Author: festreviews

TIFF 2016 Movie Review: WEIRDOS (Canada 2016) ***

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Movie Reviews of films that will be playing at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) in 2016. Go to TIFF 2016 Movie Reviews and read reviews of films showing at the festival.

weirdos_poster.jpgWEIRDOS (Canada 2015) ***
Directed by Bruce McDonald

Starring: Dylan Authors, Rhys Bevan-John, Francine Deschepper

Review by Gilbert Seah

Bruce McDonald (HARD CORE LOGO, THE TRACEY SEGMENTS) turns down the angst a little with his latest film penned by playwright and fellow filmmaker Daniel McIvor. The setting is the town of Antigonish in Nova Scotia on the 4th of July of 1976, the American Bicentennial. Music-loving 15-year-old Kit (Dylan Authors) spends his time either alone in his room listening to Elton John albums, or hanging out with his platonic girlfriend, Alice (Julia Sarah Stone).

Like Kit, Alice feels out of place, and her divorced parents have too many issues of their own to offer much comfort. The film pays tribute (or copies, depending on how one wants at look at it) from films like Woody Allen’s PLAY IT AGAIN SAM and John Schlesinger’s MIDNIGHT COWBOY. Andy Warhol appears at various points in the film, unseen by anyone except Kit giving silly advice to Kit which Kit never takes anyway.

This ploy by McIvor is remotely funny, but serves no purpose but provide a little humour. The beginning of the film feels like MIDNIGHT COWBOY together with the falsetto part of the song resembling “Everybody’s Talkin’ of me” by John Nilsson.

Throughout the entire film, one has the feeling McDonald thinks he is pretty cool and that his film is pretty cool stuff. It is a good thing he is a confident director, as his watchable film is inventive in certain places.

But the film is too weird, pretty much like its characters and all over the place.

Free logline submissions. The Writing Festival network averages over 95,000 unique visitors a day.

Great way to get your story out: http://www.wildsound.ca/logline.html

Deadlines to Submit your Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival:http://www.wildsound.ca

Watch recent Writing Festival Videos. At least 15 winning videos a month: http://www.wildsoundfestival.com

TIFF 2016 Movie Review: LE CIEL FLAMAND (FLEMISH HEAVEN) (Belgium 2016)

festreviews 2016 movies , , , , ,

Movie Reviews of films that will be playing at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) in 2016. Go to TIFF 2016 Movie Reviews and read reviews of films showing at the festival.

le_ciel_flamand_posterLE CIEL FLAMAND (FLEMISH HEAVEN) (Belgium 2016) **
Directed by Peter Monsaert

Starring: Sara Vertongen, Wim Willaert, Esra Vandenbussche

Review by Gilbert Seah

Twin stories are told in writer/director Monsaert’s second feature set around the events at a local brothel called LE CIEL FLAMAND. One is the rearing of little Sylvie, the 6-year old daughter of the owner Monique who works there together with her own mother.

The brothel has been passed down through generations though it is falling apart, business-wise. Monique is shown as both a smart businesswoman and mother. She keeps the sex acts from Sylvie.

The film’s most amusing segment has Sylvie questioning her mother where babies come from. But when Sylvie appears to be sexually assaulted, things become extremely tense. Uncle Dirk is suspect but it is he who eventually finds the culprit.

All the events are set, ironically at Christmas time, when the joy of Christmas carols is in the air. The performances are excellent, especially those of real mother and daughter Sara Vertongen and Esra Vandenbussche. But the film’s trouble is director Monsaert trying to polish his film with metaphors and ends up becoming confusing and annoying.

An example is the puzzling last scene when Uncle Dirk uses a rope, initially thought for the making of a noose, that turns out to be the two parts of a swing he is making.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5FM0pOaSF4

Free logline submissions. The Writing Festival network averages over 95,000 unique visitors a day.

Great way to get your story out: http://www.wildsound.ca/logline.html

Deadlines to Submit your Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival:http://www.wildsound.ca

Watch recent Writing Festival Videos. At least 15 winning videos a month: http://www.wildsoundfestival.com

TIFF 2016 Movie Review: ARRIVAL (USA 2016) ****

festreviews 2016 movies, movie, Movie Review, TIFF 2016 Movie Reviews , , , , , ,

Movie Reviews of films that will be playing at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) in 2016. Go to TIFF 2016 Movie Reviews and read reviews of films showing at the festival.

arrival_poster.jpgARRIVAL (USA 2016) ****
Directed by Denis Villeneuve

Starring: Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker

Review by Gilbert Seah

Finally arrives a sci-fi futuristic alien film without the blow ups, collapsing buildings and end of the world scenario. Well, all of the above might still happen but it is up to theoretical physicist, Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner) and linguistics expert, Dr. Louise Banks (Amy Adams0 to find out the purpose of the landings.

The landings occur at 12 different locations around the globe and there is a reason for that. Director Villeneuve (PRISONERS, ENEMY) builds up the suspense carefully aided by Jóhann Jóhannsson’s captivating score, unique set design by Patrice Vermette and cinematography by Bradford Young. But it is surprising that the best part of the film is the simple shot segment of Dr. Louise’s explanation of what it means to communicate the question: “What is the purpose of your visit?” to the visitors.

Every word and even the question mark and the pronoun you (singular or collective?) might have different meanings. The non-linearity of time is also a neat concept that is also examined.

The title ARRIVAL in the film, could also refer to two things – the arrival of the visitors or the birth of Dr. Louise’s baby.

ARRIVAL is a fascinating film on all counts.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFMo3UJ4B4g

Free logline submissions. The Writing Festival network averages over 95,000 unique visitors a day.

Great way to get your story out: http://www.wildsound.ca/logline.html

Deadlines to Submit your Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival:http://www.wildsound.ca

Watch recent Writing Festival Videos. At least 15 winning videos a month: http://www.wildsoundfestival.com

Happy Birthday: Roddy McDowall (1928–1998)

festreviews Happy Birthday , ,

roddymcdowall.jpgRoddy McDowall (1928–1998)

Born: September 17, 1928 in Herne Hill, London, England, UK
Died: October 3, 1998 (age 70) in Studio City, Los Angeles, California, USA

[on Mia Farrow] Trying to describe Mia is like trying to describe dust in a shaft of sunlight. There are all those particles. Her conversation is clotted.

[in 1968, on his career] . . . totally isolated, really suffocating. As a child, I was always lied to about myself and about the world.

OVERBOARD
1987
dir. Garry Marshall
Starring
Goldie Hawn
Kurt Russell
PLANET OF THE APESPlanet of the Apes
1968
dir. Franklin J. Schaffner
Starring
Charlton Heston
Roddy McDowall
Beneath the Planet of the Apes
1970
dir. Ted Post
Starring
James Franciscus
Kim Hunter
CONQUEST THE PLANET OF THE APESConquest of the Planet of the Apes
1972
dir. J. Lee Thompson
Starring:
Roddy McDowall
Don Murray		 battle for the THE PLANET OF THE APESBattle for the Planet of the Apes
1972
dir. J. Lee Thompson
Starring:
Roddy McDowall
Claude Akins
MOVIE POSTERTHE LONGEST DAY
1962
dir. Ken Annakin
Andrew Marton
Bernhard Wicki

 

Happy Birthday: Neill Blomkamp

festreviews Happy Birthday , ,

neillblomkamp.jpgNeill Blomkamp

Born: September 17, 1979 in Johannesburg, South Africa

I don’t put any pressure on myself in terms of what people or fans do or don’t want. It really just doesn’t occur to me. I honestly just want to make the films I want to see as a fan. The film will survive or fail in my mind by how much I like it. Having said that, everyone wants their films to do well and to be well-received.

ELYSIUM
2013
dir. Neill Blomkamp
Stars:
Matt Damon
Jodie Foster

DISTRICT 9 Movie PosterDistrict 9
dir. Neill Blomkamp
Starring
Sharlto Copley
David James

 

Happy Birthday: Paul Feig

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paulfeig.jpgPaul Feig

Born: September 17, 1962 in Mount Clemens, Michigan, USA

Married to: Laurie Karon (23 September 1994 – present)

What’s great about the geek spirit is that life never seems to stop us, and they never seem to kill our enthusiasm, our optimism and our hunger to experience the world. We keep our sense of humor, we protect our dignity, we talk to our friends about the experience and then we start again fresh the very next day.

BRIDESMAIDS
dir. Paul Feig
Stars:
Kristen Wiig
Maya Rudolph
actorARRESTED DEVELOPMENT Season 1
2003-2004
Stars
Jason Bateman
Michael Cera
ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT Season 2
2004-2005
Stars
Portia de Rossi
Will Arnett		 MOVIE POSTERTHE HEAT
2013
dir. Paul Feig
Stars:
Sandra Bullock
Melissa McCarthy
actorARRESTED DEVELOPMENT Season 2
2004-2005
Stars
Portia de Rossi
Will Arnett

 

Happy Birthday: Bryan Singer

festreviews Happy Birthday , ,

bryansinger.jpgBryan Singer

Born: September 17, 1965 in New York City, New York, USA

One thing that interests me is the notion of ancient mutants. What would people, thousands of years ago, without the benefit of science, think mutants were? And more importantly, what would mutants, thousands of years ago, think they were? Gods? Titans? Angels? Demons? And if such mutants did exist thousands of years ago, what became of them? Did one survive?

X-Men
2000
dir. Singer
starring
Hugh Jackman
Patrick Stewart		 x-menX-Men 2
2003
dir. Singer
starring
Famke Jenson
Halie Berry
Superman ReturnsSuperman Returns
2006
dir. by Singer
starring
Kate Bosworth
Brandon Routh
Kevin Spacey		 ValkyrieValkyrie
Singer
Starring
Tom Cruise
Tom Wilkinson
MOVIE POSTERJACK THE GIANT SLAYER
2013
dir. Bryan Singer
Stars:
Nicholas Hoult
Stanley Tucci		 MOVIE POSTERX-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST
2014
dir. Bryan Singer
Patrick Stewart
Ian McKellen

Happy Birthday: Baz Luhrmann

festreviews Happy Birthday , ,

bazluhrmann.jpgBaz Luhrmann

Born: September 17, 1962 in New South Wales, Australia

Married to: Catherine Martin (26 January 1997 – present) (2 children)

All the films I make are about 60% of what I imagine them to be.

[on his version of ‘The Great Gatsby’] The novel wasn’t set in in a period called ‘The Minimal Twenties’. It was called ‘The Roaring Twenties’. So it had to roar.

Moulin Rouge
2001
dir. Luhrmann
Starring
Ewan Mcgregor
Nicole Kidman
AustraliaAustralia
2007
dir. Luhrmann
Starring
Nicole Kidman
Hugh Jackman

ROMEO AND JULIET
1996
dir. Baz Luhrmann
Stars:
Leonardo DiCaprio
Claire Danes		 MOVIE POSTERTHE GREAT GATSBY
dir. Baz Luhrmann