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Reviews
The Weather Outside (2015)
The Weather Outside at Eugene Film Festival
I just wrote Mike Proser to say "The Weather Outside" is one of the best recent Portland indie projects I've seen. A bit like Frank Capra meets Rod Serling for a mash-up of "It's A Wonderful Life," the film captivates through a dark and mysterious journey with lives and several pretty cool surprises in the balance. Mike Proser's suffering Max drives the story steadily, and is convincing in having entirely misplaced the last year of his life. Erin McGarry as Jodi is the heartbeat of the film, offering Max a ray of hope from his gloomy predicament. And Barry Wild is incendiary as "Friend," who I saw as a noirish homage to Capra's bumbling angel, Clarence. Anyhow, the Brothers Freeman appear to have graduated into master craftsmen with this mysterious journey half way to hell and back. I expect to hear a good deal about this little gem as it makes its way on the festival circuit. Definitely worth a close look.
Wake Before I Die (2011)
Rosemary's Baby for Christians
With "Wake Before I Die,"The Brothers Freeman have crafted a great faith-based suspense drama, not straight out of Hollywood, but straight from the heart of Oregon. The film, based on their father's book, is the sometimes rambling story of a small town preacher and his family - filled with great expectations - as they move into a new parish. Early on, Pastor Dan (Robert McKeehen) is warned that the town is strange and he may not make it out alive. The question is - Why? With all the expectations that preface sets up, we begin a journey with Pastor Dan, his wife (Aubrey Walker) and their two children as they get acquainted with the town, where everything appears as normal and All-American as apple pie (at least on the surface). But when one of Dan's parishioners asks the Pastor to take in his teen age daughter (Nouel Riel), things take a definite turn toward the weird (after all, Portland is famous for its streak of weird). But as one who has admired the work of the Brothers Kendrick ("Fireproof" and "Face the Giants") I can say without any hesitation, this Freeman Brothers film stands tall in the faith based arena. Their direction is organic. Performances from the large cast of Oregon actors are polished and believable. And the cinematography (also by the Brothers Freeman) serves the story faithfully. What does the film have to do with Rosemary's Baby? You'll have to see it to find out. But rest assured, this is one suspense drama you'll be able to take the whole family to see. Rated G for God Darn Good Fun.