"War Witch" Tops 2013 Canadian Screen Awards

by Leroy Douresseaux

War Witch was named the “Best Motion Picture” of 2012 at the 2013 Canadian Screen Awards. Kim Nguyen, director of War Witch, won “Achievement in Direction.”

This was the inaugural Canadian Screen Awards, which honor achievements in Canadian film and television production, as well as achievements in digital media. In 2012, the formerly separate Genie Awards (for film) and Gemini Awards (for television) merged into a single ceremony, the Canadian Screen Awards.

War Witch, which is also known by its French-language name, Rebelle, swept away nearly all competition at the inaugural Canadian Screen Awards broadcast gala Sunday night (March 3, 2013). The Congo-set drama about child soldiers won in 10 of the 12 categories for which it was nominated.

War Witch’s teen star, Rachel Mwanza, won “Actress in a Leading Role.” Mwanza once lived on the streets of Kinshasa (the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo). Now, she is earning accolades internationally for her performance as Komona, a child forced to kill her parents and join a local warlord’s band of soldiers

The 2013 Canadian Screen Award winners:

Film categories:

Best Motion Picture: War Witch

Achievement in Direction: Kim Nguyen, War Witch

Actor in a Leading Role: James Cromwell, Still Mine.

Actress in a Leading Role: Rachel Mwanza, War Witch.

Actor in a Supporting Role: Serge Kanyinda, War Witch.

Actress in a Supporting Role: Seema Biswas, Midnight’s Children

Original Screenplay: Kim Nguyen, War Witch

Adapted Screenplay: Salman Rushdie, Midnight’s Children

Art Direction/Production Design: Emmanuel Frechette and Josée Arsenault, War Witch.

Make-Up: Colleen Quinton, Kathy Kelson, Michelle Cote, and Martin LaPointe, Laurence Anyways.

Costume Design: Xavier Dolan and François Barbeau, Laurence Anyways.

Cinematography: Nicolas Bolduc, War Witch.

Editing: Richard Comeau, War Witch.

Music - Original Score: Howard Shore, Cosmopolis.

Music - Original Song: Howard Shore, Emily Haines, James Shaw, “Long to Live” (from Cosmopolis)

Overall Sound: Claude La Haye, Daniel Bisson, Bernard Gariepy Stroble, War Witch.

Sound Editing: Martin Pinsonnault, Jean-Francois, B. Sauve, Simon Meilleur, and Claire Pochon, War Witch.

Feature Length Documentary Award: Sarah Polley and Anita Lee, Stories We Tell.

Short Documentary: Ariel Nasr and Annette Clarke, The Boxing Girls of Kabul.

Live Action Short Drama: Miranda de Pencier and Stacey Aglok MacDonald, Throat Song.

Animated Short: Dominic Étienne Simard and Julie Roy, Paula.

Visual Effects: Dennis Beradi, Jason Edwardh, Matt Glover, Trey Harrell, Leann Harvey, Jo Hughes, Ethan Lee, Scott Riopelle, Eric Robinson, and Kyle Yoneda, Resident Evil: Retribution.

Television categories:

Dramatic Series: Flashpoint.

Comedy Program/Series: Less Than Kind.

International Drama: The Borgias.

Lead Actor in a Dramatic Role: Enrico Colantoni, Flashpoint.

Lead Actress in a Dramatic Role: Meg Tilly, Bomb Girls.

Lead Actor in a Comedic Role: Gerry Dee, Mr. D.

Lead Actress in a Comedic Role: Wendel Meldrum, Less Than Kind.

Reality/Competition Program: Dragon’s Den.

News Anchor: Peter Mansbridge, CBC News The National.

Sports Host or Analyst: Brian Williams, London 2012 Olympic Games.

Host in a Variety, Lifestyle, Reality/Competition, Performing Arts or Talk Program: George Stroumboulopoulos, George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight.

Previously announced awards:

Claude Jutra Award for Best First Feature Film: Jason Buxton, Blackbird.

Cineplex Golden Reel Award: Resident Evil: Retribution

Academy Special Film Award: Victor Loewy, former head of Alliance and Vivafilm.

Review: "Sinister" is Indeed Sinister

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 16 (of 2013) by Leroy Douresseaux


Sinister (2012)
Running time: 110 minutes (1 hour, 50 minutes)
MPAA – R for disturbing violent images and some terror
DIRECTOR: Scott Derrickson
WRITERS: Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill
PRODUCERS: Jason Blum and Brian Kavanaugh-Jones
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Christopher Norr (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Frédéric Thoraval
COMPOSER: Christopher Young

HORROR/MYSTERY/THRILLER

Starring: Ethan Hawke, Juliet Rylance, Fred Dalton Thompson, James Ransone, Michael Hall D’Addario, Clare Foley, and Nick King with Vincent D’Onofrio (no screen credit)

Sinister is a 2012 supernatural horror film and mystery thriller from director Scott Derrickson. Starring Ethan Hawke, the film focuses on a true-crime writer who finds a cache of 8mm "snuff" films in his new home and then begins an investigation of what seems like the work of a serial killer.

Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke) is a washed up true-crime novelist whose last hit was a decade ago, a controversial book called Kentucky Blood. He is desperate to find a murder case that he can turn into another hit true-crime novel. Ellison moves his family into a Pennsylvania house where the previous family was found murdered. Four of the family members were hanging from a tree, while a fifth member, a daughter, was missing.

Oddly, Ellison does not tell his wife, Tracy (Juliet Rylance), about the house’s terrible history, and the family never really settles into their new home. Their son, Trevor (Michael Hall D’Addario), starts having the worst night terrors he’s ever had, and their daughter, Ashley (Clare Foley), is painting bizarre pictures on the walls.

Ellison finds a box containing some reels of Super 8 film and a projector. This discovery leads him to begin researching a serial killer whose career dates back to the 1960s. As Ellison tries to solve this mystery, a sinister force threatens him and his family.

Watching Sinister, I was reminded of how important sound effects and music are to horror films, thrillers, and other scary movies. There are indeed some creepy visuals and ideas in Sinister, but sound is what makes this movie really work the scares. Creaking noises in the house, footsteps in the night, gusts of wind, and everything that seems determined to go bump in the night, especially when someone is alone. The excellent sound effects in this movie had me watching the film in what was almost like a fetal position. And the music: it won’t make you shake your ass, but it’ll have you quaking in your boots.

I don’t want to spoil too much for potential viewers, but I must complain about the villain. He was less supernatural disturbing and more low-rent death metal scary. Sinister’s ending is a bit of a letdown, compared to the sheer frightener that the rest of this flick is.

Ethan Hawke carries this movie because the story is largely centered on Ellison Oswalt (a moniker that apparently blends the names of writer Harlan Ellison and actor/comedian Patton Oswalt). It’s a good performance with depth. Horror movie require that the viewer suspend disbelief, but this film explains why someone would do stupid things when faced with the supernatural. Ellison Oswalt is obsessed with writing a book, and his obsession makes his already self-centered nature even worse, to the point that he makes nothing but bad decisions. Hawke’s performance conveys this.

I did also like James Ransone as the sadly under-utilized character, Detective So-and-So. Once again, I want to do something I generally avoid. I want to heartily recommend Sinister. Even with its ending, it’s one of the best horror movies of the year 2012.

7 of 10
A-

Sunday, March 03, 2013

2013 Canadian Screen Awards - Film Nominees

by Leroy Douresseaux

The Canadian Screen Awards honor achievements in Canadian film and television production, as well as achievements in digital media. In 2012, the formerly separate Genie Awards (for film) and Gemini Awards (for television) merged into a single ceremony, the Canadian Screen Awards.

The 2013 Canadian Screen Awards are scheduled to be held on March 3, 2013, to honor achievements in Canadian film and television production in 2012. This will be the first-ever Canadian Screen Awards ceremony. In addition, the new Canadian Screen Awards will include awards for achievements in digital media.

The 2013 Canadian Screen Award nominations were announced on January 15, 2013. The awards ceremony will be hosted by Martin Short.

I am posting the nominations in the feature film, documentary film, and short film categories. Visit the Canadian Screen Awards website for a complete list of nominees.


FEATURE FILMS: NOMINATIONS BY CATEGORY
BEST MOTION PICTURE / MEILLEUR FILM (Sponsor / Commanditaire : Comweb Group / William F. White International Inc.)
L'AFFAIRE DUMONT - Nicole Robert
INCH'ALLAH - Luc Déry, Kim McCraw
LAURENCE ANYWAYS - Lyse Lafontaine
MIDNIGHT'S CHILDREN - David Hamilton
REBELLE / WAR WITCH - Pierre Even, Marie-Claude Poulin
STILL MINE - Tamara Deverell, Jody Colero, Avi Federgreen, Michael McGowan

ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTION / MEILLEURE RÉALISATION (Sponsor / Commanditaire : Pinewood Toronto Studios)
MICHAEL DOWSE - Goon
XAVIER DOLAN - Laurence Anyways
DEEPA MEHTA - Midnight's Children
KIM NGUYEN - Rebelle / War Witch
BERNARD ÉMOND - Tout ce que tu possèdes / All That You Possess

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE / INTERPRÉTATION MASCULINE DANS UN PREMIER RÔLE
JAMES CROMWELL – Still Mine
PATRICK DROLET - Tout ce que tu possèdes / All That You Possess
MARC-ANDRÉ GRONDIN - L'affaire Dumont
DAVID MORSE - Collaborator
MELVIL POUPAUD - Laurence Anyways

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE / INTERPRÉTATION FÉMININE DANS UN PREMIER RÔLE
EVELYNE BROCHU - Inch'Allah
GENEVIÈVE BUJOLD – Still Mine
MARILYN CASTONGUAY - L'affaire Dumont
SUZANNE CLÉMENT - Laurence Anyways
RACHEL MWANZA - Rebelle / War Witch

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE / INTERPRÉTATION MASCULINE DANS UN RÔLE DE SOUTIEN
JAY BARUCHEL - Goon
KIM COATES - Goon
STEPHAN JAMES - Home Again
SERGE KANYINDA - Rebelle
ELIAS KOTEAS - Winnie

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE / INTERPRÉTATION FÉMININE DANS UN RÔLE DE SOUTIEN
SEEMA BISWAS - Midnight's Children
FEFE DOBSON - Home Again
ALICE MOREL MICHAUD – Les Pee Wee 3D
GABRIELLE MILLER - Moving Day
SABRINA OUAZANI - Inch'Allah

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY / MEILLEUR SCÉNARIO (Sponsor / Commanditaire : Astral’s Harold Greenberg Fund)
JASON BUXTON - Blackbird
XAVIER DOLAN - Laurence Anyways
KIM NGUYEN - Rebelle / War Witch
MICHAEL MCGOWAN - Still Mine
BERNARD ÉMOND - Tout ce que tu possèdes / All That You Possess

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY / MEILLEURE ADAPTATION
DAVID CRONENBERG - Cosmopolis
JAY BARUCHEL, EVAN GOLDBERG - Goon
ANITA DORON - The Lesser Blessed
MARTIN VILLENEUVE - Mars et Avril
SALMAN RUSHDIE - Midnight's Children

ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION/PRODUCTION DESIGN / MEILLEURE DIRECTION ARTISTIQUE
EMMANUEL FRECHETTE, JOSÉE ARSENAULT - Rebelle / War Witch
ARVINDER GREWAL - Antiviral
ANDRÉ GUIMOND - L'affaire Dumont
DILIP MEHTA - Midnight's Children
ANNE PRITCHARD - Laurence Anyways

ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY / MEILLEURES IMAGES (Sponsor / Commanditaire : Christie Digital)
NICOLAS BOLDUC - Rebelle / War Witch
PHILIPPE LAVALETTE - Inch'Allah
GILES NUTTGENS - Midnight's Children
BOBBY SHORE - Goon
BRENDAN STEACY – Still Mine

ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN / MEILLEURS COSTUMES
XAVIER DOLAN, FRANÇOIS BARBEAU - Laurence Anyways
PATRICIA HENDERSON - Mad Ship
WENDY PARTRIDGE - Resident Evil: Retribution
WENDY PARTRIDGE - Silent Hill: Revelation 3D
ÉRIC POIRIER - Rebelle / War Witch

ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING / MEILLEUR MONTAGE
RICHARD COMEAU - Rebelle / War Witch
RODERICK DEOGRADES – Still Mine
VALÉRIE HÉROUX - L'affaire Dumont
SOPHIE LEBLOND - Inch'Allah
KIMBERLEE MCTAGGART – Blackbird

ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKE-UP / MEILLEURS MAQUILLAGES (Sponsor / Commanditaire : Lancôme)
KATIE BRENNAN, KAROLA DIRNBERGER, PAUL JONES - Silent Hill: Revelation 3D
BRENDA MAGALAS, LORI CAPUTI - Goon
CATHERINE DAVIES-IRVINE, TRASON FERNANDES - Antiviral
MARLÈNE ROULEAU, ANDRÉ DUVAL - L'affaire Dumont
COLLEEN QUINTON, KATHY KELSO, MICHELLE CÔTÉ, MARTIN LAPOINTE - Laurence Anyways

ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC - ORIGINAL SCORE / MEILLEURE MUSIQUE ORIGINALE
NOIA - Laurence Anyways
BENOIT CHAREST - Mars et Avril
DON ROOKE, HUGH MARSH, MICHELLE WILLIS – Still Mine
HOWARD SHORE - Cosmopolis
E.C. WOODLEY - Antiviral

ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC - ORIGINAL SONG / MEILLEURE CHANSON ORIGINALE (Sponsor / Commanditaire : Slaight Music)
EMILY HAINES, JAMES SHAW, HOWARD SHORE - Cosmopolis - Long to Live
ERLAND & THE CARNIVAL - Rufus - Wanting
ERLAND & THE CARNIVAL - Rufus - Out of Sight

ACHIEVEMENT IN OVERALL SOUND / MEILLEUR SON D'ENSEMBLE (Sponsor / Commanditaire : Deluxe Toronto Ltd.)
SYLVAIN ARSENEAULT, STEPH CARRIER, LOU SOLAKOFSKI, DON WHITE - Midnight's Children
OLIVIER CALVERT, PASCAL BEAUDIN, LUC BOUDRIAS, DANIEL BISSON - Mars et Avril
CLAUDE LA HAYE, DANIEL BISSON, BERNARD GARIÉPY STROBL - Rebelle / War Witch
PHILIP STALL, IAN RANKIN, LOU SOLAKOFSKI, JACK HEEREN - Antiviral
ZANDER ROSBOROUGH, ALLAN SCARTH - The Disappeared

ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND EDITING / MEILLEUR MONTAGE SONORE
• PIERRE-JULES AUDET, MICHELLE CLOUTIER, THIERRY BOURGAULT D'AMICO, NATHALIE FLEURANT, CÉDRICK MARIN, NICOLAS GAGNON - L'affaire Dumont

• MARTIN PINSONNAULT, JEAN-FRANCOIS B. SAUVÉ, SIMON MEILLEUR, CLAIRE POCHON - Rebelle / War Witch

• STEPHEN BARDEN, STEVE BAINE, KEVIN BANKS, ALEX BULLICK, JILL PURDY - Resident Evil: Retribution

• SYLVAIN BRASSARD, STÉPHANE CADOTTE, ISABELLE FAVREAU, PHILIPPE RACINE - Laurence Anyways

• ALLAN SCARTH, BOB MELANSON, ZANDER ROSBOROUGH, CORY TETFORD - The Disappeared

ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECTS / MEILLEURS EFFETS VISUELS
• DENNIS BERARDI, KEITH ACHESON, MICHAEL BORRETT, WILSON CAMERON, MICHAEL DICARLO, TOM NAGY, BRITTON PLEWES, SCOTT RIOPELLE, MATT WHELAN, WOJCIECH ZIELINSKI - Silent Hill: Revelation 3D

• CARLOS MONZON, MARTIN BELLEAU, DOMINIC DAIGLE, NATHALIE DUPONT, GAËL HOLLARD, BENOÎT LADOUCEUR, VIVIANE LEVESQUE BOUCHARD, JÉRÉMIE LODOMEZ, ANNIE NORMANDIN, ALEXANDRA VAILLANCOURT - Mars et Avril

• DENNIS BERARDI, JASON EDWARDH, MATT GLOVER, TREY HARRELL, LEANN HARVEY, JO HUGHES, ETHAN LEE, SCOTT RIOPELLE, ERIC ROBINSON, KYLE YONEDA - Resident Evil: Retribution

• ÈVE BRUNET, MARC MORISSETTE, ALEXANDRA VAILLANCOURT - Rebelle / War Witch

• RALPH MAIERS, DEBORA DUNPHY, JOHN FUKUSHIMA, PATRICK KAVANAUGH, BILL MARTIN, CHRIS PHILIPS, JEREMY PRICE, KENTON RANNIE, LAUREN WEIDEL - Midnight's Children

THEATRICAL DOCUMENTARIES & SHORT FILMS: NOMINATIONS BY CATEGORY

TED ROGERS BEST FEATURE LENGTH DOCUMENTARY AWARD / PRIX TED ROGERS POUR LE MEILLEUR LONG MÉTRAGE DOCUMENTAIRE (Sponsor / Commanditaire : Rogers Group of Funds)
ALPHÉE DES ÉTOILES - Hugo Latulippe, Eric De Gheldere, Colette Loumède
INDIE GAME: THE MOVIE - Lisanne Pajot, James Swirsky
OVER MY DEAD BODY - Brigitte Poupart, Virginie Dubois, Stéphanie Morissette
STORIES WE TELL - Sarah Polley, Anita Lee
THE WORLD BEFORE HER - Nisha Pahuja, Ed Barreveld, Cornelia Principe

BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY / MEILLEUR COURT MÉTRAGE DOCUMENTAIRE (Sponsor / Commanditaire : Hot Docs)
THE BOXING GIRLS OF KABUL - Ariel Nasr, Annette Clarke
THE FUSE: OR HOW I BURNED SIMON BOLIVAR - Igor Drljaca
KEEP A MODEST HEAD / NE CRÂNE PAS SOIS MODESTE - Deco Dawson, Catherine Chagnon, Craig Trudeau
LET THE DAYLIGHT INTO THE SWAMP - Jeffrey St. Jules, Anita Lee
THREE WALLS - Zaheed Mawani, Andrea Bussmann

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT DRAMA / MEILLEUR COURT MÉTRAGE DRAMATIQUE
CHEF DE MEUTE - Chloé Robichaud, Fanny-Laure Malo, Sarah Pellerin
FROST - Jeremy Ball, Lauren Grant, Robert Munroe
LE FUTUR PROCHE / THE NEAR FUTURE - Sophie Goyette
PREMIÈRE NEIGE / FIRST SNOW - Michaël Lalancette
THROAT SONG - Miranda de Pencier, Stacey Aglok MacDonald

BEST ANIMATED SHORT / MEILLEUR COURT MÉTRAGE D'ANIMATION
BYDLO - Patrick Bouchard, Julie Roy
DEMONI - Theodore Ushev
EDMOND WAS A DONKEY - Franck Dion, Richard Van Den Boom, Julie Roy
PAULA - Dominic Étienne Simard, Julie Roy

2013 Claude Jutra Award (best feature film by a first-time film director):
Jason Buxton, Blackbird

2013 Golden Reel Award (presented to the Canadian film with the biggest box office gross of the year):
Resident Evil: Retribution

http://www.academy.ca/awards/

Third "Hobbit" Movie Moves to December 17, 2014

“The Hobbit: There and Back Again” to Be Released December 17, 2014

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--“The Hobbit: There and Back Again,” the final film in Peter Jackson’s trilogy adaptation of the timeless classic The Hobbit, will now be released on December 17, 2014. The joint announcement was made today by Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution, and Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

The film moves from its previous summer slot, and now follows the holiday release pattern of “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” which went on to become a billion-dollar global blockbuster, as well as the three films in “The Lord of the Rings” Trilogy. The second film in “The Hobbit” Trilogy, “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” is next to be released, on December 13, 2013. All three films in the Trilogy are productions of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM).

Stated Fellman, “We’re excited to complete the Trilogy the same way we started it, as a holiday treat for moviegoers everywhere.”

Added Kwan Vandenberg, “Our holiday release of the first film set a successful precedent for this wonderful Trilogy, and we’re delighted to bring it to a conclusion in the same release window.”

From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes “The Hobbit: There and Back Again,” the final film in an epic Trilogy adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. The three films tell a continuous story set in Middle-earth 60 years before “The Lord of the Rings,” which Jackson and his filmmaking team brought to the big screen in the blockbuster trilogy that culminated with the Oscar®-winning “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.”

Jackson directed “The Hobbit: There and Back Again” from a screenplay by Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens & Peter Jackson. Jackson is also producing the film, together with Carolynne Cunningham, Zane Weiner and Fran Walsh. The executive producers are Alan Horn, Toby Emmerich, Ken Kamins and Carolyn Blackwood, with Boyens and Eileen Moran serving as co-producers.

All three films in “The Hobbit” Trilogy are productions of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), with New Line managing production. Warner Bros. Pictures is handling worldwide theatrical distribution, with select international territories as well as all international television distribution being handled by MGM.

Review: "The Last Exorcism" is Kinda Crazy

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 15 (of 2013) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Last Exorcism (2010)
Running time: 87 minutes (1 hour, 27 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for disturbing violent content and terror, some sexual references and thematic material
DIRECTOR: Daniel Stamm
WRITERS: Huck Botko and Andrew Gurland
PRODUCERS: Marc Abraham, Thomas A. Bliss, Eric Newman, Eli Roth
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Zoltan Honti
EDITOR: Shilpa Sahi
COMPOSER: Nathan Barr

HORROR

Starring: Patrick Fabian, Ashley Bell, Iris Bahr, Louis Herthum, Caleb Landry Jones, Tony Bentley, John Wright, Jr., Shanna Forrestall, Justin Shafer, Becky Fly, Denise Lee, Logan Craig Reid, and Adam Grimes

The Last Exorcism is a 2010 supernatural horror film. It is also a found footage film, a movie that pretends that it is made of film or video that was found somewhere. That film or video is a recording of real events that happened sometime in the past – usually the recent past. The best known examples of found footage films are The Blair Witch Project and the Paranormal Activity franchise. The Last Exorcism follows a troubled evangelical minister and the documentary crew filming his last exorcism.

The Reverend Cotton Marcus (Patrick Fabian) is a Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based evangelical minister. Years earlier, he and his wife, Shanna (Shanna Forrestall), went through the difficult birth of their son, Justin (Justin Shafer), and Cotton had a crisis of faith. After he learns of an autistic child being killed during an exorcism, Cotton begins performing fake exorcisms on people who claim to be possessed, but are probably suffering from some mental or psychological disorder.

As the film begins, Cotton decides to retire and want to perform his last exorcism. He agrees to let director/producer Iris Reisen (Iris Bahr) and cameraman Daniel Moskowitz (Adam Grimes) film his final exorcism as a documentary to help expose exorcism as a fraud. At random, Cotton chooses an exorcism request sent by farmer Louis Sweetzer (Louis Herthum), who claims that his 16-year-old daughter, Nell (Ashley Bell), is slaughtering his farm animals while she is possessed.

Cotton, Iris, and Daniel travel to the Sweetzer farm in Ivanwood, Louisiana, where they meet Louis and his hostile son, Caleb (Caleb Landry Jones). After meeting Nell, Cotton begins his fake exorcism routine with all the bells and whistles, but things turn really strange from there.

The Last Exorcism is like a cross between a horror movie and a reality television series, with the goofiness and inadvertent comedy of reality TV sometimes taking over the movie. There are moments when The Last Exorcism seems as if it is going to end up being an earnest movie crippled by its low-budget and by worn-out exorcism film clichés.

Then, the last half hour kicks in, and things get real fk-up. That’s when the party starts and we have us a horror movie. That’s it. That’s The Last Exorcism in a nutshell.

The acting from the leads is quite good. Ashley Bell’s mostly calm turn as Nell makes the moments when her character becomes possessed that much scarier, and Bell apparently did her own body contortions. Although it takes the entire movie, Patrick Fabian eventually sells Cotton Marcus as an authentic character.

As Louis Sweetzer, Louis Herthum gives an award-worthy performance. He reveals Louis’ troubled nature (which includes alcoholism), lingering grief over his wife’s death, and his stubborn religious fundamentalism in layers, one over the other. This is a performance that is both passionate and subtle. Somewhere, from some film group, there should have been at least a best supporting actor nomination for Herthum. In some ways, he gives The Last Exorcism gravitas.

6 of 10
B

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

------------------------

Happy Birthday, Uncle Phil

I haven't called you that in a long time.  Happy Birthday, and many, many, many more, Grandpa.

Negromancer Marches On

Hey, it's March 2013.  We made it.  We have big plans... We always have big plans for a new month.

Welcome to Negromancer, a ComicBookBin blog (www.comicbookbin.com). This is rebirth of the former movie review website as a movie review and movie news website and blog.

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