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PHANTOM THREAD (USA 2017) ****

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Phantom Thread Poster
Trailer

2:31 | Trailer
Set in 1950’s London, Reynolds Woodcock is a renowned dressmaker whose fastidious life is disrupted by a young, strong-willed woman, Alma, who becomes his muse and lover.

Director:

Paul Thomas Anderson

Writer:

Paul Thomas Anderson

Stars:

Vicky Krieps, Daniel Day-Lewis, Lesley Manville

 

Screened for critics and press ‘for your consideration’ awards season, PHANTOM THREAD (opening Christmas Day) already arrives with accolades of good news.  PHANTOM THREAD marks two of writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson’s firsts.  PHANTOM THREAD is his first film shot outside the U.S. and also makes his most structured film..  Which is good, as his looser piece THE MASTER was a mess.

50’s London.  The film’s main character is renowned dressmaker named Reynolds Jeremiah Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis).  He and his sister Cyril (Lesley Manville) dress members of the royal family, film stars, heiresses, socialites, debutants and dames with the distinctive style of The House of Woodcock.  Women come and go through Woodcock’s life, providing the confirmed bachelor with inspiration and companionship, until he comes across a strong-willed young woman, Alma (Vicky Krieps), who soon becomes a fixture in his life as his muse and lover. Once controlled and planned, he finds his carefully tailored life disrupted by love.

A major factor in PHANTOM THREAD is necessarily the costumes.   Mark Bridges is credited for doing the costumes which include some of his original designs along with designs from Versace and Balenciaga.  Supporting actress Lesley Manville has been quoted as saying that she spent more time fitting than in acting rehearsals.  

Three-time Oscar WinnerDay-Lewis is nothing short of perfect as the obsessive perfectionist designer.  But star credit goes to Mike Leigh’s favourite actress Lesley Manville who plays Reynold’s sister,  Cyril who is more that just a sister.  She controls her brother and everything around her.  Obviously things come to a boil when she tries to keep Alma under her hand.

The film is bookmarked by Alma telling and narrating her love story.  Written by Anderson, one assumes that the film is based on fiction as the story includes a chapter in which Ama poisons Woodcock with mushrooms.  A murderer would never confess a murder in his or her story.  The film is best described as a trouble romantic drama rather that a biopic of a famous designer.  Anderson captures perfectly the moment of love when the two fall in love for the first time.

Anderson’s film unfolds meticulously in every scene, planned and executed, reflecting the careful care the subject Woodcock puts into the design of his dresses.  Though the film’s pace is slow, the film is no less compelling.  The audience is kept on their toes from start to finish.  One cannot predict what raw emotion will unfold next, whether Woodcock would blow up or be pleased.  The best example is the segment in which Alma empties the Woodcock house so that she can prepare dinner for with with just the two of them.  When Cyril advises against it, Alma still goes ahead.  The suspense on how the evening will go, makes the film’s mosts suspenseful moment.  Anderson  uses closeups frequently as well as piano playing on the soundtrack to heighten the tension in a scene.

PHANTOM THREAD marks Anderson’s best movie along with THERE WILL BE BLOOD, also incidentally starring Daniel Day-Lewis.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNsiQMeSvMk

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THE FLORIDA PROJECT (USA 2017) ***1/2

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A Fantastic Woman Poster
Trailer

Marina, a waitress who moonlights as a nightclub singer, is bowled over by the death of her older boyfriend.

Director:

Sebastián Lelio

Writers:

Sebastián Lelio (screenplay), Gonzalo Maza (screenplay)

Stars:

Daniela Vega, Francisco Reyes, Luis Gnecco

A big hit at film festivals all over the world in 2017, THE FLORIDA PROJECT is the kind of small budget, feisty down-to-earth look at poverty as lived by people in the fringes of the city.  THE FLORIDA PROJECT takes the audience into the projects around the huge Disney amusement park in Florida where the subjects stay in low income motels with names like Future Land and Magic Castle.  The buildings are sadly painted in purple and pink making them look even cheaper and more pathetic.

Around these areas live 22-year-old Halley (Bria Vinaite), and her six-year-old daughter, Moonee (Brooklynn Prince).  Moonee is a spirited child who with her own ‘little’ gang create trouble around the area like spit-balling, entering forbidden roos or dilapidated buildings.  At one point, Moonie and her friends set fire to a building nearby, while her mother Halley drags her daughter to see the fire, unaware that her daughter was the cause of it.  “This is better than watching TV,” she remarks.

Many movies have successfully used adolescents to demonstrate trouble in the fringe communities.  Clio Bernard’s THE SELFISH GIANT and Lynn Ramsey’s RATCATCHER are two British examples.  But the FLORIDA PROJECT feels closer to Andrea Arnold’s AMERICAN HUSTLE which sees a young adult try to survive in the fringes.  All are excellent films.

As energetic as THE FLORIDA PROJECT is, Baker’s film is not without faults.  The one glaring one is his character of Halley.  Halley is a cardboard stereotyped broke single mother, foul mouthed and mostly nasty.  Unlike Baker’s other characters in the film, Haley is depicted with one type of behaviour and shows no variation or change.  The film also opts for a happy ending where the two kids find themselves running into Disney World to enjoy their fantasies.  The audience is expected to forget that Moonee was about to be taken away from her mother to a foster home.  But the playing in the rain sequence shows that there is no need for expensive toys for Mooney to have a good time.  There is one shot Baker shows of a factory outlet for Disney toys, a sorry second-hand fantasy land for the poor.  The sign with mugs at 99 cents serve to highlight the fact.

As mischievous and naughty Moonee is, it is quite unbelievable that her mother Halley never gets mad at her.  Their bonding is overdone, especially in the segment where the two play in the rain.  Baker also avoids Halley finding out the truth that Moonee set fire to the buildings nearby.

Bobby (Defoe’s character), though only a supporting character brings very bit of the story together,  He, the motel manager is totally aware of all the happenings, is stern or sympathetic when he has to be.  His is a well-written role compare to that of Halley’s.

The film is also over-long a over two hours.  Much of the mischief committed by the kids could be condensed, even though they are very laugh-out loud funny and bring amusement.  One can likely see the reason director Baker kept these segments in the film.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwQ-NH1rRT4

 

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UNA MUJER FANTASTICO (A FANTASTIC WOMAN ) (Chile 2017) ***1/2

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A Fantastic Woman Poster
Trailer

Director:

Sebastián Lelio

Writers:

Sebastián Lelio (screenplay), Gonzalo Maza (screenplay)

Stars:

Daniela Vega, Francisco Reyes, Luis Gnecco

 

Chilean director Sebastián Lelio broke into the international film scene with his Best Foreign Film Oscar nominee GLORIA back in 2013.  His latest hit, already critically acclaimed since its debut at Cannes also deals with a female protagonist, actually a transgender heroine, played astonishingly by Daniela Vega.  If nominated for a Best Actress Oscar she will make headlines as the first transgender to get nominated in the Best Actress Oscar category.  Lelio’s camera loves her.  And she is very good in the role too.  And very beautiful!

A FANTASTIC WOMAN is the portrait of a woman adrift.  Marina (Vega), the FANTASTIC WOMAN of the title is beautiful, enigmatic, and plunged into a precarious situation after her older boyfriend dies unexpectedly in her company.  Her world is turned upside down.  She has to come to terms not only of her loss but with the horrid prejudice of his family.

Fifty-seven-year-old divorcé Orlando (Francisco Reyes) wakes in the middle of the night, suffers an aneurism, and falls down some stairs.  He sustains injuries that will come to haunt Marina after she takes him to the hospital and attempts to slip away before authorities and family members begin prying. 

Marina knows she’s regarded with suspicion for her youth, class, and, above all, gender status.   She experiences the viciousness of Orlando’s son, the cold-heartedness of Orlando’s ex-wife, and the intrusiveness of a detective from the Sexual Offences Investigation Unit force Marina to not only clear her name, but also to demand the very thing no one seems willing to give her: respect.  The saddest segment is when she is denied the human right to say goodbye to the dead Orlando.  She is chased out of the funeral church service by her family.

The events are also put into a different perspective from Marina’s sister and her husband, who reluctantly offer to help.  At least they realize that it is the right thing to do.

The film is shot in Santiago, though the touristy sights are not seen.  The film is accompanied by sombre music when it needs to and uplifting music at other times.

Lelio’s film contains both disturbing scenes and scenes of elation.  The ones most difficult to watch are understandably those involving abuse to Marina.  Marina is picked up and forced into a car by Orlando’s brother and family, beaten, taped up and then tossed out of the car.  Marina at one point, goes dancing to forget her troubles.  In a fantasy sequence, she dances wearing sparkling top together with those dancing around her.  Marina finally sums up her courage to do what is right – to see her lover, Orlando one last time before he is cremated.

A FANTASTIC WOMAN is both a sad and uplifting film that illustrates the old adage that something that will not kill you will make you stronger.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgDhpy9Z-NM

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CHAVELA (USA/Mexico/Spain 2017) ***

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Chavela Poster
Trailer

Through its lyrical structure, Chavela will take viewers on an evocative, thought-provoking journey through the iconoclastic life of game-changing artist Chavela Vargas. Centered around … See full summary »

Directors:

Catherine Gund (co-director), Daresha Kyi (co-director)

Stars:

Pedro Almodóvar, Elena Benarroch, Miguel Bosé

The film opens with the film’s subject Chavela Vargas saying on camera to her interviewer that it is not the past that counts but what goes on from then.  That was before the time of her death in 2012, so the doc has to take audiences back to where CHAVELA came from.      There is also the point that not many know who she is, so back to the past.

The question then is what is so special about this Mexican artist/singer and why is it necessary to dedicate an entire documentary to her?  This doc provides the possible answers, but whatever they are,  it should be noted that Chavela Vargas was the Mexican icon who scandalized and captivated the world around her.

  A few reasons:  Chavela was notorious and that demands some respect.  She had an affair with and broke the heart of artist, the then older Frida Kahlo.  She attended Elizabeth Taylor’s Acapulco wedding, and woke up in bed with the movie star Ava Gardner.  These are shown with just photographs of Liz Taylor and Gardner separately and voiceover, as no footage is assumed to be available.   She wielded a gun and indulged in tequila with legendary enthusiasm.  She has been known to collapse after drinking, and this happened often so that she had quite the reputation.  Her singing made Spanish director Pedro Almodovar – and millions of others – cry.  Her death in 2012 saw mourning akin to a Mexican state funeral.  She was open gay, though no one ever brought it up directly.  She became noticed as a singer when she refused to wear the traditional Mexican dresses but wore trousers and shirts (male attire) instead.  She adopted the performance persona of the “charro” (a singing-cowboy genre plied by her legendary and tragic friend and collaborator Jose Alfredo Jimenez). 

As Chavela died in 2012, the doc has to rely on already taken footage.  Fortunately co-director Catherine Gund was the interviewer, availing herself of a rare opportunity during a time she spent living south of Mexico City.  “My girlfriends played me Chavela’s songs and told me tales of her womanizing, her irresistible allure, her deep voice, her audacity. I had to meet her” She says.

The film is divided into two halves.  The second shows her comeback, mainly in Spain and finally back to Mexico.  This is the part where Spanish director Pedro Almodovar appears to aid her in her career.  He uses her music in his films like KIKA and THE FLOWER OF MY SECRET.

The film’s best parts are understandably her performances, where the audience can see for themselves the reason for her popularity.  She has the talent to move audiences to tears with her performances.  The last part of the film see her in a wheelchair before her death in 2012.

Catherine Gund and Daresha Kyi’s documentary shows Chavela the way she is, and her lifestyle – warts and all.  At least their doc would make this artist (who every lesbian in Mexico respects, according to the film) more recognized in the world.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKyj5Tzrumo

 

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DIM THE FLUORESCENTS (Canada 2017)

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Dim the Fluorescents Poster
A struggling actress and an aspiring playwright pour all of their creative energy into the only paying work they can find: role-playing demonstrations for corporate training seminars. When …See full summary »

Director:

Daniel Warth

Writers:

Miles Barstead, Daniel Warth

Stars:

Claire Armstrong, Naomi Skwarna,

DIM THE FLUORESCENTS is a film that centres on two similar aged females who perform role-playing at corporate training seminars.  It would be best if they were performing in theatre or film, but this is the next best thing.  DIM THE FLUORESCENTS is their story.

If the plot sounds like a feminist movie – it is.  But being directed and co-written by a male Daniel Wart and co-written by another male, Miles Barstead, the feminist themed film has a male point of view which makes the feminist angle all look funnier and thus become more appealing.

The film’s party scene is priceless.  Both get themselves self-invited to a pretentious arty party by a friend who has good intentions of helping them get connected.  Everything goes wrong once they gate crash the party.  Foremost, they are overdressed.  Audrey meets a guy she has not seen in years who keeps asking her what she is doing, while she tries her best to avoid him.  Lillian’s friend tries pushing to hook her up when she is not ready.  All the while, they deal with the other party people who all seem to have made it well in the real world, the exception being the two of them.

The film contains one quietly hilarious moment when Lillian is talking about her dead cat to the agency girl who initially brought the ‘disturbed’ cat for adoption.  “She jumped,” is what Lillian is told.  “Did you give it space?” was her next question.  Then it becomes apparent that the cat is a metaphor for Audrey who has just got really upset and left the place and quit the job.

The film’s main asset are thee two leads Claire Armstrong and Naomi Skwarna.  They are perfect to watch especially for those who are taking acting lessons.  They bring distinction to each of their two characters, standing them out in different ways.  I could watch them forever.  They can change from teary to funny in a moment, and can draw one into their characters.

For a film about two women being so close, the subject of the relationship being sexual is clearly avoided.  Audrey is pursued by a male after Lilian and her have a major argument, so nothing comes of it.  Then the sexual relationship issue again is conveniently avoided.

The film is a bit lengthy at 2 hours for a light comedy about two women.  At the end, it becomes apparent that this friendship, its survival despite all troubles is the film’s key issue.

So why is this film just a poor?  The film is unfortunately marred by an overdone ending where it is obvious the office skit is a reflection of the two women’s lives rather than the outcome reflective on what proper action leaders should take in the time of crisis and change.  The two overact, scream, cry and break glass in the most disappointing overdone ending in a film this year.

Trailer: https://vimeo.com/181892085

 

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THE SHAPE OF WATER (USA 2017) ***** Top 10 of the Year

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The Shape of Water Poster
Trailer

An other-worldly fairy tale, set against the backdrop of Cold War era America circa 1962. In the hidden high-security government laboratory where she works, lonely Elisa (Sally Hawkins) is trapped in a life of isolation. Elisa’s life is changed forever when she and co-worker Zelda (Octavia Spencer) discover a secret classified experiment.

Director:

Guillermo del Toro

Writers:

Guillermo del Toro (screenplay by), Vanessa Taylor (screenplay by) |1 more credit »

Stars:

Sally Hawkins, Octavia Spencer, Michael Shannon

The film opens with voiceover by Giles (Richard Jenkins) who tells his story that turns into a beautiful poem at the end of the film.  It braces the audience for sappiness, but as the film unfolds, Del Toro shows how sappiness can be done in movies in a  good way – with the repeated use of the famous Alice Faye song, “You’ll Never Know”.

The film’s subject is Elisa Esposito (Sally Hawkins), a mousy, curious woman rendered mute by an injury she sustained as an infant.  She works the night shift as a janitor at the Occam Aerospace Research Centre in early 1960s Baltimore.   One day, the facility receives a new “asset” discovered by the cruel and abusive Colonel Richard Strickland (Michael Shannon) in the rivers of South America.   Elisa has a brief encounter with The Asset (Doug Jones), which she discovers is an amphibious humanoid.  She feels sorry for it and helps it escape by stealing it from the facility.  Helping her are her best friend Giles, one of the centre’s scientists, Robert Hoffstetler (Michael Stuhlbarg), who is actually a Soviet spy named Dmitri and her co-worker (Octavia Spencer).

The film’s best and most amusing is the TV (one of many) clip of MR. ED (the talking horse) in which after a newspaper article seen in the background of a monkey sent to space.  Mr Ed Says, “I guess I have to enlist.”  It is a very funny and appropriate segment as the setting is of the time when Russia and the U.S. were engaged in the space race, just as it is mentioned that the U.S. wanted to send the water creature into space because of its breathing capabilities.

Any perfect story has to be brought to the screen by a perfect performance.  This performance belongs to Oscar nominee Sally Hawkins, who broke into the film scene with the remarkable portrayal of Mike Leigh’s heroine in HAPPY-GO-LUCKY.  She brings heart to the role as a deaf mute who finally finds not only love but a purpose for living.

A superb film with a message included –  THE SHAPE OF WATER shows a non-tolerance policy towards bullying, and discrimination towards coloured people, homosexuals and lower paid employees like the cleaners.  Most of this is realized in the diner that Elisa and Giles frequent, mainly because closeted Giles fancies the male server.  It is a marvel that a mute can communicate the film’s prime message: “If we do nothing, then we are nothing!”

There is a lot of good similarity between THE SHAPE OF WATER and Del Toro’s other best movie PAN’S LABYRINTH.   Del Toro’s dislike for anything military is shown in the unsavoury character of Colonel Strickland (Michael Shannon).  He is given Del Toro’s punishment of bodily injury of his two fingers chopped off (as the colonel in PAN’S LABYRINTH had his face hacked.)

Del Toro is smart enough to prime the audience for what is to come, thus invoking what was Hitchcock’s best tool – audience anticipation.  The audience first sees blood on the sink after Elisa touches the creature.

The film contains lots of the back humour one expects of Del Toro.  The poster “Loose lips might sink ships” is shown on the wall of  Elisa’s (who is mute) locker.  “No negativity”  Strickland utters, just as he realizes he is about to lose everything he has worked for.

The musical fantasy sequence towards the end in back and white where the mute Elisa is then allowed to sing is nothing short of inspired filmmaking.

THE SHAPE OF WATER is filmmaking at its best with Del Toro still in top form, with top talent on display.  He does not compromise on the violence (a few torture scenes involve the metal prod) but amidst the violence and occasional foul language, his latest film is one of the most credible and beautiful romantic stories in cinemas this year.

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

 

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WONDER WHEEL (USA 2017) ***

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Wonder Wheel Poster
Trailer

On Coney Island in the 1950s, a lifeguard tells the story of a middle-aged carousel operator and his beleaguered wife.

Director:

Woody Allen

Writer:

Woody Allen

Stars:

Jim Belushi, Juno Temple, Justin Timberlake

 

There is a slight hint that the film ’s central character is Woody Allen when the voiceover narrative claims to be a budding playwright, Mickey (Justin Timberlake), who later has an affair with a married woman, Ginny (Kate Winslet) but after falls in love with her step daughter (Juno Temple).

WONDER WHEEL is set in the Coney Island of the 50’s.  The film opens impressively with a panoramic shot of the beach filled with swimmers and sunbathers, all in the 50’s swimming garb.  The film then moves on to the main characters.

The two main characters in the Woody Allen story are the writer Mickey and Ginny caught in a loveless marriage with Humpty (Jim Belushi).

If the characters feel close to home, Mickey is Woody Allen the writer and Ginny the actress Mia Farrow.  Allen and Farrow were married and in love before Farrow brought him and adopted Soon-Yi, the Carolina character.  (Allen is now married to Soon-Yi with two children.)  Just as Mickey ditches Ginny and falls for Carolina, Allen did the same thing.  There is an odd feeling that Allen is trying to gain acceptance in the Mickey character for all his past deed.  Art copies life instead of imitating it.

In an interview with Woody Allen, Allen claims all his movies are based on the same identical premise, a cheating male who looks for better and younger sexual fulfillment.  At first glance, one would think that the character is now female, with Ginny intent of leaving her husband for the younger, attractive lifeguard, Mickey.  Upon closer examination, one finds that it is still the male, Mickey who is dissatisfied with the older Ginny and leaves her for Carolina.  

Allen’s films are getting more serious lately and WONDER WHEEL is one of his most serious of his recent works.  The humour is less prevalent and at times more subtile.  Carolina’s father describes the daughter’s gangster husband at one point after she declared that she and loved him: “He was not even good-looking.”  That is the film’s funniest joke.

WONDER WHEEL contains the traits of the Allen films, first and foremost being the stunning choreography by an Award Winning cinematographer, this film done by three-time Oscar winner Vittorio Storaro (THE LAST EMPEROR, REDS and APOCALYPSE NOW) who uses shifting blues and golds, often reflected on the characters’ faces from the revolving 

Wonder Wheel ride outside the apartment window.  Falling in love while being drenched in the rain (ANNIE HALL and many other Allen films) is also typically found in many of Allen’s films as in this one.

Allen often elicits superior performances from his all-star cast, many winning Oscars in his previous films (Michael Caine, Jim Broadbent, Diane Keaton to name a few).  Kate Winslet and Belushi deliver standout performances here while Timberlake shows too, that he can carry a movie on his own.

The subplot of Ginny’s troubled pre-teen son (Jack Gore) from her first marriage is an odd one.  He is obsessed with setting up fires for no apparent reason.  The jokes on the uselessness of psychiatrists appear the only reason that subplot is in the film.

WONDER WHEEL can be considered a disturbing film, being one that reflects too closely on Allen’s life – unless one wishes to dismiss the coincidences.  It is nevertheless, a well-made film well acted and executed that Allen needed to make to exorcise his demons.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFM0UqX9MJ8

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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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