Review: The Inhabitants

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2016

Images from the Internet

The Inhabitants: Standard Edition

Written and directed by the Rasmussen Brothers (Michael and Shawn)

Lascaux Media / Sinister Siblings Films /
Film Rise / MVD Visual

90 minutes, 2015 / 2016

www.mvdvisual.com

I love when a title has a cool double or even triple entendre to it. As an example, this one works quite well, and I’ll get to that in a sec.

Michael and Shawn Rasmussen, who apparently like to be known as “The writers of John Carpenter’s The Ward” (2010),” also wrote and directed this one, the second feature for which they sat in the main chair(s). The outcome is a different vision when you can make the whole film you write, so this gives them some freedom of self-expression.

                                                                  

This was filmed at the Noyes-Parris House (built in 1669), somewhere in a wooded suburban area of Wayland, MA, approximately 30 miles due west from Salem. The Heritage Home, which doubles for the March Carriage B&B here, actually has an historical, sinister connection to the infamous witch trials, giving some credibility to the look and tone of the film.

Elise Couture Stone

Into the picture come Dan (Michael Reed) and Jessica (Elise Couture Stone), a young couple who buy the mysterious B&B from its previous owner (Judith Chaffee), a widow who has been sinking into senility. Pretty early on – enough towards the beginning I don’t feel like I’ve giving away anything – we learn that the house was originally owned by a woman named Lydia (India Pearl), a witch who was hanged in – yep – 1669. Needless to say, she hasn’t exactly vacated the premises, and has found ways to create a family writ large.

If you watch the trailer, which gives away too much of the story, pretty soon you know wifey is under Lydia’s spell; this spells (pun intended) trouble for just about anyone and everyone. So, this brings me to the point I mentioned earlier about the entendre: are the Inhabitants the earthly ones living in the house, the supernatural ones lingering (as the band Sparks might sing), or the supernatural one inside the living one? Gotta say, whichever way, it works.

India Pearl

The premise itself is hardly new, and I even predicted most of the ending about a third of the way through: been there, seen that. That being said, and this is a big however, the Brothers Rasmussen have taken an old motif and really worked it like kneading a raisin challah. The end result is quite delicious, even if you’ve eaten that kind before.

                  

There are some really nice jump scares, but that is due to both the surprise and a lot to the make-up, which is really top notch Lydia and the others look just plain free-kaaay, with the wide, white eyes. Again, I’ve seen this so many times before, but the look and lighting works so well together to make it pop. I admit freely that ghost stories have always been my favorites; spookies + body count = happiness, for me. That does not mean that all of this genre are good, but this one certainly is better than most I’ve seen recently.

Michael Reed

The acting is also quality work. For example, Reed has never disappointed, even in outrageous roles (e.g., The Disco Exorcist [2011]). If I recall correctly, he may be using his own jacket because I could have sworn I’ve seen the (faux) fur-color thing before. But I digress… Here, as the husband who is trying to work out what the hell is happening to his life-partner while still trying to maintain his own space in the house, he comes across as both strong and flawed. Couture is the centerpiece of the film, as the wife who is dealing with a supernatural assault. She gets to play the role in two modes, being a loving wife for the first half, and then nearly as a somnambulist as she is influenced by the evil being living in her home. As the evil Lydia, the lovely Pearl dons the fright make-up and goes full throttle as the wicked witch of Wayland. Her scenes are short, but she makes her presence (pun intended) known to the viewer.

My complaint about the film, as I stated before, is that the trailer gives away too much, so I recommend seeing the film instead. But that note is a minor chord, as the film really is a fun watch, from beginning to end. While there is little character development, you do get the impression that the couple love each other, and you feel the ominousness almost from the gecko (yes, I know it’s “get-go”). Plus the effects are also enjoyable; the blood is not plentiful (and rightfully so for the story), and also seems to have the right consistency, i.e., doesn’t ooze like chocolate syrup.

The house, the lighting, the editing, the acting and the story all work together to create a totally enjoyable ghostie. By “Standard Version,” as this release is called, I am assuming means that it is CD rather than Blu-Ray, and perhaps has less extras, but that’s okay, as it still packs quite a punch.

Part of the reason why this is such a fun flick, as I’ve mentioned before, is the pacing of the film. What I mean by that is the Bros. don’t fall into the trap that many do: normally, I really hate the whole walking cautiously through the dark house / basement / cellar / woods / scenes with a flashlight (or candle, depending on the film), in what feels like an endless padding of time. The suspense is kept in play because it’s done in short segments. Also, it’s not so dark that all you can see is whatever the light falls upon, nor is it a shaky camera, for once; thank you for that. Makes me forgive you for (please read the rest of the sentence in a Maxwell Smart voice) the old moving-the-bathroom-cabinet-mirror-and-suddenly-the-ghost-is -behind-the-person trick.  

Other than chapters, the only extras are two different types of sound and subtitles (always appreciated).

This is one of the better indie films I’ve seen this year. The Rasmussens have taken some tired and tried ideas and actually improved them to the point where I didn’t feel, really?! That is actually saying a lot. Go and check it out. A great Halloween watch.

Review: Consumption

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2016

Images from the Internet

Consumption (aka Live-In Fear)

Written, directed and edited by Brandon Scullion

Iodine Sky Productions / Monsterworks66 /

Wild Eye Releasing / MVD Visual

80 minutes, 2014 / 2016

www.wildeyereleasing.com

www.mvdvisual.com

Give a group of young people a cabin in the woods in the mountains with an evil spirit that has a cult of followers, and you just know fun is going to be abounded. Well, it should be for the audience, anyway. In his first feature directorial, originally released a couple of years ago as Live-In Evil, Brandon Scullion mixes and matches a bunch of genre stereotypes and brings us a story that is meandering and somewhat shallow in plot.

Right from the start, we meet two Californian couples heading up to a cabin in Utah that was once owned by one of their families (in real life, Scullion’s grandmother). In the car ride, we get the “ghost story” background that sets up the premise, and that’s good; get it out of the way to make room for the action to come.

But as happens too often, the two guys come across as douchebags. Seth (David Lautman, with dark circles around his eyes from the first shot) is acting all “leave me alone!” and creepy, and the other, Eric (Chris Dorman) is off the wagon and verbally abusive. This is a common a theme in “couples go to wherever…couples get dead” films. The two women have their own baggage, including a history of cutting, but don’t act like privileged macho morons, but rather like they’ve been sedated. So far, 20 minutes in, the pace of the film is pissing me off.

I’ve often said that if you take enough classic tropes and put them together, you can get an original story. This film abounds with them, and one can almost make it a drinking game finding the connections. Well, the box blurb mentions The Shining and Evil Dead, and that’s somewhat accurate, but each of them is changed a bit around; again, a wise move. For example, the “Cabin in the Woods” is actually a huge complex of townhouse condos linked together, which seem to be mostly deserted (though in great shape, and quite lovely, too, with lots of pine wood). The old weirdo warning them to leave is there, but he’s also the Black caretaker (Miles Cranford, who you may recognize from his many character roles), as at the Overlook Hotel.

We also meet Ma and Pa White (veteran actors Geoffrey Gould and Nancy Wolfe, the latter of whose claim to fame – and rightfully so – is playing Susan Atkins in the 1970’s Helter Skelter). They come across as overly creepy, and seem to be just about the only tenants around, so when a mysterious masked cult is revealed (as seen in the trailer), putting the pieces together on who they are is not difficult.

My biggest problem with the film is that while each of the four main characters interact with each other, they all seem to be in a world of their own, with their own problems, most of which are not addressed, such as why the cutting, or why one took such a drastic action that happened before the film’s start (and has a direct effect on the present). While I came to like the women in the film somewhat, and not so much the men as I mentioned earlier, I never understood the motivations of their actions, or what the attractions between them are/were.

Let me add the following at this point: the cast is strong. Every actor is a gem, from the foremost to the secondary. Especially noteworthy are redheaded Arielle Branchfeld and Sarah Greyson (who has a kind of Selma Blair vibe), though I would add that the two guys perform better than their roles, even given that, most of the time, again, they all seem sedated. I supposed the direction was given that they were in shock, but it’s too broad to be just that.

Also, some the film looks decent. It’s well shot (by Matthew Espenshade, who deserves a nod) and what few gore effects there are look well done (all appliance, not digital), though most are shown after the fact. The color saturation, like the roles, is kind of drab; perhaps this was on purpose to symbolize the lack of clarity of the story, or the monotone of much of the characters?

Other than a heavy reliance on “hollow eyes,” (or raccoon eyes, if you will), the make-up is actually effective. For me, the weakest spot is the writing / storyline. It’s a bit too chaotic and possibly ambitious for its framework and budget, and yet tells so very little of what is occurring, or why. The pace could use a little picking up as well, and please, some more people for whom we can have some emotional attachment. Let me put it this way: Seth’s character is roaming around at night, digging and whatnot in a scene that is supposed to be fraught, and it’s obviously pretty damn cold, and all I could think was, “Where are his gloves?” If something like that is catching my attention during that particular action, then that tells me something.

The extras are an 11-minute passable Making Of featurette that has some good photos but not much context, and a decent solo director’s commentary that I mostly enjoyed, so thanks for that.

After writing the above, I looked at some of the other reviews of this film, and some of them are quite praiseful, while others have lambasted it. For a first feature, yeah, it’s okay, but I also believe it has a way to go to achieve its goal. I’m hoping the experience of making this film, Scullion will keep going and make more, and I’m hoping they will improve more over time. But please, invest in a story editor.

Reviews: Double Killer Party Films: Mansion of Blood; Death’s Door

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2016
Images from the Internet

So, the reason I put these two reviews together is that they both deal with getting invitations to deadly parties at mansions, with supernaturally charged results. They also have prologue-stories from quite a time ago, the first is 1925 and the second 1931, respectively.

Mansion of Blood

Directed by Michael Donahue
Tom Cat Films / Covina Hills Pictures / Elusive Entertainment
99 minutes, 2013 / 2015
www.TomCatFilmsLLC.com
www.MvdVisual.com

Stand-up comic Robert Klein used to have a routine dealing with a fake commercial where you could purchase every record that was ever recorded [HERE]. Never mind lions and tigers and bears, for this flick it’s zombies and vampires and demons and werewolves and serial killers and werewolves and ghosts and…

If there is a subgenre you like, you’re sure to find it here in a throw a dart at a board topic. Michael Donahue does two things to excess in the film. One is the genre mashup, and the other is the cameo parade; but more on the latter later.

There’s a party going on at the mysterious Mayhew Mansion, now owned by a sleazy businessman who has a mysterious and cantankerous caretaker (Gary “Buddy Holly” Busey). It’s being catered by possibly the only sane character in the cast (Robert Picardo, the holographic doctor from Star Trek: Voyager) and his nutzoid wife (Bronx-born Lorainne Ziff).

There is going to be a full moon eclipse, which is the reason for the joyous gathering – for most – and strange things are afoot when a late-20s high school senior (you know what I mean) witch-in-the-literal-sense brings back her dead ex-boytoy to see if he had bought a lottery ticket before he died. Yes, if you’re wondering, this is a comedy.

I must say, much of the writing is goofy-smart, with intentionally painful dialog (and acting) such as, “People are dropping like flies, and one by one they’re being murdered…” It is not, however, as just plain bad as are most spoofs, such as the Teen Movie / Scary Movie (well, at least after the first one, which was decent) releases – you know, like Vampires Suck (2010); it’s also not, however, brilliant either. Thankfully, it is somewhat enjoyable.

Let me show my hand by saying the negative thing first, and then go on to the positives from there: there is just too much happening. Employing practically no narrative, it is a bunch of set pieces that seem to be randomly stitched together in a way where it will jump from Scene 1 to Scene 2 to Scene 3 to Scene 2 to Scene 3 to Scene 1 to Scene 4 to… You get my drift? The good thing about this is that it’s hard to predict what is going to happen because most of it seems so arbitrary. There are some exceptions though, such as obviously the mummy (nice make-up job, by the way) is going to come to life – but the conclusion of that bit is pretty enjoyable.

Like any mashup, there is bound to be something to make any genre fan happy. At first, honestly, I didn’t get what was going on, thinking that the director couldn’t make up his mind on a genus, but as it continued I had a mixture of “Aaaaaah” and “Duhhhhh,” and was kind of relieved that there was a point-not-to-have-a-point to the whole thing.

There are certainly more characters than you can shake a stick at, and most of them are pretty superfluous other than fodder for whatever mayhem at the Mayhew residence turns up (oh, and Busey does the Mayhem/Mayhew joke in the film, so it’s not my pun, sorry to say).

Along with Busey and Picardo is a host of names that either may be famous one day, or were in their time. For example, there is Terry Moore, who was not only incredibly gorgeous back when, e.g., have you seen her in Mighty Joe Young (1949)?, but was also mysteriously married to Charles Foster Kan…I mean William Randolph Hearst. Also in the film, at 102, is Carla Laemmle (d. 2014), who is the daughter of Carl Laemmle (d. 1939; if you have to ask who that is, you need to get some horror history background lessons, son).

There are many others with familiar last names who are or could be related to bigger fish, such as Calista Carradine, John Barrymore III, and Katherin Kovin-Pacino (Al’s fourth step-mom).

While I realize this is a spoof, the cliché thing to do, in my opinion, is ham acting. To be the most effective, I believe, is to have every actor do their A-game work, and then have all the goofy things go off around them and have them act like it’s the best script – play against the joke rather than be part it. Now that is powerful and much more effective. Part of the reason gritty shows like Prime Suspect (1991-2006) worked so well is because the norm was on the level of an Agatha Christie slow burner (“Oh, look, someone’s killed Bunny.” “Better put the kettle on and ring the coppers.” “Right-o.”), and it was the juxtaposition that helped make it stand out so firmly.

There is some topless scenes full of inflated boobs (one of the more successful jokes constitutes around this) seemingly bunched together in the center of the story. There is also some decent gore, though arguably not enough for the action.

Another potential drawback to a film with this multitude of cast is that there is not much screen time for any particular one of them, so the chance of any kind of compassion or empathy, even for a sendup comedy – is lost to the flashiness and the skit. It becomes a bit overambitious in its cheesiness, and could lose some viewers that way. Odds are, though, most won’t care and will enjoy the strangeness.

Mainly, I found the film enjoyable. Perhaps not a stream of “badda-boom” jokes, but more on a subtle level that will have you saying, “Oh, I know that reference.” It reminded me of the old Carry On films, with camp leading the way.

Death’s Door (aka The Trap Door)

Written and directed by Kennedy Goldsby
Leomark Studios / Hi Point Studios / Goodness Media
92 minutes, 2011 / 2015
www.LeomarkStudios.com
www.MvdVisual.com

After the prologue, we meet a bunch of overage teens (sound familiar?) who get a mysterious and anonymous invitation to attend a party at a maudlin mansion (supposedly filmed at an actual haunted one). This is a device that, if I remember correctly, was first used by Agatha Christie in And Then There Were None (aka Ten Little Indians or by an even more racist title) in 1939. Since then, it’s been a common trope used to the point of cliché. Hell, there was even a porn version in 1985 called Ten Little Maidens.

Most of the dozen or so kids are nothing short of stereotypes of obnoxious characters, such as the pretty mean girl with a Kristen Bell look (who keeps ending words with that truly annoying “ah” sound, e.g., “no-wah; I don’t want to-wah; Why-yah”), the virgin guy with Harry Styles hair on steroids, the jocks, the chestbeating morons, the “good girl” (a Tara Reid clone), some Latinas and the solo cool Black guy (who, by the way, is also a macho cliché).

Lots of windows...

When they get into the mansion, the doors lock, and they naturally panic and turn on each other. What, no one ever heard to throwing something out a window? These guys obviously don’t give a damn about anything, so that they don’t trash the place at the very least – never mind pounding through doors – doesn’t feel honest for whom these knuckleheads are. How dumb you ask? My favorite line is from the mean girl who says, “I got nothing [sic] against Kendra, I just don’t like that bitch.”

When doors finally do get open occasionally here and there, they open to other rooms that weren’t there before, a device used before more successfully in the film Grave Encounters (2011); similar to that other film, time becomes questionable. There is even a pinching from The Wizard of Gore (1970) and The Wizard of Oz (1939; i.e., seeing events in an hourglass). But, we all know there is bound to be a reason why they are all at the house, and we have to wait until the end until we find out. Unfortunately, even that’s a cop out. And don’t get me started on the one-sided, non-yellowed newspaper clips from 1931, if I really wanted to get picky (you can make two-sided print-out, y’know).

Also inhabiting the house are three ghosts. There is a magician (character actor Obba Babatundé) who died tragically in the prologue and doesn’t do much else, his unfaithful wife who does even less, and a huge black servant with a burned face (played gloweringly by ex-footballer Tommy “Tiny” Lister. He’s the best thing about the film, and the only ghost we see actually physically interact with the kids.

As for most of the rest of the cast, they’re kind of bland characters. Some of the acting is fine, but it’s either so overwrought or underplayed, mixed with highly questionable storytelling and editing, that I kept waiting for someone to start shouting “Game over, maaan! Game over!” in that Dana Carvey voice imitating the guy in Aliens (1986). And yet, even with all the shenanigans going on, hook-ups continue to happen. Whaaaa? During one of the get-togethers, the indoor curtains are strongly blowing in a wind, so does that mean a window is open? Again, throw something the fuck out the window and get out. If someone tried and the windows wouldn’t crack, that would be something, but the writing is just not that great, so no one does. It tells a lot about the film’s zeitgeist.

Some of the gore effects look pretty good, though flashed more than shown (thank goodness for freezeframe). There is not enough of it, however, to balance the dearth of a story. As for nudity, even with the few sex scenes, it’s scarce.

The extras are a music video and a 7-minute “Behind the Scenes” where some cast and crew (including the director) discuss just how creepy it was to be in the house, and how some saw what they think was a ghost or two. Sadly, it was the best part of the DVD.

If it sounds like I’m being hard on the film, well, yes, I am. I love a ghost story more than a slasher film, but this was underwritten, overacted, overedited and left with too many holes. Bummed me out, because I wanted to really like this.

 

 

Review: 3:33 AM: The Witching Hour

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2015
Images from the Internet

3:33 AM: The Witching Hour

Written and directed by Daniel Falicki
Rotomation Pictures / Sector5 Films
Chemical Burn / World Wide Multi Media
139 minutes, 2014
www.Sector5films.net
www.mvdvisual.com

This is the second film I’ve reviewed by director Daniel Falicki (and have one more in the queue), and I’m actually quite impressed. He has shown some artistic flair in Awaken the Devil (2014; aka The Anti-American) and I was looking forward to view this epic horror comedy and see a new side to the man.

For this one, John Spinelli (Matthew J. Dennis) is basically a good guy who got into a bad situation with substances, and ended up being arrested, but that’s all backstory. Where we pick up is John being released and sent to a halfway house full of weirdos, including the uptight proprietor, Ethel Kranski (a humorously uptight Marly Green; “Your silence indicates consent! Do you understand?!”) and the kindly nun, Sister Mary (Sheri Beth Dusek, who is also a producer and co-writer), taking care of the spiritual side. Others include two brothers named Robert and Bob who drink a lot of their homemade beer and a couple into Cosplay and gaming, to name a few. The small town locale of events is called Rapid Falls, and I’m guessing it’s supposed to be Iowa due to a 515 area code shown on a television

Matthew J. Dennis as John Spinelli

In the outside world, his girlfriend Ruby (Liz Nolan) is not pleased with him and his legally forced upon him job as a bag boy at a supermarket (though it looks like the location is actually a liquor store, but I digress…), where the name on his apron is misspelled “Jon,” which introduces some other bizarre characters. Somehow, you get the feeling worlds are going to collide, Jerry.

Next to the halfway house is an century-long abandoned abode, which always has a mysterious mist around it that no one seems to notice. And at 3:33 AM, there is some mysterious light flashing action going on across the way, which leads to gruesome murders (off-screen) in which people have limbs removed (and in one case, the person had been beaten to death with their own arm; nice touch, no pun intended).

Is there any reason to think our chooch of a hero is not the one who is going to get blamed? There is a police detective on his trail, but we know there is something more sinister going on. Hell (again, no pun intended), this is a flippin’ horror film, after all. What I especially appreciate is that there is a lot of assumptions (just shy of red herrings) the viewer (okay, me) can make for certain reasons I won’t go into, so no spoilers, but the film doesn’t lead where you expect. I’m grateful for that. There are some loose ends (e.g., why did this mystery pick John?), but overall it’s a pretty fun ride.

The performances are actually quite well done. Despite the occasional scenery chewing, the leads – including Dennis, Nolan and Chris Kotcher as Father Stark – do an excellent job at it. This is especially true of Dennis, despite moments of madness, shouting and going a bit off the rail (because of the events in the story), but generally he’s sympathetic and believable, even when he’s being a stronzo to others.

Part of what makes this a fun film is not just the acting, but some of the dialog. Sure, there is the (racist/xenophobic) comic relief of a character titled Sgt. Shithead (Jason Roth, whose performance was very powerful in Awaken the Devil), but there’s lot to listen to if you pay attention. This is considered a comedy, but many times the humor is very subtle, such as playing with names or lines you could easily miss if not pay any mind.

For me, the one flaw was the length. Two hours and 18 minutes was just too long to keep the attention totally focused. If it was tightened to a reasonable 90 minutes or so, I can see this being even more betterer, and it was pretty good as it is. A few scenes lagged that could have been tightened (e.g., while everyone was waiting for the 3:33 AM time), but I’m glad I saw it anyway, and would recommend it.

 

Film review: Truth

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2013
Images from the Internet

 

Truth

Directed by JS Johnson
California Balloon
100 minutes, 2011 / 2013
www.truththefilm.com/Truth/Home.html

“But I will and you won’t
And you try and I don’t”
- Carrie Newcomer (“Five Years On”)

 

When we meet the creepy antagonists of the story, Becca and Guy Morgan, their marriage is falling apart. She was young and he was in his late 20s, so she feels like she’s missed the adventuresome part of her youth. In real life, I know people like that, so that felt palpable to me.



Michelle Sabiene

Becca (Michelle Sabiene) is bitter and lonely within the relationship. She no longer loves Guy (Benjamin Hanson), who has a large slice of masculinist training flowing through drink and fists (plus, he takes walks through the woods with a rifle), but is still yearning for the affection she can no longer give him.

He takes her to a supposedly isolated cabin to try to work things out; but she just wants out. However, she finds the journal of a painter, Jasper (Michael Duran), who lived there in 1955 with his disgruntled wife, Clair (Natasha Quirke), who were also in a loveless marriage. Soon Jasper is appearing to Becca and an otherworldly bond occurs seemingly very fast.



Benjamin Hanson 

Okay, that’s as much of the story as you’re gonna get outta me. But there are still lots to say about it.

The filmmakers (their first full length)¸ Johnson and co-writer Chris Shalom, decided to go a DIY route, and rather than just releasing this to pay DVD and VOD, so the entire film is free on YouTube (see below), which is all the more appreciative as the quality of the film is at such a high standard. It is shot quite beautifully.

The color saturation relates to the emotions of the scenes, so in some shots nearly all the hue is sapped out until it’s nearly sepia, and other times it’s clear and bright. Then there are others where there is a yellow chromatic still shot at tense moments.

There are plenty of moments of stress, and yet this isn’t a George-and-Marsha film, but rather the storyline builds very slowly and takes patience in this 2-second cut world. The violence is minimal and there is more sensuality than sexuality, which in this case works in the release’s favor. With lovely British Columbia in February as a backdrop, it makes the scenery worth watching as well as fitting into the story, whatever the action. Yeah, it’s a bit more brown that it would be during the summer, but that part of the world is quite beautiful every time of the year. Okay, that ends the travelogue part of the program.



Michael Duran

Along with the color saturation, the editing by Andrew Gust is worth mentioning. There are many startling moments that rely solely on the editing, such as some jump cuts, and especially scene overlaps (you have to see it to comprehend it), sometimes to show what a character is thinking/feeling, that will keep your eyes on the screen.

The acting is all spot on, with Sabiene looking both vulnerable and strong, often at the same time. Becca could have easily been merely a shrewish two-dimensional annoyance, but Sabiene plays her with some empathy. She’s also attractive, and occasionally has a Patti Smith shape to her face in certain lighting. Hanson starts off seeming like the good guy in the relationship, but his lack of anger management manifests through the story. Duran plays the love interest well in a Rossano Brazzi sort of way. While I think he is too old for the role (after all, she is complaining about Guy being old and he’s closer to her age than Jasper), but he handles it charmingly well.



Natasha Quirke

There are questions to keep the interest going, such as are the ghosts real or imaginary, are they working to destroy the other’s relationships, or are they working together to destroy everyone? Is this really a Harlequin romance with a ghost, or is there something more sinister behind everything?

Not only is the film enjoyable, but I certainly liked a lot of the music, for which the use of a klezmer sound for the opening and closing was a nice and gratuitous touch. On a political side note, it’s a shame that Saskatchewan shot itself in the foot about making an independent film like this not viable by cancelling the film credit rebate. At least BC has kept it going so this Vancouver-based company may flourish.

What’s also nice about this being an online release is that there is still the extras, such as a couple of clips and a pointless making of, where you see a sped up creating of something that lasts a bit over a minute in the film. There are also a full length commentary supplied by the director, co-writer, and two others. This works at points when they actually discuss the filmmaking, but as with any commentary of more than two people, it tends to get silly and it’s hard to tell who is saying what. Please, everyone, if you don’t want to see the commentary to go the way of the dodo, no more than two in the booth at a time!

So, with a mere budget of CAN$25,000, they still managed to win the 2013 Royal Reel Award for Canada in the International Film Fest. Maybe that will perk up your interest, as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqOOAWike0w