Completely intrigued by this because of course I am. It's about one of the most famous serial killers in the last 40 years. My Friend Dahmer is based on a graphic novel (by the same name) by artist John 'Derf' Backderf. It follows Backderfs relationship with Dahmer through high school until graduation and his first murder.
If you've not heard of him (how?) his first of many murders was committed in the late 70's. Ever notice that films set in the 60's and 70's are always muted? The colours are full. As if they've aged even when they haven't yet. The decor of course look dated to us though the high school, minus the clothes and prom, still look relatively recent. Costume was great, hair and make up must have had a field day with his glorious yet terrible hair. Same goes for the roadkill and acid filled jars. The sound was subtle, the score was gentle and rare. When it made an appearance if highlighted the potential severity of the scene. It elicited the same feeling as a good horror score would fear. There were a few uncomfortable scenes, not due to gore but social anxiety preemptive disgust, A few occasions you get second hand embarrassment. In a way to get attention Dahmer parodied a gentleman with cerebral palsy and pretends to have fits on the floor. It would be uncomfortable then but due to us as a society moving away from humour in mimicking disabled people it's even more awkward to see.
Some of the shots were quite interesting. A few of the opening shots were notable shot well. I recently read the graphic novel out of interest and some of the frames were taken shot for shot, as were parts of the dialogue. Which would make sense as a lot of the conversations actually happened. Some of the shots were a little distant, the film isn't to change your opinion on Dahmer it's to give you more information. So a lot of the shots are for observation and to put space in between him and everyone around him. Wasn't incredible but did what it should have.
So Dahmer himself is played by Ross Lynch. Recognise the name? Me neither, he's a Disney boy and I'm just too old for when he was in power. Yep star of Austin & Ally is now a serial killer. Props to him. I thoroughly enjoy actors choosing more unique and out there roles, especially when they're young. Same goes for Alex Wolff who plays Backderf. Previous Disney lad now in this and upcoming Hereditary (2018). Doing very different roles, moving away from Disney strongly. Either way I was impressed. Lynch was creepy and yet still had an air of adolescence about him. He had a moments of experienced faux confidence mixed with genuine confusion and loss. The key in the character, and the person, before the crimes was his loneliness. And that's captured well.
Granted it does feel a little serial killer 101, playing with dead animals and being that weird kid that people laughed at or avoided at school. But that's how it was. If you have the opportunity to read the graphic novel I'd recommend it, it's online. It's a unique perspective that doesn't have a great deal of narrative. That is the purpose of it, that its a lead up to a notorious killers first murder. Without that it would be a semi artsy film of a troubled young man with no help or direction that just made people uncomfortable. Without the biopic qualities it's a somewhat average film. The reason it's so interesting to watch is due to the reality of it.
Keep in mind it's not a traditional horror, drama biopic is more accurate. 6/10 for the film 8/10 for the total experience. Definitely worth reading more into if you're interested in character over story.
CINEMATES - A
Yet another preview screening from Odeon here in the UK. This Scream Unseen was The Strangers: Prey at Night. I was not impressed with this being the surprise film as I was not looking forward to it. I thought this seemed like an unnecessary sequel to what was the somewhat well received 2008 film The Strangers. It's the same story, this time it's a family of four in a trailer park that get attack in the same knifey way.
The appeal of the first film, which this one followed to begin with, was how real it could be. That it's literally just people, strangers, that pick on other strangers to kill. There was the odd highly strung moment. Many moments where it made you think, what would I do, where would I go. The characters of course made the wrong decisions but at least it becomes engaging.
The film takes place pretty much in real time in one night in this deserted trailer park so it's dark and just surrounded by darkness. And the cinematography is dark for the most part. There was a particular scene and shot in particular that was quite interesting in a swimming pool. I won't spoil it but it's well lit and colourful and unlike the beginning of the film. It was immersive in the midst of the action regardless whether the action is satisfying or not, that's up to you. This scene also has music blaring from speakers, 80's music, which we hear multiple times straight from the film as the killers enjoy it. some of which was fun, was unsettling, music to violence can make you feel some kind of way and it did. Until it was a hugely popular track which just takes you out of the film and the moment.
The cast were alright. I'm a fan of Christina Hendricks, she was fine. Dad played by Martin Henderson was also fine. Brother and sister Lewis Pullman and Bailee Madison were okay. They has some awkward sibling back and forth which wasn't so much them as it was the script. Some of the dialogue was weak. They had set up a backstory for the daughter that seemed pointless. Didn't give quite enough to warrant it connecting to her character or make any part of her behaviour justifiable. Followed by no explanation it was honestly unnecessary, didn't add as they didn't commit to it.
I touched on scenes leading you to different directions and characters choosing the wrong way. Now I'm fine with some silliness, I am happy to indulge that. But this film didn't want to be silly until it was too late. By then we've already been lulled into a horror that's attempting to be taken seriously. The less than subtle dive into unbelievable nonsense is a joke. It felt like something I'd watch age 12 at a sleepover. Which I would have been more open to it they had committed to that from the start. Doing this they managed to miss out on a chilling horror and a guilty pleasure by awkwardly dipping their toes in each instead of jumping into one.
The best way to describe the film is disposable. It's a one view only type of thing that you will forget about. In the first film when asked why they were doing this they replied, 'Because you were home. ' THAT was what this film needed. More chilling, less nonsense, not as powerful as it should have been. 5/10
CINEMATES - A
I didn't know a great deal about the story going into this, I was aware it was one of the many recent stains in American history where African Americans are brutally treated by authority and justice has failed them. It's odd that as I write that I could be talking about basically any big unjust shooting in the last couple years but this was 50 years ago in 1967 amongst the Detroit Rebellion. The film focuses on police pushing boundaries and interrogating a group of people in Algiers Motel for a confession that ultimately leads to murder. It's based on real people and actual court cases but due to some missing information and of course the fact none of us were actually there, they fabricated some of the story.
The reason I was so interested in this was to see John Boyega tackle such a heavy story, to see how he took responsibility to play a real person with important themes. I think he was the best thing about the film. He's mainly level headed and calm but doesn't under react. He appears to be exactly as he is, a random honest man caught in a bad situation trying his best to keep people safe, even when he knows things are against him. Saying that I thought there would be more of him, there's an odd character progression with him where his performance peaks in the last moments we see him on screen.
The rest of the cast was okay. It was more of an ensemble piece than I expected. Antagonist 'punchable face' / Will Poulter was okay, he had some genuine moments regards to the character flat out lying to people and he appeared to be a bad liar. What that tells you about the skill of the actor I don't know. But his accent is great and as I've 100% mentioned before I love a British actor smashing American films. He wasn't likable but he wasn't meant to be. Anthony Mackie
was great to watch too, it's nice to him in this type of role no matter how small.
Understandably very little character development as the story takes place over such a short time. And the story in question relies on the lack of information, the whole point is that we don't exactly know. The antagonists rely on assumptions of other characters and creating the characters to be what they needed to fit their own story, their alibi.
Katherine Bigelow uses similar techniques as she did with Oscar winning The Hurt Locker (2008) filming one scene with multiple cameras in different places. Capturing the same piece from multiple angles, giving the actors the flexibility to move around and not be confined. Which I believe helps let the characters breath a little. She seems to know strengths of war or humanising it, alongside the handheld shots it helped make people appear quite raw. But this was not quite Academy Award winning. The sound did the same, was very real. Some of the characters were in a Motown band and sung at different points of the film. Hearing a sole voice singing with no backing track and no other sound in the scene is quite powerful. The sound makes sure you notice.
Though it may appear as Oscar bait it's not quite worthy. It was a 15 minutes intro, followed by a 2 hour scene, a 10 minute 'finale' and some classic real life photos with facts written over them. I understand the choice of narrative structure but I think it's difficult. I understand that it's in place not to break things up, it's to make sure you endure the awful interrogation with the characters. But 2 and a half hours is a long time, let alone for such a topic. But even that, I don't think it had the weight to match the duration.
Good yes, but not as timeless as it could have been 6/10
CINEMATES - A
Completely intrigued by this because of course I am. It's about one of the most famous serial killers in the last 40 years. My Friend Dahmer is based on a graphic novel (by the same name) by artist John 'Derf' Backderf. It follows Backderfs relationship with Dahmer through high school until graduation and his first murder.
