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.
Thursday, July 24, 2014
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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