movie review

Movie Review: THE WITNESS (USA 2016) ***1/2

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

the_witness.jpg
THE WITNESS (USA 2016) ***1/2
Directed by James Solomon

Starring: William Genovese, Shannon Beeby, Kitty Genovese

Review by Gilbert Seah

THE WITNESS, is a documentary about the 38 witnesses of the 1964 stabbing of Kitty Genovese. But it turns out that they all did nothing. Or so it seems. Could it be true that Americans are that soulless? The film goes on to probe how it is impossible for that many people to see everything and do nothing. As the film progresses, THE WITNESS covers many other stories. Though the stories are quite different, they are all linked to the stabbing. But the real story that stands out is the one of Bill Genovese, Kitty’s brother who is in almost every frame of the film.

The details of the case: Kitty was a bar waitress in Kew Gardens, Queens who was randomly stabbed by a stranger named Winston Moseley—who later told police he was just looking for a woman to kill—then raped and robbed by him after he returned to finish the job. The New York Times later reported that 38 witnesses heard and even saw some part of the attack but didn’t call police and failed to intervene or even call attention to it.

Solomon’s film is absorbing for many reasons. The most important of these is Bill’s fixation on finding the truth about his sister’s murder. Bill will not stop. He investigates the New York Times reporter, ironically nicknamed Honest Abe who twisted the story to make it one that made news around the whole country. The fact of 38 witnesses doing nothing became a sociology study in many colleges. Bill also goes through a checklist of all the witnesses and questions each of those who are still alive. He goes so far as to ask to speak with Winston Mosley, his sitter’s killer, now serving sentence. When Mosley declined to meet Bill, Bill met his son. This meeting (which does no appear to be a re-enactment) is the film’s tensest segment. Initially, Mosley’s son, who is a reverend appears detached and unhelpful. When he finally confesses how he also suffered, especially at school with kids calling him the murderer’s son, Bill and the audience begin to feel for him.

But he film finally looks at Bill. When will Bill give up and accept the facts and move on? The investigation also reveals Kitty’s character. It is also revealed that she is gay. Bill interviews some of her lesbian friends as well.

Solomon’s film is intriguing in that it goes many different directions just as Bill’s life has taken him. Bill has also lost two legs while serving in the marines during the Vietnam war.

In the end, it is up to the audience to determine what Bill has gained from his intensive search. And in the process, learn from the film a few valuable lessons in life.

 

 

Also, Free logline submissions. The Writing Festival network averages over 95,000 unique visitors a day.
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Happy Birthday: Linda Cardellini

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lindacardellini.jpgHappy Birthday actor Linda Cardellini

Born: June 25, 1975 in Redwood City, California, USA

 

 

 

 

 

Brokeback Mountain
2005
dir. Ang Lee
starring
Heath Ledger
Gyllenhaal		 SUPERSUPER
dir. James Gunn
Stars:
Rainn Wilson
Ellen Page
Kill the IrishmanKILL THE IRISHMAN
dir. Jonathan Hensleigh
Stars:
Ray Stevenson
Christopher Walken
movie posterALL-STAR SUPERMAN
2011
dir. Sam Liu
Starring:
James Denton
Christina Hendricks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Birthday: Minka Kelly

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minkakelly.jpgHappy Birthday actor Minka Kelly

Born: June 24, 1980 in Los Angeles, California, USA

 

 

 

 

 

THE ROOMMATETHE ROOMMATE
dir. Christian E. Christiansen
Stars:
Minka Kelly
Leighton Meester		 500 DAYS OF SUMMER Movie Poster500 Days of Summer
dir. Mark Webb
Starring
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Deschanel
SydneyWhiteThe Kingdom
2007
Directed by Berg
Starring Jamie Foxx
Jennifer Garner		 24Best of FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS TV series
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS SEASON 1FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS Season 1
Starring:
Aimee Teegarden
Taylor Kitsch		 MOVIE POSTERTHE BUTLER
2013
dir. Lee Daniels
Stars:
Forest Whitaker
Oprah Winfrey
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS SEASON 2FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS Season 2
Starring:
Zach Gilford
Brad Leland		 FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS SEASON 3FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS Season 3
Starring:
Minka Kelly
Jesse Plemons
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS SEASON 5FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS Season 5
Starring:
Kyle Chandler
Connie Britton

96. SEE -2010 PHOTO

96. SEE -2011 PHOTO

95. SEE – AD PHOTO

94. SEE – and BOYFRIEND PHOTO

93. SEE – ABS PHOTO

92. SEE – and CAM GIGANDET PHOTO

91. SEE – and DONALD FALSON PHOTO

90. SEE – and JOHN MAYER PHOTO

89. SEE – and KATE HUDSON PHOTO

88. SEE – ABS PHOTO

87. SEE – ASS PHOTO

86. SEE – and LEIGHTON MEESTER KISS PHOTO

85. SEE – and RICK DUFAY PHOTO

84. SEE – BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTO

83. SEE – and ROB DYRDEK PHOTO

82. SEE – and SCOTT PORTER PHOTO

81. SEE – BLONDE PHOTO

80. SEE – BLACK DRESS PHOTO

79. SEE – BEACH PHOTO

78. SEE – BODY PHOTO

77. SEE – BOOTS PHOTO

76. SEE – and TAYLOR KITSCH PHOTO

75. SEE – AUTOGRAPH PHOTO

74. SEE – BEACH PHOTO

73. SEE – BRA PHOTO

72. SEE – CLEAVAGE PHOTO

71.SEE – CAR PHOTO

70. SEE – CASUAL PHOTO

69. SEE – CURLY HAIR PHOTO

68. SEE – CHEERLEADER PHOTO

67. SEE – CLOSE UP PHOTO

66. SEE – CURVES PHOTO

65. SEE – DEREK JETER PHOTO

64. SEE – EARRINGS PHOTO

63. SEE – ESQUIRE PHOTO

62. SEE – DRESS PHOTO

61. SEE – EVENING DRESS PHOTO

60. SEE – FLOWER DRESS PHOTO

59. SEE – GQ PHOTO

58. SEE – EYEBROWS PHOTO

57. SEE – EYES WATSON PHOTO

56. SEE – FACE PHOTO

55. SEE – FEET PHOTO

54. SEE – GREEN DRESS PHOTO

53. SEE – HAIR CUT PHOTO

52. SEE – HAIRSTYLE PHOTO

51. SEE – HAT PHOTO

50. SEE – HOT PHOTO

49. SEE – JEANS PHOTO

48. SEE – JEWELRY PHOTO

48. SEE – KISSING DEREK JETER PHOTO

47. SEE – LEGS PHOTO

46. SEE – LEGY PHOTO

45. SEE – LEIGHTON MEESTER PHOTO

44. SEE – LINGERIE PHOTO

43. SEE – LIPS PHOTO

42. SEE – MAKEUP PHOTO

41. SEE – LINGERIE DRESS PHOTO

40. SEE – LIPS PHOTO

39. SEE – MARRIAGE PHOTO

38. SEE – MINI SKIRT PHOTO

37. SEE – MIRROR SHOT PHOTO

36. SEE – MODEL PHOTO

35. SEE – NAILS PHOTO

34. SEE – NOSE PHOTO

33. SEE – NYLONS PHOTO

32. SEE – OMBRE HAIR PHOTO

31. SEE – ON SET PHOTO

30. SEE – ON THE STREET PHOTO

29. SEE – PARTY PHOTO

28. SEE – PHOTO SHOOT PHOTO

27. SEE – POSE PHOTO

26. SEE – POSTER PHOTO

25. SEE – RED CARPET PHOTO

24. SEE – RED DRESS PHOTO

23. SEE – RED LIPSTICK PHOTO

22. SEE – SEXIEST WOMAN ALIVE PHOTO

21. SEE – SEXY PHOTO

20. SEE – SEXY DRESS PHOTO

19. SEE – SHOES PHOTO

18. SEE – SHORT SKIRT PHOTO

17. SEE – STYLE PHOTO

16.SEE – SIVER DRESS PHOTO

15. SEE – SMILE PHOTO

14. SEE – SUNGLASSES PHOTO

13. SEE – TATTOO PHOTO

12. SEE – TEDDY PHOTO

11. SEE – TEETH PHOTO

10. SEE – TOPLESS PHOTO

9. SEE – UNDERWEAR PHOTO

8. SEE – UPDO PHOTO

7. SEE – WHITE DRESS PHOTO

6. SEE – WITHOUT MAKEUP PHOTO

5. SEE – WALLAPAPER PHOTO

4. SEE – WORKOUT PHOTO

3. SEE – YOUNG PHOTO

2. SEE – BREASTS PHOTO

2. SEE – BUTT PHOTO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Movie Review: THE NEON DEMON (Denmark/France/USA 2016) ***

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

the_neon_demon.jpgTHE NEON DEMON (Denmark/France/USA 2016) ***
Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn

Starring: Elle Fanning, Christina Hendricks, Keanu Reeves

Review by Gilbert Seah

The much anticipated film at Cannes that caused quite the sensation, Nicolas Winding Refn’s THE NEON DEMON will not disappoint in terms of gore and surrealism. Refn has already proven himself a director to watch, with remarkable features like his PUSHER trilogy, DRIVE and ONLY GOD FORGIVES.

While his earlier 5 films displayed speed and ultra-violence, THE NEON DEMON reveals a different side of Refn. THE NEON DEMON is an extremely slower paced film, full of pauses that allow the audience to sit back and figure what is actually going on. And most of the time, it is still hard to figure out what is going on.

But one must hand it to Refn that as slow paced as this film is – it is far from boring. The film for one, is meticulously shot with glittery lighting that mesmerizes as much as confuses. His images of the characters often blend one into another, like the corpse that looks like the heroine in the film, for the purpose of the lady making love to it imagining the corpse to be the girl she did not succeed in sleeping with.
The film shows Refn’s interpretation of the pretentious L.A. fashion industry. A young and aspiring model called Jesse (Elle Fanning) has just moved to Los Angeles. She is an orphan, very beautiful and impresses everyone she meets with her beauty. She meets make up artist Ruby and two of her rather nasty model friends Sarah and Gigi at a surrealistic dimly lit party. The rest of the plot is immaterial except to show that models will do everything to stay ahead.

Refn’s films seldom contain pleasant characters. There are none in THE NEON DEMON. Who initially appears a kindly soul, Ruby turns out to be another mean person with the ulterior motive of using Jesse for sexual satisfaction. And when Ruby cannot get what she wants, she turns incredibly vicious. Refn does to shy away from gore and violence. Where there is insufficient of these in the story, he more than makes it up in the dream sequences. Jesse has a nightmare of her motel manager (Keanu Reeves in nasty mode) inserting a knife down her throat only to be awakened by him banging at her door wanting to rape her. This unpleasant character is not crucial to the story of Jesse, but is there just for added unpleasantness. But the prized unpleasant segment is the one with necrophilia on full display.

Ref does not seem to care what audiences think of his work. With that attitude, Refn can come up with a few mighty fine films – the best of these being his PUSHER trilogy, which are all cutting edge, exciting and relevant. THE NEON DEMON is his most surreal film, reality turning into a nightmare with models morphing into flesh eating vampires in a world lit by neon and fluorescent lights where the sun seldom shines. Needless to say, THE NEON DEMON is not a film for everyone, but it is not without its merits, strange as they may come.

 

 

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

FINDING DORY (USA 2016) ***1/2 – Movie Review

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

finding_dory.jpg FINDING DORY (USA 2016) ***1/2
Directed by Andrew Stanton

Starring: Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Ed O’Neill, Ty Burrell, Kaitlin Olson, Eugene Levy, Dominic West, Kate McKinnon, Bill Hader

Review by Gilbert Seah

FINDING DORY is the sequel to the highly successful 2003 animated FINDING NEMO. Though director Andrew Stanton swore at that time: “no sequels”, FINDING DORY arrives more than 13 years after. Though several identical characters from the first film appear in the sequel, the story is quite different and can stand alone on itself, despite the fact that the story takes place 6 months after the first film ended.

The film opens with water flowing from the sea, demonstrating how advanced animation technology has become. Water and fire were almost impossible to animate a decade ago.

Dory (spritely voiced by Ellen DeGeneres) is a little Pacific regal blue tang who suffers from short term memory loss. She tries, comically to remember events the best she can, but she is most afraid of losing her parents (Diane Keaton and Eugene Levy). This she does. With the help of new friends Nemo (now voiced by Hayden Rolence) and his father Marlin (Albert Brooks), she sets out to find her parents. The adventures take them to the Marine Life Institute where she meets other characters like a white beluga whale called Bailey (Ty Burrell) and Hank (Ed O’Neill), the octopus.

FINDING DORA would definitely not be recommended for smaller children. For one, I do remember as a child my biggest fear being the death of my parents or even just my father. Where would I be without money or someone to look after me? The film’s story of little Dory losing her parents, fearing at one point the death of both her parents and also the loss of her two good friends would be enough to scare children into having nightmares for months.

The film is annoying, especially in the first third with lots of noise made by the aquatic characters. When a few speak, some do too fast that quite a lot of dialogue ends up too gibberish for the children to make out.

A film about sea creatures allows the screen to be filled with gorgeous colour. Stanton clearly realizes this potential as he fills the screen with countless colourful images.

The switch from a male protagonist in FINDING NEMO to a female one in Dory is also a welcome change. The balance of male and female characters add to the political correctness tied in to other issues like animal rights, which thankfully is subtly brought across in the film. The film also contains the much talked-about brief LGBT scene in which 2 women find their stroller occupied by an octopus. Full credit to Disney for being so progressive.

The film’s change of ending that caused a delay in the film’s release is well worth it. It is great to see all the fish freed from the truck back into the ocean, thus re-enforcing the fact that amusement sea-worlds like Marineland should not keep fish and sea-mammals in captivity,

As an animated feature FINDING Dory does not disappoint. But from Disney, one always expects more, but the film unfortunately provides only more of the same. Stay for the song “Unforgettable” by Australian singer Sia Furler, performed during the end credits.

 

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

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GENIUS (UK/USA 2015) **** Movie Review:

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

genius.jpgGENIUS (UK/USA 2015) ****
Directed by Michael Grandage

Starring: Colin Firth, Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, Laura Linney, Vanessa Kirby, Dominic West, Guy Pearce

Review by Gilbert Seah

GENIUS is a British-American drama based on the 1978 National Book Award-winner “Max Perkins: Editor of Genius” by A. Scott Berg.

The film opens in New York City 1929 at the height of the American Depression, which is depicted only in a few of the film’s selected scenes. The film traces the life of the rich and talented. They leave out the poor, those who never get a chance to ever read of book or go to school. The genius in the film is Thomas Wolfe (Jude Law) who every literary enthusiast knows wrote “Look Homeward, Angel” and “Of Time and the River”. It is the mentoring of Wolfe under his editor, Maxwell Perkins (Colin Firth) that is under study in the film. Genus comes with a price. Perkins took on the new writer and taught him to trim down his overlong but talented writing. Perkins ran foul of Mrs. Bernstein (Nicole Kidman) who Wolfe was having an affair with. Mrs. Bernstein accuses Perkins of stealing Wolfe from her. This he does. The film also shows the relationship between Perkins and his other writers like Ernst Hemingway (Dominic West) and F. Scott Fitzgerald (Guy Pearce).

It is a beautifully crafted film and well acted – full of the drama of life while displaying the love of English prose. The film is shot in subdued colours by cinematographer Ben Davis, which is a constant reminder of the film being a period piece.

The script by John Logan contains lots of dramatic dialogue which leads director Grandage to indulge in theatrics. One also wonders, for example in a scene in which Wolfe first collapses from his illness on a beautiful beach whether this was made up.

The film contains different pleasures. One and foremost is the beauty of writing. Grandage spends a fair amount of time forcing the audience to listen to the poetry of Wolfe’s written works. The film also expresses Wolfe’s joie de Vive in the form of his infidelity and drunkenness.

Firth’s controlled performance contrasts brilliantly with Law’s wild card portrayal of Wolfe. Their climatic confrontation on the street where Perkins tells off a drunken Wolfe will be one to be remembered. Kidman makes a memorable comeback as Wolfe’s bitchy mistress who survives from suicidal mess to strong personality. She has the film’s most memorable line tas she confronts Wolfe: “You don’t know how much I had to go through so I can look at you and feel nothing!”

The Brits are fond of complaining of American actors portraying British characters, as evident in an article in the June issue of Sight and Sound. Now Americans can complain of the same. Brits Colin Firth, Dominic West and Jude Law play Americans while Aussies Nicole Kidman and Guy Pearce do the same. But to the actors’ credit, they do an excellent job, American accents and all.

The relationship between Wolfe and Perkins is kept totally straight with no hint of homosexuality or even an hint of male eroticism. At one point in the film, it is even hinted that Perkins is a genius of friendship. But no doubt this relationship is a powerful one. The genius also reflects Wolfe’s heat prose as expressed in the many readings of his cited works.

GENIUS, director Michael’s Grandage’s directorial debut show promise, talent and well crafted filmmaking, making him a name to be reckoned with.

 

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: LA MARIEE ETAIT EN NOIR (THE BRIDE WORE BLACK) (France 1967) *****

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

the_bridge_wore_black.jpgLA MARIEE ETAIT EN NOIR (THE BRIDE WORE BLACK) (France 1967) *****
Directed by Francois Truffaut

Starring: Jeanne Moreau, Jean-Claude Brialy, Michel Bouquet

Review by Gilbert Seah

My personal favourite Truffaut movie and French film of all time sees sultry siren Jeanne Moreau do away with the 5 killers who accidentally shot her bridegroom on her wedding day. The Bride has 5 men to hunt, to lure and to kill. Julie Kohler (Moreau) methodically tracks them down one by one and does away with them without remorse. Truffaut gives her femme fatale more human feelings than necessary as she almost falls in love with one of them.

Five of France’s most popular actors of the time (Claude Rich, Charles Denner, Michel Bouquet, Daniel Bouloanger and Michel Lonsdale) play 4 of Julie’s victims, with Jean-Claude Brialy the common friend to two of them. It is a great delight to watch all of them on the screen again.
This film is Truffaut’s tribute to Hitchcock after he interviewed and the Master of Suspense wrote the book Hitchcock. Using Hitchcock’s frequent composer Bernard Herrmann, the film has the complete Hitchcock feel.

Truffaut includes the element of guilt, a key element in a Hitchcock film in the scene where Julie confesses her crimes to a priest in the confessional box. in the scene, she claims that she is dead after her groom, David was shot.

The most emotional scene is the one in which Julie realizes that she has fallen in love with one of her groom’s killer, Fergus (Denner). It is something she had not expected but she cooly brushes it away determined to complete her lifeline quest.

Truffaut has been described as the kindest of film directors and this film illustrates why. He does not let the innocent characters die. The cleaner who steals and drink from the bottle that holds the poisoned liquor is emptied by Julie. When the school teacher (Alexandra Stewart) Julie impersonates to do away with a victim is arrested, she calls the police to prove her innocence. The film’s best and most touching scene has the teacher enter the school gate after release only to be swarmed by all the children of the school offering their hugs and love.
The only thing missing in the story is how Julie managed to find the identity and whereabouts of the killers. Perhaps this is bet left out as it might damage the credibility of the story if too much is explained.

THE BRIDE WORE BLACK is unfortunately Truffaut’s least favourite film as he had a big argument with his cinematographer on the look of this movie, but to this critic the film is still perfection! I have not hailed more than 5 films in my lifetime as masterpieces but THE BRIDE WORE BLACK is surely a Masterpiece!

The film will open the Truffaut/Hitchcock tribute at the Bell Lightbox in July 2016.

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: KHOYA (Canada/India 2016) ***

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

khoya.jpgKHOYA (Canada/India 2016) ***
Directed by Sami Khan

Stars: Rupak Ginn, Ravi Khanvilkar, Stephen McHattie

Read Interview with the Director

Review by Gilbert Seah

Sami Khan’s first feature is an occasionally impressive piece about a man in search of his identity.

The man is Roger Moreau (Rupak Ginn), a Canadian from a small town in Ontario, who when the film opens is on his way to the airport (as seen in the Airport Road sign on Toronto’s 401 Highway). This is how intimate Khan’s film gets, as evident in other scenes as well. Roger is travelling to India in search for his adoptive parents.

The event is initiated when Roger’s adopted mother unexpectedly dies. Roger loses his last tie to his Canadian upbringing and identity. But his arrival in India is not what he expected. The crowded and hot streets of Mumbai compared to what he is used in Canada are more than he bargained for.

Director Khan’s film works when he shows what Mumbai and Madha Pradesh in the rural heartland of India are like. Just as Roger is struck down with culture shock, the audiences is however, able to enjoy the vast differences in culture from the comfort of their theatre seats. India is poor, hot, dirty and poor. But the natural beauty is unmistakably stunning. Khan’s segment where Roger soaks his feet in the huge river (see photo inset) is extremely striking.

The film contains a few scenes set in Canada. One is in the garage where Roger works where Canadian actor Stephen McHattie has a cameo. Another is his meeting with a Chinese lady with whom Roger confides his secrets. These segments are uncomfortably told in flashbacks at awkward points in the film.

Roger Moreau is played by American actor Rupak Ginn who is in almost very frame of the film. Ginn, who has appeared in Hollywood films like FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS and Mira Nair’s THE NAMESAKE is barely able to carry the film on his own. Fortunately, Khan uses India as the main actor in KHOYA.

Khan’s film is actually two films in one. The first is the story of India and her poetic beauty. The other is the mystery of Roger’s family. Though given the run around at the start, Roger’s persistence eventually pays off. He learns the truth and he unexpectedly finds something more than he expected (what this is will not be revealed in the review).

KOHOYA is more a lyrical film than a mystery of a family identity. Though not perfect in it execution, KHOYA is still a worthy tribute of a young director who deserves more works in the future. Khan is currently working on a documentary on four Cuban baseball players.

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: #UNITED WE WIN. Directed by Henrik Friis

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MOVIE POSTER#UNITED WE WIN, UK

Played at the May 2016 FEEDBACK Film Festival

 

MOVIE REVIEW:

Half dangerous, hald brave and wholly compelling, #UnitedWeWin, directed by Henrik Fiirs, is a documentary turned passionate love letter about the issues surrounding war-torn Iraq. Fiirs and a handful of other early twenty-somethings’ set out to the country with limited assistance from Global Security, to make a film about the middle eastern conflict, after a traumatic video witnessed by the director propelled him to act. The forty minute partial gorilla shooting endeavor is an interesting approach to cinematic filmmaking.

 

#UnitedWeWin has much to be commended on. The director, Fiirs, is a natural born leader, with charisma, charm and a clear thirst to make a social and political difference in the world around him. There is daring, drive and determination in his work, and it is no small feat to arrange a film crew and create a film, halfway around the world, not accounting for age, cost and resources.

 

However, there is a fine line between bravery and foolishness and Fiirs’ piece is not without heavy scrutiny. The film undeniably lacks focus and direction. Bold, emotive, larger-than-life statements litter the piece, such as “what is happening here is evil” and “we all know this isn’t right”. And yet, the social, political, religious and economic issues fueling the Middle-Eastern conflicts are never discussed. As such, the filmmaker glosses over the reason the fuel the film in the first place. The film has the feeling of a director looking for the answer, when he has no idea what the question is.

 

As a result, the goal of the film appears far too abstract and the stakes far too outrageously dangerous to be bought by the audience as a form of consciously planned, well thought-out activism. The film has no clear vision, no clear villains, no clear answers, no focused purpose and, most terrifying to the audience, no sense that the filmmaker and the team really understand how much danger they have put themselves in while making it.



Moving towards the film’s natural style creates some other notes for discussion. The continuity of the piece is rather shady, with whole days of the trip cut out and unaccounted for, and a series of unanswered cliff hangers. There is one scene that focuses on the team touching down in the Middle East and the transportation they arranged to pick them up from the airport is not there. The next major scene shows the team three days later, with no explanation of how the previous situation rectified itself. One section of the film, shot in a refugee camp, was very stylistically shot and edited- a choice that was not consistent with the rest of the film. The team clearly had the skills and the means to produce a film, but they did not produce a film with clear meaning.

 

Fiirs is a young, idealistic filmmaker, producing a heartfelt piece that displays empathy to the struggles of a population he clearly cares deeply for. On that note, he must be commended. He has a strong moral code, strong ideals and passionate desire to tell a story. But his cinematic journey did not hold up a mirror to the crisis in the Middle East, as much as it did hold up a mirror to young filmmakers’ everywhere, asking them to thoroughly understand that questions they are asking, before they risk their lives in finding the answers.

 

by Kierston Drier
Founder of The Bathroom Stall Project
Consultant at TheKayWorks.com
Freelance Film and Television
www.thekayworks.com

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video:

Movie Review: 1Minute Nature. Directed by Stefanie Visjager & Katinka Baehr

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MOVIE POSTER1Minute Nature

Played at the May 2016 FEEDBACK Film Festival

MOVIE REVIEW:

In a world where words paint wonderful pictures, 1 Minute Nature follows three children as they individually recount memories from the world around them. Animated based on the story each child narrates, 1 Minute Nature is a creative reimagining of the natural world told through the eyes of a child. Both immersive and engaging, and wonderfully whimsical, each story contains cartoon animations elements moving within a real life background.

Each story narrated story recounts a child’s single isolated memory of an interaction with the world around them, but the visual spectacle is meant to shape both the children, and the viewers’ perceptions of the natural world and they way they interact with it. With the animated moving cartoon images overlaid against a stationary real-life background, there is a charming element of fantasy to the piece that is both engaging and delightful. Our three stories capture the tales of first encounters of underwater exploration, favorite animals and even school-age romance, each one weaving a wonderful portrait of childhood experiences with beautiful images.

Short, entertaining, charming and occasionally laughably honest, these three stories offer a break from the everyday world and invite us into a world of color, creativity, imagination and wonder.

by Kierston Drier
Founder of The Bathroom Stall Project
Consultant at TheKayWorks.com
Freelance Film and Television
www.thekayworks.com

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