FALL (2022)

August 11, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. If you’ve ever wondered what a recurring nightmare would look like if filmed for the big screen, writer-director Scott Mann (HEIST, 2015) and co-writer Jonathan Frank are here to show you. Not much plot exists, and the bulk of the movie consists of two characters stuck in one place. Sounds pretty simple, right? Well I can tell you that my palms were sweaty and the tension was high.

The opening sequence immediately evokes memories of the spectacular documentary FREE SOLO (2018) featuring expert climber Alex Hannold. Becky (Grace Caroline Currey, SHAZAM!, 2019), her husband Dan (Mason Gooding, SCREAM, 2022), and their friend Hunter (Virginia Gardner, HALLOWEEN, 2018) are climbing the face of a mountain when tragedy strikes. We then flash forward 51 weeks and find Becky is a still-grieving recluse drowning her sorrows in booze and contemplating suicide. We aren’t clued in as to how she has paid rent for the past year, but her frustrated dad (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) has had no luck getting her to “move on”, and has called Hunter in to see if she can motivate Becky to rejoin society.

Hunter’s big idea is for the two ladies to climb the 2000-foot tall B67 TV Tower, once billed as the tallest structure in the U.S., but now a long-abandoned relic. Hunter is the risk-taker of the two, and she has developed quite a following on her YouTube channel by filming her own risky stunts. The tower appears to be out in some desert just beyond a sign that warns, “No Trespassing – Danger of Death.” Terrific camera work shows us the loose bolts, shaky tension lines, and rusty ladder once used for tower maintenance. In fact, the terrific camera work and the performances of the two actors are what drive home the terror we feel once they have reached the top and realize there is no way down. If your acrophobia hasn’t shaken you enough, how about being stranded 2000 feet above the ground on a platform barely large enough for two people to sit? Your choices for dying include falling, dehydration, starvation, exposure, or being pecked by the local vultures attracted to the injuries sustained while climbing.

Resourcefulness involves cell phones with no reception, a pair of Chuck Taylors, a flare gun, and a new use for a sports bra … somehow hardly noticeable once it’s gone. The two climbers are trapped for most of the run time, turning this into quite a survival story. Mind games and psychology play a part once exhaustion sets in, and there are couple of twists, neither of which should surprise most viewers. While the tension created is commendable, one recurring irritant became a bit of a joke – the overuse of “Are you okay?” begins in the opening sequence and seems to be repeated every 4-6 minutes. If it were a drinking game, no viewer would remain conscious by the end of the film. Other than that, it’s one of the better cinematic versions of a nightmare you’re likely to find … plus it leaves us with the inspiration: “If you’re scared of dying, don’t be afraid to live.”

Opens in theaters August 12, 2022

WATCH THE TRAILER

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Posted by David Ferguson

BOOKSMART (2019)

May 23, 2019

 Greetings again from the darkness. Every generation tends to get the high school movie (the movie about high school life) they deserve. Going back to James Dean in REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE (1955) and Sidney Poitier in TO SIR WITH LOVE (1967), what followed were such memorable films as CARRIE (1976), GREASE (1978), FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH (1982), most every John Hughes movie from the 80’s, FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF (1986), SAY ANYTHING (1989), DAZED AND CONFUSED (1993), CLUELESS (1995), 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU (1999), MEAN GIRLS (2004), HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL (2006), JUNO (2007), and SUPERBAD (2007). It’s that last one on the list that this directorial debut from Olivia Wilde is likely to draw the most comparisons to.

Kaitlyn Dever (“Justified”) and Beanie Feldstein (LADY BIRD, and sister of Jonah Hill) star as Amy and Molly, two best friends and high school seniors who have sacrificed a social life (i.e. partying) for academics in order to position themselves for the best colleges. Amy has decided to take a gap year doing charity work in Botswana, while Molly wears her intelligence and class ranking on her sleeve and sits in judgement of her less disciplined classmates. She is headed to Yale with her ultimate life goal being an appointment to the Supreme Court (she has an RBG poster up in her room).

Imagine their shock when, the day before graduation, Amy and Molly discover that many of their less-disciplined (i.e. hard partying) classmates will also be attending elite schools. The besties immediately scheme to make up for 4 years of nose-to-the-grindstone by attending the biggest party of the year … and showing others how much fun they can be. Plus, the party affords each the opportunity to pursue their crush: skater-girl Ryan (Victoria Ruesga) for Amy, and athlete Nick (Mason Gooding) for Molly.

Although (full disclosure) I was never a high school girl, the one thing that stands out about the film is how the kids seem like real kids. That’s not to say most every aspect isn’t slightly exaggerated, because it is. The level of gayness in the Drama club is a bit difficult to take, and the teenage body is objectified in more than one shot; however, director Wilde has a knack for making high school look cinematic. Two sequences are particular standouts for the way they are filmed: the swimming pool scene with Amy underwater, and the house party as the characters weave in and out of rooms in the large house

Supporting roles add depth to the comedy thanks to Jason Sudeikis as the school Principal/Lyft driver; Billie Lourd (daughter of Carrie Fisher) as Gigi, who is always popping up and stealing scenes; Lisa Kudrow and Will Forte as Amy’s parents; Molly Gordon (“Animal Kingdom”) as the misunderstood ‘Triple A’; the aforementioned Victoria Ruesga and Mason Gooding; and star-in-the-making Diana Silvers as Hope – the aptly named rebel who clicks with Amy.

Co-written by Susanna Fogel, Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins, and Katie Silberman, the film presents a realistic friendship between two teenage girls, and mines some common and recognizable personalities for comedy gold. Smart and funny female characters are interesting at any age, and “no one knows me” is the anthem of most every high school student since caveman days. The inevitable comparisons to SUPERBAD will likely be favorable to this film, and it will probably be the perfect fit for this generation – even if we hope most students avoid many of the happenings. With Will Ferrell and Adam McKay as producers, you should prepare for the harsh language high school kids are known for, as well as that ‘brazen, yet insecure’ blend so common to the age. Of course, we can’t help but find the timing of release quite interesting, given the recent college admissions scandal. It won’t replace AMERICAN GRAFFITI for me, but with Olivia Wilde having been known as an actress, we now recognize her as a legitimate director.

watch the trailer:

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Posted by David Ferguson