Dir - Mariama Diallo
Overall: MEH
A thought-provoking, full-length debut from writer/director Mariama Diallo, Master expertly explores quite complex racial dynamics within the American university system, yet it unfortunately does so while clumsily trying to meld a handful of hack-laded genre tropes into the mix as well. As opposed to most horror films where the first act is enticingly creepy, Diallo frustratingly piles on the cliches early on as she bounces between two African American protagonists that are privy to numerous supernatural occurrences which they of course fail to mention to virtually anyone throughout almost the entire movie. One or two of these moments are handled in a relatively fresh fashion, but they predominantly bog down a far more interesting story with manipulative scary music, hooded figures, nightmare sequences, vague witch curses, and characters investigating things in spacious, dimly-lit libraries. A compelling about-face occurs closer to the finish line which is where the real issues are raised concerning manipulative diversity tactics and the awful, traumatic toll that it takes on those who struggle to navigate both subtle and blatant prejudices. It is a shame that the sinister forces afoot here do not properly connect with the very real and troubling ones, but there is still definitely some merit to what it accomplishes.
Dir - Alberto Belli
Overall: MEH
After nearly a decade and a half making shorts, filmmaker Alberto Belli delivers his first full-length with Gatlopp: Hell of a Game, (GATLOPP); a quirky, horror-tinged supernatural board game movie that probably gets a little too heavy on the emotional end of the spectrum to balance its silliness. In recent times, the concept of a bunch of friends being forced through supernatural means to reveal embarrassing and shady truths about themselves to each other has been seen in both Takashi Miike's As the Gods Will and Levan Gabriadze's Unfriended, so the "truth or dare" framework here is hardly a singular one. At first, the cast of characters come off a bit obnoxious, partying like best friends in an exaggerated fashion that bares no resemblance to how actual human beings even in their raging, alcohol-fueled early twenties realistically behave. As the stakes grow more dire and an unholy light gets glaringly shown on their less than admirable deeds, the movie sacrifices its comedic inventiveness which crates a tonal issue that weighs everything down. This does bring out some more vulnerability to the performances though, which is lacking when everyone is simply carrying on like cut and paste characters in an R-rated comedy. The whole thing may be more to some audience member's tastes than others, but there are a few chuckles and some wacky details to make it acceptable.
Dir - Scott Cooper
Overall: GOOD
The third collaboration between filmmaker Scott Cooper and Christian Bale, The Pale Blue Eye is a slick, enticing adaptation of Louis Bayard's novel of the same name, yet it is also one that cannot resist the urge to out twist the murder mystery competition in its final minutes. Bayard's source material has a fetching enough concept of a military cadet-aged Edgar Allan Poe assisting an exceptionally efficient detective in a string of occult-styled murders in West Point, New York. The dialog is quite rich in its vernacular and the entire cast's enthusiasm for the material thankfully shines through. Both Bale as the aforementioned, stoic, and deeply troubled Augustus Landor and Harry Melling as a piss and vinegar-filled Poe steal the show, with an almost unrecognizable Robert Duvall showing up for two scenes being a highlight as well. While the Satanic ritual motifs seem almost shoehorned into the proceedings, they at least help contribute to what is a unique hybrid of period-set police procedural and Gothic horror film, with the latter genre's most famous author thrown in as a protagonist simply adding a delightful component to the proceedings. It is a minor shame that the narrative tries to outsmart its audience with an unnecessary twist after an already fully-stuffed delivery, but aside from that, it is a solid production.
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