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Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile
USA 2019
produced by Joe Berlinger, Nicolas Chartier, Michael Costigan, Ara Keshishian, Michael Simkin, Jason Barrett (executive), Jonathan Deckter (executive), Zac Efron (executive), Michael Werwie (executive) for COTA Films, Ninjas Runnin' Wild Productions, Voltage Pictures
directed by Joe Berlinger
starring Lily Collins, Zac Efron, Angela Sarafyan, Sydney Vollmer, Macie Carmosino, Ava Inman, Morgan Pyle, James Hetfield, Richard K. Jones, Justin Inman, Grace Victoria Cox, Alan B. Jones, Jeffrey Donovan, Maya Berlinger, Derek Snow, Dylan Baker, Kaya Scodelario, Haley Joel Osment, Terry Kinney, Leilani Barrett, Ryan Wesley Gilreath, Ken Strunk, Jared Joplin, Justin McCombs, Joe Berlinger, Brandon Trost, Tim Young, Torrie Wiggins, Chris Petty, Kevin McClatchy, Paul Kulis, Brian Geraghty, Michael Simkin, Jim Parsons, Tess Talbot, John Malkovich, David Myers Gregory, Ming Wang, Sarah Berlinger, Claire Sinofsky, Caroline Hurwitz, Savannah Rodin, James Harper, Forba Shepherd, Barry Mulholland, Joey Boyd, Ally Sereda, Grace Balbo
screenplay by Michael Werwie, based on the book The Phantom Prince: My Life with Ted Bundy by Elizabeth Kendall, music by Marco Beltrami, Dennis Smith
Ted Bundy
review by Mike Haberfelner
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Ted (Zac Efron) seems to be the perfect catch for Liz (Lily Collins) -
not only is he fairly good-looking and charming without overdoing it, he's
also a loving boyfriend and a perfect surrogate father for her daughter
Molly (played at various ages by Macie Carmosino, Ava Inman, Morgan Pyle
and Grace Balbo), and he's an ambitious law student, so her future seems
settled even. But then one day he's arrested as he's suspected of the
attempting kidnapping of a girl. He of course claims he hasn't had done
it, and most of the evidence is circumstantial at best. But the
prosecution has the testimony of the victim, and that's enough to bring
him to court. Thing is, while he's still awaiting his trial, Ted is
accused of similar crimes in other states - which usually ended in murder
-, and a pattern starts to develop. Ted still claims to be innocent, and
Liz believes him, but the media makes him, Ted Bundy, pretty much a
superstar serial killer before he's even effectively convicted of one
crime. In custody, Ted meanwhile gets frustrated by his court-appointed
lawyers, and more and more takes defense into his own hands, him being a
diligent law student and gifted speaker - but still, whatever he does, he
seems to be unable to win ... which is why he eventually escapes custody,
relocates to Florida - and not much later, a few girls turn up brutally
murdered there, not far from his hideout. Upon recapture, Liz's belief in
her husband's innocence begins to falter, also because she sees a second
chance at happiness with co-worker Jerry (Haley Joel Osment), while the
Florida judge (John Malkovich) and prosecutor (Jim Parsons) are really out
to get him, and the only one in his corner now is high school lofe Carole
(Kaya Scodelario), who tries everything in her power to get him off the
hook - but her means are pretty limited, and the fact that he still isn't
over Liz soon proves to be straining as well. That's an
interesting movie right there: The story of Ted Bundy, told without
showing any of his murders, and even leaving it open until the very end if
he's actually guilty - not that his guilt is ever denied or that the film
doesn't assume the audience knows, but it sheds another light on the story
that was very well-covered by the media back in the day, and asks some
questions that might have been avalanched by a strictly one-sided
coverage. And thanks to a eerily likeable performance by Zac Efron, and a
directorial effort that treats its characters with empathy and respect
this one is more than just a court drama but a pretty interesting
character study.
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review © by Mike Haberfelner
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Robots and rats,
demons and potholes, cuddly toys and shopping mall Santas,
love and death and everything in between,
Tales to Chill Your Bones to is all of that.
Tales to Chill Your Bones to -
a collection of short stories and mini-plays ranging from the horrific to the darkly humourous,
from the post-apocalyptic to the weirdly romantic,
tales that will give you a chill and maybe a chuckle,
all thought up by the twisted mind of screenwriter and film reviewer Michael Haberfelner.
Tales to Chill Your Bones to
the new anthology by Michael Haberfelner
Out now from Amazon!!! |
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