JACK GOES HOME review

2016
Directed By: Thomas Dekker
Starring: Rory Culkin, Britt Robertson, Lin Shaye, Louis Hunter, Natasha Lyonne and Daveigh Chase

Grief is an experience most of us have a difficult time navigating. Most face loss and process it in their own way. We have a difficult time offering sympathy and helping our friends when they grieve. How can we offer any words of comfort or advice to help without sounding like a cliche? When someone shows an absence of grief or is devoid of emotion in what most would consider incredibly difficult times, it can be downright unsettling.

Jack (Culkin) returns to his family home to help his mother (Shaye) when his father is killed in a car accident. He claims to be at peace with the tragedy a few hours after it happens and offers no emotional support to his mother. In one of the more powerful exchanges in the film, Jack confronts his mother about how she is handling her loss. The scene is played (as are most in the film) from Jacks POV and it does little to make him sympathetic.

The stylized dialogue and deliberate pacing of the film create a tension between the audience and the film. We are never invited to a warm and friendly environment. Dekker keeps the characters at an arms length and shrouds them in secrecy. Culkin and Shaye give remarkable performances with what is quite challenging material.The script has such a unique voice that all of the performances could have easily been overshadowed by the dialogue, but both of the leads breathe life and vitality into the film.

Dekker shows restraint and patience in this story allowing the narrative to be slowly and methodically delivered. Most genre films like this are more concerned with jumps and scares than storytelling. JACK GOES HOME never allows itself to be so short sided and in turn is one hell of a creepy film.

This film doesn't have a number in the title or stoop to tried and true genre staples, so if that sounds like an appealing way to spend a night this October, give this one a shot.

In Select Theaters and On Demand / Digital October 14th

JACK GOES HOME hits US cinemas and VOD on 10/14 from Momentum Pictures

MULHOLLAND DRIVE Ending Explained

MULHOLLAND DRIVE is a complex and surreal film directed by David Lynch, known for its non-linear narrative and dreamlike sequences. The ending is open to interpretation and has been the subject of much debate among viewers. Here's a breakdown of the ending: Diane's Dream vs. Reality: Throughout the film, there are two main narrative threads: one follows Betty/Diane's dreamlike experiences in Hollywood, and the other delves into Diane's harsh reality. The ending reveals that the majority of the film has been a dream constructed by Diane Selwyn, a failed actress, as a means to escape the guilt and pain of her actions. Betty/Diane's Descent into Madness: Betty, played by Naomi Watts, represents Diane's idealized self—a hopeful and innocent aspiring actress. However, as the film progresses, it becomes clear that Betty's story is unraveling, and her identity begins to merge with Diane's. This culminates in the revelation that Betty is merely a construct of Di...

Final Destination Bloodlines Set to Bring Fresh Horrors to the Franchise

The long-running and fan-favorite horror series Final Destination is set to make its return with Final Destination Bloodlines, bringing a new chapter of supernatural terror to the big screen. Scheduled for a theatrical and IMAX release on May 16, 2025, in the U.S. (and internationally beginning May 14), the film promises to continue the franchise’s tradition of chilling premonitions and inescapable fate. The upcoming installment features a fresh ensemble cast, including Kaitlyn Santa Juana (The Friendship Game, The Flash), Teo Briones (Chucky, Will vs. The Future), Richard Harmon (The 100, The Age of Adaline), Owen Patrick Joyner (Julie and the Phantoms, 100 Things to Do Before High School), and Anna Lore (They/Them, Gotham Knights). Also joining the cast are Brec Bassinger (Stargirl, Bella and the Bulldogs) and horror icon Tony Todd, who reprises his role from the original Final Destination films. Todd, best known for his chilling portrayal of the titular character in the Candyman fra...

POPULATION PURGE Trailer and Release Info

In a dystopian world where a radical government has unleashed a deadly poison to control population, only those with blood type AB positive remain unscathed. But instead of outright death, the rest of the population is left to suffer in a state of chronic illness, causing widespread chaos and panic. As the majority slowly succumbs to the effects of the poison, their only hope lies in receiving transfusions of AB positive blood from the few immune survivors, like Charlie and his granddaughter Maya. Living in the decrepit remains of an abandoned amusement park, Charlie is a renegade supplier of blood to the underground market. But their sanctuary is threatened by the iron-fisted rule of District 22's ruthless warden, Onslow, who will stop at nothing to save his own dying son. As Charlie and Maya fight to defend their haven and their own sanity, the eccentric duo must navigate through a world of danger and betrayal. POPULATION PURGE was written by Brian Johnson and Toby Osborne and di...

FOLLOWING FILMS

Search This Blog