“Those who set in motion the forces of evil cannot always control them afterward.”
— Charles Waddell Chesnutt, “The Marrow of Tradition”
My review of “Gardens of the Night” (2008)
“Gardens of the Night” (2008) is a generally well made film, but it’s damned hard to review. We can’t … enjoy the movie, because it isn’t meant to entertain. It’s a detailed docudrama that shows the abduction and forced prostitution of an eight-year-old girl, then the permanent destruction of her life in her teen years.
It’s gut-wrenching. The first half of the movie plays almost like a twisted procedural in which a child pornographer and slaver (brilliantly and unexpectedly portrayed by Tom Arnold) tricks and kidnaps young Leslie (Ryan Simpkins).
We’re shown the nuts and bolts of everything – starting with how Arnold’s character earns her trust (“Can you help me find my dog?”, “I’m a friend of your father’s.”) And Arnold is so convincing in the role, it’s easy to see how lines like this can fool a child. We see how she’s drugged, imprisoned, and persuaded that her parents don’t want her anymore, then how she’s coaxed and reassured into prostitution to pedophiles. There were a few times when I wanted to shout at the screen – such as when Arnold’s character actually coaches the prepubescent girl about what customers expect. Then we’re even shown how children are marketed and sold – with catalogs and photos and polite, secret business meetings. Jeremy Sisto and Harold Perrineau show up in effective supporting roles that will turn your stomach.
Then – midway through the film, we fast-forward to Leslie’s life as a teenager, where she is now somehow free of Arnold and his even more evil partner (well played by Kevin Zegers, who I remember best as the sweetnatured, clean-cut kid in Zack Snyder’s 2004 “Dawn of the Dead” remake).
Again – it’s hard to know whether to recommend this movie. To call it sad would be an understatement. It IS a pretty well made film – the acting is great all around, and especially from Arnold. And Imdb.com says that that writer/director Damian Harris developed it after years of research among child victims.
It has some problems, though. For a drama about a victim, its central character just isn’t well rendered or extremely likable. It’s awkwardly structured. Unless I’m mistaken, we never find out how Leslie escapes her captors.
The movie is also poorly paced, I think … it drags a bit around the middle and the anticlimactic ending feels like a postscript. Finally, it seems to make little use of John Malkovich’s genius in a supporting role. (That guy is goddam mesmerizing – like Anthony Hopkins, he could read names out of a telephone book and make it interesting.)
Quite honestly, if this movie is as accurate as it claims (and there’s no reason to think it wouldn’t be), it would make a great educational tool. No child should watch it, but it’s so explicit and procedural in nature that it seems like a great resource for training police officers or parents.
If you watch this, I strongly recommend watching “Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey” or “Old School” afterward – y’know … just so you don’t kill yourself.
My best friend keeps telling me I need to eat better.
Her primary argument today, presented without irony, was that “even Batman needs to eat right.”
I am 42 years old, ladies and gentlemen.
My quick review of “From Within” (2008)
I am blogging some of my past years’ movie reviews on Facebook.
*****
It’s Born Again Christians versus Wiccans in a Small Town Smackdown!!! If you’re a member of either of those groups, you just might be offended by “From Within” (2008). Neither group is portrayed favorably – you could easily retitle this horror movie as “When Stereotypes Attack.”
Still, this was a decent fright-flick. People are attacked by their own demonic dopplegangers which, incidentally, can strike in broad daylight. It was scary and diverting, and there were two nice surprises at the end. I’d give it an 8 out of 10.
Watch the end-credits too, to get a real sense of just how things turned out for everyone. Creepy!
Microfiction Monday Magazine features my latest flash fiction.
Microfiction Monday Magazine today featured my 100-word horror story, “I bring her diamonds. My hands are full of them.”
I just wanted to thank Editor Gayle Towell, who herself is a wonderful writer. Ms. Towell was a pleasure to work with, and really helped me to improve the initial draft I submitted, particularly with concern to point-of-view and narrative voice.
Enjoy!
My review of “Friday the 13th: Part 2” (1981)
It’s my considered opinion that a lot of classic horror movies simply do not stand the test of time. “Friday the 13th: Part 2” (1981) wasn’t great, but it was okay. I’d give it a 6 out of 10.
A psychopath kills teens one by one in a remote setting. Don’t most modern videogames have more of a story than that? Sure, there’s an effective urban legend-style motive – he witnessed his mother’s beheading in the original film, and has since lived ferally in the woods. But does that make sense? If Jason was alive, why did his mother seek revenge for his drowning? Was she unaware he was there?
Still, this movie deserves some credit. It makes an honest effort to build distinct characters and tension. It doesn’t exactly work. These people don’t act like any teenagers I’ve ever known, even if I was a nerd in high school.
There are a few nice “jump moments,” especially when one character sits up in bed. But the director used way too many close-ups and slow-mo.
I’m left with a couple of questions. In the later movies, Jason is basically an undead Superman. He can’t even be hurt. He’s a zombie kryptonian. Here, he appears quite human. Did they make changes to the character in the later films?
Also, the goofy redheaded guy stays out drinking all night and never returns to the camp, sparing him from the carnage. Why? What purpose did this character serve in the story? Did the screenwriter just forget about him? Or is this a moral? If you party all night, will you live longer?
All in all, this was strictly an average film.
Microfiction Monday Magazine to feature more of my flash fiction tomorrow!
I got some very nice news myself today from Editor Gayle Towell at Microfiction Monday Magazine — they will be publishing another piece of my flash fiction in tomorrow’s edition. Its title is “I bring her diamonds. My hands are full of them.”
MMM’s challenge to writers this October was to tell a horror story in 100 words or less. This is the second entry of mine to be selected; MMM featured “Girl’s Best Friend” last week.
When my second piece appears tomorrow, I’ll be sure to post a link!
Dagda Publishing releases amazing cover for its upcoming “Fretensis,” by Dennis Villelmi.
Today was the cover reveal for poet Dennis Villelmi’s first book — and it is both frightening and gorgeous. It was created by Matt Davis, the same talented artist who created the cover for J. S. Collyer’s recent “Zero.”
“Fretensis, In the Image of a Blind God, vol. 1” is a book of horror poetry that promises to be unique. I have been following Dennis’ published poetry for years, and I envy his combination of abilities. He writes the darkest verses out there, combining gut-wrenching imagery with a impressive and esoteric knowledge of classical, biblical and ancient themes. His writing is actually a little difficult to describe. I was having coffee with another writer just a month ago, and had advised her to read the pieces he’s already published at Dagda’s website — but you really do have to read Dennis’ work to see exactly what he does.
The release date is Halloween.
See Dagda Publishing’s Facebook page for its announcement about the cover reveal and the Oct. 31st release.
“Ebola outbreak: Get up to speed with the latest developments” (CNN)
A quick review of “Family Guy: It’s A Trap!”
I’m blogging some of my earlier reviews from Facebook:
*****
“Family Guy: It’s a Trap” (2010) is funny as hell and lampoons “Return of the Jedi” (1983) perfectly; I’d give it a 9 out of 10. This is right up there with a decent episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 in terms of how much it made me laugh. As with the other “Family Guy” satires of “Star Wars,” I was also impressed with how it used conventional animation and CGI to seemingly reproduce scenes shot for shot.
The only thing the detracted from this was the consistent potty humor (not really my thing) and one apparent joke that is too tasteless even to describe.
Eric Robert Nolan, Author 