Movie Review: IT STAINS THE SANDS RED (2016) *** and a 1\2 out of *****

Amidst the numerous movies and TV shows released in the wake of The Walking Dead’s success, one stands out.

It Stains The Sands Red, released in 2016, takes the zombie movie template and energizes it in many subtle and inventive ways.

Directed by Colin Minihan, and written by Minihan and Stuart Ortiz, It Stains The Sands Red, uses its modest budget and limited locations to great effect. But the secret ingredient, is actress Brittany Allen.

Allen, playing Molly, a lost soul who drowns her sorrows in booze and toxic men, delivers a performance that's nothing short of dazzling.

Her character, a quote unquote bimbo, who, after being left stranded in the deserts of Las Vegas, with a tenacious zombie on her tail, could have become an annoying, tiresome character, in the hands of a less capable actress.

But Allen takes the role and runs with it, delivering a portrayal that is equal parts funny and moving.

Director Minihan, milking the minimalist concept for all its worth, directs the film with a keen eye for visuals, and a deft handling of pacing and tone. This is basically a two-hander, between Allen's character, Molly, and the zombie chasing her, nicknamed Smalls, terrifically played by Juan Riedinger. And in the hands of Minihan, the film stays compelling, moody, and superbly entertaining.

There are a few dull moments in the middle section, and the sequence with the two prison escapees comes off as off key and gratuitous, but, for the most part, It Stains The Sands Red, manages to utilize the zombie genre playbook to its advantage, while adding depth, pathos, and plenty of invention, to create a mesmerizing tale of survival and redemption.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2024.

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Movie Review: DOG GONE (2023) *** and a 1\2 out of *****

Netflix isn’t exactly known for its quality family content.

But every once in a while, they seem to make a genuinely family-friendly show or movie that wears its heart on its sleeve, and seems to have no agenda but to entertain, and provide something that family members can enjoy together.

Their delightful reboot of the Benji franchise, released in 2018, and directed by Brandon Camp, the son of the late Joe Camp, the creator of the original franchise, was one such movie.

Another pleasant surprise is Dog Gone, released in 2023.

Adapted by Nick Santora from the book Dog Gone: A Lost Pet's Extraordinary Journey and the Family Who Brought Him Home by Pauls Toutonghi, and directed by veteran director Stephen Herek, Dog Gone, is one of the best family movies to come out of Hollywood in years.

The plot revolves around a father-son duo, who start to overcome their differences while hiking the Appalachian Trail, as they search for their lost dog, Gonker, so they can give him the monthly medicine he needs to survive Addison's disease.

The father-son duo, played respectively by Rob Lowe and Johnny Berchtold, form the heart of the movie. The son, Fielding, sees himself as a free spirit who doesn’t want to be hemmed in by traditions and the 9 to 5 rat race. While the father, John, wonderfully played by Lowe, sees his son as an unrealistic dreamer, head in the clouds, who doesn’t want to face the realities of everyday life, and what it takes to build a steady career.

Their conflict, while cliched, is handled with subtlety and just the right amount of humor, making us care for both characters while acknowledging their foibles and philosophical blind spots.

The script by Santora is surprisingly taut and layered, delivering a story that entertains without being frivolous, lets us get to know the characters without drowning us in exposition, and, most importantly, moves us without veering into overt sentimentality.

But the film’s secret weapon is Rob Lowe, who, as actor and co-producer, manages to instill the film with just the right tone. His performance anchors the film in both humor and drama while never losing a step, and it is Lowe who carries the film through with plenty of charm and craftsmanship.

And Kimberly Williams, a veteran of family films, who manages to add energy and heart to almost everything she is in, also gives an endearing and memorable performance as Fielding’s mother, Ginny.

Berchtold, while delivering a likable and believable performance as Fielding, seems slightly miscast, as the role needed someone funnier and warmer. But his portrayal is nothing less than heartfelt, and his chemistry with Lowe is undeniable.

And thanks to director Stephen Herek’s assured and straightforward direction, Dog Gone comes across as visually arresting and terrifically paced, and moves smoothly from one plot twist to another.

With Dog Gone, Herek, who also directed the live-action adaptation of 101 Dalmatians, manages to make a family movie par excellence, the kind of film the modern day Disney studio wishes it could pull off.

Dog Gone is heart-warming, smart entertainment for the whole family, the kind they don’t make enough of nowadays.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2024.

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