Synchronic
If you haven't already, you need to check out the works of Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead; their works are some of the best high concept use of sci-fi/weird fiction tropes at the moment. So far they have released Resolution, Spring, and The Endless, which all play like traditional indie dramas mixed in with the Cthulhu mythos. Incidentally, the last two of those I've seen at previous #LFFs, they are regulars; they turned up for a pretty good Q&A, where they asked the audience if they spotted the nods to their previous films, and I got to have a teacher's pet moment saying that I did. This is their biggest production yet, and whilst it definitely feels in line with their previous works, it is something of a change of direction, going down a more SF route rather than the more horror directions of the previous films, although the film has quite a dose of darker moments too. They do make use of the bigger budget well, both in the use of New Orleans as a location, and in their leads, Jamie Dornan and Anthony Mackie. It's more Mackie's film, as he does the heavy lifting in this tale of two paramedics who find out a new designer drug is having a rather unique effect on people in the city, but the two make for a good double act. It's a bold concept at work in the film (which I'm not going to reveal yet, as there isn't any marketing, so I'm not sure how much of the film's premise is spoiler territory), but the film does a good job by demonstrating the "rules" of the sci-fi element, through the simple device of having one of the characters experimenting with it. It's a great drama, some nice social commentary, old ideas given a fresh lick of paint, good performances, this is definitely one to look out for when it gets released some time next year. In the meantime, seriously, go find Benson & Moorhead's other films, it's the right season for them!
Synchronic is yet to receive an official release date.
Color Out of Space
I did on my tumblr a few posts about the works of director Richard Stanley before, an interesting character whose career got rather derailed in the mid-90s. Now he's back, and given that his works often involved mindbending visuals and plot beats, matching him to an HP Lovecraft adaptation, and to star Nicholas Cage, is a perfect combination. I'm happy to say that it's a great comeback for him, and one of the better Lovecraft based films out there, capturing the tale extremely well whilst updating it in rather natural, unobtrusive ways, like having "the colour" mess with phone and TV signals, which makes sense for an energy being like that. Now Nicholas Cage gets some very Nick Cage moments, but he does reign in that persona at all the right times, pulling off some great dramatic moments, and realistic awkward Dad scenes; plus, if you need someone to go insane from cosmic revelations, I can't think of anyone better. Between this, Mandy, and Mom & Dad, Cage has carved himself quite a good niche for offbeat cult horror titles, and this is a good addition to that line up. The rest of the cast are pretty good to, both established names and revelative newcomers, with one surprise being Tommy Chong (yeah, he's still going!), who gets a good little role as an update of the "aware town drunk" character Lovecraft used a lot. Now this is actually the fifth film version of The Colour Out of Space, with the best before this being the most recent production from 2010 in Germany, Die Farbe (The Colour), which is a very good adaptation, with a fun gimmick of being in black & white except for the Colour itself. But I think this version is perhaps the best all around film of it we've had, not least for getting so much of the story in here, for doing the best at implying the cosmic scale of Lovecraftian fiction, and for some nice nods to the Mythos and some other works influenced by Lovecraft, such as The Thing. It's great having Richard Stanley back, it's a cool take on a classic tale, definitely check this one out if you get the chance.
Color Out of Space is yet to receive a confirmed UK release date.
The Lodge
Final film I saw was this new production from the resurrected Hammer studios, from the directing team of Severin Fiala & Veronika Franz, who had previously given us the chilling Goodnight Mommy. That one was a bit of a cult hit, and one I quite liked, so I went in with high hopes here. This one was definitely playing to the director's strengths, with a lot of atmosphere, quiet tension building, and a story that keeps you guessing for a good while about who you're meant to be scared of, and who you are meant to be scared for. However, myself I think it was let down by two things. Firstly, it's so unrelentingly grim from the word go, it's stuck in a world of misery for the whole runtime, with no levity to catch your breath. There are quite a few horror films like that, but when it's this good at making you feel uncomfortable, that's quite an issue, it's perhaps just too dark. It's not due to any graphic content mind, more atmosphere, however I should say that this film should include major trigger warnings for matters of mental health, "gaslighting" tactics, and suicide imagery, which many will find deeply disturbing. The second big issue is that it's one with multiple twist endings, and the way the story delivers the twists are a bit odd, to the point that I'm not 100% sure when exactly we the audience were meant to guess what the surprises were, or even if we were supposed to before the reveal. The main reveal the film makes I guarantee will leave you scratching your head at wondering how several elements link in to it. I'm not always the biggest one to complain about plotholes and such, I'm not Cinema Sins and thank Gods I never will be, but I was given to ponder a lot about some of the reveals. I will say that the film was an effective exercise in getting under the skin, but I can't honestly say it was a satisfying journey, if that makes sense. Can't fault it on a technical or acting level, it's just the overall story I had issues with. If you like tough watches, I'd say give it a watch, but you really will need nerves of steel for a lot of it; whether that appeals of not, I say is entirely up to you.
The Lodge is awaiting an official release date.
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