We Are What We Are Movie Blurb by Shale October 26, 2013 Today I saw a limited release "Art Flick." At least I thot that while the opening credits were rolling and Ansel Adams fotos in motion were on screen. Have to mention that cinematographer Ryan Samul did an excellent job on this movie. There was no wide release openings this weekend and this one looked interesting. It is a remake of a 2010 Mexican film by the same name (Somos lo que hay) and same theme but the story differs. I will spoil it for you like most reviewers and divulge the theme, because it is revealed as obvious within 15 minutes of the film anyway. Movie opens in a stormy rural Pennsylvania where Mrs. Parker (Kassie DePaiva) is at a small grocery store getting supplies. On the way back to her truck she gets violently ill, koffs up blood and passes out in a large puddle and dies. Her family is predictably devastated by the news. Oh yes, the family. They are a reclusive lot, living on farmland near a trailer park and the father Frank Parker (Bill Sage) is some kind of fundamentalist Christian instilling his firm beliefs on daughters Iris (Ambyr Childers) and Rose (Julia Garner) and young son Rory (Jack Gore). The family is very close knit with the older girls now taking care of their young brother. Close Siblings The movie only spans a few days and there is a torrential rain with flooding, isolation and loss of electricity. Actually, quite fitting for the Parkers who are about to have their personal religious celebration of Lambs Day meal, where they all dress in late 19th Century attire. Parker's Formal Family Dinner Tho they stay to themselves and seldom see doctors, the Coroner Doc Barrow (Michael Parks) must now perform an autopsy on Mrs. Parker. He discovers strange symptoms of a Parkinson's type illness for someone in her late 40s. At this point you will notice the twitching thumb of Frank Parker and if you have any knowledge of Kuru disease or prions you will know what is going on. Of course this ties in with several ppl in the local communities disappearances over the years, including Doc Barrow's daughter and he is the first to get suspicious. The Sheriff brushes him off so he gets young Deputy Anders (Wyatt Russell) to help him investigate some findings. Oh, to complicate things the young deputy has a natural interest in the beautiful Iris Parker. Young Deputy & Iris From the second half of the movie there are some tense, suspenseful scenes played out by the daddy, the deputy and the coroner and Marge (Kelly McGillis) the Parker's next door neighbor. There is a hidden tunnel under the farmhouse with secrets that the sisters must now become part of. Sisters in Tunnel I liked the movie and 86% of the aggregate reviewers on Rottentomatoes did as well. It was a well-made indie, with good fotografy and music and acting. It's R-rated for some bloody gore - so you should know if this is your kind of flick.
