Dir - Joel Edgerton
Overall: GOOD
An impressive directorial debut from writer/actor Joel Edgerton, the grown-up bully aftermath thriller The Gift rides that razor-thin line of clever and formulaic with top-notch performances all around. The script toys with the ole "Nice person must be up to something sinister" trope throughout its first act which makes for several uncomfortable moments. While most of the behavior exhibited by the people on screen is believable due to gradually fleshed-out characterizations, there are still a couple of logical gaps that unfortunately break verisimilitude. As things get more intense towards the finish line, it almost bypasses its expertly unnerving, psychological manipulation for crude shock value, but Edgerton maintains a tight control over such a balance which makes the entire thing that much more suspenseful. Rebecca Hall does her usual excellent work, (with a rock solid American accent to boot this time), and Edgerton appropriately keeps the audience guessing as to the extent of his intentions, but Jason Bateman steals the show in an against-type portrayal that is the most dynamic and challenging of the lot.
Dir - Adrian Țofei
Overall: GOODNotable as Romania's first found footage horror movie and the debut from filmmaker Adrian Tofei, (who also appears on screen and handles all levels of production), Be My Cat: A Film for Anne is of the disturbing meta variety previously established by Man Bites Dog in that its initial black comedy elements turn uncomfortably dark. Tofei developed the project over a number of years as something that blurs the line between documentary and method delusion and the movie-within-a-movie for the purpose of another movie framework has a purposeful authenticity to it that is deeply troubling. Allegedly, only first takes were used and the actors did not meet each other until the camera was already rolling. As one of only three major speaking characters on screen and by far the most prominent one, Tofei is terrifying in his eccentric obsessiveness, utilizing broken English and clueless glee as he films his undying love letter for Anne Hathaway amidst self-justified, deranged, and deadly behavior. Some of the plot developments may be too aloof to buy into and it is far from a feel good experience, but the latter at least is certainly the point. As a viscerally bizarre watch then, the stark presentation only enhances its ability to get under the viewer's skin.
Dir - Neil Marshall/Darren Lynn Bousman/Axelle Carolyn/Lucky McKee/Andrew Kasch/Paul Solet/John Skipp/Adam Gierasch/Jace Anderson/Mike Mendez/Ryan Schifrin/Dave Parker
Overall: WOOF
In the short running as one of the most unwatchably braindead anthology horror films ever made, Tales of Halloween serves no morally admirable purpose besides providing a handful of genre regulars with a paycheck. As is often the case with such comedic horror movies which behave as if aggressively bombarding the audience with as many stupid and loud cliches as possible with a smirking attitude is all that is necessary to equal funny, everything is played simultaneously straight and nauseatingly camped-up. Any laughs to be found are purely accidental which is not helped by every single story premise being a moronic, lazily constructed rush-job. This is both surprising and disappointing considering some of the otherwise efficient talent on board. Neil Marshall and Lucky McKee have respectable works between them but their segments here are as daft as those from the other slew of filmmakers who come from much more unapologetically schlocky backgrounds. Clearly everyone's hearts were in the right place by making something so lighthearted, silly, and gore-ridden, but it simply comes off as a groan-worthy assault on the senses that overstays its welcome before the opening credits are even finished rolling.
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