Mini-Review: Red State

Introduction

This is a post that is a repurposing of an old-school Mini-Review Round-Up post. As stated here I am essentially done with running multi-film review posts. Each film deserves its own review. Therefore I will repost, and at times add to, old reviews periodically. Enjoy!

Red State

I’m sorry but I just do not understand all the vitriol about Kevin Smith. You can say what you like about his P.T. Barnum act with taking this film on the road and the rest of it but I think this is solid stuff and very different than all his prior works. It has a horror aspect, occasional laughs, political overtones and some darn solid acting from James Parks, Kyle Gallner and Michael Angarano. Most of them being involved plus hockey makes Hit Somebody something to look forward to indeed.

9/10

Mini-Review: Bereavement

Introduction

This is a post that is a repurposing of an old-school Mini-Review Round-Up post. As stated here I am essentially done with running multi-film review posts. Each film deserves its own review. Therefore I will repost, and at times add to, old reviews periodically. Enjoy!

Bereavement

This is a post that will cull from many sources on this site.

It’s hard to know where to start (or to stop) talking about Bereavement. It is quite simply a symphony of horror. Though I take back nothing I said about Insidious or Hatchet on Twitter this is the most blown away by a horror film that I’ve been since I first saw Frailty. Spencer List’s dialogueless but significant role in this film is strong enough to make me reconsider my Creepiest Kids in Supporting Roles list. For Stevan Mena as an auteur this is a true tour-de-force as he directs, writes and scores this film brilliantly. It’s one of the deepest casts in a horror film I’ve seen in a long time and one of the few I’ve seen after reaching my Age of Cynicism regarding horror were nothing feels safe or sacred.

Bereavement was nominated for 3 BAM Awards.

It was one of the best horror movies of the year and one of the best films of the year in general.

However, its impact on me is already fairly long-lasting as evidenced by this list

10/10

2014 BAM Award Considerations – August

I decided that with the plethora of BAM Awards-related post towards the end of 2013 and the start of this year it was best to wait to the end of this month before officially recommencing the process.

I will post these lists towards the end of the month to allow for minimal updates. By creating a new post monthly, and creating massive combo files offline, it should make the process easier for me and more user-friendly for you, the esteemed reader. Enjoy.

Eligible Titles

Guardians of the Galaxy
The November Man
As Above, So Below
Into the Storm
Expendables 3
The Giver
Step Up All In
The Hundred Foot Journey
Locke
The Custody

Best Picture

The Giver
The Custody

Best Foreign Film

The Custody

Best Documentary

Most Overlooked Film

As intimated in my Most Underrated announcement this year, I’ve decided to make a change here. Rather than get caught up in me vs. the world nonsense and what a film’s rating is on an aggregate site, the IMDb or anywhere else, I want to champion smaller, lesser-known films. In 2011 with the selection of Toast this move was really in the offing. The nominees from this past year echo that fact. So here, regardless of how well-received something is by those who’ve seen it, I’ll be championing indies and foreign films, and the occasional financial flop from a bigger entity.

Locke

Best Director

Locke

Best Actress

Best Actor

Tom Hardy Locke
Phillippe Doucet The Custody

Best Supporting Actress

Best Supporting Actor

Jeff Bridges The Giver

Best Performance by a Young Actress in a Leading Role

Best Performance by a Young Actor in a Leading Role

Antoine L’Écuyer The Custody

Best Performance by a Young Actress in a Supporting Role

Best Performance by a Young Actor in a Supporting Role

Best Cast

Guardians of the Galaxy
Locke
The Custody

Best Youth Ensemble

Best Original Screenplay

Locke
The Custody

Best Adapted Screenplay

Guardians of the Galaxy

Best Score

Locke
The Hundred Foot Journey

Best Editing

Guardians of the Galaxy
The Custody

Best Sound Editing/Mixing

Guardians of the Galaxy
Expendables 3
The Giver
Locke

Best Cinematography

The Giver
Locke
The Custody

Best Art Direction

Guardians of the Galaxy
The Hundred Foot Journey

Best Costume Design

Guardians of the Galaxy
The Giver

Best Makeup

Guardians of the Galaxy
The Giver

Best Visual Effects

Guardians of the Galaxy
The Giver

Best (Original) Song