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The Invitation
USA 2015
produced by Martha Griffin, Phil Hay, Matt Manfredi, Nick Spicer, Nate Bolotin (executive), Dan Cogan (executive), Geralyn White Dreyfous (executive), Wendy Ettinger (executive), Mynette Louie (executive), Anthony Mancilla (executive), Julie Parker Benello (executive), Aubin Paul (executive) for Gamechanger Films, XYZ Films, Lege Artis
directed by Karyn Kusama
starring Logan Marshall-Green, Tammy Blanchard, Michiel Huisman, Emayatzy Corinealdi, John Carroll Lynch, Mike Doyle, Michelle Krusiec, Karl Yune, Toby Huss, Lindsay Burdge, Marieh Delfino, Aiden Lovekamp, Jordi Vilasuso, Trish Gates, Danielle Camastra, Jay Larson
written by Phil Hay, Matt Manfredi, music by Theodore Shapiro
review by Mike Haberfelner
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It's a dinner party Will (Logan Marshall-Green) hadn't been looking
forward to from the get-go, as it would reunite him with his ex Eden
(Tammy Blanchard) at the very house they had lost their child several
years ago, a loss Will still has problems dealing with ... but initially,
everything seems to go fine, Eden is very accommodating, as is her new
boyfriend David (Michiel Huisman), all of Will's best friends are there,
and Will has his own girlfriend Kira (Emayatzy Corinealdi) to fall back on
... but things start to get weird soon enough - like who are these two
deeply troubled strangers (John Carroll Lynch, Lindsay Burdge) to the
whole group Eden has also invited? And why is Eden acting as if everything
was better than great when she's heavily medicated? And why are she and
David showing a video of a woman dying in a circle of sect-members or
something to the group? And what about all these weird party games they
suggest? And why are all the doors locked, and why are Eden and David so
reluctant to let one of their guests (Marieh Delfino) go? Will grows more
and more suspicious, but it seems his hosts have an answer for everything
- and it's all leading up to one big toast - and only then does Will
realize that David and Eden want to commit group suicide with their
friends ... but he can't convince the others before the first of them
(Michelle Krusiec) dies ... The Invitation is a fun
little thriller that works very well on a mindfuck level. Thus the movie
moves ahead at a very leisurly pace, having nothing happen in particular
for the longest time but creating a feel of unease throughout. That this
"nothing happen in particular" doesn't just get incredibly
boring though is thanks to a very spirited script that keeps one guessing
for the longest time, a finale that makes perfect sense but isn't
announced too early on, a subtle directorial effort avoiding spectacle,
and a first rate cast embodying well carved-out characters. Totally worth
a watch (or two).
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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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