Fantasia 2015 Film Review - Raiders!

Eric Zala remembers clearly the July 1981 debut of Raiders of the Lost Arc. His future collaborator Chris Strompolos recalls seeing the film and the urge to recreate it. Strompolos knowing that he could not do this on his own spotted Eric reading a Raiders comic one day on the bus to school and struck up a conversation. The pair added Jayson Lamb who had a nose for special effects to form the core members needed to get the project off the ground.  The trio along with friends and siblings proceeded to spend the next 7 summers working on the film completing every shot except for the airplane flying wing scene that was out of their budget and expertise.

The documentary Raiders! covers several main story-lines. It shows scenes from the original VHS tape made by the boys which is unique and compelling because they did not shoot the film in order leading to large swings in ages of the players as the film goes along. The documentary  adds new material following the attempt  to get that one missing scene completed. Plus the ever changing relationship between Zala and Strompolos is the underlying thread of the film.

In the opening scene Zala and Strompolos try to secure the capital needed to shoot the airplane scene. The pair work an old time Mississippi gentleman for the money. Directors Jeremy Coon and Tim Skousen pace the film smartly. They show shots from the VHS tape, mix in stories about the main three creators along with other friend that played parts in the film. Many cast members played multiple parts especially Eric brother who had roles such as Egyptian digger #2 and Nazi solider #3. The comments from Eric and Chris' family are also good additions to the narrative. Eric's mother was particularly closely involved as their house was the main set with the Zala living room turning into a movie set summer after summer. Chris' mom had an important role as well.  She worked for the local TV station and secured the cameras for the boys that they used in the shoot.

The spark for the revival of the project can be traced back to the 2002 Butt- Numb-A- Thon film marathon. An event where super movie geeks get together to watch films vintage films, premiers and trailers for 24 hours straight normally featuring a first screening of a major film for that year. Major attendees Director Eli Roth and Ain't it Cool News' Harry Knowles got their hands on a copy of the boys film and decided to show it at the event. They ran it at breakfast ahead of the big release that year Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Forty-five minutes in to the screening they had to shut it off to show Two Towers resulting in boo's from the captivated audience. The reaction led the pair to track down the authors for a special screening with the full premier treatment.

Raider! is an entertaining romp that will have audiences rooting for the kids and their adult alter egos complete the project. The directors handle the material well especially using a clever device of showing the boys scenes side by side with the original film. It's an enjoyable time at the movies and a film that I can recommend.

*** 1/2 out of 4

Raiders! | Jeremy Coon / Tim Skousen | U.S.A. | 2015 | 104 Minutes.

Tags: Re create, Shot for Shot , Kids, 7 Year project, High School, Butt-Numb-A -Thon, Harry Knowles, Eli Roth.

Fantasia Film Festival 2015 Film Review - Therapy for a Vampire

The resurgence of the comedic Vampire film started with last years What We do in the Shadows. The trend continues with David Ruhm's strong Austrian entry Therapy for a Vampire. The pair of films serve to wash away the pain of past disastrous attempts as the George Hamilton vehicle Love at First Bite or the even worse production Once Bitten. Count Geza von Kozsnom (Tobias Moretti) has a problem.  It's now 1932, he no longer loves his wife and fears that time has run out to reacquaint with his true love Nadila who promised to return to him after her death centuries ago in Constantinople. To relieve his heartache he seeks out professor Sigmund Freud (Karl Fischer) commencing treatment sessions nightly at 8:00 PM. The Countess Elsa (Jeanette Hain) is obsessed by the fact that she cannot see her reflected image. She is desperate and would consider any option to know her true face.  The other couple in the feature have their own issues. Vicktor (Dominic Oley) has a fantasy vision of his fiancé  Lucy (Conelia Ivancan) in mind that she stubbornly refuses to acknowledge. His vision happens to be Nadila, the Count's lost love. Plus Vicktor is an expert portrait painter and probably the only person that can grant the Countess' wish.

Writer /Director David Ruhm weaves an ever unspooling narrative.  The writing is robust; simple concepts and phrases morph several times over to produce amusing results. Ruhm does not only focus on the main actors in the film. The narrative gives plenty of opportunity for the secondary characters in the cast to shine. As in most Vampire film the chief action occurs at night however the presentations is far from dreary. Cinematographer Martin Gascladt uses his main ally the moonlight to illuminate the proceedings especially for shots in and around the Kozsnom schloss. The moon plays a duel role in the piece as the cycle of the full moon provides a major plot point to the production.

Tobias Moretti deftly plays the lead role. He's bored of the eternal life, drinks only bottled blood and attends sessions with the Professor to restore his will to carry on. Jenette Hain devours the role of Countess Elsa von Kozsnom. She puts extra gusto into her nightly feeding hunts.  The Countess has a look of a true huntress in her eye but can turn sweet and gentle if needed to get what she wants. Anatole Taubman is also very effective as the third member of the von Kozsnom household. Ignaz is their driver, finds targets for the Count, doubles as their butler and disposes of the bodies after his masters have fed. He also benefits from a strong comedic twist after he unknowingly completes a hypnotic suggestion authored by the Count.

Therapy for a Vampire is a witty vampire tale that features prominently several aspects of vampire legend. Mirrors, garlic, stakes and crosses all figure prominently in the script. Rhum makes particularly good use of the Vampire obsession with counting several times in the narrative. The cast is strong, the dialogue falls into a superb rhythm and 1932 Vienna is an ideal setting for the story. It's a film that I highly recommend.

**** Out of 4.

Therapy for a Vampire | David Ruhm | Austria /Switzerland | 2015 | 87 Minutes.

Tags: Psychology, Sigmund Freud, 1932, Vienna, Constantinople, Reincarnation, Eternal Life, Flying, Transfusion, Steak Haus.

Fantasia Film Festival 2015 Film Review - Bridgend

Sara (Hannah Murray) is the new girl in town in the Welsh Valley community of Bridgend. She arrives with her police detective widower dad (Steven Waddington) and her horse Snowy. A grey dreary atmosphere hovers above the town that's experiencing a high number of teen suicide deaths. The count hit 23 when Sara and her dad pulled into the driveway of their new residence.

Sara meets her peers in her first few days of school. Laurel (Elinor Crawley) finds Sara at the stable where she's grooming Snowy inviting her to the main hangout spot in the woods by the lake.  The area is also the location where most of the teens committed suicide usually leaving no note. There she meets the rest of the group and has an immediate connection with both Thomas (Scott Arthur) the apparent leader of the group and Jamie (Josh O'Conner) who is more of a quiet brooder. The lake is the private domain of the troop where they skinny dip, drink, smoke and build bonfires. As they leave at the end of Sara's first visit they pass the shrine at the spot where the last victim Mark took his life. The teens lift their heads to the sky and shout out his name at the top of their lungs in a ritualistic fashion all except Sara who is still new to the behaviour.

Writer/Director Jeppe Ronde adapts a story that dominated the headlines in the area. The Bridgend Suicide Incidents as they are known peaked between 2007 and 2009 when almost all of the deaths were by hanging. Cinematographer Magnus Nordenhof Jonk work stands out in the feature. A lot of the action is shot in the woods. Jonk's use of natural lighting and shadows in the forest catches the viewers eye from the opening frame of the piece. The film also uses as a device scenes shot through window panes as a character looks through to observe unfolding events.

The ensemble cast handle their roles well. Hannah Murray of Skins and Game of Thorns fame character Sara shows key instances of growth throughout the film as she draws closer to the fold. Adrian Rawlins is notable in a smaller role as the local Vicar and Jamie's dad. He tries to reach out to the teens to offer support from the Church but is mocked by the group often with Jamie standing quietly by.

Bridgend is an eerie obsessive feature that brings the viewer deeper into the increasing groupthink of the Valley teens. Their activities are pack like with severe consequence inflicted on anyone showing a desire to depart the circle. Director Ronde presents the material plainly. The production does not put their slant on the events. The closest comment to a reason comes from Jamie when he responds that their view is not what this is to a theory presented by an adult.

*** Out of 4.

Bridgend | Jeppe Ronde | Denmark | 2015 | 93 minutes.

Tags; Suicide, Cult, Wales, The Valley, Teens, Woods, Ritual, Police, Church.

Fantasia Film Festival 2015 Film Review - Ant Man

Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) has a particular set of skills; unfortunately his talents lie on the wrong side of the law. As the films opens Lang is released from San Quentin after a three-year stint picked up by his former cellmate Luis (Michael Pena) who already has job in mind for the old crew to pull off. Scott explains to the group that he is not a robber, did not use weapons and stole only from the rich who had wronged their community. He also has a young daughter that he wants to see grow up plus her future new step dad is a cop. At the same time Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) who was forced out of his company by his daughter Hope (Evangeline Lilly) and former protégé Dan Cross (Corey Stoll) learns that the Enterprise is on the verge of duplicating his work. Pym had shut down his research a generation ago as he saw the dangerous implications of the technology in the hands of the military.

Director Peyton Reed brings to the screen a superhero tale that is bright, funny, light hearted and ver playful. An approach used in last summers Marvel hit Guardians of the Galaxy (that also sneak peaked at Fantasia). Writer and original director Edgar Wright plays a balancing act between the comical and absurd and occasion wobbles towards the latter. The narrative shines presenting the chain of events that bring Pym and Lang together. Only outdone when it builds on the two father daughter relationships at the centre of the film.

As in any action film the action sequences, sound and massive destruction on a large scale are key.  Ant- Man scores an A in all three categories. Look for a key plot point delivered through a Marvel cross franchise pollination sequence. Ant-Man's first appearance demonstrates how ordinary daily items turn into a minefields when your stature is reduced to that if a pea. The production design team did memorable work turning everyday hand held items into potential propellants of death. The destruction meter is turned way up as well especially when our hero has in his hand discs that can shrink or more spectacularly enlarge any item they strike.

Paul Rudd turns in a solid performance as good hearted criminal Scott Lang. Rudd is at his strongest when he doggedly sticks with an activity despite multiple failures. Cory Stoll is notable as Pym's former protege turned rival Cross who keeps pushing to solve the Pym equation paying little attention to who or what gets destroyed as a result.  Judy Greer is strong in a very limited role as Rudd's soon to be ex-wife Maggie. She could have been given more to do in the production but does deliver a key line; Be the hero that your daughter thinks that you are that motivates Scott in his battles.

Ant-Man is an enjoyable film that keeps the heavy dramatics to a minimum. It's a true summer popcorn film that is pure family entertainment.  Director Peyton Reed takes a differently slant on the super hero genre building seamlessly on Edgar Writes voice and vision. It's a film that I can recommend.

*** Out of 4.

 Ant- Man | Peyton Reed | 2015 | U.S. A | 117 Minutes.

Tags;  Science Fiction, Comic Book, Marvel, Burglary, Atoms, Defence Contract, Father / Daughter, Ex-Con.

Fantasia Film Festival 2015 Film Review - Miss Hokusai

Haniko Sugiura was a Japanese Manga (Comic) Artist focused on the Edo period in Japan's history when the fighting amongst different warrior factions eased and the merchant class came to the front of Japanese society. A shift from years of internal warfare lead the inhabitants of Edo (modern day Tokyo) to other pursuits chiefly geisha's, brothels and Art. Since Sugiura was a devotee to the Edo period it is fitting that her manga centered on O-Ei the daughter of the most famous artist of the period Tetsuzo would be the material that director Keiichi Hara and screenplay writer Miho Mauro adapted for their film Miss Hokusai.

Set in 1814, O-Ei is living in several different worlds.  She's assistant to her famous Artist father whose only interest is to paint.  As E-Oi states early on in the film her nutty father doesn't clean, doesn't smoke so when a home becomes cluttered with crumpled disregarded sketch paper they just pack up and move elsewhere. Her second and most compelling role is big sister to O-Nao who was born blind and lives with her mother. E-Oi's parents are divorced and Tetuszo does not have any interest in a blind daughter perhaps for superstitious reasons or that being blind O-Nao cannot appreciate or help with his art. The third area is her personal life. He dad taunts her remarking that she is not a good liar therefore she is unable to get a husband. E-Oi has many potential suitors among the apprentices and Artist that come around to see her father for his wisdom and guidance.  The main one is Hatsuguro who our protagonist regularly moves towards then pulls away from throughout the film.

Production I.G. presents a superior animated feature. The characters are crisp and their movements sharp. In one memorable sequence  O-Ei and O-Nao take a boat ride that brings them beneath the main bridge where the merchants sell their wares.  The viewer is brought right into O-Nao's world as she picks out the distinct noises from the bridge above. Another key moment involves the sisters as the elder gives the younger a piggyback.  Their father walking towards them does not acknowledge the pair. The sky shifts from light to dark as the family members intersect O-Nao having no idea that her father has failed to acknowledge her once again.


Miss Hokusai is a historical tale set in the Japanese Edo period. Tokyo in its infancy.  The production gives an educational view of the main elements of the era. Merchants, Artists, Ladies and Drink are at the players as a society shifts its attention from years of regional wars to a united country.  It's a film I can recommend.

*** Out of 4.

Miss Hokusai | Keiichi Hara | 2015 | Japan | 93 Minutes.

Tags:  Animated Feature, Tetsuzo Hokusai, Painting, 1814, Edo,  Japanese History,  Blindness, Merchants, Brothels, Apprentice, Rival, Blindness.

NXNE Film Review - Raw: The Amy Winehouse Story

Amy Winehouse's life had certain inevitability to it from the first time she burst onto the scene. She was surrounded by a series of enablers and hangers on that unfortunately included her closest relatives. A weak support network mixed with a bad self-image plus a close analysis of the lyrics  show the observer where the talented artist was headed. Raw: The Amy Winehouse Story tells the tale of a brief life through a series of interviews, first had accounts of the events and home videos supplied by family and friends. The documentary starts off in and around the release of her first album Frank.  The home videos that focus on the main people in Amy's life at the time seem somewhat eerie when she sings songs inspired by those events. The lyrical element is crystalized especially due to Director Asif Kapadia's device of displaying the lyrics on screen as Winehouse delivers them.  At this point Amy appears to be at her happiest being a pure jazz musician playing clubs and festivals. It's during one of these early interviews that she makes the comment on how she could not handle it if she truly became a famous public figure.

Kapadia who had earlier success with his documentary on Ayrton Senna does not attempt to influence the narrative but lets the footage and interviews play out as they will. He speaks to Amy's long time friends Juliette Ashby and Lauren Gilbert, her first manager turned close friend Nick Shymansky, ex- husband Blake Fielder and later professional influences that clearly did not have the singer's best interest at heart. The most curious subject is her father Mitch Winehouse who Amy would have listened to if he said she was in a bad way and needed help. But clearly he did not do fuelling her addiction by making Amy thing that she was fine. The debate amongst family, friends and her manager plus her dad's stance served as the foundation of her biggest hit Rehab.

When the feature turns to Amy's childhood we see a happy outgoing child that was full of joy and energy. This all changed when her parents divorced when she was 9 leading Amy to soon realize that her mother could not control her and she could smoke weed, bring boys over and do whatever she wanted. A circumstance that is shocking similar to the account of another tortured artist, member of the notorious 27 club and subject of a current documentary. Kurt Cobain's parents also divorced when he was 9 shattering his happy childhood. In an audition for a record label at 16 we see a healthy girl who succulently states that the music on the radio today does not speak to her.  She writes her own songs plays guitar and sings with the voice of a jazz / blues singer from the 20's. Her artists aren't on Top of the Pops but rather the classics sung by Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Tony Bennett.

The subject matter on the screen is often hard to watch. Her two best friends tell the incident of how they found her unconscious on the floor in a tropical resort apartment after a long distance lovers quarrel with Blake. Another of her held up in her Camden North London flat with Fielder grotesquely abusing heroin that eventually landed her in hospital and him in jail. On top of the alcohol and drug abuse she was destroying her inner organs through episodes of bulimia dating back to her teens. A subject that her family members viewed as a running joke or as her dad Mitch commented was not a big deal. Another foreshadowing sequence is her satellite performance from London during the 2008 Grammy awards when she won Record of the year. It's an occasion when Amy is sober and should be a highlight but in a quite moment after the win all she can think of is that the moment is boring because she is not on drugs. Lastly, the topper is promoter turned Manager Raye Cosbert's 2011 Belgrade Festival booking. Winehouse was enjoying a good period before the event, had to binge drink to get on the plane, appeared completely smashed on stage, refused to sing and was eventually booed off the stage.

Raw: The Amy Winehouse Story is at a time where a sad tragic tale of a great voice that was taken from the world too soon. The chaos and additions peppered thorough her family, business and personal relationships set the singer on a path that would only end one way. There were certain points and opportunities for people close to her to help her avoid her impending fate but the really distressing point may be that without the factors in her life her music may not have been as rich and powerful.  As Amy stated early on in her career that she won't right a song unless it was personal.  It's a documentary exploration that I highly recommend.

4 Out of 4.

Amy | Asif Kapadia | U.K |  2015 | 128 Minutes.

Tags: Documentary , Biography, Voice, Musician, Old Soul, Father/Daughter, Camden, Grammy, Heroin, Bulimia, Rehab, 27 Club.

Film Review- Minions

The Minions were around long before man walked the earth. Their one and only goal has always been to have someone to serve preferably the biggest baddest boss. The Minions have always been successful in finding a boss. Their difficulty has been keeping a boss to serve. For some reason they seem to constantly have mishaps that lead to an unfortunate fate for their chosen leader.  After a particularly bad outcome in the early 19th century the Minions retreated up north near the Arctic Circle for several generations. But with no one to serve they began to atrophy become  slow in their movement and loose all enthusiasm and energy. One day Kevin came forward with a plan to head south to find a new boss to invigorate the tribe. He had two partners Bob and Stuart. The three set out on their journey eventually landing in 1968 New York City greeted by the Statute of Liberty, a clothes line with perfect fitting overalls and the Rolling Stone's 19th Nervous Breakdown.

The trio soon find their target Scarlet Overkill (voiced by Sandra Bullock) the top villain in the world and the main attraction at Villain Com 1968 in Orlando. The protagonists soon find a ride along side a family of bank robbers lead by Walter and Madge Nelson (Michael Keaton & Alison Janney). At the Convention the Minions win a challenge to become Scarlett's new henchmen and head off to London to serve their mistress and her inventor husband Herb (John Hamm).

Directors Kyle Balda and Pierre Coffin deliver an entertaining feature that is enjoyable for both children and adults alike. Writer Brian Lynch's script is long on dialogue that is not overwhelmed by the action on the screen as is often the case in animated features.  The Minions speak in their own language that is just recognizable enough to tell where the conversation is going. The story is easy to follow as is the main plot point.  The trio get a task to complete from their mistress and the consequences of failure are not to subtly outlined.

Sandra Bullock is notable in her first true villain role as the voice for Scarlet Overkill. She is the master criminal in the world, an expert in hand to hand combat, but underneath it the pain of a her youth as a poor, underprivileged, invisible little girl is still fresh in her mind and the main reason for her megalomania.  Look for Jennifer Saunders voice work as QEII in two memorable scenes. First in the Royal Carriage with Stuart when she demonstrates her best wrestling moves. Then later in a local pub as she is on a break from the throne, arm wrestling and telling Queen jokes. Geoffery Rush is also strong as the narrator delivering the details of the Minions history, customs and the actions of the proceedings as they occur.

Minions is an entertaining feature with a tight script, firm sense of the late 60's and a killer soundtrack full of A list performers. The film is well paced and rewarding for moviegoers of all ages.  There is no deep message the production is trying to deliver but in the end the Minions do find their boss with a sense of humour that is very much on their level.  It is a film I can recommend.

*** 1/2 Out of 4.

Minions | Kyle Balda / Pierre Coffin | U.S.A. | 2015 | 91 Minutes.

Tags: Animation, History, Crime, Crown Jewels, Tower of London 1968,New York City, Orlando.