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TIFF Review: ‘The Platform’ Takes it to a Whole Other Level

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The Platform review TIFF

For Spanish director Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia’s first feature film, he did not hold back. The Platform (El Hoyo) is a daring debut, melding political allegory and sci-fi drama with some serious bite. Beautifully paced, the film is told in three acts, each more revealing than the last.

In The Platform, a man wakes up in a dystopian vertical prison with a stranger as a cellmate. Each day, a platform of food descends from above, containing only whatever was not eaten by the upper levels. Every few weeks, the prisoners are switched to another level. As the level number increases, the chance of getting any form of sustenance is grimly diminished. No one knows how many levels there are, but there’s definitely not enough food for all of them.

The script was adapted from a stage play, and it certainly reads as such. The Platform follows two characters at a time as they unravel exposition, weaving it to create the world of the film. It’s a good, tight knit they’re using; the audience learns the rules of the platform at the same time as the lead character.

The first two acts are very self-contained, allowing us to develop an understanding of the prison. It’s not until the third act of the film that the writers carry the story beyond what had been written in the stage play, allowing full creative freedom to stretch their limbs and run. 

The Platform

via TIFF

The Platform is very well structured, setting up conflict that will circle back around, and explaining the intricacies of the system in a clear and concise way. Like a stage play, characters slip in and out, serving a very specific and precise purpose. By shifting the characters to different levels, we can explore the heavy consequences of the lower cells. This, in turn, gives our main character a reason to shift his expectations and ideals as he experiences the darker side of the prison. 

Similar to Cube, Vincenzo Natali’s 1997 science fiction cult classic, The Platform really exists within one set. It’s very economical, both in design and function. Its brutalist, barren interior allows us to really focus on the performances and the plot. Each character is allowed to bring one item into the platform prison with them; these props are a perfect representation of their owner, communicating their empathy, ambition, and sinister intent. 

Iván Massagué delivers a stunning and soulful performance that is utterly captivating. As the film progresses, his tortured stare pierces through you, communicating volumes of trauma. He has the broken and slowly mending soul of a man who was once full of vigor and hope, and it’s beautifully compelling to watch him traverse through the rocky terrain of these different emotions. He is utterly devastating, and it’s very effective. 

via TIFF

The social commentary is not subtle at all — the upper levels eat a luxurious and meticulously prepared meal with no concern for the people underneath them. The lower levels starve, suffer, and fight for every opportunity they get. Those in the middle are able to scrape by, knowing that they could drop down to a lower spot at any moment while striving to reach a higher level.

Any attempt to create a system that ensures a reasonable portion for all is sabotaged by the selfish ill will of the other prisoners. The Platform shines a light on the inherent inequality of the system that we live in and does so in a way that makes it abundantly clear to the audience.  

The Platform is set on this heat, bringing it to a slow boil. Throughout the film we’re given a taste of how vicious this prison can be. It all builds up to the explosive third act which jettisons the audience through a battle field of emotion and violence. It’s truly something to behold.

Any genre fan that appreciates a tight story with a sinister twist — think Saw, Cube, and The Raid — should absolutely check this one out. It’s a must see dive into the darkness of humanity that will leave you speechless. The film is enriched with shockingly brutal violence and a strong social message. When it comes to self-contained horror, The Platform takes things to a whole other level. 

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Russell Crowe To Star in Another Exorcism Movie & It’s Not a Sequel

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Maybe it’s because The Exorcist just celebrated its 50th-anniversary last year, or maybe it’s because aging Academy Award-winning actors aren’t too proud to take on obscure roles, but Russell Crowe is visiting the Devil once again in yet another possession film. And it’s not related to his last one, The Pope’s Exorcist.

According to Collider, the film titled The Exorcism was originally going to be released under the name The Georgetown Project. Rights for its North American release were once in the hands of Miramax but then went to Vertical Entertainment. It will release on June 7 in theaters then head over to Shudder for subscribers.

Crowe will also star in this year’s upcoming Kraven the Hunter which is set to drop in theaters on August 30.

As for The Exorcism, Collider provides us with what it’s about:

“The film centers around actor Anthony Miller (Crowe), whose troubles come to the forefront as he shoots a supernatural horror movie. His estranged daughter (Ryan Simpkins) has to figure out whether he’s lapsing into his past addictions, or if something even more horrific is occurring. “

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New F-Bomb Laden ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Trailer: Bloody Buddy Movie

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Deadpool & Wolverine might be the buddy movie of the decade. The two heterodox superheroes are back in the latest trailer for the summer blockbuster, this time with more f-bombs than a gangster film.

‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Movie Trailer

This time the focus is on Wolverine played by Hugh Jackman. The adamantium-infused X-Man is having a bit of a pity party when Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) arrives on the scene who then tries to convince him to team up for selfish reasons. The result is a profanity-filled trailer with a Strange surprise at the end.

Deadpool & Wolverine is one of the most anticipated movies of the year. It comes out on July 26. Here is the latest trailer, and we suggest if you are at work and your space isn’t private, you might want to put in headphones.

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Original Blair Witch Cast Ask Lionsgate for Retroactive Residuals in Light of New Film

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The Blair Witch Project Cast

Jason Blum is planning to reboot The Blair Witch Project for the second time. That’s a fairly large task considering none of the reboots or sequels have managed to capture the magic of the 1999 film that brought found footage into the mainstream.

This idea has not been lost on the original Blair Witch cast, who has recently reached out to Lionsgate to ask for what they feel is fair compensation for their role in the pivotal film. Lionsgate gained access to The Blair Witch Project in 2003 when they purchased Artisan Entertainment.

Blair witch
The Blair Witch Project Cast

However, Artisan Entertainment was an independent studio before its purchase, meaning the actors were not part of SAG-AFTRA. As a result, the cast are not entitled to the same residuals from the project as actors in other major films. The cast doesn’t feel that the studio should be able to continue to profit off of their hard work and likenesses without fair compensation.

Their most recent request asks for “meaningful consultation on any future ‘Blair Witch’ reboot, sequel, prequel, toy, game, ride, escape room, etc., in which one could reasonably assume that Heather, Michael & Josh’s names and/or likenesses will be associated for promotional purposes in the public sphere.”

The blair witch project

At this time, Lionsgate has not offered any comment about this issue.

The full statement made by the cast can be found below.

OUR ASKS OF LIONSGATE (From Heather, Michael & Josh, stars of “The Blair Witch Project”):

1. Retroactive + future residual payments to Heather, Michael and Josh for acting services rendered in the original BWP, equivalent to the sum that would’ve been allotted through SAG-AFTRA, had we had proper union or legal representation when the film was made.

2. Meaningful consultation on any future Blair Witch reboot, sequel, prequel, toy, game, ride, escape room, etc…, in which one could reasonably assume that Heather, Michael & Josh’s names and/or likenesses will be associated for promotional purposes in the public sphere.

Note: Our film has now been rebooted twice, both times were a disappointment from a fan/box office/critical perspective. Neither of these films were made with significant creative input from the original team. As the insiders who created the Blair Witch and have been listening to what fans love & want for 25 years, we’re your single greatest, yet thus-far un-utilized secret-weapon!

3. “The Blair Witch Grant”: A 60k grant (the budget of our original movie), paid out yearly by Lionsgate, to an unknown/aspiring genre filmmaker to assist in making theirfirst feature film. This is a GRANT, not a development fund, hence Lionsgate will not own any of the underlying rights to the project.

A PUBLIC STATEMENT FROM THE DIRECTORS & PRODUCERS OF “THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT”:

As we near the 25th anniversary of The Blair Witch Project, our pride in the storyworld we created and the film we produced is reaffirmed by the recent announcement of a reboot by horror icons Jason Blum and James Wan.

While we, the original filmmakers, respect Lionsgate’s right to monetize the intellectual property as it sees fit, we must highlight the significant contributions of the original cast — Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, and Mike Williams. As the literal faces of what has become a franchise, their likenesses, voices, and real names are inseparably tied to The Blair Witch Project. Their unique contributions not only defined the film’s authenticity but continue to resonate with audiences around the world.

We celebrate our film’s legacy, and equally, we believe the actors deserve to be celebrated for their enduring association with the franchise.

Sincerely, Eduardo Sanchez, Dan Myrick, Gregg Hale, Robin Cowie, and Michael Monello

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