Audience Member
an idea without a competent crew.
Rated 0.5/5 Stars •
Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars
02/03/23
Full Review
Audience Member
A well done independent movie, desently acted and an interesting concept. I wasn't sure what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised ...
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
01/15/23
Full Review
Audience Member
- Starts with the murder of a 'doctor' that is trying to find a way to keep us from getting sick. (People how many times do I have to tell you there's a reason we do.. its to keep the population in check!) Anyway he concocts a potion that when you drink it you will die instantly & with your last breath captures it, in a vial to save. The only problem is the experiments were done on convicts and those in asylums so if a vial breaks & you breath in, you end up with a split personality of sorts. You are yourself but you also get flashbacks of your other life, maybe even some talents. I thought it was cool something different in a way for me. I wouldn't call it a horror, maybe more a thriller. B
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
01/21/23
Full Review
Audience Member
<B><I>RESPIRE</I> (2011)</B>
WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY: David A. Cross
FEATURING: Tracy Teague, Mathew J. Wright. Vince Eustace, Jessica Keeler, Ellie Torrez
<B>GENRE: SUPERNATURAL THRILLER, HORROR, MYSTERY
RATING: 7 OUT OF 10 PINTS OF BLOOD </B>
<B>PLOT: All hell breaks loose when a dying curio shop proprietor obtains a mysterious locked box with the power to vanquish death and drive people mad.</B>
COMMENTS: Striking cinematography and a twisty-turning story distinguish this modest budget independent horror film shot in Hampstead, by Maryland native David A. Cross. Nazi drug experiments, insane asylums, madness, excruciating gore and mayhem set the pace for horror as <I>Respire</I> speeds along from beginning to end like a guillotine blade plummeting down its track.
When a locked wooden jewel box arrives at a New Age novelty shop, owner Susan Jordan (Teague) doesn't think much of it at first. But when strangers begin making overly generous offers for the tiny trunk, as well as bids for a companion book, she decides to investigate on her own. She gets in way, way over her head.
Ms. Jordan is terminally ill and has been struggling in vain to find a way to extend her life. She learns that the mysterious box offers a solution to her predicament, but Susan doesn't do all her homework before tampering with the dark power it holds within.
Susan's patrons have been tracking the box across a timeline of many decades -and across many bodies of its previous owners.
The perverse vessel's bloody legacy is depicted in an impressive opening montage. Like the movies <I>Twenty Bucks</I> (1993) or, <I>The Dress</I> (1996) in which the transfer of possession of a 20 dollar bill and a dress respectively, entwine multiple lives, the calamitous cache passes from one owner to the next, leaving chaotic destruction and bloody death in its wake.
Artfully executed, and visually memorable, this segment in the movie comprises an exceptional example of expository cinema. It is filmaking of a quality that is seldom seen in horror flicks. Regrettably, while the rest of the movie is very good for a modest independent, it struggles to live up to the expectations set by its cinematically spectacular commencement.
Now at the end of its lengthy sojourn,, Susan has acquired the small chest by chance. Like Pandora's Box, it offers much more than expected when opened. Its powerful spell miraculously cures Susan's affliction but curses her with another. It's a damning blessing. Susan's illness is gone but she's experiencing horrific visions and she has a newfound propensity for savage violence.
Once again healthy and strong, but fearful she is going insane, Susan plunges into a dreadful morass of nightmares, ultra-violence, and madness. As she struggles to find a way to extricate herself from the bloody, unexpected mess she has unleashed form the hell box, one thing leads to another and Susan's dilemma spirals sickeningly out of control.
Susan needs more information to solve the mystery of the chest and achieve deliverance. She must seek assistance from the customers who tried to purchase the troublesome case from her. Susan discovers to her peril that the interested parties have shifting alliances and unpredictable agendas. What do they know about this box and its contents that she does not?
Desperate, Susan does her best to keep a step ahead of double crosses, intrigue and attempts on her life. And look! The curse is spreading like a loathsome plague, enveloping the community in pestilence and mayhem. Will she find an answer before it's too late?
For a small budget, local independent film, <I>Respire</I> is really pretty good. It's not profound. A good script consultant could have tightened up the dialogue in places. A few of the characters are a bit loquacious and their utterances a bit grandiose for the occasion. The actors are not Screen Actors Guild members, though in my opinion, this is to the film's credit. Respire's visual dimension is just fantastic, though. It's artfully filmed and tightly edited with unique, strikingly creepy optical magic. These innovative special effects produce stunning, memorable scenes.
<I>Respire's</I> storyline is novel and ever-changing with continual, unforeseeable twists and turns, giving the picture a fresh feel. The underlying plot however, is less complex. It's a bit of a stretch, even in the context of horror and it's a bit murky in some places. Which is to say there are a couple of plot holes, and production would have benefited from a stouter, more cohesive premise.
Still, the movie works! It belts out good chills and satisfying sequences. We never know where the story is going. <I>Respire</I> keeps the viewer guessing. It's always a racing ahead , right to its sinister, unexpected, ambiguous ending.
I give <I>Respire</I> 9 out of ten pints of blood for originality, and strong, innovative visual effects. I give the plot a 6. It needed to be stronger. Eight pints for a surprising, unpredictable storyline leads me to rate <I>Respire</I> with an overall 7 PINTS OF BLOOD. Because it's fresh and unusual, <I>Respire</I> is well worth a rental by horror fans. It stands as a good example that one need not be a Hollywood insider to make a decent film. It's encouraging to see that a Maryland filmmaker has succeeded in executing a quality, independent horror production.
The DVD, released by Behind The Scenes Productions includes the following extras: a Behind-the-scenes featurette, Stills in Motion: The Asylum Photos; The Auction House alternate cut; Forgive the Fallen music video; a gag reel; and movie trailers.
<B>RESPIRE STILLS AND TRAILER LINKS</B> (Due to the fact that reviews in Warner Bro's "New Flixster" cannot accommodate html, links are no longer clickable.) Download and enlarge for full resolution:
STILLS 1-3
<B>http://content6.flixster.com/photo/14/06/19/14061916_ori.jpg
http://content8.flixster.com/photo/14/06/18/14061894_ori.jpg
http://content9.flixster.com/photo/14/06/19/14061903_ori.jpg</B>
TRAILER:
<B>http://www.flixster.com/videos?videoId=11156886</B>
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
01/25/23
Full Review
Audience Member
BY PAMELA DE GRAFF
<B><I>RESPIRE</I> (2011)</B>
WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY: David A. Cross
FEATURING: Tracy Teague, Mathew J. Wright. Vince Eustace, Jessica Keeler, Ellie Torrez
<B>GENRE:</B> SUPERNATURUAL THRILLER, HORROR, MYSTERY
<B>RATING: 7 OUT OF 10 PINTS OF BLOOD </B>
<B>PLOT: All hell breaks loose when a dying curio shop proprietor obtains a mysterious locked box with the power to vanquish death and drive people mad.</B>
COMMENTS: Striking cinematography and a twisty-turning story distinguish this modest budget independent horror film shot in Hampstead, by Maryland native David A. Cross. Nazi drug experiments, insane asylums, madness, excruciating gore and mayhem set the pace for horror as <I>Respire</I> speeds along from beginning to end like a guillotine blade plummeting down its track.
When a locked wooden jewel box arrives at a New Age novelty shop, owner Susan Jordan (Teague) doesn't think much of it at first. But when strangers begin making overly generous offers for the tiny trunk, as well as bids for a companion book, she decides to investigate on her own. She gets in way, way over her head.
Ms. Jordan is terminally ill and has been struggling in vain to find a way to extend her life. She learns that the mysterious box offers a solution to her predicament, but Susan doesn't do all her homework before tampering with the dark power it holds within.
Susan's patrons have been tracking the box across a timeline of many decades -and across many bodies of its previous owners.
The perverse vessel's bloody legacy is depicted in an impressive opening montage. Like the movies <I>Twenty Bucks</I> (1993) or, <I>The Dress</I> (1996) in which the transfer of possession of a 20 dollar bill and a dress respectively, entwine multiple lives, the calamitous cache passes from one owner to the next, leaving chaotic destruction and bloody death in its wake.
Artfully executed, and visually memorable, this segment in the movie comprises an exceptional example of expository cinema. It's filmaking of a quality that is seldom seen in horror films. Regrettably, while the rest of the movie is very good for a modest independent, it struggles to live up to this the expectations set by its cinematically spectacular commencement.
After the small chest's long journey, Susan has acquired it by chance. Like Pandora's Box, it offers much more than expected when opened. Its powerful spell miraculously cures Susan's affliction but curses her with another. It's a damning blessing. Susan's illness is gone but she's experiencing horrific visions and she has a newfound propensity for savage violence.
Now healthy and strong, but fearful she is going insane, Susan plunges into a dreadful morass of nightmares, ultra-violence, and madness. As she struggles to find away to extricate herself from the bloody, unexpected mess she has unleashed form the hell box, one thing leads to another and Susan's dilemma spirals sickeningly out of control.
Susan needs more information to solve the mystery of the chest and achieve deliverance. She must seek assistance from the customers who tried to purchase the troublesome case from her. Susan finds to her peril that the interested parties have shifting alliances and unpredictable agendas. What do they know about this box and its contents that she does not?
Desperate, Susan does her best to keep a step ahead of double crosses, intrigue and attempts on her life. And look! The curse is spreading like a loathsome plague, enveloping the community in pestilence and mayhem. Will she find an answer before it's too late?
For a small budget, local independent film, <I>Respire</I> is really pretty good. It's not profound. A good script consultant could have tightened up the dialogue in places. A few of the characters are a bit loquacious and their utterances a bit grandiose for the occasion. The actors are not Screen Actors Guild members, though in my opinion, this is to the film's credit. Respire's visual dimension is just fantastic, though. It's artfully filmed and tightly edited with unique, strikingly creepy optical magic. These innovative special effects produce stunning, memorable scenes.
<I>Respire's</I> storyline is novel and ever-changing with continual, unforeseeable twists and turns, giving the picture a fresh feel. The underlying plot however, is not profound. It's a bit of a stretch, even in the context of horror and it's a bit murky in some places. Which is to say there are a couple of plot holes and production would have benefited from a stouter, more cohesive premise.
Still, the movie works! It belts out good chills and satisfying sequences. We never know where the story is going. <I>Respire</I> keeps the viewer guessing. It's always a racing ahead , right to its sinister, unexpected, ambiguous ending.
I give <I>Respire</I> 9 out of ten pints of blood for originality, and strong, innovative visual effects. I give the plot a 6. It needed to be stronger. Eight pints for a surprising, unpredictable storyline leads me to rate <I>Respire</I> with an overall 7 PINTS OF BLOOD. Because it's fresh and unusual, <I>Respire</I> is well worth a rental by horror fans. It stands as a good example that one need not be a Hollywood insider to make a decent film. It's encouraging to see that a Maryland filmmaker has succeeded in executing a quality, independent horror production.
The DVD, released by Behind The Scenes Productions includes the following extras: a Behind-the-scenes featurette, Stills in Motion: The Asylum Photos; The Auction House alternate cut; Forgive the Fallen music video; a gag reel; and movie trailers.
RESTREPO STILLS AND TRAILER LINKS (Due to the fact that reviews in Warner Bro's "New Flixster" cannot accommodate html, links are no longer clickable.) Download and enlarge for full resolution:
STILLS 1-3
<B>http://content6.flixster.com/photo/14/06/19/14061916_ori.jpg
http://content8.flixster.com/photo/14/06/18/14061894_ori.jpg
http://content9.flixster.com/photo/14/06/19/14061903_ori.jpg</B>
TRAILER:
<B>http://www.flixster.com/videos?videoId=11156886</B>
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/25/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Quite interesting concept, quite solid story, only a bit flaky when it comes to the acting. The dialogues could have been a bit more elaborate as well. Still, it sets you out to think for a bit, which allows me to grade this movie above average.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
01/16/23
Full Review
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