By Christopher K House

​Stumped was part of the documentary series of the 2017 Milwaukee Film Festival. Always look forward to the festival's doc series and this year is no different. Stumped is the story of film maker Will Lautzenheiser and his personal journey losing his limbs and adjusting to life. Lautzenheiser lost both arms and legs due to complications from staph infection. 

​Intermixed with interviews from Lautzenheiser's friend's and family we get a close look into their lives. Lautzenheiser is chosen to have a donor's arms transplanted onto his own arms. We learn more about limb transplant through interviews with Lautzenheiser's doctors. The thing that is missing is more detail of the emotional journey of when Lautzenheiser became sick and what he and his family went through when he did loose his limbs. It's there, just not the detail that would make us invest emotionally. It's glanced over. 

​One thing that makes a documentary great is one of those "hooks" when something happens to turn the story on it's head. Nothing like that happens here. It's still a fascinating story, it just doesn't have an emotional hook. 

A great doc that captivates  but, doesn't have a hook.

​3 out of 4 stars

By Christopher K House

One of my most anticipated films at the 2017 Milwaukee Film Festival was Lucky. Harry Dean Stanton's final film. Would it be a bittersweet send off to one of Hollywood's most beloved and versatile character actors? Lucky isn't a plot heavy film but more of a character study of an old man named Lucky, a man who goes about his day to day routine like clockwork. One of those guys everyone knows and likes. 

After an incident that sends him to see his doctor, it's found Lucky is in perfect health and is just getting old. It's at this point Lucky starts to realize his own mortality. 

With a great ensemble cast that includes Tom Skerritt and David Lynch, Lucky is the directorial debut of David Caroll Lynch. Lynch's foray into directing is off to a good start. Lynch is another great character actor known for quirky roles in films like Zodiac and TV such as American Horror Story.

There was a bit of sadness behind watching Lucky, knowing Stanton himself passed away very recently at the age of 91. Unable to enjoy the accolades this film will sure to receive. Stanton is the reason to watch. 

With a great ensemble cast and a wit as sharp as a knife, Lucky isn't plot heavy but it makes up for it in charm.


3 out of 4 stars

By Christopher K House

IT has finally hit the big screen but was it worth the wait? The answer is a definitive yes. After a troubled production cycle with numerous false starts, directors and leading clowns director Andy Muschietti (Mama) did what so many have failed to do. If you have seen the original mini series, you'll notice the film starts off very familiar. Bill Denbrough (Jaeden Lieberher) made a paper boat for his younger brother Georgie (Jackson Robert Scott) to take outside and race down the street in the pouring rain. Again, familiar territory to anyone that has seen the original miniseries. Racing down the rain soaked streets, the S.S. Georgie is lost to the sewers. Then we meet the titular character living in the sewers of Derry. Pennywise The Dancing Clown (Bill Skarsgard) peeks through the sewer gutter tauntig Georgie with his capsized paper boat. The exchange between Pennywise and Georgie while familiar takes a very dark turn at the climax and from there, it's very clear Muschietti has made this version of IT his very own and a very dark, hard R film it is.

It would be hard not to compare Tim Curry's portrayal of Pennywise to Bill Skarsgard's portrayal. Curry's Is one of the most iconic in modern cinema. Like Freddy, Jason or Leatherface his visage is almost universally recognizable. Skarsgard's portrayal is unrelenting and not as comedic or psychological as Curry. He IS the nightmares you have about clowns.  After that bone snapping opening scene, familiar territory is thrown out of the window. Taking a cue from the fan favorite Stephen King book of the same name it brings to the table one of the freshest horror films in years.

A year after Georgie's disappearance Bill hasn't given up the search. Children are disappearing at an alarming rate in Derry. Missing posters litter the poles along the streets. Bill and his group of friends, all outsiders called "The Losers Club" while not being tormented by the town bully Henry Bowers (Nicholas Hamilton) become tormented by a much worse monster, Pennywise.


It turns out Pennywise feeds on the fear of the children. Every 27 years, he returns from his slumber to feed and little Georgie was one of his first victims. Bill and  crew band together to battle "IT". 


IT was conceived as a two part film. The first telling the story of the kid's back stories and their battle with Pennywise while the second, to focus on their return to Derry to battle Pennywise one last time. A bold move for Warner Bros to invest in a multi chapter R rated horror film. But the box office and the fans show R rated films can be huge profitable hits for them and I predict IT will be one of those hits.

IT is unrelenting. and grabs you by the throat for 2 hours as Pennywise torments the screen. This is a must see horror film for fans of the genre and a perfect one to be graced with this Halloween season, we could not have a better one. See it and don't think of it as a remake.. 

 4 out of 4 stars

By Christopher K House


Set in the 1960's, Ouija: Origin of Evil is the follow up to 2014's Ouija film. Independent from it's predecessor, Origin of Evil is the rare horror sequel that outdoes it's big brother by a huge margin. Director Mike Flanagan (Hush, Oculus) crafts a genuine and original film and is able to deliver it in a PG-13 package. The Zander family led by mother Alice (Elizabeth Reaser) and her two daughters, Lena (Annalise Basso) and the younger Doris (Lulu Wilson) are a family of fortune tellers. Alice contacts the deceased relatives of unsuspecting customers while her daughters pull the riggings of their set up room. Pretending to be the ghosts contacting the living is the scam they run and Lena is beginning to tire of it. Being a single mother who lost her husband and the father of the girls, Alice has to scrape by to pay bills. The setup is fresh and feels genuine.

Opening like a true 1960's Universal Picture from the title card to the color the film is presented, it feels authentic to the time period. The rebellious Lena sneaks out of her house late one night to attend a party. At this party, one girl has a ouija board game. The board isn't a 100 year old possessed board or one with magical powers, just one bought off a store shelf. Not much happens in this reading but, it gives Lena the idea of a new "prop" for her family's fake readings, a ouija board. Alice ends up purchasing a board and rigs it with magnets. The younger daughter Doris seems attracted to the board and uses it late one night alone. Doris becomes "possessed" by an unknown entity. The film doesn't use many age old horror tropes, which works in it's favor. Lulu Wilson as Doris puts in a fantastic performance. One she should be recognized for.

The family's priest Father Tom, Henry Thomas (E.T., Gangs of New York) becomes involved after Lena confides in him. Henry Thomas was almost unrecognizable as Father Tom and himself puts in a great performance. When Father Tom becomes involved, things move quickly. Doris is clearly possessed by something the board has summoned. What is it? What is the secret? It's a one we don't expect. At it's core, Ouija: Origin of Evil is a great horror film. Twist endings have been a trend in horror films and Ouija delivers it's own. It may be a bit darker than expected, it still works very well. Mike Flanagan has established himself in the horror genre and this is a solid addition to his resume.  I can't wait to see what he does next.

　
Rating A-

By Christopher K House

Mel Gibson was once known as an action star. Over the years, he has successfully transitioned into a very successful director. With films like Braveheart and The Passion of the Christ, he has delivered another brutal experience.  Hacksaw Ridge is the true story of World War II hero, Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield). After an accident that befalls his brother at an early age, Doss has an epiphany and swears off violence. Fast forward 15 years and an older Desmond helps at the scene of an accident when he finds his calling as a medic. Desmond also finds his love interest during this time in Dorothy (Teresa Palmer) a nurse at the local hospital. At this stage in World War II, men joined the army out of a sense of duty and honor and Desmond was no different. His only difference was his conviction to non violence, meaning he would refuse to carry a firearm.  The Army calls him a "conscientious objector" and Doss was the first of three to win the Medal of Honor.

After an emotional talk with his father, Tom (Hugo Weaving) battling inner demons himself where we learn more of his backstory in the Great War of WWI, Doss heads to boot camp. Things go fine for Doss until it comes time for rifle training and he refuses to participate. The Army said Doss didn't have to participate as a medic but his commanding officers see things another way. Sergeant Howell (Vince Vaughn) presses Doss and his fellow soldiers to the point of almost breaking him but, Doss prevails. Vince Vaughn puts in a fantastic performance. He is able to blend subtle humor with the hard nose CO you expect an Army Sergeant to be. After a battle over a court marshal, Doss is able to stay true to his conviction and heads to Okinawa as a medic.

Up until now, the film was relatively calm with some bits of humor but right when boots hit the ground, it takes a violent turn. The graphic violence in the battle for Hacksaw Ridge is one of the most intense and graphic scenes in any war film. Mel Gibson is no stranger to violent realisim and he does not hold back here. The Passion of the Christ had the brutal crucifixion scene of Christ, Apocalypto had the beheading scene among many brutal scenes and Hacksaw Ridge has one long battle. Doss does his job well and is able to save countless men during the battle. Dodging and weaving bullets as they zip past his head the film recreates war like few films have.

The film does not glamorize war or either side fighting it. Both the American and Japanese forces are portrayed accurately enough. Gibson was able to recreate the horrors of war the best a film could do but at what cost? The graphic violence could put some people off. Leaving the theater, that was the biggest comment people had. It was too violent. If you are able to stomach the gore, there is a gem to be found here. Garfield does a remarkable job as Desmond Doss and, he sheds his Peter Parker / Spider-man skin nicely. Vince Vaughn and Hugo Weaving are also to be commended for stellar performances as well. This film works very well and is one of the best war films I've seen in years.

What works:  Andrew Garfield was fantastic and proves he is a talented young actor. Vince Vaughn and Hugo Weaving puts in Oscar caliber performances. Mel Gibson delivers another intense true story, The end featured interviews with Doss and his fellow soldiers ending the film on an emotional, uplifting note.

What doesn't work: The graphic violence may be too much for some audience members. The graphic brutality may overshadow the great performances. Lionsgate may have made an error releasing this in early November. This feels like a December tentpole film. Come Academy Award nomination time, this may be forgotten or lost in the shuffle.


Closing thought: This is a fantastic film but still has some flaws. The pacing is slow at times but is able to hold your attention. The graphic content was a bit unsettling for some at times. This is a film to see on the big screen though because like a car accident, you can't take your eyes off the violence. Just try to remember those great performances.


Rating B

By Christopher K House


The Fits was a hard movie to comrehend. I'll admit I knew nothing about the film other thanit had dance in it. Not a lot to go off of I know but, I gave it a shot. Toni is a girl who with her brother train daily at the local community center's boxing gym. Every day she trains and trains. Shadow boxing and jumping rope she seems bored with her daily routine. One day she spots the dance troupe and it piques her interest.

Toni decides to try for the dance team. All is pretty straight forward in the film until it throws a curve ball at you. One of the girls gets sick. Very sick. Taken away by amubulance kind of sick. Rumors begin to circle why she became ill. Then the film threw another curveball when another girl got sick. Not quite the same symptoms but still sick. Toni (Royalty Hightower) and her small group of friends gossip and talk about why girls are getting sick. The boys arent getting sick, it's only happening to the 'older girls'. Uh oh.... Can you put 2 and 2 together here? 

The film doesn't come right out and say it is a metaphor for that first 'period' in a girl's life but it's pretty obvious that is what "The Fits" are. They call the illness "The Fits" if you were wondering where the title came from. It actually does make sense in this context. 

This was a surprise for me, I really enjoyed my time watching this. The performances by this ensemble of young actors and actresses was phenomenal. The film did stray away into metaphorical land a few too many times for my taste but, not enough to lose me. Now, I won't spoil exactly who gets "The Fits" because the suspense builds towards the end. Not a perfect film but a very enjoyable one. 


Rating B-

By Christopher k. House

Life Animated was the opening night film at the 2016 Milwaukee Film Fest. The film, an inspiring documentary about an autistic boy who learned how to communicate through Disney animated films played before a packed house. Based on the book by Ron Suskind about his son Owen, Academy Award winning director Roger Ross Williams chronicled Owen's life with well crafted storytelling.

When Owen Suskind was a young boy, he was diagnosed with Autism. One day, he stopped communicating with words to his family. when Owen started repeating words quoted form a Disney film, his father then realized his affinity to the animated films. Roger Ross Williams who won an Academy Award for his short documentary "Music By Prudence" crafts another Academy Award worthy film with Life Animated. Flat out, I loved this film.
 

Owen is one of the most likable people chronicled in a documentary I've seen in a long time. There is an innocence about him, an aura he emits that makes you like him and care about him. 

The amazing fact is that that Owen has memorized every single Disney animated film he has seen. Able to recite and quote word for word is a remarkable task for anyone. That alone would make a great documentary. Owen even turned his passion for Disney into a special Disney club for other's who share the same passion. Owen leads the club of friends with wit and humor. It is one of the highlights of the film watching these interactions. 

With home video footage, Williams is able to tell Owen's story and how he has progressed. From the beginning to current day, his journey is detailed. Owen pulls on our heart strings when he is away from his beloved girlfriend and we cheer for him when he is on a job interview. The documentary does more than just explain how he learned how to talk through Disney films. It really is the story of Owen and Owen's story is a great one.

Rating A

By Christopher K House

Blair Witch surprised everyone with it's mere existence. "The Woods" from Adam Wingard (V/H/S, The ABC's of Death)was expected to be another entry in the over crowded found footage genre. In reality it was a stealth sequel to 1999's massively popular "The Blair Witch Project". Blair Witch packs no punches and gets right to story, opening with a minor refresher of the original film. The film makers just expect you know the whole story and go from there so. The original film centered on 3 documentary film makers who ventured into the woods to uncover the story of the Blair Witch. All 3 of them disappeared and one of them, Heather's brother decides to set out to find her all these years later. Not sure why 17 years later, he thinks she is still alive living in the forest living on nuts and berries but just go with it folks.

James (The Walking Dead's James Allen McCune) sets out with his friends, who we know will al just be fodder for the film's titular title character. The group visit the people who found the footage the previous crew shot in the original, to get a better idea on the location to search. Of course, horror formula dictates these fodder must join the crew on their search because, it's cool and it's a horror film. 

All of the characters in the film follow the same horror typecasting so there isn't anything new here. Written by frequent Adam Wingard collaborator Simon Barrett (Your Next, The Guest), Blair Witch is not a bad film it just isn't a great film. It lies somewhere in between.  The original film left a lot of questions, the sequel answers 'some' of these questions but unfortunately leaves more new questions behind. Is it possible there will be yet another sequel? probably if this one makes a profit, sure why not.

One by one, as the film progresses the characters are picked off in new, imaginative ways by a mysterious creature. We never did get to see it in the original, we do here but it's underwhelming and kind of stupid. That's not to say 'Blair Witch' fails, it doesn't. There are plenty of scares to be had and, it's a nice change of pace to have an actual adult 'R' rated horror film from a big studio. Wingard crafts a fine piece of horror cinema it just doesn't do anything new or original and found footage is a stale genre. See it for the scares.

Blair Witch  Rated C

Directed by Adam Wingard
Written by Simon Barrett
Produced by Jess Calder, Keith Calder

Starring
James Allen McCune - James
Callie Hernandez - Lisa Arlington
Corbin Reid - Ashley
Brandon Scott - Peter
Wes Robinson - Lane
Valorie Curry - Talia

Blair With opens nationally September 16th

by Stephen Milek

Westerns are one of the oldest movie genres. The Great Train Robbery of 1903 pretty much set the template for all the Westerns that followed. While the massive popularity Westerns had in their heyday have fallen there is a mini resurgence in the genre. And Hell or High Water is the latest to try to modernize it. What is fascinating about the movie is they took everything you expect in classic westerns and set it in modern times. It has Cowboys and Indians, bank robbers, poker, shoot outs, and an old no nonsense sheriff. It's all set in a Texas dealing with the current financial crisis.

By Christopher K House

Not many film reboots have caused the internet to seethe with anger than the Ghostbusters reboot. The 1984 Ivan Reitman/Harold Ramis comedy quickly became an iconic film and a beloved classic today. With a lackluster sequel released a few years later, the franchise went silent. Rumors about a Ghostbusters 3 popped up every so often but, no one really took them seriously. When Sony announced there would be a reboot with a new cast, fans lost their minds. When the studio announced Paul Feig was directing with an all female cast, the internet exploded in a misogynistic explosion of hatred. The film's trailer quickly set a record as the most disliked video on YouTube, the stars were attacked on social media, the film was certain to be doomed before it even released.  Then, the film opened...

And, it was pretty darn good.


Paul Feig and company were able to craft a film that was able to pay homage to the original while maintaining it's own identity. The film opens in an old, spooky mansion during a tour conducted by Zach Woods (The Office, The Heat) a shady tour guide who learns that the mansion he pretends to be haunted might actually really be haunted. This opening scene, while no where near as iconic as the library scene in the original set the mood and it felt right.

Enter Erin (Kristen Wiig) a college professor hoping to get tenure only to have her paranormal past resurface. Abby (Melissa McCarthy) has been selling a book the two wrote about the paranormal that Erin would like to forget. When Erin confronts Abby to ask to remove the book from the internet, the wheels start spinning. Along with Holzmann, the friends confront a ghostly spirit. With a renewed faith in the supernatural, Erin decides to return to paranormal research.

Unbeknownst to the trio, Rowan (Neil Casey) has a plan to bring the ghost dimension to our world. The bad guy and the meat of the story in this reboot is different from the original. The issue is, it's not that great or original. At best, it's meh. What makes the film work is the performances. This is especially true of their dim witted secretary, Kevin (Chris Hemsworth) and the fourth member of the group, Patty (Leslie Jones). Hemsworth really shows his comedic chops as Kevin, a performance that will be remembered.

There are some scenes that are removed from the original and some characters have nods too like the Staypuft Marshmallow Man and of course, Slimer is in there too. The cameos by the original cast were very well done and, respectful to the original film. The one missing member is Rick Moranis who declined to participate.

The special effects have been a source of discussion as well and, while they are overly CGI they aren't horrible. Of course this won't replace the original film and, it's not meant to. You can still pop in your Ghostbusters Beta tape if you want to relive 1984. It doesn't mean you can't enjoy this hilarious comedy with a new take. Put away your preconceived notions and you may find yourself enjoying a film you made your mind up against months before release.


Rating A-