In this week\u2019s low-profile VOD releases, unexpected arrivals of money and letters cause problems, a new mother sees possible demons, and a lone survivor fights her town\u2019s worm-people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Icefall<\/em><\/strong> (VOD November 4):<\/strong> Austrian director Stefan Ruzowitzky is a long way from his 2007 Oscar-winning World War II drama The Counterfeiters<\/em>, helming a sort of off-brand Jason Statham thriller, with Bulgaria standing in for Montana. Joel Kinnaman plays the Statham role, as a taciturn military veteran who stumbles across a case full of money rising from the depths of a frozen lake, where a plane transporting stolen cash had crashed months earlier. The criminals who stole the money want it back, setting up a confrontation with Kinnaman\u2019s Harlan and local game warden Ani (Cara Jade Myers). Dodgy special effects aside, Ruzowitzky stages some decent action, including a couple of standout moments involving bear traps. Everything in between is pretty dire, though, from the tedious infighting among the criminals (led by Danny Huston as their ruthless boss) to the budding connection between Harlan and Ani to the clumsy and mildly condescending depiction of Native American spirituality, featuring the late Graham Greene in one of his final roles. Grade: C+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Beldham<\/em><\/strong> (VOD November 7):<\/strong> Postpartum horror has become a familiar subgenre, and writer-director Angela Gulner offers a basic but dependable take on the formula, right until an infuriating final twist. Single mom Harper (Katie Parker) and her newborn daughter move in with Harper\u2019s mother Sadie (Patricia Heaton), who\u2019s recently retired and is renovating a creepy old house. At first it seems like Harper is there to help her mother, joining Sadie\u2019s boyfriend Frank (Corbin Bernsen) and in-home caretaker Bette (Emma Fitzpatrick). But it soon becomes clear that Harper is the one who needs help, following an unspecified breakdown. Thus when Harper starts seeing visions of a shadowy figure trying to take her baby, there\u2019s the obvious question of whether the house is actually haunted, or Harper is mentally unstable. Gulner builds up some eerie atmosphere, and Heaton channels her sitcom-mom energy (from stints on Everybody Loves Raymond<\/em> and The Middle<\/em>) into something more menacing. But the ultimate answer is such a manipulative, sentimental cheat that any previous intrigue immediately evaporates. Grade: C+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Wormtown<\/em><\/strong> (VOD November 7):<\/strong> Director Sergio Pinheiro and screenwriter Andrew James Myers evoke an entire post-apocalyptic world within the confines of a small town in this surprisingly affecting sci-fi movie about mind-controlling worms attacking humanity. While others have fought against the invasive parasites, the residents of Ashland, Ohio, have welcomed their new worm overlords, thanks to the cult-like leadership of Mayor Joshua (Jim Azelvandre), who broadcasts a message of unity and obedience over local radio. There are a handful of holdouts, including former teacher Jess (Caitlin McWethy), who eventually escapes to a nearby Amish compound that has stayed worm-free. The worm infestation serves as a metaphor for authoritarianism and social conformity, but Wormtown<\/em> is more than just a political allegory. The filmmakers create meaningful relationships among the central characters, making for heartbreaking moments when Jess has to face impossible decisions. McWethy keeps the story grounded in recognizable emotion, and the understated effects give the absurd premise a sense of grim urgency. Grade: B+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n