2017 movies

Film Review: ROUGH NIGHT (USA 2017) ***

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rough_nightThings go terribly wrong for a group of girlfriends who hire a male stripper for a bachelorette party in Miami.

Director: Lucia Aniello
Writers: Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs
Stars: Scarlett Johansson, Kate McKinnon, Zoë Kravitz

 ROUGH NIGHT is that rare chick flick that has sufficient material to satisfy both female and male audiences. Besides the bride-to-be and friends, the film also devotes a fair amount of time to the groom-to-be and his friends. The ending has everyone celebrating the wedding. This is expected in a Hollywood happy ending, so no spoiler is intended.

There are a few things that promises a satisfying comedy. One is the script that was one of the 2015 blacklisted scripts, which usually means a script that matters. The other is that the film is a first effort from female director Aniello, which means she will try her very best to prove herself, never mind a few mistakes mentioned below in this review. It is also about time a film emerged that looked at a female point of view of the HANGOVER films.

The film opens with the college days where five best friends (Scarlett Johansson, Kate McKinnon, Jillian Bell, Ilana Glazer, and Zoë Kravitz) connect at a fraternity drink party. It is 10 years later when they reunite for a wild bachelorette weekend in Miami. During their hard partying, they accidentally kill a male stripper. Amidst the craziness of trying to conceal their deed, they are ultimately brought closer together where it matters most.

The film has quite a few genuinely hilarious comedic set-ups, but there are quite a few misses as well. For comedy, director Aniello commits three mistakes, which could be considered forgivable considering that this is her debut feature and also that the funny parts make up for these mistakes. One big mistake in comedy is the explaining of a joke. During the airport scene where Alice cracks open a champagne bottle to the sound of a loud pop, everyone dives to the ground thinking it to be a gunshot. Alice remarks after, “Popping the bottle sounds like a shot and we are at the airport.”

The tampon joke is also one that is understood by both male and female. The rule is to never explain a joke. Another is the repeating of a joke. This happens when Alice toasts Jess at a dance club when Pippa pops up a piece of toast as she does not have a drink. This is done three times. The third mistake is trying too hard on a joke that is essentially a failure. This occurs in the scene where the group says solemn words and saying ok , “Dump the body”, before disposing the body of the dancer. The film also falls into the trap of stereotyping – example the activist is a lesbian.

To the film’s credit, the comedic set-ups are related and move smoothly towards the climax of the film, which is the wedding, For the few thrilling parts where the five friends have to tackle the diamond robbers, director Aniello proves her competence at thrills in keeping her audience at the edge of their seats.

Of the five actresses, SNL’s Kate McKinnon succeeds as the funniest of the lot, believable as an Australian with her accent. Jillian Bell comes a close second as the chief troublemaker Scarlett Johansson proves herself apt here in comedy as in other genres like action flicks (LUCY and GHOST IN THE SHELL), art horror (UNDER THE SKIN) and Woody Allen romantic drama comedies (VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA and MATCH POINT).

Despite the film’s flaws, ROUGH NIGHT thankfully succeeds as a satisfying comedy for both sexes. There are enough off-coloured jokes, foul language, tasteful sexual innuendo (the vibrating dildo) and a few messages about the importance of friendships (cliched though they may be) that result in a satisfying hilarious night out.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jRNDOZnGKU

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Film Review: THE HERO (USA 2017) **

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the_heroAn ailing movie star comes to terms with his past and mortality.

Director: Brett Haley
Writers: Brett Haley, Marc Basch
Stars: Sam Elliott, Laura Prepon, Krysten Ritter

 THE HERO is directed by Brett Haley who also directed I’LL SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS another romantic drama with a senior protagonist. THE HERO is a more serious venture as its main character an ageing star called Lee Hayden (Sam Elliot) has just diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and he has to comes to terms with his life and legacy.

When THE HERO begins, Lee Hayden stands on the beach watching the waves of the ocean roll on shore. It is a familiar scene to those familiar with the films of Sam Elliot. That scene is reminiscent of one of Elliot’s most successful films – THE LIFEGUARD in which he plays the title role of a lifeguard. He sports the same bushy moustache in that film as in THE HERO, a facial feature that made his Lee Hayden character famous.

THE HERO begins on a very pessimistic note. Besides just being diagnosed with cancer, Lee is a listless character, always smoking weed or getting high on mushrooms. He is trying to come to grip with his relationship with his daughter Lucy (Krysten Ritter). He does the odd commercial (like the BBQ sauce radio commercial that bookends the story). The rest of the time is spent hanging out with his drug dealer buddy.

When things get this bad, nothing can get worse. So when Lee finds a girl half his age responding to his request of a date, he slowly gets his spirits uplifted. The two eventually end up in bed. At this point in the film, the film’s pessimism disappears. And one can see why. It is an ageing man’s fantasy to have a young girl fall in love (and having sex) with him. But when he visits her at a club doing stand-up comedy, her jokes on making love with an older man turns him off understandably, and he storms off.

At one point in the film the two attend his life achievement award presentation. His speech goes viral giving him instant fame for a short period of time. He gets a film audition which he goes to read a script. The script concerns a father being rejected by his daughter, obviously a reflection of what is happening to Lee in real life. As expected, he cannot go through reading the script emotionally, breaking down and losing the part.

It is unclear where Haley’s film is leading only till the very last third of the film. It is frustrating to watch the film go from pessimism to optimism back to pessimism and then hope again. Lee’s speech at his achievement awards ceremony is preachy, him talking about life and people being grains of sand – enough of the metaphors.

The biggest metaphor of all is the film reflecting the real life of actor Sam Elliot. Elliot is himself a character just like Lee Hayden, fairly but no too famous whose life body of films could have gotten him a lifetime achievement award in some small film community.

THE HERO ends up as another sad feature about an old fart who should but cannot get a hold of his own life. It is difficult to feel sympathetic for someone who smokes weed half the time and fails to meet up with expectations when given a second chance.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiKtUnI0u4U

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Film Review: THE SKYJACKER’S TALE (Canada 2016) ***

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THE SKYJACKER_S TALEAfter five citizens of the Virgin Islands are convicted in the 1970s of a massacre at one of the island’s fancy country clubs, their ostensible leader stages a skyjacking and escapes to Cuba.

Director: Jamie Kastner
Writer: Jamie Kastner
Stars: Ishmael Muslim Ali, Isabella Carr, Bradley Gordon

Review by Gilbert Seah
 
These two years have seen a presence of excellent African American films including the Best Film Oscar winner, MOONLIGHT. The documentary THE SKYJACKER’S TALE is one of them, telling the little known story of Ishmael Muslim Ali (aka LaBeet). The film’s timing is perfect as Kastner captures Ali’s first interview since his hijacking.

Kastner cautiously plays both sides. Kastner makes it clear that Ali had been sentenced to 8 years lifetime imprisonment to be served consecutively – whatever that means. Ali was brutally tortured in jail too. So when he was transported on an American Airlines plane, it would only seem natural for him to try an escape. After all what has he to lose, but lots to gain?

The two reenactments of the massacre of the 8 people at the St. Crois’ Fountain Valley golf course (which Ali was convicted of) in he Virgin Islands and the plane hijacking make this documentary are exciting as any action fiction feature. And this is the real thing.

There are many reasons and much to enjoy in Kastner’s documentary. For one, it is short at 76 minutes and to the point. It is exciting and based on true events. The subject has his say in the interview, from start to the end of the film. Kastner shifts the audience’s point of view of the man. In the start, he is described by others as a terrorist, a truly evil person and a killer. By the end of the film, the audience sees a different person – one that is totally mistreated by society. Ali has a dream of escaping and it is difficult not to side with someone who lives up to his dream.

Kastner has also assembled an impressive list of interviewees to aid the film’s credibility. Among them are the police officials (who admit to torturing Ali), the St Crois prison guards, the prosecutor and defendant lawyers. For the hijacking, Kastner also got the pilot, flight attendant and a passenger to talk on camera.

The film is not without humour. The film ends on a funny note where Ali reveals how he smuggled the gun from prison on to the plane through the metal detectors.

As stated by one of the talking heads in the film, the issue at hand is not whether Ali was guilty of the crime. The issue was the wrong-doing done by the justice system and the prison authorities and guards – especially the torture of hanging the men from the trees, using electric cattle prods and water torture.

By the end of the film, the audience is totally on the side of Ali, hoping he is successful in his escape to Cuba. This he was. When imprisoned in Cuba for the hijacking, he claims on interview that he was glad to be imprisoned in Cuba, away from the f***ing Americans.

After the opening of this disturbing document of injustice done on the black people, the coming week will see the equally arousing bio-pic of the true story of rap singer Tupac (ALL EYEZ ON ME) who was shot dead at the age of 25. He too was imprisoned and tortured in prison.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ydbAhwJ4MI&feature=youtu.be

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Film Review: CARS 3 (USA 2017)

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cars 3Lightning McQueen sets out to prove to a new generation of racers that he’s still the best race car in the world.

Director: Brian Fee

Stars: Owen Wilson, Cristela Alonzo, Chris Cooper, Nathan Fillion, Armie Hammer

Review by Gilbert Seah

CARS 3 is the debut animated feature by Brian Fee, the storyboard artist of the other two CARS films and a few other Disney features. As this is a film that Fee has something to prove, the animation is as expected top-notch, as in all the Disney/Pixar films.

The trailer of CARS 3 which shows racing car Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) wiping out on a banked racetrack with a fade to black and voiceover promising that things will be different, many will be expecting a blacker sequel and one that would prove more interesting than the other two trivial CARS films. Not so. The terrible crash is just the catalyst for McQueen to want to race again to prove himself. So, there is the usual predictable stuff such as: “You have it in you.” You can prove yourself.” etc. etc. So, all hopes for a blacker CARS film are torn to bits.

The film features a next generation of race cars that includes Jackson Storm (Armie Hammer). The cars in the film begin questioning if the famous Lightning McQueen will throw in the towel after he endured a terrible crash. McQueen’s sponsor, Rust-eze, is bought by Sterling (Nathan Fillion), a car who thinks McQueen cannot maintain his image by racing. Lightning asks for a chance to race in the Florida 500 and begins to train with race technician Cruz Ramirez (Cristela Alonzo), who’s always had her own racing dreams. That pretty sums up a plot that not many can get excited with.

The same problem of animation of cars till exists in all the CARS franchise. Cars are inanimate objects with no limbs nor faces. So it is more difficult to animate cars – to give them expressions and make them distinguishable one from another. A tactic is of course, as used by the animators, is to make the colours bright and different or have different car types on display such as tow trucks.

It is also difficult to get excited over one cartoon car wining a race against another cartoon car. Or for one cartoon car to fall in love with another or feel anything towards a jealous car.

CARS undoubtedly has good animation. The audience can feel the thunder of the race as the audience is given a drivers-look of a race. But the film lacks the humour (goofy or otherwise) and inventiveness that help films like the recent CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS and BOSS BABY become memorable.
THE CARS films have not made the Studios that much money compared to the other animated features. But more than a fair income comes from the share of the toy franchise. So, do not expect much from CARS 3. For it is he same old stuff. Unless one is interested in the animation process, CARS 3 is nothing more than one dull drag of a race.

But wait! There is a short animated feature called LOU preceding CARS. It involves a schoolyard bully who learns that being nice conquers all. The largely silent LOU is smart, well animated, inventive and funny. It subtly teaches kids that bullying is just not cool. Rating for LOU: ****

****
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4K7JgPJ8-s

 

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Film Review: THE B-SIDE: ELSA DORFMAN’S PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY (USA 2017) ***

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the b sideA look at the life and work of photographer Elsa Dorfman.

Director: Errol Morris
Star: Elsa Dorfman

Review by Gilbert Seah
 
The B-SIDE displays documentarian Errol Morris, known for his darker subjects like MR. DEATH and THE FOG OF WAR in lighter mode with Polaroid Artist, an always cheery Elsa Dorfman.

Elsa Dorfman, the subject of Errol Morris’s new documentary appears at the film’s start, in light mode, at her Cambridge, Massachusetts studio talking to the camera. The telephone rings at the midst of her talking and she asks whether she should answer the phone. She is given the ok and ends up speaking to both the person on the telephone and to the audience. The B-SIDE is a documentary about photographer portraitist Elsa Dorfman. Dorfman who used the large-size Polaroid 20”x24” camera for over 30 years to take thousands of portraits, including those of old friends like poet Allen Ginsberg and singer Jonathan Richman. Other famous people photographed include Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Robert Lowell, W.H. Auden. Now 80 (late 70s when the film was shot), she opens up her archives and memories.

The film takes its title from the music industry term “b-side.” When using the Polaroid camera, Dorman would take two photos, keeping the rejected one for herself. Sometimes the b-side can surprise.
Most of the screen time is devoted to her talking about her life and work as well as answering questions asked on camera by Morris. The film has a causal easy-going look, but the material is in no way compromised. Morris gets as much material into his documentary this way.

Unlike many documentaries, Morris does not include many talking heads. The only person doing the talking is Elsa Dorman herself.

Elsa is a person who giggles a lot on screen, like a schoolgirl. Though irritating at the beginning, her mannerisms slowly grows on you. Elsa eventually comes across as a pleasant and clever person who deserves to have her say, even of herself rather than having others talk about her.
Elsa is shown to be quite opinionated. She openly displays her disgust at the buyers of the Polaroid Company when it went bankrupt due to technology. She always considers herself as a nice Jewish girl.

Much can be told about her character and about her relationships from her sayings. She mentioned that her husband would pose for her regardless of how busy he is, even though he might only wish her a Happy Birthday at the end of the day. But this shows a lot – that Harvey and Elsa are truly in love as he would go out of the way to pose for her whew asked. She also mentioned a really bad day, the one on the telephone when her father died and mother said goodbye to him.

Music includes a song Broken Blue Bones, written and performed by Allan Ginsberg. Ginsberg, a close friend of Elsa, is featured in many of her photographs. Ginsberg, given more screen time comported to others, definitely had an impact on her, as a friend and fellow artist.

As Elsa Dorfman is not that famous outside her circle – Morris’ film will give her some well deserved exposure, pardon the pun!

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

 

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Film Review: AWAKENING THE ZODIAC (Canada 2017)

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awakening the zodiacThe story follows a down-on-their-luck couple who discovers a serial killer’s film reels.

Director: Jonathan Wright
Writers: Jennifer Archer, Mike Horrigan
Stars: Shane West, Leslie Bibb, Matt Craven

Review by Gilbert Seah

The Zodiac killer, who threatened the San Francisco area was as famous as Jack the Ripper was in London, in the day which was not too long ago. Zodiac’s murders were accompanied by taunting letters to the police, along with evidence of the crimes. When Zodiac threatened to attack school busses, authorities had police cars follow the busses. But more important of all, Zodiac went further by accompanying his letters with ciphers, which he claimed contained clues to his identity. Zodiac is believed to have killed between 7 and 12 people in California between 1966 and 1971. The last Zodiac letter was received by police in 1974. This is where the film AWAKENING THE ZODIAC takes its inspiration.

Following history, police investigated over 2500 people but no one was ever arrested. One famous suspect was Editor Richard Gaiowski, and this person is referenced in the film.

It all begins when a down on their luck couple Mick Branson (Shane West) and Zoe (Leslie Bibb) discover a reel of what they think is the murderer’s tapes. This happens, when they pay for the contents of a storage locker, the owner of which defaulted on its contents after not paying the rental fees. This is a sorry excuse for the script, which never achieves the status of its source material. Mick and Zoe wish to split the $100,000 reward money with Harvey (Matt Craven) for what their think is relevant information on the Zodiac killer. Harvey is an encrypting expert and he can figure out the name of the killer since the killer’s name is supposed to be encrypted in his coded letters.

Mick, Zoe and Harvey investigate while the Zodiac killer strikes again. For all that the film is worth, director Wright’s film deteriorates into a slasher film in which it ends with the slasher, in this case the Zodiac killer, chasing after Zoe, running for dear life in the dark, while defending herself the best she can. There is nothing new in the climax of this film that has not been seen already in countless horror films.

The only fairly interesting thing about the story is the relationship of the couple. They are broke. Zoe keeps falling for Mick’s get rich quick schemes that either never work or are extremely dangerous. It is interesting to see how the couple have different reactions once disaster strikes. When the Zodiac killer appears for example, Zoe wants to to get out while Mick wishes to confront the killer head on with a baseball bat. Zoe is always mad at Mick but Mick can always calm her down with hints of sex. It is an interesting relationship, one which I am sure exists in many couples in which loser needs another loser in order to survive.

Harvey decrypts the code much too easily for comfort. If the police are unable to identify the Zodiac killer after investigating 2500 suspects, it is difficult to believe the killer’s identity compromised by the couple.

This is one of those weird films made in Canada based on American source material. The main leads are American while Craven is Canadian. The only well-known name in the cast is Stephen McHattie who plays the Zodiac killer.

As a thriller, AWAKENING THE ZODIAC is a pretty steady snooze.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0rtR2EQliE

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Film Review: THE MUMMY (USA 2017)

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the mummyAn ancient princess is awakened from her crypt beneath the desert, bringing with her malevolence grown over millennia, and terrors that defy human comprehension.

Director: Alex Kurtzman
Writers: David Koepp (screenplay), Christopher McQuarrie (screenplay)
Stars: Tom Cruise, Sofia Boutella, Annabelle Wallis, Russell Crowe

Review by Gilbert Seah

When THE MUMMY’s opening credits begin, the words Dark Universe appears instead of the studio name Universal on the company logo. THE MUMMY launches the studio’s Dark Universe, a shared cinematic universe of classic movie monsters.

Tom Cruise takes over the leading role from Brendan Fraser and Dwayne Johnson in this MUMMY re-boot that does not do any justice to the franchise. Cruise plays rebel soldier Nick Morton who steals ancient artifacts, while dressed like Indiana Jones. This runs him into trouble with an old Egyptian curse that the film spends a whole 15 minutes of opening time explaining.

It all starts way back when, when really bad Egyptian princess Ahmanet (Algerian actress, Sofia Boutella) murders her father and infant brother to usurp the throne. As if this is not bad enough, she consorts with some demon that can give her everlasting life. But she is caught and mummified as punishment with her body banished from Egypt. The silly plot has the audience believe that she is put in a tomb and buried underneath London, England where she is dug up when building new tunnels for London trains, thus unleasing some curse. That is THE MUMMY’s humour. If that is not enough silliness, the demon later possesses Nick Morton when Nick Morton attempts to save the day. Tom Cruise as a demon possessed character means Tom Cruise in hyper-active mode.

The tie in of ancient times to modern day activities is laughable. Morton is a soldier in Iraq where the enemy wants their cultural monuments destroyed. The other tie in is the modernization of London’s trains resulting is uncovering the tombs.
The climax of the film requires the director to show that the possessed Nick Morton resurrecting Jenny (Annabelle Wallis from THE TUDORS) instead of the evil princess. This segment is done in the most sloppy way ever.

At a production cost of $125 million, THE MUMMY is a complete mess. The story, pacing, acting (Cruise desperately trying to show he still has the chops), dialogue are all less than memorable. Director Kurtzman who has never made a blockbuster special effects movie deserves some credit for two well executed action segments. The plane crash action set-up, after Morton fires bullets in a plane causing it to crash due to cabin de-pressurization is well-executed with bodies and debris flying all around. The other scene, an underwater segment showing the undead skeletons swimming after Morton is impressive and stunning.

The final ending is totally incoherent. The script requires the Russell Crowe character to explain what is happening. The next scene has Nick Morton and partner riding their horses in the desert with a voiceover promising another sequel soon in the making. What is all this about with the horses, Morton’s possession and evil returning and some saying that it takes a monster to kill a monster?

At least four more monster movie reboots have already been planned for Universal’s Dark Universe including BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, THE INVISIBLE MAN, VAN HELSING and THE WOLF MAN. Judging from this horrid first entry, the fate of the films might follow the equally horrid DC’s extended universe films MAN OF STEEL, BATMAN V. SUPERMAN, SUICIDE SQUAD and the mediocre WONDER WOMAN. It looks like the mummy’s curse desperately needs to be broken.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjHgzkQM2Sg

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Film Review: CHURCHILL (UK 2017) ***

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churchill.jpgA ticking-clock thriller following Winston Churchill in the 96 hours before D-Day.

Director: Jonathan Teplitzky
Writer: Alex von Tunzelmann
Stars: Brian Cox, Miranda Richardson, John Slattery

Review by Gilbert Seah
 
CHURCHILL begins with the scene of an image of World War I and II Prime Minister Winston Churchill standing on an isolated beach. He imagines blood washed by the sea on its shores while his black bowler hat eventually floats out into the vast horizon. The scene is rich in metaphors while being solemn, setting the mood for a 2-hour film on a Winston Churchill most of the world do not know. It is a Churchill depicted as a bully, drunk and opinionated self-pitying cad.

It is the week before the planned D-Day landing on the beaches of Normandy which everyone knows led to the defeat of Germany in World War II. No one is aware of the victory of D-Day in the film, and the planning is set with uncertainty. Churchill, after his failure of the Gallipoli war which resulted in the loss of thousands of young British men, was intent not to let the mistake of leading thousands to their death happen again. So, he would stop the D-Day landing at all costs. But planning was already under way,. Everyone including Dwight D. Eisenhower (John Slattery) and Bernard Montgomery (Julian Wadham) believed that the landing would be instrumental in winning the War against the Nazis.

The trouble with this film is hat there is not much story but much repetition of the same storyline. Churchill is against the landing. He is shown the truth and he will only budge at the very end after learning that he had no choice. Still, the film still hails Churchill as a great man, as the title ‘the greatest Briton that ever lived’ is flashed on screen.

There are scenes that show Churchill at his worst. These include those where he is constantly pouring himself whisky and more so, when he takes it out on his secretary, screaming at her for little reason. The script, written by Alex von Tunzelmann is full of great oratorical speeches, which is expected as this is a story of a man who gave the great speeches.

British actor Brian Cox is nothing short of stunning in the title role of the Prime Minister. Cox is currently of the same age as Churchill during the time of the story. The supporting performances of Slattery and Wadham are also impressive. But arguably, the best performance comes surprisingly from Miranda Richardson as Clementine Churchill, his long suffering wife. She does not have the freedom of the luxury of leaving her husband no matter how tortured the marriage had become. The film emphasizes the importance of duty during the War.

CHURCHILL is a war drama without any battle scenes. It would serve as an effective prelude to the upcoming summer blockbuster DUNKIRK, directed by Christopher Nolan which reported is supposed to depict the horrific realities of the landing of the Allied forces on the Normandy beaches. CHURCHILL only hints of the horrors of the landing.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVOzMZ4IrMA

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Film Review: BEATRIZ AT DINNER (USA 2017) ***

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beatriz at dinnerA holistic medicine practitioner attends a wealthy client’s dinner party after her car breaks down.

Director: Miguel Arteta
Writer: Mike White
Stars: Salma Hayek, John Lithgow, Connie Britton

Review by Gilbert Seah

 
Director Miguel Arteta and scriptwriter Mike White have worked together many times and are famous for their quirky little gems, the most notable being their debut feature, CHUCK AND BUCK. Their latest film BEATRIZ AT DINNER, which opened Sundance continues the trend.

The film opens with shots of Breatriz (Salma Hayek) at her home. She owns a goat and dog, works at a Cancer Centre and is at home with nature and healing. Just as one would dismiss this woman, who believes in reincarnation and giving back to the planet as a new age floozy, director Arteta and scriptwriter White slowly and effectively wins her over to the audience’s side. This is partly due to pitting her against a real nasty opposite human being, one that delights in the sport of hunting, disposing of wild life and displacing innocent people form their homes, a filthy rich land developer called Doug Struut (John Lithgow).

It all starts, innocently enough when Beatriz gives wealthy client Cathy (Connie Britton) a massage at her home. When Beatriz’s car is unable to start, she is invited to stay for the husband Grant’s (David Warshofsky) company dinner party – a celebration of some big deal the company has succeeded in winning.

The dinner guests arrive one couple at a time. It is clear that Beatriz and the dinner guests are not of the same ‘human’ wavelength. Except for Cathy who has more respect and tolerance for Beatriz, because she has helped her family with their child’s recuperation from cancer, each of the other dinner guests, including her husband treats Breatriz with a certain disdain that she is beneath them in class.

Arteta builds his film effectively to an escalating climax. Things reach a boiling point when Beatriz discovers how evil Strutt is and that a lot of evil in the world including her personal family loss are a direct result of his actions. It is emphasized that fate occurs for a reason. Soon she realizes that she could have been present for the dinner for a reason as fate dictates. She could root out evil at its source by murdering Strutt.

Salma Hayek delivers an excellent performance as the holistic nurse driven almost to righteous insanity. John Lithgow is equally excellent as the menacing villain, the one the audience would gladly stab in the back. All the supporting actors are equally good, credit given to the excellent casting.

A lot of films have used music or a song to break the monotony of a film or to create a highlight. Director Marlene Ape did it with her character rendering a full version of the Whitney Houston song “The Greatest Love of All” in TONY ERDMANN that earned the very rare standing ovation midway in the film at Cannes. Arteta attempts the same feat, with Hayek singing a Spanish song, to the accompaniment of her guitar playing. Though the words are in Spanish, the effect is no less powerful.

BEATRIZ AT DINNER ends with a non-typical happy ending that might not satisfy everyone. But one must remember that this is not ones typical standard film, but a quirky Arteta/White collaboration.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCLNTmNj5bI

 

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Film Review: MEGAN LEAVEY (USA 2017) ***

festreviews 2017 movies, movie, Movie Review, Uncategorized , , , , , ,

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megan_leavey.jpgBased on the true life story of a young Marine corporal whose unique discipline and bond with her military combat dog saved many lives during their deployment in Iraq.

Director: Gabriela Cowperthwaite
Writers: Pamela Gray, Annie Mumolo
Stars: Kate Mara, Ramon Rodriguez, Tom Felton

Review by Gilbert Seah
 

 MEGAN LEAVEY is a film about a girl and her dog. Based on a true story written by Pamela Gray with the help of Annie Mumolo (BRIDESMAIDS), Tim Lovestedt, and Jordan Roberts, the story’s setting often shifts to an Afghanistan combat war zone where female Marine Megan Leavey and a combat dog named Rex have the task of exposing explosives that would lead to the saving of many lives. The film stresses the unique bond between man (or in this case woman) and man’s best friend.

The many times told similar tale of man’s best friend comes complete with owner and dog running together from a distance re-united to scenes where the canine saves the life of its owner or in this case, dog handler. The title of the film MEGAN LEAVEY, the name of the combatant, implies that the owner is given more importance that the canine. In fact, the dog does not appear till about 30 minutes through the film.

The film works on many accounts. The most important fact is the script and director Cowperthwaite’s effort in connecting the audience with the main character, Leavey. A well-written voiceover informs the audience at the film’s start of Leavey’s problem of a lack of motivation in her home town. When she is fired because she is unable to connect with other people, she joins the marines. The film takes time to show her relationship with an unsympathetic mother who fails to understand. By including scenes of Leavey suffering through boot camp, the audience sees that Leavey has accepted the punishment unfairly dished out to her.

The film gets a bit too sappy at parts. The cliche of the dog teaching Leavey human lessons is carried out a bit too far. The dog and Leavey’s separation and reunion are milked for sentimentality.

For the few battle scenes that are present, Peter McNulty’s clever editing captures the suspense and terror of the soldiers securing a few buildings that are littered with hidden explosives and unseen gunmen. Leavey and the dog, called Sergeant Rex are deployed twice in Iraq, first in Fallujy in 2005 and again in Ramadi in 2206. During the latter, both were injured by an improvised explosive device.

While Leavey was awarded the Purple Heart and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with a “V” device denoting heroism in combat with retirement, Rex was pulled back into service with another handle till Rex suffered from facial palsy, which ended his bomb-sniffing duties. This fact was surprisingly omitted in the film.

The film contains one over-preachy part when Megan’s father tells her to keep on trying and never give up despite constant failure, which is supposed to spur her to overturn a decision from preventing her adopting Rex.
The film omits the last few retirement years of Rex with Leavey though clips of the real Rex are shown during the closing credits emphasizing that the film is based on true events. Bring lots of Kleenex to this one.

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

Also, 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