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AmandaByNight
Reviews
The Halfway House (2004)
Nasty Nuns, One-Eyed Monsters and Cherry Pie
Fans of "USA Up All Night" will love "Halfway House" for two reasons:
1. This campy tale about a home for wayward girls who constantly go missing has everything that those classic films of the 70s and 80s do - There's sex, violence and monsters aplenty along with enough smart, brassy dialog to fill another three films.
2. "Halfway House" is written and directed by Kenneth Hall who was no stranger to the classic late night movie show. Hall wrote "Puppetmaster" and "Nightmare Sisters" as well as directing such choice fare such as "Linnea Quigley's Horror Workout" and "Evil Spawn".
"Halfway House" takes a refreshing approach to the Women-In-Prison genre with a story about Larissa (Janet Tracy Keijser) who is searching for her sister when she goes missing after a jog by the ominous house. Larissa seduces a well-meaning but horny cop (Shawn Savage as Sgt. Dick Sheen HA!) into helping her infiltrate the house as a delinquent teen. Once inside, our Nancy Drew runs afoul of Sister Cecelia (Mary Warnov in wonderfully subtle performance) and her handyman Lutkus (the hilarious Cleve Hall, Kenneth's brother) along with a slew of sexed-up, bitchy 'inmates', who constantly try to escape the house without much success, for what lurks in the basement isn't very pretty and apparently very hungry.
Hall is in fine form here, recapturing much of what was so great about spending Friday nights glued to your TV. And like wine, he's aged well and brings a fearless sense of thematics to "Halfway House", making it a must for repeat viewings.
I caught a screening of "Halfway House" at the Valley Film Festival last year and was blown away by this independent movie's tenacity to please a crowd. Hall spoke afterward, proving he may be L.A.'s answer to John Waters smart, irreverent and completely charming, it's no wonder that his films have endured all this time. I was thrilled when I found out it was coming out on DVD in August in the uncut version I saw. Long live blood, breasts and beasts!!!
So, You've Downloaded a Demon (2007)
So, You've Downloaded a GOOD Movie
I caught a screening of "So, You've Downloaded Demon" earlier this year at an amazing club located in Los Angeles called Cinespace. This shot on video supernatural comedy left me in stitches. Dave (Zak Kreiter) is an awkward but lovable young man who has fallen head over heels for the local goth babe, Miranda (Casidee Riley) but his best bud Brian (Daniel Paul Shafer) would rather Dave concentrate on his bid for Class President. Miranda however is more interested in getting her best friend Cat (Sommer Fain) and herself back into the coven they've recently been ousted from. Unfortunately the key to their re-initiation lies within their computer, which goes kaput. Dave attempts to dabble with their hard drive, hoping to get in good with his elusive crush, but ends up being possessed by a narcissistic demon the night before his big debate. Obviously, things go awry as the hapless group does everything they can to save Dave, which usually leads to outrageous results.
Shot on video in Billings, Montana, "So, You've Downloaded a Demon" has a lot going against it. No big names, an ultra-low budget and fairly high concept ideas usually don't go over too well at this end of the spectrum, but director/co-writer Todd Livingston and his writing partner, Nicholas Capetanakis make the most of what is around them, creating an engaging, and often time fall-on-your-knees hilarious comedy that almost defies simple definition. Honestly, I'm not quite sure how they pulled it off. A lot of the credit goes to the fine cast (including Todd and Nicholas who put in good cameos), especially Sommer Fain and Daniel Paul Shafer, who are given the best the lines and deliver them with confident zeal. For sure those two should pack their bags and head out to Hollywood to pursue a film career.
This movie is perfect for fans of indie cinema who are fed up with filmmakers who play within the conventions of their genres, never venturing far outside the realm of what is easy to accomplish. These guys really took a chance with their idea and execution, and truly deliver one of the best indie features I've seen in long, long time. The soundtrack by Andy Kubiszewski of Stabbing Westward fame is just as charming as the film itself
And if you like projectile vomit, creepy ventriloquists and bald exorcists, then this movie is a double must for you!!!