LUCY AND DESI (2022, doc)

March 3, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. Since it is arriving on the heels of Aaron Sorkin’s dramatized BEING THE RICARDOS (2021), it’s tempting to view this documentary as if a professor is grading his work … or at least fact-checking. However, Sorkin’s film, which resulted in Oscar nominations for Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, and JK Simmons, was based on a snapshot in time (and even took some liberties with that), while this first documentary from Amy Poehler takes a much wider lens to the life and career of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.

An elite comedian herself, Ms. Poehler’s obvious admiration and respect for Lucy is understandable, and her film plays much like a tribute to her hero. She includes brief interviews with such legends as Carol Burnett, Norman Lear, Bette Midler, and Charo … each who have had enormous success in the comedy field. These folks all tip their cap to Lucy and Desi and their remarkable groundbreaking achievements with “I Love Lucy” – the most important, the most beloved, and the most long-lived sitcom in TV history.

Ms. Poehler also interviews Lucie Arnaz, daughter of Lucy and Desi. We learn a long-forgotten box of audio tapes was discovered, and that allows us to hear much of their history directly from Lucy and Desi. Lucie adds to the loving and respectful nature of the presentation, although we can’t help but notice her brother, Desi Jr, only shows up in one brief clip of a previous interview. Poehler complements the audio tapes with some excellent archival footage, including home movies that add to the personal feel.

The necessary background is provided so that we may better appreciate just what these two accomplished. Lucy’s grandfather took her to vaudeville shows, and she worked as a model prior to becoming “Queen of the B’s”. Desi’s family was affiliated with the Bacardi rum empire and lost everything in the 1933 Cuban revolution when he was 14. He worked in Xavier Cugat’s band and refined the “Conga line” that is still a party favorite these days. Lucy and Desi met on the set of the RKO movie TOO MANY GIRLS (1940) and after a whirlwind romance, the two were married shortly thereafter.

The marriage difficulties are soft-pedaled, and while it’s clear they loved each other very much, we learn that due to Desi’s stint in the Army and near-constant touring with his band, that the newlyweds saw very little of each other those first few years. In fact, that’s what inspired Lucy to demand that Desi play her husband in the new TV show. We then learn about the extraordinary business decisions that were made – not just for the show, but also in founding their own studio, Desilu, which allowed them to own their show and produce others. It was the selling of all 179 episodes of “I Love Lucy” that kicked off the whole idea of reruns, a staple of today’s television programming.

We see some classic clips from the sitcom, as well as footage of Desi performing his signature “Babaloo”. Lucy and Desi met, fell in love, worked together in the most popular sitcom of all-time, had kids together, built a revolutionary studio business together, divorced, and loved each other forever. Lucie recalls her mother visiting Desi as he lay in bed, slowly dying from lung cancer. She could hear their laughter as they watched “I Love Lucy” reruns. Is the story truth or legend?  Does it matter? The two had a lasting and historic impact on the entertainment world, both from what was on screen and from the business side of running a studio. And even today, everyone still loves Lucy.

Exclusively on Amazon Prime beginning March 4, 2022

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Posted by David Ferguson

FRESH (2022)

March 3, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. Discotheques and Night Clubs were regularly referred to as ‘meat markets’, and all movie lovers are familiar with the term ‘meet-cute’. It’s rare for meat and meet to merge into a cautionary tale of modern-day dating, but that’s what we get from director Mimi Cave’s first feature film and a script from Lauryn Kahn (IBIZA, 2018). This twisted film should slide easily into the Midnight Movie rotation for those looking for a slicer, rather than a slasher.

Daisy Edgar-Jones (“Normal People”, 2020) stars as Noa, a twenty-something frustrated with the results of digital dating apps. Her experience is a case study on the challenges of meeting someone special, or even someone not psychotic, through a dating app. She swipes right on a cute puppy picture, and almost immediately receives an unwanted ‘private’ shot. When she does agree to have dinner with one guy, he criticizes her fashion, yearns for old-fashioned femininity, makes her pay half, and doesn’t bother to hold the door for her. Noa tells her close friend Mollie (Jojo T Gibbs) that she’s done with dating for a while, and who can blame her?

Not long after that trainwreck date, and when she’s least expecting it, Noa gets her meet-cute in the produce aisle at the grocery store. Steve (Sebastian Stan who plays Bucky Barnes in the Marvel Universe) is a charming, good-looking guy and she agrees to give him her number. Their first date is filled with the usual background Q&A stuff, but it’s clear that Noa and Steve have some chemistry. The reason this works cinematically is that director Cave allows us to view Steve through Noa’s eyes. Just like her, we are diligently searching for red flags, remaining on high alert for signs something is off. But plastic surgeon Steve’s early warning signs only become noticeable much later (too late) after his true self is revealed.

Steve’s true-self-revelation is a doozy, and the opening credits pop up just after the gut-punch, approximately 40 minutes in. While the first act plays a bit like a traditional rom-com with all the associated romantic awkwardness, the stunningly plausible shift jerks us and Noa in a different direction. Additional supporting work is provided by Dayo Okeniyi as an initially helpful bartender whose recognition of horror film tropes prevent him from taking any heroic action, and Charlotte Le Bon as a surprise addition to the proceedings. But it’s the performances and the twisted chemistry of Ms. Edgar-Jones and Mr. Stan that allows the premise to work and Act 3 to not quite slip into full blown absurdity. Without giving anything else away, I can admit that this referendum on dating and people, presented as a horror film, struck me as a blend of PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN (2020), GET OUT (2017), and a personal favorite, EATING RAOUL (1982).

Streaming exclusively on HULU beginning March 4, 2022

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Posted by David Ferguson

HUDA’S SALON (2022)

March 3, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. Writer-director Hany Abu-Assad has had two films nominated for the Best Foreign Language Oscar. OMAR (2013) and PARADISE NOW (2005) were both excellent and deserving of such regard. His latest in ‘based on true events’ from Bethlehem, West Bank in Occupied Palestine. He shows us the intimidating wall around the city and points out the vulnerability of local women.

Reem (Maisa Ebd Elhadi) is in the chair for her appointment with Huda (Manal Awad) at the salon. The banter between the two women shows an obvious connection between a long-time client and her stylist. However, it’s the first visit in a while as Reem has recently had a baby, and the infant is along for this appointment. The cheerful conversation comes to an abrupt halt following Huda’s shocking actions. This extended take is difficult for us as viewers, as we see the entire thing unfold.

The ultimate betrayal between friends leads to a direct conversation that has Reem grasping for a proper solution and fearing for her life. Huda’s actions have placed Reem and her family in imminent danger. Huda has blackmailed Reem into providing information to Israel’s Secret Service … spying on her community. On top of tending to her infant child and worrying about her new perilous situation, Reem is also dealing with a jealous husband at home. Yusef (Jalal Masarwa) thinks his biggest concern is a wife who may be sneaking around on him (she’s not), when in fact, the danger is much more severe.

After the initial sequence in the salon, the bulk of the film is a back and forth between Reem desperately trying to save herself and her baby, and Huda being interrogated by Hasan (Ali Suliman), a Palestinian pushing Huda to identify those she has “turned” in the same manner she blackmailed Reem. The contrast between these two concurrent threads is striking. While both are ominous, Huda is exceedingly cool under pressure while Reem is frantic. The reason for the differences: Huda is resigned to her fate, while Reem remains hopeful.

It’s The Occupation versus The Resistance, and to be a traitor likely means death. But what to do when blackmailed and caught in a no-win situation? That’s Reem’s predicament. At the same time, Huda, already a societal outcast as a divorcee, has played her role and fully understands what that means. To ensure we “get” the existence women are living, director Abu-Assad inserts a scene in a clinic where a pregnant woman begs for another test after it’s announced she’s having another daughter. This perfectly illustrates the value of women caught up in the geopolitical battle between Israel and Palestine.

In theaters and On Demand beginning March 4, 2022

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE BATMAN (2022)

February 28, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. Riddle me this: does “The Bat, The Cat, and The Rat” sound more like an opening line to a joke or the title of a Dr. Seuss book? In fact, those are three core elements of this new, COVID-delayed, and highly anticipated film from writer-director Matt Reeves and co-writer Peter Craig. I’ll confess to being a huge fan of Christopher Nolan’s ‘Dark Knight’ trilogy (that concluded 10 years ago), and being a bit skeptical to a new version featuring Robert Pattinson in the titular role (I’m choosing to totally ignore the in-between portrayals in the “Justice League” movies). Knowing full well how important it is for fans to watch these films with fresh eyes and a clear head, this review is purposefully vague on what will surely prove to be some of the more popular and contentious discussion points.

Let’s start with a general description and the setup. The film is dark and gloomy and gritty and grimy. Gotham is a cesspool of corruption and crime, and we get no glimpse into the other side, assuming there is one. Billionaire Bruce Wayne (Robert Pattinson) is still in his second year as the Batman, often referred to as “Vengeance”. There is substantial backstory for Mr. Wayne, who lives in relative seclusion with his trusty manservant Alfred Pennyworth (Andy Serkis), while the Batman prowls at night in his efforts to clean up the city. Of course he is unable to keep pace with crime and corruption, even with the close alliance he has built with good cop, Police Lt. James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright). It takes Batman’s Poirot-like detective skills to solve a riddle left as a clue in a particularly high-profile murder case. Soon it’s obvious a serial killer is at work and he has purposefully drawn the Batman into his game.

The caped crusader proceeds to cross paths with Selena Kyle/Catwoman (a terrific Zoe Kravitz), Oswald Cobblepot/Penguin (an unrecognizable Colin Farrell), District Attorney Gil Golson (Peter Sarsgaard), and crime lord Carmine Falcone (John Turturro). As city VIPs begin showing up dead, it’s a masked Edward Nashton/Riddler (Paul Dano) who always seems a step ahead. All of the above receive their chance to shine on screen, and while none let us down, it’s not until the mask is ripped from Riddler, and Dano really shines, that we are left wanting more. It should be noted that Farrell (with his facial prosthetics and fat suit) is kind of a second fiddle here, but it’s surely intentional and meant to set the stage for more Penguin antics down the road.

Pattinson will certainly receive the most scrutiny. I found him to be an excellent Batman, with black eye makeup smeared by sweat under his cowl, maintaining the grungy tone. His whispery voice differs from Christian Bale’s gravely growl, but works for the character’s withdrawn nature and preference for detective work over than fighting. Staying true to the premise that this is only his second year, there is a significant shortage of “wonderful toys”, and the batmobile is less rocket ship and more souped-up coupe. The contrast to these is a batsuit that seems quite advanced (and looks cool). It’s Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne that didn’t work for me. I respect the reclusive billionaire aspect, but he mostly looks like someone on their way to a Nirvana gig, leaving us wondering how the heck could anyone not connect the dots between a creepy rich guy and a nearly identical creepy guy in a bat suit. It’s a minor complaint, but one that stuck with me.

Oscar-winning composer Michael Giacchino (UP, 2009) takes a more classical approach than the dramatics of predecessors Hans Zimmer and Danny Elfman. Giacchino has been a frequent Pixar contributor, and scored some well-known blockbusters in franchises like ‘Jurassic World’, ‘Star Trek’, ‘Planet of the Apes’, ‘Mission Impossible’, ‘Spider-man’, and ‘Star Wars’. His work fits nicely here. Adapting characters and stories originated by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, Matt Reeves and Peter Craig have found a way to put their own stamp on the work. Mr. Craig is Oscar winner Sally Field’s son, and his previous scripts include THE TOWN (2010), parts 1 and 2 of THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY, and upcoming high-profile projects in TOP GUN: MAVERICK and GLADIATOR 2. Director Reeves has previously helmed the excellent horror film LET ME IN (2010), as well as DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (2014) and WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES (2017).

This marks the first in a planned Batman trilogy, and a couple of the last scenes seemingly set the stage for what’s to come. Although this is an odd movie, here’s hoping the franchise maintains this tone and avoids the typical Marvel/DC overblown CGI approach. After all, the Batman is but one man, not a God of superpowers. This film is an unusual blend of noir-horror-detective-action-psychological thriller wrapped in a gray box with a black bow, and though it will likely be divisive among fans (isn’t everything?), this 3-hour epic leaves us anticipating the next ‘bat time’ and ‘bat channel’.

Opens wide in theaters on March 4, 2022

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE DESPERATE HOUR (2022)

February 25, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. Given the tragic and inexcusable frequency of real world school shootings, it’s debatable whether the topic should be considered as the basis for a movie – even one that focuses on the emotional turmoil of mother and student. Regardless of anyone’s opinion on that, this viewer found very little of value in the film, outside of Naomi Watts’ efforts. It’s not particularly entertaining as a thriller, and some of the details that play out here would be comical, if not for the subject matter.

Two-time Oscar nominee Naomi Watts stars as widowed single mother Amy Carr. The one-year anniversary of the car crash that killed her husband has arrived, and those haunting visions still jolt her from a deep sleep. After calling in to work for a personal day, failing to roust her teenage son Noah (Colton Gobbo) from bed, and ensuring young daughter Emily (Sierra Maltby) is safely on the school bus, Amy heads out for a morning jog.

From that point on, most of what happens stretches the bounds of believability to the point that a few eye rolls are perfectly acceptable. Amy’s jog somehow takes her miles into a forest, and yet she manages to hold more phone conversations than an old-time switchboard operator. That is, until she learns of the active shooter. This triggers sporadic cell coverage – now she has it, now she doesn’t. Her magic phone does allow crazy fast and detailed GPS information, and yet the most ridiculous LYFT order ever. It’s clear every driver in town has had some form of car crash and evidently they all have dealt with the body shop across from the school, where the most helpful attendant in history answers Amy’s calls. The same can be said for the 911 operator she reaches multiple times – despite the local urgent and dangerous situation. And if I haven’t used the word ludicrous yet, that’s the best description of Amy’s interactions with local law enforcement … after her sprained ankle and slight concussion.

On the plus side, Ms. Watts gives the role everything she has. And since it’s a “pandemic” movie, almost every scene features her going solo. She’s a true professional that simply can’t save the material. Phillip Noyce directed one of my favorite underrated thrillers, DEAD CALM (1989), and is best known for the Harrison Ford – Jack Ryan thrillers PATRIOT GAMES (1992) and CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER (1994). Screenwriter Chris Sparling was behind a far superior ‘one-actor’ film with BURIED (2010). A certain amount of guilt goes with criticizing this movie, given the topic; however, the exploitive nature and gimmicky elements prevent any other approach. The ending is an absurd display of social media with the all-too-familiar cry of “this has to stop.” Noyce’s film leaves us with the message that school shootings are horrible. It’s a message that I’m confident the vast majority of us have already received even before watching Naomi Watts run for 80 minutes.

In Theaters, on Digital, and On Demand February 25, 2022

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Posted by David Ferguson

BUTTER (2022)

February 24, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. Being a high school kid has always been challenging, and today’s added pressures of social media makes being an outlier almost unbearable at times. Writer-director Paul A Kaufman (in his feature film directing debut) has adapted the 2012 novel by Erin Jade Lange into a film that tackles several emotional hurdles, some of which are downright devastating.

Marshall (an excellent Alex Kirsting) is a morbidly obese high school student. He plays a mean jazz saxophone, yet yearns to be heard, seen, and accepted as a person, rather than as a target for the bullies who call him “Butter”. He weighs in at 423 pounds at the dietician’s office, and he’s catfishing Anna (McKaley Miller), his secret crush at school. Online, he’s posing as JP, a soccer star at a private school, and Anna confides secrets so that he can provide sage advice. At home, his mother (Mira Sorvino) enables him with her ‘food art’, while his dad (Brian Van Holt) barely acknowledges the presence of his fat son.

There are no heroes in this story, and despite being partially described as a comedy, this is in fact a dark commentary on how people behave. Butter is so fed up (unintended pun) and desperate to be seen, he devises a plan to go out with a bang. He creates a website and announces online that he will literally eat himself to death. Yep, suicide by smorgasbord at midnight on New Year’s Eve via live webcast. The reaction of his fellow students catches him off guard. Butter becomes popular overnight. People talk to him … while at the same time placing bets and serving up menu suggestions for the final feast.

Butter also provides the narration to his own story, and along the way we meet his doctors played by Ravi Patel and Annabeth Gish, and a supportive teacher played by Mykelti Williamson who encourages Butter to expand his musical talents. We note how attitudes change once communication and interactions replace withdrawal and ignoring. Some of the heavy topics handled here include bullying, suicide, depression, eating disorders, low self-esteem, a lack of empathy and compassion, and body-shaming. It’s interesting to watch as the classmates and Butter get to know each other, how Anna shows there is more to her than a pretty face, and how Butter’s parents seem oblivious to their son’s internalized feelings. The film does get a little preachy near the end, but for the most part, it’s a pretty effective look at what it’s like being an outcast.

In theaters February 25, 2022

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Posted by David Ferguson

CREATION STORIES (2022)

February 24, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. As a kid in Glasgow, Alan McGee’s dream was the same as many others: he wanted to make it big in the music business. A TV appearance by The Sex Pistols lit the proverbial fire, and Alan became obsessed. However, as he states in the film, “I didn’t have any talent, which limited my opportunities.” What he did possess was ambition and commitment. The last few years have produced an abundance of music biopics, yet this one isn’t based on a great singer, songwriter, or guitar player. Instead, director Nick Moran and co-writers Dean Cavanagh and Irvine Welsh have adapted Alan McGee’s autobiography, “The Creation Records Story: Riots, Raves and Running a Label.”

The film begins with the tagline, “most of this happened”, and of course, we understand that when rock ‘n roll is involved, stories get twisted and personalities are exaggerated. Leo Flanagan and Ewen Bremner star as the younger and older Alan McGee, respectively. Flanagan gets the backstory which sets the conflict with McGee’s father, while Bremner, as you have likely guessed, gets the flamboyant and wild events of the later years.

There is a zaniness to the film in that, at times, it has frantic pacing, quick cuts, and psychedelic effects. Suki Waterhouse plays a journalist interviewing McGee on his success, and this provides a touch of structure to a story that otherwise bounces between timelines and business developments so haphazardly that we can’t possibly keep up. McGee and Creation Records were key players in the surge of independent and alternative music in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. The label featured such bands as Primal Scream, The Jesus and Mary Chain, and of course, Oasis.

Bremner is high-octane as the fast-talking McGee, and we believe that he believes he’s running “the coolest record label on the planet.” We are along for the ride in his never-ending quest to find the next band that is “going to be bigger than U2.” He’s a maverick who succumbs to the lifestyle by over-indulging in drugs, and having no obvious business savvy in maintaining what he builds. The Oasis story is particularly well told, and features Jason Flemyng at the King Tut gig. Other supporting work is provided by an unusually high-strung Jason Isaacs, Paul Kaye, and Steven Berkoff in the film’s oddest role. He plays a McGee hallucination of famed occultist and writer Aleister Crowley.

Danny Boyle is an Executive Producer on the film and director Nick Moran has spent much of his career acting, including a role in LOCK, STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS (1998). This combination (as well as a few connected actors) is likely a key to the early Guy Ritchie vibes we sometimes experience. Set Decorator Clare Keyte deserves a shoutout for exceptional work in various time periods and settings. Kudos to Bremner for his all-in approach, but the film works best as one that offers some nostalgia and historical value of a time when the music culture shifted in the UK.

The film will stream on AMC+ and be available On Demand and digital on February 25, 2022

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE LAST DUEL (2021)

February 24, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. This review comes a bit late in regards to last year’s release date, but one of the most fun things about the film was the veteran director’s response to it being one of the biggest box office ‘bombs’ of 2021. Ridley Scott’s blamed those of a certain age group, as he criticized millennials for being too attached to their cell phones to recognize an interesting, informative, and entertaining movie. Octogenarian Scott knows a bit about big budget films after directing such films as ALIEN (1979), BLADE RUNNER (1982), GLADIATOR (2000), PROMETHEUS (2012), and THE MARTIAN (2015), however we get the feeling that his reaction stemmed from ego, and overlooked the fact that older movie goers had not returned to the theater due to the ongoing pandemic.

Based on true events and Eric Jager’s 2004 bestseller, “The Last Duel: A True Story of Trail by Combat in Medieval France”, the script was co-written by Nicole Holofcener, Matt Damon, and Ben Affleck (the latter two being Oscar winners for their GOOD WILL HUNTING script in 1997). Damon and Affleck were initially set to co-star here, but scheduling conflicts forced to Affleck to take a lesser role, allowing for the addition of Adam Driver. The film opens in 1386 as Damon’s Jean de Carrouges and Driver’s Jacques Le Gris prepare for the titular jousting duel. We then flashback to a battle scene during the Hundred Year War featuring the two fighting alongside each other for France.

Utilizing a RASHOMON-inspired story structure, the film is divided into three “The Truth According to …” chapters: Jean de Carrouges, Jacques Le Gris, and Lady Marguerite. A sly use of chapter titles informs us which of these is considered the real truth, but this is 14th century history, so there’s always some doubt. And doubt plays a key role in the crucial conflict at the film’s core. Carrouges and Le Gris have a friendship initially, however where Carrouges is hard and withdrawn, Le Gris is more politically savvy – building a relationship with Pierre (Affleck), powerful cousin to King Charles VI. The friendship dissolves into a rivalry that culminates with Carrouges’s wife Marguerite (Jodie Comer) accusing Le Gris of rape. We see the three versions of this occurrence, leaving little doubt.

What stands out through most of the story is just how little power or standing women had during this time. It was a man’s world and women were treated as property, much the same as a plat of land. But the most ludicrous commentary on the times is the hearing that results in the King authorizing the Duel that will determine a verdict. If Le Gris kills Carrouges, then it is determined that Marguerite was lying and she will be burned to death. If Carrouges kills Le Gris, then his old friend will be considered guilty of rape. Either way is supposedly “God’s will”.

Harriet Walter is perfectly creepy as Jean de Carrouges’ mother, as is Alex Lawther as “The Mad” King Charles VI (age 15 at the time of the duel). I found Damon and Affleck to be distractions in their roles, but Ms. Comer was outstanding – believable in all aspects of the character. Ridley Scott delivered a realistic look to the film, and the brutality and visceral violence are true standouts, especially in the duel. Having the three perspectives worked well, and drove home the point of how delusional men were/are. Surprisingly, there is an undercurrent of contemporary attitude here, and for the most part, Mr. Scott was correct … it’s an entertaining film, even if it wasn’t technically the “last” duel.

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Posted by David Ferguson

TED K (2022)

February 17, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. It’s been more than 25 years since The Unabomber was arrested. The composite sketch of Theodore John Kaczynski wearing sunglasses and a hoodie became an iconic image on its own, and he was the target of the longest and most expensive manhunt in the history of the FBI. There have already been two crime series focused on Kaczynski. Netflix aired “Unabomber: In His Own Words” (2020) and Discovery had “Manhunt: Unabomber” (2017). Do we need to know more about this monster whose bombs killed 3 people and injured 22 others over a 17-year period? Well, writer-director Tony Stone and co-writers Gaddy Davis and John Rosenthal believe so.

A prologue with text details most of what we already know – Kaczynski was a Harvard educated math genius who dropped out of society and moved to the Rocky Mountains in Montana. Following that, the opening sequence sets the stage as we see Kaczynski hiding in the forest eyeing a family zipping around on snow mobiles. This is all accompanied by Blanck Mass music that falls into the category I call ‘doom-droning’. It’s ominous music so blatant that no one could possibly think anything good is about to happen. And of course, nothing good does happen.

Sharlto Copley (DISTRICT 9, 2009) stars as Kaczynski, and if there is a complaint to be made against this movie, it’s that Copley’s performance is so strong that we begin to see this monster as a human being. Living 25 years in a ten by twelve-foot backwoods cabin he built with his brother, Kaczynski doesn’t make the case for nature vs nurture, but rather nature vs tech intrusions. He seems mostly fine in his isolation until disturbed by the seasonal snow mobiles, four-wheelers, jet noise, or ongoing lumber harvesting. Of course, he was never really fine. He was a sexually frustrated misogynist who became a dysfunctional and delusional and dangerous man. In a voiceover, he states, “I act merely for my desire for revenge.”

Much of the film is pulled directly from the 25,000 pages of coded journals found in the cabin. The deluded thoughts of a man who considered modern technology to be evil and used a hit list to identify the targets for his homemade bombs … bombs that often injured unintended victims. Copley plays him as a wide-eyed guy with the expected undercurrent of intelligence masked by one so unhinged he personally delivers his complaint letter to the customer service desk of the phone company – over a few dimes and quarters lost over time.

The film was shot on location on the Montana land owned by Kaczynski. The cabin has been expertly recreated and cinematographer Nathan Corbin does a terrific job in catching the beauty of nature, as well as the elements that so bothered Kaczynski. Frequently wearing sunglasses and riding his bicycle into town to visit the library, we also see him listening to classical music on the radio – and begging his mother and brother (the one who tipped off the FBI) for money (to finance his bombing trips). The film is well written, professionally directed, expertly photographed, and well performed. However, I can’t shake the uneasiness over whether we really want to see one of our most unconscionable monsters humanized to this degree.

In theaters and On Demand beginning February 18, 2022

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Posted by David Ferguson

A BANQUET (2022)

February 17, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. For her first feature film, director Ruth Paxton tackles an ambitious story from writer Justin Bull. It’s not an easy film to describe to someone who hasn’t seen it, and it’s even a bit of a challenge to have a discussion with anyone who has seen it. I’m not even sure whether to agree with the “horror” label, or if “psychological drama” is more accurate. It’s all this uncertainty that keeps us watching the film, while also contributing to the dissatisfaction we feel at its conclusion.

Sienna Guillory stars as Holly, mother of two teenage daughters and caregiver to her very sick husband. The opening sequence shows the grizzly death that leaves Holly a widowed single mother. Betsey (Jessica Alexander) is fast-approaching college age and has a close relationship with her mother, while younger daughter Izzy (Ruby Stokes) is a developing ice skater who lives somewhat in the shadow of her big sister. This suburban family is rocked again when Betsey experiences an unexplained phenomenon under a blood moon after she drifts from the high school party she’s attending.

Betsey’s bizarre behavior goes far beyond the oddities we expect from teenagers. First of all, she refuses to eat. Not just vegetables, but anything. This goes on for weeks, and the most baffling part to mother Holly and the doctors (and viewers) is that Betsey doesn’t lose weight. Despite multiple weigh-ins per day and zero food intake, she maintains a normal appearance. Betsey proclaims, “I’m not anorexic”, and in our first clue, speaks of an impending cataclysmic event.

“It’s coming” and “Not much longer” are the strange and vague predictions Betsey utters. All the while, Holly is doing what she can to help her daughter. Holly’s mother June (Lindsay Duncan) arrives to offer advice and guidance, while Izzy is mostly left to her own devices as all attention is paid to mom’s “special” daughter. The interaction between these four female characters crossing three generations is quite intriguing for us to watch unfold.

How do you fix something (or someone) when you don’t know what the problem is? It’s a frightening premise, and when it involves a teenager, it can glide into the horror realm. However, the film is overloaded with elements and possibilities: eating disorders, possession, exorcism, teenage body image, spiritual awakening, and even supernatural or alien presence. The film is so ambitious and always seems on the brink of entering the realm of excellence, yet it seems to fizzle at each crucial moment. When there is a break in the parent/child bond, the love and support of the parent is crucial, even if the ailment is a mystery.

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Posted by David Ferguson

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