Film Review: Live Cargo

Live Cargo is an unusual and fascinating film about a young couple who arrive at small island in the Bahamas to regroup after a personal tragedy, and soon discover the people there have their own troubles. It is presented in black and white, which instead of capitalizing on the island’s beauty, on the setting, focuses our attention on the people and their daily activities. The film has a quiet intensity, helped by some excellent performances by the main cast members, including Dree Hemingway as Nadine, Keith Stanfield as Lewis, Leonard Earl Howze as Doughboy, Sam Dillon as Myron and – perhaps especially – by Robert Ray Wisdom as Roy.

The film opens with images of nature – a gathering storm, powerful waves crashing on the shore – mixed with close-ups of human faces, and the unspoken drama contained within those faces. It has an intense feel right from the start. Nadine and Lewis arrive on the island and stay at a house that her family owns there. We’re introduced to Doughboy, who owns the boat shuttling people to the island, and Myron, a young and vulnerable man who feels out of place, but who works for Doughboy. And we meet Roy, a friend of Nadine’s family, and by far the most immediately likeable character in the film. You sense straight away that he is the character we’ll rely on to get us through the storm.

We learn that there is some trouble with Doughboy taking business from others on the island, but that may be the least of his transgressions. And before we learn precisely what he’s doing, there is a scene with Doughboy and his young daughter, in which he tells her, “You know, everything I do, I do for you.” It’s interesting to see him as a father, though the scene comes out of nowhere and leads nowhere, and so feels added in. Yet, it does make us wonder if he feels guilty about what he’s doing. There is another moment later on, where Doughboy mentions to Myron that everyone looks out for himself, which seems like he’s justifying actions that give him feelings of guilt.

The mood of this film is unsettling and compelling. There are lots of quiet, personal moments, showing a lack of communication among characters. There are some great scenes where the images and music tell the story and convey the mood, with no dialogue. (There are also some wonderful underwater shots, including footage with a shark.) And it all leads to one event that will change things for every character.

Live Cargo was directed by Logan Sandler, who also co-wrote the script with Thymaya Payne. It premiered in New York on March 31, 2017, and in Los Angeles on April 7.

DVD Review: Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XXXVIII

Every time I watch footage from a press conference or an interview with any member of the Trump regime, I wish the Mystery Science Theater 3000 folks were at the bottom of the screen, poking fun at the absurdities. How can we make that happen? Well, until they figure out how to tap into those press conferences, we can enjoy revisiting some of the best episodes from the series. Volume XXXVIII contains four episodes, and this time around they are all Mike Nelson episodes (but the good people at Shout! Factory still managed to find a way to get Joel Hodgson in there). Three of the four episodes are from 1994. Each disc contains special features.

Disc One: Invasion USA

Mike builds an evil destructive robot, then destroys it. And Dr. Forrester dresses Frank as a pin cushion. This episode includes not just the feature film, but one of the best of the series’ shorts, “A Date With Your Family.” Mike quips, “I like my family as a friend.” And when the short’s narrator says that Brother “helps Mother to her chair as he would his best girl,” Mike comments, “The less said about this, the better.” The gang adds, “And be sure to make a plate for the narrator.” Later, during one of the break segments, Mike and the robots have their own date with the family.

When Invasion USA gets off to a slow start, Tom Servo says, “Will somebody please invade something?” And when parachuters begin dropping from enemy planes, Tom Servo comments, “Ah, plane poop, the worst kind.” Mike adds, “You know, this is how my mom dropped me off at school every day.” The movie is about World War III, but it uses stock footage from World War II, leading Mike to quip, “At least everyone who lived through the Blitz can rest assured it’s been immortalized as filler for this movie.” I think Donald Trump would love this movie, as its message is the importance of increasing military spending. This episode contains references to Edwin Starr, John Denver, Tony Bennett, R.E.M., Fawlty Towers, Hart To Hart, Red Dawn, Dr. Strangelove and The World According To Garp.

As for bonus material, the first disc contains Zugsmith Confidential, a featurette about producer Albert Zugsmith. The Invasion USA trailer is also included.

Disc Two: Colossus And The Headhunters

The opening segment of this episode reminds me that I need to do my taxes, with Tom Servo singing a relevant Beatles song. Mike gets a new pet, which happens to be Frank’s old pet, leading Frank to later sing a song of longing (which is hilarious). As is often the case, the worst movies make some of the best episodes. And Colossus And The Headhunters is certainly a terrible movie. As cavemen are being clobbered by large fake rocks and falling into holes, Tom Servo says, “Goodbye, John Entwistle and Mick Fleetwood.” As others escape to a raft, the gang quips, “I know we’ll be welcome on the shores of Miami.” And as their island sinks into the ocean, Crow says, “I think that may affect the tourism industry.” The queen character says, “They cut off the heads of their enemies and use them to decorate their villages,” and Crow responds, “Neat!” The queen continues: “Once we saw them perform this ceremony. It was terrible.” Tom Servo adds, “And the tickets were forty bucks.” Colossus And The Headhunters is not the most exciting film, and Mike comments, “We must avoid action at all costs.” There are references to Casablanca, Hair and Planet Of The Apes. This is the movie that will have you demanding, “More cheesesteak!”

The bonus feature is Mike By Joel. Yes, this is how they got Joel Hodgson into this DVD collection. It’s an interview with Joel about Mike Nelson – how Mike joined the show and so on.

Disc Three: High School Big Shot

At the beginning of this episode, it’s a case of bigger living through chemistry for Tom Servo on the Satellite of Love. Then we’re treated to a short about a devil, an angel and a bread delivery guy. The opening scene of the feature film, showing a close-up of a guy speaking directly to the camera, has the gang asking, “Is this the screen test?” and “Is this a Warhol film?” When Marv’s father takes Marv’s money, Mike says, “Oh, and son, I ate the last can of dog food.” Later, when Marv talks to his inebriated father, the gang asks, “Are those voices in your head or mine?” And when Marv’s father says, “I want you to know I tried to be a good father to you,” Tom Servo asks, “Do you have any specific examples?” This episode has references to Johnny Cash, Tina Turner, The Fugitive Kind, Welcome Back, Kotter and Midnight Cowboy. “Hey, I’m fake-walking here!”

The special features include the original film, as well as the film’s trailer. I love it when MST3K DVDs includes the regular versions of the films.

Disc Four: Track Of The Moon Beast

This is the one episode in the set that is not from 1994. It’s a later Mike Nelson episode, with Pearl. This is what Pearl has to say about Track Of The Moon Beast: “It stars nobody and features nothing.” As Paul takes Kathy home, the gang jokes, “All this, and he lives with his mother?” Tom Servo later quips, “I’m trapped in a loveless one-day relationship.” When a cop says, “Harris was killed by some kind of thing that-” Mike finishes the sentence, “That killed him.” During a random shot of a sunset, the gang jokes, “And now from all of us here at Track Of The Moon Beast, good night.” Then, during what is obviously a still shot of the moon, Crow exclaims, “That’s just a picture of the moon.” Tom Servo adds, “Yeah, the moon backed out of this movie at the last minute.” There are references to M.A.S.H., Star Trek, The Beatles, Eric Carmen and David Bowie. The “Fame” reference had me in tears, I was laughing so hard.

The special feature is Tracking A Moon Beast, an interview with Leigh Drake, the actor who played Kathy in the film. She talks about her co-stars and about getting the role, which was her first film job. She gives her candid opinion about the film and about the Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode.

Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XXXVIII was released on March 28, 2017 through Shout! Factory.

Blu-ray/DVD Review: Bloodrunners

Bloodrunners is an unusual horror film that takes place just before the end of Prohibition, in a town with a corrupt police force, a brothel, and a speakeasy that is run by vampires. A title card at the beginning tells us: “Average citizens break the law, live in the shadows. People are not what they seem.” A perfect setting for a vampire film, no? And as the title is a play on the word rumrunners, you have a pretty good idea of what they’re up to at that speakeasy.

The film begins with some good jazz music played at the club, and there is Ice-T as the band’s leader. It looks like he’s almost smiling, something I’ve never seen before. Perhaps it’s a trick of the light. But no, Ice-T is smiling, and his performance as Chesterfield, the owner of the club, is one of the best I’ve ever seen from him. Joining him are Michael McFadden as Jack, a corrupt police officer with a rough past, and Peter Patrikios as Victor, the face of the club.  Early on, we see that Chesterfield is not someone to be messed with, as he has a collection of fingers, and keeps them in a nice box. Hey, everyone needs a hobby.

Meanwhile at the brothel, a stranger who calls himself George Washington arrives and asks the madam, Rosie (Kerry McGann), if he can enter, and she of course invites him in. A close-up of his foot crossing the threshold warns us that he is probably a vampire. This also tells us this film is going to use the traditional vampire elements and attributes. And while Jack speaks with Rosie downstairs, Mr. Washington engages in some vampire behavior with Violet upstairs. It’s not long before Violet begins acting differently, and the tension begins building. Then, when the police stage a roadblock to stop a shipment of alcohol, they discover something odd about the bottles’ contents. And that’s when things really start getting weird.

The film has an unusual and interesting tone. It’s kind of playful without drifting into comedy, but with hints of something sinister beneath. It’s scary, while rarely gory. And there is also a love story here as well, between Willie (Chris James Boylan), a young man who just landed a job at the speakeasy, and Anna (Airen DeLaMater), Rosie’s daughter. These are the story’s two most likeable characters, the people you’ll likely find yourselves identifying with and rooting for. Bloodrunners is actually a quite enjoyable and original vampire film, with plenty of nice touches. There are also little references to other vampire stories. For example, at one point Jack reminds Rosie of how she used to call him “From Dusk ‘Til Dawn.” And we learn that Victor’s last name is Renfield, which of course is a reference to Dracula.

And be sure to watch the end credits, for there is another short scene there.

Special Features

This package contains several special features, which are on both the Blu-ray and DVD. There is a commentary track by director Dan Lantz and cast member Michael McFadden. They talk about the importance of details when shooting a period piece. They talk about the locations, including an old farm house which became the brothel. They actually shot a lot of the film in an empty store, which is wild. The film was shot almost entirely in Pennsylvania. Dan Lantz offers some tips for independent filmmakers.

There also a few deleted and extended scenes, including an alternate opening and a scene where Jack and Sam talk a bit about the political landscape of the time. The special features include a five-minute blooper reel and the film’s trailer.

Bloodrunners was directed by Dan Lantz, and was released as a two-disc Blu-ray/DVD combination package on March 7, 2017.

DVD Review: Slasher.com

Slasher.com is a horror film about a couple who, on their first date, rent a cabin for the weekend from a strange family in rural Missouri. It stars Ben Kaplan as Jack and Morgan Carter as Kristy, people who met online and now are finally meeting in person to see if they are right for each other.

The film starts with the sounds of sex while we see close-ups of a cell phone and clothes and so on. But the sounds of pleasure soon turn to sounds of terror, and we see that this date has taken a turn for the worse. We learn that the woman is the thirteenth victim of a serial killer who meets his victims through online dating sites. A spokesman for the investigation recommends that people stop using online dating services until the guy is caught. But another guy comments, “Some people just have a hard time meeting people.” Indeed.

We are then introduced to Jack and Kristy, who are meeting for the first time in person. Kristy meets Jack at his place, which initially makes us think Kristy isn’t all that bright. Yet it is he, not she, who seems nervous. She says: “It’s an adventure. Our first real date’s a weekend trip to a cabin, no menu to hide behind, nature, fresh air. It’s a great way to get to know someone.” Wow, she is certainly forward! A weekend in a cabin seems an insane choice for a first date, but she comes across as a take-charge, kick-ass kind of gal, which is actually refreshing. “Do you always take guys who you’ve just met out to the middle of nowhere?” Jack asks during the drive. But now Kristy has mellowed a bit and seems a bit more normal, and quite likeable.

The family that owns the cabin strikes Jack and Kristy as a bit odd, particularly Momma (Jewel Shepard), who immediately shoves some food into Jack’s mouth and urges them both to call her Momma. Her husband, Jesse (R.A. Mihailoff), is a big man who enters with a machete. He looks dangerous, of course, but what I love is that Mihailoff doesn’t play that up. Jesse actually seems quite affable and friendly when Jack and Kristy meet him. (Of course, you might remember R.A. Mihailoff from Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III, and realize his character could very easily turn out to be not-so-nice.) Their daughter (Rebecca Crowley) Caitlin seems a bit off herself.

Jack and Kristy have a good time, and seem to hit it off quite well. But after a while, things turn darker. This is, after all, a horror movie, and they are out in the woods with some strange people. But I love that the film takes its time, building the atmosphere and developing the characters and giving us a chance to wonder just when and how things are going to go bad. And then we learn a bit more about Jesse and Momma’s relationship, which is interesting and unusual. Usually at that point in a horror movie, the viewer stays with just the perspective of those trying to get away.

There is some fun when Jack confronts Jesse, and then things get more interesting when Jack and Momma get to know each other. Momma sure is one kinky lady. This movie does borrow a bit from Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and there is a nod to Halloween in that the family’s last name is Myers. There are a couple of problems, of course, a couple of questions that I had at the end. But this is a quirky, fun and fairly satisfying film. It’s much better than I’d expected from its awful title. And the cast is good. Morgan Carter in particular delivers an excellent performance that feels quite natural.

Slasher.com was directed by Chip Gubera, and was released on DVD today (March 7, 2017) through Cinedigm and ITN Distribution. The DVD includes the film’s trailer.

DVD Review: Kikoriki: Legend Of The Golden Dragon

Kikoriki: Legend Of The Golden Dragon is an animated feature film about a group of friends who work to help Wally after he uses a new invention to add some daring to his personality and accidentally exchanges bodies with a caterpillar. That mishap leads the group on an adventure involving a strange tribe and an ancient legend.

The film opens with a bit of narration making fun of opening with a bit of narration: “Once upon a time, there was a handsome narrator. He opened a movie by telling the story of a jungle tribe, happy and carefree and generally idiotic.” So right away I am on board with this movie. The narrator speaks of a prophecy of tragedy for the tribe, the shaman’s intern adding that the tribe will be saved by a golden dragon. It’s a cute and rather funny way of opening the film.

We are then introduced to Wally and his friends, who are playing video games. Wally is a nervous, unadventurous, talkative soul, particularly when compared with Krash and the others. When another friend needs to use the computer, Krash protests that he still has another life left. Krash is told: “But you’re wrong. You only have one life, and you shouldn’t waste it playing video games.” That’s a good message for kids these days (and for adults, come to think of it). So the friends go outside, looking for real adventure. Wally stays behind, lamenting his lack of bravery. So when Dokko demonstrates a new invention that will transfer one person’s skills and talents to another, Wally sees his chance to become braver.

So later Wally sneaks into the flying contraption where the device is stored (the next day Dokko is scheduled to show the device to other scientists), but something goes wrong and he finds himself now in the body of a caterpillar, while the mind of the caterpillar clearly occupies Wally’s own body. Switching back proves no easy task, especially as when he wakes, he finds they’re airborne. After parachuting to safety, the group has to find Wally’s body and find their way out of the strange jungle, and they need to do it before the caterpillar begins turning into a butterfly. Complicating things is a nearby tribe that believes Wally’s body is the Golden Dragon come to save them.

This is a fast-paced movie with bright, appealing colors. Children should enjoy it, and there are enough little jokes and references to please adult viewers. The movie contains references to 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Muppet Show, The Tempest, Raiders Of The Lost Ark, and even Franklin D. Roosevelt. There are plenty of silly lines, such as “This place is a lot darker at night for some reason” and “That pineapple is trying to steal Wally” and (probably my favorite) “Sound the alarm – do we have an alarm? – Build an alarm!” Yes, it’s a cute film. By the way, the narrator is only used at the very beginning.

Special Features

The DVD includes character profiles and the movie’s trailer.

Kikoriki: Legend Of The Golden Dragon was directed by Denis Chebnov, and is scheduled to be released on DVD on March 7, 2017 through Shout! Factory. The film is presented in English.

DVD Review: The Brand New Testament

If the news here in the U.S. is getting you down, you are far from alone. We have to take breaks from the horror show that is the Trump administration in order to maintain any sort of morale and sanity. One film I’ve discovered that should raise your spirits is The Brand New Testament. Seriously, this is a wonderful film, a total delight from beginning to end. It tells the story of God’s rebellious daughter, who, fed up with her father’s mean methods, decides to change things for humanity by revealing to each person the date of his or her death.

It is told from the perspective of Ea (Pili Groyne), God’s ten-year-old daughter, who narrates the film. The first line is, “In the beginning, you don’t know it’s the beginning.” It’s perfect, right, to open the film with “In the beginning.” She goes on to say: “You don’t know it starts. And, suddenly, here we go!” Indeed! God exists and lives in Brussels, where he’s gone about his business of creating. Right away, the movie tickles me with its images of giraffes in the streets of Brussels, and chickens watching a film, before the invention of man. And then Adam walks in the streets and goes to the cinema, in place of giraffes and hens. Even Eve’s name tag made me burst out laughing. Now God spends most of his time in his office, creating irritating laws like, “Law No. 2128: The other line always moves faster.”

Ea does have some powers, of course. “Just like your brother,” God says to her. And one day when God (Benoit Poelvoorde) leaves his office door open, Ea enters and sees the misery God has unleashed upon humanity. She grabs six files at random (these people will be her apostles), and before leaving, sends messages to every single person, letting them know exactly how much time they have left to live. Except, I suppose, all those people without cell phones (and yes, the film does address that issue later on). And this is just the beginning of the film.

The big question is, what would you do differently if you knew how much time you had left? The montage showing people receiving the messages on their phones is one of the most touching and affecting montages I’ve ever seen in a film. And that’s something I need to point out. As funny as this film is, it also does have a point, something to say, and I was often emotionally moved during the course of the story.

Ea solicits the help of a homeless man named Victor in finding her six apostles, and to act as her scribe in writing down the wisdom of these apostles. She also reveals to him (and to us) that there is no life after death. Earth is Paradise. How differently would people act if they kept that notion in mind? The film introduces us to each of the six people Ea has chosen, including Martine, played by Catherine Deneuve. Meanwhile, God works to track down and stop Ea, and finds himself suffering under his own little rules.

In addition to the humor, there is a lot of beauty to this film, a lot of magic. And it is full of excellent performances. One of my favorites is actually by Yolande Moreau as Ea’s mother, who comes across as timid in the presence of her husband, but who just might be what we all need. Certainly, the United States would be better off with a woman in charge.

Special Features

As is often the case with Music Box Films DVD releases, this disc contains a lot of special features. God Is Among Us: The Making Of The Brand New Testament is a featurette in which cast and crew members joke about working with God. The entire thing basically runs with the joke that God is actually working on the film, and it does get old rather quickly. It is twenty-one minutes. There are also two interviews. The first is with director Jaco Van Dormael, in which he talks about the idea behind the film, the cast, and about the idea of people’s inner music. This is approximately ten and a half minutes. The second is with actor Benoit Poelvoorde, who plays God in the film. He talks about accepting the role without having read the script, and about his role, the film and his own beliefs. This is approximately seven minutes.

There is a special effects featurette, which is presented as a montage set to music, showing how some of the visual effects shots were put together. There is also an episode of Home Cinema, with Jaco Van Dormael, showing some behind-the-scenes footage in addition to the interview. This is approximately eighteen and a half minutes. The film’s trailer is also included, as well as a booklet featuring an interview with Jaco Van Dormael. But perhaps the best special feature is E Pericoloso Sporgersi, a short film by Jaco Van Dormael from 1984.

The Brand New Testament was directed by Jaco Van Dormael, and is scheduled to be released on DVD on March 7, 2017 through Music Box Films. The film is presented in French, with optional English subtitles.

DVD Review: Mountain

Mountain is a compelling film about a young Orthodox Jewish woman who lives with her husband and children at the edge of the Jewish cemetery on the Mount of Olives, and who becomes curious about the prostitutes who work there at night. It stars Shani Klein as Zvia, and Avshalom Polak as Reuven, her husband.

The film opens with Zvia walking through the cemetery and helping a couple find a certain section (in a rather humorous moment). She then goes home to her children, and we see that her home is actually a part of the cemetery. Her life there seems a quiet, simple and peaceful existence, and we see her daily routine. Static shots allow the characters to command our focus, and also help emphasize the quiet, unchanging atmosphere.

But we also quickly get a sense that Zvia needs something more, yearns for more contact. We see that when she tries unsuccessfully to joke with women who are there for a funeral, and then when she tries to relate the story to her husband that night. We see it also in a shot of her staring out through the window alone the next day. When her husband wants to take an opportunity to work a couple of nights a week, the exact opposite of what it seems she needs, Zvia goes up the hill of the cemetery to calm herself with a cigarette and spies a couple having sex among the stones. Then, lonely and intrigued and unsatisfied herself, she begins going deliberately to watch people coupling among the graves. Even a frightening encounter with some men does not dissuade her.

The film does a good job of contrasting the daytime existence of the woman and the place with the nighttime existence. In the day, her companion is Abed, a man who works at the cemetery. In one of their conversations, he tells her that he married young and has seven children, but admits there is no love between him and his wife. “It just didn’t happen,” he says somewhat matter-of-factly. And we wonder just how Zvia feels about her husband, and perhaps she wonders how her husband feels about her. Interestingly, in bed that night, she tells her husband, “He said he has seven kids and that he loves his wife very much even though it was an arranged marriage.” It’s like she is beginning to create her own reality.

Yet there is also a strange innocence about her, as in one moment when she stoops to poke at a used condom with her finger, as a child might do. Interestingly, as she begins to reach out to the prostitutes, she also begins reaching out to her husband more. And there are some tender moments between them. But there is also a tension. Both Shani Klein and Avshalom Polak deliver excellent performances. This is a film that I think will stay with me for a long time.

Mountain was directed by Yaelle Kayam, and was released on DVD on January 31, 2017 through First Run Features. The film is presented in Hebrew, with English subtitles. The DVD contains no special features.