SLASH THE TROPES // A FILM REVIEW OF "THE RETREAT"

BY MATEO MORENO

THE RETREAT follows Renee (Tommie-Amber Pirie) and Valerie (Sarah Allen) are a couple heading on the road for a weekend getaway trip, staying at a friend's cabin in the woods, right smack dab in the middle of nowhere. Although they are excited to be taking the trip together, it's clear that they are at two very different paths in the relationship. Valerie is ready to take that next step together and talk about the future, while Renee is at a standstill. She's afraid of commitment, and it seems that this weekend is going to finally bring these issues to a head. However, the weekend has far more sinister plans: After they arrive at the cabin, strange things begin to happen. The friends who own the cabin are missing. Their car disappears. Someone is watching them in the woods. Although this was intended to be a stress-free getaway, it quickly becomes clear that their stay has morphed into a twisted game where there's only one thing to fight for: survival.

Though THE RETREAT isn't reinventing the slasher/horror wheel, what it does do is present a very sharp and well-made thriller, one that immediately challenges the troubled "kill your gays" movie trope. The image of a lesbian couple swinging weapons and taking the hero seat is a powerful one and throughout the running time, we are treated to a killer (please excuse the pun) film that challenges stereotypes and takes on the way lesbians are seen in the horror genre, flipping it on its head. Tommie-Amber Pirie and Sarah Allen are both equally strong, turning in performances that feel lived in and real while rising to the occasion when pushed into the fight or flight. First, like most horror movies, they try flight, but when it becomes clear that these hunters aren't backing down, the couple takes a grip and goes into fight mode, creating quite a thrilling second half. The villains are a bit one-note and though you understand why they do what they do, you never are meant to understand them (it's also a little surprising to see perhaps the biggest star of the film, Aaron Ashmore, in a pretty one-note role). That being said, it ain't their story: it's Renee and Valerie's and both writerAlyson Richards and Director Pat Mills have succeeded in creating a very worthwhile entry into the modern horror cabin in the woods library, blending it with a very clear social commentary that strikes just the right balance.

GRADE: B

WRITTEN BY Alyson Richards DIRECTED BY Pat Mills STARRING Tommie-Amber Pirie, Sarah Allen, Aaron Ashmore, Rossif Sutherland, Celina Sinden. NOW PLAYING IN SELECT THEATRES AND ON VOD.

PIECES OF YOU // A FILM REVIEW OF "GUEST OF HONOUR"

BY MATEO MORENO

Writer/Director Atom Egoyan has had a roller coaster of a career. He thrust his unique vison on the screen in his early days, with films like Exotica and made the modern masterpiece The Sweet Hereafter. Since then, his films have wandered wildly in quality, with none coming close to matching the quality of his early work. His latest film, GUEST OF HONOUR, won't please everyone looking for his "return to form." However, it is his best film in years, with strong performances and a twisty plot that keeps you engaged throughout.

David Thewlis stars as Jim, a stern health and safety inspector who, as we find out in the opening moments of the film, has just passed. We find this out through daughter Veronica (Laysla De Oliveria), as she speaks to a Priest named Father Greg (Luke Wilson) about his last wishes. From there we jump forward and back throughout time, seeing Jim be a stern, but often compassionate inspector inside of restaurants, holding all accountable for problems and issues, yet he often grows soft when a compassionate plea comes his way. He seems to have been a loving father, but it's clear that Veronica holds him at arm's length, even in death. The twisty plot takes off from there, revealing many bombshells of their life, such as Veronica's imprisonment, a scandal at a school and an affair that may or may not have happened. Veronica's childhood rabbit is also a crucial, and important, part of this interweaving plot, and Egoyan handles all of the loose ends with ease.

Thewlis shines with his understated performance and Laysla De Oliveria is a dynamite force to be reckoned with. Neither character ever go for a stereotype or caricature. They both deliver haunting, lived in performances that draw you in with each new revelation. Although the film never quite captures the stunning awesomeness of The Sweet Hereafter, it's mountains above his biggest misfire Where the Truth Lies. Egoyan has crafted a lovely, small film full of delicate emotion and painful regret, and one that puts him back in the direction of filmmaking we all have longed for him to return to.

GRADE: B

WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY Atom Egoyan STARRING David Thewlis, Laysla De Oliveria, Luke Wilson, Rossif Sutherland, Arsinée Khanjian, Gage Munroe. Now available in Virtual Cinemas.