2017 movies

Film Review: DANCER (UK/Russia/Ukraine/USA 2106) ****

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dancer.jpgDirector: Steven Cantor
Stars: Jade Hale-Christofi, Sergei Polunin

Review by Gilbert Seah

 In the opening scene of DANCER, 22-year old Sergei Polunin, acclaimed as ‘the most naturally gifted male ballet dancer of his generation’ downs a test tube of liquid and says that it gives him so much energy that he does not remember the performance. DANCER tells the story of the bad boy of ballet, the now 37-year old Sergei Polunin who astounded the world with his outrageous antics. But though the film starts off this way, director Cantor shows the reasons and circumstances leading to this state of affairs eventually revealing that Polunin is not really such a bad boy after all. Though this undermines the dramatization of Cantor’s project, DANCER is still a captivating documentary that also reveals the insides of the ballet world – one that is unknown to most people.

DANCER tells the life story of Sergei from a boy at the age of 6 to the present as a young man at the age of 37. As Sergei loved to film, director Cantor is fortunate to have lots of archive footage of the dancer, showing him progress as a talent from age 6 to 8 to 10 to 12 to 13 and so on. It is fascinating to see the boy, pushed on by his parents leaving him as a teen alone in a new world at the Royal Academy of Ballet in London. He could not speak a word of English. Sergei does now, obviously, and with a London accent.

It is in London hat the bad boys antics began to show. Sergei misses his rehearsals and eventually quits the Royal Ballet. Soon, no other British company would touch the man, knowing his reputation. Sergei moves back to Russia and drops from star to TV personality. But a video “Take me to Chruch” that he worked with David LaChapelle turned viral with 15 million viewers making Sergei Polunin a household name. The film includes the famous video, though many, including myself had already seen it. Still, it is good to watch again, Sergei’s incredible performance.

“The need for excellence of each performance” is the reason given for Sergei’s antics. He wants his freedom and is restricted by his talent s well as what his company wants him to do. But the film show that it is his parents’ divorce that broke him. There is no purpose in excelling after this point.

Noticeably missing in this documentary is Sergei’s personal life. No mention is there anywhere of a girlfriend (or boyfriend for that matter). Surely, a man with such a good physique and gorgeous looks would have a healthy sex life.

To Canter’s credit, he has assembled a good variety of talking heads. The best insight to Sergei’s personality is provided by his Royal Ballet Academy friends. One says: “Many do not realize that Sergei is only 22 years old.” A moving and realistic segment has Sergei filmed dancing naked in the snow, showing him acting as a teen.

DANCER, one of the best documentaries released so far this year is a film for everyone, besides those interested in dance. The film shows life, mistakes made and mistakes corrected as it logs Sergei’s rise to stardom, his fall and rise again. The message of the film can be learnt in observing the life of this very gifted artist.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8ZNodT9kcM

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Film Review: XX (USA/Canada 2016) ***

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xx.jpgDirected by various directors (see below)

Not since the British horror anthropology DEAD OF NIGHT has a more memorable one hit the screens. A hit at this year’s Sundance 2017, the film features four horror shorts by four killer female directors.
Each director is given full creative license to tell any story they choose revolving around a female protagonist. While the directors have been given free creative rein within budget and time constraints, all of the segments themselves involve the horror genre in a new all-female helmed horror film.

The film is called XX likely because of the female chromosomes that make up the sex of a newly born infant. [In this system, the sex of an individual is determined by a pair of sex chromosomes (gonosomes). Females typically have two of the same kind of sex chromosome (XX), and are called the homogametic sex.]

Award-winning animator Sofia Carrillo (LA CASA TRISTE) wraps together the four suspenseful stories of terror with eerie stop motion creatures and objects running around.

The four films are outlined below. They are all equally good and worth a look. A brief description and review is given of each.

THE BOX (Directed by Jovanka Vuckovic)

THE BOX is every mother’s nightmare. The female protagonist here is a mother who when taking the TTC (Toronto Transit Corporation) train one day with her two children encounters a stranger carrying a red box, taken as a Christmas present. After the son takes a peek at what’s inside of the box, he stops eating. No reason is given for his lost of appetite as the boy feels fine As the days pass, he grows thinner and weaker. Vuckovic’s film is a very well executed exercise in suspense, despite it having an open ending.

THE BIRTHDAY PARTY (Directed by Annie Clark)

Clark’s BIRTHDAY PARTY deals with the female protagonist, a mother trying to hide a dead corpse (her husband) from everyone. I am not a fan of dead corpse films like WEEKEND AT BERNIE’S, SWISS MARY MAN nor his one. I do not find anything hilarious about dragging dead body around through a whole movie. Clark plays it for laughs rather than horror.

DON’T FALL (Directed by Karyn Kusama)

DON”T FALL sees a group of four (2 males, 2 females) venturing into unchartered territory. They see figures carved in rock, not knowing what they stand for. Before they bed down in their trailer, horror strikes. DON”T FALL is at times quite hilarious, but it is also quite scary as the last female of the group tries her best to escape sinister forces. Good make-up and special effects!

HER ONLY LONGING SON (Directed by Karyn Kusama)
“Something is happening to Andy”. Kusama’s tale is from the point of view of a mother who sees strange behaviour in her son. Called to school, after her son tore out the fingernails of a classmate, she is surprised that he is unpunished as the principal claims the son to be special. Things take a twist when it is discovered that the mother knows more than it seems. This is the longest of the 4 films. It could also stand for the sequel for ROSEMARY’S BABY.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGH-zJ9_uFs

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Film Review: KEDI (Turkey/USA 2016) ***

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kedi.jpgDirector: Ceyda Torun
Star: Bülent Üstün

Review by Gilbert Seah

 Right on the paws of the controversial Hollywood animal movie A DOG’S PURPOSE comes KEDI, a film about cats. KEDI is set in Istanbul, Turkey. The film’s niche is that it is a documentary looking at the ancient city of Istanbul (a city that has survived through the rise and fall of empires) through the eyes of cats. Director Torun live in Istanbul and understands the city.

Cats are not as trainable as dogs. Torun had to basically follow her cats around, hoping that they do what is expected of them and that a story (or stories) can be told. The difficulty of using cats is immediately noticeable upon watching both A DOG’S PURPOSE and KEDI. But there are dog persons and cat persons.

Unfortunately, I am a dog person and basically despise cats, but I will try to be unbiased in reviewing this cat documentary.

Istanbul is seen through the eyes of seven cats. Torun has chosen her cats to be as distinct as possible from each other. The stories are not interweaved and unfold one after another. During the breaks, many cats are shown together at different spot in the city. The film first introduces Sari, a yellow tabby. After she roams the streets, she is revealed to be with young kittens to feed. Sari is a persistent hustler, a quality that has earned her the love of a local shopkeeper. The send is Aslan Parçasi, better known as “little lion”. He is rewarded by a famous fish restaurant for keeping it mice-free. Psikopat is a tough cookie who fears no one, respected by local humans for her boldness. Duman, a little chunky thanks to his gourmet diet, has become a fixture at an upscale deli, where he refuses to beg. Deniz is known as the Ferikoy Organic Market’s social butterfly, Gamsız is a tough fighter with a sweet face that can charm any human, and Bengü is sweet and cuddly, beloved by everyone in her neighbourhood. Torun divides equal screen time among the cats without favouritism. So, whig cat is the most adorable? It is entirely up to the individual.

The film also deals with the plight of the cats as the city is modernized with less greenery. The result would be fewer places for the cats to poop. The film also shows the relationship between certain people and the cats. Thousands of stray cats in Istanbul. But the film omits completely the problems street stray cats can cause.

KEDI is no Disney film – so there are no special effects and human-style stories, There are also no messages to be learnt in this movie. But the film is just a light, entertaining look at cats and what they do in their lives.

KEDI has a special engagement run at the Bloor Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema. Cat lovers take note! There are lots of cutesy shots of the felines to keep cat lovers purring.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKq7UqplcL8

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Film Review:JOHN WICK CHAPTER 2

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john_wick_chapter_2Director: Chad Stahelski
Writers: Derek Kolstad, Derek Kolstad (based on characters created by)
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Riccardo Scamarcio, Ian McShane

Review by Gilbert Seah

The second in the series of John Wick films is in fact a continuation of the first JOHN WICK film, with the same director and star Keanu Reeves as the hit-man John Wick.

When the first film was left, Wick’s prized Mustang got stolen and his dog killed by the son of a Russian mobster. In an extended car chase and fight sequence when CHAPTER 2 begins, the audience sees the mobster grunt in disbelief to see his shop and all his men, one after another, demolished by Wick as he comes hunting for his car. The comedy is black and funny enough with sufficient violent action fight choreography to satisfy the action fans. Director Chad Stahelski knows how to stage fights, him being Reeves’ stunt double in THE MATRIX films.

CHAPTER TWO runs at full-throttle for over two hours with a minimum plot The premise involves legendary hit-man John Wick forced back out of retirement by a former associate plotting to seize control of a shadowy international assassins’ guild. Bound by a blood oath to help him, John travels to Rome, where he squares off against some of the world’s deadliest killers. Though the story obviously is inconsequential, one would have expected the filmmakers to put in a bit more effort into the story.

Keanu Reeves makes the perfect anti-hero John Wick, shown with face bruises more than half the time. It is worthy of his character in BILL AND TED’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE that brought him to fame. CHAPTER TWO sees more well-known actors lending a hand to make the film more exciting. COMMON plays Cassian, the head of security of a female crime boss who gives Wick a good fight for his money. Laurence Fishburne plays The Bowery King, a ruthless crime boss and Italian star Riccardo Scamarcio plays Santino, an assassin while Ian McShane reposes his role as the head of hotel, where no killings re tolerated.

The first JOHN WICK film had lots of fresh ideas whereas CHAPTER TWO rides on the first success, adding no new inventive surprises. In the first the hotel where truce must be obeyed is again reprised with Wick and the security played by Common forced to have a drink there. In the first film, there is a very sexy fight between a lady assassin in black and Wick. In CHAPTER TWO, there is a fight between Wick and a girl, this time in white, Ares (Ruby Ros) but the fight scene can nowhere be even described as sexy. Rose looks incredibly unsexy, when she dies with her huge eyes bulging. CHAPTER TWO also contains lots of repetitions. The joke of Wick and the security head fighting and rolling down the steps is repeated not once, but twice in the same sequence. Wick’s affinity to his dog, a black pitbull is also repeatedly drummed into the audience’s heads.

JOHN WICK CHAPTER 2 has lost its spark. Running at a length of over 2 hours does not help matters either. The case of more and louder in this sequel leads to boredom and a headache.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/user/eOnefilms

 

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Film Review: THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE

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lego_batman_movie.jpgDirector: Chris McKay
Writers: Seth Grahame-Smith (screenplay), Chris McKenna (screenplay)
Stars: Will Arnett, Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson

Review by Gilbert Seah

 
The LEGO BATMAN MOVIE screening was preceded by the trailer for the next LEGO project entitled THE LEGO NINJA MOVIE, which looks even more hectic from this one.
The simplistic story of LEGO BATMAN could do with a few plot twists. Batman (Will Arnett) goes on a personal journey to find himself and learn the importance of teamwork and friendship in the hopes of saving Gotham City from a hostile takeover set by The Joker (Zach Galifianakis).

The film is relatively free of violence and foul language (though BATMAN does quip: “I like fighting around…”), making it suitable for children’s viewing. But there might be too much activity taking place at any one time on the screen. The best target audience suitable would be the video game generation, whose minds can decipher multiple happenings on screen.

The film gives affectionate nods to the first LEGO MOVIE. There is a nod to the ‘Everything Is Awesome’ hit song and a quip about Master builders. Gotham City is also built like Lego Construction. The Joker’s explosion will break the connection of the city’s construction just as if the city was built on Lego blocks. Chris McKay (ROBOT CHICKEN TV film/series) takes over the directing reins from Chris Lord and Christopher Miller who serve as producers of this film. Lord and Miller directed as well as wrote THE LEGO MOVIE. THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE is credited with no less than 5 writers (Seth Grahame-Smith, Chris McKenna, Eric Sommers, Jared Stern and John Whittington) with less effective results – a case of maximum effort, minimum results, instead of the other way around.

THE LEGO BATMAN is too repetitious and manic for its own good. The message of Bateman/Bruce Wayne needing a family and lacking the ability of appreciating a relationship is drummed into the audience’s head much too often. From the framed photographs in Batman’s bat cave room to the dialogue – enough is enough of the message. The film contains too many scenes in which too many things occur so that it is hard to figure out what is going on. Lego-shaped blocks fly across at the screen too fast to see and words are spewed out to fast to hear. In Wikipedia, director McKay got into filmmaking cited Hitchcock as his film influence. Hitchcock always had ‘breathers’ in his films, when nothing really happens, just for the purpose of the audience to take a break.

THE LEGO MOVIE was inspired, fresh full of ideas and funny as hell. THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE should take lessons from the first movie. Too much, louder and faster never really works. THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE turns boring quite fast despite so much happening on screen at any instant. It is a question of quality vs. quantity.
McKay is fond of parodying classic films like the STAR WARS films and THE LEGO MOVIE.

Will Arnett’s BATMAN low key voice occasionally sounds like President Donald Trump – and even more so in one segment when he says: “I don’t pay taxes.” But these inspired hilarious laugh-out moments are too few and far between. But what can I say? I am only an over-rated film critic.

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

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Film Review: A MAN CALLED OVE (Sweden 2015) ****

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a_man_called_ove.jpgDirector: Hannes Holm

Writers: Hannes Holm (screenplay), Fredrik Backman (novel)

Stars: Rolf Lassgård, Bahar Pars, Filip Berg

Review by Gilbert Seah

Nominated for two Academy Awards for Best Foreign Film and Make-up & Hairstyling, A MAN CALLED OVE stands to compete with the big guys like the favourites THE SALESMAN, TONI ERDMANN and THE LAND OF MINE but the film has already been a hit in the U.S. when it opened last September as well as in its native country Sweden. The film is a dark horse but it might just be the winner as the Academy is made up of older voters and this film about an old retied widower is just the type of film that suits the voters.

Based on Fredrik Backman’s beloved novel (a 3.8 million bestseller), A MAN CALLED OVE tells the story of Ove (Rolf Lassgård from Downsizing, The Hunters, After the Wedding), a retired widower and a curmudgeon who keeps a critical eye on his neighbours and their goings on. He is all but given up on the world, until Parvaneh (Bahar Pars) and her family moves in across the street and an unexpected friendship emerges.

When the film opens, Ove is shown as an old grump. Films about old codgers have always been a favourite subject for filmmakers with films like GRUMPY OLD MEN (Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon) and the recent Scandinavian entry by Dome Karukoski called THE GRUMP. Like the grump in THE GRUMP, Ove is angry at all around him, but director Holm (Adam & Eva, Behind Blue Skies) ensures that he is a likeable character.

Ove (young Ove played by Filip Berg) is shown pining over his late wife (Ida Engyoll). He smells her clothes and visits her grave at least once a day bringing flowers. Who cannot like such a devoted husband? But Ove wants to end it all, as he sees no purpose in living. So, he attempts various ways of doing himself in including hanging himself in the middle of the living room, often with no success. During the time, when he is in ‘limbo’, his brain races to recall past memories. Director Holm uses this time to flashback and reveal to the audience the early life of Ove – from the loss of both parents to finding the love of his life. The film also plays as a romance. The dinner date scene and the marriage proposal scenes are both very romantic. Though more than half he film is in flashback, the transition from current to flashback is carried out very smoothly.

Holm’s film is not one with special effects or stunning cinematography. The cinematography by Göran Hallberg is still impressive with him giving the film a hazy romantic atmosphere. It is a film about human beings. It is good that Holm trusts the source material and the charm of the book rubs off the film nicely.

The film is immediately likeable for it will make the audience both laugh and cry at Ove’s undertakings. One can also relate with the main character – whether it him being a loner, a romantic or a senior or a misunderstood man.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMZuic0dG1w
 

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Film Review: 2BR02B: TO BE OR NAUGHT TO BE (2017)

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Played at the January 2017 Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film Festival

MOVIE POSTER2BR02B: TO BE OR NAUGHT TO BE, 18min, Canada, Sci-Fi/Fan Fiction
Directed by Marco Checa Garcia

Based on the short story “2 B R 0 2 B” by Kurt Vonnegut. Set in a dystopian future where population is strictly controlled, a Father waits for his children to be born. In a deserted hospital waiting room, one man must ask himself exactly what he is willing to do, to give his children a chance at life, any life at all.

Review by Kierston Drier

 A short story by Kurt Vonnegut turned short film by director Marco Checa Garcia, 2BRO2B: To Be Or Naught To Be is a beautifully balanced, heart wrenching and well composed piece of cinema. To open, anyone who has read the original by Vonnegut will be delighted by the amount of literary detail that the filmmaker attempts to keep in the cinematic adaptation.
Set in the dystopian future, where death is rare and birth strictly controlled with rigid population regulations, a young man must choose which one of his three new triplets will live just after their birth. To add extra tension, the birth of this new child will be accompanied by the requirement to take his own grandfather to an early grave. Distraught and emotionally unwell, our hero must dissect the cause of this turmoil by unraveling its’ necessity with one of his society’s founders. This seemingly perfect world so strictly controlled is thrown into chaos when our hero attempts to kill the antagonist- making one more space available for another one his children to be able to live. With elements similar to Children of Men, and The Giver, this is film that does not allow you to watch it passively. It demands to be engaged with.

2BRO2B: To Be Or Naught To Be is one of those rare gems of short cinema that will set your philosophical mind in motion, make you question the nature of choice, freedom and safety, spellbind you with its’ cinematic beauty, all while bringing you to your emotional knees. There is true craftsmanship in this piece. There is a level of polish and richness that any lover of science fiction and literature will appreciate and admire. Bravo Marco Checa Garcia, Bravo.

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Film Review: QUESTIONS (2017)

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Played at the January 2017 Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film Festival

MOVIE POSTERQUESTIONS, 6min, USA, Fan Fiction/Action
Directed by Zack Russell Bartlett

Based on “Question” DC Comics. Two faceless vigilantes search for answers as they take on a dangerous criminal.

Review by Kierston Drier

QUESTIONS is a unique fan-fiction, as it is based on a DC comic that has yet to be turned into a movie. This allows a considerable amount of directorial freedom, while still providing a rich world on which to draw from to establish characters, setting and tone. Thick with Noir elements, director Zack Russell Bartlett brings us a hard-boiled detective with a quick wit, and his tough female accomplish within a vigilante crime case. The unique element here? Our detective and his partner have no faces. At least, faces with no discernible eyes, noses or mouths.

A fascinating opening to a crime-fighting duo. A faceless hero gives a sense of the unknowable to our heroes. Philosophically speaking, this can be considered an asset, as many DC comics’ heroes have an unknowable or other-worldly quality. From a cinematic view, a special nod must be given to both the director and the actors, for being able to so clearly indicate their emotional motives without the ability to show facial expressions. Even with this hinderance, our characters’ feelings and struggles are clear.

An interesting piece with action, comedy and clarity, QUESTIONS will make you want to read to comics, and want to see these characters on the big screen.

 
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Film Review: ARKHAM’S JOURNAL (2017)

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Played at the January 2017 Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film Festival

MOVIE POSTERARKHAM’S JOURNAL, 7min, Canada, Fan Fiction/Mystery
Directed by Matthew P.H Rea

Based on “Batman” DC Comics. Filmed in and around Toronto, this short proof-of-concept film provides a small insight into the untold stories of Gotham’s darkest hour. With the timeline loosely based around the batman comic, “Knightfall”, Arkham’s Journal is told through the words of Dr. Arkham’s Journal, detailing the lives of all the Arkham Asylum patients.

Review by Kierston Drier

Director Matthew P.H Rea uses ARKHAM’S JOURNAL to explore the the question “where does evil come from?” in the DC Batman Comics. Told through doctors’ notes, this piece walks through the lives and backgrounds of those residing in the Arkham Asylum.

This vibrant short doesn’t give us the whole story, and this may be one of its’ stronger points. Instead of spelling out the complete and total backstory of each villain, it shows just enough to spike our emotional centres- our fear, our intrigue, our disgust and our sympathy.

Evocative and beautiful, with strong gothic visuals and the dramatic density that rings true to the series tone and makes the franchise proud, ARKHAM’S JOURNAL brings us right to the brink of wanting to know what comes next. A strong, engaging and visually riveting piece, that stands alone while still fitting within a rich and elaborate world.
 
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Film Review: Star Wars “Revengant” (2017)

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Played at the January 2017 Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film Festival

REVENGANT, 7min. Germany, Fan Fiction/Sci-Fi
Directed by Ferdinand Koerner

KYLO REN is on the HUNT for a ancient SITH HOLOCRON that the Resistance gathered on the planet DAHENDOR in the Outer Rim. Will KANE ALTIS be able to rescue himself before the HOLOCRON is found by KYLO REN and his REVENGANT?

Review by Kierston Drier

Anyone creating Fan Fiction has put forth a challenge. While they may have landed in a fertile story and rich universe, they must also live up to the expectations of the audience, and must seamlessly carry on the pre-established world. Enter REVENGANT a seven minute German Star Wars Fan Fic from Ferdinand Koerner.

In Koerner’s piece, Kylo Ren is hunting on the Outer Rim’s planet of Dahendor for Sith Holocron. Full of action and special effects, our hero’s engage in an epic chase/fight sequence deep in the heart of the forest. As a film goes, these filmmakers show everything they can with their special effects, no easy feat for a cinematic team recreating the iconic franchise.

Hats off to the epic challenges that come with recreating a story in such a rich and well-loved world. And as for plot, there is a short and punchy story that leaves us wondering what our hero’s will do now. You’ll have to watch and see, but the good guys don’t always win.

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