Movie Review

Film Review: FELL, USA, Drama/Supernatural

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This five minute American short wraps up fable, myth and supernatural suspense in a quick and dramatic tale. A woman sits beside a fire and listens to two small children tell her a fairy tale of two wolves who have puppies. The puppies however, are turned into children by unknowable forces. Mysteriously moved by the children’s tale, our heroine remarks that the fairy-tale’s children must be very well loved. When she leaves the campfire to get more wood, she is alarmed to  hear dogs barking in the distance.

 

FELL is one of those alluring, almost chilling films that leaves just enough unanswered for the viewer to want to watch it again and again. Meaningful natural symbology gentle lace there way through the film like cobwebs. Special note must be given to the excellent performances of both children, as well as the lead- as so much emotion is conveyed in such a short amount of amount of time, and with such simple dialogue.

 

At times eerie, and often unknowable, there is something indescribably captivating about FELL, something magical and ethereal that may make you want to watch it again and again.

Review by Kierston Drier

FELL, 5min, USA, Drama/Supernatural, 
Directed by Holly Voges

A cautionary tale about man’s possessive relationship with nature, as told by two children over a campfire.

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

Film Reivew: HEDDA NEEDS HELP, USA, Comedy 

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Director Lisa Baron delivers us a comic gem on a silver platter in the form the HEDDA NEEDS HELP. Enter Hedda- a sweet and wide-eyed innocent with the good-natured optimism of a classic buffoon. Bent on being a poet, she thinks she’s found a foothold in when she agrees to dog sit the dog of a famous poet while he goes on vacation with his wife. Sadly, her plan to wiggle into his good graces goes awry when she finds the dog dead in the apartment. Thus begins an uncomfortable but undeniable comedic escalation of circumstance while Hedda attempts to cover-up (and then dispose of) his mistakes.

 

You will laugh afresh with each new antic and despite the increasing severity of the events, you cannot stop yourself from loving Hedda. She personifies the endearingly eager and earnest hope for success that so many do- and the lack of foresight that some are also equally guilty of. A charming and at times befuddling romp through a comic wonderland, HEDDA NEEDS HELP is bright, charmingly, excellently cast and most importantly- hilarious.

Review by Kierston Drier

HEDDA NEEDS HELP, 14min, USA, Comedy 
Directed by Lisa Baron

Hedda Needs Help tells the tale of Hedda, an aspiring poet and undying optimist, tasked with watching the most prized possession of Manhattan’s acclaimed poet, Albert Stein: his dog. But when Hedda accidentally kills her big break we find that no one fails quite like Hedda, as she carries the weight of her problems around Manhattan in this all too real comedy gone awry.

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

Film Review: BETWEEN SECONDS, USA, Romance/Music

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BETWEEN SECONDS is a 20 minute American romance coming to us from director Nora Jaenicke.  Two musically talented star-crossed lovers met when they are both stuck in a professional rut. Alicia loses her beautiful operatic singing voice after struggling to find a foothold in her industry and Adrian, a classical pianist is unable to play in sync after his ex breaks his heart. Yet the two manage to find each other and learn how to once again, make beautiful music.

A polished and gorgeous piece, with anachronistic aspects that give it a timeless feel, BETWEEN SECONDS pulls you in with a sense of romantic mystery- and keeps you wrapped up in the story with it’s symbology and clever use of visual motifs.

In a fast-paced world that so often leaves it’s Artist struggling and treading professional water rudderless, this is a film that can pluck the heartstrings of anyone with a poetic, sensitive or romantic soul. BETWEEN SECONDS will take you on a journey and leave you with a powerful message- between every second lives risk and opportunity, but regardless: love is music, music is love.

Review by Kierston Drier

BETWEEN SECONDS, 20min, USA, Romance/Music 
Directed by Nora Jaenicke“Between Seconds” is the story of two musicians who have grown out of sync with their music and ultimately themselves. Adrian, a classically trained pianist, loses the ability to play in sync with his music when thoughts of his ex-girlfriend flood his mind. Alicia, a struggling opera singer, loses her ability to sing in sync when she realizes she can’t really grasp her dreams. Both the musicians discover mysterious red envelopes which lead them inside of their clocks and into a surreal clock world. Here they must figure out how to synchronize themselves or they risk never being able to play their music again.

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

Film Review: FIRM WITH PURPOSE, USA, Comedy 

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This raucous five minute comedy is a sharp, witty romp through a devoted mother and an emotional human-resources specialists on a job interview. FIRM WITH PURPOSE is bright, sparkling with humor and dazzling with situational comedy that very well may have you thinking “I think I know someone just like this.” When a supportive mother goes to an interview in place of her daughter to interview in her stead, she locks into an emotional climb up a comical staircase with the employer, leading to some surprising twists and turns.

 

Directors Tia Ayers and Shannon Ayers Swanson have done an excellent job with this work. A simple story that packs a powerfully effective comic punch, FIRM WITH PURPOSE is sure to please baby-boomers and millennials alike.

Review by Kierston Drier

Film Review: THE BENEFACTION, USA, Drama

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THE BENEFACTION is a strong dramatic tale of an Indian Taxi driver, doing everything he can to eek out a living for himself, his wife and their young and ill daughter. While he treats his daughter to presents and promises of her bright future in dance, his relationship with his wife suffers- for his doting on their daughter is an expensive habit they can ill-afford while they fall behind on payments for his taxi cab. He thinks he may have found a turn of fortune when a patron leaves thousands of rupees in his cab- but his initial idea to gamble the money to try to raise more funds for his daughter’s’ health care needs backfires when his cab is repossessed before he can use the money. Soon after, his daughter collapses and is rushed to the hospital with a prognosis they can not afford. But our hero’s fate turns one more time.

 

Life is all about choices. THE BENEFACTION is a powerful and moving film that demonstrates this concept with excellence. Excellent performances and strong and engaging story elements keep this film gripping and meaningful. A multilayered story that ties in duty, fate, faith and karma, THE BENEFACTION leaves a powerful message that we all make choices, but in the end our choices make us.

Review by Kierston Drier

THE BENEFACTION, 27min, USA, Drama
Directed by Nikhat Powell

Protagonist Rishi, a young Indian taxi driver struggles to make his payments on his sole means of livelihood, his taxi. While under the threat of repossession, he finds his daughter falling prey to an unknown illness that could take her life. When his taxi is repossessed and his wife is ready to leave him, he must make choices that will affect his future, and the life of his daughter.

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

Film Review: THE FOREST PRINCESS, USA, Fantasy/Family 

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A five minute fantasy by Gretchen Bayer this gorgeous, sumptuous film is a beautiful look at life, nature and human relationships through the eyes of a child. A young girl runs through the forest recounting the wisdom of the world she has heard through her mother. Her universe is small, achingly innocent and astonishingly detailed as she embodies the  warrior and wanderer archetypes within the natural world. Beautifully shot and boasting excellent casting, this piece shines because it perfectly marries simplicity and profundity.

 

THE FOREST PRINCESS has some deeper tones within it. On the surface, it is a simple piece about the world of a child. Look just a little deeper though and this is a piece with a metaphor for the transition of death. As our young protagonist looks for her mother in the forest, and recounts the transition of a caterpillar into a butterfly, a poignant parallel can be found.

Review by Kierston Drier

THE FOREST PRINCESS, 5min, USA, Fantasy/Family 
Directed by Gretchen BayerIn a world, where the unknown is feared and misunderstood, one girl begins the journey within… searching the path for direction, finding the beauty that connects us and uncovering what conquers fear. She emerges with a simple, yet powerful understanding….

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

 

Film Review: POST NO BILLS, Canada, Animation/Adventure 

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Bright, fun and full of eye-catching pop-culture, POST NO BILLS, a five minute Canadian animation adventure from director Robin Hays, details the heroic journey of a small anthropomorphized Noodle-Box who comes to life from his advertisement poster. Falling in love with with the beautiful humanoid-fortune cookie a few posters away, our hero must journey across several other poster-advertisements to meet his dream girl/cookie. His journey turns deadly though, went the Urban wall all the advertisement posters are stapled to begins to get painted over.

POST NO BILLS is bright, with action and adventure in every frame. Highly polished, with a clean glossy feel to it, this is a joyful romp that will leave the viewer smiling from first scene to last. What makes POST NO BILLS special though, is that it also packs in a deeper message for the viewer. The film alone is bright enough, colorful enough and action-packed enough to be enjoyable. It is the ‘Cherry on top” of this film that adds that extra jolt of satisfaction. It is a message found as our hero completes his journey- that the sweetest things in life are uncovered in the lengths we’ll go to for love.
 

Review by Kierston Drier

POST NO BILLS, 5min, Canada, Animation/Adventure 
Directed by Robin HaysOn an urban city wall plastered with posters Noodle Boy must make his way through a series of obstacles and challenges in order to save his crush, Miss Fortune from the city’s clean up crew.

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

TODD & THE BOOK OF PURE EVIL: THE END OF THE END: THE ANIMATED FEATURE FILM (USA 2017)

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Todd and the Book of Pure Evil: The End of the End Poster
The animated conclusion to the live action Todd and The Book Of Pure Evil Show. Todd tries to mend his friendship with Curtis after killing his girlfriend. The book has returned along with Hannah and there is talk of a new Pure Evil one.

Directors:

Richard Duhaney, Craig David Wallace

Writers:

Charles Picco, Craig David Wallace

Stars:

Alex House, Maggie Castle, Bill Turnbull

 

The long title of this movie matches the long introduction of the film which brings the audience up to date with where the movie starts.  The introduction is fast and furiously delivered, but if one misses a pout or to, there is nothing to be worried about, as the incidents have have occurred are mentioned once again during the film.

Continuing where the critically acclaimed cult TV series (live action) left off, Todd & The Book of Pure Evil: The End of The End returns to Crowley Heights high school to find Todd, Jenny and Curtis grieving the loss of their dear friend Hannah, whose death may or may not have been caused by Todd’s banishing of the Book.  The three must reunite to fight evil when the Book of Pure Evil returns to Crowley High, bringing with it some familiar faces (Guidance Counsellor Atticus Murphy Jr., Jimmy the Janitor, and The Metalhead Dudes) as well as some new foes, such as the Sweater Vest Beast and an Acidic Acne-Faced Teen.  But these enemies are merely warm-ups to the final battle with their greatest nemesis yet: The New Pure Evil One, whose intimate knowledge of our heroes may ultimately lead to their destruction!

The film is written by Charles Picco and Craig David Wallace with voices by Alex House, Maggie Castle, Bill Turnbull, Melanie Leishman, Chris Leavins and Jason Mewes (known from the Kevin Smith’s films).  The film done as animation instead of live action of the TV series allows more graphic violence.

The film as suited to teenaged contains typical teen issues.  Todd at one point, cannot get it up.  desperately, he goes to see the school councillor who gives advice fem his guidance councillor’s handbook.  Todd smokes dope, jerks off and does the typical things teens do.  He has a gang of friends who all have their own silly problems.  Adults like Atticus and Jimmy are portrayed as idiots.  No mention of parents in the film.

The animation is ok – the look that comes out from the typical comic book.  If anything, the film also contains a few forgettable songs and unforgettable gross out scenes like the toxic pus tom the zit-faced kid.

The narrative of saving the world or the teen world at that, if not hokum does to seem pressing eoguh in the film.  It does not help that one distraction after another occurs.

TODD & THE BOOK OF PURE EVIL caters to the typical angst teen.  Adults, even those that have gone through the identical problems in their younger days will likely find the whole enterprise boring.

The film opens  across Canada in November but oddly opens in Toronto (at the Royal Cinema) only in the start of December.  Craig David Wallace, Richard Duhaney, Alex House, Bill Turnbull and Melanie Leishman will be in attendance at the Royal on the opening day.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68JXEyLPUOY

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RADIUS (Canada 2017)

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Radius Poster
Clip

A man wakes with amnesia and finds people mysteriously dead.

Directors:

Caroline Labrèche, Steeve Léonard

Writers:

Caroline Labrèche 

Stars:

Diego Klattenhoff, Charlotte Sullivan, Robert Borges

 

The Verge describes RADIUS as a high concept movie from start to finish and that it relies on surprises to keep the story moving.  No argument here with The Verge’s statement but upon closer examination of it, there is nothing to say that what is written makes RADIUS a good movie.

The main problem with RADIUS is its outlandish plot which is totally unbelievable.  True there are surprises and more incidents but getting all the mysteries tied up neatly is something writer/directors Labréche and Léonard (the cult favourite TURBO KID) have failed to achieve.

When the film opens, Liam (Diego Klattenhoff) wakes from a car crash at the bottom of a ditch with no memory of who he is.  As he makes his way into town, he discovers that anyone who comes within a 50-foot radius of him dies instantly.  Out of options, he tries to live in seclusion to protect others.  The film though made in Canada is set in the States complete with shameful references to NASA.

Labréche and Léonard now introduces a new character and another twist to the sci-fi story.   One day, Liam’s murderous power seems to subside with the arrival of a woman (Charlotte Sullivan) who says she was in the crash with him.  She too is suffering from amnesia and looking for answers.  The story allows the characters to remember certain events that suit the story and to forget others also to suit the story.

The amnesia is the third element in the story.  Together they then embark on a journey to uncover who they really are.  Into the picture comes the woman’s husband who she forces to help her and Liam.  Worse still, there is a silly hint of romance between the two despite the presence of the husband, who for all that matters, seems a more decent (as well as better looking) guy than the cussing Liam.

As if credibility has not already been stretched to the limit, the story suddenly reveals cases of missing persons where the bodies have not been recovered.  This must be the most ridiculous angle put into the film.

At this point with the story heading towards so many directions, it is difficult to care about the main characters or the ending.  Fortunately, the film runs no longer than 90 minutes.

The film is a joint Manitoba Quebec production.  The barren landscape not only shows the nothingness of a large part of that province but reflects where the film is heading.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NExqMxRRM64

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BIG TIME (Denmark 2017)

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Big Time Poster
Trailer

 

BIG TIME follows Bjarke Ingels during the course of 7 years (2009-2016), while he struggles to finish his biggest project so far. We are let into Bjarke’s creative processes as well as the endless compromises that his work entails.

Director:

Kaspar Astrup Schröder

Star:

Bjarke Ingels

 

BIG TIME is look at Danish “starchitect” Bjarke Ingels, (following him for 7 years from 2009 to 2016) named “one of architecture’s biggest innovators” by The Wall Street Journal.  In 2016, Time Magazine named him one of “The 100 Most influential People” on the planet.

The film opens with Bjarke in a cab in NYC.  He is there to take on two high-profile projects that will change the Manhattan skyline, the VIA 57 West, a pyramid apartment complex with a courtyard inspired by Central Park.  The other is Two World Trade Centre.

At one point in the documentary, a character, Mr. Sullivan praises the man to be one where creative juices are flowing and how people working with him are on a high exhilarating level.  That feeling of exhilaration occasionally rubs off the film onto the audience as the audience witnesses the man’s work.

Often, Bjarke (as he is more affectionally called) stands in front of a table, white paper in front of him, holding a felt pen. He outlines his designs while speaking aloud articulating both the design and the philosophy behind it.  These few segments are the best in the doc that show how the creative genius thinks and how the ideas flow.  Bjarke is at the age of 40 with a lot of his successful work done between the age of 31 (when he started) and 40.  Bjarke also says in the film that one should not wait but continually create and build, with the example given of past architects that have suddenly died.  Louis Kahn died of a heart attack in a restroom at Manhattan’s Penn Station.  Le Corbusier drowned while taking a swim in the Mediterranean Sea.  

Antoni Gaudi was hit by a tram on his way to church in Barcelona.

It is within reason that Bjarke speaks this way.  The film begins too with music accompanying weird patterns on the screen.  It becomes apparent only later in the film what these patterns are.  They are the patterns obtained from the MRA and MRI scans of Bjarke’s brain.  Bjarke has what could be a small tumour which is discovered at the mid-point of the film.  It gives him incredibly bad headaches preventing him from working any further.

Bjarke’s triumphs include Copenhagen’s Amager Bakke waste-to-energy plant with a 

ski slope on its roof and a chimney that emits “smoke” rings that are actually steam.  Ingels is also the brain behind Vancouver House, set to open in 2018.  He also talks about Sydney’s Opera House as the world’s greatest architecture design.

Director Schröder (RENT A FAMILY) also reveals Bjarke’s personal life thus making the doc more personal.  Bjarke at 40 is finally finding his partner in life in the form of a Spanish lady who he intends to marry, by buying her a unique engagement ring.

The film ends with Bjarke and fiancee walking through the completed VIA 57 West complex, ending the doc on an appropriate high.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VK0mGdMKMW4

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