Movies Reviewed - B.P.A. Productions

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2008-06-02T14:34:56Z

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HEAD CASE: Director's Cut - Review by Tony DeFrancisco, FatallyYours.com

2008-06-02T14:34:12Z

HEAD CASE: Director's Cut - Movie Review (fatallyyours.com)

Review by Tony DeFrancisco

A few months ago I saw Amateur Porn Star Killer (review), and for the lack of a harsher word, I hated it. I hated everything about it. I hated the camera angles. I hated the characters. I wished each and every one of them died of a painful death. I wanted each copy of the film to be destroyed so no more human eyes can see it. And since then, I haven’t hated a horror film at all (Yeti: A Love Story[review] does not count, for your info).

Until now.

A little bit of back story behind Head Case. The film and I go a long way – back to the Cadillac ages, perhaps. Anyway, I was supposed to review the film back in November, but someone involved with the production sent the wrong disc (a “rough cut”). So, seven months later, I was surprised to see the “director’s cut” in my mailbox. They must really like me if they go all out for seven months, eh? Yeah, I’m sure I won’t get any love after this review, because Head Case sucks.

The film is supposed to be a “snuff documentary,” looking into the lives of two serial killers and their families. Wayne and Andrea Montgomery (Paul McCloskey and Barbara Lessin) are happily married on the outside, with two kids (Bruce De Santis and Emily Spiegel) that are not aware that their parents are cold-blooded killers. Their M.O…they don’t have an M.O. They decide to kill whenever they see fit to kill someone. I’m still surprised that these dumbasses of serial killers even know how to work a camcorder, let alone know how to kill someone (which kind of explains that half of the deaths are by feeding their victims laundry detergent behind their backs).

The best I can give this film is that they don’t cheat us with the video angles. Being shot on a camcorder, Head Case should have been one of the shakiest of shakey-cam movies. The film is based off of “home-video footage” in chronological order, but we can never be sure if the director tries to mess with us on that observation. It may be in chronological order and may not, but it is up to you to decide. (The director put the film in chronological order, but to make it seem more like real home footage, they probably threw a few scenes where they don’t belong, making some of the film nonlinear.)

Everything else, however, doesn’t catch a break.

At the beginning of the film, we see this family as just like an every-day family. They have their siblings that fight over who is the favorite and the two adults that go on and talk about every day things. In the second half of the film, the family gets torn apart. It is at this time when I find the film completely unbelievable. It isn’t surprising that these filmmakers didn’t know how to end the film, especially when one character abruptly leaves.

The characters are believable for the first twenty minutes, but then when you closely examine them, you find that they are nothing that they should have been. McCloskey looks too much of a turd that isn’t covered in shit and Lessin just comes off as annoying. Their children look more like serial killers than these two do. Maybe the director could have convinced us a little bit more that these guys were killers as opposed to Star Trek geeks.

Head Case is terrible. I wouldn’t go as far to say that it is worse than Amateur Porn Star Killer, because nothing is as bad as that (except for Yeti), but it is definitely something I’d never want to watch again.

HEAD CASE: Director's Cut - Review by Brian Morton, RogueCinema.com

2008-06-03T11:32:56Z

HEAD CASE - Movie Review(roguecinema.com)

HEAD CASE: Director's Cut (2007)

Review by: Brian Morton

Review Date: 6/2/08

Last September I saw an early cut of the new Anthony Spadaccini movie, Head Case, and it was very good. Well, Anthony sat down and recut the movie and what I liked before I love the second time!

The director's cut doesn't really add much to the story of the twisted Montgomery's, but what it does add really makes a difference. Head Case is really the tale of Wayne Montgomery and his wife Andrea. Wayne is a serial killer who retired when he started a family, and now, 16 years later, he's decided to take his hobby back up. And, Andrea, being the supportive spouse, decides that she should be involved too. The movie is all 'taken from the Montgomery home movies' so the cinema-verite style works very well for the film. We follow the Montgomery's as they begin their gruesome little hobby, as they perfect their technique and even as they have to handle a family situation when their daughter catches them dismembering a corpse!

The main difference between this version and the original is very minor but makes a great deal of difference. There's a short segment at the start with Wayne explaining why he's shutting down his hobby, and there's a segment at the end that leaves this wide open for more horrific adventures for the Montgomery's. I enjoyed the original a great deal, but this version is much better, there's some added grue for those who enjoy that sort of thing (myself included in that number) and the ending left me really wanting to know what was next! Back in September, I gave this a solid three and a half cigars, but I have to say, the slightly different cut made the difference to me, this version rates a full four out of four cigars! You can find out more about Head Case by heading over to the Head Case MySpace page, or, you can visit the Fleet Street Films MySpace page to find out more about all of Mr. Spadaccini's movies, I've seen many of them and they're all very good! So, until next time, when I'll still be cringing from the sound of Wayne Montgomery sawing through a spine, remember that the best movies are bad movies.

HEAD CASE: Director's Cut - Review by Felix Vasquez Jr., FilmThreat.com

2008-05-20T17:28:27Z

HEAD CASE: Director's Cut - Movie Review (filmthreat.com)

HEAD CASE: Director's Cut

2007

Rated: Un-rated

Running Time: 106 minutes

Review by: Felix Vasquez Jr.

Review Date: 5/9/08

Production Company: Fleet Street Films

I was able to see the early print of Anthony Spadaccini’s “Head Case” last year before most other people, and it was a significant departure from his typical mold of film making. The director has been keen on developing strong socially conscious semi-documentary dramas about homosexuality and the undercurrent of prejudice and homophobia in America with well-deserved acclaim, and it was interesting to see him stray from that routine into a hardcore horror flick.

After watching the original cut the first time, I thought it was good, but it needed a definite cosmetic trim. The early cut was longer than it needed to be, the scenarios were far-fetched and middling, and it needed a healthy explanation of events. This new cut is just what the doctor needed, and Spadaccini makes some considerable improvements along the way, even if some of the flaws from the previous cut are still here.

“Head Case” is an entry into the found footage fad attempting to twist the typical formula by featuring two of the most unsuspecting folks on film who happen to be vicious psychopathic killers with a fetish for taping their victims and mutilating their corpses for show. Anyone looking to get on their high horses should avoid this at all costs, since this is simply just a torture film, but it’s admittedly fascinating in its premise since Spadaccini casts average looking actors to portray the Montgomery’s, wholesome parents with children by day who happen to be sadistic, voyeuristic murderers by night.

In spite of the need by the director to grab as much cringe-inducing gore as possible, the style on which he films is bleak, and gives the movie a startling gloss that posits the footage to seem very genuine. “Head Case” is a series of scenarios that shows the apparent sexual thrill these murders give them, shedding light on an apparent suppression normality and monotony wreaks on these individuals. Spadaccini is more prone to pointing the camera on husband Wayne (played with sly charm by Paul McCloskey) who treats his victims like game to a hunter, and lashes out like a child when he goes through a long period without the sadistic activities.

Spadaccini wisely trims the movie by twenty minutes, and cuts many scenes mercifully short. The Thanksgiving scene is trimmed considerably, as is the inevitable tedious confrontation in the climax, and there are much more moments of carnage conveying the lengths of their madness. The moment where their daughter walks in on one of their murders is still rather disturbing to sit through and her fate is emphasized well.

The caveats are still present though, even with the director’s attention to them. Why is Todd so banal about his sister missing? Why are Wayne and Andrea hardly ever questioned about their daughter’s disappearance? Why does no one draw attention to Wayne’s camera at all? And why are strangers so submissive to Wayne and Andrea’s orders? On the same level, Spadaccini still never quite focuses enough on the familial aspect of Wayne and Andrea to convince us that they’re leading double lives, and the inevitable fate of Monica has little impact, because of the under development of her character.

Nevertheless, “Head Case” is a very effective and strong effort from Spadaccini and the hefty trim makes the movie much more accessible and entertaining.

HEAD CASE: Director's Cut - Review by Lillian Patterson, Cinema-Crazed.com

2008-05-20T12:07:02Z

HEAD CASE: Director's Cut - Movie Review (cinema-crazed.com)

HEAD CASE: Director's Cut (2007)

Rated: Unrated

Genre: Horror Mock Documentary Thriller

Directed By: Anthony Spadaccini

Running Time: 1.46

Review by: Lillian Patterson

Review Date: 5/6/08

Special Features: Not announced.

THE GOOD: Have you ever thought to yourself, "Damn, my neighbors (family, parents, friends, etc.) are crazy?" Want a cure for that thought? Watch "Head Case" and see what "crazy" really looks like in all its banal glory. I say "banal" because the thing about Wayne and Andrea, the older married couple featured in this film, is how maddeningly normal they are. They converse calmly about everyday things, raising kids, fixing holiday meals and the like, in this semi-bored manner that sets the viewer at ease, but at the same time they lure innocent people into their home and commit violent acts of murder, filming these slayings for future viewing pleasure the way some families film birthday parties and vacations. The footage looks real too, it's not slick like some other movies that pretend to show real amateur video footage. If you recall my review of the premier edition of this film, my only real complaint was the lack of gore in the movie.

If that was your concern, have no fear, pick up the director's cut. There's definitely more grue this time around. Want to watch someone feed body parts down a garbage disposal, getting angrier by the minute when it doesn't work? This is the movie for you! Not only does this scene highlight the icky nastiness of the movie (yay, more blood!) but it displays the most disturbing thing about the couple: they don't see vicious murder as anything out of the ordinary.

They converse about in in the same calm tone they'd use to discuss home repairs or bills or any other everyday subject. In fact, Andrea shows more emotion when Wayne forgets to put a coaster under his drink than she does watching Wayne suffocate or dismember someone. As for Wayne, he considers murder a career. More than once he makes statements like "this is what I do" and "this is what I'm good at." He really is good at it too, this detachment from any human morals or emotions serves him well when he hacks away at his victims. The extra blood this time around was enough to turn my stomach, and hearing Wayne and Andrea's daughter scream as they "punished" her for walking in on one of the murders is truly disturbing. It's rare for movies to actually be disturbing in a culture where we've seen pretty much everything, but this movie achieves a level of "disturbing" that impresses me, and the director's cut contains more of what makes the movie great in the first place.

SUMMING UP: Check out the movie stills on the page and then do yourself a favor and check out the movie, too; even better this time around.

a/s/l: A Tale of Online Dating - Review by Brian Morton, RogueCinema.com

2008-05-20T16:14:35Z

a/s/l: A Tale of Online Dating - Short Review (roguecinema.com)

a/s/l: A Tale of Online Dating

2007

Review by: Brian Morton

Review Date: 3/1/08

Online dating is one of those things that completely confuse me. Perhaps I'm too old to understand, but I definitely understand the downside. And, if I didn't, then Anthony Spadaccini's short film, a/s/l: a tale of online dating, would give me all the info I believe I need.

The tale here is a cautionary one, the story of two less than perfect people who are online dating, as they chat with each other, they imagine what a real-life meeting would be like and, as the man looks into his future, he already has commitment anxiety! This is a funny little movie about online romance and imagination. Both stars are perfectly cast, Barbara Lessin is great as the woman, but it's really Jay Cusack as the geeky guy who sells the movie. As in real life, it seems that online dating is territory is more comfortable to women than men!

a/s/l: A Tale of Online Dating is a great little movie that will have you laughing, and maybe rethinking that online dating service subscription! You can check it out for yourself by heading over to the Fleet Street Films YouTube page, it's a fun little short that will make you laugh, I promise! I'm giving a/s/l: a tale of online dating four out of four cigars, because it made me very thankful that I'm married and won't have to ever deal with this style of romance for myself! So, until next time, when I'll be using my computer for 'other' purposes, remember that the best movies are bad movies.

ROOM FOR RENT - Review by Brian Morton, RogueCinema.com

2008-05-20T11:59:25Z

ROOM FOR RENT - Short Review (roguecinema.com)

ROOM FOR RENT

2007

Review by: Brian Morton

Review Date: 3/1/08

Anthony Spadaccini may be the only person in the country not only making silent movie, but making them well and making them fun! His short, Room for Rent, is not only amusing, but also lends itself as a great addendum to Anthony's darker films.

The short (clocking in at less then 4 minutes) is basically a tale that any of us who have lived with a roommate can identify with. Two roommates are preparing dinner, one a healthy meal, the other fast food and take-out. First they compete for counter space, then they compete over a glass of water, all while one roommate refuses to put down the phone. As the meal becomes more and more frustrating to the healthier roommate, she reaches her limit and takes action!

What the action is, I'll leave for you to see for yourself, but let's just say that it's something we've all wished we could do to an annoying roommate! Room for Rent is a fun short that has won that won lead actress Barbara Lessin a Best Actress award at the Philadelphia Film Race, a competition that challenges filmmakers to write, shoot and complete a film in 12 hours. I'm giving Room for Rent 3 and a half out of four cigars, it's not perfect and some people will be annoyed by a silent movie, but this is fun and worth your time. You can check it out for yourself by heading over to the Fleet Street Films YouTube page. So, until next time, when I'll be waiting here silently for another movie to begin, remember that the best movies are bad movies.

HEAD CASE - Review by Brian Morton, RogueCinema.com

2008-05-20T10:56:32Z

HEAD CASE - Movie Review (roguecinema.com)

HEAD CASE

2007

Review by: Brian Morton

Review Date: 9/1/07

Over the past year or so, I've seen almost every movie put out by Anthony Spadaccini at Fleet Street Studios, and I have to say, Anthony has his own unusual style and it's been fun seeing his skills increase and improve with each movie. Well, Fleet Street and Anthony have done it again, taking Anthony's particular verite style and combining it with a recognizable genre to create something new, different and very cool! It's called Head Case and it's a new take on an old tale.

The story here is about the Montgomery's, a seemingly normal couple, with the exception that the husband (Wayne) is a retired serial killer who has decided that, now that the kids are getting older, it's time to take up his 'hobby' again. Only, now his wife (Andrea) has decided to help him out. The movie is made up of 'home movies' made by the Montgomery's as trophies of their killings. We watch as the couple decide how best to drug their victims, what tools are best to torture them with and, ultimately, we see their lives fall apart as the police get closer to catching them. Spadaccini's style compliments the movie very well, as a pseudo-documentary, Head Case works very well. The acting is pretty good, a little stiff at times, but that's really from the younger cast members, so I'll have to forgive that.

The only real problem I had with the movie was that it ran a little long and there wasn't as much of the 'killings' as I would have imagined from a horror movie. Don't get me wrong, what's there is grisly and great for gore fans, particularly a scene where Wayne is trying to saw through something that appears to be very hard and then he comments "who would have thought that a spine was so tough.", it really sent chills down my spine and then every stroke of the saw thereafter was like fingernails on a chalkboard, it was an extremely effective scene! I've giving Head Case three and a half out of four cigars, and it only lost the half cigar because it was a bit long. It's still well worth your time, if you're near a festival that playing Head Case, you'd be well served to check it out for yourself. To find out more about this cool new movie, head over to the Head Case MySpace page to find out more. So, until next time, when I'll be showing my own home movies, which don't have any murders on them, only me getting hit in the groin occasionally, remember that the best movies are bad movies.

HEAD CASE - Review by MvMMDI (User ID), MoviesMadeMe.com

2008-05-20T17:24:18Z

HEAD CASE - Movie Review (moviesmademe.com)

HEAD CASE (2007)

8 / 10

Fleet Street Films

Director: Anthony Spadaccini

Writer: Anthony Spadaccini

Genres: Family Drama, Horror, Sadistic Horror, Slasher Film

Released: September 8, 2007

Website: Official Site

Movie ID: 1350

Wayne Montgomery was Delaware's most prolific serial killer. From 1986-1989, he was responsible for the deaths of countless people, while maintaining a quiet suburban life with his wife Andrea. In 1989, he took an extended hiatus from his work to settle down and help raise a family. Last year, Wayne decided to come out of retirement to continue his life's work, with Andrea now joining him in his craft. The grisly details of Wayne & Andrea's horrific crimes were captured by Wayne's video camera, a sick, twisted way to relive the experience again and again. Hundreds of hours of shocking footage shot over a period of several months have been edited into a feature length film, with cooperation from the victims' families. This footage is now being presented as a feature length film from award-winning filmmaker Anthony Spadaccini.

So reads the official synopsis for the film, and to be honest, I couldn't have put it better myself. Unlike some (well, a lot of) other indie films who try to make their movie out to be more than it actually is with misleading descriptions and out-of-context quote snippets, Head Case delivers us exactly what it promises, and the result is actually a pretty disturbing film... to a certain extent, that is.

Just as the synopsis states, the film is made to look like a series of home movies shot by serial killers Wayne Montgomery (Paul McCloskey) and his wife Andrea (Barbara Lessin), and we watch everything from the two eating a Thanksgiving dinner with friends to Wayne mutilating the penis of a drifter in his bathtub. The film plays out not unlike one of the August Underground films, but with more emphasis on the psychological terror than the grotesque. You won't see anything in Head Case that will rival one of the infamous "gut bubbles" or puke scenes that made those August Underground movies so popular, but you will definitely get to know the characters a lot better, and sometimes, that can be even more disturbing than gratuitous violence and gore.

Now, that's not to say that the film is lacking in the gore department. There's actually a good bit of it to be found here (if the penis mutilation didn't give it away), but again, you certainly wouldn't mistake this for an August Underground film. These scenes are used to compliment the underlying story of two killers who just so happen to be your average suburban couple with two kids, a two-story house in a nice neighborhood, and a white picket fence outside. Therein lies the most disturbing aspect of the entire film: these killers aren't chainsaw-wielding maniacs, nor are they deranged psychos who get off on committing unspeakable acts on their victims. They could very easily be "that family from down the street" in any neighborhood, and personally, I find this sort of material to be far more effective than "traditional" horror.

I also particularly enjoyed Paul McCloskey and Barbara Lessin in the leading roles. These two may not have been the best of actors, but they do share a great chemistry with one another and in fact, their lack of Hollywood-esque acting talent actually lends some credence to the theme that drives the film along. When watching these people stutter, trip over their lines, and get a little mixed up on certain dates and events from time to time, it allows the viewer to believe that maybe, just maybe, this really is a legit collection of home video footage that someone put together for our viewing pleasure. After all, who delivers Oscar-worthy monologues in the real world? Who hasn't tripped over their words from time to time? This sort of thing wouldn't work in many other films (and in fact, it may not work here depending on your personal tastes), but personally, I enjoyed it and felt that it added a little something to the overall experience whether it was intentional or not.

Now, although I have given this film nothing but praise thus far in the review, I have to point out that it wasn't a flawless movie. My main issue with it comes as a result of the running time: the film runs for a little over two hours, and truthfully, it could have easily been cut down to ninety minutes. Some of the character development could have been trimmed down, as after a while, they sort of start repeating things that we've already figured out on our own (yes, I get that Andrea is borderline-OCD about cleanliness), but the most glaring error in this regard is the kill sequences. As an example, one of the murders features Wayne cutting up the remains of his victim, and at a quick glance, the effect looks highly convincing; however, the camera zooms in and lingers on the props, and as a result, the illusion is quickly shattered when we realize that he's simply cutting up a pile of meat from the butcher store. Less could have been so much more in this case, and - believe it or not - I also wasn't too fond of the number of kills found in here. When we watch the first couple of murders, it works: they're done with style and a disturbing amount of savage glee, and some of them were actually quite memorable. However, when we start hitting kills number six, seven, and eight and realize that not much is changing in regards to the actual execution methods, it starts to get a little repetitive.

Still, I do have to give director and writer Anthony Spadaccini praise for accomplishing what he set out to do with this film. It's appropriately vile and disgusting, and it's also terrifying on a level that most indie horror flicks could only dream of achieving. I still stand firm in my belief that a little editing could go a long way with this, but the overall product is still highly recommended. 8/10.

HEAD CASE - Review by Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema-Crazed.com

2008-05-20T15:57:06Z

HEAD CASE - Movie Review (cinema-crazed.com)

HEAD CASE (2007)

Rated: Unrated

Genre: Horror Mock Documentary Thriller

Directed By: Anthony Spadaccini

Running Time: 2.06

Review by: Felix Vasquez Jr.

Review Date: 8/25/07

Special Features: N/A

MEMORABLE QUOTE:
Wayne: Pain is what I want.

THE GOOD: There are those of us who live double lives. We have secrets, we put up facades, and of course, we smile just to hide the misery, or anger, or secrets that we don’t want known. Some of us can be seen plain as day, while others hide it well. What Anthony Spadaccini attempts to do is paint the picture of the All American family, and lulls us into a false sense of security. This is once again a horror movie about our next door neighbor and what they do behind closed doors. While they may look like the average Nuclear family, they’re indeed vicious serial killers. Playing on the frames of people like John Wayne Gacy who was a party clown and seemed pretty average, along with Norman Bates who seemed like a meek little man but was actually a vicious killer, “Head Case” is the chronicle of two people who would be the last you’d expect murder from. In their public life, they’re smart, average folks who raise kids with fulfilling jobs. But behind closed doors, they’re vicious predators preying on anyone they set their sights on. And of course, it sets us up for a brutal and vicious ninety minutes of killers with a taste for human flesh, doing what they do best.

This is the first technical horror movie from Spadaccini and Fleet Street, and he immediately challenges the framework of the traditional family. What if the Cleavers were actually serial killers behind closed doors? What if the Brady’s were actually Satanists? That would make much more sense. “Head Case” is very much in the vein of films like “Amateur Pornstar Killer,” and “Alone with Her,” in that we’re given a glimpse into the lives of killers through found home videos shown in chronological order.

What’s most haunting about “Head Case,” is that our two culprits look like average folks on the street, and Spadaccini makes an extra point of noting this quite often, even in the opening where our couple discusses their plans, and which poisons can or can’t be tasted. This conversation and strategy is interrupted by their children calling in the background, which makes this scenario all the more gruesome, especially since Andrea seems to take such relish in discussing the taste of poisons. This entire film is chronicled by our two killers who record their traps, poisonings, murders, and inevitable cannibalism through a video as an obvious result of hubris for them to examine later. This couple is very strategic in the scenarios and traps they set for potential victims, as well, they’re very business-like in their preying as they get straight to business, and seem to approach this as any other profession.

Of course, their children have no idea what they’ve done and possibly have been doing years before they were born. Spadaccini definitely approaches the horror genre with a natural finesse as the film is gritty and often times very stark with our couple feeding each other’s egos, and examining their skills while also grabbing a sheer thrill from the torture they inflict. They play with their victims and know them before the inevitable drugging, create sick games and different methods for the murders, and later on even memorize the victim’s lines and reactions and bemoan never collecting any artifacts from the murder. “Head Case” has a definite sense of humor about itself at times, but never so much that it becomes a comedy. Spadaccini strictly steeps his film into the horror genre and keeps the tension and brutality a constant, while giving us glimpses into their family life. The ensuing plot twists as the plot progresses are often very shocking, and we’re never truly given a defined set of principles or rules these people abide by, beyond enjoying the concept of death and torture.

THE BAD: One of the many caveats of “Head Case” is that we’re never given enough sense of the characters to actually know them or be pulled in deep enough where we can feel connected to them, or hate them. Andrea is consistently reduced to nothing but her duties as a housewife and assailant, and really does nothing else beyond carrying the camera around and nagging Wayne. Meanwhile Wayne is probably the deepest character, but we’re never sure how to respond to him. He’s supposed to be a hollow shell, but then times call for him to sympathize, and then we’re pulled back and forth on what his character is supposed accomplish in this role as murderer. At times he’s submissive to his wife, and then dominant, then he’s dominant during his murders, and submissive on his methods when his wife badgers him, and he’s drawn much to uneven to really gain a full sense of what type of creature he is.

Meanwhile, we’re given the average family motif, but there simply isn’t enough focus on their children and the family life that is a cover for their life behind closed doors; we see only one scene of Wayne and Andrea bonding with their children, and it’s much too fleeting a scene to provide the proper impact for the second half of the film where it takes a turn for the worse. Beyond that, the film is really about twenty minutes too long, where scenes tend to drag. The thanksgiving dinner scene is almost endless, the inevitable confrontation is sadly flat, and scenes of Wayne hunting on the street are almost fruitless. A good fifteen minutes could have been shaved off to where we felt a better sense of urgency, while we’re left with many lingering questions that are hardly ever answered. Did Todd ever really know what his parents were doing? And why did he complain about Wayne and Andrea’s apathy when he himself didn’t really seem to give a crap? Why would they carry around a camera everywhere they went, even during their hunts? Wouldn’t it draw suspicion? Why not bring along a hidden camera, or a camera in a bag? You figure a couple with enough know-how to cover up crimes would gather the technology for stealth while filming. Aspects like that were pretty ambiguous and irksome.

SUMMING UP: The family that slays together stays together; “Head Case” is a surprisingly competent debut into the horror genre from Fleet Street/BPA Productions, and director Spadaccini with haunting performances, a sharp sense of dark comedy, and while it’s long in the tooth, and under-developed, it’s still a very strong horror effort, in the end.

AFTERMATH - Review by Brian Morton, RogueCinema.com

2008-05-20T12:13:44Z

AFTERMATH - Movie Review (roguecinema.com)

AFTERMATH

2005

Review by: Brian Morton

Review Date: 2/1/07

A great drama always makes you ask yourself, what would I do in that situation, and that's what you'll do after seeing the Anthony Spadaccini movie, Aftermath.

Like most of Anthony's movies, Aftermath is told in what has become known as the 'blair witch' style, hand held camera, filmed in a documentary style, but, unlike that 'project' Anthony's movies have a message...and they're good! Aftermath is the story of a group of friends who are heading out for a weekend trip to the beach. One friend has a terrible secret and one other friend knows it. It's a secret that can affect the lives of everyone around them. The question becomes, do you tell the secret you promised to keep, or do you break your promise to your friend and tell the secret to protect other people? Aftermath is an astoundingly compelling film, we all know the secret and to watch the conflict is great drama. Once the secret...or secrets...are revealed, we get to see some of the consequences of decisions made, but the real drama here takes place while the secrets are being kept, we all know why one person is acting strangely...and we can identify with this situation, while our personal situations might not be as grave as the one in Aftermath, we've all been there, and that's what makes Aftermath as compelling as it is, the 'what would I do' factor.

I'm giving Aftermath three and a half out of four cigars, and it only lost a half a cigar because I felt that once everything was out in the open the movie sort of held on a little too long, and the arguments about talking about the problems got a bit redundant for me. Otherwise, I was riveted throughout the movie. If other people's tragedy can be our entertainment, then Aftermath is the proof of that! You can check it out for yourself by heading over to Fleet Street Films web page and check out this or any of Anthony's great movies! So, until next time, when I'll reveal my own horrible secret...I enjoy b horror movies...remember that the best movies are bad movies.

HATRED - Review by Brian Morton, RogueCinema.com

2008-05-20T12:14:14Z

HATRED - Movie Review (roguecinema.com)

HATRED

2006

Review by: Brian Morton

Review Date: 1/1/07

Last month, I reviewed a movie by Anthony Spadaccini called Unstable. This movie is a pseudo-documentary about a gathering that goes wrong and ends up with two friends dead. Well, this month, I thought I'd check out the sequel, Hatred.

Hatred takes place one year later, most of the same characters return and are getting together for a birthday party. Anthony has spent the intervening year blaming himself for the disastrous camping trip that he organized. He's been depressed and his friends are worried about him, so they force him to attend the party in an attempt to cheer him up and help him to move on. Unknown to our partiers, some people blame Anthony also and are planning a little revenge.

Hatred is shot in the same style as Unstable and, while I felt that it went on a little bit long and there were parts that didn't seem to fit with the story that was being told (a scene where we watch the group play with a magic eight ball comes to mind), and once the audience gets the idea of what is going on, the movie takes quite a while to pay off. That being said, Hatred is a unflinching look at what might happen after such a tragedy, with plenty of blame to go around, it's inevitable that some people will blame others while some will blame themselves and the ending of Hatred is designed to leave you wondering if the deed that we watched being planned out has actually been done or not. Writer/director Anthony Spadaccini has crafted a movie that evokes genuine emotion, you really feel the friendship between these people and Anthony's pain is very believable. He also leaves as many questions unanswered as he answers, you're left wondering how you would feel in this position and what you might do, being faced with this same pain, it's a powerful piece! If you'd like to get a copy of this movie to see for yourself, head over to Fleet Street Films and get a copy for yourself, but you really should get both Hatred and Unstable together, they make a great afternoon of viewing! So, until next time, when I'll reveal my own dilemma, whether to have the holiday Oreos or just the regular ones, remember that the best movies are bad movies.

UNSTABLE - Review by Brian Morton, RogueCinema.com

2008-05-20T12:14:38Z

UNSTABLE - Movie Review (roguecinema.com)

UNSTABLE

2005

Review by: Brian Morton

Review Date: 12/1/06

These days anything that is shot on grainy, slightly wobbly home video is compared to The Blair Witch Project, and that's pretty unfair, the Blair Witch guys didn't invent that shaky cam effect and other, better movies have used that same effect much more effectively. That being said, it's important to me to look at the movie itself, not the way it's shot. While the way a movie is shot and edited have a lot to do with the storytelling, it's a bit more important to actually have a story to tell than to have all the 'cool tools' and no talent to use them with. Now, with all that off my chest, let me tell you about the movie I just watched, Unstable.

Unstable, on the surface, has that 'blair' feeling, but don't despair, dear reader, it's far better than that!! Unstable is the story of a filmmaker whose friends have told him they'd take him camping for winning a scholarship. He chooses the friends he wants to go and makes one mistake. One friend is gay and another is a homophobe, and that starts the whole ball rolling. A weekend trip, that's meant to be a celebration for a friend, turns tense and then deadly, when Bobby (the gay friend) is found dead. Tension mounts, accusations fly, and we, the audience, are left wondering what we might do in that same situation. Could you accuse a friend on circumstantial evidence, would you blame yourself for bringing these volatile elements together? Tough questions for which there are no easy answers.

Anthony Spadaccini uses the 'shaky hand held' look to his advantage here, as a filmmaker, it's only natural that he would carry a camera on a camping trip, and it never feels odd or forced, having everything on camera. Toward the end, I felt like it dragged on a bit, the accusations being flung back and forth began getting slightly redundant, but when the end hit, it was very powerful and made all the friends debate over what to do seem logical. Unstable is a description, not only of the camera work, but the situation the characters find themselves in and some of the characters themselves. This is a very well put together movie that, when all is said and done, makes you wonder what you might do in this same position, and, while usually, thinking doesn't add to a movie, this time it makes the movie! To see Unstable for yourself or any of Anthony's other movies, run over to Fleet Street Films.com and check it out for yourself, you won't be sorry that you did. And, until next time, when I'll tell you about my own camping trip, where the worst thing that happened was we forgot the smores, remember that the best movies are bad movies.

THE FIRST DATE - Review by Brian Morton, RogueCinema.com

2008-05-20T12:15:03Z

THE FIRST DATE - Short Review (roguecinema.com)

THE FIRST DATE

2006

Review by: Brian Morton

Review Date: 12/1/06

Earlier in this issue, I reviewed a silent movie called Monday Morning, well, The First Date is a sequel of sorts to Monday Morning. This time, our hapless hero, Trevor, has a day off and you can only imagine what might go wrong.

Here's the story: It's Trevor's day off and he heads to the park where he meets a lovely young lady. After several badly aimed, and cliched, attempts to impress the young lass, her purse is stolen and Trevor springs to action and gets the purse back. So impressed is the young lady, she agrees to have lunch with Trevor that very afternoon. Now, I could decribe the mayhem that ensues on the date, but I think that all of us, as men, have been there and done that, haven't we? Again, Anthony Spadaccini proves that he's a very talented filmmaker, by making this a silent movie in the classic tradition. I can't imagine how hard it must be to make a silent movie that looks like Buster Keaton or Charlie Chaplin might actually be on the next lot over, but Anthony manages!

The First Date is, like Monday Morning, laugh out loud funny, and, even the 'bad guy', the crook who steals the heroine's purse and Trevor's car, gets a happy ending. It's a funny movie with a heart, and you can't beat that. If you'd like to check this great short silent for yourself, hop on over to Fleet Street Films.com and check it out for yourself. You can get any of Anthony Spadaccini's films there too! Mr. Spadaccini is definitely a filmmaker to keep your eye on, he's bound to do great things...not that he hasn't already. So, until next time, when I'll try to review Battlefield: Earth without using the words 'sucks' or 'blows'...a challenge indeed...remember that the best movies are bad movies.

MONDAY MORNING - Review by Brian Morton, RogueCinema.com

2008-05-20T12:16:10Z

MONDAY MORNING - Short Review(roguecinema.com)

MONDAY MORNING

2005

Review by: Brian Morton

Review Date: 10/1/06

If you've ever seen a silent movie, then you'll understand that they have a charm all their own. I don't know if it's looking back at a more innocent era, or if it's the frantic pace the movies move at, but they are fun to watch on occasion. Well, have you ever wondered what a filmmaker like Buster Keaton might be doing if he was making movies today? I have an answer for you, it's called Monday Morning.

Monday Morning is the story of Trevor, a bumbling guy just trying to get through life...and life isn't being easy on him, either! Trevor sleeps through his alarm at least three times, then gets a call from his boss, if he's not at work in half an hour, he's fired! And that's where we all can identify with Monday Morning, suddenly under the gun, everything that can go wrong for poor Trevor, does! First there's no soap in the shower, then the cat spills bleach on his pants, then the car rolls away when he comes back for his jacket and when he catches it, it's out of gas, and that's all before he decides to take the bus and things start going really wrong!

Monday Morning is a silent short made in the style of the 1920s original silent movies, and it's very funny...laugh out loud funny! I found myself both identifying with Trevor and laughing at him. Clocking in at a mere 11 minutes, Monday Morning is worth the time spent, the joke doesn't get old before the movie is over, and you actually want to see more adventures from poor Trevor...which is good, because another Trevor adventure, The First Date, is also reviewed in this very issue of RC. If you'd like to check out this great silent short, drop over to Fleet Street Films.com and get this for yourself, it may be short and it may be silent, but I guarantee you'll fill that silent void with laughter! So, until next time, when I'll try to write a whole review using no words...like a silent review, remember that the best movies are bad movies.

EMO PILL - Review by Brian Morton, RogueCinema.com

2008-05-20T12:15:41Z

EMO PILL - Short Review(roguecinema.com)

EMO PILL

2006

Review by: Brian Morton

Review Date: 10/1/06

The world of micro-budget movies is a steadily growing one, and one that we should all be watching. It seems that just when you're about to give up on this sub-strata of the movie world, because you've seen one to many backyard zombie movies, something drops into your hands that reminds you why you loved these movies in the first place. That's what just happened to me when I got the opportunity to see Fleet Street Films new movie, Emo Pill.

Emo Pill is a short, but it's a powerful piece of film-making. Emo Pill is basically the story of a young man who is stuggling with life, as most of us who have been adolescents have done! His friends are into drugs, his family is more concerned with themselves than him and no one seems to care about him. Just as he's about to give up hope, an apparition appears to him and offers him a pill, is this spectre angel or devil, will the pill make his life better or worse? Emo Pill is a powerful commentary on medicating yourself to attain happiness and also offers a glimpse into the mind of depression.

Anthony Spadaccini has put together a short film that conveys his message without any dialogue at all! With an ending that spins the whole story on it's head, is the story what we thought it was or is it or is it just a final dream of our 'hero', this is a well crafted movie, well acted movie and I can honestly say, I can't wait to see what's next from Anthony! If you'd like to check out Emo Pill for yourself, and you really should, head over to Fleet Street Films.com and check it out for yourself. So, until next time, when we'll talk about my movie, it also has no dialogue, not for dramatic effect, but because I'm too cheap to buy any microphones, remember that the best movies are bad movies!

EMO PILL - Review by Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema-Crazed.com

2008-05-20T16:13:49Z

EMO PILL - Movie Review (cinema-crazed.com)

EMO PILL (2007)

Rated: Unrated

Genre: Short Silent Drama

Directed By: Anthony Spadaccini

Running Time: 20 minutes

Review by: Felilx Vasquez Jr.

Review Date: 8/25/06

THE GOOD: The latest from “Fleet Street” is without a doubt their most well made film of the past few years, and the hard work behind the camera is evident in the somewhat saccharine tale of a young man whose family is basically screwed up. But when he’s given the chance to see life as he wishes it could be, the film takes a completely different turn from short art film to a down to Earth piece of filmmaking exploring the fantasies of many kids who have grown up in dysfunctional homes with abusive parents. Most of all this is Spadaccini’s most visual piece of filmmaking as he manages to paint the film as a moving canvas with stark colors and vivid imagery. Though, he keeps “Emo Pill” as a silent feature, he sidesteps the comedy genre, and instead focuses on the character’s dealing s with his life, and his conflict with potential suicide as an answer. The cinematography and direction are most notably top-notch as the world of this character seems very dark and tragic, until he gets the life he wants and loses all hope when he discovers it may never be.

THE BAD: Sadly though, as "Emo Pill" manages to strike a visual chord, the emotional target is missed on a story that feels void of any real true emotions. The imagery is often traded for the effect of the story, where really engaging characters are missing from the truly important aspects of the story. "Emo Pill" lacks the extrapolation it needs to bring the audience into the world of this character and help us sympathize for him; instead the characters feel vague, and one-dimensional in the world of this character.

SUMMING UP: Though "Emo Pill" never hits as hard as it should with vague supporting characters that don't bring definition to the world Spadaccini's character lives in, it's a gorgeous and well made piece of short filmmaking that features accomplished by director Spadaccini.

HATRED - Review by Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema-Crazed.com

2008-05-20T16:30:35Z

HATRED - Movie Review (cinema-crazed.com)

HATRED (2005)

Rated: Not Rated

Genre: Drama Thriller

Directed By: Anthony Spadaccini

Running Time: 1.25

Review by: Felix Vasquez Jr.

Review Date: 4/19/06

DVD Features: None.

THE GOOD: I've reviewed four films from Fleetstreet Films so far; the company that really has sought out to create films that are more socially relevant, and whether or not they also intended them to be entertaining is still curious to me, but they succeed in making films both socially relevant and entertaining. One of theirs was a very funny throwback to the silent era and the last three were heavy dramas that may not appeal to everyone's tastes. Anthony Spadaccini who heads up the company really has the best intentions in mind, and for a guy who doesn't get any notice, he's talented. I enjoyed "Fleetstreet Films" line up, and "Hatred" is pretty much the same deal.

Following one specific storyline in the sequence of "Aftermath", "Unstable", and now "Hatred", Spadaccini is the main character in his mock documentary films about his dealings with his friends and the issues that basically tear them apart. "Hatred" takes place after "Unstable", where Anthony and his friends yet again decide to have a party, and as always the shit rises to the top of the water, and what turns from a nice get together transforms in to a recollection of the events from "Unstable" which they're trying hard to forget for the night. In case you hadn't seen "Unstable" before hand though, we see a small vignette at the opening of the film to show what happened. In the powerful "Unstable", Anthony's friend Jim showed immense hatred and violence toward Bobby, a homosexual young man who really couldn't understand why Jim was being so physical towards him, and things just took a turn for the worse.

In "Hatred", though similar to the usual formula, things really do take a dramatic turn that had me once again hooked. Showing everyone what happened, Bobby's brother decides to find out what happened that night of his death, why Bobby died, and how come no one went for help for him. The acting as always is just great, it's hard to look at this film without the prerequisite knowledge of the what the director had intentioned, and realize these are actors, but director Spadaccini pulls great performances from the entire cast, and even gives a great performance of his own. Spadaccini shoots in the usual DV except with stark black and white photography that works very well to what ensues during this get together. But "Hatred" answers questions that "Unstable" left the audience with. Why didn't anyone stop the escalating situation between their friends? Why couldn't they have taken them in to separate corners? Why didn't they do anything to stop the violence? Like "River's Edge", "Hatred" examines a harsh crime and has its parties involved face what happened, and it works. I was stunned for most of the way through, and the shocking climax will have many frozen in their seats.

SUMMING UP: It's a worthy sequel to the hate crime storyline, and "Hatred" is a continuously engrossing and shocking examination of the after effects of a hate crime, and indirect blame upon those involved within the crime. With more great performances, great directing, and a memorable climax that really does add a nice touch of reality that Spadaccini excels at.

UNSTABLE - Review by Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema-Crazed.com

2008-05-20T16:43:54Z

Unstable - Review (cinema-crazed.com)

UNSTABLE (2005)

Rated: R for graphic language, and violence

Genre: Drama Thriller

Directed By: Anthony Spadaccini

Running Time: 1.11

Review by: Felix Vasquez Jr.

Review Date: 3/24/06

If you like this, try: Common Ground, Hate Crime, The Blair Witch Project, Mean Creek

THE GOOD: If you were looking for any other more interesting films out there concerning prejudices and bias' that were more underground, "Unstable" really does the trick. It's not a perfect film, but it really does analyze how utterly spontaneous homophobia can make others. I've confronted many homophobic people in my life, and the mere accusation, even jokingly, that they may be gay causes them to act rather aggressively, and director Spaccinni examines that very intelligently from the beginning. "Unstable" is a film within a film about homophobia in society and how an unexplainable hatred can shake up a foundation of friendship. Many times hatred and prejudice can be surpassed because of our strong friendship, but when said prejudices conflict with our own personal mingling, it can really interfere, and that's what happens in "Unstable". The film opens with director Spadaccini revealing to the camera that the film he submitted to a festival won awards and he was granted a scholarship. Because of that, his friend Jim is taking him camping, a favor promised as friends.

Jim seems like a basically normal guy, and the morning of their preparations to leave, once Bobby enters Anthony's house, things suddenly change. "Unstable" presents very much the same framework of "The Blair Witch Project" except it tends to confront more relevant issues than a supernatural witch. Spadaccini takes the chance to devote the film to analyzing unexplainable hatred. Jim then sees Bobby, a basically openly homosexual young man and things take a turn for the worse. He insults him, bashes him, physically taunts him and urges everyone to keep him away from his sight.

Jim has a sheer searing animosity toward Bobby from the get go and though it's never really explained, the animosity is disturbing. Disturbing only because I've seen incidents such as the ones depicted here, and you have to wonder why he is so afraid of this gay man. With some very convincing acting--and some improvisation (?)--"Unstable" feels much like reality and less like a film which adds to the shocking realism. "Unstable" takes a more dreadful turn once Bobby is discovered dead in the forest, and then the plot thickens. Spadaccini shows how violence can progress from homophobia and hatred, and often if not addressed, can become a self-destructive entity.

THE BAD: In spite of the last scene which basically explained much unanswered questions, the final twist really did just feel incredibly forced. The film would have come off as a much subtler exploration of homophobia and its ability to bring out violent tendencies had the last twist not occurred which made it feel as if Spadaccini was reaching for melodrama to add that wasn't needed. And then the shock of seeing Bobby dead is incredibly underplayed in the scene that turns the film from a drama to a murder mystery. Especially from people whom defended Bobby throughout the entire trip. For them to just sit around without really much outrage in spite of the shock just felt illogical. Meanwhile the climax with the explanation felt redundant. Why present to us this film and then explain to us what we just saw if the themes were pretty audible from the very beginning? It just felt unnecessary.

SUMMING UP: In spite of some unrealistic turns, and a redundant final scene, Anthony Spadaccini explores homophobia and violent tendencies following by taking these archetypes and pitting them together. "Unstable" is a sad, disturbing, and intriguing look at sheer hatred that's impulsive. Hating what we refuse to understand.