DVD Review: Blood Cells

Blood Cells is a sometimes intense, often haunting drama about a man who journeys home after getting a call from his brother. It stars Barry Ward in an excellent and engaging performance as Adam, a man who left home years ago and has been drifting through existence.

The film has a really intense opening sequence, with powerful images and sound and without dialogue. One man disposes of a diseased cow, transporting its corpse to where other corpses are burning. The man then watches the fire silently, the sharp sounds of the fire speaking for him. It is then we see a younger man, Adam, his son, watching as well. Adam then turns and walks away.

Soon we see Adam telling a story of his father to some people in a pub, and through that we learn that his father died ten years earlier. I love that the film doesn’t bother to ground us and situate us immediately. It doesn’t need to, for the filmmakers have gained our trust with that opening sequence and know they can take their time, that we’re on board. Plus, these early scenes give us the feeling of drifting ourselves, which work perfectly to align us with Adam. Besides, we have no choice. No one else stays in frame long enough for us to identify with. This is a man who is alone. Even in that pub scene, the folks he talks with are all much older than him, and you feel he’s sort of invaded their space, as he does later at someone’s eighteenth birthday party.

It isn’t until his brother Aiden calls him to tell him that he and his wife are having a baby, that we feel he has anyone who cares about him. And even then it’s clear that these relations are strained, to say the least. Aiden tells Adam that he expects him to be there for the birth, or never wants to see him again. And the film then shows us Adam’s journey home, which is not simply a physical journey, but an emotional and psychological one.

He has to get there in steps. He first tries to connect with an old girlfriend who immediately asks him, “Why are you here?” And it’s like he’s more alone than before. Even when he wins some money in a slot machine, it’s sad. He yells “Bingo,” but there’s no one there to hear, no one to care, to share the experience with him (no one but us, that is). There are lots of great moments like that in establishing his character, without exposition.

And as he travels home, he also travels back in his memories, and we begin to learn a bit more about who he is and where he comes from and why he left. There is a scene where Adam visits his cousin Keith, who warmly embraces him. And we feel relief, because we’ve come to like this guy. And he discovers pieces of himself he’d forgotten about. That smile when his cousin shows him photos that he’d taken is so sudden, so honest, that you think maybe he’ll be okay.

Blood Cells is a powerful and emotionally engaging film with strong imagery and sound and a tremendous lead performance. It was directed by Joseph Bell and Luke Seomore, and is scheduled to be released on DVD on August 17, 2015 through Garden Thieves Pictures. There are no special features on the DVD.

DVD Review: He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not is a completely enjoyable and engaging film starring Audrey Tautou (who, of course, will always be known for Amélie) as a woman in love with a married man, Loic (Samuel Le Bihan). It was released in theatres in 2002, and on DVD in 2003, but has long been out of print. Now a new DVD has been released by First Run Features.

He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not begins quietly, with Angelique (Audrey Tautou) among flowers of the brightest red. She is in a red top to match. She selects one flower which she wishes to send to her boyfriend as a surprise. The clerk tells her they don’t do deliveries for such small orders. But who could refuse Angelique’s smiling, radiant face? And off the delivery boy goes, while in the other direction Angelique rides off on her bicycle (which is also a bright red).

Angelique is an artist who has won a prestigious scholarship and must deliver fifteen paintings by the end of summer. She is house-sitting for a family while completing her work. Her boyfriend, Loic, is a cardiologist, and is married to a lawyer (but Angelique is certain he’ll be leaving her soon).

The film moves like a beautiful dream, with lovely music and fluid camera movements and bright colors to match Angelique’s passion and perspective. And like a dream, there is almost no need for transitions – we see her dancing, sneaking away for a private moment with Loic, then painting at the house where she’s staying.

She paints a portrait of Loic for his birthday, and lets him know she’ll see him soon. But as she waits at home, the music fades out, and the beautiful dream seems over – or at least on hold. And the film goes from reds dominating the screen to a shot of her in bed, alone, with blue dominating. We also see Loic in bed, his wife next to him, bathed in the same blue light.

Loic’s wife is pregnant, and as Angelique explains the situation to her two friends, we begin to see a less lovely side to her. She says: “The baby is just to trap him. She flaunts her fat belly! It’s just to stop him from leaving her.” And when Angelique begins to think things will work out again, the film returns to its dreamlike quality. She lives at the extremes of her emotions, and when things are not going as she wishes, she is unable to function. The film allows us to see things from her perspective, which is delightfully frightening. (And you have to feel for the poor family who asked her to house-sit.)

And then nearly halfway through the film, we go back to the beginning again, and enter Loic’s world and his perspective. And that’s when things really get interesting. While the first half is often like a dream, the second half is like a nightmare.

This movie really pulled me in. The characters and situations are compelling, and the performances are perfect. I love this film.

He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not was directed by Laetitia Colombani, and was released on DVD on April 14, 2015 through First Run Features. The DVD contains no special features. The film is presented in French, with English subtitles.

DVD Review: All American Bully

All American Bully is a suspenseful drama about a teenager that is bullied by a neighbor that used to be his best friend. It stars Alexander Fraser, Daren Ackerman, Alicia Rose, Darren Hicks, Bob Olin and Adrienne King. The film opens with a series of pretty nature shots – fields of flowers, a flock of birds, and light coming through the branches of a tree – but after that last shot, the camera then pans over to the trunk, causing much of the screen to go black. And it is that image, half light and half dark, that leads to a shot of the neighborhood and Devon Manning (Alexander Fraser) and his friends. It’s subtle, but effective, for it is that sense of half-darkness that we take into their lives. Also, the forest will play a big role in the story, both in the film’s present and in two characters’ pasts.

Devon, Becky (Alicia Rose) and Garret (Darren Hicks) are close friends who are into video games and role-playing games. Becky is clearly attracted to Devon, but is nervous about crossing that line and perhaps being rejected. As the three are walking to school, John Brooks (Daren Ackerman) stops his truck to torment them, stealing a rare roleplaying book that Devon had just bought. Devon and his friends feel powerless, but after school, Devon goes to get his book back, only to find John and his buddies are using the pages for target practice. They then beat Devon senseless, while John’s coked-up girlfriend videotapes it.

Devon’s father (played by Bob Olin) has a bit of an awkward, distant relationship with Devon. Early on he urges Devon to go out for football. “I just want you to be normal, that’s all,” he tells Devon. “I am normal, Dad,” Devon says. And after Devon is beaten, his father doesn’t know how to handle the situation. Clearly he loves his son and cares deeply about him, but they just have trouble connecting. Their scenes together are intense and touching in their awkwardness.

The only other adults that we see playing a part in Devon’s life are his English teacher and the school principal. The principal is played by Adrienne King, whom horror movie fans will recall from the first two Friday The 13th films. And she has her own issues to deal with, hinted at early when she tells the teacher that she’s “just checking to make sure my students were okay.” The film takes place in a small town, where homophobia clearly runs rampant.

After the bullies post the video of Devon’s beating online, Becky urges Devon to fight back, not physically, but by exposing John’s secret online. I do have to wonder why they don’t simply go to the police. After all, by posting the video online, the morons have effectively handed the authorities the evidence against themselves.

The film gets a little melodramatic in places toward the end, but then also gets more intense and brutal and very, very real. I’m not sure that everything works, but this film certainly goes for it and takes chances, and what does work works really well. I also like that the adults have troubled pasts that are hinted at but not completely explained. For example, we are never told outright why Devon’s father is in a wheelchair. By the way, the film was originally titled The Innocent.

Special Features

The DVD contains seventy-two minutes of interviews with cast members, including thirteen minutes with Adrienne King. But holy moly, the first question the girl asks her is, “Is this your first feature film?” Ouch. Way to do your research. Adrienne looks surprised for a moment, but answers graciously, and talks about a bit about Friday The 13th and the trouble she had with a stalker at that time, which led to her not wanting to appear on camera for a long time. Adrienne is really well-spoken, and sweet even when the girl asks the same question more than once. During Bob Olin’s interview, there is a joke where he pretends a phone call is from Martin Scorsese, and the girl interviewing him doesn’t get that it’s a joke. Wow. She’s not very bright. Alexander Fraser talks about how the script changed several times since he first read it, and that he originally auditioned for the role of John Brooks. Alicia Rose talks about how a lot of the cast and crew lived together on the set.

The DVD also includes the film’s trailer.            

All American Bully was written and directed by Jason Hawkins, and was released on DVD on June 23, 2015 through Wild Eye Releasing.