Film

I Am Not A Serial Killer (2016) Review

i-am-not-a-serial-killer

Summary: In a small Midwestern town, a troubled teen with homicidal tendencies must hunt down and destroy a supernatural killer whilst keeping his own inner demons at bay.

Year: 2016

Australian Cinema Release Date: 29th September 2016

Australian DVD Release Date: 9th November, 2016

Country: Ireland, UK

Director: Billy O’Brien

Screenwriter: Christopher Hyde, Billy O’Brien, Dan Wells (novel)

Cast: Christina Baldwin (Margaret), Elizabeth Belfiori (Rachel), Laura Fraser (April), James Gaulke (Principal Layton), Karl Geary (Sr. Neblin), Lucy Lawton (Brooke Watson), Michael Paul Levin (Roger Bowen), Christopher Lloyd (Crowley), Dee Noah (Kay Crowley), Tommy O’Brien (Ethan Watson), Tony Papenfuss (Ron The Coroner), Max Records (John Wayne Cleaver), Tim Russell (Olson the Barber), Mary Kay Schmitt (Mrs. Anderson), Dane Stauffer (Mark Watson)

Runtime: 104 mins

Classification: MA15+

OUR I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER REVIEWS & RATINGS:

David Griffiths:

Horror films have got decisively smarter over the years. The old school slice ‘n’ dice slashers that wowed audience in the 1980s and 1990s seem alarmingly redundant as horror film makers have discovered what really scares an audience is a film that can really get inside the head of those watching it and give them a good psychological scare. That is certainly the case with director Billy O’Brien’s (Isolation) new film I Am Not A Serial Killer which gets inside you head as a good psychological thriller and then delivers a special twist for all horror fans out there.

Set in a small American town I Am Not A Serial Killer centres around sixteen year old John Wayne Cleaver (Max Records – Where The Wild Things Are), a teenager who is obsessed by serial killers, works as an embalmer with his mother April (Laura Fraser – A Knight’s Tale) and has been diagnosed as a clinical sociopath by his therapist Dr. Neblin (Karl Geary – The Burrowers).

John fights against his urges to kill by doing small things like smiling at people who make him angry and helping out with those less fortunate than those around him, like his elderly neighbour Crowley (Christopher Lloyd – Back To The Future). However when a spate of murders start happening in the town it sparks John’s interest and he wants to try and find out exactly who is doing it.

Anyone out there who wants to learn how to write a great screenplay should start by sitting down and watching I Am Not A Serial Killer. Billy O’Brien teams up with Christopher Hyde (Last Light) to create an amazing script based on the novel by Dan Wells. When the two took on this challenge it was no small feat. While the novel was considered a young adult novel, it was a film that had to be different to other young adult films like Harry Potter or The Hunger Games. While many were impressed by the ‘darkness’ of The Hunger Games this film has to go even darker and it explores going inside the head of a teenager who every day fights the urge to kill those around him.

Somehow O’Brien and Hyde manage to achieve this goal and they create a film that is part psychological thriller, part coming-of-age film with a little twist of horror. Not only do that but they manage to make this a film with believable dialogue and even make the young sociopath a character that the audience want to root for as he sets about trying to solve the murders that are terrifying the town. The realistic dialogue just adds to the naturalistic feel brought to the film by cinematographer Robbie Ryan (Philomena), a feel that is quite common in British cinema but but still matches this film’s American scene well.The screenplay also shows his hand as a great psychological thriller as it keeps its audience guessing – first of all to who is committing the murders and even after that is revealed the film doesn’t lose any of its suspense as it becomes a game of cat and mouse between an experienced serial killer and teenager who dreams about doing the same.

As this film is guaranteed to become a cult classic as the years go by this is also going to do for young Max Records’ career what the film Brick did for Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Watching this film you would never pick that this is the little boy from Where The Wild Things Are and instead he has turned into a fine character actor who deserves to be winning awards for this film. He brings the role to life amazingly well and never seems out of his depth not even when in scenes with the very experienced Christopher Lloyd who is also playing against type.

Despite having a limited release in Australia I Am Not A Serial Killer is one of the best films of 2016. This gritty film is enough to show just how strong the British indie scene as this is one of the best psychological thrillers to surface since Prisoners and Nightcrawler. This is an amazing film that is not to be missed.

Greg King:

This gripping low budget psychological thriller mixes the familiar coming of age themes with outright horror tropes and a touch of the supernatural.

Sixteen-year-old John Wayne Cleaver (played by Max Records, the misunderstood young hero from Spike Jonze’s Where The Wild Things Are) is a troubled adolescent, a misfit with a morbid fascination with death and serial killers. He is something of an outsider, and he has written school essays on notorious serial killers like Jeffrey Dahmer and the BTK killer, which concerns his principal. He works as an embalmer with his mother April (Laura Fraser), a morgue technician, at the family funeral parlour, and this feeds his fascination with death. He has been diagnosed with clinical sociopathy, but he is able to keep his dark homicidal urges at bay through regular therapy sessions with Dr Neblin (Karl Geary). He has established his own set of rules to keep these killer thoughts at bay. He also does good deeds to help his elderly amiable neighbour Mr Crowley (Back To The Future‘s Christopher Lloyd) and his invalid wife.

That is until a vicious serial killer begins leaving a trail of bodies behind in his small home town. Mysterious black sludge is found at the scene of the murders, and it appears that the killer is harvesting the organs of victims. John investigates and soon discovers the identity of the killer. But rather than go to the police with the information he tries to catch him. In doing this he puts himself and his family and a few friends firmly in the crosshairs of a killer.

The film is based on Dan Wells’ best-selling YA novel from 2009 and has an unusually darker sensibility for a piece of teen fiction. The director is Billy O’Brien (Isolation, etc), who has a strong visual style and creates an unsettling atmosphere and slowly mounting air of dread and suspense. He doesn’t pull his punches with the darker themes and there are some gruesome moments that are not for the squeamish. The body count rises and the film gradually grows darker in tone. But there are also some rather black moments of humour interspersed throughout the narrative to leaven the tone.

Like The Town That Dreaded Sundown and David Lynch’s bizarre Blue Velvet, this creepy thriller strips away the veneer of small town America and finds something nasty and sinister just below the surface. Irish cinematographer Robbie Ryan (Fish Tank, The Angels’ Share, etc) has shot the film in 16mm, which adds to the gritty visual style and the moody atmosphere that captures a distinctly 80s aesthetic. Ryan’s cold and crisp cinematography captures the subtle menace of this small town and its harsh wintry vistas and John’s somewhat bleak world view. O’Brien gives us a strong sense of place and we can almost feel the chill from the snow covered environment.

The film boasts some solid performances. Records is well cast here as the obsessed teen, a junior version of Dexter with his obsessions and quirky behaviour, and he holds our attention throughout the film. He brings a disconnected coldness and lack of empathy to his performance. His name is an intriguing mixture of both John Wayne the iconic American film star and hero, John Wayne Gacy the notorious serial killer, and Beaver Cleaver, the all-American kid from the 50s television show. In one of his best performances for quite some time Lloyd brings subtle nuances and a creepy element to his performance as the seemingly kindly old neighbour. Fraser brings a sense of compassion to her role as John’s mother who seems protective of her son even though she doesn’t understand him.

I Am Not A Serial Killer undergoes some surprising and unexpected shifts in tone, moving from teen friendly murder mystery to darker territory. This clever and engaging thriller is perfect fodder for late night screenings, and could possibly become something of a cult film in the future.

Average Buzz Rating (out of 5):

October 6, 2016 0 comment

Film Interviews Featured

Happy Death Day – Jason Blum Interview

written by David Griffiths

Jason Blum has been the man behind some of the most influential horror franchises of the modern era – films like The Purge, Sinister, Paranormal Activity and Insidious just to name a few. Dave G caught up with Jason to take a look back through his career and to chat about his brand new film Happy Death Day.

You can listen to or download our Jason Blum interview right here.

October 15, 2017 0 comment

Film Featured Comedy Crime

Game Night Review

written by David Griffiths

Summary:A group of friends who meet regularly for game nights find themselves entangled in a real-life mystery.

Year: 2018

Australian Cinema Release Date: 22nd February 2018

Australian DVD Release Date: TBA

Country: United States

Director: John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein

Screenwriter: Mark Perez

Cast: Jason Batman (Max), Kylie Bunbury (Michelle), Kyle Chandler (Brooks), Camille Chen (Dr. Chin), Michael Cyril Creighton (Bill), John Francis Daley (Carter), R.F. Daley (Tats), Abigail Ford (Mrs. Anderton), Jonathan Goldstein (Dan), Michael C. Hall (The Bulgarian), Natasha Hall (Madison), Sharon Horgan (Sarah), Malcolm X. Hughes (Not Denzel), Danny Huston (Donald Anderton), Candy Ibarra (Rachel Burns), Jessica Lee (Debbie), Daniel Lucente (Dan Steele), Curtis Lyons (Logan), Billy Magnussen (Ryan), Rachel McAdams (Annie), Joshua Mikel (Colin), Lamorne Morris (Kevin), Tony Ohara (Kramer), Olivia (Bastian), Chelsea Peretti (Glenda), Jesse Plemons (Gary), Brooke Jaye Taylor (Linda), Michael Twombley (Michael Bates), Zerrick Williams (Val)

Runtime: 100 mins

Classification: R

OUR GAME NIGHT REVIEWS & RATINGS:

Dave Griffiths Review:

To listen to some film journalists talk the state of the comedy genre is in tatters. Apparently unfunny comedy after unfunny comedy floods our cinemas screens. The notion is ridiculous though. It seems that films like Horrible Bosses and We’re The Millers have been completely forgotten about… hell even the local comedy Swinging Safari was a lot funnier that most journos gave it credit for. Now comes Game Night a film that certainly shows that comedy is back – not only does the film’s twists and turns keep the audience guessing but it’s sassy comedy and modern edge make a film worthy of more than one viewing.

The plot of Game Night is unique in itself. Max (Jason Bateman – Arrested Development, Juno) and Annie (Rachel McAdams – The Notebook, Mean Girls) are a regular couple with a big difference – they are driven by a competitive spirit that makes their frequent games’ nights a must attend for their friends.

However their games nights are changed forever when the couple realise that their inability to conceive a child is caused by Max’s competitive streak with his rich and popular brother Brooks (Kyle Chandler – Argo, Manchester By The Sea). With Brooks coming to town and deciding to host the latest games night… a night that he says nobody will forget… Max and Annie are already on edge. To make things worse they are trying to hide the night from their creepy, ex-friend and Police Officer Gary (Jesse Plemons – Battleship, Black Mass) so he doesn’t turn up, but that all pails into insignificance when Brooks’ real life makes the night potentially deadly.

Universally panned for their work on Vacation directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein bounce back here largely thanks to a witty script written by Mark Perez (Accepted, Herbie: Fully Loaded). While the premise of the film seems basic Perez’s screenplay makes this film stand-out. Game Night has everything that a good comedy should have – witty one-liners plus memorable characters like the dry and dull Gary and the extremely dumb himbo Ryan (Billy Magnussen – Into The Woods, The Big Short).

But Game Night also has more than that. The suspense of the plot is only enhances with a serious of twists and turns that soon has the audience realising that they can’t predict what is going to happen in the next minute let alone for the rest of the film. The fact that Perez is smart enough to have Max almost narrate what some would call film flaws with lines like ‘great two guys show up that haven’t been revealed in the plot earlier’ makes the decision to include such risky choices in the film pay off with laughter. The screenplay also gives a nod to other films, again with a smirk to the audience as Rachel McAdams declares ‘like Liam Neeson in Taken 3.’

In fact it is the chances that Game Night makes that ends up letting the film work. The decision to tone the adult humour down when compared to a film like Horrible Bosses means that this becomes the perfect date movie for both men and women while the interesting choice of cast all works. Batman and McAdams gel well as an on-screen couple while Jesse Plemons steals just about every scene he is in with some brilliant deadpan character acting. The other big surprise here is Kyle Chandler. Known more for his gritty dramatic roles in productions like Friday Night Lights Chandler here shows the world his comedic skills as he makes sure Brooks is one of those characters that the audience will love one moment and hate the next.

Game Night is one comedy that is well worth a look. Its great screenplay allows for a little more storyline and suspense then what we expect from most comedy films while Jason Bateman once again shows why he is the current king of comedy. As you sit down to watch Game Night be prepared for a wild ride with more than enough laughs to keep the comedy fans happy as well.

Greg King’s Review:

This enjoyable mix of action and comedy from the team behind films like Horrible Bosses is like David Fincher’s The Game crossed with Date Night.

A group of friends regularly meet every Saturday night for some old-fashioned fun, playing old school board games and charades. The games are held at the home of Max (Jason Bateman) and his wife Annie (Rachel McAdams), both very competitive gamers who met a trivia night. The players include bickering high school sweethearts Kevin (Lomorne Morris) and Michelle (Kylie Bunbury) and dim-witted ladies’ man Ryan (Billy Magnussen, from tv series Get Shorty, etc), who brings along a different shallow empty-headed date each night.

But this time, Max’s supposedly much more successful and wealthy older brother Brooks (Kyle Chandler, Emmy winner from Saturday Night Lights, etc) arrives for a surprise visit and decides to up the ante when he hosts his own game night. He has chosen an interactive “mystery” theme around the concept of a kidnapping. But things quickly go pear shaped when real life crooks invade the house, beat up Brooks, duct tape and drag him from the house. Max and the gang initially think it was all part of the game.

But when they realise that it was real, Max and his friends embark on a cross town chase to try and rescue Brooks. Their competitive spirit though means that they try to race each other to find Brooks and their efforts are driven by their natural one-upmanship. They soon discover that neither the game nor Brooks are what they seem. The chase also sees them having to find a Faberge egg, which is something of a McGuffin.

For the most part Game Night is an energetic and light-hearted action comedy with thriller elements as it mixes some car chases, fight scenes and the odd angry shot. But the plot is also very convoluted and there are a couple of last minute twists that defy credibility. The script comes from Mark Perez (the more family friendly Disney film Herbie Fully Loaded, etc). The film has been directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, who are best known for writing comedies like Horrible Bosses, etc. They made their feature film directorial debut with 2015’s disappointing Vacation reboot, and here they bring their own comic sensibilities to Perez’s screenplay and make the most of the thin premise.

The film is slickly paced, and cinematographer Barry Peterson suffuses the material with a noir like palette. There are some nice visual gags as well, including establishing shots of various neighbourhoods that initially resemble a board game community.

Bateman often has a nice everyman quality that shapes his performances. Here he seems far more comfortable than in some of the crass comedies like Office Christmas Party that he has appeared in. He and McAdams develop a wonderful chemistry that lifts the film, and they play off each other well. It seems that she has allowed Bateman to lift his game. McAdams also shows a nice flair for comedy. The cast also features Jeffrey Wright (Casino Royale, etc), and Danny Huston and Dexter star Michael C Hall in small roles as shady underworld figures.

Everyone in the cast is given their own moment to shine. But the stand out of the ensemble is Jesse Plemons (American Made, etc) who plays Gary, Max and Annie’s somewhat creepy and obsessive neighbour. Gary used to be a regular part of their game night crowd until he and his wife Debbie divorced, and he became too moody and depressed for their liking.

Game Night is uneven, but with a brisk running time of 100 minutes it never quite outstays its welcome. And it is a lot more fun than many other recent Hollywood comedies.

Nick Gardener’s Review:

The amiable if at times flat Game Night is a little like David Fincher’s The Game done in the style of contemporary comedies like Horrible Bosses. It also falls into that cinematic sub-genre the Jason Bateman movie in which Bateman plays the put-upon, every-man, nice guy schlub forced into a dangerous situation that inevitably provides some necessary jolt to his staid suburban life.

Here Bateman plays Max who, despite a comfortable life and marriage to the gorgeous Annie (Rachel McAdams), is perpetually stressed, a condition that seems to be impeding his ability to conceive a child. The source of his anxiety seems to be his arrogant Wall Street trader brother Brooks (Kyle Chandler) who has always taken sadistic delight in trouncing Max at games and competitions throughout their lives. When the obnoxious Brooks invites Max and Annie and their friends to a murder mystery party the night unexpectedly turns into a battle against kidnappers and sleaze-ball gangsters.

The film attempts to weld a typical Bateman middle class suburban rom-com to a crime thriller but the results are at best middling. Bateman’s easy charm and comic timing work about as well as they do in other films where he’s played essentially the same character and McAdams’ cheery, live-wire performance is typically fun and endearing. Add an amusingly creepy performance from Jesse Plemons as a weird, angry cop neighbour who’s determined to inveigle himself into Max and Annie’s life and at least in its early stages, this is an enjoyably perky comedy.

As the film attempts to entangle Max and Annie in a twist-laden action/crime/ caper/ story, though, it begins to lose its appeal. The film lacks the necessary thrills, intensity and drama for this part of the movie to work. Add to this a few dud gags, predictable story threads, sub-plots about characters misfiring relationships that don’t really go anywhere and some completely unbelievable scenarios including a ludicrous sequence at a gangster’s mansion and Game Night becomes a little laboured.

Thankfully, Game Night eschews much some of the grubbiness and nastiness of contemporary raunch comedies but it doesn’t replace this with enough genuine wit, energy or clever story-telling.

Average Buzz Rating (out of 5):

March 18, 2018 0 comment

Film News Featured

I Am Not A Serial Killer To Get Australian Cinema Release

written by David Griffiths

I Am Not A Serial Killer

Fresh from sell-out screenings at the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal and the Melbourne International Film Festival, Irish director Billy O’Brien’s South by Southwest (SXSW) smash hit I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER – based on Dan Wells’ best-selling YA (Young Adult) novel – will now enjoy a limited theatrical release in Australia this spring, with seasons in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane beginning on September 29^th, preceded by special event screenings the week prior.

The dark coming-of-age thriller stars Max Records (WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE) as John Wayne Cleaver, a teenager who works in the family funeral home – maybe not the best job for a diagnosed sociopath, but one that becomes an unexpected lifeline when a serial killer begins stalking his wintry mid western town and he must tap his own dark instincts to stop the killer before he strikes again.

Co-starring Christopher Lloyd of BACK TO THE FUTURE fame and Laura Fraser of BREAKING BAD, I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER combines stunning performances with a breathtaking visual style, ultra cool indie rock soundtrack and a surprise ending that even devotees of the novel won’t see coming to create one of the coolest, offbeat genre flicks in years – think DEXTER meets DONNIE DARKO and you’re heading in the right direction!

Monster Pictures will be launching its Melbourne and Brisbane seasons with special event screenings, featuring Skype Q+As with director Billy O’Brien and selected members of the cast and crew followed by themed after parties, featuring the ‘Cleaver Family Daiquiri of Death’ a specially concocted pink daiquiri emulating embalmers fluid – a post movie cocktail to die for!

More details on associated promotional activities, including event screenings and an Young Adult short fiction writing contest judged by Dan Wells himself will be posted on www.monsterfest.com.au and associated social media over the coming weeks.

I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER EVENT SCREENING DATES:
New Farm Cinemas, Brisbane:
Event Screening – Thursday September 22, 2016
Tickets: http://newfarmcinemas.com.au/

Lido Cinemas, Melbourne:
Event Screening – Friday September 23, 2016
Tickets: https://www.lidocinemas.com.au/Movie/I-am-Not-A-Serial-Killer

I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER OPENS NATIONALLY ON SEP 29 AT THE FOLLOWING VENUES:

New Farm Cinemas, Brisbane:
Tickets: http://newfarmcinemas.com.au/

Cameo Cinema, Melbourne:
Tickets: https://www.cameocinemas.com.au/Movie/I-am-Not-A-Serial-Killer

Lido Cinemas, Melbourne:
Tickets: https://www.lidocinemas.com.au/Movie/I-am-Not-A-Serial-Killer

Dendy Newtown, Sydney:
Tickets: https://m.dendy.com.au/Movie.aspx?mi=99424665-59e5-40a6-931f-d1acb303a6f0&cinemaId=be0937ef-9ecd-46e0-8824-c3e646d2fdc7

August 31, 2016 0 comment

Film Interviews Featured

Bad Girls – Warren Ellis Interview

written by David Griffiths

When Dave saw Bad Girls at the Melbourne International Film Festival he gave it an amazing five out of five stars. Now Dave catches up with the film’s composer Warren Ellis to learn exactley what into putting together this amazing film.

You can listen to our Warren Ellis interview right here.

June 8, 2017 0 comment

Film

Justice League

written by Lloyd Marken

It feels unfair to review Justice League, a troubled production beset by personal tragedy with extensive re-shoots that were done so recently it would be difficult to get the effects just right. Too big to fail and too rushed to deliver the film still manages to…yes have its moments. The first may sum up both everything wrong and right with it; a tape by two kids interviewing Superman when he was alive opens the film. Henry Cavill is charming and perfect as Superman in this scene talking to the kids and emanating hope and inspiration. Long term fans of the character will love this scene because in it they will recognise the Superman they love but they will also wonder why it is Superman’s upper lip looks a bit weird and they may also reflect that Cavill’s Superman has rarely acted like this previously on screen. Therein lies the rub, this is a sequel in a way to a film that doesn’t exist. With the shift in tone they can acknowledge the past movies but not build upon them and there’s something inconsistent in how some of these characters changed behaviours that just come across as non-authentic. Batman vs. Superman also suffered from feeling like it was too many movies in one but at the least tone and the look of the world was consistent.

One way it is improved is in its relentless efficiency, some subplots are even dropped to make sure the film runs less than 2 hours. Almost all scenes are just to introduce characters to one another and move onto the next obligatory action scene, the bad guy is nothing more than a computer generated villain sprouting some lines about collecting boxes and taking over. Each of the new heroes is given one set-up scene, one scene where they introduced to Batman (Ben Affleck) and/or Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) and then they all join together to fight…you know I kind of forget his name but don’t worry it doesn’t matter. They’re defeated so they then decide to spoiler but seriously you knew they were gonna get spoiler and spoiler so that spoiler by the end of the movie. In some ways it’s nice to not have an unnecessarily convoluted story but Cyborg (Ray Fisher) for example seems to have an interesting sub plot that does not really go anywhere. Most of the cast does well to sell you on the idea of them being in their own movie; Gal Gadot fared better under the direction of Zack Snyder and Patty Jenkins but is still great even if having the camera make her skirt seem shorter in this film. Aquaman (Jason Momoa) is hot and the Flash (Ezra Miller) is funny, there’s a nice scene where he and Cyborg share they’re the accidents. A nice idea toyed with is that Batman truly is the more vulnerable hero in the group without any superpowers and is needed more for his ideas and direction than muscle and he’s also feeling his age more in this one. Remember when his portrayal was met with so much acclaim 20 months ago and now they’re already talking about how he may retire from the role?! I have no idea why J.K. Simmons had to hit the gym like a beast to appear on a rooftop in a trench coat for two scenes as Commissioner Gordon but hey that’s Hollywood for you. Amy Adams and Diane Lane are both back too as Lois Lane and Martha Wayne, completely being wasted in a movie that does not deserve them as the human face of what was lost when Superman died.

Despite a second director coming through half way through production the tone and visuals are relatively consistent but the props, costumes and locations were originally intended for different lighting and as a result don’t look as good with the revised palette. With rushed re-shoots and CGI augmentation this movie which comes with a reported budget of $300 million looks remarkably cheap too. Most of the action is boring, nothing on par with that sequence involving Batman rescuing Marthaaaaa! in the last film. There are flourishes of humour throughout that are classic Joss Whedon and given his track record it would really be interesting to see what he would do with a Justice League 2 with time to write a proper script and shoot Henry Cavill without having to CGI out his moustache from a Mission: Impossible movie.

As a comic book fan there are moments in this movie that will make your heart soar and others that will make you so mad at wasted opportunities. This is a film caught between two moments, neither the Zack Snyder film originally envisioned nor a Joss Whedon film built from the ground up. Both probably would have been better films but this is the one we got and under the circumstances it could have been a lot worse. Yet it could have been a lot better too.

Directors: Zack Snyder

Screenwriter: Chris Terrio, Joss Whedon

Cast: Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher, Amy Adams, Jeremy Irons, Diane Lane, J.K. Simmons and Henry Cavi

July 2, 2018 0 comment

Film Interviews Featured

Victoria De Mare Interview

written by David Griffiths

Scream Queen Victoria De Mare stops by to talk about her current film projects, playing the character of Batty Boop and tells about a special surprise she has in store for music fans out there.

You can listen to or download our Victoria De Mare interview right here.

November 30, 2017 0 comment

Film Interviews Featured

Allied: Marion Cotillard And Robert Zemeckis Interview

written by David Griffiths

New suspense-thriller Allied is one of those films that has risen to notoriety before its release not because of what critics have been saying about the film but because of the rumours and innuendo that have surfaced about its stars – Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard. With all of those stories circulating it seems that everybody forgot that for the third time Pitt was starring in a fairly decent war film.

Pitt’s co-star Marion Cotillard says it only took her reading through the script to realise that this was a film that she certainly wanted to make. “When I read the script I wanted to see the movie,” she says grinning. “I thought that it was such a beautiful story. It was a mix of a very entertaining film and very deep emotions and questions about love; it’s really a beautiful, beautiful love story and it has this spirit of ‘old movie’ about it and knowing that it would be directed by a visionary like Robert Zemeckis made the project even more exciting. It is at the same time very entertaining and it talks about what are you choices in an extreme situation like the war, especially when your work is being a spy and you are pretending that you are somebody that you are not. In the beginning of the movie both of us are spies and they don’t know anything about each other and they pretend to be this loving couple and it is going to turn into this very extreme situation that the war creates, so part of the movie is very entertaining and part of it is very serious with all the questioning about choices and all the questioning about love.”

Cotillard also admits that one of the reasons that she was attracted to making Allied was because she was a huge fan of the film’s director, Robert Zemeckis. “He was really part of my desire to be an actress,” she says thoughtfully. “I’ve watched all of his movies, and I knew what he wanted to tell with this story because when we first met, he said ‘I’m not used to telling love stories like this one, this is really new for me.” It was very exciting to see him be so honest and so committed to doing something that he is not used to delivering and he was so good at it, all the questions that we had, all that we shared during the preparation time that we had. We had little more than two weeks where we all sat together, with Brad Pitt, with Robert, with Steven Knight who had written this amazing script, and to have this period of time where we could get to know each other, get to really understand what we wanted to tell with this movie was really fascinating and I was really fascinated by Robert on set because of all the movies that he had directed already and all the special effects that he has been part of creating. He has really changed cinema with what he has done and the movies he has done. So yeah I was in awe a lot and really fascinated by the way he directed this one.”

When it comes to the man himself, Robert Zemeckis, he says it was the characters that really drew him to want to direct Allied. “What I really liked about the project when I first read the screenplay was that this story had these two unbelievably well-written characters. These two characters were very complex and very passionate, that was what I was drawn to. The way that the screenplay was written so elegantly and these characters just really, really jumped right off the page, and that really attracted me as well. I think the question at the heart of the film is one that is universal, a universal question, which is – does love trump all? Is love the key driving emotion in everyone’s life and what happens when you love somebody and the circumstances get very, very complicated and what choices should we make? Those questions are all very universal and have been there all through time, and they are the ones that I think are very dramatic and very interesting. That is one of the things that I like to do and one of the things that I think cinema does very well and that creates tension and suspense. It is interesting in this movie that the tension and suspense come from the emotions of these two characters, and this incredible passion that they have for each other in these circumstances that are very, very complicated and dire. To have that much tension and suspense come from within characters was a wonderful challenge for me and something that I enjoyed doing.”

Zemeckis also seems genuinely excited when he gets to talk about having to recreate the past for the film. “I did a lot of research,” he explains. “It’s one of the things that movies do really well, they can evoke and re-create past periods of time and the way that you do is you do a lot of research and look at a lot of photographs, a lot of footage – a lot of historical footage – and then you talk to people that really know – people like historians – what was going on. We were lucky on our film because the Imperial War Museum were our consultants, so we had great people surrounding us.”

This leads to being asked what was it like working with two of the biggest movie stars of current day – Brad Pitt and Marion Cottilard. “Working with both Brad and Marion was a real thrill because they were both professional and very focused and very hard working. Brad also a very good attention to detail and I was very impressed that he went down so deep and gave such an emotional performance, one that I had never seen him do before, so that was a thrill. Marion is amazing, I mean she is one of the best and greatest actresses that I have ever worked with. She is one of those actresses that can make anything work and she pays such close attention to her character and does an amazing amount of work on her own preparing, so when she comes onto the set, she is ready to deliver and does.”

Allied is in Australian cinemas now.

December 28, 2016 0 comment

Film Interviews Featured

The Enlightened State Of Tara – Zev Howley Interview

written by David Griffiths

Award winning Melbourne filmmaker Zev Howley returns to the screens with his brand new documentary ‘The Enlightened State Of Tara’ which follows the journey that artist Barbara McLean took as she created a ‘Green Tara’ sculpture.

Subculture Entertainment’s Dave Griffiths sat down with Zev and chatted about the hurdles he faced as a filmmaker as the docco took seven years to film and how people in Melbourne are able to attend a very special screening of ‘The Enlightened State of Tara’ with a Q&A with Zev.

The screening of ‘The Enlightened State Of Tara’ will be held at Lido Cinemas (Hawthorn) on 27th July @ 7.30pm. Tickets cost $20 but all proceeds are going to the Kopan Monastery in support of their caring for the earthquake victims in Nepal. You can book your tickets to the event through Fan Force, just click here.

You can listen to our Zev Howley interview right here.

July 13, 2016 0 comment

Film Crime

“Colourblind” New Release from Nathan Hill

written by Peter Sutton

Nathan Hill (from Nathan Hill Productions ) is an acclaimed Melbourne Arthouse director and has just released a full length feature “Colourblind”, a follow up to “Revenge of the Gweilo,” which premiered in the Chinatown cinema chain. A leading Australian ‘budget’ director he has moved into a new and exciting phase of his film career.

“Colourblind” is an 80 minute feature, based around a murder/mystery, inspired by the Agatha Christie, Hitchock style “Vertigo,” done in the old style “film noire” style. It combines a lot of spy movie style, “which is really where my roots are at,” admits Nathan.

“It’s a return to the roots of the thriller type genre, I also have one of the leads Jane Badler, (remember the lead character Diana, in the Sci Fi “V” series many years ago. In my movie she plays Baxter an American woman with three daughters. The movie revolved around he, a broken down marriage and a younger daughter who has killed herself.”

“She hires a private investigator (Jaffy Rotunda) played by myself, to track the middle child who also might be suicidal.”

“The hook is that the private investigator tracking this girl, is colour blind, but when he sees this girl for the first time, she appears in colour. He thinks she is his soul mate, but she thinks he is just a creep.”

“Is he deluded? Or does he really see her in colour?” There are many subplots explains Nathan.

“The eldest daughter has also hired a private investigator. Both daughters are unaware of this, both private investigators meet up on the job and worlds collide.”

Being the writer I have had to be pretty clever with the red herrings, the twists and the cliff hanger ending.

Advertising screams “Sometimes You Need to Look Twice.” We think of the lead character, the colour-blind detective who sees his client in colour, we look to the two sisters and the two detectives. There are in fact plenty of “twices” in ‘Colour Blind.’

“Then there is the girl who is looking at the detective with tunnel vision, but if she looks at him again she may see an opportunity for love.”

‘It’s a movie I hope you’ll watch twice to try and figure out all the levels. The crux is this private investigator trying to figure out what is happening in this family without getting all the information he needs.”

A violent break up at the start of the movie acts as a breaker to reality, where we see the main character in a less than favorable light. The movie is in fact a tale of redemption as we grow to like this character,m moving away from our first impressions, then tend to un-neccesarily colour our view of his actions”

Nathan likens the movie to a David Lynch film, where the principal character is shown in a series of cuts each somewhat un-related to the other, but all having a thread that draws together as the movie sucks you in. “I like playing with the time line, so the audience is never sure whether it is present day or past.”

Nathan gives as a clue as to the passing of time, past band future. The detective has been beaten up badly and has a “horrific black eye”, as time progresses. His eye heals. “Follow that eye!”

Preparing himself to write the script, Nathan spent many hours researching the lonely world of the private investigator, a world he describes as soul destroying for these guys following the lives of other people.

Armed with a wish list for actors Nathan head hunted Jane Badler (she had worked with Nathan before on a short film,) Ian Rooney from Doctor Blake, Nick Wightman from “Hide and Seek” also returns to work with Nathan. “I probably got 75% from my wish list.”

What was the most difficult scene for you to film as an actor?

‘I had a fight scene with Jake Ryan (Home & Away, Wolf Creek series, Great Gatsby). He was a national Taekwondo Champion, I was a State Champion. It was going to be interesting. But when we did the scene it was just perfect.”

“I was lucky.”

Watch out for the colour grading of the film.Nathan was very particular about getting the right “feel” for the saturation.

“We took out all the red when we shot it,” he explains. “When we looked at the rushes when we were putting it together, it already had that washed out feeling. So when we went to grey I only had to tweek it!”

“It is really me trying to maker a stand and say “Look guys this is me, I can direct, this is a proper feature film!”

At present it is on Amazon.prime.

Stars: Nathan Hill, Anne Gauthier, Jane Badler, Nick Wightman, Anica Brown, Ian Rooney, Mardi Edge, Jake Ryan, David Macrae, Marty Rhone, Frederique Fouche, Leslie Lawrence and Thomas Morris star in the film written by Hill and produced by Hill and Michael Siu.

August 30, 2018 0 comment

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