The Brisbane International Film Festival kicks off on the 13th of November, and TOM Magazine got a sneak peek at some of the titles that will be featuring in the program.
Patrick [rating: 3.5/5]
This firecracker remake of a classic horror flick doesn’t scamp on its scares. The plot just begs for a good spine-chill – Nurse Kathy Jaquard(horror’s current leading lady Sharni Vinson) is the new recruit in a medical experimentation hospital filled with the comatose (or ‘the vegetable farm’ as one nurse aptly exclaims). After doing her first few daily rounds she begins to realize one young patient, Patrick, may not entirely have his lights out. As Patrick appears to become attached and protective of the nurse, some strange goings on begin to circulate the hospital and virtually anyone Kathy may even think of speaking to. Gory, jumpy, a striking Hitchcockian score, a creepy story and creepier characters – lovers of horror will get their kicks. The ending sees things take a little turn for the ridiculous, and coupled with some slightly dodgy CGI this may pull you out, but the first three-quarters is definitely a rollercoaster.
Europa Report [rating: 3.5/5]
A slow burner, Europa Report is a found footage film set in the confines of a spacecraft. The crew, specialists in engineering, bio-chemistry and astrophysics, are embarking on a ground-breaking journey to Europa in search of life. You don’t have to be Einstein to predict that not all goes to plan. Fans of blood, guts and mutilated monsters running at unsuspecting astronauts should probably steer clear – this one’s more rooted in scientific discovery, unfortunate accidents and killer organisms. It’s never tedious, the gritty style jumps back and forth during their problematic 24 month journey – the only qualm is the pay-off seems a little weak, and the revelation of what truly lies beneath doesn’t quite pack the punch it desires. Still – very tense, intriguing and with some devastatingly unfortunate outcomes.
OXV: The Manual [rating: 4/5]
An intriguing sci-fi set in contemporary England, OXV: The Manual certainly presents a unique concept. At a young age, children are tested for ‘frequencies’ (akin to IQ’s). Low frequency Isaac ‘Zak’ Newton develops quite the crush on Marie Curie – the problem is, she’s got one of the highest frequencies on record, which also causes her to be virtually emotionless. A bigger problem is, when a low and high frequency stand in proximity for longer than a minute, well…nature doesn’t take kindly to the imbalance. Years go by and with the help of his best friend Theo, Zak thinks he’s cracked the frequency phenomena. Testing it out on Marie brings fruitful results, however serious questions of free will, philosophy and fate are called into action when the method brings disastrous results.
OXV: The Manual is a quirky film capturing grand ideas into a small setting. It’s a film that makes you feel smart even though everything is spelled out on a silver platter. The performances are spot-on and convincingly carry what could otherwise be completely unbelievable concepts – however it feels as though towards the conclusion it gets lost in its complexities in a bid to find a resolution. Despite this, it’s definitely one to catch if you’re interested in seeing something unique and refreshing.
