Showing posts with label Netherlands. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Netherlands. Show all posts

4 May 2015

Dead by Dawn 2015 review - De Poel

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Genre:
Horror
Screened:
Dead By Dawn 2015
Rating:15
Director:
Chris W.Mitchell
Cast:
Katja Herbers, Alex Hendrickx, Gijs Scholten van Aschat,


Easily one of Dead by Dawn 2015’s stand-out films, De Poel is a finely tuned masterclass in mounting tension. Director Chris W. Mitchell’s debut feature is an impressive piece of work on all counts, engaging Horror’s age-old love affair with woodland terror in a consistently intriguing objectiveness.
The story is simple: two families set up camp next to a beautiful pond only to fall prey to its sadistic memories. Horror has a long history of haunted places rubbing off on innocent people, pulling their discretions to the forefront and charging them individually for a lifetime of sin. If When Animals Dream is this year’s abstract monster story, then Chris W. Mitchell’s De Poel is by all means an abstract witch story. Yet, films like De Poel are instantly suffused with intrigue because they don’t care about the how and why, relegating the possible witch-drowning origin to a brief flashback. Instead, Mitchell focuses on the slowly growing animosity in the two holidaying families; picking out flirtations, old disputes, and underlying anxiety to exploit further down the line.
                De Poel is about family first and foremost, about expectation and trust so, naturally, it leads to madness and murder. An excellent cast support the film, but Carine Crutzen and Gijs Sholten van Aschat steal the show as a middle aged couple finally pushed to confront their crumbling marriage. Aschat proves an incredible force in the feature propelling it forward with his tactile portrait of a man in the throes of sinister forces, his writing credit on the film can only have helped. Mitchell’s tight scripting is performed to perfection so that it feels like we’re watching a gothic holiday drama gone to hell as opposed to an out-and-out horror film.  There’s something vaguely transcendent about De Poel, in genre terms.
Make no mistake though, there is plenty to be scared of. With apparent ease De Poel achieves an eeriness often skipped in contemporary horror films, ramping up the tension to nightmarish degrees. Careful investigation leant Mitchel’s script a great collection of folk fairy tale iconography. Organic manipulation of the intimate scenario leaves room for plenty great horror images. Rotting food, peripheral glimpses, visitors in the night, it all reeks of death and quickly becomes a distressing atmosphere possessed of dread. De Poel is a diabolic entity, unrelenting and merciless, its idyllic origins made murky by proximity to human evil, its finale proves a surprising but bold transformation from other like films.

A concise and organic horror film that feels fresh and, most importantly, unsettling. Chris W Mitchell’s debut feature is a joyous celebration of horror without getting caught up in dull iconography. Fantastic filmmaking.

★★★★
Scott Clark



10 September 2012

Win Kill Zombie On DVD

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KILL ZOMBIE! is one of the most highly anticipated horror films of the year - a blood-thirsty, super-sharp zombie romp that genre fans are going to devour.

When a Russian Space station crash lands on a city, a deadly virus spreads, turning the inhabitants into psychopathic flesh eaters.

After spending the night safely locked up in a jail cell, two brothers and two crazy criminals emerge to find their hometown devastated, and at the centre of a zombie outbreak. When one of the brothers receives a cry for help from a survivor, they join forces with the local police officer and embark on a reluctant rescue mission, pitting their wits, and risking their lives against these mutant killers.

The film is a visual feast from start to finish. Expect limbs to fly in this explosive bloody battle between good and evil! Own it on DVD 17 September.  

We  have 3 Copies of the film to give away on DVD to win a copy please answer the following question:

Q. Name The Tobe Hooper 1985 film which Space Vampires turned the Human Population into zombie type creatures?

Send your answer, name, address, postcode to winatcinehouseuk@gmail.com (email subject 'zombie')
Deadline for The competition is 30th September 2012 (2359hrs), Aged 18 or over to enter.
 Terms and conditions

  • This prize is non transferable.
  • No cash alternatives apply.
  • UK & Irish entries only The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse and kaleidoscope Entertainment. have the right to alter, delay or cancel this competition without any notice
  • The competition is not opened to employees, family, friends of The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse,kaleidoscope Entertainment. employees
  • This competition is promoted on behalf of kaleidoscope Entertainment.
  • If this prize becomes unavailable we have the right to offer an alternative prize instead.
  • The Prize is to win the Kill Zombie  on DVD, 3 Winners
  • To enter this competition you must send in your answer, name, address only, Deadline September 30th, 2012 (2359hrs)
  • automated entries are not allowed and will be disqualified, which could result you been banned.
  • The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse takes no responsibility for delayed, lost, stolen prizes
  • Prizes may take from days to a few months for delivery which is out of our control.
  • The competition is opened to Aged 18 and over
  • Unless Stated Please Do Not Include Telephone Numbers, we don’t need them and if you include your telephone number Cinehouse and The People’s Movies are not responsible for the security of the number.
  • The winning entries will be picked at random and contacted by email
  • This competition is bound by the rules of Scotland,England & Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland.
  • By sending your entry for this competition you are confirming you have read and agreed to these Terms & Conditions.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. UK Competitions and Prize Draws at UKwins
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8 September 2012

'Kill Zombie' DVD Review

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★★★☆☆


Dutch zombie horror Kill Zombie (original title Zombibi)tackles the horror genre with a ballsy understanding of its fan base and a quick sense of humour. Unfortunately its up against stiff opposition; Shaun of the Dead (2004) and Juan of the Dead (2011) are two stellar zombie features that handle the apocalypse in a similar bro-mantic black comedy style, still the film does well at holding its own.

Cutting straight to the action, Kill Zombie proves it’s for genre fans, no real exploration of the apocalypse and not too much focus on the concept of Armageddon as a social issue, Kill Zombie rolls up its sleeves and dives headfirst into the gory glory with a good sense of where its going and who its playing to. The film follows two brothers who after spending a night in jail, awake to find their city ravaged by zombie invasion. Joining forces with a police officer and two crazy criminals the group set off on a reluctant rescue mission through the deadly gore-splashed streets of Amsterdam.

Kill Zombie has some fantastic set pieces showing off a creative flair that lacks in many run-of-the-mill zombie features: a mini-gun sequence that’s grotesquely satisfying and a play park defence to name a couple. The more striking action sequences seem connected by typical zombie stock, but it’s incredibly tricky for a zombie film to maintain originality when so much has gone before. Even Romero seems to have lost some innovation. A key strength of the film is its comic timing and the skill with which its cast carry off the genuinely funny scenes. Kill Zombie is a prime example of what a good cast can do for a smaller production.

Though it looks good and has plenty of fun, Kill Zombie still lacks the heart of Juan or Shuan, heart that helped push those movies up past your bog-standard zombie massacre. And even though there’s a welcome and sometime innovative aspect to the design of the film, some things just don’t gel. The use of Tekken style fighting sequences is a marmite decision that threatens the integrity of the film, seeming just a little too unrealised and amateur.

Kill Zombie is for genre fans specifically, its lack of plot around the main characters stops it hitting the emotional impact of other mainstream cult black comedies but it does a good job of entertaining and showing off some really cool zombie action sequences. Its also one of few horror comedies that actually gets its comedy fairly spot-on.

SCOTT CLARK


Rating:15
UK DVD Release Date: 17th September 2012
Directed by: Martijn Smits, Erwin van den Eshof
Cast:Yahya Gaier, Mimoun Ouled Radi, Sergio Hasselbaink, Noel Deelen 

24 October 2010

From Blade Runner to Guiness Adverts, now Arthouse Rutger Hauer in Fleur Boonman''s PORTABLE LIFE

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source Quietearth
Rutger Hauer will be known to many as the pyschotic killer cyborg in Blade Runner then remembered for been the man in black in the popular Guiness tv adverts during the 1980's and now he's doing arthouse in Fluer Boonman's PORTABLE LIFE.
The movie is wonderfully shot and since the era I called my 're-education' in movies I do love watching these arthouse type movies many are fantastically weird others terrible and curiousity drives you to watch.

Portable life is been aimed for a February 1st 2011 release in Netherlands, trailer after the break...

9 February 2010

Dutch Animated Short PIVOT now online

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source TwitchFilm
Pivot is perfect proof that animation doesnt have to be the glizty  effexts with very detailed graphics to be visually pleasing as well as entertaining. This little short from Holland  uses minimal to great effect in details, colours, very basic but effective low-polygon style. Created by Kevin Megens, Floris Vos, Arno de Grijs and AndrĂ© Bergs with music sound from Alex Debicki.

The story is simple one about a man who was taking pictures and witnessed a murder happen. He also is able to get one of the killer and has to run for his life, but things turn for worse when the hunted becomes the hunter with a very dark sad ending.


Pivot from Pivot on Vimeo.