All posts by Tarek Fayoumi…The Paterson of his Craft!

I am someone who strives to become a professional critic. I watch and review many movies. I view the eyes of movies as something as an art form. I have followed many critics over the years, but once I was thirteen I knew writing film reviews was going to be my passion. I learned from watching multiple episodes of Ebert And Roeper in my teen years, and then in middle school I began writing film reviews for a newspaper club. I am also an avid fan of the arts of Chicago including Theatre, Comedy, and music. Films, however, are my primary focus.
Film reviews

Knock at the Cabin Review

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“My secret to all casting, and specifically kids, is cast good human beings.”
-M Night Shyamalan


These words from director M. Night Shyamalan hold true to many of his films, including Knock at The Cabin. Almost every character in the film seems to be a good person, and even the bad people have some good traits. The film has a premise that is startling and creative, and the characterizations are clever if somewhat off. The film lacks somewhat in its moments of terror and suspense, though, and the approach to its premise is cheesy. I also often had to ask myself where the film’s danger was going.

Knock at The Cabin has a setting that is typical for a film by Shyamalan—a cabin that is out in the middle of nowhere—like Signs (2002) and The Village (2004). It was also filmed, like some of his previous films, in areas surrounding New Jersey. Many of Shyamalan’s projects take place around the east coast because that’s where he lives and he doesn’t like to fly.

Knock at the Cabin begins with a girl, Wen, played by Kristen Cui, catching bugs and putting them in a jar. She has traveled to the cabin with her two dads, Eric and Andrew, played by Jonathan Groff and Ben Alridge. Wen is approached by a man named Leonard, played by Dave Bautista, and Wen, Eric, and Andrew soon find themselves being taken hostage by Leonard and his gang. The rest of Leonard’s gang are Sabrina, played by Nikki Amuka-Bird, Redmond, played by Rupert Grint, and Ardiane, played by Abby Quinn. The gang kidnaps them to help reverse an apocalypse. The crazy part of the situation is that the criminals try to remain friendly, but Wen, Eric, and Andrew are all scared for their lives, because they don’t know whether the apocalypse is a hoax or not.

Though the setup and the dialogue is a little hokey, it is also rather intriguing. But it’s hard to take the characters seriously in this odd film. Leonard is a very calm kidnapper, and Groff and Aldridge are a gay couple who are scared, but also kind of oblivious of the situation. I even found myself not following the situation at various points in the film. One of the problems is that the apocalypse doesn’t have a strong elaboration or foundation. It almost seemed that the apocalypse is just present on the back burner, so the film can create strange tensions among the characters.

I don’t want to elaborate too much on the apocalypse in the film, except to say that it’s not a common apocalypse, and it’s relatable to the world today. It also has fragments of strange fantasies mixed in with it. Fantasies in a film by Shyamalan tend to have meaning, and there is meaning to the fantasies in Knock at the Cabin. But again, the foundation for the apocalypse is lacking in the film.

Shyamalan has a gift as a filmmaker, and Knock at the Cabin is not terrible, but it’s not great either. It’s better than some of his previous films, but still lacks in quality. The film does have many surprises, and it can be suspenseful in a funny way. And as mentioned, the characterizations are off, but the film is still relatively fun and creative. Two and a half stars for Knock at the Cabin.

Alamo Drafthouse Chicago Experiences

Alamo Drafthouse Chicago: A Cinema Lover’s Paradise

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I attended a preview event at the new Alamo Drafthouse Chicago in Wrigleyville. Given my many years of loving films and seeking out movie experiences, I have been eager for Alamo Drafthouse to make its way to Chicago. After seeing advertisements on IFC about Alamo Drafthouse, I knew that one day I would step foot into one, but never anticipated it would be in Chicago.

Alamo Drafthouse Chicago is mesmerizing. The place is truly cinema at its finest with loads of movie nostalgia, lots of exclusive movie programming, and a staff that takes customer service to new heights. If you’re looking for the best movie experience, go to Alamo Drafthouse Chicago.

As I entered the cinema, the movie décor was a feast for my eyes. Not only does the Drafthouse have movies, a bar, and food, they also have a store called Video Vortex where you can rent VHS and DVD movies. They even have VHS players that can be rented. Alamo Drafthouse makes it their mission to take care of their cinema enthusiasts by offering the nostalgia that is becoming a challenge to find with the evolving technology in today’s world. I felt a very retro vibe given the opportunity to explore the endless cinema “stuff.”

The Chicago location is dedicated to director John Hughes and includes memorabilia in the cinema and the lobby. This made my experience of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986) very surreal in my first movie experience at Alamo Drafthouse Chicago. The staff provided sunglasses, American flags, and other gear to play along with the film. Alamo Drafthouse knows how to fuel the fun of its guests by making them feel like they are in the era of the film they are seeing. They also do this by playing trailers and ads from the year a movie was originally released. This special touch made it more fun and enthralling. Believe it or not, my cinema joy has never felt more special than at my first Alamo Drafthouse movie experience.

The most significant differentiating factor at Alamo Drafthouse is how they handle their customer service. For ordering food, guests just write their order on a piece of paper, raise it up, push their button, and the staff delivers the food right to their seat. The process is not aggravating, it is smooth and straight forward. In addition, Alamo Drafthouse takes their cinema going experience seriously. Once a movie has started, guests cannot enter the theatre. Also, Alamo Drafthouse has a strict no phone and talking policy. So, if they spot guests being disruptive, they are not afraid to ask them to leave. They will even escort them. Yes, this might sound harsh, but I believe these strict rules allow true cinema enthusiasts to have the most wonderful movie experience at Alamo Drafthouse.

Alamo Drafthouse Chicago is now open in Wrigleyville. They show first-run films and all kinds of classics with great food and beverage service. In my humble opinion, it is the best service in a cinema I have seen in years. Also, there are always “Classic Movie” experiences scheduled many days of the week. So, get your tickets today, and go have some fun at the new Alamo Drafthouse Chicago. You won’t regret it!

Film reviews

Infinity Pool Review

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The term Infinity means unlimited, endless, without bound. In the film, Infinity Pool, the bizarre scenarios are continuous and disturbing to a harrowing extent. Director Brandon Cronenberg shares the same vision as his father, David Cronenberg, with Infinity Pool. Specifically, they want to make films that challenge what audiences can handle in terms of repulsive factors. However, I have more respect for David Cronenberg, because he still makes films that are outside the realm of surreal horror. Brandon is still new to the directing game, but with Infinity Pool, it seems like he tries to top his father’s directing by throwing in tangents that are overwhelming to the viewer’s mind. Infinity Pool makes dreams a reality, and it does so with tainted judgment set in an eccentric world.

As I watched Infinity Pool, many moments of feeling eerie stuck with me throughout the experience. The concept of mixing reality and fiction makes the terror feel alive in Infinity Pool. The film takes one moment of violence and continues with it in other strange and creative ways. The director remains committed to bringing his audience into a nightmare that is anxiety-provoking. In Infinity Pool, there are no rules, no back up, and no boundaries to the weird spiral of events that happen in sequence. The casting of Alexander Skarsgard, Mia Goth, and Cleopatra Coleman are perfect for this horror adventure. With Skarsgard having previously done dark and serious roles, he has a fittingly daring personality. With Goth being in several horror films recently, she has the right attitude for risqué and dangerous behavior. Finally, with Coleman as someone with an artistic side who has many emotions, she is the one who knows there is grave danger throughout the film. The many personalities in Infinity Pool drive the film’s shock value.

The film focuses on a couple, James, and Em Foster (Skarsgard and Coleman). They are vacationing around a fictional island called La Tolqa at an all-inclusive resort. James is a writer, and what Em does is not discussed. They are a quiet couple just trying to escape reality. Their trip starts to take a turn for the worse after a fatal accident. As the punishments for the accident are faced, the world of Infinity Pool starts to take its audience on a ride that is hard to understand. The island becomes a place where there are no norms and involves a subculture of tourism that is hedonistic. James’ behavior becomes more destructive as he falls under the bad influence of Gabi (Goth).  He finds himself in a world where he cannot control the dangers, he has surrounded himself with. Infinity Pool is a place where freedom and suffering goes wrong. It is a film that crosses extreme boundaries of terror.

There is a warning before the film starts saying the film may have lighting moments that are flashy, and that for those who have epilepsy to reconsider experiencing Infinity Pool. Even for me, the flashing moments during dangerous elements were somewhat nightmarish. The experience was not enjoyable, but it is typical for the visionary images that the elder Cronenberg is legendary for. Now that the son of Cronenberg is creating a weird world of his own, it is an adventure where reality is not as promising or delightful as many see in their dreams. The mind of Brandon Cronenberg will change the way audiences view the Cronenberg legacy with Infinity Pool.

This movie is not amazing, but it requires an open mind like other films by Cronenberg. It is important to bear in mind that this is a film made by David Cronenberg’s son. Infinity Pool made me think back to many of his father’s films I love because of how they crossed limits which made them masterpieces. Brandon’s Infinity Pool is shy of a masterpiece, but it is still surreal. Three stars for Infinity Pool.