In this third list for the Carnival of Calamity Backstage Pass, three films have been selected based on their connection with … the strange. In Caddo Lake, we discover alongside the characters a space in the swamp that is quite unlike the rest of it; in Oculus, a mirror twists and contorts perception; and a hotel room takes even the most wary of guests outside of their foundation of normalcy in 1408. Reality shifts and bends for characters by varying means, and leave us wondering what other worlds may lie within uneasy reach.
Oculus and 1408 are stellar in their conceptions and execution. Caddo Lake, we are unhappy to report, leaves much to be desired. Still, it presents a shift in reality, allowing it a welcome on this list. In taking up this list for your weekend cinematic experience, begin with Caddo Lake. It is mostly grounded in reality—until it is not, and then it provides a pocket of extra-dimensional experience. Also, being the worst of the three, we recommend just getting it out of the way. Follow this with Oculus, which moves things into the psyche and shifts reality right where we most commonly experience it: in the home. Wrap up your weekend with 1408, which will completely dissolve any semblance of what might be considered real, as you journey through worlds unknown alongside John Cusack, all contained in what was supposed to be just another allegedly haunted hotel room.
Now, in accordance with The Calamity Content Rating System, we hereby rate Caddo Lake 🤡🤡🤡🤡. That is four clowns—which, due to the backwards nature of the rating system—means the film is terrible, but not as bad as it could be. Go to the rating system page for a breakdown of how we rate things here at the Calamity if this confuses you somewhat. The full review of Caddo Lake follows below, whereby you will come to understand why so many clowns, and come to agree with us. Should you disagree, we will be forced to contact your employer and have you canceled.
Now then, be forewarned that there are spoilers in the review, but as the film is poorly executed, the spoilers may perhaps assist you in understanding what the in the actual fuck is happening. Read at your own discretion.
You will the list on Letterboxd at the link below:
This is not, in any sense of the word, a spectacular spectacle. This, my esteemed reader, is just shy of a polished turd. The cinematography is modern, and the story is shit. It is, in almost every regard, generic. Standard horror tropes abound: dogs barking at some indeterminable thing, gunshots audible from off-screen, characters getting stuck in situations aimed purely to increase tension, and unpleasant personalities and character interactions aimed at driving emotion. Use of generic tropes does not a film make bad, per se, but they can, and often do, make for a predictable set of circumstances and a generic viewing experience if not paired with ingenuity, and this proved to be exactly that: a generic viewing experience. This film’s attempt at ingenuity could have transcended the mediocre state brought on by the generous use of generic tropes, if not for its convoluted time mechanism, rendering it unenjoyable.
Continued after the break
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Having all the time in the world seems like a great idea, until the cost looms and realization strikes. A tale from the Odds ‘n’ Endings Boutique.
spoilers
You, as viewer, are expected to be emotionally involved with the characters while logically following the timelines they traverse. Except, at the point where the characters begin jumping through time, they are shuffled around so much it is quite easy to lose track of where or when they are. Most films that play with time, whether jumping around in different points of the narrative or making use of time travel as a trope, often provide some foundation, some point of reference by which you may orient yourself as the narrative progresses. There is no such point of reference here. The characters jump, then jump again, and then again and again and again and we're left with few clues as to which direction their leaps take them.
The film attempts to explain what is occurring, and even in this, it is executed poorly, leaving a vague impression of what you’re supposed to be paying attention to, and this attempt is further garbled as it is given poor treatment at the end. Had you performed the mental gymnastics to understand the wild jumps through time, the film leaves you wondering why you bothered.
Christopher Nolan's Memento makes you work, but the payoff is on par with the labor. When you see Vincent and Jules seated in the diner toward the end of Pulp Fiction, you have the epiphany of what will transpire before it even happens, and this is made all the more satisfying after having followed the two on their wild ride throughout the film. None of that is here. The movie ends, and you’re left with the singular idea: “That was it?”
What can I say about Caddo Lake that I have not stated clearly and firmly in the review? Perhaps one final thing: if you have to kick one film off of this list, kick this one off and watch the other two. Oculus is a peak psychological terror, and 1408 is simply incredible. A review of these may, perhaps, need to be written. In any case, stop in every Thursday to grab the list and set up your cinematic weekend!
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