Year: 2018

Interview with Actor Miranda Millar

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Interview by Kierston Drier:

KD: Tell me a little about yourself? What inspired you to pursue a career in acting and performance?

MM: I don’t remember first time I was on stage because I was three years old! At four I started dance. You may have guessed, my parents are actor/writer/directors. They never pushed me, but gave me the opportunity to try it out to see if I enjoyed it. I obviously did.

KD: To date, what has been the defining role of your career. Why?

MM: This is a tough one.. I would have to go with my film Perfect for a few reasons; In this film, I play twins. It’s a unique challenge, playing two different people opposite each other. It’s a silent film, which means everything has to be communicated in the eyes, facial expressions, and body language. Also, the twins are violinists. I’ve played violin since I was a little kid, so being able to marry two of my passions in one project was especially gratifying!

KD: What are some of the most exciting projects you are working on right now?

MM: I have a couple projects in the works- one that films in Italy, and another in the states, and hopefully I can share more on those soon! I recently wrapped the first season of Six City. At the moment, I’m filming the horror series Raveage. Imagine Mr. Robot went on a Purge- lots of scary stuff ahead!

KD: Tell me more about Six city- what’s the most engaging thing about it?

MM: I’ve always really liked six-degrees-of-Kevin-Bacon type of films. I love seeing the small and not-so-small ways lives are intertwined and affect each other. Six City is exactly that, using the backdrop of Toronto to explore the intersecting nightlife, crime, and police force. My character Serena is a bisexual club go-er who may seem all fun and parties on the outside, but has a whole separate private life that her friends don’t know about yet…

KD: What are you most looking forward to with these new projects? What excites you most about Six City? About Raveage?

MM: I’m excited to delve deeper into Serena’s story, and for the audience to get to see just how far her story expands. Much like Six City, the world Courtney and Jennifer James have created is also connected to Raveage. Raveage is cool because it expands on the set up of Six City- it takes place in the same world. Serena is an even bigger lead in this next chapter, following her steep emotional journey and her ties to the worlds of politics, crime, and of course, love.

KD: Where can we find these new projects?

MM: Six City will be permiere in November on Facebook, and other media platforms after that. You can follow along for Six City here: https://www.facebook.com/sixcityseries/ and here: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8205962/

Raveage is currently in production, but to stay up to date you can follow on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/raveagefilm/ and here: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6267818/

miranda miller 2.png
Six City stills of Serena- Admit One Productions

KD: Describe your process. How do you get into the headspace of a really difficult character?

MM: It begins with text analysis. Getting everything I can from the pages provided to me. If the character has a specific job, or past, it helps to research if I’m unfamiliar with being, say, a surgeon. What are the hours like? What are the success rates of the types of surgery I do? How does that affect me, my mental state, my relationships? Even if my character is never at work on screen, the job will affect my home life. Knowing everything I can about my character makes it easier to be them in a believable way.

KD: What has been your most challenging role?

MM: My role on the hit Canadian show Murdoch Mysteries was challenging in a number of ways. It was exhausting because Amy MacFarlane (my character) experiences a lot of panic- and panic is draining on the performer. At one point in the season 7 premiere, I had my arms tied behind my back, I was gagged, and wearing a woolen dress – all under rushing water. It’s a lot going on.

KD: What has been the hardest part of being a professional actress? What is the most rewarding?

MM: The hardest part is the sometimes uncontrollable schedule. Over the span of two weeks, I was working on a movie full-time at night, and filming IRL: The Series during the day. On the weekends, I had scheduled a few other shoots. None of it could be moved. One ‘day,’ I was up for 40 hours working on three different projects. Sometimes it would be nice to be able to space things out, and give every project the time it deserves. But, you just have to plow ahead and do your best. When it rains, it pours. There are so many rewarding aspects. Like, finishing the two weeks mentioned above. And watching your finished product come to life, with everyone else’s work coming together. It’s a very bonding experience.

KD: Apart from performance, what else are you passionate about?

MM: I have a very deep love for fantasy novels. There’s nothing better than sitting down with a cup of tea and a really great novel. It’s one of my favourite forms of escapism. I love being able to bring a world in my bag, and jump into it whenever I can. I’m passionate about the environment- finding ways to keep and reuse materials I have, upcycling and recycling. I can’t wait until plastic is a thing of the past.

KD: What is next on the books for you, Miranda?

MM: After I finish filming Raveage, I’ll be heading down to LA next year for pilot season. I’m so excited for this next adventure!

KD: What advice would you give to someone just starting out in this industry, looking to be a professional performer as well?

MM: If you want to work on set, become a PA or work as an extra. It’s not just about the performance aspect, you need to know if you actually enjoy the environment you’ll be spending 12-17 hours a day in. Learn by helping. If you want to make your own projects, make connections by helping other filmmakers first. You can’t call in a favor you haven’t earned. Take classes, and don’t be afraid to suck. You will probably suck. But knowing what not to do is just as important as learning what you can be doing. And if you want it badly enough, you will find a way to make it happen.

miranda miller 1.jpg
headshot credit- Denise Grant Photography

Film Review: BLACKKKLANSMEN (USA 2018) ****

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BlacKkKlansman Poster
Trailer

Ron Stallworth, an African-American police officer from Colorado, successfully managed to infiltrate the local Ku Klux Klan and became the head of the local chapter.

Director:

Spike Lee

Writers:

Charlie Wachtel, David Rabinowitz | 3 more credits »

Stars:

John David Washington, Adam Driver, Laura Harrier

 

BLACKKKLANSMEN opens with a shot similar to the famous one seen in the poster of one of Spike Lee’s best films DO THE RIGHT THING.  The shot is focused on the centre of the image but the characters stand around in the perimeter.  Both that film and his new Cannes premiere hit BLACKKKLANSMEN tackle the problem of racism with savage brutality.  Though this film contains more content, Lee tones down his anger a little compared to the more energetic DO THE RIGHT THING. 

The film is based on the autobiographical book Black Klansman by Ron Stallworth. Set in 1970s Colorado, the plot follows an African-American detective Stallworrth (former footballer John David Washington and son of Denzel) who sets out to infiltrate and expose the Ku Klux Klan.

The film arrives after lots of hype after the Cannes premiere where many critics have hailed the film as one of the Top 10 films screened there.  The truth is that the film is that good though not without flaws.  It competed for the Palme d’Or and won the Grand Prix at Cannes.

Not since Francis Ford Coppola’s THE GODFATHER’s climatic scene where he intercut the talking of peace with the different crime bosses to the execution of the bosses has irony been so vividly captured on screen.  Lee intercuts the two rallies of the rise of black power to that of white power in one of the film’s key segments.  Best still is the irony on display when Jewish cop Adam Driver denounces his Jewish heritage as Lee’s camera is placed in the position to emphasize Driver’s semitic nose.

Lee is fond of filming his segments with the camera slanted with a resulting slanted frame, used by many directors to emphasize a distortion of the events occurring on screen.  Lee uses the tactic several times, particularly during the black rallies.

Though basically a period piece, Lee ties in current events to the story.  There is a shot of Trump’s speech about very bad people in demonstrations s well as newsreel footage of violent police and crowd clashes during demonstrations in the August of 2017.  Trump’s favourite line of making America great again is echoed in the film’s dialogue during of of the Ku Klax Klan leader’s speeches.   Lee obtained permission to include the image in his film of Heather Heyer who called killed by the car ploughing into the crowd during a white supremacy rally.

Lee’s film not only incites anger among African Americans but also among Jews and gays.  It is as if Lee is recruiting allies agains redneck whites in the movie.

It is always a pleasure to watch Adam Driver in a film.  Driver (PATERSON) delivers an astonishing and powerful performance without having to resort of cheap theatrics, written dialogue or bouts of put-on anger.  His mannerisms and body language tell all.  Alec Baldwin is also memorable and hilarious as a bigoted doctor speaking on white supremacy.  But all the white racists are treated as silly, stupid and ignorant country bumpkins, easy target for Stallworth and the good cops.  It would be a more challenging task to have them made a more formidable foe.

The film contains lots of film references like the opening scene with the famous GONE WITH THE WIND  street scene where wounded soldiers lay scattered to the blackpoitation films like SUPER FLY, COFFY, CLEOPATRA JONES and SHAFT.  Included for laughs is a debate on who is better, Ron O’Neal or Richard Roundtree?  The racist D.W. Griffith’s classic, BIRTH OF A NATION is also given special treatment – Spike Lee style.

BLACKKKLANSMAN is quite good but could have been more effective if Lee put more anger and opted less for comedy in the film.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFc6I0rgmgY

 

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Film Review: THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST (USA 2018) ****

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The Miseducation of Cameron Post Poster
Trailer

In 1993, a teenage girl is forced into a gay conversion therapy center by her conservative guardians.

Director:

Desiree Akhavan

Writers:

Desiree Akhavan (screenplay), Cecilia Frugiuele (screenplay) | 1 more credit »

Stars:

Chloë Grace Moretz, Steven Hauck, Quinn Shephard

 

Young adults forming alliances and fighting formidable foes of evil in an alien environment.  It is all part of survival and retaining ones identity while saving the world.  This might be the description of the young adult films like DIVERGENT, THE HUNGER GAMES or the recent THE DARKEST MINDS but also for a very real and disturbing film entitled THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST.  The quiet Cameron Post has only her self appreciation and wits as weapons against the forces of evil, which here is in the form of misguided Christianity.

Abuse can take many forms, but not as bad as those suffered by the young orphan girl Cameron Post (Chloë Grace Moretz).  Caught during her prom night making out with another girl (the prom queen) in the back seat of a car by her date,  Cameron Post is sent to be ‘cured’ at a gay conversion therapy camp.  In one scene she is seen hiding under a table sneaking a telephone call home, crying her eyes out because she cannot take the abuse any longer.

Abuse is the worst when it is psychological.  “Isn’t teaching a person to hate herself for being gay self abuse?”  asks Cameron at one point in the film.

Co-written by Cecilia Frugiuele and directed by Desiree Akhavan, adapted from Emily Danforth’s acclaimed 2012 YA novel, “The Miseducation of Cameron Post” is the survival story of this young, spirited, orphaned, small-town Pennsylvanian, forcefully sent the equivalent of a prison camp with no privileges.  The setting is 1993, just after AID’s had taken the world by storm and just before gay rights, same-sex marriage and gay acceptance were the norm.  It is indeed sad to be gay during this period. 

The film has two standout performances by two young actresses Moretz and Sasha Lane (as Jane Fonda).  Why that character is called Jane Fonda is humorously explained in the film.  Lane is immediately recognizable from her last role in Andrea Arnold’s 2016 film AMERICAN HONEY where she earned the title role as a spirited teen.  Of course, she plays another here, but one is is of such independent spirit that she survives the brainwash and helps Cameron stay glued to her sexual orientation.  But it is Moretz from SUPERBAD who steals the show as the vulnerable Cameron who finally sees the way.  She delivers a controlled yet powerful performance, often crying intend of yelling, planning instead of physical retaliation.

Director Akhavan moves her film at a leisurely yet gripping pace.  She understands the power of the story and the gravity of Cameron’s desperation.  She lets her story unfold with all its intensity without resorting to cheap theatrics or dramatic set-pieces except for the one displaying a suicidal’s troubled outburst.  This allows the audience to think and feel for the film’s characters.

The villains at the Christian camp are Dr. Lydia Marsh (Jennifer Ehle) and her visibly oppressed, “ex-gay” brother Reverend Rick (John Gallagher Jr.).  The two of them are smiling all the time making them really creepy.  Dr. Marsh runs the camp with a Nurse Ratchet-like efficiency.

THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST, a hit when premiered at Sundance ends up a powerful told tale of the triumph of the individual spirit over evil.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEdngvMGjg0

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Full Review: THE CRESCENT (Canada 2017)

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The Crescent Poster
Trailer

After an unexpected death in the family, a mother and son struggle to find spiritual healing at a beachfront summer home.

Director:

Seth A. Smith

Writer:

Darcy Spidle (screenwriter)

Stars:

Danika Vandersteen, Woodrow Graves, Terrance Murray

 

This horror film from Nova Scotia, Canada has an excellent though slow beginning.  Weird colourful patterns are formed and changed, which seems to flow naturally.   Those who are in engineering or science, will be quick to realize that the patterns follow the Second law of Thermodymanics which state that the entropy of a closed system will always increase towards its equilibrium.  So, is the chaos that affects the mother and young son in the film something that will naturally occur?

The film, after the opening credits and patterns turns to a funeral service where the preacher talks about suffering and pain before coming to a final rest.  The film then focuses on the single mother and young son, and advised by her mother (Danika Vandersteen) than in order to survive: “You have to keep a level head.”  

Smith plays around with sounds effectively as he uses different sizes images to frame his film.  The frame sizes change when showing an image as seen from a window or from Beth’s paintings.  Smith also uses tilted and upside down images, the latter as seen from the reflection of the sea water at low tide as Beth and Lowen (Woodrow Graves) walk along the beach.  The intermittent blaring sound is used at many points in the film.  The sound could be the sound of a ship’s horn as one blaring during a fog or the sound of a house alarm system.  Beth takes out the alarm electronics thinking it to be coming from there but the sounds persists during the night.  Sound is also used to create ambiguity as in Lowen’s baby voice.  The audience would strain to hear what the child is saying as he often mumbles along.  Danika Vandersteen also delivers a memorable performance.

The best thing about the film is the young boy Woodrow Graves’ performance as Lowen.  Lowen is hardly old enough to walk properly, less climb up and down the stair, and is seen throughout the film just mumbling his dialogue like a child.  His humming of tunes, the child-like “Row, row, row your boat,” and utterings like: “Where’s mommy?” are so real and eerie.  It must have taken Smith (Graves is his son) quite a while to film the boy’s abilities.

The actually ghosts first appear at the one hour mark into  the film.  For those who love their horror violent and gory, they might have to wait a while, but the blood parts do occur.  Most of the weird puzzles are also explained by the end of the film, though a few more are introduced.

Smith’s film might be a bit too slow paced for the typical horror film.  But THE CRESCENT more than makes up for it in terms of atmosphere and ecstatics.  Normal horror fans will also not be too happy at this too arty piece of work that looks too smug for its own good.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bji7jatpHqA

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Film Review: PUZZLE (USA 2018) ***1/2

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Puzzle Poster
Trailer

Agnes, taken for granted as a suburban mother, discovers a passion for solving jigsaw puzzles which unexpectedly draws her into a new world – where her life unfolds in ways she could never have imagined.

Director:

Marc Turtletaub

Writers:

Polly Mann (screenplay by), Oren Moverman (screenplay by) | 1 more credit »

Stars:

Kelly Macdonald, Irrfan Khan, David Denman

 

As PUZZLE opens audiences to the world of jigsaw puzzles, PUZZLE opens the world of taken-for-granted housewife, (I work at home too, she says), Agnes (the wonderful also under-utilized Scottish born Kelly Macdonald) into a world of self discovery.

It all begins at her birthday party where husband Louie (David Denman) breaks a plate that she glues the pieces back together.  She is given a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle which she puts together again and again.  She discovers this hidden passion and leaves the house in Bridgeport, Connecticut to buy another where she learns that a mother puzzle solver wants a partner for a competition.  She travels twice a week without her family knowing to Manhattan where she meets Robert (Irrfan Khan), a wealthy recluse and together put together jigsaw puzzles in record time.  

At the same time, Agnes finds her life unfolding in ways she could never have imagined.

Director Turtletaub directs this delicate tale of a housewife’s self-discovery from a script by Oren Moverman and Polly Man based on the Argentine movie Rompecabezas by Natalia Smirnoff.  The film is dedicated to Turtletaub’s mother who we would think would also have been an under-appreciated mother.

Turtletaub’s only other directorial feature was GODS BEHAVING BADLY, a flop with negative reviews.  PUZZLE proves his worth given a second chance.  He is described to shoot with only a few takes allowing the actors to deliver their own interpretation of their roles allowing the film to be fresh.  True to what have been described, the performances are honest, fresh and occasionally powerful.  Macdonald (GOSFOD PARK), always an excellent actress, discards her British/Scots accent for an American role.  Macdonald is the one reason to see this moving story.  She is perfect even in he looks for the role.  At times, looking like a simple housewife, she can also look radiant, especially in the scene where she lying on the grass, the camera right above her when she talks to Robert on her cell phone.  Of the supporting cast, the young unknown Bubba Weiler stands outs Agnes’ elder son, Ziggy who does not get accepted to college and is stuck in a dead end job he detests working for his father in the auto shop.

The film’s best scene has the two of them Agnes and Ziggy having a heart-to-heart talk one evening.  It is a candid one whee they share unexpectedly each other’s secrets.  The shocking question Ziggy asks his mother is why she has not left his father.

The film has a neat spill on coincidences.  Agnes believes that there is a reason things happen as in the train where “Ave Maria” is sung to the words, “Tea, Maria” uttered by Robert.  Robert on the other hand believe that these are are coincidences.  The metaphor of the jigsaw puzzle as life is therefore quite obvious.  The jigsaw is a puzzle where the wrong pieces can be put right whereas life’s puzzle might not be solved in the same manner, as the film proves.

As expected, the family eventually learns what Agnes is up to.  She gains her independence and there is a neat ending as to what on she eventually decides on doing.  A housewife’s fantasy that audiences can relate to, thanks to director Turtletuab 

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wl_SoMNi0rw

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Film Review: THE SPY WHO DUMPED ME (USA 2018)

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The Spy Who Dumped Me Poster
Trailer

Audrey and Morgan are best friends who unwittingly become entangled in an international conspiracy when one of the women discovers the boyfriend who dumped her was actually a spy.

Director:

Susanna Fogel

Writers:

Susanna Fogel, David Iserson

Stars:

Justin Theroux, Blanka Györfi-Tóth, Vilma Szécsi

 

When the film title is a rip off of a rip off (Austin Power’s THE SPY WHO SHAGGED ME, the ripoff of 007’s THE SPY WHO LOVED ME), one would not have high expectations going into the movie.  True to instinct, THE SPY WHO DUMPED ME, which absolutely wastes the talents of SNL’ s Kate McKinnon and Mila Kunis is a totally painfully unfunny buddy, buddy spy movie that makes Paul Feig’s SPY starring Melissa McCarthy look like a masterpiece.

The number one mistake of director Susanna Fogel who co-wrote the script with David Iserson (LIFE PARTNERS) is the decision to make this comedy also an action movie.  Comedy and action do not usually go well together except for a few exceptions like KINGSMEN, and that film worked hard to achieve the correct blend between action and slick comedy.  THE SPY WHO DUMPED ME goes for lower-brow comedy, that despite sleek looking sets and looks still clings desperately to puke, vagina and fart jokes (in the Amsterdam hostel).

Kunis (the straight one in the duo) and McKinnon (the clown) play best friends, Audrey and Morgan.  When the film opens, Fogel intercuts comedy and action.  The comedy is  Audrey’s birthday celebration hosted by Morgan.  The action scene takes place in Lithuania where the boyfriend, Drew (Justin Theroux) who has just dumped Audrey is fighting off dozens of assassins in search for a flash drive that contains some important information.  It turns out, of course, that Audrey is in possession of the drive which puts her, and busybody best friend Morgan in trouble.  They encounter CIA agent Sebastian (hunky gorgeous Sam Heughan) who helps them.  Audrey and Sebastian have a thing going.

It only takes 10 minutes or so into the film when it can be observed that the film does not work.  McKinnon tries her utmost best to be funny.  Though she occasionally succeeds, she turns out more annoying than anything else, especially when she becomes loud and irritating.

The international locations of Prague, Paris, Berlin and others do not help either and it is doubtful that the film was actually shot in these cities.

Too much time is spent on car chases, actions sequences and killings which are below par in terms of excitement (audiences have seen much better in real action films like MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT and the Marvel films) while being unfunny and out of place in a film billed as a comedy.  The story with an icy cool female boss or female villain has been done before as are so are the story twists.  Who is the real villain at the end?  Audrey’s new or old boyfriend?  A 5-year old would be able to guess.  For a comedy, the violent segments (such as the cutting off of a thumb for a thumbprint to use the cell phone; the tasers and stabbings) are hardly necessary and kind of uncool. 

Do not stay for the outtakes during the closing credits.  These are just more examples of the painful humour that do not work.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APL30ptgwvg

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Film Review: THE DARKEST MINDS (USA 2018)

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The Darkest Minds Poster
Trailer

Imprisoned by an adult world that now fears everyone under 18, a group of teens form a resistance group to fight back and reclaim control of their future.

Director:

Jennifer Yuh Nelson

Writers:

Chad Hodge (screenplay by), Alexandra Bracken (based upon the novel by)

Stars:

Bradley Whitford, Mandy Moore, Amandla Stenberg

 

The first of a trilogy, THE DARKEST MINDS is a young adult sci-fi action movie similar to films like the THE HUNGER GAMES, DIVERGENT series that made a whole lot of money for Lionsgate.  20th Century Fox (or Disney for that matter) obviously hopes for the same.  But THE DARKEST MINDS is quite the disappointment.

The premise  involves a devastating disease abbreviated IAAN, whatever it stands for.  

98% of the children are dead and the 2% surviving develop powers that no one understands.  The audience witnesses only one of these deaths though millions have occurred in the world in a school cafeteria of all places.  The film gets worse.  Poor African American Ruby (Amandla Stenberg) sees the poor girl die and the film suddenly focuses on Ruby.  Ruby has some powers that cause her to be taken, again like all the other children in the world to concentration camp like hospital centres to be cured of the powers.  Apparently the government wants to harvest these powers for their own army to fight against …..?  This part is never explained.  There are several levels of powers possessed by children, colour coded.  Ruby is orange which means she has the rare highest of the powers and those with orange are to be eliminated by death – a case of adults scared of the unknown.  (The future is orange!  Joke for the British.)

   One can hardly blame director Nelson whose other credits are the two KUNG FU PANDA animated features which were not half bad.  So one could blame the source martial or the kind of film she had been instructed to direct.  Based on the story described, THE DARKEST MINDS could be a real scary horror/satire involving the end of the world.  Instead, it turns out to be young adult fantasy that despite a few good ideas (like the colour coded powers) no one believes in.  

The film poses lots of unanswered questions.  Questions like: Why do all the parents not care about their children?  How did the disease originate?  What is the reason for the superpowers?  The synopsis in wikipedia describes a vicious bounty hunt by the name of Lady Jane which only appears briefly in the film.  The character must have been either edited out of the film or perhaps she appears in the sequel.

It is hard to describe the film’s best scene as there are none.  The film’s worst scene has the two leads declare their love for each other in a long 5 minute sequence that keeps them babbling sweet nothings to the audience’s yawns.

To the director’s credit, the film was made on a modest $38 million, looks acceptable and probably satisfies the studios.  She has some good images on screen, like the raised coloured hands at the end of the film signalling sequels to come.  I would like to quote a line used by the late Toronto film critic, John Harkness from NOW Magazine to describe the Hulk Hogan film he hated: “Recommended for backward children.”, a line that got him into a lot of trouble for writing, but for obvious reasons I will not use it for this film.  THE DARKEST MINDS shows a little promise and is interesting in certain parts, but could have been a much better start of the trilogy.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN8o_E_f9FQ

 

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Film Review: RYUICHI SAKAMOTO: CODA (USA/Japan 2017) ***

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Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda Poster
Clip

A portrait of genius music composer Ryuichi Sakamoto.

Director:

Stephen Nomura Schible (as Stephen Schible)

Star:

Ryuichi Sakamoto

 

When I was teaching aerobics in my fit younger days,  I used movie themes from a cassette given to be at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) for the cool down session.  Two of the themes were from MERRY CHRISTMAS, MR. LAWRENCE and THE LAST EMPEROR.  Little did I realize that the musical score from these two films were composed by Ryuichi Sakamoto, the subject of the new documentary by director Schible.

One of the most important artists of our era, Ryuichi Sakamoto has had a prolific career spanning over four decades, from techno-pop stardom to Oscar winning film composer.  The evolution of his music has coincided with his life journeys.  As the film opens, the audience is sadly told that Sakamoto is suffering from cancer and no longer able to work as diligently into the long the hours he was used to.

Besides the musician, Sakamoto is revealed to be an environmentalist.  Sakamoto became an iconic figure in Japan’s social movement against nuclear power.  As Sakamoto returns to music following cancer, his haunting awareness of life crisis leads to a resounding new masterpiece.  This film is an intimate portrait of both the artist and the man.

The film’s most interesting segments involve Sakamoto’s work in film.  Film works comes suddenly, he says.  His work on films like Bertolucci’s THE SHELTERING SKY is outlined in detail.  Bertolucci told him to change the score for the introduction of the film that he did not like.  Ennio (Morricone) could do it, he was told.  If Ennio could do it, so can I, Sakamoto muses.  After re-writing the score within half an hour, Sakamoto himself was surprised at how great the music became.  Sakamoto also talks about the work he did for director Andrei Tarkovski (for SOLARIS), blending in environmental and nature sounds to the music.  Sakamoto has great admiration for Takorvski and likens him to be a composer as well.   Schible’s doc includes several shot from films that Sakamoto had worked on, such as SHELTERING SKY, SOLARIS and THE LAST EMPEROR.  These segments illustrate the perfect blending of sight and sound.

Needless to say, the film’s most inspirational moments are the ones where the audience gets to hear Sakamoto’s compositions.  Sakamoto incorporates natural sounds (like melting ice) into his music compositions.  Which are nothing less that incredible!  The audience also sees the composer a a human being, frail from his illness and talking about things that matter to him.  

Director Schible is an American Japanese film-maker who grew up in a bilingual and international household in Tokyo.  As he is actively involved in Japanese culture and media, he has found Sakamoto’s life-long struggle as an anti-nuclear activist to be awe-inspiring and brings the influence into the documentary.  especially for Japan, a country with tight control on political media, thesis a story that needs be told.

RYUICHI SAKAMOTO: CODA is a quiet yet comprehensive examination of a composer’s life at the end of his journey, full of insight and inspiration.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fl-pKw5n0mI

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Film Review: CHRISTOPHER ROBIN (USA 2018) ***

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Christopher Robin Poster
A working-class family man, Christopher Robin, encounters his childhood friend Winnie-the-Pooh, who helps him to rediscover the joys of life.

Director:

Marc Forster

Writers:

Alex Ross Perry (screenplay by), Tom McCarthy(screenplay by) | 5 more credits »

Stars:

Ewan McGregor, Hayley Atwell, Bronte Carmichael

 

Not to be confused with last year’s biography GOODBYE CHRISTOPHER ROBIN on the author of WINNIE THE POOH, A.A. Milne’s life, CHRISTOPHER ROBIN is the story of Christopher Robin, the little boy from the Winnie-the-Pooh stories.  Christopher Robin (Ewan McGregor) is now all grown up, married to Evelyn (Hayley Atwell) with a daughter, Madeline (Bronte Carmichael) but has lost all sense of imagination.  Pooh and his friends from the Hundred Acre Wood re-enter Christopher’s life to help him find joy again.

CHRISTOPHER ROBIN is not strictly the story of Winnie the Pooh (Jim Cummings), the beloved honey gulping bear but about Christopher Robin as the film title implies.  It is is a live-action/CGI extension of the Disney franchise of the same name.  The animated Pooh and friends, are true in appearance and motion to the beloved book and film, so this film will appeal and not disappoint the Pooh fans.

The screenplay by Alex Ross Perry and Allison Schroeder takes certain liberties.  Pooh suddenly appears in Christopher Robin’s home with no apparent logic.  The time of Robin growing up is glaringly absent in the story.  The film unfolds with Chapter 1 (“Leaving His Friends”) then jumps to Chapter 3 and so on, leaving out certain chapters of Robin’s life as if they don’t matter.  But begin a family film, these little omissions can be  forgiven.  One cannot forgive however is the repeated number of times the script tugs at the heartstrings.  Why has Christopher Robin disappeared?  Goodbye Christopher Robin?  Is Pooh’s red balloon more important that the briefcase of work notes?  Are the work notes more important that your daughter?  Why is the daughter then not with you?  These lines of dialogue can be quite trying.  On the upside. the humour comes off from Pooh’s friend as original, cute and fresh.

Pooh’s friends include Tigger, a boy tiger (also voiced by Cummings, who gets to sing one song as well) , a donkey, an owl, a piglet, a rabbit and a kangaroo.  Brad Garrett who voices the perpetually pessimistic donkey steals the show, with his gruff voice and the script’s best jokes.  When asked “How was your day today?”  His reply is: “Don’t get me started!”

What helps in creating the fairy tale atmosphere especially the colourful hundred acre wood where Pooh and his friends live is the cinematography by Matthias Koenigswieser coupled with the CGI effects.  The music by Jon Brion including a few catchy songs lifts the film’s mood.

The last Disney’s Winnie the Pooh animated feature was good but really slow.  In CHRISTOPHER ROBIN, the animated characters move just as slowly to keep with the expectations of the first film.  McGregor makes a believable grown up Christopher, and does well putting up a straight face while taking all the dialogue with great seriousness.  Christopher, when he realizes what is missing in life brings audiences right back to MARY POPPINS where David Thomlinson as Mr. Banks discards his frugality on saving a tuppence and begins feeding the birds.

Make sure you stay right up to the end of the closing credits.  Just when you think the film is over with the credits coming on, a nifty musical number appears right in the middle, a song on the play of words “Noting becomes Something” as performed on a piano in the middle of the beach with Pooh and friends lying on deck chairs enjoying the sun.  If that is not enough incentive to stay, this sequence is followed by another original Pooh song.

A bit sappy, but CHRISTOPHER ROBIN is entertaining enough and true to the mood of WINNIE THE POOH.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0URpDxIjZrQ

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Film Review: BROTHERLY LOVE (USA 2016) ***

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Brotherly Love Poster
A Brother in the Catholic Church must choose between his vow of chastity and the man he loves.

Director:

Anthony J. Caruso

Writer:

Anthony J. Caruso

Stars:

Anthony J. Caruso, Derek Babb, Chance McKee

 

BROTHERLY LOVE (not to be confused with the 2015 Jamal Hill film with the identical title about an African American basketball player) is a gay romantic comedy about a brother (Brother Vito) who wants to become a Catholic priest as he navigates his love life and his true calling. 

Though the film sounds serious, it is definitely not.  It is totally fun, with a high joke hit/miss ratio that should have one, especially if one is gay laughing out loud every minute or so.  The reason the film is so funny is the way the film pokes fun at almost all the characters that are deliberately stereotyped – characters like the party boy, the old married queens, the new flamboyant young couples, the gay icons, dikes and more.

So, the questions posed in the film are: Which call do you answer?  The one from God? Or the one from your authentic self?  This is the dilemma at hand for Brother Vito (played by writer/director Anthony J. Caruso) as he must decide between becoming a brother or declaring his love for Gabe (Derek Babb).  Shot entirely in Austin, Texas and with a local cast and crew, Brotherly Love is a fresh take on the traditional gay love story.

The script is based on the novel ‘Seventy Times Seven’ by Salvatore Sapienza.  BROTHERLY LOVE has gone on to win many awards as:

 – GLITTER OKLAHOMA LGBT FILM FESTIVAL – Winner: Best Picture

– AUSTIN GAY & LESBIAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL – Official Selection

– NEVADA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL – Winner: Best Feature Film

The film is not necessarily the best (straight) film by any standard, as evident in the lower than high production values, but it is thoroughly entertaining, and one can forgive a film for its flaws, if it makes one laugh.

The film’s exterior scenes, like a car pulling into the driveway look like something shot on a camcorder in a home video.  The acting is so bad, it is hilarious.  Main lead (and director) Caruso loves himself and gives himself unashamedly lots of glamour shots from start to finish.  He cannot stop rolling back his eyeballs whenever a gay remark is made or pretending to blush whenever sex is hinted yet.  It is this bad acting that adds to the film’s fun.  Anyone in the gay scene can appreciate the candour and behaviour of the actors and one cannot help but laugh at themselves.  Of the cast, the one that stands out is Chance McKee (what a name) who plays Tim, Vito’s best friend who tries his best throughout the film to convince Vito to indulge in sin and to leave the church.  Tim is the typical good-looking, campy queen ready at all times to please  any hunk of a man that comes his way.  At the White party he drags Vito along.  Who else can he ditch at the party so that the he can go back home with someone he will forget the next day?

The sex scene involving full nudity, that finally arrives after all that cock-teasing, is very erotic and necessary to show the strong bond between the two lovers.

Breaking Glass Pictures releases this tender coming-of-age drama BROTHERLY LOVE at the Laemmle Music Hall in Los Angeles on August 3, 2018 and on DVD/VOD worldwide on August 7, 2018.

Definitely worth a look!

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1rZIY9DTks&feature=youtu.be

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