TIFF 2014: Kill Me Three Times & It Follows review
Kill Me Three Times, directed by Kriv Stenders, reminded me of the close-knit noir-ish thrillers of the 90's like Red Rock West, U-Turn, or The Last Seduction, with the exception that Stenders' film is set against a lush Australian backdrop and I enjoyed this film much more than the others mentioned. Along with the aforementioned titles, Kill Me Three Times also feels like the works of Guy Ritchie or Quentin Tarantino, with a bit of Stenders' own polished touch as well. The fact that Stenders' film feels like familiar territory in style, that is one of the film's few detractors. James McFarland's script is filled with twists and turns that push his backstabbing and conniving characters in directions you don't always expect. While the performances are all solid, the two standouts are Simon Pegg playing a clumsy, but cool hitman and Teresa Palmer as an irritable and equally evil housewife.
To give much in the way of plot details would spoil the fun, but despite the script's odd faltering in trying a bit too hard to be cool, as well as an ending that is a little too convenient, Kill Me Three Times is a (occasionally very) bloody good time.
8/10
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It Follows, the first serious horror film I had the pleasure of seeing this festival, has a premise that has "bad date night" written all over it. It is best seeing David Robert Mitchell's new film without knowing anything about it, or at least knowing as little as possible. While a little rough around the edges, this low-fi horror film is a refreshing take on teenage sexuality and one that keeps you tense all the way through. Mitchell has created an atmosphere that permeates both dread and uncertainty, due to both the rules "It" abides by and cinematographer Mike Gioulakis' frequent use of wide lenses. Mitchell's use of silence and score (by Disasterpeace) are incredibly effective at drawing the audience in and freaking the audience out. One of the films most suspenseful sequences does not even involve "It" or any pop out scares, it solely relies on the use of the anticipation that "It" could come out at any moment.
Amidst the horror and atrocities, there are more delicate scenes between the film's protagonists. The characters feel like real teenagers opposed to one-sided stereotypes or the disposable horny teens of a typical slasher film. Maika Monroe, our film's leading lady, does a fantastic job transitioning from her normal life to the torment that she has been subjected to.
Hopefully this film will not get stuck in distribution hell like similar great horror films to come out in recent years (You're Next and The Loved Ones come to mind), and I urge all and any looking for a good scare to check this one out.
8/10
To give much in the way of plot details would spoil the fun, but despite the script's odd faltering in trying a bit too hard to be cool, as well as an ending that is a little too convenient, Kill Me Three Times is a (occasionally very) bloody good time.
8/10
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It Follows, the first serious horror film I had the pleasure of seeing this festival, has a premise that has "bad date night" written all over it. It is best seeing David Robert Mitchell's new film without knowing anything about it, or at least knowing as little as possible. While a little rough around the edges, this low-fi horror film is a refreshing take on teenage sexuality and one that keeps you tense all the way through. Mitchell has created an atmosphere that permeates both dread and uncertainty, due to both the rules "It" abides by and cinematographer Mike Gioulakis' frequent use of wide lenses. Mitchell's use of silence and score (by Disasterpeace) are incredibly effective at drawing the audience in and freaking the audience out. One of the films most suspenseful sequences does not even involve "It" or any pop out scares, it solely relies on the use of the anticipation that "It" could come out at any moment.
Amidst the horror and atrocities, there are more delicate scenes between the film's protagonists. The characters feel like real teenagers opposed to one-sided stereotypes or the disposable horny teens of a typical slasher film. Maika Monroe, our film's leading lady, does a fantastic job transitioning from her normal life to the torment that she has been subjected to.
Hopefully this film will not get stuck in distribution hell like similar great horror films to come out in recent years (You're Next and The Loved Ones come to mind), and I urge all and any looking for a good scare to check this one out.
8/10
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