When I initally came out of Denis Villeneuve's thriller "Prisoners" I felt somewhat let-down and disappointed. After some introspection and deliberation however, I came to appreciate the movie more for what it is.
After seeing this film, you may initially figure that the "Prisoners" of the title are the two little girls who are kidnapped early in the movie. But, some further thinking might lead you to speculate that the term "prisoner" can be used to encapsulate several more of the principle characters of the film. The ensemble cast is lead by Hugh Jackman as Keller Dover, the patriarch of the Dover family and the man who's daughter Anna (Erin Gerasimovich) along with her playmate Joy (Kyla Drew Simmons) mysteriously vanish one overcast day in November. The only thing that stands as any evidence is the remembrance of a camper being parked near where they disappeared. The owner of the camper is discovered to be Alex Jones (Paul Dano) a weird young man with the IQ of a ten year old. Jake Gyllenhaal plays Detective Loki who leads the investigation. When the Dano character fails to admit any guilt in the disappearance he is let go. Keller Dover (Jackman), still determined of the guilt of the Alex takes matters into his own hands and kidnaps him and holds him as a prisoner trying to find out the two girls location.
Thus, not only are the two girls prisoners, so is Alex Jones and so is Jackman and Terrence Howard (the father of Joy) who are prisoners of their own obsessions. Detective Loki is a prisoner of his own determination to solve the mystery. We also learn later on that Jackman's character is a prisoner of addiction (alcoholism).
"Prisoners" is a very well-made thriller with a lot of suspense and murky, down-trodden atmosphere. I had trouble caring deeply for many of the characters which has prevented me from giving it a higher rating. But the film has many admirable qualities. The cinematography is gloomy and appropriate, the performances are top-notch, and the story will keep you guessing until the end and on the edge of your seat. It is a difficult film to love but it stays with you afterwards and leaves a lasting impression.
Thoughts and insights on film, television, and other aspects of culture by Matthew J. White.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Child of God (2013, dir. James Franco) ***/****
James Franco's "Child of Good" is an adaptation of a Cormac McCarthy novel of the same title. It is an often disturbing, chilling adaptation with a fine performance from the lead, Scott Haze as Lester Ballard.
Lester is the "Child of God" of the title and you won't come across a more vile creature at TIFF this year. He has a penchant for shooting his rifle and necrophilia. He is constantly on the prowl in the vast, wild woods of his hometown, squatting in various abandoned cabins for shelter. The film is divided into three separate acts all depicting Lester as he tries to survive on his own.
In the first act, Lester goes to a carnival where he wins in a shooting gallery, three giant stuffed animals. This provides comic relief and a scene later on where he expresses his rage and suspicion by shooting them to pieces. This is a scene which Scott Haze, in a Q&A after the film revealed was improvised by him and director Franco.
In the second act, Lester comes across a running car parked at the side of the road in which are two fresh corpses - a young man and woman. Lester, after some deliberation, has intercourse with the female body and decides to carry her back to his cabin where he will treat he like a girlfriend for a while. He goes into town and buys a red dress for her and pretties her up to his liking. Scenes such as this are hard to watch but they are compelling at the same time. Lester's dreams and his new "girlfriend" literally go up in smoke when the cabin has a fire that destroys everything inside that Lester isn't able to salvage including the corpse.
In the third and final act, there is murder and more mayhem. Lester must deal with the moral choices that he makes as the a group of townspeople come to forcefully inquire what he has done with a couple of dead bodies.
There is a welcome supporting performance from Tim Blake Nelson as a local sheriff and James Franco also appears in a small role. There is one disturbing image after another and we are made aware early on that this will be hard to watch when we see Lester defecating in the woods. Actor Haze revealed in the Q&A that he was really shitting in the woods on camera. This is no ordinary film. It is shocking and disturbing - a unique cinematic experience.
Friday, September 13, 2013
How Strange to be Named Federico (2013, dir. Ettore Scola) ***/****
This film I saw at TIFF is a part documentary, part dramatic recreation of the friendship between the director Scola and legendary Italian auteur Federico Fellini. It cleverly blends archival footage and photos, memoir and recreated events to paint a compelling portrait of the two men's interceding lives.
The film starts with a recreation of the time in 1939 when Fellini became a cartoonist for a famous Italian newspaper, "Marc'Aurello" the same paper to which the director of this film, Scola, came a few years later for the same type of job. The two men struck up a friendship that would last well into their old age. Scola had a unique outlook and insight into Fellini's life with his close proximity to him. The result of that relationship is this loving tribute of a film to him.
We are given a lot of different glimpses into Fellini's life at different times in his long career. From his early days as a cartoonist to his work as a writer in vaudeville to his final and long-lasting tenure as an actor, writer and director in Italy's cinema at Cinecitta's famous Studio 5.
The use of a narrator who appears live within the film is an interesting technique and adds interest to the film. At one point the narrator is sitting in a cafe. A waitress tells the bartender that he has not payed yet to which the bartender responds "Narrators don't have to pay." There are also interesting scenes taking place in Fellini's car when he is an older man. He allegedly suffered from insomnia and would drive around at night with friends, often picking up strangers for rides, to alleviate this. The viewer sees him engaging in conversations with various people of the night such as prostitutes, street artists and friends. One gets the impression that many of Fellini's screenplays and character ideas came from such interesting conversations and meetings.
At the films end, the viewer is shown an electrifying montage of many of Fellini's films as various scenes, shots, and characters from a variety of different films fly by. I was hoping for more of this but instead got mostly recreated events.
Overall, the film's recreated scenes somewhat detract from the overall film. I would have preferred more archival footage, interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage. This is not the greatest film I saw at TIFF this year but it is a good one and offers a unique view into the life of Italy's most famous and prestigious filmmaker.
The film starts with a recreation of the time in 1939 when Fellini became a cartoonist for a famous Italian newspaper, "Marc'Aurello" the same paper to which the director of this film, Scola, came a few years later for the same type of job. The two men struck up a friendship that would last well into their old age. Scola had a unique outlook and insight into Fellini's life with his close proximity to him. The result of that relationship is this loving tribute of a film to him.
We are given a lot of different glimpses into Fellini's life at different times in his long career. From his early days as a cartoonist to his work as a writer in vaudeville to his final and long-lasting tenure as an actor, writer and director in Italy's cinema at Cinecitta's famous Studio 5.
The use of a narrator who appears live within the film is an interesting technique and adds interest to the film. At one point the narrator is sitting in a cafe. A waitress tells the bartender that he has not payed yet to which the bartender responds "Narrators don't have to pay." There are also interesting scenes taking place in Fellini's car when he is an older man. He allegedly suffered from insomnia and would drive around at night with friends, often picking up strangers for rides, to alleviate this. The viewer sees him engaging in conversations with various people of the night such as prostitutes, street artists and friends. One gets the impression that many of Fellini's screenplays and character ideas came from such interesting conversations and meetings.
At the films end, the viewer is shown an electrifying montage of many of Fellini's films as various scenes, shots, and characters from a variety of different films fly by. I was hoping for more of this but instead got mostly recreated events.
Overall, the film's recreated scenes somewhat detract from the overall film. I would have preferred more archival footage, interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage. This is not the greatest film I saw at TIFF this year but it is a good one and offers a unique view into the life of Italy's most famous and prestigious filmmaker.
Our Sunhi (2013, dir. Hong Sang-Soo) ***.5/****
The second film I saw at TIFF was Hong Sang-Soo's "Our Sunhi". It was delightful and funny with vivid characterizations, expert direction, and a great screenplay.
Sunhi (Jeong Yo-mi) of the title is a former film student who comes back to campus to acquire a letter of recommendation from one of her professors. She wants to get into school in the United States. Over the course of the story, she meets up with a former boyfriend and another older male friend from her past (both filmmakers). What Sunhi doesn't realize is that all three of these very different characters love her and desire to be with her in their own specific ways.
An admirable quality of this film is the unique camera set-ups and the long takes where the actors are allowed to act before the camera and engage in interesting, often amusing conversations. A majority of the film takes place in restaurants, bars, and cafes where alcohol-fueled, engaging and deep conversations take place. There are common motifs in the dialogue and actions that bring a nice symmetry to the story. One common, repeated conversation element is the idea of "digging deep" into herself to find out her strengths and plunder the resources. This is repeated to comic effect by all three characters in various conversations with Sunhi.
The recommendation letter that Sunhi receives from her professor and mentor reveals aspects of her character to herself that she is not all that comfortable with. By describing her as somewhat reserved and afraid to express her ideas effectively, Sunhi is given a self-portrait that is a little disconcerting. She asks for a second letter which the professor is happy to rewrite.
You get the impression that the direction of the story is very meticulous and precise. It is a small social circle that Sang-Soo is dealing with but he does so in a very effective, effortless manner. The film seems to end rather abruptly but still it is an appropriate ending and the movie is enjoyable and refreshing compared to most run-of-the-mill Hollywood fare. It is a film that is rewarding and worth watching.
Sunhi (Jeong Yo-mi) of the title is a former film student who comes back to campus to acquire a letter of recommendation from one of her professors. She wants to get into school in the United States. Over the course of the story, she meets up with a former boyfriend and another older male friend from her past (both filmmakers). What Sunhi doesn't realize is that all three of these very different characters love her and desire to be with her in their own specific ways.
An admirable quality of this film is the unique camera set-ups and the long takes where the actors are allowed to act before the camera and engage in interesting, often amusing conversations. A majority of the film takes place in restaurants, bars, and cafes where alcohol-fueled, engaging and deep conversations take place. There are common motifs in the dialogue and actions that bring a nice symmetry to the story. One common, repeated conversation element is the idea of "digging deep" into herself to find out her strengths and plunder the resources. This is repeated to comic effect by all three characters in various conversations with Sunhi.
The recommendation letter that Sunhi receives from her professor and mentor reveals aspects of her character to herself that she is not all that comfortable with. By describing her as somewhat reserved and afraid to express her ideas effectively, Sunhi is given a self-portrait that is a little disconcerting. She asks for a second letter which the professor is happy to rewrite.
You get the impression that the direction of the story is very meticulous and precise. It is a small social circle that Sang-Soo is dealing with but he does so in a very effective, effortless manner. The film seems to end rather abruptly but still it is an appropriate ending and the movie is enjoyable and refreshing compared to most run-of-the-mill Hollywood fare. It is a film that is rewarding and worth watching.
A Touch of Sin (2013, Zhangke Jia) ****/****
On Thursday September 12, 2013, I attended the Toronto Film Festival. The first of three films I took in that day was Zhangke Jia's mesmerizing "A Touch of Sin". I had previously seen only one film by the Chinese master director, that being 2000's "Platform." I was intrigued by that film and wanted to experience more of the auteur's work. I wasn't disappointed.
"A Touch of Sin" consists of four separate stories of characters that are linked by the common thread of violence perpetrated on other's and one's self. The violence in "A Touch of Sin" is often gruesome but highly stylized. Right from the beginning we are struck with it when a lone motorcyclist is surrounded by a group of bandits demanding his money. The man on the motorcycle reaches into his jacket and brings out a gun with which he promptly mows down the thieves in quick succession. From this point on we are made aware that this will be no light film and a possibly extraordinary film as well. We will join this character (Wang Baoqiang) and his story of violence and sin later on in the film but first we are introduced to Dahai (Jiang Wu) a worker who seeks vengeance for an embezzlement scheme which leaves him feeling cheated. Another story depicts a young woman (Zhao Tao) who is searching for herself and her own contentment but ends up with a dissatisfying job in a massage parlour. Finally we are brought into the life a young man (Luo Lanshan) who ends up working in a quasi-bordello where he falls in love with one of the flesh-trade workers. The details of the stories are difficult to iterate but what really matters is the way that these characters deal with their individual crises.
The picture painted of modern day China is bleak and has a lot to say about the supposed economic boom of that country and the exploitation of China's underclass and underprivileged. All four stories are unique and compelling and the director does an expert job of juxtaposing the stories in a way that highlights the common themes that run through each. There are moments that will make you laugh, smile, wince and perhaps drop your jaw. This is a difficult film to look at sometimes but Jia makes it beautiful at the same time in his lyrical, breath-taking manner.
"A Touch of Sin" consists of four separate stories of characters that are linked by the common thread of violence perpetrated on other's and one's self. The violence in "A Touch of Sin" is often gruesome but highly stylized. Right from the beginning we are struck with it when a lone motorcyclist is surrounded by a group of bandits demanding his money. The man on the motorcycle reaches into his jacket and brings out a gun with which he promptly mows down the thieves in quick succession. From this point on we are made aware that this will be no light film and a possibly extraordinary film as well. We will join this character (Wang Baoqiang) and his story of violence and sin later on in the film but first we are introduced to Dahai (Jiang Wu) a worker who seeks vengeance for an embezzlement scheme which leaves him feeling cheated. Another story depicts a young woman (Zhao Tao) who is searching for herself and her own contentment but ends up with a dissatisfying job in a massage parlour. Finally we are brought into the life a young man (Luo Lanshan) who ends up working in a quasi-bordello where he falls in love with one of the flesh-trade workers. The details of the stories are difficult to iterate but what really matters is the way that these characters deal with their individual crises.
The picture painted of modern day China is bleak and has a lot to say about the supposed economic boom of that country and the exploitation of China's underclass and underprivileged. All four stories are unique and compelling and the director does an expert job of juxtaposing the stories in a way that highlights the common themes that run through each. There are moments that will make you laugh, smile, wince and perhaps drop your jaw. This is a difficult film to look at sometimes but Jia makes it beautiful at the same time in his lyrical, breath-taking manner.
Monday, September 9, 2013
Stolen Kisses (1968, dir. Francois Truffaut) ****/****
"Stolen Kisses" is the third official instalment in the exploits of Francois Truffaut's iconic character Antoine Doinel (Jean-Pierre Leaud). The interesting thing about the character and actor is that all three are interchangeable: Truffaut is Doinel. Leaud is Doinel. Truffaut is Leaud. The film is really an autobiographical musing on Truffaut's own early adulthood and Leaud, in embodying the character makes him his own as well.
At the beginning of this feature, Antoine is discharged from the army for insubordination. He quickly visits a bordello followed by his girlfriend from before enlisting, Christine Darbon (Claude Jade). Her father offers him a job as a night clerk in a hotel. He quickly loses this job over an issue with a private investigator who in turn persuades Antoine to join his organization. Soon Antoine is in full swing as a private investigator himself. He gets an assignment in a shoe store to find out why the boss is so hated by his employees. On the job he falls hard for the boss's wife. Eventually he loses his job at the P.I. Agency and soon finds himself working as a TV repairman. It is in this position that he is reunited with Christine.
This may sound like a simple, mundane story but Truffaut suffuses it with so much wit and charm and Leaud is so charismatic in the lead that the viewer will be swept away. The "Stolen Kisses" of the title comes from a song on the film's soundtrack but it also is a perfect statement of Antoine's way of dealing with his various longings and exploits. The screenplay is beautifully executed. The scenes on the streets of Paris are awesome. I loved the way that Antoine runs through the busy streets of Paris, narrowly avoiding being hit by cars in a carefree manner that beautifully expresses and continues the character that was initially established in Truffaut's first feature "The Four Hundred Blows".
Antoine is seemingly apolitical but his adventures are a perfect allegory for the experiences of young adults in the late 60's in France and around the world. Doinel is as complex and eccentric as any character to come out ever and both Leaud and Truffaut do an expert job of bringing the character to exhilarating, comic, and endearing fruition.
At the beginning of this feature, Antoine is discharged from the army for insubordination. He quickly visits a bordello followed by his girlfriend from before enlisting, Christine Darbon (Claude Jade). Her father offers him a job as a night clerk in a hotel. He quickly loses this job over an issue with a private investigator who in turn persuades Antoine to join his organization. Soon Antoine is in full swing as a private investigator himself. He gets an assignment in a shoe store to find out why the boss is so hated by his employees. On the job he falls hard for the boss's wife. Eventually he loses his job at the P.I. Agency and soon finds himself working as a TV repairman. It is in this position that he is reunited with Christine.
This may sound like a simple, mundane story but Truffaut suffuses it with so much wit and charm and Leaud is so charismatic in the lead that the viewer will be swept away. The "Stolen Kisses" of the title comes from a song on the film's soundtrack but it also is a perfect statement of Antoine's way of dealing with his various longings and exploits. The screenplay is beautifully executed. The scenes on the streets of Paris are awesome. I loved the way that Antoine runs through the busy streets of Paris, narrowly avoiding being hit by cars in a carefree manner that beautifully expresses and continues the character that was initially established in Truffaut's first feature "The Four Hundred Blows".
Antoine is seemingly apolitical but his adventures are a perfect allegory for the experiences of young adults in the late 60's in France and around the world. Doinel is as complex and eccentric as any character to come out ever and both Leaud and Truffaut do an expert job of bringing the character to exhilarating, comic, and endearing fruition.
Antoine and Colette (1962, dir. Francois Truffaut) ****/****
When a group of internationally renowned filmmakers came together and provided short films for a larger project known as "Love at Twenty", Francois Truffaut was happy to bring back the star of his first feature, Jean-Pierre Leaud, in the role of their iconic character Antoine Doinel. The result is a short 30-minute film that continues the exploits of the character from "The Four Hundred Blows".
We join Antoine now in his late teens as he has gotten past his troubled early years as a misunderstood juvenile delinquent and is now a contributing member of society. He now works at a record company that produces vinyl records of all kinds of music. Doinel loves music and he regularly attends symphonic concerts with his friend. It is at one of these that he notices a striking young woman who he is instantly attracted to. Doinel is able to get closer to the young woman and strike up a friendship with the girl whose name is Colette (Marie France-Pisier). The two start dating. Antoine has romantic leanings in his dealings with her but Colette is somewhat standoffish and more interested in just being friends. Colette's parents like Antoine, and the relationship with her parents offer a funny, unexpected side to the story. Eventually, Antoine decides to relocate his residence to just across the street from Colette and her family so he can be closer to his object of affection.
"Antoine and Colette" is a sweet, effervescent, and droll comedy-drama that further develops the character seen in Truffaut's debut. There is more of a comic tone to this instalment, especially in the final scene. A lot of people will identify with the theme of unrequited love and disappointment that is experienced by the main character. It is beautifully shot in black and white and the street scenes in Paris are alive with visual splendour and quirky eccentricity. For a short film, there is undeniable charm and subtlety to Truffaut's semi-autobiographical escapade.
We join Antoine now in his late teens as he has gotten past his troubled early years as a misunderstood juvenile delinquent and is now a contributing member of society. He now works at a record company that produces vinyl records of all kinds of music. Doinel loves music and he regularly attends symphonic concerts with his friend. It is at one of these that he notices a striking young woman who he is instantly attracted to. Doinel is able to get closer to the young woman and strike up a friendship with the girl whose name is Colette (Marie France-Pisier). The two start dating. Antoine has romantic leanings in his dealings with her but Colette is somewhat standoffish and more interested in just being friends. Colette's parents like Antoine, and the relationship with her parents offer a funny, unexpected side to the story. Eventually, Antoine decides to relocate his residence to just across the street from Colette and her family so he can be closer to his object of affection.
"Antoine and Colette" is a sweet, effervescent, and droll comedy-drama that further develops the character seen in Truffaut's debut. There is more of a comic tone to this instalment, especially in the final scene. A lot of people will identify with the theme of unrequited love and disappointment that is experienced by the main character. It is beautifully shot in black and white and the street scenes in Paris are alive with visual splendour and quirky eccentricity. For a short film, there is undeniable charm and subtlety to Truffaut's semi-autobiographical escapade.
Sunday, September 8, 2013
The Last Picture Show (1971, dir. Peter Bogdanovich) ****/****
A few years before the release of George Lucas' "American Graffiti", another film was released that dealt with the loneliness, friendship, and disillusionment of youngsters in a small American town. That would be Peter Bogdanovich's wonderful 1971 release "The Last Picture Show". It would garner several Oscar nominations and launch the careers of several young actors including Timothy Bottoms, Jeff Bridges, and Cybill Shepherd. In the early 1950's two high school seniors Sonny (Timothy Bottoms) and Duane (Jeff Bridges) are best friends who's main interests are cars, Hank Williams, hanging at the local pool hall, and girls. The chasm between following your heart and your libido is in fact one of the central themes of the film. There are other characters all given great tender performances by the likes of Ellen Burstyn, Cloris Leachman, and Ben Johnson. The central characters, the ones the film mainly revolves around are Sonny and Duane. There is a tremendous arc to their characters and they go through changes and predicaments that will shape their destinies but ultimately we are left wondering whether they will get out of this dismal, near-empty Texas town. The reason for the title is that the local cinema is shutting down for lack of attendance and we are given a sad glimpse into this theatre when the boys actually attend the last picture show. It is Howard Hawks' "Red River" and we are left wondering whether the near-adults of Bogdanovich's film could ever find the kind of male mentor that Montgomery Clift finds in John Wayne in Hawk's great western.
The film is shot in black and white as an homage and imitation of films from the time this film is set. The jarring editing shows the director's appreciation of French New Wave films from the late 50's and early 60's. This is truly a masterful cinematic experience and an endearing glimpse into adolescence on the brink of adulthood.
The film is shot in black and white as an homage and imitation of films from the time this film is set. The jarring editing shows the director's appreciation of French New Wave films from the late 50's and early 60's. This is truly a masterful cinematic experience and an endearing glimpse into adolescence on the brink of adulthood.
Lee Daniels' The Butler (2013, dir. Lee Daniels) ***.5/****
"The Butler" tells the story of Cecil Gaines, a black man born into slavery on a cotton plantation who would, through adversity and hardship, rise to become a butler in the White House serving several different presidents. This is set against the backdrop of the civil rights movement in the 1950's and 60's and portrays how Gaines and his family deal with the political turmoil that would shape a nation. Cecil is played by Forrest Whittaker in a stirring, noble performance.
There is a lot to like about "The Butler": the performances from the entire cast is outstanding; the period detail; and the story. The story slightly reminded me of "Forrest Gump" in that a seemingly apolitical character is shown going through the turbulent times that would play a role in shaping the collective identity of the United States and the world. Cecil states in his interview at the White House that he is not into politics thus assuring that he will be an ideal candidate for the job at hand.
Cecil's family provides a foil to his own character. His wife, Gloria (Oprah Winfrey) is a hard-drinking, volatile member of the household. His oldest son Louis (David Oyelowo) is a burgeoning Black Panther who obviously throws a huge monkey wrench into the whole family environment with his highly political, radical outlook on life. His youngest son, Charlie (Elijah Kelly) decides to fight in the Viet Nam war much to his parents' chagrin.
There is a sweeping, epic quality to the movie that takes you through several different presidencies. The performances by the actors portraying the various presidents are spot-on and uncanny at times. I especially liked John Cusack's turn as Richard Nixon.
"The Butler" will not be the best movie to be released in 2013 but it is a good one and may win some Academy Award nominations. It is worth seeing and entertaining.
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