Quick Review: THE FINAL GIRLS (2015)

Terrific horror-comedy/80's slasher tribute that fires on all cylinders. Benefits greatly from a sharp script, endearing performances, and tons of energy and originality. One of the few movies of the past 25 years that manages to be simultaneously scary, funny, and touching. A must for horror fans, this is bound to become a classic.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2016.

Book Review: THE CLEWISTON TEST by Kate Wilhelm

Original Paperback Cover

Dark, astute psychological thriller focusing on an experiment to test a new drug that would revolutionize pain management, and the experiment's effect on every member of the team of scientists involved. It is sharply written and features some terrific characterization. Marred only by some stilted dialogue and a complete lack of humor.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2016.

Flashback Review: GHOSTBUSTERS (1984) and GHOSTBUSTERS 2 (1989)

Once a thing becomes a crucial part of global pop culture, it's easy to dismiss it as a fun, silly, harmless piece of entertainment that we take for granted. But Ghostbusters (1984) deserves more credit than that. To my mind, it is still one of the riskiest, strangest, most original blockbusters ever made, with a story that is beyond categorizing, and a mood that is impossible to replicate. Basically the brainchild of Dan Aykroyd, one of the most eccentric comedians of the past century, Ghostbusters is part horror film, part comedy, and part special-effects extravaganza, which doesn't miss a beat. It has, surprisingly, aged very well. Yes, the effects are primitive by today's standards, but the jokes and the scares still work, while the undeniable chemistry between the entire cast is still magic on screen.

It is interesting to note that Ghostbusters was a film that was considered a huge risk by Columbia Pictures, since its mixture of horror and comedy had never been done that way before, and the producers worried that a cast of actors mostly known for their TV work (the cast is made up almost entirely of Saturday Night Live and Second City cast members), wouldn't prove to be box-office gold.

A sequel and hundreds of millions of dollars later, all doubters were proven wrong.

***

It was inevitable that, after the mega success of the original, a sequel was going to be made. Reportedly, all involved were reluctant to make a sequel, feeling that they wouldn't be able to top what they achieved with the original. But pressure from the studio and barrels of money thrown at them changed their minds, resulting in what many consider to be a disappointment.

Almost twenty years after it was made, and upon watching it for the first time in more than a decade, I found Ghostbusters II to be less of a disappointment than I remembered, but it still is a disappointment. It lacks the energy and the incomparable zaniness of the original, and Bill Murray seems a bit on auto-pilot this time around. But writers Aykroyd and Ramis still have many tricks up their sleeves, with the film having some terrifically inventive ideas and gags. The effects here are also better than in the original. Overall, Ghostbusters II holds up much better than I remembered, and is a worthy if flawed successor to the the groundbreaking original.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2016.

Book Review: THE PASSAGE by Justin Cronin

Overhyped and a critics' darling, Justin Cronin's The Passage is an epic, if overlong thriller, with plenty to offer. Marketed as a "literary" vampire thriller, The Passage is not a vampire novel in the traditional sense, as Cronin is more interested in the characters' relationship dynamics and the myriad cliffhangers than in bloodsuckers and vampire killers. The vampires, for the most part, are used as a "mcguffin" to weave the strands of a gargantuan tale of survival, good vs. evil, and the tenacity of the human spirit.

It doesn't always work, as Cronin bites off more than he can chew, as the genre-hopping nature of the book (from melodrama, to thriller, to horror, to post-apocalyptic drama) is occasionally more dizzying than thrilling, and the large tapestry of characters and Cronin's penchant for sentimentality all get in the way of the storytelling.

But, overall, this is grand storytelling, addictive and entertaining, even if it's a bit overcooked and about a hundred pages too long (it clocks in at over 870 pages).

The first part of a trilogy that continues with The Twelve, and concludes with the 2016 release of The City of Mirrors.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2016.

Book Review: FEVRE DREAM by George R. R. Martin

Before hitting it big in the mid 90's with the mega bestseller A Song of Ice and Fire Saga (A Game of Thrones) and the following HBO series of the same name, George R. R. Martin wrote a number of wonderful novels and short story collections, not to mention serving as a major creative force behind The Beauty and The Beast (1987), one of the best fantasy series ever put on TV.

But to many, the jewel of his output in the 1980's was the novel Fevre Dream (1982), a unique, humane, and infinitely compelling novel of the dark fantastic.

The story is deceptively simple: in pre-Civil War America, Abner Marsh, an ugly, down on his luck owner of a steamboat business, strikes a bargain with the mysterious Joshua York, a seemingly ageless man of pale skin and white hair. Marsh agrees to build York a luxurious steamer to take them on journeys unknown, therefore realising Marsh's dream of mastering the fastest steamer on the Mississippi river. But the more time passes, the more mysterious and threatening York is revealed to be. And who are those companions of his? The ones with the pale, beautiful faces, who only come out at night?

On the surface, Fevre Dream seems to be a historical vampire novel with plenty of style. But Martin has much more in mind. Fevre Dream is a dark fantasy novel, a meditation on the horrors of slavery, and, most of all, a touching tale of friendship between two very different men.

Yes, there are plenty of vampires, scary sequences, and atmosphere to burn. But Martin's rich yet readable prose, the tight plotting, and the thrilling and moving climax, put the novel in a league of its own. A must for fans of vampire fiction, dark fantasy, or just plain old marvelous storytelling.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2014- 2016.

This article was originally published on Bitlanders.

Review: RUMBLE FISH (1983): Coppola's Dark Masterpiece About Growing Up in A Violent World

Original Theatrical Poster

Another of Francis Ford Coppola’s 80’s masterpieces, Rumble Fish (1983) is a film for film lovers. With its dazzling black and white cinematography (courtesy of Stephen H. Burum), powerful sound design, and brilliant music score, this is a fantastic piece of expressionist cinema for modern audiences.

Adapted by Coppola and S.E Hinton from her novel of the same name, the story centers on Rusty James, a teenager from a broken home who idolizes his older brother, The Motorcycle Boy, a revered gang leader and all-around bad boy. As the film progresses, we follow James as he is drawn deeper and deeper into a self-destructive cycle of violence, as he tries more and more to emulate his older brother’s life.

Rumble Fish is not for everyone, as this is Coppola at his most free and experimental (yes, even more so than Apocalypse Now (1979), as he utilizes every aspect of filmmaking (sound, visuals, blocking, effects) to create a mythic, black and white world, haunted by shadows and violence. Collaborating with Stephen H. Burum for the second time - after The Outsiders (1983) - , Coppola creates a chiaroscuro world where fantasy and reality meet, and past and present co-exist side by side. This is Coppola’s love letter to expressionist cinema and the film-noirs of the 40’s, and if you love those genres, you’ll adore Rumble Fish.

Performances are excellent across the board, with Matt Dillon and Mickey Rourke especially shining as the two brothers.

It is understandable that the film was a commercial disaster when it came out in 1983, as this is not a film for the masses, not a film designed to thoughtlessly entertain; this is a piece of avant-garde cinema made to be experienced with an open heart and where every frame is to be savored.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2014 - 2016.

This article originally appeared on Bitlanders.

Video Version:

Book Review: THE FILMS OF JOHN CARPENTER. By John Kenneth Muir.

Compelling, carefully researched, and clearly written guide to the films and career of John Carpenter. Covering everything from the films, to the screenplays, to the TV projects, this is essential reading and a treasure trove for fans of Carpenter and the horror/Sci-Fi genre.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2016.