Episode 02 - Long Weekend (1978)

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Boys Behind Bars (2013)

It's been awhile since I've posted, and to be honest, it's something that has been on my mind. Whether I find a film good or not is irrelevant at the end of the day. As a reviewer I share my biased opinion, and you as the reader choose to accept or deny my statements. Perhaps you've read other reviews of mine, and enjoyed what I've had to say. If so, I thank you. I also appreciate when independent artists submit their material for me to watch.

As is the case with Boys Behind Bars, a shoe-budget pseudo-exploitation film from the U.K. I have a good amount of respect for anyone who can successfully complete, edit and distribute their film. I tried the "complete the film" part and that failed miserably, so to see anyone that has made it through the process impresses me. Now if I enjoy the film is another story.

Boys Behind Bars takes place in the cell of inmate Darrell in an undisclosed jail. We're introduced to Darrell as he's taking a shit into a plastic container, from which he claims a condom containing cocaine. As the scumbag is emptied an alarm sounds in which Darrell finds himself tucking his shit box under his cot. Another inmate by the name of Seth is thrown into Darrell's cell as apparently a riot, or something, has happened on a higher floor. The two come from completely different backgrounds, as Seth yearns to run out his jail time and Darrell has become accustomed to prison life. As the unseen riot progresses on the floors above, another inmate, Lanks, is thrown into the mix. As the three young men converse amongst themselves the alarm sounds a third time, and the fresh fish Nico is thrown into the cell as well. From there tensions and egos come to a head.

I said pseudo-exploitation earlier, and I mean that. That's not a shot on what director Jason Impey has done with Boys Behind Bars, but the movie is far more a character study than a real exploitation film. While the concept of taking the "Women in Prison" plot and changing gender is a very welcome, but I feel that confining the film to one location hindered the strength the story could of had. While the riot may not have been anything more than the catalyst to bring these four characters together, a little more impending doom would have highlighted the tension.

The characters are the same incantations we've seen before in your classic "Women in Prison" films like Vendetta or Red Heat. There is the a-typical leader of the group, the muscle, the person biding their time and the fresh fish. I wasn't expecting anything different, but my issue with the film comes in only the actor of Gavin Jackson, who played Lanks. Not until the near end of the film I didn't really buy any of his performance, and wasn't until he became violent that the role lifted. Again, not bad by any means, but it seems that the actor really didn't come into his own until later in the process.

Speaking of process, it seems that Boys Behind Bars was filmed within a 6-hour period, so most of my criticism has to be taken in stride. Given the limited time frame what was accomplished, Boys Behind Bars is rather strong, but it feels as if more time should have been spent with the actors to solidify their characters. Wade Radford (who also came up with the idea behind the film) really felt like he knew how to portray Darrel, and as the focal point of the film it helped that Wade's performance was as strong as it was.

Boys Behind Bars may not be something to radically change any genres, but even a few days after watching it the film has stayed with me. What director Jason Impey finished in 6-hours, with the help of a limited cast and crew, shows that anyone can make a movie, even with limited resources.

Boys Behind Bars is on DVD via Amazon. 

Rating: 3 out of 5 Trash Bags

V/H/S 2 (2013)

Since 'The Blair Witch Project' broke box office records back in 1999 it seems like everyone under the sun has tried to put their own spin on the found footage sub-genre. From zombies and ghosts to Sasquatch and Nessie; pretty much every producer could put in a little financial backing and receive a pretty solid ROI.  The truth is that most of these films were shoddily put together with little foundation of creating an entertaining film.

Last year, horror website Bloody Disgusting ventured into the original film department with their horror anthology release, 'V/H/S'. The film fared rather well in terms of audiences and critics, so inevitably a sequel would manifest itself in no time. I enjoy the first film immensely as it was a fresh take on the tired found footage formula, but I did have my issues with the film. The wraparound story of the group of men trying to search for a wanted tape was the first films biggest downfall, as the acting and characters weren't anything to envelop the stories in-between. The other issue, as with any anthology movie, is that you're going to be left with films you really like, maybe some you're impartial to, and others that you just didn't care for at all. A lot of people didn't seem to enjoy the Ti West offering in the last installment, but I enjoy a slow burn.

As with the previous 'VHS' film, the sequel starts off with a wraparound story to envelop the found footage horrors. This time round we follow a group of private investigators who are sent to find a woman's missing son. As they enter the apartment, they find TV sets stacked in a wall with dozens of VCRs and tapes haphazardly strewn about the room. As one investigator goes searching through the house, the other starts looking through the man's tape collection.

Now here is where I should provide details of all the tapes that are viewed, but that would take away from the fun of the film. Each of the four stories are so different, but compliment each other rather smoothly. The basic premise for the films are: Ghosts ('Clinical Trials'), Zombies ('A Ride in the Park'), a cult ('Safe Haven') and an alien abduction ('Slumber Party Alien Abduction'). Whereas the first film had a few mediocre segments this sequel finds all the right beats from the first one, and amplifies them to the umptenth degree. Laughs, gore and atmosphere are all present in each segment, and the crowd I saw it with was laughing and screaming the entire time.

Honestly, I'm pretty hard pressed to find any issues with 'VHS 2'. It was exactly what I wanted from a sequel, and had a great sense of fun with each offering. The directors involved all did a wonderful job of staying within the horror genre, but allowing for comedic elements to ring throughout to offset the violence and scares. I don't even have a favorite segment, but if there was one that the audience seemed to respond to the most it was Gareth Evans 'Safe Haven'. This is the gentlemen who directed last years fantastic 'The Raid'.

While found footage may not have been reinvented with 'VHS 2', it certainly was well crafted in how to entertain an audience. For whatever faults there may have been in the previous installment, all have been eradicated with this new outing. The best thing about a budding franchise like 'VHS' is that it's a venue for up and coming directors to showcase their talents in a condensed form. They can churn out one a year like any other horror franchise, but the difference here is that we'll never see the same movie twice.

'VHS 2' will be released by Magnet Releasing on VOD July 6th with a limited theatrical run July 12th.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Trash Bags

The Battery (2013)

bat·ter·y  

/ˈbatərē/ : A container consisting of one or more cells carrying an electric charge and used as a source of power.

Independent horror fare is a dime a gross. More often than not someone (like yours truly) thinks that they can grab a camera, and make the next 'Night of the Living Dead' or 'Blair Witch Project'. The sad truth is that most of these productions lack competency, but they still find their audience. Those examples stated above are the obscurity. The odd balls. Thankfully, I've never (successfully) attempted to make a film.

'The Battery' is a project where determination and passion outweighs any financial hurdles most films run into. The production was made for $6,000 and was shot in a staggering 15 days. Those figures alone should make any Hollywood production flip their respective shits. Through friends, co-workers and family the film was financed, filmed and edited.

'The Battery' is the story of two baseball players, Ben (Jeremy Gardner) and Mickey (Adam Cronheim) who are traveling across New England aimlessly. The only problem is that there are zombies at every turn, so the two men decide to venture in the woods for fear of overrun cities. In their journey through a deserted neighborhood, the two men come upon a pair of two-way radios, and find a conversation amongst two survivors: Annie and Frank. The two are discussing items for Annie's "shopping list" which happens to include a copy of the movie 'Tremors' for a child's birthday at The Orchard. Mickey attempts to communicate, but is told by Frank to never use this channel again. 

Ben and Mickey begin to travel further into the wilderness, but tempers between the two rise. Ben, the realist of the two, pushes Mickey to accept the reality that the vision of things going back to normal won't happen. Mickey represents the romantic of the group. Hiding away in his headphones, he refuses to acknowledge the hand that has been dealt, and hopes and dreams for the world as he knew it to return. Ben and Mickey are the two ends of a battery, a term used to describe their relation as pitcher and catcher, but also their positions in life.

Jeremy Gardner's 'The Battery' is a crowning achievement in simplicity.  Keeping the cast and locations limited allows for the dialogue between the two protagonists to shine. The conversations between Ben and Mickey flow with ease between the two leads, and it feels like both Gardner and Cronheim have been acting for years. The supporting cast, while limited to only a handful, is present in the screenplay to serve as plot devices to further our look into the relationship between Ben and Mickey. With outstanding acting, the film moves at a rather excellent clip.

The cinematography is another highlight of 'The Battery' as the vivid New England landscape is captured in its rawest form by Christian Stella. The beauty of nature plays just as important of a character as Ben and Mickey by being the one constant in the world of the walking dead. Finally, the soundtrack is one of the best you'll hear in years with artists like Wise Blood and Rock Plaza Central are used to heighten the emotional journey between Ben and Mickey.

'The Battery' is a film that is simply a must-see. Whether you're a horror fan or just a fan of movies in general there is a lot of positives find in 'The Battery'. From an emotional character arc for each of the protagonists to gorgeous cinematography plus a fantastic soundtrack, Jeremy Gardner is a name to watch for in the upcoming years. It all starts here.

'The Battery' will be hitting VOD this June with a physical release later in the year.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Trash Bags

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