Lots of Films (throwaways and great ones included)
"The Eyes of My Mother"
starring: Diana Agostini, Olivia Bond, Will Brill, Joey Curtis-Green, Flora Diaz, Kika Magalhaes, Paul Nazak, Clara Wong
written and directed by: Nicolas Pesce
First of all, let me get this out of the way---- HOLY SHIT!
We have an incredible "horror" film here. Wow! This seemingly short horror film, clocking in just under 80 minutes, tells a perfect and cohesive story in three chapters (Mother, Father, Family) all while focusing on one specific girl- Francisca.
Francisca is introduced as a wide-eyed naif, in thrall to her Portuguese mother (Diana Agostini) as she is taught the legend of Francis of Assissi — absorbing a message of gentle kindness to all creatures that is rather rudely contravened when Mom subsequently, and with notable sangfroid, shows her daughter how to dissect a cow’s eye on the kitchen table.
We learn, in what turns out to be a salient detail, that Francisca’s mother was a surgeon in her homeland before taking up the life of a Midwestern farm wife. This already eerily tainted impression of bucolic childhood takes a significant turn for the worse when a wild-eyed stranger (Will Brill) turns up at the farmhouse and unceremoniously performs a vicious act of violence before the impressionable girl.
The film’s ensuing escalation of torture and trauma — seemingly stemming from this incident, though perhaps embedded more deeply in the protagonist’s personal history — shouldn’t be divulged in too much detail. It’s fair to say, however, that Francisca grows into a young woman (Kika Magalhaes, in perhaps one of the best performances I've seen in awhile) with an ingenue’s curiosity regarding the body and pansexual desire, and a brute streak that belies her outward innocence. Pesce ventures into upsetting extremes of human violation and suffering, though there’s enough complex psychological grounding even to the pic’s grisliest setpieces to fend off accusations of exploitation or torture porn. As played with supple, mournful grace by Magalhaes, Francisca remains perversely sympathetic even through her most severely inscrutable of actions.
I do not want to divulge too much here, because this is absolutely a film that must be "seen" (pun intended) to be believed. You will definitely have yourself saying, "holy shit!" while watching the narrative unfold, oftentimes, quietly and without many words.
This is a horror masterpiece.
............................................................................
"Goodbye World"
starring: Adrian Grenier, Scott Mescudi, Mckenna Grace, Kerry Bishe, Caroline Dharevnas, Ben McKenzie, Mark Webber, Remy Noziak, Gaby Hoffman, Julie Dretzin
directed by: Denis Henry Hennelly
written by: Sarah Adina Smith and Denis Henry Hennelly
In the same vein as "The Big Chill" (way better than the film in question, by the way), "Goodbye World" has a group of thirtysomethings reconnecting in a college reunion that is seemingly prompted by the collapse of worldwide civilization, thanks in large part to a cryptic text message they all received that simply read "Goodbye world."
There are two rotten infrastructures within the film's story- 1) the once-close circle of friends, distance and time has slowly torn them apart and 2) the global society at large.
What results is a conflation of the grand stakes of apocalypse with the comparatively menial ones of past rivalries and romantic tensions, often to humorous or poignant effect. These big and small dramas play out in a single location: the isolated, self-sufficient, and impossibly gorgeous rural home of James (Adrian Grenier) and Lily (Kerry Bishé). Their friends wisely seek refuge in this bucolic Eden, a veritable hipster fortress complete with guest cabin and organic beer tap, and as more and more guests show up, both the true nature of the horrific outside apocalypse and the unresolved conflicts eating away at the group become clearer. Unfortunately, most of the interpersonal problems of this tetchy band of thirtysomethings are infinitely less compelling than the mysterious and original global disaster Hennelly and co-writer Sarah Adina Smith have devised.
The opening sequence of a viral text sets everything in motion, a global meltdown of sorts with the widespread collapse of technology at the heart of it. What do we all do when technology fails us?!
The opening sequence introduces the incredibly varied ensemble of characters, the most compelling of which are Laura (Gaby Hoffmann), a resourceful politician struggling to rebuild her career after a sex-tape scandal, and Lev (Kid Cudi), a troubled hacker who aborts a suicide attempt upon discovering the larger disaster threatening humanity. Unfortunately, much of the film’s screen time is dedicated to its least interesting characters. James and Lily, the de facto protagonists, seemingly exist only as foils to each other: He’s an angry and sanctimonious survivalist, while she’s a clueless, hard-partying valley girl, and neither particularly resembles a real person. The implosion of their marriage is the story’s central plot line, but is informed less by the threat of apocalypse than by the arrival of Lily’s former flame, the studly but stoic-to-a-fault Nick (Ben McKenzie).
Where the film fails is in trying to tell two stories- it could have been a clever parable of disaster and recovery, but instead the filmmakers seem deadset on making it more about the soap opera that unravels amongst the friends, in a love triangle, Hunger Games-esque type of plot, leaving behind its strongest points to be made, which in turn makes it fail for me.
..........................................................................
"Prefontaine"
starring: Jared Leto, R. Lee Ermey, Ed O'Neill, Breckin Meyer, Lindsay Crouse, Amy Locane, Laurel Holloman, Brian McGovern, Kurtwood Smith
written and directed by: Steve James
It's hard to believe this film goes all the way back to 1997, when Jared Leto was arguably at the height of his career and in motion to become one of the most sought after leading-men in films (the likes of Tom Cruise hysteria circa 1980s), and yet Leto chose to stay out of the limelight, avoided high profile leading roles and instead opted for small, supporting roles throughout the late '90s and early '00s. He is an unbelievably talented actor and thankfully he allows us to appreciate his talent.
The late Steve Prefontaine was one of the greatest runners produced in the United States, and one of the most abrasive. This film based on his life makes him seem fairly unlikable, and that's one of its best qualities: Here is a sports movie in the tradition of the best sportswriting, where athletes are portrayed warts and all. You do not have to be nice to win races, but you have to be good.
As a society, I think we actually enjoy these unlikable athletes, because it makes them more human than god-like in our eyes. And we especially like to watch them falter and/or fail; and yes, we cheer for them when they attempt a comeback, because we also love an underdog story.
"Prefontaine'' opens in the 1960s, with Steve (Jared Leto) as a kid whose short stature and "bad hand-eye coordination'' make him the most hapless player on the football team. Determined to be good at something--to get even with those who dismissed him--he turns to track, and even though he's not built like a runner and one leg is shorter than the other, he uses sheer determination to win. Soon he's being scouted by the legendary Oregon coach Bill Bowerman (R. Lee Ermey), who manufactures track shoes in his garage, using his wife's waffle iron to mold the rubber treads. Bowerman goes on to co-found Nike, and Pre goes on to hold almost every American record at the longer distances.
Through a great narrative that follows Prefontaine as he runs and qualifies for the Munich Olympics, goes there and faces the tragedy of the hostage situation, only to return to America feeling rather defeated at the prospect of being an amateur athlete and scraping by when he believes this should be a career that makes him money and gets him adoration. He sets out to fight a seemingly losing battle against the amateur athletic establishment and the film becomes more of a David v. Goliath where you are rooting for the otherwise unlikable athlete, because given the alternative, the establishment is the bad guy.
This is more a film about how the sports establishment uses and then discards gifted young athletes with little regard for their personal welfare than a biographical one. And it is well done.
.............................................................................
"Two Days, One Night"
starring: Marion Cotillard, Fabrizio Rongione, Catherine Salee, Batiste Sornin, Pili Groyne, Simon Caudry, Lara Persain, Alain Eloy
written and directed by: Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne
Apparently, unbeknownst to me, the Dardenne brothers have been making (foreign) films for awhile now and only just broke into the "Hollywood" mainstream with this film starring Marion Cotillard (who clearly helped them gain attention thanks in large part to her unbelievable acting and choice of roles, starting with "Amelie"). The Dardenne brothers have chosen to chronicle the lives of the underprivileged, the unemployed, and the lost souls who invariably get discarded, as modernity and capitalism move inexorably forward in a society that neither cares for nor wants anything to do with them (anymore).
I am also convinced that Marion Cotillard is one of the best actress in our modern time, not just with this unbelievable performance, but with her track record. This film, though, pushes her to the head of her class.
Cotillard is Sandra, a working-class mother employed at a solar panel manufacturing company in a Belgian town, who, upon returning to work after a leave of absence due to a bout of depression, is told she’s been sacked. In her absence, and under questionable circumstances, Sandra’s coworkers have voted to cut up her salary as a substantial bonus for them instead of keeping her on as an employee. After pleading with her boss, she is given the weekend to convince her fellow coworkers to keep her on, with a new vote to occur Monday morning. Hence the title and hence what follows, as we see Sandra go from employee to employee, trying to convince them that they should choose her over the money all of them so desperately need. Aided by her endlessly supportive husband, we watch Sandra undertake this emotionally crippling task, and at the same time learn about the precarious financial instability of the people with whom she works.
This is not just a film to entertain, but rather make you think. It's a smart film for a smart audience as it begs the ethical dilemma that evokes a moralism that I think many filmmakers would hope for when they make their own films about similar topics. The Dardenne brothers seem to be the masters at this game though, because about halfway through the film, you sort of realize that Sandra should not really get her job back, and the rift she is creating amongst the workers by asking them to pick a side (re: human/friend or money).
A lot of films, books, etc. have presented the question of whether or not we are all just cogs in an ever-spinning wheel, easily replaced by the next person waiting in the wings. This film gets it right, tugging at your emotional strings while making you question both sides as well as yourself.
.................................................................................
"Dark Night"
starring: Eddie Cacciola, Anna Rose Hopkins, Robert Jumper, Karina Macias, Conor A. Murphy, Aaron Purvis, Rosie Rodriguez, Kirk S. Wildasin III
written and directed by: Tim Sutton
When a national tragedy occurs, it will, of course, invoke a variety of artistic interpretations. The dilemma, though, is what is "too soon" for that interpretation and should an artist actually contemplate that or is it better to present your interpretation while the wound of the tragedy is still relevant. In this case, the tragedy revolves around a very controversial subject- gun control- which has been a relevant topic for at least the past 20 or 30 years, starting with the Columbine tragedy (in which Michael Moore decided to look into the subject with his documentary "Bowling for Columbine"). Here, Tim Sutton presents another tragedy- this one being the movie theatre shooting in Aurora, Colorado (really, Colorado, again?!) in 2012, where a gunman decided to shoot and kill people attending a "The Dark Knight Rises" premiere.
Tim Sutton seems to be the type of filmmaker who follows in the school of Gus Van Sant, in regards to the way he presents things, just from the very opening shoots. We are presented with a close-up of eyes and red and blue lights flashing. It could be a few things, but as the camera slowly pans out, we realize the eyes belong to a young girl who is sitting in a parking lot and the flashing lights belong to a police car. Tragedy has struck.
The filmmaker is making a point with the structure of the film to present suburban life, quiet and unharmed, but yet unraveling in a reverse-engineered crescendo that doubles back to the initial devastation we see at the beginning of the film. We know it will end in tragedy. Gus Van Sant did the same with his fictional take on the Columbine tragedy with his film "Elephant" and then again with his fictional version of the last days of Kurt Cobain in "Last Days."
There are a lot of mini-narratives and themes in such a short film that you almost feel cheated, like you want each one dissected for just a bit longer. This is where the film loses the audience, because instead of being a coherent, interesting dissection of our society and culture (one topic at a time), the film feels more like a grab-bag of ideas and imitations, where we know the endgame.
......................................................................................
"Demonic"
starring: Maria Bello, Frank Grillo, Cody Horn, Dustin Milligan, Scott Mechlowicz, Megan Park, Aaron Yoo, Terence Rosemore, Jesse Steccato
written and directed by: Will Canon
Two things caught my attention with this film- 1) James Wan produced it, the same guy behind the "Saw" franchise and 2) Maria Bello has apparently reached a new low in her career, opting for a role in a B-level horror movie.
"Demonic" has a premise that could've been decent- it's set in the aftermath of a "found footage" ghost hunting movie.
Detective Mark Lewis (Grillo) is called out to the old X house where, twenty-five years ago a seance turned into a massacre. Now, more recent killings have taken place inside the house and Mark's only lead is the shell-shocked survivor and some corrupted video footage. As the police struggle to restore the video, a psychologist (Bello) questions John about what happened earlier that night. John talks ghost hunting, seances, and battling his personal demons, all with an aim at helping the cops track down his girlfriend and her ex, the only ghost hunters who haven't been accounted for.
There is the trouble of two narratives taking place, one being in the present, and the other being the friends in the house ghost-hunting while shit is going down and they are dropped (aka killed) one by one. The lone survivor, John, is an unreliable narrator, though, because let's face it, it's a horror movie and you know there is something fishy about him surviving the ordeal. And that's the problem, there's no real suspense.
This is a movie that lost itself in the muddle of trying to accomplish too much by interweaving too many plotlines. Stick with the aftermath and investigation in the present tense and it would've been a better story.
starring: Diana Agostini, Olivia Bond, Will Brill, Joey Curtis-Green, Flora Diaz, Kika Magalhaes, Paul Nazak, Clara Wong
written and directed by: Nicolas Pesce
First of all, let me get this out of the way---- HOLY SHIT!
We have an incredible "horror" film here. Wow! This seemingly short horror film, clocking in just under 80 minutes, tells a perfect and cohesive story in three chapters (Mother, Father, Family) all while focusing on one specific girl- Francisca.
Francisca is introduced as a wide-eyed naif, in thrall to her Portuguese mother (Diana Agostini) as she is taught the legend of Francis of Assissi — absorbing a message of gentle kindness to all creatures that is rather rudely contravened when Mom subsequently, and with notable sangfroid, shows her daughter how to dissect a cow’s eye on the kitchen table.
We learn, in what turns out to be a salient detail, that Francisca’s mother was a surgeon in her homeland before taking up the life of a Midwestern farm wife. This already eerily tainted impression of bucolic childhood takes a significant turn for the worse when a wild-eyed stranger (Will Brill) turns up at the farmhouse and unceremoniously performs a vicious act of violence before the impressionable girl.
The film’s ensuing escalation of torture and trauma — seemingly stemming from this incident, though perhaps embedded more deeply in the protagonist’s personal history — shouldn’t be divulged in too much detail. It’s fair to say, however, that Francisca grows into a young woman (Kika Magalhaes, in perhaps one of the best performances I've seen in awhile) with an ingenue’s curiosity regarding the body and pansexual desire, and a brute streak that belies her outward innocence. Pesce ventures into upsetting extremes of human violation and suffering, though there’s enough complex psychological grounding even to the pic’s grisliest setpieces to fend off accusations of exploitation or torture porn. As played with supple, mournful grace by Magalhaes, Francisca remains perversely sympathetic even through her most severely inscrutable of actions.
I do not want to divulge too much here, because this is absolutely a film that must be "seen" (pun intended) to be believed. You will definitely have yourself saying, "holy shit!" while watching the narrative unfold, oftentimes, quietly and without many words.
This is a horror masterpiece.
............................................................................
"Goodbye World"
starring: Adrian Grenier, Scott Mescudi, Mckenna Grace, Kerry Bishe, Caroline Dharevnas, Ben McKenzie, Mark Webber, Remy Noziak, Gaby Hoffman, Julie Dretzin
directed by: Denis Henry Hennelly
written by: Sarah Adina Smith and Denis Henry Hennelly
In the same vein as "The Big Chill" (way better than the film in question, by the way), "Goodbye World" has a group of thirtysomethings reconnecting in a college reunion that is seemingly prompted by the collapse of worldwide civilization, thanks in large part to a cryptic text message they all received that simply read "Goodbye world."
There are two rotten infrastructures within the film's story- 1) the once-close circle of friends, distance and time has slowly torn them apart and 2) the global society at large.
What results is a conflation of the grand stakes of apocalypse with the comparatively menial ones of past rivalries and romantic tensions, often to humorous or poignant effect. These big and small dramas play out in a single location: the isolated, self-sufficient, and impossibly gorgeous rural home of James (Adrian Grenier) and Lily (Kerry Bishé). Their friends wisely seek refuge in this bucolic Eden, a veritable hipster fortress complete with guest cabin and organic beer tap, and as more and more guests show up, both the true nature of the horrific outside apocalypse and the unresolved conflicts eating away at the group become clearer. Unfortunately, most of the interpersonal problems of this tetchy band of thirtysomethings are infinitely less compelling than the mysterious and original global disaster Hennelly and co-writer Sarah Adina Smith have devised.
The opening sequence of a viral text sets everything in motion, a global meltdown of sorts with the widespread collapse of technology at the heart of it. What do we all do when technology fails us?!
The opening sequence introduces the incredibly varied ensemble of characters, the most compelling of which are Laura (Gaby Hoffmann), a resourceful politician struggling to rebuild her career after a sex-tape scandal, and Lev (Kid Cudi), a troubled hacker who aborts a suicide attempt upon discovering the larger disaster threatening humanity. Unfortunately, much of the film’s screen time is dedicated to its least interesting characters. James and Lily, the de facto protagonists, seemingly exist only as foils to each other: He’s an angry and sanctimonious survivalist, while she’s a clueless, hard-partying valley girl, and neither particularly resembles a real person. The implosion of their marriage is the story’s central plot line, but is informed less by the threat of apocalypse than by the arrival of Lily’s former flame, the studly but stoic-to-a-fault Nick (Ben McKenzie).
Where the film fails is in trying to tell two stories- it could have been a clever parable of disaster and recovery, but instead the filmmakers seem deadset on making it more about the soap opera that unravels amongst the friends, in a love triangle, Hunger Games-esque type of plot, leaving behind its strongest points to be made, which in turn makes it fail for me.
..........................................................................
"Prefontaine"
starring: Jared Leto, R. Lee Ermey, Ed O'Neill, Breckin Meyer, Lindsay Crouse, Amy Locane, Laurel Holloman, Brian McGovern, Kurtwood Smith
written and directed by: Steve James
It's hard to believe this film goes all the way back to 1997, when Jared Leto was arguably at the height of his career and in motion to become one of the most sought after leading-men in films (the likes of Tom Cruise hysteria circa 1980s), and yet Leto chose to stay out of the limelight, avoided high profile leading roles and instead opted for small, supporting roles throughout the late '90s and early '00s. He is an unbelievably talented actor and thankfully he allows us to appreciate his talent.
The late Steve Prefontaine was one of the greatest runners produced in the United States, and one of the most abrasive. This film based on his life makes him seem fairly unlikable, and that's one of its best qualities: Here is a sports movie in the tradition of the best sportswriting, where athletes are portrayed warts and all. You do not have to be nice to win races, but you have to be good.
As a society, I think we actually enjoy these unlikable athletes, because it makes them more human than god-like in our eyes. And we especially like to watch them falter and/or fail; and yes, we cheer for them when they attempt a comeback, because we also love an underdog story.
"Prefontaine'' opens in the 1960s, with Steve (Jared Leto) as a kid whose short stature and "bad hand-eye coordination'' make him the most hapless player on the football team. Determined to be good at something--to get even with those who dismissed him--he turns to track, and even though he's not built like a runner and one leg is shorter than the other, he uses sheer determination to win. Soon he's being scouted by the legendary Oregon coach Bill Bowerman (R. Lee Ermey), who manufactures track shoes in his garage, using his wife's waffle iron to mold the rubber treads. Bowerman goes on to co-found Nike, and Pre goes on to hold almost every American record at the longer distances.
Through a great narrative that follows Prefontaine as he runs and qualifies for the Munich Olympics, goes there and faces the tragedy of the hostage situation, only to return to America feeling rather defeated at the prospect of being an amateur athlete and scraping by when he believes this should be a career that makes him money and gets him adoration. He sets out to fight a seemingly losing battle against the amateur athletic establishment and the film becomes more of a David v. Goliath where you are rooting for the otherwise unlikable athlete, because given the alternative, the establishment is the bad guy.
This is more a film about how the sports establishment uses and then discards gifted young athletes with little regard for their personal welfare than a biographical one. And it is well done.
.............................................................................
"Two Days, One Night"
starring: Marion Cotillard, Fabrizio Rongione, Catherine Salee, Batiste Sornin, Pili Groyne, Simon Caudry, Lara Persain, Alain Eloy
written and directed by: Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne
Apparently, unbeknownst to me, the Dardenne brothers have been making (foreign) films for awhile now and only just broke into the "Hollywood" mainstream with this film starring Marion Cotillard (who clearly helped them gain attention thanks in large part to her unbelievable acting and choice of roles, starting with "Amelie"). The Dardenne brothers have chosen to chronicle the lives of the underprivileged, the unemployed, and the lost souls who invariably get discarded, as modernity and capitalism move inexorably forward in a society that neither cares for nor wants anything to do with them (anymore).
I am also convinced that Marion Cotillard is one of the best actress in our modern time, not just with this unbelievable performance, but with her track record. This film, though, pushes her to the head of her class.
Cotillard is Sandra, a working-class mother employed at a solar panel manufacturing company in a Belgian town, who, upon returning to work after a leave of absence due to a bout of depression, is told she’s been sacked. In her absence, and under questionable circumstances, Sandra’s coworkers have voted to cut up her salary as a substantial bonus for them instead of keeping her on as an employee. After pleading with her boss, she is given the weekend to convince her fellow coworkers to keep her on, with a new vote to occur Monday morning. Hence the title and hence what follows, as we see Sandra go from employee to employee, trying to convince them that they should choose her over the money all of them so desperately need. Aided by her endlessly supportive husband, we watch Sandra undertake this emotionally crippling task, and at the same time learn about the precarious financial instability of the people with whom she works.
This is not just a film to entertain, but rather make you think. It's a smart film for a smart audience as it begs the ethical dilemma that evokes a moralism that I think many filmmakers would hope for when they make their own films about similar topics. The Dardenne brothers seem to be the masters at this game though, because about halfway through the film, you sort of realize that Sandra should not really get her job back, and the rift she is creating amongst the workers by asking them to pick a side (re: human/friend or money).
A lot of films, books, etc. have presented the question of whether or not we are all just cogs in an ever-spinning wheel, easily replaced by the next person waiting in the wings. This film gets it right, tugging at your emotional strings while making you question both sides as well as yourself.
.................................................................................
"Dark Night"
starring: Eddie Cacciola, Anna Rose Hopkins, Robert Jumper, Karina Macias, Conor A. Murphy, Aaron Purvis, Rosie Rodriguez, Kirk S. Wildasin III
written and directed by: Tim Sutton
When a national tragedy occurs, it will, of course, invoke a variety of artistic interpretations. The dilemma, though, is what is "too soon" for that interpretation and should an artist actually contemplate that or is it better to present your interpretation while the wound of the tragedy is still relevant. In this case, the tragedy revolves around a very controversial subject- gun control- which has been a relevant topic for at least the past 20 or 30 years, starting with the Columbine tragedy (in which Michael Moore decided to look into the subject with his documentary "Bowling for Columbine"). Here, Tim Sutton presents another tragedy- this one being the movie theatre shooting in Aurora, Colorado (really, Colorado, again?!) in 2012, where a gunman decided to shoot and kill people attending a "The Dark Knight Rises" premiere.
Tim Sutton seems to be the type of filmmaker who follows in the school of Gus Van Sant, in regards to the way he presents things, just from the very opening shoots. We are presented with a close-up of eyes and red and blue lights flashing. It could be a few things, but as the camera slowly pans out, we realize the eyes belong to a young girl who is sitting in a parking lot and the flashing lights belong to a police car. Tragedy has struck.
The filmmaker is making a point with the structure of the film to present suburban life, quiet and unharmed, but yet unraveling in a reverse-engineered crescendo that doubles back to the initial devastation we see at the beginning of the film. We know it will end in tragedy. Gus Van Sant did the same with his fictional take on the Columbine tragedy with his film "Elephant" and then again with his fictional version of the last days of Kurt Cobain in "Last Days."
There are a lot of mini-narratives and themes in such a short film that you almost feel cheated, like you want each one dissected for just a bit longer. This is where the film loses the audience, because instead of being a coherent, interesting dissection of our society and culture (one topic at a time), the film feels more like a grab-bag of ideas and imitations, where we know the endgame.
......................................................................................
"Demonic"
starring: Maria Bello, Frank Grillo, Cody Horn, Dustin Milligan, Scott Mechlowicz, Megan Park, Aaron Yoo, Terence Rosemore, Jesse Steccato
written and directed by: Will Canon
Two things caught my attention with this film- 1) James Wan produced it, the same guy behind the "Saw" franchise and 2) Maria Bello has apparently reached a new low in her career, opting for a role in a B-level horror movie.
"Demonic" has a premise that could've been decent- it's set in the aftermath of a "found footage" ghost hunting movie.
Detective Mark Lewis (Grillo) is called out to the old X house where, twenty-five years ago a seance turned into a massacre. Now, more recent killings have taken place inside the house and Mark's only lead is the shell-shocked survivor and some corrupted video footage. As the police struggle to restore the video, a psychologist (Bello) questions John about what happened earlier that night. John talks ghost hunting, seances, and battling his personal demons, all with an aim at helping the cops track down his girlfriend and her ex, the only ghost hunters who haven't been accounted for.
There is the trouble of two narratives taking place, one being in the present, and the other being the friends in the house ghost-hunting while shit is going down and they are dropped (aka killed) one by one. The lone survivor, John, is an unreliable narrator, though, because let's face it, it's a horror movie and you know there is something fishy about him surviving the ordeal. And that's the problem, there's no real suspense.
This is a movie that lost itself in the muddle of trying to accomplish too much by interweaving too many plotlines. Stick with the aftermath and investigation in the present tense and it would've been a better story.
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