Died Today at 91: Hugh Hefner (September 28th)

September 28, 2017September 28, 2017 festreviews Died Today, Uncategorized Hugh hefner

Hugh M. Hefner was born on April 9, 1926 in Chicago, Illinois, USA as Hugh Marston Hefner. He was a…

Born: April 9, 1926
Died: September 27, 2017 (age 91)

“Hugh M. Hefner, the American icon who in 1953 introduced the world to Playboy magazine and built the company into one of the most recognizable American global brands in history, peacefully passed away today from natural causes at his home, The Playboy Mansion, surrounded by loved ones,” a rep for the Playboy Enterprises founder said in a statement to People

Interview with Festival Director Auregan (ANIMATION STUDIO FESTIVAL)

September 25, 2017 festreviews Festival Interview, film festival, film festival reviews, Interview, interviews, matthew toffolo wildsound, Uncategorized ANIMATION STUDIO FESTIVAL, Auregan, festival director, festival reviews, film festival review, film reviews, interview

Our selection is based on love, emotion, and great talent. The movies we chose to select are creative, sincere and powerful. They drive you somewhere else, or deep inside so you can feel, learn, be surprise, laugh, discover a new perspective.

Contact

Matthew Toffolo: What is your Film Festival succeeding at doing for filmmakers?

Auregan: We have exclusive categories such as Best Story and Best Design. This way we want to reward the most sensitive films even if they didn’t have the budget for specific animation, and we also want to pick some of the best animators and animation designers. On a general perspective I have always been in love with animated films and by making these festival I want to select the new generation of talented and passionate filmmakers.

What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival this year (2018)?

We are planning for high quality screening event involving the filmmakers by sharing and showing their craft and amazing expertise.

What are the qualifications for the selected films?

We have eight categories, for short and feature films, for 2D, 3D, traditional, digital animation and even stop motion. Shorts must be less than 30 minutes and features over 40 minutes. For the rest we are expected moving and entertaining and funny films from all over the world !

Do you think that some films really don’t get a fair shake from film festivals? And if so, why?

There is some truth in that. Sometimes the bigger festival becomes the more the selection goes to some kind of etablished names, talents and films. It is up to the filmmakers to carrefuly chose the festivals they submit to. At the Animation Studio Festival, we are fully transparent, you can check our website and we answer each and every email. We are looking for the most sincere and involved filmmakers regardless of their status.

What motivates you and your team to do this festival?

We really love animated films. We watch them all the time. We noticed that there is so much more originality in animated films than in other films’ genres. The imagination of the animators and the authors seems unlimited !

How has your FilmFreeway submission process been?

There is a fisrt selection made by our team, then the selection is sent to the jury members who decide who the winners will be for each category. Nowadays the submission process is made really easy thanks to the platforms. We are on FilmFreeway but also on WithoutaBox, Click for Festivals and Festhome. So far the response as been great from the filmmakers !

Where do you see the festival by 2020?

There are so many artists, animators, screenwriters we would love to have as jury members… Also I guess I want the festival to grow but I also want to keep it close to the audience and the submitters.

What film have you seen the most times in your life?

Probably The Lion King. I know all the dialogues and the songs by heart.

In one sentence, what makes a great film?

A great story. Definitively.

How is the film scene in your city?

You know, films are what Los Angeles is about. The city lives with movies, breathes films, everyday. There is a lot of competition but judging by the response we have to the Animation Studio Festival, we already are standing out.

*****

Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 20-50 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Festival held in downtown Toronto, and Los Angeles at least 2 times a month. Go to www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.

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Happy Birthday: Will Smith

September 25, 2017 festreviews Uncategorized

Festival Reviews

Will Smith

Born: September 25, 1968 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Married to: Jada Pinkett Smith (31 December 1997 – present) (2 children)
Sheree Fletcher (9 May 1992 – 10 December 1995) (divorced) (1 child)

[on refusing to kiss Anthony Michael Hall in Six Degrees of Separation (1993)] It was very immature on my part. I was thinking, ‘How are my friends in Philly going to think about this?’ I wasn’t emotionally stable enough to artistically commit to that aspect of the film. In a movie with actors and a director and writer of this caliber, for me to be the one bringing something cheesy to it… This was a valuable lesson for me. Either you do it or you don’t.

Men in Black
1997
dir. Barry Sonnefeld
also starring
Tommy Lee Jones
Laura Flynn Boyle

Ali
2001
dir. Michael Mann
Starring
Smith
Jamie Foxx
Jon Voight

Bad Boys 2
2003

View original post 926 more words

Interview with Co-Founder Karl Rössel (AFRIKA FILM FESTIVAL)

September 24, 2017October 10, 2017 festreviews Festival Interview, film festival, film festival reviews, Interview, interviews, matthew toffolo wildsound, Uncategorized AFRIKA FILM FESTIVAL, festival director, festival reviews, film festival, film reviews, interview, Karl Rossel, matthew toffolo

AFRIKA FILM FESTIVAL KÖLN
1992 – 2015: 25 years of Films from Africa in Cologne/Germany

THE FESTIVAL:
FilmInitiativ Köln e.V has been organising the AFRIKA FILM FESTIVAL KÖLN since
1992 in Cologne/Germany. In 25 years more than 750 films from 40 African countries have been shown and the cinema-goers had the opportunity to get to know more than 160 filmmakers.

The AFRIKA FILM FESTIVAL KÖLN presents the most comprehensive range of
contemporary African cinema in Germany. As a result, the festival has grown in
national and international stature during the years.

In preparation for the Cologne festivals FilmInitiativ has regularly attended the panafrican film festival FESPACO in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso. FilmInitiativ has also attended African film festivals in Durban, Tunis (Carthage), Rabat and Cairo, as well as those in Milan, Amsterdam, Leuven, Tarifa/Cordoba and Frankfurt a.M. Special programmes featuring films from Africa that are screened at international film festivals, such as Cannes, Berlin, Rotterdam, Venice, Locarno, Toronto and Innsbruck, are also reviewed and evaluated for the Cologne festival.

FilmInitiativ offers information about all films and guests that were presented at the festivals in Cologne via a database in three languages on the website:
http://www.films-from-africa.com

The 15th edition of the festival will be held from September 21 to October 3, 2017. It will mark the 25th anniversary of the festival.

Contact

Matthew Toffolo What is your Film Festival succeeding at doing for filmmakers?

Karl Rössel: The festival provides an opportunity for filmmakers from Africa and from the global African diaspora to present their films to the German audience. We promote those films not only by presenting them at our festival in Cologne, but also by recommanding them to cinemas and festivals in other German cites. We also subtitle some of the festival films as it makes it easier to distribute them in Germany.

For those filmmakers who come to visit the festival we organise meetings with the documentary and feature departments of the WDR. The WDR is Germanys biggest
public TV station and based in Cologne.

What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival this year
(2017)?

Given that we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the AFRIKA FILM FESTIVAL KÖLN,
people attending our festival can not only expect about 80 new films from more than 20 countries in Africa and from the diaspora, but also 30 guests, two exhibitions, four live music acts including an anniversary concert (with the Kasai Allstars from Kinshasa) and a party (with the Steven Ouma Band from Cologne).

What are the qualifications for the selected films?

The films for our festival are selected by the whole festivalteam. If the opinions in our team on certain films are inconsistent we also ask friends from African communities and others for their advise. We always try to present the best films from festivals in Africa, including those winning major awards.

The most important criteria for the selection is, that films should be directed by people from Africa or the African diaspora and not by Europeans or Americans. We deliberately present films from Africa, not about Africa. All genres and styles are welcome as long the content and form of the films are interesting and
inspiring. Given that we see cinema as a form of art we are not interested in
mainstream films, which are just shot for commercial reasons.

Do you think that some films really don’t get a fair shake from film festivals? And if so, why?

At festivals like the Berlinale (as well as other international A-festivals like Cannes, Venice and Rotterdam for example) films from Africa still are widely ignored. The few exceptions from this rule do not represent the great variety of genres, styles and contents of contemporary filmmaking in Africa. While films from Asia and Latin America are more regulary presented at international festivals, they still seem to be not interested or capable to do comprehensive research on new developments in African cinema.

What motivates you and your team to do this festival?

The association organising the festival, FilmInitiativ Köln e.V., was founded in 1988 when it set itself the objective of “arousing interest in cinematic art by screening films and giving lectures and seminars and also to stimulate and encourage political discussions”. In doing so, “primarily films that are not represented in the listings of commercial cinemas should be given a platform. These could be significant films in cinematic history or culture which document the cinematographic works of non-European filmmakers”. After presenting a first series of films from West Africa in 1992, the whole team of FilmInitiativ in 1993 traveled to Burkina Faso to attend the legendary panafrican film festival FESPACO. Overwhelmed by the amount of fascinating films from African directors, which we discoverd at this festival inOuagadougou, we decided soon after to concentrate on the presentation of films from Africa. By providing opportunities to watch those films and to discuss with African directors at eye level we also try to overcome sterotypes and racist prejudices, which are still widely spread in Germany when it come to Africa and its people.

How has your FilmFreeway submission process been?

We received more than 400 film submission via FilmFreeway. The problem is, that
even if you define certain criteria, many filmmakers submit their films without fulfilling the criteria.

Where do you see the festival by 2020?

We hope that we will be able to present (and finance!) a festival in 2020, which will be as comprehensive, diversified and ambitious as our anniversary festival this year.

What film have you seen the most times in your life?

„Hyènes“ by Djibril Diop Mambety from Senegal, because we have presented this
masterpiece several times in the last 25 year.

In one sentence, what makes a great film?

A great film moves and changes the audience watching it.

How is the film scene in your city?

There are not enough cinemas and screens in Cologne.

Film does not play the role it should. If people in Cologne still get a chance to watch important films from around the world, it is due to the efforts of independent film groups (like FilmInitiativ Köln e.V.) and a few art house cinemas.

*****

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Interview with Festival Directors Daniel Foreman & Sharlene Millang (Edmonton Short Film Festival)

September 24, 2017 festreviews Festival Interview, film festival, film festival reviews, Interview, interviews, matthew toffolo wildsound, Uncategorized Daniel Foreman & Sharlene Millang, Edmonton Short Film Festival, festival director, festival reviews, film festival, film reviews, interview

The Edmonton Short Film Festival (ESFF) is dedicated to the elevation of Alberta Independent film. The ESFF showcases Alberta filmmakers outside of the “normal” festival market and features diverse projects (newly created or “dusted off” favourites) including: trailers, music videos, web series, commercials, short films … as long as it’s less than 15 minutes, we’ll accept it! There are two main screening events: a Red Carpet Gala on October 14 and a Family Fun Film Fest on October 15.

Contact

Matthew Toffolo: What is your Film Festival succeeding at doing for filmmakers? 

Daniel Foreman & Sharlene Millang: We are a jumping point to take emerging Alberta filmmakers and help them progress in their careers. A lot of them have only known YouTube as an audience and never played in a sold out theatre or networked with industry professionals. We give them the opportunity to move forward professionally with a filmmaker skills class (included in each submission), and we offer cash prizes for best of category. We also bring them up on stage to be recognized.

What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival this year
(2017)?

Saturday night Gala:

As a film lover, you will be greeted by ushers at the door and directed to the ticket table, refreshment bars and to volunteers serving free, fresh, hot popcorn. There is a selection of pre-gala movies playing on the screens in the lobby and many opportunities to network and interact with other filmmakers and film fans. There is a silent auction where you can bid on exciting prizes. If you prefer, you can relax in the theatre and experience the pre-show on the big screen. We encourage our patrons to become engaged by tagging #ESFF2017 and
seeing their posts live on our Twitter wall.

The first batch of films run for about 45 minutes and the audience will experience documentaries, commercials, comedies, dramas, animations and more. The maximum length of each film is 15 minutes so if someone doesn’t like what they’re seeing, they can just wait a few minutes and they will experience something new

At the intermission, you will be entertained by live music by Olivia Rose and be fed hot food served by Drift Food Truck, which is all included in your ticket price of under $20. Free popcorn and bars serving local beer (as well as wine and soft drinks) give you get a great chance to meet new people and have fun in our festive atmosphere. Take a moment to have your photo taken on the red carpet!

The second act has another 45 minutes of film and then the audience votes on the their choice from all the films that have been screened.

Sunday afternoon Family Fun Film Fest

This FREE event includes a variety of activities for younger children including virtual reality demonstrations, facepainting, green screen backgrounds to play against, a GPS scavenger hunt, a photobooth with costumes and more.

The movies in the theatre include many excellent student films and family friendly shorts, and will showcase a special presentation by Edmonton born Hollywood actor Josh Emerson.

Filmmakers in attendance will also be recognized.

What are the qualifications for the selected films?

The only mandatory requirements are Alberta-created, under 15 minutes, screenable content (e.g., no pornography, extreme violence or extreme language). We accept all genres and any date of creation. Our selection process is based on production value, story and performance. Then the program is pulled from the best technical films to create an awesome audience experience.

What motivates you and your team to do this festival? 

Our biggest motivation is to help emerging Alberta filmmakers move their careers forward. It is a great feeling to have the filmmakers on stage beside us at the end of the evening and celebrating with them in front of a packed house.

How has your FilmFreeway submission process been?

This was our first year on Film Freeway and it has been fabulous. It’s been a great way to supplement direct submissions on our site and opened a whole new group of Alberta filmmakers who may not otherwise have found our festival.

Where do you see the festival by 2020?

We see it including the western provinces and territories in Canada: BC, Yukon, NWT, Nunavut, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. It will be a week-long festival with speakers from across Canada, industry professionals and agents buying films. The short film section will still be the focus but we will expand to features as well.

What film have you seen the most times in your life? 

Dan: Ghostbusters. I saw it at least 10 times in the theatre and countless times on video after. I still own and watch the original VHS tape which has held up remarkably well.

Sharlene: Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

In one sentence, what makes a great film? 

A great film comprises of compelling story and interesting characters all woven together with fantastic visuals and stellar sound.

How is the film scene in your city? 

Edmonton has a dynamic, vibrant film scene that is very, very indie. We don’t get a lot of big productions here currently but we make up for it with rich grassroots filmmaking.

Here’s a tidbit just for your information (not part of our official response):
The newly-created Edmonton Screen Industries Office includes the full range of
screen-based entertainment, education and training – from mobile, television, Internet streaming and theatrical release inclusive of live action, animation and interactive video games. http://www.edmontonscreenindustries.com/

With the creation of this new organization Edmonton is poised to become a leader in digital entertainment across Canada, North America and the globe.

*****

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Interview with Festival Programmer Ross Williams (KILLER VALLEY HORROR FILM FESTIVAL)

September 24, 2017September 24, 2017 festreviews Festival Interview, film festival, film festival reviews, Interview, interviews, matthew toffolo wildsound, Uncategorized festival director, festival reviews, film festival, film review, interview, KILLER VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL, Ross Williams

The Killer Valley Horror Film Festival was founded in 2007 by filmmaker Randy Granstrom. For 10 years we’ve been showcasing the best in indie horror and sci-fi.

Matthew Toffolo: What is your Film Fes(val succeeding at doing for filmmakers?

Ross Williams: We really focus on our local filmmakers. If you live in Southern
Oregon or Northern California, we give you a free entry and a higher chance on getting accepted if you can come to the festival. We also keep the entry fees really low, it only $10 this year. The festival really began as a way for us to show our horror films to our friends and family in the area. It opened up to other local filmmakers in Southern Oregon and began to grow from there. Since we’re still so small, we can’t offer much. But we always let them and their friends in for free. We give out awards and give filmmakers a chance to see
their film on a big screen with an audience.

What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival
this year (2017)?

We really aim at horror fans. You can expect a killer lineup of short horror films. Some are funny. Some are gross. Some are seriously scary. The best films are all three. We try to mix it up and make it a fun night of horror. We usually have a special guest, the past two years it’s been Adrienne King of Friday the 13th fame, since she lives in our area and loves to interact with horror fans. We have fun horror props and decorations and you can get your picture taken
with Jason Voorhees or some of the other props we have around.

What are the qualifications for the selected films?

We don’t care about premiere status. We don’t even care if the film is a few years old. Really we just want to showcase cool horror films. We’ve rejected really top-notch films because they didn’t have enough horror in them. And we’ve accepted “poorly” made films because they were entertaining on some other level. We’re really just trying to keep our audience and ourselves entertained.

Do you think that some films really don’t get a fair shake from
film festivals? And if so, why?

I think horror in general is looked down on in the “serious” film festival circuit. Besides the few rare exceptions, you really only see horror films at horror festivals. So we’re trying to do our part in helping the genre. There’s no other horror festival that we know of in our area. You have to drive 5 hours north to Portland or 5 hours south to the Bay Area to see independent horror on the big screen.

What motivates you and your team to do this festival?

Everybody involved in the festival is a filmmaker. We really want to make it a fun experience for filmmakers when they come. A chance for them to interact with horror fans and get true feedback on their films. For horror fans, we want to present a night of awesome horror films that they probably won’t see anywhere else.

How has your FilmFreeway submission process been?

Year one was a bit rough, it was our fault though. Because we really wanted to focus on filmmakers, we made it a free entry to the festival. We were absolutely bombarded by films. We had around 750 entries. A good 25% of those weren’t anywhere close to the right genre. It took forever for us to weed through all the films. This year we made it a $10 fee, just so filmmakers would pay attention when they were entering and not just see “free” and enter without reading our guidelines. It cut down our entries a lot, but the quality of films is a lot higher this year. Other than that, the process has been really smooth, we really like FilmFreeway.

Where do you see the festival by 2020?

Hopefully we can expand it to at least two nights by 2020. We’d like to eventually expand it into a horror-con of sorts, with horror actors, booths, cosplay, etc. But that’s just a dream at this point, we really need to put a lot more time and money into it if we’re going to get there.

What film have you seen the most times in your life?

Probably Star Wars, but as for the horror film I’ve seen the most it’s gotta be: Return of the Living Dead. In my opinion it’s the best zombie movie and the best horror-comedy ever made.

In one sentence, what makes a great film?

A film that’s fun to watch, has a compelling story and characters, is well made in all aspects and keeps you thinking about it afterwards.

How is the film scene in your city?

For a small town Ashland has a great film scene. We have a ton of filmmakers in the area, you can find somebody making a short film somewhere in the area almost every weekend. We’re all very supportive of each other’s work, we tend to pitch in a lot on each others projects. We have a great filmmaker organization in Southern Oregon Film and Media, that binds us all together. And we have a great film festival in the Ashland Independent Film Festival, in my opinion it’s one of the best I’ve ever attended as a goer and as a filmmaker. We at Killer Valley strive to be half as good someday.

*****

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Full Review: DO DONKEYS ACT? (Canada/Ireland/UK/USA 2017) ***

September 24, 2017 festreviews 2017 movies, movie, Movie Review, Uncategorized Ashley Sabin, David Redmon, Do Donkeys Act?, film reviews, gilbert seah, Willem Dafoe

Donkeys inhabit and communicate with each other – and the filmmakers – in a Sanctuary.

Directors:

David Redmon, Ashley Sabin

Star:

Willem Dafoe

It has to happen eventually – a documentary on donkeys from the donkey’s point of view.

One might complain as the poetic prose narrative voiced by actor Willem Dafoe. It might seem really silly, but after a while, one might accept the directors’ decision and play along with this somewhat funny poetic play. Sample proses: “These donkeys have a wind of curiosity on their side.” “When donkeys walk to a dead end… They have several ways in but no way out.” Dafoe is the ideal choice as the narrator of such sayings/

The film begins with words on the screen saying how other animals communicate without words but with song or rhythm. It then goes to say that still others communicate by gestures in the shadows – whatever that means. So, DO DONKEYS ACT? invites the audience to “step into their shade and to listen closely” as the audience attune to a series of dramatic performances in which one can eavesdrop on donkeys speaking amongst themselves.

The film elicits the audience’s pity of donkeys. The film is quick to point out that these donkeys are often abused and neglected. One was stabbed many times be teens playing stab the donkey with a knife while another is blind. One was shown in neglect with long curved nails ingrown due to its hoofs. The nails are removed by cutting using clippers. Still, the directors show that these are still beautiful creatures with their thick manes and loud and distinct braying. Hee-haw, hee-haw!!!

Among the film’s highlights are:

the donkey at the dentist (a live dental experience like an alien encounter;)

a beautiful and moving sight of donkeys freely running around in the open after a long winter confinement

the birth of a new foal

the feeding of a foal

Directors David Redmon and Ashley Sabin have worked before on films like GIRL MODEL and KINGDOM OF ANIMALS as well as several other documentaries. DO DONKEYS ACT? clearly shows assured work, quirky though it may seem, but still thoroughly entertaining.

Though it might seem trivial to learn more about donkeys, curiosity eventually has its day in this occasionally fascinating portrayal of the neglected animal who is still part of God’s animal Kingdom. Everything you wanted to know that happens inside a donkey sanctuary. The film was shot in several docket sanctuaries in the U.K., U.S., Ireland and Canada including the one in Guelph, Ontario.

The film played to rave reviews at the Hit Docs Festival this year in Toronto.

Trailer: https://vimeo.com/200043031

Film Review: THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES (UK 2017)

September 23, 2017 festreviews 2017 movies, movie, Movie Review, Uncategorized film reviews, Franco Nero, Joan Collins, Pauline Collins, Roger Goldby., THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES

A former Hollywood star enlists the help of a new friend in order to journey from London to France for her ex-lover’s funeral, with the various mishaps en route making the trip unforgettable.

THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES is a road trip comedy starring Golden Globe-winner Joan Collins, Academy Award-nominee Pauline Collins and Italian film star Franco Nero. Cineastes should be pleased to see there stars of the 70’s and 80’s now in their golden years.

Joan Collins plays a character reminiscent of one of her better known films THE BITCH while Pauline Collins one reminiscent of SHIRLEY VALENTINE.

This is a film about escaping and breaking free – and how it’s never too late to have another chance at life. Determined to gatecrash her ex-lover’s funeral on the glamorous French hideaway of Île de Ré, former Hollywood siren Helen (Joan Collins) escapes her London retirement home with the help of Priscilla (Pauline Collins), a repressed English housewife stuck in a dwindling marriage. Helen is not shy to remind everyone she encounters that she used to be a famous star. And she is bitchy at that and especially even more bitchy that no one remembers who she is. Priscilla, like her SHIRLEY VALENTINE (she was in both the one-woman Scottish play at London’s west-end and in the film – both of which I and seen) character is one who has spent her entire life as a housewife looking after her husband, She finally decides enough is enough and she has to take sometime for herself. The plot of that film is incorporated in Goldby’s script.

In THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES Helen and Priscilla pool their limited resources, they hit the road like a senior THELMA AND LOUISE in a race to get to Île de Ré, becoming entangled in a love triangle with a reclusive Italian millionaire, Alberto (the still dashing Franco Nero, real life husband of Vanessa Redgrave) along the way. On this journey, they find true friendship in one another – and of course, have the time of their lives.

If all this sounds exciting, the film is not. It is ridden and bogged down by cliches of similar countless films centred on old people. While it is tedious to watch a re-hash of the Shirley Valentine, Pauline Collins almost pulls it off. She is one of my and many others’ favourite actresses and she still manages to elicit sympathy, respect and admiration for a familiar character. On the other hand, Joan Collins’ Helen character is annoying and as said, bitchy.

Goldby’s script includes two subplots – one involving Helen seeking her daughter and the other Priscilla’s drowned son that gets too sentimental. The Hollywood ending is too far-fetched for credibility.

Writer/director Goldby falls into all the traps of films about senior where they think too much of their glorious past youth and think that they are always pretty enough. Worst still, these films always bring the embarrassing topic of sex into the equation. Helen and Priscilla act like teenagers most of the time, creating mischief. Both women want Antonio, just as teens want the handsome young hunk.

THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES despite having three famous older stars ends up as another old farts movie.

Trailer: https://www.theguardian.com/film/video/2017/jan/27/joan-collins-the-time-of-their-lives-trailer-video

1997 Movie Review: BREAKDOWN, 1997

September 23, 2017 festreviews 1997 Movies, movie, Movie Review, Uncategorized 1997, BREAKDOWN, film reviews, Jonathan Mostow, JT Walsh, Kathleen Quinlan, Kim Robillard, Kurt Russell, M.C. Gainey

BREAKDOWN, 1997
Movie Reviews

Directed by: Jonathan Mostow

Cast: Kurt Russell, JT Walsh, Kathleen Quinlan, M.C. Gainey, Kim Robillard
Review by Jarred Thomas

SYNOPSIS:

After their new Jeep conks out on a desolate stretch of Arizona highway, a well-heeled Massachusetts couple accepts the help of a kindly, honest-seeming trucker, who drives the wife to a diner while the husband stays behind to “protect” the vehicle. After saying goodbye, the husband gets two surprises: the Jeep starts, and his wife never actually arrived at the diner, and the trucker doesn’t recollect having picked her up at all…

REVIEW:

An exciting and compelling thriller that star Kurt Russell as a husband desperately trying to find his wife who may or may not have been kidnapped by some desert locals. What’s great about this film in particular is the suspense which in many films try to capture it, only to come up with nothing. But here Mostow and Russell work well in conveying husband’s anguish and the looming tension.

Jeff and Amy Taylor are moving to California and must drive across the country. While driving the jeep starts to breakdown, or at least appears so. When they find themselves stranded in the middle of a desert with hardly anyone or anything around, their trip comes to a sudden halt.

When a truck driver pulls up he offers the two a ride to the nearest diner, 60 miles away. Jeff however wants to remain with the jeep, believing that the jeep might have just overheated, which is what the trucker suggested. But Amy reasons that if it’s not overheated they may be stranded for a lot longer.

So, they agree for her to take a ride with the trucker to the diner where she can call for a tow truck. She leaves. But after a long time with no tow truck, Jeff becomes worried.

The jeep starts working again, and he heads off to the diner where he finds that no one in the diner has seen or heard from his wife. When he finds the trucker who gave Amy the ride, the trucker swears he has never seen her. Now Jeff must attempt to find his wife, who has been kidnapped and is being held for ransom.

There are a few twists that pop up throughout the film which actually adds depth to certain characters. JT plays the villain but there’s more to his story than simply a one note bad guy. He has a family, and a son who admires him greatly.

Kurt Russell has always been solid actor and many of his roles, and here he’s no different. It’s nice to see him again since nowadays he’s rarely seen in films. But here he shows us why he was such valuable commodity in the business. Maybe he’ll show up some more in future movies.

1997 Movie Review: AIR FORCE ONE, 1997 (starring Harrison Ford)

September 22, 2017 festreviews 1997 Movies, movie, Movie Review, Uncategorized 1997, AIR FORCE ONE, Dean Stockwell, film reviews, gary oldman, Glenn Close, harrison ford, movie review, Tom Everett, Wendy Crewson, William H Macy, wolfgang peterson

AIR FORCE ONE, 1997
Movie Reviews

Directed by Wolfgang Petersen
Starring: Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman, Glenn Close, Wendy Crewson, William H Macy, Dean Stockwell, Tom Everett
Review by Emma Hutchings

SYNOPSIS:

After Russian terrorists hijack the Presidential plane, the only hope of regaining control and averting disaster is the President himself. He has just made a speech stating he will not negotiate with terrorists, but is he willing to stand by that if it means sacrificing his wife and daughter?

OSCAR NOMINEE for Best Film Editing, Best Sound

REVIEW:

‘Harrison Ford is the President of the United States’. If that tagline fills you with dread, chances are you probably aren’t going to enjoy Air Force One. However, if the image of the great American action star playing the President, as a tough, heroic, Medal of Honor winner, beating up the terrorists who dare to take control of his plane, makes you grin, then you’ll love this action-packed thrill ride.

At the start of the film, President James Marshall makes a brave speech in Moscow condemning terrorists and saying he will not negotiate with them. Coincidentally, upon leaving, a group of Russians sympathetic towards General Radek (the once tyrannical leader of Kazakhstan, now in prison) board Air Force One posing as a press crew, helped by a mole in the Secret Service.

When things get hairy, the President is rushed to an escape pod in the cargo hold. But what the hijackers don’t know is that the President refused to leave and while his staff and family are held captive, he endeavours to rescue them single-handedly.

Consequently, what ensues is your typical ‘lone hero against a group of criminals’ scenario (think Die Hard or Under Siege). The terrorists conveniently prowl around the plane individually and he is able to pick off a few before being rumbled.

This rather tired formula is given a new lease of life and works mainly because of Harrison Ford’s star power. Ford inspires confidence; he does the right thing no matter how difficult, the audience know this and have that expectation before the film even starts. We know he’ll do the right thing, take care of his family and be a great leader of his country because he’s Harrison Ford, the Hollywood star. If it was an unknown actor we perhaps wouldn’t know how he’d respond in certain situations, and we wouldn’t be drawn into the film as much as we are, knowing Harrison Ford is going to save the day. This is basically, ‘what would happen if terrorists hijacked a plane and Indiana Jones was on board?’ or Jack Ryan, or any number of the characters he has previously played.

Praise must go to Gary Oldman as Ivan Korshunov, leader of the group of terrorists. He excels at playing the bad guy but I think this character is something special. Usually the villain’s motives aren’t explained, they are de-humanised and the audience feels no sympathy for them. But far from being a crazy lunatic, he makes Korshunov human, which can be quite unsettling. There are times when his persuasive rhetoric (combined with a convincing Russian accent) makes you wonder if he isn’t just a regular guy who was pushed to the very edge and foolishly chose to resort to extreme methods. In using the argument, “You, who murdered a hundred thousand Iraqis to save a nickel on a gallon of gas, are going to lecture me on the rules of war?” he makes the audience see the Americans, and by association The President, in an unflattering light. Korshunov is a powerful character, and pitting him in opposition to the President adds an extra interesting facet to the film.

The bottom line is that Air Force One is completely unbelievable. It’s a fantasy story about the President saving the day. Yet it keeps you hooked. It’s a little longer than I like my action movies but it held my attention. There are some great action sequences; the pilot’s urgent attempt to land the plane at a German airbase near the start of the film is a remarkable set piece. My advice is don’t think about it too much because if you start to examine the plot you will find gaping holes and you’re likely to realise it’s all a bit silly. But it’s a very enjoyable film if taken for what it was meant to be; a summer blockbuster, a popcorn movie, a film you can sit down and enjoy without taxing your brain. So, just go with it and enjoy the ride, or should that be flight?

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