400 Days: The Mission is Simulated, but Not the Complications

It sounds like a reality show, but it will be much more serious than that. For astronauts, isolation is a much greater concern than G-forces or anything physical. Therefore the potential crew of an upcoming privately funded interstellar mission are auditioning by spending four hundred days in an underground simulator. They expect Kepler Industries will have plenty of planned challenges in store for them. However, the real surprise might be unleased on the Earth above them in Matt Osterman’s 400 Days (trailer here), which opens this Friday in New York.

Cole Dvorak is the hard charging blowhard who will be making the crew’s regular broadcasts to the outside world. “Bug” Kieslowski is the squirrely one, but somehow he is also the crew’s only married parent. Dr. Emily McTier will be tracking everyone’s mental and physical health, so she is going to be really darn busy. Theo Cooper is their loose cannon captain, slightly in the Kirk-ish tradition. Unfortunately, he started the mission with a nasty hangover, but he had a good excuse. He had just been dumped by McTier.

Everything went swimmingly well during launch, but the crew lost radio contact with mission control shortly thereafter. Assuming it is all part of the plan, they carry on, notching their mission objectives as the four hundred days count down. However, as the near the day of their simulated re-entry, strange things start happening. Stress has clearly taken a toll on everyone, but when a half-starved wretch of a man breaks into their simulator, they realize something well outside the simulation’s parameters is underfoot. When they venture outside, they find the world has changed. It is now a very dark, predatory place—perhaps even post-apocalyptic, but the vibe is more Kafka and Sartre than Mad Max.

Executive Producer Dane Cook reportedly takes a lot of flak from other comedians, but he really gives 400 Days a tremendous boost of energy as the boorish, ego-inflated Dvorak. He gets over some of the film’s best lines as Dvorak becomes increasingly unhinged. Brandon Routh is more than a little bland on-screen, but one could argue he is appropriately taciturn as the glumly competent Cooper. Despite her growing cult following, Caity Lotz glams down for McTier, projecting her intelligence and sensitivity. Ben Feldman’s Kieslowski over relies on twitchy mannerisms, but Grant Bowler brings plenty of oily charisma as Kepler Industries’ CEO, Walter Anderson. It also seems fitting to have a Lost alumnus on board in some capacity.

In many ways, 400 Days shares a kinship with the original Twilight Zone pilot, “Where is Everybody?,” but it delves deeper into the dark side of humanity. Somewhat frustratingly, Osterman guards the film’s unsettling ambiguity and never gives us a grand unified explanation of anything. That is both good and bad, because that means the film will keep bugging you well after the initial viewing. Yet, for those who were raised on Rod Serling, it is sort of refreshing.

Regardless, Osterman maintains an air of mystery and slowly but surely keeps the tension mounting as soon as the crew loses communications with the outside world. 400 Days is the first release of SyFy’s new theatrical arm, which probably creates a certain level of expectations, based on SyFy originals like Lake Placid vs. Anaconda and Mega Shark vs. Crocosaurus, but this is in a whole different league. It is decidedly small in scale, which might leave many sf fans unsatisfied, but its paranoid tautness is rather impressive. Recommended to a surprising extent for fans of the weird, 400 Days opens this Friday (1/15) in New York, at the Cinema Village.

Live at the Foxes Den: The Crooning Counselor

In Nat Hentoff’s excellent 1960’s YA novel Jazz Country a white teen-aged aspiring musician resolves to become a civil rights attorney after spending time with African American jazz musicians.  Although sadly out-of-print at this time, one has to wonder of its spirit inspired a new dramedy about a crooning lawyer.  While lacking Hentoff’s depth and authority, there are the odd moments in Michael Kristoff’s Live at the Foxes Den (trailer here), which opens tomorrow in New York.

Michael Kelly always wanted to be a lawyer, but he is too honest and disorganized to cut it in his big corporate firm.  The only thing saving him is his relationship the senior partner’s daughter.  She is delusional and controlling, but frankly he could probably do worse.  After a long day of getting chewing out, Kelly and his fellow associates stop in at the Foxes Den for a drink or six.  As proprietor Earl Stein, often clarifies: “it’s a lounge, not a bar.”  Acting on instinct, Kelly sings a number with the boozy cocktail pianist and something just clicks.

Soon, he has chucked in his associate’s gig in order to croon full time at the once swanky lounge.  Not soon enough though.  Kelly’s scenes of white collar alienation are a particularly tiresome assemblage of clichés.  Of course, once installed at the lounge, he starts to get involved in the lives of the regulars and staff.  However, his accompanist, the independently wealthy but self-destructive Chad Barrows, is a tough nut to crack.

There is a lot of painting by numbers in Den, but its affection for the Great American Songbook and piano bars like the Foxes Den (kind of like Brandy’s here in the City, but without the rep amongst those in the know) keeps it afloat.  If you dig standards it is hard not to like Den, even if most of the performances are more lounge than jazz.  Be that as it may, composer-co-star Jack Holmes’ original “Pour Me Another Dream” is easily as good as any of the tunes that will be nominated for best song at the upcoming Oscars.  Den also features the appealingly swinging sounds of a jazz quartet led by the tragically late Austin Peralta (with Tony Austin on drums, Ryan McGillicuddy on bass, and Will Artrope on trumpet).

In fact, Holmes is quite strong both musically and dramatically as Barrows.  Jackson Rathbone (perhaps best known for a vampire franchise called something like Dusk or some such) has a strong voice, but his delivery often sounds forced, as if he is never really comfortable with the repertoire.  Still, his golly-gee-ness works well enough for Kelly’s straight scenes.  Playing against type, Bob Gunton has some nice moments as Foxes regular Tony O’Hara.  Unfortunately, if you blink, you might miss Caity Lotz as Susan Hudson, the co-worker Kelly ought to be romancing.

Den can be pretty cringy when its going through the motions (Kelly guilelessly letting the truth slip out on a conference call or haltingly flirting with Hudson), but Holmes often kicks starts its momentum behind the piano or with his acerbic dialogue.  For jazz on the big screen, Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies is your best bet this week, if you can find it, but Den still has good intentions and some nice sounds. Recommended for fans of Michael Feinstein and Steve Tyrell, Live at the Foxes Den opens tomorrow (12/6) in New York at the Quad Cinema.

Tribeca ’13: The Machine

There is a second Cold War on and China is winning.  Britain’s defense establishment is convinced their only hope lies in devising killer androids enhanced with artificial intelligence.  Oh, but perhaps they succeed too well in Caradog James’ The Machine (clip here), which screens as a Midnight selection of the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival.

Vincent McCarthy could make bank in the private sector, but he has personal reasons for laboring in a subterranean government facility somewhere in Wales.  When Ava’s AI program comes darn close to passing the Turing Test, he recruits her for his double-secret research.  However, on her very first day she cannot help noticing the dodginess of the place, particularly the guards, who double as guinea pigs.  There seems to be something weirdly unspoken going on with the twitchy veterans who accepted AI implants to counteract their brain trauma.

When Ava is murdered under suspiciously suspicious circumstances, her pre-mapped brain is imprinted on “The Machine.”  McCarthy coaches her/it to be human and humane, but Thompson, the ruthless project director, orders a battery of more lethal instructions.  This leads to conflict.

It would be nice to see a film that considered the British and American military and intelligence services to be the good guys for a change, especially compared to the oppressive and increasingly militaristic Communist regime in China.  Sadly, The Machine is not that film.  There really ought to be an epilogue showing how China enslaves the world because of the resulting setbacks to the Free World’s R&D.  Instead, we just get Messianic themes warmed over from the Universal Soldier franchise, which in turn were cribbed from Metropolis, R.U.R. and a host of apocalyptically promethean science fiction morality tales.

Nonetheless, Caity Lotz earns favorable notice for her dual role as Ava and The Machine.  She presents two distinct personas, yet still credibly hints at connections between the two.  Toby Stephens works well enough as the brilliant but short sighted McCarthy.  Sadly, Star Wars alumnus Denis “Wedge” Lawson is completely wasted as the dastardly Thompson, who seems to engage in unnecessary villainy solely to precipitate McCarthy’s crisis of conscience.

Very little of The Machine makes sense, starting with the moody Miami Vice ambiance.  One would think a research laboratory ought to be well lit, but evidently this is not the case.  Despite Lotz’s interesting performances, The Machine is predictable and heavy-handed.  A disappointment, it screens again tonight (4/27) as part of this year’s Tribeca Film Festival.

Sister Issues: The Pact

Annie and her sister handle stress badly.  The former just runs away, while the latter self-medicates.  They are both attractive though, so midnight movie patrons will likely forgive them their shortcomings in Nicholas McCarthy’s The Pact (trailer here), which opens today in New York at the IFC Center.

The two sisters had a horrible childhood, but we never really learn why.  It was so bad though, Annie has never forgiven her mother for it.  As a result, the ex-junkie sister is stuck being the responsible one when their mother passes away.  Then one night (in a Grudge-like opening scene) something bad happens to her in their old house.  Reluctantly, Annie finally comes to investigate her sister’s disappearance, suspecting she has simply relapsed once again.  However, after spending her own harrowing night in the family casa, Annie comes to understand there is something seriously sinister afoot there.

For some seemingly out-of-character reason, biker Annie goes straight to the coppers to report her house is haunted.  Of course, all this really gets her is an opportunity to indignantly protest her sanity.  At least, Creek the good cop is willing to swing by to take a few photos or something.

To be fair, the horror movie mechanics of The Pact are pretty good, including the first (and probably last) genuinely creepy internet search sequence.  McCarthy also blends the elements of the supernatural and psycho killer sub-genres fairly effectively.  Still, there is an over-reliance on unrealistically dumb flat foots and cheap scares built around sudden loud noises.  The clear implication that the outward Christian piety of Annie’s family masked something profoundly hypocritical is also a tiresome cliché.  Just once it would be cool to see a horror movie in which the psychopath was a loud mouth atheist jerk.

Again, it must be conceded both Caity Lotz and Agnes Bruckner have the right assets to play the haunted sisters.  They truly look like twins and already have considerable scream queen cred with the fanbase.  Evidently Starship Troopers’ Casper Van Dien is now taking the parts Michael Biehn passes on, but he is not terrible as the jaded but decent Creek.

You will see better horror movies than The Pact and you will see worse.  Fanboys will certainly want to see more of Lotz and Bruckner.  Overall it is a solidly serviceable, but only occasionally inspired chiller, probably best seen with a large and slightly buzzed audience during its late night screenings at the IFC Center, starting tonight (7/6).

Sundance ’12: The Pact

Annie and her sister handle stress badly. The former just runs away, while the latter self-medicates. They are both attractive though, so midnight movie patrons will likely forgive them their shortcomings in Nicholas McCarthy’s The Pact, which screens late nights during the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.

The two sisters had a horrible childhood, but we never really learn why. It was so bad though, Annie has never forgiven her mother for it. As a result, the ex-junkie sister is stuck being the responsible one when their mother passes away. Then one night (in a Grudge-like opening scene) something bad happens to her in their old house. Reluctantly, Annie finally comes to investigate her sister’s disappearance, suspecting she has simply relapsed once again. However, after spending her own harrowing night in the family casa, Annie comes to understand there is something seriously sinister afoot there.

For some seemingly out-of-character reason, biker Annie goes to the coppers to report her house is haunted. Of course, all this really gets her is an opportunity to indignantly protest her sanity. At least, Creek the good cop is willing to swing by to take a few photos or something.

To be fair, the horror movie mechanics of The Pact are pretty good, including the first (and probably last) genuinely creepy internet search. McCarthy also blends the elements of the supernatural and psycho killer sub-genres fairly effectively. Still, there is an over-reliance on unrealistically dumb flat foots and cheap scares built around sudden loud noises. The clear implication that the outward Christian piety of Annie’s family masked something profoundly hypocritical is also a tiresome cliché. Just once it would be cool to see a horror movie in which the psychopath was a loud mouth atheist jerk.

Again, it must be conceded Caity Lotz and Agnes Bruckner have the right assets to play the haunted sisters. They truly look like twins and already have considerable scream queen cred with the fanbase. Evidently Starship Troopers’ Casper Van Dien is now taking the parts Michael Biehn passes on, but he is not terrible as the jaded but decent Creek.

You will see better horror movies than The Pact and you will see worse. Fanboys will certainly want to see more of Lotz and Bruckner. Overall it is a serviceable, but only occasionally inspired chiller, probably best seen with a large and slightly buzzed audience at this year’s Sundance. It screens again this Tuesday (1/24) and Thursday (1/26) in Park City and Saturday (1/28) in Salt Lake.