DAMIEN RILEY, world musician and performer

Author: Damien Riley

  • Tusk (2014)

    Tusk (2014)
    R | 1h 42min | Comedy, Drama, Horror | 19 September 2014 (USA)

    A brash and arrogant podcaster gets more than he bargained for when he travels to Canada to interview a mysterious recluse… who has a rather disturbing fondness for walruses.
    Director: Kevin Smith
    Writer: Kevin Smith
    Stars: Justin Long, Michael Parks, Haley Joel Osment

    I’ve talked about this film for well over a year but have as yet to review it on my blog. Here goes:

    Kevin Smith has carved out an etched name for himself in the film world. Most film students will tell you about Clerks, his cult fame status film about some deadbeats who keep a store staffed, albeit half-aware. We all worked those types of jobs and/or some still do so it’s highly relate-able. Besides that, there is a undefinable quality to it people can only attribute to Kevin Smith as director. Red State is another film that people are ready to line up and give blood for. His influence on film is undeniable in my mind. He tried horror with Tusk and he went way out at that. It’s unlike any horror you’ll see in that it molds disgusting, repellent body horror images with sarcasm and flippant comedy. But there is a third element that doesn’t get discussed a whole lot and that is the literary theme of the sea and its dark foreboding nature toward humans. It’s a bit like Jaws in that way, without a shark.

    Justin Long plays Wallace, a despicable podcaster who gathers followers by exploiting outrageous stories. The stories seem to involve the misfortune, maiming, and even death of his subjects. He cheats on his beautiful and kind-hearted girlfriend (Genesis Rodriguez) and overall he is an asshole, and that’s what he’s meant to be.

    Michael Parks plays Howard Howe, a retired Navy seaman who lives in a mysterious house and provides Wallace with what was to be one of his biggest exclusives yet. But alas, things are not always what they appear to be. Howe is obsessed with surgically creating walruses from living people and that’s the “guts” of Tusk.

    This movie scared the hell out of me when I saw it in 2016. It stuck with me and I have seen it twice since. People either love or hate this film. I happen to fall into the former category. I love the horror and I love the comedy. Make no mistake, they exist at different parts of the film and much of it is no laughing matter. The idea of being abducted and having your body destroyed that way is chilling. At the same time, we have Kevin Smith comedy throughout reminding us of what this is about.

    At time of writing this, my podcast Talking Stars is planning to record an episode on Tusk and body horror. I hope you can tune in. Watch the site for more details. After 72 episodes, I’ve never been this eager to do an episode. If you’d like to be on it, let me know.

    10/10

  • Scouting for Podcast Guests – The Snowman Preview (Crime Thrillers)

    Hi readers. We’re looking for some people to be on our show this week. Interested? Please let me know.

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  • Dead Man’s Shoes

    Revenge films can really be cathartic. I think it gets to our mortal core the same way some Shakespearean plays do. A big thanks to Emma and her excellent review that got me curious.

    “God will forgive them. He’ll forgive them and allow them into Heaven. I can’t live with that.” Richard

    Dead Man’s Shoes (2015)
    Cast
    Paddy Considine

    as Richard

    Gary Stretch

    as Sonny

    Toby Kebbell

    as Anthony

    Directed by
    Shane Meadows
    Written by
    Paddy Considine, Shane Meadows, Paul Fraser
    Other Info

    Crime, Drama, Thriller
    Rated R
    1h 30min

    Who hasn’t been wronged and dreamt of getting the perpetrator back? I think it’s essential human nature to enjoy a good revenge film. This is one of those. Richard is the elder brother of Anthony who is bullied and derided by a group of guys in the neighborhood. When Richard is away in the service, the jeering and mistreatment becomes more severe. This is revealed to the audience in flashbacks.

    I like the rawness of this film. It was made on a shoestring budget and the actors are not well known in the US as far as I can tell. Paddy Constatine (Richard) has some work under his belt. It’s a film released in the UK so the cast may be more famous there. We find that Richard has developed skills akin to a mercenary fight while in the service. This is ample reason for the group who taunted and maimed to worry. Richard weaves his revenge slowly. I am reminded of the aphorism: “The wheels of justice grind slow but exceedingly fine.”

    This is a film to see that will provide all sorts of discussion questions. After watching it, make sure you have time to get tea or coffee. It has a twist at the end that may not make sense at first and I certainly did not see it coming. It’s no Disney ending by any means. I think it’s well written and well made however, possibly more eloquent than Disney could ever make a revenge film.

    I won’t watch this one twice, it’s a bit disturbing. Watching it once is a must for all movie fans but I think you’d have to be a bit twisted to watch this a second time. When you recover from a tidal wave do you hope for the next? There are many things here left open-ended about the perpetrators and even Richard himself. I think we are meant to play with the scenes in our head to put them into a sensible context. At the beginning we see Richard and Anthony together, in the middle we don’t and at the end there is a revelation altogether different about the time and what has happened since Richard left for the military.

    There are some of the most heinous scenes in this. It wasn’t as bad as the “Snowtown Murders” but pretty close. Once threat scene is probably the most intense I’ve ever seen. Richard threatens Sonny, one of the perpetrators. The movie has some great scenes and that one is one of the best in my opinion. I pulled one star off because there could have been more character development and the time jumping around was a bit confusing for me. Other than that, this is among the best revenge films I’ve seen. I recommend it.

  • It (2017)

    It (2017)
    R | 2h 15min | Drama, Horror | 8 September 2017 (USA)

    A group of bullied kids band together when a monster, taking the appearance of a clown, begins hunting children.
    Director: Andy Muschietti
    Writers: Chase Palmer (screenplay), Cary Fukunaga (screenplay) | 2 more credits »
    Stars: Bill Skarsgård, Jaeden Lieberher, Finn Wolfhard

    Hear my audio review at the player below:
    Download Audio

    The director is Andy Muschietti. I did enjoy his work on Mama. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to catapult his name out of obscurity. Now, he has done it with his adaptation of It. There are excellent directing choices at every turn. He had a big job on his hands, selling this Stephen King novel to a new generation. Too much horror and you disrespect them, too much camaraderie coming of age and you bore them. I did miss the spiders. They could have done more with the way the fear manifests.

    Bill Skarsgård portrayed a great It. He was scary and unyielding to the bitter end. The rest of the actors were top notch as well. They worked together to tell this story which is about 1/3 a “buddy” coming-of-age film and 2/3 horror and thriller. I think making that part a priority is what made this film so successful. It’s doing unbelievably well at the box office and it deserves as much. Too bad its over the ratings edge as an R film. I think kids 10-17 would enjoy this just as much. There are also some great lessons about love and living with respect toward others. Apparently, they are planning a chapter 2 as well at some point. I’ll hope to catch it.

    9/10

  • Home Again (2017)

    Home Again (2017)
    PG-13 | 1h 37min | Comedy, Drama, Romance | 8 September 2017 (USA)

    Life for a single mom in Los Angeles takes an unexpected turn when she allows three young guys to move in with her.
    Director: Hallie Meyers-Shyer
    Writer: Hallie Meyers-Shyer
    Stars: Nat Wolff, Reese Witherspoon, Lake Bell

    The director here is a first timer. While it is clear to apprehend some of her lively and positive messages about women and love, all characters are too flat for what this is. The movie watches more like a Hallmark channel movie than a full fledged wide release.

    Reese Witherspoon delivers the best performance but it’s probably the worst of her career. It isn’t from any failure at acting. It is the script. A couple times, especially at the end, I felt I was watching an episode of Leave it to Beaver. The rest of the cast need not be mentioned, they are lifeless. Again, the script is mostly to blame. I think the three young men are just so excited to be in film with Witherspoon that they are led by their wiggles and this is served as the audience’s exquisite torture.

    It boggles my mind why one of the highest paid and esteemed actresses on earth would accept such a role. There are no real characters, there is no plot or conflict and the solution is sort of a Leave it to Beaver one at that. We need great rom coms but not like this. Do not waste your time or money on this film.

    1/10

  • Zootopia

    Disney has made a fun, innovative, colorful, and well scripted film here. Don’t let the little rabbit make you think of “HOP,” it’s a ton better than that. Plus, there’s a fox voiced by Jason Bateman so right there you are already out of the “HOP” solar system.

    Zootopia (2016)
    Cast
    Ginnifer Goodwin

    as Judy Hopps

    Jason Bateman

    as Nick Wilde

    Idris Elba

    as Chief Bogo

    Directed by
    Byron Howard, Rich Moore, Jared Bush

     

    Written by
    Jared Bush

     

    Genre, Rating, Length, etc.

    Animation, Action, Adventure
    Rated PG
    1h 48min

    Of course I give this film 5 stars, a perfect score. I’d give it more but I don’t want to appear as if I’m gushing. And this over a rabbit and a fox nonetheless. Well, actually there are a whole zoo of animals, hence the title. While we’re on the subject of the film’s name, I can’t help but wonder it this is Disney’s way of describing the Animal Kingdom theme park history. Actually I mean a fictional history like they did with the films “Tomorrowland” and “The Haunted Mansion.”

    It’s a story of a police cadet that gets an assignment in Zootopia, the Los Angeles of cartoon cities. This police officer is a small female rabbit with not much for brawn but she makes up for it in enthusiasm. Through a strange course of events, she befriends a crooked fox and the two have adventures. They are the only ones who can stop a crooked plan to zombify the citizens.

    There is a lot here and all of it is wonderful. I loved the elephant ice cream clerk and fox’s “baby” that turns out to be a deep voiced pygmy fox, a partner in crime. The critics are loving this film and so am I. I love the voice actors. Jason Bateman should get an Oscar, his fox character is pure genius. I recommend this film for any age.