This week guest columnist TheNoShitMovieCritic gives us a look at three more movies that came in under the radar. See below for reviews on Hickok, The Gracefield Incident, and Wakefield.
Hickok
J.B.H. Wild Bill was a real life legendary gunslinger back in the late 1800’s during the American Civil War; while cool, that’s not depicted authentically enough in this 88 minute western flick. I think those who prefer westerns do so for a number of reasons, one being just the scenery elements, the look, sound, the slang, that rugged cowboy, one horse town kinda appeal. If so, this one has all that (to some degree), but little entertainment value beyond that.
The props and backdrops are this film’s core achievement, yet it seems the camera work is unnecessarily blundered in various angles. Dark sets challenged the visual appeal. Post dropped the ball. A high point was the cast, probably the best element this film had to offer. The only thing that would have made this movie LESS appealing to me is if Trace Adkins broke out in song. Next.
3.5/10
The Gracefield Incident
Canada needs more Media & Creative Arts Initiatives. I admire that this is a Canadian production. The problem is, I’m not a fan of “found footage” movies, even if it’s a camera eyeball. As for filming techniques and audio, obviously we’ve seen better alien sci-fi, horror-thriller attempts, but this one has its moments that really shine. In some ways it steps outside the stereotypes of low-budget. However, it gravitates back with a lack of consistent acting talent for the 89 minutes. The storyline has some admirable tactics, but never reached its full range of possibility, resulting in a need to stretch logic almost to intentional laughter (for better or worse).
Concluding, if you’re a “found footage” fan this one works nicely more so than not.
5.5/10
Wakefield
A prefect coin toss 50/50 in the likability department. I figure it a ‘like it or hate it’ flick. An intellectual storyline consisting largely of narration, about a guy who microscopes his family life while watching from the garage, faking his own disappearance.
Admirable for its keen detail, but boring in its slow-burn, mundane, melancholy execution. Strangely, it feels like it wants to be a suburban version of 2007’s Into The Wild. (And, in my opinion, Jennifer Garner was the wrong casting choice to exploit any excitement in the nudity department.)
A score of 5 is pay back for the 106 minute storyline investment that had ZERO payload satisfaction in the end.
5/10
TheNoShitMovieCritic sends up spoiler-free movie reviews every week, find a whole lot more here.