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Film Review: Bone Tomahawk When a doctor, a deputy and an inmate are abducted from an old west town, four men set out to save them. Unfortunately the four men believe they are up against an average Native American tribe only to find out that they have to face a near mythical tribe of cannibalistic cave dwellers that even the other tribes fear. As the men get closer to the tribe’s land the tension and violence escalates to a graphically action-packed climax. Bone Tomahawk is a great western with a touch of thriller and horror given the group’s adversaries and some of the graphic situations they find themselves in. First time feature director S. Craig Zahler wrote a gripping story and directed this film with a confident flair. The acting in many cases is down right wonderful and the cast is strong as can be, Kurt Russell and Patrick Wilson are fantastic, but at times Richard Jenkins and Mathew Fox steal the show. The production of Bone Tomahawk is also a feat to be reckoned with as they managed to pull off a beautifully shot, decently paced period thriller, packed with special effects for under two million dollars. This frankly puts many a major studio film to shame when an independent film can come along and prove that with a solid story and well-planned production, a fantastic movie can be made for a fraction of what the studios are spending. And the kicker is that you cannot see Bone Tomahawk in theaters because it didn’t get a good distribution deal so it was practically straight to VOD. If you love a good western, thriller or “men on a mission” film, then you should do yourself a favor and see Bone Tomahawk immediately. Bone Tomahawk (2015); Director: S. Craig Zahler; Starring: Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Lili Simmons Film Review: Suffragette Maud Watts is a hard working mother in early 1900s England who works in a commercial laundry by day while caring for her husband and son by night. Through a series of coincidences and circumstance, Maud finds herself associated with the Women’s Suffrage movement. While Maud at first is merely a curious outsider, the various men who want to keep her out of it push her further and further into the movement. As Maud embraces her political beliefs, the Women’s Suffrage movement gains in controversy and notoriety leading to numerous violent conflicts with the law and government in general while they attempt to get their message out to the world. Suffragette is a beautifully shot and wonderful looking movie that certainly evokes the rough and tragic conditions of the time period while visually conveying the desperation the working class lived with and the struggle of the Women’s Suffrage Movement. The story is fast-paced and emotionally engaging, complemented by excellent performances all around. My only real critique of the film is that the story is a fictionalized telling of the British suffragette movement. Our lead character Maud Watts, played wonderfully by Carey Mulligan, is not a real historical figure but rather a composite of various stories associated with the suffragette movement. I just personally feel that this film would have had more power had it concentrated on the stories of the actual women involved in the Women’s Suffrage Movement rather than Forrest Gump’ing a story together, relegating all of the actual historical figures to being supporting or background characters. In the end it doesn’t really affect the power of the story, but rather simply misses the opportunity to educate people to the historical truth. Suffragette is currently playing in numerous theaters throughout the area including Cinema World Lincoln. Suffragette (2015); Director: Sarah Gavron; Starring: Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham Carter, and Meryl Streep Film Review: Tales of Halloween One town, one Halloween night, 10 stories intersect to tell the tales that make up an array of stories related to the holiday. From creatures to witches and slashers to troublesome trick or treaters there is something for every horror fan to enjoy in Tales Of Halloween. Some of the highlights include the segment “Sweet Tooth,” a creepy tale about not hogging all of the candy. “This Means War” is a fun take on rival home haunters, while “Friday The 31st” is a grand gory slasher spoof. But those were just my favorites; there are seven more stories crammed into a fast-paced hour and a half so there is bound to be something for everyone’s tastes. While there is some minor fluctuation in the quality of each story involved, the overall movie is extremely entertaining and has a great balance of both scares and laughs. The film maintains a great cohesive feeling and visual style even though seven different cinematographers shot the movie, which is a credit to the producers who oversaw the project. Tales Of Halloween benefits from the involvement of both genre veterans and up-and-comers in front of and behind the camera. With segments directed by Neil Marshall (The Descent), Lucky Mckee (May), Darren Lynn Bousman (Repo: A Genetic Opera), and Paul Solet (Dark Summer) among others we are also treated to a wealth of recognizable filmmakers and actors who appear in the film such as Adrienne Barbeau, Lin Shaye, Barry Bostwick, Barbara Crampton, John Landis, Joe Dante, and Adam Green plus many many more. I can’t recommend Tales Of Halloween enough for horror fans and people looking for a fun film to watch for Halloween. I feel confident in stating that I believe Tales Of Halloween will become a seasonal regular alongside Halloween (1978) and Trick ’r Treat (2007), not only for me but for legions of horror fans. Check out Tales Of Halloween now on all VOD platforms. Tales Of Halloween (2015); Directors: Darren Lynn Bousman, Axelle Carolyn, Adam Gierasch, Andrew Kasch, Neil Marshall, Lucky McKee, Mike Mendez, Dave Parker, Ryan Schifrin, John Skipp, and Paul Solet; Starring: Way too many people to list. First Annual Art & Design Film Fest The First Annual Providence Art and Design Film Festival is in full swing at the Cable Car Cinema in Providence, running from October 29 until November 1st. The aim of the festival is to examine different facets of the art and design world, from showcasing artists and designers to examining how art and design have played a role in shaping the modern world, exploring their influence on topics such as politics, history, and personal expression. Thursday the 29th marked the opening night of the festival with a reception at the RISD Museum followed by a screening of the film “Peggy Guggenheim: Art Addict”. The film was followed by a question and answer session with Director Lisa Immordino Vreeland and John Smith, Director of the RISD Museum. The festival is covering a wide range of subject matter, from sneaker obsessions to the displacement of the Kathputli Colony of artists in New Delhi, India. There is a strong international film presence, including films from Switzerland, Germany, France, Austria, the Netherlands, Taiwan and India. Many of the film screenings are followed by Q & A sessions with local artists and designers, RISD- associated artists, professors, and museum curators, as well as professors from Brown and various experts on the subject matter of the films. Unusual Halloween Movies to Enjoy As we are well in to the Halloween season and I am generally regarded as “the horror guy,” people are asking for viewing recommendations. So I’ve compiled a handy list that you can use. My only rule in this list is that I wanted to avoid all of the obvious choices such as the Halloween series and 2007’s Trick ‘r Treat since those are everyone’s go-to films of the season; and while there is nothing wrong with them (I have already watched Halloween 3 twice this month) I thought it would be fun to recommend some titles that are a little bit different. Not all of my choices are directly Halloween-related, but I feel that they all have a great creepy atmosphere and are all fun films to watch as well. If you like what you see here then venture deeper and you’ll find a treasure trove of fun horror films. 1: Kolchak: The Night Stalker (1972) Now to be honest, I started with this one first because it’s a bit of a cheat. I’m not only recommending the 1972 television movie The Night Stalker, but also its 1973 follow-up The Night Strangler and the 1974 series Kolchak: The Night Stalker. All of them follow the misadventures of Carl Kolchak, a second- rate reporter who keeps finding himself entangled in supernatural happenings. It is definitely worth noting that Kolchak was the main inspiration for “The X-Files” and both the movies and series walk that fine line between creepy atmosphere and slapstick comedy very carefully. 2. The Monster Squad (1987) This has been one of my favorite films since I caught a matinee of it back in ’87. The quick synopsis is The Goonies meets the Universal Monsters, and it’s just as amazing as that premise sounds. Plus with a PG-13 rating it’s something you can watch with the slightly older kids. 3. Ghosthouse (1988) This late ’80s Euro horror (a particular favorite genre of mine) gem is one of the strangest films ever produced. It is a literal “everything and the kitchen sink” production as this haunted house story evokes every cliché and trope imaginable to create one of the most ludicrously enjoyable spooky movie experiences you can have.

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