"The Promised Land" -- Movie Review

 

This week at Film At Lincoln Center, I attended a special screening of the historical drama, “The Promised Land” starring Mads Mikkelsen.  It is Denmark's Oscar® Entry for Best International Feature Film. 

Synopsis

When a Danish army veteran is granted land on which to farm, will he be able to succeed despite a vengeful nobleman who sees him as an interloper?

Story

In 1755, Ludvig von Kahlen (Mikkelsen), a retired Captain from the Danish military, finds himself living in a poorhouse when he devises a plan:  he will propose to a team of The King’s noblemen they grant him a parcel of land on an island The King owns so he can turn it into productive farmland.  In return, if successful, he asks to be made a nobleman and awarded his own servants.  The group initially doesn’t want to give him the land because The King has owned it for decades and none of the settlers have been successful farmers.  They wind up granting him the land because he isn’t asking for money – but they remain skeptical of his chances. 

Once there, von Kahlen has trouble finding arable land and soon becomes frustrated.  Complicating matters further are the obstacles set before him by Frederik De Schinkel (Simon Bennebjerg), a cruel nobleman who oversees the land.  De Schinkel informs von Kahlen that he must seek permission from him because it is his land; when von Kahlen reminds him that it is The King’s land, their conflicts begin.  Von Kahlen further infuriates De Schinkel when he hires a husband and wife to help with the work – they are former servants of De Schinkel who have managed to escape his brutality (for the time being, at least). 

Von Kahlen figures out that despite the poor soil quality, he would still be able to grow potatoes.  His crop flourishes, much to the surprise of The King and to the consternation of De Schinkel.  Inhabiting the land is Anmai Mus (Melina Hagberg), an orphaned little girl who must resort to stealing in order to survive.  Eventually, Von Kahlen takes pity on the child and adopts her, but also teaches her farming skills.  When The King provides Von Kahlen with more resources to support his efforts, this further infuriates De Schinkel, who has him captured and tortured.  But can Von Kahlen manage to escape and return to his farming?

Review

“The Promised Land” is quite impressive overall and upon viewing, it’s understandable why Denmark wants it entered in the awards consideration.  This, despite the fact that there are some moments that require the viewer to suspend disbelief; you’re so invested in the story that you either don’t notice it or are willing to overlook those incidents or they jump out at you because they are so glaring, possibly to the point that it takes you out of the movie momentarily.  Having said that, there’s just so much more that’s worthy of recommendation that picking apart the scenes where you question the how/where/why of it all may come across as somewhat niggling. 

Perhaps the best points about “The Promised Land” include Mikkelsen’s performance, the story itself and the cinematography – those alone are reasons that make it worth seeing.  Mikkelsen can hold the entire movie by not even having that much dialog; just his countenance alone speaks volumes in the context of almost any given scene as “the strong silent type”.  As far as the story is concerned, it is heartbreaking, but with a satisfying ending that resolves everything.  The cinematography is at its best in both the farming scenes and the battle scenes.  In fact, the vast open land is captured beautifully, despite that it’s supposed to be barren. 

If you get a chance to see “The Promised Land” either in a theater or via some streaming service, by all means, please do so; you won’t be disappointed.  It is ultimately a story about the discipline, determination and resilience of the species in the face of brutality, natural hardships and various other obstacles.  Think of it less as an historical drama or “Danish Western”, but instead about humanity at its core and how that humanity tries to be ripped away in the face of evil.  Its lesson ultimately appears to be that in spite of whatever ugliness we face in life, we are still all human beings.

 

"Fallen Leaves" -- Movie Review

 

At the close of the first weekend of the 61^st New York Film Festival, I attended a screening of the Finnish romantic comedy “Fallen Leaves”, directed by  Aki Kaurismäki.  

Synopsis

When two lonely people fail to connect due to a variety of circumstances, can they overcome each other’s shortcomings to finally become a couple?

Story

Helsinki residents Ansa (Alma Pöysti) and Holappa (Jussi Vatanen) have some things in common.  First of all, neither one of them is on the road to becoming a millionaire – she is a grocery story clerk and he is a laborer.  Holappa’s avocation is as a chain-smoker and an alcoholic.  Another thing they have in common is they are both single, have an attraction to each other and neither one can hold a job.  Ansa is fired from the grocery store when it’s discovered she took some expired food from the shelf; Holappa is let go from his job when it has been found out that he’s been drinking on the job. 

The two meet by accident one night at a local karaoke bar shortly after losing their respective job.  When Ansa finds employment at a pub where Holappa occasionally visits, she soon finds herself out of work when the place is shuttered by the police, who arrest the owner for drug trafficking.  Running into Holappa just as the cops arrive, he offers to take her out after getting a new job at a construction site.  They take in a movie that night, after which Ansa gives him her number in anticipation of another date – which never comes because the hapless Holappa somehow manages to lose the slip of paper on which it was written.

By happenstance, they run into each other again outside the same movie theater; she invites him to dinner at her place – but this time, when she gives him her address, Holappa makes sure to secure it so it won’t get lost this time.  Unfortunately, the dinner is not successful – they manage to get into a bit of a skirmish that night and he leaves.  Losing his construction job due to his drinking, Holappa winds up at a flophouse where he decides to quit alcohol; after calling Ansa to apologize and confess his sobriety, she once again invites him over – but when he fails to show up due to unforeseen circumstances, will they be able to overcome their various obstacles or remain forever alone?

Review

If it is possible to describe a romantic comedy as dysfunctional, then that perhaps is the best adjective to use to explain “Fallen Leaves” – but please don’t take that as a negative reaction.  Instead, it is appropriate to both the situation and the characters involved.  In spite of the flaws of the two people at the center of the story, you inevitably find yourself rooting for them to get together at the end, no matter the obstacles each other – and fate – put in their way.  Just as it is coincidence that keeps them apart, it is also coincidence that reunites them.  Of course, there's also Chaplin, who many believe steals the whole show.

Just about everything in “Fallen Leaves” is near perfect – the performances, the story, the production design, the soundtrack, you name it, it’s spot-on.  It’s easy to see why this film has been so openly embraced by many who’ve seen it because it really hits deep down to the human condition and the sense of loneliness and isolation some feel (in this case, due to socioeconomic conditions).  The lesson from the movie seems to be, “If you’re looking for a soul mate, be willing to overlook the flaws in others so that they are empowered to overlook your own flaws”.  If true, this may be a very valuable insight considering modern times.

Although this film was originally screened in October during the Film Festival, another viewing was recently attended because of its official release and the availability of its stars for a post-screening interview.  Alma Pöysti said that she was invited to lunch by director Aki Kaurismäki, who offered her the role; Jussi Vatanen was also invited to that same lunch where he was offered his role, too.  He said that at that time, Kaurismäki only had a vague idea of what the story would be and they did not get an actual script until about a year later.  The director told them both that there would not be any rehearsal, which proved to be something of a challenge for the two actors. 

"Janet Planet" -- Movie Review

 

At the close of the middle weekend of the 61^st New York Film Festival, I attended a screening of the new comedy-drama by playwright and first-time director Annie Baker, “Janet Planet”. 

Synopsis

A single mother and her daughter spend their summer together as various people drift in and out of their life in rapid succession. 

Story

It’s the early 1990’s in Western Massachusetts – a rural part of the state where Lacy lives with her acupuncturist mother Janet.  That summer, Lacy is anxiously awaiting a return to school where she’ll soon be entering the 6th grade.  Lacy is a pensive, introspective type and is trying to figure out the world and exactly what part she may play in the grand scheme of things.  She doesn’t have very many friends yet eagerly tries to connect with not only her mother but also Janet’s friends, too.  This does not always go as well as anyone would have liked; as much as they befriend Janet, Lacy is more of a challenge.

To the best of her ability, Janet tries to maintain some semblance of a social life, associating with various people in the community.  Sometimes, this requires Lacy to be left home alone; other times, when she feels comfortable doing so, Janet brings home her friends and introduces them to Lacy.  Some men appear to want to have merely a platonic relationship with Janet – others just bail out when they see how difficult Lacy is to deal with.  At this rate, Janet’s chances of pairing up again with someone seems to be a major challenge – and Lacy isn’t at all helping.  Only Janet can put up with Lacy’s odd behavior – but then again, because she’s the girl’s mother, she doesn’t have much of a choice. 

Some of Janet’s acquaintances are a little down on their luck and ask her if they can either rent a room from her (or merely stay for free, out of their friendship).  Janet gladly offers some small space for them, but once they find living with Lacy gets on their nerves, they realize that they can’t stay there indefinitely, otherwise they’ll be driven slowly mad.  Eventually, as the summer winds down, Lacy and Janet find themselves alone, although Janet tries to include her daughter in more social events so she’ll feel less uncomfortable around others.  Ultimately, will Janet remain alone or find more permanent relationships?

Review

Annie Baker is a Pulitzer Prize winning playwright; she has said that in the past, she had written screenplays just so she could get health insurance.  “Janet Planet” is not her first screenplay, but it is her first time as a director.  Despite her prior experience having written screenplays, the script for this film very much has the look and feel of a stage play; although she opens it up considerably by having scenes in various locations, much of the story appears as though it could have been told entirely in Janet’s home.  One gets the sense in watching the movie that she did, in fact, initially conceive of it as a stage play, but then adapted it to a screenplay at some point. 

Among the problems with “Janet Planet” is the fact that each one of the individuals that enter and disappear from Janet and Lacy’s life aren’t particularly sympathetic – in fact, they can come across as downright obnoxious.  If these are friends of Janet, then this might call her judgement into question – not to mention that she must be desperate for companionship.  None of them seem to be particularly likeable and you tend to wonder why she would have them in her life.  Once they exit Janet and Lacy’s life, you tend to breathe a sigh of relief – until you realize that someone equally as objectionable is about to arrive. 

As far as the performances are concerned, they are quite good; Zoe Ziegler is particularly believable as the precocious pre-adolescent who is still caught up in the midst of trying to figure out life.  Julianne Nicholson, who plays her mother Janet, fits perfectly into the role.  That said, one wishes while viewing the film that the characters could have been more sympathetic so that an audience could be more invested in the outcome.  Speaking of the ending, “Janet Planet” is one of those movies that doesn’t really end – it just stops.  Arbitrarily so, as if the screenwriter just ran out of gas somewhere along the way.  Nothing gets resolved or wrapped up, so it’s somewhat disappointing in that regard.

"Rustin" -- Movie Review

 

Recently at Film at Lincoln Center, I attended an advance screening of the new historical drama, “Rustin”, starring Colman Domingo in the title role. 

Synopsis

The personal and professional struggles of civil rights activist/organizer Bayard Rustin as he attempts to plan the historic March On Washington.

Story

Being an African-American has never been easy – and when you’re both a civil rights activist and a homosexual, it further complicates matters.  This was the life that was led by Bayard Rustin; during the 1950’s and 1960’s, he was an active participant in the country’s civil rights movement, organizing rallies and peaceful protest marches (at least, the protesters were the peaceful ones).  Yet he was ostracized by politicians and organizations such as the NAACP during this period for multiple reasons:  for one thing, he was believed to have been associated with the communist party earlier in his life (which he denied) and was accused of being a homosexual (which he did not deny). 

In the 1950’s, after working closely with Dr. Martin Luther King, he and Rustin had a falling-out.  This was due to Rustin’s reputation becoming too much of a distraction that Rustin, despite his skills, was more of a disadvantage to the cause.  With Rustin taking a backseat to King, Rustin resigned from the NAACP and didn’t speak with King for years because King did not stand up for him.  Embroiling matters was the fact that Rustin had a relationship with a much younger White man; the relationship effectively ended when the young man discovered that Rustin was cheating on him with a married Black preacher.

After years of not working with King, Rustin is forced to restore their collaboration when he is tasked with organizing The March On Washington – an historic peaceful protest that advocated equality for Black Americans.  While the NAACP wasn’t crazy about welcoming Rustin back into their group, they did realize that he had the skills and contacts that could make such an event work.  Not only were they planning on bringing thousands of attendees, Rustin was thinking big – hundreds of thousands.  He even wound up getting weaponless Black New York City police officers to help serve as security.  But would King and Rustin be able to resume their successful professional relationship as a result of this event?

Review

While “Rustin” attempts to tell the story of a forgotten hero of the civil rights movement, it is deeply flawed in many respects.  Informative, educational movies on this same topic may be found – especially in documentaries – but unfortunately, this is not one of them.  In explaining this stance, let’s start with the screenplay.  It does not deal well when it comes to exposition; when trying to get across some facts or background information, the viewers may understandably feel as though they are beaten over the head with a truncheon not unlike the way in which the peaceful protesters were illegitimately and unnecessarily assaulted by the police. 

Star Colman Domingo was gifted a role that many professional critics genuinely believe will inevitably be nominated for one or more awards; his performance, however, comes across as a bit overwrought.  After a while, Domingo’s interpretation of Rustin becomes a bit exhausting to watch. Rustin’s enthusiasm, energy and dedication may be considered admirable, but the manner in which it is exhibited, if accurate, is quite draining because it’s over-the-top all of the time.  One almost wonders how much of it was truly intended to be motivational as opposed to being merely performative.   

Finally, the film’s soundtrack contains a great selection of music from that era.  There’s nothing wrong with that except for the fact that it’s overused, to the point where it becomes something of a distraction; once you become aware of it, it immediately takes you out of the scene (if not the entire movie altogether).  Its implementation is not exactly subtle; it should enhance the scenes in which it is used and instead, it detracts from the experience because it seems as though it is applied in almost every scene.  If you have to constantly rely on the music from the soundtrack in order to evoke a certain emotion or mood, that suggests a bigger problem with the motion picture.    

"Evil Does Not Exist" -- Movie Review

 

During the first full week of the 61^st New York Film Festival, I attended the U.S. Premiere of the new Japanese drama, “Evil Does Not Exist”. 

Synopsis

When a corporation seeks to build a “glamping” site in a rural area, will the residents who oppose it be able to prevent its construction?

Story

Harasawa is a small rural village in Japan where Takumi and his daughter Hana live.  Takumi earns a subsistence living doing a wide variety of odd jobs for the other residents of the town; much of it includes chopping wood for the fireplace and carrying buckets of water from the nearby well.  As pastoral and bucolic as all may seem to an outside observer, the peace is soon intruded upon by Playmode, a Tokyo company that hopes to construct a glamping site for city residents who seek to temporarily escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life.  While a potentially great opportunity to increase Playmode’s revenue, it doesn’t have quite as positive influence on the village’s citizens. 

After the company holds a meeting with the residents of Harasawa, the townspeople are not at all shy when it comes to expressing their opposition to this plan.  For one thing, the glamping site will have dire ecological consequences for the area; currently, deer meander about the surrounding vicinity – and if their source of sustenance evaporates, their mere ability to exist becomes uncertain.  Another problem has to do with the health and well being of the locals.  With the plan including using nearby lakes and well water for internal plumbing at the glamping site, this has the potential of making the villagers sick. 

Once the corporate representatives report the inhabitants’ feedback to their management, they are instructed to return to the village and this time, to instead meet with people one-on-one to convince them that in the long run, this glamping site will only be to their benefit.  Since Takumi seems to have been the leader – not to mention the most vocal in his obstruction to this project – they figure that it only makes sense to start with him, given that he seems to have a great deal of influence with his neighbors.  Their discussion gets interrupted when Hana is now missing, perhaps lost in the woods somewhere.  Will they be able to find the girl and resolve their issues?  

Review

“Evil Does Not Exist” is certainly a compelling idea for a story, but the film somewhat falls apart at the end; it is slightly ambiguous and appears to come from out of nowhere.  There’s very little that foretold the conclusion so it gives the impression that the filmmaker didn’t know exactly how to end the movie, so he just threw something together for an ending that is unclear and has a bit of a shock factor.  If you can overlook the finale, then it might be worth a look; otherwise, given the rather uneven climax, then maybe hold off.  That said, the “country folk vs. the corporation” is definitely a worthwhile topic – but here, deserved a better wrap-up.

The extensive nature scenes, along with those of chopping wood, grow a bit weary after a while (unless, of course, you are from a rural community and can deeply connect with that lifestyle).  There is also a long scene that’s a car ride with two of the people representing the corporation seeking to build the glamping site; while this certainly gives a bit of insight and background to these characters, it’s something of a detour and slows down the forward momentum of the story almost completely, which does not serve the movie well.  While “Evil Does Not Exist” is well-intentioned, it is flawed.   

Following the screening, there was an interview with director Ryûsuke Hamaguchi through an interpreter; Hamaguchi said that the frequent focus on the trees in that area give a perspective; being raised in that environment, the little girl does not think that evil in fact does exist.  He hoped to provide tension by playing the narrative against the title.  His goal was to be emotionally evocative without being manipulative.  Hamaguchi explained that he would cut abruptly to put distance between the sound and vision in the film.  The film was a two year process, collaborating with the composer he worked with on “Drive My Car”.    

"Do Not Expect ... " -- Movie Review

 

On the middle weekend of the 61^st New York Film Festival, I attended the U.S. Premiere of the new Romanian comedy from Radu Jude, “Do Not Expect Too Much From The End Of The World”.

Synopsis

A day in the life of an overworked and underpaid production assistant for an instructional video about workplace safety. 

Story

Angela (Ilinca Manolache) has a long and very busy day driving all around the city of Bucharest.   She works as a production assistant on an instructional video about workplace safety; as a result, Angela must visit various people who have suffered workplace injuries and record their story as a kind of “audition” to see if the German conglomerate putting up the money to finance the video wants them in the project.  In order to stay somewhat sane, Angela uses her short breaks to record her own videos posted on social media; in these videos, she plays a character similar to Andrew Tate – a right-wing male chauvinist who proudly mistreats women. 

The company sponsoring the production of the video makes it abundantly clear that they want the discussion slanted in a way that makes it appear as though it was the fault of the worker who got injured rather than having the accident be the result of some form of negligence by the employer.  Even when it’s clear that the employer was remiss in providing safe working conditions, they manipulate the video to teach employees to be more careful when on the job.  Therefore, when casting the video, they will choose people who they think may come across as less sympathetic.  In order to remain employed, Angela has no choice but to go along with this.

Finally, they start shooting.  Their first scene is shot on the site of the accident and the filmmakers must battle some rather uncooperative weather conditions.  Not only that, but they must also battle the subject of the incident, a worker who now finds himself in a wheelchair as the result of the accident.  Initially, he describes what happened in a way that implicates the employer because they failed to have proper lighting or a security guard available in the factory’s parking lot.  The director is forced to cut at the end of each take and painstakingly explain to the injured worker how he needs to express himself if he wants to appear in the video.  Will he cooperate?

Review

There is that old saying, “Brevity is the soul of wit”.  Clearly, filmmaker Radu Jude – who refuses to abide by any rules whatsoever – doesn’t even remotely buy in to this philosophy in any way, shape or form.  A couple of years ago at The New York Film Festival, Jude’s social satire “Bad Luck Banging” was screened; at a more reasonable length, it did a good job of making its point effectively.  While the first half of “Do Not Expect” went by relatively quickly, it began to wear a bit thin midway through the screening, which may turn off quite a few people.  Its length made it seem self-indulgent and a good bit of editing would’ve been helpful. 

As for the story itself, Jude reminds us that worker exploitation is not limited to the United States alone.  What’s interesting about the film is that this is illustrated not just by observing the production assistant in the course of doing her job, but also by showing the workers who have suffered workplace injuries; not only do we see how Angela is exploited by being overworked and underpaid, but also, the workers who were injured on the job (as if they haven’t already suffered enough) are being exploited as well.  Some of them may not get the opportunity to tell their story in the video and those who do will have their experience twisted.

Director Radu Jude did not travel to New York City for an interview, but he did create a video introduction of his film that was shown prior to the screening; it was done in the spirit of his quirky sense of humor and as a result was quite amusing.  Basically, he apologized for creating a comedy that was nearly three hours long, but rationalized it by saying that he has effectively given us two movies in one, so we should be grateful for the bargain.  However, he did acknowledge that some people might feel the need to complain about the motion picture, either due to its length or for other reasons; he provided his email address so folks could contact him directly about their misgivings. 

"Foe" -- Movie Review

 

On the opening weekend of the 61^st New York Film Festival, I attended the World Premiere of the new science-fiction drama, “Foe” starring Saoirse Ronan and Paul Mescal.

Synopsis

When climate change forces the government to recruit people to help save the planet, will this threaten a couple’s marriage?

Story

In the year 2065, Henrietta and Junior (Ronan and Mescal) live in a ramshackle farm somewhere in the midwestern portion of the United States.  Due to years – decades, in fact – of climate change, the farm’s land has turned arid.  Unable to grow any crops for either themselves or to sell to others, they are food insecure.  Miles from any neighbors, a mysterious stranger pulls up in a car – Terrance (Aaron Pierre), who claims to work for the United States government, coming to check up on the couple in order to see how they are doing.  After inviting him into their home, Terrence proposes something that may change the couple’s life forever.

Terrence reveals that for the past few years, the government has been conducting experiments in outer space where they have set up something akin to a farming community where crops can be grown; if this experiment succeeds, they may have just found a way to end hunger in the United States and possibly the rest of the world, as well.  He’s sharing this information with the couple because the government believes Junior can be of some assistance, given his background in farming – the only problem is that Junior would have to spend an inordinate amount of time in space. 

Neither Henrietta nor Junior are crazy about this idea; for one thing, Henrietta would be left alone on the farm indefinitely.  Junior, despite his farming skills, doesn’t want to leave his wife for an extended period, nor does he wish to be in outer space working alongside a bunch of strangers.  Politely but firmly, the couple decline Terrance’s offer.  But there’s a catch – Junior doesn’t have that option; basically, the government has drafted him, whether he wants to go or not.  Terrance gives the couple a little time to get used to the idea and prepare to say goodbye; during that time, their already unsteady marriage begins to wear thin.  When Junior finally leaves for his mission, what will Henrietta do?

Review

It serves no one any good to mince words when it comes to “Foe”, so let’s just get it out there:  This is an absolutely dreadful movie.  Too bad, because Ronan and Mescal are two of our great acting talents currently working (Ronan has been a favorite of mine ever since “Brooklyn”).  The film suffers from a great many problems, including a second act which just drags on, seemingly going nowhere.  Also, the story itself is rather convoluted; the filmmaker seems to be counting on a surprise twist ending which will save the motion picture, but even that’s a little confusing.  There are better ways for you to spend two hours (although it certainly does feel much longer than that) than by watching “Foe”. 

The story also begs the question of exactly who is the foe in the first place?  Ronan’s character is certainly sympathetic, Mescal’s less so – and the government official, well, he’s just a mechanism to get the plot moving along (to the extent that it does, but there can definitely be an argument made to the opposite).  Mescal’s Junior acts like something of a jerk throughout, making it somewhat difficult to root for him with his brutish behavior.  The filmmaker does an excellent job of concealing whatever good qualities that character may have, if any.  Again, the ending seems intended to redeem him, but it doesn’t quite. 

Director Garth Davis was interviewed after the screening.  He said that the tension coming from the climate change is only matched by the tension currently being experienced in the couple’s marriage.  What was Henrietta looking for in their relationship?  Over time, Junior lost any sense of spontaneity and an ability to change.  She is trapped in her marriage because she’s trying to hold onto her past.  Davis collaborated on the script with the author who wrote the novel on which it is based; they spent three days in Los Angeles asking and answering questions about the story and about the couple, as well.  Although the film is set in the midwestern part of the United States, it was actually shot in Australia. 

"The Curse" -- TV Review

 

During the final week of the 61^st New York Film Festival, I attended a screening of the World Premiere of first three episodes of the new Showtime comedy series, “The Curse”, starring Emma Stone, Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie.

Synopsis

When a recently-married couple gets a TV show to do a home makeover for the underprivileged, will they be able to find success even after a curse is placed on the husband?

Story

Episode1:  LAND OF ENCHANTMENT - Asher and Whitney Siegel (Fielder and Stone) are newly married but have decided to go into business for themselves upgrading the homes – and in some cases the lifestyles – of people in the New Mexico area.  They have pitched the idea of a television series based on this concept and one network has given them a small budget to shoot some pilot episodes.  Asher engages his old college buddy Dougie Schecter (Safdie) to produce and direct these episodes.  However, in the midst of shooting, a little girl who feels slighted by Asher places a curse on him and he is followed by bad luck thereafter.

Episode2:  PRESSURE'S LOOKING GOOD SO FAR – After an interview with a local television station didn’t go terribly well, Asher tries to negotiate with the news reporter not to air that part of the segment; as an incentive, he offers to get her proof that a casino where he worked as a consultant is enabling gamblers.  Whitney pushes to make sure that when the subjects of each episode get a new or renovated home, the living quarters are upgraded to make sure that they are ecologically sound.  Asher sets out to try to find the little girl who placed the curse on him in order to make good with her and have the curse lifted.

Episode3:  QUESTA LANE – At an auction, Asher purchases a lot filled with squalid homes that he and Whitney plan to renovate for their new television show.  Quite by accident, he discovers that squatting in one of these homes is the little girl who placed the curse on him; she shares the place with her sister and their father.  Asher and Whitney try to befriend the family so that the girl will remove the curse she placed on Asher.  Asher visits his former colleagues at the casino to attempt to obtain video evidence that they are allowing gamblers to go in over their head – otherwise, the television reporter won’t edit the portion of the interview that makes Asher look bad. 

Review

“The Curse” may very well be the next big television comedy – unfortunately, you’ll need a premium cable channel subscription in order to view the episodes.  Keep in mind that this show will certainly not be for everyone – while quite funny, it is extremely uncomfortable to watch.  This is because some of the jokes can make you squirm or cringe – obviously, describing some of them in any detail would be giving away far too much, but if this description makes you curious about giving this show a try, then it might just be your next “appointment TV” (or binge streaming, however you choose to consume). 

Both the writing and performances in “The Curse” are top notch; some creative and innovative minds are on display here and they are firing on all cylinders.  If all of the remaining seven episodes of this series are as good as the first three, then this show will surely be an enormous hit.  It’s a great achievement not just because it’s funny but also because it is a biting and incisive social satire that takes aim at the media and the public’s perception (or misperception) of public personalities and celebrity as a whole.  It is admirable for its “take no prisoners” approach, not particularly caring whom they might anger as a result. 

This was something of a first for The New York Film Festival in the sense that it has never premiered a television show before – in the past, it has been exclusively limited to movies.  However, given the talent involved – and given the unusual nature of the content – it was chosen to debut at the festival.  “The Curse” will start streaming on both Showtime and Paramount+ in November 2023 with a number of 10 total weekly episodes; however, if you are in the New York City area and are unable to stream from either of these two networks – but are still interested in seeing the entire series – the remaining episodes will play at Lincoln Center’s theaters from November 2023 to January 2024. 

"The Killer" -- Movie Review

 

On the final weekend of the 61^st New York Film Festival, I attended a special screening of the new crime adventure, “The Killer”, directed by David Fincher and starring Michael Fassbender in the title role. 

Synopsis

When a paid assassin’s latest assignment goes awry, will he be able to find who tried to have him murdered afterwards?

Story

When you’re a paid assassin (Fassbender), you may get to travel to many exotic locations.  This time, it’s Paris.  But the job may also include a considerable amount of down time, which can tend to be boredom-inducing.  As a result, this one spends time in the abandoned office building across the street from his next target, keeping warm with a small space heater and staying fed with food from a French McDonald’s; in between, he exercises with yoga and tries to get in some sleep.  When the opportunity arises to take down the victim, he fires his rifle – that’s the moment when things take a turn for the worse. 

Unfortunately, it is just at that moment when someone else steps into the line of fire; taking the bullet, they die instead of the one for whom it was intended.  The Killer must then quickly bail out and leave town – but not before informing his boss about what happened.  When he finally returns to his home in the Dominican Republic, he discovers that it was invaded by someone who was out to get him for not completing the job successfully; instead,  as a warning, they attack his partner who lives there with him.  Now, The Killer has his new mission:  to find and eliminate whoever it was that tried to take him out. 

With his duty clear, The Killer travels all across the United States searching for the original source who had him hired in the first place, assuming that it’s the same person who tried to have him killed for not properly finishing the job.  Working backward starting from the lawyer who initially hired him for the job, he flies from city to city before finally confronting the wealthy hedge fund manager who apparently ordered the hit on the Frenchman in the first place.  But upon confronting his new target, will he still be able to do the job he set out to do or must he bail out here as well?

Review

From the opening, it is apparent that Fincher has shot a very slick movie in “The Killer” – perhaps appropriately so, given the fact that it is based on a graphic novel.  Fassbender is the perfect choice as the role of the assassin, playing it cool and detached, until the character does not have the luxury to do so.  This is a very entertaining action-adventure film, but only enjoyable on the most superficial of levels as there’s not much substantial to either the character or the plot.  It seems that the ultimate message of the motion picture is supposed to be that we are more like The Killer than we care to admit, but that’s a bit of a leap. 

The resolution to “The Killer” is a little disappointing and unsatisfying, especially after all of the action that precedes the ending scene.  It’s also a bit misleading in the sense that it feels as though the audience is being set up for some kind of great battle at the end which never fully materializes.  “The Killer” appears to want to aspire to being a psychological or intellectual endeavor with a bit of action thrown in, but the action is more well developed than any psychological or intellectual aspects, which are somewhat vacuous at best.  Go into “The Killer” with low expectations and they will be met; it is nothing more than a popcorn movie, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

What makes “The Killer” worth your time is both the performance by Fassbender and the look and sound that Fincher has created for this film.  Also, some of the scenes of Paris and the Caribbean are quite nice.  There is some humor thrown in amidst the violence, such as the fake names The Killer uses when travelling.  What gets to wear thin, however, is that much of the movie is the character of The Killer providing voiceover narration, sharing with us not only his inner thoughts but also his philosophy about his career choice.  Tilda Swinton appears briefly in a small role, but the one scene she has with Fassbender is quite good.     

"Ferrari" -- Movie Review

 

On the closing night of the 61^st New York Film Festival, I attended the North American Premiere of the biographical drama, “Ferrari”, directed by Michael Mann and starring Adam Driver in the title role, Penélope Cruz and  Shailene Woodley. 

Synopsis

When race car manufacturer Enzo Ferrari is at risk of losing his business and his marriage, which one will he choose to preserve?

Story

In 1957, Enzo Ferrari (Driver) is at something of a crossroads professionally; the Italian car manufacturing company he started a decade earlier with financial help from his wife Laura (Cruz) faces possible bankruptcy.  As a former race car driver himself, he learned enough about the inner workings of these machines to start his own business; he set out to build the best and fastest race cars the world has ever seen.  What he didn’t take into consideration is that if he only built those and not commercial passenger cars that the general public could purchase, he would severely limit business opportunities for his company. 

As if that weren’t bad enough, Ferrari is facing a crossroads in his personal life as well; Laura knows he has been cheating on her with at least one other woman.  Their marriage started to suffer after their son died following a long illness.  Unknown to Laura, he met Lina (Woodley); they began an affair and eventually she wound up giving him a son, who would go on to become his heir.  Laura feels humiliated and disrespected and isn’t shy about letting Enzo know her true feelings.  The only power she holds over him is the fact that as an initial investor in his company, she holds a substantial amount of stock – as a result, he can’t sell to Ford as planned without her say-so.

Ferrari recognizes the final opportunity for his company’s redemption is the Mille Miglia – a dangerous thousand mile cross-country race through Italy.  With that in mind, he enters a team of drivers to race various model Ferrari-manufactured cars.  While some exit the race early due to mechanical failures, he still has two drivers racing:  one is Piero (Patrick Dempsey), a veteran race car driver and the other is De Portago (Gabriel Leone), a younger driver with a glamorous reputation and a favorite of kids who follow the sport. But when one of them has a catastrophic accident that may result in the end of the company, can the other racer come to the rescue?

Review

Michael Mann has a tendency to make highly stylized films – the old television series “Miami Vice” may be the best example, but personal favorites include “Heat” and “Thief”.  In his latest, “Ferrari”, it is no different; in once sense, he’s very much in his zone in the way that the visuals and sound of the racing scenes are shot – they’ll set your pulse pounding either out of the thrill of excitement or the anxiety of the danger.  If you want to see the movie based on that alone, it would be a good choice, especially if you don’t know much about Enzo Ferrari’s story.  Outside of the racing scenes, unfortunately, there’s not much more to recommend. 

“Ferrari” tries to balance the professional challenges and personal conflicts at a time in the race car manufacturer’s life when he fears he’s about to lose both his company and his marriage – quite possibly one causing the other.  The problem here is that there is only a limited amount of empathy one can have in either, which results in little emotional investment in the character or the story itself.  Enzo Ferrari is at risk of losing his company for the same reason he’s at risk of losing his wife Laura – he’s an arrogant, narcissistic egomaniac.  In this way, he’s like the Jake LaMotta character Robert DeNiro played in “Raging Bull”, except that LaMotta got his comeuppance in the end, while Ferrari seems neither chastened nor punished.     

There was an interview with Director Michael Mann and the main cast following the screening.  Mann said that he had been working on this film for decades; an initial draft of a script had been co-written with fellow director, the late Sydney Pollack.  Adam Driver was asked about researching the role and said that it only helps so much, but that at some point, you have to stop because it only winds up getting in the way of the performance.  Penélope Cruz felt an extra sense of responsibility in her portrayal of Ferrari’s wife Laura because she knew that Laura had a reputation for being difficult; her research involved reading love letters between Laura and Enzo.  

"The Delinquents" -- Movie Review

 

This week at the 61^st New York Film Festival, I attended the U.S. Premiere of the new comedy-drama from Argentina, “The Delinquents”. 

Synopsis

When a bank employee embezzles money for his retirement, he asks a co-worker to temporarily hold onto the sum – but once this co-worker becomes involved, how will both of their lives change?

Story

Morán (Daniel Elías) works as a middle-management bank clerk in Buenos Aires; he hates his job, in part because he sees it as something of a dead-end.  Envisioning himself doing this for the next 25 years before he can retire is just too much to bear.  With access to cash in the bank’s safe, he decides to steal just enough money on which he can retire comfortably.  As he stashes the bills into his bag, he suddenly realizes that he’s a dead duck – the bank’s security cameras have captured him in the act; he’s going to be caught, fired from his job and sent to prison.  Therefore, Morán must quickly form a back-up plan.

That’s where Román (Esteban Bigliardi) comes into the picture; he’s one of Morán’s co-workers at the bank.  Meeting with him after work, Morán explains the situation to Román, who is understandably in disbelief.  Morán’s plan is simply this:  he’ll confess to the crime and be sent to prison; the standard sentence is six years, but with good behavior, he’ll be released in only three and a half years.  He asks Román to hold onto the money until he is let out of prison, at which point, they will split the funds.  Although Román can refuse, Morán warns him at this point, he’s already an accomplice, even if he doesn’t go along with the plan.  Reluctantly, Román agrees. 

While Román hides the money in the apartment he shares with his girlfriend and their children, Morán heads to a rural area with the intent of turning himself into the police.  Once in prison, he suddenly discovers how tough life can be and asks Román to direct some funds to a bank account in order to pay protection.  Meanwhile, the bank begins an investigation, causing some to be laid off or in the case of Román, demoted.  Morán is visited by Román and directs him to somehow deliver a letter to a woman he met during his detour, before turning himself into the law.  When he agrees to do so, how will this woman’s reaction alter each man’s life?    

Review

Although the genre is labelled as a comedy-drama, it would probably be more accurate to describe it as an existential fable.  At three hours, “The Delinquents” is undeservedly and unnecessarily long.  The movie is split into two parts, which, ideally, should be shown separately, rather than during a single viewing.  If, however, it is the intent of the director to watch both parts in a single viewing, then a great deal of editing would be necessary.  For example, there is an extended scene of a picnic, which turns out to be crucial to the resolution of the story, but it could have been considerably shortened and still ultimately made its point.   

Another problem with the movie has to do with the way the story is laid out – basically, a structural issue.  Part Two of “The Delinquents” is almost entirely a flashback.  The reliance on flashbacks, especially one as long as this, reveals something of a weakness in the way a filmmaker tells their story.  Generally speaking, it usually shows either one of two things:  (1) the filmmaker realized they should have had the scene(s) earlier in the film for an important plot point but forgot to include it, so they tack it on later as if to say, “I meant to do that” or (2) to intentionally force a dramatic point to the story, introduced late, as if to be a surprise twist or shock.  In this case, it may be more of the latter than the former.   

Writer-Director Rodrigo Moreno was interviewed following the screening.  At the outset, he half-jokingly congratulated the audience for surviving his three-hour movie.  The original idea for “The Delinquents” came from a 1949 film he saw that was about a bank heist.  He extended the idea by thinking about what if the heist was done by someone who was just sick of working and is just doing it for the money?  The idea of someone not working anymore was what interested him.  He went back and forth rewriting drafts of the script for five years.  Moreno instructed his actors not to improvise because he doesn’t like the way actors sound when they try to do so.