Overall: MEH
Sadly, the latest from Austrian duo Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala strives for and achieves the type of unflinching destitute that ends up being vapid in its noble attempts at period accuracy. Set in early 18th century Germany, it deals with the common "suicide by proxy" practice at the time where mostly women would murder mostly children in order to be publicly executed after achieving the type of forgiveness that taking one's own life outright could never allow. It is based directly on researcher Kathy Stuart's book Suicide by Proxy in Early Modern Germany: Crime, Sin and Salvation, and the filmmakers here have crafted a bleak and convincing aesthetic that offers no hope of blissful existence for those who are emotionally tormented by such an environment. Anja Plaschg turns in a brutalized performance for such an austere protagonist that is either ignored or ridiculed by the few people in her life who are going through their days in just as thankless of a manner, yet are at least able to endure. Franz and Fiala provide an authentic fly on the wall look into a bygone era of impoverished Eastern European peasant life, but what if anything else they were going for besides such miserableness is left impenetrable.
Dir - David Moreau
Overall: GOOD
A one-take gimmick movie from French filmmaker David Moreau, MadS pulls-off a gradual upclimb of chaotic suspense, even if it may prove to be nothing more than yet another slight tweak on the viral outbreak formula. Starting in a remote house where Milton Riche scores some cocaine to take to a party later that night, it ends up following a linear trajectory through three different characters, one at a time and each of which come in contact with something that makes their eyes glow silver, removes their ability to speak, attracts them to bright lights, makes them twitch uncontrollably, causes mood swings galore, and ultimately results in uncontrollably bouts of rampaging violence. Moreau's plot has a foreseeable apocalyptic outcome, but the details are difficult to predict, plus we are wisely left in the dark just as our increasingly confused and terrified protagonists are. From a technical perspective, it is of course an impressive achievement since any cut cheats, (if there in fact are such things), are cleverly disguised, plus the intricate choreography throughout various outdoor and indoor locations, roads, and city blocks shows a tight attention to detail that only intensifies an already intense story. What the world does not need is another goddamn zombie movie, but if we are going to get one anyway, at least Moreau has found an enticing avenue to go down in delivering the goods.
Dir - Fede Álvarez
Overall: MEH
The first entry into the Alien franchise post-Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox, Alien: Romulus is member berry schlock that is at least done on an admirable scale. This is a frustrating legacy sequel that seems ever-burdened by its predecessors, as if the ghosts of Alien past, (cough, Disney studio executives, cough), are breathing down the creative personnel at all times. Set in between Ridley Scott's initial film and James Cameron's blockbuster follow-up, we are introduced to some young working class minors who are stuck in dead-end servitude to the always evil Weyland-Yutani company as they hatch a plan to escape that everyone watching not only knows will go wrong, but also knows exactly in what ways it will go wrong. From a production standpoint, director Fede Álvarez and his team do exceptional work. The sets are wonderfully lived-in and detailed, there is a large abundance of practical effects that modern A-movies rarely allow, and a conventional yet effective tone of mounting dread is maintained even when things become egregiously lazy. Some may consider the script by Álvarez and Rodo Sayagues to be refreshing in its simplicity, (especially coming after Scott's pretentious prequels Prometheus and Alien: Covenant), but most of these characters are so clearly doomed and/or merely retreads of other ones from the series that the film never earns our investment. Disney has clearly learned nothing since Rogue One, so we get yet more insulting deepfake rendering, famous dialog callbacks, and pointless Easter eggs that turn a good looking yet bland film into something more heinous and stupid.
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