Film Review - The Girl With All The Gifts

The Zombie Apocalypse is very mainstream these days.  The resurgence can be traced to Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later right though last years South Korean thriller Train to Busan not to mention Televisions The Walking Dead that is into it's 7th season.  The Canadian government even debated the issue in a 2013 Question Period session. The story always starts with the same premise. A fast spreading virus effects the population quickly. The virus is spread with a bite and the victim turns into an undead entity that craves living flesh particularly brains. Each adapter puts a twist on the narrative. The abilities of the zombies differ, the name for the undead changes but there is usually a military presence and some talk of a potential cure.

When we first meet Melanie (Sennia Nanua) she is in a cell counting quietly as noisy voices shout about transport in the hallway outside. The door opens and Melanie calmly greets the armed soldiers  by name as she is shackled to a wheel chair to be taken to class. There amongst other children her age the group learn mathematics and are told the occasional story that's not on the agenda. One story told by favourite teacher Ms Justineau (Gemma Arterton) is the tale of Pandora and the fate of the world after she opened her box.

Director Colm McCarthy spins a tale based on Mike Carey's script from his novel. The piece has it's own take on the undead world. Zombies are Hungries and they don't move at all unless they catch the sent of live flesh to eat. In an area with no humans they will just stand in place swaying slightly until aroused. A trait that leads to an extremely the suspenseful sequence of the film. Also in the films universe the transformation is almost instantaneous. A bit is followed by a couple of jerky head motions then one is a full hungry.

Melanie and her classmates may be the key to a cure. They were all fetus in the womb of their mothers who caught the virus and ate their way out. They appear human, are ignored by Hungries but do need to feed thus the heavy restraints during transport and while in class. Dr. Caroline Caldwell (Glenn Close) is the lead at the school/ base/ prison experimenting with these kids to see if a cure can be found. Her methods of testing are very intrusive to put it mildly as periodicity students dis spear from class never to return.

Newcomer Sennia Nanua shines in the title role. Her Melanie is very reminiscent of Will Smith Robert Neville in I am Legend. She could be the key to a cure if she will let Dr. Caldwell have her brain and spine. Nanua plays the very smart, polite and resourceful Melanie in the right balance even getting right the over annoying questioning that fits her character.  Gemma Arterton continues a run of strong roles as Ms. Helen. She sees the test subjects as kids and not things as do the majority of her colleagues on the base. She recognizes the unique abilities of Melanie treating her different from the other students leading to constant rebuking from the soldiers and Dr. Caldwell.  Look for Paddy Considine in the hard man role of Sgt. Eddie Parks. He knows these kids are "things" having been out off the base capturing them. He doe not fall for Melanie's intellect being the only person in the film that she speaks ill of.

The Girl With All The Gifts cuts a new path in the crowded Zombie landscape. It has the feel of a cross between  28 Days Later and I am Legend. The production has a different take on the nature, movement and behavior of hungries speaking of adaptations of second and future generations of the species and virus. The story is suspenseful without being gimmicky featuring a plot that unwinds at a comfortable pace making it a film I can recommend.

*** Out of 4.  

The Girl With All The Gifts | Colm McCarthy | UK/USA | 2016 | 111 Minutes.

Tags: Virus, Cure, Military Base, Experiment, Children, Zombies, London, Mask, Restraints, Class.            

   

Flim Review - Beauty and The Beast

As the story goes Emma Watson did not appear in La La Land because she was too demanding, insisted that production be moved to London for her scenes ultimately being too overbearing for the films produces to work with. Ms. Watson cleared up the narrative in a recent interview. She had committed to Beauty and the Beast before the La La Land offer, had horse training, dancing and three months of signing classes ahead of her. She just did not have enough time. Ms. Watson ability as Belle riding the white stallion Pierre is central to two key sequences in the film so her proficiency on the horse went to the heart of her credibility in the role.

The live action edition of Beauty and The Beast works very well. The movement and depth of character displayed by the cursed inhabitants bring the Beast's castle to life despite the dreary, dusty cavernous sections and rooms. The choreography of the antiques is riveting along with their gestures and different features that give an outline of their former human forms.

Belle is always happy and inquisitive in her small French provincial town. She loves to read going everyday to the small library with their limited amount of books. Belle sees reading as a chance to escape to faraway lands. She is different from the other townsfolk especially the other young woman as she does not fawn over sought after bachelor Gaston (Luke Evans). When the family horse Pierre returns without her her dad Maurice (Kevin Kline) his annual trip to the City Belle directs the stallion to bring her to him finding the Beast's castle then taking his place to set him free.  

The set decorators and art departments led by Katie Spencer and James Foster are key in bringing the small French town and the Beast's castle to life. The costume design skills of Jacqueline Durran are the third prong of the key elements to bring the audience firmly into the mid 1800's. The design of the beasts castle stands out amongst all of the setting in the piece. The contrasts of the warm and inviting east wing to the cold and desolate west wing to the constant winter setting due to the curse placed by the Enchantress.

Stephen Chobosky and Evan Spiliotopolos screen writing stays faithful to the original tale. There are some changes most notable the different presentation of LeFou (Josh Gad). The other change is the three new songs Evermore sung by Dan Stevens as the Beast, A wonderfully touching How Does This Moment Last Forever performed by Kevin Kline as Belle's loving protectful dad. Emma Watson voices the third new one Days In The Sun and a retake on the timeless Beauty and the Beast title song.

Emma Watson leads the cast as the strong and Independent Belle. Dan Stevens shows great range in the physically challenging role of the beast. Luke Stevens makes the narcissistic self centered braggart Gaston his own. The afore mentioned role of LeFou gives Josh Gad plenty to do in a large supporting roles.

Beauty and The Beast is a timely well produced and presented update to the iconic 1991 animated film helmed by director Bill Condon. The production features plenty of the elements of the original with the correct mix of modern updates to make the production fresh. A well know cast display their finely tuned singing chops backed by superior set, costume and choreography making it a film that I can highly recommend.

**** Out of 4.

Beauty and the Beast | Bill Condon | U.S.A. | 2017 | 129 Minutes.

Tags: Disney, Fairy Tale, France, Remake, Provincial, Paris, Musical, Rose, Plague, Romance,

Fox Searchlight Film Review - Table 19

Weddings can be a tricky thing.  They can be joyous, they can be painful, they can feel like an obligation or you could be working the event. But even worse than any of the former options a wedding could be just there and have no impact at all. Sneaky talented actress Anna Kendrick plays Eloise who was the maid of honor to her oldest friend and had a major hand in the table seating plans until dumped by the bride's brother Teddy (Wyatt Russell) 2 weeks before the event. So when she's bumped from table 1 to table 19 she has a unique perspective of the consequences as that table is the one for people the happy couple felt obliged to invite but expected that the invitees would have the common sense to decline but still send an appropriate gift from the registry.

Here table mates are a bickering married couple Jerry and Bina Kepp (Craig Robinson and Lisa Kudrow) who are business acquaintances of the bride's dad. Two awkward males on the brides side Walter (Stephen Merchant) who embezzled from the brides uncle and is still serving his sentence in a half -way house and Renzo (Tony Revolori) who's hit puberty with a vengeance, lacks control of his urges and is firmly under hism mom's thumb.  The final member at the odds and ends table is the family childhood nanny Jo (June Squibb) who is looking to take a puff of marijuana at every opportunity she can get.

Writers Jay and Mark Duplass ambitious script splinters in two many directions to be totally effective. Eloise is involved in at least 4 story lines. Including one with a mysterious lobby dweller Huck (Thomas Cocquerel) who's intrigued by Eloise becomes a tool to make Teddy jealous on the dance floor before disappearing from the picture as abruptly as he entered. The multiple directions of the plot effect the development of most of the supporting characters with possible the exception of Jo the Kepps.  The other back corner table mates do not escape their one denominational initial impressions.

The piece does have some comedic moments including a running gag aimed at Bina who is accidentally dressed the same as the resort reception serving staff. Another good extended barb is the central part the wedding cake plays in the production. A third are Walters nervous responses when asked what he does considering he is on a weekend pass from a half-way house.

Table 19 is a valiant attempt to focus on that table that no one would miss if they all got up and left a wedding at once. The cast is talented trying to do as much as possible with the material on the page that overflows in some areas but falls short in others. The end product may serve to catch the eye of a director or producer to cast one of the above credit players in another feature which is where I would head to check out their work.

** Out of 4.

Table 19 | Jeffrey Blitz | Finland / USA | 2017 | 87 minutes.              

Tags: Wedding, Maid of Honor, Reception, Table Seating Politics, Wedding Cake, White Collar Crime, Break Up, Diner, Marijuana, Babysitter, Half Way House.      

TBFF17 Film Review - Life is Too Short.

The end of the world is a topic frequently revisited in film. It's explored through big budget blockbusters focused on how to stop it like Deep Impact, Armageddon and the recent Interstellar. In other instances a more sublet approach is crafted as in Don McKellar's Last Night or Lars von Trier's Melancholia.  Life Is Too Short takes the subtle route.  The film opens in a barbershop with the local homeless lady giving a frantic warning that the end of days is near. From there the story shifts to 4 independent plots of New Yorkers working through complexities in their lives and relationships unaware that the end of the world is at hand. Marcus (Kazy Tauginas) is trying finally land a recurring role as an actor despite a mountain of rejections. He continues to do his urban gang member routine even if it's unsuitable for the role.  His daughter Krystal (Thatcher Johnson-Welden) is his biggest fan while her mom thinks he aught to grow up and get a real job. Tom (Dory Manzour) is a closeted gay man feeling pressure from his boyfriend Joel (Lester Greene) to tell his priest father the truth.

The most compelling story centres around Jennifer (Nelcie Souffrant) who sees psychiatrist Tracy (Natasa Babic) while she contemplates telling her new steady David (Cengiz Dervis) about a serious issue.

Director Antoine Allen weaves in and out of the trials and tribulation of the ensembles daily lives. The narrative focuses on standard issues in the secondary stories, commitments, work life balance, with a couple of criminal elements mixed in. The piece also addresses moral and societal issues in the major threads mentioned above.  

The end of the world element is a device in the background putting the onus on the individuals to deal with personal and professional relationships head on as tomorrow is promised to no one. Nelcie Souffrant is the standout member of the cast as Jennifer. She has a significant personal issue that she is working through with her psychiatrist professionally while having to deal with the ramifications of it privately.

The story has some segments that rise above the others but the piece as a whole has a valuable message to communicate to its audience. It's best to deal with disputes and hard choices in an active manner. If you don't the moment could pass and you may not be able to get it back.

*** Out of 4.

Life is Too Short | Antoine Allen | USA | 2015 | 73 Minutes.

Tags; H.I.V, Affair, Homosexuality, Psychiatry, Mourning, The Church, Corporate Ladder, Robber,
Kidnapper.

TBFF17 Film Review- 9 Rides

9 Rides is an ambitious bordering on guerrilla project that follows an Uber Driver (Dorian Missick) as he picks up and drops off passengers on New Year's Eve 2016. He's working that night to earn extra money as he prepares to cover the finances to his wedding to his girlfriend. As one can glean from the title the film is sectioned into 9 different fares. Between trips the driver thinks about his goals, relationship while trying to reach his girlfriend who has gone out for a supposed quiet New Year's with friends.

Director Matthew A Cherry shot the entire film on an iPhone 6 with the acting taking place in or in the close vicinity to Joe's GMC SUV. The narrative runs though conversation between the driver and passengers, telephone conversations or texts displayed on screen. The film will inevitable bring comparisons to last year's Tangerine that was shot on an iPhone 5 and is also quite similar as it follows the main character on a journey through Los Angeles dealing with family issues while meeting a bunch varying personalities.

The story jumps into ride 5 as a prelude to the action. Joe picks up a single female who begins a flirtation through the mirror that leaves an open ended question as to where reality and ends and the driver's imagination starts with this encounter.  A key theme of the piece is how that vibe in the vehicle changes as each fare enters the vehicle. In the fourth chapter he picks up a couple that are obviously in an abusive relationship. What are the driver's obligations? Should he get involved? What if the female does not accept help to escape the situation if offered?  The warmest episode occurs when he picks up a senior couple from the airport. Their trip to L.A. was a surprise sprung by the husband.  As the driver is about to embark on a new life with his fiancee he wants their key to happiness. The answer is open communication no matter if the subject is good or bad.

The director and cinematographer Richard Vialet do an excellent job creating space in a piece that  could easily give the impression of confinement. Firstly they use the exterior around the vehicle on several occasions to extend the area for the actors. Next shadows and reflections using the vehicles mirrors, natural and artificial light of L.A. at night help to enlarge the films environment.  Lastly shooting several shots from the outside edges of the large SUV help to remove any claustrophobic feelings as well.

Dorian Missick is a strong choice as the driver. He keeps his mind sharply focused on his reason for being out there on New Year's Eve. He engages with his fares the right amount given the situation and the story allows for the silences that naturally occur in a vehicle for higher after the initial polite exchange of conversation begins.

9 Rides tells a series of compelling stories over the course of one evening. The film is shot in a manner that gives the viewer a strong sense of Los Angeles at night. The narrative captures a night in the life of a driver for higher. The different characters met ear fare with a story to tell. It's a compelling bit of modern film making that that is definitely worth a look.

*** 1/2 Out of 4.

9 Rides | Matthew A Cherry | U.S.A. | 2016 |  86 Minutes.

Tags: Uber, Driver, New Year's Eve, iPhone, Los Angeles, Wedding, Abusive, Jealousy, Traffic Stop
            

TBFF17 Film Review - The House on Coco Road

A tribute to strong female role models is at the heart of Damani Baker's The House on Coco Road.  In this very autobiographical documentary feature Baker tells his family story with his mother Fannie Haughton being the central figure of the piece.  The narrative has roots stemming back to Louisiana, through to Los Angeles and on to Oakland with a brief stop in Grenada splitting the Oakland segment. The incredible strength of the females in the director's life is evident throughout along with the uncanny habit of Ronald Reagan poking his nose into the family tale.

The story starts out with the seeming on the surface the most bizarre part of the tale. Why would a mother without telling the father of her two kids, up and move the family to Grenada in 1983 seemingly on a whim. As Damani Baker tells it, in order to understand that action you have to first go backward. From there the film heads back to Geismar, Louisiana to the parcel of land that the family got to control through sharecropping and the grand lady of the family Coco whom Coco road is based. Next during The Great Migration his mother moved as a child to South Central L.A. where she excelled in school eventually ending up at U.C.L.A. in the late 60's at the start of the Black Panther movement. Fannie became the teaching assistant to legendary activist Angela Davis  starting a lifelong friendship. Here we have the first Reagan interference as governor of California who blocked Davis from teaching at U.C.L.A. due to her radical views forcing Fannie out of a job. Later as President Reagan's War on Drugs saw a mountain of drugs flow into the black neighbourhoods of Oakland changing the community forever leading a fearful mom to move her children to Grenada a Utopia in the Caribbean introduced to Fannie by Angela and a spot where she would not have to worry if her kids decided to take a bus on her own.

As riveting as the story is detailing Fannie's involvement with the student movement at UCLA including the shooting of the two Black Panther members at a location she had been at that same day. The palace intrigue for the year the family spent in Grenada are the key elements of the film. Maurice Bishop rose to power in 1979 a socialist platform. He had a large number of women in his cabinet along with supporting, equal rights, free health care and education for all. Ideas that are still a struggle for many Western Nations today. Baker comments that under Grenada's New Jewel Movement black people in positions of power for the first time in his life. Baker's mother had a position from the Ministry of Education while he and his sister played freely on the front gardens with the children of the Prime Minister and other senior ministers.

Reagan appears again as the island nation attempted to build an airport for more international travel.   The U.S. sees the socialist nation as a communist threat and the airport as a military staging ground for the Communist to launch attacks on America. An opportunity soon appeared to invade under the cover of saving the 800 US medical students from danger and restore democracy to the island.

The story is foreboding for events today as Donald Trump is an easy stand in for Reagan. American misdirection has moved from the Caribbean and Central America to the Middle East. While the issues of healthcare, female participation in government at the highest levels and protests are at the most critical point since the 60's. Damani Baker has presented a very personal story filled with a mix of family video, audio tapes , archival footage and letters to recreate more than 50 years of history that I can highly recommend.

**** Out of 4

The House on Coco Road |  Damani Baker | U.S.A. | 2016 | 79 Minutes.

Tags: Documentary, Grenada, Black Panthers, Angela Davis, U.C.L.A, Student activism, Maurice Bishop, Peoples Revolution, New Jewel Movement Ronald Reagan.

 

TBFF 17 Film Review - Play The Devil

The frenzy of Trinidad's Carnival season especially The Jab was the jumping off point for Maria Govan's latest feature Play The Devil.  She saw the participants covered in blue and gold paint spitting fire with horns on their heads and tridents gesturing violently to the encircling crowd and wondered what is the back-story of these performers.  From there she constructed the narrative of very smart 18 year old kid Gregory White (Petrice Jones) who is artistic yet a strong all around student that has a real chance to go to med school. Who meets an older rich man James Young  (Gareth Jenkins) though an acquaintance with his daughter that can provide for every family need but at price.

The real exportation of this film is into the island culture. The communities are small and even the whisper of homosexuality can have devastating effects on an individual.  Gregory has a best friend Devin (Akil Nicholas). He has no educational goals destined to be mixed up in some nefarious affair that will have bad consequences. When the two are together they act tough, go back and forth on past and future conquests in a strong local dialect while they draw slowly on marijuana cigarettes.
Devin begins to tease Gregory on his growing relationship with Young calling him Greg's sugar daddy after Greg is seen rolling into their small mountain village in the former's white Mercedes.

Gorvan screenplay acute displays the inner struggle Gregory faces. He has been called soft all of his life the diametric opposite to his farmer older brother Fayne (Nickolai Salcedo) who demands that Greg stand up for himself while he beats back their drug addict father (Che Rodriguez) attempts to reconnect with the family. Greg is definitely attracted to men and to anything that could get him out of the impoverished town of Paramin but James growing obsession begins to effect Greg's studies jeopardizing his best route out and running the risk of disappointing his hardworking family matriarch his grand mother (Penelope Spencer).

James Walls cinematography displays the lush topographical mountainsides and valleys of Parmin. The greens are sharp contrasting the brown dirt roads. A lake where the boys like to hang out features a forceful waterfall released from the rocks above pounding into the deep blue water of the lake below. Walls lens also brings the imperfections of the villages buildings and homes into focus. They are missing paints, have holes in the walls, colours are mismatched and many including Greg's grandmothers house have holes in the roofs.

British Actor Petrice Jones is well cast as Gregory. He is smart, knows James plan immediately and a very willing participant in private. Jones portrayal of the small town boys seduction by toys, wealth  trappings, ambition and desire is finely crafted.  Garth Jenkins easy British accent and quiet boldness suits the role of James Young. He sees himself in Gregory having some regret that he did not live his life instead of getting married and hiding his true nature. He does not want Greg to make the same mistake mainly for selfish reasons. Nickolai Salcedo is strong as the intense, primal, confrontational and impulsive Fayne. He's a man of action and not words. Jumping to act without considering consequences an attitude that eventually leads one toward serious trouble.

Play The Devil is a compelling narrative set in a picturesque setting. Cinematography James Walls brings out the beauty along with the warts of the village. The ensemble cast does not make a wrong step in the production. The Jag where director Govan found the inclining to embark on the film plays a major part in the piece. It's a colourful reflection on social status and moral standards in the Caribbean that is well worth a watch.

*** 1/2 Out of 4.

Play The Devil | Maria Govan | Trinidad and Tobago| 2016 | 89 Minutes.

Tags: The Jag, Carnival, Parmin, Closeted, Medical School, The Devil, Homosexuality, Photography.  

                   

           

TBFF17 Film Review - Destined

Parallel universes are often a topic of popular discussion.  The theory that there are other worlds where your in a different spot has been the subject of endless stories and conversation. In Destined  Cory Hardrict is the lead for two stories. One as Rasheed where he takes the path to be an architect while in the other as Sheed he rises to be the drug lord ruling the seedy areas of Detroit.

We first meet Raseed/Sheed as a young kid working a corner for the local drug dealer. The dealer likes to use 14 year olds because if caught they're juveniles meaning their records will be expunged when they become adults. Sheed is part of a deal gone bad is forced to escape leading to an incident that's life changing for Dylan Holder (Jesse Metcalfe) starting him on a path him to a career of fighting against the perpetrators of the activities that directly effected his life.

In the companion story Rasheed is a young brilliant architect working long tireless hours. He comes up with a plan for his old depressed neighbourhood that his bosses appear lukewarm then champion when the Mayor supports it at a big city event. They introduce Rasheed as the fact of the project but may have ulterior motives.

Several actors do the double dip in the production. Robert Christopher Riley plays city employee Calvin trying to point out to Rasheed the harm his bosses plan to bring to his childhood home. In the other tale he is Sheed's top lieutenant. Zulay Henao is strong as Giselle Sheed's childhood sweetheart who's returned to the community to pursue her education.

Writer director Qasim Basir keeps the intensity high in both stories. A narrative about a drug dealer is a natural high wire act but Basir skill to keep the temperature high recounting the potential critic choices of an architect is where his writing truly shines.

Destined is two stories running simultaneously that meld into one.  The transitions are seamless to the point that the viewer has to really pay attention to know which story is at the fore and could even have the impression that Architect Rasheed is moonlighting as a drug dealer in his down hours. Cory Hardrict is the right choice for the dual leads in this intense drama that I can fully recommend.

*** 1/2 Out of 4.

Destined | Qasim Basir | USA | 2016 | 95 Minutes.

Tags: Detroit, Ford Field, Projects, Corporate Politics, Drug Dealer, Drug Addict, Fatherhood. Family.