Hey folks, Valkor here. When given the opportunity to review a film, I'm usually on the fence because things can go one of two ways – really bad or really good. Thankfully this next film I'll be reviewing, Do Not Disturb, is only bad as in good. And it's not only good… it's great! This anthology film is directed by Mali Elfman, but each story contained within has its own director. Check it out!
Do Not Disturb is the product of five directors, each given a task of telling a story that ties together into one film that takes place in one room – room 316. The connection of each story is through a maid (Diva Zappa), who has rigged the room with a listening device so she can hear the patrons and their activities. And sometimes… she gets involved. It's a comedy, somewhat dar, but the laughs are certainly there and the stories… well see for yourself.
Duccio's Madonna (directed by Eric Balfour) – In this tale we meet Dennis, a lonely man who calls up a call girl for a kinky time. But Dennis's idea of kink doesn't sit well with the hooker. Fortunately for Dennis there's a maid present who's willing to play by his rules.
Rocketman (directed by Petro Paphadjopoulos) – This is probably the most twisted of the five stories. An Astronaut, just back from a space mission, looks to have a romantic evening with his wife. But things seem a bit off before going completely off the rails!
Prom (directed by Laura Henry) – This story centers on two boys – one who is openly gay and the other who appears straight and is a star athlete, as they share a room, while out with their schoolmates on a class field trip. Though at first this seems to be an odd (and uncomfortable) pairing, the two make a connection. Is it a budding new friendship... or something more? The director leaves it for you to decide.
Intrinsic (directed by Jon Mann-Krieger) – A couple enters 316 and it would appear things are about to get hot and heavy. Suddenly the woman pulls a fast one and snaps the guys neck. She then starts to harvests his organs to sell on the black market. But what the woman doesn't know is that the guy slipped her a mickey and after partaking of her beverage, she's suddenly out cold. Enter the maid who shows up right when a mafia type enters to collect his treasure. Now she's mistaken for the real harvester. Things get even more twisted when the mafia guy asks her to finish the job and take the guts from the woman whom he wasn't expecting to be there.
Death Takes a Holiday Inn (directed by Brandon Nicholas) – When all is said and done, the maid is left with two bodies and she herself a bloody mess. As she begins the clean up, she's soon haunted by the two dead bodies in the room who act as her conscience – one telling her to go out in a blaze of glory, and the other tells her to take a more subtle approach, ending on an urban legend.
The last time I covered an anthology, it was for "The Telling"; and that was a horror, which I truly enjoyed. So how does an independent, dark comedy hold up against the TOV Breakdown?
The Good:
For one thing "Do Not Disturb" is probably the most charming and entertaining film I've seen in a good while. I know I might have said that about a few films, but as of today, Do Not Disturb stands above all of them. The movie isn't non-stop, side-splitting comedy, but it definitely serves up the laughs and I promise you, you will laugh. Each story compliments the next one with a nice transition in between of the maid and her eagerness to know what happens in room 316. Believe it or not, my favorite tale would have to be "Prom". I liked it more than I did the others because watching it… it felt natural, not like two dudes acting out a script, but real conversation. And the ending is open to interpretation, so hey, take away from that what you will. I give kudos to all the directors for stitching together such incredible pieces, especially given the constraints – they were given one day to shoot and 8 rules that had to be followed, all from a brief synopsis. Each piece was fresh, exciting, and unpredictable. And of course we cannot forget Mali Elfman, who patched it all together for a memorable experience. Congrats should also be given to the cast for their stellar performances, everyone brought their A-game, which shows because the film never drags and the humor never dries up. Finally I gotta give two thumbs up to Danny Elfman on his whimsical score; not only can you tell it's his music, but it blends with the film so perfectly.
The Bad:
N/A
The Ugly:
N/A
Do Not Disturb isn't one the most unique films I've seen this year(that honor goes to Rubber), it certainly is a lot of fun, very entertaining and ranks as one of the best films I've seen this year. On May 1st you can check out Do Not Disturb on iTunes, Video on Demand, Amazon, Blockbuster among other places where video (and instant video) can be found. And out of TOV 5 stars, I give Do Not Disturb a perfect 5 and it's been Valkor viewed, TOV Approved.
