Movie Reviews of films that will be playing at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) in 2017. Go to TIFF 2017 Movie Reviews and read reviews of films showing at the festival.
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Sandra Oh, Liane Balaban, Tzi Ma
Mina Shum directs an all-star cast — including Cheng Pei Pei, Sandra Oh, Tzi Ma, and Don McKellar — in her latest feature, about a devoted wife and mother (Pei Pei) who is forced to reassess her reverence for her husband after she finds another woman’s thong in his laundry.
by Gilbert Seah
Hong Kong martial-arts superstar Cheng Pei Pei, now in her ageing years stars as Maria, a devoted wife and mother who is forced to reassess her reverence for her husband after she finds another woman’s thong in his laundry.
She discovers that her supposedly devout husband, Bing (Tzi Ma) is not the perfect husband she thought him to be. They are visited by their daughter (Sandra Oh) who wishes her mother attend the brother’s wedding.
The brother has been disowned by Bing. Maria starts tailing her husband to find out more of his affair. At the same time, Maria opens up her life and finds companionship through her assortment of friends as well as though a neighbour (Don McKellar).
She finds that life has more to offer than just tending to her husband, and to one who has been unfaithful at that. There are some magnificent performances on display here, Cheng Pei Pei’s being the most obvious.
Sandra Oh, who has been in Shun’s films in the past is always good and a pleasure to watch. Shun does not compromise her film for the typical Hollywood ending.
EDITATION PARK should be seen for it being Shun’s best work and for Cheng Pei Pei’s controlled yet powerful performance.
Trailer: https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=tMo7DdGdaq8
TIFF 2017 Movie Review: BATTLE OF THE SEXES (USA)
Movie Reviews of films that will be playing at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) in 2017. Go to TIFF 2017 Movie Reviews and read reviews of films showing at the festival.
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Writer:
Stars:
Emma Stone, Steve Carell, Elisabeth Shue |
by Gilbert Seah
BATTLE OF THE SEXES begins with Billie Jean King (Emma Stone) just winning the women’s singles tennis championship making her number one female player in the world.
King is outraged with the inequality of pay by the National Tennis League, especially with Jack, the chairman (Bill Pullman), who is shown to be the real villain of the story. Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell), arranges the battle of the sexes match, using his loud mouth and publicity to earn himself some cash to aid his failing marriage. To King, winning this match is more symbolic.
It is a milestone for women’s rights for equal pay, a point that is mentioned at the film’s end credits but not made clear throughout the film. The lazy script by Simon Beaufoy (SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE) never bothers with important details of the story.
The film overdramatizes to the point of laughter. One scene has Billie’s lover in her hair salon shop hearing the news of Billie, realizing that she is needed and dramatically drops everything to leave the salon. The wardrobe of the 70’s has never looked so awful in any other film.The script contains lots of inane dialogue and unfunny jokes.
One line has Larry asking his wife if she was getting a blow dry, with full sexual innuendo. The film sheds no real light on the female rights movement, except what we already know.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5ykcuAS1F4
TIFF 2017 Movie Review: SHEIKH JACKSON (Egypt 2017)
Movie Reviews of films that will be playing at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) in 2017. Go to TIFF 2017 Movie Reviews and read reviews of films showing at the festival.
Director:
Writers:
Stars:
Basma, Amina Khalil, Ahmad El-Fishawi
Sheikh Jackson is the nickname given to Sheikh as a kid for loving the pop idol Michael Jackson.
The film concentrates on Sheikh as a grown man, now a devout imam (Ahmad Alfishawy) who tends to be praying all the time and demanding devout behaviour of his children, just as his father (Maged El Kedwany), shown in flashback demanded of him.
Didn’t Sheikh learn from his father’s mistakes? Sheikh is also upset that he cannot cry while praying and sees a female psychologist, the sex of which he objects to.
Salama’s film is all over the place, with no observable goal. He has put on centre a subject which western audiences are unfamiliar with and makes no attempt to make him likeable or connected to the audience. The influence of Jackson over Sheikh is also vague at best.
A few comical moments like watching the father pump weights in the gym like a world class bodybuilder helps elevate this otherwise sordid affair.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsijix35ORE
TIFF 2017 Movie Review: EUTHANIZER (Finland 2017) ***1/2
Movie Reviews of films that will be playing at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) in 2017. Go to TIFF 2017 Movie Reviews and read reviews of films showing at the festival.
The carefully balanced (albeit deranged) life of a freelance, black-market pet euthanizer begins to come apart at the seams in this loopy exploitation-movie throwback from Finland, which evokes the brazen psychological insights and aesthetic brio of such grungy genre classics as Monte Hellman’s Cockfighter and Larry Cohen’s God Told Me To.
Director: Teemu Nikki
Writer: Teemu Nikki
Stars: Alina Tomnikov, Santtu Karvonen, Jari Virman
Review by Gilbert Seah
The EUTHANIZER is Veijo, (Matti Onnismaa), an older man with glasses always smoking a pipe who runs a black-market operation euthanizing people’s ailing pets.
The people who go to Veijo either cannot afford having their pet put down by the local vet or have no guts to perform the killing themselves. Each commission also comes with a brutal lecture, as Veijo spills over with Old Testament–style indignation about what shoddy and appalling people his patrons are and how their pets have been mistreated.
Veijo is in reality an animal lover. When his father is hospitalized, he meets the young nurse caring for him. They begin a strange affair, a bit too uncomfortable, I bet to many an audience’s liking.
He also encounters a seedy garage mechanic, Petri (who’s mixed up with a vicious gang of neo-Nazis) who call themselves ‘Soldiers of Finland’ which provide most of the film’s suspense and thrills.
Veijp’s insight and theory of life is intriguing and serves to propel the difficult to fathom plot. But the film works, as director Nikki has the audience constantly rooting for Veijo in this black comedy of manners.
TIFF 2017 Movie Review: MIRACLE (Lithuania/Bulgaria/Poland 2017) ****
Movie Reviews of films that will be playing at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) in 2017. Go to TIFF 2017 Movie Reviews and read reviews of films showing at the festival.
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Writer:
Edgy, strange and completely engaging, MIRACLE is the kind of small film from a small place like Lithuania (the country’s first film at TIFF in 15 years) that never gets distribution and should be a pick at TIFF.
The story centres on the owner of a struggling post-Soviet pig farm, Irena whose husband is always drunk and is sort of a pig himself. The farm is failing and Irena’s workers make fun of her behind her back. It is all dark and gloomy till an American suddenly appears and brings the so-called MIRACLE into place.
There is another MIRACLE (a plot twist) at the end of the film as well. But not without a price. The American, Bernardas buys and takes over the farm and gives the workers and Irena money for their shares. Irena ends up sleeping with him too.
Vertelyte’s film, especially its dead-pan humour immediately reminds one of the films of Aki Kaurismaki just like the actress who plays Irena looks remarkably alike Kati Outinen, Kaurismaki’s regular actress.
The only problem of the film is a satisfactory ending. But the weird one is good enough for me.
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/231418027
Film Review: HUNTING PIGNUT (Canada 2016)
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Stars:
Taylor Hickson, Joel Thomas Hynes, Bridget Wareham
HUNTING PIGNUT can be considered a true female project (from Newfoundland, Canada) with a female writer and director Martine Blue and two strong female protagonists. It is also Blue’s first feature and an autobiographical one at that. It is therefore not surprising that the film won Best First Feature at the Arizona International Film Festival and Best Canadian Feature at the Female Eye Film Festival.
The story centres on 15-year-old Bernice Kilfoy (rising star Taylor Hickson, fresh from her debut DEADPOOL). She hates her life in tiny, isolated Black Gut, Newfoundland. She believes that she will never live down a traumatic childhood that left her body and psyche deeply scarred. Bean (Amelia Manuel), her mother, tries to be a friend but is too busy struggling to get ahead. Self-centred, lonely, starved for attention and shunned by her peers, Bernice, who is bullied and constantly being beaten up, makes up stories about hanging out with her dad, of whom she hasn’t seen in 10 years. Her dejected spirit takes a strange turn when her dad dies of a heroin overdose and Pignut (Joel Thomas Hynes), a nihilistic gutter punk, shows up for his wake.
The death and funeral service occurs at the start of the film. The service is crashed by Pignuts punk friends who are thrown out of the funeral hall. It is discovered that they have stolen the father’s ashes.
Bernice stumbles upon Pignut’s writing journal and becomes obsessed with discovering more about her father, his mysterious facial tattoo, his best friend Pignut and their clan of nomadic gutter punks. Bernice embarks on an odyssey to hunt down her father’s ashes and to discover her place in his heart and in the world.
The best thing of the film is the depiction of the punk gutter scene. Director Blue drew on her previous experiences when she herself was in this scene. These people, squatted, panhandled and ate food from garbage dumpsters.
Bernice is shown in the film as a rebel who dives into the group, which initially rejects her due to her age.
The trouble with the film is that the story is not credible and filled with too may coincidences. The mother, Bean is genuinely trying to make an effort to connect with her daughter and it is hard to believe that Bernice still shuns her. When Bean travels to the city to find Bernice, she finds her out of the blue in a building doing drugs. The chances of this happening is close to negligible. In another scene after Bernice is beaten up by a punk ember, the cops happen to be right there.
At least Hickson and Manuel deliver winning performances as daughter and mother. Comedienne Mary Walsh, who happens to be appearing in anything Newfoundland has a cameo in the film.
Despite the film’s well intentions, like attempting to show love within the punk group, the film fails from its careless writing. The film benefits from a strong female presence but HUNTING PIGNUT deserves much better.
MOVIE REVIEW: KAJAL (KOHL) (Drama)
Played at the August 2017 FEMALE FEEDBACK Film Festival to rave reviews.
by Kierston Drier
Most cinema aims to make the audience feel something- laughter or joy, terror and thrill, anticipation and satisfaction. Excellent films achieve this, while also making you think. Spectacular films do all these things while also leaving one with an empowering message. Enter Kajal, which has transcended all these requirements and more. This twenty minute short from Indian directed by Paakhi A Tryewala, is a cinematic masterpiece of beautiful, terror and empowerment. A statement on society through one woman’s solitary tale of domination and resistance. Our heroine, a submissive and cautious woman, disrespected by strangers, ignored by her boss, and berated by her husband, stumbles into a mysterious package on her way home- containing a gun. Empowered by a weapon that finally gives her an element of protection, defense and choice, our hero sets about making changes the the world around her that treats life as though she is less than those around her.
It is never the gun that creates the changes- it is our heroine, empowered by the realization that she can wield power- and she does so without ever uttering a word.
Kajal is beautifully shot, with gorgeous cinematography. It is exceptionally well cast on every level. The performance of leading actress Salony Luthra is nothing short of awe-inspiring, as she captivates the screen with strength, poise and undeniable grit and determination. This is a rare gem of a film that is composed in near-perfection as it takes the viewer slowly into the life of one woman, prepared to change her world by any means necessary. Yet, the gun that empowers her is a beautiful metaphor for her own power. A gun is only as dangerous as the person who holds it.
Kajal is a must-see film. It resonates with tension, sparkles with anticipation and burns hot with a deep message of empowerment. A breakthrough film with razer-edge execution, it is a riveting cinematic piece to watch. Bravo Paakhi A Tyrewala. Bravo!
KOHL, 20min, India, Drama
Directed by Paakhi A Tyrewala
Like all elements, humans have a saturation point. What happens when a woman — constantly bullied by a boss, harassed by strangers and abused by husband — finds an abandoned package one night?
CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!
MOVIE REVIEW: NO STRINGS ATTACHED, (Music Video)
Played at the August 2017 FEMALE FEEDBACK Film Festival to rave reviews.
by Kierston Drier
This five minute music video from the USA, No Strings Attached is a bold and dramatic statement about the commercialization of art. Highly abstract, yet clear with its goals, motives and intent, this stylized musical art piece is comment on media, money and the rights to human expression.
No Strings Attached performed by Alyssa Maria featuring Destiny Claymore and directed by Lindsay Penn is not only a strong musical number but is composed with exceptional lyrics and an unforgettable performances. The lyrics jump out at the viewer as clearly and as vibrantly as the stunning emotional visuals.
A special nod must be given to the artistic design- the costumes, makeup and overall visual spectacle of the piece is just as lush and entrancing as the highly moving lyrics. An artistic but strong criticism and review of our music industry and the money that propels the creation and distribution of content, this is a strong and memorable performance and a incredibly engaging film to behold
| NO STRINGS ATTACHED, 5min, USA, Music Video Directed by Lindsay PennFans or dollars? A surreal exploration of the inner conflict of the independent artist. CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film! |
MOVIE REVIEW: THE SESSION (Comedy)
Played at the August 2017 FEMALE FEEDBACK Film Festival to rave reviews.
by Kierston Drier
An emotionally intense and psychologically thrilling comedy, this ambitious seven minute short hailing from the USA and directed by Molly Maguire is rollercoaster of extremes. It follows a timid Amanda at her first meeting with her strong and confident therapist. Eager to please and desperate to be “just like everyone else”, Amanda is quick to obey the words of her trusted therapist, who quickly persuades her into accepting deep truths about her psyche. The power dynamics of this piece are quick, intense and startling, as the rapid fire writing carries the story from one emotional high to the next.
Incredibly successful while still being admirably ambitious, The Session may push a viewer out of their comfort zone with psychology manipulation and comic irony. However, this is the type of daring and adventurous cinematic short that must be highly commended for its strong performances, excellent writing and killer mic-drop comic twist ending. A worthy watch and a short not to miss.
THE SESSION, 7min, USA, Comedy
Directed by Molly Maguire
Amanda arrives early for her first therapy session a bit eager, nervous, and open to her Dr.’s professional words of wisdom. Dr. Franklin uses all of this to her advantage. Turning those fateful minutes in which Amanda arrived early into ones Amanda will never forget.
CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!
MOVIE REVIEW: THE MAN WHO DOESN’T SLEEP (Drama, Dramamentary)
Played at the August 2017 FEMALE FEEDBACK Film Festival to rave reviews.
by Kierston Drier
A fifteen minute Mockumentary-Drama coming out of Canada, directed by Jana Stackhouse, follows a young filmmaker Sam as she explores the curious condition of her neighbor. Her neighbour, as it turns out, doesn’t sleep- or can’t sleep. Taken with the fascinating story of this medical miracle, Sam devotes her time to following her neighbor Craig and his story. What would you do with your newly found time, if you no longer had to sleep?
What she finds is an amazing introvert who is a jack of all trades, from Cosplay to self-taught chef, to botanist, to one-man-band, Craig can do it all- although he can’t do any of it perfectly. And slowly, the shy recluse opens up to his new friend. But when Craig suddenly begins to feel exhaustion, Sam learns that when he finally does sleep, he may sleep most of the rest of his life to make up for what sleep has been lost. Determined to finish her film and give Craig a chance to tell his story, they carry on the documentary. Craig however, must come to the realization that a person can live in a dream world, even if they never fall asleep.
This is an exceptionally well balanced film. The Man Who Doesn’t Sleep has emotional and genuine performances, charming tone and a beautiful mixture of subtle comedy and heart. It’s slightly unbelievable premise is easy to accept because of how authentically it is portrayed. A meaningful message is left with anyone who takes the time to enjoy The Man Who Doesn’t Sleep– life may be short, but it is worth being awake for.
| THE MAN WHO DOESN’T SLEEP, 15min, Canada, Drama Directed by Jana StackhouseA young filmmaker finds herself in a new apartment where her neighbour is literally up all night. Her anger turns to curiosity as she sets out to make a documentary about ‘The Man Who Doesn’t Sleep.’ CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film! |
Festival Reviews 