Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Hannah, Sophie: The Carrier


A psychological thriller which comes with excellent reviews, this was reasonably interesting though the jump of viewpoint from chapter to chapter was a bit annoying at times.   Rather wordy and not entirely convincing, particularly the central element claiming the love of Gaby, the lead female, for the supposed killer.    This had to be accepted as something that had happened without any real attempt at explaining how and why it did.   The book kept my interest in finding out just how it would be resolved without it being really good.   I have another of this author's books, thanks to the Sunday Times/W H Smith promotion, but I shall wait before trying it.

Tracy, P.J.: Play to Kill

Another Minneapolis area thriller featuring Gino and Magozzi with help from Grace MacBride which
follows much the same pattern as previous books featuring them: a series of murders leaves them at
first baffled before computer work narrows down the field of possible suspects.   Cleverly plotted and
maintaining the character development and interaction of the earlier work, this one did feel a little tired
at times, almost as if either the mother or daughter of the writing duo was less than happy with the way
things were going.

Frightfest 2013: Monday 26 August

Banshee Chapter 3D
Secret CIA drug experiments in mind control form the basis of this muddled and useless film.  Why 3D?
Odd Thomas
Based on the first of the Dean Koontz novels about the eponymous hero,  this was a pleasant enough way to pass the afternoon without exciting the juices.   In its favour are the component playing of the
main characters and the clear cinematography.
We Are What We Are
A remake of the Mexican film of the same name, this has a bigger budget but is no more involving than the original
Big Bad Wolves
A nasty little film about a man who kidnaps someone he considers responsible for abducting and abusing his daughters.   He tortures him to get to the truth and is helped both by a rogue cop and by
his own father.   Not aat all enjoyable but well made.
Summary
The delayed writing of the five days' films is obvious from the shortness of the entries even though I
was able to refer to the programme.   However, I think it also points up an overall lower standard than
has been the case is earlier years.   The only film I would like to see again is 'The Last Days' though I
may possibly watch some of the others if, and when, shown on TV.

Frightfest: Sunday 25 August

Missionary
Not our first choice of the morning but this tale of a Mormon missionary's obsession with a wife and her son which she at first appreciates before his friendship becomes too intense.   Reasonable.
Hansel and Gretel Get Baked
Mildly amusing riff on the fairy tale with Lara Flynn Boyle going over the top as the witch who sells
drugs as a cover for killing to keep her looks.
Dark Tourist
A lonely security guard spends his time planning his annual holiday which traces the sites linked to
various serial killers.   Rubbish.
The Desert
Three survivors of an unspecified disaster are holed up with occasional forays to get supplies until one
of them brings back a zombie as well.   Also rubbish.
The Last Days
The only way to stay alive is to stay indoors or underground in this Spanish thriller set in Barcelona.
The hero needs to get to his pregnant girlfriend and sets off through passages with his boss, the two of
them being anything but friends.   For the most part, what happens is not unexpected apart from a bravura scene in a church involving a very large bear which has escaped from the zoo.   The two men
develop an understanding which lets the hero eventually find his girlfriend, the denouement being the
end of the plague and the start of a new life.   By far the best so far.

Frightfest 2013: Saturday 24 August

The Hypnotist
Investigating a triple murder, the detective in charge uses a disgraced hypnotist to unlock the memory of
the only witness.   Could have been much better.
Frankenstein's Army
As World War II is ending, a group of Russian soldiers find themselves cut off in enemy territory and
stumble on a secret Nazi laboratory where a mad scientist is creating a super-army from the bodies of
dead soldiers with weapons attached.   Gory, very unbelievable and an enjoyable romp.
No One Lives
A bungled heist leads a gang to grab a couple in a car without realising that the driver is wanted for a
multiple killing and his companion is actually his hostage.   Mayhem ensues and a gory time is had by
all.
R.I.P.D
The 3D effects were a little off-putting in this fantasy thriller where dead lawmen track down and arrest
criminal spirits who disguise themselves as 'normal' humans.   With nods to both 'Men in Black' and
'Ghostbusters', this was not as good as one expected from the cast les by Jeff Bridges with Kevin Bacon as the lead bad guy.

Frightfest 2013: Friday 23 August

The Dyatlov Pass Incident
A bunch of American college students travel to Russia to investigate an incident in 1959 when nine
Russian hikers disappeared in the Urals even though they were experienced climbers.   After a slowish
start they arrive at the area of the mystery with their numbers gradually being depleted until the remaining two get caught up in what was an ongoing military secret experiment.  Very so-so and what
was the delectable Gemma Atkinson doing in an American film wearing winter clothing?
Dementamania
An uptight office worker is stung by a wasp when leaving his morning shower (serves him right for
being over-clean!).   This distorts his sense of reality both in the office where gamesmanship seems to
be the primary activity and his mental state is further disrupted by a 'Dear John' e-mail.   There is an
impending sense of violence which reaches a climax at the local night club.   Overall, mildly interesting
but forgettable.
Sadik 2
New Year's Eve sees six friends partying in a rented house in the country but things go wrong: also in the house is a film crew making a snuff movie using the friends as the cast.   Pick up after a slow start
but mainly a compilation of the usual cliches.
Haunter
An excellent performance from Abigail Breslin who has grown up since her 'Little Miss Sunshine' days
made this the most enjoyable film to date.   A family are trapped in their house and its immediate surroundings without realising that they are repeating the same day over and over again.   Breslin does
work this out which leads to the family finally escaping from the limbo of death without closure to the
final freeing of their spirits.   Not bad with a nice cameo from Stephen McHattie.
Wither
I know I saw this film about friends at a holiday cottage but I must have slept through it as I do not
remember a thing.

Frightfest 2013: Thursday 22 August

The previous entry should have been followed by this one around two weeks later but, on 31 August, Pat broke her ankle and looking after naturally became a priority.   This definitely disrupted my days
and did leave me with rather less 'free' time than usual.   By the time the cycling season had finished, it
was mid-October and the switch from 'must restart the blog tomorrow' to actually doing it has taken
rather more time than I expected.
The Dead 2: India
The first of the series was shown two years ago and featured as an analytical session last year though I
saw neither.   The plot is simple - our hero is trying to reach loved ones during a zombie outbreak so the
story line becomes a series of near misses for him while others are less fortunate.   Even had I written
this immediately afterwards it would still have been a rather indifferent reaction.
Curse of Chucky
Here we go again!   The malevolent killer doll returns for a number of imaginative killings with, almost
at the end, a cameo from the iconic Jennifer Tilley.
Having intended previously to stay for the late screenings by staying at an hotel - which was none too
successful - we reverted to missing deliberately the final show of the evening.