Review: Little Evil

(imdb.com)

After the success of Krampus, it seemed like comedian Adam Scott could transition to just about anything. From countless roles in indie comedies and romance films to his turn as Ben Wyatt in Parks and Recreation, his career is filled with plenty of iconic gems. His recent role in the Netflix original, Little Evil, continues Scott's trend in the world of indie projects.


Little Evil follows Scott's Gary as he interjects himself into the lives of Samantha and her son, Lucas, played by Evangeline Lilly (The Hobbit) and newcomer Owen Atlas (Astronaut Camp). Lucas proves to be a troubling young boy with possibly sinister roots. He, along with Samantha, continuously face difficulty and despite Gary's best efforts, things don't seem to be looking up. Little Evil is a parody of films like The Omen and plays out in similar fashion.


Scott, Lilly and Atlas try their best throughout the film but to no avail. Scott's role is too similar to better written ones before it. Lilly and Atlas aren't much better. Lilly isn't ever given a chance to shine as she spends the majority of the film as a loving mother and while Atlas has the chance to play a creepy kid, he doesn't seem to understand the art of the cold stare or unsettling quietness, something necessary to join a line of terrifically terrifying kids. The one piece of light in this film is Bridget Everett's (Patti Cake$) much needed role as comic relief character, AL.


Perhaps it’s the lackluster, far-too-predictable jokes or the pure lack of scares - two factors that made Krampus extremely effective - but, Little Evil seems out of touch and bland. Stale and blatantly advantageous of Scott's typical brand of humor, everything about Little Evil feels unnecessary. Like a cheap rip off of a better film, Little Evil is less an accomplished piece of work and more like a knockoff Dory the Searcher coloring book you'd find in a 99 cent store. Little Evil tries its best to convey low brow humor but without the commitment to make it comically tasteless. Some parts seem more bent on creating a loving family angle rather than tear into horror movie tropes using comedy.


Little Evil is a movie that's perfectly comfortable in its mediocrity. Never exceeding expectations or eliciting a laugh more than a few times, this film didn't need to be made and probably shouldn't have been. It's got very little working for it and a multitude of things working against. Sure, there are moments of heart, but they're quickly ditched by very boring placidity. Little Evil could be perfect as a stumble-upon watch on a rainy day, but there are far better options available in any occasion.

Review: Man Vs.

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Reality television is one of America's most peculiar institutions. By far one of the most hated, but also one of the most often watched, reality shows collect some truly odd characters based in real life. Subverting this in what is perhaps the most post-modern, meta ways, numerous filmmakers and networks have made a move toward reality television shows that are knowingly scripted. Shows like Lifetime's Unreal, or the comedic Bajillion Dollar Propertie$, are scripted series featuring similar formats that either follow fictional contestants or the fictional production teams behind the camera. Seeking to tack itself onto this blossoming genre is the Canadian horror film (newly added to American streaming sites), Man Vs.

Like all of those Discovery channel shows following a man entering the wild to live on his own, Man Vs. is a near literal interpretation of these series. The film enters the horror genre however, about midway through when strange moments quickly become horrifying events and our main character comes face to face with something otherworldly. Man Vs. stars Chris Diamantopoulos (The Three Stooges) as host Doug Woods. He is the film's main focus and carries much of the movie on his back.

The biggest setback of Man Vs., outside of some truly awful visuals is the leads confusing personality. Diamantopoulos' character is disjointed since he's simultaneously supposed to be a courageous outdoorsman and television host of a show now in its third season, but is somehow instantly afraid of going in to what seems to be a simple forest. Even before anything bad happens, he is inexplicably wary of this adventure. Had he gone in confident and with little worries, perhaps the story would be more believable. This is the film's major flaw and one that'll set the tone for subpar results.

It's important to note that the filmmakers instantly receive credit for the movie's original plot. While the whole isolation thriller is very been there, done that, making the character a television host who intentionally sets himself up for a struggle, feels fresh. Even if not always true to actual production, one of the strongest aspects of Man Vs. is that it does offer that insight into reality television that media junkies crave. Similar to what Lifetime's Unreal has done for The Bachelor franchise, Man Vs. swipes much of its inspiration from survival shows like Man Vs. Wild and Survivorman with entertaining results.

Man Vs. is a relatively slow burn with very little rounding out a straightforward survival tale gone wrong. In various moments, there are efforts to showcase something new and scary, and at many of those parts the film manages to make ground. But, with an oddly established character, bad CGI and a relatively leveled plot, there isn't quite enough to make Man Vs. a homerun. While watchable, Man Vs. could have used a little more. 5 out of 10.

 

 

 

The Overlook: Clown

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With all the clown hysteria and talk revolving around the It remake, audiences looking for some craving satisfaction should look toward a recent release, Clown. Directed by Jon Watts (Cop Car), this film follows a husband who tries on a cursed clown costume that begins melding into him. Trying to remove the costume, the man disfigures his body. Then, as the haunted costume begins to possess him, things spiral out of control. Viewers can expect blood, gore and a lot of cringe-worthy moments, especially considering Eli Roth's attachment as a producer. Clown stars Andy Powers (In Her Shoes) as the father, Kent and Laura Allen (The 4400) as his wife, Meg.

As noted, this film is gore-to-the-floor. From his transformation to his eventual attempts at removing the costume, including a red nose removal, Clown will have you cringing in your seat. It is amazing that a story that starts off with wanting to make their child happy on their birthday, spirals so far out of control. Even the lighting of this film is sure to induce nausea as Kent faces the very real possibility that he is losing himself to a demonic clown presence. The film truly takes a turn after the reveal that Kent's possessed by an evil demon seeking children to eat. After a series of failed attempts and multiple butcherings, audiences can expect their stomachs to be well-turned.

This film is disturbed. For those looking for no catches and a simple movie without more dilemma, this is not it. The way to stop this an-eating clown is with the consumption of children, after all, and it should go without saying that the difficult decisions Meg makes will be turn offs for some. It's a relentless little film that packs a hammering punch. Like many gore-horror, there is little redemption, even in the closing scenes of Clown.

Clown, taken lightly can be a fun, dark jaunt into an alternative world of terrifying jest visuals and stark portraits of humanity. The acting, at times isn't the greatest, but it's certainly not the worst. For people looking to fill some sort of clown quota and are unable to sit through the three-hour It film, they should look for this movie. Because, like the demon at the center of Clown, audiences seem to have an undeniable craving for off-putting costumes and terrifying scenes of jesters and children.