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Rosewood Lane DVD Review

At one point in my life, Victor Salva was the master of nightmares. For some of you out there he’s probably that too, this is the guy who wrote and directed Jeepers Creepers, a film that’s a sort of induction into horror for a certain generation. His latest film Rosewood Lane comes nowhere near the same caliber of scare or even coherency of plot.

The story follows radio host Sonny Blake (Rose McGowan) as she ventures back to her peaceful childhood home after her alcoholic father’s death. Slowly the idyllic setting of sunny suburbia becomes more and more dangerous as she uncovers a neighborhood terrified of the local paper boy (Daniel Ross Owens), a boy with seemingly inhuman powers. When the paper boy begins to call Sonny’s radio show and recite nursery rhymes, a game of cat and mouse begins with more than just her own life at risk.

The first major issue with Rosewood Lane is a pretty big one: the basic concept is bad. Playing out like a woeful Stephen King story, the concept of a sociopathic paper-boy doesn't lift off the page well, in fact from start to finish you can’t stop thinking that this is a horror movie about a paper boy. Daniel Ross Owens isn't outrageously bad in his role; the failings are down to his scripting mostly, but even after that he looks too old for the part. The character choices all point to someone trying way too hard to add “Evil Paper Boy” to the canon of American psychos; instead the film plays out like the perfect argument against such a travesty. The nursery rhyme reciting is laughable and cringe-worthy, and is one of a plethora of bad choices that marks the script as undeveloped. Another bizarre focus in the film is its constant profession that bikes are intimidating, which, even after a handful of close ups and sinister music, they are definitely not.

There are a lot of misdirected emotional scenes that play out like bad excuses to get the actors involved, which a shame is considering the fact the cast is actually pretty good. Ray Wise, as always, adds a touch of class to an otherwise dismal affair, playing a cop investigating Sonny’s stalker paper-boy. McGowan floats along giving a performance dented only by what she has to say, and everyone else looks like they’re on stand-by for better lines. Rosewood Lane fires a hell of a lot of blanks too, pushing vague strands of story out into the screen and pulling them back just as quickly. These half-hearted attempts at depth end up sinking the boat faster by not taking the story in a concrete direction. The film feels like it’s supposed to be an episode of something rather than a feature film and if there are any tense sequences or good jumps, they unfortunately come few and far between.

By the time the twist arrives you won’t care, the film’s snail pace and stunted story see to that. Rosewood Lane is not a film bothered by giving the how’s and why’s, instead it focuses too much time on taking itself too seriously. So between the ridiculous nature of the story, the stunted flow of the film, and the lack of real thrill, the piece falls flat and tedious. If the paper boy had been written differently and the film managed to sort its pacing out, then it might have been a mediocre attempt but, as is, it’s a messy and often silly state of affairs that leaves you wondering how Salva could have gotten it so wrong.

Scott Clark

Rating:15
DVD Release Date:15th October 2012
Directed By: Victor Salva
Cast: Rose McGowan, Ray Wise, Bill Fagerbakke, Lesley-Anne Down, Lin Shaye
Pre-order/Buy Rosewood Lane:DVD

Win The Agression Scale On Blu-Ray

To celebrate the release of The Aggression Scale (Anchor Bay) on Blu-ray and DVD on 3rd September, we've got three Blu-rays to give away!

“Home Alone” meets “First Blood” as two teen siblings take on a group of vicious hitmen in this tense and brutal home invasion thriller from up-and-coming genre director Steven C. Miller.

Released from prison on bail for 48 hours after being charged with murder, ruthless crime boss Reg Bellavance is planning on avoiding a life behind bars by skipping the country with his young son. But first he needs to lay his hands on the illegally gained stash of cash he had put aside to fund his departure. Bellavance places the task of finding the money in the hands of hitman Lloyd and his accomplices, instructing them to hunt down and kill anybody who could possibly have been involved in the money’s disappearance. Their bloody trail of murder and destruction eventually leads to the new home of Bill and Maggie Rutledge and their kids, Lauren and Owen. On paper, this particular hit should be the easiest and most rewarding of the lot. What Lloyd and his goons don’t know – but are soon to find out – is emotionally disturbed Owen has a secret history of violent behaviour that makes their exploits look like child’s play in comparison.

To win the The Agression Scale on Blu-Ray please answer the Following Question:

Q.Director Steven C.Miller film he directed After The Aggression Scale  premièred at last week's Film4 Frightfest in London, name that film?

Send Your Answer, Name, Address & Postcode to winatcinehouseuk@gmail.com
Deadline for this comp Sunday 23rd September 2012(2359hrs), Must be Aged 18 or over to enter.

Terms and Conditions

• This prize is non-transferable.
• No cash alternatives apply.
• UK & Irish entries only
  The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse and Anchor Bay UK  have the right to alter, delay or cancel this competition without any notice
• The competition is not opened to employees, family, friends of The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse,Anchor Bay UK  employees
• This competition is promoted on behalf of Anchor Bay UK
• If this prize becomes unavailable we have the right to offer an alternative prize instead.
• The Prize is to win The Aggression Scale on Blu-Ray, 3 winners
• To enter this competition you must send in your answer, name, address only, Deadline September 23rd, 2012 (2359hrs)
• Will only accept entries sent to the correct email (winatcinehouseuk@gmail.com), any other entry via any other email will be void.
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• By sending your entry for this competition you are confirming you have read and agreed to these Terms & Conditions.

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The Aggression Scale DVD Review

Home Alone Goes Gritty In The Aggression Scale

Described Home Alone meets First Blood as two teen siblings take on a group of vicious hitmen in this tense and brutal home invasion thriller from up-and-coming genre director Steven C. Miller. On September 3rd, The Aggression Scale will be coming to DVD& Blu-Ray , thanks to Anchor Bay Entertainment.

Released from prison on bail for 48 hours after being charged with murder, ruthless crime boss Reg Bellavance is planning on avoiding a life behind bars by skipping the country with his young son. But first he needs to lay his hands on the illegally gained stash of cash he had put aside to fund his departure. Bellavance places the task of finding the money in the hands of hitman Lloyd and his accomplices, instructing them to hunt down and kill anybody who could possibly have been involved in the money’s disappearance. Their bloody trail of murder and destruction eventually leads to the new home of Bill and Maggie Rutledge and their kids, Lauren and Owen. On paper, this particular hit should be the easiest and most rewarding of the lot. What Lloyd and his goons don’t know – but are soon to find out – is emotionally disturbed Owen has a secret history of violent behaviour that makes their exploits look like child’s play in comparison.

If, you ever wondered what  “Home Alone” would have been like if it had been a gritty, violent thriller instead of a cutesy, slapstick comedy then The Aggression Scale might just the film for you. There’s still plenty of black humour here, but the tension, action and bloodletting is seriously hardcore, thanks in no small part to the presence of one of cinema’s most original anti-heroes in the form of young Owen Rutledge. And, just when you think the movie is over, director Steven C. Miller delivers a fantastic head-rush of a final scene that will have genre fans begging for more.

The Aggression Scale stars  the film stars Ryan Hartwig (Parks And Recreation; Cold Case), Fabianne Therese (John Dies At The End) and Derek Mears (Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides), Ray Wise (Mad Men;  Reaper) and Dana Ashbrook (Crash; The Kill Point).

Pre-Order/Buy:The Aggression Scale On DVD/ On Blu-ray

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