In order to keep space travelers safe and sane on long trips across the stars, a cutting-edge computer-brain interface must be created. Mike, the programmer, and Eric, a neurochemist, begin to work on the most sophisticated virtual reality system ever conceived.
However, they begin to argue about how to create that program and Mike’s muse gets trapped inside the program. Now, he must go through multiple infinite worlds to find her, places where reality does not always work. Can he bring reality back and save his world?
Made in Windsor, Ontario by Michael Stasko and Eric Schiller, who wrote, directed, produced and starred in this film, this is a meditation on the effects of manipulating reality. It’s definitely not a movie you can watch as background noise and must be paid attention to.
The budget is low while the concept is high. While it has a slow start, once those big ideas kick in, you’ll forgive its inexpensive origins and savor the big thinking. Or you’ll think it’s completely ridiculous claptrap. I belong to the former camp, but as I’ve known of films, your mileage may vary.
“Oh, come on, robot girl, embrace the technology.” — Lanie Burroughs being schooled on the fine art of vibrators
In our review of the radio comedy Loqueesha, we discussed the creative art of filmmaking and, as result of those artistic frustrations, the passion projects, aka vanity projects, developed by unknown, burgeoning actors as their calling card to the industry.
And as with Brit Marlingand Another Earth (2011) and Fay Ann Lee with Falling for Grace (2006) — and the recently reviewed The App by Elisa Fuksas, Bethany Brooke Anderson’s Burning Kentucky, The Girls of Summer by Tori Titmas, and Mindy Bledsoe’s The In-Between — before her, North Carolina-to-Los Angeles actress Allison Powell has spent most of her adult life in the world of community theater, following the star-embossed sidewalks of her adopted hometown. As she consistently scored roles in indie shorts and features she, as all working actors do, toiled on the audition circuit and hoped for that “big break” on a major film or TV series. (Been there, done that. And it ain’t an easy life, trust me.)
So Allison decided the time had come to “make it happen” and show ol’ Tinseltown she had the chops to make it in la-la land. So, working as her own producer, screenwriter, and director* — and inspired by Seth Rogan and Evan Goldberg — she decided to make a female-centric version of their 2007 hit, Superbad, only with a twist.
Instead of crossing a “chick flick” with an Apatow-raunch and giving us just another flick with women out prove the “weaker sex” can equal men in the lust and vulgarity, and sexual frankness and insecurity departments (Bridesmaids, Trainwreck, Bachelorette), Allison Powell aspired for something higher. She knew should could do better than just churn out a female-driven version of The Hangover. No, she wasn’t going to Bechdel test audiences into submission to notice her work.
Streamers evoke Booksmart — the directorial debut of The O.C actress Olivia Wilde — in their feedback on Banging Lanie. And the comparison makes sense, as those same streamers liken Wilde’s debut as a female-empowered Superbad (which also makes sense, as Beanie Feldstein, the lead in Booksmart, is the sister of Jonah Hill, who starred in Superbad).
But why must we, when discussing gender portrayals in film, critique a female-made film against another female-created film? Is not that, in fact, going against the grains of the inequality issues raised by the Bechdel test?
Allison Powell has certainly crafted a tarty-written film that is nasty and funny, but with warmth substituted for over the top, bawdy humor. So, as I watched Powell’s overly logical and socially-disconnected Lanie Burroughs take an MIT-Amy Farrah Fowler approach to the “societal tropes” of sex and dating — and unintentionally coming off as abrasive and rude to everyone around her in the process — I’m reminded of the misguided exploits of Enid, the graphic novel creation of Daniel Clowes in the pages of Ghost World, which Terry Zwigoff (Bad Santa) brought to the screen two decades earlier.
Math, science, history, unraveling the mysteries!
“Oh, no, no. Are you taking notes?” “Mm-mm, I need specific tips, area, pressure, style.” — Lanie Burroughs, the girl who leaves nothing to chance, not even vibrator usage
As with Feldstein’s Molly (from Booksmart), Amy Farrah Fowler, and Enid, Lanie is a virgin. She’s never been in love. Or had a crush. Or been kissed. Or had an awkward dance with a guy. Then, a guy — an Adonis with a brain — transfers to her sex education class. And, as with Allison Powell’s real life motto of “making it happen,” Lanie decides to get her head out of the books — somewhat — and develops a theory to quickly cram four years of high school romance before she graduates and heads off to college. And in her relentless pursuit to be in control of everything, she catalogs everything in a notebook. And her new boyfriend finds the notebook. And while Lanie may not be ready to write a sequel to David Reuben’s 1969 best-seller Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask), she’s finally learned the art of human connections — and that we are not just a bunch of lusting, biomechanical engines.
“When sexuality fails as a means of communication and provides only physical relief, then Eros is sick.” — Michelangelo Antonioni
From the “Film trivia that you won’t find on a Trivial Pursuit cardDepartment“: Lola Noh, Allison Powell’s producer on Banging Lanie, got her start in the business as an actress (as result of her gymnastics skills) portraying the lovable gorilla Amy in Congo. Hey, it’s all about the trivia and hyperlinks here at B&S About Movies.
* For other L.A.-transplanted actors working as their own producers, screenwriters and directors, please visit our recent reviews for the film-festival winners Cold Feet by Allen C. Gardner and Chris Levine’s No Way Out. For a couple of self-financed, indie writer-directors successfully taking on L.A. by way of the festival circuit, check out our reviews of The Invisible Mother and Shedding.
Disclaimer: We did not receive a review request from the film’s director, distributor, or P.R firm. We discovered the film on our own and truly enjoyed the movie.
About the Author: You can learn more about the writings of R.D Francis on Facebook. He also writes for B&S About Movies and publish music reviews and short stories on Medium.
“I’ll tell you man, people watch you like a hawk in this town.” “Really?” You think having a drunk sheriff daddy, a dead mama, and a junkie brother keeps my name out of people’s mouths?” — Wyatt West comes to grips with his reality
This effective indie-thriller by actress Bethany Brooke Anderson, in her feature film writing and directing debut, is now currently available as a free-with-ads stream on Tubi TV; it premiered on VOD platforms in February 2019.
Working with a cast of mostly Kentucky-based community theater actors, Anderson’s cast is lead by the familiar face of John Pyper-Ferguson, who we know from his leading roles on TV’s Suits, The Last Ship, and The 100, and his recurring guest roles on Burn Notice and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. You know his The Last Ship co-star Nathan Sutton from his recurring guest roles on TV’s Justified and Fear of the Walking Dead. Amid Andy Umberger’s 100-plus indie film and TV credits, you’ve seen him on 9-1-1, How to Get Away with Murder, NCIS: Los Angeles, and American Horror Story. And you’ve seen Nick McCallum on TV’s CSI: NY and Cold Case.
So, if you haven’t guessed: the acting here is top notch.
While on the film festival circuit, Burning Kentucky won “Best Feature” awards at the Chattanooga, Con Nooga, Garden State, and Mammoth Film Festivals, while cinematographer Matt Clegg won well-deserved nods for his exquisite cinematography. His extensive credits across 40-plus films are in the indie realms; hopefully, after his work here, we’ll see his resume expand into larger-budgeted features.
Yeah, if you haven’t guess: this film is a beauty to watch.
A solidly paced, unraveling film noir increasing its suspense as the screws turn deeper and deeper — with a heart and tone that reminds of Clint Eastwood’s 2003 masterpiece Mystic River — Burning Kentucky spins the tale of two families in the hills of Harlan County, Kentucky. The first family is an indigenous clan that still practices the craft of brewing moonshine and nourishing themselves off the land. The other’s patriarch (Pyper-Ferguson) is Harlan County’s alcoholic sheriff — and his sons (Nathan Sutton and Nick McCallum) are barely keeping it together themselves; his son Rule (Sutton) is a junkie and the town’s drug dealer. Rule’s girlfriend, Aria (Emilie Dhir, in her acting debut), is a drug-addicted, aspiring country singer.
As with most film noirs, the narrative here is non-linear, and with each flashback, we learn how the lives of these two resentful families are linked amid Aria’s insights and memories as she searches for the reasons behind her family’s death years earlier.
So what is more important? The love of family . . . or bloody revenge?
About the Author: You can learn more about the writings of R.D Francis on Facebook.He also writes for B&S About Moviesand publishes on Medium.
Disclaimer: We did not receive a review request for this film. We discovered it on our own and truly enjoyed the work.
Once upon a time, let’s say 1987, Mark and John Polonia made Splatter Farm, a shot on video slasher all about twins sent to live with their aunt who soon discover that her handyman is a killer.
Thirty years in film time — and thirty-three in real life — and the killings have begun again in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania. What a time for a bunch of teenagers to go and party at the cabin, huh?
This was co-directed by Jeff Kirkendall, who plays Jeremy the killer. He shows up in nearly every Polonia movie, which all have their own strange universe of actors that show up.
While the budget is a challenge — as always in these movies — a slasher doesn’t need hundreds of thousands of dollars to be effective. This sets up the teens — and some older people, as well — and before you know it, the kills come quickly. There’s enough gore — both digital and practical — to keep the bloodthirsty happy.
This doesn’t break any new ground, but it moves quickly and delivers what it promises. It has a great title and poster, which is really half the battle when you think about it. It also has a goofy theme song and only 70 minutes of run time, which is pretty much the length all movies should be.
While John Polonia, Todd Michael Smith and Marion Costly have sadly passed away, for those looking for the next step in the Splatter Farm story, I think you’ll be pretty pleased with this.
You can get Return to Splatter Farm on demand and on DVD from Wild Eye.
During the election of 1916, suffragist Inez Milholland (Amy Walker, who also wrote this short) will stop at nothing to get people behind the right for women to vote. Even terminal illness won’t hold back her final speech.
While so many men see women voting as a threat, she keeps fighting and collapses at the conclusion of her most important speech. While a doctor begs that she rests, she instead puts her cause ahead of her life.
This was directed by Jessica Graham and despite it being only 12 minutes long, it really sets itself up to make you want to see even more of this story. It’s well-shot and edited, well beyond what you’d expect from a lower budget short.
This is a reminder that the rights that we accept today as normal were once anything but. And if we’ve learned anything from this last election, it’s that the voice that we take for granted today may not be there forever unless we continue to fight.
A palindrome is a word or a story that can be read the same forward or backward, which is the idea of the multiple stories within this film. At the same time, it may be about a painter named Anna who becomes famous at a very personal cost while Fred, a patient in a psychiatric facility, is obsessed with saving Anna frombeing killed.
So what is the story about? Is it Fred trying to find a way toward sanity or Anna realizing that she must destroy herself? Or both? Or are they just two sides of the same story? This movie doesn’t give you any answers.
Also: what do the mysterious turn of the last century nurse and doctor have to do with all of this?
If you’re the kind of person who throws their arms up and gets angry at the artier side of film, then this movie isn’t for you. If you’re willing to put an investment into watching something and coming away with your own impression of what the artist was attempting to share, then you may very well enjoy your time here.
This is a movie that doesn’t just try to tackle one issue, but many, and at times it’s scattershot, but that could also be its charm. But like I said, your experience may vary.
“Jill’s got the snake. Julia’s got the flute. Alone, they have nothing. But together, they have a secret weapon to fight the darkness.”
This short may only be around eight minutes long, but it has a neon-hued look and just enough mystery to see where this story will go with more time and budget.
Jill (Poppy Drayton) and Julia (Sierra Pond) break down in the desert and have to fix their car while two men named Earl (Ross Francis) and Joe (Micah Fitzgerald) harass them. What they didn’t realize was just how tough both of these women are, much less the secret appendage that Jill is between her thighs.
High on visual look and ideas and low on time and budget, this has made me take note of David Mahmoudieh, the writer, producer and director of this short. I can’t wait to see what happens when he gets the time and funding to do something big.
You know, even in today’s quarantine situation, no part of me ever wants to go to a cabin with my friends for an isolated vacation. I’ve seen too many movies where a bunch of guy pals go up north and end up all dead or worse.
The Retreat is the next one that reminds me that I should stay right where I am, in my wonderful movie room basement, cataloging my Mexican VHS horror favorites and wondering whether or not I should even go upstairs.
Gus and Adam weren’t as smart. They went up to the Adirondack High Peaks of Upstate New York and ended up running into a monster. But now, Gus finds himself all by himself, going crazy and convinced that he’s being hunted by the Wendigo.
Written and directed by Bruce Wemple, whose Monstrous was about a woman discovering that a trip to — you guessed it — the Adirondack High Peaks of Upstate New York wasn’t such a good idea because one of her friends is possessed by a beast much like Bigfoot. Grant Schumacher, who plays Gus in this movie, was also in that as Jamie, and Dylan Grum, who is Adam here, played Squatch in Monstrous.
Here’s some further advice: if you are going backpacking in the woods, do not take any hallucinogenic drugs. Have we learned nothing from the slasher films of our youth?
The crazy thing is that there may be more than one Wendigo out here in the woods. And beyond just killing people, they like to make them go crazy first. They are also usually cannibals that have tasted the flesh of their fellow man in the forest, if I know my Native American lore (or just remember when Wolverine fought one).
The Retreat is available on demand and on DVD — all hail physical media, look for this at a WalMart near you! — from Uncork’d Entertainment, who were nice enough to send us a review copy.
The Comeback Trail, which made its world premiere at the 43rd Mill Valley Film Festival on October 12, 2020, was initially scheduled to be theatrically released in the United States on November 13, 2020. However, due to the affects of COVID on theaters, Cloudburst Entertainment has — instead of going the streaming-premiere route of the recently COVID-derailed Run and Tom Hanks’s Greyhound — pushed the release date to sometime in 2021. Then there’s the case of Christopher Nolan’s Tenet: Warner Bros. decided to eschew a VOD-only release and tough-out COVID with a theatrical release, only to see diminished box office returns.
We glossed over the The Comeback Trail with a recent “Drive-In Friday” tribute to Harry “Tampa” Hurwitz, the writer and director of the shot-in-1974-released-in-1982 original*, so let’s take a deeper look into this remake from the pen n’ lens of George Gallo of Bad Boys fame.
The original film concerned the low-budget, down-on-their-luck exploits of two independent film producers, E. Eddie Eastman (Hurwitz’s longtime producing partner and actor, Robert Statts) and Enrico Kodac (the always welcomed Chuck McCann, who the B&S About Movies crowd knows from Hamburger: The Motion Picture** and Sid and Marty Krofts’s CBS-TV kids series Far Out Space Nuts), in a somewhat semi-autobiographical Hurwitz tale about an against-the-odds poverty row film production starring washed-up cowboy star Duke Montana (Buster Crabbe*˟, in his final feature film).
During their celluloid adventures (played as broad slapstick, with a side of sexploitation spicing the reels), Eastman and Kodac (yuk-yuk) meets “Professor” Irwin Corey (The Mad Bomber in 1976’s Car Wash), the “King of the One-Liners,” Henny Youngman (Mel Brooks’s Silent Movie and History of the World: Part 1), publisher Hugh Hefner, and New York TV and radio icon Joe Franklin as themselves; the keen eyes of B&S About Movies’ readers will also notice our beloved Sy Richardson (Shattered Illusions, 5th of July, and Petey Wheatstraw) in the cast.
Now Petey Wheatstraw, courtesy of Blaxploitation purveyor Rudy Ray Moore, is worth mentioning since The Comeback Trail (the 2021 version) is another “Hollywood story about Hollywood,” in this case Dolemite Is My Name, which chronicled Moore’s career. And speaking of washed up actors: you’ll also see a touch of Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time . . . in Hollywood in the frames of this Gallo remake. Me? I also see a bit of Elmore Leonard’s 1990 novel Get Shorty, which Barry Sonnenfeld turned into a 1995 film. Sharper B&S surfers will remember Allan Arkush and Joe Dante’s 1976 romp Hollywood Boulevard and Mel Brooke’s The Producers from 1967 in the frames of the 1982 Hurwitz original.
“You’ve got 72 hours. After that . . . I choke you to death.” — Reggie Fontaine
This time out — sans Hurwitz’s slapstick and sexploitation propensities — we met uncle Max Barber (Robert De Niro) and his ne’er do well nephew Walter Creason (Zach Braff), two incompetent movie producers who had their latest “epic” about gun-toting Nuns derailed by the Catholic Church. And local mobster Reggie Fontaine (Morgan Freeman) — in a bit that reminds of Alan Sacks’s duBeat-e-o — wants a return on his $350,000 investment in the film. So, after watching a news report in which big time producer James “Jimmy” Moore (Emile Hirsch) nets a large insurance settlement after the on-set death of action-star Frank Pierce (Patrick Muldoon of American Satan), Max’s dopey nephew concocts a scam: hire the alcoholic, retirement-home bound western actor Duke Montana (Tommy Lee Jones), insurance him to the hilt, set up an on-set “accident” to kill him — and pay off Fontaine with the insurance windfall. Only one problem: Montana proves to be as tough-as-nails in real life as he was on camera all those years ago.
If you haven’t figured it out, this ’70s retro-romp is rife with black comedy and insider showbiz satire, and old pros De Niro and Jones are more than up to the challenge. And kudos to George Gallo for seeing the major studio potential in an old Harry Hurwitz film.
And again, Mr. Gallo, we dare you to do a remake of Safari 3000.
We dare you.
But please, don’t CGI the baboons.
* You can learn more about the 1982 Hurwitz original with these digitized reviews at Shock Cinema (from 2017; along with film stills) and The New York Times (from 1982).
*˟ Be sure to check out our review of Buster Crabbe’s contributions to the Star Wars cycle of films with his roles as Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers, courtesy of our Exploring: Before Star Wars featurette.
Disclaimer:We weren’t provided with a screener nor received a review request from the film’s P.R firm. That has no bearing on our review.
Update: June 18, 2021: The reviews are rolling in as The Comeback Trail is now officially released in the U.K. on the Sky Cinema streaming platform. U.S. audiences can enjoy the film in theaters and on streaming platforms starting July 23, 2021. Check with your favorite platforms for more information. Please attend your local theater safe and smart and support you local economy. And don’t forget to thank those theater workers for working.
About the Author: You can learn more about the writings of R.D Francis on Facebook.He also writes for B&S About Moviesand publishes short stories based on his novellas and screenplays, as well and music reviews, on Medium.
The third part of Dark Infinity’s Tales for the Campfire trilogy will delight anyone who liked 1983’s Scary Tales or 1997’s Campfire Tales or, well, any horror anthology. A quick burst of gory junk food, this would have fit in perfectly on the shelves of my hometown’s mom and pop video stores, whether that was Prime Time Video or Hollywood Video (not the chain).
Even the cover is reminiscent of one of those multi-time rentals of the lamented past, Return of the Living Dead 3.
As the Campfire Gang — Shawn, Ronnie, Ken, Rebecah and Amber — gathers around the campfire one more time to tell several different stories.
“We One” is definitely a tribute to perhaps the most effective anthology horror story ever, “Amelia” from Trilogy of Terror. “Cole Canyon Creeps” is all about the worst of all ideas, hitchhiking. “The Prisoner” concerns a mental patient menacing an agoraphobic woman on Halloween night*, which is perfect slasher fodder. It’s followed by another slasher story, “The Bitter Half**” and then finally, a tale about “The Gateway” to Hell.
This is the first of these anthologies that I’ve watched and it moved quickly. So quickly, in fact, that it was over before I knew it. It totally doesn’t overstay its welcome!
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