Chris Sparling

  • The Atticus Institute (2015)

    The Atticus Institute (2015)

    ByChristian Sauvé Movie Review

    (In French, On Cable TV, July 2020) In the fine tradition of horror films puffing themselves up with made-up “based on a true story” hokum, horror mockumentary The Atticus Institute purports to tell us about “the only case of possession ever recorded by the United States Government.” In this case, a parapsychology institute studies a woman exhibiting paranormal powers that are later revealed to be the work of a demon possessing her. Cue the US Army taking control of the institute in an effort to weaponize the demon, which (as five out of five scientists will tell you) is a terrifyingly bad idea. It goes where you expect it to go, with the demon going on a rampage inside the institute and everyone being powerless to stop it. Writer-director Chris Sparling handles the mockumentary aspect reasonably well, without too many questions as to how or why the footage exists, and the mid-1970s period convincingly recreated—although some of the camcorders have a strong 1980s vintage air to them. I have issues with some of the grandiose dialogue from the characters, but that’s almost part of the fun. At least it’s short enough not to overstay its welcome. The Atticus Institute is not all that good as a movie, but I’ve seen quite a bit worse in the found-footage horror subgenre.

  • Buried (2010)

    Buried (2010)

    ByChristian Sauvé Movie Review

    (In theaters, October 2010) Anyone who admires a bit of cinematographic audacity should flock to see Buried, a minor tour-de-force in thriller moviemaking.  It has one rule, and it’s daring: The entire film features one character, stuck in a coffin.  There are a few refinements, including a high-tech smartphone, but that’s essentially it.  Not cutaways to outside shots, no flashbacks, no fantasy sequences.  At most, there are a few bright lights and cuts to the phone to show some video.  As a device, it’s remarkably effective at leashing us alongside the character as he attempts to understand what’s happening to him, and contact the outside world to help him get out of there.  Claustrophobic to the extreme, Buried has the luxury to fully explore its options, milk its premise for all it’s worth and create a deep sense of unease for its audience.  As the quasi-sole actor in the film, Ryan Reynolds is up to the mesmerizing nature of the premise, and easily holds the audience’s interest throughout the experience.  The film is more interesting for longer than anyone would expect, in no small part due to Chris Sparling’s clever script and Rodrigo Cortés’s inventive direction.  Low-budget but high-impact, Buried may falter a bit during an obvious and disappointing climax, but otherwise escapes judgement to become a pure cinema experience.