Operation Finale [2018]

Watch Movies TV -

MPAA (PG-13)  CNS/USCCB ()  RogerEbert.com (3 Stars)  AVClub (C)  Fr. Dennis (3 Stars)

IMDb listing
CNS/USCCB () review
Los Angeles Times (K. Turan) review
RogerEbert.com (G. Kenny) review
AVClub (M. D'Angelo) review

Jerusalem Post (A. Spiro) article
Haaretz.com background / coverage


Operation Finale [2018] (directed by Chris Weitz, screenplay by Matthew Orton) is a historical drama that tries to tell the story of Israel's intelligence service Mossad's 1960 capture and then transporting of Adolf Eichmann [wikip] [IMDb] (played in the film by Ben Kingsley) from literally "off the street" to a safe house and eventually to Israel for trial. 

It's a spectacular story, arguably one of Mossad's finest hours.  A full length historical drama such as this released across the world will reach countless people that "a good book" or even "a excellent documentary" would not.  So there's certainly a great deal of value in the project.  It's just the "good book" / "sober, just the facts, documentary" would probably do _this story_ more justice than a drama always in danger of falling into "Hollywood cliché."

And at least on two counts, IMHO this film does fall into cliché:

(1) After capturing Eichmann literally "off the street" at the outskirts of Buenas Aires, literally half the film is spent on the somewhat absurd _device_ of getting Eichmann (tied up there in a safe house) "to sign."  Sign what?  Literally a paper saying that he was going from Argentina of his own free will to Israel for trial. 

According to the film, apparently, Israel's STATE OPERATED airline El Al, was insistent on this technicality fearing repercussions for involving itself otherwise with an abduction.  STILL ... (!%!&) ... THEY HAD EICHMANN the Architect of the Holocaust perhaps the highest ranking Nazi to have eluded death or capture after the War.  And now MOSSAD (the Israelis) HAD HIM.  It just seems absurd to believe that ANYONE in Israel's shoes WOULD HAVE GIVEN A DAMN about this ridiculous triviality.  THEY HAD THE GUY WHO MURDERED SIX MILLION FELLOW JEWS.  And whether "he signed" or not, there's no freaking way that MOSSAD was going to leave him in Argentina after going through the huge trouble of capturing him.

(2) The decision then to spend so much of the film's time on the (at the end of the day rather trivial) plot point of "getting Eichmann to sign" reduced the film to essentially Ben Kingsley playing Adolf Eichmann as Hannibal Lector of The Silence of the Lambs [1991].   Yes, the real-life Adolf Eichmann was EASILY as creepy and EVIL as the fictional Hannibal Lector, but ...

That said, if this film gets people to go to the library or to Amazon to buy a good book on Mossad's capture of Eichmann or to watch a good documentary on it, then this would be great and the film would have fulfilled its purpose.

So while this film doesn't score particularly high in "technical merit" --  I honestly wish that the writers of the Bourne films and/or the last several Mission Impossible films had been chosen to work this story up -- I still have to give the story high marks for the subject itself.  I think it's incredibly important that the world know that Justice was done here.  Mossad here, really did "get its man."

As such, not a bad film all around, still could have been a lot better.


< NOTE - Do you like what you've been reading here?  If you do then consider giving a small donation to this Blog (sugg. $6 _non-recurring_) _every so often_ to continue/further its operation.  To donate just CLICK HERE.  Thank you! :-) >>

Review of THE HOWS OF US: Weighty Whys

Watch Movies TV - August 31, 2018

I had only seen two Kath-niel films before, both from four years ago. These were "Pagpag" (MY REVIEW) and "She's Dating the Gangster" (MY REVIEW). The latter film was their first feature film directed by Cathy Garcia-Molina, who also directed their hit 2013 telenovela "Got to Believe". Because of her plan to retire from directing, "The Hows of Us" may be the last time Garcia-Molina worked together with the Kath-niel love team. 

Georgina was a pre-med student when she first met Primo at a debate in college. Primo eventually proved his worth to George with his persistence and passion, and they became a couple. They agreed to live together in the house bequeathed to them by George's dear departed Tita Lola (Susan Africa). While Primo's dream to be a musician seemed to be going nowhere, so was Georgina's dream to become a doctor. So one stormy night, along with their escalating bills and disconnected electricity, the stifling pressurized situation at home simply exploded between the two of them. 

In the first half of this film, we witness a sweet romantic relationship steadily becoming toxic because of Primo's apparent irresponsibility, insensitivity and selfishness, which caused poor George to make one sacrifice after the other. This was a one-sided unfair relationship where the imbalanced contributions of the two parties eventually caused it to self-destruct, and a separation was clearly bound to happen. 

The second half of the film documented the efforts of Primo to win George back, which involved the rather absurd condition of putting an actual boundary line using tape across the center of their house and their furniture. Should George accept back a person whom she felt was insufferable and inconsiderate, someone who set her life back for several years? Her friends Mikko (Juan Miguel Severo) and Awee (Ria Atayde) advise her on the pros and cons, but George had to make the final decision.

There was a side story about George's younger brother Yohan. His father Gregory had long left their mother Baby (Jean Garcia) to raise her two kids, so Yohan never saw him before. Impending blindness because of diabetic retinopathy heightened his desire to search for his father. This angle of the film would bring the story to picturesque Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Darren Espanto gave a promising debut performance as Yohan. Kit Thompson played cousin Darwin, their (and our) dutiful tour guide there. 

This film is Kathryn Bernardo's. Her Georgia had all the big memorable acting moments -- the two times when she realized enough was enough and she needed to stand up for her own interests and take the reins back in her life. Kathryn gave these two difficult scenes her whole heart and soul, owning them with such a raw display of overwhelming emotions. Maturity certainly became Kathryn as an actress.

Daniel Padilla's character Primo was written as the plot device who brought dramatic changes to George's pre-planned life, causing her to make major decisions. The story was never about Primo, and all about George. Daniel wisely recognized this and generously allowed Kathryn to shine, while he underplayed. Even during those key confrontational moments, Primo kept relatively quiet, never putting up a counter-argument in his defense. 

As a reel (and real) love team, Daniel and Kathryn know how to play for their fans. Despite the dramatic story, there were still plenty scenes of them playing it cute all for the sake of romantic thrills. That whole segment about Primo and George trying to live together again with that line of tape between them was never meant to be realistic, only "kilig". You know it works because the movie house would erupt in giggles whenever the couple had silly sweet moments together, and in shrieks whenever they shared a passionate kiss on the lips. 

Instead of titular hows, there were more whys. Why did an ambitious woman like George allow a slacker like Primo to stall her own career path? Why she allow him to dictate the terms of his return after two years of abandonment? Why did she accede to live with him again in the same house, symbolic demarcation notwithstanding? Why did she offer him an apology after what she felt he did to her? 

Apparently, the idealistic answer to all of these whys (at least according to director Cathy Garcia-Molina and scriptwriter Carmi G. Raymundo), aside from Primo's irresistible charm, is love. Selfless love was the only how of them. 7/10. 

We are the night (5 Stars)

Watch Movies TV -

Ever since "Twilight" was released I've heard people groaning that vampire films are always love stories. I don't understand what they're complaining about. Bram Stoker's novel "Dracula", written in 1897, was a love story. In the tradition of gothic literature love and tragedy are combined. Count Dracula's love for Mina, a woman who doesn't love him in return, leads to his death. This story was retold in the films "Nosferatu" (1922), "Dracula" (1931) and "Dracula" (1958). In all three films the sole motivation for Dracula's crimes was love. Love drove him to the most hideous of acts. Love and vampirism are entwined so tightly that I'd say that a vampire film without love isn't a real vampire film.

In this film the ancient vampiress Louise (Nina Hoss) is searching for her lost lover. He's long dead, and she thinks she can only recognise him by his eyes, whether he's been reborn as a man or a woman. She believes that the young pickpocket Lena (Karoline Herfurth) is the one, so she makes her a vampire in order to live with her forever.

The film flopped at the box office, earning only $1.2 million from an $8 million budget. The only reason I can give for its failure is that people didn't give it a chance. They didn't think it could be good because it was German. That's a mistake many film fans make today. They forget that the world's first vampire film was German. It took a few years for the film to be noticed, and it's now made a profit from its DVD sales.

A few years ago the English Wikipedia page for "We are the night" was almost empty, just a stub. Now a complete article has been written which isn't based on the German Wikipedia page and contains a lot of new information. In the overview it's stated:

"The film explores themes of depression, self-harm, the consequences of immortality, suicide, and explores Valerie Solanas' idea of an all-female society".

That's an interesting summary which contains thoughts not contained in the German page. I drew a connection with Valerie Solanas the first time I watched the film, but I thought it would be going too far to talk about it in my review. Now I feel bolder. Louise tells Lena that there are about 40 vampires in Europe, 200 worldwide, all of them women. The men were too loud and too stupid, so they all ended up dead. Now an agreement has been reached that no more men will be turned. That's a very sensible strategy. If it's not possible to rid the world of men altogether, it's a good compromise to only allow men to be immortal. If a man is annoying, just let him die.

Critics of the film have said that it copies too many ideas from existing films. Why is that a problem? I would say that every vampire film that's been made for the last 50 years is a pick and mix from what's gone before. It's a genre that loses its appeal if too much is changed.

This is a brilliant film. If you're a vampire fan you need to watch it. If you're a feminist you need to watch it. In fact, if you're someone who likes any sort of film you ought to watch it.

	Order from Amazon.com
	Order from Amazon.co.uk
	Order from Amazon.de

The Rotting Zombie's Round-up of Horror News for August 2018

Watch Movies TV -

I still haven't gotten used to doing a reduced number of blog posts each month, it always feels like I should be writing one; a feeling I can never really shake. However it has freed up time to do other things such as going to the gym, watching Netflix, and playing far too many video games! It is another busy month with lots to cover on the old news front.

I feel like I have mentioned this before but there is still a GoFundMe campaign running to raise funds for horror comedy sequel Slashening 2: The Final Beginning. 2015's The Slashening was a comedy slasher where a group of friends get attacked and killed by a killer wearing a sack on their head. The sequel picks up five years later where it seems a copycat killer is on the loose. The funds needed are so that the 'big bloody' finale can be made. A music video that is from a song used in the movie has been released. To contribute to the project go here.



Something else I have mentioned before with Throw Anything which is a cartoon like zombie survival VR game that has now came out of early access and received a full release on Steam. There is now a final boss "Mystery Scientist X", a new special mission, an updated lobby that has more interactive elements, new stages, and upgraded graphics and sound effects. The game is out on HTC Vive, SteamVR, and Oculus Rift and a PSVR release is due out later this year.

 

This next piece of news is pretty crazy in that a new film series is coming out...but all eight of the films in the series are coming out at the same time! The film series is called The Darkest Nothing and is said to cover "Modern cannibalism, extreme BDSM, the COPINE scale of pedophilia, vigilante hunters, trolling, snuff, chemical drugs, rituals, obsession with morbidity, red rooms, uncaught serial killers...". Basically a lot of taboo type subjects. The series focuses on psychiatrist William Jameson and his video studies of extreme behaviour. It seems each film has Jameson exploring a different type of taboo, in the second chapter Gynophagia for instance Jameson comes face to face with a cannibal, while third chapter Ideophrenia has him meet a man known as Butcher who acts in underground slasher movies. Currently Filip Halo and Incubofilms are looking for funding to complete this series of films, any suggestions can be left on their many Facebook pages (one for each film), more details can be found at their website here. I have included the trailer in a previous news post but it is a stylish one so I shall include it again.



Back in October last year I gave found footage horror Hell House LLC a solid 7/10, however it is a film that has really stuck with me, enough that if I were to review it today it would get an 8/10. Due to this I was very excited to hear a sequel was being made, it is quite rare in the genre for sequels outside of the main stream (Creep 2 is the only indie one that comes to mind). Hell House LLC was a mockumentary about the lead up to a horrific event on the opening night at a Halloween haunted house tour that was set in an abandoned hotel. Hell House LLC II: The Abaddon Hotel has journalist Jessica Fox (Jillian Geurts) travel to the infamous hotel to uncover evidence of murder and strange disappearances. Director Stephen Cognetti says of it "I made this film with the fans in mind in hopes that it would answer questions from the original while deepening the overall story". This is due for release on September 14th via Terror Films, for now check out the trailer.



Next, from Indican Pictures is news that 7 Witches has come out this August. Care and Cody are due to get married on an island they have rented for the occasion (someone's doing well!), unknown to them however their special day is the exact same day a 100 year old curse comes to pass and they find themselves fighting a whole bunch of witches (probably seven of them). I can't embed the trailer for this one, but if you head to Indican Pictures website you can check it out (here).

Another new horror now with Death of a Vlogger which is also a found footage horror. In this film a vlogger gains viral fame when one of his videos contains evidence of an alleged haunting. The film is a 'unique mix of documentary and real archive footage' and was filmed on a micro budget by BAFTA New Talent and Michael Powell nominated filmmaker Graham Hughes. It is to be released by Tartan Features. Check out the trailer.



Some smaller news now, first Bellator MMA fighter Steve Mowry has joined the cast of The Harvester, he is to be the titular Harvester itself. Based on a series of graphic novels this is about a hell-spawned killer tasked with harvesting souls for his father; the King of Hell. The film is set to come out later 2019/early 2020.
Meanwhile Michael Berryman (Devil's Rejects, Hills Have Eyes, Weird Science) is to star as Jed Bedford in Room 9. This is written and directed by Thomas Walton, the synopsis being 'life altering sins of the past revisit lost souls in a small town... 40 years later!'. This movie is currently being filmed, more details can be found here.

Dead By Christmas is an upcoming feature film from Reel Nightmare Films that is due for release October 2nd and was filmed on location in Southeast Louisiana. As the title would suggest this is a Christmas themed horror, it concerns a group of friends raised together in a troubled orphanage that get stalked by a killer from Christmas past. Once again check out the trailer for this one, the Santa costume is pretty unsettling!



There is currently an Indiegogo campaign to raise funds to letter and print Book 1 of a 2 part graphic novel series titled Graveyard Shift. It asks a question: 'what if The Universal Monsters were the X-Men?' This is a labour love from Jon Malin (Cable, Thunderbolts) and writer Mark Poulton (Savage Hawkman, Avengelyne). This is due for release in February 2019, it has far exceed it's target but can still be backed here.

Last but not least Jalbert Brother Studios have released their third feature film Terror Talk, it is now available on Amazon Prime. The synopsis sounds fun, a viral outbreak causes a doomsday prepper to retreat into his new house, but soon finds that while he might be safe from the deadly contagion outside he is trapped in a house that is haunted by evil ghosts. I would take my chances with the virus I think! If you want to check that out yourself follow this link.

(353) Thirst in Venice + links

Watch Movies TV -

• Oh sweet lord...
• This aggressively hot vision of I wanna be in your cult, sir is from new trailer for Bad Times at the El Royale. That's how you sell a movie. Wet, shirtless, villainous Chris Hemsworth. 
• I almost choked on my own drool. 
• So I slave and I slave over my Sharp Objects recap and 2 comments? Y'all...
• 
• I'm still so creeped out by that ending. 
• And Eliza Scanlen deserves EVERYTHING.
• 
• Mark my words -Cooper and Gaga campaigning for A Star is Born is gonna be the most entertaining Oscar campaign in a while. Just look at this. 
• We have the soundtrack details. 
• The movie just premiered in Venice and Gaga showed up to the red carpet in a stunning dress. The film is getting amazing reviews and she is getting raves for her performance. It's gonna be such an exciting Oscar season, just imagine her outfits!
• That thing is so fierce even Mother Nature is shook!
• About halfway through the screening of Bradley Cooper’s music drama, the theater was apparently struck by lightning, which blew out the projector bulb, according to sources close to the producers. The delay lasted about 15 minutes. Lady Gaga could be seen chuckling and blowing kisses to the audience as festival technicians scrambled to fix the issue.
• Finally, the Oscar season WE DESERVE!
• Not a good day for Ryan Gosling with this and Cooper emerging as the front runner in Best Actor race. Gosling out there pretending to be in space and dealing with Damien from Omen (I'm sorry but this is all I think of when I see Chazelle) and here comes Cooper with his shiny movie where he plays an alcoholic and a drug addict and cries and shouts and sings. 
• Look into his eyes. Look at that thirst:
• 
• This is by the way also the way I look at that above gif of Hemsworth. 
• You know, if Ethan Hawke personally came to my house, took his pants off, took a shit on my carpet and then picked it up and flung it right on my wall like a fucking monkey I'd be less pissed at him than I am now. 
• Good Lord almighty. 
• To think a movie is better or worse because of what genre it is or what the source material is or who directed it, no matter how good that movie turns out to be is just straight up moronic.
• BITCH you were in Daybreakers. Take a step back. No, take few steps back. No, all the way back till you fall down the stairs. 
• Speaking of terrible. Scum all involved. Pure and simple. 
• At least Woody Allen is getting some time-out. 
• David Fincher and Taratrash chose the same actor to play Charles Manson in their projects which is kinda cool. 
• After years of being disrespected and not getting paid enough Emmy Rossum is leaving Shameless. Also - that show is in its ninth season?! It's gotta be soap opera on crack by now.
• 
• First clip from Suspiria. Tomorrow we will have the reactions from Venice film festival. 
• Straight from Venice new trailer for First Man. This one was better than the last one, but still not great. Foy is easily stealing the spotlight here. The reviews are positive but not ecstatic and only the latter kind of reviews would make me excited for this one. It looks like stale, cliche biopic and the impressive technical side is always secondary to emotional one for me. I doubt I will care about any characters here. 
• So Oscar Isaac had a meeting about that upcoming Batman movie. And here come the ridiculous fanboys not fit to lick Schlong boo's boots saying that he is too short to be Batman. Oh, but the creature from dumpster lagoon is better, huh? 
• With my luck they'll cast Oscar as Two Face and wreck his beautiful face.
• Finally, actual good trailer for The Predator. 
• Intriguing first trailer for True Detective 3. 
• Boo kangaroo is there for US Open. How can female players even look at the ball under these circumstances? 

• Trailer for The Front Runner and the great first poster. That's the wig of nightmares movie. Hugh is really trying to get that second nomination there and I hope he does because it's an absolute disgrace he got nothing for Logan last year. 
• Schindler's List is getting re-released. Look at that subtle poster. 
• I started watching Killing Eve and the tone of it surprised me so much. I thought it's gonna be dark but it's quirky like some hipster fashion show not a series about murders. It's different but I don't like it, just not my thing. Entertaining, but not the kind of show I would love.
• I rewatched Arrival. It was marginally less dull than the last time I watched it, but that script is still a mess. That whole thing had holes as big as those damn alien ships and that she speaks to Chinese general plot is so poorly executed.
• 
• Also rewatched American Hustle. Jennifer Lawrence may have some charisma but it is not coincidental she doesn't have any Oscar vehicles now that Weinstein is out of the game. We all saw the pictures. 
• Bale and Renner are good since they play the only characters somewhat resembling human beings and Bradley Cooper seems to be the only one in on a joke. 
• *Amy Adams screaming on a toilet*
• Jesus. 
• It was actually distressing seeing her slutting it up after being so sweet in Sharp Objects.
• I saw Zipper which was pretty good even though it had the quality of low budget porn.
• Jason is so precious and I love him so much:
• 
• Brittani reviews Crazy Rich Asians
• Chris looks back at his best of lists
• Sonia reviews Ocean's 8
• Katy writes about Sharp Objects
• Mario reviews Teen Titans GO! To the Movies
• RELATED POSTS:
  

BlacKkKlansman [2018]

Watch Movies TV -

MPAA (R)  CNS/USCCB (A-III)  RogerEbert.com (4 Stars)  AVClub (B+)  Fr. Dennis (4 Stars)

IMDb listing
CNS/USCCB (J. Mulderig) review
Los Angeles Times (K. Turan) review
RogerEbert.com (O. Henderson) review
AVClub (A.A. Dowd) review


BlacKkKlansman [2018] (directed and, screenplay cowritten by Spike Lee along with Charlie Wachtel, David Rabinowitz and Kevin Willmott based on the book [GR] [WCat] [Amzn] by Ron Stallworth [wikip] [GR] [WCat] [Amzn] [IMDb]) is in the tradition of writer/director Spike Lee's other films, indeed his whole career, a "different kind of film" from mainstream Hollywood fare.

That characterization may in itself discourage many potential viewers from going to see the film.  "What do you mean different?"  "Why should I be challenged or disturbed in any way when I go to the movies?"  Well, there are others of us who don't mind being challenged and _appreciate_ well articulated perspectives coming from another from others, other people, with whom we share this world, perspectives that we could not possibly know, or understand as well, if we did not hear them from those who've lived them.

Now yes, this film is about certainly, the at least in part _amusing_ story of how Ron Stallworth (played in the film by John David Washington) the FIRST African American member of random midsized American city Colorado Springs, CO's police department (its "Jackie Robinson" as he was called) got involved in, indeed initiated, an investigation into the local Ku Klux Klan.

But the film is above all about appreciating the fundamental oddity and PAIN of Ron Stallworth's position.  YES HE WAS CSPD's "Jackie Robinson."   Yes, most of us know who Jackie Robinson was, who Rosa Parks was, who Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr was.  But here was simply Ron Stallworth, a random African American guy who, again, lived in an utterly random midsized American city of the 1970s, who like many other cops of all colors and ethnicities had decided that the best way for him to do his part in this world was to serve as a law enforcement officer.  Yet here was an utterly random guy who ALSO found himself to be "the Jackie Robinson" of his world.

And it wasn't easy.  First, the other officers in CSPD didn't necessarily know initially what to do with him, and yes, SOME couldn't get past his skin color (while to Spike Lee's consistent credit throughout his whole career, he makes sure that Viewers know that OTHERS did).  AND members of his own African American  milieu didn't necessarily see him always as "one of them" either.   Ron Stallworth _became_ very useful to CSPD, because he would discreetly attend / monitor functions of local Colorado State University's Black Student Union: "Hey, are you a spy?"  Well partly yes, but also in good part no.  It's honestly better for society (and law enforcement) know what's going on in smaller groups before things get out of hand.

And it is Ron Stallworth who comes across a surprisingly deep involvement of the KKK way out there in the "sleepy Colorado plains." 

So this is really an excellent film and allows ALL its viewers to enter into the world of Ron Stallworth and ask the questions: "Why did this man have to become 'a Jackie Robinson' at all? Why could he have not been seen as 'good enough' from the get go?"

Finally, this film is a very strong reminder to all of us why calls for "Making America great again" are so hated and feared by this country's communities of color.  To an African American, America WASN'T "great" when his/her ancestors came to this country _in chains_.  And it WASN'T GREAT when for even 100 years after the nominal end of slavery, African Americans could stand to be lynched at the whim of a white population intent on keeping people of color "in their place."

< NOTE - Do you like what you've been reading here?  If you do then consider giving a small donation to this Blog (sugg. $6 _non-recurring_) _every so often_ to continue/further its operation.  To donate just CLICK HERE.  Thank you! :-) >>

My Mini TIFF Preview

Watch Movies TV -

TIFF opens next week, and yesterday I was able to redeem pick by 12 tickets for this year’s festival. It’s many good news – the system worked for me the first time, without problems – the first time that has ever happened – and for the most part, I got the films I wanted, given that I was only going to be there three days (the second Thursday-Saturday – which I prefer to the opening weekend, because things actually run on time) – really in each time slot, I only missed two of my top choices (Lee Chang Dong’s Burning and Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Shoplifters – but I got two good films to fill in, so I’m good). Will I trade some tickets in? Perhaps, but I doubt it, unless they add some screenings of things I cannot resist). On paper, this is the strongest lineup I’ve had in a few years – so I cannot wait,

 

Roma (Alfonso Cuaron) – TIFF made it easy to see one of my most anticipated films of the festival, by basically playing Alfonso Cuaron’s Roma every day of the fest – so there’s no excuse for missing this one. I cannot wait – Cuaron is a visionary director – Children of Men is still my favorite of his work, but the reviews of this coming out of Venice, imply perhaps I’ll have a new favorite soon. Yes, this will be on Netflix by year’s end – but Cuaron is the type of director whose work demands to be seen on the big screen.

 

Long Day’s Journey Into Night (Bi Gan) – The reviews of this coming out of Cannes – where it played in the Un Certain Regard section, although according to some it was better than most of what was in the official selection – made this an easy choice when my original choice for this slot (Burning) was unavailable. Out of all the filmmakers whose new films I am seeing, this is the only one new to me – but I’m looking forward to it. Described as a tour de force, and an inventive film noir, I’m excited for this one.

 

22 July (Paul Greengrass) – Another Netflix film from a major auteur, this one generated controversy before they even started filming, as it about that horrific mass shooting in Norway, that left dozens of kids dead. This is an interesting choice for Greengrass – who is the exception that proves the rule when it comes to shaky camera and rapid fire editing – so I’m curious about it. I would rather they play the other film on the subject U – July 22, which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival this year, and got good reviews, but Greengrass is a good enough filmmaker that I’m willing to give this the benefit of the doubt.

 

Widows (Steve McQueen) – It’s taken McQueen quite a while to follow-up 12 Years a Slave, and the previews make this look like a stylish audience pleaser – something McQueen has clearly not made before. But that cast – led by Viola Davis – is great, and I am an unabashed fan of Gillian Flynn, who co-wrote the screenplay. You need to see some audience pleasers in a festival like this to keep you going.

 

Hotel by the River (Hong Sang-soo) – I always like seeing the work of prolific Korean director at Hong Sang-soo at the festival – you never know if you’ll ever get a chance again (still waiting on On a Beach at Night Alone to come to some platform I can see). This one got good reviews out of Locarno – Hong’s favorite film festival – so I’m looking forward to going back to this world again – it’s like visiting old friends every year at the fest.

 

The Wild Pear Tree (Nuri Bilge Ceylon) – Turkish filmmaker Nuri Bilge Ceylon is one of the greatest filmmakers in the world – Once Upon a Time in Anatolia is my favorite, but you really cannot go wrong with any of his films (although the epic, Plame winning Winter Sleep isn’t the first film of his I would watch). This is another three plus hour opus from Ceylon that like. mainly got great reviews from the people whose opinion on Ceylon I normally agree with. Yes, it’s longer than I normally like to see at the fest, but Ceylon is worth it.

 

Cold War (Pawel Pawlikowski) – Pawlikowski’s acclaimed follow-up to the Oscar winning Ida won him the Best Director prize at Cannes, and is another examination of Poland’s past, shot in gorgeous black and white. Other than that, and the fact that it’s a love story as well, I have avoided details on it (as I try to with everything I want to see) – but Pawlikowski is a talented filmmaker, whose work I like.

 

In Fabric (Peter Strickland) – As a big fan of Strickland’s last two features – Berberian Sound Studio and The Duke of Burgundy, I’m down with whatever Strickland wants to do next. This one is part of the Midnight Madness program – I always try to see at least one from that lineup every year – and follows a haunted dress from person to person. Strickland always brings more to the material than it seems like he will – so this should be interesting.

 

Ash is Purest White (Jia Zhangke) – Chinese master Jia Zhangke’s films are always worth watching – A Touch of Sin is a masterwork, as are several of his earlier films (Platform, Still Life for example), and even when he makes flawed films (like his most recent Mountains May Depart) are always interesting. This one, of course, stars the great Tao Zhao and is a love story of sorts. Zhangke has never really broken through in North America – but he should. This probably won’t do it, but I like to see everything he does on the big screen.

 

Peterloo (Mike Leigh) – The great Mike Leigh is back for the first time since 2014’s Mr. Turner with this story of the Peterloo massacre – where the government killed pre-Democracy demonstrators in 1819. Leigh will likely be making some points about the modern world looking back on this, but no matter what, Leigh is a master whose films are always worth watching.

 

The Image Book (Jean-Luc Godard) – I am not actually a huge fan of late-Godard (so everything he’s made for the past 50 years or so – those 1960s movies though are great). Having said that, all of his films are interesting, and I enjoyed Goodbye to Language 3-D when I saw it at TIFF a few years ago more than most of his other films. Godard is always going to inspire conversation, so I’m in.

 

Destroyer (Karyn Kusama) – My closing film of the fest will be Destroyer, Karyn Kusama’s film starring Nicole Kidman as a detective investigating a murder. All I needed to know to know this is a must see is that Kusama is directing, and Kidman is starring. I cannot wait.

 

So that’s it for me. I’ll be back after the festival, with a wrap up of what I’ve seen. If you going to TIFF, have fun! I know I will.

Mini Retro Review: Freefall (1994) #badmovies

Watch Movies TV -

Freefall
1994
Action

Originally scheduled for a theatrical release in the U.S, this is a low budget -like movie that was sent straight-to-video. A wildlife photographer, Katie (Pamela Gidley) is sent to a part of Africa on an assignment by her not- all-he- seems fiance (Jeff Fahey of The Lawnmower Man) - only to end up in Venezuela where she bumps into Grant (Eric Roberts), who is the good guy in this one with his shirt off. They have sex, she is drugged and finds herself in London, plus it turns out Roberts is an Interpol agent. Well, he claims to be one. After seeing the poster, I'd thought I'd get a Cliffhanger-type thriller.... instead it plays out as a dreary, melodramatic bland drama with splices of action. It reminds me of The Specialist with Sylvester Stallone and Sharon Stone, which Roberts himself, appeared in also. There is a guy with a terrible bleach blond hair-do, I was bored until the 30th minute when there was a twist in the story, but then it is back to being dreary again. But then it cranks up the action, which there wasn't enough of. Being a Londoner, It was nice to see parts of London; however, the story just wasn't adventurous or exciting as I'd anticipated and the mystery was lacking. Eric Roberts did what he could with the role, but compared to his famous sister, Julia, he lacks onscreen appeal and charisma and there was barely any chemistry between himself and Pamela Gidley. Not enough action and not enough adventure, Freefall is a film that is in freefall. 


Is It Worth Watching?

For die-hard Eric Roberts fan only


Overall:

Quick Sips - Tor dot com August 2018

Watch Movies TV -Two short stories and a novelette round out the SFF originals from Tor this month, with a definite focus on science fiction, on futures of humanity interacting with the universe and, perhaps more importantly, with the Earth. Whether that means dealing with the touch of climate disaster and change, or working to move beyond the bounds of our terrestrial home through uploading and flight, or gaining a new and non-human presence to co-inhabit the planet with, the pieces look at how humans see the Earth, and how that perspective shifts as the gaze becomes less incorporated in a human body. It's a month full of strangeness and longing, risks and looming dangers, and it makes for a fascinating bunch of stories. To the reviews!

Art by Victo Ngai

Stories:

“Loss of Signal” by S.B. Divya (2048 words)

No Spoilers: Toby is in the space program, though not how he might have imagined when he was a child looking up at the stars. Instead, he’s the first experimental spaceship, his mind uploaded in order to advance the possibility of manned space travel that doesn’t require a body. Only as he nears the crucial testing phase of his mission, the sort of litmus test to see if this kind of travel is possible, he finds himself cold and afraid. And the reality of being a nineteen-year-old in a very strange and rather dangerous situation comes crashing home. It’s a story of distance and bodies, of minds and family. Of pain. The piece traces the contours of Toby’s pain and contrasts it with the pain he experienced while alive, the pain he witnessed in his mother and those around him. And, for me, the story is a moving look at the cost of opportunity and the beauty of success in the face of adversity.

Keywords: Space, Sentient Ships, Terminal Illness, Uploaded Consciousness, Family

Review: There’s a lot about this story that speaks to me of opportunity. Which, I mean, America is supposed to be the Land of Opportunity. The place where people can go to fulfill their potential. For many, though, the opportunities available offer little more than poverty and pain. And yet there is a chance to strive for something. To reach for the stars. To, through effort and luck and support, grab hold of them in triumph. Toby’s story is of the child of someone who gave up a lot, who suffered a lot, in the hopes that she could give him better. And yet he’s also someone with a great deal of bad luck, a nerve condition that means he’s not got a lot of life to expect. Except that even that turns out to be its own kind of opportunity. Not one without risks or without pain. But really for me what the story explores is that opportunity doesn’t often mean that things will be easy. Often it means that things will be very difficult, will hurt, will make you want to quit and cry and retreat to some sort of comfort. Only also often there is no comfort. No retreat. And in the face of that it can be heroic to take the risk and try for that opportunity, because however slim it might seem, however difficult it might seem, on the other side of that is something wonderful and beautiful and alive. Again, it might never be easy. For Toby, it doesn’t seem like this will ever get easy. But he’s doing something meaningful, working toward something that could make life better for a great many people. Like his mother worked for him, pulling at opporunity to try and give him a better life, so he is pulling to try and give humanity a future. In the face of the cold and lonely reaches of space. It’s a powerful but quiet story about distance and about hope and about working through pain, and you should definitely check it out!

“No Flight Without the Shatter” by Brooke Bolander (8511 words)

No Spoilers: Linnea is a girl, a survivor of the great conflict that humanity has fed and fed until it’s consumed everything and everything. The world is still there, but the life on it...well. She lives with three Aunties—three women who are decidedly not human but who wear humanish skin in order to build a ship. A sort of Ark. And Linnea is stuck in the middle of it all, caught with a legacy that she can’t escape or look away from. It’s a story of decline and death, of extinction and the coming end. But even so, the story is also very much about hope, and life, and starting over. Not blindly. Not so that everything will just fall back to how it was. But starting over to learn from the past mistakes. To do better. To hatch into something alive with potential and hopefully grow into something will last. Sharp, tender, and laced with shadow.

Keywords: Extinction, Flight, Shadows, Transformation, Skins, Apocalypse

Review: For me this story is about coming to terms with what it means to be human on a planet haunted by the ghosts of the species we have destroyed. That we have pushed into extinction. The Tazmanian Tiger. The Dodo. The Passenger Pigeon. The Rhinoceros. Animals who have lit our imaginations and been used for profit or war. Animals we have exploited into dust. And now with the whole world ending there is something like a reckoning that the story settles on, where every species has a chance to say their piece and then join a great procession out and away. To crack the shell of the Earth and let hatch whatever has been gestating inside. And Linnea, who must be the witness to this procession, to this confrontation, has to decide what to do. Has to face the weight of what humanity has done. And must choose, ultimately, whether humanity should be allowed that same chance to start again. And I love how the story balances the recognizing of harm done with the hope that maybe humanity isn’t completely beyond salvage. Though the impact on the environment has been toxic, the species itself has also done some amazing things. And for me, the piece does a great job of looking at humanity in a...well, in a naked way. In a rather honest way. And bringing humanity through the judgement and the guilt and to a place where it can still move forward. Because guilt without resolution is rather worthless. And it’s a lovely and detailed look at extinction and at destruction and at hope. Linnea as a character is scared of so much, but learns slowly what she needs to do, what she needs to surrender to (the truth about what humanity has done) and what she needs to do about it. It’s quiet and full of loss but it never gives up, and it’s a wonderful story!

“The Kite Maker” by Brenda Peynado (7023 words)

No Spoilers: The narrator of this story is living not just with an Earth that has taken on some new inhabitants in the for of an insectoid people dubbed the dragonflies, but also with the memories, guilt, and shame at what she took part in when the dragonflies appeared on Earth, their ships crashing against the atmosphere in a desperate attempt to escape their own planet’s ultimate destruction. The narrator here was part of the mob that attacked the aliens when they first arrived, assuming that they were an invasion force. But the dragonflies didn’t attack back, didn’t resist at all, and panic turned quickly into horror at what they had all done. Now, fifteen years later, and the next generation is falling for the same bigotry and hate that led to those massacres, the lessons of the past clouded by time and by the messy reality everyone is living with. The story is stunning and brutal in its open depiction of loss and guilt and the layering of hurts. The narrator is trying to do better but mostly trying to assuage her own guilt, seemingly less interested in actually helping the dragonflies than in earning their forgiveness, something that they can’t or won’t give because of the way their culture handles forgiveness. And it’s a portrait of disappointment in one’s self and in one’s people, a deep well of anger and despair at finding that humanity constantly dips back into the same stagnant and bloody waters.

Keywords: Aliens, Kites, Bigotry, Violence, Immigration, Loss, Family

Review: This piece takes a very real and uncomfortable look at guilt and harm, where the narrator has committed great wrongs against these aliens and feels in some ways indebted to them, and at the same time she doesn’t really stop her harm. Because she’s still very focused on herself, on her guilt and being absolved, she never really gets to the point where she’s able to interact with the dragonflies with some toxic expectations. Where she is essentially demanding yet again that they cater to human desires. She’s better than everyone else, she wants to believe, needs to believe, and yet at the same time she doesn’t really do anything to help the situation. In fact, she profits from it and call it contrition. And there’s just so much going on in this story that works very subtly to examine what prejudice looks like and how people can recognize that it’s wrong, can recognize it in themselves in a way that cannot be denied, and yet refuse to have an honest discussion about it. Refuse to actually be called to answer for their crimes. The narrator buries what she did, hides it from the world, hope that no one knows. But she doesn’t really believe it was something she should be punished for. Because to her it was reasonable. She didn’t know. She was afraid. And that same shield that she uses to try and avoid blame is what allows the bigotry to spread and continue. It really is a lovely and powerful story about aliens and about humans, and about atrocities and distance and comfort. And fuck, yeah, it is a fantastic read, and you should definitely carve out some time to spend with this story!

---

TV review: Disenchantment

Watch Movies TV -(M) ★★★½

Creator: Matt Groening.

Cast: (voices of) Abbi Jacobson, Eric Andre, Nat Faxon, John DiMaggio, Tress MacNeille, Matt Berry, David Herman, Sharon Horgan, Maurice LaMarche, Lucy Montgomery, Billy West.

Service: Netflix.

If you drink and ride, you're a bloody idiot.

Comparing Matt Groening's latest creations to his two previous babies - The Simpsons and Futurama - is grossly unfair; one is the greatest TV show of all time, the other is a supremely under-rated gem that was so great it survived being cancelled twice (and here's hoping Futurama survives its third cancellation).

But compare we shall, because that's often the best shorthand for understanding quality and giving something a creative context. So the short version of this review is that Disenchantment isn't a patch on either of its older Groening siblings. It starts to hit its stride partway through the second episode but its humour only occasionally reaches the lofty heights of its predecessors. And despite its progressive outlook, it lacks the social commentary bite of The Simpsons and Futurama at their best.

But, like I said, such comparisons are grossly unfair. On its own, Disenchantment is fine fun, with some good characters and some solid storytelling that escalates dramatically as the first series progresses. There are also some nice points to be made about the weight of expectation, and the struggle of finding one's identity.

The star of the show is Bean (Jacobson), AKA Princess Tiabeanie AKA Princess Tiabeanie Mariabeanie De La Rochambeaux Drunkowitz. As the oldest child of King Zøg of Dreamland (DiMaggio), she is expected to be a respectable royal. However the first episode finds her ditching her diplomatically advantageous wedding, after which she regularly spends her time drinking and fighting.

Typically she's accompanied in her pursuits by exiled naive elf Elfo (Faxon) and Bean's personal demon Luci (Andre), with said pursuits often running her afoul of her kingly father.

As is the custom of modern TV, Disenchantment rewards binge-watching. Around episode eight, the pay-offs mount up and the story arc kicks in. Seeds you didn't even realise were seeds, planted way back in episode one, suddenly start to bear fruit, and the ability of the show to make the most of callbacks - something The Simpsons and Futurama have never done - works a treat.

Prior to that, the series' good-natured humour and engaging characters will keep you watching. By season's end, it moves into full cliffhanger mode, which is amplified by the fact Netflix has ordered 20 episodes yet this season is only the first 10. So some story strands bear fruit, others frustratingly don't. It's a ploy to get you coming back for series two, which helps make up for the lower strike rate of laughs when compared to The Simpsons and Futurama.

The best elements of Disenchantment overcome the worst. Side characters such as The Herald get the best lines, which makes up for the side characters among the king's court that aren't funny. A bachelor party visit to Mermaid Island is a funny plot, while Bean's search for a job is less so. Luci comes off like a boring version of Futurama's Bender, but Bean is a refreshing character, who's more like a cross between Bender and Leela.

Largely, it works. It's boldly different to Groening's other work, while still looking and feeling familiar. It's still short of greatness, but it's engaging enough to warrant returning for season two or even a re-watch to pick out the foreshadowing you missed first time around.

And to read all the great signs hidden in the background of the village.

August Quick Picks and Pans – Animation Month

Watch Movies TV -

Loving Vincent (2017) This Polish/British co-production from writer/directors Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman explores the life and death of Vincent van Gough, told through the lens of his artwork. The film’s unique look, which captures van Gough’s style, is nothing short of mesmerizing. Thanks to a painstaking process that required the animators to paint over live action footage, each scene immerses the viewer into one of the master’s works. The color sequences are bookended by black and white flashbacks that recreate the appearance of old photographs.

The filmmakers admitted to watching a lot of film noir during the movie’s production, which informed the tone of their work. The story takes place a year after Van Gough’s death, focusing on a courier tasked with delivering a letter from the late painter. It’s part biopic (as we see the artist’s troubled life in flashback), and part mystery, as we witness the perspective of Van Gough from the many people who knew him, and explore the ambiguity surrounding his death. Loving Vincent is an unforgettable visual treat, as well as a captivating, touching portrait of the ephemeral quality of genius (and how the spark of madness often resides with such prodigious talent).

Rating: ****½. Available on Blu-ray and DVD

Perfect Blue (1997) Director Satoshi Kon’s (based on the novel by Yoshikazu Takeuchi) landmark anime feature employs elements from psychological thrillers and gialli to convey the fragmented mind of its protagonist. Mima, a pop singer, retires from her music gig to become an actress, which becomes the catalyst for a series of disturbing and deadly events. Her life begins to spiral out of control, as she embarks on her career change. As her choices chip away at her wholesome image, the change is too much for some fans. A website dedicated to her seems to be reading her thoughts, and she’s stalked by a strange man who might be linked to a series of gruesome murders. She begins to question her grip on reality and her identity. It’s an unnerving depiction of mental illness that recalls Repulsion and Psycho, and a frightening commentary on the unfortunate price of fame and the perils of toxic fandom.

Rating: ****. Available on DVD

In This Corner of the World (2016) Get out your hanky for this one. Director/co-writer Sunao Katabuchi (based on the manga by Fumiyo Kono) follows Suzu, a young woman from Hiroshima stuck in an arranged marriage. The filmmakers wisely assume we know the events leading up to the conclusion of World War II, so they don’t attempt to provide a history lesson. Instead, we see how one family is affected by the war. Suzu experiences a difficult transition living away from the big city, stifled by a passionless relationship and hostile in-laws. Her life is beset by tragedy, heartbreak and hope, living under the constant threat of American bombs. The gentle, pastel-colored animation belies the horrors depicted in the film, serving as a fitting tonal contrast. Katabuchi doesn’t sugar- coat Suzu’s life, but creates a nuanced experience that’s visually entrancing and emotionally exhausting.

Rating: ****. Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Netflix

Kirikou and the Sorceress (aka: Kirikou et la Sorcière) (1998) Writer/co-director Michel Ocelot’s spirited interpretation of a West African folk tale might require some suspension of disbelief for western eyes, but it rewards with a timeless story that has many lessons to teach us. Kirikou emerges from his mother’s womb, walking, talking and ready for action, albeit in miniature form. When his village is terrorized by Karaba, an evil sorceress, he saves the village, yet remains an outcast. His persistence and ingenuity, however, prevails above all. Kids and adults can benefit from Kirikou’sgentle message that we should never judge something by appearances alone. The endlessly inquisitive Kirikou also teaches that to understand someone, you only need to live in his or her shoes.

Rating: ****. Available on DVD and Amazon Prime

Les Maîtres du Temps(aka: Time Masters) (1982) Writer/director Rene Laloux’s adaptation of Stefan Wul’s book was released in the States in a butchered (dubbed and edited) form, but it’s worth seeking out in the Eureka video edition. In this cosmic odyssey, a researcher surveying an alien planet crashes his land vehicle, leaving his young son stranded in a forest, with only an egg-shaped device to keep him company. The device is the boy’s only link to human connection, and possible rescue, from a spacecraft many light years away. Laloux’s film features colorful characters, alien vistas, and a cool twist. It’s not quite as mind-bending an experience as his earlier work, Fantastic Planet, but it’s a trip well worth taking.  

Rating: ***½. Available on DVD (Region 2)

The Phantom Tollbooth(1970) Directors Chuck Jones and Abe Levitow, working from a script by Jones and Sam Rosen (based on the kids book by Norton Juster), take us on a funky voyage through a nonsensical land. The animated feature (bookended by live action sequences) stars Butch Patrick (Eddie Munster) as Milo, a kid who’s bored with school and can’t find anything to do. When a strange tollbooth unexpectedly appears in his living room he’s whisked away to a world with various lands. He’s accompanied by Tock, a watchdog (with a clock embedded in his chest), and travels through a world where absurdity reigns supreme. The film reminds us about important life lessons, such as using your brain and taking decisive action. It suffers from a soundtrack full of mostly forgettable songs, but the colorful, Alice in Wonderland-inspired animation and fun wordplay take up most of the slack. While far from perfect, it’s diverting enough to keep kids and adults reasonably entertained.

Rating: ***. Available on DVD