Camille Rowe and James Jagger Dive Into Danger in 'The Deep House'
Adrenaline junkies and YouTube influencers find themselves in over their heads when a seemingly casual adventure goes terribly wrong, in Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillotake's aspirational horror film, The Deep House.
I say "aspirational" because while the bones of a chilling story are there–foreigners in a foreign land, the flurry of paranormal activity, a dire race against the clock–the end product is a lackluster turn of events that sinks without so much as a splash.
The couple at the center of the film are social media influencers, Tina (Camille Rowe) and Ben (James Jagger). Both are extremely beautiful, fit, and with the most envious of distinctive jawlines. After hearing local lore that a perfectly preserved mansion is settled at the bottom of a nearby lake, the duo set off to explore it for #content for their online #followers.
Ben seems to be more of the instigator, badgering Tina to follow his lead as they gear up and prepare to scuba dive to the house's location hundreds of feet underwater. What starts out as a peaceful excursion turns sinister when the duo gets trapped in the aquatic haunted house and panicked screaming and hyperventilation ensue for the remainder of the film.
My biggest hang-up with The Deep House is how it feels more focused on scaring its protagonists rather than its audience. We see that Tina and Ben are terrified as their circumstance continues to spiral downward but their anxiety doesn't fully translate to audience sympathy. Perhaps some of the blame is that most of the film is dependent on voiceovers. Model turned actor Camille Rowe–whose credits still list her as the ex-girlfriend of Harry Styles (like that should carry any weight toward her own accomplishments, but I digress)–and James Jagger–son of Mick Jagger–do a fine job when on land (when we can see their facial expressions and body language). But placed behind a thick scuba diving mask for a majority of the film, we lose that connection and ultimately, lose our care.
Most impressive is the practical nature in which the co-directors approached this project. There is no reliance on CGI, rather, a full-scale haunted house set was constructed in a water tank in Belgium. Capturing this choreographed chaos is cinematographer and skilled diver, Jacques Ballard. Ballard, who is also credited as DP for Naughty Boy ft. Beyoncé, Arrow Benjamin’s aquatic music video “Runnin' (Lose It All)" is the real MVP here, contributing adequate tension and suspense to all of the maze-like twists and turns.
I was initially drawn to The Deep House because of its potential. An underwater haunted house sounded SCARY. However, 85 minutes later, I admit that I would have rather watched actual YouTubers doing actual YouTube shenanigans, which I do not say lightly. If you're looking for a satisfactory B-movie horror night, The Deep House could be an option. Or you could just be better off clicking on a random video on the YouTube homepage.
Distributed by Paramount and EPIX. 'The Deep House' is now streaming on EPIX & for digital purchase via Paramount Home Entertainment.
Gustavo Santaolalla Shares New Track From 'El Cid'
Gustavo Santaolalla is a hardworking man. He was 5 years old when he realized playing the guitar was his passion and has never looked back since. The now 70-year-old Oscar, Grammy, Golden Globe, and BAFTA winner has a long list of industry accomplishments, ranging from composing the scores to feature films such as Babel, Brokeback Mountain, and The Motorcycle Diaries to producing documentaries like Break It All: The History of Rock in Latin America. He has recently added to his repertoire composing the soundtrack to the Amazon Original series El Cid – which tells the story of the mysterious and complex Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, a Castilian nobleman and war hero in medieval Spain.
Fans of Gustavo Santaolalla will be pleased to know that his unmatched and highly technical guitar work is on full display throughout the El Cid soundtrack. The score is richly orchestrated with instruments of the medieval period, providing an epic backdrop with an integral Spanish flair to the series.
Cinemacy is thrilled to premiere the title track from "El Cid: Themes and Inspirations" before its soundtrack release tomorrow, November 4th. Listen below.
"On this album, I want to share the themes, interludes, and textures that I originally created for the series," says Santaolalla. "Some pieces were used as you’ll hear them here. Others became part of the score that [composer Alfonso G. Aguilar] put together. And there are some that you will only hear in this collection, which continues my quest to connect with music that is part of my identity. This is a very personal album.”
"El Cid: Themes and Inspirations" will be released on November 4th on Lakeshore Records. You can now pre-save the album here.
'Mark, Mary & Some Other People' Sees Millennials Exploring Non-Monogamy
If you're a millennial who has ever thought about the reality of ethical non-monogamy, writer/director Hannah Marks offers an airy, lighthearted glimpse into the complexities of seeking physical pleasure outside of the traditional relationship model in Mark, Mary & Some Other People. While the characters can come off a little immature in their quest to hook up with anyone other than their primary partner, the film's biggest achievement is its ability to inject some comedic relief into an otherwise emotionally taxing or uncomfortable situation. But please I'm begging you, if you've been thinking about opening up your relationship, don't spring the topic on your partner while you're in the middle of getting down. You don't have to watch the film to know that that won't end well.
In a modernized "meet-cute," ex-college acquaintances Mary (Hayley Law) and Mark (Ben Rosenfield) bump into each other at a liquor store and have been inseparable ever since. Mary is a cool, confident woman who's outspoken about her feminist ideals and progressive beliefs, and serves as a nice balance to Mark, who is more of the nerdy submissive type. They compliment each other well and there's no doubt that they love each other but after a year of marriage – and a small ceremony where Mark wore a tuxedo t-shirt and Mary screamed "Hell yeah 'I Do'" – Mary begins questioning her promise of monogamy forever.
Her fear of being a "crusty married person" paralyzes her. (I should mention that Mary and Mark are 27 and 26, hardly "crusty" at all, but I digress.) After talking with her equally progressive-minded friends, Mary approaches Mark with the idea of a polyamorous relationship. "Monogamy is dumb," Mary states. "You should've thought about that before we were married," Mark quips. "How am I supposed to know what I want before I want it?" Mary retaliates. The immaturity of this conversation is my biggest hangup in the film; I believe it missed an opportunity to address the real need for connection, both physical and emotional, that isn't always attainable in one's spouse alone. Non-monogamy certainly isn't for everyone, and while it's becoming more common as a relationship model allowing partners to forge connections with people outside of the marriage, the way it was presented here felt slightly childish.
Their polyamory starts out as a game between Mary and Mark; after setting some ground rules, they are then free to sleep with whoever, whenever. They initially have a pretty toxic mindset about the whole thing but eventually, start to realize that how they're going about polyamory is not sustainable if they want to preserve a healthy relationship with each other. To the film's credit, the ending is perfectly executed and redeems the earlier hang-ups I had with the characters' intentions.
Hannah Marks certainly has a strong directorial voice and vision that is on display here, making Mark, Mary & Some Other People an impressive feat. It feels as if this film exists in the same universe as the Eastside-set, indie rom-com Band Aid. A few standout moments include the soundtrack, especially the breezy "falling in love" montage set to Mac Demarco's "My Kind of Woman" and Mary's envious collection of Dadybones jewelry. Hayley Law and Ben Rosenfield pair well together too, bouncing their comedic energy off of each other with ease.
It's refreshing to see progressive romantic comedies become more mainstream, especially with characters that are so relatable. Mark and Mary have flaws, sure, but they're still trying to figure it out just like the rest of us. And that's something I'll always root for.
This review originally ran on June 14, 2021, during the Tribeca Film Festival.
Distributed by Vertical Entertainment. 'Mark, Mary & Some Other People' opens in theaters and on-demand this Friday, 11/5.
In 'Violet,' Olivia Munn Battles The Voice in Her Head
Our 'Violet' review was first published after the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival.
A confident woman is an unstoppable woman in Justine Bateman's feature-length directorial debut, Violet. Set in the fast-paced, male-dominated Hollywood film industry, one young studio executive is finally pushed to her breaking point and forced to confront a lifelong mental illness that has held her happiness hostage. Part video art, part exposure therapy, Violet is an untraditional film that dares to show the distressing inner turmoil that many people silently deal with every day.
Olivia Munn plays the titular character, a sensitive woman who is just coming to terms with the realization that her entire life has been shaped by fear. Flashbacks reveal that the first signs of verbal abuse started in childhood, and we all know by now that unless properly dealt with, childhood trauma follows us into adulthood. The wounds have resulted in a harsh inner critic (voiced by Justin Theroux) who Violet calls "the committee." The committee spews negativity constantly, which causes her relationships–platonic and romantic–to suffer.
Up until that point, Violet wasn't proactively trying to silence the committee, resulting in submissiveness that allows people to walk all over her, including her co-workers at the film production company she runs and her manipulative brother who lives out of state. The only comfort she finds is with her friend Red (Luke Bracey), a very handsome man who Violet has known for decades (thus, in her mind, rendering any sort of romantic relationship between the two unspeakable). Eventually Violet decides that she's had enough of living by the committee's criticism and discovers that freedom lies on the other side of fear.
Bateman's bold approach to telling this story is seen in the video art-like quality of the film. Violet is designed to be an immersive experience for the viewer as if we're living in Violet's head while her intrusive thoughts build on top of each other and almost become too overbearing to withstand. Handwritten statements and video montages comprised of jarring quick cuts represent her racing inner thoughts, and set to a score by indie band VUM, Violet is purposefully disheveled and chaotic. Olivia Munn internalizes the character's insecurities so honestly, her performance is raw and sympathetic.
Violet is an uncomfortable watch but that is only because it succeeds in its intention to place the audience inside the mind of Violet. If nothing else, it will reassure you that even the people who look like they have it all together on the outside could very well be struggling on the inside. No one has it all figured out, and despite Hollywood making you believe otherwise, that's ok.
Distributed by Relativity, 'Violet' opens in theaters this Friday and is available on VOD November 9th.
In 'Bergman Island,' An Artist Couple Confront Their Love on the Coast
Do you love beautiful-looking arthouse films? Are you prepared for a film to pluck at your empathetic, tender heartstrings for an hour and a half? Then Bergman Island–a filmic love letter by French director Mia Hansen-Løve (Eden) to famed Swedish director Ingmar Bergman–is for you.
Not only is the film a respectful and enlightening look at the late filmmaker's career (whose seminal works like The Seventh Seal and Persona have no doubt inspired all of cinema), it is also a reflection of melancholia and how invisible things can cause real-life effects within a couple.
Related: 'Eden' Review: An Unexpectedly Quiet Snapshot of the EDM Generation
Tim Roth and Vicky Krieps play Tony and Chris, a filmmaker couple who embark on the opportunity of a lifetime, attending an artist's residency in Fårö, a Swedish island where Ingmar Bergman shot some of his most celebrated films. Upon arriving at the island, Chris (Krieps) immediately is suspicious of its beauty, claiming that she finds the island's calm and perfection depressing.
The duo takes up residency in the house where Bergman was said to have written the screenplay of Scenes From a Marriage, the film that "made millions of people divorce." Upon arriving, they immediately sense that they are in the shadow of an idol. The pressure for perfection intensifies the longer they stay, however, Tony (Roth) seems to have no trouble letting his ideas flow like running water. Chris, on the other hand, struggles with her unfinished screenplay.
Art imitates life in the second act of the film, when Chris begins to share her work in progress screenplay with Tony. Her words come to life as we're transported into her pages and meet her protagonist, a young filmmaker named Amy (Mia Wasikowska). In Chris's story, which she narrates, Amy is forced to work through complicated emotional entanglements when she runs into her first love Joseph (Ander Danielsen Lie) on the Fårö island. Amy's struggles don't seem so far off from Chris's, giving the impression that Chris is working through her own struggles via her surrogate protagonist.
Bergman Island has a lovely warmth to it. It also has a sun-drenched breeziness that Call Me by Your Name also perfectly captured. Further, it's enhanced by its transfixing harp melodies and score by Raphaël Hamburger. Not only do the idyllic coastlines elicit a sense of calm, they also act as a mini-history lesson for cinephiles young and old. Bergman Island is a film lover's movie, paying tribute to an icon, by an up-and-coming icon.
Distributed by IFC Films, 'Bergman Island' is now playing in theaters and available to rent this Friday, October 22nd.
Drum & Lace and Ian Hultquist Release Track from 'Night Teeth'
If you've watched Apple TV+'s Dickinson, or Amazon's I Know What You Did Last Summer, then you're familiar with the synth-heavy, sonic storytelling of Italian composer Drum & Lace (aka Sofia degli Alessandri-Hultquist) and her husband, American composer Ian Hultquist. They are both solo artists in their own right; Sofia's new single drops November 12th with her LP dropping early 2022, and Ian started his career as a founding member of Passion Pit. Together, the Hultquists' filmography is eclectic and spans across films, documentaries, tv, theatre, fashion, and advertising.
In the duo's biggest project to date, the co-composers team up with Netflix to lend their signature sound to the action-packed film Night Teeth, available to watch on the streaming service tomorrow. Jorge Lendeborg Jr. plays a college student moonlighting as a chauffeur who picks up two mysterious women (Debby Ryan, Lucy Fry) for a night of party-hopping across LA. But when he uncovers their bloodthirsty intentions - and their dangerous, shadowy underworld - he must fight to stay alive. The film also co-stars Sydney Sweeney and Megan Fox.
Night Teeth called for wall-to-wall music that matched the dark and gritty tones of the characters' fight for survival. With input from director Adam Randall, Drum & Lace and Ian embraced the idea of making the score sound like a continuous mixtape to support the movie’s eccentric narrative.
Exclusive: Listen to “The Dark Prince of Gossip” before its release, here:
In a similar way composer Cliff Martinez's score for the Ryan Gosling-led Drive became the soundtrack of Los Angeles in 2011, Drum & Lace and Ian have, 10 years later, created an updated soundtrack that feels like a roadmap of Los Angeles. Each city, including Boyle Heights, Hollywood, Downtown LA, and Venice, has its unique, signature sound.
"From our very first conversation with Adam (Randall, Director)," says Drum & Lace and Ian Hultquist, "we knew this film would give us the chance to create something unique, exciting, and propulsive to complement the film's pacing and rhythm. We landed somewhere between electronica, synth-pop, and hip-hop, and we're really excited for folks to hear it in the film."
Night Teeth is available to stream on Netflix this Wednesday, October 20th, the same day Milan Records is releasing the original soundtrack.
In 'Aware: Glimpses of Consciousness,' Self-Awareness Abounds
What is consciousness? Is it in all living beings? How is it that "feelings" and "emotions" are produced from just 3 pounds of grey goop (AKA brain matter)? These questions and more are posed in the fascinating documentary Aware: Glimpses of Consciousness, a scientifically and spiritually dense film that gives its audience much to consider throughout the course of its 100-minute runtime.
Investigates life's "big questions"
Constructed in a fairly standard doc structure, grounded by formal sit-down interviews, Aware follows six researchers who have devoted their lives to various aspects of answering life's "Big Questions." Scientists, environmentalists, spiritual leaders, and psilocybin advocates all provide their unique takes on why they believe consciousness is the essence of life, and the unspoken miracle it is that we're even aware of our own consciousness in the first place.
A wealth of cerebral concepts
For those who like rhetorical questions, Aware is a goldmine of head-scratchers and cerebral concepts. How are we aware that we're aware? If, at a micro level, all brains are similar, then who's to say that dogs don't have consciousness too? There are moments when we get pretty deep into the weeds (and literally, mushrooms) of interconnectedness, especially when talking about plant communication and its potential sentient nature. But directors Eric Black and Frauke Sandig keep the high brow concepts easily digestible for the average viewer.
Sure, thinking about these concepts all at once can probably provoke a mini existential crisis (so have some CBD on hand for the comedown). For those who are interested in this subject matter though, the new documentary Aware: Glimpses of Consciousness will leave you feeling like you've unlocked a cheat code for a new level of otherworldly understanding.
Distributed by Area 23A, 'Aware: Glimpses of Consciousness' is now playing at the Laemmle Monica Film Center.
'El Planeta' is a Mumblecore Gem From a New Cinematic Voice
It's worth paying attention when director Miranda July gives her stamp of approval to an up-and-coming filmmaker. "From the very first scene my heart started to pound with that feeling of discovery," says July. "A brand new, totally modern, cinematic voice!” And who is the recipient of such praise? Argentinian artist Amalia Ulman and her new film, El Planeta.
A dark comedy like Kajillionaire.
Coincidentally, El Planeta is a dark comedy that feels like a step-sister to July's own Kajillionaire. Similarly, it explores the mother-daughter dynamic set against awkward hijinks and expectation hangovers.
El Planeta takes place amidst the devastation of Spain's economic crisis. After the passing of her father, amateur fashion stylist Leonor (Ulman) reunites with her eccentric and unemployed mother María (played by Amalia's real-life mom, Ale Ulman). Together, the duo work through life's mundane ups and downs. They bluff and grift their way to fund their superficially extravagant lifestyle, debt and inevitable eviction always looming.
Related: 'Kajillionaire' Review: A Family of Scammers Long For Connection
An impressive debut film.
El Planeta is Amalia's debut feature film. Its premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival put Amalia and her feature on track for success, albeit, predominately in the arthouse world.
Static shots and long one takes make this mumblecore darling feel like a filmed staged play, however, it never feels slighted by its simplicity. The characters make every scene come alive, which can be attributed to the film's dry comedic center. Lines like, "If I keep eating carbs I'm going to have a poor person's body" are delivered in a perfect deadpan tone.
An indie gem waiting to be discovered.
There isn’t much of a plot to talk about, though. In fact, one could argue that there is really no “point” to the film. El Planeta feels very much like a cathartic personal expression for Amalia as many of the saddening events that occur in the film are based on her own life with her mother, which includes suffering homelessness and hunger.
However, El Planeta is not an autobiography. The genuineness and authenticity of Amalia’s script and vision give the film its depth and purpose. Ultimately, I’m with Miranda July on this one. El Planeta and Amalia Ulman are indie gems just waiting to be discovered.
Distributed by Utopia, currently playing at Landmark Westwood. Available on VOD this Friday, 10/8.