The Babadook: A Terrifying Thriller

Searching for The Babadook

The horror genre in recent years seems to have have backslid a bit to the 80s model, when a host of slasher movies dominated the market in the wake of Halloween & Friday The 13th. There’s a renewed interest in that kind of film, as well as a rash of copycat  “found footage” stories & zombie thrillers, due to the success of the Paranormal Activity films & The Walking Dead TV series. But there are still some offbeat, interesting & worthwhile genre films to be found, such as director James Wan’s Insidious & The Conjuring, and one of my personal favorites, the Swedish made vampire tale, 2008’s Let The Right One In. One of the best recent examples is the Australian/Canadian horror film The Babadook (2014). It is without a doubt, one of the most intense, scary & disturbing movies I’ve seen in some time. The Babadook tells the story of Amelia, a mother whose young son, Samuel, is having behavioral issues and is acting out at school & at home. He always has his mother check his room for monsters at bedtime. He even creates makeshift weapons to protect himself & his Mom from the monsters he knows are real. Amelia's family, friends & Samuel's school feel he has deeper issues, and urge her to get help for the boy.

Samuel’s problems become so bad that Amelia is forced to take him out of school while she figures out her next move. She’s struggling to keep things together at work & at home, and we learn that Amelia lost her husband in an accident the night Samuel was born. Things have never been the same for her since. One evening, Amelia offers to read Sam a story before he goes to bed; he chooses a book she’s never seen before called Mister Babadook. It’s the tale of an evil spirit that haunts the person who releases it forever. Amelia finds the odd story distressing, and stops reading it. But Sam becomes convinced the Babadook is real, and that reading the book aloud has released it; he wants to protect his mother from the creature. Strange things begin to happen around the house, and Amelia becomes increasingly stressed & paranoid. The monster seems to manifest itself everywhere; and Amelia seems to be its target. Will this malevolent spirit possess her, and harm Samuel?

For a good portion of the film, this appears to be the story of a single mother who’s dealing with a difficult situation with her child, and sidestepping her own emotional issues. Amelia is losing her grip on things, and her son’s problems are only making life more difficult. When Amelia must face the Babadook to save herself and her son, is the creature really there, or is it a manifestation of her own repressed grief, resentment & regret? The darkness that seems to surround Amelia & Samuel could be self-constructed, and that makes it all the more terrifying. It’s a movie that leaves itself open to interpretation; is there really a supernatural menace at work here, or have Amelia’s inner demons been brought to life? Writer-director Jennifer Kent builds the tension slowly, and the atmosphere becomes increasingly tense as the film moves forward. The Babadook is a real presence throughout the movie, and is evoked by the eerie illustrations from the book, and the excellent work of Kent, cinematographer Radek Ladczuk & editor Simon Njoo. Kent uses shadows & sounds to evoke a real sense of terror & disquiet, and many of the effects are done in an old school style.

The acting by Essie Davis as Amelia & Noah Wiseman as Samuel is outstanding. You can relate to Amelia and feel for her as she starts to lose her grip on reality as the movie reaches its final third. Davis gets to the heart of this character, and it’s a raw, amazing performance. As for Samuel, he is at turns, lovable, frustrating & occasionally, wiser than the grown ups in the film. Samuel is a kid who clearly has issues of his own, and the character can be a bit tough to take at times, but there are other times you just want to hug him & protect him, just like his mother. Wiseman conveys all of these things with his fine work. This really is a three-character story: Amelia, Samuel & The Babadook. Could a supernatural being represent the emotions & feelings you haven't dealt with & choose to bury deep down? Would you have the strength to overcome that darkness within? The Babadook is an emotional, powerful & terrifying film that tries to answer that question. It will resonate with you long after its over. The cast & crew deserve kudos for creating a unique, unsettling psychological horror/suspense tale. The movie is now available on DVD, Blu-ray & for streaming on services such as Netflix. Here’s a link to the film’s trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szaLnKNWC-U. 

Joan Jett & The Who "Pick Up Their Guitars & Play" at Mohegan Sun

Photo by John V

When you go to live shows regularly, as I do, you often see a mix of fair/decent shows, good shows, or very good shows. Then there are the concerts that can only be described by one word: epic. Sunday night at Mohegan Sun Arena, we were treated a truly epic show by The Who. The night began with opening act Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, who were recently inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Joan & the band tore up the place with a fierce, energetic 11-song set that included “I Love Rock & Roll, Crimson & Clover, and Cherry Bomb.” Jett prowled the stage, jamming on guitar, having a good time, and getting the audience charged up for the main event. She’s a consummate live performer, and a rock & roll road warrior. It was the perfect opening salvo to a great night of music. Joan rocks!

Following a short break, during which text, photos & graphics about The Who’s 50-year history were flashed on a screen, the band took the stage, and kicked off the show with a terrific version of “I Can’t Explain.” After that we were treated to almost two hours of classic songs, including “My Generation, Who Are You, Sparks and I Can See For Miles.” Roger Daltrey was in excellent voice, and sounded strong throughout the night, especially on a breathtaking, powerful vocal on “Love, Reign O’er Me” that gave us chills. Pete Townshend performed a few of his trademark guitar moves, and did a nice turn on lead vocal duties for “I’m One,” from Quadrophenia. The memorable show was nothing less than a celebration of the band’s enduring musical catalog, and both Daltrey & Townshend told a few stories about the group, including an amusing tale regarding “The Kids Are Alright.” Townshend, in particular, showed off his caustic sense of humor several times in the between song chatter during the show. He's lost none of his wit (or grit) over the years.

Photo by John V

But this night was all about the music, and if you were a fan, it was truly magical. Excellent versions of “You Better You, Bet, I Can See For Miles and Join Together” had the audience singing along & on their feet, which was where many of them stayed throughout the evening. Song after song was amazing: “Bargain, Squeeze Box" & even "Eminence Front” which was the most recent number performed during the show, dating back to the 1982 album It's Hard. The backing band included longtime touring members Pino Palladino on bass, Zak Starkey on drums and Townshend’s brother Simon on guitar. Palladino & Starkey have incredibly big shoes to fill (those of John Entwistle & Keith Moon, respectively) but they were both magnificent, and sounded sensational throughout the show. The entire band was totally in sync during the concert, and if Joan Jett & The Blackhearts tore the roof off the joint during their set, The Who truly demolished what was left of it during their time on stage.

As the show reached it’s final third, the band performed its original mini-opera, “A Quick One While He’s Away,” as well as a few numbers from Tommy, including a rousing version of “Pinball Wizard.” By the way, kudos to the entire band & their crew, and an extra shout out to the lighting & graphics team; the images projected behind the band during the show were perfect. The evening ended with the one-two punch of “Baba O’Riley” & “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” and the audience certainly wanted more. But after some thank yous to the fans from Daltrey & Townshend, this phenomenal night of music came to a close. Daltrey also mentioned in his closing comments that the only other performer in their age group touring regularly is Paul McCartney, and that he’s not doing too badly. He said they’d keep doing this as The Who as long as it continues to makes sense, and then maybe they’ll make a change and just do two hours of Johnny Cash songs! ;) “The Who Hits 50” tour continues with additional dates through the fall, and if you love The Who, then get some tickets and see the show. It is very well worth it. You'll experience an unforgettable night of classic rock & roll.

Set List - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts:

Bad Reputation

Cherry Bomb

Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)

You Drive Me Wild

Light of Day

Love Is Pain

The French Song

Different

I Love Rock & Roll

Crimson & Clover

I Hate Myself For Loving You

Set List - The Who:

I Can't Explain

The Seeker

Who Are You

The Kids Are Alright

Squeeze Box

I Can See For Miles

My Generation

Behind Blue Eyes

Bargain

Join Together

You Better You Bet

I'm One

Love Reign O'er Me

Eminence Front

A Quick One (While He's Away)

Amazing Journey

Sparks

Pinball Wizard

See Me, Feel Me

Baba O'Riley

Won't Get Fooled Again

The Avengers Return in "Age Of Ultron"

Writer-Director Joss Whedon’s Avengers: Age of Ultron is an entertaining, eye-popping, action-filled superhero movie. The film starts in the middle of an action sequence (if you watch ABC’s Agents of SHIELD series, you’ll know a little of the backstory, but it’s not essential) as our team of heroes head to a HYDRA base to retrieve the villainous Loki’s scepter, and end up tangling with two new enemies: Pietro, the super speed enabled Quicksilver, and his sister Wanda, the Scarlet Witch, who can control people’s minds & shoot energy bursts from her hands. HYDRA, as part of an experiment to create their own super-beings, has given them their powers. Wanda zaps our heroes and gives them a look at their darkest fears: Iron Man sees a terrible future in which his fellow Avengers appear defeated & dead after a furious battle. Our heroes retrieve the scepter, but aloo of their thoughts are troubled by Wanda’s manipulation of their minds. The entire scene is fantastic, and gets the movie off to a rousing start; kind of like a 007 pre-credits sequence, Marvel style.

Tony Stark’s fears cause him to enlist Dr. Bruce (the Hulk’s alter ego) Banner’s help to finish the creation of Ultron, an artificial intelligence system that can protect the entire world. Stark believes that if Ultron works, there will eventually be no need for The Avengers. The problem is, Ultron goes live & becomes a little too self-aware: it decides the best way to save the world is to destroy humanity. Now our heroes have a new battle to fight against an enemy that can control every computer system on the planet, and is personified by a robot (eerily voiced by James Spader) that is constantly upgrading itself. Ultron enlists Wanda & Pietro to help him in his battle against The Avengers, and is one step ahead of them at every turn. Can our heroes stop Ultron before he destroys the world? Will the team be able to trust Stark after his mistakes once again causes chaos & destruction? Before the battle is over, The Avengers will have to put aside their differences and enlist the help of even more heroes to stop Ultron. And just whose side will Wanda & Pietro end up on?

It’s interesting that a running plot point of these films has been Stark’s pride and his lack of asking the opinions of his teammates before he makes decisions that could affect them all. Many of the events in this film are sowing the seeds for the next Captain America sequel, 2016’s Civil War and the next Avengers film, the two-part Infinity War, due in 2018. There are a host of cameos from characters throughout the Marvel cinematic universe, and a lot of nods & hints for Marvel fans in the movie. There’s also an appearance toward the last part of the film by another Marvel hero that will really please classic Avengers fans. In a way, that’s one of the minor issues with the movie: it’s such a large-scale story and there are so many characters & and plot points that you can’t possibly give everyone & everything equal time. Wanda & Pietro are interesting, but aren’t quite as fully fleshed out as they could be. However, I will say that the main characters are given some nice development, especially Hawkeye & Black Widow, who were given kind of short shrift in the first film; Jeremy Renner & Scarlett Johansson both get some nice scenes in the movie. In fact, Hawkeye feels like the heart of the team in this story.

Whedon is the perfect writer & director for this type of film, thanks to his love for these superheroes, and his ability to balance action & humor with some real character moments & depth. I also think it’s the Marvel movie that best captures the look & feel of the classic Marvel comics of the 60s & 70s, especially in the action sequences. The movie really makes you feel like you’re watching a comic book come to life. Kudos to Whedon & his team; the look, effects, music & entire design of the film are fantastic. The cast is wonderful, and the actors really have grown nicely into their roles; you really can’t imagine anyone other than Robert Downey, Jr. as Iron Man, Chris Evans as Cap, Liam Hemsworth as Thor, or Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/The Hulk. The film is a very enjoyable, large-scale summer popcorn movie. It’s a shame Whedon won’t be returning for the next films in the series, but he’s leaving those entries in the capable hands of Joe & Anthony Russo, who helmed 2014’s excellent Captain America: The Winter Soldier. For Marvel superhero fans & action movie fans, Avengers: Age of Ultron is a great way to kick off your 2015 summer movie season. Here’s a link to the film’s trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAUoeqvedMo.

Lyle Lovett & John Hiatt: Pizza Men?

Lyle Lovett & John Hiatt - photo by John V

John Hiatt & Lyle Lovett have both spent their careers as singer-songwriters defying the expectations of listeners, and providing us with some excellent music. Hiatt has had his songs recorded by many artists, including Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, Roseanne Cash & Marshall Crenshaw. Like Mr. Hiatt, Lovett continues to dive into multiple musical genres, including country, folk & the blues, most recently on 2012’s album Release Me. The two friends are out on the road for a brief acoustic tour, which made a stop on Saturday, May 2 at New Haven’s newly opened College Street Music Hall. It was a spellbinding evening of songs, stories & excellent performances. Since the venue is located in New Haven, Connecticut, the duo took the stage carrying pizzas from two of the area’s most celebrated pizza palaces, Pepe’s & Sally’s. It was a running joke during the show, including Lovett’s assertion that Hiatt was playing for “Team Pepe’s.”

The show was fantastic, with both men trading the spotlight, and backing each other on their performances. The artists also took requests which were shouted out by audience members, but it was Hiatt that seemed most energized by doing so, especially on memorable performances of “Icy Blue Heart “ and “Memphis in The Meantime.” Lovett also got into the act, playing “North Dakota” and “If I Had A Boat,” after continuous cajoling from fans. As the two artists took turns playing songs and trading stories & a few laughs, it was clear they had tremendous respect for one another. Hiatt was amazing on guitar & harmonica, and he absolutely tore up the place on a dazzling version of Lovett’s “My Baby Don’t Tolerate,” which was one of the show’s highlights, along with a fantastic rendition of Hiatt’s own “Tennessee Plates.” Some of the other great tunes included Lovett’s version of Michael Frank’s “White Boy Lost In The Blues” and Hiatt’s “Real Fine Love.” It was a thrilling evening of music, and the audience loved every minute of the show.

There is something so uplifting about seeing wonderful artists like this in their element, doing what they do best. And hey, if this music thing doesn’t work out for them, maybe they can start a new career as pizza guys! ;) As a fan of both performers, I can tell you the show exceeded my expectations. If you get the chance to see Hiatt or Lovett together, or when they're playing their own shows, I highly recommend checking them out. A few words about the College Street Music Hall; located on the site of the former Palace Theatre, it’s a warm venue with good acoustics. It can be set up for seated or standing room shows. The staff was warm and helpful, and the well designed bar area (located at the rear of the theater) has a good selection. It’s great that the New Haven area has a live music venue like this once again. I look forward to seeing more shows there in the future. Here's a link to a performance of "My Baby Don't Tolerate" by Lyle Lovett, John Hiatt & Joe Ely: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikhlGUJqa98.

Retro Monster Movie: King Kong Escapes

What do you get when you combine the monster, sci-fi & spy film genres, and toss in a bit of a cartoon series for good measure? The result is 1967’s King Kong Escapes, a co-production between Japan’s Toho studios & Rankin-Bass, the US animation company responsible for classics like Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer & Mad Monster Party. Based in part on the Rankin-Bass animated series The King Kong Show, the film features the evil Dr. Who (no relation to the title character of the long running BBC series) who has created a robot replica of Kong called Mechani-Kong. He’s using the robot to obtain an ore called “Element X” which will help his employer, Madame X, and her unnamed country, make weapons that will enable them to..…you guessed it….RULE THE WORLD. Meanwhile a submarine commanded by Carl Nelson (Rhodes Reason, brother of Rex, star of This Island Earth) ) gets waylaid while on a mission for the UN, and ends up at Mondo Island, the real Kong’s home. Nelson & his crew have an up close & personal encounter with Kong. The big, furry guy takes a shine to Lt. Susan Watson (Linda Miller), and battles a couple of giant creatures in order to protect her. Our stalwart heroes barely escape the island alive.

Back at villain central, the bad guys have a problem: the radioactivity in Element X has fried Mechani-Kong's circuits. So what’s a super-villain to do? Dr. Who sets out to find the real Kong and bring him back to his Arctic lair, so he can use the giant ape to mine the ore. Of course, it’s inevitable that the bad guys will cross paths with our heroes. And in true pulp movie fashion, we discover Dr. Who is an old nemesis of Nelson’s. When the nefarious villain successfully captures Kong, he has trouble controlling him, and kidnaps Susan (along with the rest of the sub's command crew) in order to control the lovelorn ape. The beautiful but deadly Madame X tries to use her charms to get Nelson to turn to the dark side, but has little success. Of course, an angry & not so complacent Kong escapes (hence the title), a repaired Mechani-Kong is sent after him by Dr. Who, and a battle of titans ensues in Tokyo, with Susan in the middle. Can Kong rescue his lady love and save the day? Will Tokyo get stomped once again? You have seen one of these films before, right? ;)

A blogger meets Kong's lady friend:
With co-star Linda Miller at Chiller Con in April 2015

King Kong Escapes is an enjoyably silly Saturday matinee adventure. Dr. Who & his minions seem to have stepped right out of a 60s spy film, and the movie even features a bona fide Bond girl, Mie Hama of You Only Live Twice, as Madame X, the evil femme fatale. Ms. Miller (who also appeared in The Green Slime) makes for an attractive damsel in distress, and Reason is a determined square-jawed hero, along with Akira Takarada as his right hand man, Jiro Nimura. You’ll also notice the talents of the ubiquitous Paul Frees, who did vocal work for a lot of cartoon shows in the 60s & 70s, as the dubbed voice of Dr. Who. If you’re in the mood for some old school monster mayhem, grab some popcorn & drinks, and sit back & indulge the young creature features fan inside you: this is the perfect film for it. It’s the second and final Toho epic to feature Kong, after the battle of titans in King Kong vs. Godzilla. The monster clashes (with a dinosaur & a giant snake on Mondo island and Mechani-Kong in Tokyo) are fun, and while the movie may not be quite as well-regarded as some of the other late 1960s Toho entries, like Destroy All Monsters, it’s still a great ride for genre aficionados. I've certainly had a soft spot in my heart for the film since my younger days, and still enjoy watching it. The movie is now available on Blu-ray & DVD: sadly, there are no special features. Here’s a link to the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrUFlFD4Lvo. 

Furious 7: Dom & The Crew Ride On

The “Fast & Furious” films have become a very successful franchise for Universal Pictures. The latest entry in the series, Furious 7, continues the series’ tradition of being well-produced, big budget popcorn flicks. It’s got all the elements these films are famous for: action scenes & stunts, explosions, fight scenes & of course, car chases. This time out, our heroes are facing a threat that hits close to home. Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) is the brother of the villain from the last film, Owen Shaw. Deckard vows revenge against Dom (Vin Diesel) and the rest of his crew for what they did to Owen, and the injuries Owen suffered in their battle. Deckard begins hunting down the “Fast & Furious” crew and trying to kill them, starting with Han, whose character debuted in the third film, and appeared in the subsequent sequels. Deckard murders Han, and lets Dom know he's coming for him.

As the attacks on Dom & his friends continue, he realizes he’ll have to take down Shaw to keep his family safe. This leads to an alliance with a covert ops agent, Frank Petty, played by Kurt Russell. Petty wants Dom’s help with a mission before he’ll help him get Shaw. It turns out that Petty’s request will put Dom & our heroes into direct conflict with Shaw, as well as a new & dangerous enemy, a terrorist named Jakande. Of course, everything & everyone will converge as we get to the movie’s climax. Some of the ongoing plot strands from Fast & Furious 6 are dealt with as well; Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) is still dealing with her memory loss, and Brian (Paul Walker) is struggling with settling down to be a family man, and no longer being in the midst of the action all the time. Can our heroes defeat Shaw and survive to live & drive another day?

The action & stunts keep getting more spectacular in these films: this time out, we’ve got cars dropping out of a plane & using parachutes to land, and a car driving out of a high rise building window and into another building across from it. They’re completely unbelievable moments, but you can’t help but be dazzled by them. But despite the amazing stunts, one of the things that make this series so successful is the likable characters, and their relationships. We enjoy seeing these people on screen, and can feel the bond these characters share; we care about what happens to them. When the series was essentially relaunched in 2009 with the fourth film, Fast & Furious, the filmmakers knew what worked, and reunited the cast of the original film, as well as bringing in new characters, such as Dwayne Johnson as DSS agent Hobbs in the fifth entry in the series. It helped rejuvenate the franchise, and each film since then has been more successful than the last, reversing the usual trend with sequels and their box office take.

If you’re not a fan of popcorn entertainment, this isn’t the film for you. But if you enjoyed the previous movies, you'll have a great time watching this entry in the series. There’s action to spare, humor & a few sentimental moments as well. These characters have become like family to fans of the series. Sadly, Paul Walker died in an off-set accident before filming was finished. Some digital magic, along with the help of Walker’s brothers & stunt doubles for some scenes, was used in order to help complete his role in the film. The movie concludes with a tribute to Walker using clips from his appearances in the series, and is dedicated to him. Furious 7 was directed by James (Insidious, The Conjuring) Wan, and written by Chris Morgan. It’s now playing in theaters: here’s a link to the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Skpu5HaVkOc.

King's "Revival": The Secret of Electricity?

I’m a longtime fan of Stephen King, and I always enjoy digging into a new work by the man who’s given fans a lot of memorable reading experiences over the years. His latest novel, Revival, follows several well-received recent works including the Kennedy assassination centered time travel opus, 11/22/63, the elegiac ghost story Joyland and a mystery/detective thriller, Mr. Mercedes. His new book, Revival, brings us King in classic horror mode, in a tale of faith, rock & roll, religion, & one man’s obsession to see what’s on the other side of death. The story opens in the early 60s, where we are introduced to young Jamie Morton and his family, who live in a small Maine town. They meet their new pastor, Charles Jacobs, along with his wife & young son. Jamie & the rest of the town are impressed & won over by the preacher & his family, and their kindness. Everyone loves them, and they have a positive effect on the community.

Jamie is initially dazzled by Jacobs’ interest in electricity & how it can be used as more than just a power source. When the pastor heals an injury suffered by Jamie’s brother using a strange method, he’s amazed. But tragedy is just around the corner; the pastor suffers a devastating loss, which turns him against his faith. He gives a sermon (later known as the “Terrible Sermon”) in church that rages against God; it’s so negative and anti-religion that he loses his job, and leaves town. Charles & Jamie will continue to meet over the years, and their fates are more intertwined than Jamie suspects. As Jamie grows older, he starts playing guitar in rock bands & travelling the country. He also becomes addicted to heroin, and his life is falling apart. In essence, he's crashing out.

When Jacobs & Jamie meet again, the former pastor is performing in a carnival, mystifying audiences with tricks & illusions using electricity. He tells Jamie he can help him with his drug problem by using the things he’s learned about the power of electrical current and its properties. He does successfully cure Jamie of his addiction, and Jamie becomes his assistant for a time, working with Jacobs in his act. But Jacobs' cure has some unexpected side effects. The two part ways again. However, it wont be the last time their paths cross. Jacobs becomes a faith healer, curing people of terminal illnesses and devastating diseases. Jamie follows his progress on the internet, but stays away from him.

There’s a darker element at work in Jacob’s uses of what he calls “the secret electricity.” Many of the people he heals are suffering even more terrible side effects than Jamie did. And what is Jacob’s ultimate goal? When fate brings them together again, Jamie realizes Jacobs may be fooling with forces he really doesn’t understand. The former preacher is trying to open a door that should never be opened, into a world man was never meant to see. He needs Jamie to do this, and isn't above using his weaknesses against him. If Jacobs succeeds, there may be devastating consequences. It's up to Jamie to stop Jacobs before he unleashes a terrible evil on the world. I don’t want to say too much more about the plot so you can enjoy its surprises, and if you’re a fan of the Cthulhu mythos, then the chilling finale will really resonate with you.

King's storytelling skill makes you care about the people in the novel and what happens to them. There’s memorable dialogue and some truly scary scenes, and the author's usual mentions of music & pop culture are sprinkled throughout the novel, which help it feel even more relatable. Some of the supporting characters are a little thinly sketched, and a couple of secondary plot points aren’t fully fleshed out, but that’s a minor weakness. This is really a two-character story, and Jamie & his mentor/nemesis Charles Jacobs are memorable, multi-faceted men. This is King at his creepy best; the novel has allusions to the works of Mary Shelley, Ray Bradbury and H.P. Lovecraft, and has an eerie atmosphere. If you’re a horror fan, you’ll find a lot to enjoy here. It’s a fun read. Revival is now available online & in stores.