Movie Review: Demons (2017)

Demons (2017) - USA - Horror - Unrated (R)

Written & Directed by Miles Doleac

Starring Miles Doleac, Lindsay Anne Williams, Kristina Emerson,  Andrew Divoff, Steven Brand, Jessica Harthcock, John Schneider, Gary Grubbs, Caroline Baggerly, Yohance Myles, Megan Few

A tautly directed thriller brings together a talented cast and excellent writing that takes us on a journey of the underbelly of the human soul and like its namesake... Demons gets under your skin.

"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you". - Friedrich Nietzsche

Pending nuptials bring together six people for a wedding the following morning. Two of these people are Colin Hampstead, a now successful author of the book Demons, and his wife Kayleigh. But it seems a seventh guest is present, harking back nine years ago to when Colin and Kayleigh first met, as he was the priest attending to her sister's exorcism.

When considering screeners up for review, this being when you have several available, some things stand out which influence your selection rather than my usual and unoriginal method of just going left to right or top to bottom. Demons stood out to me because of several of the cast:

Miles Doleac - A recognizable face, which I was first introduced to him in Miami Magma, one of many signs I watch wayyy too many disaster movies, brings success to a too often unsuccessful venture in film. That would be writing, directing, and starring in your own movie.

John Schneider - I swears I'm not stalking him. I swears I'm not. He just keeps showing up in everything. It's always a pleasure to see John in a film. Even if he's being disgusting he always brings integrity to playing his roles.

Andrew Divoff - What can you say about Divoff that is not said by his performances? He brings a powerful presence to every scene he is in. His deep voice and the intensity of his look demand attention. His presence is so powerful on the screen that when he makes characters on the screen uncomfortable, you just hope he doesn't look your way.

Gary Grubbs - One of my favorite character actors. Like John, it is always a pleasure to see Gary in a role. He just simply brings something special to the screen.

Jessica Harthcock - My main reason for picking this first. Having seen her performance in Fighting Belle, I was impressed with what a natural she is. She is seemingly effortless in her performances as she doesn't act her characters, but becomes them. I personally think she is a rising star, and certainly someone to keep on your 'pay attention to' list.

Demons is outright a haunting film. Part horror, part exorcism movie, part ghost story, all psychological thriller. Doleac has painted a portrait using a dynamic and fluid camera, with cinematography by Ben McBurnett, in hues ranging from ethereal to gut-wrenching.

Out of the starting gate I feel it stumbles a bit. The narrative is told is parallel, the story intersecting past and present. It begins at a point nine years ago, post-exorcism, then leaps into the present. As events happen in the present a chronological timeline of memories lead up to that very point in the past where the movie started. And might I say thank you Miles for having the distinction of the beard to make the transitions easier to follow. Of course the priest outfit helps too, but I am at times dense in that way.

Once the movie gets its footing things fall into place and it moves forward with elegance. Doleac's direction in akin to Tobe Hooper's direction in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre in not putting the grotesque on screen as so many horror movies would do, but imbuing it within the story. The end result is more horrifying than any superficial treatment can accomplish.

Demons challenges preconceived notions, stripping away the vestments of conformity and brings the viewer raw into the uncomfortable. The last half hour is so tension filled that it grabs you by the throat and won't let go. The story is ugly, yes, yet so beautifully rendered that you may find yourself wanting to turn away, but you can't.

This is not your average horror movie. Demons will demand your attention. This is a story both subtle and unyielding. At times deceptively surrealist in its overt frankness. Dismiss nothing along the way, for eventually it will all fall into place.

My Rating: 4 Fingers


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Movie Review: Fighting Belle (2017)

Fighting Belle (2017) - USA - Romantic Comedy - Not Rated (Family)

Written by Antonio Gangemi, Aimee Parrott & Sean Riley

Directed by Sean Riley

Starring Jessica Harthcock, Noah Cook, Donnie Pierre, Mallory Hynes, Carol Ann Scruggs, Joel Rogers, Ryan Czerwonko, Sherri Eakin, Caroline Delatte, Austin Langley, Joshua Powell, Naomi Prentice, G. Tremain Merrell, Daisy Prescott

A southern fried romantic comedy with a distinctly different approach to finding love succeeds in delivering a one-two punch with a wonderful performance by Jessica Harthcock and excellent direction by Sean Riley.

It's the biggest day in Delilah's life. She's a southern belle in a proud and prominent family, winner of multiple beauty pageants, and she is walking down the aisle today, her wedding day, to be married to the man she loves in front of all of her family and friends. Wait! What's this? The groom is having second thoughts? Jilted, humiliated in front of family and friends, and now all alone, what's a girl to do? Well challenge the groom to a rematch, with boxing gloves that is. Works for me.

Fighting Belle is a microbudget independent production that was shot in 9 days on location in Mississippi on a budget of only $15,000, as I've been told. As in any low budget production there are seams that show through, in this case primarily being inconsistency in the audio, and occasional inconsistency in the lighting. That being said, what has been accomplished on such a low budget is amazing, and any failings of a low budget are more than made up for by the performances and the direction.

The camera work is well done using multiple camera angles in even the simplest of scenes. The director Sean Riley succeeds in not letting the camera or viewer linger. Changing up the perspective often and successfully, keeping the flow and not creating confusion, keeps the attention of the viewer, and Riley certainly accomplishes this very well. There's some nice scene structure as well. A particular scene at a charity event uses Harthcock's wonderful ability with expressiveness to lead into a wide shot showing the characters in different positions then drawing them across the scene into place. It is beautifully orchestrated and portentous in its setup. I'm seriously impressed with the group composition in this film as well.

Jessica Harthcock gives the viewer a deceptively brilliant performance in this. I say deceptively because it's multi-faceted incorporating humor, physical comedy, tenderness, romance and feeling, yet she is so effortless in doing it that she just seems natural. Sometimes the very best performances are the ones hardest to see, but if you pay close attention, or cheat like I did and watch it twice, you'll see a performance that brings a character to life while Harthcock completely disappears into the role.

An interesting assortment of characters populate the movie including Delilah's gym mates such as the intimidating yet sexy Slice, the buoyant Romeo and the head-turning Tandy played by Noah Cook. In a movie filled with caricatures Noah Cook provides a balancing straight man character as well a catalyst to bring out Delilah's more intimate self. Additionally Noah Cook's physical prowess as well his intensity brings a believability to the boxing aspect of the film. I would be remiss if I did not make a special mention of Mallory Hynes as Delilah's sister Charlene who adds a soulful southern charm to the film, Caroline Delatte as Tandy's too smart for her age little sister, and also Daisy Prescott who is just the most adorable flower girl.

My first time watching this film I felt there were parts that lingered. A second time through and really it is the inconsistency in the audio that created that and not the story itself. The narrative is well structured not leaving anything out, nor are there any superfluous scenes. The story takes its time to focus on the characters and the budding love story; the plot seed of a jilted bride getting revenge is just that, a seed, and that seed grows into a story of a young woman finding love and people finding themselves once they step out of their expected roles. The last bit of the movie did feel a little rushed to me, though it's not incomplete at all and was probably just me wanting a little bit more.

Despite the often times under-classed audio in this, the performance of Jessica Harthcock alone would be worth recommending the movie, but add to that an interesting supporting cast of characters and especially fine direction showing a promising director in the making and my recommendation goes up another full notch.

My Rating: 4 Fingers

You can Buy or Rent Fighting Belle from Amazon Video

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