Short flick review: The Prospector’s Curse - 2013

The Prospector’s Curse

Director: Josh Heisie

2013

Horror/Short

This is something as unusual as a western horror flick or a horror western flick. You can choose which epithet you wish for this short, both genres are present to be sure. The environment is that of the old west. We get to follow two criminals who are blamed for a murder. I have no idea if they did it or not but they have an angry mob chasing them. They come across a mutilated prospector dying on Indian ground. He makes them promise to give him a Christian burial but when he dies they steal his gold and get on their way. He comes back to haunt them of course.

The story is not unique in anyway but it works and there’s really no need to complicate things. The environmental aspects of the flick is gorgeous, it looks just like we’re back at the settler era. Actor wise I’m not overwhelmed. I’m split actually, I can’t decide if I think that they’re supposed to over act to make a comic effect or not. I certainly hope so because it’s the only way it’ll make sense. I can’t say that I’m overjoyed but the comic aspect but when the end comes, it’s kind of splatter-ish and comedy seems to work pretty good with that. I couldn’t find Robert Nolan, one of my favorite actors but it had a simple explanation. H plays the part of the prospector and is covered by tons of makeup.

Apparently this is just the first short flick in an anthology series. Each episode meant to pay homage to a different kind of b-movie genre. It’s a very interesting concept to be sure. But even if I weren’t blown away by this first installment I’m still looking forward to the next take in the series. I like ambitious project and this one doesn’t seem to be a bit pretentious which could ruin everything.

5/10

Review: Familiar - 2012

A far as I know this is Richard Powell’s third short film. Both the other ones (Consumption, Worm) were quite good so my expectations were high when I viewed this one! I didn’t need to worry for long though; this is at least as good as the best moments of the previous films! It’s kind of hard to describe a synopsis when it comes to short films, they tend to be some what’s easy structure wise and if you describe too much you might spoil the film for those who reads you review. There for I will not describe it very lengthy and satisfy myself by saying that the main character – John Dodd, played brilliantly by Robert Nolan, is dead tired of his life as he lives it. He feels like in a prison and can’t wait for his kid to get to collage so he can leave his wife and start over again; live his life as it ought to be lived!

But he finds out that his wife in pregnant and plots to get rid of the fetus and regain his freedom once and for all! That’s more or less it. There are a few things that work as metaphors of course, but yet they might be true! Is there really a monster growing inside of John Dodd’s body or does he imagine things? Are they just there for us – the audience? Well, at the very end we get some answers but nothing up till that moment.

The story is great, the mood is awesome but nothing impresses more than Robert Nolan! It feels like he could pull anything of after seeing him in this part! He’s a genius and I never saw it before! He has always been very good but here he’s even better!

I think it’s really a movie about insanity (of some sort) and I absolutely loved it. The only problem with it really is that it should’ve been a feature film. It had that much story to tell and if it were spread out during a longer time and told a little slower it would have been a true masterpiece!

Review: Eyes Beyond - 2010

Eyes Beyond

Director: Daniel Reininghaus

2010

Horror/Short

Two brothers share the same house. One day they invite their next door neighbors over for a nice dinner. What the neighbors don’t realize is that everything is not right with the brothers and they soon find themselves in a game of ultimate humiliation and degradation. They’re at the mercy of their captors and the only thing that can release them from the nightmare is death – or is it?

I’ve seen my fair share of low budget amateurish films and I’m happy to say that this is not one of them. It might have a shoestring budget but it’s far from being amateurish! I was, in fact, somewhat surprised by it and had not expected it to be so revolting. And I mean that in the good sense of the word. I’m happy to compare this to Funny Games, not because it’s very close quality wise, because it’s not, but the storyline kind of revolves around the same basic plot. Not exactly of course but it’s not hard to see the similarities! The violence is not visually explicit put still present in a way that ought to shock even the toughest viewers. There’s both mutilations and sadistic sexual violence in a way that I’ve seldom seen. I’ve got to say that I’m a bit impressed!

But the movie is not one long orgy of violence and I think that is a good thing too. It’s really a three part piece where the second part of the movie explains why the first happened and the third complicates thing so much that you aren’t exactly sure of what really happened at all. You can’t be sure of anything and the final scene really makes the movie what it is. It takes the movie to a whole different level and puts a serious question mark on part of society. It shows that the movie itself is thought through and not just edited into a shocking piece. This movie, even if it’s short (around 30 minutes) has something to say!

It’s not a perfect movie actor wise though. I really liked Robert Nolan’s performance in Worm but here it’s a bit too much. A few overacted scenes make the movie less believable and I think that’s problem the movie has to deal with. This is most evident in the first part of the movie. To see the next door neighbors’ daughter brutally raped in front of her parents is a very strong scene indeed. But the parents (Robert Nolanand Kelly Marie-Murtha) overact a little too much and the scene suffers from it. The daughter – Abigail (Danielle Barker) is very good though!Daniel Reininghaus – the director of the movie, does perhaps the most important role in the film and manage to be diabolical, misunderstood, fragile and sadistic all at the same time. The movie wouldn’t have worked out as nice without him!

It seems like the movie has received a lot of rewards on the festival circuit and it is, as I first mentioned, quite a big difference between this movie and the typical low budget (amateurish) horror film. Because even if the bottom line might be a little ambivalent it should appeal to both fans of violent cinema and those who like their movies to have a point. And this film most certainly has a point in the social society debate!

Review: Worm - 2009

Worm

Director: Richard Powell

2009

Comedy/Short

Geoffrey Oswald Dodd is a plain teacher and lives an ordinary life with content. He happily teaches his students and to grade their papers and there’s nothing special going on at all. At least that’s the outer image that people see, in reality the truth is somewhat different. He’s plagued with dark thought about (in his mind) the retarded students in the class and wants, beyond anything else, to bang the only bright thing in his class – Lillian, and to blow the head of the other student with his gun, and to finally blow his own brains out all over the blackboard.

I’ve written comedy above, but that doesn’t mean that this movie makes you quiver with laughter. It’s not slapstick humour in any way or something like that. No, it’s more like a very black film with subtle humour. The main characters situation with life it so twisted that it’s impossible not to be entertained by the absurdness of it. The dialog, or rather the monolog, that’s in the main characters head is amazingly well written and there is no way to not admire the inventiveness of it. Or really the paradox between the exterior of the calm teacher and the inner voice. A very entertaining contrast!

The acting might not be top notch, but it’s certainly good enough to deliver the story in a convincing way. That is even if it’s obvious that this is a movie with a very low budget and that everything that could have been visualized only takes place in the mind of the viewer. With that said it’s not hard to conclude that the movie, more or less, lacks special effects. Instead it makes good use of the twisted plot and illustrates sick states of mind with fitting music. And there is the monolog of course!

I’m undoubtedly looking forward to what Richard Powel can think up the next time! We have review his short Consumption here on the site in the past and with these two movies done there’s no limit for what can be done!