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The Artist Review

Shannon — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:29:52 +0000

The Artist Written and Directed by: Michel Hazanavicius Starring: Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo, John Goodman, James Cromwell, Uggie I’ve been frantically trying to catch up on every movie that I should see before Oscar night, but for some reason, I have continuously shoved The Artist to the bottom of the screener pile for months. I found it difficult to conjure up much enthusiasm for a film that is not only silent but filmed entirely in black and white. What’s the big deal? Why is this film a frontrunner for the heated Best Picture race? It looked dull and tedious. Wrong, on both accounts. The Artist is one of the most charming films I have ever seen. It’s a wonderful tribute to the golden age of film, all the while managing to feel wholly original and exhilarating. It’s little wonder it has emerged as a critical darling this season. There’s nothing else quite like it. A dashing hero (Jean Dujardin) and a coquettish ingénue (Berenice Bejo) whirl their way through a tale of romance, melancholy, loss and redemption. Dujardin is George Valentin, the debonair reigning king of silent film who stars in swashbuckling adventures that enthrall the audiences who are devouring this new form of entertainment. Valentin is a contract performer for a major film studio, and expertly uses his good lucks and charisma to market whatever film project he is promoting. The result is mass chaos whenever he shows up on a red carpet event. He knows how to work the crowd, and women strain to catch a glimpse of him. One day a clamoring cutie named Peppy Miller finds herself face to face with her idol when she stumbles out from behind the velvet rope, and it is Kismet. The two have instant chemistry, and take the opportunity to ham it up for the camera. The next day the photos are splashed across the front page of every newspaper across the nation, and everyone wants to know who the mystery girl is. Peppy’s brush with fame inspires her to pursue her dreams of being a star, and she auditions for bit part in George’s next film. Not only does she snag the part, but she gets to spend some stolen (though chaste) moments with George, who offers some words of advice to the ambitious starlet. Though he is obviously transfixed by Peppy, he is married, and honors that commitment. This all takes place on the crux of a development that will change the future of film forever: the arrival of “talking pictures”. George eschews the new type of movies being made as a silly fad, while Peppy embraces the future, and becomes one of the fresh faced performers at the same studio that represents George. In an ironic twist of fate, George sees his star plummet to the ground at the very same time Peppy’s explodes. After several years, the once proud George finds himself penniless and broken, while Peppy is at the toast of Hollywood. However, Peppy has never forgotten her crush. It’s wonderfully romantic. Dujardin and Bejo are magnificent in their respective roles. Since there is no spoken dialogue in the film, the two must convey every single emotion with highly nuanced facial expressions and body language. There are some subtitles that provide sparse bits of dialogue, but the movie relies almost completely on the performances of the two principals. Director Michel Hazanavicius (Bejo’s real-life husband) coaxes some magic from the pair; they also deliver one hell of a dance sequence in the movie that left me giddy. It’s a throwback to the musicals of the 50s, something we don’t see today. I can imagine the nostalgia it will inspire in older Academy members, so I think its chances for taking home the big prize are better than ever. Though this film deals with the transition from silent to speaking film, it reminded me of the times when big actors were under contract with major studios like MGM, then gradually a new model was adapted. Gone today are the days when a particular actor guarantees a big box office opening. Even recent heavyweights like Tom Cruise, Harrison Ford, Julia Roberts and Tom Hanks are capable of faltering at the box office. We’re on to the next era, where actors are plucked from obscurity in order to cut budget costs and studios cross their fingers that every once in a while they will hit the bulls-eye with a mega franchise like Twilight or Fast Five. Someday we’ll be waxing poetic about the stars of the '80s and '90s (I’ve already begun doing so). Despite the lack of color, The Artist boasts sumptuous cinematography. You won’t even notice that it is in black and white. The characters pop on the screen, and Hazanavicius perfectly frames the shots so that you can focus on their faces, which are the centerpiece of the story. I’m not even going to touch on the controversy swirling around the score of The Artist, but as far as I am concerned, it’s perfect for the film; punchy and kicky at times, soft and subtle at others. This is one of those films in which the score actually becomes an integral character. I would be remiss without mentioning some of the excellent supporting players in the film. John Goodman plays Al Zimmer, George’s longtime boss and friend who agonizes over releasing George from his contract. Then there is Uggie, the Jack Russell dog who has catapulted to fame after his endearing performance as George’s loyal canine companion (and co-star). Do yourself a favor and believe the hype - The Artist is one of the most entertaining films of the year. -- Shannon

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The Woman in Black Review

Colin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:15:28 +0000

The Woman in Black Directed by: James Watkins Written by: Jane Goldman (screenplay), Susan Hill (novel) Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Janet McTeer, Ciarán Hinds Recipe for a Hollywood horror flick: pick a screenplay with a vaguely creepy-sounding title like The Woman in Black. Be sure the writer included one or all of the following: portraits with the eyes scratched out, little kids' drawings, antique toys, etc. Next, shoot everything at half exposure. Then pick a quiet weekend to release and collect your fifty million dollars. Repeat. It's a racket that works like a charm, and isn't going away until the audience does. The Woman in Black stars 'Arry Potter 'imself — Daniel Radcliffe — as Arthur Kipps, an adolescent English estate lawyer bound unluckily for a haunted house in the boondocks. Kipps' job is on the line, which accounts for his eager beaver attitude upon arrival, and dogged insistence on seeing the property, even against the behest of, oh, everyone in town. You know where this is going. Once inside the isolated island manor, Kipps can’t seem to get any work done. A typical sequence of scenes plays out with the protagonist sitting down to study a stack of documents and being immediately distracted by some foreign sound or supernatural happening. And then the investigation's afoot; jump scares abound, though they fall too formulaically to conjure much anxiety or subsequent shock. After all, scares by appointment aren't very scary. The screenplay is particularly disappointing given its author, Jane Goldman, who spun genre into gold with Kick-Ass and X-Men: First Class. Too dour to pass as a throwback haunted house flick, and too clichéd to surprise anyone, The Woman in Black is caught in the nebulous nowhere between fun and frightening. Even if her writing were stronger, however, there's no guarantee it would be spared the blunt hand of James Watkins, a director with the finesse of a steamroller. He brings not an ounce of aesthetic originality to the table, imbuing the movie with the same ugly, washed-out palette of six dozen other studio horror failures. The technique is intended to foster a mood, but it's a cheap substitute for good old-fashioned filmmaking. Mood isn't achieved in camera — it's an aggregate of art direction, camera placement, performance, music, etc. The obvious digital look of the film also hampers the believability of its period setting — the turn of the century never looked so bland. Performances add little life to the landscape. Daniel Radcliffe manages not to embarrass himself, and that's being generous. Frankly, it's tough to buy the Hogwarts alum as a dad when he's been playing a teenager for ten years. It's equally tough to imagine him a widower, as he broods with all the emotional turmoil of an Olsen twin. Ciarán Hinds plays Kipps' sole confidant in the haunted hamlet, and fittingly enough, delivers the film's sole compelling performance. Still, his character never goes anywhere, a waste of Hinds' talent. Effective horror is contingent upon a willingness to take the audience outside its comfort zone, and The Woman in Black is too creakily formulaic to creep us out. Because Hollywood is a business, it's more desirable to greenlight a derivative script and hire a yes-man director than to risk something edgier that might not pay off. The cycle continues. The Woman in Black follows that recipe to a T, but there's something lost in translation. Maybe the recipe wasn't all that good to begin with. Maybe the whole cookbook needs to go. — Colin

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Belle de Jour Blu Ray Review

Jay C. — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 04:35:35 +0000

Belle de Jour Directed by Luis Buñuel Written by Luis Buñuel, Jean-Claude Carrière Starring Catherine Deneuve, Jean Sorel, Michel Piccoli, Geneviéve Page Luis Buñuel's Belle de Jour is a sexy and disturbing psychological case study that investigates the masochistic desires of its main character as she attempts to fulfill her urges and reconcile her past. The film opens with a red herring of sorts, as we're introduced to a couple on a romantic carriage ride. The woman, an attractive blonde, shuns the advances of her companion, resulting her forceful removal from the carriage by its drivers. She's led into the woods blindfolded, and eventually tied to a tree, hands above her head. After ripping down the back of her dress, the man signals the drivers to whip her. She seems to enjoy it. An abrupt cut reintroduces the same couple, now in their bedroom getting ready for bed. It was all a dream…or a fantasy. Séverine Serizy (Catherine Deneuve) is a seemingly normal, happily married woman who finds herself continually daydreaming about masochistic, sexual scenarios. She's always managed to subdue her fantasies until a friend -- and admirer -- tells her about a local high-class brothel. She decides to investigate and is inexplicably drawn to the place, offering her "services" with one caveat; that she be done by five o'clock. For this, she's given the nickname "Belle de Jour", or "daylight beauty" (thanks Wikipedia!) As she grows accustomed to engaging in sexual acts with a multitude of customers (all of which have varying tastes and fetishes), she keeps her newfound profession a secret from her husband. Eventually Séverine services Marcel, a young gangster who grows obsessed with her. This, along with the discovery by a friend that she's working at the brothel, prompts her to leave. This sends Marcel into a rage, as he's willing to do whatever it takes to have her to himself. From here on, you get a sense of Séverine 's world slowly starting to crumble. You can't help but wonder whether or not she's more concerned about her husband finding out about her taboo day job or the thought of having to stop her escapades and return to her normal life. It almost seems like the whole point of engaging in this activity, aside from indulging her sexual urges, is to be found out. Séverine is desperately trying to sabotage everything around with her passive/aggressive actions. Her motivations are complex and intriguing, and the fact that she only feels sexually aroused when being abused raises questions about her past. We do get occasional glimpses at her childhood as Buñuel utilizes fantasies and daydreams to disrupt the narrative and momentarily puzzle the audience. These surreal flashes are actually quite affective in providing us with insight into Séverine 's desires and more importantly, her past. It's through this that we discover an apparent episode of childhood molestation, which says a lot about her actions. I wish I could hold Belle de Jour up against the rest of Buñuel's filmography, but I'm sad to say this is the only film of his I've see thus far. Having said that, I am aware of the surreal nature of his work and could definitely see that influence shining through. The thing I like about the way in which he handles the daydream sequences is he depends solely on creating unusual visuals within the frame, in no way depending upon any fancy camera moves or special effects. Watching Catharine Deneuve dressed in a white gown, being pelted in the face with mud was truly a provocative and captivating image. There are a few moments where you might find yourself temporarily disoriented by what's real and what's imagined, but Buñuel is generally quick to recalibrate the audiences senses. It's only in the final scene of the film that he lets Séverine 's daydreams take centre stage, leaving the audience with a seemingly ambiguous (although in my opinion, clearly explainable) ending that I actually found to be quite depressing. She spends the entire film living out her fantasies as a result of her past, only to end up regressing even further into her daydreams and further away from reality. Next to the cinema, blu ray is likely the best possible way to experience a film like Belle de Jour for the first time. The print is void of dirt and scratches and the transfer is pretty much flawless. As I've stated previously, these releases do a great job at approximating the look and feel of watching a movie on actual film. The colours are rich and a subtle layer of grain is visible throughout. There's a pretty good selection of special features, including an audio commentary by Michael Wood, author of the BFI Film Classics book on Belle de Jour. The disc also includes a new video featuring sexual politics activist Susie Bright and film scholar Linda Williams. Finally, there's a new interview with screenwriter Jean-Claude Carrière and a segment from Cinema, a French television program featuring interviews with Carrière and Catherine Deneuve. -- Jay C.

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The Grey Review (Colin’s Take)

Colin — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:39:11 +0000

The Grey Directed by: Joe Carnahan Written by: Joe Carnahan & Ian Mackenzie Jeffers Starring: Liam Neeson, Durmont Mulroney, Frank Grillo So it's come to this: Liam Neeson, a pack of wolves, and a filmmaker with delusions of grandeur. The Grey might have passed as merely a second-rate survival flick had it laid off the pseudo-intellectual grandstanding and quickened the glacial pace. Unfortunately, its shepherd, Joe Carnahan, knows no such restraint. Bloated, juvenile, and absurd, the movie attempts to pass off a few cheap thrills as an ode to humanity. Oh, and according to Carnahan, it may return to theaters to make an Oscar run in October. Give me a break. Neeson plays Ottway, a professional wolf hunter with a penchant for internally reciting corny poems written by his deceased daddy. "Once more into the fray/ Into the last good fight I'll ever know/ To live and die on this day," he rasps. Hey, how that's poetry elective going? It might seem profound as a beer hall anthem to rally spirits in the fourth quarter, but it's embarrassingly maudlin as the emotional crux of a movie. But enough about poetry — let's talk about wolves. A plane crash strands about half a dozen men in The Middle of Nowhere, Alaska. Hounded by a pack of edgy predators, the crew must literally fight for their survival. Never mind the practical how-tos like sustaining an expedition without potable water — they've got man-hungry wolves on their tail! The biggest, nastiest wolves special effects can conjure, though they're mostly relegated to chasing everyone from one tired setpiece to the next. Here's the problem — with riveting wilderness docs like Touching the Void and Encounters at the End of the World streaming online, there's no excuse to settle for such a stagey drama. But Werner Herzog is obviously beyond these morons; someone in The Grey paraphrases Grizzly Man as that movie about "The fag and the bears." Are these guys from Alaska or a college fraternity? I don't demand that any character be likeable — but I ask that they be interesting. Not a one in Ottway's ragtag group of "fugitives, drifters, and assholes" brings a single compelling trait to the table. Ottway wins the likability contest by default, even though his character might as well be the Wikipedia page on wolves for all he contributes to the conversation. And it's a shame we're stuck with such shallow people, because their trek is often atmospheric, and the many perils they face might mean something if we actually cared about who they are. Writer/director Joe Carnahan can get by on keen visuals, but he writes like an emotionally stunted 19-year-old. His ceaselessly abrasive, hollow characters engage in dialogue with all the wisdom and wit of a whirring garbage disposal. Their pointless, profanity-laden bickering and eventual, manufactured camaraderie play stilted, not uplifting. Just die already. The Grey is a mangy, flea-bitten excuse for an epic with an obnoxiously inflated self-image. Nowhere in its unwarranted 117 minutes does it possess a shred of the intellectuality it pompously aspires to, nor does it achieve a badass nirvana despite its consistent, cocksure projection of masculinity. Carnahan succeeds in scoring a few cheap thrills, but he ought to leave the philosophizing to the artists. End rant. — Colin For another take on The Grey, check out Shannon's review.

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The Grey Review (Shannon’s Take)

Shannon — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:39:02 +0000

The Grey Directed by: Joe Carnahan Written by: Joe Carnahan and Ian Mackenzie Jeffers Starring: Liam Neeson, Dermot Mulroney, Dallas Roberts and Frank Grillo January is usually known as an arid wasteland for new film releases. Studios dump all the films that weren’t good enough for awards consideration, and the results are not pretty. My expectations for The Grey were tempered accordingly. I expected a campy creature-feature, nothing more. What I got instead was a complex, touching and intelligent tale of survival. Solid acting, breathtaking set pieces and thoughtful ruminations on faith and spirituality elevate The Grey from the typical ranks of action-adventure movies. A group of oil company workers described as “unfit for mankind” depart on a small plane bound for Anchorage, which crashes in the middle of the frozen tundra somewhere in Alaska. Only seven of the passengers survive, but the crash becomes the least of their worries. The small band of men must face hunger, fatigue, freezing temperatures and a large population of territorial wolves. Ottway (a terrific Liam Neeson) instantly becomes the de facto leader when he takes charge in the chaos and panic following the crash. While others are dazed, terrified and in shock, Ottway is calm, collected and practical. A particularly poignant scene establishes his strength of character as he gently helps ease a dying man into death. That’s the exact moment that I knew the film was going to be special. Neeson is so poised and graceful in the scene; I completely believed in his character from that moment on. The film feels very much like Jaws meets Deliverance. The rough and tumble men bond over their shared sense of peril while they are picked off one by one by either the wolves or the elements. The great injustice of surviving the harrowing plane crash only to succumb to these forces is frustrating to watch. You truly want these men to survive because they deserve to. Which brings me to the faith aspect of the film. Many of the men have strong faith, or believe that there must be some pre-destined reason that they were the only survivors. But how do you hold on to those beliefs when you see your numbers dwindle? Why would you be put through all of this only to be ripped apart by wolves? Ottway is a complicated character. Ironically, he was employed by the company as a sniper who protected the base from wolves and bears, giving him some inside information on wolf behavior. He was dangerously close to committing suicide on the evening the plane departed, but after the crash he arises a new man, determined to survive the ordeal. He is the heart and soul of the group, at times appearing to will them to live. Late in the movie, he shouts a phrase of dialogue that gave me goose bumps. He looks up in the sky, tired, alone, and scared and screams, “F*** faith, EARN IT” to whoever or whatever is out there. It kind of blew me away, because by that point you completely understand why he says it. How many tests can one man take? Neeson is fantastic as Ottway, and without him, this is an entirely different film. Bradley Cooper was originally slated to play the role, and the movie would have been laughable if that were the case. Neeson has an air of melancholy and a sense of authority about him that is perfectly suited to Ottway. It’s no secret that Neeson tragically lost his wife a few years back, and he clearly draws on that in this role. As for the hand wringers who worry that Neeson is now stereotyped as these badass action heroes, who cares? He’s damn good at it. Though Neeson carries the movie, the supporting actors are very good: namely Dermot Mulroney and Frank Grillo. Director Joe Carnahan (The A-Team, Narc) missteps a bit with the pacing of the film, but for the most part, he does an admirable job with the material. The plane crash scene was as scary as any I’ve seen, and the disarray and shock following the wreck was completely harrowing. Carnahan had the benefit of filming in Vancouver, and the cold and the wind are palpable. The biggest disappointment is the CGI wolves. For reasons I can’t ascertain, no one has been able to render a convincing CGI wolf to this day. They always seem a bit off, so be prepared for that. Thankfully their appearance is kept to a minimum. Lots of the tension arises from simply hearing them. The action set pieces are thrilling, but it’s the humanization of the characters where he really excels. This is the type of movie we would usually find disposable characters. You might know their name, but nothing else before they get picked off. Here we get to know each of the men - how many kids they have, if they are married, etc. A few scenes that take place over a campfire reminded me of the close intimacy that the men in Jaws developed while on the boat. In both cases the men are scared out of their minds, and quickly build meaningful relationships. In The Grey, it takes a while for a few of the men peel away their false bravado and lower their defenses toward one another. It’s only after Ottway posits that it is okay to admit you are scared shitless that the men become a more cohesive unit. The Grey features a lot of elements from horror, action, adventure, survival and drama to create a wonderful hybrid film. It’s a welcome January surprise that skews toward a male audience, but I think women can appreciate the humanistic component of the film. It should be a crowd pleaser, though audiences will be frustrated with the ending. (Hint: Be sure to wait through the credits for a final shot.) - Shannon For another take on The Grey, check out Colin's review.

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Sundance 2012: Bones Brigade: An Autobiography Review

Josh — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:28:15 +0000

Bones Brigade: An Autobiography Directed by: Stacy Peralta Featuring: Tony Alva, Steve Caballero, Tommy Guerrero, Tony Hawk, Mike McGill, Lance Mountain, Rodney Mullen, Stacy Peralta, George Powell In his break-out documentary, Dogtown and Z Boys, director Stacy Peralta told us the story of how he and his friends turned skateboarding from a goofy novelty for dorks and children into an extreme sport. Now, with Bones Brigade: An Autobiography, Peralta shows us how the next generation of skaters (that he personally scouted, coached, and sponsored) turned skateboarding into a worldwide phenomenon. Prepare yourselves for 90 minutes of fluorescent t-shirts and Flock of Seagulls haircuts. Like most historical docs, Bones Brigade is driven by talking heads and archival footage, but there is such an incredible array of amazing archival footage here, much of it from Peralta's own personal collection, that the film is never dull. What is surprising about the footage, most of it culled from old VHS tapes, is the athletic and technical level the Bones Brigade skaters were at so early on. These guys, particularly Rodney Mullen and Tony Hawk, were often doing tricks that wouldn't be popularized until nearly a decade later. It is truly incredible how influential they guys were on the world of skateboarding. From the most fundamental skateboarding tricks, to the first-ever skate videos, to a keen eye toward marketing that made skateboarding into a viable business, most of what we know as skateboarding today can be traced back to Peralta and his crew. As Bones Brigade team member Lance Mountain says in the film, "We pioneered the way to make money at skateboarding." Despite their success, these guys weren't at all cynical. They didn't party their money away. They weren't interested in the fame. For each of them, skateboarding represented a way out of the tough circumstances that they were raised in. A destitute immigrant kid, born with scoliosis, named Steve Cabellero. A rich white kid, socially stunted by emotionally abusive parents, named Rodney Mullen. A scrawny nerd who was bullied relentlessly, even by other skateboarders, named Tony Hawk. All of them skateboarding prodigies. For nostalgia geeks, like myself, who grew up with Powell/Peralta posters on my wall and a board under my feet, the film is both a trip down memory lane and a surprisingly different point of view as to exactly what went down all those years ago. But, for outsiders, the film is a tale of losers who banded together and went out to create something new that they could be winners at. Peralta, himself, was the guiding force in all of this, a key figure without whom none of it would have happened. And so, while this film is sure to be labeled a vanity project by some, there is really nobody better to tell this story than Stacy Peralta. Now, I will say that the film doesn't have quite as stylish a look as some of Peralta's other films. Part of that is simply because the history lesson animations, 2D graphic photos, and beautiful Super 8 footage of Riding Giants and Dogtown and Z Boys just isn't necessary here. All of that is replaced by the aforementioned bad VHS footage, and so there is an obvious switch in aesthetic. It's not a problem for the film, and Peralta definitely embraces the look of the time (the film actually starts with a title card that reads "This movie takes place in the 80s"), but it does have the unfortunate overall effect of feeling less polished than Peralta's previous work. And the film does have a few problems. The two lowest points of the film are a largely un-motivated weepy montage that features Peralta and Cabellero sniffling about how good they had it (I overheard one festival-goer say that they never want to see a director crying in his own movie again) and the unneeded outsider opinions chiming-in to tell us why these guys were so great (especially egregious were appearances from people like Ben Harper and Fred Durst--who cares what they think?). For some, this will be just another skateboarding movie, but for me, Bones Brigade is an instant classic. Peralta brings a lot of love for his team and the sport of skateboarding to the table. He raised these kids, though he was still a kid himself, and skateboarding was his whole life. Peralta's passion is palpable and his hand as a director is always present. There is more than enough nostalgia here to satisfy any child of the '80s (I involuntarily yelped at the mention of Gleaming the Cube) but there is plenty for newcomers as well. Whether you want to dig into the compelling emotional backstories of Lance Mountain, Rodney Mullen, and Tony Hawk or just figure out where the heck pop culture staples such as The X Games and Tony Hawk's Boom Boom Huck Jam originated, Bones Brigade: An Autobiography is worth a watch. -- Josh You can check out my interview with Stacy Peralta from Sundance 2012, coming up on a future episode of The Documentary Blog Podcast.

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A Dangerous Method Review

Shannon — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:38:51 +0000

A Dangerous Method Directed by: David Cronenberg Written by: Christopher Hampton (screenplay) and John Kerr (book) Starring: Keira Knightley, Michael Fassbender, Viggo Mortensen and Vincent Cassel David Cronenberg has always been drawn to psychologically challenging material, especially when it has to do with breaking societal taboos. Flip through his filmography (Videodrome, The Fly, Dead Ringers, Naked Lunch, Crash) and you’ll see some seriously depraved stuff. He has mellowed substantially in recent years (A History of Violence, Eastern Promises), but thankfully, he still has an appetite for the kinky stuff. A Dangerous Method tells the somewhat sordid tale of the birth of psychoanalysis, but it’s fairly restrained for a Cronenberg film. No envelope pushing here, just a fascinating look at a trio of psychiatrists who laid the framework for the modern practice of psychiatry. Sabina Spielrein (Keira Knightley) is delivered by carriage to the doorstep of Carl Jung (Michael Fassbender) in 1904. She’s batshit crazy, cackling and wailing like a banshee. She also has a severe vocal tic that renders her almost incapable of communication. Jung patiently tries out the controversial method of “talking therapy” on the patient, and damned if it isn’t determined that she’s a masochist at heart. Repression and shame have caused her behavioral problems, and once she becomes aware of this, she miraculously changes into a remarkably brilliant woman (who likes to indulge in the occasional spanking, like you do). Jung develops an unethical sexual relationship with the patient, all the while acting as her mentor, as the cured Sabina is now studying psychiatry. Meanwhile Jung holds Sigmund Freud (Viggo Mortensen) in the highest regard, and the two develop a professional relationship that later devolves into jealousy and a shared obsession for Sabina. An interesting aspect of the film is the absolute lack of moral fortitude with these early scholars. Sleeping with patients is considered “an occupational hazard”, and it is completely expected that everyone holds a mistress at bay until carnal urges necessitate an encounter. It’s so different from what we expect from our doctors today (especially psychiatrists) that it is unsettling. I enjoyed A Dangerous Method, but I didn’t find it to be a truly great film. Knightley’s performance (while Sabina was ill) was difficult to watch. It is completely over the top, but I don’t doubt that Knightley was playing the role exactly as directed. I fault Cronenberg for not reining it in a bit. The tics are greatly exaggerated and I found these scenes embarrassing to watch. Fassbender disappears into his role, and Jung’s character is quite tragic. Although his wife is fully aware of his indiscretions, she never cuts him loose, hence he lives a somewhat miserable existence. Mortensen plays Freud as a cigar-chomping eccentric who supports some truly bizarre theories for the times. He’s compelling, but this is Fassbender’s show. There are a few major plot holes; Jung and Freud are shown on a boat eager and ready to descend on America, but it is never mentioned again. I felt like our screening was missing a scene or two. Even at a lean running time of under ninety minutes, the film still had some pacing issues. However, it is certainly worth a watch for its subject matter, which proves that truth can be stranger than fiction. - Shannon

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Punished DVD Review

Reed — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:00:30 +0000

Punished Directed by: Law Wing Cheong Written by: Chi Keung Fung Starring: Anthony Wong, Richie Jen, Janice Man, Maggie Cheung Ho Yee Punished is another entry in the revenge genre that continues in its ongoing popularity. A kidnapping occurs with the film non-linearly unraveling the mystery of who is involved. Although there are a few depictions of brutal violence, this film concerns itself mainly with the psychological toll on the perpetrator of revenge. An interesting change is that the physical revenge is performed by a hired-hand of the victim's father. Some people expecting an action film will likely find the character scenes rather bland, but I thought they were interesting in the context of the mystery of revealing who was involved in the kidnapping. The violence is not stylized at all. There are rough and tumble fights rather than wire-work martial arts. And the gunfights are straight ahead "keep shooting until you get shot" matches. No slow motion or doves here. A real estate tycoon Wong Ho-Chiu (Anthony Wong) lives with his rebellious daughter Daisy (Janice Man), dutiful son, and compassionate wife (Maggie Cheung), who is the mother-in-law of the children. He has two bodyguards. He browbeats a meek man in charge of a real-estate deal currently in trouble. When his daughter is kidnapped, he enlists one of his bodyguards Chor (Richie Jen), who has a previous criminal background, to find the perpetrators. What is interesting about the introduction of all these characters is that the audience can immediately suspect any one of them to be the mastermind of the kidnapping. Even the benign characters can be suspected of having a motive against the tycoon. There are various natural character pair interactions that keep you guessing which characters are being honest or deceptive. Chor is also dealing with his own disinterested son from a failed marriage. Depending on how you feel about the tycoon by the end of the film, you might have a problem with what happens near the ending. He did not show compassion towards the common people who were affected by his business deals, but was he really ruthless with people? Sympathies for the tycoon will no doubt vary. Did the tycoon deserve having to deal with this kidnapping ordeal? One aspect that is not explored in the tycoon's mental deterioration is paranoia although he does initially suspect his daughter arranged her own kidnapping. Some people will probably have a problem reconciling the brutal killer and tolerant father aspects of Chor. I think it acknowledges the idea that your nice neighbour next door could be a killer. Anthony Wong has a long and much rewarded career in Hong Kong cinema. I really enjoyed his performance in this film. (On a whim, I decided to check out the English dubbing on the DVD. As expected, the choice of voice actor for Anthony Wong was horrible.) It's interesting that his real-life son plays his son in this film. Although having directed seven films (one of them being 2 Become 1, a comedy/drama in 2007 for which he was nominated as Best New Director at the Hong Kong Film Awards), director Law Wing Cheong is probably best known for being an assistant director on popular Johnnie To films like Election and Exiled. I thought he did a nice job keeping the tension with subtle camera framing movements. One thing I like about foreign films is that they often show you cultural details that are different than what you are familiar with. In this film, there is an outdoor racing track for large remote-controlled cars. This was an interesting setting to use for an interaction between Chor and his son. The press release for the DVD of this film from Indomina Releasing contains a factual error with regards to the actress Maggie Cheung Ho Yee in this film. The press release confuses her with Maggie Cheung of Hero and In the Mood for Love fame. Also I don't think the plot synopsis is correct with regards to several details, but to point them out here would be providing spoilers. Don't expect an action-packed revenge film like Taken with Liam Neeson. This is a more contemplative take on the effects of taking revenge, with circumstances affecting decisions and determining outcomes. The title "Punished" can refer to both the external physical violence and internal mental disturbance that come with revenge. -- Reed

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Haywire Review

Colin — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 19:07:54 +0000

Haywire Directed by: Steven Soderbergh Written by: Lem Dobbs Starring: Gina Carano, Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender, Michael Douglas, Bill Paxton, Antonio Banderas, Channing Tatum, Michael Angarano Haywire is a lot like last year's Drive. What both lack in substance, they make up for in style. Likewise, both could be dismissed as pulp dreck if their respective directors hadn't classed up the material. Haywire isn't as riveting as last year's sleeper hit, but the way Steven Soderbergh stages and choreographs the action elevates it from generic genre fare; especially apparent in contrast to its opening weekend competition: Underworld Awakening. Punctuated by terse life-or-death scuffles between a badass black ops agent and her would-be assassins, it's no wonder Soderbergh hired martial artist slash actress Gina Carano (not to be confused with Carla Gugino). Of her handful of big screen credits, Haywire is by far the biggest deal; her casting is a move reminiscent of another recent Soderbergh flick — The Girlfriend Experience, which marked the dramatic debut of porn star Sasha Grey. Both actresses fit well in the roles Soderbergh picks for them, but I question how well either would come off when working with a director less versed in coaching non-actors. Perhaps the most impressive thing about Carano's performance is that she holds her own in such formidable company: Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender, Michael Douglas, Bill Paxton, Antonio Banderas, etc. Channing Tatum. The list goes on. Their collective effort is in large part what makes Haywire such a breezy watch. 93 minutes soaking wet, the film flashes backwards and forwards in its narrative to keep the momentum from faltering (and also, I reckon, to gussy up a simplistic espionage tale). The IMDB synopsis says it all: "A black ops super soldier seeks payback after she is betrayed during a mission." The film's final moment perfectly reflects the entirety: cheesy, cheeky, fun, and ultimately, forgettable. Famous for his Hollywood haggling to get passion projects off the ground ("One for me, one for you"), Soderbergh is blurring the line between his studio pictures and personal films. With Haywire, the lack of marketing oomph and no-name lead suggest it might fall into the "One for me" category, especially after his crowd-pleasing Contagion. But if the audience I saw it with was any indication, Haywire is no less accessible. Nor does it feel as obligatory as, say, an Oceans sequel. For the most part, Soderbergh brings his A-game, although I do take issue with the cheapo aesthetic. The harsh digital look he seems fond of works in low-key experiments like Bubble, but feels out of place in a fast-paced action flick. Dim, bland interiors with overblown light sources lend to the film's overall disposable vibe. But while it lasts, Haywire is an enjoyable January actioner. Though it pales in comparison to Nicolas Winding Refn's excellent Drive, they have a lot in common: a bare bones story spearheaded by a brutal and ruthless protagonist, and a director who knows how to play them to maximum effect. Drive skews operatic while Haywire skews goofy, but both provide more compelling action sequences than any of last summer's blockbusters, Contagion included. Plus, this time of year empirically means slim pickings for the discerning cinephile. It's either this or Underworld, folks. I'll give you a minute to decide. — Colin

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Branded to Kill Blu Ray Review

Jay C. — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 21:39:54 +0000

Branded to Kill Directed by Seijun Suzuki Written by Hachiro Guru Starring: Joe Shishido, Koji Nanbara, Isao Tamagawa Like 'Tokyo Drifter', Seijun Suzuki's 'Branded to Kill' is a strange, quirky, moody gangster picture that goes out of its way to poke holes in the tropes of this sub-genre while also indulging in some sixties pop cinema. While the film's characters and plot are sometimes tough to penetrate, Suzuki's sense of style and his gleeful mocking of genre conventions is the real draw here. The plot of 'Branded to Kill' is rooted in simple genre beats yet still comes across as characteristically over-complicated. To simplify; hitman Goro Handa and his wife Mami catch a taxi after arriving in Tokyo. The driver, Kasuga, is a former hitman and asks Goro to help him out on a job in order to break back into the business. Their mission is simple; escort a client and make sure he arrives in Nagano safely. Immediately things go wrong when the two find a dead body in the back seat of the designated pick up vehicle. From here, they pick up their target and are ambushed by gunmen, resulting in the death of Kasuga. After his car breaks down, Goro is picked up by Misako, a femme fatale with a death wish. Later, Goro is hired once again to assassinate four men, all of which are played out ridiculously. In one instance, he takes out an ocularist by sticking the barrel of his gun into a disassembled drain pipe and shooting the man in the eye via the drain in a sink. In another instance, he escapes a hit on a giant floating advertising balloon. Suzuki seems to go out of his way to turn these moments of violence into cartoonish, hilariously ridiculous gags that mock the tropes of the gangster genre. Like the French New Wave's avant-garde take on genre cinema, Suzuki's gangster films are the result of a fresh and exciting era of filmmaking. I think it's fair to say that even this many years removed, Branded to Kill still plays as fresh and innovative. Suzuki's unconventional style and indulgence in pop culture iconography has clearly influenced some of our greatest modern genre filmmakers; most obviously, Quentin Tarantino. However, while watching Branded to Kill, I couldn't help but be immediately reminded of Jim Jarmusch's equally odd take on gangster films and his obsession with Japanese culture (apparently he lists it as his favourite hitman film). I also love Goro's obsession with the smell of boiled rice; an absolutely ridiculous character quirk that reminds us that our protagonists vices aren't always as cool as women and martini's. It reminds me of Mark Ruffalo's animal cracker eating Inspector David Toschi from David Fincher's Zodiac. I also really loved the climax of the film which finds the two rival characters facing off inside of a boxing ring within an empty arena. It's a bold and comically literal image that works as a great cathartic moment for both the characters and the audience. After dealing with the complexities and politics of organized crime, there's nothing like five minutes in the ring to sort out your troubles. 'Branded to Kill' looks pretty great on blu ray. Unlike Tokyo Drifter's insane colour palette, this film is shot in black and white and the HD transfer is quite nice. There is one complaint I have that might be minimal and nit picky, but has popped up on DVD transfers I've seen in the past. It seems as though at some point in the film, there's a dropped pixel in the upper-middle area of the screen. I don't know if this has something to do with the digital device they're using to capture the film, but I've seen this before. I'm fairly sure it doesn't remain throughout the entire runtime, but I did notice it about halfway through and it was a little bit annoying. Still, I don't think this is a deal breaker. I just find it funny that I've never seen any mention of these types of flaws in reviews previously. Aside from that, the transfer is great. As for the extras, they pretty much mirror that of the 'Tokyo Drifter' disc, including a new video interview with director Seijun Suzuki and assistant director Masami Kuzuu. You also get an interview with Suzuki from 1997, a new interview with actor Joe Shishido, and a trailer. Most importantly, this release represents an anamorphic upgrade from the original Criterion DVD, which was not formatted to fit widescreen televisions. -- Jay C.

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Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close Review

Shannon — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:08:14 +0000

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close Directed by: Stephen Daldry Written by: Eric Roth (screenplay) Jonathan Safran Foer (novel) Starring: Thomas Horn, Viola Davis, Sandra Bullock, Tom Hanks, Max von Sydow and Jeffrey Wright I suspect this film will be quite polarizing for audiences, but not for the reasons you may think. Though Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close takes place in the days, weeks and months following 9/11, it is essentially devoid of controversy or political overtones. The tragedy serves as a catalyst for the story of one boy’s strange and hopeful odyssey through the city of New York while he searches for a clue that he believes his father left for him before he perished in one of the twin towers. In order to enjoy the movie you have to be able to empathize with or at least tolerate the film’s young protagonist Oskar (Thomas Horn), an extremely unconventional hero who makes this movie a difficult sell. If you find him irritating (which I can completely understand), you will absolutely loathe the film. That’s a real pity, because Horn is amazing as a grieving, anti-social nine year old who has to cope with losing the most important person in his life. His mom (Sandra Bullock) is well meaning, but virtually helpless as she is crippled by grief herself. Oskar throws some misguided resentment and blame on her, further driving a wedge between them. Through a series of flashbacks we see what a wonderful dad (played by Tom Hanks) Oskar had. He cultivates his son’s freakish intelligence with elaborate treasure hunts and secret missions that require intricate mapping and organizational skills. Dear old dad plants all the clues in advance, and each mission infuses Oskar with confidence. This is also dad’s way of getting Oskar (who may have Asperger’s) to interact with people, something he is reluctant and possibly unable to do on his own. Oskar was almost finished with one of these puzzles when his father was killed on 9/11. What many will find off-putting about Oskar is his seeming lack of emotion, particularly following his father’s death. He is reclusive and downright cruel to his mother sometimes, and he is so matter of fact that it comes across as creepy as times. If Oskar really does have Asperger’s, these emotional detachments would fall under normal behavior for someone with the condition. It also could just be his way of coping with the trauma and loss from “the worst day”, as Oskar chooses to call 9/11. At any rate, I thought Horn was brilliant, particularly in a frantic scene in which he recants everything that has happened to him over the last year in quick bursts of exposition. The dialogue made my head swim; I can’t imagine how the young actor nailed it. Oskar's journeys through the streets of New York bring him into contact with a myriad of helpful people, including a mysterious mute (played by Max Von Sydow), a kindly woman (Viola Davis) and her husband (Jeffrey Wright) who all play heavily into the outcome of Oskar's story. Naturally he touches everyone he meets with his sad tale. The cynic in me was rolling my eyes at all the coincidences and kindness swirling around the culmination of the movie, but it is a sweet tale. Oskar explains that his obsession to finish the project is his way of extending his last moments with his dad, an understandable sentiment. Hanks and Bullock are the co-stars here, and actually don’t have much screen time compared to Horn, who appears in almost every scene. You can hate the character, but don’t hate the actor. I think he performs exactly as he was supposed to. Part of Oskar's bizarre behavior is a direct result of shouldering the burden of being the sole family member who heard dad's messages on the answering machine on "the worst day." He hides the tape from his mother to save her the anguish. Incidentally, this is the first fictional movie I have seen with 9/11 in it. The scenes are brief, but still packed an emotional wallop. I don’t think that director Stephen Daldry (The Hours, The Reader) exploited the tragedy. If there is any manipulation to be found, it is simply in the story of a young boy losing his father, his manner of death simply complicates things further. Burying an empty casket doesn’t give Oskar closure, and his resolution of grief is a long time coming. - Shannon

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Carnage Review

Shannon — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:46:16 +0000

Carnage Directed by Roman Polanski Written by Roman Polanski and Yasmina Reza (screenplay) Starring Kate Winslet, Jodie Foster, Christoph Waltz and John C. Reilly Remember back in the day when MTV's The Real World was all the rage? I waited every week with bated breath to see what shenanigans would occur when people "stopped being polite and started getting real." That tagline is a pretty good synopsis of Carnage, a biting drama directed by Roman Polanski. The film takes place almost entirely in one room, and features four wonderful actors executing the dialogue-heavy script with taut precision. It’s The Real World for the subset of people who frequent the pages of The New Yorker, an intellectual exercise in superficialities and political correctness run amok. It’s only after a bottle of fine Scotch enters the fray that we see the characters’ facades crumble, and their true (somewhat nasty) personalities emerge. Nancy (Kate Winslet) and her husband Alan (Christoph Waltz) are making an attempt to smooth over a schoolyard incident when they visit the apartment of Penelope (Jodie Foster) and Michael (John C. Reilly). It seems that Nancy and Alan’s boy wailed on Penelope and Michael’s precious angel, resulting in a few missing teeth. Used to be par for the course, right? In the old days, dad would congratulate his son for proving his manhood, but this is 2012, and proper parents mediate the crap out of such an incident. Nancy and Alan do everything one would expect of upper crust parents - they apologize profusely, offer to pay for any dental expenses and so forth. Pleasantries are exchanged while everyone pretends that they would actually hang out together outside these awkward circumstances. Cobbler is shared, and all is good in the world. However, Penelope has mastered the fine art of passive-aggressive behavior, and the two couples are soon arguing about child rearing philosophies and appropriate discipline techniques. The civil meeting of parents dissolves into verbal sparring and boorish behavior, progressing to truly embarrassing lows when the stressed out couples get their drink on. Lowered inhibitions + simmering resentments = disaster. There is precious little that actually happens in the film, which is adapted from a play (and it feels very much like a play). The joy is derived from seeing these fine actors take the script and make the most of it. I think John C. Reilly is horribly underrated as an actor. He is a great comedian, but handles drama with ease. Here he gets to dabble in a bit of both genres. He is the only character with blue-collar sensibilities, and adds a bit of levity to the all the pretentiousness swirling about him. Waltz is delightfully unlikable as an attorney who can’t detach his cell phone from his ear. He’s an obnoxious, elitist snob who finds the whole experience beneath him. At first Winslet comes across sympathetic as his harried wife, but then she reveals her true colors as well. It’s great to see Foster in a film again, but her character becomes shrill and aggravating over the course of the film. What’s really interesting about the story is that we learn much more about the two couple’s dynamics as things unfold. The original intent of the visit is thrust aside as the warring couples behave as poorly as their offspring presumably did. I liked the film a lot, but I couldn’t help thinking that the premise would have been better served as a short, rather than a full-length narrative. Even at a lean 90-minute run time, the film felt long and drawn out. However, those first 45 minutes are quite fun, and I’ll still heartily recommend the movie for the acting alone. - Shannon

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