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!