in life is to get drunk, get high, and to fornicate with the maidens in his father's kingdom. But when Fabious' bride is captured by the evil wizard Leezar (Justin Theroux) the kind orders Thadeous to accompany his brother on his quest to rescue his love. Along the way the two princes meet the mysterious and enchanting Isabel (portrayed by the beautiful Natalie Portman). Eventually, the three warriors join forces to destroy Leezar before he can unleash a dragon that could consume the entire land.

While the film is somewhat funny, I felt that is was forced comedy, meaning that the jokes were really being shoved down your throat. Granted it has the hallmarks to become a great comedy, the film should've been more relaxed and the jokes come off more naturally. It was joke after joke after joke that often times really missed its mark. Sometimes the joke would come so fast before I knew it, the next joke came and went just like that. Too often does this happen in comedies.

While it was wonderful to see Deschanel's cleavage and Portman's assets, I found myself being annoyed with simple fact that Green was trying to hard to make the film funny. What's even more bewildering is that this is the same director who made such amazing films as 2000's GEORGE WASHINGTON, 2004's UNDERTOW, and my personal favorite 2003's ALL THE REAL GIRLS, which also starred Deschanel. One has to wonder if Green will ever go back to doing really interesting, thought provoking films later on down the road. With only a handful of chuckles, YOUR HIGHNESS fails to tickle your funny bone. Best to skip it and wait for it to come out on Netflix.

The third and final film I saw was HANNA, the new film from director Joe Wright (PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, ATONEMENT). Hanna (played by Saoirse Ronan) is a teenage girl who lives in the wilds of Finland with her ex-CIA agent father Erik (Eric Bana). But Hanna is not your typical teenage girls, and Eric knows this. Being trained to become a perfect, lethal assassin, Hanna is set out into the world, a world she knows nothing about, on a special mission. While exploring her new surroundings, she is being stalked by the equally dangerous intelligence operative agent Marissa (Cate Blanchett). Soon Hanna's world becomes a deadly game of cat and mouse, as she tries to solve the mystery of her true identity and the realization of her existence.

Both Blanchett and Bana's acting are absolutely brilliant. Both create characters that leap off the screen. But it is the breakout performance of Ronan that anchors the film. Ronan's portrayal as Hana is just riveting, one that will no doubt garner her an Academy nomination for next year's awards show.

Of course, one cannot overstate Wright's directing, which is superb and flawless. He deserves high praise for his directing, along with Seth Lochhead and David Farr's screenplay, which gives Ronan and Blanchett the chance to really perform with such conviction and believability. Also cinematographer Alwin H. Kuchler and editor Paul Tothill deserve recognition as well. An extraordinary film that will leave you talking about it long after the final credits roll.

Overall it was a great night for me. I saw some amazing films, and it got me wanting to see more. So keep your eyes peeled here, because I'll be seeing a lot more films this weekend!!

SUPER, YOUR HIGHNESS, and HANNA are now playing nationwide, including at the Camera Cinemas. To see showtimes visit http://www.cameracinemas.com/index.shtml

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!