THE AFTERMATH (2015)

May 28, 2015

aftermath Greetings again from the darkness. Watching someone whose life has crumbled due to guilt, grief or drugs makes for an uncomfortable movie to view, but when one character has been crushed by all three, it results in the ultimate downer. Director and co-writer Tim McCall subjects us to life in the proverbial gutter – despite lead character Sonny’s distorted hope.

Sam Trammell (“True Blood”) plays Sonny, a messy drug-addict living in a seedy motel and rummaging through the underbelly of his town. Sonny is trying to arrange a face to face meeting with his estranged wife on their wedding anniversary, so that he can apologize for his behavior during the marriage and during marriage counseling. The problem is that she won’t return his calls, and her family understandably blocks his efforts to make contact. Heck, seems to only own one shirt and he’s not even sure what day it is!

His plan involves stealing the necklace he bought for her during better times – when he owned a business and they had a beautiful home in the suburbs. He later pawned the necklace, which leads to the burglary. Of course, as viewers we quickly gather that his efforts are without hope, though we assume it’s due to his disgusting appearance and inability to stay clean.

Sonny’s wife is played by Trammell’s real life girlfriend Missy Yager, and Vanessa Ferlito (Grindhouse: Death Proof) has a key role as a tough lady who recognizes an opportunity when she sees it … an, though this could never be mistaken for a nature documentary, she teaches us a difference between farm geese and wild geese. But this is Sam Trammell’s spotlight much like Trainspotting belonged to a young Ewen MacGregor. He tears into the not-so-sympathetic Sonny with abandon and a total lack of ego.

Director McCann and Mr. Trammell team up for a gritty and grimy look at the tragic fall from society of a man who made mistakes and refused to own up to them. Filmed in Alexandria, Louisiana, the title describes what we see (outside of the flashbacks), and the musical choices are very fitting – especially Marian Anderson’s “Poor Me”.  Don’t expect joyful moments or a story of redemption … life isn’t always like the movies.

 

 

 

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Posted by David Ferguson

DEEP WEB (2015, doc)

May 28, 2015

deep web Greetings again from the darkness. Even those of us who consistently obey the law have a general idea of how criminals work: robbing banks, stealing cars, kidnapping people, even hacking websites for personal information. Additionally, the vast majority of us have at least a rudimentary understanding of how the internet works, and the steps we take to increase security. Documentarian Alex Winter combines these two topics as he takes us inside the deep web … specifically Silk Road on the Darknet.

The Surface Web vs The Deep Web – the film exposes what most of us have very little knowledge of. The simple explanation is that the “surface web” is what we use on a daily basis: Facebook postings photos of our latest meal and YouTube video sensations showing cats fighting their mirrored reflection. The Deep Web is what lies beneath. This is the (mostly) untraceable technology where the underground marketplace site known as Silk Road exists. To be clear, most of the ongoings on the deep web are legitimate and in good faith – used frequently by journalists. However, the other side is how it obtained the nickname “ebay for Heroin”.  Yep, untraceable transactions for illegal drugs definitely happened (and still do). It turns out that Bitcoin is the ideal underground currency for this commerce, as it can be as untraceable as the drug orders.

You might recognize the name of director Alex Winter as half of the classic movie duo in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989). Mr. Winter released a documentary a couple years ago entitled Downloaded, where he explored the rise and fall of Napster and the effects of downloaded music. This current topic is much more dangerous and secretive, and he wisely brings along his old buddy Keanu Reeves as the narrator. Winter’s approach here is initially a bit confusing, as the focus seems uncertain – is it a tell all about the deep web, or is it a profile of Silk Road, or is it an analysis of the arrest and subsequent trial of possible Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht?

Most of the attention goes to Ulbricht, better known as the Dread Pirate Roberts (DPR), a pseudonym snatched from the classic movie The Princess Bride. Is/Was Ulbricht the DPR? Winter is content to leave that mystery unsolved, but the real story here is how the government put the case together against Ulbricht – fabricating charges (later dropped), circumstantial evidence, and a probable breach of privacy.

The general belief is that we should have a free and open and secure internet, though most of us never stop to think what a ludicrous demand that really is. It’s the lack of privacy and ease of breach on the surface web that led to the development of the deep web – an anonymous and mostly secure environment. At least it was until the government went hard after Silk Road. Shutting down the non-violent drug transactions justified the law enforcement and political attention that the drug wars along the border never have. Is this a good thing? Is Ulbricht the DPR? Does it matter that after his arrest, his void was quickly filled by other opportunists? Do you believe you are secure on the web? Winter presents an exceptional amount of information that deserves even more discussion and explanation. That alone makes it time well spent.

watch the trailer:

 

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE SURFACE (2015)

May 25, 2015

surface Greetings again from the darkness. Survival movies come in many shapes and styles. There are classy ones like All is Lost (with Robert Redford) and Life of Pi (Academy Award nominee). There are thrilling ones like The Edge (with Alec Baldwin and Anthony Hopkins). And of course there are the kinda trashy ones that usually feature beautiful and clueless people stuck on an island somewhere like in Turistas (with Josh Duhamel).

What we rarely see are survival movies that just don’t have much going on. Open Water is about the closest to this latest from director Gil Cates, Jr and writer Jeff Gendelman, but at least that one offered the constant threat of a shark attack.

Sad sack Mitch (Sean Astin) visits his Alzheimer’s-stricken mom in the nursing home before heading out to the middle of Lake Michigan in what he plans as his final voyage in life. At the most inopportune time – given his goal – it’s his boat that is rendered lifeless thanks to the scattered pieces of a plane crash. Mitch drags the survivor Kelly (Chris Mulkey) aboard and the two fellows proceed to prove that their philosophizing and reminiscing are no match for the conversational skills of a boy and his tiger (Life of Pi).

Flashbacks are the key to us understanding the reasons these two crossed paths in such an unusual manner. We see Mitch’s guilt and inability to be a worthy partner in a relationship, and we see pilot Kelly’s desperation in trying to making ends meet for his family and regaining his confidence as a man.

There are a couple of funny “guy” moments (the poet comment made me laugh), yet somehow the conversation of these two men in a life-threatening situation pales in comparison to the exchanges of two gents over a meal in My Dinner with Andre. Where is the danger?  Where is the stress?  Where is the soul-searching?  It’s unfortunate that the extended periods of two guys in a boat just don’t have much to offer for the 86 minute run time, because the stage was set for much more than melodrama.

watch the trailer:

 

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Posted by David Ferguson

PREGGOLAND (2015)

May 25, 2015

preggoland Greetings again from the darkness. Understanding women is an unrealistic goal for most men, though we never stop trying. The past couple of years have brought numerous indie films from female filmmakers (writers and directors) and despite all of the new insight, the level of understanding has not really improved … rather it’s become clear that there were many things we men didn’t know that we didn’t know.

Along comes a script written by Sonja Bennett that shines a spotlight on a mid-30’s single woman who is being left behind by her group of friends as they move on to motherhood and family life. Ms. Bennett also stars as Ruth, the party girl whose drunken behavior at a friend’s is not just inappropriate, but also injures a child. Her group of long-time friends decides that Ruth no longer fits in their circle and they inform her that she would be happier in a different social environment.

Ruth’s steady stream of booze and cigarettes, and the fact that she still lives with her dad (James Caan), set her in stark contrast to her “perfect” sister Hillary (Lisa Durupt) who has just announced she and her smartphone-bound husband are working on having a baby. This makes the grandfather-to-be VERY happy. Not long after, in a quirky unfolding of events, Ruth is mistakenly identified as “with child”, and rather than nip the misunderstanding in the bud, the fib is allowed to fully blossom … setting the stage for the entire story.

What follows is a combination of dark humor and slapstick that never quite clicks. By nature, the premise makes the ending somewhat predictable, but there are moments of brilliance in the script. However, it’s the comedy portions that never really bring the laughs … except for one pretty startling site gag sequence involving more Jello than even Bill Cosby has ever seen (is it Ok to make a Cosby reference these days?).

Most impressive is that the vast majority of scenes are between women, and about women. Yes, there is a love interest (Paul Campbell), a demanding dad (Caan), and comedy relief in the form of Danny Trejo, but these are mostly minor players in this perspective of how women treat each other once the “bun in the oven” comes into play. It’s also a commentary on what happens when a little oops is allowed to snowball into a no-win situation.

Director Jacob Tierney’s film has had success at film festivals, and that’s understandable since it’s a nice change of pace from the vast majority of ultra-serious films populating the lineups. While the education effort of female filmmakers continues … most of us men will appreciate the Jello catastrophe, but still end up right where we started – with a glazed-over look, hoping we don’t say the wrong thing.

watch the trailer:

 

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Posted by David Ferguson

REALITY (2015)

May 25, 2015

reality Greetings again from the darkness. For those who found last year’s Birdman: Or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) to be too linear and overly coherent, be sure to track down the latest from writer/director Quentin Dupieux. You might recognize the name from his films that have developed cult followings – Rubber (2010) and Wrong (2012).

Dupieux seems obsessed with the blurred lines between the conscious and sub-conscious, so one can only imagine what he means by titling his movie “Reality”. To ensure that we remain in a constant cloud of confusion, there is a key character who is a young girl (Kyla Kenedy) acting in her own movie. Her name is … what else? … Reality.

One can’t really use the term plot when describing the film, but what follows is my best attempt. Jason Tantra (played by the always terrific Alain Chabat) is a camera man on a locally produced TV talk show about cooking that stars a rat costume-wearing host Denis (Jon Heder, Napoleon Dynamite). Jason wants to make his own movie starring a reluctant Denis (who suffers from eczema on the inside), and pitches his sci-fi idea of human-killing TV sets to film producer Bob Marshall (played by Jonathan Lambert). Marshall agrees to back the movie if Jason can come up with an award-winning perfect groan of pain within 48 hours. Meanwhile Reality (the girl) is being filmed by avant-garde director Zog (John Glover), and she finds a blue video cassette inside the gut of a wild boar killed by her father. In the process of trying to watch the tape, she spots a cross-dressing Eric Wareheim (from “Tim and Eric” fame) driving a military jeep through town. In one of his many dreams, Jason pictures himself at the awards ceremony where he wins for best groan … the award is presented by Oscar winning director Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist) and Roxane Mesquida (who was in Rubber). The topper of all sequences involves Jason having a phone conversation with producer Marshall while at the theatre watching his unmade movie while Marshall simultaneously has an in-person meeting with Jason. If you follow any of the above, this movie is made for you. If you didn’t follow any of it, congratulations on your continued socially acceptable level of sanity.

Inside jokes abound here, and Dupieux takes a few shots at the filmmaking business, and what constitutes creativity. Fellow French filmmaker Michel Gondry (The Science of Sleep, 2006) may be the closest comparison to Dupieux, but the latter seems more focused on pushing the boundaries of lunacy and yes, Reality.

watch the trailer:

 

 

 

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Posted by David Ferguson

SOUL BOYS OF THE WESTERN WORLD (doc, 2014)

May 25, 2015

soul boys Greetings again from the darkness. Director George Hencken’s biopic on the British band Spandau Ballet provides not just an in-depth look at the band’s roller-coaster history, but also a timeline of musical changes beginning in the late 1970’s.

The film begins not with the formation of the band; but rather with each bandmember briefly discussing their childhood, family life, and original inspiration for a life in music. The photos and interviews provide insight into each of the gents, and is a terrific way to begin telling the story of a band that would go on to experience the greatest highs and lowest lows.

Best known for their huge international number one hit “True” (1983), Spandau Ballet went through numerous name changes and musical style changes in their early years – experimenting with influencers ranging from the Blues to Sinatra and Ella to Glam Rock and The Kinks. This was a group of working class Brits searching for their place during the rapid changes that included Punk Rock and Disco. Mostly, they wanted to be “Pop Stars”, and they became one of the beneficiaries of the Dawn of Music Videos. The band was a mixture of fashion, graphic arts, video and music, and never lost sight of the need for glamour.

Their musical rivals during this era were Duran, Duran and Wham!, though obviously there was plenty of airtime and plenty of fans for all. This group of school buddies leaned heavily on Gary Kemp for their songwriting. Things went along very well until 1990 when Gary and his brother Martin (also a band member) were chosen to star in director Peter Medak’s movie called The Krays.  It was soon after that the band played what most thought would be their final gig.

The Krays was successful, and both Gary and Martin pursued acting careers, while some of the other band members tried to make a go of it musically. However, a nasty lawsuit over royalties further divided the band, creating apparent irreconcilable differences. In a remarkable turn of events, the band members put the past behind them and in 2009 … after almost 20 years apart, they reunited for a tour and album.

Mr. Hencken fills the screen with some terrific clips – live shows, home movies, news reels, and interviews. It’s a detailed timeline and history of a band that literally took their name right off a bathroom wall, and enjoyed the heights of popularity playing Live Aid in 1985 (2 billion people watching) and the depths of a nasty band breakup, replete with publicly-reported lawsuit. It’s a very well documented and well presented history of band and the music culture of an era.

watch the trailer:

 

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Posted by David Ferguson

BLACK SOULS (Anime nere, Italy, 2014)

May 23, 2015

black souls Greetings again from the darkness. Avoiding the flashiness of Goodfellas or the complexity of another Italian crime family drama, 2008’s Gomorrah, this reserved-on-the-surface film from director/co-writer Francesco Munzi takes us to a small rural village located outside of Milan. In fact, this slow-burner has much in common stylistically with the 2010 Aussie gem Animal Kingdom.

Luigi (Marco Leonardi), Rocco (Peppino Mazzotta), and Luciano (Fabrizio Ferracane) are three brothers who have settled into life after the murder of their father by a rival crime family. Luigi is the hands-on leader of the family’s drug business, and even though he thrives on the power and intimidation, he maintains a relatively low profile. Rocco is the behind-the-scenes businessman of the family enterprise. He and his fashion-forward wife live in a swanky Milan apartment and mostly avoid the front lines. Oldest brother Luciano has forsaken the family biz, and instead spends his days farming and working his goats.

Luciano’s commitment to hard work and a straight life have not rubbed off on his son Leo (Giuseppe Fumo) who is drawn to the danger, money and power of his uncles’ business. It’s young Leo’s fool-hearted actions that kickoff a chain of events putting the family smack in the midst of a possible war of criminal families.

This is no guns-blazing thrill ride of violence. Instead it’s the type of movie that features countless scenes of men huddled in small groups mumbling details of the next important deal. Also, crucial are the non-verbal nods and raised eye-brows – signs that are interpreted as calls to action. We also learn that expressing hope someone lives to 100, is not just a personal insult, but such crass behavior that it brings a group dinner to an awkward halt.

Leather jacket abound, and the threat of violence looms over most scenes. However, it’s the subtlety of the conversations and the quiet nature of the leaders that cause the well-meaning, but immature thirst for revenge from Leo to stand out. Until the twist of the final act, the only two moments of violence are almost surgical in their precision, leaving us with the impression that one’s negotiating skills and loyal friends are every bit as crucial to success as one’s expertise with a gun.

Mr. Munzi’s film (based on the novel from Gioacchino Criaco) is very well directed and photographed, and features some terrific acting that generates the tension necessary to drive the story. It’s a nice addition to the crime family genre, even if it’s not at the level of the three mentioned in the opening paragraph above.

watch the trailer:

 

 

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Posted by David Ferguson

GOOD KILL (2015)

May 22, 2015

good kill Greetings again from the darkness. It sounds like a screenwriter’s workshop: write a story centered on a joystick, a computer monitor, a speaker phone and a shipping container. Most would surrender their Pulitzer dream and head back to the day job. Andrew Niccol, on the other hand, is a talented writer/director known for such projects as Gattaca, Lord of War, and The Truman Show. His story is set in 2010 and is “based on actual events” of drone warfare.

It could seem a bit dated to explore a topic that most have known about for years, but Niccol manages to wring out a story that keeps us engaged and more importantly, encourages discussion about the concept of “video game warfare”.

Ethan Hawke plays a fighter pilot who has been reassigned as a drone pilot after serving 6 tours in Afghanistan. Each day he reports to duty on a Las Vegas base and spends 12 hours locked away in a cramped shipping container staring at a video monitor while delicately manipulating a joystick that can kill people 7000 miles away within 10 seconds. These killer drones have transformed warfare, and as far as I know, this is the first film version dedicated to the daily lives of the men and women serving this duty.

Given what we know about fighter pilots, it’s not surprising that Hawke’s character is crumbling emotionally … missing the danger that comes with a real cockpit. His marriage to January Jones is void of any intimacy or communication (partially due to his alcoholism), though surprisingly, Ms. Jones delivers something other than her typical cardboard cutout performance. Watching the suburban lifestyle of these two – grilling, backyard parties, math homework with the kids – brings nothing new to the screen, but tension is palpable as Hawke and his co-drone-pilot Zoe Kravitz are locked away and forced to follow morally-questionable orders from Langley (voiced by the great Peter Coyote). Put yourself on that joystick and imagine what you would do.

The story pushes us to discuss the dehumanization of war, and the idea that the Air Force is now best described as the “Chair Force”. Especially interesting is the official verbiage used by the CIA and military in an effort to avoid “killing” and “innocent bystanders”. Think about the fact that 3 decades have passed since we got caught up in the thrill of Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer as Top Gun pilots, and now some of the most deadly decisions are made based on a visual feed from a done hovering at 10,000 feet.

Mr. Niccol delivers a thought-provoking movie, which alone sets it above many. The drone’s eye view follows not just the movements of the enemy, but also those of Hawke at home and in his car. Hawke’s commanding officer is played by Bruce Greenwood, who delivers the film’s best line: as Hawke is looking at Greenwood’s fighter pilot photos, he says, you are probably thinking “I must have been a pilot before Pontius”. It’s a great line and one that reinforces how warfare has changed … from boots on the ground to recruits based on their video game savvy.  Surgical strikes are the preferred manner of warfare, so watch this and ask yourself … what would you do?

watch the trailer:

 

 

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Posted by David Ferguson

FELIX AND MEIRA (2015)

May 21, 2015

felix Greetings again from the darkness. This movie is filled with quiet and stillness. Maybe moreso than any movie I can recall. With a backdrop of Montreal, New York and Venice, and a theme of forbidden love and self-discovery, the quiet of the actors belie the undercurrent of emotion driving the three leads.

Meira (Hadas Yaron) is a Hasidic Jew living with her husband Shulem (Luzer Twersky) and their toddler daughter within an Orthodox community where women are forbidden from listening to “outside” music, creating art, or even looking men directly in the eye. Their mission in life is to serve their husband, have lots of babies, and respect the religion. While many women in the community seem fine with their lot, Meira hides records under the sofa, draws pictures in a pocket-sized notebook, and longs for the excitement and color of the real world.

One day, by happenstance, the paths of Meira and Felix (Martin Dubreuil) cross in a neighborhood corner store. He compliments her on her drawing, as she tries to ignore him. By the time they next meet, we have witnessed the painful bedside farewell of Felix to his dying father. It’s difficult to tell which is the stronger emotion here – guilt or grief.

Soon enough Felix and Meira are finding ways to meet, but there is no crazed display of passion between the two. There is a devastating scene as Felix patiently waits while Meira musters the courage to actually look into his eyes. It’s like 50 Shades of Restraint. It turns out, for different reasons, these two lost souls share a common bond of loneliness. Meira‘s individuality and creativity are stifled by religious oppression, while Felix is coming to grips as the black sheep of a family that no longer exists. When Felix says of his father, “He hated me to death. And then he died.”, we understand it’s the missed opportunity that weighs on him more than the passing of a long-lost parent.

Music plays a vital role in how director Maxine Giroux presents the characters and the story. Wendy Rene’s “After Laughter Comes the Tears” is used beautifully, as is Leonard Cohen’s “Famous Blue Raincoat”. Heck, even a mousetrap becomes music to the desperate ears of Meira. As stated before, the film is incredibly quiet, and I challenge any movie lover to come up with a more painful argument than the one featuring Meira and Shulem whispering at each other from separate beds, or a more powerful scene with fewer spoken words than Shulem and Felix at the kitchen table. On the bright side, watching her walk around in her first ever pair of jeans is a freeing sight to behold.

Mr. Giroux presents something very real, yet outside the bounds of what cinema usually brings when forbidden love, religion, loneliness and grief are involved. Ms. Yaron delivers an astounding performance, and it’s little wonder this has been such a hit on the festival circuit.

watch the trailer:

 

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Posted by David Ferguson

HELICOPTER MOM (2015)

May 21, 2015

helicopter mom Greetings again from the darkness. Just when it seems everything we say or do is offensive to someone and most every topic is considered politically incorrect, a movie shows up that seems to say it’s ok to be offensive if you are trying to make a worthy point. It’s kind of like someone defending their actions by saying “I’m not a racist – I have an African-American friend.”

Helicopter parenting is defined as an overly involved parent who thinks they are best serving their kid by staying involved in every detail of life – from homework to activities to love life. As sad as this phenomenon is, this movie from director Salome Breziner and writer Duke Tran is so exaggerated, a more appropriate title would be Chainsaw Mom. Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) stars as the clueless and relentless single mom obsessed with her son … especially the uncertainties of his sexual orientation.

Ms. Vardalos seems to have patterned her approach to the role after some of the wide-eyed over-the-top characters of Keenan Thompson from “SNL”. This is beyond caricature and it’s also beyond annoying. The character is not believable in any sense, and is fortunately offset by more grounded performances from Jason Dolley, who plays her unfortunate son, and Mark Boone Junior, who plays her ex-husband and his father.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking on a topic like teenage sexual ambiguity/confusion with a comedic approach; however, much of this comes off like a cheesy sitcom. The only thing missing is the laugh track … and maybe Vardalos hiding behind a potted plant while wearing Groucho glasses and mustache. I say maybe, because it’s possible the latter occurred during one of the many segments where I was rolling my eyes or shaking my head in disbelief.

Fortunately, there were some genuine father and son moments between Dolley and Boone. In fact, Boone’s performance is so good, it’s like someone changed the channel every time his character appears. Dolley and Skyler Samuels (The Duff) also have some very sweet and believable scenes together. It’s just a shame that a moment as poignant as the confused son asking his father “When did you know you were straight?” is offset by mom publicly humiliating her kid and herself in yet another unimaginable display of inappropriate and cartoonish behavior.

The supporting cast also includes Kate Flannery (TV’s “The Office”), Gillian Vigman (The Hangover), and Dallas’ own Hockaday girl Lisa Loeb – who has a role as a teacher, and wrote the song for the opening credits.

Confusion over sexual orientation in teenagers is certainly a topic worthy of film treatment, as is the cultural phenomenon of helicopter parenting. The slapstick comedy approach seems to overwhelm the first message, while the 1980’s sitcom style destroys any commentary on the second.  The only person who thinks a boy’s best friend is his mother is Norman Bates. And Hitchcock showed us how that turns out.

watch the trailer:

 

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Posted by David Ferguson

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