Review: Trumbo

"He's among us... But he sure as hell isn't one of us."

This is a phrase that Dalton Trumbo (Brian Cranston), a prolific screenwriter in Hollywood known for his tendency towards communism, hears often. In 1940s America, the slightest indication of communism suggests that an individual may be a Russian spy, and Trumbo and his Hollywood friends take the brunt of that heat: director Jay Roach's TRUMBO relates the story of the subpoena of the "Hollywood Ten" -- Trumbo and 9 other Hollywood artists known for their communist beliefs -- for allegedly conspiring to corrupt democratic values and overthrow the government, through movies... or, in other words, for their political beliefs.

But a little jail time does not slow the Hollywood Ten down; though upon their return it is nearly impossible to get work like they once did, Trumbo leads the way by selling his work under friends' names and pseudonyms. The goal is to reveal the absurdity of the blacklist; but Trumbo finds along the way that there is a lot to lose by giving himself over to the cause. Arlen Hird (Louis C.K.) puts it plainly: "You talk like a radical, but you live like a rich guy." And it's true: he leads a very comfortable life, with his wife, Cleo (Diane Lane) and three kids (his eldest, Nikola, played by Elle Fanning, is most often at the forefront), and a big house and pool. But Trumbo announces that he is not willing to lose it all -- simply to risk it all. And that statement is truly put to the test throughout the film.

Cranston gives a home run of a performance, transforming into Trumbo with seemingly no effort. With an over abundance of spectacular supporting cast (also including Helen Mirren, Alan Tudyk, and David Maldonado, to name a few), the film tromps through American history, spanning into the later years of Dalton Trumbo's life. At some point it becomes a character piece, really delving into the way he steered his and his family's life to fulfill his desired purpose.

TRUMBO is a fascinating look at the man behind ROMAN HOLIDAY and THE BRAVE ONE. Now playing at the Midtown Cinema!

Review: Brooklyn

Director John Crowley brings us BROOKLYN, the 1950s period piece adapted from Colm Tóibín's novel about an Irish immigrant settling into America.

Eilis (Saoirse Ronan) is making the move from Ireland to America. Her sister, Rose (Fiona Glascott) has put in a good word with a priest in Brooklyn, resigning herself to staying in Ireland while Eilis makes a life for herself. But while Eilis seems to have nothing of a future in Ireland -- working a miserable job, scraping by with her money, with no romance to speak of -- leaving her mother and sister behind is the most difficult thing she has ever done.

As Eilis takes the boat to America and begins to settle into her new environment, living in a boarding house and working at Bartocci's, she realizes just how much, in fact, she misses her old home -- "I wish that I could stop feeling like I want to be an Irish girl in Ireland," she states early on. But as luck would have it, Eilis meets a man; Tony Fiorello (Emory Cohen), a young Italian man who professes he likes Irish girls, and whose earnest and humble nature charm Eilis instantly. Suddenly Brooklyn doesn't seem so bad. Their romance becomes the guiding light for Eilis, as she overcomes her homesickness... until a family emergency happens that calls Eilis back to Ireland, causing her to choose between her two places of identity.

Visually, the film is stunning, with its 50s period costume and the attention to detail that is given in the disparity between Eilis' two worlds. And while the cast deserves credit where credit is due -- Ronan carries the film with the emotion she brings to the scenes, and Cohen and Domhnall Gleeson (who plays a love interest in Ireland) make easy work of Eilis' contrasting lovers -- still, the story leaves much to be desired. For a near Mary Sue of a character, a little more motivation is needed for some of her decisions; otherwise, Eilis' actions only prove to be a necessary device to push the plot forward. This loss of character development spoils any true feeling of empathy for the events that occur, save for the family emergency that calls Eilis back to Ireland.

Nevertheless, the film's intent still comes through -- the idea of home, that sense of belonging that propels you through life, is still heard, crystal clear. For Eilis, at least, there is one strong dose of truth in that garnering this sense of belonging required a certain amount of growth and self discovery; and though it may not be 100% warranted on the screen, it is an idea to mull over after the credits are rolling, especially during this holiday season. BROOKLYN is now playing at the Midtown Cinema -- for all its pros and cons, give it a shot and see what you think!

Review: Room

Jack loves Room. Room is all he's ever known -- he was born there, he lives there with his Ma, and he's been there for his whole five years -- in fact, Jack is confident that there is nothing outside of Room. Room is life. But one day, Ma starts telling Jack that there is more to the world than just Room, and that they must escape.

Director Lenny Abrahamson's ROOM, based on Emma Donaghue's novel of the same name, tells the gripping story of a brave little boy (Jacob Tremblay) who follows his Ma (Brie Larson)'s coaching to escape the shed that they are being held captive in, and rescue them from a life with no hope. Though Jack doesn't understand the consequences of what their captor, Old Nick (Sean Bridgers), has done, he must give up all that is known to him and deal with a world he knows nothing about.

ROOM is a compelling work of art, to say the least. It carries plenty of emotion, though never forces it. It borders on heartbreaking with its realist attitude, portraying a vivid image of those affected by the situation -- right down to the depression that Ma deals with on the "outside" and the issues that her parents went through while she was gone. The majority of the film is seen from Jack's perspective: in voice-over narratives, we hear Jack cope with the new things that he experiences, and the things he learns about the real world.

Larson is phenomenal, continuing in her streak of powerhouse performances; and Tremblay charms your heart, drawing you into his perspective. With a pretty intense scene from William H. Macy playing Ma's father, the supporting roles bring this film to life. There are, no doubt, some serious Oscar nominations attached to this film. ROOM is now playing at the Midtown Cinema -- make sure not to miss it!

Review: Spotlight

"If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a village to abuse one."

So states Mitchell Garabedian (played by Stanley Tucci), a lawyer who takes on cases specifically involving sexual abuse. In the case of SPOTLIGHT, Tom McCarthy's hard-hitting film about the 2001 uncovering of the scandal of the Catholic Church by the Boston Globe's special project team, Spotlight, they are papal pedophilia cases. Sure to be in the running for a Best Picture come Oscars season, SPOTLIGHT slowly rises in intensity, culminating in a smart, provocative snapshot of a piece of Boston's history.

When the Globe is bought out by the Times, a new editor comes in (Liev Schrieber) -- Marty Baron, a Jewish man with an outsider's perspective -- who asks the Spotlight team to take on a project investigating claims that Cardinal Law, the Archbishop of Boston, is covering up sex abuse cases in the Church by relocating guilty priests instead of putting them out of commission. Leading the team is Walter "Robby" Robinson (Michael Keaton), with Mike Rezendes (Mark Ruffalo), Sacha Pfeiffer (Rachel McAdams), and Matt Carroll (Brian d'Arcy James) filling in the rest of the ranks. But as they begin to chip away at the evidence, the number of cases grows larger and larger until the Spotlight team finds themselves trying to nail not just Cardinal Law, but the system.

The question arises: how has such a massive cover-up been in existence for so long, with no one making any moves to prevent it? The beginning of the film seems strictly journalistic -- right from the Spotlight team's introductory scene, eating cake and talking shop in the office, it is clear that they are serious about their job, dealing with the cold, hard facts to get a story that people will be interested in -- but as the plot continues, their opportunistic drive slowly transforms into a need for justice as they become emotionally invested in the story. Keaton and Ruffalo give striking performances in this regard, on opposite ends of the spectrum: Ruffalo plays the eager, nosy journalist whose thoughts and emotions are at the forefront, aiding him in his job and allowing him to process, while Keaton plays a man who keeps his emotions locked away, mulling over the consequences of the situation alone until he sorts them out. McAdams and James also give solid performances, as do Tucci and John Slattery, who plays Ben Bradlee Jr.

SPOTLIGHT is a riveting story that packs a punch; make sure you don't miss it. Now playing at the Midtown Cinema!

Review: The Second Mother

Never has the presentation of class differences been so naturally laid out: writer/director Anna Muylaert presents THE SECOND MOTHER, a charming film that slowly unravels class structure.

The slow-paced Brazilian film opens with a static flashback shot of a large pool; Val (Regina Casé), a cheery, open woman full of love, convinces a young boy, Fabinho, to play in the pool, while refraining from the water herself. Instead, she talks on the phone with her daughter -- and at the end of the scene, we find that Fabinho is not her son, but the son of her employer.

It is revealed promptly after that Val is a live-in maid for a rich family who finds it too hard for themselves to even go to the fridge to get their own ice cream. Bárbara (Karine Teles) is the working mother, jealous of Val's relationship with her son, but Carlos (Lourenço Mutarelli) is the secret money bank, having inherited the family's money. Fabinho (Michel Joelsas) prepares for his university exams by lounging around the house with his friends. In terms of affording respect, Val doesn't seem to mind the way the family treats her, lavishing her attention on them, and especially towards Fabinho, like a second mother.

Meanwhile, Val's own daughter, Jessica (Camila Márdila), wants nothing to do with her... until one day, when she calls to tell her that she wants to move in with her in order to study at university. Val excitedly gets permission to invite Jessica into her home -- or her employer's home, that is. But Jessica has a sense of entitlement that Val would never dream of having, and the family issues a passive aggressive politeness that triggers a precariously balanced game of power distribution and tripped class boundary, with Val playing the role of the Servant and her daughter playing the role of the Guest.

The concept is fascinating, and tenderly executed, with characters that pop off the screen and an intricate conflict that is far too relatable. Casé is instantly lovable, speaking her actions in an endearing way and wearing her emotions on her sleeves; and Márdila commands attention in an unaware, youthful way.

THE SECOND MOTHER is now playing at the Midtown Cinema! This is definitely one you should check out.

Review: Truth

Everybody loves a good scandal, until they're the subject. Writer James Vandebilt (ZODIAC, THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN) tackles this concept with his directorial debut, TRUTH -- a story exhibiting the dangerous game that journalists play when working on a story, based on the true events of the disaster that Mary Mapes and Dan Rather found themselves in back in 2004.

Election day is approaching, and George W. Bush is competing for reelection. Mary Mapes (Cate Blanchett), producer of CBS' 60 Minutes, is fueled by story, striving to stay one step ahead of the crowd by asking questions to reveal the truth, and for her latest project -- investigating the suspicions that Bush received preferential treatment for his time in the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam war -- she pulls out all the stops, hand-picking her crew (Topher Grace, Dennis Quaid, Elizabeth Moss, Bruce Greenwood) and continuing collaboration with highly revered news anchor Dan Rather (Robert Redford). When the crew discovers documents that indicate Bush's failure to show up for his physical or any training, and a period of absence following a transfer to the Alabama Air National Guard, they pounce, trying to check sources and make their piece as airtight as possible. Mapes and everyone else knows that this could very well influence the election.

But the problem with getting a "juicy piece of brisket", as it is labelled in Mapes' emails, is that sometimes you see what you want to see. Though two out of four document examiners come back with inconclusive proof that the documents are real, the story is pushed to be released as quickly as possible to get its peak audience. Dan Rather eloquently presents the findings to the public in 60 minutes, but after a momentary bask in the glory of primetime success, red flags start popping up: internet bloggers and media outlets begin challenging the authenticity of the documents, claiming they can be recreated on Microsoft Word. And to make matters worse, it comes out that the source that Mapes got for the documents lied.

What unfolds is a battle between a group of people who don't want to be wrong and a group of people who want to prove someone wrong -- something quite common in today's society. The film is not without its bias (but let's be real -- what narrative isn't?); But regardless of the factual truth about the events that the film is based on, it captures the emotions of the situation quite well. There does seem to be a near deification of Dan Rathers, who serves as Mapes' father figure; one could suppose that since the protagonist holds him up on a pedestal, the move makes sense, but it drags the pace at times.

The interesting thing about this movie is that, while it is terribly biased, it still teaches us a lesson about journalism. It may not be the intended lesson, but it is a lesson nevertheless: always consider the bias of the journalist behind the story. In this case, the journalists may not have even realized their bias, but it still begs the point: regardless of someone's intentions, there will always be a filter through which you see a story. You just have to decipher what that filter is.

Blanchett carries the film with the confidence and zest she brings to the role; and a nod must be given to Grace, who seems to have come a long way since That 70s Show. While it may not be the flick of the year, TRUTH is certainly entertaining, and it does cause you to pause and think a bit. TRUTH is now playing at the Midtown Cinema! A little

Review: He Named Me Malala

It starts with a voice. It always does, doesn't it? One voice, speaking up in the silence. That was the case with Malala Youfsazai's story, and it is the case with Davis Guggenheim's documentary, HE NAMED ME MALALA. As Malala tells the story of her namesake -- a Pashtun folk hero who led Afghanistan to victory against British troops but died in the process -- painted figures appear onscreen, an animated history which brings her words to life. And then we are taken to the present Malala's story, in the hospital after she has been shot in the head by the Taliban for speaking out about women's education.

Such an opening is only a glimpse of what is to come in the next 88 minutes of footage: beautiful cinematography to encapsulate a beautiful story. The film splits into two tracks: one track follows the history of Malala's village and her upbringing under the rule of Mullah Fazlullah and, more importantly, under the provision of her family; and the other track follows the Yousafzai family's life in Birmingham, England, where they have lived since the shooting. In its entirety, the film tracks the journey of an incredible woman, who still today works to achieve equality for women.

The story alone is touching, but what strengthens is it even more is the visual component that Guggenheim adds. The animation acts as a portal, taking us back into Malala's childhood when "school was [her] home," and connecting even the simplest of notions -- her father's stammer, for example -- to the cause that the whole family represents: if something prevents you from speaking, keep trying until your words get out.

There is honestly not much to say about this film in the way of negativity... HE NAMED ME MALALA is now playing at the Midtown Cinema! Come check it out!

Review: Meet The Patels

Patel: the Indian surname that has popped up on everyone's radar at least once in their life. But it's a safe bet that most Americans don't realize what the name implies for those who wear it. For Ravi Patel, it means having an extended family scattered from India to America; an unexpected welcome wherever he stumbles across it; a sense of home and happiness whenever it is present. When Patels meet Patels, the bond forms fast.

But it doesn't come without its own troubles: Ravi has just gotten out of a two-year relationship, and his parents have no idea. His parents want him to marry a good Indian girl, and Audrey (the previously mentioned girlfriend) does not fall under that category. Two weeks after his breakup, when Ravi and his family go on vacation to India, his parents decide that now is the time to pressure him into looking for a wife their way: through an arranged marriage. At first Ravi resists, but as he thinks about the life that he wants and about his current prospects, he decides to give it a shot.

But it's not quite as simple as one might expect: these days, arranged marriages have become a bit more similar to online dating: the families will put together a biodata (essentially a resume) and send it to prospective matches, who then chooses who he would like to meet for a date. Caught on camera by his documentarian sister, Geeta, with any holes retrospectively filled in with animated storyboard cels, we see Ravi's journey unfold, as he returns to the US and begins the country-wide tour (he decides to only look for girls living in America) of first dates with girls from the biodatas, wedding conventions, and Indian dating websites.

Though there are moments in this documentary that feel a bit forced -- the phone conversation with Audrey, specifically, feels like fodder for the film -- the majority of the plot seems to come not from a desire to make a film, but to allow Ravi to navigate the disparity between Indian and American tradition concerning marriage, and the struggle that he has in trying to make his and his parents' desires match. The plot isn't driven by Ravi's need to get married and "complete the mission", but by his heartbreak and his willingness to open his mind to a structure that has seemed to work for other people for centuries.

MEET THE PATELS is a fun, surprisingly tender documentary, one that may open your eyes just a little bit wider. Now playing at the Midtown Cinema!

Review: Time Out of Mind

You won't have fun watching this movie. You won't laugh, or hardly crack a smile; directed by Oren Moverman, TIME OUT OF MIND is not a happy-go-lucky or feel-good movie, but a call to notice. It will leave you thinking about a topic that is continually brushed over in polite conversation: homelessness.

The film opens with a slow pan of the city, with snippets of conversation from its inhabitants flitting in and out of audibility as the camera pulls back to reveal an abandoned apartment. Here, a disgruntled building manager (an altogether random cameo by Steve Buscemi) introduces us to George (Richard Gere): homeless, disheveled, and asleep in a bathtub. As he gets pushed out into the streets of Manhattan, the film follows him in his continual struggle to get back on his feet.

The film is definitely plot-light, focusing instead on giving a snapshot of George's character and predicament while simultaneously shining a light on the issue of homelessness in the city. While I have never really been a fan of Gere's acting abilities, he manages to completely disappear into George's tired psyche. Jena Malone also strikes a powerful chord as George's daughter, Maggie, with whom George continually tries to reconnect. And the cinematography turns the city itself into a character, revealing its color and bustle through dirty windows, and getting in everybody's business.

The soundscape matches, if not surpasses, the cinematography in its depiction of the city. Pressing in on George from all sides, with thin walls and inadvertent destruction of personal space, Moverman removes any discernible measure of distance for the voices of the passersby - they seep into the foreground, thereby forcing George to fight for prominence in the narrative... the perfect symbol of the struggle of the homeless. It is also a strong reminder that along with a home, George has lost all sense of privacy, something that wears him thin throughout the two-hour film.

And that's the downside to this film: while the length and pace of the film certainly serves a purpose in trapping its audience in the frustration of the protagonist, it could have achieved the same thing in an hour and a half, or even in forty minutes.

If you want this reviewer's opinion, give this film a shot and treat yourself to a night of awareness of the world's plight of homelessness. TIME OUT OF MIND is now playing at the Midtown Cinema!

Review: Learning to Drive

We have all felt at one point or another that driving is an analogy for life; the comparison explores the simultaneous ideas of freedom and control. LEARNING TO DRIVE, penned by Sarah Kernochan and directed by Isabel Coixet, takes advantage of this metaphorical truth. This off-kilter comedy does well to break past its cutesy premise and explore the eccentricity of reality.

Wendy is a stubborn literary critic who finds her husband is cheating on her with another woman. Despite Wendy's insistence that they are just taking a break, her husband files for separation, and her daughter invites her out to the farm in Maine where she is living. But Wendy doesn't have her driver's license -- she always left the driving to her husband -- and she is not yet willing to admit that she needs to learn.

Darwan is a Sikh driving instructor who takes his job very seriously. He is a US citizen, but his nephew, Preet, is an illegal immigrant, and the rest of his family remains in India, where they are trying to arrange a marriage for him.

Darwan and Wendy cross paths in a zany series of driving lessons as she refuses to let the experience be an easy one, clotting her mind with thoughts of longing for her husband and regrets from when she was a kid. Darwan peppers her with the rules of the road, including little adages that teach both about driving and about life, such as "Fear is good. When you are afraid, you pay more attention."

Adding to the haphazard nature of their relationship is Jasleen (Sarita Choudhury), Darwan's Indian bride, who Darwan finally agreed to marry. Jasleen knows very little English, and even less about her new surroundings; and as Darwan seems to work all the time, the connection between the two of them is thin. Jasleen's presence in the film, paired with a fling that Wendy has with a blind date set up by Wendy's sister, reveals the theme of selfishness existent in each character throughout the film; as stated before, this isn't just a cutesy premise. The film is not necessarily consistent in tone and pace -- it tries to tackle a range of subjects, some of which flow well, others which weigh down the plot -- but overall, it is a reflection of life, with intricate, idiosyncratic characters who constantly have to remind themselves in life's fumblings to "take the wheel, [and] press the pedal."

Clarkson and Kingsley may not achieve the exact romantic chemistry asked of them by the plot, but their platonic chemistry well makes up for that; both do an excellent job of portraying stubborn, sometimes selfish and often lost, but ultimately lovable people. LEARNING TO DRIVE is now playing at the Midtown Cinema - make sure to check this one out!

Review: Grandma

There's nothing better than a fiesty, sharp-tongued grandmother; and that's exactly what you get in Paul Weitz's newest film, GRANDMA, the story of mean-spirited Elle Reid (Lily Tomlin). When Elle's granddaughter, Sage (Julia Garner) shows up on her doorstep, looking for money to get an abortion, Elle promises to help her get it - something that suspiciously seems like a way to distract herself from her recent breakup with her girlfriend of four months, Olivia (Judy Greer).



Grandma and granddaughter go on a bizarre little financial scavenger hunt, tracking down various acquaintances in an effort to borrow money from them. This gimmicky premise eventually morphs into a touching exploration of Elle's past and current life. There are serious issues to be addressed within the film's brief 79 minute runtime -- like broken parenting and LGBT issues, to name a few. But they're all viewed through Elle's slightly unorthodox filter, culminating in a truly refreshing character sketch.

And let's be honest: the film relies on Elle for its substance, the other characters simply being there to support her. Marcia Gay Harden makes a short (but unsurprisingly strong) appearance as Sage's mother, fleshing out Sage's character a bit in their relationship; but the development scale is still heavily weighted toward Elle (which is the intention, so that's fine).

Tomlin, who never gives a dull performance, follows through in this instance, naturally owning her title role. The film does get off to a rocky start, throwing the audience into a scenario without any connection to the characters; but once those characters get their proper introduction, this fault works itself out. This is definitely one you want to catch -- GRANDMA is now playing at the Midtown Cinema!

Review: Testament of Youth

There are plenty of wartime stories, describing the terrible loss that battle brings. Director James Kent's TESTAMENT OF YOUTH is one of these stories: it strives to tug at your heartstrings, and its true-to-life detail makes it all the more enthralling. But there is one outstanding detail that sets it apart: the story follows a woman.



Vera Brittain (Alicia Vikander) wants nothing more than to go to Oxford University, be a writer, and not get married. She is infuriated when her parents buy her a piano, knowing that the money could have gone toward tuition, but her father says they "can't afford to waste money" on such a thing as her education. Her brother, Edward (Taron Egerton), disagrees, knowing that of all people, Vera deserves to go to Oxford. When Edward's friends from school, Roland (Kit Harington) and Viktor (Colin Morgan), visit, she falls in love with Roland, who also has a passion for writing. But when Roland, Edward, and Viktor decide to enlist in the war, Vera's world changes.

Feeling that she can be of more help to the cause than just sitting at Oxford, Vera decides to become a war nurse, all the while writing her brother and her beau. The better part of the film follows Vera's journey as she cares for wounded soldiers, and adamantly works to hold onto the people she cares about...

It's a touching film, loaded with introspective detail. The cinematography is emotionally spot on, connecting you with Vera's life in such a personal way. The film romanticizes its characters - based off of Vera Brittain's memoirs, this only makes sense, as she looks back on such memories, skimming over the faults and shortcomings of people lost long ago -- but at its core, the story is still deadly realist, skipping over any moments of heroicism in favor of the cold, hard truth of body-littered battlefields. What a refreshing concept compared to other war films, which strive to show soldiers as anything other than what they are: mortal, and scared.

The film also boasts a cast worthy of acclaim. Vikander continues to churn out memorable performances, and Harington, Egerton, and Morgan artfully round out the world of our protagonist, with minor supporting roles from Dominic West and Emily Watson.

TESTAMENT OF YOUTH is now playing at the Midtown Cinema! Definitely check this one out.

Review: Mistress America

It looks like Noah Baumbach has managed to churn out two comedic ventures in one year. Whereas WHILE WE WERE YOUNG was a vivacious look at identity and the contrast between the young and the old, MISTRESS AMERICA is all about connection, digging into a different avenue of youth and the need for acceptance.



Tracy (Lola Kirke) has just started her freshman year of college. She aspires to be a writer, though the short story she submitted to an elitist campus writer's group is almost immediately rejected. Tracy's mother is about to get married, which would give Tracy a new older sister: Brooke (Greta Gerwig). But Brooke is "old" (read: 30), and it is only when Tracy's only college friend (and consequently, crush), Tony (Michael Shear) -- another writing rejectee -- gets a girlfriend, that she decides to actually meet her soon-to-be-sister.

Instantly, the two become best friends, and Tracy inadvertently starts to shadow Brooke; in her, she finds the inspiration for a better story to submit, which she writes after the first night they hang out. Brooke informs Tracy that she is going to start a restaurant with her boyfriend, but disaster leaves Brooke without backers or her boyfriend, and she, Tracy, Tony, and Tony's girlfriend, Nicolette (Jasmine Cephas Jones) take a trip to Brooke's ex-fiance's house to ask for money.

The plot careens around sharp corners with quick wit and chaotic finesse. Each character is a brilliant mess -- Tracy leads a vicarious life, attaching herself to those she is inspired by in order to write her stories, and Brooke strives to captivate people's attention -- both girls feed off of their selfish notions, creating the perfect symbiotic relationship. In fact, most of the people in MISTRESS AMERICA are selfish -- a characteristic that Noah Baumbach habitually comes back to in his films.

Gerwig and Kirke dazzle in this performance, effortlessly playing off of each other's energy. The over-the-top characters coupled with the sheer absurdity of the situations make this film a delightful comedy, one you should be sure to catch. Now playing at the Midtown Cinema!

Review: A Walk in the Woods

There's something really satisfactory about the sound of a tent zipper opening in the wilderness. It's a blatant, beautiful reminder of nature around us, and it immediately thrusts at least this reviewer into outdoorsy reminiscence. If only A WALK IN THE WOODS, Ken Kwapis's film adaptation about two middle-aged men walking the Appalachian Trail, had more of these moments. As is, the film is less about nature than it is about meeting all sorts of characters in all sorts of walks of life, and embracing your mortality.



Bill Bryson (Robert Redford), a writer who has published several books documenting his world travels, is not a people person. That much is clear in the first few minutes of the film. In fact, this briefly-noted and never-again mentioned plot point is what pushes Bill to the idea of hiking the Appalachian Trail: he sees an advertisement of a man standing at the edge of a cliff, serenely surveying the world around him, and thinks that is just the ticket to get him away from all that annoying human interaction. His wife, Catherine (Emma Thompson) doesn't want him to go, but finally concedes that as long as he goes with someone instead of making a possibly dangerous trek alone, she can't stop him. Unfortunately, she doesn't realize that he'll end up with Stephen Katz (Nick Nolte), the alcoholic, out-of-shape man who used to provide spiteful companionship in Bill's European travels.

The thing is, neither Bill nor Stephen know what they're getting into -- despite the fact that people actually train for the 2,200 mile trek, the two decide to just go for it, and consequently hit multiple obstacles along the way. Most of the obstacles are very comedic -- run-ins with bears, meeting other hikers along the trail who try the men's nerves, etc. -- but these strung-together stints feel almost like an eclectic compilation of comic strips, disjointed and contrived (even based on a true story, it feels contrived) and cutting straight to the punchline in every scenario.

Despite this, there are some pretty solid scenes peppered throughout the second half of the film. Through a combination of their natural surroundings knocking them off their squabbling pedestals and of the trail teaching them a lesson about mortality, the two old friends learn a lot about themselves. And with two middle-aged characters, it certainly prompts the audience to look back on life with a fresh perspective. Could that perspective be a little bit more concrete, rather than assumed? The amount of times that our protagonists' struggles are internalized without any tangible, onscreen process gives us a resounding "yes". But you will still be able to pick up on the effect that the journey has on these two old friends.

The film boasts a lot of big names in its cast, with a fairly strong performance from Nolte and a stiff performance from Redford. Other supporting performances, such as the one by Thompson, and even brief roles by Nick Offerman, Mary Steenburgen, and Kristen Schaal, add life to the journey. Overall, it's a decent adaptation, though nowhere near perfect... now playing at the Midtown Cinema!

Review: The Diary of a Teenage Girl

"I had sex today. Holy shit."

That is the only line in the first few minutes of THE DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL, directed by Marielle Heller and adapted from Phoebe Gloeckner's novel. Paired with the initial shot of 15-year-old, confident and artistically driven Minnie Getz (Bel Powley)'s butt as she walks, and the elated expression on her face as exuberant music plays, we discover the world of 1976 San Francisco through our protagonist's eyes.



Minnie's first time, it turns out, was with her mom (Kristen Wiig)'s boyfriend, Monroe (Alexander Skarsgård). She narrates the experience by recording the loss of her virginity, and the continuation of her and Monroe's sexual relationship behind her mother's back, on cassette tapes, which act as the "diary" of the film's title. Her artwork -- her sketches, Aline Kominsky-inspired comic strips, and paintings -- act as her subconscious, fleshing out the narrative as Minnie interacts with her family, her classmates, and her adult lover, stepping heartily into the world of sex.

The film combines a coming-of-age story with a warped sense of responsibility (Minnie is unequivocally 15 years old), resulting in an astute portrait of a teenager in the 70s. Minnie oscillates between want of sex to love of Monroe to hate of Monroe, unable to make up her mind but knowing that she wants to be loved by someone.

The cast is pretty evenly cast, with a striking performance by Powley and Skarsgård. Wiig's performance also adds emotional weight to the story, which would otherwise simply be that of sexual exploration. Overall, THE DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL is a fun watch, perfect for rehashing the teenage experience in an honest, carefree way. Now playing at the Midtown Cinema!

Review: The End of the Tour

It's a simple story, really -- the story of two men, both writers but for different mediums -- one a journalist and one a novelist -- meeting and meshing and clashing and in the end, finding friendship. THE END OF THE TOUR, directed by James Ponsoldt, has so many conversational layers to it, but what makes it truly worth watching is the core of the story: friendship and the effects it has on you.

David Foster Wallace (played by Jason Segel), most famously known for his 1079-page book, "Infinite Jest", is on tour. David Lipsky (Jesse Eisenberg), who is a journalist for the New York Times and has a couple of books under his belt, himself, discovers Wallace's work and begs his boss to let him do an interview.



Dave Wallace's initial presentation is honest, no airs: he's timid but friendly, he's open but with reservations (as he's being interviewed, that can be expected). Almost immediately, he announces that he's wary of how the article will go, concerned about the agenda that David has and saying, "I don't even know if I like you yet". David Lipsky, on the other hand, comes off as very expectant and focused, stating multiple times that "You did agree to this interview".

While the relationship quickly dissolves into eager boyhood, shooting the breeze and eating junk food, there is a fascinating dynamic between these two writers that unfolds as various encounters and conversations lead them back to their defensive positions. It's a fascinating character piece, the only plot being the development of their relationship.

In that sense -- in terms of plot development -- the film is somewhat lacking. Not that it missed the mark, it just doesn't require too many twists and turns; but those who are looking to get lost in a story will find themselves disappointed. For those who love character pieces, however, THE END OF THE TOUR is brilliant, and dripping with insight into both Dave and David's lives. You learn a lot about David Foster Wallace's depression, and intentional disposition.

THE END OF THE TOUR is now playing at the Midtown Cinema! Come check it out for yourself!

Review: Phoenix

Though there have been plenty of films depicting the events of the Holocaust, you won't find too many actual German films on the list -- perhaps it's too much of a faux pas to be attempted with such a touchy connection to the events. But PHOENIX, directed by Christian Petzold, grabs the bull by the horns in a slow-paced, heartbreaking story of a German Jew in the aftermath of the war, touching on themes of identity, betrayal, and a desire to belong.



Nelly Lenz (Nina Hoss) has returned from a concentration camp, broken mentally and physically -- the camp has left her disfigured. Her friend, Lene (Nina Kunzendorf) provides a place to stay and aids her in the recovery process, as she receives facial reconstruction; but Nelly worries that the surgery will make her unrecognizable for her husband, Johnny (Ronald Zehrfeld). After she has recovered, she begins the hopeful search to find him, a sentiment which Lene cannot match because of the rumors that Johnny was the one who turned Nelly in.

It's an interesting premise, made even more interesting once she finds him... but I won't spoil the rest of the film for you. What I will say is that the character development in this film is astonishing -- for Nelly, a broken woman trying to get her life back, and those surrounding her, everything has changed. This isn't your typical Holocaust film in that it doesn't plunge into the "action" with gory finesse, but the turmoil of the war is still painfully present in each scene. What makes it all the more interesting is the uncertain motivation that steers Nelly through the story.

That the entirety of the film builds off of such a strongly written character is a testament to the film's craft; everything about this film is beautiful, from the ambient sound to the perfectly chosen title. Hoss gives a magnificent performance, carrying you with her in her battle between hope and despair, as she tries to reshape her identity in the conditions she's given.

PHOENIX is now playing at the Midtown Cinema! Don't miss this one -- it is well worth the watch.

Review: Irrational Man

Woody Allen's done it again, folks. And by that, I mean he's produced another film. Whether it's good or bad is an entirely different doing, and as you can guess, this one doesn't come close to competing with his better works. Laced with a voice-over narrative akin to a psychology textbook, IRRATIONAL MAN tells the story of a man who considers committing murder to give his life purpose.

Jill and Roy (Emma Stone and Jamie Blackley) are your typical, middle-class college students at Braylin University -- in fact, they are stereotypical: they don't have too much characterization past their fancy sweaters and family dinners. But we do know that they are in love, and the rumors of the dashing and intellectually cutting new philosophy professor give way to Roy joking that Jill is going to develop a crush.

And when we first meet Professor Abe Lucas (Joaquin Phoenix), the first instinct is to completely understand why it was a joke: the rumors that the man is a genius but always looks like he's wasted is not too far from the truth. Abe blunders onto the scene with jutting gut and the ever-present single malt scotch in his hand, jaded and without direction. But the man can argue philosophy, which is apparently enough to get all the ladies riled up (or at least the two ladies featured in this film). Fellow professor Rita (Parker Posey) can't get enough of him, cheating on her husband with Abe as he moans and groans about the lack of meaning in life with phrases like "Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom" and his romantic-bordering-suicidal demeanor.

Despite the complete implausibility of Abe's likeability (no, Woody Allen, you cannot justify a character's likeability by saying that "everyone likes him"), Jill develops a deep attraction to him. They begin spending a lot of time together, causing Roy to become jealous.

And then one day at a diner, they overhear the heartbreaking story of a woman who is about to lose custody of her kids because of the corrupt Judge Spangler (Tom Kemp). The woman makes an offhand comment that she hopes the judge dies of a heart attack, and Abe immediately becomes enraptured by the idea of helping this woman by serving the judge a dose of justice. In his head, he argues that the judge deserves to die, and begins scheming what he considers to be the perfect murder.

From that point on, the plot actually does putter along quite nicely, combining the likes of "Crime and Punishment" with Abe's TAXI DRIVER-esque mentality; but its basis is absolutely ridiculous. The film follows true Woody Allen form, riddled with psychoses and those familiar themes for women -- it wouldn't be a Woody Allen film if every woman didn't have an affair. I just wish that there was more to their character beyond the men they're interested in.

There were a couple of really entertaining sequences, most notably the scenes in which Jill begins to piece together what is going on. Both Phoenix and Stone perform excellently, with some pretty natural chemistry on screen. But do the positive notes in this film outweigh the bad? For me, it's a toss up -- if you have a couple hours to kill, I'd say why not, but don't necessarily expect this review to be proven wrong. IRRATIONAL MAN is now playing at the Midtown Cinema!

Review - Dark Places

If a film's title is called DARK PLACES, you better expect it to be dark. And director Gilles Paquet-Brenner's latest film stays true to its title, though the end result is not entirely satisfactory. Regardless, it's a film that, while not being too proud of its structural integrity, I did enjoy.

Libby Day (Charlize Theron) narrowly escaped being included in her family's massacre as a child, and now, as an adult, is still haunted by the past. Since the moment 28 years ago when she testified against her brother, Ben (Tye Sheridan), who was convicted of the crime and given a life sentence, Libby has led a shell of an existence, living off of the money donated to her by strangers and the sales of an "autobiographical" book that she didn't even write. But when the Kill Club, a group of "solvers" who work through old cases, approach her to ask for her help in absolving Ben of the murders, Libby is thrust into the dark undertows of her past. She must contact people she'd never have contacted again to unravel the mystery, including her brother (later played by Corey Stoll), estranged father (Sean Bridgers) and her brother's old girlfriend (Chlöe Grace Moretz).

While the concept of the film sounds fascinating, the final result is a film that is far from perfect, but still wraps you up in its intensity. The voice-over narrative is either an attempt to connect you with the protagonist or to give the story more of a film-noir feel, but on neither account does it actually have any impact -- in fact, the film lazily relies on the voice-over, dropping Libby's backstory and characterization into your lap. But though the first twenty minutes are lush with forced exposition, you don't ever really get a moment to sink your teeth into her pain.

However, once the plot picks up, you will find yourself sucked into the eddy of clues that Libby finds as she begins to map out the actual events of that night. Her present journey is interspersed with brief flashes of her memory of the night, and various scenes from her brother's perspective leading up to the event. So a lack of effort in Libby's character may bring the film down, but the plot evens out the score a bit. No mercy is spared for the Day family as bit by bit of horrifying information gets thrown into the mix, notes of child molestation and Satanic rituals to name a few. Again, not perfect, as the scenes seem crammed in at times, but that, perhaps, is the downfall of a screenplay adapted from a book -- and as a result, you will feel some form of connection with Libby by the end of the film.

Given the crowded plot line, the cast does a pretty solid job. Theron is intriguing as the mean-spirited, self-centered woman that Libby has become, and Christina Hendricks carries the family as Libby's harried mother in the flashbacks. Overall, DARK PLACES may not be too high up on the list of films to see, but it also isn't a waste of cinematic space, and it does have some heart. Check out the film and see for yourself this week at the Midtown Cinema!

Review: Mr. Holmes

"It isn't a bee. It's a wasp. Different thing entirely."

These words, spoken by Sherlock Holmes (Sir Ian McKellen), are a perfect reflection of the film to come: MR. HOLMES, penned by Mitch Cullin and directed by Bill Condon, not only hovers frequently around the subject of bees, but also depicts the difficulty in navigating truth and fiction. Mr. Holmes, who is now in his 90s and living out in Sussex, keeps bees and tries not to become a version of the man that his partner, John Watson made him out to be in his books. His memory is beginning to slip in his old age; but there is one case that keeps nagging at him, a case that makes him start writing his own story to correct Watson's version -- if only he can remember what was different.



Laura Linney and Milo Parker play supporting roles as Mrs. Munro, the vigilant housekeeper, and her son, Roger, who strikes up a fast friendship with Mr. Holmes. The story flashes back and forth between their stay in the Holmes household, Mr. Holmes' visit to Japan to find the elusive "prickly ash" (a plant that helps the memory), and the memories of the previously mentioned case: a woman who took her glass harmonica lessons a little too seriously.

Don't expect it to be your typical Sherlock Holmes case -- the film addresses this very quickly with his age and with the mention of how John Watson tended to embellish on the details of Mr. Holmes' life. Though there is a case, it is not solved with the typical flourish of abstract details. The film certainly takes its time unfurling the story, but this allows us to really get to know our characters. McKellen sits quite comfortably in the shoes of the old retired detective, charming his way through the plot. Linney and Parker are equally wonderful, a fact which is not too surprising for Linney and which bodes well for Parker. Hiroyuki Sanada also graces the screen in a handful of scenes as Umezaki, Mr. Holmes' guide in Japan.

If you're looking for a different spin on Sherlock Holmes' world, be sure to check this one out. MR. HOLMES is now playing at the Midtown Cinema!

Review: Southpaw

Director Antoine Fuqua brings a story to the screen, penned by Kurt Sutter, that will slam your heart with all sorts of emotions in SOUTHPAW, the gritty boxing flick that sends a man with everything into the depths of despair.

Jake Gyllenhaal plays Billy Hope, a man who dragged himself up from Hell's Kitchen Orphanage and landed his family on a multi-million dollar cushion with his boxing career. His wife, Maureen (Rachel McAdams), comes to every match, and their daughter, Leila (Oona Laurence) only wishes she can -- Maureen doesn't allow it. Billy tends not to block his opponent's punches -- he gets off on the hits, spurring him into fighting and winning the match, but also leaving him a bloodied mess for his daughter to behold. But the family is happy, and though Billy has a bit of an anger management issue and a rival in fellow boxer Miguel Escobar (Miguel Gomez), everything seems to be going right for the Hope family.



But then Billy and Maureen go to to a charity event. Much of the boxing community is at the event, and Escobar makes some challenging remarks. Though Maureen tries to stop him, Billy's anger flares up, and a fight begins -- culminating in someone firing a gun and killing Maureen.

So begins a downward spiral for Billy, whose alcoholic coping mechanisms and a decision to wield a gun cause child protective services to take Leila away. Additionally, an incident in the ring causes him to lose his money and boxing license. Billy turns to Tick Willis (Forest Whitaker), the owner of a local gym, to help him. Tick begins training him, drilling into him the importance of blocking, and Billy tries to get his life back on track.

The storyline is not perfect, but there are some pretty real things that happen to these characters that really hit home. Though it is a film about a boxer, the focus is less on his career than on the complete toppling over of his life, and the way that he grapples with these changes. Not surprisingly, Gyllenhaal steps with ease into the boxer's mitts, yet again completely transformed in his role as Billy. He takes his time in scenes, in control in the ring but floundering in real life, his garbled voice reflecting his inability to know what to do next.

The rest of the cast is perfect, as well: McAdams gives a heart-wrenchingly realistic performance, and Laurence adds another expressive performance to her belt, with room for plenty more in the future, I hope. Whitaker is fantastic, as usual -- there's always just a little more to peel back for his character. And performances by 50 Cent, Naomie Harris, and Beau Knapp flesh out the rest of the story nicely. The soundtrack also rounds off SOUTHPAW, produced by Eminem and featuring the late James Horner's ominous yet delicate score.

SOUTHPAW is a great watch. It's now playing at the Midtown Cinema!

Review: Amy

Before watching this movie, I didn't know too much about Amy Winehouse. I knew a couple of her songs, and I knew that I liked her music, but as for her personal life, the only image that I had in my head of her was comprised by the jokes that people told -- you know the ones: "Her biggest hit was rehab, and she died from alcohol poisoning." But Asif Kapadia's documentary, AMY, gives you a direct insight into her personal life, and how she stumbled down the path that she did.

Even in her childhood, Amy was a singer: the documentary starts us off with a clip of Amy singing "happy birthday", eating lollipops with friends. It doesn't take long for the film to dive right into her music career -- after all, she began her career at 16, so as form follows function, of course they jumped straight into the music. It's a beautiful summary of Amy's immersion into the jazz world: only writing lyrics that were directly personal to her, but "with a punchline".



The tragic thing about Amy is that she honestly did become a musician because of the music. "She needed music, like it was a person, and she would die for it," said one of her bandmates, a comment that -- like many -- was very reflective of the life she led. There are even quotes that she said herself that are scary just how close they hit home: Amy never thought she'd be famous, once saying that "I don't think I could handle it. I'd go mad."

But as much as it doesn't shy away from Amy's problems, the film also celebrates her talent and the joy that she spread to those around her. Amy is described as a complete force of nature, and there's plenty of footage to back that up: her dynamic personality fills the screen, making it that much harder to reach the end of her story. The film ties together the vital points of her life with extracts from her own lyrics, displaying the connections on screen in little chunks - the footage of Amy in concert almost serves as a commercial break, while still threading the film into a cohesive piece.

AMY is now playing at the Midtown Cinema. I definitely recommend that you check it out before it leaves!

Review: The Overnight

For anyone who's moved to a completely new place as an adult, you might want to check out Patrick Brice's newest film, THE OVERNIGHT --  though hopefully with a grain of salt. The film gives a premise that is delightfully squirmy and yet simultaneously, hilariously realistic in its portrayal of the difficulty of finding normal friends as you get older.

The film starts you off in just the appropriate place: in the bedroom of Alex (Adam Scott) and Emily (Taylor Schilling) as they initiate sex, then jerk off next to each other to finish the job, only to be interrupted by their son, RJ (RJ Hermes). This hilarious opening sets up our protagonists quite nicely: this is a couple that is honest and comfortable with one another, but they still have their resignations. They have just moved to Los Angeles, and though Alex and Emily are perfectly content with each other's company, they worry about being able to make friends in the area.

When RJ gets invited to a birthday party at the park (an unexplained invite, since they have no friends in the area and he hasn't started school yet), Alex and Emily feel just as out-of-place with the adults as RJ feels with the kids. A chance encounter and a dinner invitation from neighborhood dad Kurt (Jason Schwartzman) and his son Max (Max Moritt) leaves our lonely couple with high hopes of finally having their first friends in a new city. But though the dinner party starts off innocently enough, there is something odd about Kurt and Charlotte, his French wife (Judith Godrèche), and as the night progresses and the kids get put to sleep, Alex and Emily begin to wonder if they've befriended a couple of swingers.



THE OVERNIGHT is a hilariously offbeat portrayal of people just trying to find acceptance. Through drunken conversations and awkward events, the bizarre journey that these characters take will woo you in its own way. And while it definitely has some ridiculous and awkward sexual moments, the plot is reined in by steady relationship development, and some pretty fun characters. Naysayers may not fully appreciate the movie, however, until the very end, which wraps up with an awkward yet realistic reaction from our protagonists.

Overall, it's a fun film, and will, shall I say, "expand" your horizons. THE OVERNIGHT is now playing at the Midtown Cinema!

Review: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

Director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon brings us the delightfully imaginative ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL, penned by Jesse Andrews, which tells the story of a high school boy who befriends a girl with cancer.

Gregg (Thomas Mann) believes that a rodent-faced, awkward, annoying kid like him needs to be invisible in order to get by; so he's made it a point to make nice with everyone, getting "citizenship in every nation" as he calls it (being on the good side of every clique). He spends his lunch period in Mr. McCarthy (Jon Bernthal)'s office, hiding from the rest of the student body with his "coworker", Earl (RJ Cyler), with whom he makes rip-offs of classic movies in their spare time. But one day, his parents (Connie Britton and Nick Offerman) corner him into befriending Rachel (Olivia Cooke), a classmate who has just been diagnosed with leukemia, and he finds himself becoming visible.



The cast is loaded with recognizable faces -- a fact which usually indicates a weak story, but not in this case. While it does have that stereotypical arc of friends dealing with illness, the plot is defibrillated by the distinct collection of characters and creative nuances unique to their interactions. Gregg's mind is an imaginative funhouse of stop motion animation and innovative camera angles (specialty of cinematographer Chung-hoon Chung, whose work we've seen before in OLDBOY); Earl is the most laidback straight-shooter you could find in high school. Rachel's snarky attitude is the perfectly realistic defense mechanism of a girl who's just learned her condition. Offerman's play on Gregg's dad is charmingly ridiculous, as is Rachel's weirdly inappropriate mom, played by Molly Shannon.

Thomas Mann pulls off the quintessential teenager, masterfully executing the teenage humor that Andrews has so accurately portrayed throughout the script (the humor that stands on the edge of annoying and endearing); in fact, each member of the cast so innately becomes their own character that the film instantly comes to life on screen.

There are a few weak moments. There is a fight scene that feels forced -- like the story needed a moment of teenage angst to propel it to the next scene -- and there are a few lines that feel too fabricated to come from the mouths of teenagers. But all in all, ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL is a great watch, versatile in its emotions and satisfactory in its conclusion. The film is now playing at Midtown Cinema -- don't miss it!

Review: In the Name of My Daughter

André Téchiné presents IN THE NAME OF MY DAUGHTER, a daunting crime-drama that unfolds almost coyly, drawn out but preying on the audience's anticipation.

Based on the memoirs of Renée Le Roux and her son, Jean-Charles, the story revolves around a loving family that is being destroyed by its own financial status. Renée Le Roux (Catherine Deneuve) wants to take over the Palais de la Méditerranée, a casino in which she holds shares, and her ambitious lawyer, Maurice Agnelet (Guillaume Canet), helps her sway the vote of the board to take charge. Her daughter, Agnès (Adèle Haenel) has just returned to Nice after a failed marriage, and wants to collect her inheritance and start her own business. But when Agnès and Maurice meet, Maurice's greed sways in her direction. Afterr Renée refuses to let Maurice become the managing director at the casino, Maurice focuses his attention on Agnès in revenge. Agnès quickly becomes obsessed with the man, who slowly corrupts the Le Roux family, pitting daughter against mother and manipulating Renée and Agnès' relationship for his own benefit.



The pacing is very brisk at first -- almost too brisk for the nature of the film's content -- but it relays an uneasy feeling right from the start. The cast play beautifully together: Canet masterfully lays the nuances of his character out -- to the public, he is well-behaved, but no audience will ever quite believe his likability. Haenel presents a complex account of our young protagonist, and while Catherine Deneuve could have had a stronger role -- her character only allows for brief moments straying from the flat "motherly" role -- she still somehow has your sympathy in the end.

This film will grip you until the end. IN THE NAME OF MY DAUGHTER is now playing at the Midtown Cinema -- hurry in to see it, as Monday is its last day!

Review: Love & Mercy

There will always be the belief in the world that in order to be a true artistic genius, you have to be crazy. Unfortunately, those who actually live it don't take quite as much pride in it as those who hold that belief. This is the situation in director Bill Pohlad's LOVE & MERCY. As nearly imperceptibly staged Super-16 footage ushers us into the world of the Beach Boys, pre-"Pet Sounds", expect to be lulled into the secure feeling of stardom -- only to be dropped abruptly into a car dealership and fed the words "Lonely, scared, frightened".

If that isn't a cryptic enough draw for the film, I will comment that LOVE & MERCY is not your typical biopic. In fact, for a story revolving around The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson, it really only focuses on two parts of his life: Paul Dano plays Young Brian as he records the album "Pet Sounds", and John Cusack plays Older Brian as he begins his relationship with Melinda Ledbetter (Elizabeth Banks), and deals with emotional abuse from his psychiatrist, Dr. Eugene Landy (Paul Giammati). It's a fascinating back-and-forth, as these two points in life are very much connected by Brian's paranoid schizophrenia.

There aren't too many negative things to say about this movie. Dano is goofy and off-kilter, leading us through the deterioration stage with ease, and Cusack really nails Brian's fragile state. Banks is a gem, as always, though her onscreen chemistry with Cusack feels more like a relationship between a social worker and her charge and less like a couple in love. Paul Giamatti presents his own, subtle-but-horrifying version of crazy. For Older Brian's track, the story makes a clear switch to Melinda as the protagonist, given Brian's inability to take charge.

But of course, the sound work is hands down the best part of the film. The revamped music is seamless with the original works, and the rest of the soundtrack only fleshes out the inner workings of Brian Wilson's mind -- the sound, and the lack thereof, as many times snippets of dialogue are muted out. Perhaps this is to balance the voices that live inside the man's head.

For fans of the Beach Boys, this is a must-see, and for those who aren't fans, see it anyway. It's just that good. LOVE & MERCY is now playing at the Midtown Cinema!

Review: I Am Big Bird

It's a safe bet that most people have good memories about Big Bird -- the big, lovable, yellow, childlike bird instantly finds a way to connect to your heart, no matter what age you are. But not many people think about the man behind the bird -- Carol Spinney, the puppeteer who has been manning Bird Bird's (and Oscar the Grouch's) voice and body since 1969.

The film deftly paints a picture of the relationship between man and bird -- or, more accurately, how the two are one and the same. The beginning is less cohesive -- less footage from Carol's early life and time on the Bozo Show means more abstract images to fill the screen while the interviews rattle on -- but eventually his biography reaches Sesame Street, and the gaps close up. There is no shortage of footage from this point on, as you learn about Carol's difficult adjustment into the Sesame Street community and his "right hand work", then watch his career blossom as he takes over the character of Big Bird.

There's a lot in this documentary that may surprise you -- after all, not all of Carol Spinney's life is laid out for the public. It's a touching piece to commemorate a man who still can't get enough of the job -- he's had an intern waiting to fill his shoes for 15 years, but hasn't decided to quit yet. I AM BIG BIRD is now playing at the Midtown Cinema -- come get a fresh perspective on a man ingrained into everyone's childhood!

Review: Animals

Bobbie and Jude are in love. Their penchant for getting high has created an unbreakable bond -- they are family, and they provide for each other in any way they can. For the most part this involves con jobs to get enough cash for their next hit -- they steal to sell, and pull fake rendezvouses in which lonely men must pay up before their call girl delivers -- only for her to duck out the door once the money is in hand. Living out of their car and quite literally day to day, it's just the two of them -- no friends to speak of, and no one to turn to except themselves.



Directed by Colin Schiffli, ANIMALS is a vivid depiction of a couple of heroin addicts trying not to admit that they need to come clean. As you can already guess, the journey that they take is not a pretty one. The picture painted throughout the film is not only of the jolting reality of addiction, but also of the world. If all ANIMALS was about was addiction, it wouldn't have nearly been so interesting; but as Bobbie and Jude (played by Kim Shaw and David Dastmalchian) reach higher and higher points of desperation, we see other grimy layers of the world peeling back. Thankfully, there are also a few refreshing layers: those involving love, and genuinely helpful people, and glimpses of hope in a dismal situation.

ANIMALS is semi-autobiographical -- Dastmalchian, who plays Jude, wrote the screenplay based on experiences he had with his own addiction. And while the film leads to a poignant ending, it is not necessarily the heavy-handed PSA ending that you would expect. This may be a bit of a spoiler, so I'll keep it vague: the sense of hope is what separates ANIMALS from other stories of addiction -- not because that specific ending is common for addicts, but because it is uncommon. This shift in expectation was a relief; because while their story is about addiction, it is first and foremost about how they deal with addiction -- and with each other. This is a relational story, first and foremost, and that is what makes it so engaging.

Schiffli does a great job of drawing you into the couple's relationship, so that you feel the emotions they feel every step of the way. And the onscreen chemistry between Dstmalchian and Shaw is unquestionable. ANIMALS is now playing at the Midtown Cinema... be sure not to miss it.

Review: The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared

I will admit, when I first watched the trailer for THE 100-YEAR-OLD MAN WHO CLIMBED OUT THE WINDOW AND DISAPPEARED, I dismissed the film as another silly comedy about an old man. But whether it was the content or the director (Felix Herngren), the film happily reminded me not to judge a film by its trailer. Adapted from Jonas Jonasson's novel of the same name, THE 100-YEAR-OLD MAN is an absurdist delight, full of lighthearted (and at times darkly comedic) fun.

Allan Karlsson (Robert Gustafsson) has led a pretty extraordinary life. A man who doesn't seem to let anything phase him, he has no qualms with the world and so the world has no qualms with him, allowing him many opportunities that are just too coincidental. He has mingled with crowds that you would never believe, and has a penchant for blowing things up. But still, on his 100th birthday, he finds himself alone and at a nursing home. Skipping right past this poignant realization, the film dives headfirst into the real story: Allan's escape from the nursing home, and the adventure that follows.



The film toggles back and forth between present day and the memories of Allan's past, presenting nearly two separate stories: one is a Forrest Gump-inspired history lesson, showing Allan's earlier years as he bumps into famous historical figures and accidentally parties with them, and the other is his adventure after escaping the nursing home, involving a stolen suitcase and a biker gang. He befriends a motley crew of characters along the way, each a unique addition to the story without being belabored -- Julius (Iwar Wiklander), who seems to have just as much disregard for the rules as Allan does, Benny (David Wiberg), who can't make a decision for the life of him, and Gunilla (Mia Skäringer), the animal rights activist who is harboring an elephant in her backyard.

If you're looking for the progression of events to be logical, this may not be the film for you -- Allan should be considered the luckiest man alive, as opportunities fall into his lap. But that doesn't deter from the story - in fact, it kind of becomes a running gag, offering one ridiculous situation after the other with a wink and a nudge. It's as if to say, "We know this would never happen... but as long as you know that, and I know that, we're on the same page and we can have some fun." On the other hand, Allan seems to narrowly avoid countless tragedies - the flashbacks have some pretty dark content, but all perceived with that same unconcerned air.

If you're looking for a laugh, you must check out this film. THE 100-YEAR-OLD MAN is now playing at the Midtown Cinema!

Review: Far From The Madding Crowd

There are some stories that filmmakers can't get enough of, returning to them over and over, and it seems that FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD is one of them. Perhaps it is because it is a love story, or perhaps it is because it attempts a progressive look at its female protagonist; or perhaps people just really like Victorian England. A new adaptation of the Thomas Hardy novel has just been made; directed by Thomas Vinterberg, whose last film, THE HUNT, scored an Oscar nomination, the film is an unpolished gem -- it contains a lot of beauty, but certain qualities still cause it to be dull.



Carey Mulligan plays Bathsheba Everdene, the self-proclaimed independent woman in Victorian England whose name elicits the biblical idea of desire -- an idea that is very present in the story. Beginning the tale with little wealth to speak of and living with her aunt, she is approached by the quiet-natured, dependable shepherd, Gabriel Oak (Matthias Schoenaerts), who asks her to marry him -- but she rejects his proposal, stating that she has no need for a husband. However, their situations quickly become reversed: a rogue sheepdog puts Gabriel's flock in ruins, leaving him with nothing, at the same time that Bathsheba inherits a farm from her uncle. Bathsheba takes Gabriel in to shepherd her flock, and begins her new life as proprietor. But as stated before, such a strong-headed, independent woman attracts many suitors, and soon a neighboring farmer, William Boldwood (Michael Sheen) offers to give her security in marriage. And not too long after that, the reckless Sergeant Francis Troy (Tom Sturridge), whose main artillery is his charm, comes into the picture as a suitor.

The plot is not too dissimilar to any other love story from this era, so I will instead focus on the artistry put into the film. Cinematographer Charlotte Bruus Christenson transforms every scene into a painting, with gorgeous landscapes and artful imagery. The acting is also superb -- it should be noted that Mulligan never gives a dull performance, and Schoenaerts is also a delight.

The plot was somewhat lacking. Having not read the book, this is where my expertise falls short, but while many different events unfold, they do not flow together -- and our protagonist remains passive throughout the majority of it. By this I mean that Bathsheba never really has to make any serious decisions... she just kind of stumbles through the events, saying she will decide, but letting the conflicts that arise decide for her. In fact, really the only big decision she makes is a decision not in line with her character whatsoever -- which she even admits to later in the story. Ultimately, the story is supposed to be about choosing between three suitors (or choosing to remain independent), but most of her decision-making process involves waiting for the suitors to remove themselves from the picture.

But it is a beautiful film, and for those who love period pieces, it is well worth the watch. FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD is now playing at the Midtown Cinema!

Review: Ex Machina

Already widely renowned for his previous screenplays (28 Days Later, Sunshine) and novels (The Beach, Tesseract), Alex Garland has finally brought something new and chillingly delightful in his directorial debut, EX MACHINA, a sci-fi film that feeds off of society's burgeoning obsession with artificial intelligence.

Caleb Smith (Domhnall Gleeson), a coder at Bluebook (the story's version of Google) has won a lottery at work -- and the prize is to visit the company's CEO, Nathan (Oscar Isaac) in his high tech, reclusive bungalow in the woods, spending a week under the CONTROL of an NDA agreement. The film starts very abruptly, throwing the audience into the story with nary a detail about Caleb... but, though scarce information is later gleaned about him, development for his character becomes vastly unimportant as the real star of the story becomes clear: Ava (Alicia Vikander) is an AI robot, Nathan's latest experiment. Nathan has called Caleb to his base to give Ava the Turing Test (which determines a machine's ability to exhibit intelligent behavior equivalent to, or indistinguishable from, that of a human), through which he will decide whether Ava is complete -- or if he needs to make another prototype.



I won't give you too much more of the story, because it's worth it just to get thrown into the narrative, but suffice it to say, some major mind games are played between characters. As Caleb explores Ava's mind, Ava in turn explores her limits, as Nathan watches on. The film unfolds some feminist concepts, offering a study of objectification and liberation within a sci-fi context.

With only a handful of characters holding the film together, credit must be given to the cast. Each gave phenomenal performances -- while I wouldn't say it's Gleeson's best work, he still did a great job. But Vikander and Isaac steal the show, and I think this will be an exploding moment in Vikander's career.

It's a beautiful film, entrenched in suspense and scenes that will leave you thinking about them long after the credits roll. EX MACHINA is now playing at the Midtown Cinema! Don't miss this one.

Review: The Water Diviner

True stories seem to be all Hollywood cares about these days. Or, rather, films based off of true stories -- a distinction which audiences seem to forget as they watch film after film and incorporate fabrications into their personal reference of history. It's a bit worrying to me that people don't understand that artistic liberties must sometimes be taken, and historical accuracy compromised, in order to tell a good story.

One such example is THE WATER DIVINER, Russell Crowe's directorial debut about an Australian man who travels to Turkey to search for his three missing sons in the aftermath of the Battle of Gallipoli. The film, written by Andrew Knight and Andrew Anastasios, takes quite a few liberties in telling the story, tinging historical events with a bit of mysticism (ie Joshua tracks down his sons in the same format that he tracks down water).

Crowe plays our protagonist, Joshua Connor, a farmer who practices the pseudoscience of water divining, apparently a useful skill for Australia's dry climate. The war has taken his three sons -- a tragedy which his wife, Eliza (Jacqueline McKenzie) blames him for. When Eliza commits suicide, Joshua promises at her graveside to bring her sons home to her, if only to be buried together.



Joshua travels to Turkey, with very little information to find his sons' bodies. After a bit of an incident with a kid who wants him to stay at his mother's hotel, he concedes and strikes up a friendship with the boy (Dylan Georgiades) and his mother, Ayshe (Olga Kurylenko), who has lost her husband to the war. Upon visiting the battlefield in which his boys were supposed to have died, Joshua somehow manages to win the hearts of the Turkish soldiers who are recovering the bodies, and begins to search for his sons the only way he knows how: he tracks them, as if tracking water under the ground.

This is a decent story, but not a great story: at times, it tries a little too hard to wring out the audience's emotions, handing out flashbacks and tender moments with a heavy hand. The beginning of the film is especially rocky, structured a bit like an over-budgeted student film. But despite its overindulgence in emotional manipulation, it can be said that this film has a lot of heart. The motivation of a father looking for his sons; the comradery of the Turkish soldiers; the tough choices that a soldier must make; all of these things makes it worth the watch.

I'll put all of his past work aside when I say this: for a first-time feature director, Crowe didn't do too bad. Not great, but not bad. Maybe with such encouragement, his next one will come a bit closer to the mark of excellence.

THE WATER DIVINER is now playing at the Midtown Cinema!

Review: Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter

As if in tribute to the film it was inspired by, KUMIKO, THE TREASURE HUNTER was helmed by two brothers: David and Nathan Zellner bring us a gorgeous story of a Japanese woman whose mind becomes cracked by the tug-of-war between societal norms and the allure/whisper/dream of her own path.

While all the other girls are young and vibrant and friendly, Kumiko (Rinko Kikuchi) is reserved and shy and somewhat against pleasantries. She spends her time going off by herself, exploring and cross-stitching treasure maps and feeding her pet rabbit, Bunzo. At one point early on, she describes her desire to be like the Spanish Conquistadors who discovered America and its riches. In great contrast, her job as an office assistant has become a point of contention, as most women over 25 have either gotten married or are aspiring to further their careers (she is 29 and doing none of those things). The one solace that Kumiko clings to is an old VHS tape of the movie, FARGO, which she believes will lead her to the treasure that the plot reveals.

To anyone else, a little red flag would be appearing right about now. It is pretty common knowledge in the US that, though the introductory titles of FARGO state that the film is based on a true story, it is, in fact, fictional... but perhaps someone who did not grow up with the film in their backyard (perhaps, say, someone living in Japan) may not know this. So begins Kumiko's journey, as, completely oblivious to the truth, she steals her boss' company credit card and sets off to find the treasure.

It's a little bit of a stretch that Kumiko could honestly believe the treasure will be sitting on the side of a highway in Fargo, waiting for her; but to her credit, perhaps she can't live with the idea of not believing in the treasure. Kumiko's mother (and the rest of society, for that matter) keep pestering her to either get married or go home, and she has no other goals to strive for, so maybe this treasure really is her last resort.

Not only is this film visually stunning, but it's a chilling commentary on society. The first half of the film makes some strong statements about society's expectations for women; and the second half of the film switches over to the topic of racism. Abandoning the more commonplace stigma that a woman needs to be outgoing and extroverted to forge her own path, Kumiko serves as a pioneer -- or conquistador, shall we say -- for introverts everywhere: regardless of whether or not she succeeds, her story will be passed on.

KUMIKO is now playing at the Midtown Cinema. This is not a film to skip out on -- come watch it and tell us what you think!

Review: While We're Young

Noah Baumbaugh offers a structurally messy but overall enjoyable flick in WHILE WE'RE YOUNG, a film that broaches the subject of age and of authenticity.

"Documentary is about someone else; fiction is about me." Documentarian Josh (Ben Stiller) uses this quote from Jean-Luc Godard to begin a class he teaches at the local university, expressing his disagreement -- that documentaries, if done well, can in fact reveal something about the person who made them. Josh, who years earlier had produced a well-received documentary, now teaches while working on another documentary -- one that should have been finished ten years ago. His wife, Cornelia (Naomi Watts), is also a documentarian, producing documentaries for her father, the famous Leslie Breitbart (Charles Grodin).

Josh and Cornelia have hit their 40's. They go to bed early; their friends have started to have kids (they haven't, due to complications). Just when they're accepting their transition into middle age, they meet Jamie and Darby, a couple who audit Josh's class (played by Adam Driver and Amanda Seyfried). Jamie and Darby are the epitome of hipster youth, regarding the old as modern and the new as outdated: as Josh and Cornelia constantly check their phones and play games on devices, watch Netflix before bed, etc., Jamie and Darby watch VHS tapes, play board games, and take satisfaction in not Googling words that they can't remember ("Let's just not know," as Darby says). As Josh and Cornelia become infatuated with their new friends' youth, they begin to lose touch with friends their own age, scrambling to rediscover themselves.

But beyond their desperate attempt to "return to their youth", there is something else that isn't quite right with their new friends. Jamie is also a budding documentarian, and as the film progresses, we see him taking advantage of Josh and Cornelia's more malleable qualities. While Josh dreams of putting himself into his documentaries and presenting the honest truth, making it more about the process than about being successful, Jamie wants to present truth wrapped in fiction in order to make it more pallatable. He is a man of perceived process but in reality, he's bent on success -- which means that what his work reveals about him is just a fabrication of himself.

This is not your typical Ben Stiller role, and though the acting starts off a little shaky, by the end of the film the characters are able to come to life in all their complexities. This is a pretty dense story sprinkled with comic relief... It is clear that Baumbach has a lot to say in this film, though it may be a bit overloaded: to be honest, the idea of authenticity is the strongest theme throughout the film, but the "young vs. old" conflict muddles the message. It's one of those tricky situations where there is too much going on in the plot, but if it all didn't happen, the film would be found lacking... but regardless of its crowded structure, WHILE WE'RE YOUNG is an enjoyable watch. Come check it out this week at the Midtown Cinema!

Review: Woman In Gold

If you're going to make a film based on someone's life, the goal is to do that life justice. Unfortunately, that's a harder task than it looks -- as can be seen in the case of WOMAN IN GOLD, which tells the life story of Maria Altmann. From a director whose portfolio mostly consists of TV movies (Simon Curtis), and written by a first-time screenwriter, it isn't too surprising that the film doesn't quite match up to its potential.

Maria Altmann (Helen Mirren) lived as a Jew under the Nazi regime in Austria until she was able to escape with her husband and find a home in America, putting behind her a life full of fear -- but in doing so, leaving her family and her whole life behind. Years later, Maria wants to take back the collection of art that the Nazis had stolen from her family, most notably the painting of her aunt, entitled The Woman In Gold. However, the legal issues regarding these paintings are sticky, and so she requests the help of a young lawyer, Randol Schoenberg (Ryan Reynolds), whose history is also steeped in Jewish heritage. They are aided by an Austrian journalist, Hubertus (Daniel Brühl), who gives them some tips on how to take on the Austrian government, and gives his moral support.

The true story is a magnificent tale, but the film falls flat. The first scenes rob Maria of any character development, instead reducing her to an expository conversation about her soon-to-be lawyer and the statement of conflict. Nowhere in this film do we see motivation from either Maria or Randol; sure, they talk about it (over and over and over), but the audience is never allowed any proof that they actually feel what they're saying. A combination of poor writing and poor acting (my deepest apologies to all you Helen Mirren fans) leaves the film feeling very sterilized and bland. There is nothing wrong with the acting in the series of flashbacks scattered throughout the film however. Tatiana Maslany and Max Irons steal the show, giving the characters a shade of memorability.

WOMAN IN GOLD is not a complete flop, but it isn't going to be on any "must see" lists anytime soon. For those who are interested in Maria Altmann's story, you can get the gist from this film, but that's about it.

WOMAN IN GOLD is now playing at the Midtown Cinema.

Review: It Follows

The film opens with a girl rushing out of her house in the middle of the night in her nightgown, staring at her house in horror. A neighbor asks if she's okay; her father comes out of the house and asks if she's okay. She runs back into the house, comes back with her purse, and gets into her car, driving away. We next see her at the beach, leaving a message on her father's phone and waiting. Just waiting. We next see her dead.

What a opening to David Robert Mitchell's horror film, IT FOLLOWS. The scenes following are significantly slower, setting the scene in our protagonist, Jay's life, but we're already hooked.

Jay (Maika Monroe) is a pretty ordinary girl; she goes to college, and lives with her sister, Kelly (Lilli Seppe) and friend, Yara (Olivia Luccardi). Her childhood friend, Paul (Keir Gilchrist) keeps hanging around, clearly in love with her. But Jay has other interests: she's been dating Hugh, who is fairly new to the neighborhood.

But when Jay and Hugh have sex, everything changes. Immediately after the act, Hugh drugs Jay and explains that he has passed something on to her -- something that will follow her and kill her if she lets it catch her. This thing takes on different forms: sometimes people she's close with, sometimes complete strangers. And it is always walking toward her -- "Never be in a place with only one exit," Hugh says, "It's slow, but it's smart."



The premise itself is ingenious -- who would have ever thought of a paranormal STD? -- but the way it is handled is what makes the film. There are no gimmicks -- it is shot in such a simple way, adhering to its small budget without feeling cheap. There is an undertone throughout the film that taps into the nuances of sexual responsibility instead of stooping to the level of a pornographic slasher film -- we get real characters who deal with an issue in a realistic way. There are a few moments in which the characters' reactions may be a bit of a stretch, but overall it plays out pretty naturally.

Everything about this film makes it enjoyable. The acting is great, especially Monroe, who is instantly likable as the everyman. Even the soundtrack holds its own -- a Vangelis-inspired amalgamation of older horror flicks and video game music. IT FOLLOWS is a refreshing horror flick... definitely check it out this week at the Midtown Cinema!

Review: What We Do in the Shadows

It's about time that the world was gifted with another really good spoof, and that gift is clearly WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS: it's like The Real World for the undead, and it is beautiful.



For fans of FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS, you'll want to check this film out -- SHADOWS was helmed by the same producers of the show, and hands out heavy doses of its characteristic humor. The mockumentary follows a group of four vampire flatmates -- Vladislav (Jemaine Clement), Viago (Taika Waititi), Deacon (Jonathan Brugh), and Petyr (Ben Fransham) -- who struggle to keep up with modern life. Clement and Waititi have co-written and directed this delight of a spoof, creating the perfect concoction of dark and subtle humor. Vladislav, Viago, Deacon, and Petyr have an odd dynamic, the feathers of which are ruffled when Petyr tucks a new vampire, Nick (Cori Gonzalez-Macuer), into the fold. Nick is at first an unwanted addition to the house, not quite grasping the anonymity that the group has adhered to out on the streets; but he is able to add a youthful touch to their experience, and also introduces everyone to his best mate, Stu (a human who inadvertently balances out this motley crew of individuals with a tinge of bromance).

What makes the film so great is the sheer comic talent of those involved. There are a handful of absolutely masterful scenes in this film; but there's also more of a plot than you would expect -- not only will you get bombarded by clever humor, you will also really come to like these flatmates as they sort things out. And the attention is pretty evenly distributed between each character: they all have their own little quirks that make them immediately likeable. Not one of them fades into the background.

The film essentially segments into four different episodes. Herein lies the only negative comment that I can muster for this film: each episode does not transition 100% smoothly into the next. Often the segments are held together with title cards stating, "three months later" or "several months later" -- lazy attempts to quickly enter the characters into a new situation. But it's not a completely negative thing: I can very much see this film being picked up as a sitcom, in which case the transitions would not be as important.

Overall, it's a hilarious hour and a half, and well worth the watch. WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS is now playing at Midtown Cinema!