SHORT TERM 12 (2013)

September 9, 2013

short term1 Greetings again from the darkness. “An indie gem” is meant to be a term of respect for a little movie that manages to make an emotional connection, usually while being screened at a film festival or in a very limited and brief theatrical run. The best ones drive us to encourage everyone we know to take the time to see it. Such is writer/director Destin Cretton’s latest.

Some movies offer a promising premise and then let us down with faulty execution. Short Term 12 is actually better than its premise would lead you to expect. Credit goes to Mr. Cretton’s quasi-documentary directorial style, tremendous acting from support characters played by John Gallagher Jr (Mason), Kaitlyn Dever (Jayden), and Keith Stanfield (Marcus), and a stunning lead performance from rising star Brie Larson (Grace).

short term2 Grace and Mason help run a foster care facility. We witness first hand their daily work with the kids, some of it quite mundane … though other moments incredibly powerful. Grace and Marcus have their own personal connections to this way of life, and also happen to be in a relationship that seems built on avoiding the communication and connection that goes into their daily jobs.

The use of art as a communication device plays a role throughout. Marcus uses his rap lyrics, newcomer Jayden draws and writes children’s stories. These two kids are particularly important because they also mirror the inner sanctum of Mason and Grace, and we see these people all battle demons in hope of living a “normal” life. This is not a story short term3of saints and sinners … these are just people coming to grips with the deck they’ve been dealt.

You will recognize Gallagher from his work on HBO’s “The Newsroom“, and Dever made quite an impression in her time on “Justified“. Larson’s star is on the rise thanks to her presence in The Spectacular Now and Don Jon, as well as some upcoming projects. She IS what critics have been trying make Greta Gerwig … an actress who breathes life into character we feel we know.  This one will play on your emotions, but draws us into the world of these characters. An indie gem to be absorbed.

SEE THIS MOVIE IF: you enjoy top notch “little” films OR you want to see one of the best performances of the year (Brie Larson)

SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: a realistic look at the challenges faced by kids and staff at a foster center strays too far from entertainment for your tastes.

watch the trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhS6tvSb0UQ

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Posted by David Ferguson

IN A WORLD … (2013)

September 9, 2013

in a world1 Greetings again from the darkness. It’s always cool when an actor gets to pursue their first “all in” creative project. Two examples are Joseph Gordon-Levitt with Don Jon and the late Adrienne Shelly with Waitress. This time it’s Lake Bell who is writer, director and leading lady in a story about (at least partially) the empowerment of women in a male dominated field.

This is a very pleasant comedy with dramatic overtones. Ms Bell plays Carol, who is a voice/dialect coach with the dream of breaking into the good ol’ boys club of Voice Over acting. The title of the film was made famous the late great Don LaFontaine, who voiced hundreds of movie trailers that we all watched and listened to. The film begins with a little tribute to LaFontaine and sets the stage as the torch is passed to Sam (Fred Melamed, A Serious Man), who also happens to be Carol’s father, and cocky youngster Gustav (Ken Marino), who has a much different connection to Carol.

in a world3 The father-daughter issues abound as Sam of course believes Voice Over work should be limited to the deep, powerful voices of men. Carol also gets tossed into the relationship drama of her dad and his much younger girlfriend, the marital struggles of her sister (Michaela Watkins) and brother in law (Rob Corddry), and the workplace affections of her co-worker (Demetri Martin-Lewis). That’s a lot of sub-plots and it causes a loss of focus on Carol’s persistence to find her own voice, so to speak.

The quirkiness of Bell’s character also distracts a bit, but mostly she is charming and likable, and we really pull for her to succeed and overcome.  As a director, Bell does a nice job of helping us get to know the multitude of characters, and though there is much to garner interest, it’s just overload for the viewer. When the story focuses on Bell and her dad’s ignorance and competitiveness, the movie is at its best. This is definitely one to check out, and here’s hoping for more from Ms. Bell

NOTE: my fascination with screen voices was the subject a recent blog post entitled “Golden Voices of the Silver Screen”.  You can find it here: http://wp.me/pKvIs-10n

SEE THIS MOVIE IF: watching the good ol’ boys network take a few lumps

SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: Fred Melamed creeped you out in A Serious Man … he takes the creep level up a notch here

watch the trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZHBjLFu5is

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Posted by David Ferguson

CLOSED CIRCUIT (2013)

September 7, 2013

closed circuit1 Greetings again from the darkness. I try to spend very little time re-hashing movies that deliver very little … I prefer to move on to the next one with a clear head. This one frustrated me because it could have – even should have – been so much more.

Director John Crowley was responsible for the very entertaining Michael Caine film Is Anybody There? and writer Steven Knight penned three scripts that I very much enjoyed: Dirty Pretty Things, Eastern Promises, and Amazing Grace. The cast is very talented with Eric Bana, Jim Broadbent, Ciaran Hinds, and … well … also Rebecca Hall and Julia Stiles. So why does it feel so empty?

closed circuit3 The movie begins with a horrible act of terrorism – a suicide bomb in London that we view through a grid of 12 closed circuit screens. You would be incorrect if you think there is a payoff for frantically scanning all screens looking for clues. This device is nothing more than a reminder (over and over again) that we are constantly being monitored while in public.

The ensuing trial provides a peek at the British legal system, but the most interesting sub-plot … the young son of the accused terrorist … is minimized in favor of the generic romance between two legal defense attorneys (Bana and Hall). Additionally, Ciaran Hinds’ character is simply too easy to read and Ann-Marie Duff is totally miscast. My favorite moments were the all-too-rare exquisite verbal diatribes from the great Jim Broadbent.

Chalk this one up as a forgettable would-be/should-be political legal thriller that just doesn’t thrill. It’s of little comfort to know that I was probably being watched on the theatre security cameras as I longed for something worth watching on the screen.  They may be watching, but you shouldn’t.

SEE THIS MOVIE IF: you have an ongoing wager with your friends that you must see every Eric Bana movie

SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: you prefer your political and legal thrillers to actually have some thrills and not concentrate on some absurd secret romance that everyone knows about

watch the trailer (just don’t be fooled):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktiMVKeA9QM

 

2 Comments | Drama, Thriller | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

THE WORLD’S END (2013)

September 7, 2013

worlds end Greetings again from the darkness. This is the third in the unofficial Three Flavors Cornetto Trilogy, and my guess is if you know that, you have already seen this one. Director Edgar Wright has previously delivered is parody of Zombies (Shaun of the Dead), his parody of buddy-cop-action films (Hot Fuzz), and now takes on Sci-Fi in this latest … a worthy conclusion with the trademark quick cuts and rapid fire witty/silly dialogue.

I love the premise of this one. 5 buddies reluctantly reunite after 20 years to try and finish what they failed to in their youth: 12 pubs/12 pints … an epic pub crawl. It touches on the male transition to middle-age and also reinforces the old saying ‘you can’t go home again’. Simon Pegg (also co-writer with Wright) stars as Gary King, a recovering addict who is quite simply struggling with adulthood. His manic energy reunites the boys and carries the early movie. Nick Frost really shines here and takes on a different persona from the previous two movies.

worlds end2 As I have stated many times, comedies are the most difficult genre to review as everyone’s sense of humor varies. What I can report is that I laughed quite a bit at the dialogue, but didn’t have much love for the sci-fi portions, despite some similarities to Westworld and The Stepford Wives. Oh, and Rosamund Pike reminded me again why I am no fan of hers (yes, I realize I’m in the minority).

Hardcore Wright fans will enjoy the steady stream of regular faces, and yes, we do get the expected failed fence jump. This one won’t stick with me for long, but I appreciated the laughs.

SEE THIS MOVIE IF: you are a fan of the Simon Pegg – Nick Frost – Edgar Wright offbeat British parody films. It’s one of their best

SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: your comedy tastes lean toward the conventional … a territory Edgar Wright avoids at all costs

watch the trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n__1Y-N5tQk

 

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE HUNT (Jagten, Denmark, 2012)

September 3, 2013

hunt1 Greetings again from the darkness. It’s the worst nightmare for every Parent, Teacher and Child. Sexual Abuse of a child is incomprehensible … it’s unthinkable, yet all too common. So what happens when a man is falsely accused of such inappropriate action? Well if the accusation comes from the most innocent of faces – a 5 year old girl – the falsely accused man stand no chance … regardless of what the letter of the law states.

Such is the story of Lucas (Mads Mikkelsen, TV’s “Hannibal“), a lonely, small town kindergarten teacher who has gone through a rough divorce and is losing his fight for visitation rights to his teenage son. We witness Lucas quietly going about his life … he is loved by the students and surrounded by life long hunting buddies and friends. Soon enough, things start to look up for Lucas. An attractive teacher expresses her interest in him and his son hunt2convinces the mother that he should live with his dad.

The set-up of the characters and the powerfully simmering performance of Mikkelsen elevate this somewhat predictable story to the brink of excruciating discomfort for the viewer. In the blink of a childhood moment of imaginative confusion of emotional pain, an innocent man’s life is forever altered. Klara (Annika Wedderkopp) is the daughter of Lucas’ best friend Theo (Thomas Bo Larsen). A very protective teacher unwittingly leads Klara down the path that initiates a landslide of emotion that simply cannot be stopped. Of course, the teachers and parents and community believe the cute little girl … the innocence of kids cannot be doubted. As the defensive instincts of parents kick in, we see the dangerous side of influence and suddenly numerous kids have piled on and become part of Klara’s story.

hunt3 Director Thomas Vinterberg brilliantly keeps us looking through the eyes of Lucas. We know he is innocent and we beg him to scream it! Instead, he expects everyone to just know he does not have this in him at all. His faith in himself never waivers despite our discomfort and anger. He does finally reach a boiling point after a heart-breaking scene in the local market, but even that moment does not feel like a victory.  The course of his life has been altered.

While “The Scarlet Letter” gave us an indication of exile by community, this story shows us just how quickly human nature has us jumping to conclusions and assuming the worst. Persecution and judgment by the mob is one of the most dangerous developments of society. Lucas reminds us that innocence and faith may not always be enough and sometimes life just isn’t fair.

**NOTE: this is extremely serious subject matter handled in a very straightforward manner by a talented director and extraordinary cast.  There are a few touches of dark humor, but mostly this is just an intense, difficult to watch film.

watch the trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieLIOBkMgAQ

 

2 Comments | Drama, Thriller, World Cinema/Foreign | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

Lee Daniels’ THE BUTLER (2013)

August 22, 2013

butler1 Greetings again from the darkness. This is not a film about multiple personalities.  Rather it is a film WITH multiple personalities! Yes, there are a staggering number of characters played by a who’s who of actors, but it’s the movie itself that flashes the most personalities. It is quite a mixture of historical events, the Civil Rights movement, family drama, generational differences, Presidential evolution, emotional wrangling, and Oscar posturing.

Forest Whitaker portrays Cecil Gaines, the man who worked his way up from being a child slave on a Georgia plantation  to the highest level of butler within The White House … a gig that spanned 34 years and eight Presidents. The story is based on the real life story of Eugene Allen, who had a front row seat to dramatic historical events and major social changes … all while wearing white gloves and tuxedo. The movie bears a resemblance to the popular movie The Help, but while that one focused on individual racism, this one is more concerned with systematic or institutional racism.

butler2 While the movie has plenty of emotional moments, in my opinion it could have been even stronger had it committed more time to either Cecil’s long run in The White House or the father-son generational struggles between Cecil and his desperate-for-change son played with fire by David Oyelowo (from Freedom Rider to Black Panther). Instead there is much wasted time on superficial Presidential interactions and a needless side story of adultery involving Cecil’s wife (Oprah Winfrey) and his friend (Terrence Howard).

Director Lee Daniels obviously has many friends who wanted to be part of this one. The incredible cast includes Mariah Carey (still seeking redemption for Glitter), Alex Pettyfer (as a brutal slave owner), Vanessa Redgrave (Cecil’s first serving trainer), Clarence Williams III (Cecil’s ultra cool mentor), Nelson Ellis as Martin Luther King, and Cuba Gooding Jr and Lenny Kravitz (as fellow White House butlers). The most blatant slap in the face of Conservatives comes from the casting of extreme Democrat John Cusack playing Richard Nixon and Jane Fonda as Nancy Reagan. Other Presidents are played by Robin Williams (Dwight Eisenhauer), James Marsden (John F Kennedy), Liev Schreiber (LBJ), and Alan Rickman (Ronald Reagan). The constant game of “spot the star” is a bit distracting at times, but not as much as one might guess. It’s just a shame that most get very little story or screen time.

butler3 As for Oprah Winfrey, she is getting much love for her performance, including some Oscar chatter. What I saw was a performance that was solid, yet distracting due to the lack of aging in comparison to her husband (Whitaker). She changes very little (except for costumes) from the beginning until the very end when she definitely goes into heavy make-up for the Obama election. On a personal note, watching 1970’s era Oprah shaking her booty to “Soul Train” was an image I neither needed nor enjoyed.

Again, my favorite scenes were the ones between father and son … Whitaker and Oyelowo. Seeing these two generations struggle so much to understand each other and interpret the world in such different ways proved quite powerful. It’s always painful and embarrassing to re-live the horrible manner in which African-Americans were treated, but even moreso when it’s tied to a father-son relationship.

**NOTE: the ridiculous movie title is the resulting settlement brought on by Warner Bros who was concerned that a title of “The Butler” would cause confusion and conflict with their own 1916 short film of that title.  Yes, 1916.

SEE THIS MOVIE IF: you are looking for an entertaining movie loaded with stars and a story that delivers some emotional tugs.

SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: you are expecting insight into the inner-workings of The White House OR watching Oprah get her groove on could possibly burn your eyeballs as it did mine.

watch the trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZ4xDTz8Avc

1 Comment | Drama | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

Update: Parkland trailer

August 21, 2013

The trailer for Parkland (2013) has finally been released.  As expected, the story focuses on the events immediately after the Kennedy assasination, with an emphasis on the hospital where he was treated. You will also note Paul Giamatti as Abraham Zapruder.

Here is my initial report from January of this year:

https://moviereviewsfromthedark.wordpress.com/2013/01/16/filming-parkland-in-austin-tx/

Watch the trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgPjt_BRLvY

1 Comment | Articles, TMI Dailies | Tagged: | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

JOBS (2013)

August 21, 2013

jobs1 Greetings again from the darkness. One of the key characteristics of Steve Jobs was that he was constantly striving for perfection. Not just good. Not just acceptable. He wanted the perfect product in the perfect package sold in the perfect store. Whether or not you are a fan of Jobs and Apple, it’s painful to watch a middling movie about the man and the company … a movie that seems to strive for very little, and certainly not perfection.

Ashton Kutcher delivers an impersonation of Jobs complete with beady eyes, slumped shoulders and awkward gait. This is not one of those biopics where the performer disappears into the famous character. We never forget that we are watching Kutcher’s attempt to act and sound like Jobs. But Kutcher is far from the worst part of the movie … in fact, he is fine, given what he has to work with.

jobs2 The real issue with the movie is that it just offers no real insight into the man or the company. Instead we see only the headlines: Jobs drops out, Jobs goes barefooted, Jobs is a jerk, Jobs takes advantage of Woz, Jobs does drugs, Jobs eats fruit, Jobs is a jerk, Jobs is booted out, Jobs comes back, Jobs is a jerk.  The challenge to telling the story of Steve Jobs and Apple stems from finding the genius within the jerk.  Walter Isaacson’s book “Steve Jobs” does exceptional work on that front, and I believe there is a movie project in the works based on his source material.

The supporting cast is impressive: Dermot Mulroney (Mike Makkula), Lukas Haas (Daniel Kottke, Matthew Modine ( John Sculley), JK Simmons, Lesley Ann Warren, John Getz, Ron Eldard (Rod Holt), Kevin Dunn and James Woods. Especially effective, and maybe the only reason to see the movie, is Josh Gad as Steve Wozniak.  Woz is known to be the technical jobs3genius behind the founding of Apple and Gad perfectly captures the spirit of Wozniak as we in the public have come to know him over the years.

Directed by Joshua Michael Stern (Swing Vote), the film is written by first time screenwriter Matt Whiteley. This seems inexplicable to me. A writer with no credits is charged with coming up with a script on one of the most enigmatic and complex and successful people of our times. In fact, the result is what one would expect … a made-for-TV type glossy presentation that doesn’t dig too deep or offer any insight. In short, the kind of movie that Steve Jobs would have despised.

SEE THIS MOVIE IF: you want the “Cliff’s Notes” version of Steve Jobs and Apple OR you want to see Josh Gad’s best performance to date

SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: you want insight and substance behind the story of Jobs and Apple … instead, read Walter Isaacson’s book

watch the trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LR6yMl2FZSQ

 

4 Comments | Drama | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

ELMORE LEONARD remembered

August 20, 2013

elmore Early this morning, word of the passing of Elmore Leonard started making its way through news outlets and Twitter.  He was 87 and died of complications from a recent stroke that had initially been reported as “not too serious”.   Mr. Leonard was one of the great American writers, and though his writing spanned more than sixty years, he may never have been more popular than today, thanks to the TV series “Justified“.

Mr. Leonard served in the Navy during WWII, and worked in advertising after graduating from the University of Detroit.  His family moved to Detroit when he was very young and he lived there the rest of his life, mostly in the township of Bloomfield Hills.  He described the city as inspirational and it often played a key role in his stories.  Mr. Leonard began writing Western stories and recalled selling the story for “3:10 to Yuma” for $90.00

With 45 published novels and countless short stories and articles, Leonard was incredibly prodigious as a writer and dedicated to writing every day.  His routine included long-hand on a yellow pad, followed by typewritten pages (never a computer).  When he made the move from Westerns to Crime stories, his “The Big Bounce” was rejected 84 times, a reminder of the incredibly complicated industry.

Hollywood loved Leonard’s style, colorful characters, black humor, and intricate plotting. Some of the best adaptations of his work include:

elmore1 “Justified“.  The TV series from creator Graham Yost revolves around Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens, one of the more interesting and entertaining characters as portrayed by Timothy Olyphant. The series specializes in bad guys who are often as clever as the good guys … as evidenced by the terrific Walton Goggins as Boyd Crowder.

 

Jackie Brown (1997).  Quentin Tarantino’s only directorial effort involving material he did not write. Leonard’s novel “Rum Punch” provides the foundation for this twisty thriller and the antics of Pam Grier and Samuel L Jackson.

3:10 to Yuma (1957, 2007). Not very many writers are involved with film adaptations of their work across a 50 year span. Director Delmer Daves directed Glenn Ford and Van Heflin in the original, and director James Mangold followed up 50 years later with Russell Crowe and Christian Bale. Both are tense thrillers with moral statements.

Hombre (1967).  Paul Newman stars in this fine western directed by Martin Ritt. Human nature is on full display from this Leonard novel.

Get Shorty (1995).  John Travolta stars as an out of his element (or is he?) mobster when he heads to Hollywood to collect a debt. The supporting cast is exceptional and director Barry Sonnefeld perfectly captures the finest Leonard comedic dialogue.

Out of Sight (1998).  George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez, in their sizzling onscreen best, star in a movie that oozes style from director Steven Soderbergh.

Premiering this year at the Toronto Film Festival will be the latest screen adaptation of a Leonard work, Life of Crime.  It stars Jennifer Aniston and is based on Leonard’s novel “The Switch”.   Not surprisingly, there are numerous other works in progress (mostly TV) that take advantage of Leonard’s talent.

Elmore Leonard’s efficiency with words is renowned and he often said that he “tries to leave out the parts that people skip”.  Clearly a man who understood not just writing, but what makes reading enjoyable.  My favorite of his quotes: “If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it”.  That’s a lesson we hope carries through to future generations of writers.

elmore4

 

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE SPECTACULAR NOW (2013)

August 16, 2013

spectacular1 Greetings again from the darkness. Coming-of-age teen dramas with a comedic flair that speak to that tumultuous period of life are rarely worthy of discussion. The exceptions hover film greatness: Rebel Without a Cause, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Dazed and Confused, The Breakfast Club, and Say Anything … Along comes young director James Ponsoldt and his adaptation of Tim Tharp’s novel. While not perfect and falling just short of the level of those classics, it is nonetheless a welcome addition and quite interesting.

It’s tempting to call Sutter (played by up-and-comer Miles Teller) a happy-go-lucky kid. He’s the frat boy type – quick with a quip, smooth with the parents and girls, and the envy of the masses. However, that term would be misapplied to a kid who not only is never without his flask, but also gives them as gifts. He uses his wit and booze to dull spectacular2the pain of his aimless existence. We see his lackadaisical efforts at completing a college admission form, and it’s used as a plot device to track Sutter’s progression/maturation through the film.

Brie Larson is terrific as Sutter’s perfect match … right up until she decides that his philosophy of living in the now (even spectacularly) doesn’t leave hope for much of a future. After an extreme night of drinking and partying, Sutter gets awakened while laying in a neighbor’s front yard. Shailene Woodley (The Descendants) is bookworm Aimee Finicky, who recognizes the popular Sutter, even though he has no idea who she is. Slowly, the two connect on a level previously unknown to either … some good, some not so wise (just like real teenagers).

spectacular3 This couple of opposites learn much from each other, and soon enough, Sutter is confronting his long last father (Kyle Chandler). No real surprises what he discovers, but it’s a life lesson that must be learned. Sutter seeks more from his remaining family – a big sister (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) who escaped the grind, and a workaholic mom (Jennifer Jason Leigh) doing her best to provide hope for Sutter.

The script is co-written by Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber who also wrote (500) Days of Summer. John Hughes and Cameron Crowe proved they could present teen dilemmas in an entertaining way, and this one follows the same structure. This is a dialogue-heavy story as Sutter and Aimee struggle alone and together to figure out life’s next steps.

I will say that for the first few minutes of the movie, I found Sutter to be the kind of guy that I would typically have no interest in. Tip of the cap to the filmmakers and Miles Teller for turning that around. It should also be noted that Shailene Woodley is so naturally affecting, that her character never comes across as anything but sincere. Given the state of today’s mainstream coming of age stories, this one definitely deserves a look and could gather some attention come awards time.

SEE THIS MOVIE IF: you want to see a smart, mostly believable (Shailene Woodley would never go unnoticed in a high school) story about coming to terms with yourself at age 18 (we’ve all been there!)

SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: teen movies with raunchy comedy are the only teen movies you want to see (there seems to be an endless supply)

watch the trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDTBLSkUmYk

 

 

Leave a Comment » | Comedy, Drama | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

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