movie review

TIFF 2016 Movie Review: THE OATH (Iceland 2016) ***1/2

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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.

the_oath_posterTHE OATH (Iceland 2016) ***1/2
Directed by Baltasar Kormákur

Starring: Hera Hilmar, Baltasar Kormákur, Gísli Örn Garðarsson

Review by Gilbert Seah

THE OATH is TAKEN Icelandic style, while making good use of the Icelandic landscape.

Not a revenge film with all violence, beatings and car chases, THE OATH is a thinking man’s revenge flick. Finnur (Kormákur), a prominent physician, is dealing simultaneously with both the death of his father and the increasingly erratic behaviour of his eldest daughter, Anna (Hera Hilmar).

Perplexed, he suspects that Anna’s new boyfriend, Óttar (Gísli Örn Garðarsson), may be the cause. A frantic late-night call from Anna convinces Finnur that he must get the creepy Óttar out of his daughter’s life for good.

The father devises a scheme to save his daughter with the cops having him as the prime suspect for a killing. A large part of the film is his planning for both the killing and the alibi. What would a father not do to save his family?

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vPNwJ4yab8

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TIFF 2016 Movie Review: APPRENTICE (Singapore/Fr/HK/Germ/Qatar) ***

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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.

apprentice_posterAPPRENTICE (Singapore/Fr/HK/Germ/Qatar) ***
Directed by Boo Junfen

Starring: Firdaus Rahman, Wan Hanafi Su, Mastura Ahmad

Review by Gilbert Seah

Singapore is not a country known for its films. When I immigrated from Singapore in 1984, there was no film industry and no feature films on record. TIFF is the only chance I get to watch films from my birthplace and the films have been consistent in quality – to my pride.

APPRENTICE is the second film by Boo which premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes, the first one being the excellent SANDCASTLE which I had seen here at TIFF years back. APPRENTICE is a family drama of another kind and the film is again one about the search of identity.

Correctional officer Aiman (played by a brooding Fir Rahman) is ready to do everything it takes to be transferred to the death ward of Singapore’s highest-security prison. His ambition to become apprentice to chief executioner Rahim (Wan Hanafi Su) is not only professional; it’s born of Aiman’s unspeakable desire to reconnect with a past that haunts him. (Airman’s father was executed by Rahim).

Airman finally gets his wishes as the film’s drama reaches its climatic pitch. A slow burning but effective and absorbing drama shot in both English and Malay with a dose of Mandarin.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxY3zZCqeTw

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TIFF 2016 Movie Review: THE SALESMAN (Iran/France 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.

the_salesman_poster.jpgTHE SALESMAN (Iran/France 2016) ***
Directed by Asghar Farhadi

Starring: Shahab Hosseini, Taraneh Alidoosti, Babak Karimi

Review by Gilbert Seah

Can Asghar Farhadi ever make a bad movie? His first UNE SEPARATION won the Oscar for Best Foreign film and his latest THE SALESMAN won the Best Screenplay and Best Actor prizes at Cannes this year.

The title comes from the Arthur Miller play DEATH OF A SALESMAN that the protagonist, a high-school teacher is putting up. His wife has just been assaulted in the shower by a stranger and the husband wants revenge. Obviously there is a parallel between the characters in the Miller play and the film.

Director Farhadi always injects a dose of suspense in his films, Hitchcock style no matter what the premise of the film is. Like a Hitchcock film, the climax reveals all, and is unexpected. But the prize performance belongs to Babak Karimi who plays the assaulter.

Lots of detective work done by the husband to discover the assaulter which should delight Hitchcock fans. But the film contains a few too many unrelated incidents that could have been left out- like the evacuation of the building at the film’s start.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VcfinMasfw

 

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TIFF 2016 Movie Review: IN THE BLOOD (I BLODET )(Denmark 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.

i_blodet_poster.jpgIN THE BLOOD (I BLODET )(Denmark 2016) ***
Directed by Rasmus Heisterberg

Starring: Mads Reuther, Victoria Carmen Sonne, Esben Dalgaard Andersen

Review by Gilbert Seah

Danish writer (THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, A ROYAL AFFAIR) Rasmus Heisterberg’s directorial debut centres on a brilliant medical student and difficult human being, Simon (Kristoffer Bech). Simon’s goal is working on a study project in the Amazon with his best friend Knud (Elliott Crosset Hove), after passing the exams. Trouble is that Simon is quite unstable emotionally.

While he is straight, he has a strange jealousy of Knud, especially of his girlfriend, Mia (Lea Gregersen). Director Heisterberg captures the campus environment well and injects a superb trance soundtrack that can be heard whenever the boys go partying. And

the boys party hard. The film is unpredictable and though the film is not exceptional, the angst and problems of Simon are deeply felt. The film, a study on the compulsive behaviour of Simon and its consequences succeeds.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEm3uco4K3s

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TIFF 2016 Movie Review: BEAUTIES OF THE NIGHT (BELLAS DE NOCHE) (Mexico 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.

beauties_of_the_night_poster.jpg
BEAUTIES OF THE NIGHT (BELLAS DE NOCHE) (Mexico 2016) **
Directed by María José Cuevas

Starring: Rossy Mendoza, Lyn May, Olga Breeskin

Review by Gilbert Seah

Director Cuevas’ documentary on Mexican showgirls (the women who found notoriety by showing a little skin in movies and on TV) follows a few of them, now past their prime, talking about their past glories and present lives. There is nothing special about this documentary in terms of message, research done on the subject or insight on the showbiz industry. It appears that director Cuevas is just as guilty of exploiting these poor girls to make his documentary.

The film is also at most times all over the place. For example, Seux talks about her life crumbling like the 1985 Mexican earthquake, and Cuevas provides a still of the earthquake. There is also a bit about Princess Yemel imprisoned for two years.

She talks about the horrible treatment there – enough to make any decent person feel uneasy. There are a few moments of interest – as the showgirls’ lives are not all dull (with the exception of the born-again Christianity portion) – Cuevas’ documentary is quite ordinary – like his showgirls, all of whom are nothing more than normal people given the chance of the limelight.

Trailer: https://vimeo.com/161997817

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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

THE WILD LIFE (ROBINSON CRUSOE) (Belgium 2015) ***

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the_wild_lifeTHE WILD LIFE (ROBINSON CRUSOE) (Belgium 2015) ***

Directed by Vincent Kesteloot

Starring: Matthias Schweighöfer, Kaya Yanar, Ilka Bessin

Review by Gilbert Seah

ROBINSON CRUSOE is a 2015 Belgium animated feature shot originally in French and dubbed in English and released by Lionsgate in Canada under the different title of THE WILD LIFE. As the title implies, it is the story of Robinson Crusoe – the untold story as told by the animals of the island Crusoe gets shipwrecked on. Crusoe is depicted as a clumsy clot, aided by the animals of the island in gratitude for saving them from the mean cats.

The story is told in flashback by the parrot who gives the story his point of view. On a tiny isolated South Pacific Island, Mak, the parrot and his friends live the perfect life. Blue skies, beautiful turquoise water, and lots of delicious fruit and crunchy insects. But every day is the same and Mak is really bored. Convinced there is more than just water over the horizon, he dreams of leaving his little paradise and exploring the world. Then one day, after a violent tropical storm, they wake up to find a huge ship broken up on the beach.

Two strange creatures emerge from the bowels of the shipwreck: Robinson Crusoe and his dog Aynsley. Unbeknownst to everyone, two ferocious cats have also survived the storm. The rest of the film is Crusoe and animals surviving the invasion of the two cats who have now sprouted a litter of equally ferocious and ugly kittens.

THE WILD LIFE cannot compete with the superior animation of Pixar or Disney Studios. But given its limitations, the animation is still solid, with 3-dimensional figures (as compared to the 2-D old school) that are now a staple for animated films. The inventiveness like the maze of pipes in Crusoe’s house is a wonder and the chase around the plumbing is sheer delight.

The film suffers from not having a true villain. The scavenger cats make ugly villains, but having the pa and ma felines having a hungry litter only make them more sympathetic than evil. The disposal of Crusoe’s dog is sad and would scare kids. Apart form this, most of the action is harmless fun with no real terror, violence or hint of foul language.

The film’s humour is derived from animal slapstick, chases and dumb talk. Adults will find the humour childish but the kids should be having a field day. The film also contains a few catchy tunes, just enough not to bore the audience. The film also contains a message (seems to be a staple for all animated family films these days) which is that home is where you make it – as the parrot learns.

The European touch is evident throughout the film. For one, the animals on the island make up a strange bunch, not too well known animals as found in American animal films. Besides the common parrot, other lesser known animals that make the cast include a tapir, an echidna and a chameleon. The voices are provided by an European cast for the French version and Americans for the dubbed version.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dyAWBMF6bE

Movie Review: FOOTPRINTS (2016)

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MOVIE POSTERFOOTPRINTS, 13min, Canada, Horror/Family
Directed by Kevin Saycharuen

Deep in the forest, Cahng, an injured hunter searches for his family who are being haunted by a supernatural force.

Seen at the August 2016 HORROR/THRILLER FEEDBACK Film Festival in Toronto.

Movie Review by Kierston Drier

Footprints, a Canadian film by Kevin Saycharuen, will surprise an audience at first with its’ exceptional attention to cinematic details and a level of luminous colour and brightness that is not characteristic of a traditional Horror. Cahng, an injured hunter lost in the forest, seems compelled to track down the monstrous beast that has ruthlessly murdered his wife and child. He is tortured by their absence, plagued by visions and nightmares of them, and appears to be constantly falling in and out of delusions including them.

One tradition that is held onto with stunning effectiveness is that the audience never sees the monster. It can be heard, and often palpably felt- but we are only once ever shown anything remotely supernatural, in the form of a sort of demon ghost who briefly appears in lieu of Cahng’s missing son.

There are cinematic moments in this piece that are no less than stunning. There are breath-taking moments of utter natural beauty that capture of the setting of the forest that truly make us feel that monster in this film lurks somewhere within the disconnect humans have put between themselves and nature. However the demon that is responsible for Cahng’s tragedy is not within the forest- it is within himself.

Footprints is not a clear film. It is debatable if the plot is linear. The pay-off, while impressive, does not answer all the questions the audience is bound to have by the end of the film. Yet, Saycharuen’s work has a poignancy to it that stirs deep, primal emotions in those who watch. It is a true piece of cinema, a true piece of art, in the sense that is leave us with more questions than answers.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video of the short film:

Movie Review: DRAWN TO FEAR (2016)

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MOVIE POSTERDRAWN TO FEAR, 7min, USA, Horror
Directed by Daniel Robinette

A single woman named Hope has procured a rare book under strange circumstances. Little does she know that the book has a life of it’s own – drawing out the fears of those who possess it. Hope struggles to figure out the meaning of the book before it’s too late.

Seen at the August 2016 HORROR/THRILLER FEEDBACK Film Festival in Toronto.

Movie Review by Kierston Drier

Drawn to Fear directed by Daniel Robinette, must be applauded at its excellent execution of story in the confines of the horror genre. Without being overtly cliche it manages to hit every cultural touchstone of the genre while still creating a story that is compelling, functional and utterly terrifying.

A young woman finds herself alone in her home and comes upon a mysterious book, whose terrifying pages predict her next few moments. Our hero, in a stroke of brilliance unbecoming of most young women trapped in horror films, calls the police only to have her phone call get dropped (no shocker).

A harsher critic of this film may point out that the plot could be considered aimless- we know nothing of what the book is, how it got there or why it has picked this unfortunate woman.

She appears to be, almost systematically, haunted by creatures, visions, and horrors of ever-escalating terror as the film progresses- with no real goal as to what they want from her.

This can easily be seen as a plot fault, as the audience is unsatisfied, since they do not know what the hero has done to instigate this supernatural attack.

However, this reviewer prefers to see Robinettes’ piece as a short that pays homage to the classic conventions of the genre. The piece creates a short, powerful, nail biting account of a standard the-bad-guys-are-coming-for-you tale. It also works in more than a few nods to the tropes and archetypes of horror and suspense. The Ingenue, the empty house, the unknown force, the hopelessness of unfounded escape- are the conventions that root horror films. It is the meat and potatoes, the traditional comfort food of what is “scary”. In this way, Drawn to Fear is a perfect appetizer of what supernatural horror brings to the cinematic table.

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Movie Review: KADDISH! (2016)

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MOVIE POSTERKADDISH!, 6min, France, Horror/Comedy
Directed by Emeline Castaneda

When, on his way back home, a man stops at a motorway service area, he did not imagine that by talking to his urinal’s neighbor, it will trigger some terrible events.

Seen at the August 2016 HORROR/THRILLER FEEDBACK Film Festival in Toronto.

Movie Review by Kierston Drier

Kaddish! directed by Emeline Castaneda, is an absolute delight. Engaging, immediately suspenseful and unflatteringly hilarious, it is an example of the element of surprise doing everything a horror-comedy film should do.

It must be noted that horror-comedy as a genre is one of the hardest sub genres to execute without latching on the comfort of cinematic cliches, and yet Kaddish! does this flawlessly. With undeniably originality, Castaneda is able to weave tradition, religion, ethnicity, suspense, humour, music and zombies (yes, zombies.) into six minutes of your life well spent.

Kaddish! follows our devoutly Jewish and incredibly compassionate hero as he makes the unfortunate discovery that the man at the urinal beside him is a Neo-Nazi, and decides to put his fate in Gods’ hands. And God responds with a standing ovation. This knowledge alone was enough to make me grab my popcorn and watch this film- please, do the same.

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Movie Review: PREFERENTIAL OPERATION (2016)

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MOVIE POSTERPREFERENTIAL OPERATION, 20min, Spain, Thriller/Drama
Directed by Roger Comella & Carles Velat

Four masked men kidnap the director of a bank branch in an unremarkable town. They put him in a van and ask him 90,000 euro from his own pocket.

Seen at the August 2016 HORROR/THRILLER FEEDBACK Film Festival in Toronto.

Movie Review by Kierston Drier

Directed by Roger Comella and Carles Velat, Preferential Operation is a complex cinematic piece on several levels. Part suspense thriller, part tragedy, part comedy, the film can be hard to place into a single genre- but it nevertheless entertains on all fronts.

Our story starts on a local bank operator, openly disliked in the community, who is kidnapped on his way to work and subsequently interrogated and tortured by four masked invaders. Audience sympathy at first aligns with our hero, who, may be arguably overacting, succeeds in conveying his terror at the situation. As the story unfolds however, it becomes clear these masked men are previous victims of our bankers purposeful financial wrong-doings.

This piece is powerfully shot and our four masked “villains” are exceptionally well casted.

The piece is undoubtedly compelling, its plot is alluring and, most heartbreakingly, it is inspired by true events. It can be argued perhaps, that the film’s middle act falls slightly flat and that the conjunction of slap-stick style comic elements mixed with the psychological thriller/horror genre creates a non cohesive dichotomy.

However, this reviewer would counter that Preferential Operation is painting a picture with an intentional contrasting palate in order to create a more vibrant final image. An intense film? Absolutely. And whether it speaks to your personal cinematic tastes or not, certainly worth a film-goers time.

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