The film is a patchwork of surprises and the revelation that the film's series of events at the hotel may actually be unfolding within the mental landscape of a death row inmate (introduced in another story arc) is both shocking and original. With more than a nod and a wink to that other Southwest-set motel horror film from 1960 ( Psycho) - it's a film that uses a macabre calling card (numbered motel keys) as a kind of perverse reverse countdown as each new victim is discovered. A more obvious homage than others, Identityplays for unabashed thrills and Mangold's skill for visceral cinema prevails with skillful editing to link two concurrent stories, with strong casting ( John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Ray Liotta) afoot. James Mangold's thriller contains an abundance of twists and its serpentine tale of 10 strangers at a Nevada motel in the midst of, you guessed it, a torrential downpour makes for quintessential early 2000s viewing. The backstabbing proclivities are unmasked in the flickering atmosphere - the psychological underbelly of being stuck in such a situation aerated with aplomb. Later on, when the group is reduced to four - an enormously dramatic sequence unfurls in candlelight as the conniving sides of each character are revealed. Bodies throws a fresh spin on things through its deconstruction of what audiences have come to expect. Myha'la Herrold and Rachel Sennottare especially committed to their roles essaying confrontational and innocuous ignorant parts respectively, and Lee Pace's slyly humorous turn as one of the surprise attendees is also a great counterpoint. The characters are fleshed out in this effort from director Halina Reijn, and the cast carries each and every beat perfectly. In the midst of the chaos, our group begins to turn, plot the demise of each other's relationships and wreak general havoc even before the first body is found unblinking in a crimson pool. Sophie ( Amandla Stenberg) is recently out of rehab for substance abuse, and her reemergence from the social abyss with a new girlfriend in tow ( Maria Bakalova) immediately stirs up a maelstrom of gossip. Bodies Bodies Bodies pits a group of Gen Z partiers against a storm and an unknown assailant while trapped in a hip manse in New York State. RELATED: Why Are Murder Mysteries So Hot Right Now?Ī runaway success, and devilishly clever spin on the well-worn yarn, A24's 2022 film ensures beyond doubt the conceit is nowhere near the morgue yet. Here is a selection of films that in some way shape or form pay homage to the And then There Were None template (or a similar whodunit format) and use it to their advantage to either explore genre mashups or wander down new tonal pathways or both. See How They Runis a recent testament to the enduring powers of that influence. There are boundless movies that owe some skerrick of debt to the Christie oeuvre - for the late author's penchant for crafting alluring mysteries translates to perfect fodder for genre vehicles. And some interesting thematic directions have been travailed by directors using the premise as a narrative shadow. What's allowed the core idea to thrive and gain significant cinematic mileage over the course of several decades is the fact that it's been put in the tumble dryer many times by filmmakers looking to wring fresh results out of the source material. In short, Hollywood has cranked out an impressive number of films that either replicate or pay tribute to, if not the aforementioned tome, similar entries in the Christie canon. A cornerstone of the whodunit genre, the aforementioned story has been subject to straight-up adaptations, spiritual re-imaginings, and stabs at comedic satire to varying degrees of success and fun.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |