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matthewjlawrencefilms
Reviews
The Last Rite (2021)
Much better than some of the reviews would have you believe
I decided to write this review because I enjoyed the film and I think the current IMDb user rating and some of the user reviews are far too harsh. Firstly, I'm not associated with the film in any way and I don't know any of the cast or crew or anyone involved in the production. I wanted to clarify this as one common response to positive user reviews on low budget indie films is that the reviewer must be associated with the film in some way.
This is an enjoyable slow burn possession movie with a simple plot. It does a decent job of building from unease to dread and then terror, with some good scares along the way. In terms of style, it is quite subtle and restrained in some ways. Without giving anything away, the climax isn't as bombastic as other possession movies but to me this is a good thing and serves to make the film more scary and realistic. To me, the things lurking in the shadows that you don't quite see are more scary than GCI monsters or people elevated 10 feet in the air.
The film uses a lot of well known tropes from similar movies so it's not that original but that didn't stop me enjoying it. After all, there's a reason these tropes are frequently used in the first place; because they are effective.
I read various user comments about the boyfriend, Ben, being annoying and dislikable but that's the point as the entity feeds off negativity and stress, so it made sense. Plus I know someone who lived with a partner very much like this, so to me it didn't seem unrealistic.
I also read some negative comments about the cinematography which I think were unfair. The director shot it himself and did a good job, especially since this is his first feature. He follows most of the cinematography advice you'd get in various courses. It has some nice camera movement, uses upstage lighting and shadows to good effect, creates depth within the frame with depth of field, objects in the foreground & background as well as colour contrast (warm and cool). It manages to avoid the dreaded "plain white wall syndrome" that's associated with many low budget films by placing objects in the frame to break up the white walls. Obviously if he was working with a bigger budget he'd be able to afford more expensive locations, sets and production design which would elevate the production values considerably. But I think this serves as a good example for filmmakers working with smaller budgets on how to make good use of what you have. The cinematography is appropriate to the story and sets the mood effectively.
I'd recommend this movie if you are a fan slow burn horror. As long as you're not seeking something entirely original or huge set pieces I think you'll enjoy it.
It Never Sleeps (2014)
Enjoyable slow burn indie horror
I really enjoyed this film. If you are a fan of slow burn, psychological horror films and you're happy to watch indie films and not just high budget Hollywood ones, then this is for you.
I'd read a few reviews which stated that the plot is confusing (particularly at the end). I really don't think that's the case, the plot development is perfectly clear and most people shouldn't have any trouble following it.
For me, It Never Sleeps made good Saturday night viewing and I will be recommending it to friends with a similar taste in horror films to me!
Coven of Evil (2020)
I want to clear something up
As the filmmaker of this film, I want to point out a misconception that seems to be causing great offence to some people:
The villains in this film are NOT a Wiccan coven. They are satanists pretending to be a Wiccan coven.
I thought that this was made very clear in the film, but quite a few people seem to have missed this so I wanted to clear things up.
I set out to make a simple horror film about a young guy trying to save a women from some bad people. I didn't intend to cause any offence.
On the Corner of Ego and Desire (2019)
A blast for Indie Filmmakers!
Make no bones about it, this film is made for indie filmmakers; the niche audience that Alex Ferrari makes content for. As part of that niche, I had a blast watching it and geeking out at all the references and in-jokes.
The characters are designed to be filmmaking archetypes that we can all relate to and there was good chemistry between the cast.
The fact that this was shot guerrilla style at the Sundance Film Festival over a short duration is an achievement in itself. The film makes good use of the locations, available light and landmarks and some of the shots are quite pretty.
I had a good time watching this and I liked that it had a positive message for filmmakers.