Genres

Visitors Review

mattpaulkinne 2012-05-25 08:34:57

A Most Original and Unique movie

Although Rich Brauer can be considered a Michigan filmmaker, DEADRISEwill appeal to anyone who likes mysteries, or those with a warped senseof humor. Paula goes through a series of odd events while she is tryingto get some rest on-board an out-of-service transport ship, that she isinspecting for the Historic trust. Is Captain Vigs who he says he is?Is Paula really dreaming or is this reality? What is really going onhere? These are the questions you'll ask yourself as you watchDEADRISE. Although some may compare this to INCEPTION or another Nolandirected film MOMENTO, it is an original, unique and strangelycompelling movie experience. I don't recommend this movie for peoplewho do not like eels or big, spooky ships.

noahsdad-31-285608 2012-05-25 00:10:24

Interesting setting and characters, multi-layered dream-scape

Full disclosure: The producer/director of Deadrise film is a friend.My wife and I saw the premiere of this film (then titled "Fitful") atthe State Theater in Traverse City, Michigan. The cut at that time wasmuch longer, with the puppy scene still intact, and a very differentending than the DVD version. It's my understanding the DVD release hasa much stronger resolution.At the premiere, we left the theater impressed with the acting andcinematography, but somewhat confused by the story. The multiple layersof dreams left us wondering which scenes were actual experiences, andwhich were the result of spicy food. Some were obvious, others less so.The lack of visual or other clues to create a dream-state distinctionmake sorting it all out a bit challenging. Larry Joe Campbell's role as the creepy caretaker of a retired CarFerry is exemplary. Who knew that such a comic genius could pull off alovable but darkly mad character like Vigs? At one point, Larry asks aquestion about Renee's daughter which literally caused the entiretheater to simultaneously gasp. Renee O'Connor's tip-toeing and peeringaround corners gets a bit repetitive, but her emotional expression isnear flawless. The real star of the show is the ship itself, which is not a Hollywoodset piece. It's an actual old steam ship that resides at a dock on theGreat Lakes. The contrast of the ship's cavernous spaces, varnishedwood paneled cabins, spooky companionways filled with shapelessshadows, and cramped mechanical compartments slick with oil and otherdark liquids, combine to create a rich feeling of imprisonment andisolation. If you're seeking out the next big indie masterpiece, you probablyshould look elsewhere. If you simply want a clever story, beautifullyfilmed and sure to inspire conversation after the credits, giveDeadrise a shot.

Luxetveritas27 2012-05-15 13:51:03

Wasting Time

There are so many ways people may fritter away excess time. Watchingtrash television. Trimming ones toenails. Checking up on old rivals onFaceBook. Ridding their refrigerators of green, fuzzy, slimy things.Smoothing out and folding used pieces of tissue paper. Organizing onesmusic collection alphabetically (or by genre and then alphabetically).Please believe me when I tell you that all of these things arepreferable to wasting even a moment of your life watching this movie.The storyline is non-existent. It isn't suspenseful – it is irritating.I spent most of the film waiting for a climax that never happened. Thecharacters have no depth and no redeeming value. The wardrobe is datedand odd (I thought it was impossible to make Renee O'Connor look frumpybut it is apparently achievable). Overall the movie is aestheticallyunappealing: poor camera work, halting timing, and terrible directionare at the core of the long list of problems.Deadrise is a case study in what a narcissist who isn't the slightestbit creative or talented may churn out given the time, space andfinances to do so. If pumping out garbage like this is what theMichigan film incentive is enabling, then I say do away with itquickly.

rick-1301 2012-05-15 00:44:23

Take a chance on this fun film

Enjoyed the film. Nice job to the production crew who put all the moneyon the screen. Acting was well done. Fun film to watch.This is a Michigan Film which I always enjoy and the producer anddirector was able to utilize good Michigan background shots. The story takes us in circles, which is always good as we try andfigure our the mystery of the film.I would recommend this film, even if you don't live in Michigan andwant to enjoy the deja-vu. In summary, take a chance and spend time onthis fun flix.

iffershortt 2012-05-07 11:52:28

The re-edited version under a new title ends on the right note.

Clever and engaging; watch every moment carefully to get the most outof the piece. The details matter. It's fun trying to make sense of theneo-Gothic journey the heroine takes. She willingly enters a world thatis visually impressive, spooky, surreal. I was disappointed in theoriginal film's ending and a few of the plot points leading up to it. Ididn't predict it for the simple reason that I could not believe sopredictable a conclusion for an otherwise engrossing film. Then I sawthe revamped version. The retooling pays off; Deadrise tells astronger, albeit darker, story, and so it is a better movie than in itsfirst incarnation. The acting, which is a bit campy or stagy at times,generally serves the film well and is even quite compelling in places.The characters fit the action, the cinematography is stunning, and abetter set would be hard to find. In order to preserve the suspense, Iam unwilling to say much more about the plot details, which amovie-goer can find in other reviews. Having come up myself with a moresatisfying conclusion to the original film, I'm happy to report that Idon't even remember now what it was. Deadrise ends in just the rightkey.

dadoffourcs 2012-05-07 05:44:40

Needs more Campbell!

I got to see a preview screening of this the other night, as it wasfilmed locally. The packed audience consisted of many people involvedwith the production, such as caterers, support crew, and parents of theextras. The movie looked mostly finished, though some sound and editingissues could be cleared up.O'Conner plays Paula, a woman who works for a preservation society,reviewing and researching old buildings and landmarks to determine ifthey should be named as National Historic sites. Campbell is Vigs, thecaretaker of an old ship that has been nominated for such status.Through a series of plot twists, Paula must spend a night on the shipalone with Vigs. Or are they alone?What follows is a series of Paula's bad dreams. We are left to wonderwhether she is dreaming or is what's happening reality. We see herwaking up startled from a dream at least a dozen times - and after thefirst few times, where you feel cheated by the feeling of "it was justa dream," the series of dreams get stranger and stranger. The big problem - some of the dreams just go on too long, with laboredshots of Paula sloooowly waking down the hallways of the empty ship,peeking in staterooms, and doing the same things over and over. A fewof the dreams give some creepy jump-style "gotcha" scares, but most ofthe tension has no payoff. I saw the ending coming a mile away, and itwas not the ending I wanted.O'Connor isn't very noteworthy as Paula (I kept wanting to call herGabby!), but Larry Joe Campbell's character of Vigs is the one reasonto watch the film. His creepy / crazy mannerisms brought consistentlaughs from the crowd, and I wish there was some payoff to hischaracter. Unfortunately, there isn't. When he's on screen the film iswatchable.Also - the puppy! Not too spoil too much, but an early scene involvinga puppy is just wrong, and though it is explained (sort of) later, itputs an air of unbelievability to the rest of the proceedings. As cuteas the puppy was, I'd encourage the director to cut it from the filmaltogether.