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CLEVER CAPER: Going by the Book
by HILLARY BRENHOUSE,
LORRAINE CARPENTER,
MATTHEW HAYS and
CHRISTOPHER SYKES
SEX, DRUGS AND HIPSTERS:
Who Is KK Downey?
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Who Is KK Downey?
Local troupe Kidnapper Films manage to touch a few comic nerves with their debut feature. Here, two loser hipsters find their luck is running dry, with a band that draws no one and ex-girlfriends who gag at the very sight of them. But they soon find that there’s titillation to be gained when one of them pens a shocking book, Truck Stop Hustler, a faux memoir about sex, drugs and life in the gutter. A hilarious parody of the recent spate of bogus memoirs, KK Downey takes off when one of the losers poses—in an absurd blond wig—as the depraved hustler author. Directors Darren Curtis and Pat Kiely have concocted a perfect off-kilter tone, making this the funniest comedy of the year. And Curtis is particularly inspired in the lead, managing to be both hapless and endearing at once. A superb low-budget feature. (MH)
Not Your Typical Bigfoot Movie
Gawk at this documentary about two dejected 50-somethings who make endless incursions into the Appalachian foothills to take footage of blurry, black shapes they’ve dubbed Bigfoot. Dallas—a self-proclaimed Reiki practitioner who insists he has sheep DNA—is the mystic; Wayne—a repentant high school bully who works at the car wash next-door—is the self-destructive loner. Hard to say when, but this circus soon turns into a poignant portrayal of friendship and the desperation of the working poor. A brief glance at a dying industrial town, Bigfoot is gentle and unaffected. By its end, you may even find it tough to ridicule this strange corner of American culture. (HB)
Ex-Drummer
Extremely disturbing and misogynistic, this recounts the journey of three Flemish quasi-handicapped musicians who look to start a punk rock band, ironically christening themselves “The Feminists.” Searching for a drummer, the motley crew ask celebrity author Dries (Dries van Hegen) to man the kit. Seeing an opportunity for exploitation, he accepts. Based on a famous Belgian novel by dystopian author Herman Brusselmans, this feels like Trainspotting meets Irreversible on coke. Ex-Drummer is not only misogynistic, it’s anti-gay, anti-establishment, anti-sobriety and anti-immigration—it’s anti-humanity. It also happens to be really fucking good. You’ll never complain that director Koen Mortier doesn’t go all the way in his debut feature. (CS)
Going by the Book
Do-Man (Jae-Yeong Jung) is a fastidious policeman, recently demoted from detective to traffic cop, who gets cast as the stick-up man in a simulated (but unscripted) bank robbery. As usual, he takes his job too seriously for his colleagues’ liking, and proves to be more than competent in the role of robber. This Korean dramedy isn’t as outrageous as the premise may suggest—Do-Man is a consummate professional, not a psychopath—so anyone expecting meltdowns and carnage will walk away disappointed. But the escalating drama, coupled with Jung’s deadpan mug and absurd efficiency, make this a clever, novel and gripping film. (LC)
ISN’T IT NECROMANTIC?
Island of Lost Souls
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Island of Lost Souls
Danes have a long history of dark children’s stories; the Scandinavians view a sad or scary story as an important part of a child’s development. Anyone who’s read H.C. Andersen’s The Little Mermaid as opposed to watching Uncle Walt’s pop version can attest to that. Danish director Nicolaj Arcel’s Lost Souls follows 14-year-old Lulu as she attempts to find out what exactly has possessed her younger brother. It seems an evil necromancer is resurrecting souls, and it’s up to her to stop him. Considering it was shot for under $10-million, the effects are extremely impressive and help to add another dimension to the film. Fans both young and old of the Potter and Narnia series will be impressed. (CS)
4bia
Four Thai directors, some of them proven masters of horror (their collective credits include Iron Ladies, Body, Shutter and Alone) take on a ghost story apiece in this alternately eerie, horrifying, campy and thrilling film. Like a Thai Twilight Zone, the stories are fresh but universal, skilfully re-jigging some familiar tropes—prophetic campfire ghost stories, a guilty conscience as predatory ghost, vulnerable girl vs. creepy caller (or text messenger in this case) and black magic revenge. It’s hard to choose a favourite among these stories, as each has a distinct ambiance and a potential impact dependent on your deepest fears. (LC)
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