"Look at that child! She's so sad."
"Is she poor?"
"She's forgotten."
It is only a brief moment of the film, but this conversation encapsulates the message of BIG EYES quite nicely. Everyone wants to make their mark on the world, and even those who have the skill to do so still have some anxiety about their image... And those who don't have the skill still have that desire, that drive to be remembered. So what happens when a skilled painter marries a skilled talker who wishes he was a skilled painter?
Enter Margaret Doris Hawkins (Amy Adams). Margaret loves to paint -- specifically, she likes to paint women and children, all with oversized eyes. She sees eyes as the windows to the soul. After leaving her first husband and trying to build a life for herself and her child, Jane (Delaney Raye, and later played by Madeleine Arthur), Margaret begins to realize that just because she has talent with a paintbrush doesn't mean she will be able to make a living off of it. That is, until she meets Walter Keane (Christoph Waltz). After a whirlwind romance that rivals lightning in its speed, the couple marry and begin trying to sell their art in local galleries; but Walter begins to take credit for Margaret's paintings, saying that no one will buy a woman's work. Margaret reluctantly acquiesces to her husband's fraud, recognizing the profit they're making, but as her art gets more and more popular, and the art world resists (they do not see the waifs of her paintings fit as "art", no matter how popular they may be), Margaret becomes more and more uncomfortable with the arrangement.
What makes this story even more incredible is that it is true. It follows, with minor changes, the actual story of Margaret Keane, whose artwork continued in popularity well into the 70's, and is even fairly popular today. Such a life fits perfectly on the big screen, especially with the same writers of ED WOOD (Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski) crafting the story and Tim Burton helming the project.
But given this line up of filmmakers, what you get is not exactly what you'd expect. Tonally, the film is a bit confusing at times. Other than Walter's odd charisma and a few disjointed moments in which Burton's bizarre, zany personality peeks through, the story is much more straightforward than his previous works. Take this as you will... it is interesting to see a more grounded piece from Tim Burton, but not as interesting as it would have been to see his trademark style in full reign. That being said, it's not a bad film... the story is empowering and brings about its own charm, bringing forth a feminist story from the grasp of the 60's. And the solid cast is sure to keep your attention. Christoph Waltz has a knack for playing the cheerful villain, and though it's not one of her best performances, Amy Adams makes it her own.
Ultimately, BIG EYES is a good film, but nothing to get overly excited about. Still, I enjoyed it... perhaps it will follow Margaret Keane's work, not quite on par with other films in theaters, but certainly a popular film to watch. Now playing at the Midtown Cinema!
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Thursday, December 11, 2014
FAMILY FILM SERIES
Join us for our newest series of films, great for the whole family, kids of all ages, and the young at heart!
January - THE MUPPETS TAKE MANHATTAN (1984) G, 94min
Sat Jan 17 at 12PM, Sun Jan 18 at 2PM, and Tue Jan 20 at 7PM | Kermit and his friends go to New York to get their musical on Broadway only to find it's a more difficult task than they anticipated..
February - MATILDA (1996) PG, 102min
Sat Feb 14th at 12PM, Sun Feb 15th at 2PM, Tue Feb 17 at 7PM | Story of a wonderful little girl, who happens to be a genius, and her wonderful teacher vs. the worst parents ever and the worst school principal imaginable.
March - CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS (2009) PG, 90min
Sat March 14th at 12PM, Sun March 15th at 2PM, and Tues March 17th at 7PM | The most delicious event since macaroni met cheese. Inspired by the beloved children's book, the film focuses on a town where food falls from the sky like rain.
April- HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS (1989) PG, 93min
Sat April 18th at 12PM | The scientist father of a teenage girl and boy accidentally shrinks his and two other neighborhood teens to the size of insects. Now the teens must fight diminutive dangers as the father searches for them.
May - MARY POPPINS (1964) G, 139min
Sat May 16th & Sun May 17th @12:30PM | A magic nanny comes to work for a cold banker's unhappy family.
January - THE MUPPETS TAKE MANHATTAN (1984) G, 94min
Sat Jan 17 at 12PM, Sun Jan 18 at 2PM, and Tue Jan 20 at 7PM | Kermit and his friends go to New York to get their musical on Broadway only to find it's a more difficult task than they anticipated..
February - MATILDA (1996) PG, 102min
Sat Feb 14th at 12PM, Sun Feb 15th at 2PM, Tue Feb 17 at 7PM | Story of a wonderful little girl, who happens to be a genius, and her wonderful teacher vs. the worst parents ever and the worst school principal imaginable.
March - CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS (2009) PG, 90min
Sat March 14th at 12PM, Sun March 15th at 2PM, and Tues March 17th at 7PM | The most delicious event since macaroni met cheese. Inspired by the beloved children's book, the film focuses on a town where food falls from the sky like rain.
April- HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS (1989) PG, 93min
Sat April 18th at 12PM | The scientist father of a teenage girl and boy accidentally shrinks his and two other neighborhood teens to the size of insects. Now the teens must fight diminutive dangers as the father searches for them.
May - MARY POPPINS (1964) G, 139min
Sat May 16th & Sun May 17th @12:30PM | A magic nanny comes to work for a cold banker's unhappy family.
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Sam's Blog - Happy Valley
The events involving Jerry Sandusky are still fairly fresh in our minds: in 2011, after two years of grand jury investigation, the Penn State assistant football coach was convicted of serial child molestation. Joe Paterno was dismissed from his position as head coach due to to his indirect involvement, in that he reported a case to school administration in 2001 but not to the police.
Lately there have been plans for not one but two films based on these events, both named "Happy Valley": one, which is still in preproduction, will be a dramatic account of the film, with Al Pacino and John Carroll Lynch in talks. The other is a documentary that sums up the details of the trial, the events that followed, and the reactions from the surrounding community and fan base of Penn State. It covers three different perspectives of the events: that of Matt Sandusky, the adopted son; Joe Paterno's family; and Penn State fans.
The majority of Matt's interview is focused on his upbringing and the trial. Matt describes his desire to be loyal to the family because it was the only "family" he ever really had... which made his decision to stand against his adopted father even harder than it already was. "He probably didn't think that he was hurting anyone," Matt says, adding a disturbing thought to an already sickening situation. "He thought that what he did was love."
But though the film does a good job laying out Sandusky's case, it focuses more on Joe Paterno: the man who did something, but possibly not enough. Interviews with Paterno's family describe the backlash he received once word started getting out about his involvement, and the support he received from Penn State fans. Even after Paterno died, the footage shows conflict about the man. This conflict is most succinctly summarized in Michael Pilato's Penn State mural: first Pilato removes Sandusky from the painting, putting a blue ribbon in the empty chair, and then he paints a halo over Paterno's head... until more evidence becomes public through the Freeh Report, heightening the responsibility that he had. Then Pilato removes the halo, saying, "By removing the halo, that means we're all human beings."
The film really shows the power of memory in society: some, like Paterno's wife, just want their loved ones to be seen in a good light, and others would rather the whole situation be defused to get back to the way things were. Scenes show Penn State struggling to get back on its feet after the events, as the heavy reminder of past events now puts a damper on the festivities of the field... what seems like a nightmare in the realm of sensitivity is very real to a fanbase that just wants its game back.
It's a very well-made film, though perhaps it could have been about twenty minutes shorter. Not that the film is very long -- it clocks in at about and hour and forty -- but some of the information gets reiterated in an attempt to stretch out the content of the film. But for those who did not know too much about the situation, HAPPY VALLEY is very informative and fairly engaging. It is now playing at the Midtown Cinema.
Lately there have been plans for not one but two films based on these events, both named "Happy Valley": one, which is still in preproduction, will be a dramatic account of the film, with Al Pacino and John Carroll Lynch in talks. The other is a documentary that sums up the details of the trial, the events that followed, and the reactions from the surrounding community and fan base of Penn State. It covers three different perspectives of the events: that of Matt Sandusky, the adopted son; Joe Paterno's family; and Penn State fans.
The majority of Matt's interview is focused on his upbringing and the trial. Matt describes his desire to be loyal to the family because it was the only "family" he ever really had... which made his decision to stand against his adopted father even harder than it already was. "He probably didn't think that he was hurting anyone," Matt says, adding a disturbing thought to an already sickening situation. "He thought that what he did was love."
But though the film does a good job laying out Sandusky's case, it focuses more on Joe Paterno: the man who did something, but possibly not enough. Interviews with Paterno's family describe the backlash he received once word started getting out about his involvement, and the support he received from Penn State fans. Even after Paterno died, the footage shows conflict about the man. This conflict is most succinctly summarized in Michael Pilato's Penn State mural: first Pilato removes Sandusky from the painting, putting a blue ribbon in the empty chair, and then he paints a halo over Paterno's head... until more evidence becomes public through the Freeh Report, heightening the responsibility that he had. Then Pilato removes the halo, saying, "By removing the halo, that means we're all human beings."
The film really shows the power of memory in society: some, like Paterno's wife, just want their loved ones to be seen in a good light, and others would rather the whole situation be defused to get back to the way things were. Scenes show Penn State struggling to get back on its feet after the events, as the heavy reminder of past events now puts a damper on the festivities of the field... what seems like a nightmare in the realm of sensitivity is very real to a fanbase that just wants its game back.
It's a very well-made film, though perhaps it could have been about twenty minutes shorter. Not that the film is very long -- it clocks in at about and hour and forty -- but some of the information gets reiterated in an attempt to stretch out the content of the film. But for those who did not know too much about the situation, HAPPY VALLEY is very informative and fairly engaging. It is now playing at the Midtown Cinema.
Sam's Blog - Dear White People
For his first feature film, writer/director Justin Simien has really hit it out of the park. DEAR WHITE PEOPLE is an intellectually driven film laced with satirical humor that shows how, even in the company of the brightest students in the country, racism can run deep. The film follows a handful of black students at the (fictional) predominantly white Ivy League school, Winchester University, and focuses on the political backlash that stereotypes and insensitivity cause when the staff of a humor magazine hosts a Halloween party with an outrageously offensive theme. At first, the story feels like a racially focused, college-age version of MEAN GIRLS, with its mocking of stereotypes and categorizations -- except instead of popularity, the Winchester students strive for achievement as well as acceptance -- but as the film continues, it goes much further than that with its message.
Though I won't dabble too much in the plot, because that is where you will derive the most enjoyment (and moments of purposeful discomfort), I would like to comment that the story addresses more than just racial politics... it also deals with racial identity. And with identity on the mind, it isn't surprising to see all sorts of different characters come to the screen.
Of the plethora of people you will meet throughout the film, all of whom have very opposing viewpoints on the issue of identity, two stand out the most (and perhaps consequently, the best performances given were for these two characters). Sam White (Tessa Thompson), a biracial student whose interests include hosting a radio show called "Dear White People" and radical filmmaking, is ready to carry the entire Black Student Union on her back as she takes on the culture war between whites and blacks... to the point where she seems to endorse segregation to protect her culture. Lionel Higgins (Tyler James Williams) is not so willing to carry BSU, or any particular social group, for that matter. He is the gay black freshman stuck in between his fellow black students and white students -- he doesn't seem to fit in anywhere. His social ineptitude is endearing to the audience, but not so much to his fellow students, and this results in poor Lionel being shuffled back and forth around campus as he tries to find his place.
Other notable characters are Troy Fairbanks (Brandon P Bell), model student and son of Winchester's dean -- the kind of guy who "downplays his blackness" (and amps it up) according to the need of the situation; Coco Conners (Teyonah Parris), the black girl who wants to be white; and Kurt Fletcher (Kyle Gallner), the ultimate white rich kid who seems to have nothing better to do than pick on anyone who falls outside the boundaries of straight white men. Far from stereotypical and flat, these characters jump off of the screen at you with their intricacies. Many of them vacillate in and out of the boundaries of likability, but isn't that exactly what happens in college? Many a young mind has taken the train wreck route of discovering themselves, trying to achieve all that they can achieve and sometimes finding their dark side in the process... this is realism, and is exactly what Simien gives us.
There are a few moments where the acting falters a bit, and due to the swarm of characters, it can be difficult at first to navigate the different threads of the story, but overall, this is a strong film. Not only will it make you laugh, but it is sure to stimulate some deep and incredibly important conversation. Check out DEAR WHITE PEOPLE this week at the Midtown Cinema!
Though I won't dabble too much in the plot, because that is where you will derive the most enjoyment (and moments of purposeful discomfort), I would like to comment that the story addresses more than just racial politics... it also deals with racial identity. And with identity on the mind, it isn't surprising to see all sorts of different characters come to the screen.
Of the plethora of people you will meet throughout the film, all of whom have very opposing viewpoints on the issue of identity, two stand out the most (and perhaps consequently, the best performances given were for these two characters). Sam White (Tessa Thompson), a biracial student whose interests include hosting a radio show called "Dear White People" and radical filmmaking, is ready to carry the entire Black Student Union on her back as she takes on the culture war between whites and blacks... to the point where she seems to endorse segregation to protect her culture. Lionel Higgins (Tyler James Williams) is not so willing to carry BSU, or any particular social group, for that matter. He is the gay black freshman stuck in between his fellow black students and white students -- he doesn't seem to fit in anywhere. His social ineptitude is endearing to the audience, but not so much to his fellow students, and this results in poor Lionel being shuffled back and forth around campus as he tries to find his place.
Other notable characters are Troy Fairbanks (Brandon P Bell), model student and son of Winchester's dean -- the kind of guy who "downplays his blackness" (and amps it up) according to the need of the situation; Coco Conners (Teyonah Parris), the black girl who wants to be white; and Kurt Fletcher (Kyle Gallner), the ultimate white rich kid who seems to have nothing better to do than pick on anyone who falls outside the boundaries of straight white men. Far from stereotypical and flat, these characters jump off of the screen at you with their intricacies. Many of them vacillate in and out of the boundaries of likability, but isn't that exactly what happens in college? Many a young mind has taken the train wreck route of discovering themselves, trying to achieve all that they can achieve and sometimes finding their dark side in the process... this is realism, and is exactly what Simien gives us.
There are a few moments where the acting falters a bit, and due to the swarm of characters, it can be difficult at first to navigate the different threads of the story, but overall, this is a strong film. Not only will it make you laugh, but it is sure to stimulate some deep and incredibly important conversation. Check out DEAR WHITE PEOPLE this week at the Midtown Cinema!
Thursday, November 20, 2014
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Foner & Hood Video Review - Whiplash
Check out Foner & Hood's video review with in-house critic Sammi Leigh Melville for WHIPLASH below!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=im1vO061lTw&feature=youtu.be
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=im1vO061lTw&feature=youtu.be
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Sam's Blog - Whiplash
Whether you're a music lover or not, there are some films that give a crazy glimpse into a musician's world. That is the case with WHIPLASH, writer/director Damien Chazelle's second feature film, which portrays the abusive relationship between a driven musician and his jazz band conductor.
Andrew (Miles Teller) is a drummer at one of the best music schools in the country, and takes his music very seriously. When Terrence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons), a conductor for a competitive jazz band, barges into one of Andrew's rehearsals one day and spontaneously auditions everyone in the room, Andrew makes an impression, and he pulls him in to be an alternative in his band.
For one brief moment, Andrew is excited about his victory; Fletcher even buddies up to Andrew in the hallway and asks him about his personal life, making Andrew feel special. But as soon as the doors to the rehearsal space close, Fletcher becomes a ruthless, overbearing dictator of a conductor, barking at his students like a drill sergeant over the smallest of mistakes, and using the information he just learned about Andrew against him. Fletcher believes in pushing people to see just how far they can go; his favorite anecdote is that Charlie Parker would never have been such a successful musician if Jo Jones had not thrown a cymbal at his head.
Despite the verbal and physical abuse, Andrew jumps on board with his conductor's sentiments. He practices until his fingers bleed... and then a little more. He ends his relationship with his new girlfriend, Nicole (Melissa Benoist), in order to spend more time practicing. As the story continues, the tension rises, and just how close Andrew is to the brink of insanity comes into question as Fletcher pushes him to the limit and beyond. The film becomes less about music and more about power, a competition not between jazz bands but between teacher and student, about who will give in first and who will remain strong. In a scene where Andrew desperately tries to protect the part he's earned, Fletcher spits back, "It's my part, and I'll give it to who I want."
I will refrain from saying too much about the latter half of the film, but suffice it to say you will find your entire body tensing up until the very last scene. The cinematography in this film bristles with energy, right down to the close-ups of blood-covered snare drums. And the music is just as electrifying; Teller deserves an extra laud, as well, for actually performing musically for the film. This makes the practically orgasmic sequence toward the end of the film even better, as both actor and character were able to reach that level of skill.
Both Teller and Simmons deserve Oscar nominations for this film. The level of passion that they brought to their characters is unbelievable, culminating in what is possibly their finest performances. The fact that WHIPLASH won Sundance, both for the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award, is not at all surprising to me. Make sure you check this film out... in fact, watch it twice. I'm planning on it. Now playing at the Midtown Cinema!
Andrew (Miles Teller) is a drummer at one of the best music schools in the country, and takes his music very seriously. When Terrence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons), a conductor for a competitive jazz band, barges into one of Andrew's rehearsals one day and spontaneously auditions everyone in the room, Andrew makes an impression, and he pulls him in to be an alternative in his band.
For one brief moment, Andrew is excited about his victory; Fletcher even buddies up to Andrew in the hallway and asks him about his personal life, making Andrew feel special. But as soon as the doors to the rehearsal space close, Fletcher becomes a ruthless, overbearing dictator of a conductor, barking at his students like a drill sergeant over the smallest of mistakes, and using the information he just learned about Andrew against him. Fletcher believes in pushing people to see just how far they can go; his favorite anecdote is that Charlie Parker would never have been such a successful musician if Jo Jones had not thrown a cymbal at his head.
Despite the verbal and physical abuse, Andrew jumps on board with his conductor's sentiments. He practices until his fingers bleed... and then a little more. He ends his relationship with his new girlfriend, Nicole (Melissa Benoist), in order to spend more time practicing. As the story continues, the tension rises, and just how close Andrew is to the brink of insanity comes into question as Fletcher pushes him to the limit and beyond. The film becomes less about music and more about power, a competition not between jazz bands but between teacher and student, about who will give in first and who will remain strong. In a scene where Andrew desperately tries to protect the part he's earned, Fletcher spits back, "It's my part, and I'll give it to who I want."
I will refrain from saying too much about the latter half of the film, but suffice it to say you will find your entire body tensing up until the very last scene. The cinematography in this film bristles with energy, right down to the close-ups of blood-covered snare drums. And the music is just as electrifying; Teller deserves an extra laud, as well, for actually performing musically for the film. This makes the practically orgasmic sequence toward the end of the film even better, as both actor and character were able to reach that level of skill.
Both Teller and Simmons deserve Oscar nominations for this film. The level of passion that they brought to their characters is unbelievable, culminating in what is possibly their finest performances. The fact that WHIPLASH won Sundance, both for the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award, is not at all surprising to me. Make sure you check this film out... in fact, watch it twice. I'm planning on it. Now playing at the Midtown Cinema!
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Sam's Blog - Citizenfour
In June 2013 Edward Snowden, an NSA contractor for the consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton, leaked classified information from the NSA to the public, causing a stir and uncovering a serious breach of privacy from the US government. Since then, the whistleblower has been charged with violation of the Espionage Act and theft of government property, and has currently been granted temporary asylum in Russia. We all kept ourselves updated on this unfolding story through various news outlets, but what we saw was the public side of the story. CITIZENFOUR brings us the personal side -- the story of Edward Snowden, Glenn Greenwald, and Laura Poitras: from a series of encrypted emails from someone who identified as "citizenfour", to secret meetings in a hotel room in Hong Kong.
Laura Poitras is a director, producer, and cinematographer, and the woman behind documentaries such as FLAG WARS, THE OATH, and MY COUNTRY, MY COUNTRY. Though never seen on camera, she serves as the narrator for the film, and gives a very up-close and personal view of Snowden and the others involved, particularly Greenwald, who relayed the information to The Guardian.
Early on in the documentary, Snowden says that he wants to be careful about how they reveal his identity because of the way the public tends to latch onto personalities -- he doesn't want this to be his story. Poitras' work behind the camera allows you to finally see the personality that he blocks from the public eye. Long close-ups reveal Snowden typing away at his computer, absorbed, the slightest facial expressions on his face giving away his worry as he communicates with a loved one who is receiving pressure about his whereabouts. Images of Snowden obsessing over his hair before an interview reveal how nervous he is about the situation, as much as he tries to deny it. But it is his certainty in the act that he is carrying out that is the most striking thing about Snowden: he wants the world to know that he isn't afraid of what might happen to him, and that he shouldn't be afraid.
If you haven't already been unnerved by the situation, there are many scenes in CITIZENFOUR that may get you to that point... even disregarding the content, the energy that reverberates throughout the film is enough to put you on edge. In one particularly resonating scene, Jacob Applebaum, a computer security researcher and hacker, talks about how the word "freedom" has lately been replaced with "privacy"... and how "privacy is dead". Another scene towards the end also packs a punch: Snowden and Greenwald engage in a conversation, resorting to a pen and notepad for the most important details so as not to let that information somehow get overheard and recorded... the two then rip up the paper to cover their tracks.
The film is quiet, but powerful. It is a great portrayal of the power of an individual making a difference, and leading others to do the same. CITIZENFOUR is now playing at the Midtown Cinema... come check it out!
Laura Poitras is a director, producer, and cinematographer, and the woman behind documentaries such as FLAG WARS, THE OATH, and MY COUNTRY, MY COUNTRY. Though never seen on camera, she serves as the narrator for the film, and gives a very up-close and personal view of Snowden and the others involved, particularly Greenwald, who relayed the information to The Guardian.
Early on in the documentary, Snowden says that he wants to be careful about how they reveal his identity because of the way the public tends to latch onto personalities -- he doesn't want this to be his story. Poitras' work behind the camera allows you to finally see the personality that he blocks from the public eye. Long close-ups reveal Snowden typing away at his computer, absorbed, the slightest facial expressions on his face giving away his worry as he communicates with a loved one who is receiving pressure about his whereabouts. Images of Snowden obsessing over his hair before an interview reveal how nervous he is about the situation, as much as he tries to deny it. But it is his certainty in the act that he is carrying out that is the most striking thing about Snowden: he wants the world to know that he isn't afraid of what might happen to him, and that he shouldn't be afraid.
If you haven't already been unnerved by the situation, there are many scenes in CITIZENFOUR that may get you to that point... even disregarding the content, the energy that reverberates throughout the film is enough to put you on edge. In one particularly resonating scene, Jacob Applebaum, a computer security researcher and hacker, talks about how the word "freedom" has lately been replaced with "privacy"... and how "privacy is dead". Another scene towards the end also packs a punch: Snowden and Greenwald engage in a conversation, resorting to a pen and notepad for the most important details so as not to let that information somehow get overheard and recorded... the two then rip up the paper to cover their tracks.
The film is quiet, but powerful. It is a great portrayal of the power of an individual making a difference, and leading others to do the same. CITIZENFOUR is now playing at the Midtown Cinema... come check it out!
Monday, November 10, 2014
THE IMITATION GAME - starts Jan 9
THE IMITATION GAME - starts Jan 9
PG-13,114min
Genius British logician and cryptologist Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) helps crack Germany's Enigma Code during World War II but is later prosecuted by his government for illegal homosexual acts.
PG-13,114min
Genius British logician and cryptologist Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) helps crack Germany's Enigma Code during World War II but is later prosecuted by his government for illegal homosexual acts.
SATURDAY MORNING CARTOONS
Join us every Second Saturday of the month from 9:30 to 11:30am! Join us (and Bugs and Daffy and Foghorn...) for a morning with classic Looney Tunes!
2015 dates: 1/10, 2/14, 3/14, 4/11, 5/9, 6/13, 7/11, 8/8, 9/12, 10/10, 11/14, 12/12
2015 dates: 1/10, 2/14, 3/14, 4/11, 5/9, 6/13, 7/11, 8/8, 9/12, 10/10, 11/14, 12/12
DIGITAL THEATRE - Classic and Contemporary
Specticast presents
GREAT EXPECTATIONS
part of Midtown Cinema's Classic Digital Theatre Series
January 4th @4pm & January 6th @7pm, 150 min with intermission | Staged and filmed at the Vaudeville Theatre, West End, London, this adaptation of Charles Dickens’ GREAT EXPECTATIONS by Jo Clifford has been universally acclaimed as a triumph on its sellout tour of the United Kingdom. This event forms part of the global celebrations surrounding the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens’ birth. Directed by Graham McLaren and starring Jack Ellis as Jaggers, Chris Ellison as Magwitch, Paula Wilcox as Miss Havisham, Paul Nivison as Adult Pip; Grace Rowes as Estella and Taylor Jay-Davis as Young Pip.
National Theatre Live presents
JOHN
part of Midtown Cinema's Contemporary Digital Theatre Series
Sun Jan 18 @4pm & Tue Jan 20 @7pm, 155 min with intermission | Internationally renowned DV8 Physical Theatre bring their powerful new production to the National Theatre. DV8 Physical Theatre has produced 18 highly acclaimed dance-theatre works and four films for television, which have garnered over 50 national and international awards. The company’s new production, JOHN, authentically depicts real-life stories, combining movement and spoken word to create an intense and moving theatrical experience. Lloyd Newson, DV8’s Artistic Director, interviewed more than 50 men asking them frank questions, initially about love and sex. One of those men was John. What emerged was a story that is both extraordinary and touching. Years of crime, drug use and struggling to survive lead John on a search in which his life converges with others, in an unexpected place, unknown by most. JOHN contains adult themes, strong language and nudity. Suitable for 18yrs+
Specticast presents
CAESAR AND CLEOPATRA
part of Midtown Cinema's Classic Digital Theatre Series
February 1st @4pm & February 3rd @7pm, 115 min (no intermission) | A witty and seductive comedy about the relationship between a veteran Roman political strategist and an enchanting Egyptian teenage queen. Stratford's production was hailed by The New York Times as "the climactic event in the company's impressive current season." Now movie audiences can witness the acclaimed performance of legendary Canadian actor Christopher Plummer, and experience the drama, intrigue and comedy of George Bernard Shaw's celebrated play. The production also stars Nikki M. James, who later went on to receive the 2011 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her role as Nabulungi in The Book of Mormon. The high quality production captures the true experience of witnessing Shaw's celebrated play on the prestigious Stratford Festival stage.
National Theatre Live presents
TREASURE ISLAND
part of Midtown Cinema's Contemporary Digital Theatre Series
Sun Feb 15 @4pm & Tue Feb 17 @7pm | Robert Louis Stevenson’s story of murder, money and mutiny is brought to life in a thrilling new stage adaptation by Bryony Lavery, broadcast live from the National Theatre. It’s a dark, stormy night. The stars are out. Jim, the inn-keeper’s granddaughter, opens the door to a terrifying stranger. At the old sailor’s feet sits a huge sea-chest, full of secrets. Jim invites him in – and her dangerous voyage begins. Suitable for 10 years +
Specticast presents
THE TEMPEST
part of Midtown Cinema's Classic Digital Theatre Series
March 1st @4pm & March 3rd @7pm, 132 min (no intermission) | This culminating masterpiece of Shakespeare's career, featuring Christopher Plummer as Prospero, pits the desire for revenge against the demands of love and asks if man is capable of creating a brave new world. Performed and filmed at the Stratford Festival.
Specticast presents
FROM HERE TO ETERNITY - THE MUSICAL
part of Midtown Cinema's Classic Digital Theatre Series
March 29th @4pm & March 31st @7pm | Pearl Harbor, 1941, where the girls sing “don’cha like Hawaii”, the men of G Company sing the blues, and where even on an army base, love and desire are never very far away. When the troubled Private Prewitt falls for the kind hearted escort club girl Lorene, and when his platoon sergeant, Warden, embarks on a dangerous affair with his commanding officer’s wife, Karen, the lives of both men are set on a course they cannot control. As war approaches, the worlds of the four lovers and the soldiers of G Company are dramatically ripped apart. Sir Tim Rice’s magnificent new musical From Here To Eternity is adapted from one of the greatest novels of the twentieth century; a gripping tale of illicit love and army life which translates in to a breath-taking, romantic and excitingly original show, set to join the front rank of great musicals.
National Theatre Live presents
THE HARD PROBLEM
part of Midtown Cinema's Classic Digital Theatre Series
Sun May 3rd @4pm & Tue May 5th @7pm | Acclaimed playwright Tom Stoppard (Shakespeare in Love, Arcadia, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead) returns to the National Theatre with his highly-anticipated new play The Hard Problem, directed by Nicholas Hytner (Othello, Hamlet, One Man, Two Guvnors). Hilary, a young psychology researcher at a brainscience institute, is nursing a private sorrow and a troubling question at work, where psychology and biology meet. If there is nothing but matter, what is consciousness? This is ‘the hard problem’ which puts Hilary at odds with her colleagues who include her first mentor Spike, her boss Leo and the billionaire founder of the institute, Jerry. Is the day coming when the computer and the fMRI scanner will answer all the questions psychology can ask? Meanwhile Hilary needs a miracle, and she is prepared to pray for one.
National Theatre Live presents
MAN AND SUPERMAN
part of Midtown Cinema's Classic Digital Theatre Series
Sun June 7th @4pm & Tue June 9th @7pm | Academy Award® nominee Ralph Fiennes (The English Patient, Schindler’s List, Oedipus at the National Theatre) plays Jack Tanner in this exhilarating reinvention of Shaw’s witty, provocative classic. Jack Tanner, celebrated radical thinker and rich bachelor, seems an unlikely choice as guardian to the alluring heiress, Ann. But she takes it in her assured stride and, despite the love of a poet, she decides to marry and tame this dazzling revolutionary. Tanner, appalled by the whiff of domesticity, is tipped off by his chauffeur and flees to Spain, where he is captured by bandits and meets The Devil. An extraordinary dream-debate, heaven versus hell, ensues. Following in hot pursuit, Ann is there when Tanner awakes, as fierce in her certainty as he is in his. A romantic comedy, an epic fairytale, a fiery philosophical debate, Man and Superman asks fundamental questions about how we live.
GREAT EXPECTATIONS
part of Midtown Cinema's Classic Digital Theatre Series
January 4th @4pm & January 6th @7pm, 150 min with intermission | Staged and filmed at the Vaudeville Theatre, West End, London, this adaptation of Charles Dickens’ GREAT EXPECTATIONS by Jo Clifford has been universally acclaimed as a triumph on its sellout tour of the United Kingdom. This event forms part of the global celebrations surrounding the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens’ birth. Directed by Graham McLaren and starring Jack Ellis as Jaggers, Chris Ellison as Magwitch, Paula Wilcox as Miss Havisham, Paul Nivison as Adult Pip; Grace Rowes as Estella and Taylor Jay-Davis as Young Pip.
National Theatre Live presents
JOHN
part of Midtown Cinema's Contemporary Digital Theatre Series
Sun Jan 18 @4pm & Tue Jan 20 @7pm, 155 min with intermission | Internationally renowned DV8 Physical Theatre bring their powerful new production to the National Theatre. DV8 Physical Theatre has produced 18 highly acclaimed dance-theatre works and four films for television, which have garnered over 50 national and international awards. The company’s new production, JOHN, authentically depicts real-life stories, combining movement and spoken word to create an intense and moving theatrical experience. Lloyd Newson, DV8’s Artistic Director, interviewed more than 50 men asking them frank questions, initially about love and sex. One of those men was John. What emerged was a story that is both extraordinary and touching. Years of crime, drug use and struggling to survive lead John on a search in which his life converges with others, in an unexpected place, unknown by most. JOHN contains adult themes, strong language and nudity. Suitable for 18yrs+
Specticast presents
CAESAR AND CLEOPATRA
part of Midtown Cinema's Classic Digital Theatre Series
February 1st @4pm & February 3rd @7pm, 115 min (no intermission) | A witty and seductive comedy about the relationship between a veteran Roman political strategist and an enchanting Egyptian teenage queen. Stratford's production was hailed by The New York Times as "the climactic event in the company's impressive current season." Now movie audiences can witness the acclaimed performance of legendary Canadian actor Christopher Plummer, and experience the drama, intrigue and comedy of George Bernard Shaw's celebrated play. The production also stars Nikki M. James, who later went on to receive the 2011 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her role as Nabulungi in The Book of Mormon. The high quality production captures the true experience of witnessing Shaw's celebrated play on the prestigious Stratford Festival stage.
National Theatre Live presents
TREASURE ISLAND
part of Midtown Cinema's Contemporary Digital Theatre Series
Sun Feb 15 @4pm & Tue Feb 17 @7pm | Robert Louis Stevenson’s story of murder, money and mutiny is brought to life in a thrilling new stage adaptation by Bryony Lavery, broadcast live from the National Theatre. It’s a dark, stormy night. The stars are out. Jim, the inn-keeper’s granddaughter, opens the door to a terrifying stranger. At the old sailor’s feet sits a huge sea-chest, full of secrets. Jim invites him in – and her dangerous voyage begins. Suitable for 10 years +
Specticast presents
THE TEMPEST
part of Midtown Cinema's Classic Digital Theatre Series
March 1st @4pm & March 3rd @7pm, 132 min (no intermission) | This culminating masterpiece of Shakespeare's career, featuring Christopher Plummer as Prospero, pits the desire for revenge against the demands of love and asks if man is capable of creating a brave new world. Performed and filmed at the Stratford Festival.
Specticast presents
FROM HERE TO ETERNITY - THE MUSICAL
part of Midtown Cinema's Classic Digital Theatre Series
March 29th @4pm & March 31st @7pm | Pearl Harbor, 1941, where the girls sing “don’cha like Hawaii”, the men of G Company sing the blues, and where even on an army base, love and desire are never very far away. When the troubled Private Prewitt falls for the kind hearted escort club girl Lorene, and when his platoon sergeant, Warden, embarks on a dangerous affair with his commanding officer’s wife, Karen, the lives of both men are set on a course they cannot control. As war approaches, the worlds of the four lovers and the soldiers of G Company are dramatically ripped apart. Sir Tim Rice’s magnificent new musical From Here To Eternity is adapted from one of the greatest novels of the twentieth century; a gripping tale of illicit love and army life which translates in to a breath-taking, romantic and excitingly original show, set to join the front rank of great musicals.
National Theatre Live presents
THE HARD PROBLEM
part of Midtown Cinema's Classic Digital Theatre Series
Sun May 3rd @4pm & Tue May 5th @7pm | Acclaimed playwright Tom Stoppard (Shakespeare in Love, Arcadia, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead) returns to the National Theatre with his highly-anticipated new play The Hard Problem, directed by Nicholas Hytner (Othello, Hamlet, One Man, Two Guvnors). Hilary, a young psychology researcher at a brainscience institute, is nursing a private sorrow and a troubling question at work, where psychology and biology meet. If there is nothing but matter, what is consciousness? This is ‘the hard problem’ which puts Hilary at odds with her colleagues who include her first mentor Spike, her boss Leo and the billionaire founder of the institute, Jerry. Is the day coming when the computer and the fMRI scanner will answer all the questions psychology can ask? Meanwhile Hilary needs a miracle, and she is prepared to pray for one.
National Theatre Live presents
MAN AND SUPERMAN
part of Midtown Cinema's Classic Digital Theatre Series
Sun June 7th @4pm & Tue June 9th @7pm | Academy Award® nominee Ralph Fiennes (The English Patient, Schindler’s List, Oedipus at the National Theatre) plays Jack Tanner in this exhilarating reinvention of Shaw’s witty, provocative classic. Jack Tanner, celebrated radical thinker and rich bachelor, seems an unlikely choice as guardian to the alluring heiress, Ann. But she takes it in her assured stride and, despite the love of a poet, she decides to marry and tame this dazzling revolutionary. Tanner, appalled by the whiff of domesticity, is tipped off by his chauffeur and flees to Spain, where he is captured by bandits and meets The Devil. An extraordinary dream-debate, heaven versus hell, ensues. Following in hot pursuit, Ann is there when Tanner awakes, as fierce in her certainty as he is in his. A romantic comedy, an epic fairytale, a fiery philosophical debate, Man and Superman asks fundamental questions about how we live.
Sunday, November 2, 2014
ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY
LOVE LABOUR'S LOST130 min + 20 min interval
Sun 3/15 @4pm
Tues 3/17 @7pm
Summer 1914. In order to dedicate themselves to a life of study, the King and his friends take an oath to avoid the company of women for three years. No sooner have they made their idealistic pledge than the Princess of France and her ladies-in-waiting arrive, presenting the men with a severe test of their high-minded resolve. Shakespeare's sparkling comedy delights in championing and then unravelling an unrealistic vow, and mischievously suggesting that the study of the opposite sex is in fact the highest of all academic endeavours. Only at the end of the play is the merriment curtailed as the lovers agree to submit to a period apart, unaware that the world around them is about to be utterly transformed by the war to end all wars. Christopher Luscombe directs one acting company in both Love's Labour's Lost and Love's Labour's Won (usually known as Much Ado About Nothing). Christopher's directing credits include The Comedy of Errors and The Merry Wives of Windsor for Shakespeare's Globe as well as The Madness of George III and Spamalot in the West End.
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING(LOVE'S LABOUR'S WON)
140 min + 20 min interval
Sun 4/19 @4pm
Tues 4/21 @7pm
Autumn 1918. A group of soldiers return from the trenches. The world-weary Benedick and his friend Claudio find themselves reacquainted with Beatrice and Hero. As memories of conflict give way to a life of parties and masked balls, Claudio and Hero fall madly, deeply in love, while Benedick and Beatrice reignite their own altogether more combative courtship. Shakespeare's comic romance plays out amidst the brittle high spirits of a post-war house party, as youthful passions run riot, lovers are deceived and happiness is threatened – before peace ultimately wins out. Christopher Luscombe directs the second of Shakespeare's matching pair of comedies that rejoice in our capacity to find love in the most unlikely places. Better known as Much Ado About Nothing, the play is performed under the title Love's Labour's Won, a name possibly attributed to it during Shakespeare's lifetime.
Sam's Blog - Birdman
Years ago, he played Birdman, the gravelly-voiced, telekinetic comic book superhero who could fly. Now, Riggan Thomson (played by Michael Keaton) is trying to find his identity beyond this famed role (an ironic connection, given Michael Keaton's past role as Batman). Alejandro González Iñárritu's BIRDMAN will captivate you from the very start with its eccentricity: the very first image is of Riggan in his underwear, levitating, his back turned to the camera as the voice of his alter-ego character booms in his head. He is in his dressing room, having initiated a desperate attempt to restake his claim to fame by adapting, directing, and acting in a Broadway play. The film takes place during the preview nights as the members of the cast try to work out their issues before Opening Night, when they will be at the mercy of the critics.
There are an assortment of characters within the walls of this theatre. Riggan's daughter, Sam (Emma Stone), has just gotten out of rehab and is working as her father's assistant to keep herself distracted. Jake (Zach Galifianakis) is the show's producer, desperately trying to keep the cast sane and on the same page. Laura (Andrea Riseborough) and Lesley (Naomi Watts) are the two lead actresses in the play, and both desperately want a sign that they are loved. Edward Norton plays Mike Shiner, the egotistical actor who comes in as a last-minute replacement when an actor gets injured on the set, and immediately tries to steal the spotlight of his colleagues.
The film gives a fascinating (and often comical) insight into the insecurities of celebrities: the first half of the film is very much an ensemble piece, flitting back and forth from character to character and unfolding the strange, perhaps unhealthy, perhaps necessary, reliance they all have on each other. Each character lashes out in different ways: their fears, their doubts, and the constructs they have to put up in order to succeed all come into play here. This is best seen with Riggan, himself, as the audience is given the responsibility of deciphering whether he is going insane, or if there really is something supernatural -- or perhaps the word "special" would suffice -- about him. After all, that is the point that BIRDMAN makes: that everyone wants there to be something special about them, something that makes them stand out and matter to the world. It's just easier to see with actors.
The most exhilarating part of BIRDMAN is the cinematography... which is not a surprise, given the director of photography, Emmanuel Lubezki, whose past work includes technical masterpieces like GRAVITY and CHILDREN OF MEN. For a film that takes place on Broadway, it makes perfect sense that BIRDMAN runs with the fluidity of a well-orchestrated play: through carefully planned cuts and maneuvers, the cinematography creates the illusion that the entire film is one shot, and the way the camera twists around corners and runs through the halls with the characters makes it feel as if the theater itself is a character -- the host, if you will.
It's hard to find anything negative to say about this film... the acting is excellent, the story is engaging... there are a few conversations that come across a bit stagey, but one could perceive them as just a part of the show. BIRDMAN is now playing at the Midtown Cinema... don't let this one pass you by.
There are an assortment of characters within the walls of this theatre. Riggan's daughter, Sam (Emma Stone), has just gotten out of rehab and is working as her father's assistant to keep herself distracted. Jake (Zach Galifianakis) is the show's producer, desperately trying to keep the cast sane and on the same page. Laura (Andrea Riseborough) and Lesley (Naomi Watts) are the two lead actresses in the play, and both desperately want a sign that they are loved. Edward Norton plays Mike Shiner, the egotistical actor who comes in as a last-minute replacement when an actor gets injured on the set, and immediately tries to steal the spotlight of his colleagues.
The film gives a fascinating (and often comical) insight into the insecurities of celebrities: the first half of the film is very much an ensemble piece, flitting back and forth from character to character and unfolding the strange, perhaps unhealthy, perhaps necessary, reliance they all have on each other. Each character lashes out in different ways: their fears, their doubts, and the constructs they have to put up in order to succeed all come into play here. This is best seen with Riggan, himself, as the audience is given the responsibility of deciphering whether he is going insane, or if there really is something supernatural -- or perhaps the word "special" would suffice -- about him. After all, that is the point that BIRDMAN makes: that everyone wants there to be something special about them, something that makes them stand out and matter to the world. It's just easier to see with actors.
The most exhilarating part of BIRDMAN is the cinematography... which is not a surprise, given the director of photography, Emmanuel Lubezki, whose past work includes technical masterpieces like GRAVITY and CHILDREN OF MEN. For a film that takes place on Broadway, it makes perfect sense that BIRDMAN runs with the fluidity of a well-orchestrated play: through carefully planned cuts and maneuvers, the cinematography creates the illusion that the entire film is one shot, and the way the camera twists around corners and runs through the halls with the characters makes it feel as if the theater itself is a character -- the host, if you will.
It's hard to find anything negative to say about this film... the acting is excellent, the story is engaging... there are a few conversations that come across a bit stagey, but one could perceive them as just a part of the show. BIRDMAN is now playing at the Midtown Cinema... don't let this one pass you by.
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Sam's Blog - Nightcrawler
For those who are under the impression that movies are a form of escape, here is a film that will make you reevaluate. Dan Gilroy, who made himself known through his writing credits in THE FALL, THE BOURNE LEGACY, REAL STEEL, and countless others, has finally gotten his directorial debut on the big screen: NIGHTCRAWLER is a gritty story of the underbelly of crime journalism, a film that is sure to get under your skin.
Jake Gyllenhaal plays Louis Bloom, a cool and calculating young man in Los Angeles looking for work in unconventional ways. Lou is a go-getter, and sees everything as an opportunity -- the world is his job fair, and he'll be damned if smooth talking and a hard work ethic will not get him where he wants to be... and to hell with morals if they stand in his way. He finds his calling on the freeway, when a car crash -- and more importantly, the freelance camera crew that get the aftermath on tape -- catches his eye. It is clear that Lou is enamored by this display of "nightcrawling", and pretty soon, he has conned his way into possession of a police scanner and a video camera, and is chasing down crime scenes. Finally catching some good footage of a shooting, he brings it to the local news station to sell it, and finds his place in the news industry.
Lou's work begins to escalate. He names his self-started company "Video Production News" (VPN), and hires Rick (Riz Ahmed), an insecure but hopeful young man hoping for a break, to watch the car as he films. At first you will wonder if Lou is just in it for the passion of entrepreneurism, but his true, sociopathic intentions are revealed as he gradually becomes less and less passive in his attempts to get his footage.
From the very beginning, Lou makes you uncomfortable, from his overly self-selling nature right down to the ridiculously calculated way he chooses his words, but the sense of discomfort begins to grow as his rise to success is accompanied by uplifting, revelatory music... kudos to composer James Newton Howard for accentuating the disturbed atmosphere of the film by contrasting the audience's emotions so drastically. It is common for a film to give you a front row seat to a sociopath's world... it is not so common to try to fit you into his point of view. That is what makes this film so uncanny: there is a tug-of-war between the pull to relate with the main character and the strange revulsion that he brings to the screen.
This is a well-crafted commentary not only on how sociopaths fit into society, but also how news is treated in the media. While Lou is the most disturbing character in the film, his contact at the news station, Nina (Rene Russo), isn't too far behind him. She picks and chooses which footage to show, smiling excitedly as she watches murder and crash victims on the monitors. This is yet another unsettling aspect of the film: we watch Lou spinning his web, and yet we see similar characteristics between him and the woman who represents what we watch every day on our television screens.
The film is definitely a wakeup call, and I've got to hand it to Gilroy for handing the world a perfect topic of conversation in such a thrilling way. NIGHTCRAWLER is now playing at the Midtown Cinema... don't let this one pass you by!
Jake Gyllenhaal plays Louis Bloom, a cool and calculating young man in Los Angeles looking for work in unconventional ways. Lou is a go-getter, and sees everything as an opportunity -- the world is his job fair, and he'll be damned if smooth talking and a hard work ethic will not get him where he wants to be... and to hell with morals if they stand in his way. He finds his calling on the freeway, when a car crash -- and more importantly, the freelance camera crew that get the aftermath on tape -- catches his eye. It is clear that Lou is enamored by this display of "nightcrawling", and pretty soon, he has conned his way into possession of a police scanner and a video camera, and is chasing down crime scenes. Finally catching some good footage of a shooting, he brings it to the local news station to sell it, and finds his place in the news industry.
Lou's work begins to escalate. He names his self-started company "Video Production News" (VPN), and hires Rick (Riz Ahmed), an insecure but hopeful young man hoping for a break, to watch the car as he films. At first you will wonder if Lou is just in it for the passion of entrepreneurism, but his true, sociopathic intentions are revealed as he gradually becomes less and less passive in his attempts to get his footage.
From the very beginning, Lou makes you uncomfortable, from his overly self-selling nature right down to the ridiculously calculated way he chooses his words, but the sense of discomfort begins to grow as his rise to success is accompanied by uplifting, revelatory music... kudos to composer James Newton Howard for accentuating the disturbed atmosphere of the film by contrasting the audience's emotions so drastically. It is common for a film to give you a front row seat to a sociopath's world... it is not so common to try to fit you into his point of view. That is what makes this film so uncanny: there is a tug-of-war between the pull to relate with the main character and the strange revulsion that he brings to the screen.
This is a well-crafted commentary not only on how sociopaths fit into society, but also how news is treated in the media. While Lou is the most disturbing character in the film, his contact at the news station, Nina (Rene Russo), isn't too far behind him. She picks and chooses which footage to show, smiling excitedly as she watches murder and crash victims on the monitors. This is yet another unsettling aspect of the film: we watch Lou spinning his web, and yet we see similar characteristics between him and the woman who represents what we watch every day on our television screens.
The film is definitely a wakeup call, and I've got to hand it to Gilroy for handing the world a perfect topic of conversation in such a thrilling way. NIGHTCRAWLER is now playing at the Midtown Cinema... don't let this one pass you by!
Monday, October 20, 2014
Sam's Blog - St. Vincent
"It is what it is." That seems to be everyone's favorite phrase when they have to talk to Vincent MacKenna (Bill Murray). Vincent is a cantankerous old man who spends all his money on trips to the racetracks and jaunts with his favorite Russian prostitute, Daka (Naomi Watts), whose pregnant belly is scaring away her usual clientele. Vincent takes every moment as an opportunity to make some extra cash: when a moving truck hits a tree in his yard and causes a branch to fall on his car, he complains to the new neighbors, Maggie (Melissa McCarthy) and her 12-year old son, Oliver (Jaeden Lieberher), telling them they'll need to pay up... even though the majority of the damage was actually done the night before, when he drunkenly backed his car into his own fence.
Maggie and Oliver have enough problems of their own, let alone having to pay for property damage. Maggie has to pick up extra hours at work to pay for her recent divorce, not to mention making up for the lack of child support from her ex-husband. She wants Oliver to have a good education, so she enrolls him in a Catholic school, despite the fact that they're Jewish (allowing for some delightful scenes featuring Chris O'Dowd as the witty Catholic priest who teaches Oliver's class). But scrawny, delicate Oliver is having trouble adjusting at his new school, surrounded by kids who continually pick on him. And to make matters worse, Maggie can't always finish work in time to pick Oliver up from school, which means that Oliver is in desperate need of a babysitter.
And so begins the incredibly unorthodox relationship between Vincent and Oliver. This is probably the only moment I couldn't help but roll my eyes: maybe it's just me, but a twelve-year old needing a babysitter -- especially a twelve-year old as responsible as Oliver -- seems a little bit of a stretch, but some kind of ball needs to be rolled to get this film going, so there you have it. After demanding payment, Vincent agrees to babysit, but does not agree to alter his lifestyle... he takes Oliver to the tracks and to the bar; he introduces Oliver to Daka, and teaches him how to fight. But bit by bit, as Oliver and Vincent begin to bond, we begin to see an unexpected side of this old crochety man.
If it sounds like this story has been told a thousand times before, it's probably because it has, but that didn't stop writer/director Theodore Melfi from breathing new life into this recycled idea. Most crotchety old men in stories are just nasty until they connect with someone... But Vincent is nasty regardless. What makes him different from any old Ebeneezer Scrooge or Melvin Udall is that he doesn't like people... but he cares about them. And for that, I applaud Melfi: he doesn't take the easy way out and give us a miserable character who does one good deed and gets a pat on the back, but instead gives us a miserable character who still somehow manages to be worthy of... well, of the conclusion to this film.
The performances in this film are fantastic. Murray plays one of his most complex characters yet, and handles some delicate situations with care. McCarthy takes a break from her more aggressive roles, and the effect is refreshing... she gives a genuine and heartfelt performance. Lieberher will win your heart, in his first feature role no less. And Watts and O'Dowd, though in supporting roles, certainly contribute their own flare to the film.
While ST. VINCENT probably won't make quite a large enough wave to rock the Oscar boat, it is still a fun and heartwarming film. This is definitely something you want to check out. It is now playing at the Midtown Cinema!
Maggie and Oliver have enough problems of their own, let alone having to pay for property damage. Maggie has to pick up extra hours at work to pay for her recent divorce, not to mention making up for the lack of child support from her ex-husband. She wants Oliver to have a good education, so she enrolls him in a Catholic school, despite the fact that they're Jewish (allowing for some delightful scenes featuring Chris O'Dowd as the witty Catholic priest who teaches Oliver's class). But scrawny, delicate Oliver is having trouble adjusting at his new school, surrounded by kids who continually pick on him. And to make matters worse, Maggie can't always finish work in time to pick Oliver up from school, which means that Oliver is in desperate need of a babysitter.
And so begins the incredibly unorthodox relationship between Vincent and Oliver. This is probably the only moment I couldn't help but roll my eyes: maybe it's just me, but a twelve-year old needing a babysitter -- especially a twelve-year old as responsible as Oliver -- seems a little bit of a stretch, but some kind of ball needs to be rolled to get this film going, so there you have it. After demanding payment, Vincent agrees to babysit, but does not agree to alter his lifestyle... he takes Oliver to the tracks and to the bar; he introduces Oliver to Daka, and teaches him how to fight. But bit by bit, as Oliver and Vincent begin to bond, we begin to see an unexpected side of this old crochety man.
If it sounds like this story has been told a thousand times before, it's probably because it has, but that didn't stop writer/director Theodore Melfi from breathing new life into this recycled idea. Most crotchety old men in stories are just nasty until they connect with someone... But Vincent is nasty regardless. What makes him different from any old Ebeneezer Scrooge or Melvin Udall is that he doesn't like people... but he cares about them. And for that, I applaud Melfi: he doesn't take the easy way out and give us a miserable character who does one good deed and gets a pat on the back, but instead gives us a miserable character who still somehow manages to be worthy of... well, of the conclusion to this film.
The performances in this film are fantastic. Murray plays one of his most complex characters yet, and handles some delicate situations with care. McCarthy takes a break from her more aggressive roles, and the effect is refreshing... she gives a genuine and heartfelt performance. Lieberher will win your heart, in his first feature role no less. And Watts and O'Dowd, though in supporting roles, certainly contribute their own flare to the film.
While ST. VINCENT probably won't make quite a large enough wave to rock the Oscar boat, it is still a fun and heartwarming film. This is definitely something you want to check out. It is now playing at the Midtown Cinema!
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Sam's Blog - Men, Women & Children
When I was a kid and first decided to start writing, I was told to choose my medium wisely. What is the purpose behind your words? I was asked. Is it a broad concept that can be stated with a few poetic words, or is it a more complex issue, that needs facts and research to back it up? Or, is it a concept that is best explored using images and allegories? Choose the right medium, and your idea could take off: people will connect to it, relate to it, be able to play with it... you will reach an understanding with your audience. Choose the wrong medium, and your idea could fall flat: it will be brushed aside, a mediocre contribution to the thousands of other ideas that, though well meant, meld together and fade into the background.
Unfortunately, some people don't choose the right medium. Additionally, some people take an idea that was using the right medium, and force it into another medium because it's the medium they're most comfortable with. Take Jason Reitman, for example, with his latest film, MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN. Reitman has a few great films under his belt, some of which he wrote and some of which he simply directed (THANK YOU FOR SMOKING and JUNO immediately come to mind). But MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN, originally a novel written by Chad Kultgen, falls short of his previous successes. The idea does not lend itself to an image-driven medium, and therefore feels heavy-handed and pretentious.
The first image in the film is of the Voyager spacecraft floating around in space. And what a clever way to start a film that revolves around social media and the Internet... after all, everything that goes through Facebook or Twitter has to transmit to a far off, distant place before popping up on our neighbor's feed. Might as well show how we are connected to our surroundings by something out of reach, right? How very representative of the way technology has permeated our lives.
Almost immediately you can see where this film is headed: it is a reminder that we lose a sense of closeness and detach from others when we immerse ourselves in technology, leading to dissatisfaction. It is a reminder that we are being dangerously shaped by technology and conditioned into reliance on it, especially when it comes to love and sex. Unfortunately, Reitman decides to add about two hours of plot to this reminder. Perhaps the novel is less blunt, but on film, the effect of the message is crippled by its redundancy.
There are many interweaving storylines, which will make your head spin: Don and Helen Truby (Adam Sandler and Rosemarie DeWitt) have a lackluster sex life, and both turn to the Internet (read: strangers) to meet their needs. Meanwhile, their son, Chris (Travis Trope) is pursuing Hannah Clint (Olivia Crocicchia), who is pursuing a career as an actress and has her own website, covered with photos -- often inappropriate photos -- that her mother, Donna (Judy Greer) took to help boost her modeling resume. Donna begins dating Kent Mooney (Dean Morris), whose wife left him for another man a year ago, and only keeps in touch via Facebook... Kent's son, Tim, still glum about his mom leaving, has quit the football team and immersed himself into an online video game, only surfacing to spend time with Brandy Beltmeyer (Kaitlyn Denver), whose frighteningly protective mother, Patricia (Jennifer Garner) monitors her every movement by tracking her social media accounts and her phone. Then there's Brooke (Katherine C. Hughes), who suffers from anorexia and is part of an online group of people who encourage each other not to eat.
All of these storylines point in the right direction, and I have no doubt that there are good intentions behind the overarching plot... but those good intentions could have been portrayed in a ten minute short. I grasped the concept in the first few minutes of the film, and quickly got bored with it as it kept forcing itself on me in the following two hours. Perhaps if the characters had been given room to breathe, those two hours would have felt worth it, but not one of them ever surpassed the generic stereotypes that have been ingrained into that "technology = bad" mantra. The way that the film spoon-feeds you these countless one-dimensional characters, instead of allowing you to explore an idea through one or two fleshed out characters, is frankly patronizing. The ensemble cast just seemed to weigh down the plot, spreading thin the audience's ability to relate.
Needless to say, this isn't one of Reitman's best films. Hopefully it's not a reflection of what's to come... For now, I'll chalk it up to a momentary lapse, and will cross my fingers that he'll return to his old style and focus. But maybe you disagree... MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN is now playing at the Midtown Cinema. Check it out and let me know what you think.
Unfortunately, some people don't choose the right medium. Additionally, some people take an idea that was using the right medium, and force it into another medium because it's the medium they're most comfortable with. Take Jason Reitman, for example, with his latest film, MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN. Reitman has a few great films under his belt, some of which he wrote and some of which he simply directed (THANK YOU FOR SMOKING and JUNO immediately come to mind). But MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN, originally a novel written by Chad Kultgen, falls short of his previous successes. The idea does not lend itself to an image-driven medium, and therefore feels heavy-handed and pretentious.
The first image in the film is of the Voyager spacecraft floating around in space. And what a clever way to start a film that revolves around social media and the Internet... after all, everything that goes through Facebook or Twitter has to transmit to a far off, distant place before popping up on our neighbor's feed. Might as well show how we are connected to our surroundings by something out of reach, right? How very representative of the way technology has permeated our lives.
Almost immediately you can see where this film is headed: it is a reminder that we lose a sense of closeness and detach from others when we immerse ourselves in technology, leading to dissatisfaction. It is a reminder that we are being dangerously shaped by technology and conditioned into reliance on it, especially when it comes to love and sex. Unfortunately, Reitman decides to add about two hours of plot to this reminder. Perhaps the novel is less blunt, but on film, the effect of the message is crippled by its redundancy.
There are many interweaving storylines, which will make your head spin: Don and Helen Truby (Adam Sandler and Rosemarie DeWitt) have a lackluster sex life, and both turn to the Internet (read: strangers) to meet their needs. Meanwhile, their son, Chris (Travis Trope) is pursuing Hannah Clint (Olivia Crocicchia), who is pursuing a career as an actress and has her own website, covered with photos -- often inappropriate photos -- that her mother, Donna (Judy Greer) took to help boost her modeling resume. Donna begins dating Kent Mooney (Dean Morris), whose wife left him for another man a year ago, and only keeps in touch via Facebook... Kent's son, Tim, still glum about his mom leaving, has quit the football team and immersed himself into an online video game, only surfacing to spend time with Brandy Beltmeyer (Kaitlyn Denver), whose frighteningly protective mother, Patricia (Jennifer Garner) monitors her every movement by tracking her social media accounts and her phone. Then there's Brooke (Katherine C. Hughes), who suffers from anorexia and is part of an online group of people who encourage each other not to eat.
All of these storylines point in the right direction, and I have no doubt that there are good intentions behind the overarching plot... but those good intentions could have been portrayed in a ten minute short. I grasped the concept in the first few minutes of the film, and quickly got bored with it as it kept forcing itself on me in the following two hours. Perhaps if the characters had been given room to breathe, those two hours would have felt worth it, but not one of them ever surpassed the generic stereotypes that have been ingrained into that "technology = bad" mantra. The way that the film spoon-feeds you these countless one-dimensional characters, instead of allowing you to explore an idea through one or two fleshed out characters, is frankly patronizing. The ensemble cast just seemed to weigh down the plot, spreading thin the audience's ability to relate.
Needless to say, this isn't one of Reitman's best films. Hopefully it's not a reflection of what's to come... For now, I'll chalk it up to a momentary lapse, and will cross my fingers that he'll return to his old style and focus. But maybe you disagree... MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN is now playing at the Midtown Cinema. Check it out and let me know what you think.
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Sam's Blog - The Skeleton Twins
If you were to see a poster for THE SKELETON TWINS, you might guess, due to the cast, that the film is a comedy. After all, the film costars Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader, who are both predominantly known for their comedic roles and run on Saturday Night Live. However, the first few minutes of director Craig Johnson's second feature film will set you straight: the story begins with Milo (Hader), and Maggie (Wiig), on opposite sides of the country, Milo attempting suicide and Maggie about to attempt it. Luckily, the phone call following Milo's botched attempt interrupts Maggie in her own attempt, and we finally find out the link between these two characters: Milo and Maggie are twins. And though they seem to be in sync emotionally, they have had nothing to do with each other for ten years: Milo moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting, though is now floundering with his job as a waiter, while Maggie stayed in New York, became a dental hygienist, and got married.
Unfortunately, suicide is not an unfamiliar idea in the twins' lives: their father met with a similar end when they were younger, and it becomes increasingly clear as the plot progresses that depression runs in the family. Maggie offers to let Milo crash at her house for a while, and the two finally have a chance to catch up... but both try to hide their discontent in life from each other, each battling their depression in different ways: Milo tries to revisit a controversial flame from the past, and Maggie struggles to remain faithful to her extremely pleasant husband (Luke Wilson).
It's a serious story sprinkled with hilarious moments (cue "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" by Starship), and the characters are far from two-dimensional, popping off the screen in their complexity. Wiig and Hader have excellent chemistry onscreen: the relationship is believable right from their first interaction. And the rest of the cast (including Boyd Holbrook and Ty Burrell) fleshes out Milo and Maggie's world wonderfully.
The story is beautifully crafted (kudos to Johnson and co-writer Mark Heyman), from the clever balance of humor and solemnity on the surface of the story, to the deeper, interwoven symbolism of water in the twins' lives (Maggie is taking scuba diving lessons at the local pool, and Milo leaves behind two goldfish when he comes to New York... details which seem thrown in, but wrap up quite nicely by the end of the film). Don't miss this poignant film... now playing at the Midtown Cinema.
Unfortunately, suicide is not an unfamiliar idea in the twins' lives: their father met with a similar end when they were younger, and it becomes increasingly clear as the plot progresses that depression runs in the family. Maggie offers to let Milo crash at her house for a while, and the two finally have a chance to catch up... but both try to hide their discontent in life from each other, each battling their depression in different ways: Milo tries to revisit a controversial flame from the past, and Maggie struggles to remain faithful to her extremely pleasant husband (Luke Wilson).
It's a serious story sprinkled with hilarious moments (cue "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" by Starship), and the characters are far from two-dimensional, popping off the screen in their complexity. Wiig and Hader have excellent chemistry onscreen: the relationship is believable right from their first interaction. And the rest of the cast (including Boyd Holbrook and Ty Burrell) fleshes out Milo and Maggie's world wonderfully.
The story is beautifully crafted (kudos to Johnson and co-writer Mark Heyman), from the clever balance of humor and solemnity on the surface of the story, to the deeper, interwoven symbolism of water in the twins' lives (Maggie is taking scuba diving lessons at the local pool, and Milo leaves behind two goldfish when he comes to New York... details which seem thrown in, but wrap up quite nicely by the end of the film). Don't miss this poignant film... now playing at the Midtown Cinema.
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Sam's Blog - The One I Love
Ethan and Sophie are having marital troubles. The spark is gone from their relationship, and Sophie is still upset by a former infidelity on Ethan's part. So when their psychologist gives them a brochure and suggests they go for an isolated weekend retreat, they jump at the opportunity. But the little cottage in the mountains is not exactly what they expect: strange things begin to occur, things that revolve around the Guest house, things that they cannot explain...
I honestly don't want to give you any more of the story than that, because the surprise of what occurs in this hour and a half will be much more worth it if you are experiencing it with as little knowledge as possible. But suffice it to say that, as Ethan points out early on, things get a little bit reminiscent of "The Twilight Zone". As Ethan and Sophie try to figure out the odd nature of the Guest house, taking quite different roles in their investigation, they find that they are taking a very unorthodox route to fix their relationship... If that is, in fact, what is happening at this weekend retreat.
This is a film that is always one step ahead of you, keeping you on your toes both intellectually and emotionally. For one thing, you'll think you know what's going on at one point in the story, only to have your theory flipped on its head moments later. It is completely engaging, forcing you to pay attention to slight details and make guesses about what has happened and what will happen. And not only does it throw out plenty of twists and turns, but its protagonists are incredible realistic: the way Ethan and Sophie clash in one moment and complement in the next salutes many a relationship, serenading the beauty of mixing instead of matching. The characters alone draw you into the film, setting you up to be caught in the trap of the odd circumstance they find themselves in.
This is a mind-bending film, a hidden gem amongst the Blockbusters. It's only at the Midtown Cinema til Thursday, so definitely check it out now!
I honestly don't want to give you any more of the story than that, because the surprise of what occurs in this hour and a half will be much more worth it if you are experiencing it with as little knowledge as possible. But suffice it to say that, as Ethan points out early on, things get a little bit reminiscent of "The Twilight Zone". As Ethan and Sophie try to figure out the odd nature of the Guest house, taking quite different roles in their investigation, they find that they are taking a very unorthodox route to fix their relationship... If that is, in fact, what is happening at this weekend retreat.
This is a film that is always one step ahead of you, keeping you on your toes both intellectually and emotionally. For one thing, you'll think you know what's going on at one point in the story, only to have your theory flipped on its head moments later. It is completely engaging, forcing you to pay attention to slight details and make guesses about what has happened and what will happen. And not only does it throw out plenty of twists and turns, but its protagonists are incredible realistic: the way Ethan and Sophie clash in one moment and complement in the next salutes many a relationship, serenading the beauty of mixing instead of matching. The characters alone draw you into the film, setting you up to be caught in the trap of the odd circumstance they find themselves in.
This is a mind-bending film, a hidden gem amongst the Blockbusters. It's only at the Midtown Cinema til Thursday, so definitely check it out now!
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Sam's Blog - Love is Strange
Love seems to be the main topic in today's society -- on the radio, in the cinema, and on the TV screen -- but at first glance, the world always seems to focus on the romantic side of love. And why not? Romance makes things fun; it keeps us on our toes; it is something that everyone strives for, and it sells. But romance is not all there is to love... and this is why a second glance is so important: without it, we may miss things like Ira Sachs' new film, LOVE IS STRANGE, which is not just about romantic love, but about familial and neighborly love: the comfort you feel when in its presence, and the loneliness you feel when you are apart from it.
Alfred Molina and John Lithgow play Ben and George, longtime partners in Manhattan who after 39 years, have finally gotten married. What seems like a happy occasion quickly takes a sharp turn for the worst: though the Catholic school for which George worked as a choir director has known his situation for years, he is now being fired from his job after "officially" coming out. With their lives now depending on Ben's pension and the handful of music lessons that George gives, they decide to sell their apartment and look for cheaper rent, asking their family and friends if they can stay with them temporarily. Unfortunately, this is Manhattan, and the size of the apartments prevent anyone from being able to host both of them together, so the two are separated: George stays with their old neighbors, Ted and Roberto (Cheyenne Jackson and Manny Perez), a young, extroverted couple who work for the NYPD; and Ben stays with his hardworking nephew, Elliot (Darren E. Burrows), his novel-writing wife, Kate (Marisa Tomei), and their son, Joey (Charlie Tahan).
Though we can see both George and Ben's disorientation in their new living situations, feeling the constant absence of their partner, the majority of the film focuses on the constant clash between Ben and his hosts as his stay in their home begins to feel less and less temporary. Elliot and Kate's relationship is already strained as the demands of Elliot's job keep him away from home; and as Kate sets to work on her next novel, we find such a natural and true-to-life interaction as Ben unwittingly interrupts her work to make small talk. Joey takes up the role of the hostile teenager, always looking for privacy and spending inordinate amounts of time with his new friend, Vlad.
Meanwhile, George struggles to have some time to himself, as Ted and Roberto constantly invite people over for parties. Though engulfed in a sea of new faces, George feels isolated, further driving home the point that Ben and George feel a void when they are not with each other.
Sachs his cast wisely. Molina and Lithgow have excellent chemistry, and not for a moment will you believe they are anything but an old couple... not just in their chemistry, but in the little moments on screen. They don't flaunt their togetherness with overacted affection, but are completely comfortable with each other, as if... well, as if they've been together for 39 years.
The only complaint I had with this film was that it couldn't seem to make up its mind about whose perspective the story was coming from. For the first half of the movie, it focused on Ben's perspective. Then it briefly switched to George's. Then at the end, you were suddenly placed in Joey's shoes. Though the emotions of these last scenes are wonderful and poignant, the last shot, especially, detracts from the rest of the characters in the film.
However, don't let this detail keep you from enjoying LOVE IS STRANGE, and the idea that it presents... and I'm sure you've guessed by now what this idea is: "Love is strange... but it endures". Now playing at the Midtown Cinema... don't miss it!
Alfred Molina and John Lithgow play Ben and George, longtime partners in Manhattan who after 39 years, have finally gotten married. What seems like a happy occasion quickly takes a sharp turn for the worst: though the Catholic school for which George worked as a choir director has known his situation for years, he is now being fired from his job after "officially" coming out. With their lives now depending on Ben's pension and the handful of music lessons that George gives, they decide to sell their apartment and look for cheaper rent, asking their family and friends if they can stay with them temporarily. Unfortunately, this is Manhattan, and the size of the apartments prevent anyone from being able to host both of them together, so the two are separated: George stays with their old neighbors, Ted and Roberto (Cheyenne Jackson and Manny Perez), a young, extroverted couple who work for the NYPD; and Ben stays with his hardworking nephew, Elliot (Darren E. Burrows), his novel-writing wife, Kate (Marisa Tomei), and their son, Joey (Charlie Tahan).
Though we can see both George and Ben's disorientation in their new living situations, feeling the constant absence of their partner, the majority of the film focuses on the constant clash between Ben and his hosts as his stay in their home begins to feel less and less temporary. Elliot and Kate's relationship is already strained as the demands of Elliot's job keep him away from home; and as Kate sets to work on her next novel, we find such a natural and true-to-life interaction as Ben unwittingly interrupts her work to make small talk. Joey takes up the role of the hostile teenager, always looking for privacy and spending inordinate amounts of time with his new friend, Vlad.
Meanwhile, George struggles to have some time to himself, as Ted and Roberto constantly invite people over for parties. Though engulfed in a sea of new faces, George feels isolated, further driving home the point that Ben and George feel a void when they are not with each other.
Sachs his cast wisely. Molina and Lithgow have excellent chemistry, and not for a moment will you believe they are anything but an old couple... not just in their chemistry, but in the little moments on screen. They don't flaunt their togetherness with overacted affection, but are completely comfortable with each other, as if... well, as if they've been together for 39 years.
The only complaint I had with this film was that it couldn't seem to make up its mind about whose perspective the story was coming from. For the first half of the movie, it focused on Ben's perspective. Then it briefly switched to George's. Then at the end, you were suddenly placed in Joey's shoes. Though the emotions of these last scenes are wonderful and poignant, the last shot, especially, detracts from the rest of the characters in the film.
However, don't let this detail keep you from enjoying LOVE IS STRANGE, and the idea that it presents... and I'm sure you've guessed by now what this idea is: "Love is strange... but it endures". Now playing at the Midtown Cinema... don't miss it!
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Sam's Blog - Land Ho!
Ah, the era of the Travel Bug. People want to travel the world, and they will use their profession as a means to do it, if at all possible. This means that, in the case of the film industry, we keep seeing a multitude of films cropping up in which the filmmakers thinly veil a plot over their vacation, and sell the product. The problem is, they don't really try too hard -- 9 times out of 10, the plot is -- get this -- about two people going on vacation. And more often than not, that's literally all the plot boils down to.
This is exactly the case with LAND HO!, a film about two retirees who go on a trip to Iceland together. Mitch (Earl Lynn Nelson), with his Southern twang and overwhelmingly vulgar tongue, pays for the expenses, merely asking Colin (Paul Eenhoorn), his quiet-natured former brother-in-law, to accompany him. Throughout their vacation in the starkly beautiful Icelandic landscapes, they meet various characters -- new friends and old -- who punctuate their trip with oscillating demeanors. Some scenarios feel incredibly awkward, especially when laced with the vulgarity of Mitch's character, but some scenarios come across as sweet.
The run-ins with this multitude of characters begin to capture a small sliver of the joy of travel, portraying the diversity of the people you can meet and the beauty of the sights you can see. But there isn't much more that this film boasts... There is a very small attempt to cultivate Mitch and Colin's personalities and pasts into the plot, but it only goes so far, and while some of their conversations are endearing, it's nothing that you can't get from having a casual conversation with your grandfather.
I have no complaints for Nelson and Eenhoorn's performances, but in terms of story and characters, the film was more than a little disappointing. If you want a taste of the beauty of Iceland, you'll get that from LAND HO! But don't expect it to be anything more than that.
This is exactly the case with LAND HO!, a film about two retirees who go on a trip to Iceland together. Mitch (Earl Lynn Nelson), with his Southern twang and overwhelmingly vulgar tongue, pays for the expenses, merely asking Colin (Paul Eenhoorn), his quiet-natured former brother-in-law, to accompany him. Throughout their vacation in the starkly beautiful Icelandic landscapes, they meet various characters -- new friends and old -- who punctuate their trip with oscillating demeanors. Some scenarios feel incredibly awkward, especially when laced with the vulgarity of Mitch's character, but some scenarios come across as sweet.
The run-ins with this multitude of characters begin to capture a small sliver of the joy of travel, portraying the diversity of the people you can meet and the beauty of the sights you can see. But there isn't much more that this film boasts... There is a very small attempt to cultivate Mitch and Colin's personalities and pasts into the plot, but it only goes so far, and while some of their conversations are endearing, it's nothing that you can't get from having a casual conversation with your grandfather.
I have no complaints for Nelson and Eenhoorn's performances, but in terms of story and characters, the film was more than a little disappointing. If you want a taste of the beauty of Iceland, you'll get that from LAND HO! But don't expect it to be anything more than that.
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Foner & Hood Review - My Old Lady
Check out Foner & Hood’s review for the upcoming film, MY OLD LADY, with our in-house critic, Sam!
Friday, September 19, 2014
Foner & Hood Review - The Trip to Italy
Check out Foner & Hood's review for the upcoming film, THE TRIP TO ITALY, with our in-house critic, Sam!
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Sam's Blog - The Zero Theorem
Nearly twenty years after 12 MONKEYS, Terry Gilliam finally takes another trip to the future with THE ZERO THEOREM, a bizarre film about the meaning of life. Unfortunately, this new addition to Gilliam's belt of work comes nowhere near to its sci fi predecessor, just as epic in grandeur but not so much with content.
Qohen Leth (Christoph Waltz) is a reserved, quiet man who "crunches entities" for a corporation called Mancom, and refers to himself as "we". He desperately wants to work from home because he is waiting for a phone call which will tell him his destiny (a bit of a "Waiting For Godot" throwback). His supervisor, Joby (David Thewlis), pulls some strings, telling Qohen (who he calls Quinn) that if he shows up at his party, he will talk to Management -- the overseeing, mysterious boss played by Matt Damon -- about an at-home work request. This party manages to accomplish two things for Qohen: he meets feisty temptress, Baisley (Melanie Thierry), who flirts with him, much to his discomfort; and he does, in fact, get the chance to speak to Management, who takes his request to work at home one step further: he assigns Qohen to a special task, to work on the Zero Theroem, a mathematical equation that explains the meaning of life. This seems to be an impossible task, as Joby describes: people usually last a couple of weeks before burning out and returning to their normal position.
However, only after months of working endlessly on the Zero Theorem does Qohen begin to feel the pressure of the job, and Baisley begins to pull him from his work and into virtual reality, where he can forget his problems. Management sends Bob (Lucas Hedges), the laid-back child prodigy, to help him with his work... but Qohen may be lost forever in Baisley's spell.
While it is true that the characters in THE ZERO THEOREM are fun and interesting, it is the story that brings down this sci fi flick. The plot is a little too convoluted and heavy-laden with theoretical ideas to ever reach true satisfaction for the audience. And as Gilliam continues to cram every scene with Easter egg-like interactions and set constructions, it is hard to focus on the main plot... though these distractions are worth it.
In fact, it is Gilliam's trademark attention to mise en scene that truly makes this film. Each shot is brilliant and beautiful, a masterpiece in itself, and transports you into this odd, futuristic but strangely-representative-of-present-day world... The party scene will give you a glimpse, however laughable, of what parties might be like in the next 50 years.
Ultimately, this is a fun movie for fans of Terry Gilliam, but don't expect to leave the theater entirely satisfied. It's meant to be good fun, despite its heavily theoretical content, and it's a theme park for the eyes. Now playing at the Midtown Cinema.
Qohen Leth (Christoph Waltz) is a reserved, quiet man who "crunches entities" for a corporation called Mancom, and refers to himself as "we". He desperately wants to work from home because he is waiting for a phone call which will tell him his destiny (a bit of a "Waiting For Godot" throwback). His supervisor, Joby (David Thewlis), pulls some strings, telling Qohen (who he calls Quinn) that if he shows up at his party, he will talk to Management -- the overseeing, mysterious boss played by Matt Damon -- about an at-home work request. This party manages to accomplish two things for Qohen: he meets feisty temptress, Baisley (Melanie Thierry), who flirts with him, much to his discomfort; and he does, in fact, get the chance to speak to Management, who takes his request to work at home one step further: he assigns Qohen to a special task, to work on the Zero Theroem, a mathematical equation that explains the meaning of life. This seems to be an impossible task, as Joby describes: people usually last a couple of weeks before burning out and returning to their normal position.
However, only after months of working endlessly on the Zero Theorem does Qohen begin to feel the pressure of the job, and Baisley begins to pull him from his work and into virtual reality, where he can forget his problems. Management sends Bob (Lucas Hedges), the laid-back child prodigy, to help him with his work... but Qohen may be lost forever in Baisley's spell.
While it is true that the characters in THE ZERO THEOREM are fun and interesting, it is the story that brings down this sci fi flick. The plot is a little too convoluted and heavy-laden with theoretical ideas to ever reach true satisfaction for the audience. And as Gilliam continues to cram every scene with Easter egg-like interactions and set constructions, it is hard to focus on the main plot... though these distractions are worth it.
In fact, it is Gilliam's trademark attention to mise en scene that truly makes this film. Each shot is brilliant and beautiful, a masterpiece in itself, and transports you into this odd, futuristic but strangely-representative-of-present-day world... The party scene will give you a glimpse, however laughable, of what parties might be like in the next 50 years.
Ultimately, this is a fun movie for fans of Terry Gilliam, but don't expect to leave the theater entirely satisfied. It's meant to be good fun, despite its heavily theoretical content, and it's a theme park for the eyes. Now playing at the Midtown Cinema.
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Sam's Blog - Frank
Director Lenny Abrahamson presents a funny, unusual, and ultimately surprising film that balances music with mental illness.
Domnhall Gleason plays Jon, a shy, wannabe musician who trudges along with his 9-5 cubicle work while desperately trying (and failing) to write his own music. In a completely chance encounter, when a touring band called Soronprfbs (your guess for the pronunciation is as good as any) asks him to replace its suicidal keyboard player, Jon jumps at the opportunity and is thrust into the midst of a surreal experience: the members of the band are an eccentric bunch, and play to please no one but themselves.
Don (Scoot McNairy), the band's manager, often speaks of his time in a mental institution and his mannequin fetish, and laughs at odd moments. Clara (Maggie Gyllenhaal), chic and stoic and clearly unstable, is the glue of the group in a controlling, overly-protective sort of way. Baraque and Nana are perhaps the most "normal" of the group, Baraque preferring to speak French, and Nana preferring not to speak much at all. But the crown jewel of the band is the frontman (Michael Fassbender), whose musical genius is slightly overshadowed by the large papier-mâché head that he wears over his own at all times. ALL times. This man's name is Frank.
As Soronprfbs retreats deep into the woods of Ireland to record its next album, trying to push any and every musical boundary, Jon gives updates of their progress to the online world, all the while slowly becoming attached to Frank's work and enigmatic nature. But Jon's ambition begins shoving its way into the picture, causing friction within the band as he tries to get them to perform for a bigger audience.
FRANK borrows from the real life story of Chris Sievey, a musician and comedian who performed under the name of Frank Sidebottom, wearing a similarly ridiculous head. Jon Ronson, FRANK's screenwriter, played the keyboard for Frank Sidebottom's band, so it is clear where he got his inspiration from. But FRANK is fictionalized, turning the head into less of an alter ego and more a sign of psychological struggle.
FRANK gives a really interesting glimpse into the world of the mentally ill. As more and more information is revealed about Frank's strange condition, we begin to see him more and more as a person instead of as an oddity. The story allows for a really unique study on identity, social anxiety, and a sense of belonging... it keeps you enraptured for the entire length of its 95-minute screen time.
The entire cast gives a magnificent performance (there's a lot of chemistry between these actors), but Fassbender deserves a particular nod, as Frank's head forced him to act without falling back on facial expressions. It is fascinating to see his character unfold onscreen... Even without the laughs laced throughout the film, FRANK is a must-see for the characters. Check it out this week at the Midtown Cinema!
Domnhall Gleason plays Jon, a shy, wannabe musician who trudges along with his 9-5 cubicle work while desperately trying (and failing) to write his own music. In a completely chance encounter, when a touring band called Soronprfbs (your guess for the pronunciation is as good as any) asks him to replace its suicidal keyboard player, Jon jumps at the opportunity and is thrust into the midst of a surreal experience: the members of the band are an eccentric bunch, and play to please no one but themselves.
Don (Scoot McNairy), the band's manager, often speaks of his time in a mental institution and his mannequin fetish, and laughs at odd moments. Clara (Maggie Gyllenhaal), chic and stoic and clearly unstable, is the glue of the group in a controlling, overly-protective sort of way. Baraque and Nana are perhaps the most "normal" of the group, Baraque preferring to speak French, and Nana preferring not to speak much at all. But the crown jewel of the band is the frontman (Michael Fassbender), whose musical genius is slightly overshadowed by the large papier-mâché head that he wears over his own at all times. ALL times. This man's name is Frank.
As Soronprfbs retreats deep into the woods of Ireland to record its next album, trying to push any and every musical boundary, Jon gives updates of their progress to the online world, all the while slowly becoming attached to Frank's work and enigmatic nature. But Jon's ambition begins shoving its way into the picture, causing friction within the band as he tries to get them to perform for a bigger audience.
FRANK borrows from the real life story of Chris Sievey, a musician and comedian who performed under the name of Frank Sidebottom, wearing a similarly ridiculous head. Jon Ronson, FRANK's screenwriter, played the keyboard for Frank Sidebottom's band, so it is clear where he got his inspiration from. But FRANK is fictionalized, turning the head into less of an alter ego and more a sign of psychological struggle.
FRANK gives a really interesting glimpse into the world of the mentally ill. As more and more information is revealed about Frank's strange condition, we begin to see him more and more as a person instead of as an oddity. The story allows for a really unique study on identity, social anxiety, and a sense of belonging... it keeps you enraptured for the entire length of its 95-minute screen time.
The entire cast gives a magnificent performance (there's a lot of chemistry between these actors), but Fassbender deserves a particular nod, as Frank's head forced him to act without falling back on facial expressions. It is fascinating to see his character unfold onscreen... Even without the laughs laced throughout the film, FRANK is a must-see for the characters. Check it out this week at the Midtown Cinema!
Saturday, September 6, 2014
Foner & Hood Fall Preview
Check out the indie fall preview from Foner & Hood and our in-house critic, Sam!
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Sam's Blog - Magic in the Moonlight
Woody Allen has been called a filmmaking machine, churning out about one movie a year. Many times this is to the detriment of the film: he often seems to value being in production more than waiting before the script is fully developed. For him, a script is to production what a dinghy is to a yacht: it is a means to get to the main event, and it doesn't really matter if there are holes in it. This is not to say that all of Woody Allen's scripts are a flop... On the contrary, films like Annie Hall, Midnight in Paris, and Blue Jasmine, just to name a few, have been major successes. But there are still times when it is almost as if he thinks, "Hmm, this script is not quite ready yet... but, it's good enough. Let's start production!"
MAGIC IN THE MOONLIGHT is a perfect example of this. The script is still in its rough draft stage at best, and Colin Firth and Emma Stone, while extraordinary actors, have absolutely no chemistry as our leading man and lady in this film about logic versus mysticism.
The story unfolds in 1928, as Stanley (Colin Firth), a stern and logical magician who takes on the persona of a Chinese man during his performances, is approached by his old friend, Howard. Howard asks him to travel to the estate of the wealthy Catledge family to debunk the work of a clairvoyant/mystic, Sophie (Emma Stone), who has been invited into the family's home by Grace Catledge to contact her mother's late husband. Grace's son, Brice, is hopelessly smitten by the girl, and the whole family is in danger of being wrapped around Sophie's finger... that is, unless Stanley can prove that she's a fake. But Sophie fights back as Stanley begins testing her abilities, resulting in what should be a battle of wits laced with sexual tension... but instead, the drama seems forced, and the sexual tension is practically nonexistent. There were also a lot of moments that were probably meant to be comical, but fell flat.
It is also groan-worthy to see two actors with such an age difference paired together, in light of Allen's latest affair uproar in the news. One would think that he could at least tiptoe around that issue for a while, but apparently not. However, if you are simply watching it because you're a fan of that infamous Woody Allen style, with its meandering dialogue and similar themes.
This one ranks pretty low on my list of recommendations, but I do recognize that every film has an audience. It is now playing at the Midtown Cinema if you want to check it out.
MAGIC IN THE MOONLIGHT is a perfect example of this. The script is still in its rough draft stage at best, and Colin Firth and Emma Stone, while extraordinary actors, have absolutely no chemistry as our leading man and lady in this film about logic versus mysticism.
The story unfolds in 1928, as Stanley (Colin Firth), a stern and logical magician who takes on the persona of a Chinese man during his performances, is approached by his old friend, Howard. Howard asks him to travel to the estate of the wealthy Catledge family to debunk the work of a clairvoyant/mystic, Sophie (Emma Stone), who has been invited into the family's home by Grace Catledge to contact her mother's late husband. Grace's son, Brice, is hopelessly smitten by the girl, and the whole family is in danger of being wrapped around Sophie's finger... that is, unless Stanley can prove that she's a fake. But Sophie fights back as Stanley begins testing her abilities, resulting in what should be a battle of wits laced with sexual tension... but instead, the drama seems forced, and the sexual tension is practically nonexistent. There were also a lot of moments that were probably meant to be comical, but fell flat.
It is also groan-worthy to see two actors with such an age difference paired together, in light of Allen's latest affair uproar in the news. One would think that he could at least tiptoe around that issue for a while, but apparently not. However, if you are simply watching it because you're a fan of that infamous Woody Allen style, with its meandering dialogue and similar themes.
This one ranks pretty low on my list of recommendations, but I do recognize that every film has an audience. It is now playing at the Midtown Cinema if you want to check it out.
Sam's Blog - Calvary
John Michael McDonagh's CALVARY wastes no time getting to the heart of the story. The very first scene consists of a several minute shot in the confines of a confession booth, in which Father James (Brendan Gleesan), a serious, goodhearted but worn down priest, receives a threat from a member of his parish: in one week, says the unidentified man, who confesses he was molested by a priest for years as a child: "I'm going to kill you, Father... because you've done nothing wrong."
From then on, the film continues to plummet down into grim territory. Father James, who is not even sure if it was an idle threat or not, spends his whole week struggling with what to do: does he break the trust of the confessional and turn the man in, or wait to see if he can sway the man's mind? It seems that he will try the latter, and the one week he is given becomes a week to handle his affairs. He makes his usual rounds, meeting with a hodgepodge of characters in the town, all of whom seem to have something going on behind closed doors.
But as the story progresses, it looks less and less likely that he'll be able to change the outcome of the threat, as it seems the whole town has qualms with the church. And a visit from Father James' daughter, Fiona (Kelly Reilly) -- an illumination of Father James' past, before he became a priest -- complicates the story, as her fragile state forces him to think twice about the situation at hand.
Brendan Gleeson does an amazing job, as does the rest of the cast -- Chris O'Dowd, Dylan Moran, Domnhall Gleeson, and many more. The drama that unfolds is enthralling, and is made even more so by the beautiful soundtrack by composer Patrick Cassidy... it does a great job of setting the tone. While the first half of the film is sprinkled with (extremely) dark humor, the second half gets more and more gloomy as events take a turn for the worst. This film is a great study of desperation, loneliness, and forgiveness... and the darkness that lies in between. Honestly, there's enough here with which to write a dissertation. For those who can't handle dark subjects, I would be careful with this one... but it will certainly lend itself to deep conversation, and I do recommend it to those who are up for it. Come see CALVARY this week at the Midtown Cinema!
From then on, the film continues to plummet down into grim territory. Father James, who is not even sure if it was an idle threat or not, spends his whole week struggling with what to do: does he break the trust of the confessional and turn the man in, or wait to see if he can sway the man's mind? It seems that he will try the latter, and the one week he is given becomes a week to handle his affairs. He makes his usual rounds, meeting with a hodgepodge of characters in the town, all of whom seem to have something going on behind closed doors.
But as the story progresses, it looks less and less likely that he'll be able to change the outcome of the threat, as it seems the whole town has qualms with the church. And a visit from Father James' daughter, Fiona (Kelly Reilly) -- an illumination of Father James' past, before he became a priest -- complicates the story, as her fragile state forces him to think twice about the situation at hand.
Brendan Gleeson does an amazing job, as does the rest of the cast -- Chris O'Dowd, Dylan Moran, Domnhall Gleeson, and many more. The drama that unfolds is enthralling, and is made even more so by the beautiful soundtrack by composer Patrick Cassidy... it does a great job of setting the tone. While the first half of the film is sprinkled with (extremely) dark humor, the second half gets more and more gloomy as events take a turn for the worst. This film is a great study of desperation, loneliness, and forgiveness... and the darkness that lies in between. Honestly, there's enough here with which to write a dissertation. For those who can't handle dark subjects, I would be careful with this one... but it will certainly lend itself to deep conversation, and I do recommend it to those who are up for it. Come see CALVARY this week at the Midtown Cinema!
Foner & Hood Review - Boyhood
Our in-house reviewer, Sam, did a video review with locals Joe Foner and Paul Hood. Check it out below!
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Sam's Blog - I Origins
The battle between science and spirituality has always been a touchy yet fascinating subject, one which has appeared in many stories throughout the years. Can you be true to science and faith at the same time? Writer/director Mike Cahill presents us with I ORIGINS, a film that posits, yes, you can.
Dr. Ian Gray (Michael Pitt) has a love for two things: molecular biology, and eyes. Everyone has their own specific eye biometrics, which allows for an even better identification system than thumbprints. Ian is fascinated by this idea, and takes photographs of the eyes of any person who lets him. This obsession fuels his latest experiment on the evolution of the eye, which he hopes will prove wrong the argument that eyes are proof of an intelligent creator... for Ian is a scientist, and does not believe in God or fate or any of that mumbo jumbo.
Adversely, a strange encounter at a party leaves Ian attracted to free-spirited, new age junkie, Sofi (Astrid Berges-Frisbey), who believes in just that sort of mumbo jumbo: she says they are spiritually connected, even in past lives. These two polar opposites have a whirlwind romance, until Sofi's life is tragically cut short by an accident.
Seven years later, Ian begins to second guess himself when a new piece of evidence appears to him: evidence that suggests that Sofi may have reincarnated in India. This piece of evidence also happens to revolve around the unique nature of the eye, which draws Ian's attention all the more as the film takes you on a twisted ride through this battle between science and faith. And the story does not necessarily end with one particular winner... in fact, it leaves them hand in hand.
This is not your average sci-fi movie -- it veers clear of your usual alien- or robot-heavy plot lines, instead dealing out a premise that actually has a basis in today's scientific research. And unlike the trailer makes it out to be, this is not just an emo romance story (though it does have its emo moments): instead, the second half of the film focuses on Ian's trip to self-discovery.
The cast really works well together in this film: Pitt does a superb job, as does Brit Marling, who plays Ian's lab-partner-turned-wife; and Berges-Frisbey is the perfect mix between delightful and infuriating. And though the characters sometimes skip steps to keep the plot moving forward, overall the concept is well-rounded and holds your attention. Cahill, who previously gave us ANOTHER EARTH, is really showing his strength with sci-fi.
I ORIGINS is now playing at the Midtown Cinema. I recommend checking this one out.
Dr. Ian Gray (Michael Pitt) has a love for two things: molecular biology, and eyes. Everyone has their own specific eye biometrics, which allows for an even better identification system than thumbprints. Ian is fascinated by this idea, and takes photographs of the eyes of any person who lets him. This obsession fuels his latest experiment on the evolution of the eye, which he hopes will prove wrong the argument that eyes are proof of an intelligent creator... for Ian is a scientist, and does not believe in God or fate or any of that mumbo jumbo.
Adversely, a strange encounter at a party leaves Ian attracted to free-spirited, new age junkie, Sofi (Astrid Berges-Frisbey), who believes in just that sort of mumbo jumbo: she says they are spiritually connected, even in past lives. These two polar opposites have a whirlwind romance, until Sofi's life is tragically cut short by an accident.
Seven years later, Ian begins to second guess himself when a new piece of evidence appears to him: evidence that suggests that Sofi may have reincarnated in India. This piece of evidence also happens to revolve around the unique nature of the eye, which draws Ian's attention all the more as the film takes you on a twisted ride through this battle between science and faith. And the story does not necessarily end with one particular winner... in fact, it leaves them hand in hand.
This is not your average sci-fi movie -- it veers clear of your usual alien- or robot-heavy plot lines, instead dealing out a premise that actually has a basis in today's scientific research. And unlike the trailer makes it out to be, this is not just an emo romance story (though it does have its emo moments): instead, the second half of the film focuses on Ian's trip to self-discovery.
The cast really works well together in this film: Pitt does a superb job, as does Brit Marling, who plays Ian's lab-partner-turned-wife; and Berges-Frisbey is the perfect mix between delightful and infuriating. And though the characters sometimes skip steps to keep the plot moving forward, overall the concept is well-rounded and holds your attention. Cahill, who previously gave us ANOTHER EARTH, is really showing his strength with sci-fi.
I ORIGINS is now playing at the Midtown Cinema. I recommend checking this one out.
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Sam's Blog - Alive Inside
You have probably seen at least one of those stereotypical stories about a family in which the child wants to grow up and be a musician (or artist in general), and the parents despair, saying, "Why can't you be a doctor or an engineer, or something useful?" But what they forget is that though music and art may not directly further the human race, it does indirectly: it keeps the human race alive. It makes us happy. It connects with our souls, which rejuvenates us. Music is an instinct, a motivator, a passion.
This is the message behind Michael Rossato-Bennett's documentary, ALIVE INSIDE. He has been following a non-profit organization called Music & Memory, which goes around the country bringing iPods to patients who suffer from Alzheimer's, dementia, and a number of other health problems. Dan Cohen, the founder of M&M, is a firm believer in music, and believes that it can help people who suffer from memory loss or isolation, enabling them to reconnect with their past and, ultimately, themselves. And the effects of his work are wonderful to see: people who previously showed no signs of response, unable to remember their family or do anything but stare at the floor, listen to music on these devices and immediately come back to life, engaging people in conversation and getting that light back in their eyes.
ALIVE INSIDE shows the troubles that Cohen has had in getting medical professionals to jump on board, which speaks volumes about the crippling structure of the healthcare system... If it's not medicine, not many people are willing to spend money on it, even if it will help their patients.
Though the organization of this documentary is a bit scattered at times, its message is simple and universal; it cuts straight to the heart, pulling on your heartstrings for the entirety of its 78 minutes. There is a very good chance you will leave the theater with tears in your eyes.
I highly recommend coming to see this film... It is very engaging, and it is a great reminder that sometimes what we need, more than any medicine, is to be shown life. Or, in the case of ALIVE INSIDE, to hear it.
This is the message behind Michael Rossato-Bennett's documentary, ALIVE INSIDE. He has been following a non-profit organization called Music & Memory, which goes around the country bringing iPods to patients who suffer from Alzheimer's, dementia, and a number of other health problems. Dan Cohen, the founder of M&M, is a firm believer in music, and believes that it can help people who suffer from memory loss or isolation, enabling them to reconnect with their past and, ultimately, themselves. And the effects of his work are wonderful to see: people who previously showed no signs of response, unable to remember their family or do anything but stare at the floor, listen to music on these devices and immediately come back to life, engaging people in conversation and getting that light back in their eyes.
ALIVE INSIDE shows the troubles that Cohen has had in getting medical professionals to jump on board, which speaks volumes about the crippling structure of the healthcare system... If it's not medicine, not many people are willing to spend money on it, even if it will help their patients.
Though the organization of this documentary is a bit scattered at times, its message is simple and universal; it cuts straight to the heart, pulling on your heartstrings for the entirety of its 78 minutes. There is a very good chance you will leave the theater with tears in your eyes.
I highly recommend coming to see this film... It is very engaging, and it is a great reminder that sometimes what we need, more than any medicine, is to be shown life. Or, in the case of ALIVE INSIDE, to hear it.
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Sam's Blog - Aliens
Humans have a strange obsession with aliens. Are they out there? Will we find them? If we do, will we like what we find? For the sake of Hollywood, most films tell us, no. We will not like what we find.
This is very much the case for ALIENS, which rocked the box office at number one for four straight weeks in 1986. The story is a follow up of ALIEN, in which the crew of a spaceship is slowly picked off by an alien who weasels its way on board via its bizarre birthing ritual. The only survivor of this disaster, Ellen Ripley, makes her way back to Earth in a cryogenic state, but her journey takes 57 years, during which the planet that this alien species was discovered near has been colonized by Ripley's employer, the Weyland-Yutani Corporation.
When they suddenly lose contact with the colony, Weyland-Yutani representative Carter Burke (Paul Reiser) asks Ripley to return to the planet's surface to investigate. Ripley agrees, on the condition that if the sudden silence is because of the same aliens her former crew met with, said aliens will be killed immediately. And her suspicions are confirmed when they arrive: the entire colony has been destroyed (read: harvested) by the aliens, save for one young girl, Newt (Carrie Henn), who somehow managed to stay out of the way. However, contrary to Ripley's hopes for the mission, Burke has other plans, steeped in financial greed: he wants to take Alien specimens back to Earth to experiment on them.
ALIENS differs from its predecessor in many ways: while ALIEN was slower paced and suspenseful, falling more along the lines of a sci-fi horror flick, ALIENS is definitely an action-thriller; and with different directors (Ridley Scott for ALIEN and James Cameron for ALIENS), of course the films have a different feel. Whereas Scott chose to only show you glimpses of the alien until the very end, Cameron wanted a little more flash, so ALIENS is crawling with... well, aliens. And the characters are a little more like caricatures, with little character development but easily identifiable at first sight, as opposed to the uniform yet nuanced team from ALIEN.
But the lineup of the plot holds true to the same basics: the mission is compromised by someone's desire to take the enemy home with them. With that tried and true formula, Ripley's worst nightmare begins to unfold for the second time.
Though Sigourney Weaver is heartily welcomed back as the protagonist, it should be noted that Carrie Henn really steals the show. Her innocent yet survivalist attitude really grounds the film; an amazing performance, made all the more surprising by the fact that ALIENS seems to be her only acting credit.
What really makes ALIENS worth the watch, however, is the energy that carries on even after the film is over. Action-packed, high stakes -- you simply ride along with the characters in their fight for survival. There's no denying it, this movie is fun. There's little wonder why ALIENS is so popular, but if you're still not sure, come watch it with us at this month's 3rd in the Burg on August 15! Cosplay is encouraged.
This is very much the case for ALIENS, which rocked the box office at number one for four straight weeks in 1986. The story is a follow up of ALIEN, in which the crew of a spaceship is slowly picked off by an alien who weasels its way on board via its bizarre birthing ritual. The only survivor of this disaster, Ellen Ripley, makes her way back to Earth in a cryogenic state, but her journey takes 57 years, during which the planet that this alien species was discovered near has been colonized by Ripley's employer, the Weyland-Yutani Corporation.
When they suddenly lose contact with the colony, Weyland-Yutani representative Carter Burke (Paul Reiser) asks Ripley to return to the planet's surface to investigate. Ripley agrees, on the condition that if the sudden silence is because of the same aliens her former crew met with, said aliens will be killed immediately. And her suspicions are confirmed when they arrive: the entire colony has been destroyed (read: harvested) by the aliens, save for one young girl, Newt (Carrie Henn), who somehow managed to stay out of the way. However, contrary to Ripley's hopes for the mission, Burke has other plans, steeped in financial greed: he wants to take Alien specimens back to Earth to experiment on them.
ALIENS differs from its predecessor in many ways: while ALIEN was slower paced and suspenseful, falling more along the lines of a sci-fi horror flick, ALIENS is definitely an action-thriller; and with different directors (Ridley Scott for ALIEN and James Cameron for ALIENS), of course the films have a different feel. Whereas Scott chose to only show you glimpses of the alien until the very end, Cameron wanted a little more flash, so ALIENS is crawling with... well, aliens. And the characters are a little more like caricatures, with little character development but easily identifiable at first sight, as opposed to the uniform yet nuanced team from ALIEN.
But the lineup of the plot holds true to the same basics: the mission is compromised by someone's desire to take the enemy home with them. With that tried and true formula, Ripley's worst nightmare begins to unfold for the second time.
Though Sigourney Weaver is heartily welcomed back as the protagonist, it should be noted that Carrie Henn really steals the show. Her innocent yet survivalist attitude really grounds the film; an amazing performance, made all the more surprising by the fact that ALIENS seems to be her only acting credit.
What really makes ALIENS worth the watch, however, is the energy that carries on even after the film is over. Action-packed, high stakes -- you simply ride along with the characters in their fight for survival. There's no denying it, this movie is fun. There's little wonder why ALIENS is so popular, but if you're still not sure, come watch it with us at this month's 3rd in the Burg on August 15! Cosplay is encouraged.
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Sam's Blog - Full Interview with Patricia Arquette (Boyhood)
You may have read the abridged version of this interview in The Burg... well, here's the full thing. If you haven't checked out the article, check it out now!
SAM: I've just watched BOYHOOD, and what an experience this film must have been!
PATRICIA ARQUETTE: It was the most incredible working experience; it was the strangest, most unorthodox and beautiful experience ever, you just had to jump on board with all these people...
S: What was your initial reaction to the project?
P: Every cell in my body was like, "Yes!" I mean, Rick presented it like you were gonna watch this kid age, you know, through first grade to graduating high school... To see how fast his life blurred by, how beautiful the moments were; I wanted to see that, I'd never seen that done before. I immediately said yes, and he said, "We don't have any money," and I was like, "Yeah yeah yeah I'm in!" And I was like "Oh what's my part?" and he was like, "Oh you're gonna be the mom." "Okay, great!" And also, that was cool, because I've been a mom before, but I hadn't really been playing a lot of moms before because I was still young at that point, I hadn't really moved into the "mom category" yet... So I was excited about that. And I said, "Can I look at the script?" and he says, "Well we don't have one." So it was very unorthodox, a big gamble, it really gets under your skin when the movie's gonna be without a script. He told me a lot of the main changes, but he left a lot of room.
S: It must have been strange, seeing your character develop in real time. How did this compare to other roles that have all the development laid out for you?
P: There's a real safety in that, in being able to know exactly what your character's saying, and how they're thinking... it took a really different skill set... and I was excited by that. I did know a lot of the major changes, I knew some of the struggles of what I was gonna be faced with, and this family would be faced with, but as far as the specificity of things, um... but I also really felt connected with the single mom experience, and you know, my mom wasn't a single mom, my dad was the breadwinner... but I really wanted to pay homage to my mom. And there were weird commonalities, like Rick's dad and Ethan's dad worked in the insurance business... my mom and Rick's mom both went back to school, both got their degree, both taught, both ran therapeutic sciences. So I remember going home and watching my mom study, and having her talk about "passive agressive personality" and "borderline" and "narcissism", so I had a lot of that vernacular. So it was a blend of a lot of different people.
It was all kind of a blend, actually. My friend told me that story about her son sharpening a rock... it's so crazy how the world's set up. You teach little children, here's this tool, here's what it does. It sharpens something. And then, they're kind of brilliant, and they think, I want to sharpen this thing -- I'm gonna use a sharpening instrument. And then they get in trouble. It's the complexity of life... families bug each other, and they get on each other' nerves, and they push against each other... but what love feel like is... imperfect, but it's there. It's your base, but it's not always flowery and perfect. You go through things in life, everyone goes through things in life. You show me the perfect parent, I'm gonna show you a lunatic. A liar, self deceptive, crazy person.
S: Sounds like you were all able to put your own experiences into the script.
P: Everything we did was based on someone's truth, like the producer said to her daughter that the worst day of her life was when she went to school. You know, the blending of a lot of different people's experiences was that there's not really a moment in the movie that's not based on something true. Like my son had a bunch of friends over, and there was a big sign about the bathroom, you know, "Please don't use this bathroom," and then they clog it up with a bunch of toilet paper and it's like, what's going on here? There's another bathroom. Even dumb moments. Everything in life. Rick's daughter, Lorelei, plays the daughter in the movie, and she created her own language. And Rick knew that, he was like, "Speak that little language you made up, Lorelei. Do that weird thing you always do to bug your mom..." She still knows how to speak it.
S: You went back and forth between this and other roles. Tell me about the transition; was it hard getting back into character?
I really kind of got the character, I felt connected to the character from the first conversation I had with Rick, and I felt open to her discoveries along the way, so it wasn't hard to get back into character. And I think part of it was this collaborative process, of how we would work. Rick would write the rough draft of the scene, and we would read it, and then we would talk about different people's life experiences that sort of correlated to the scene in some way or another, or each other... and then we would do an improvisation of it, and then Rick would say, "That second part of that story you told about your friend, let's use that. That little improv you said on that line, let's use that part." And he would craft it from there, and then we would shoot it the next day. So it was a bonding experience, and a really creative, collaborative experience every year going back.
Also, I never got the full script, so Rick would tell me, "Oh, this year their dad's gonna take them camping..." I didn't know exactly what they talked about. So when I saw it, my character was also watching. And my character immediately had a lot of thoughts, like when they went on that little hang out with their friends, and he lied to his mom, I was just thinking, "What are you doing, I don't like that guy, you're never hanging out with him again, I'm coming to get you right now..." My character just started thinking, while I was watching the movie.
S: What did you find to be the most difficult aspect of production?
P: The only thing that was hard was finishing. You know, knowing that that was the last time we'd be shooting and that I'd be having that experience. That was very hard.
S: I can imagine that last scene was very easy to do. That line, "I thought there would be more..."
P: That was something that someone had said to Ethan, about when he went to school, and the producer said to their daughter it was the worst day of her life... I felt very different when my son went to school. I did feel sadness, but it was mostly about me pumping him up, and then as I dropped him off, that ... nine hours when I was alone in the car. But I did have that experience when I turned forty, I was reevaluating my life and feeling like it was going south. There were so many things I hadn't done, and what was I doing, and why hadn't I done them, and I was gonna be dead before I knew it... and there was a sense of that ending. So it was a collaboration of a lot of different complicated feelings and things. Also, an element of my character was the blind spot, not noticing how other things upset other people, even though she's in the therapeutic kind of world.
S: I'm sure these people became your second family. Did you get together off set at all?
P: Not that much. I mean, Ellar and Lorelei and Rick all live in Texas, so they saw a lot more of each other; Rick and Ethan saw more of each other because they were working on the other movies. And then a couple times I saw Ethan in New York -- he lives in New Yorka nd I live in LA, so... but whenever we see each other, it's like no time has passed.
S: What was your favorite part about shooting this project?
P: It's hard to say, because I really felt I looked forward to it, first of all, creatively, every year.... and watching beautiful kids grow up, also, and prosper, become who they were, which is beautiful individuals. And yeah, they were really interesting little babies, and the first time we shot I had them for the whole weekend, and we hung out and played dinosaurs and did art projects, and I got to have them just being them for the whole weekend.
Even from the beginning, they really weren't their characters. They didn't have brothers and sisters, they were both only children, they didn't really know what that sibling dynamic was like. So they were playing it very early on... Ellar had this traumatic haircut scene... Rick called him and said, "Don't cut your hair this year, we're gonna do a haircutting scene." Ellar was DYING to get a haircut. He looks really bummed in the scene, but he was really happy. And it was one take, just that. So we were like, can he pull it off, or will he just start laughing? And the way they would dress, you know-- they were so much cooler than their characters.
S: Would you do another project like this if given the opportunity?
P: "You know, this could have gone terribly wrong. I could have been stuck doing a movie with a bunch of jerks for 12 years, and it would have been like, okay, do I cut my losses here and take care of myself, or do I just keep showing up? So I don't know, I don't know if I would do that with somebody who didn't have a script, if it didn't feel right. I'd have to really look at all the data, and see how I feel.
But the whole time I was making this -- for seven years I was doing a TV show, and people would say to me, "You used to make these art movies, and you'd work with these really interesting directors," and I was like, "Yeah, I still am." And they would look at me like, yeah, right. I was like, "I'm making a movie right now, I'm making a really important art movie right now!"
S: Were you trying to keep it under wraps?
P: Well I guess we weren't supposed to tell... although I told so many people, and so did Ethan, and we both had this experience that nobody cared, it wasn't interesting and their eyes would glaze over and they'd get really bored... (laughs) and I didn't understand it because the second I heard about it, I thought it was incredible. But they didn't.
S: Have you been able to see people's reactions at all after they've watched the film?
P: You know, it's such a personal project and such a beautiful project, and we cared so much about these characters and story and experience, and each other, and i was worried about giving it to the world... but people really come up to you and tell you personal things, and are moved, and introspective, and they want to call their mom, and have a different perspective on their life... and so the love we made has been returned, and it's been incredible.
SAM: I've just watched BOYHOOD, and what an experience this film must have been!
PATRICIA ARQUETTE: It was the most incredible working experience; it was the strangest, most unorthodox and beautiful experience ever, you just had to jump on board with all these people...
S: What was your initial reaction to the project?
P: Every cell in my body was like, "Yes!" I mean, Rick presented it like you were gonna watch this kid age, you know, through first grade to graduating high school... To see how fast his life blurred by, how beautiful the moments were; I wanted to see that, I'd never seen that done before. I immediately said yes, and he said, "We don't have any money," and I was like, "Yeah yeah yeah I'm in!" And I was like "Oh what's my part?" and he was like, "Oh you're gonna be the mom." "Okay, great!" And also, that was cool, because I've been a mom before, but I hadn't really been playing a lot of moms before because I was still young at that point, I hadn't really moved into the "mom category" yet... So I was excited about that. And I said, "Can I look at the script?" and he says, "Well we don't have one." So it was very unorthodox, a big gamble, it really gets under your skin when the movie's gonna be without a script. He told me a lot of the main changes, but he left a lot of room.
S: It must have been strange, seeing your character develop in real time. How did this compare to other roles that have all the development laid out for you?
P: There's a real safety in that, in being able to know exactly what your character's saying, and how they're thinking... it took a really different skill set... and I was excited by that. I did know a lot of the major changes, I knew some of the struggles of what I was gonna be faced with, and this family would be faced with, but as far as the specificity of things, um... but I also really felt connected with the single mom experience, and you know, my mom wasn't a single mom, my dad was the breadwinner... but I really wanted to pay homage to my mom. And there were weird commonalities, like Rick's dad and Ethan's dad worked in the insurance business... my mom and Rick's mom both went back to school, both got their degree, both taught, both ran therapeutic sciences. So I remember going home and watching my mom study, and having her talk about "passive agressive personality" and "borderline" and "narcissism", so I had a lot of that vernacular. So it was a blend of a lot of different people.
It was all kind of a blend, actually. My friend told me that story about her son sharpening a rock... it's so crazy how the world's set up. You teach little children, here's this tool, here's what it does. It sharpens something. And then, they're kind of brilliant, and they think, I want to sharpen this thing -- I'm gonna use a sharpening instrument. And then they get in trouble. It's the complexity of life... families bug each other, and they get on each other' nerves, and they push against each other... but what love feel like is... imperfect, but it's there. It's your base, but it's not always flowery and perfect. You go through things in life, everyone goes through things in life. You show me the perfect parent, I'm gonna show you a lunatic. A liar, self deceptive, crazy person.
S: Sounds like you were all able to put your own experiences into the script.
P: Everything we did was based on someone's truth, like the producer said to her daughter that the worst day of her life was when she went to school. You know, the blending of a lot of different people's experiences was that there's not really a moment in the movie that's not based on something true. Like my son had a bunch of friends over, and there was a big sign about the bathroom, you know, "Please don't use this bathroom," and then they clog it up with a bunch of toilet paper and it's like, what's going on here? There's another bathroom. Even dumb moments. Everything in life. Rick's daughter, Lorelei, plays the daughter in the movie, and she created her own language. And Rick knew that, he was like, "Speak that little language you made up, Lorelei. Do that weird thing you always do to bug your mom..." She still knows how to speak it.
S: You went back and forth between this and other roles. Tell me about the transition; was it hard getting back into character?
I really kind of got the character, I felt connected to the character from the first conversation I had with Rick, and I felt open to her discoveries along the way, so it wasn't hard to get back into character. And I think part of it was this collaborative process, of how we would work. Rick would write the rough draft of the scene, and we would read it, and then we would talk about different people's life experiences that sort of correlated to the scene in some way or another, or each other... and then we would do an improvisation of it, and then Rick would say, "That second part of that story you told about your friend, let's use that. That little improv you said on that line, let's use that part." And he would craft it from there, and then we would shoot it the next day. So it was a bonding experience, and a really creative, collaborative experience every year going back.
Also, I never got the full script, so Rick would tell me, "Oh, this year their dad's gonna take them camping..." I didn't know exactly what they talked about. So when I saw it, my character was also watching. And my character immediately had a lot of thoughts, like when they went on that little hang out with their friends, and he lied to his mom, I was just thinking, "What are you doing, I don't like that guy, you're never hanging out with him again, I'm coming to get you right now..." My character just started thinking, while I was watching the movie.
S: What did you find to be the most difficult aspect of production?
P: The only thing that was hard was finishing. You know, knowing that that was the last time we'd be shooting and that I'd be having that experience. That was very hard.
S: I can imagine that last scene was very easy to do. That line, "I thought there would be more..."
P: That was something that someone had said to Ethan, about when he went to school, and the producer said to their daughter it was the worst day of her life... I felt very different when my son went to school. I did feel sadness, but it was mostly about me pumping him up, and then as I dropped him off, that ... nine hours when I was alone in the car. But I did have that experience when I turned forty, I was reevaluating my life and feeling like it was going south. There were so many things I hadn't done, and what was I doing, and why hadn't I done them, and I was gonna be dead before I knew it... and there was a sense of that ending. So it was a collaboration of a lot of different complicated feelings and things. Also, an element of my character was the blind spot, not noticing how other things upset other people, even though she's in the therapeutic kind of world.
S: I'm sure these people became your second family. Did you get together off set at all?
P: Not that much. I mean, Ellar and Lorelei and Rick all live in Texas, so they saw a lot more of each other; Rick and Ethan saw more of each other because they were working on the other movies. And then a couple times I saw Ethan in New York -- he lives in New Yorka nd I live in LA, so... but whenever we see each other, it's like no time has passed.
S: What was your favorite part about shooting this project?
P: It's hard to say, because I really felt I looked forward to it, first of all, creatively, every year.... and watching beautiful kids grow up, also, and prosper, become who they were, which is beautiful individuals. And yeah, they were really interesting little babies, and the first time we shot I had them for the whole weekend, and we hung out and played dinosaurs and did art projects, and I got to have them just being them for the whole weekend.
Even from the beginning, they really weren't their characters. They didn't have brothers and sisters, they were both only children, they didn't really know what that sibling dynamic was like. So they were playing it very early on... Ellar had this traumatic haircut scene... Rick called him and said, "Don't cut your hair this year, we're gonna do a haircutting scene." Ellar was DYING to get a haircut. He looks really bummed in the scene, but he was really happy. And it was one take, just that. So we were like, can he pull it off, or will he just start laughing? And the way they would dress, you know-- they were so much cooler than their characters.
S: Would you do another project like this if given the opportunity?
P: "You know, this could have gone terribly wrong. I could have been stuck doing a movie with a bunch of jerks for 12 years, and it would have been like, okay, do I cut my losses here and take care of myself, or do I just keep showing up? So I don't know, I don't know if I would do that with somebody who didn't have a script, if it didn't feel right. I'd have to really look at all the data, and see how I feel.
But the whole time I was making this -- for seven years I was doing a TV show, and people would say to me, "You used to make these art movies, and you'd work with these really interesting directors," and I was like, "Yeah, I still am." And they would look at me like, yeah, right. I was like, "I'm making a movie right now, I'm making a really important art movie right now!"
S: Were you trying to keep it under wraps?
P: Well I guess we weren't supposed to tell... although I told so many people, and so did Ethan, and we both had this experience that nobody cared, it wasn't interesting and their eyes would glaze over and they'd get really bored... (laughs) and I didn't understand it because the second I heard about it, I thought it was incredible. But they didn't.
S: Have you been able to see people's reactions at all after they've watched the film?
P: You know, it's such a personal project and such a beautiful project, and we cared so much about these characters and story and experience, and each other, and i was worried about giving it to the world... but people really come up to you and tell you personal things, and are moved, and introspective, and they want to call their mom, and have a different perspective on their life... and so the love we made has been returned, and it's been incredible.
Sam's Blog - Wish I Was Here
I was nervous about WISH I WAS HERE right from the start. Zach Braff wrote, directed, and starred in the film -- the same set up for GARDEN STATE (Braff's ten-year-old debut film), except that now, Braff has had financial help from his fans. Setting that controversy aside, I was worried that this would just be another repeat of GARDEN STATE. The trailer left me with little hope, giving me the impression that it was going to be another string of silly and sappy events. But the beginning of the film shows some disparity: it quickly lays the characters' flaws out on the table, letting you know that it won't be quite as cheesy as the trailer made it out to be.
Braff plays Aidan Bloom, a struggling actor whose diminishing career options leave him strained and impatient, not to mention laying all the financial responsibility on his wife, Sarah (Kate Hudson)... a daunting task with two kids, Grace (Joey King) and Tucker (Pierce Gagnon). Aidan's father, Gabe (Mandy Patinkin) has been paying for Grace and Tucker's education at yeshiva school, something that Aidan and Sarah only embrace because they don't have to pay. But when Gabe's cancer comes back, he announces that he can no longer pay their tuition. So, after an argument about public school, Aidan decides to try his hand at homeschooling. But Grace, the Hermione of Jewish culture, and Tucker, who loves his video games and fart-maker, are a handful, and Aidan must rise to the occasion with more unique tactics. The stakes are raised when Gabe's health rapidly declines, forcing Aidan and his brother, Noah (Josh Gad), to face what might come.
Now, don't get me wrong... a number of the vulnerable moments are a bit sappy and heavy handed, and there are a slew of montages (oh, so many montages) that could have easily been replaced with some more in-depth interactions between the characters. And for an introduction that adeptly thrusts you into the heart of the family's unresolved issues, those issues are too quickly resolved with an inspirational poem or a wise adage from loved ones past. But, these things can be seen as Braff's trademarks -- perhaps he is just a fool for sentiment. Strip these things away, and you're left with a thought-provoking story about living life and embracing death. Aidan and Sarah must deal with death without a religion to guide them, while their children look to them to answer questions that they hadn't gotten to in their Jewish education. There's a great conversation between Aidan and a rabbi, as Aidan reflects on a God that cares more about spiritual connection than about rules and the order of things.
Joey King's character is the compass that keeps the film on track. In a film full of pretty cartoonish depictions of the Jewish culture, Grace follows in her grandfather's footsteps as one of the few normal Jewish people in the story, but also is just a smart kid, with a lot of internal development throughout the film, and with just the right words for her uncle Noah. King's performance is earnest and refreshing, and she adds a touch of sincerity to the cast; and while both Braff and Hudson don't quite seem ready to play Mom and Dad on screen, they work well with each other. Hudson and Patinkin also have a powerful father- and daughter-in-law moment towards the end of the film.
Overall, you aren't going to be blown out of the water, but I recommend seeing the film. Braff's storytelling skills have definitely improved in ten years, and I can only hope that the next film will be even better.
Braff plays Aidan Bloom, a struggling actor whose diminishing career options leave him strained and impatient, not to mention laying all the financial responsibility on his wife, Sarah (Kate Hudson)... a daunting task with two kids, Grace (Joey King) and Tucker (Pierce Gagnon). Aidan's father, Gabe (Mandy Patinkin) has been paying for Grace and Tucker's education at yeshiva school, something that Aidan and Sarah only embrace because they don't have to pay. But when Gabe's cancer comes back, he announces that he can no longer pay their tuition. So, after an argument about public school, Aidan decides to try his hand at homeschooling. But Grace, the Hermione of Jewish culture, and Tucker, who loves his video games and fart-maker, are a handful, and Aidan must rise to the occasion with more unique tactics. The stakes are raised when Gabe's health rapidly declines, forcing Aidan and his brother, Noah (Josh Gad), to face what might come.
Now, don't get me wrong... a number of the vulnerable moments are a bit sappy and heavy handed, and there are a slew of montages (oh, so many montages) that could have easily been replaced with some more in-depth interactions between the characters. And for an introduction that adeptly thrusts you into the heart of the family's unresolved issues, those issues are too quickly resolved with an inspirational poem or a wise adage from loved ones past. But, these things can be seen as Braff's trademarks -- perhaps he is just a fool for sentiment. Strip these things away, and you're left with a thought-provoking story about living life and embracing death. Aidan and Sarah must deal with death without a religion to guide them, while their children look to them to answer questions that they hadn't gotten to in their Jewish education. There's a great conversation between Aidan and a rabbi, as Aidan reflects on a God that cares more about spiritual connection than about rules and the order of things.
Joey King's character is the compass that keeps the film on track. In a film full of pretty cartoonish depictions of the Jewish culture, Grace follows in her grandfather's footsteps as one of the few normal Jewish people in the story, but also is just a smart kid, with a lot of internal development throughout the film, and with just the right words for her uncle Noah. King's performance is earnest and refreshing, and she adds a touch of sincerity to the cast; and while both Braff and Hudson don't quite seem ready to play Mom and Dad on screen, they work well with each other. Hudson and Patinkin also have a powerful father- and daughter-in-law moment towards the end of the film.
Overall, you aren't going to be blown out of the water, but I recommend seeing the film. Braff's storytelling skills have definitely improved in ten years, and I can only hope that the next film will be even better.
Sam's Blog - And So It Goes
It is unfortunate that a director who has a heavy string of beloved comedies under his belt can release a film that so ardently misses its mark, but that is exactly what happened with Rob Reiner's AND SO IT GOES.
Michael Douglas plays Oren Little, a nasty, inappropriate man who doesn't seem to hold any love in his heart except for his dead wife. His neighbor, Leah (Diane Keaton), also has a dead husband, for whom she cries every time she does her cabaret act at the local bar. When Oren's ex-junkie son asks him to take care of his ten-year-old daughter, Sarah, while he's in jail for nine months, Oren is more than ready to shut the door on his face, but Leah steps in to help. Oren immediately tries to track down Sarah's mother to hand her over to, but in the meantime, he is thrown into the role of Grandpa; and Leah's kindness causes Sarah to start calling her Grandma. The two butt heads in their attempts to raise the poor girl, but somehow a strange romantic relationship develops.
I can understand what the film is supposed to be about: finding love later in life, caring about your family, and not letting life slip you by. But those ideas are spoon fed to the audience, prodded along by the most contrived script ever. Every line of dialogue was either expository or for the sole purpose of wringing a laugh out of the audience with its shock factor (because that's the only kind of humor you'll see in this movie). The characters' actions are completely unrealistic -- they aren't naturally written, they are simply pushing the plot forward. Even the pregnant lady in the film is there for the reason that any pregnant lady is ever in a romantic comedy: so that the main character can help them give birth.
What irks me the most, however, is the romantic relationship. Now, I have nothing against the "Opposites Attract" trope, but in order for it to work out, there has to be some aspect of the relationship that balances out the general awfulness that repels them in the first place. In this case, the reason Leah falls for Oren is that despite his rude, racist, grumpy, not-my-problem attitude, he gave her a compliment. That's it. That's what woos Leah, and it seems to be the only point of attraction that is given for her character. And every womanizer everywhere cheers.
It is a train wreck of a movie, from the script right down to the editing. There were moments as I watched that I actually was so angry at the series of events that I yelled at the screen (don't worry, I was watching alone). For a romantic comedy, it does not bode well that I laughed more at the film than with it.
Michael Douglas plays Oren Little, a nasty, inappropriate man who doesn't seem to hold any love in his heart except for his dead wife. His neighbor, Leah (Diane Keaton), also has a dead husband, for whom she cries every time she does her cabaret act at the local bar. When Oren's ex-junkie son asks him to take care of his ten-year-old daughter, Sarah, while he's in jail for nine months, Oren is more than ready to shut the door on his face, but Leah steps in to help. Oren immediately tries to track down Sarah's mother to hand her over to, but in the meantime, he is thrown into the role of Grandpa; and Leah's kindness causes Sarah to start calling her Grandma. The two butt heads in their attempts to raise the poor girl, but somehow a strange romantic relationship develops.
I can understand what the film is supposed to be about: finding love later in life, caring about your family, and not letting life slip you by. But those ideas are spoon fed to the audience, prodded along by the most contrived script ever. Every line of dialogue was either expository or for the sole purpose of wringing a laugh out of the audience with its shock factor (because that's the only kind of humor you'll see in this movie). The characters' actions are completely unrealistic -- they aren't naturally written, they are simply pushing the plot forward. Even the pregnant lady in the film is there for the reason that any pregnant lady is ever in a romantic comedy: so that the main character can help them give birth.
What irks me the most, however, is the romantic relationship. Now, I have nothing against the "Opposites Attract" trope, but in order for it to work out, there has to be some aspect of the relationship that balances out the general awfulness that repels them in the first place. In this case, the reason Leah falls for Oren is that despite his rude, racist, grumpy, not-my-problem attitude, he gave her a compliment. That's it. That's what woos Leah, and it seems to be the only point of attraction that is given for her character. And every womanizer everywhere cheers.
It is a train wreck of a movie, from the script right down to the editing. There were moments as I watched that I actually was so angry at the series of events that I yelled at the screen (don't worry, I was watching alone). For a romantic comedy, it does not bode well that I laughed more at the film than with it.
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Sam's Blog - Life Itself
I am not an expert on the life of Roger Ebert. Sure, I've read his reviews, and seen clips of his quarrels with Gene Siskel in At The Movies, though I was too young to appreciate them in their time. But even an avid watcher of the show or reader of all his reviews will still be able to feel more acquainted with the man after watching LIFE ITSELF. Ebert's personality comes out loud and clear as his story unfolds, starting with his time as a journalist and working towards his career as a film critic. Director Steve James (who also directed HOOP DREAMS) caught Ebert five months before he died of cancer, and created a beautiful piece to commemorate his life.
The real beauty about Roger Ebert was his desire for truth. Ebert believed that films teach us about empathy, revealing a little bit of the world to us that we may not have seen before. He wanted people to see things as they were, including himself... there is a lot of footage in this film of him after the cancer struck and he had his operation. While initially this is startling, he seems so comfortable and full of life that after a while you grow accustomed to it.
Matching Ebert's outlook, this film does not hold back. It portrays Ebert as truthfully as possible, even his more childish moments. And it also shows the long line of people who were affected by him. And it's hard not to be affected by the man... even after he lost his ability to speak, he still had a smile that would catch fire to everyone in the room.
Overall, it's a heartwarming tribute to a beloved icon in the film industry. To borrow from the man himself, I give it Two Thumbs Up.
The real beauty about Roger Ebert was his desire for truth. Ebert believed that films teach us about empathy, revealing a little bit of the world to us that we may not have seen before. He wanted people to see things as they were, including himself... there is a lot of footage in this film of him after the cancer struck and he had his operation. While initially this is startling, he seems so comfortable and full of life that after a while you grow accustomed to it.
Matching Ebert's outlook, this film does not hold back. It portrays Ebert as truthfully as possible, even his more childish moments. And it also shows the long line of people who were affected by him. And it's hard not to be affected by the man... even after he lost his ability to speak, he still had a smile that would catch fire to everyone in the room.
Overall, it's a heartwarming tribute to a beloved icon in the film industry. To borrow from the man himself, I give it Two Thumbs Up.
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
Sam's Blog - Begin Again
From the filmmakers of ONCE, BEGIN AGAIN follows a similar pattern: boy and girl meet, boy and girl create music together. However, their journey is a little more unconventional. Greta is the anti-record label enthusiast, and Dan is an ex-record label exec trying to get his job back.
Dan (Mark Ruffalo) started his own independent record label, but his alcoholism and lack of ability to bring in an artist for the past seven years causes his own partner (Mos Def) to let him go. His home life is in just as bad shape... Dan lives separately from his wife and 14 year old daughter, presumably in an attempt on his wife's part to make him get his act together.
Greta only came to New York to support her boyfriend and songwriting partner, Dave (Adam Levine), who has blossomed into a famous musician. But when a nasty break-up occurs, Greta finds herself on her own in New York. Well, not completely alone... she crashes at the house of her friend, Steve (James Corden), who takes her out the night before she is supposed to fly home. Hence, on the same night that Dan loses his job and goes to a bar to drown his sorrows, Steve is forcing Greta to release her emotional turmoil by singing one of her songs on the stage of that same bar. The two meet, and an unlikely partnership begins as Dan tries to get Greta signed in an attempt to get his job back. Greta, who has an aversion to record labels now that she's seen what it did to her ex, finally agrees to Dan's idea to record a demo in the streets of New York.
The soundtrack throughout is fresh and honest as they start recording Greta's music (though ironically a little more mainstream than that of ONCE). And overall, the story is young and fun and drives home a message about indie music... it's the hipster of musicals, ending with a pretty solid stick-it-to-the-man moment. Knightley and Ruffalo give great performances, as usual, and I have to give a nod to Adam Levine for his debut performance in a feature film.
John Carney seems to love giving an air of looming romantic tension between characters that is never brought to full fruition (thankfully, in the case of this film). Though Knightley and Ruffalo have great onscreen chemistry, Carney's trademark adds a certain strength to the characters -- they don't just jump into a relationship haphazardly because of one connection. The writing of this story is leaps and bounds past the writing that Carney offered with ONCE, though there are a couple of moments that almost make Dan and Greta's adventures seem too easy -- for someone who hasn't had a break in several years in his own industry, the pieces practically seem to fall into his lap, already fitted together. Perhaps if we had seen his relationship with Cee Lo Green before they started planning the album, it would have been a little more natural. But overall, there are not too many complaints, and BEGIN AGAIN is well worth the watch.
This is a fun watch, one that will leave you smiling as you leave the theater. Come see the film this week at the Midtown Cinema!
Dan (Mark Ruffalo) started his own independent record label, but his alcoholism and lack of ability to bring in an artist for the past seven years causes his own partner (Mos Def) to let him go. His home life is in just as bad shape... Dan lives separately from his wife and 14 year old daughter, presumably in an attempt on his wife's part to make him get his act together.
Greta only came to New York to support her boyfriend and songwriting partner, Dave (Adam Levine), who has blossomed into a famous musician. But when a nasty break-up occurs, Greta finds herself on her own in New York. Well, not completely alone... she crashes at the house of her friend, Steve (James Corden), who takes her out the night before she is supposed to fly home. Hence, on the same night that Dan loses his job and goes to a bar to drown his sorrows, Steve is forcing Greta to release her emotional turmoil by singing one of her songs on the stage of that same bar. The two meet, and an unlikely partnership begins as Dan tries to get Greta signed in an attempt to get his job back. Greta, who has an aversion to record labels now that she's seen what it did to her ex, finally agrees to Dan's idea to record a demo in the streets of New York.
The soundtrack throughout is fresh and honest as they start recording Greta's music (though ironically a little more mainstream than that of ONCE). And overall, the story is young and fun and drives home a message about indie music... it's the hipster of musicals, ending with a pretty solid stick-it-to-the-man moment. Knightley and Ruffalo give great performances, as usual, and I have to give a nod to Adam Levine for his debut performance in a feature film.
John Carney seems to love giving an air of looming romantic tension between characters that is never brought to full fruition (thankfully, in the case of this film). Though Knightley and Ruffalo have great onscreen chemistry, Carney's trademark adds a certain strength to the characters -- they don't just jump into a relationship haphazardly because of one connection. The writing of this story is leaps and bounds past the writing that Carney offered with ONCE, though there are a couple of moments that almost make Dan and Greta's adventures seem too easy -- for someone who hasn't had a break in several years in his own industry, the pieces practically seem to fall into his lap, already fitted together. Perhaps if we had seen his relationship with Cee Lo Green before they started planning the album, it would have been a little more natural. But overall, there are not too many complaints, and BEGIN AGAIN is well worth the watch.
This is a fun watch, one that will leave you smiling as you leave the theater. Come see the film this week at the Midtown Cinema!
Sam's Blog - Snowpiercer
Bong Joon-Ho presents a dark, gripping social commentary on the teetering balance of class in society with his first English-speaking film, Snowpiercer.
The story begins in the distant future, when various global-warming experiments have frozen the whole world over; the only remaining humans have boarded a train that travels around the world once every year, never stopping in order to provide enough warmth and keep death at bay. However, conditions are far from perfect on this train. The upper class resides in the front of the train, and the lower class in the back, and the differences in privilege are about as polar as you can get: while the members of the upper class have parties, wear fur coats, and eat steak, the lower class eat "protein blocks", share tight quarters, and get beaten if they fall out of line.
And so we meet our leading man: Curtis (Chris Evans), with 17 years of life before the train and 17 years on the train, wants change. Encouraged by his old, nearly-limbless mentor, Gilliam (John Hurt), and goaded by mysterious notes that have begun appearing in the protein blocks, Curtis has been crafting a revolution against Wilford, the creator of the train who has become a sort of unseen, totalitarian god. And there are many who back him up, including young Edgar (Jamie Bell), who is chomping at the bit for change, and Tanya (Octavia Spencer), whose son is taken from her for Wilford's uses. The rebels strong-arm their way through the initial gates, picking up a security specialist named Nam (Kang-ho Sang) and his train-born daughter (Ah-sung Ko) who are both addicted to a highly flammable substance called Kronole, and kidnapping Mr. Mason (Tilda Swinton), the cruel overseer of the train. Gate by gate, they discover more and more of the absurdly imbalanced set-up of the train: saunas, aquariums, and classrooms full of indoctrinated children who learn all about the pre-ordained order of the train... and the closer they get to the engine, the danger they run into becomes more and more severe.
The film is a dark glimpse at the underbelly of society, with a very Hunger Games-esque tone, right down to the odd style of the upper class and the ludicrous living situations. Tilda Swinton steals the show, her strange mannerisms and and nasty smiles goading the audience into a place of resistance right alongside the members of the back of the train. There are a few moments of the film that almost seem to fall short of the intended emotions, and these moments mostly consist of a lack of subtlety... however, overall the film is well-crafted, giving us an alternative taste of action that Hollywood would have passed right by. It'll certainly give you something to think about as you leave the theater. Come check it out this week at the Midtown Cinema!
The story begins in the distant future, when various global-warming experiments have frozen the whole world over; the only remaining humans have boarded a train that travels around the world once every year, never stopping in order to provide enough warmth and keep death at bay. However, conditions are far from perfect on this train. The upper class resides in the front of the train, and the lower class in the back, and the differences in privilege are about as polar as you can get: while the members of the upper class have parties, wear fur coats, and eat steak, the lower class eat "protein blocks", share tight quarters, and get beaten if they fall out of line.
And so we meet our leading man: Curtis (Chris Evans), with 17 years of life before the train and 17 years on the train, wants change. Encouraged by his old, nearly-limbless mentor, Gilliam (John Hurt), and goaded by mysterious notes that have begun appearing in the protein blocks, Curtis has been crafting a revolution against Wilford, the creator of the train who has become a sort of unseen, totalitarian god. And there are many who back him up, including young Edgar (Jamie Bell), who is chomping at the bit for change, and Tanya (Octavia Spencer), whose son is taken from her for Wilford's uses. The rebels strong-arm their way through the initial gates, picking up a security specialist named Nam (Kang-ho Sang) and his train-born daughter (Ah-sung Ko) who are both addicted to a highly flammable substance called Kronole, and kidnapping Mr. Mason (Tilda Swinton), the cruel overseer of the train. Gate by gate, they discover more and more of the absurdly imbalanced set-up of the train: saunas, aquariums, and classrooms full of indoctrinated children who learn all about the pre-ordained order of the train... and the closer they get to the engine, the danger they run into becomes more and more severe.
The film is a dark glimpse at the underbelly of society, with a very Hunger Games-esque tone, right down to the odd style of the upper class and the ludicrous living situations. Tilda Swinton steals the show, her strange mannerisms and and nasty smiles goading the audience into a place of resistance right alongside the members of the back of the train. There are a few moments of the film that almost seem to fall short of the intended emotions, and these moments mostly consist of a lack of subtlety... however, overall the film is well-crafted, giving us an alternative taste of action that Hollywood would have passed right by. It'll certainly give you something to think about as you leave the theater. Come check it out this week at the Midtown Cinema!
Sam's Blog - Chef
They say if you cook a good steak correctly, you don't need any extra sauce to make it taste good. And that is exactly the case with Chef, Jon Favreau's latest concoction (sorry). Taking the role of writer, director, producer and lead actor, Favreau put a lot on his plate (sorry) for this film, but the end result leaves a good taste on your tongue (you know what, just let it happen).
Favreau plays Chef Carl Casper, a divorced father whose passion for cooking has landed him in a rut of a job at a restaurant, cooking the same menu for the past five years. He also struggles to spend time with his son, Percy (Emjay Anthony) -- real time, not just entertain-the-kid time. But Carl's world shifts gears on the day that a well-known food critic, Ramsey Michel (Oliver Platt), visits the restaurant; Carl wants to change up the menu to please the critic, but the restaurant's owner, Riva (Dustin Hoffman), refuses. Riva forces him to cook his old, safe menu, and it backfires big time... Ramsey Michel destroys Carl on Twitter. Carl, with the aid of tech-savvy Percy, tries to defend himself, but his hot temper and (more importantly) lack of understanding of modern technology lead to a defaming internet disaster, leaving Carl jobless and with no job prospects. It's a little bit of a jump that Carl is so protective of the food that he didn't want to cook in the first place, but the issue is more about his talent as a chef, and Carl can't get past that.
Carl's ex-wife, Inez (Sofia Vergara), comes to the rescue and asks him to come to Miami with her and Percy as they visit family -- it will be a visit to Carl's roots, where he started his family and his career as a chef. Carl agrees to go, and becomes re-enamored by the Cubano lifestyle -- exactly Inez's plan all along. Carl decides to use Inez's connections with her other ex-husband (cue the Robert Downey Jr. cameo) to get a food truck and give a little of this culture back to the rest of the world. He and his sous-chef/best friend from Riva's restaurant, Martin (John Leguizamo), begin making some amazing Cuban sandwiches, teaching Percy the ins and outs along the way. So begins a fun- and food-filled road trip back to California, with the three of them selling Cuban sandwiches along the way and having a grand old time. From here on out, the film becomes a delightful mix of a Food Channel travelogue, visiting the cultural hotspots of New Orleans and Austin, Texas, and an opportunity for some greatly needed father/son bonding time.
The story is simple, yet heartwarming, as we see a man reaching for his dream and holding onto his family at the same time. The film also boasts some great actors (not mentioned already are Scarlet Johansson and Amy Sedaris) and many laughs along the way. And it is refreshing to see Jon Favreau return to his indie roots after some mainstream projects, an idea that is greatly reflected in Chef's plot. Let us hope that he sticks with passion projects in the future.
Like I said, you don't need extra sauce for a good steak. Which is why I found the last five minutes of this film to be completely unnecessary... like the icing on a cake that doesn't really need icing. Favreau might have been reaching a little too far as he wrapped up this film, but it's safe to say he did a fine job with the rest of it. Come check it out at the Midtown Cinema!
Favreau plays Chef Carl Casper, a divorced father whose passion for cooking has landed him in a rut of a job at a restaurant, cooking the same menu for the past five years. He also struggles to spend time with his son, Percy (Emjay Anthony) -- real time, not just entertain-the-kid time. But Carl's world shifts gears on the day that a well-known food critic, Ramsey Michel (Oliver Platt), visits the restaurant; Carl wants to change up the menu to please the critic, but the restaurant's owner, Riva (Dustin Hoffman), refuses. Riva forces him to cook his old, safe menu, and it backfires big time... Ramsey Michel destroys Carl on Twitter. Carl, with the aid of tech-savvy Percy, tries to defend himself, but his hot temper and (more importantly) lack of understanding of modern technology lead to a defaming internet disaster, leaving Carl jobless and with no job prospects. It's a little bit of a jump that Carl is so protective of the food that he didn't want to cook in the first place, but the issue is more about his talent as a chef, and Carl can't get past that.
Carl's ex-wife, Inez (Sofia Vergara), comes to the rescue and asks him to come to Miami with her and Percy as they visit family -- it will be a visit to Carl's roots, where he started his family and his career as a chef. Carl agrees to go, and becomes re-enamored by the Cubano lifestyle -- exactly Inez's plan all along. Carl decides to use Inez's connections with her other ex-husband (cue the Robert Downey Jr. cameo) to get a food truck and give a little of this culture back to the rest of the world. He and his sous-chef/best friend from Riva's restaurant, Martin (John Leguizamo), begin making some amazing Cuban sandwiches, teaching Percy the ins and outs along the way. So begins a fun- and food-filled road trip back to California, with the three of them selling Cuban sandwiches along the way and having a grand old time. From here on out, the film becomes a delightful mix of a Food Channel travelogue, visiting the cultural hotspots of New Orleans and Austin, Texas, and an opportunity for some greatly needed father/son bonding time.
The story is simple, yet heartwarming, as we see a man reaching for his dream and holding onto his family at the same time. The film also boasts some great actors (not mentioned already are Scarlet Johansson and Amy Sedaris) and many laughs along the way. And it is refreshing to see Jon Favreau return to his indie roots after some mainstream projects, an idea that is greatly reflected in Chef's plot. Let us hope that he sticks with passion projects in the future.
Like I said, you don't need extra sauce for a good steak. Which is why I found the last five minutes of this film to be completely unnecessary... like the icing on a cake that doesn't really need icing. Favreau might have been reaching a little too far as he wrapped up this film, but it's safe to say he did a fine job with the rest of it. Come check it out at the Midtown Cinema!
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