ON SWIFT HORSES (2025)

April 26, 2025

USA FILM FESTIVAL

Greetings again from the darkness. One need only watch a couple of episodes of “Leave it to Beaver” to comprehend just how ideal and perfect family life in the 1950’s was. Only that was a Hollywood façade and real life was much different, especially for anyone who wasn’t a straight white male … and even many of those served in the military during the Korean War and/or faced the pressure of being the sole breadwinner. Daniel Minahan (known mostly for his TV work) directs the screenplay from Bryan Kass (LIZZIE, 2018) who adapted the 2019 novel from Shannon Pufahl.

Daisy Edgar-Jones (TWISTERS, 2024) stars as Muriel, a young woman who reluctantly accepts the wedding proposal from Lee (Will Poulter, DEATH OF A UNICORN, 2025; MIDSOMMAR, 2019). In keeping with the times, Lee assumes his dreams of a new house in the growing suburbs of California are shared by his new partner … so he’s a bit annoyed by her reluctance to sell her childhood Kansas house she inherited from her recently deceased mother. A third wheel pops up in the form of Lee’s rudderless younger brother Julius (Jacob Elordi, PRISCILLA, 2023), who has recently been discharged from the Navy.

An intriguing connection forms between Muriel and Julius, and it continues playing out through the entirety of the story. While Lee strives for the traditional American dream, Julius and Muriel separately maneuver through their own internal emotions that don’t easily slide into the life respectable folks are expected to follow. Both have a bit of hustler in them as Muriel uses her alert ears during shifts as a diner waitress to pick up tips on the next horse race, while Julius capitalizes on his casino surveillance job – one that brings him money and love.

Two excellent supporting roles are courtesy of Diego Calva (BABYLON, 2022) and Sasha Calle (THE FLASH, 2023). To disclose specifics would be to reveal spoilers that I refuse to serve up. What I can say is the story takes us from Kansas to California to Las Vegas to Tijuana. Along the way, we witness the challenges faced by those out of step with society. We see the deceits required as these characters walk the line between what’s expected and the path to follow their own dreams. It can be heartbreaking and frustrating, and Minahan’s film expertly shoots down the façade of the perfect 50’s. The acting is superb, with Daisy Edgar-Jones seamlessly capturing the look of the era, while Jacob Elordi beautifully fulfills the more difficult role. This is a film for those who appreciate climbing inside the characters to understand their longing.

Now playing in theaters

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Posted by David Ferguson

DEATH OF A UNICORN (2025)

March 28, 2025

Greetings again from the darkness. When most people think of unicorns, they picture something along the lines of “My Little Pony”, or some other lovable, cuddly animal from a kids’ story. This feature film debut from writer-director Alex Scharfman is definitely not that. In fact, the inspiration from the classic JURASSIC PARK (1993) is quite evident in these unicorns (and one of the main themes). Welcome to a fantasy-comedy-slasher with more than a dash of social commentary.

Ridley (Jenna Ortega, “Wednesday”, BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE) and her dad Elliott (Paul Rudd, ANT-MAN) are on a road trip into the deep forest for a meeting with his employer, billionaire pharmaceutical CEO Odell Leopold (Richard E Grant, SALTBURN). Odell has terminal cancer and as his attorney, Elliott is hoping to close a deal that will set up himself and Ridley for life. Father and daughter argue about her deceased mother during the trip, causing Elliott to be distracted when a unicorn waltzes in front of their speeding car. It’s an unusual sequence that not only connects Ridley to the mystical creature and leaves them splattered in purple blood, it also sets up the rest of the story.

Upon arriving at the majestic estate in the forest, we are introduced to Odell’s wife Belinda (Tea Leoni) and their spoiled, entitled, obnoxious son Shepard (Will Poulter, MIDSOMMER), as well as the estate caretaker, Griff (Anthony Carrigan, “Barry”). It’s nice to see Ms. Leoni back, as it appears her last big screen appearance was in TOWER HEIST fourteen years ago (of course she starred in “Madam Secretary” for six of those years). There will likely be debates on the most memorable character, as Shepard is so over-the-top wacky that he becomes cartoonish, while Griff could easily have been yanked directly from a Mel Brooks film.

The key conflict in the story revolves around the all-out greed displayed by the Leopold clan versus the warnings from Ridley after she studies unicorn history and mythology via the tapestries of the Cloisters. Stuck in the middle is Elliott who wants to improve the relationship with his daughter while also appeasing the Leopold family. Scharfman includes quite a bit of comedy throughout, and when blended with the violent and gory horror elements, it actually seems to distract from what could have been a stunning cinematic experience, leaving us with a silly slasher sub-genre entry.

Richard E Grant delivers his usual strong performance and is given the actor’s dream of transforming from dying elderly man into the virile industry magnate of his youth. Will Poulter breaks away from his often-intense dramatic turns to flash his goofy comedy chops (snorting magical horn dust). The films kinda wastes Jenna Ortega’s talent, although she gets a nice line, “Philanthropy is just reputation-laundering for the oligarchy” highlighting the films anti-greed message. The argument could be made that Paul Rudd is a bit miscast, as we are never given any reason to believe he’s a strong or competent corporate attorney. There is enough to like here if fantasy-horror-comedy is your cup of tea, yet most will note the shaky GGI on the unicorns (improved for Act III), which pale in comparison to JP’s dinosaurs from thirty years ago

Opens on March 28, 2025

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Posted by David Ferguson

MIDSOMMAR (2019)

July 4, 2019

 Greetings again from the darkness. Summer movies are traditionally tentpoles and teen flicks … big budget action movies and those aimed at an audience that are on a 3 month reprieve from school. We are quickly learning that rising star filmmaker Ari Aster cares little for tradition. Well at least he seems to thrive on twisting tradition and spinning off in an unusual direction. His feature film debut was last year’s mega-hit HEREDITARY, a horror film which was noted in most every critics association Top 10 list for 2018.

HEREDITARY was filled with darkness and dread, and Mr. Aster’s second film begins with a similar setting: it’s a dark and cold night as Dani (Florence Pugh, LADY MACBETH) frantically searches for her bi-polar sister through emails and phone calls. During her search, we realize that her relationship with boyfriend Christian (Jack Reynor, SING STREET) is a bit strained. The brilliant pre-credit sequence results in a horrific tragedy striking Dani’s family. Christian does his best to offer support, but he’s a typically weasel of a man who feels more at ease hanging out with his grad school buddies than providing love and compassion to his needy girlfriend … and he’s not man enough to tell her, despite the urging of his friends.

An awkward group conversation leads Dani to accept an invitation to go on the boys’ trip to Sweden. The purpose of the trip is twofold: to participate in a 9 day long village festival held every 90 years and for Josh (William Jackson Harper, “The Good Place”) to work on his thesis. The other guys in the group are Pelle (Vilhelm Blomgren) whose family in Sweden is hosting the festival, and Mark (Will Poulter, THE REVENANT) who provides much of the comic relief thanks to his overall cluelessness about pretty much everything related to graceful societal interactions.

And with that set-up comes one of the most deranged, unsettling and bizarre movie experiences this year (or most any year) is likely to bring. Try to picture a Folk Horror Comedy Fairy Tale Break-up Pagan Cult film, which at any given time reminds of MOTHER!, THE WICKER MAN, THE WIZARD OF OZ, THE VILLAGE, SUSPIRIA, and a handful of other cinematic oddities we’ve seen over the years. It is quite likely the sunniest horror film you’ve ever seen. And that’s a literal description … like the production could have been solar-powered. Most of it is filmed outside during Sweden’s Midnight Sun – constant sunshine accompanied by mostly bright white skin and even brighter white cotton costumes (embroidered as if meant for Woodstock). The daylight messes with your senses and expectations. Bad things are supposed to happen in the dark, not in broad daylight enveloped by picturesque wonders of nature. Although the opening is cold, dark and punctuated with tragedy, the rest is so bright, it almost blinds you to the atrocities on screen.

So without giving away anything, here’s what we are in for: a welcome to Sweden mushroom trip, a Waco joke, a caged bear, a sacred tree, a Powerball game you hope to lose, and flowers and trees that seem to breathe. We also are reminded not to forget the birthday of our significant other, living to age 72 is not really rewarded in this commune, and no one should ever dance till they drop – even to be named the Queen of May. Of course, as with most horror films, it’s easy to sit back as viewers and question the decision-making of the characters, but it’s not like they realize they are in a horror film … at least not until it’s too late!

Ms. Pugh (who reminds of another talented young actress, Haley Lu Richardson) is terrific here. Her character experiences shock, personal grief, a strained relationship, hallucinations, and a shot at revenge. The excellent music from Bobby Krlic, better known as The Haxan Cloak, is a mix of compositions and songs that create the mood for each character and scene. I was so shell-shocked at the end, that I’m unable to confirm that the version of “The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine (Anymore)” is that of The Walker Brothers (Scott Walker died earlier this year) or that of another band. Director Aster’s second film proves the exaggerated and diverse spectrum of what constitutes a horror film, and cinematographer Pawel Pogorzelski’s disorienting camera work perfectly complements a rare cinematic blend of frightening and funny. The cheery faces and pastoral beauty very nearly distract us from what might be the ugliest break-up movie ever.

watch the trailer:

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE LITTLE STRANGER (2018)

August 31, 2018

 Greetings again from the darkness. Director Lenny Abrahamson’s follow up to his stellar film ROOM (Oscar nominated for Best Picture and Best Director) is based on Sarah Waters graphic novel, and adapted for the screen by Lucinda Coxon (THE DANISH GIRL). Very early on, the film succeeds in giving viewers that “I have a bad feeling” sensation … usually a very good sign for films in this genre.

The always excellent Domhnall Gleeson stars as Faraday, the local town doctor called out to check on the lone remaining housekeeper at Hundreds Hall. For a couple hundred years, it’s been the Ayres family home, and though, in its past, a glorious fixture among Britain’s elite, the home, grounds and family themselves are all now little more than a distant memory of their once great selves. When he was a mere lad, Faraday’s mum had served on staff, and his memories of the grand palace are jolted by the sight of its current dilapidated state.

The Ayres family now consists of Charlotte Rampling as the matriarch who has yet to move past the death of her beloved daughter Susan so many years ago; Will Poulter as Roderick, the son who was disfigured and maimed during the war; and Ruth Wilson as surviving daughter Caroline, who seems to have surrendered any semblance of life in order to care for her mother, brother, and home … each in various stages of ill-repair.

This is a strange family who mostly keep to themselves, well, except for Faraday who seems drawn to the family … or is it the house? Even his romantic interest in Caroline could be seen as an excuse to regularly return to the house. His flashbacks to childhood and a festival held on the estate grounds provide glimpses of his connection, but with Gleeson’s mostly reserved façade, we never really know what’s going on in his head.

Part haunted house, part ghost story, and part psychological thriller; however, it’s really not fully any of these. There seems to be a missing link – something for us to grab hold of as viewers. The film is wonderfully cloaked in dread and looks fabulous – replete with ominous music and a creepy old mansion. Unfortunately those things are accompanied by the slowest build up in cinematic history. “A snail’s pace” is too kind as a description. The film is very well acted, but horror films and thrillers need more than atmosphere, otherwise frustration sets in with the viewer. There is little doubt this played much better on the pages of Ms. Waters’ book.

watch the trailer:

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE REVENANT (2015)

December 28, 2015

the revenant Greetings again from the darkness. “Keep breathing.” A flashback in the opening sequence has Hugh Glass whispering the phrase as advice to his young son Hawk, the product of Glass and his beloved Pawnee bride. The phrase has a recurring role throughout the film … possibly serving as a courtesy reminder from director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu to the moviegoers mesmerized (and nearly traumatized) by the incredible brutality of what is on screen.

It’s a master class in filmmaking by those at the top of their game. Inarritu is the reigning Oscar winning director for Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), and he has re-teamed with the reigning Oscar winning cinematographer from that movie, Emmanuel Lubezki. Two of the finest actors of their generation, Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy, strip away any semblance of pampered movie stardom to deliver ultra-realistic performances in a story “based in part” on the true to life novel by Michael Punke.

An early action sequence is startling in its ferocity as Arikara surround and attack a group of hunters and trappers, and the whoosh of arrows – many of which find their mark – abruptly drag us into a world that we are unfamiliar with and certainly unprepared for. It’s early 19th century U.S. frontier, and just about everyone and everything can kill you.  Providing just enough time for us to pry our fingers off the armrests, Inarritu stuns us with what is undoubtedly the most fantastic grizzly bear attack on a movie star ever filmed. In what appears to be a single take (which also happens to be the number of breaths I took), Mama Grizzly treats Leonardo the way a young puppy treats its first chew toy.  Scratched, chewed, tossed and stomped.  This scene is savage and brutal, and sets the stage for the true, yet still unbelievable odyssey of survival by frontiersman Hugh Glass.

Tom Hardy excels as the calmly psychotic villain Fitzgerald, though some of his early hillbilly-tinged dialogue is difficult to catch. His hulking presence fits with our imagined look of the frontiersman of the era … tough and unforgiving nearly beyond belief. His bullying of youngster Jim Bridger (played by Will Poulter) and power struggles with Captain Henry (Domhnall Gleeson) are at frightening levels of intensity. Fans of Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds will smile as they recognize the name of mountain man Jim Bridger … though that’s one of the few smiles offered by this 156 minute gut-wrenching ordeal. It would not be surprising if DiCaprio’s mantel sports an Oscar in a few months. He is that superb in a role that has nothing to do with good looks or charm.

A tale of survival. A quest for revenge.  It’s both of those, as well as a reminder that nature can be both beautiful and brutal. Some of the photography is almost poetic, and often reminds of the work of director Terrence Malick.  And in the blink of an eye, that moment is shattered by the torrential force of river rapids carrying Glass over the waterfall, or his taking a horseback ride off a steep cliff (one of the most dramatic shots of the film). The journey of Glass is unknown in distance or time in the movie, but there is no question as to the numerous struggles with the elements and the raw physicality required to persevere. If you can avoid diverting your eyes, there are visuals here that will be sincerely appreciated – even as you squirm, cringe and moan throughout.

From a technical standpoint, the film was shot on location in Canada and Argentina using only natural lighting, and emphasizing aspects of nature that often are overlooked. The sound of arrows, bears, and even DiCaprio’s breathing are profound and crucial to the overall effect, as are the animal skin garments and other costumes. It’s impossible to tell where CGI meets reality, but the visceral experience will be quite unique for most viewers … and not soon forgotten.

watch the trailer:

 

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Posted by David Ferguson