Year: 2018

FAN FICTION TV PILOT: SCOOBY-DOO: AGE OF AQUARIUS, by Katie Grotzinger

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WILDsound Festival's avatarFAN FICTION Film and Writing Festival

Genre: Crime, Mystery, Drama, Animation

A reinvention of the iconic television series. Think RIVERDALE.

CAST LIST:

Cass: Salma Dharsee
Velma: Courtney Keir
Daphne: Marissa Otto
Narrator: Elizabeth Rose Morriss
Shaggy: Hugh Ritchie
Fred: Isaiah Kolundzic
Officer Rogers: Allan Michael Brunet
Red: Zazu Oke

Get to know the writer:

1. What is your fan fiction TV PILOT screenplay about?

On the night before summer vacation, Fred’s dad is murdered by a serial killer. As Fred’s reeling from loss, Daphne, a cheerleader and lifelong mystery geek, enlists her estranged best friend Velma and Fred’s own cowardly stoner best friend Shaggy to track down the killer. The four of them, with Scooby-Doo in tow, work to unravel various mysteries, deal with bullying, and experience first love.

2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Mystery and CW-style teen drama

3. Why should this screenplay be made into a TV show?

What initially inspired…

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Interview with Festival Director Oliver Wolfson (THE 60 SECOND FILM FESTIVAL)

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Introducing The 60 Second Film Festival India 2018. Presented with Yayin Studios, Pune India. Event sponsored by Chandan Kumar Entertainment, Chandan Kumar Film Director & Producer.

Contact

 
1) What is your Film Festival succeeding at doing for filmmakers?

We give filmmakers a chance to be seen and enjoyed by peers and professionals. We also offer freedom of creativity for artists.

2) What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival this year (2018)?

Joy, entertainment, education, and community.

3) What are the qualifications for the selected films?

Films should be 60 seconds or less, and have some good qualities that can benefit a live film festival audience.

4) Do you think that some films really don’t get a fair shake from film festivals? And if so, why?

No we think there are massive opportunities for filmmakers now to get their work seen at festivals, but also a lot of competition. There are no barriers except for the filmmakers energy, endurance, and creativity.

5) What motivates you and your team to do this festival?

We love to see talented creatives join together and become more than the sum of their parts.

6) How has your FilmFreeway submission process been?

We like this platform. It has been wonderful so far.

7) Where do you see the festival by 2023?

We have many interesting plans for this festival, but it will grow organically, so it’s hard to predict. We expect our audience and amount of creators to grow a lot by then.

8) What film have you seen the most times in your life?

16 Candles. I was stuck in a snow lodge for three month with only this VHS (in the late 1980s)

9) In one sentence, what makes a great film?

Emotional impact.

10) How is the film scene in your city?

Film and video is constantly being consumed on big and small screens.

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Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 20-50 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every single month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Festival held in downtown Toronto, and Los Angeles at least 3 times a month. Go to http://www.wildsoundfestival.com for more information and to submit your work to the festival.

Interview with Stephen Byrne (WATERFORD FILM FESTIVAL)

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The Waterford Film Festival was established in 2007 by local filmmaker Stephen Byrne. His objective was to bring something new to Waterford’s arts and cultural scene, promoting local, national filmmakers and writers, but in particular independent film.

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1) What is your Film Festival succeeding at doing for filmmakers?

The Waterford Film Festival is a big supporter of short films and especially independent films. We screen a mixture from 1st time filmmakers to award winning films and have done so since our foundation in 2007. We also hold a short screenplay competition and this part of the festival is to support the writers.

Since the foundation of the festival, we have screened 500+ films from filmmakers around the world as well promoting writers with the short screenplay competition. Filmmakers from across Ireland, UK, France, Germany, Holland and as far as Canada and USA have attended the festival.
The festival has awarded prizes worth in excess of €35,000 with our partners at FilmLab, since 2007.

2) What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival this year (2018)?

This years festival we are in a new venue for us called Central Arts, which caters for a lot of different events throughout the year. This years event will be an intimate setting but we are also trying something new. The venue itself allows alcohol in the screening room so we want to bring that element into the festival.

The idea of seeing a wide range of national and international short films of different themes and genres while you sit back and enjoy a beer or a glass of wine, we feel will be a very enjoyable experience for all whom attend. We are currently working on our plans but we aim to put on a series of different events over the course of the 3 day festival.

3) What are the qualifications for the selected films?

There are a number of different reasons. We get several 100 submissions every year and the decision is never easy as there is a great body of work out there. We aim to have a variety of national films, foreign films from professional filmmakers to student and 1st time director/writer/producers. A strong story and well written script would be a big factor. We consider all films up to 20 minutes.

4) Do you think that some films really don’t get a fair shake from film festivals? And if so, why?

As an independent filmmaker myself I have had my work both accepted and rejected from film festivals, so I do have experience from being on the under end of things as well. There are many legitimate reasons that a film may get rejected from a festival. However I do think some film festivals and especially the big ones in, may be biased in certain cases. For example a big film festival may have influence from powerful producers and distribution companies.

My advice would be to do your research before submitting to a festival and the type of films that they have screened there in the past but also keep in mind there is a lot of competition out there. Certain festivals have mixed themes while others have a theme that may suit their project.

5) What motivates you and your team to do this festival?

When I founded the festival it was may objective to bring a world of film to the Waterford scene, to support independent film and it still is. The love of film and being apart of something where we get to view and screen films from all walks of life with different themes and to provide a platform for filmmakers is a major motivator for us. We enjoy the process of seeing so much talent and meeting a lot of great people during the event itself.

6) How has your FilmFreeway submission process been?

The festival is new to FilmFreeway and so far it is great. The system for us is very easy to use , to manage and judge the projects. Since we opened for submissions we have had entires from Ireland, UK, USA, Japan, Australia , Germany, France, Italy, Lithuania and surprisingly Iraq which is fantastic to see. The festival does get international films every year, however so far we have seen an increase from them and from more countries this year. We are looking forward to watching the projects and providing a wide variety of national and international film screenings at this years event.

7) Where do you see the festival by 2023?

Honestly hard to tell. Even though the festival is successful in many ways in the terms of the amount of submissions we get and we always get a good audience, our funding is very limited. We take one year at a time. It is my hope that we can keep it going, build it up and expand the series of events that put on.

8) What film have you seen the most times in your life?

Ha tough one! I have watched a lot of films many times over the years. Up there would be Shawshank Redemption, the Godfather, Back to the Future trilogy

9) In one sentence, what makes a great film?

A well written story with strong developed characters, performed by excellent actors.

10) How is the film scene in your city

Waterford has many beautiful spots for filming in the City and County. There is a lot of talent out there in the short film scene but in terms of funding for films it would be behind other cities in Ireland. There are people in the filming community who are working together to try and improve this and encourage filmmakers to use Waterford as a location, which is great to see. However In my opinion more investment is needed but I think within 5-10 years the overall scene will be bigger and hopefully we will see more filmmakers using Waterford as a filming location in the future.

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Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 20-50 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every single month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Festival held in downtown Toronto, and Los Angeles at least 3 times a month. Go to http://www.wildsoundfestival.com for more information and to submit your work to the festival.

Film Review: DISOBEDIENCE (UK/Ireland/USA 2017) ***1/2

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Disobedience Poster
Trailer

A woman returns to the community that shunned her for her attraction to a childhood friend. Once back, their passions reignite as they explore the boundaries of faith and sexuality.

Director:

Sebastián Lelio

Writers:

Sebastián Lelio, Rebecca Lenkiewicz | 1 more credit »

Stars:

Rachel Weisz, Rachel McAdams, Alessandro Nivola

 

Three big reasons stand out for one to see DISOBEDIENCE.  The first is its director, Chilean Sebastian Leilo who won the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar for A FANTASTIC WOMAN this year.  The second is the script, based on Naomi Alderman’s 2006 acclaimed novel, co-written by Rebecca Lenkiewicz who wrote the Best Foreign Film Oscar Winner IDA, a few years back.  The third is the cast of Rachel Weisz and Rachel McAdams who go all out to do a same-sex love story compete with a no-holds barred erotic sex scene.

The film begins with a scene of a dissatisfied New York photographer, Ronit (Weisz), a single woman in the city, shown never smiling and having casual sex while receiving news of her father’s passing in London.  She travels to London only to be met with a surprise welcome by the Orthodox Jews that she ran away from.  Her father was a strong pillar, a Rabbi of the Jewish Orthodox Community and she is deemed an outcast.  This is material that moviegoers would shy less run away from.  The film takes a while to gets its footing, and if one is patient enough not to give up on the uncommercial storyline, the reward is a well told powerful tale of freedom, especially from the feminine point of view that is so relevant in today’s times.

So, with her edgy clothing and tousled hair, Ronit looks out of place among the Orthodox women in their plain black garments and synthetic wigs.  She is also in for some unsetting surprises, including the contents of her father’s obituary and will.  She is further shocked to find that her two childhood friends – Esti (McAdams) and rabbi-to-be Dovid (Novice) – are now married.  When Dovid invites Ronit to stay with them, Esti and Ronit rekindle their secret passion for each other.  The film’s second half focuses on the love affair and Esti’s demand to be freed from her marriage form Dovid.

The Jewish rituals are respectfully created with perfect voices singing of the hymns.  But the film clearly has a prejudiced view of the Orthodox Jewish ways.  It looks down at the practices from the very first scene with the over-stern sermon on devils and angels given by the Rabbi before suffering the heart attack that initiates the story’s chain of events.

The sexual scenes are very graphic and erotic especially in the sharing of saliva during a sex scene, reminiscent of Stephen Frears’ sex scene in MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDRETTE

The same-sex love is also seen for Esti’s point of view, not only from Ronit’s.  This makes the drama even more relevant.  Understandably, the film’s best scene is the confrontation between Esti and her husband when beating him on the chest, she confesses that she always loved Rachel.

The one reason the film about freedom is so powerful is that erector Leilo switches the points of view from Ronit to Esti to Dovid.  The audience sees and sympathizes with each, not only seeing each person in the love triangle’s point of view but knowing that each are trapped by the past and present emotions.

It does not matter how the story ends.  The film is about emotions and the right to choose, and Leilo’s message comes across bight and clear in his well-executed drama.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEVonh8bjC0

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Film Review: DEADPOOL 2 (USA 2018) ****

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Deadpool 2 Poster
Trailer

Foul-mouthed mutant mercenary Wade Wilson (AKA. Deadpool), brings together a team of fellow mutant rogues to protect a young boy of supernatural abilities from the brutal, time-traveling mutant, Cable.

Director:

David Leitch

Writers:

Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick | 3 more credits »

Stars:

Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin, Zazie Beetz

 

DEADPOOL 2 arrives 2 years after the first DEADPOOL, the 11th film in the X-Men film series.  The important question on everyone’s lips is how this film fares with regards to the first DEADPOOL and the recent Marvel films like BLACK PANTHER and AVENGERS INFINITIY WAR.  Well, it is different and notably raucously hilarious. Co-written by star Ryan Reynolds himself who did a bit on his own character’s dialogue, there are lots of swearing, so be prepared to be hearing lots of vulgarities like “fuckshit”.

DEADPOOL (Reynolds reprising his original role) is the wisecracking Marvel Comics mercenary with accelerated healing but severe scarring over his body after undergoing an experimental regenerative mutation.   He forms the X-Force, a team of mutants, most of which hilariously die while unsuccessfully parachute landing in an attempt on the job to rescue Russell (Julian Dennison), a boy Deadpool befriended while in prison.  Foremost in the story is the character of Cable (Josh Brolin) a time travelling cybernetic mutant soldier who wishes to kill Russell.  It should be noted that DEADPOOL 2’s humour is in the extreme, from fake opening credits to ridiculous subplots to senseless dialogue.  To the credit of everyone making this movie, it actually works.  It took me a while to get into the film’s groove, admittedly a full 15 minutes or so (I initially hated it, thinking it all too silly, but the tactic grows into you quickly and the effort is soon appreciated and thoroughly enjoyed.)  The laugh-out loud jokes are too many to innumerate but there are prize one like the inside joke on Disney’s Frozen (since Disney has recently bought over Fox) and a running joke that makes no sense on the progress of dubstep.  The soundtrack that includes two new songs: “Ashes” by Céline Dion and “Welcome to the Party” by Diplo, French Montana and Lil Pump are especially inventive.  Those who have seen/heard “Ashes”, released as the lead single on May 3, 2018, along with a music video of the vocalist singing the song will still be laughing.

Star Ryan Reynolds is perfect as the hilarious Deadpool.  He makes the character including the dialogue he wrote.  He was given large creative control over this film after the success of the first one that resulted in the leaving of the original’s director Tim Miller due to artistic differences.  Josh Brolin plays Cable marvellously, as Brolin does in all his roles.  Brolin was also in the last recent Marvel film AVENGERS INFINITY WAR playing the main villain Thanos.  Fortunately, the makeup of Thanos results in Brolin hardly recognizable or that would have been a problem with Brolin being in two Marvel stories.  Familiar characters from the first DEADPOOL like Morena Baccarin as Vanessa, Karan Soni as Dopinder, the taxi driver, Leslie Uggams as Blind Al (the fake opening credits has her listed as the film’s cinematographer) and T.J. Miller as Weasel, Daedpool’s best buddy bartender who has absolutely no loyalties are in the sequel.  Miller is good in this movie but was almost removed from the film due to alleged sexual misconduct and calling in a fake bomb threat during the movie filming.

DEADPOOL 2’s looks very expensive with great CGI and special effects.  The fight scenes are particularly stunning with humour always present.  Action and hilarity mix well in the funniest of the Marvel franchise.

Make sure to stay for the closing credits as they include a few extra scenes including surprises such as who is listed playing “Vanishing Man.”  The film also sets up for the next continuing film X-FORCE which may or may not be a direct sequel to DEADPOOL 2.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D86RtevtfrA

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Film Review: THE CHILD REMAINS (Canada 2017)

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The Child Remains Poster
An expectant couple’s intimate weekend turns to terror as they discover their secluded country inn is a haunted maternity home where infants and mothers were murdered.

Director:

Michael Melski

Writer:

Michael Melski

Stars:

Suzanne Clément, Allan Hawco, Shelley Thompson

 

The words ‘Inspired by True Events’ splashes on the screen at the film’s start.  This of course, can mean very little these days but here this means something as the film’s plot is actually based inspired by the early 20th century “Butterbox Babies”.

The story centres on a couple, Rae (Suzanne Clément) and Liam (Allan Hqwko).  Hawko is a music songwriter trying to make it in the music business while Rae is an expecting journalist suffering from Post Stress Traumatic Disorder (disorder that develops after exposure to a traumatic event or experience with symptoms that may include flashbacks, nightmares and intense feelings of fear or horror).  Their intimate weekend turns to terror as they discover their secluded country inn is a haunted maternity home where infants and mothers were murdered.

The film has a slow and moody first half.  Not much happens and what transpires on screen is predictable.  All that happens is  the discovery of the Inn being the former Mercy home by the pregnant guest where babies are taken away unknowingly from unexacting unwed pregnant mothers.   Director Melski uses the screen time to create a menacing atmosphere for the visiting couple.  The woman is a journalist (how appropriate as this allows her to have an investigative nature as well access to archive news) who suffers from PSTD (how appropriate as this allows her to have hallucinations)

Shelley Thompson from ‘The Trailer Park Boys” deserves credit for her role as the inn’s manager, Monica.  She is always cheery, appearing at times when least expected or when most inconvenient to her guests.  There is always something creepy about a person who always has a wide smile on her face, and Thompson nails this creepiness 100%.  Multiple Award winner Quebec actress Suzanne Clément, best known for her roles in Xavier Dolan’s films is also a pleasure to watch as the tortured character.

The film contains an unexcited twist in the plot at the end (when the audience realizes what the title of the film refers to – quite clever).  Trouble is that it is quite unbelievable for the reason that for it to happen, it will be too much of a coincidence.  The film, besides being a psychological thriller is also a ghost story so one also has to believe that ghosts not only exist but come out of the woodwork to harm the characters.

Despite all that is going for Melski’s film, THE CHILD REMAINS fails to engage the audience in its tale for a number of reasons.  The first is credibility.  The two items of  supernaturally and true events do not go together.  The other is Melski’s display of his protagonist, Jen’s character. In one scene, she is shown handing over the ointments in her room because they are chemical, which is a rude gesture.  She could have just left the ointments in the room.  In another, shed closes her lap top when Shelly is looking at the image of her baby in her womb, which is another rude gesture.  She also snaps he boyfriend and nags once too often, which makes one wonder the reason he is still putting up with her, and especially when she has PSTD.  If Melski wants the audience to route for his heroine, he should have her display a more likeable personality.  When all the plot points are finally revealed, Melski unfortunately turns his film into a horror slasher flick.

The film sends a a new meaning to the words “Inspired by True Events”.   The story may be inspired by true events but it may be totally hokum!

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqtjq51pLzw

 

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Film Review: ANOTHER KIND OF WEDDING (Canada 2016)

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Another Kind of Wedding Poster
Trailer

A fractured family is forced to confront what tore them apart at the eldest son’s wedding.

Director:

Pat Kiely

Writer:

Pat Kiely

Stars:

Kevin Zegers, Jessica Paré, Kathleen Turner

 

Close on the heels of the French WEDDING comedy C’EST LA VIE (LE SENS DE LA FETE) arrives another, thankfully with a slightly different take on weddings.  ANOTHER KIND OF WEDDING (formerly entitled SOMEONE ELSE’S WEDDING) combines the wedding romantic comedy with the dysfunctional comedy/drama genres with an all-star ensemble cast headed by Kathleen Turner, who in her glory days captured the hearts of moviegoers with her best films like PEGGY SUE GOT MARRIED, BODY HEAT and WAR OF THE ROSES.   Pat Kiely directs from his own script.  Here, she is still her fiery self, spouting strong language.  Her date at the wedding is played by Wallace Shawn (THE PRINCESS BRIDE, MY DINNER WITH ANDRE) who looks better with age.

ANOTHER KIND OF WEDDING follows a fractured family as they are forced to confront what tore them apart at the eldest son’s wedding.  Matthew (Jacob Tierney) and Louisa (Jessica Parker Kennedy) are about to celebrate the biggest day of their lives, but fate has something else in store – the perfect venue in Montreal to hash out all family conflicts.  Matthew’s good looking, sleeping around stepbrother Kurt (Kevin Zegers) has gone to bed with a lot of ladies including the bride.  Trouble follows and stays!  As the film progresses, more skeletons come out of the closet.  Then, there is also enmity between the two mothers of the groom and bride.

It is good that Kiely’s script celebrates Canada in this Canadian film as opposed to many other Canadian films that pretend that it is set in the States for a larger target audience.  The wedding is held in Montreal and there are lot of Montreal streets and shops on show.  (The film is shot largely in Montreal.)  The script also pokes fun of the lesser known cities (“Who would want to spend a whole week in Kingston?) while praising others like those around the Georgian Lake area.

The film unfolds backwards occasionally to explain a set of circumstances.  Whether this tactic works depends on the individual.

The film’s comedy is not all that funny.  Quite a lot of the humour is laid on the Kathleen Turner character, with her rebuttals supposed to be biting, sarcastic and clever.  These do not always work.  The romantic comedy element does not work either, coming across as predictable as a Harlequin novel.  Of course, all works out at the end with the wedding as its climax.

The cast is diversified enough with Kathleen Turner getting top billing.  But she is reprising what she is famous in, from her past films, and she is clearly past her prime.  Kevin Zegers does a good though predictable turn as the wedding party’s main ass-hole, the one who has had a relationship, unknown to his brother with his bride earlier.

ANOTHER KIND OF WEDDING fails to be either a drama on the dysfunctional family or a romantic wedding comedy.  The film lingers in between both resulting in a mediocre forgettable film.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sc2RHludA6c

 

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Film Review: POPE FRANCIS: A MAN OF HIS WORD (Germany and other Countries 2018) ***

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Pope Francis: A Man of His Word Poster
Trailer

Director:

Wim Wenders

Writers:

Wim Wenders (screenplay), David Rosier

Stars:

Pope Francis, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, John Kerry

 

Right hot from the Cannes 2018 premiere, Wim Wenders’ POPE FRANCIS: A MAN OF HIS WORD arrives in Toronto.  Watching the film in the comfort of Toronto without the hassle of going to a too-busy film festival at Cannes is my personal preference.

German director of fictional films and documentaries, Wenders  has made docs like THE BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB, PINA and SALT OF THE EARTH that are most remembered.  As in all his films, Wenders films are beautifully shot.  

It should be noted that POPE FRANCIS: A MAN OF HIS WORD is not a biography of Pope Francis.  Nothing is mentioned of his background (except that he came from South America), his education, learning, childhood or family.  Instead, as Wenders must have been given Carte Blanche access to the pontiff’s interviews and journeys, the audience is given the freedom and opportunity to make up their minds for themselves with regards to his aspirations from the footage seen on screen.  At times, Wenders allows Pope Francis to deliver almost an entire sermon on film, thus forcing the audience to feel exactly how his Catholic congregation would have felt in a church. The camera also lingers on the congregation from the little poor people to the congressmen – and how they are mightily moved by his sincere words.  The Pope is shown not to be a great orator, but one who carefully chooses his words.  His sincerity and speech content make the difference.

Unlike other Popes in the past who are almost too frail to make an appearance or travel around the world to inspire, Pope Francis is clearly aware of the current world affairs.  His commitment to saving the Planet Earth is observed in many instances.  He travels to the Earth Conferences around the world and speaks some powerful words.  “The poorest of the poorest is Mother Earth,” he preaches in one of the film’s most moving segments.  “She has been plundered.  She has been abused.”  On other matters such as homosexuality, he is unfortunately, less firm.  He gives an ambiguous reply saying that: “if a gay man does no wrong, who is he to judge?”

Among the Pope’s trips, the audience gets to see a Pope’s eye view of a Brazilian street mass, a Central African Republic children’s hospital, a Philadelphia prison, a Greek migrant camp, the UN, a joint session of Congress and a Jerusalem Holocaust remembrance ceremony.  The most moving of these is the segment of the Greek migrant camp, whee he goes about kissing individuals as they reach out to touch him in response. 

Wenders’ doc POPE FRANCIS proves that more can be learnt about the Pope by following the person during his meetings, speeches and journeys than from his background or interviews of his friends and family.  In this doc, one cannot help but admire Pope Francis not only as a Pope who has inspirational ideas but one that is intent to make a difference in the world from his holy position.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOmY8i-uBcY

 

 

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Film Review: BREAKING IN (USA 2018) ***1/2

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Breaking In Poster
Trailer

A woman fights to protect her family during a home invasion.

Director:

James McTeigue

Writer:

Ryan Engle

Stars:

Gabrielle Union, Billy Burke, Richard Cabral

 

BREAKING IN is a confidently executed action thriller written by Ryan Engle and directed by Australian James McTeague, best remembered for his action flick V FOR VENDETTA.  The film centres on a mother who uses her wits to outsmart the home invaders and save her kids, the film arriving appropriately timed for Mother’s Day.

The film opens with an older black jogger taking to the streets for his local exercise.   It is quite clear from the way the camera works that something nasty is going to happen, which predictably would be him being hit by a car.  When this occurs, the shock and rise in volume of the soundtrack is enough to jolt even the least suspecting from their seats, this followed by a gruesome crunch by a foot of the man’s face lying on the road.  The first thing that comes to mind is whether all this violence is necessary.

Necessary or not, the next scene shows the jogger’s daughter, Shaun (Gabrielle Union) taking her two children to the dad’s mansion out in the country in preparation for the house’s sale.  But burglars creep in, looking to robe the safe for a ton load of cash (the American dream, in the words of one of the burglars).  They have no qualms of murdering the children and the mother who must protect them, which makes good thriller fodder of fans of this genre.

Despite the simple story, the film turns out pretty well with nail biting suspense from start to finish with hardly a dull moment.  The script which contains minimal dialogue is smart enough when it wants to.  The mother who does not know how large an acre is (when questioned by her son) turns out pretty smart when she has to protect her kids. “I am your mother, it is my job to worry about you!”, “You broke into the wrong house!” are examples of simple yet effective no-nonsense dialogue.  The only thing unexplained in the film is how mommy knows all those martial-arts moves.  (The promo screening was preceded by a martial-arts demonstration by a local martial-arts club.)  The script also capitalizes on the current female/male issue of equality rights and harassment.  “There is nothing you can do, you are a woman,” yells one of the burglars, Eddie (Billy Burke) to Shaun.   Shaun later demonstrates that he is as then a man at the mercy to a woman, to the cheers, even by the men in the promo screening.  It is also good to see coloured good guys and the whites as the villains.

The cinematography by Toby Oliver is impressive especially the exterior shots in the night when Shaun is outside the mansion.  Lighting is often just sufficient to see the figures moving about,  The mansion interiors are also well-shot revealing the vastness of the modern design.  The soundtrack contains a neat, pulsing beat to the action and includes a catchy tune when the drones are activated by the son, Glover.

The choice of having the hispanic looking psycho as the last surviving killer is a good one.  Richard Cabral (playing Duncan) is perfect as the psycho villain with his huge eyes. lean totally tattooed body and weird accent.  Duncan clearly derives more pleasure in slaughtering the children then getting the cash.

BREAKING IN proves that a simple premise can still turn out to be fantastic entertainment.  The Super Mom in this movie is just as exciting as any Marvel super action hero.  The film also has an important message: “Don’t mess with Mom!”

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsDVOt3M7OM

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