The Last Exorcism

Rating: PG-13

Movie Release Date: August 27, 2010

DVD Release Date: TBD

Plot 411: A reverend and a film crew make a documentary about how exorcisms are fake until they are confronted with a real demon child.

Review: This movie is a faux documentary similar to The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity. It focuses on a charismatic preacher named Cotton Marcus (Patrick Fabian), who is being interviewed by a film crew about his preaching. When the topic of exorcisms arises, he says that while he does perform this for people, he doesn't believe that demons take over people's bodies. He believes it is a psychological affliction and that these people only believe that the devil has their soul. Once he performs the exorcism (complete with rigged picture frames and bed shaking), the person believes the demon is gone and so it is. To prove his point, he takes the film crew with him on one last exorcism. When he arrives at the Sweetzer farm, he realizes that the possessed person is a young girl named Nell (Ashley Bell). After some initial resistance from her brother Caleb (Caleb Landry Jones) but whole-hearted belief by her father Louis (Louis Herthum), Cotton performs the fake exorcism. Later that night, however, he and the crew find Nell in their hotel room on the brink of a psychological break. I didn't know much about this movie before watching it so I didn't really have any expectations. It's similar to many movies of this genre, and when combined with the shaky cam action of documentary-style shooting, the movie definitely has its own automatic tension. Most of the allure is the camera angles and unfocused style of filming. This creates all the mystery and adds to the supernaturalness of the movie. There isn't a lot of blood, although there's a pretty violent scene with a cat. Animal lovers will hate it, but it doesn't actually show anything. Sound effects take the imagination on a ride and you only see the before and after shots, which makes the graphic nature of the scene all in your mind. There really isn't anything unique about this movie. I always have to wonder why the devil only seems to possess girls. And why do all southern people have to be religious zealots? I mean really, it's such a stereotype.

Watch It: Because even if the ending was retarded, you're right there with it till the end just trying to figure out what the hell is going on.

Skip It: Because, well, the ending was retarded.

Singles

Rating: PG-13

Movie Release Date: September 18, 2002

DVD Release Date: February 3, 1999

Plot 411: Seattle. 1990s. People looking for love or the closest thing to it.

Review: This movie starring, Bridget Fonda, Campbell Scott, Kyra Sedgwick and Matt Dillon, could almost be a real excerpt from the early '90s. From the clothes (grunge) to the music (grunge) to the locale (Seattle = home of grunge), it's a time capsule that we can all use to see into the past and remember what it used to be like. In the lifelong quest for love, the movie takes us through the characters' lives as they work and play with one another. In a faux documentary style, the characters (Janet, Steve, Linda and Cliff respectively), walk us through their thoughts and feelings on love and relationships. Most of the characters live in the same apartment building, which you already know is bad news. The misconceptions that men and women have, the games they play and the bad advice from friends all make this film entertaining to watch. To play games or be straightforward? To call the next day? Four days from now? A week later? To smile or not to smile? Look back over or ignore him? All of these seemingly mundane questions are part of dating - then and now. The problems that arise are also universal across time and place. Also featured or playing a cameo in this film are Bill Pullman, Eric Stoltz, Tom Skeritt, Paul Giamatti and Jeremy Piven.

Watch It: For the long hair, torn up jeans, funny hats and coffee.

Skip It: Because the plot drags a bit despite the awesome soundtrack.

Paper Heart

Rating: PG-13

Movie Release Date: August 7, 2009

DVD Release Date: December 1, 2009

Plot 411: A girl goes on the road with a team of documentary filmmakers to find out the meaning of love and finds love along the way.

Review: Charlyne Yi plays a character of herself in this faux documentary about love. She and her director Nick (Jake Johnson) travel across America and interview people to get to the truth of love. Charlyne the character isn't one who believes in love and doesn't know if she's capable of it herself. During their travels, they meet Michael Cera at a party. Charlyne and Michael hit it off and their blossoming relationship is incorporated into the documentary. Cameras follow them around and film their every move as Charlyne continues on her quest to find love. This was an interesting piece of work that blurred the lines between reality and fiction. While Yi and Cera are real people, they're also actors playing themselves. The concept is intriguing and reflects the current culture's obsession with reality TV. There are also some great scenes depicted with the use puppet-like figures. Totally cool.

Watch It: You're looking for a quirky rom com for the hipster generation.

Skip It: If all of these hipster flicks are getting on your last nerve.

District 9

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: August 28, 2009

DVD Release Date: TBD

Plot 411: When a spacecraft stalls in the skies above Johannesburg and alien refugees become residents of District 9, the tension between humans and aliens escalates into a worldwide affair.

Review: This was an interesting socio-political movie hiding within the genres of sci-fi, action/adventure and faux-documentary. The alien slum of District 9 is faced with many problems, such as illegal cross-species prostitution and arms dealing. Because of this and public outcry to separate the aliens from humans, an effort to relocate them to a new facility, District 10, is underway. However, the government must provide a 24-hour notice of eviction to each and every alien. When Wikus, head of the relocation operation, confiscates a metal cylinder, it squirts a black liquid into his face and he slowly begins to mutate. Now he must work with the "prawns," as they are known in a derogatory way, to see if he can reverse the process. The blatant racism and prejudiced attitudes of the humans toward the aliens is pretty despicable. Fear of this unknown population's customs, practices and motives serve to heighten the bias against them. In addition to the government's mandatory isolation of this gruop, they attempt to seize all alien weaponry from them out of fear and a greed for power that they cannot even utilize. The alien machines will not work with human DNA, however, the goverment confiscates it all to keep the population under their control. Humans also take advantage of the aliens by providing food to them at inflated prices. If this is not a metaphor for Westernized society, I don't know what is.

Watch It: For an interesting look at what the "civilized" world does to "underprivileged" populations in the name of "aid."

Skip It: If you're looking for a straight action/sci fi movie. It takes a while for it to get going.

Quarantine

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: October 10, 2008

DVD Release Date: February 17, 2009

Plot 411: A reporter and cameraman shadowing firefighters responding to a call become victims with everyone else when the apartment building is locked from the outside and deadly force is used to keep them in.

Review: This is like a tribute to The Blair Witch Project and Cloverfield because it is shot with the same hand-held shakiness and documentary feel. Technically speaking, I think it's pretty awesome how the cast and crew are able to shoot long takes using one camera angle. As a viewer though, it's really disorienting and frustrating because you can't see what's happening. I guess you're supposed to feel as though you're stuck in the building with the characters. Personally, it's annoying when you can't see around a big fat head and the focus of the camera wavers in and out. Jennifer Carpenter, who I thought did pretty well in The Exorcism of Emily Rose, was also good in this one. Lots of screaming, running and shaky hands. Jay Hernandez and Johnathon Schaech play the firefighters. Basically the building's residents call 911 because an old lady in the building is screaming bloody murder. When the cops and firefighters enter the woman's apartment, the lady is foaming at the mouth and bites a cop in the neck. At some point, the entire building is locked up from the outside. Confusion ensues and people start dying.

Watch It: If you can stomach the wobbly camera without puking.

Skip It: If you don't like these faux documentaries and like your movies wrapped up in a nice package.

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Death Of A President

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: October 27, 2006

DVD Release Date: April 3, 2007

Plot 411: A fictional account of events surrounding the assassination of George W. Bush and the aftermath that occurs.

Review: Yes, the assassination of Bush was a major part of this film, but he definitely wasn't the only issue addressed and I would argue that he and his fictional assassination weren't really even the main theme of the film. The film was shot in a documentary style, which really made you feel like you were in Chicago and that this event was really happening. It felt like you were watching something on the History Channel. Most of the film was made of interviews with key people surrounding the event, such as the secret service, FBI, Bush's speech writer and forensics analysts. The story is also told through different media - some real archival footage and some created especially for the film. Different cameras were used, even cell phone cameras, which created an authenticity about the "documentary." Most of the real and fictional scenes and dialogue are blended seamlessly, however, there are some audio portions where you are conscious that the film makers had manipulated them. But, this doesn't hurt the plot or movie one bit. In fact, for me it emphasized the genius of it all. Besides all the technical stuff that went into making this film, I really enjoyed how this subject matter was portrayed. The surrounding storylines are actually much more interesting than the assassination itself because it is here that you are able to see the different motives of various participants. The genius of this film is that you walk away feeling empathetic to all parties. It gives you a taste of what each group has at stake and how it personally affects them. The movie really calls into question your own beliefs and makes you rethink your political beliefs and your identity as an American.

Watch It: For an insightful look at America post-9/11.

Skip It: If the idea of killing a real and very much alive person will offend you.

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