QUICK TAKES: Totally Killer; When Evil Lurks; The Royal Hotel; She Came to Me; and Home Video Spotlight
by Josh Sewell
Totally Killer
(Rated R for bloody violence, language, sexual material, and teen drug/alcohol use. Now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.)
The premise: In 1987, the Sweet Sixteen Killer murdered three high school friends and seemingly vanished. However, 35 years later, the masked maniac reappears to claim a fourth victim. When teenage Jamie (Kiernan Shipka) ignores the warnings of her overprotective mom (Julie Bowen), she also encounters the killer, but – in a freak accident – ends up traveling 35 years into the past. Now she has a chance to change the past, so she teams up with the teen version of her mom (Olivia Holt) to take down the psycho and get back to her own time.
The verdict: Thanks to dynamic work from Shipka and Holt, Totally Killer is a solid teen comedy. However, due to a lackluster villain and an overly convoluted premise, it’s only a so-so horror flick. Maybe that’s why something felt slightly off the whole time I was watching – the two genres never really gel here. That’s a shame since I’m generally a big fan of similar horror-comedies like Happy Death Day and Freaky. Oh, well…this one’s begging for a sequel, so we’ll see if they get the formula right next time.
Grade: B
When Evil Lurks
(Not rated, but contains graphic violence, strong language, and brief nudity. Now playing in theaters and streaming on Shudder starting October 27.)
The Night of the 12th
(Not rated. Available October 17 on DVD and Digital.)
In this gritty French mystery (based on a true crime book by Pauline Guéna), a young, recently promoted police captain begins investigating a woman’s gruesome murder and uncovers a wide range of secrets. They suggest the attack was premeditated and possibly revenge, but it’s up to the new captain to discover if it might be one of her former lovers. The DVD also includes the bonus short film “Harbor.”
(Rated R for bloody violence, language, sexual material, and teen drug/alcohol use. Now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.)
The premise: In 1987, the Sweet Sixteen Killer murdered three high school friends and seemingly vanished. However, 35 years later, the masked maniac reappears to claim a fourth victim. When teenage Jamie (Kiernan Shipka) ignores the warnings of her overprotective mom (Julie Bowen), she also encounters the killer, but – in a freak accident – ends up traveling 35 years into the past. Now she has a chance to change the past, so she teams up with the teen version of her mom (Olivia Holt) to take down the psycho and get back to her own time.
The verdict: Thanks to dynamic work from Shipka and Holt, Totally Killer is a solid teen comedy. However, due to a lackluster villain and an overly convoluted premise, it’s only a so-so horror flick. Maybe that’s why something felt slightly off the whole time I was watching – the two genres never really gel here. That’s a shame since I’m generally a big fan of similar horror-comedies like Happy Death Day and Freaky. Oh, well…this one’s begging for a sequel, so we’ll see if they get the formula right next time.
Grade: B
(Not rated, but contains graphic violence, strong language, and brief nudity. Now playing in theaters and streaming on Shudder starting October 27.)
The premise: When brothers Pedro (Ezequiel Rodríguez) and Jimmy (Demián Salomón) discover that a neighbor is infected with a demonic presence, they recklessly attempt to solve the problem by dumping the body far away. Instead, their failure to adhere to the proper rites of exorcism trigger a grisly path of tragedy and death.
The verdict: Argentinian horror flick When Evil Lurks is easily one of the bleakest, gore-filled movies I’ve ever seen – just 100 minutes of unrelenting nihilism. Writer-director Demián Rugna doesn’t even spare children or animals. Take that as a recommendation or a warning, depending on your threshold for violence and shockingly realistic practical effects. While I appreciated Rugna’s blunt-force filmmaking and refusal to pull his punches from an artistic standpoint, this is definitely a case of respecting a film more than liking it.
Grade: B+
The Royal Hotel
(Rated R for language throughout and sexual content/nudity. Now playing in select theaters.)
The premise: After they run out of money while backpacking through Australia, American tourists Hanna (Julia Garner) and Liv (Jessica Henwick) take temporary jobs as live-in bartenders in pub known as The Royal Hotel. Located in a remote Outback mining town, the alcoholic owner Billy (Hugo Weaving) and several locals initially give the girls a lively welcome. However, they eventually find themselves trapped in an uneasy situation that spirals rapidly out of control.
The verdict: The first half of The Royal Hotel is intentionally slow, as Hanna and Liv learn about the pub’s regulars, gradually figuring out who is mostly talk and who is truly dangerous. Of course, they also discover the area’s natural threats – like giant snakes. However, the drama’s second half is an exercise in unrelenting tension, culminating in a terrifying confrontation and an incredible final shot. Kitty Green’s direction, along with the screenplay she co-wrote with Oscar Redding, makes this a methodical, slow-burn winner. Maybe not for those with short attention spans, but I liked it a lot.
Grade: B+
She Came to Me
(Rated R for some language. Now playing in select theaters.)
The premise: As a major deadline approaches, composer Steven Lauddem (Peter Dinklage) has lost his creative spark. His therapist wife Patricia (Anne Hathaway) suggests he walk around New York City to search for inspiration, and he eventually finds it in a brutally honest blue-collar worker named Katrina (Marisa Tomei). In other subplots, Patricia is in the midst of a spiritual crisis, while their 18-year-old son Julian (Evan Ellison) embarks on a romance with 16-year-old Tereza (Harlow Jane), a decision that threatens both of their futures.
The verdict: I appreciate it when movies take big swings, but sometimes that means they strike out big – which is the case with writer-director Rebecca Miller’s She Came to Me. Simply put, the movie is awful. Despite interesting performances from actors giving their all, the screenplay is far too twee for its own good.
The movie keeps adding one ridiculous characteristic after another onto its protagonists until it seems like Miller is playing an irritating game of indie movie Mad Libs:
“I need a rich guy’s career.” Opera composer!
“What about a quirky hobby?” Civil War reenactor!
“Unusual blue-collar job?” Tugboat operator!
“Mental illness that we’ll use as a plot device, but not take seriously?” OCD!
None of these characters speak or act like real people, despite the seemingly grounded world they live in. After a while, I simply threw my hands up and felt bad for everyone involved.
Grade: D-
Home Video Spotlight
Passion
(Not rated. Available October 17 on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital.)
This debut feature from writer-director Ryusuke Hamaguchi (responsible for 2021’s masterpiece Drive My Car) examines a series of intersecting love triangles among a group of thirtysomething friends. The film was made as his student thesis project at Tokyo University of the Arts, demonstrating the insight and thematic foundations found in his future works. Bonus features include an introduction from Hamaguchi and the video essay “From Passion to Fortune” by film and theatre writer Kenji Fujishima.
The verdict: Argentinian horror flick When Evil Lurks is easily one of the bleakest, gore-filled movies I’ve ever seen – just 100 minutes of unrelenting nihilism. Writer-director Demián Rugna doesn’t even spare children or animals. Take that as a recommendation or a warning, depending on your threshold for violence and shockingly realistic practical effects. While I appreciated Rugna’s blunt-force filmmaking and refusal to pull his punches from an artistic standpoint, this is definitely a case of respecting a film more than liking it.
Grade: B+
(Rated R for language throughout and sexual content/nudity. Now playing in select theaters.)
The premise: After they run out of money while backpacking through Australia, American tourists Hanna (Julia Garner) and Liv (Jessica Henwick) take temporary jobs as live-in bartenders in pub known as The Royal Hotel. Located in a remote Outback mining town, the alcoholic owner Billy (Hugo Weaving) and several locals initially give the girls a lively welcome. However, they eventually find themselves trapped in an uneasy situation that spirals rapidly out of control.
The verdict: The first half of The Royal Hotel is intentionally slow, as Hanna and Liv learn about the pub’s regulars, gradually figuring out who is mostly talk and who is truly dangerous. Of course, they also discover the area’s natural threats – like giant snakes. However, the drama’s second half is an exercise in unrelenting tension, culminating in a terrifying confrontation and an incredible final shot. Kitty Green’s direction, along with the screenplay she co-wrote with Oscar Redding, makes this a methodical, slow-burn winner. Maybe not for those with short attention spans, but I liked it a lot.
Grade: B+
(Rated R for some language. Now playing in select theaters.)
The premise: As a major deadline approaches, composer Steven Lauddem (Peter Dinklage) has lost his creative spark. His therapist wife Patricia (Anne Hathaway) suggests he walk around New York City to search for inspiration, and he eventually finds it in a brutally honest blue-collar worker named Katrina (Marisa Tomei). In other subplots, Patricia is in the midst of a spiritual crisis, while their 18-year-old son Julian (Evan Ellison) embarks on a romance with 16-year-old Tereza (Harlow Jane), a decision that threatens both of their futures.
The verdict: I appreciate it when movies take big swings, but sometimes that means they strike out big – which is the case with writer-director Rebecca Miller’s She Came to Me. Simply put, the movie is awful. Despite interesting performances from actors giving their all, the screenplay is far too twee for its own good.
The movie keeps adding one ridiculous characteristic after another onto its protagonists until it seems like Miller is playing an irritating game of indie movie Mad Libs:
“I need a rich guy’s career.” Opera composer!
“What about a quirky hobby?” Civil War reenactor!
“Unusual blue-collar job?” Tugboat operator!
“Mental illness that we’ll use as a plot device, but not take seriously?” OCD!
None of these characters speak or act like real people, despite the seemingly grounded world they live in. After a while, I simply threw my hands up and felt bad for everyone involved.
Grade: D-
Home Video Spotlight
(Not rated. Available October 17 on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital.)
This debut feature from writer-director Ryusuke Hamaguchi (responsible for 2021’s masterpiece Drive My Car) examines a series of intersecting love triangles among a group of thirtysomething friends. The film was made as his student thesis project at Tokyo University of the Arts, demonstrating the insight and thematic foundations found in his future works. Bonus features include an introduction from Hamaguchi and the video essay “From Passion to Fortune” by film and theatre writer Kenji Fujishima.
(Not rated. Available October 17 on DVD and Digital.)
In this gritty French mystery (based on a true crime book by Pauline Guéna), a young, recently promoted police captain begins investigating a woman’s gruesome murder and uncovers a wide range of secrets. They suggest the attack was premeditated and possibly revenge, but it’s up to the new captain to discover if it might be one of her former lovers. The DVD also includes the bonus short film “Harbor.”
Reach out to Josh Sewell on Twitter @IAmJoshSewell
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