Recently in Mystery Category

Directed by Robbie Bryan Starring Terri Colombino, Frank Grillo, Gabrielle Anwar, Tony Todd, Billy Dee Williams, William Forsythe, Margaret Colin, Charles Durning, Joanne Baron, Brooke Lewis, Miranda Kwok. Suspense/Mystery. Synopsis: A killer is systematically targeting members of a web chat room who seem to have no other connection to one another.

When you look at the cast in this one, you probably have a hard time believing its a smaller budget production, but it is, and that is not to criticize it in anyway. Frankly, the more I look at film the more I become convinced that a lot of the best stories on film come from the indie (by definition "small budget") film world. And, in terms of acting, you could not ask for more talent on a smaller film and the story is interesting as well.

What keeps iMurders from being the excellent film I feel it could have been is a slightly choppy script, a couple of underdeveloped characters/back story, and a couple of holes in a far fetched plot.

The story begins with a woman who catchers her husband in the middle of adulterous activity and what then seems to be (we hear it but don't see it) a murder. Then we skip forward about one year and the plot centers around a group of people who are either a member or close to someone who is an active member of a chat room on "facespace", an internet social networking group. (Some might think the combination of the names from the two most popular real life social networks is cheesy, but I kind of got a kick out of it).

We've got a cast of characters worthy of a fairly distinguished ensemble cast: the young professional woman who is new in her New Jersey town and kind of vague about her recent past (Terri Colombino); the eligible bachelor in her new complex who is an ex-cop (Frank Grillo); the nosy temporary landlord (Joanne Baron); on the other side of the country in northern CA we have the philandering college professor (William Forsythe The Devil's Rejects) , his wife who does not seem to have any clue (Margaret Colin Independence Day) ; in New York we have the slick talking personal injury lawyer (Billy Dee Williams Undercover Brother)  and his disfigured former model client (Gabriel Anwar) and in Boston an intense woman (Miranda Kwok) looking to avenge the death of her lover who relates her feelings to her shrink (Charles Durning Dog Day Afternoon)

Sound kind of far flung? Well, it is and it makes some of the story kind of hard to follow and when you figure it out, a little hard to buy. Anyway, like I said, these folks are connected by their participation in the chat room and one by one, someone is getting whacked. The problem is, these folks don't really know one another and aren't even sure that their fellow chat buddies are really being killed. Couldn't it all just be a part of the 'game'? Luckily enough, into the breach comes the FBI with two agents hot on the trail (Tony Todd Murder Set Pieces and Brooke Lewis). For a little added spice the female FBI agent is the sister of our ex-cop and, they both have a connection to the attorney who (big surprise!!!) turns out to be a slimeball.

I will say that it will likely be obvious to most who watch this who the killer is fairly early in the story. The problem is that experienced fans of this genre will spot the red herrings early on and, even if not, the red herrings are removed from the equation too soon. I'm not one who says a mystery flick where the mystery is a little obvious necessarily ruins the film, because I'm not sure that it does. However, I do have to say that I thought some of the characters and their back story(ies) were not developed very well. My opinion is that the film bites off more than it can chew with the number of characters we're supposed to get to know. In fairness, I think this was done to give us more suspects but it didn't necessarily work, we know full well the killer is one of a couple of people.

Also, I think most of you who watch would probably agree that a couple of characters and their side stories were unnecessary for the film. Specifically, I think the film would have been stronger without Billy Dee Williams and William Forsythe's characters. They both did well, Billy Dee is as cool as ever and I got a kick out of seeing William Forsythe in a different type of role for him as the pony tailed professor who sees himself as Lothario. I can certainly understand the desire to get these two actors some screen time, but I think it took from the primary story.

The dialogue is kind of choppy and "dorky" at times, plus some of the situations are just hard to buy, especially Brooke Lewis as an FBI agent and the choreography of the gun play near the end.

I think my main shout outs in terms of the acting have to go to Todd and Baron. Todd just nails it as the hulking FBI guy and Baron had the most depth of any character as well as the most interesting dialogue.

Like I said, there is no pretending you're not watching a small film when you see some of the set dressings and locations. The story and cast could have been enough to make this one a home run but it doesn't happen, primarily I think because of the script which was awkward due to all the different layers it tried to deal with.

But, by all means, don't steer clear of this one at all. Its good enough that you will be talking about it when its done no matter what you think of the ending, and when you get right down to it with suspense/mystery, that is all you can expect from the flick.

Directed by: Ray Gower. Starring: Thora Birch, Toby Stephens, Christien Anholt, Joanna Hole, Michael Reynolds, Lorraine Bruce. Synopsis: A troubled woman in a loving marriage lives her life with an alter ego in a dark, sinister looking world she sees only in her dreams. But, which is really her, and what do the dreams and the menancing people stalking her really mean? Horror/Mystery/Gore

O.k. All right. O.k. I'm ready....now I'm really ready to talk about this creep and disturbing flick.(Creepy and disturbing are compliments, because that is what the filmaker wanted to achieve) Why the hesitation, you might ask? Well, its because its very hard to talk about this flick...because its hard to describe...because I-and I think most who watch it-are not entirely sure what the hell is going on or, more importantly, what its all supposed to mean.

Now, lest you get the wrong idea, I want to state very clearly right up front: I really liked the movie.

Some of the more skeptical of you out there might be wondering just what kind of game I'm trying to run here, on the one hand telling you I'm not entirely sure about what the movie is trying to say and on the other telling you I really liked it.

You've got a point.

But, its true and I would encourage any movie buff who likes movies that make you think to make a concerted effort to see this one. If you're a fan of Thora Birch (Winter of Frozen Dreams) its a no brainer, she is excellent in her dual role as Karen Clarke/Susan Hamilton.

Here is the deal: Susan (Birch as a blonde) is a happily married woman who is struggling to get pregnant, but madly in love with her caring and supportive hubby (Christien Anholt). She has a good and fun friend at work (Joanna Hole) and a distinguished looking doctor (Michael Reynolds) who is guiding her through the pregnancy adventure. The thing is, she has these dark and disturbing dreams where a woman named Karen Clark (Birch as a brunette) works as an undertaker's assistant, lives in a low rent and borderline filthy apartment in a sinister looking and dark city with frightening citizens. On top of that, she is being stalked by a hooded figure who just might be demonic.

O.k, here is the thing...the way movie is shot, its not entirely certain that Susan's world is the reality. There is equal time given to both worlds and, as the film goes on, more of the creepiness of Karen's world comes into Susan's, not to mention some of the characters as well. The plot and flow are somewhat uneven, but that is something that might not bother some viewers, although it will definitely lessen the enjoyment for others. As for yours truly, I did not mind the chppiness of the story because I think it was intentional, which is different, in my view, than when uneven flow comes from poor directing or editing.

The story is rich in imagery and allegory, and I can't help but think that the issue of childbirth, which visits both characters, is the primary underlying theme of the flick. I put this in the gore category not because the gore is excessive-its not-but because it goes for the gusto when it does go the 'gore' route. Suffice it to say cutting a fetus from the womb and a cadaver coming to life and bleeding through his stitches. Yep, that's what I said. The amount of gore will make fans who consider Saw the Holy Grail yawn, but Dark Corners contains more than a couple of scenes not for the faint of heart.

 

My biggest criticism of this flick is that it didn't give us quite enough. Yes, like many of you, I like films that make you think. Yes, I like ambiguous stories because life itself is ambiguous. But, we needed just a little more from the story to-there is no other way to put it-form our own opinion of just what the hell is going on and to know what the film is trying to say.

 

I will say this, however. If you watch Dark Corners with a friend, I will be willingly to bet that you and she/he will come away with different opinions of what the underlying message or ultimate plot point was. On the other hand, maybe I'm just not sharp enough to have figured it out, which would be only thing number 568,762 in my time I'm not bright enough to fully understand.

 

So, watch the movie and feel free to tell me what I missed.   

Directed by Simon West. Starring: John Travolta, Madeline Stowe, Timothy Hutton, James Woods, Clarence Williams III, James Cromwell, Leslie Stefanson, Daniel Van Bargen. Drama/MIlitary Synopsis: A warrant officer who works for the Army's Criminal Investigation Division becomes involved in a murder case where the victim is a lieutenant on the base who is the daughter of the general who runs the base and is a potential vice presidential candidate.

One of the better movies of John Travolta (The Taking Of Pelham 123), which is saying something. In The General's Daughter, he plays Paul Brenner, a warrant officer working undercover an an enlisted man on an Army base who comes across a stunning Captain (Leslie Stefanson The Hunted)  who helps him change his flat tire. No big deal at the time, but it later becomes huge when there is a murder on the base and she is the victim. Not only that, but she is the daughter of the highest ranking officer on the base and a general (James Cronwell Salem's Lot ) who is on the vice presidential short list.  

What follows next is an intricate murder mystery with several interesting characters, such as the Captain's friend, a Colonel (James Woods Contact)  who clearly knows more than he is telling; and another Colonel (Clarence Williams III Blue Hill Avenue) who is close to the General and who seems to have something to hide. The plot also thickens when it becomes apparent that the Captain, in addition to being the General's daughter, also served as the base dominatrix, with several of the General's staff, as well as others, as her paramours.

Additionally, the Captain has a history at West Point which just might figure into her murder. To make it even more interesting for Brenner, and old flame of his, Sara Sunhill (Madeline Stowe) has been assigned to the case along side Brenner and he is also working close with another old friend, Colonel Bill Kent (Timothy Hutton Last Holiday) on the case.

This is a a very interesting flick that is very well directed with excellent acting. There is a twist at the end, though I don't know is one most could see coming, when it revealed who the killer really is.

Like I said, I think its one of Travolta's best, and noted supporting actors Cronwell and Williams do extremely compelling work with their larger roles as well. I liked the chemistry between Travolta and Stowe as to the romantic angle, and it, thankfully, did not detract from the story but added to it. Woods and Hutton are very good, just like always.

To me, I've only seen Travlolta better in Pulp Fiction, but that is just my opinion.  

Directed by M. Night Shyamalan. Starring: Bryce Howard, Joaquin Phoenix, William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver, Adrien Brody, Brendan Gleeson, Cherry Jones. Suspense/Mystery. Synopsis: A small village of people living in the woods have an uneasy peace with some mysterious creatures who inhabit the woods just outside of the village but fear that the curiousity of one of the younger members of the village to stray outside the village limits might break that truce.

The first thing about The Village, as those you who have seen it will likely agree, is that it is inappropriately marketed and those of you looking to pick it up will likely find it listed in your video or online store as "horror" and, its simply not. Do not let the trailers fool you, either, this is not about monsters and horror, its about the limits of the human mind and psyche, in my opinion, also the extent to which fear is used to ease or avoid pain.

For those who have not seen the film, that first paragraph might seem kind of stuff, maybe even a little highbrow. I assure you its not intended to be. This is a Shyamalan film, so you know there is some kind of twist coming at the end, as it surely does in The Village, so I don't want to delve much deeper into what I think this film is ultimately about because I don't think I could do so without giving away the ending. But, I will say this...I think most people will see it coming, there are clues throughout, both in the dialogue of the characters and cinematically.

Our group of characters live in a close knit village in a rural area during what appears to be the latter nineteenth century. Pretty much, it seems to be fairly wholesome and uncomplicated living. But, there is just one thing: there are strict rules against venturing past the boundaries of the village or wearing the color red. Why, you might ask? Well, the ominous creatures who inhabit the woods outside the village don't like the villagers to wear red or walk in the woods. What kind of creatures are they and what are they called? Well, they're referred to as "those of whom we do not speak" by the villagers and in our brief glimpses of them they seem large, wear red robes (what is it with you and that color, M. Knight?) and move real slow.

One of the more rambunctious of the young villagers, Lucious (Joaquin Phoenix Its All AboutLove )  has a strong hankering for two things: 1) the attentions of the most comely of the unnattached young ladies in the village, the blind Ivy (Bryce Howard The Lady In The Water)  and 2) to venture into the "towns" the forbidden and evidently evil place that lies just beyond the woods.Who knows? In the towns, they just might have something that can help Ivy's blindness, not to mention all kinds of other goodies.

The older generation of villagers, led by Edwark Walker (William Hurt A History of Violence) are dead set against anyone violating the truce between the villager and those of which they will not speak, not to mention avoiding the inherent evil of the towns. Lucious appeals directly to his mom (Sigourney Weaver Galaxy Quest) to plead his case, but to no avail. Things change radically when a mentally retarded citizen of the village, Noah (Adrien Brody King Kong) attacks and injures Lucious, leaving him on the verge of death. Now, someone might have to go to the towns to get the medicines that might save his life. Who, but the love of his life, Ivy?

This is a classic Shyamalan film, character driven with a heavy emphasis on symbolism. The atmospheric setup of the village is fantastic, we get the sense of creepiness, but also the hope and love the inhabitants have for their home. There was a lot of pressure on Howard and Phoenix, in my opinion, because when you have heavyweight actors like Weaver and Hurt in the cast and they are not your primary male/female leads, the ones who are better bring it.

And, they do, especially Howard who does well in convincing us that is she is actually without sight and is really the heart of the film. Though she is blind, in many ways she sees more clearly than anyone else in the film. I also need to mention Adrien Brody, who is an amazingly talented actor in my opinion. His character, Noah, has almost no intelligible dialogue, yet Brody brings him to life very well with his non-verbal actions and expressions, and he plays a pivotal role in the story. Wonderful job by Brody.

Like I said, there is a major twist at the end and, frankly, I think many will see it coming, which doesn't mean, in my opinion, that it ruins the flick or that it is not well done. I think Shyamalan will always be judged by the Sixth Sense standard, and that is a hard standard to meet since we all go into his films expecting it.To me, this is a very good film in terms of what it is saying, symbolically, about our fears as well as the pain of loss. Good stuff.

Very good movie.