2016 movies

TIFF 2016 Movie Review: THE SALESMAN (Iran/France 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.

the_salesman_poster.jpgTHE SALESMAN (Iran/France 2016) ***
Directed by Asghar Farhadi

Starring: Shahab Hosseini, Taraneh Alidoosti, Babak Karimi

Review by Gilbert Seah

Can Asghar Farhadi ever make a bad movie? His first UNE SEPARATION won the Oscar for Best Foreign film and his latest THE SALESMAN won the Best Screenplay and Best Actor prizes at Cannes this year.

The title comes from the Arthur Miller play DEATH OF A SALESMAN that the protagonist, a high-school teacher is putting up. His wife has just been assaulted in the shower by a stranger and the husband wants revenge. Obviously there is a parallel between the characters in the Miller play and the film.

Director Farhadi always injects a dose of suspense in his films, Hitchcock style no matter what the premise of the film is. Like a Hitchcock film, the climax reveals all, and is unexpected. But the prize performance belongs to Babak Karimi who plays the assaulter.

Lots of detective work done by the husband to discover the assaulter which should delight Hitchcock fans. But the film contains a few too many unrelated incidents that could have been left out- like the evacuation of the building at the film’s start.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VcfinMasfw

 

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TIFF 2016 Movie Review: BEAUTIES OF THE NIGHT (BELLAS DE NOCHE) (Mexico 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.

beauties_of_the_night_poster.jpg
BEAUTIES OF THE NIGHT (BELLAS DE NOCHE) (Mexico 2016) **
Directed by María José Cuevas

Starring: Rossy Mendoza, Lyn May, Olga Breeskin

Review by Gilbert Seah

Director Cuevas’ documentary on Mexican showgirls (the women who found notoriety by showing a little skin in movies and on TV) follows a few of them, now past their prime, talking about their past glories and present lives. There is nothing special about this documentary in terms of message, research done on the subject or insight on the showbiz industry. It appears that director Cuevas is just as guilty of exploiting these poor girls to make his documentary.

The film is also at most times all over the place. For example, Seux talks about her life crumbling like the 1985 Mexican earthquake, and Cuevas provides a still of the earthquake. There is also a bit about Princess Yemel imprisoned for two years.

She talks about the horrible treatment there – enough to make any decent person feel uneasy. There are a few moments of interest – as the showgirls’ lives are not all dull (with the exception of the born-again Christianity portion) – Cuevas’ documentary is quite ordinary – like his showgirls, all of whom are nothing more than normal people given the chance of the limelight.

Trailer: https://vimeo.com/161997817

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THE WILD LIFE (ROBINSON CRUSOE) (Belgium 2015) ***

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the_wild_lifeTHE WILD LIFE (ROBINSON CRUSOE) (Belgium 2015) ***

Directed by Vincent Kesteloot

Starring: Matthias Schweighöfer, Kaya Yanar, Ilka Bessin

Review by Gilbert Seah

ROBINSON CRUSOE is a 2015 Belgium animated feature shot originally in French and dubbed in English and released by Lionsgate in Canada under the different title of THE WILD LIFE. As the title implies, it is the story of Robinson Crusoe – the untold story as told by the animals of the island Crusoe gets shipwrecked on. Crusoe is depicted as a clumsy clot, aided by the animals of the island in gratitude for saving them from the mean cats.

The story is told in flashback by the parrot who gives the story his point of view. On a tiny isolated South Pacific Island, Mak, the parrot and his friends live the perfect life. Blue skies, beautiful turquoise water, and lots of delicious fruit and crunchy insects. But every day is the same and Mak is really bored. Convinced there is more than just water over the horizon, he dreams of leaving his little paradise and exploring the world. Then one day, after a violent tropical storm, they wake up to find a huge ship broken up on the beach.

Two strange creatures emerge from the bowels of the shipwreck: Robinson Crusoe and his dog Aynsley. Unbeknownst to everyone, two ferocious cats have also survived the storm. The rest of the film is Crusoe and animals surviving the invasion of the two cats who have now sprouted a litter of equally ferocious and ugly kittens.

THE WILD LIFE cannot compete with the superior animation of Pixar or Disney Studios. But given its limitations, the animation is still solid, with 3-dimensional figures (as compared to the 2-D old school) that are now a staple for animated films. The inventiveness like the maze of pipes in Crusoe’s house is a wonder and the chase around the plumbing is sheer delight.

The film suffers from not having a true villain. The scavenger cats make ugly villains, but having the pa and ma felines having a hungry litter only make them more sympathetic than evil. The disposal of Crusoe’s dog is sad and would scare kids. Apart form this, most of the action is harmless fun with no real terror, violence or hint of foul language.

The film’s humour is derived from animal slapstick, chases and dumb talk. Adults will find the humour childish but the kids should be having a field day. The film also contains a few catchy tunes, just enough not to bore the audience. The film also contains a message (seems to be a staple for all animated family films these days) which is that home is where you make it – as the parrot learns.

The European touch is evident throughout the film. For one, the animals on the island make up a strange bunch, not too well known animals as found in American animal films. Besides the common parrot, other lesser known animals that make the cast include a tapir, an echidna and a chameleon. The voices are provided by an European cast for the French version and Americans for the dubbed version.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dyAWBMF6bE

Movie Review: FOOTPRINTS (2016)

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MOVIE POSTERFOOTPRINTS, 13min, Canada, Horror/Family
Directed by Kevin Saycharuen

Deep in the forest, Cahng, an injured hunter searches for his family who are being haunted by a supernatural force.

Seen at the August 2016 HORROR/THRILLER FEEDBACK Film Festival in Toronto.

Movie Review by Kierston Drier

Footprints, a Canadian film by Kevin Saycharuen, will surprise an audience at first with its’ exceptional attention to cinematic details and a level of luminous colour and brightness that is not characteristic of a traditional Horror. Cahng, an injured hunter lost in the forest, seems compelled to track down the monstrous beast that has ruthlessly murdered his wife and child. He is tortured by their absence, plagued by visions and nightmares of them, and appears to be constantly falling in and out of delusions including them.

One tradition that is held onto with stunning effectiveness is that the audience never sees the monster. It can be heard, and often palpably felt- but we are only once ever shown anything remotely supernatural, in the form of a sort of demon ghost who briefly appears in lieu of Cahng’s missing son.

There are cinematic moments in this piece that are no less than stunning. There are breath-taking moments of utter natural beauty that capture of the setting of the forest that truly make us feel that monster in this film lurks somewhere within the disconnect humans have put between themselves and nature. However the demon that is responsible for Cahng’s tragedy is not within the forest- it is within himself.

Footprints is not a clear film. It is debatable if the plot is linear. The pay-off, while impressive, does not answer all the questions the audience is bound to have by the end of the film. Yet, Saycharuen’s work has a poignancy to it that stirs deep, primal emotions in those who watch. It is a true piece of cinema, a true piece of art, in the sense that is leave us with more questions than answers.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video of the short film:

Movie Review: KADDISH! (2016)

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MOVIE POSTERKADDISH!, 6min, France, Horror/Comedy
Directed by Emeline Castaneda

When, on his way back home, a man stops at a motorway service area, he did not imagine that by talking to his urinal’s neighbor, it will trigger some terrible events.

Seen at the August 2016 HORROR/THRILLER FEEDBACK Film Festival in Toronto.

Movie Review by Kierston Drier

Kaddish! directed by Emeline Castaneda, is an absolute delight. Engaging, immediately suspenseful and unflatteringly hilarious, it is an example of the element of surprise doing everything a horror-comedy film should do.

It must be noted that horror-comedy as a genre is one of the hardest sub genres to execute without latching on the comfort of cinematic cliches, and yet Kaddish! does this flawlessly. With undeniably originality, Castaneda is able to weave tradition, religion, ethnicity, suspense, humour, music and zombies (yes, zombies.) into six minutes of your life well spent.

Kaddish! follows our devoutly Jewish and incredibly compassionate hero as he makes the unfortunate discovery that the man at the urinal beside him is a Neo-Nazi, and decides to put his fate in Gods’ hands. And God responds with a standing ovation. This knowledge alone was enough to make me grab my popcorn and watch this film- please, do the same.

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Movie Review: PREFERENTIAL OPERATION (2016)

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MOVIE POSTERPREFERENTIAL OPERATION, 20min, Spain, Thriller/Drama
Directed by Roger Comella & Carles Velat

Four masked men kidnap the director of a bank branch in an unremarkable town. They put him in a van and ask him 90,000 euro from his own pocket.

Seen at the August 2016 HORROR/THRILLER FEEDBACK Film Festival in Toronto.

Movie Review by Kierston Drier

Directed by Roger Comella and Carles Velat, Preferential Operation is a complex cinematic piece on several levels. Part suspense thriller, part tragedy, part comedy, the film can be hard to place into a single genre- but it nevertheless entertains on all fronts.

Our story starts on a local bank operator, openly disliked in the community, who is kidnapped on his way to work and subsequently interrogated and tortured by four masked invaders. Audience sympathy at first aligns with our hero, who, may be arguably overacting, succeeds in conveying his terror at the situation. As the story unfolds however, it becomes clear these masked men are previous victims of our bankers purposeful financial wrong-doings.

This piece is powerfully shot and our four masked “villains” are exceptionally well casted.

The piece is undoubtedly compelling, its plot is alluring and, most heartbreakingly, it is inspired by true events. It can be argued perhaps, that the film’s middle act falls slightly flat and that the conjunction of slap-stick style comic elements mixed with the psychological thriller/horror genre creates a non cohesive dichotomy.

However, this reviewer would counter that Preferential Operation is painting a picture with an intentional contrasting palate in order to create a more vibrant final image. An intense film? Absolutely. And whether it speaks to your personal cinematic tastes or not, certainly worth a film-goers time.

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Movie Review: DON’T LET THEM IN (2016)

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MOVIE POSTERDON’T LET THEM IN, 13min, US, Horror/Thriller
Directed by David Lawrence

Dan Metzger, a struggling author, consumed with the urban legend of the Black Eyed Kids, fears his obsession has led their evil to his door.

Seen at the August 2016 HORROR/THRILLER FEEDBACK Film Festival in Toronto.

Movie Review by Kierston Drier

Don’t Let Them In is a classic supernatural horror that delivers exactly what it promises – thrills, chills and CGI skills- all bundled together in 10-15 minute pocket of entertainment.

After a somewhat confusing opening scene which sets the stage for creepiness, the story opens on a glamorous well-to-do couple in a loving, but possibly stale marriage.

Our hero is writer working on his next big break and, while showering upstairs in their home, his wife is befallen by terrifying evil of some hideous sort.

The film harkens back to a standard set of classic tropes for horror films- the unknown power, the unseen enemy, the danger in the knock at the door you aren’t expecting. Don’t Let Them In may not offer anything new and unheard of to the genre of horror, but it is nevertheless tense, thrilling and suitable scary.

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Movie Review: A FILM BY VERA VAUGHN (2016)

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MOVIE POSTERA FILM BY VERA VAUGHN, 10min, USA, Thriller/Sci-Fi
Directed by Sorrel Brae

In this supernatural digital-age thriller, a filmmaker falls through the looking glass when she must face her own terrifying creation.

Seen at the August 2016 HORROR/THRILLER FEEDBACK Film Festival in Toronto.

Movie Review by Kierston Drier

Artfully shot, beautifully edited, high-intensity and highly compelling, Sorret Brae’s A Film By Vera Vaughn is a high-concept dual tale of a woman who winds up trapped in her own movie. (Or possibly trapped in someone else’s?) The story itself is hard to follow, but manages to be so utterly intense and compelling, it is difficult to care too deeply about the unanswered questions in the plot.

The plot’s structure may lack some basic skeletal features, but it does not mean the film lacks depth- on the contrary, the film has several layers of horror-thriller convention behind a supernatural element of unreality; the creepy light that keeps flickering in the hallway, the weird cameras’ that catch things they shouldn’t, the uncanny feeling you are always being watched- all expertly synchronized together to create an engaging tale of intensity.

Even though the film makes one walk away with some basic head scratching, it creates a sense of a movie well made- a feat of triumph for any short film.

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Movie Review: DO NOT DISTURB (2016)

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MOVIE POSTERDO NOT DISTURB, 13min, UK, Thriller
Directed by Jon James Smith

George takes a detour on his way home from the office, which sets off a dark tale of lies and confusion.

Seen at the August 2016 HORROR/THRILLER FEEDBACK Film Festival in Toronto.

Movie Review by Kierston Drier

Do Not Disturb directed by Jon James Smith, is a compelling piece, composed of endless twists, turns and red herrings. Expertly shot, with keen focus and attention to detail, the piece follows a man’s untimely death and the intrigue that follows his mysterious end.

Smiths’ work is undoubtedly engaging- catching the viewer from the very first moments of screen time. The piece also employs interesting characters, compelling details, passion, and yes, even the occasional chuckle.

Where Do Not Disturb becomes troubled, perhaps, is that the plot is so rich, so detailed and so contingent on certain characters moving the story forward, there are moments where the plot gets confusing. Too meaty a story in too short a time, the film has the air or far too much matter condensed into too small a space. Smith’s work Do Not Disturb is definitely worth a watch, but it may take you two, or three to catch every nuance.

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TIFF 2016 Movie Review: THE WEDDING RING (Niger/ Burkina Faso / France 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.

THE WEDDING RING (Niger/ Burkina Faso / France 2016) **
Directed by Rahmatou Keïta

Starring: Aïchatou Lamine Fofana, Aïchatou Moussa, Magaajyia Silberfeld

Review by Gilbert Seah

The director’s second feature offers a female perspective on love, marriage and customs as seen by the Niger’s Zarma Songhay people. The people wear colourful robes and live in a fairly tale land (like the famous African film MOOLADE) of colours and customs where royalty and miracles can happen.

The story revolves around Tiyaa (Magaajyia Silberfeld), a princess of sorts of aristocratic birth, whoshould have the world at her feet when she returns home to the Sultinate of Zinder after completing her degree abroad.

But Tiyaa is aimless and burdened by the pain of a lost love. In the absence of any better idea, she reluctantly seeks counsel from a zimma, a Zarma Songhay wise man who seeks answers to life’s mysteries in the elements.

The film traces her path as she turns her forlorn love back to happiness. This is a simple film with a simple plot and the enjoyment of the film comes from sitting back and enjoying the colourful tale unfold.

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