Returning home to Chicago after the adventure that was SXSW, it was but a short week to put all affairs in order and do the laundry before it was time to hit the road once again. This time, our destination was HorrorHound Weekend Cincinnati, where IFC had teamed with our festival programmers to preview several of their upcoming releases. Despite the blizzard that waylaid us on the way home, it was a truly joyous gathering of fellow fiends, many of whom I met for the first time online and with whom I was only now making a flesh and blood acquaintance. My Kryptic Army obligations rounded out the rest of the week, along with a few worthy (and in some cases overdue) civilian viewings.
As always, feel free to leave your two cents worth – we’ll make sure you get some change back.
Enjoy!
HORROR:
Antiviral (2012) (1st viewing) d. Cronenberg, Brandon (Canada)
Gut (2012) (1st viewing) d. Elias (USA)
Manborg (2011) (2nd viewing) d. Kostanski, Steven (Canada)
Maniac (2012) (1st viewing) d. Khalfoun, Franck (USA)
Profane Exhibit, The (2013) (1st viewing) d. Dora/Vigalondo/Boll/Stivaletti (Canada)
NOTE: I’m not going to formally review this until it’s fully formed, but I already anticipate this being an endurance contest of the stomach and the soul. To wit:
In the ongoing parade of many-headed anthology films, this one truly stretches the boundaries of “entertainment.” As producer David Bond put it during a sneak preview at Cincinnati’s HorrorHound Weekend, “Profane is about the predators of the world…which is the audience. It’s a mirror. It’s the audience’s dark soul.” Um, sorry to say, David, but if the four short films that screened (Uwe Boll’s “Basement,” Marian Dora’s “Mans in Tabula,” Sergio Stivaletti’s “Tophet Quorom,” and Nacho Vigalondo’s “Sins of the Father”) are any indication, this compendium represents nothing more than a big pissing contest as to who can be the most "extreme" and get the "nastiest."
Juvenile even within its unpleasantness, this is merely repulsiveness for its own sake, with shock value the only coin of the realm. There is no deeper message to be gained, despite Bond’s lofty posturing of “explaining the human condition…with Profane as the baseball bat.” Oh, please. (Besides, I don't know how they're going to edit 13 short films – all 10-15 minutes in length – to a single feature length offering. Then again, considering Bond’s ego, maybe he’s not envisioning any editing. Just run the whole she-bang in its entirety; after all, it’s for our own good.)
Sightseers (2012) (1st viewing) d. Wheatley, Ben (UK)
KRYPTIC ARMY CHALLENGE: MADE-FOR-TV HORROR
House That Would Not Die, The (1970) (1st viewing) d. Moxey, John Llewellyn (USA)
Possessed, The (1977) (1st viewing) d. Thorpe, Jerry (USA)
CIVILIAN:
Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010) (1st viewing) d. Banksy (USA)
Eccentric French shopkeeper and amateur filmmaker Thierry Guetta accidentally infiltrates the street art underworld, becoming a documentarian and a trusted collaborator in the process. But what happens when he gets “inspired” to become an “artist” himself? A thought-provoking examination of art and commerce.
Goon (2011) (1st viewing) d. Dowse, Michael (Canada)
Seann William Scott is terrific as a sweet natured fella who is also an unstoppable wrecking machine on the ice in this raucous hockey comedy based on real-life ice assassin Doug “the Thug” Smith. Co-written and co-produced by Judd Apatow pal Jay Baruchel, who plays Scott’s superfan companion. Bloody and violent scenes may keep it from being a rom-com staple, but aficionados of sports-themed flicks should enjoy this mightily.
Once (2006) (1st viewing) d. Carney, John (Ireland)
A chance meeting between Irish street musician Glen Hansard and young Czech immigrant Marketa Irglova leads to a life-changing week as they bond over music, broken hearts and unfulfilled dreams. A love story like no other, with a soundtrack that latches on and sticks like a childhood crush. Just wonderful.
2013 Totals to date: 83 films, 78 1st time views, 38 horror, 33 cinema
Maybe PROFANE was done in an effort to make THE THEATRE BIZARRE look good?
ReplyDeletePerhaps, but they don't even get an "E" for effort. At least TPF didn't set out to be 3 hours long.
DeleteI plan on seeing this one, thanks for posting it :)
ReplyDeleteWhich "one" are you referring to? Just curious.
DeleteManiac, sorry I wasn't clear I was at work.
DeleteLOL No worries, amigo.
Delete