“Vice”– Movie Review

This week, I attended an advance screening of writer-director Adam McKay’s “Vice”, a biographical drama about former vice president Dick Cheney, starring Christian Bale and Amy Adams.

Synopsis

When a rudderless young man rises to the level of Vice President of The United States, how will his ambition influence his various life choices?

Story

In the early 1960’s, no one would have had a clue that a young Dick Cheney would ever turn into one of the most powerful (and dangerous) men in America.  Working at various blue collar jobs in Wyoming, he briefly looked like he had a future – but when he flunked out of an Ivy League college, all hope was abandoned.  After work, he spends his nights drinking, gambling, fighting and getting arrested (either for fighting or drunk driving). Eventually, his wife Lynne (Amy Adams) has finally had her fill and reads her husband the riot act:  either straighten up and be responsible or she will leave him.

Through some connections, Dick is able to secure a political internship in Washington, D.C.  He ultimately winds up working for Donald Rumsfeld (Steve Carell), a conservative Republican who winds up deeply influencing Dick’s way of maneuvering the various pitfalls of The Capital.  Despite various setbacks over the years, Dick is able to climb the ladder and continue to gain better positions with greater responsibility – among them, working in The Nixon, Ford and Bush41 Administrations.  Before long, he runs for Congress in the Republican Party and wins a seat in The House Of Representatives as Wyoming’s only House Member.

While working for Halliburton, an international oil field services corporation, Dick gets an offer that’s difficult to refuse:  George W. Bush (Sam Rockwell), the Republican candidate for President in 2000, offers him the Vice President spot on the ticket.  Although Dick was loyal to W’s father, he takes a dim view of the son. Initially, Dick has little interest in taking a position that has very little power – and besides, why work for an allegedly-reformed party boy like W, who doesn’t exactly have the best of reputations?  But it occurs to Dick that he can easily manipulate W and negotiate his own terms for his unique vision of the office of Veep. When Bush wins in a controversial election, can Dick wrest power from him?

Review

Much has been made of the physical transformation Christian Bale underwent in order to play this role.  It’s true – he really does look like the subject of “Vice”. However, if you’re relying just on the make-up department to do your acting for you, then you’re really not acting much, if at all.  Fortunately, this is not the case with Bale’s Cheney; he really does become the person so much, it’s scary (well, it helps that Cheney is scary to begin with). In early scenes, we see Bale as a younger version of Cheney when he first married Lynne; even then, where Bale is wearing little if any make-up, we see and hear him speaking exactly how the real Cheney would.  It’s an impressive performance.

Bale’s performance is not the lone reason to see “Vice”.  What makes this movie such a compelling watch is the writing and direction by Adam McKay; at various times it is  clever, funny and dark-themed. A particularly humorous moment occurs when McKay attempts to trick viewers into thinking the film has ended prematurely.  Whatever the opposite of a hagiography is, that’s pretty much how you would characterize “Vice”. As much as McKay makes Cheney look like a monster, he also finds a way to humanize him by means of his family.  Cheney comes across as devoted to his wife and daughters, especially Mary, who famously came out as a lesbian.

Another thing to look out for in “Vice” is the performance by cast members other than Bale.  Specifically, there is Sam Rockwell as the ne’er-do-well-turned-POTUS George W. Bush. Rockwell, like Bale, totally transforms – not just visually but also in terms of his voice and speech patterns.  When the two are in a scene together, it’s truly a marvel to watch both of these gifted actors give a clinic on their craft. Amy Adams, who appears in a substantial portion of the film as Cheney’s wife Lynne, does yeoman's work holding her own as someone who can stand up to Cheney and effectively get through to him.

“On The Basis Of Sex”– Movie Review

This week, I attended a New York Times advance screening of the new biographical drama about Ruth Bader Ginsberg, “On The Basis Of Sex”, starring Felicity Jones and Armie Hammer.

Synopsis

When a young lawyer must try a major case, will the visibility cement her career or cause it to be ruined?

Story

In the 1950’s Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Jones) was one of only nine women who managed to earn a spot in Harvard Law School.  Despite facing a considerable amount of chauvinism, she persisted and was able to not only attend her own classes, but also, those of her husband Martin (Hammer) when he fell ill to testicular cancer.  Upon realizing that Martin may at some point relapse, Ruth left Harvard to return to New York City, where she completed her degree at Columbia University.  Despondent over the direction her career took when none of the top law firms hired her, she reluctantly took a teaching position. 

While teaching, Ruth learns that this gives her an advantage:  she can take on any case she desires.  If she had gone to work for a major law firm, they would likely assign her a case – one which she might have considerably less passion.  Soon, she becomes aware of a case of a man denied a tax deduction simply because of his gender.  Since Ruth’s greatest concern was to defend people who have been shown discrimination because of their gender, this was certainly something she felt was her bailiwick.  There was one problem, however:  this case was also focused on tax law.  As a result, she would clearly need her husband Martin, a tax lawyer, to assist her. 

Soon, Ruth gets some support when her case is backed by the American Civil Liberties Union, which is run by her long-time friend, Mel Wulf (Justin Theroux).  With the help of Mel, Martin and a support system of various mentors and like-minded attorneys, Ruth diligently prepares to argue her case before the 10 Circuit Court, where she must present before three judges.  Still relatively inexperienced, everyone wonders whether or not Ruth will be able to stand up to the pressure of a case which is gaining notoriety around the nation.  Can she show that this man is denied his tax deduction on the basis of sex or will she be laughed out of court?   

Review

Without a doubt, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is an icon and a cultural heroine of the modern age – and you don’t necessarily have to be either a woman or a liberal in order to be stunned by the accomplishments in Mrs. Ginsburg’s personal and professional life.  Although “On The Basis Of Sex” has a powerful emotional impact with its ending, it is not able to elevate a film that is done in from the start – largely due to its casting.  How Jones and Hammer could remotely be considered the right actors to portray this legendary couple is enigmatic, to put it mildly.    

The screenplay, which was apparently written by Ginsburg’s nephew, does a decent job of showing how the ambition of this couple impacted their family life – likely something to which few people would have had such an authentic insight.  It falters in the sense of creating a mood that is realistic; all too often in scene after scene, it becomes an eye-rolling exercise in reductionism.  Ultimately, one gets the sense that despite the staggering accomplishments of this woman, we are watching something that is more accurately characterized as a hagiography, not a biography.   

Following the screening, there was an interview with the filmmakers.  Jones said that the key to understanding how RBG became who she is today was by understanding her background – specifically, the decisions she made throughout life and the societal forces which determined how she was raised.  She added that much of the story of this movie is actually that of the family and what they were able to achieve together – especially when it appeared as though the entire world was against them.    Director Mimi Leder said to her, the story is about how change happens – a constant pushing open the doors, but not in an angry way.  For the full interview, please refer to the video clip below. 

“Transit”– Movie Review

This week, I attended the opening night for the retrospective of German filmmaker Christian Petzold at The Film Society of Lincoln Center , screening his latest drama, “Transit”.  

Synopsis

When a man assumes a stranger’s identity to escape the Nazis, he becomes involved with the man’s wife – but will she remain if she learns he’s stolen her husband’s identity?

Story

Georg (Franz Rogowski) is one of the lucky ones.   Despite being a German refugee who fled to France to escape the Nazis, he now finds himself endangered once again.  The Nazis have just reached Paris and begin rounding up people suspected of being Jewish.  Needing money, Georg accepts an offer to deliver some letters to a fellow German named Weidel – a writer also staying in Paris until it’s safe to return home.  But upon arriving at Weidel’s apartment, Georg finds the man has committed suicide.  Curious and seeing a sample of the man’s work, he takes the manuscript and some other papers before leaving. 

Later, Georg goes through the papers and finds they include documents that will allow him to not only leave Paris, but to leave France altogether.  Determined to escape the Nazis, Georg heads to Marseille, where he awaits passage on an ocean liner.  While there, he runs into a woman named Marie (Paula Beer), who is anxiously awaiting the arrival of her husband – who just so happens to be Weidel.  As Georg becomes romantically involved with Marie, he cannot bring himself to tell Marie her husband is dead – or for that matter, that he has assumed the man’s identity.

The Nazis start moving in on Marseille as the date for Georg’s cruise draws near.  Marie is conflicted – as much as she wants to save herself, she can’t leave when there’s a chance that her husband may suddenly show up.  At this point, Georg gets an idea:  he’ll have the consulate update his papers so Marie can join him onboard.  It seems like an excellent plan until Georg suddenly learns a friend of Marie’s is also trying to flee the Nazis but can only manage a dangerous climb across the mountains.  Can Georg arrange for all three of them to board the ship before all of France falls to the Nazis?   

Review

“Transit” the movie is based on “Transit” the 1944 era novel by Anna Seghers – a story very reminiscent of the classic “Casablanca”.  Unless you are familiar with this book, it’s hard to know how close the film is to its source material.  Having said that, “Transit” the movie is rather difficult to watch – although perhaps frustrating would a better word to describe the experience.  Although it’s never explicitly stated one way or the other, the story obviously takes place during the time of the second world war – but you would never know it by the clothes, cars or other things that might be considered a giveaway.   

It doesn’t end there.  Other items that cause “Transit” to suffer are the sudden and unexpected use of a narrator and the time spent with certain ancillary characters.  With respect to the use of the narrator, it’s a rather curious device introduced in an unusual manner; he is unknown to us until much later and while on some level he knows Georg, we discover his familiarity with him is superficial.  Regarding the extraneous characters, it would appear that so much time is spent on them because it was difficult to flesh out the relationship with Marie.  Spending more time with Marie would have given the audience the opportunity to have more of an emotional investment in their romance.   

Following the screening, there was an interview with director Christian Petzold, who said the book on which his movie is based is considered a must-read in Germany, even though it may be less familiar elsewhere.  The novel was recommended to him by a friend who later passed away and caused him to temporarily halt work on his adaptation.  In his interpretation, Petzold was not interested in making a period piece; although the story clearly takes place during World War II, he didn’t want any visual clues (such as the clothing or the cars) to suggest it was in that time.  To Petzold, the title “Transit” has multiple meanings – the transportation out of France as well as the fluidity of time travel. 

“If Beale Street Could Talk”– Movie Review

This week, I attended a New York Times ScreenTimes screening of the new drama, “If Beale Street Could Talk”, written and directed by Barry Jenkins.

Synopsis

When a young man is falsely accused of rape, can his fiancée get him freed from jail?


Story

A young couple in love is always a beautiful thing to behold – even if it does occur in the New York City of the early 1970’s.  In this case, it’s 19 year old Harlem resident Tish (KiKi Layne) and her 23 year old fiancé Alonzo (Stephan James).  Aspiring to a career as a wood carver, Alonzo has been working subsistence jobs so he and Tish can someday marry. As usual, life intrudes upon the simplest of plans – Alonzo is wrongly charged with (and arrested for) the rape of Victoria (Emily Rios), a Puerto Rican woman who lives on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.  Their wedding plans are put on hold.

Dutifully visiting Alonzo in jail, Tish must break some news:  she’s pregnant with their child. While Alonzo is certainly delighted, he becomes even more determined to get out before their baby is born.  That’s easier said – in addition to Victoria positively identifying him in a lineup, the racist cop who arrested him claims he saw Alonzo running from the scene of the crime.  Tish and her family work together with Alonzo’s father to earn money to pay for Alonzo’s lawyer, but they suffer a setback once Victoria leaves New York City to live with her family in Puerto Rico. 

Since their only hope is for Victoria to attend the trial and testify the police coerced her into identifying Alonzo, Tish’s mother Sharon (Regina King) flies to Puerto Rico to try to find her.  Upon locating Victoria through an intermediary, a meeting is arranged. Sharon goes to Victoria’s neighborhood and discusses the situation with her, explaining that she has known Alonzo since he was a child and is extremely doubtful about the rape allegation.  Victoria, however, remains traumatized since her attack; while she may concede the possibility Alonzo is innocent, she might not withstand cross-examination during a trial. Will Sharon be able to convince Victoria into giving her testimony or is Alonzo doomed to a long prison sentence? 

 

Review

There is no doubt director Barry Jenkins possesses an arresting and unique style when it comes to visual storytelling, but his screenplay adaptation of the 1974 James Baldwin novel does not well serve its source material.  The forward momentum of the story is frequently halted due to the use of flashbacks, which temporarily take the viewer out of the present day before returning to the story. Apparently, the reason is to provide context for subsequent story beats.  While this may be justifiable in a fictional book, such a structure in a feature film causes the story to suffer from a dramatic standpoint.

“Beale Street” is a worthy follow-up to Jenkins’ award winning “Moonlight” because it is a serious work based on a novel by a noted African-American author.  Its tale, while compelling and still timely 45 years later, is in a somewhat flawed movie – the resolution of which occurs largely off-screen. The audience only learns of it by voiceover narration from Tish.  Why Jenkins chose not to portray this on camera is baffling, almost to the point of being infuriating. This choice results in lower dramatic outcome, substantially detracting from the emotional impact on the viewer.  Since this should have been the main thrust of the film, it is indeed something of a curiosity.

Following the interview was an interview with screenwriter and director Barry Jenkins.  Jenkins said he travelled to Brussels, Belgium where he wrote his first draft of the screenplay adaptation of Baldwin’s novel in about a month.  He did this at great risk since he hadn’t officially purchased the rights to the book. After submitting his script to The Baldwin Estate, which is very protective of the writer’s legacy, Jenkins went on to make “Moonlight” while awaiting their response.  Subsequently, Jenkins received a package from The Estate containing a 1978 notebook in which Baldwin had written his own incomplete version of the adaptation, which was quite similar to Jenkins’ own work.

“Widows”– Movie Review

This week, I attended a New York Times Screentimes screening of the new crime drama, “Widows” starring Viola Davis and Michelle Rodriguez and directed by Steve McQueen. 

Synopsis

When a trio of women console each other after their husbands die in the course of a heist, will their plan to make an even bigger score succeed or get them arrested?

Story

Harry (Liam Neeson) didn’t exactly live an honorable life, so it probably makes sense that his death wasn’t very honorable either.  While robbing campaign donations from the headquarters of Jamal Manning (Brian Tyree Henry), a candidate for Alderman of Chicago’s 18th Ward, Harry and his gang perish when their van blows up – which also burned all of their loot.  Furious, Manning sends some thugs after Veronica (Davis), Harry’s widow, to recover the money.  But when Veronica tells him that she doesn’t have it, she receives threats – she must come up with the money some way. 

During her period of both mourning and panic, Veronica finds a notebook that contains a detailed plan of the next robbery Harry was scheming.  Realizing that the theft could net more than enough to pay back Manning, she decides that she can’t do this by herself.  As a result, Veronica enlists the aid of Linda (Rodriguez) and Alice (Elizabeth Debicki)  the other women whose husbands died as members of Harry’s gang.  Convinced that they could make enough money from this escapade to ensure them a lifetime of security, Linda and Alice join forces with Veronica. 

But things are not going to be quite as easy as they may have seemed at first.  Veronica discovers that they’re going to steal the money from Manning’s opponent, Jack Mulligan (Colin Farrell), who is favored to win because his father (Robert Duvall) was the long-time Alderman of that district before his retirement.  Given the extraordinary level of security around Mulligan’s compound, this won’t be an easy task – especially when you consider the fact that these women are inexperienced at this.  Can they successfully pull off the job or will they be caught in the act?

Review

While seeking to empower women, one question must be asked about “Widows”:  Are women really empowered when they choose to break the law? In the case of this story, the crimes are burglary and murder (there is also prostitution, but perhaps that can be overlooked given the nature of the other offenses).  Based on the ending of the movie, we are given to understand that these characters have both sought and attained some form of redemption for themselves. If that’s true, then one might be left to inquire, “Yes, but at what cost?”. Clearly, their morals and ethics have been further compromised, compared to where each character started at the beginning of this film. 

There are some technical aspects of “Widows” that are difficult to justify.  Structurally speaking, the story doesn’t really start until about three quarters of an hour through; by “start”, what is meant here is that the women don’t agree to the heist until about 45 minutes into the movie, so it’s a bit slow to start.  Also, there’s the matter of a character arc. Do these women really have one? It seems that by the end, they are all back to where they started, so it’s more of a circle than an arc. What might have been more interesting is if they were so seduced by their involvement in crime that they became interested in pulling off another job (which also would’ve suggested a sequel).   

Following the screening was an interview with director Steve McQueen.  McQueen said that what fascinated him about the story was the idea of how each woman would negotiate their own personal domestic situation.  Additionally, he liked the concept of there being multiple narratives: the heist itself, the political/election aspect and the emotional journey each woman was taken through as they deal with their grief from the loss of their partner.  This also led to multiple strands of movement, pacing and speed, with each strand being interwoven with the others. As far as the characters are concerned, he says that he tried to make a movie where the audience would see someone like themselves on screen.

“Bohemian Rhapsody”– Movie Review

This week, I attended a New York Times Screentimes advance screening of the new musical biography, “Bohemian Rhapsody”, starring Rami Malek. 

Synopsis

When Freddie Mercury helps form the band Queen, he is unable to deal with its success – but can he repair the relationships he’s destroyed before it’s too late?

Story

In 1970 London, a young Farrokh Bulsara (Malek) had not yet transitioned into the rock star who would eventually come to be world famous as Freddie Mercury of the rock group Queen.  Instead, he was still trying to find himself, working a subsistence job as a baggage handler at Heathrow Airport during the day, songwriting in his spare time and attending music clubs at night.  While his disapproving parents were aware of his interests, they were unaware of his secret: he was bisexual. Farrokh’s parents just wanted him to find a stable career and settle down with a good woman.

While at a local club, Farrokh approaches a band on the verge of breaking up because they just lost their singer.  The two men – drummer Brian May (Gwilym Lee) and lead guitarist Roger Taylor (Ben Hardy) – are impressed by Farrokh’s singing voice as well as his ability to write his own songs.  As a result, they decide to form a new band, which Farrokh dubs Queen and even designs their logo; in the process, he gives himself a stage name of Freddie.  Before long, they start consistently booking gigs at clubs locally and beyond. Coming up with enough money to afford a recording session, they are soon noticed by music executives who wish to represent them and sign them to a record label. 

By now, Queen’s records are getting plenty of radio airplay and attracting steadily larger crowds at their live performances.  The success and fame they long sought is now at hand, but at what cost? For one thing, Freddie’s wife Mary (Lucy Boynton) is beginning to sense a schism; once Freddie admits his sexual interests, they separate.  With the success going to his head, discord within Queen occurs and they disband. Alone and lonely, Freddie’s substance abuse escalates. But when Freddie learns he’s dying of AIDS, can he get them to regroup for one last concert?            

Review

Perhaps both the best thing and the worst thing that could be said about “Bohemian Rhapsody” is that it is entertaining.  On the plus side, it’s somewhat enjoyable to watch, but on the negative side, that’s about all the movie has in its favor.  While Malek’s take on Mercury is good, it’s certainly not enough reason to see the film (nor is it likely the performance will be considered award-worthy).  Aside from fans of Queen – or more specifically, Mercury himself – “Bohemian Rhapsody” is not exactly a must-see. With respect to the screenplay, it feels like it could’ve been a made-for-cable (or streaming) motion picture, and a low-rent one at that.

While there are some interesting shots (particularly via cranes used to shoot concert footage), the script is problematic because it’s trite and melodramatic – almost formulaic.  At two and a quarter hours, it may be a big long – the final scene, 1985’s Live Aid Concert – could’ve been condensed to a single number.  In the event you consider seeing this movie, the best suggestion going to a theater that has an outstanding sound system; at this particular screening, there was no such sound system, so that’s something which could also detract from your enjoyment.     

Following the screening, there was an interview with star Rami Malek.  Malek said he recorded a video for the producers as a sort of proof-of-concept to show he could imitate Mercury’s stage moves.  Also, he performed four songs, mostly to prove his singing could be synchronized with recordings during the editing process; the video also included a simulated interview with Malek in character as Mercury.  Later, when he met with producers – including former Queen members Roger Taylor and Brian May – he learned they had not yet viewed the video, so they all viewed it together with Malek present. After the viewing, they agreed Malek nailed his interpretation of Mercury.

“Boy Erased”– Movie Review

This week, I attended an advance screening of the new biographical drama, “Boy Erased”, starring Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe and Joel Edgerton (who also wrote and directed).

Synopsis

When a young man’s parents force him to attend gay conversion therapy, what impact will it have on all of them?

Story

Being a young homosexual man in the deep south is not where you want to be – but sad to say that’s exactly where Jared (Lucas Hedges) currently finds himself.  For a while, he’s able to keep his secret from his parents Nancy and Marshall (Kidman and Crowe), but eventually, he gets outed by someone in college.  When Nancy and Marshall confront him about this, he admits to his true feelings.  This being a religious family – Marshall is a local preacher – Jared’s parents register him in an institution called Love In Action (L.I.A.), a Christian-based conversion therapy program. 

While at L.I.A., Jared meets Victor Sykes (Edgerton), the organization’s leader.  Sykes, along with other members of the organization, tries to convince the young men and women there that their SSA (Same-Sex Attraction) is more than merely unnatural – it’s a sin against God.  Despite that, they are told that because they are young, there is still time to save themselves and lead a righteous life.  This is done through various types of treatment programs, including and especially via genograms, which are intended to show how the sins of their ancestors have brought them to this life.

After observing other young men and women enrolled in this program for an extended period of time, Jared soon comes to understand that L.I.A.’s entire premise is built on a foundation of lies and deception.  They treat people as if they are prisoners – they are cruel and almost cult-like in the sense that they refuse to permit them to discuss what goes on there with the outside world, including and especially their family.  When Jared is given the advice of others in the program who tell him, “Fake it in order to make it”, will he be able to succeed in the program and make his family proud?   

Review

As well-intentioned as “Boy Erased” may be, it ultimately fails to deliver the intended emotional impact.  Clearly, it is successfully able to vilify the people who work for the therapy institution, which engenders both immediate and sustainable sympathy for Jared.  Unfortunately, there isn’t too much more that one can feel beyond this – the story falls somewhat flat thereafter. The ultimate conclusion of the story is Jared’s confrontation with and repudiation of L.I.A.  However, the movie continues beyond that point, where (years later), Jared confronts his father. This can only happen when the parents – especially Jared’s father – is similarly villainized.

But is it fair to present Jared’s father as a villain?  Even if there is disagreement with their religious teachings, is there no empathy for the religious?  Therein may lie part of the problem with the story from a dramatic standpoint: issues are presented as merely black and white.  This overly simplified viewpoint may make for a more easily digestible movie because one can root for the perceived hero and root against the perceived villain.  Sadly, there is a lack of nuance here that may have contributed to making “Boy Erased” a more complex but more satisfying film. Perhaps in the hands of a more experienced screenwriter or director this might have been possible.      

Following the screening, there was an interview with Edgerton.  He was sent the book by one of the movie’s producers, who was hoping it could be adapted into a film due to the changing political climate.  Edgerton said that his way of connecting to the story was through his fear of being separated from his parents – either by imprisonment, hospitalization or war.  Reading the book fairly quickly, he was soon impelled to start writing scenes and shortly thereafter, those scenes were turned into a screenplay. As far as casting was concerned, he was reluctant to cast fellow Australians Crowe and Kidman but eventually rationalized it by realizing that a story such as this one would require a big voice – and the best way to get that big voice is to cast major movie stars, which, in turn, facilitated financing. 

“At Eternity’s Gate”– Movie Review

On the closing night of The 56th New York Film Festival, I attended the North American Premiere of the new biographical drama, “At Eternity’s Gate”, starring Willem Dafoe and Oscar Isaac and directed by Julian Schnabel. 

Synopsis

In the final years of the life of Vincent Van Gogh, will he finally be recognized for his art or will he continue to go unappreciated?

Story

After decades of sacrifice, suffering and solitude, the artist Vincent Van Gogh (Dafoe) is no closer to being a success now than he was when he started painting.  When he arranges a free showing of his work at a Paris tavern, the proprietor throws out Van Gogh – along with his paintings – when the other artists he promised fail to show up and Van Gogh’s own work isn’t of much interest to the general public.  Seemingly the only person who thinks Van Gogh’s art is of some value is his contemporary, Paul Gauguin (Isaac), who comes to befriend his friendless peer.

Gauguin suggests a change of scenery – the south of France would be better for him.  Van Gogh takes the advice and heads there, where his lifestyle is subsidized by his brother, Theo (Rupert Friend).  Theo has a wife and child of his own and is by no means a wealthy man – but he does love his brother Vincent deeply and wants very much to support him in his artistic endeavors.  Despite the emotional problems from which Vincent suffers, Theo knows that his brother takes being an artist very seriously – even though it seems no one else takes Vincent seriously as an artist. 

Eventually, Gauguin and Van Gogh catch up again and together, they stay at an inn where they spend their days painting, sketching and discussing art.  Before long, Gauguin comes to the realization that he and Van Gogh are completely incompatible not only in their own personal philosophies of art but also with respect to how to paint:  while Van Gogh rushes through to complete all of his paintings in an almost frenzied state, Gauguin insists on taking his time with each painting, considering each color and how the paint will rest on the canvas.  When Gauguin deserts Van Gogh, a distraught Vincent responds by severing his left ear.  After being hospitalized for mental illness, can he regain his composure to paint or will he spent the rest of his life institutionalized?         

Review

While both Dafoe and Isaac give inspired performances in “At Eternity’s Gate”, that may not be enough to qualify this movie as truly great.  Through his madness, Van Gogh comes across as somewhat self-indulgent; likewise, through his film, Schnabel also appears rather self-indulgent as well.  The way this story is told, the audience is provided very little chance to empathize with its subject.  True, our compassion is supposed to come out of Van Gogh’s suffering for his art because he was not as well-respected during his lifetime as after his death, but he doesn’t engender much sympathy – in large part, perhaps, due to his mental disorders.

This brings up another issue:  how much compassion should we feel because the artist was crazy?  Although Van Gogh claims to be aware of the fact that he’s losing his mind, when we see him exhibit out of control behavior, it difficult to root for this character.  Regardless of whether or not he achieves his professional goals, he remains a danger to both himself and others.  Obviously, he is trapped in loneliness because of his mental health, over which he has no control; this and the lack of acceptance of his paintings makes him feel even more ostracized, which drives him deeper into despair. 

Schnabel takes great care to reinforce in his audience the fact that Van Gogh wasn’t thought of as a great artist during his time.  However, he doesn’t make any attempt to help us understand why Van Gogh became so exalted posthumously.  You either buy into the idea that Van Gogh was a great artist or you don’t – and if you don’t, then you’ll likely have a difficult time mustering much sympathy for this movie’s protagonist.  As with any creative endeavor, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, as the saying goes.  That’s just as true with Van Gogh’s art as it is for this film about him. 

“The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs”– Movie Review

This week at The 56th New York Film Festival, I attended the North American Premiere of the new comedy-drama-Western by The Coen Brothers, “The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs”. 

Synopsis

An anthology of stories about the old West in The United States of America

Story

The book “The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs” is a collection of short stories about Western life in the 1800’s.  It is comprised of a total of six chapters.

Chapter 1:  "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs" - Buster Scruggs (Tim Blake Nelson) is known for his singing just as much as he is for being a notorious gunslinger – but will he survive his most challenging duel?

Chapter 2:  "Near Algodones" - A cowboy (James Franco) tries to rob a bank – but when his plan is foiled and he’s about to be hanged, will he be saved by a tribe of marauding Indians?

Chapter 3:  "Meal Ticket" - The Impresario (Liam Neeson) travels from county to county with a poor unfortunate performer – a man who is a quadruple amputee who possesses a fantastic ability as an orator.  Together, they earn a living by having the amputee perform Shakespearean scenes and famous speeches. But when The Impresario learns of an act more popular than his own, what will become of the amputee?

Chapter 4:  "All Gold Canyon" - An old prospector (Tom Waits) finally strikes gold – but when he is confronted by a claim jumper, will he lose all of his fortune?

Chapter 5:  "The Gal Who Got Rattled” - A young woman (Zoe Kazan) joins a wagon train traversing the country with the prospect of finding a husband – but when her luck turns, will she meet the man to whom she’s been promised at the end of her journey?

Chapter 6:  "The Mortal Remains" - a group of stagecoach travelers are regaled by tales from a bounty hunter – but when their trip is over, will they have reached their final destination?

Review

In the viciously dark humor of the comedy-drama “The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs”, The Coen Brothers successfully manage to completely ruin the movie genre of the Western –assuming, of course, that it wasn’t already completely ruined prior to that with things like Mel Brooks’ “Blazing Saddles” and Seth MacFarlane’s “A Million Ways To Die In The West”.  If you met someone who wasn’t familiar with the work of The Coen Brothers and you had to give them one movie to watch that would best give an example of their style, there are quite a few from which to choose. Add to that list “The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs”, which perfectly epitomizes their wickedly twisted view of the world.

The nihilistic and existentialist quality that inhabits many movies by The Coen Brothers is abundantly present in “The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs”.  In fact, the humor is largely derived from the extreme and absurdist nature they have in this unique perspective. They – and, by extension, this film – are evil, but in the best and most entertaining way possible.  While not perfect, “The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs” will likely be regarded as one of the best motion pictures ever made by The Coen Brothers – it would not be in any way surprising if their most ardent fans regard it as their best ever. 

Where the film falters is in its length – in a little over two hours, it goes on a bit too long.  This is because the sixth and final chapter of the movie appears to have been tacked on at the end as if an afterthought; it seems an under-developed idea and pretty much goes nowhere with very little payoff and not much of a point to the story.  Also, the fact that it takes place almost entirely inside a stagecoach during a long ride creates something of a claustrophobic quality that may make viewers want to squirm even more than merely their impatience would. A better choice probably would have been to keep it at five chapters and re-order the segments. 

“Mid90s”– Movie Review

This weekend at The 56th New York Film Festival, I attended a screening of the new comedy-drama, “Mid90s”, written and directed by Jonah Hill.

Synopsis

When an adolescent boy takes up with a group of skateboarders to escape from his awful home life, will this decision impact his life for the better or for the worse?

Story

In the Los Angeles of the mid-1990’s, Stevie (Sunny Suljic) is merely trying to survive being 13 years old.  He and his older brother Ian (Lucas Hedges) are being raised by their single mother Dabney (Katherine Waterston), who might be more concerned with hooking-up with complete strangers than caring for her two sons.  Despite living with an older brother and a mother, Stevie feels all alone in the world – or maybe, it’s because of his brother and his mother that he feels all alone.  The boy’s life changes when he sees a bunch of teenagers skateboarding in the streets.

These boys are only slightly older than Stevie, but the way they risk danger in the manner in which they conduct themselves makes them seem as fearless as Stevie himself wishes he was.  Eventually, Stevie musters the courage to introduce himself to these boys and is suddenly oriented to a world he never imagined existed.  Initially making contact with Ruben (Gio Galicia), he is quickly befriended by the older and much wiser Ray (Na-kel Smith), who takes Stevie under his wing and gives him the nickname “Sunburn”, which is how everyone comes to know him. 

After much trial and error, Stevie improves his skateboarding skills, but is still nowhere the level of expertise as his new friends.  As much of a feeling of belonging as these boys give to Stevie, he learns just as much about making bad life choices.  He winds up drinking and doing illicit drugs whenever they are offered; clearly, Stevie is in over his head, but he just doesn’t know how much of a wrong path he’s going.  Instead of being the recipient of beatings, he’s now administering them.  When Stevie gets into a car with a friend who’s had too much to drink, will he survive or will this be the last chance he ever takes?        

Review

Perhaps the best cultural touchstone that will determine whether or not you’ll like “Mid90s” would be the band Nirvana:  if you were older than Kurt Cobain when this group hit bit, then “Mid90s” is probably not for you. On the other hand, if you were still an adolescent at that time, then you will totally grok this picture. “Mid90s” is definitely a generational type of movie – in other words, the degree of appreciation you will have for “mid90s” will entirely depend on how old you are.  The younger, the better. Older audiences will have difficulty relating to much of this, which is where a considerable amount of the emotional impact relies. Since this film is largely centered on  hip-hop and rap from the musical side and the lifestyle of skateboarding, the younger audiences will have a significantly easier time relating to this story as opposed to the AARP-eligible set.

Parts of “Mid90s” suggest that Jonah Hill has some possibilities as a filmic storyteller, but needs to sharpen certain skills.  One example where he succeeds is at the beginning of the movie: we see Stevie get viciously beaten by his older (and much bigger) brother; this immediately makes you sympathetic to Stevie and identify his brother as this film’s antagonist.  We know who is the good guy and who is the bad guy and we will keep that for the remainder of the motion picture. Where Hill seems to falter is in terms of making us understand why some of these characters are the way they are and do the things they do.  Why does Stevie physically torture himself when his brother isn’t beating him?

Afterwards, there was an interview with Hill and much of the cast of “Mid90s”.  Hill said that from beginning to end, it took him about four years to write the script; after that, it underwent something like 20 drafts.  He shot the film largely in Super 16 because he wanted the bland quality, where Los Angeles was drained of color.  Often, he said, when the city is shot, it comes across on screen as looking overly bright.  The character of Fourth Grade was shooting the group’s escapades in Hi8; originally, Hill planned to intercut his Super 16 with the Hi8, but ultimately decided against doing so for fear that it may be too distracting. 

“Roma”– Movie Review

This week at The 56th New York Film Festival, I attended The Centerpiece Screening – “Roma”, a drama written and directed by Alfonso Cuarón. 

Synopsis

During a year in the life of a Mexican maid, can she take care of the family that employs her while living her own life?

Story

It is 1970 and we are in Roma – a middle-class neighborhood in Mexico City.  Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio) is a young woman who was not born into a family of privilege, but she is employed by one.  As a live-in domestic, she works for a family who treats her as a member of their own because she is a loyal, hard-working woman who has gained everyone’s trust over the years.  She appreciates their affection because her own relatives live many miles away – but Cleo also yearns to someday fall in love with a man worthy of her and have a life of her own.

For now, anyway, Fermín (Jorge Antonio Guerrero) is the best that Cleo can do.  She dates Fermín exclusively for a while, having been introduced to him by the boyfriend of a co-worker.  Fermín is a young man of the streets; heavily into martial arts, he also came from a family that lived under great financial pressure and spent much of his youth hanging around the gangs that resided in his neighborhood.  One day, Cleo informs Fermín that she is pregnant and that he is the father of the baby.  That does it as far as Fermín is concerned – he disappears, forcing Cleo to try to find him. 

Cleo’s employer is also having her own issues; the husband of Sra. Sofía (Marina de Tavira) is cheating on her.  He is away from their home for weeks at a time, claiming he is on a business trip that has had to be extended; but what Sra. Sofía knows is that in truth, he is really spending time with his girlfriend.  Eventually, Cleo has to inform Sra. Sofía of her situation; sympathetic, Sra. Sofía makes sure Cleo is well taken care of by a doctor at a local hospital. Can Cleo to convince Fermín to return to her and help take care of their baby?  Will Sra. Sofía ever reunite with her husband?            

Review

If there has ever been a movie to which you should completely surrender yourself heart and soul, it is Alfonso Cuarón’s “Roma”; as it is something that could be considered autobiographical, he is serving it up to audiences as if to say, “This is who I am, this is where I came from, this is what informs my films”.  “Roma” is Cuarón’s salute to the women who take care of us – all of them, no matter who they are.  This film tells us we are who the women who care for us shape us all to be – and that, in this era where women are increasingly raising their voice politically, may be the most important message to us all.  Assuming that it’s possible for a man to make a truly feminist motion picture, then Cuarón has indeed done so with “Roma”.      

From a technical aspect, shooting in black and white is an interesting choice, although some might want to argue it a gimmick.  There are some possible theories for Cuarón’s decision:  primarily, it takes place in the 1970’s and is the director’s memories from childhood which, while vivid, may be lacking in certain detail.  Also, the black and white imbues onto the picture something of a documentary-like feel.  Regardless, it works because of not only the way it is photographed but also, because of Cuarón’s shot choices.  He lingers on certain images and additionally, just uses the camera to pan across a shot in order to tell a story – no dialog is used because none is needed.  That’s how you tell a story visually.  

All of the above said, there are, however, some caveats to be aware of should you consider seeing “Roma”.  For one thing, “Roma” is more episodic in nature than narrative; that is to say it doesn’t necessarily have a traditional three-act structure, so a resolution to the story is somewhat flat from an emotional standpoint.  Although the movie has its protagonists – Cleo and Sra. Sofía obviously – the only antagonists are the men with whom they have romantic relationships.  Sra. Sofía’s husband as well as Fermín are the characters who create challenging situations which these women have to overcome.  Thematically, the film seems to advocate not only for sisterhood, but for the working class as well.  

“Non-Fiction” (Double Lives) -- Movie Review

This week at The 56th New York Film Festival, I attended a screening of the new French comedy-drama “Non-Fiction” (AKA “Double Lives”), starring Juliette Binoche and written & directed by Olivier Assayas. 

Synopsis

As technology changes the landscape of the print media, can the old dinosaurs of publishing keep up or will they be lost amid the brave new world?

Story

With his publishing business teetering on the brink, Alain (Guillaume Canet) is even more discriminating than usual when it comes to which books he’ll choose to publish – this even includes the latest work from Léonard (Vincent Macaigne), his good friend.  Over the years, Alain has published a number of Léonard’s books – but now, with print media appearing on the verge of collapse – Alain can no long afford that luxury. Given the fact that books only seem to be read by old people and young people are only reading blogs and Twitter, Alain has to learn to be more selective than he was in the past. 

Concerned about his future, Alain begins cheating on his wife Selena (Juliette Binoche) with a young woman who is the marketing director at his publishing company; because of her youth, she’s more in touch with how younger audiences use technology, what type they use and their choices in reading material.  Meanwhile, Selena, an actress on a popular television show, has her own secrets: for the past six years, she has been having an affair with Léonard – who is also married to Valérie (Nora Hamzawi), a political activist currently hard at work on a socialist politician’s campaign … in fact, she has worked so hard on it that her aloof nature is what has driven Léonard to have an affair. 

Suddenly, things look like they’re coming to a boil for everyone:  the owner of Alain’s publishing company may sell the business, which could put Alain out of a job.  A restless Selena is considering leaving her television show – and at the same time, breaks up with Léonard.  While having to deal with this, Léonard finds that he is under attack from all sides because his last book, a roman à clef that some call “auto-fiction”, is transparent in terms of who the real-life people are that wound up as characters in his book. Valérie, on the other hand, is even more consumed with her political client’s future because he may be arrested.  Amidst all of this chaos, can the two couples keep their marriage intact?

Review

“Non-Fiction” is a bit of a trifle – an amusing and occasionally entertaining trifle, but a trifle nonetheless.  It is certainly lighter fare than some of the movies Olivier Assayas has done over the past few years (“Clouds of Sils Maria” and “Personal Shopper”, for example).  The problem is it sometimes feels as though it’s a bunch of characters in search of a story. This is evident through the alternative titles; the original French title translates into “Double Lives”, but it is also being billed as “Non-Fiction”.  That may be where the confusion is introduced – both for the audience and for the director himself.

Under the title “Double Lives”, it suggests that the emphasis of the story will be about the characters’ various extramarital affairs.  However, using the title “Non-Fiction” implies it may be about the publishing world. In the end, it is in fact about both and the net result is that because of this lack of focus, the movie really isn’t about anything much at all – there is precious little in the sense of a resolution by the conclusion of the film.  That sense may be due to the fact that it wasn’t really focusing on any given topic in the first place. It seemed to be rather scattered and undisciplined in its topic.

What makes a French movie a French movie?  Well, if you answered that it’s the characters speaking French, then please turn in your cinephile ID badge immediately.  What makes a French movie a French movie is the presence of extramarital affairs and its various nods toward intellectualism.  The fact that “Non-Fiction” is so oppressively talky in its attempts at intellectualizing art, technology and politics is something of a hindrance that only serves to underscore how much the film is desperately looking for a cohesive story.  In the end, it may also be that this film is not geared toward today’s youth; it’s more about old fogeys yearning for yesteryear and decrying the changes swept in by new technology.

“Wildlife”– Movie Review

On the close of the first weekend of The 56th New York Film Festival, I attended a screening of the new drama, “Wildlife”, starring Carey Mulligan and Jake Gyllenhaal; it’s directed by Paul Dano, who co-wrote the screenplay with Zoe Kazan. 

Synopsis

When a teenage boy witnesses the destruction of his parents’ marriage, how will this impact his life?

Story

In the early 1960’s, 14 year old Joe (Ed Oxenbould) is the only child of his parents Jeanette and Jerry (Mulligan and Gyllenhaal).  He’s trying to adapt to growing up in a new town – Cascade County, Montana. Over the past few years, his family has moved from Washington to Idaho and now Montana; it’s been hard on Joe making and losing friends with each move.  The only constant has been the stability of his family – but that’s about to change. When Jerry loses his job as a golf pro at an area country club, he turns disconsolate; Jeanette responds by taking a part-time job teaching swimming at the local gym while Joe takes an after-school job as a photographer’s assistant. 

Jerry finally finds an opportunity:  with extensive fires in the surrounding mountainous region, he learns that the fire department is seeking volunteers to help put out the blaze.  When he informs his family that he’s been selected to join the team of firefighters, Jeanette is less than enthusiastic. For one thing, she’s concerned that Jerry might be injured – or worse.  Also, she fears being alone – which may be her greater misgiving. Although Jerry will not be paid well, he argues that it is at least some money that he can contribute to the family; using this as a justification, he sets off into the mountains, where he will be living either until the fires are extinguished or until the first snowfall, which will serve to put out the fire naturally. 

In Jerry’s absence, Jeanette begins to unravel.  She alternates between depression and anger, convinced that Jerry has actually left her for another woman – despite the fact that she has no evidence with which to back up her theory.  While Joe now tries to take over duties as man of the house, he is unprepared for his newest discovery: his mother is having an affair with one of the students from her swimming class. When Jerry finally returns, Jeanette immediately admits to her adultery; informed that she will be moving out, he becomes understandably enraged and wants to take out revenge on her lover.  But with his parents’ impending separation, what will be the ramifications for Joe?

Review

Simply put, “Wildlife” is as close to perfect as a movie can ever hope to get.  Its touching sensitivity and humanity are heartbreakingly beautiful; Dano and Kazan exquisitely capture the delicate fragility of family life.  Whether you were a child of divorced parents or simply part of a deeply dysfunctional family, you’ll relate to this film; it’s one of those stories that profoundly resonates with anyone who grew up around their parents.  This motion picture is an adaptation of the book by Richard Ford; the team of Dano and Kazan have done an outstanding job on this and one can only hope that Ford is proud.

If you are unfamiliar with the Dano-Kazan team’s work, checking out “Ruby Sparks” may be a good place to start prior to seeing “Wildlife”.  As a couple, they appear to be mutually inspirational and we can only hope they do more movies together. Dano, who is making his directorial debut with “Wildlife”, shows incredible promise here given not only his choice of shots but also the fact that he knowingly lingers on them – whether they be landscapes or actor close-ups – which illustrates how much he trusts his own decisions.  Any review of “Wildlife” would be remiss if it wasn’t mentioned that Carey Mulligan may have delivered an award-worthy performance; she’s nothing short of brilliant here displaying the character’s raw emotion.

Following the screening was a panel discussion with Director Paul Dano, Co-Writer Zoe Kazan and stars Carey Mulligan and Jake Gyllenhaal.  Dano said that he originally read the book back in 2011 and appreciated it for its clear, simple prose. After purchasing the rights, he contacted author Richard Ford about the film adaptation, who told Dano, “It’s my words, but your images”.  Kazan said that she rewrote much of Dano’s original script over the course of three years – basically working as Dano’s “translator” for the script because he wrote it with a visual sense containing minimal dialog.