I do believe that all of the movies I watched this weekend I had no real idea of what any of them were about besides a brief tagline and their star power. But you know what, it worked in my favor! Sometimes that’s not always the case, but these were all fairly strong contenders – even compared to some weekends where I was sure they were all going to be hits.
Forbidden Fruit – This comedy horror film I truly had no clue what it was about. In fact, I only just even heard the name a few weeks ago before it debuted at SXSW! One of my friends heard that it will likely garner cult classic status at some point in the future, and I one hundred percent agree with that prediction. Some Hollister-esque store at a mall in Texas employs three “it girls” whose names all happen to be various fruits. In pops new employee, Pumpkin, who seems to be up to something behind the leader, Apple’s back. While they appear to be somewhat ditzy store workers during the day, after hours shows them engaging in some cult-like behavior that really takes a dramatic (and perfectly campy) turn in the last thirty minutes. I found myself asking “what the hell?” a lot throughout the film, but I was truly delighted by the outcome.
They Will Kill You – From a high level, the premise of this film reminded me of a probably lesser version of Ready or Not. Asia Reaves finds herself at a creepy hotel getting ready to start as a maid, when just as she’s cleaned herself up for the night, she ends up being hunted by the hotel’s wealthy guests. But, I failed to learn that there was a supernatural element to this bloody action-fest! The weathly guests can’t die, and they are going to keep living eternally as long as they offer a sacrifice here and there. Asia is also there to reclaim her sister after abandoning her when she landed in prison for a decade. A lot of scenes are intentionally comincal, as well as more gruesome in my eyes, but I found myself drawn to the style of this film. At times it felt as if Wes Anderson were directing a video game horror film – and I was here for it! Overall, not my favorite, but definitely an interesting watch.
Heel – I’d heard about this thriller film while I was researching going to TIFF again last year. Although I didn’t make it, this title stuck with me because I love Andrea Riseborough. Initially titled Good Boy, I was extremely confused when last year that horror film from the perspective of a dog came out with no Andrea Riseborough in sight. With a new name though, this film only made it to VOD for me. But I’m still glad I got the chance to watch it! In the film, complete teenaged fuck-up, Tommy, is kidnapped after a wicked bender and forced into a homegrown rehabilitation. It seems as if the couple is trying to possibly right past wrongs, but watching them maneuver around this metal dog colalr was quite the gag. At a high level, this film might sound kind of like some torture porn, but it has layers and depth with a dash of comedy and other various complex relationships. I really like this one!