Skip to main content

Jason and Shawn review The Fields and The Selling

The Selling

Jason: Finally, a horror comedy that's actually funny. Kudos to screenwriter/star Gabriel Diani for that. He wrote some funny shit here AND he performed the majority of it to a T. Kudos also to co-stars Jonathan Klein, Janet Varney, Etta Devine and company too. It's the acting and interactions that make this movie. Did I mention Barry (Some Guy Who Kills People) Bostwick is in this? Well he is. And his small part owns!

Not all the humour comes off. The big set pieces – like the sales montage shown in the trailer – aren't that funny. It's the dialogue – “Does that feel like dream boob to you?” – that make the movie

This is a lighthearted flick that hits more than it misses. And it's one more people need to see. It's a fun way to kill 90 minutes. Good! And yes, Varney is one hot real estate agent.

Shawn: Originally, I thought this movie would be too goofy to be in our Month of Hell reviews. But … it was not. Funny? Hell yes! And still maintained enough creepiness to honour hell. Or something like that.

This was pretty refreshing, and for a bunch of people I’ve never seen before, they were really good in the movie. The humor was good, well timed, and smart-ish. I dug this movie as a change of pace. Hell, I even watched it twice. I guess that means it’s a Good.

But it sticks out more in my mind as being something original. That mostly always warrants a Good. But don’t quote me. Ha ha.

The Fields

Jason: If this really happened to screenwriter Harrison Smith, then congrats man. I'm glad you got past it. Some seriously scary shit! This is the stuff child's nightmares are made of, with some powerful sequences and images. Ringmaster hiding under the bed? That made me jump!

The Fields captures that moment in a child's life when he or she learns the world isn't always a happy place. The discovery of coloured people, weird relatives and yes, the predators out there. I remember moments like this when I was a kid – although not to the same degree – and those old feelings are still there.

I liked the cast. Cloris Leachman's foul-mouthed grandmother stole the show. The kid, Joshua Ormond, was decent too. The less said about Tara Reid the better.

I'm gonna give this a Bad. As much as I dug a lot of it, I won't see it again. But it's a solid one-off.

Shawn: By far the most disturbing movie I’ve watched in a long time. Only because the monsters were in this kids head. Mostly. If this was based on real-life events, then I feel bad for him.

This wasn’t a story about monsters. It was a story about people, and they are far worse monsters than any hairy beast living under your bed or in your closet. Fairly original too.

I’m going to give it a Good, even though it is barely interesting enough to watch a second time. It's strung together, and changes from abuse, to actual bad guys, and all the things that go between.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

#CocktailHour: Slushtail

  Summer approaches, inspiring thoughts of sunshine, backyard parties, and having a tip and sip with friends.  With that in mind, I bring you this week sunny beverage. To make a slushtail, mix a can of frozen orange juice, a can of frozen lemonade (or limeade), a can of pineapple juice, a couple cups of black tea (or English Breakfast), and two cups of bourbon- such as Southern Comfort, in a pitcher.  When it's all nicely mixed, put it in the freezer until it's a nice slushy consistency. Scoop the slush into a cocktail glass, and pour in some Sprite or 7-Up.  Add a little umbrella for some frivolous fun, and a straw. Voila!  Ready to enjoy. This is a very refreshing drink.  The fruit juices, Sprite, and bourbon- when chilled makes for a great punch-like drink.  The bourbon doesn't overwhelm juices.   In fact, they are all nicely balanced in terms of flavors.  The sourness of the citrus fruits contrasts well with the slightly sweeter Southern Comfort.  It was refreshing enou

Unlock your fate with The Puzzle

When my dad wasn't working, building stuff or being my dad, he was making puzzles. It was a guaranteed way for him to unwind. So it was with great interest that I sat down to watch Italian filmmaker Davide Melini's award-winning short The Puzzle. You see, the mother in the five-minute film likes to relax with puzzles just like my dad. Unfortunately, her good-for-nothing son keeps harassing her for money. Losing herself in her favourite passtime, the mother soon discovers that completing this puzzle might unlock a nightmare. The Puzzle has been an official selection at more European film festivals than you can shake a stick at, and was voted Third Best Italian Film at the Rome International Film Festival in 2008. Having watched it, I'm not surprised. It's a tight little film that hits you hard in the final few seconds. You can tell Melini cut his teeth as an assistant director for legendary Italian filmmaker Dario Argento. But enough chit chat on my part. See if yo

The Animated Addict: "The Adventures of Tintin" (2011)

If you're a 40 + white dude, like myself, you may remember a comic series called " The Adventures of Tintin ".  I know I remember them.  This series, dating back to 1929, got turned into a animated feature film by Steven Spielberg in 2011. After buying a model of ship called The Unicorn, teenaged journalist Tintin finds himself on adventure that will take him from the high seas, to the low deserts, and from the distant past to the present.  With his trusty dog, Snowy, by his side, Tintin uncovers a story connecting two men across the centuries.. . The story is really quite good.  It's well crafted, and high paced- with just enough slow moments to build and develop the world and the characters.  This is the sort of adventure story you'd find in the old serials of the 1930's and '40's.  In fact, it felt like it was the sort of tale that you'd find Indiana Jones undertaking.  I found myself swept up, and swept along as our hero swung from one e