film reviews

TIFF 2016 Movie Review: JEAN OF THE JONESES (Canada 2016)

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Movie Reviews of films that will be playing at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) in 2016. Go to TIFF 2016 Movie Reviews and read reviews of films showing at the festival.

jean_of_the_jonesesJEAN OF THE JONESES (Canada 2016) **
Directed by Stella Meghie

Starring: Mamoudou Athie, Gloria Reuben, Shailyn Pierre-Dixon

Review by Gilbert Seah

Writer/director Stella Meghie’s comedy concerning three generations of vibrant, vociferous, unforgettable women in the Brooklyn-based Jones family is the kind of film that is too smart for its own good.

Likely set in Brooklyn in order to be more commercial, the film would do better to be more originally set as an African Canadian film in a black Canadian neighbourhood. The film is slanted black all the way. When a man who shows up at the family home dies, the paramedic, Ray (Mamoudou Athie) who shows up in the ambulance is black. Whites are clearly a minority here and other minorities are absent.

The lead character is Jean (Taylour Paige) who falls for this annoying paramedic. The question is what she sees in him, or vice versa. Jean cannot get along with her sister or anyone she is trying to get a free place to stay with.

There is hardly anything to be learnt nor anything really humorous in this so-called comedy about an annoying family no one wants to meet. The only funny part is the segment where the sisters are caught smoking up in the car by their grandmother (Michelle Hurst) outside her house.

 

Also, Free logline submissions. The Writing Festival network averages over 95,000 unique visitors a day.
Great way to get your story out: http://www.wildsound.ca/logline.html

Deadlines to Submit your Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival:http://www.wildsound.ca

Watch recent Writing Festival Videos. At least 15 winning videos a month: http://www.wildsoundfestival.com

TIFF 2016 Movie Review: CHRISTINE (USA 2016) *** Directed by Antonio Campos

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Movie Reviews of films that will be playing at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) in 2016. Go to TIFF 2016 Movie Reviews and read reviews of films showing at the festival.

christineCHRISTINE (USA 2016) ***
Directed by Antonio Campos

Starring: Rebecca Hall, Michael C. Hall, Tracy Letts

Review by Gilbert Seah

Based on real life on the suicide of Christine Chubbuck (Rebecca Hall) a Sarasota (Florida) news reporter, this realistic but grim account of events leading to her death is a hard watch. “If it bleeds, it leads.” – is is the newsroom’s unofficial motto for successful news ratings.

What begins as an ordinary person’s struggle for recognition leads to her downfall after many failures. Director Campos also shows failures in Christine’s personal life with her inability to get a date, her lost love with anchorman, George (Michael C. Hall), her virginity and her relationship with her mother, Peggy.

It turns out that she lets out all her troubles to work, finally coming head to head with her boss, Michael (Tracy Letts, delivering another winning performance after playing the Dean in INDIGNATION). Hall delivers a knock-out performance especially in the confrontation segment with Letts. Credit also should be given to the creation of the outstanding period atmosphere of the 70’s.

But one does go away with the feeling that the film has been over-dramatized in an otherwise humourless film. It would be interesting also to watch the documentary on Christine Chubbuck called KATE DOES CHRISTINE, also released this year.

Also, Free logline submissions. The Writing Festival network averages over 95,000 unique visitors a day.
Great way to get your story out: http://www.wildsound.ca/logline.html

Deadlines to Submit your Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival:http://www.wildsound.ca

Watch recent Writing Festival Videos. At least 15 winning videos a month: http://www.wildsoundfestival.com

IN ORDER OF DISAPPEARANCE (Kraftidioten) (Norway/Sweden/Denmark 2014) ****

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Deadlines to Submit your Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival:http://www.wildsound.ca

in_order_of_disappearanceIN ORDER OF DISAPPEARANCE (Kraftidioten) (Norway/Sweden/Denmark 2014) ****
Directed by Hans Petter Moland

Review by Gilbert Seah

Can an ordinary man kill a drug lord? The answer is ‘yes’, if he is pushed beyond the limit, as this awesome Norwegian film attempts to prove, in a very violent, way.

Nils (Stellan Skarsgård) is a snow plough driver somewhere in Norway. He learns that his son, Ingvar has died, supposedly of a heroin overdose. Nils knows his son was no addict (his wife believes otherwise, though) and starts his own personal private investigation after his beaten up son’s friend confesses to Nils that his son was unknowingly involved in a drug delivery. Soon Nils finds out the local drug lord, known as ‘The Count’ (Pal Sverre Hagen) is behind the crime. He hunts down the two killers and kills both of them, but not before they confess. Based on this information, he goes after their boss, the Count, but finds himself in the crossfire between two rival gangs: one local, the Count and the one “imported” called Papa (Bruno Ganz) from Serbia.

The film contains more observational nuances than the normal action thriller that makes the story more interesting. An example is the scene of Nils asking his wife whether she knows where he had been. Nils is just proud that he had just disposed of one of the men in the chain that caused the death of their son. His wife just looks on nonchalantly.
The film plays like DIRTY HARRY with Skarsgard in the Clint Eastwood role. When the cops are useless and provide no answers into the truth of the son’s death, Nils takes matters into his own hands. The script proves the adage that a man will murder to protect his family.

The Norwegian landscape is used effectively. The film has repeated scenes of a body rolled up in chicken wire and tossed over the grand falls. Nils is also the champion of a huge snowblower that clears the roads of ice and snow. The wintry atmosphere adds to the bleakness of Nil’s situation.

The villain of the piece, the Count is also set up to be a ruthless father. The film spends again more time that the average action thriller on the villain. While showing him to be a ruthless maniac, he is also shown to be a father who wants the best for his son. He tells his bullied son to beat up the bully. He intimidates his driver for not fixing 5 organic fruits in his son’s lunch box and then warns him against talking business (he tells the boss that a worker has gone missing, the one who has just been killed by Nils). The encounters between him and his ex makes the funniest parts. Director Moland is expert in the creation of these wickedly devilish yet violent set-ups.
Skarsgard makes the unlikely but believable hero. He is comfortable in the role and it shows, having worked with director Moland in two other notable films ABERDEEN and ZERO KELVIN, also worthwhile films to catch.
The film is extremely violent. Those who love graphic violence as in horror films are in for a real treat. The humour is very black. For example the sign to the small town where Nils lives, “Welcome to Tycos” is shown half a dozen times as Nils drives in and out of the town to do his nasty business.

IN ORDER OF DISAPPEARANCE is a film that proves that a well-worn story of revenge can still be made intriguing given a little inventiveness even if it comes with a bit of nastiness. This film is my personal favourite of the year!

 

 

Also, Free logline submissions. The Writing Festival network averages over 95,000 unique visitors a day.
Great way to get your story out: http://www.wildsound.ca/logline.html

Deadlines to Submit your Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival:http://www.wildsound.ca

Watch recent Writing Festival Videos. At least 15 winning videos a month: http://www.wildsoundfestival.com

Interview with Festival Director Jon Mercurio Knight (Wasteland Film Festival)

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wasteland_logo.jpgThe Wasteland Film Festival is entering its fifth year and only growing bigger. The highlight short films with especially post-apocalyptic subject matter and, in addition, alternative films displaying a certain character right at home in the post nuke society. Films meeting certain criteria will be screened as part of the competition, others will simply be for exhibition.

http://wastelandweekend.com/wasteland-film-festival

Interview with Festival Director Jon Mercurio Knight

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

Jon Mercurio Knight: We’re building exposure and bringing films from across the world into the hands of those who wouldn’t normally have access to many of these films. Also, many regular attendees to Wasteland Weekend, the event the Wasteland Film Festival takes place at, come from the LA area as well as from across the United States (and some from overseas). All tickets to Wasteland Weekend have already sold out, so we’re talking thousands of people.

MT: What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival this year (2016)?

JMK: A 4 day, post apocalyptic party in the desert with mandatory costume. The main area is built like something out of Mad Max.

MT: What are the qualifications for the selected films?

JMK: To fit in any of our categories. Post Apocalyptic. Sci-fi. Horror. Atmospheric/Weird. Music Videos. Animated.

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

JMK: I think Post Apocalyptic is an often overlooked genre, that our festival showcases in addition to our other categories. There are a lot of fans of post apocalyptic films, but until the new Mad Max came out, the bigger studios had little to no interest in such films. Here and there, we’d see something, but I think it was adopted far more by independent cinema than maintream cinema.

MT: What motivates you and your team to do this festival?

JMK: The love of films and showcasing really solid work that meet our standards of excellence.

MT: How has the festival changed since its inception?

JMK: Our first year started with two queen bed sheets tied to the back of a trailer. Our next year, Wasteland Weekend built us a theater space and a nice sized post apocalyptic screen. Each year has seen some kind of new progression. Last year was our first having dedicated prize support money and we upped the money we’re awarding this year.

MT: Where do you see the festival by 2020?

JMK: We will have a fully enclosed, air conditioned daytime theater (actually, we’re planning on that for next year), which will allow us to show films during the day rather than wait for the night. We’ll also have encore based shows in LA with Wasteland Weekend support and possibly Sacramento. We’ll just keep getting bigger and better!

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

JMK: So many, hard to count them all. But the fundamental core films would have to be the original Star Wars trilogy.

MT: In one sentence, what makes a great film?

JMK: A film that takes you along a journey without anything to pull you out, that moves you, that thrills you, that gets you involved in its characters, that makes you invest in it until the credits roll.

MT: How is the film scene in your city?

My city is Sacramento, which is not where the film festival takes place at. LA, the nearest big city to the festival speaks for itself.

Picture: https://www.facebook.com/202104576555906/photos/a.202121123220918.31863.202104576555906/449138335185861/?type=1&theater

Our Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Wasteland-Film-Festival-202104576555906/

Our Filmfreeway link: https://filmfreeway.com/festival/WastelandFilmFestival

About Jon Mercurio Knight: A filmmaker, writer, and graphic designer. I have always had a passion for films and have always wanted to present and showcase films to others. That’s why I started up the Wasteland Film Festival, earned the respect of the WW staff by creating a professional end result, with quality films submitted from around the world. Each year presents new challenges, technical challenges, and stresses, and each year, the festival happens thanks to my unyielding determination to create the best possible film festival.

wasteland.jpg

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Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 10-20 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Fesival held in downtown Toronto on the last Thursday of every single month. Go to http://www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.

ETOILES DE JOUR (STARS IN BROAD DAYLIGHT) (Syria 1988) ***

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stars_in_broad_daylight
ETOILES DE JOUR (STARS IN BROAD DAYLIGHT) (Syria 1988) ***
Directed by Ossama Mohammed

Review by Gilbert Seah

ETOILES DE JOUR (STARS IN BROAD DAYLIGHT) screens on Saturday, August 27 at 4 p.m. as part of TIFF Cinematheque’s Syria Self-Portraits: Chronicles of Tyranny, Chronicles of War, running from August 26 to September 4. Video introduction by Rasha Salti.

This is my first Syrian film and I am sure it will be the first for most others. Mohammed’s film has an artsy experimental grainy look, being shot in black and white. If commercial Hollywood blockbusters is your cup of tea, better avoid this film like the plague.

Some more background information about the film: Premiered in the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs (Directors Fortnight) at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival, Ossama Mohammed’s first feature remains banned from screening in Syria due to its subversive critique of how the arbitrary and absolute power arrogated to men in a patriarchal society engenders a violence that pervades both familial and intimate relationships.
The film is set in a small village where a double wedding is about to take place. The first scene is a chicken through the window while a man chants about his dream during the night. The lead character is an all-powerful family patriarch, who dictates the fate of his family and kin with absolute authority and administers violence almost arbitrarily.

The film is a hard watch and demands concentration to figure who is who and what is going on. All Syrians sort of look alike, which is a problem. The humour is mostly Syrian and deadpan. It takes a while to get into the film, but once in, the film will captivate in its simplicity and subtlety. It is high drama – Syria style. One bride runs away and the other refuses the marriage. The eldest corrupt son makes a good villain.

The film is quite direct in its political views. The characters outwardly declare their hatred towards Jewish Israel. The film is also male chauvinist oriented. So political correct audiences should beware! See the film at your own risk!

WAR DOGS (USA 2016) ****

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Deadlines to Submit your Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival:http://www.wildsound.ca

wardogs.jpgWAR DOGS (USA 2016) ****
Directed by Todd Phillips

Starring: Jonah Hill, Miles Teller, Steve Lantz

Review by Gilbert Seah

If you enjoyed the hectic style championed by Scorsese’s THE WOLF OF WALL STREET and David O. Russell’s AMERICAN HUSTLE and JOY, then you can expect more of the same in Todd Phillips’ (ROAD TRIP, THE HANGOVER films) WAR DOGS. WAR DOGS is a black hilarious no holds-barred type comedy, farcical, loud and into-ones-face. Not every topic is suited to this kind of treatment. The hectic pace of Wall Street traders, the madness of the falling real estate market and the rise in fame of an inventive mop heiress made perfect subjects. WAR DOGS deals with two 20-somethings striking it rich with arms dealing through the internet with dangerous wheeling and dealing – again a perfect subject. Director Phillips graduates to his first serious comedy after apprenticeship in madcap nonsense comedies like THE HANGOVER. And WAR DOGS, surprisingly is both a fantastic entertaining comedy and a farce on the American military arms sourcing.

The film is aided by the performances of two terrific young actors – Jonah Hill, twice Oscar nominee for Best Supporting Actor (MONEYBALL and THE WOLF OF WALL STREET) and Miles Teller, best known for THE DIVERGENT series and who has proven his acting mettle in WHIPLASH. Hill is expert as portraying smart and crazy while making his dislikable character likeable and one to be somewhat admired. Not many actors can achieve this feat. Teller carries the other lead role confidently, proving himself to be one of the the hottest actors with talent. The film is told from David’s point of view, with him narrating the entire film.

The film follows two arms dealers, Efraim Diveroli (Hill) and David Packouz (Teller), who get a government contract to supply weapons for U.S. troops in Afghanistan. The film is heavily fictionalized and dramatized.
The story is based on true events, but events so crazy, they have to be seen to be believed. But a key segment, the drive through Iraq (the triangle of death) depicted in the film never actually happened. Their first major job runs into trouble when the guns are stuck in Jordan. They solve their problem while Teller keeps the arms dealing a secret from his wife Iz (Ana de Armas). When this problem is solved, they hit another huge project. They enlist the aid of a mysterious American, Henry Girard (Bradley Cooper, who co-produced the film). The family scenes with David and Iz tone down the madness and put all the mayhem into perspective.
It is difficult to imagine how the film would have gone if the original actors Jesse Eisenberg and Shia LaBeouf were hired. But I would rather see Teller than Eisenberg who is now over-exposed with too many films already (CAFE SOCIETY, NOW YOU SEE ME). LaBeouf is too crazy and Hill brings a needed maturity to the role.

The company formed is called AEY, the letters not meaning anything. When told that IBM stands for International Business Machine by an employee, Effraim fires the guy in disgust claiming that only geeks know this fact. Phillips sets up this entire scene (running 5 – 10 minutes) for this one joke. But he funniest scene is the one where the two attend a military meeting totally stoned out of their minds, Phillips intersperses the film with titles/sayings and there are about 5 of them. (Examples: When does telling the truth ever helped anybody? God bless Dick Cheney’s America.) The neat thing is that a character would ultimately utter the exact saying out in the segment.

A puzzling point in the film is Henry Girard thanking David for not exposing him in the Rolling Stone article by Guy Lawson. If that is true, how come his character exists in the movie?

WAR DOGS is smart, funny and edgy entertainment. It marks a brilliant debut from Todd Phillips who now proves himself a talented director to watch.

 

Also, Free logline submissions. The Writing Festival network averages over 95,000 unique visitors a day.
Great way to get your story out: http://www.wildsound.ca/logline.html

Deadlines to Submit your Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival:http://www.wildsound.ca

Watch recent Writing Festival Videos. At least 15 winning videos a month: http://www.wildsoundfestival.com

Movie Review: STEPHEN THE TIME TRAVELLING DOG (2016)

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STEPHEN THE TIME TRAVELLING DOG, 3min, UK, Comedy/Fantasy
Directed by Kyran Davies

Where’s Stephen?

Seen at the July 2016 COMEDY FEEDBACK Film Festival in Toronto.

Movie Review by Kierston Drier

Written and directed by Kyran Davies, Stephen The Time Traveling Dog is a delight. Short, humorous and filled with a surplus of sublet and colorful hints of Stephen’s mysterious powers, this film is an all-age laugh.  

The premise left room for much more possibility in the actual plot, but the story was entertaining regardless. It focuses on Stephens’ owner walking home, looking for him. Apparently Stephen gets lost a lot. Along the way of course are hints and clues that Stephen is living a fantastical life away from his owner.

Reprints of famous works of art that feature Stephen litter the owner’s walls.  Prehistoric size bones sit in the dog’s bed.  Antique knick-knacks from all over the world and from every time period litter Stephens’ owner’s’ home, and all serve to assist the world building aspect Stephen The Time Traveling Dog. From a production standpoint, the art and design team put incredible care into the detail, for the more you watch the short, the more subtle clues you find.

Absolutely worth a watch for a quick laugh and a whimsical story, Stephen The Time Traveling Dog will make you wonder what your pet is up to when you’re not around.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video of the short film:

Movie Review: DRAGON DREAMING, 5min, Australia, Documentary (2016)

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MOVIE POSTERDRAGON DREAMING, 5min, Australia, Documentary
Directed by Daniel Clarke & Amy Pysden

Meet Kushia Young. She can’t hear you. But she can draw you a mystical character in under 10 minutes. This profoundly deaf 20-year-old artist from the remote APY Lands is being recognised for her unique contemporary indigenous drawings.

Seen at the July 2016 Under 5min. FEEDBACK Film Festival in Toronto.

Movie Review by Kierston Drier

Dragon Dreaming is a biographical piece following 20 year old Kushia, an indigenous visual artist from Australia born profoundly deaf. While beautifully shot and with a wonderfully good intentions, Dragon Dreaming has some controversy in it that may be missed at first glance.

The film is undoubtedly meant to raise awareness about this talented young artist and her incredibly skills with the visual medium. And to its credit, Dragon Dreaming does an excellent job at showcasing Kushia’s clear ability. Much of her art is shown throughout the movie, which follows her present story and culminates the Art Exhibition the community organizes for her.

It is certainly a gesture of love that sparks the community to open an exhibition for Kushia, however, many areas of Kushia’s life and her art are glossed over. Very little attention is given to the fact that she is deaf (it is mentioned only once or twice in the movie) and there are less than a handful of shots without sound- which show the world as Kushia would experience it. There is no interpreter for Kushia, meaning she is virtually voiceless for the entire film. She has no way to express herself, except through her art and her own indigenous sign language, but even that is never translated for the audience. It is apparent that Kushia and her family come from a community and background that is marginalized, and her standard of living is well below those around her.

The underlying issue here- the elephant in the room, so to speak- is relationship Australia has with its indigenous people. Too big an issue for this small short film with a big heart.
What Dragon Dreaming reminds all audiences is that talent comes from all walks of life, and it can be nurtured if discovered and given a chance. In this way, all audiences of Dragon Dreaming must hope that the film makes it into the hands of Animators in our most illustrious studios, so that maybe Kushia’s future can be as bright and colorful as her personality.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video of the short film:

Movie Review: DREAMS OR DEMONS, 3min, Denmark, Drama/Life (2016)

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MOVIE POSTERDREAMS OR DEMONS, 3min, Denmark, Drama/Life
Directed by Lisa Svelmoe

A woman liberates herself from her strive for the perfect body.

Seen at the July 2016 Under 5min. FEEDBACK Film Festival in Toronto.

Movie Review by Kierston Drier

Written by Lisa Svelmoe and starring Karoline Bruun-Sorensen, Dreams or Demons is a cinematic piece that highlights our pursuit of the beautiful. A jogger (Bruun-Sorensen) is the relatable character for the audience, running on a treadmill alone to shed, what we must assume, is unwanted pounds. Beside the images of her running, are images of a beautiful lingerie wearing model (Ekatrina Krarup Andersen) as well as unclothed mannequins. As the running intensifies, it is further intercut with our leading ladies’ naked body, with the tell tale blue-marker lines of impending plastic surgery. The mannequins appear as well, but begin to be distorted, with only partial body parts being seen. Finally, a close up of our hero’s head appears wrapped in bandages and silent scream cuts the frantic flurry of images to a halt.

The audience has no dialogue to use as a frame of reference to understand the mind of the hero, but the final images produce closure. In the second last image, our hero is running, naked all for running shoes. She is not on a treadmill but outside on a street at night. Unlike the early images, here she is smiling.

What really must be noted here is the editing. Without the specific choices the editor made, the mind of the character may not have been as clear as it was. Editing it often an overlooked part of the Cinema process. The editing in this piece gave Dreams or Demons a distinct level of clarity.

This piece is clear in it’s goal- what can be altered on the surface is never worth running after. But brings you joy is worth running for. In this way Dream or Demons has an important message to send. To aspire to an unrealistic goal is unfair to yourself- but own your body and it’s appearance is something to be proud of.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video of the short film:

Movie Review: WALK, 1min, Netherlands, Dance/Experimental (2016)

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MOVIE POSTERWALK, 1min, Netherlands, Dance/Experimental
Directed by Nicola Balhuizen Hepp

“The day of my birth, my death began its walk. It is walking toward me, without hurrying.” Jean Cocteau

Seen at the July 2016 Under 5min. FEEDBACK Film Festival in Toronto.

Movie Review by Kierston Drier

Clear your mind of any conventional cinema and open it to the world of experiential and interactive dance and you have a foundation for WALK by Nicola Balhuizon Hepp. The sound design is reminiscent of the low-hum of industrial white noise, and the lighting is highly stylistic, the ultimately affect being something almost other-worldly. This is appropriate for a film like WALK because it offers no clear questions, and no easy answers.

It showcases two unnamed men, dancers Aimar Perez Gali and Rolf Hepp, who may actually be portraying the same character at different stages in life. Both performers, clearly skilled in modern dance, artistically move themselves through a dark void space using what appears to be every creative movement except walking. A metaphor it seems for fluid, but often aimless, movement through life.

If you enjoy the interpretive and the avant-garde, then WALK will be an enjoyable experience. It has interesting imagery, powerful spectacle and indeed, beautiful movement of the human body. Perhaps one way WALK is more powerful as a piece of cinema than it would be a live dance performance, is that the audience is privileged by the means of the camera to look more intimately on the performer. One frame in particular is a close up on the dancer’s bare foot, a detail given emphasis that may have been missed in a live performance.

WALK is an intimate experience, and yet it leaves you with no real answers as to how it wants you to feel. Some may argue in this way it is a perfect metaphor for life itself- captivating, intriguing and coming to an end in what seems like far to short a time.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video of the short film: