1., PARASITE
2, PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE
3, U.S.
5., ATLANTICS
6., LITTLE WOMEN
8.; TIGERS ARE NOT AFRAID
10., THE IRISHMAN
Tuesday, December 31, 2019
Top Ten Films of 2019
1., PARASITE
2, PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE
3, U.S.
5., ATLANTICS
6., LITTLE WOMEN
8.; TIGERS ARE NOT AFRAID
10., THE IRISHMAN
Thursday, December 5, 2019
B.I.T.S. '19 Feature Film Interview - She Never Died
B.I. T.S. '19 Feature Film -She Never Died - Interview with director Audrey Cummings and Actor Noah Dalton Danby who plays Terrance in the film
Flick Hunter: How did this project come abut and ow did you firs hear about it?
Audrey Cummings: The team had started with He Never Died three years ago and Henry Rollins was in the lead role and they really underestimated the guys fan base. The film became cult status. Everybody loved it everybody loved Henry. And then from there they decided they were going to do He Never Died Two so they started working towards that then Henry got swept up by a television series and wished away so they decided to pivot when Henry was busy and introduce a second character and turned it into She Never Died then they brought me on because of the success of my two previous films.
F.H:So Noah, Lets start with all the rings?
Noah Dalton Danby: It was a lot of fun. It was in the script. I think I even came to you Audrey and said Do you want me to wear all of these rings and you said Yes every one of them, every finger. I was like Oh My God that'such a pain in the ass. I had to go out and buy a few because my hands are quite large. I take a size thirteen ring myself. It was like the first layer of the character. I wore them around for a while getting used to picking up things and what not. It was a lot of fun. That scene where I take them off was not in the script. I did it because you can't hit somebody with rings on. It would actually hurt. when you hit someone with a ring on it actually hurts you hand more than the person you're hitting. Not that I would know.
Audrey: That was cool because to me that was terrifying
F.H: Lets go right into it. Talk about Terrence's relationship with his sister Meredith played by Michele Nolden
N.D.D: It's a little off kilter, a little playful. They have a twisted set of morals but there is also a genuine love and appreciation for each other. He can swear at her and tell her to call mom to be comfortable enough to say that then for her to check him and he to feel back about some of his comments to her. It's a brother sister relationship that goes a little beyond the boundaries of what you and I would say is normal but at the same time there is a genuine love that they have for one another.
F.H: There's a wonderful scene as well when Terence leaves the room and Meredith is on her computer and kind of does the middle finger to the temple.
N.D.D: Yea of course She is so good. so stoic so cold as ice its twisted but you see there's a good relationship.
A.C: I love what the relationship brought out of you. You're like the muscle, the thug, into the snuff but then your sister comes in and you become like a puppy dog. She's the Boss.
F.H: So listen, talk about Lacy, Olunike , She was in Darken as well, I remember chatting to you when Darken was out and you said you were going to work with her again.
A.C: Honestly, as soon as I read the script there was nobody else for that role. So it all came together really quickly when they pivoted to She Never Died. I called Olunike and said "What are you doing in three weeks" She was like "I'm on a beach in Jamaica baby" I was like in three weeks I need you in cold Northern Canada, North Bay, to shoot my next movie. You have to come. It's only you. This is your role. She was like "O.K." and that as it.
N.D.D. When I got the role of Terrence I watched the first one He Never Died all the way through which is hard these days with all of the distractions. Henry Rollins really through himself into the role. I wondered who they were going to get to play the female counterpart to that role. They would have to be so strong and then you go her which was so smart and so luck. It was fate and Kismet wait a go hats off to Audrey for that!
A.C: Aw Thank You
N.D.D. I don't think nobody could have done it better than she did.
A.C: She has this ability like you do (Noah) The two of them have this ability of being like naive and innocent and pure and you feel something for them but they can also turn into these vicious animals that your terrified of them. That's such an ability I don't know how you guys do it.
F.H: And Kiana Madeira who plays Suzzie, You mentioned puppy dog before, She was the puppy dog. She is rescued by mistake. So she is now following Lacy around ad Lacy is trying to get rid of her but I guess I have to deal with you. Talk a bit about how the relationship came about between those two characters
A.C: Well it's a funny thing. We went a bit different that the scrip with her. In the script she was more of a strung out kind of street kid. But when I saw Kiana she just had this energy and enthusiasm I kind of just naturally saw that she was the comedic relief in the film. I thing she is going to bring in some of the heart ans so we kind of veered a little bit from that and let her bring in more of what I was naturally feeling that was coming from her and it was the right thing to do.
Can you speak a bit about Peter MacNeill as Godfrey. I feel he kind of grounds the film.Speak a bit of how he came on board.
A.H: So I fell in love with Peter immediately as soon as I saw him and some of his acting for that reason. He just has this... There is something gruff and calmness to hi, He was so perfect. Each one of my actors the were the one. If I hand't got the ones that I wanted. I don't know what I would have done. Because I know exactly who the perfect characters were for each role. He is so loving, warm, so tortured. He's a thinker to when he acts. He will ask a lot of questions and is really trying to figure everything out before.
N.D.D. (Audrey) How is that for you on set, when you have a million things to thing about ( and an actor is asking a lot of questions)
A.H: I think it's great. I like it. I want to support the actors. Like that scene when you had the laptop ad your feet up on the desk ans asked me for help. You can rehearse before and talk about a scene but when you are there on set there are always a million questions. That's what I'm there for.
N.D.D. COOL
F.H: Back to you Noah, maybe the scene that was the easiest for you to do, one that was harder, one you feel that you nailed and got right.
Noah: The hardest scene was to catch the ting in my mouth ( Laughs)
A.C: He kept missing (Laughs)
N.D.D: I would never say anything was easy. If I made it look easy then fantastic. But there is so much thought, so much prep, so much thinking, and collaborating that goes into every little detail for me i obsess about it because I enjoy obsessing about it. I would say always the hardest scene is the very first scene and that was me swinging the baseball bat. Just just don't know what you're walking into which kind of played into that scene because there was this sort of nervousness I guess maybe happening and that worked out. Always the very first day of shooting is like Ack!!!
F.H: So, was this all shot at once, or did you have to go back and pick things up,? I know from Noah's answer that it was shot out of order.
A.C: Ya, so we shoot out over over, based on O.K. we are in this location so scene five, scene twenty and scene thirty five take place here. But we had such a tight schedule, we only had fifteen days that you get what you get and that's it.
N.D.D. (To Audrey) The cafe scenes were so beautiful. You only shot them in one day?
A.C: Ya, we were waiting for the sun to go down and then the sun was coming up again and we ere trying to rush to finish. The sun is your worst enemy when you are shooting always. It's always coming up and always going down. It's frustrating.
F.H: Noah was it hard to keep our character straight then if your shooting all the warehouse stuff but different parts of the move to know what you emotion was at this time , that you were happy before or meaner after to keep that all straight?
N.D.D. Ya , Norm but that's the gig though right, you get a script and you work with your director and everybody else on that. Down to the people doing your make up. You have notes in your script and you try to create a dynamic for your character and if you're through you'll know that I can't go that high here because I have to leave room to go higher late on in the script.
F.H: One last one here. On you front when you watch it back what do you think worked the best might want to have another shot at event though you can't?
A.H: You know what's funny. This is the first movie that I have made that I sit in in all of my screenings. Historically I will just go have a coffee while its screening and I'll come back after. But this one I don't know what it is I just always want to sit in and watch it. I think it's because I worked really hard trying to get the humor right . Because you have to build your scares, release the humor, its an art form that I feel I really nailed on this film and I still laugh at the jokes and I still enjoy watching it.
F.H: Now do people laugh where you expect them t laugh or are there any unexpected?
A.C: There is some unexpected stuff, Ya there's a ... when Godfrey brings Lacy into the apartment he's about to shut the door then decides not to. That's an expected one but when he goes to shake her hand but pulls it back people love that moment I thought it was humorous but I didn't expect it to be a laugh. That's the fun of it seeing people laugh in different places.
N.D.D. That's Peter's natural ability. It's laughable because you see that he actually .. it wasn't him trying to be comical. It was him playing he moment.
F.H: Well Thank you both very much.
A.C. Thanks Norm, Nice to see you again
Flick Hunter: How did this project come abut and ow did you firs hear about it?
Audrey Cummings: The team had started with He Never Died three years ago and Henry Rollins was in the lead role and they really underestimated the guys fan base. The film became cult status. Everybody loved it everybody loved Henry. And then from there they decided they were going to do He Never Died Two so they started working towards that then Henry got swept up by a television series and wished away so they decided to pivot when Henry was busy and introduce a second character and turned it into She Never Died then they brought me on because of the success of my two previous films.
F.H:So Noah, Lets start with all the rings?
Noah Dalton Danby: It was a lot of fun. It was in the script. I think I even came to you Audrey and said Do you want me to wear all of these rings and you said Yes every one of them, every finger. I was like Oh My God that'such a pain in the ass. I had to go out and buy a few because my hands are quite large. I take a size thirteen ring myself. It was like the first layer of the character. I wore them around for a while getting used to picking up things and what not. It was a lot of fun. That scene where I take them off was not in the script. I did it because you can't hit somebody with rings on. It would actually hurt. when you hit someone with a ring on it actually hurts you hand more than the person you're hitting. Not that I would know.
Audrey: That was cool because to me that was terrifying
F.H: Lets go right into it. Talk about Terrence's relationship with his sister Meredith played by Michele Nolden
N.D.D: It's a little off kilter, a little playful. They have a twisted set of morals but there is also a genuine love and appreciation for each other. He can swear at her and tell her to call mom to be comfortable enough to say that then for her to check him and he to feel back about some of his comments to her. It's a brother sister relationship that goes a little beyond the boundaries of what you and I would say is normal but at the same time there is a genuine love that they have for one another.
F.H: There's a wonderful scene as well when Terence leaves the room and Meredith is on her computer and kind of does the middle finger to the temple.
N.D.D: Yea of course She is so good. so stoic so cold as ice its twisted but you see there's a good relationship.
A.C: I love what the relationship brought out of you. You're like the muscle, the thug, into the snuff but then your sister comes in and you become like a puppy dog. She's the Boss.
F.H: So listen, talk about Lacy, Olunike , She was in Darken as well, I remember chatting to you when Darken was out and you said you were going to work with her again.
A.C: Honestly, as soon as I read the script there was nobody else for that role. So it all came together really quickly when they pivoted to She Never Died. I called Olunike and said "What are you doing in three weeks" She was like "I'm on a beach in Jamaica baby" I was like in three weeks I need you in cold Northern Canada, North Bay, to shoot my next movie. You have to come. It's only you. This is your role. She was like "O.K." and that as it.
N.D.D. When I got the role of Terrence I watched the first one He Never Died all the way through which is hard these days with all of the distractions. Henry Rollins really through himself into the role. I wondered who they were going to get to play the female counterpart to that role. They would have to be so strong and then you go her which was so smart and so luck. It was fate and Kismet wait a go hats off to Audrey for that!
A.C: Aw Thank You
N.D.D. I don't think nobody could have done it better than she did.
A.C: She has this ability like you do (Noah) The two of them have this ability of being like naive and innocent and pure and you feel something for them but they can also turn into these vicious animals that your terrified of them. That's such an ability I don't know how you guys do it.
F.H: And Kiana Madeira who plays Suzzie, You mentioned puppy dog before, She was the puppy dog. She is rescued by mistake. So she is now following Lacy around ad Lacy is trying to get rid of her but I guess I have to deal with you. Talk a bit about how the relationship came about between those two characters
A.C: Well it's a funny thing. We went a bit different that the scrip with her. In the script she was more of a strung out kind of street kid. But when I saw Kiana she just had this energy and enthusiasm I kind of just naturally saw that she was the comedic relief in the film. I thing she is going to bring in some of the heart ans so we kind of veered a little bit from that and let her bring in more of what I was naturally feeling that was coming from her and it was the right thing to do.
Can you speak a bit about Peter MacNeill as Godfrey. I feel he kind of grounds the film.Speak a bit of how he came on board.
A.H: So I fell in love with Peter immediately as soon as I saw him and some of his acting for that reason. He just has this... There is something gruff and calmness to hi, He was so perfect. Each one of my actors the were the one. If I hand't got the ones that I wanted. I don't know what I would have done. Because I know exactly who the perfect characters were for each role. He is so loving, warm, so tortured. He's a thinker to when he acts. He will ask a lot of questions and is really trying to figure everything out before.
N.D.D. (Audrey) How is that for you on set, when you have a million things to thing about ( and an actor is asking a lot of questions)
A.H: I think it's great. I like it. I want to support the actors. Like that scene when you had the laptop ad your feet up on the desk ans asked me for help. You can rehearse before and talk about a scene but when you are there on set there are always a million questions. That's what I'm there for.
N.D.D. COOL
F.H: Back to you Noah, maybe the scene that was the easiest for you to do, one that was harder, one you feel that you nailed and got right.
Noah: The hardest scene was to catch the ting in my mouth ( Laughs)
A.C: He kept missing (Laughs)
N.D.D: I would never say anything was easy. If I made it look easy then fantastic. But there is so much thought, so much prep, so much thinking, and collaborating that goes into every little detail for me i obsess about it because I enjoy obsessing about it. I would say always the hardest scene is the very first scene and that was me swinging the baseball bat. Just just don't know what you're walking into which kind of played into that scene because there was this sort of nervousness I guess maybe happening and that worked out. Always the very first day of shooting is like Ack!!!
F.H: So, was this all shot at once, or did you have to go back and pick things up,? I know from Noah's answer that it was shot out of order.
A.C: Ya, so we shoot out over over, based on O.K. we are in this location so scene five, scene twenty and scene thirty five take place here. But we had such a tight schedule, we only had fifteen days that you get what you get and that's it.
N.D.D. (To Audrey) The cafe scenes were so beautiful. You only shot them in one day?
A.C: Ya, we were waiting for the sun to go down and then the sun was coming up again and we ere trying to rush to finish. The sun is your worst enemy when you are shooting always. It's always coming up and always going down. It's frustrating.
F.H: Noah was it hard to keep our character straight then if your shooting all the warehouse stuff but different parts of the move to know what you emotion was at this time , that you were happy before or meaner after to keep that all straight?
N.D.D. Ya , Norm but that's the gig though right, you get a script and you work with your director and everybody else on that. Down to the people doing your make up. You have notes in your script and you try to create a dynamic for your character and if you're through you'll know that I can't go that high here because I have to leave room to go higher late on in the script.
F.H: One last one here. On you front when you watch it back what do you think worked the best might want to have another shot at event though you can't?
A.H: You know what's funny. This is the first movie that I have made that I sit in in all of my screenings. Historically I will just go have a coffee while its screening and I'll come back after. But this one I don't know what it is I just always want to sit in and watch it. I think it's because I worked really hard trying to get the humor right . Because you have to build your scares, release the humor, its an art form that I feel I really nailed on this film and I still laugh at the jokes and I still enjoy watching it.
F.H: Now do people laugh where you expect them t laugh or are there any unexpected?
A.C: There is some unexpected stuff, Ya there's a ... when Godfrey brings Lacy into the apartment he's about to shut the door then decides not to. That's an expected one but when he goes to shake her hand but pulls it back people love that moment I thought it was humorous but I didn't expect it to be a laugh. That's the fun of it seeing people laugh in different places.
N.D.D. That's Peter's natural ability. It's laughable because you see that he actually .. it wasn't him trying to be comical. It was him playing he moment.
F.H: Well Thank you both very much.
A.C. Thanks Norm, Nice to see you again
Wednesday, December 4, 2019
B.I.T.S. '19 Feature Film Interview - M.A.J.I.C.
B.I.T.S. '19 Feature Film - M.A.J.I.C. Interview with Director Erin Berry and lead Actor Paula Brancati Nov 23, 2019.
Flick Hunter: How did the idea come about?
Erin Berry: It started as a pilot 10 years ago with co-writer David Pulscauskas. Mad Men meet X-Files. Not about Burnwood. Instead about Richard Fitzpatrick as a young ma in the '60s getting recruited to M.A.J.I.C.
F.H: Paula, speaking of X- files I thought your character was a cross between Mulder and Scully.
Paula Brancati: I had never done Sci- FI really. So when Erin brought this to me the role was written for a middle-aged man.We talked about turning it into a young woman and that was the seed that really excited me. We talked a lot about characters, of course, we referenced the X-files and talked about Claire Danes in Season 1 of Homeland when things start unraveling. It's super challenging to play and I like things that make me a little nervous and give me butterflies so that is part of why I said yes.
F.H: So tell me about the Space Pen?
Erin: I always wanted one as a kid I was obsessed with the idea that this was a pen that writes upside down. Of course, debunk the whole myth how it costs N.A.S.A. millions of dollars which isn't really true. It didn't cost that much and the Astronauts didn't even use it. They used pencils just like the Russians. Then it evolved into a MacGuffn device whose significance is not known until the very end.
F.H: Can you talk a bit about the two main sets, Burnwood's Apartment and Anderson's cottage?
Erin: It's a friend of mine's production company. He was shutting it down. I convinced him to come in for a week to shoot my film. We transformed his office into Burnwood's loft/living space.
Erin: The cottage is David (The co-writers) cottage. So that was a free location. We shot in March,there was a motel that was not even open. We came and said hey we have ten people coming can you open early? So they were like ya sure 50 bucks a night. Dave is very happy because his childhood cottage is immortalized in the film.
F.H: What's with all the fishing?
Erin: You know Old Men like to fish. Again, that was also a scene because it was so cold we could not shoot in March. It ended up being a re-shoot at Cherry Beach (Toronto) month later in May.
Paula: It was the crack of dawn: it was actually warmer near the long weekend. Those layers (of clothing) you really felt them.
Erin: We also didn't realize that they going to come out and practice rowing, so we were waiting for them to clear and stop screaming over the bull horns.
F.H: The shots I really like were the driving shots up to the cottage. Were those shot by drone?
Erin: Yes, they were months later, with a really small drone, we were north around Orangeville, Ontario. You notice you don't see any snow in the drone shots. But we were like those are early on before we really get up North.
F.H: The other thing I wanted talk about is the recruiting film and did all of the test pilots have to be Republican?
Erin: The man orbiting library was real, the whole idea that the Air Force was going to use Gemini to spy on the Russians. The test film was inspired by the second season of Lost when they go into the bunker and he meets Desmond for the first time and Desmond explains to Locke using a 16 millimeter projector. Plus my fetish for old technology that Burnwood also has. Using microfiche and her little Blackberry.
Paula: I did look up microfiche but Blackberries were a big part of my life. I was one of the last Blackberry users I know. It was a real treat to get back on it. That video works so well because of our friend Paulino Nunes (as Specter) did such an excellent job. It's not an easy thing to sell. Paulino
brought that charm to it that in other hands might not have worked.
Erin: I normally line produce and used to getting the script so last minute but for this, I was able to give everyone the script three months in advance.
Paula: We did a lot of prep before we got to start. I'd be doing all of my nerdy notes and cheat sheets to get the procedural dialogue right. I felt like I was back in High School with all of my notes.
F.H: Paula, one for you, What was your hardest day, the hardest part of the shot and the easiest that flowed naturally for you?
Paula: I would say the easiest was the stuff that just had me bantering with the other actors.with Deb, and Richard and Mike, Paulino. I had worked with many embers of the cast before and if not I was a big fan of their work. That back and forth dialogue I found organic. The most challenging stuff was the stuff we shot early on because you are still kind of finding your footing. We shot her big unraveling clip (early). That was the hardest for me and the scariest and it was on the first or second day of shooting. I remember being so nervous and those things can be cool though when you can add your natural nerves naturally into what is going on. I felt a huge adrenaline rush when we were doing it.
Erin: I think it was a real challenge to you as we shot out of order out of necessity. You finding the emotional arc so it makes sense getting the right level of freak out that will make sense later on.
F.H: One last one for you Erin. When you watch it, what parts make you think "I nailed that.That looks really good".
Erin: This is my third feature film at this point. At this point, I watch it and I see all of the things I would have done differently. Some parts I really like but it's a natural process to want to do things differently. It's like a draft when you put it aside for a few months then read it again. Oh no, I got a better idea. At this point the movie is locked. I can't go back and redo it. It doesn't get a Redux. But it's fun seeing it with an audience. I'm not watching the film. I'm watching the audience. I'm always amazed how some things get a reaction and some things don't.
F.H: What's next for the movie?
Erin: Berlin Sci-Fi film festival his week. It will also film in New York in mid-March as part of the Phillip k Dick film festival at the Museum of the Moving Image.
F.H: Paula, What's next for you?
Paula: I have an Italian co-production that i produced and got to star in with Joe Pantoliano. That's doing a festival run as well and we're going to be doing a theatrical next year. I'm very excited and proud of it. I'm Italian-Canadian. It's a very sweet story that is a love letter to Italy.
F.H: Well Thank You. Than you both very much.
Flick Hunter: How did the idea come about?
Erin Berry: It started as a pilot 10 years ago with co-writer David Pulscauskas. Mad Men meet X-Files. Not about Burnwood. Instead about Richard Fitzpatrick as a young ma in the '60s getting recruited to M.A.J.I.C.
F.H: Paula, speaking of X- files I thought your character was a cross between Mulder and Scully.
Paula Brancati: I had never done Sci- FI really. So when Erin brought this to me the role was written for a middle-aged man.We talked about turning it into a young woman and that was the seed that really excited me. We talked a lot about characters, of course, we referenced the X-files and talked about Claire Danes in Season 1 of Homeland when things start unraveling. It's super challenging to play and I like things that make me a little nervous and give me butterflies so that is part of why I said yes.
F.H: So tell me about the Space Pen?
Erin: I always wanted one as a kid I was obsessed with the idea that this was a pen that writes upside down. Of course, debunk the whole myth how it costs N.A.S.A. millions of dollars which isn't really true. It didn't cost that much and the Astronauts didn't even use it. They used pencils just like the Russians. Then it evolved into a MacGuffn device whose significance is not known until the very end.
F.H: Can you talk a bit about the two main sets, Burnwood's Apartment and Anderson's cottage?
Erin: It's a friend of mine's production company. He was shutting it down. I convinced him to come in for a week to shoot my film. We transformed his office into Burnwood's loft/living space.
Erin: The cottage is David (The co-writers) cottage. So that was a free location. We shot in March,there was a motel that was not even open. We came and said hey we have ten people coming can you open early? So they were like ya sure 50 bucks a night. Dave is very happy because his childhood cottage is immortalized in the film.
F.H: What's with all the fishing?
Erin: You know Old Men like to fish. Again, that was also a scene because it was so cold we could not shoot in March. It ended up being a re-shoot at Cherry Beach (Toronto) month later in May.
Paula: It was the crack of dawn: it was actually warmer near the long weekend. Those layers (of clothing) you really felt them.
Erin: We also didn't realize that they going to come out and practice rowing, so we were waiting for them to clear and stop screaming over the bull horns.
F.H: The shots I really like were the driving shots up to the cottage. Were those shot by drone?
Erin: Yes, they were months later, with a really small drone, we were north around Orangeville, Ontario. You notice you don't see any snow in the drone shots. But we were like those are early on before we really get up North.
F.H: The other thing I wanted talk about is the recruiting film and did all of the test pilots have to be Republican?
Erin: The man orbiting library was real, the whole idea that the Air Force was going to use Gemini to spy on the Russians. The test film was inspired by the second season of Lost when they go into the bunker and he meets Desmond for the first time and Desmond explains to Locke using a 16 millimeter projector. Plus my fetish for old technology that Burnwood also has. Using microfiche and her little Blackberry.
Paula: I did look up microfiche but Blackberries were a big part of my life. I was one of the last Blackberry users I know. It was a real treat to get back on it. That video works so well because of our friend Paulino Nunes (as Specter) did such an excellent job. It's not an easy thing to sell. Paulino
brought that charm to it that in other hands might not have worked.
Erin: I normally line produce and used to getting the script so last minute but for this, I was able to give everyone the script three months in advance.
Paula: We did a lot of prep before we got to start. I'd be doing all of my nerdy notes and cheat sheets to get the procedural dialogue right. I felt like I was back in High School with all of my notes.
F.H: Paula, one for you, What was your hardest day, the hardest part of the shot and the easiest that flowed naturally for you?
Paula: I would say the easiest was the stuff that just had me bantering with the other actors.with Deb, and Richard and Mike, Paulino. I had worked with many embers of the cast before and if not I was a big fan of their work. That back and forth dialogue I found organic. The most challenging stuff was the stuff we shot early on because you are still kind of finding your footing. We shot her big unraveling clip (early). That was the hardest for me and the scariest and it was on the first or second day of shooting. I remember being so nervous and those things can be cool though when you can add your natural nerves naturally into what is going on. I felt a huge adrenaline rush when we were doing it.
Erin: I think it was a real challenge to you as we shot out of order out of necessity. You finding the emotional arc so it makes sense getting the right level of freak out that will make sense later on.
F.H: One last one for you Erin. When you watch it, what parts make you think "I nailed that.That looks really good".
Erin: This is my third feature film at this point. At this point, I watch it and I see all of the things I would have done differently. Some parts I really like but it's a natural process to want to do things differently. It's like a draft when you put it aside for a few months then read it again. Oh no, I got a better idea. At this point the movie is locked. I can't go back and redo it. It doesn't get a Redux. But it's fun seeing it with an audience. I'm not watching the film. I'm watching the audience. I'm always amazed how some things get a reaction and some things don't.
F.H: What's next for the movie?
Erin: Berlin Sci-Fi film festival his week. It will also film in New York in mid-March as part of the Phillip k Dick film festival at the Museum of the Moving Image.
F.H: Paula, What's next for you?
Paula: I have an Italian co-production that i produced and got to star in with Joe Pantoliano. That's doing a festival run as well and we're going to be doing a theatrical next year. I'm very excited and proud of it. I'm Italian-Canadian. It's a very sweet story that is a love letter to Italy.
F.H: Well Thank You. Than you both very much.
Monday, November 25, 2019
B.I.T.S. '19 Film Review - Z
Joshua (Jett Klye) is an eight-year-old boy with a very active imagination. When he plays with a toy plane the engines roar in his mind. His battling army men are accompanied by rapid gunfire and the horn blares from his train set as it circles the track. But Joshua has a new friend, an imaginary one called Z. Joshua demands that a place is set for him at the table and when milk is served it has to be 2%. His busy architect dad Kevin (Sean Rogerson) thinks nothing of it believing its a phase his kid will grow out of. His mother Beth (Keegan Connor Tracy) is a little warier. At school, Joshua keeps to himself drawing feverously in his notebook instead of paying attention to his teacher. When his usual ride to school fails to show a pattern develops of Beth's kid being violent and anti-social a fact that Dad Kevin knew but was kept away from his wife.
Director Brandon Christensen alongside co-writer Colin Minihan builds the story slowly dropping subtle clues along the way for the attentive viewer to catch. After a tragic event on an ill -advised play-date, Joshua ends up in therapy where he is treated by child psychologist Dr. Seager (Stephen McHattie) another hit is dropped indicating that this may not be Z's initial incarnation.
Meanwhile, Beth has issues of her own. Her mother is dying in her family home and her younger not so stable sister Jenna (Sara Channing) can't even start to cope. She is not happy with her husband Kevin for hiding critical information from her about her son plus she has now put Joshua on meds that she slips to him undetected without his nor Kevin's knowledge.
Z hits all the beats a viewer would expect from a suburban creepy kid movie. Brittany Allen's score deserves a mention. For the most part, it remains passive in the background working at a subconscious level but expands front and centre when key moments call for it. It's a pulsing narrative that reaches a peak then loses its way a bit in the third act as the film eases away from the jarring direction the story was headed at the end.
*** Out of 4.
Z | Brandon Christensen | Canada | 2019 | 83 minutes.
Tags: Imaginary Friend, Child Psychology, School Suspension, Play-Date, Fire, Wedding, Regression, 2% Milk.
Director Brandon Christensen alongside co-writer Colin Minihan builds the story slowly dropping subtle clues along the way for the attentive viewer to catch. After a tragic event on an ill -advised play-date, Joshua ends up in therapy where he is treated by child psychologist Dr. Seager (Stephen McHattie) another hit is dropped indicating that this may not be Z's initial incarnation.
Meanwhile, Beth has issues of her own. Her mother is dying in her family home and her younger not so stable sister Jenna (Sara Channing) can't even start to cope. She is not happy with her husband Kevin for hiding critical information from her about her son plus she has now put Joshua on meds that she slips to him undetected without his nor Kevin's knowledge.
Z hits all the beats a viewer would expect from a suburban creepy kid movie. Brittany Allen's score deserves a mention. For the most part, it remains passive in the background working at a subconscious level but expands front and centre when key moments call for it. It's a pulsing narrative that reaches a peak then loses its way a bit in the third act as the film eases away from the jarring direction the story was headed at the end.
*** Out of 4.
Z | Brandon Christensen | Canada | 2019 | 83 minutes.
Tags: Imaginary Friend, Child Psychology, School Suspension, Play-Date, Fire, Wedding, Regression, 2% Milk.
Sunday, November 24, 2019
B.I.T.S '19 Film Review - Deep Six Web Series (Episodes 1-6)
"Space Is Hard" is the message that co-creators Mika Collins (who also plays key pilot Nemain) and (Davin Lengyel who also directs) are trying to get across to their audience. Alongside that Truth, the production used classical methods of miniatures, real sets, and practical effects to present their show. To make sure the story makes scientific sense the production hired UBC Astrophysicist Jaymie Matthews as a consultant. The story takes place in a distant star system Tau Ceti 250 years into the future.
Siku is the current location of the fleet a mix of military and scientist on a mission to explore microbial life supported by a Terminal that is their only link back to earth. The Terminal reduced the deep space journey from 10,000 years to months. Siege (Katherine Gauthier) and Wing Commander Duke (Tahmoh Penikett) are out on patrol when a bogie approaches. There is an explosion and Duke ends up on the wrong end of a debris field. Ace pilot Athea (Michelle Morgan) attempts a rescue against The Commander's (Jonathan Wittaker) order that is unsuccessful. She gains a reprimand plus a promotion while Siege ends up with P.T.S.D., nightmares and is grounded after the incident.
The situation becomes life or death as lead Science office Eddie (Ginger Busch) discovers that the capsules that bring supplies affect the atmosphere around Siku like rocks in a pond causing changes on the planet that could wipe out the fleet the next time a large capsule arrives. Unfortunately, the last one that caused the explosion was minuscule compared to the next one bringing food and fuel. This likely will cause a catastrophic event that would result in the loss of the terminal and everything around it. The only way out is to get parts from the military satellite at Armid. Its a job for two but only one can go due to time constraints, limited space and rations will be low meaning the pilot will be disoriented completing the task. The good news is once the parts are loaded the pilot is not needed to bring the parts back.
Deep Six has 6 of a scheduled 9 episodes in the can. It's low tech at its finest. It features science that is not bunk and a cast of actors that are in tune with their characters. The comradery is strong amongst the crew that is headed by a detached Commander John whose always looking to get home and his emotionally raw niece Siege at the other end of the spectrum. It's a gripping watch that is easy to binge leaving the viewer with positive anticipation of the next three episodes to come.
*** 1.2 Out of 4
Deep Six | Davin Lengyel | Canada | 2019 | 70 Minutes.
Tags: Web Series, SCI-FI, Space, Science, Terminal, Pilot, Patrol, Wing Commander, Squad Leader, P.T.S.D, Capsule, Supplies, Repairs, Suicide Mission, Satellite, Launch, Contact.
Siku is the current location of the fleet a mix of military and scientist on a mission to explore microbial life supported by a Terminal that is their only link back to earth. The Terminal reduced the deep space journey from 10,000 years to months. Siege (Katherine Gauthier) and Wing Commander Duke (Tahmoh Penikett) are out on patrol when a bogie approaches. There is an explosion and Duke ends up on the wrong end of a debris field. Ace pilot Athea (Michelle Morgan) attempts a rescue against The Commander's (Jonathan Wittaker) order that is unsuccessful. She gains a reprimand plus a promotion while Siege ends up with P.T.S.D., nightmares and is grounded after the incident.
The situation becomes life or death as lead Science office Eddie (Ginger Busch) discovers that the capsules that bring supplies affect the atmosphere around Siku like rocks in a pond causing changes on the planet that could wipe out the fleet the next time a large capsule arrives. Unfortunately, the last one that caused the explosion was minuscule compared to the next one bringing food and fuel. This likely will cause a catastrophic event that would result in the loss of the terminal and everything around it. The only way out is to get parts from the military satellite at Armid. Its a job for two but only one can go due to time constraints, limited space and rations will be low meaning the pilot will be disoriented completing the task. The good news is once the parts are loaded the pilot is not needed to bring the parts back.
Deep Six has 6 of a scheduled 9 episodes in the can. It's low tech at its finest. It features science that is not bunk and a cast of actors that are in tune with their characters. The comradery is strong amongst the crew that is headed by a detached Commander John whose always looking to get home and his emotionally raw niece Siege at the other end of the spectrum. It's a gripping watch that is easy to binge leaving the viewer with positive anticipation of the next three episodes to come.
*** 1.2 Out of 4
Deep Six | Davin Lengyel | Canada | 2019 | 70 Minutes.
Tags: Web Series, SCI-FI, Space, Science, Terminal, Pilot, Patrol, Wing Commander, Squad Leader, P.T.S.D, Capsule, Supplies, Repairs, Suicide Mission, Satellite, Launch, Contact.
B.I.T.S. '19 Film Review - M.A.J.I.C.
Roswell, New Mexico,1947, A crashed weather balloon is mistaken for an alien spacecraft; so Pippa Bernwood (Paula Brancati) starts her podcast The Alarm Clock a weekly wake up call from an internet dreamworld of lies and conspiracies. It all starts with Rosewell. Bernwood is an atheist, skeptical debunker but agrees to meet with Anderson (Richard Fitzpatrick) in a neutral setting. The latter hypes up the cold war espionage meter the moment they meet handing Bernwood a pen for her to keep on her person at all times ala a totem. Anderson is in his seventies seems confused not knowing that the current year is 2008. Burnside is doing research on M.A.J.I.C. or Majestic 12 as she knows it and Anderson has a story to tell. The bend in the timeline is introduced with a throwaway reference to former President Gary Hart launching the intricate but intriguing narrative forward.
Writer-director Erin Berry alongside co-writer David Pulscauskas' script is heavy on procedural dialogue in the first act. The recruiting agency that started out as a post-WWII Air Force maintenance contractor is introduced along with references to the Gemini project and N.A.S.A. alerting the audience that the film is headed deep into Sci-Fi / Spy Agency territory.
Bernwood follows the facts and discovers some supporting evidence for the one tangible document that Anderson provided to her. Her agent injects himself into the mix flogging a product that would lead to sponsorship of her podcast and money for them both. The downside, its mind-altering and she would have to ingest it. Bernwood dismisses him, goes to see a known true believer Fishburn (Anand Rajaram) to discuss the case over a game of chess. Later, she checks some old school microfiche, then turns to fellow skeptic Truckspoor (Debra McGrath) to go over what she has found out to date. A note under her door follows spreading an expanded nugget in her brain on the road to becoming a believer.
M.A.J.I.C. is a conspiracy Sci-Fi story that ticks as the request boxes plus a few additional ones. Paula Brancati shines as the hardcore skeptical debunker that finds her position starting to shift the more she digs into Anderson's story. Richard Fitzpatrick devours the role of Anderson the post-war era card-carrying Republican Government Agency recruit who has no history after his discharge from the Air Force in 1954. Anand Rajaram and Debra McGrath add to the proceedings as a true believer and fellow skeptic receptively. It's a compelling watch with the best take on an alternate U.S. Presidency timeline since the repeated elections of Nixon in The Watchmen.
**** Out of 4.
M.A.J.I.C. | Erin Berry | Canada | 2019 | 83 Minutes.
Tags: Roswell, 1947, Skeptic, Debunker, Space Pen, Air Force, Republican, Podcaster, Hallucinogenic, 20%, Chess, True Believer, Dick Cheney, Obama 08.
Writer-director Erin Berry alongside co-writer David Pulscauskas' script is heavy on procedural dialogue in the first act. The recruiting agency that started out as a post-WWII Air Force maintenance contractor is introduced along with references to the Gemini project and N.A.S.A. alerting the audience that the film is headed deep into Sci-Fi / Spy Agency territory.
Bernwood follows the facts and discovers some supporting evidence for the one tangible document that Anderson provided to her. Her agent injects himself into the mix flogging a product that would lead to sponsorship of her podcast and money for them both. The downside, its mind-altering and she would have to ingest it. Bernwood dismisses him, goes to see a known true believer Fishburn (Anand Rajaram) to discuss the case over a game of chess. Later, she checks some old school microfiche, then turns to fellow skeptic Truckspoor (Debra McGrath) to go over what she has found out to date. A note under her door follows spreading an expanded nugget in her brain on the road to becoming a believer.
M.A.J.I.C. is a conspiracy Sci-Fi story that ticks as the request boxes plus a few additional ones. Paula Brancati shines as the hardcore skeptical debunker that finds her position starting to shift the more she digs into Anderson's story. Richard Fitzpatrick devours the role of Anderson the post-war era card-carrying Republican Government Agency recruit who has no history after his discharge from the Air Force in 1954. Anand Rajaram and Debra McGrath add to the proceedings as a true believer and fellow skeptic receptively. It's a compelling watch with the best take on an alternate U.S. Presidency timeline since the repeated elections of Nixon in The Watchmen.
**** Out of 4.
M.A.J.I.C. | Erin Berry | Canada | 2019 | 83 Minutes.
Tags: Roswell, 1947, Skeptic, Debunker, Space Pen, Air Force, Republican, Podcaster, Hallucinogenic, 20%, Chess, True Believer, Dick Cheney, Obama 08.
Saturday, November 23, 2019
BITS '19 Film Review - The Nights Before Christmas
Mr. and Mrs. Claus (Simon Phillips) who also has a writing credit for the film and (Sayla de Goede) are back resuming their roles from 2017's Once Upon A Time At Christmas. It's a year after the killings from the first movie and Courtney (Keegan Chambers) is under the watchful eye of the FBI after surviving the first massacre. At the films open her father Jim comes to visit as both of her parents are worried about her well being. After giving her some money and an agreement that Courtney will allow her parents to come and visit during Christmas he returns home encountering Santa ax in hand on a feeder highway. The FBI attends the scene to investigate and finding Naughty scrawled in blood in the snow alerting them that the Claus' are back and the killing are about to start again.
Director Paul Tanter returns to familiar ground this time to tel tell the back story of how Mr. and Mrs. Claus met in an asylum where they were known as Nicholas Conway and Michelle Weaver. The facility were treating their patients badly a recent theme in cinema thus here the audience gains a rooting interest for the supposed bad guys when they seek revenge on those that may require some form of punishment but maybe not to the extreme that the murderous couple goes.
The meat of the film is a cat and mouse battle between the Claus' and the FBI. Perhaps the best sequence in the film occurs in a church where law enforcement attempts to ensnare Nicholas and Michelle with mixed results. The events lead to part two of an institutional authority figure that definitely should be on the naughty list theme.
The film is a balanced mix of gore and narrative with a plain plot to follow a killer with a list. The Claus' are twisted and violent but those on the naughty list did have something coming. Nuggets about Nicholas' life before the asylum are revealed along with the pairs' ability to have compassion for those that did no wrong. If thematic horror is in your lane then The Nights Before Christmas is worth the watch.
*** Out of 4.
The Nights Before Christmas | Paul Tanter | Canada | 2019 | 10. Minutes.
Tags: Christmas, Santa, Mrs. Claus, Asylum, Massacre, Naughty, Nice, FBI, Sting, Witness Protection, The List.
Director Paul Tanter returns to familiar ground this time to tel tell the back story of how Mr. and Mrs. Claus met in an asylum where they were known as Nicholas Conway and Michelle Weaver. The facility were treating their patients badly a recent theme in cinema thus here the audience gains a rooting interest for the supposed bad guys when they seek revenge on those that may require some form of punishment but maybe not to the extreme that the murderous couple goes.
The meat of the film is a cat and mouse battle between the Claus' and the FBI. Perhaps the best sequence in the film occurs in a church where law enforcement attempts to ensnare Nicholas and Michelle with mixed results. The events lead to part two of an institutional authority figure that definitely should be on the naughty list theme.
The film is a balanced mix of gore and narrative with a plain plot to follow a killer with a list. The Claus' are twisted and violent but those on the naughty list did have something coming. Nuggets about Nicholas' life before the asylum are revealed along with the pairs' ability to have compassion for those that did no wrong. If thematic horror is in your lane then The Nights Before Christmas is worth the watch.
*** Out of 4.
The Nights Before Christmas | Paul Tanter | Canada | 2019 | 10. Minutes.
Tags: Christmas, Santa, Mrs. Claus, Asylum, Massacre, Naughty, Nice, FBI, Sting, Witness Protection, The List.
BITS '19 Film Review - DEAD DICKS
Becca (Jillian Harris) has just received the offer of a lifetime. Acceptance into a prestige graduate nursing program. However, her thoughts turn almost immediately to her mentally ill brother Ritchie (Heston Horwin) she has been his main support system for all of her life for her medicated brother. As she decides how she will tell Ritchie the news she goes to a shift at the bar where she works during which discovers multiple urgent voice mails to his apartment . Fearing the worst she cuts out of work running into Ritchie's downstairs neighbour Matt (Matt Keyes) a corporate looking busy body who's push up regime her brother is apparently disrupting. Becca enters the apartment to find Ritchie hanging in the closet. Mortified she goes to take him down when she hears her brother's voice behind her explaining that this scenario has occurred before.
Based on an intriguingly original idea, the narrative of Dead Dicks continues to twist and turn at each moment the audience things they have things pegged. Writer directors Chris Bavota and Lee Paula Springer pack plenty into their limited budget one main set production. The mechanism that allows Dick to keep coming back is plain to see and understand but the different developing mutations of the process range from grotesque to surprising the latter in an Invasion of the Body Snatchers -John Carpenter The Thing type of way.
The viewers see the story mainly from Jillian Harris as Becca's point of view. She has to talk Ritchie off the ledge, is the one to get eyes on the full regeneration process and frustrates when she is slow to get in position to witness the rebirth. She's also the one tasked to deal with the multiple Ritchie's. Heston Horwin work is more on the physical side as Ritchie. He's doing the body horror as he navigates the conflicting messages in his mind.
Dead Dicks is at its centre a relationship between a brother and sister. As anyone can relate that has a sibling the relationship can be frustrating at times to the point where time apart can be the best remedy. The writer-directors show in the piece that it is O.K. to admit that frustration even if you are the sibling that is supposed to be the stronger supportive one. The opening warning at the start of the film directing those that need help to get it as what follows could be triggering is thoughtful. The film is a crisp narrative by a pair of fresh voices. The momentum for the film deservedly continues to grow as does the anticipation for the duo's next project.
***1/2 Out of 4.
Dead Dicks | Chris Bavota / Lee Paula Springer | Canada | 2019 | 83 Minutes.
Tags: Skype, Nursing, Graduate School, Mental Illness, Depression, Caregiver, Voice Mail, Suicide Attempt, Portal, Rebirth, Suffocation, Hanging, Electrocution, Medication.
Based on an intriguingly original idea, the narrative of Dead Dicks continues to twist and turn at each moment the audience things they have things pegged. Writer directors Chris Bavota and Lee Paula Springer pack plenty into their limited budget one main set production. The mechanism that allows Dick to keep coming back is plain to see and understand but the different developing mutations of the process range from grotesque to surprising the latter in an Invasion of the Body Snatchers -John Carpenter The Thing type of way.
The viewers see the story mainly from Jillian Harris as Becca's point of view. She has to talk Ritchie off the ledge, is the one to get eyes on the full regeneration process and frustrates when she is slow to get in position to witness the rebirth. She's also the one tasked to deal with the multiple Ritchie's. Heston Horwin work is more on the physical side as Ritchie. He's doing the body horror as he navigates the conflicting messages in his mind.
Dead Dicks is at its centre a relationship between a brother and sister. As anyone can relate that has a sibling the relationship can be frustrating at times to the point where time apart can be the best remedy. The writer-directors show in the piece that it is O.K. to admit that frustration even if you are the sibling that is supposed to be the stronger supportive one. The opening warning at the start of the film directing those that need help to get it as what follows could be triggering is thoughtful. The film is a crisp narrative by a pair of fresh voices. The momentum for the film deservedly continues to grow as does the anticipation for the duo's next project.
***1/2 Out of 4.
Dead Dicks | Chris Bavota / Lee Paula Springer | Canada | 2019 | 83 Minutes.
Tags: Skype, Nursing, Graduate School, Mental Illness, Depression, Caregiver, Voice Mail, Suicide Attempt, Portal, Rebirth, Suffocation, Hanging, Electrocution, Medication.
BITS '19 Film Review - She Never Died
Woman of few words are hot topic in the film industry today. There was Margot Robbie as Shannon Tate in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood then most recently Anna Paquin's one line performance in The Irishman created quite a stir. In She Never Died Olunike Adeliyi takes this concept to a new level as Lacy. She'd rather act than speak, does not want any company except for her one acquaintance who looks after the spot in the alley where she crashes and has a craving for human fingers for the bone marrow that seems to fuel her incredible regenerative powers.
Lacy is seeking someone known to her as the man with the rings. The man's name is Terrence (Noah Dalton Darby) who is a mix of cruel and comedic as he toils in an industrial setting beating up people as he waits for the next shipment of women marked for trafficking. Lacy's friend tips her off to Terrance's location which she storms mutilates a loser associate but does not get to her target. Intrigued by her strength and power Terrence decides to reverse the tables and hunt her.
Law enforcement also has its eye on Terrence and the disappearances. Veteran cop Godfrey (Peter MacNeil) spots Lacy's handiwork. She is unorthodox but they both want the same thing so Godfrey extends the offer to team up in exchange for a roof over her head that includes a fridge to keep those appendages on ice. The last to the member of team is Suzi ( Kiana Madeira) who begins to follow Lacy around like a lost puppy after she inadvertently rescues her when storming into an apartment looking for a potential target. The trio all plays a role in going after Terrence and his sister Meredith (Michelle Nolden) who is the brains behind the siblings' criminal activities.
Olunike Adeliyi drives the narrative forward as Lacy. She is a human flesh eater but Adeliyi plays her in an understated, quick-witted manner that firmly plants the audience in her rooting section. She wants to be left alone, act practical and spend time in her favourite diner ordering oatmeal. Peter MacNeil grounds the film. His work alongside Director Audrey Cummings eye gives the production a serious look and feel. He looks the part, asks those police detective question and is willing stray from procedure if his choices help to crack the case. The brother/sister , braun and brains dynamic between Noah Dalton Darby and Michelle Nolan drips with mischief and sarcastic banter.
She Never Died is a suspenseful tale with a gritty look dotted with several instances of short extreme violent bursts. Director Cummings does a lot with a little backed by a cast that contributes greatly to the production. The narrative is funnier than expected and full value for its 90 minute run time.
***1/2 Out of 4
She Never Died | Audrey Cummings | Canada | 2019 | 89 Minutes.
Tags: Rings, Human Trafficking, Interrogation, Bone Marrow, Live Feed, Fridge, Red Room, Oatmeal, Tooth.
Lacy is seeking someone known to her as the man with the rings. The man's name is Terrence (Noah Dalton Darby) who is a mix of cruel and comedic as he toils in an industrial setting beating up people as he waits for the next shipment of women marked for trafficking. Lacy's friend tips her off to Terrance's location which she storms mutilates a loser associate but does not get to her target. Intrigued by her strength and power Terrence decides to reverse the tables and hunt her.
Law enforcement also has its eye on Terrence and the disappearances. Veteran cop Godfrey (Peter MacNeil) spots Lacy's handiwork. She is unorthodox but they both want the same thing so Godfrey extends the offer to team up in exchange for a roof over her head that includes a fridge to keep those appendages on ice. The last to the member of team is Suzi ( Kiana Madeira) who begins to follow Lacy around like a lost puppy after she inadvertently rescues her when storming into an apartment looking for a potential target. The trio all plays a role in going after Terrence and his sister Meredith (Michelle Nolden) who is the brains behind the siblings' criminal activities.
Olunike Adeliyi drives the narrative forward as Lacy. She is a human flesh eater but Adeliyi plays her in an understated, quick-witted manner that firmly plants the audience in her rooting section. She wants to be left alone, act practical and spend time in her favourite diner ordering oatmeal. Peter MacNeil grounds the film. His work alongside Director Audrey Cummings eye gives the production a serious look and feel. He looks the part, asks those police detective question and is willing stray from procedure if his choices help to crack the case. The brother/sister , braun and brains dynamic between Noah Dalton Darby and Michelle Nolan drips with mischief and sarcastic banter.
She Never Died is a suspenseful tale with a gritty look dotted with several instances of short extreme violent bursts. Director Cummings does a lot with a little backed by a cast that contributes greatly to the production. The narrative is funnier than expected and full value for its 90 minute run time.
***1/2 Out of 4
She Never Died | Audrey Cummings | Canada | 2019 | 89 Minutes.
Tags: Rings, Human Trafficking, Interrogation, Bone Marrow, Live Feed, Fridge, Red Room, Oatmeal, Tooth.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
imagineNATIVE '19 Film Review - Red Snow
Your Nation can be a very complicated phrase. Dylan (Asival Koostachin) is Gwich'in from the Canadian Arctic and a Canadian soldier in Afghanistan. Aman (Shafin Karim) is the patriarch of a Pashtun family a teacher turned translator caught in Taliban territory working for the Canadian Army while trying to protect what's left of his family. His educated daughter Khatira (Mozhdah Jamalzadah) clad in a full burka tries to study quietly knowing that teaching females got her mother killed. They are wary of their cousin Ramiz (Kane Mahon) who leads the local Taliban cell forcing Aman to participate in an ambush that results in Dylan's capture.
Once captured and thrown into a dimly lit concrete room Dylan moves inward for solace to his spiritual upbringing, memories of the forbidden love he shared with his cousin Asana as a teenager and his strong connection to his grandmother Ruth (the great Tantoo Cardinal) and past family matriarchs before her. Aman and his family are also in survival mode. They join forces with Dylan knowing each is the others only way out then begin the three day journey across the difficult desert landscape dotted with Taliban forces and rival tribes to Pakistan.
Writer/Director/Producer Marie Clements looked to showcase native peoples and their land with the film. Crane shots supply the visuals of the vast seemingly endless desert, snow covered arctic and green mountain on the journey to Pakistan. Cinematographer Robert Aschmann particularly shines capturing the shots where desert, meets mountain, meets snow at the Afghan-Pakistan border. Taliban Cell leader Ramiz calls Dylan an unwanted invader on his land during the latter,s interrogation. Dylan remembers his Inuit village and his teenage love Asana wandering across the blinding beautiful Canadian arctic terrain changing it's colour a droplet of red at a time in the titular and emotionally centric sequence of the film.
Survival is the theme of Marie Clements Red Snow. Survival of culture, survival of the family, survival of tradition, language, religion, traditional way of life and the individual. Asival Koostachin embodies many aspects of the theme as Dylan a captured, interrogated Gwich'in Canadian soldier. The narrative explores several layers of conflict and resolution in a tight 93 minute package that is well worth the watch.
*** 1/2 Out of 4.
Red Snow | Marie Clements | Canada | 100 Minutes | 2019.
Tags: Canadian Arctic, Inuit, Gwich'in, Afghanistan, Canadian Army, Panjwayi, Taliban, Prisoner, Interrogation, Kandahar, Pakistan, Motorcycles, Notebook
Once captured and thrown into a dimly lit concrete room Dylan moves inward for solace to his spiritual upbringing, memories of the forbidden love he shared with his cousin Asana as a teenager and his strong connection to his grandmother Ruth (the great Tantoo Cardinal) and past family matriarchs before her. Aman and his family are also in survival mode. They join forces with Dylan knowing each is the others only way out then begin the three day journey across the difficult desert landscape dotted with Taliban forces and rival tribes to Pakistan.
Writer/Director/Producer Marie Clements looked to showcase native peoples and their land with the film. Crane shots supply the visuals of the vast seemingly endless desert, snow covered arctic and green mountain on the journey to Pakistan. Cinematographer Robert Aschmann particularly shines capturing the shots where desert, meets mountain, meets snow at the Afghan-Pakistan border. Taliban Cell leader Ramiz calls Dylan an unwanted invader on his land during the latter,s interrogation. Dylan remembers his Inuit village and his teenage love Asana wandering across the blinding beautiful Canadian arctic terrain changing it's colour a droplet of red at a time in the titular and emotionally centric sequence of the film.
Survival is the theme of Marie Clements Red Snow. Survival of culture, survival of the family, survival of tradition, language, religion, traditional way of life and the individual. Asival Koostachin embodies many aspects of the theme as Dylan a captured, interrogated Gwich'in Canadian soldier. The narrative explores several layers of conflict and resolution in a tight 93 minute package that is well worth the watch.
*** 1/2 Out of 4.
Red Snow | Marie Clements | Canada | 100 Minutes | 2019.
Tags: Canadian Arctic, Inuit, Gwich'in, Afghanistan, Canadian Army, Panjwayi, Taliban, Prisoner, Interrogation, Kandahar, Pakistan, Motorcycles, Notebook
Sunday, October 20, 2019
Planet in Focus '19 Film Review- Tiere Und Andere Menschen (Animals and Other People)
A series of animals bumping along in cages in the back of a vehicle greets the viewer at the opening of Tiere Und Andere Menschen (Animals and Other People). The outside sounds of wind and the traffic can be heard as they travel along to an unknown destination. The motion stops followed by the titular card then the first of what will become a series of animal entry triages to the Wiener Tierschutzverein (Viennese Animal Protection Society). A crane is first up. Three staff inspect it for injuries, obstructions and foreign bodies determine if it can stand or if an X-ray is required then ask the driver where it was found and what happened to it. A small rabbit follows then an even smaller cat where we first see eye ointment is used for the first time mainly to see if there is any blinking in the animal.
The relationship between animals and humans is explored through a rare behind the counter view of an animal shelter. The staff take calls from the public, answer owners' questions, treat the injured, take in rescues, along unwanted hoping that adoptions balance out the arrivals. It's more about matching up humans and animals for the best chance of success. Do you have any small children? Other animals at home? Are you in the heart of the noisy city? Any height or weight restraints where you live?
The most interesting inhabitants are the long term apes. They are the alphas of the facility with staff often sitting outside of their cages paying them extra attention. Some employees become too attached which can be an issue at triage through to dealing with those that have passed the one year mark signifying an extended stay. The outside green spaces and pens along with quite large indoor quarters for the larger animals serve to avoid that cramped puppy mill feel so prevalent in North America.
Regular team meetings occur to review the status of each animal similar to what would occur in a hospital. Are any medications taken? If its a dog is being discussed, how does it react to people males vs females? children? other animals? Any physical changes or behaviour that may require further attention when the vet comes to visit. School kids come though on class trips to learn about the animals, everyday dangers to be aware of plus there are classes for adults looking to adopt that give clues to what an animal is trying to communicate through gestures, body language, and eye movement.
Everyday life at an animal shelter is tactfully explored in Tiere Und Andere Menschen (Animals and Other People). The staff treats every animal from the cutest bunny to a slithering snake with love, dignity, and affection. Strong connections are formed but never cross the line to cloud better judgment. It's a quiet insightful look at the facility where director Flavio Marchetti often just set up a stationary camera and let the bustling activity in shelter effectively tell the story.
*** 1/2 Out of 4.
Tiere Und Andere Menschen (Animals and Other People) | Flavio Marchetti | Austria | 2017 | 88 Minutes.
Tags: Vienna, Animal Shelter, Triage, Animal Rescue, X-Ray, Diagnosis, Adoption, Surgery, Feeding Time, Release.
The relationship between animals and humans is explored through a rare behind the counter view of an animal shelter. The staff take calls from the public, answer owners' questions, treat the injured, take in rescues, along unwanted hoping that adoptions balance out the arrivals. It's more about matching up humans and animals for the best chance of success. Do you have any small children? Other animals at home? Are you in the heart of the noisy city? Any height or weight restraints where you live?
The most interesting inhabitants are the long term apes. They are the alphas of the facility with staff often sitting outside of their cages paying them extra attention. Some employees become too attached which can be an issue at triage through to dealing with those that have passed the one year mark signifying an extended stay. The outside green spaces and pens along with quite large indoor quarters for the larger animals serve to avoid that cramped puppy mill feel so prevalent in North America.
Regular team meetings occur to review the status of each animal similar to what would occur in a hospital. Are any medications taken? If its a dog is being discussed, how does it react to people males vs females? children? other animals? Any physical changes or behaviour that may require further attention when the vet comes to visit. School kids come though on class trips to learn about the animals, everyday dangers to be aware of plus there are classes for adults looking to adopt that give clues to what an animal is trying to communicate through gestures, body language, and eye movement.
Everyday life at an animal shelter is tactfully explored in Tiere Und Andere Menschen (Animals and Other People). The staff treats every animal from the cutest bunny to a slithering snake with love, dignity, and affection. Strong connections are formed but never cross the line to cloud better judgment. It's a quiet insightful look at the facility where director Flavio Marchetti often just set up a stationary camera and let the bustling activity in shelter effectively tell the story.
*** 1/2 Out of 4.
Tiere Und Andere Menschen (Animals and Other People) | Flavio Marchetti | Austria | 2017 | 88 Minutes.
Tags: Vienna, Animal Shelter, Triage, Animal Rescue, X-Ray, Diagnosis, Adoption, Surgery, Feeding Time, Release.
Planet In Focus '19 Film Review - Artifishal
Human beings tendency to treat nature as a warehouse is the root idea behind Patagonia Films Josh Murphy directed Artifishal. The belief that nature exists to take what you want while dumping your waste anywhere you feel fit. The narrative splices in horrific scenes of frontier men posed with mountains of animal bones juxtaposed to newsreels of streams and rivers full of fish. Establishing the myth of endless resources until the government decided that it needed to insert itself to protect them as civilization was advancing to natures peril.
The theory was that with the advance of civilization dams needed to be built therefore fish hatcheries were needed to mitigate for the loss of habitat. The working logic as presented on queue by Brett Galyean Manger of Coleman National Fish Hatchery near San Francisco: population is going up water is a concern so if you want to still see salmon hatcheries are required as there is not enough water or environment to support salmon. Propaganda that dates back to the post U.S. Civil War era.
Spencer Baird as U.S. Fish Commissioner was the father of the practice starting artificial propagation with a hatchery bearing his name in 1873. Geneticist Dave Phillip explains that they were not scientist but instead, agriculturalists calling it Wildlife Management, Fish Propagation, birthing the agricultural mentality that still rules today. Its a farm; you raise, put them out you harvest them. Questions began to be asked in the '70s and not until now are some of the most damaging practices set to be reversed.
Director Murphy highlights two key events that debunked the practice. First, Madison River Montana where they did a study in the seventies to stock one out of three fishing creeks. The non stocked locations doubled the number of fish while the stocked one halved leading to no more stocking of waters with self-sustaining populations in the state. The other Mount St. Helen's eruption of 1980 that decimated the surrounding river basins. No hatchery fish were put in a a result; 5 years later the fish were back at higher levels than before, doubling two years after that showing what wild fish can can do even under the harshest conditions when not constrained by or forced to intermingle with hatchery fish.
Artificial documents the negative impact when a country becomes dependent on a multi -billion dollar industry. Hatcheries and Fish Farms provide jobs, create projects, justifies the existence of certain government agencies and a bump for politicians that have them built in their constituencies. Mother nature can do it better, have been doing it for thousands of years and for free. The wild method produces larger, healthier, sustainable numbers as opposed to smaller, diseased,weaker engineered fish. The empirical data supports this and its time that governments do as well.
**** Out of 4
Artifishal, Josh Murphy, U.S.A. | 75 Minutes | 2019.
Tags: Yvon Chouinard, Salmon Spawning, Dams, Spencer Baird, Ecology, Fish Hatcheries, Fish Farms, Fish Propagation, Washington State, Oregon, Montana, Biological Diversity, Protests, Government Legislation
The theory was that with the advance of civilization dams needed to be built therefore fish hatcheries were needed to mitigate for the loss of habitat. The working logic as presented on queue by Brett Galyean Manger of Coleman National Fish Hatchery near San Francisco: population is going up water is a concern so if you want to still see salmon hatcheries are required as there is not enough water or environment to support salmon. Propaganda that dates back to the post U.S. Civil War era.
Spencer Baird as U.S. Fish Commissioner was the father of the practice starting artificial propagation with a hatchery bearing his name in 1873. Geneticist Dave Phillip explains that they were not scientist but instead, agriculturalists calling it Wildlife Management, Fish Propagation, birthing the agricultural mentality that still rules today. Its a farm; you raise, put them out you harvest them. Questions began to be asked in the '70s and not until now are some of the most damaging practices set to be reversed.
Director Murphy highlights two key events that debunked the practice. First, Madison River Montana where they did a study in the seventies to stock one out of three fishing creeks. The non stocked locations doubled the number of fish while the stocked one halved leading to no more stocking of waters with self-sustaining populations in the state. The other Mount St. Helen's eruption of 1980 that decimated the surrounding river basins. No hatchery fish were put in a a result; 5 years later the fish were back at higher levels than before, doubling two years after that showing what wild fish can can do even under the harshest conditions when not constrained by or forced to intermingle with hatchery fish.
Artificial documents the negative impact when a country becomes dependent on a multi -billion dollar industry. Hatcheries and Fish Farms provide jobs, create projects, justifies the existence of certain government agencies and a bump for politicians that have them built in their constituencies. Mother nature can do it better, have been doing it for thousands of years and for free. The wild method produces larger, healthier, sustainable numbers as opposed to smaller, diseased,weaker engineered fish. The empirical data supports this and its time that governments do as well.
**** Out of 4
Artifishal, Josh Murphy, U.S.A. | 75 Minutes | 2019.
Tags: Yvon Chouinard, Salmon Spawning, Dams, Spencer Baird, Ecology, Fish Hatcheries, Fish Farms, Fish Propagation, Washington State, Oregon, Montana, Biological Diversity, Protests, Government Legislation
Tuesday, September 10, 2019
TIFF 19 Film Review - Henry Glassie: Field Work
The merger of Henry Glassie's slow process of meeting people from different cultures, making friends with the local artists and coming to learn what is beautiful and artistic to them intersects with director Pat Collins fast-paced film making to produce a project that celebrates artists in their element meticulously working on their craft.
The film starts out in Brazil where a fixed camera scopes Rosalvo Santanna as he sculpts a sacred female figure in clay. We see him patiently work on her dress, molds her headpiece and mead perfect hands and fingers for his female work of art. Nearby woodworker Evidal Rosas discusses his project to replace two massive statutes for a local church. He studied the remaining statues, then began to chisel a large slab of wood completely engrossed in the work as if he was being guided by a force from somewhere else.
Glassie and his partner wife Pravina Shulka also set up for an extended period in Ireland coming to learn that the art here was not sculptures or paintings but instead storytelling and song. Their journey also lands in the U.S. specifically North Carolina where the viewer gets a glimpse into Daniel and Kate Johnsons' pottery workshop.
The film is shot as Henry and Pravina observe the craftspeople. The viewer is a spectator at the side of the frame as the artist create their pieces. Henry's goal with fieldwork is to bring different voices and faces into the public forum and on to the historical record 82-year-old Edival Rosas being a prime example.
All of the participants have known the titular couple for at least 12 years. They all were subjects in his recent book evidence that the folklorist respect and honour their subjects. The pairs' local knowledge and insight coupled with Collins' understanding of the project, framing, and patience with creators results in a unique cinematic experience. It's a study of artists toiling at their craft that is a pleasurable watch for anyone that enjoys viewing someone living and breathing a labour of love.
***1/2 Out of 4.
Henry Glassie: Field Work | Pat Collins | Ireland| 2019 | 105 Minutes.
Tags: Documentary, Folklore, Brazil, Bahia, Clay, Sculpting, Pottery, Metal Work, Ireland, Song, Piedmont N.C. , Turkey.
The film starts out in Brazil where a fixed camera scopes Rosalvo Santanna as he sculpts a sacred female figure in clay. We see him patiently work on her dress, molds her headpiece and mead perfect hands and fingers for his female work of art. Nearby woodworker Evidal Rosas discusses his project to replace two massive statutes for a local church. He studied the remaining statues, then began to chisel a large slab of wood completely engrossed in the work as if he was being guided by a force from somewhere else.
Glassie and his partner wife Pravina Shulka also set up for an extended period in Ireland coming to learn that the art here was not sculptures or paintings but instead storytelling and song. Their journey also lands in the U.S. specifically North Carolina where the viewer gets a glimpse into Daniel and Kate Johnsons' pottery workshop.
The film is shot as Henry and Pravina observe the craftspeople. The viewer is a spectator at the side of the frame as the artist create their pieces. Henry's goal with fieldwork is to bring different voices and faces into the public forum and on to the historical record 82-year-old Edival Rosas being a prime example.
All of the participants have known the titular couple for at least 12 years. They all were subjects in his recent book evidence that the folklorist respect and honour their subjects. The pairs' local knowledge and insight coupled with Collins' understanding of the project, framing, and patience with creators results in a unique cinematic experience. It's a study of artists toiling at their craft that is a pleasurable watch for anyone that enjoys viewing someone living and breathing a labour of love.
***1/2 Out of 4.
Henry Glassie: Field Work | Pat Collins | Ireland| 2019 | 105 Minutes.
Tags: Documentary, Folklore, Brazil, Bahia, Clay, Sculpting, Pottery, Metal Work, Ireland, Song, Piedmont N.C. , Turkey.
Saturday, September 7, 2019
TIFF '19 Film Review - Parasite
The Rich vs the Help is a is an age-old conflict that has fueled society and films for years. In the world constructed by writer-director Bong Joon-Ho for Parasite the city construct has the rich living up in the hills while the poor are down at sea level. The upper 1% is literally up in the hills looking down on the working class or lower folk below.
The Kim family are opportunists. The film opens with son Ki-woo (Choi Wook-sik) and sister (Park- So-Dam) peeved because the neighbours whose Wi-Fi connection they are steeling seem to have changed their password. The family job is to fold pizza boxes which they often don't do correctly and patriarch Bong muse Song Kang-ho as dad Kim Ki-taek thinks it's a good idea to leave the windows of their basement squatter apartment open as the fumigator sprays above seeing it as free fumigation. Then Bong throws in the dagger. A homeless person regularly using the Kim's front step as a regular toilet.
The family's fortune takes an upswing when Ki-woo's friend leaves a plum tutoring job recommending him as a replacement. Soon the Kim's maneuver their whole family into employment at the Park's uptown residence unbeknownst to the owners that all of their current hires tutor, nanny, driver, and housekeeper are related.
Bong presents a masterstroke commentary on inequality in today's society. The film is filled with microaggressions that are usually let go but a key weather event at the end of the second act crystalizes the split between rich and poor pushing patriarch Kim Ki-taek to his breaking point. It's a powerful film with a timely message anchored by Bong's sense of humor and perfectly paced tempo in a piece that is destined for the top half of year end list likely to break South Korea's Oscar recognition drought.
**** Out of 4
Parasite | Bong Joon-Ho | South Korea | 2019 | 132 Minutes.
Tags: Grifters, Illegal Alien, Chauffer, Tutor, Monsoon, Flooding, Secret Room, Camping Trip, Birthday Party, Indians.
The Kim family are opportunists. The film opens with son Ki-woo (Choi Wook-sik) and sister (Park- So-Dam) peeved because the neighbours whose Wi-Fi connection they are steeling seem to have changed their password. The family job is to fold pizza boxes which they often don't do correctly and patriarch Bong muse Song Kang-ho as dad Kim Ki-taek thinks it's a good idea to leave the windows of their basement squatter apartment open as the fumigator sprays above seeing it as free fumigation. Then Bong throws in the dagger. A homeless person regularly using the Kim's front step as a regular toilet.
The family's fortune takes an upswing when Ki-woo's friend leaves a plum tutoring job recommending him as a replacement. Soon the Kim's maneuver their whole family into employment at the Park's uptown residence unbeknownst to the owners that all of their current hires tutor, nanny, driver, and housekeeper are related.
Bong presents a masterstroke commentary on inequality in today's society. The film is filled with microaggressions that are usually let go but a key weather event at the end of the second act crystalizes the split between rich and poor pushing patriarch Kim Ki-taek to his breaking point. It's a powerful film with a timely message anchored by Bong's sense of humor and perfectly paced tempo in a piece that is destined for the top half of year end list likely to break South Korea's Oscar recognition drought.
**** Out of 4
Parasite | Bong Joon-Ho | South Korea | 2019 | 132 Minutes.
Tags: Grifters, Illegal Alien, Chauffer, Tutor, Monsoon, Flooding, Secret Room, Camping Trip, Birthday Party, Indians.
Sunday, August 25, 2019
TIFF Bel Lightbox Film Review - Tigers Are Not Afraid
10-year Old Estrella is a bright smart girl in school. Her class is in the middle of a lesson when gunfire rigs out just outside the school grounds forcing the entire class to duck for cover. School is canceled indefinitely. On television, a local politician running for office vows to clean up the community for the residents. As Estrella leaves the grounds she is faced with police tape surrounding a dead cartel victim at the entrance to the school. Orphaned Shine (Juan Ramon Lopez) is living on the streets lurking in the shadows looking for food when not robbing cell phones from inattentive people passing by.
He stumbles upon cartel member Caco (Ianis Guerrerro) relieving himself beside a building not paying attention to his phone or gun which Shine lifts. He heads back to his band of orphaned boys showing his haul from the evening. Estrella returns home from school to find his mother missing. When she does not turn up the next day her worst fears begin to surface. Her mother has been taken away by the cartel.
Fantasy mixes with harsh reality in director Issa Lopez film. Estrella has been granted three wishes as she is surrounded by butterflies, birds, and snakes in this film space. Lopez brings the viewer into the bleak reality of a Mexican slum. The cartels have killed so many people that little kids are forced to join together for safety and survival. The supernatural blends with fantasy and reality. Here as in Guillermo del Toro's Devils Backbone and Pan's Labyrinth Humans in authority are the real monsters that prey and the innocent and weak. It's fitting that del Toro is such a champion of the film imploring anyone his vast social network can reach to see the film. The art department are influential in creating this world including the swatting locations the kids occupy during the film. Cinematographer Juan Jose Saravia work with shadows, reflections, light and dark help to portray both the fantasy and desperation of the kids' situation. The spray painted murals tell the story of the relationships in the community with the kids and the cartel members some describing tragedy easily invoking tears.
Paola Lara fills the screen as Estrella. She is scared and frightened at first returning home to find her mother missing with no food available or coming. But she finds her strength and resolve becoming key planner for the orphaned group to the anger of Shine. Juan Ramon Lopez occupies that second in command role. He is moody upset that he lost control of the group but willing to step up at the most critical time.
Tigers are Not Afraid is a deep look at violence and fear experienced in cartel run Mexican communities. It's even better on the second viewing and needs to be seen to inspire future storytellers with original ideas to find a way to get their work out there. The nimble young cast of first timers bring authentic voices to their roles. As del Toro stated in the Q & A to kick off the films 2 week run at Toronto's Bell Lightbox Tigers Are Not Afraid falls into the wake people up category rather than the put people to sleep one. The story is chilling but likely reflecting actual events. It's a desperate situation that needs to be exposed as done so here by Issa Lopez and her team.
**** Out of 4.
Tigers Are Not Afraid | Issa Lopez | Mexico | 2017 | 83 Minutes.
Tags: Tigers, Snakes, Birds, Squatting, Graffiti, Hunger, Orphaned, Disappeared, Cartel, iPhone, Campaign, Video.
He stumbles upon cartel member Caco (Ianis Guerrerro) relieving himself beside a building not paying attention to his phone or gun which Shine lifts. He heads back to his band of orphaned boys showing his haul from the evening. Estrella returns home from school to find his mother missing. When she does not turn up the next day her worst fears begin to surface. Her mother has been taken away by the cartel.
Fantasy mixes with harsh reality in director Issa Lopez film. Estrella has been granted three wishes as she is surrounded by butterflies, birds, and snakes in this film space. Lopez brings the viewer into the bleak reality of a Mexican slum. The cartels have killed so many people that little kids are forced to join together for safety and survival. The supernatural blends with fantasy and reality. Here as in Guillermo del Toro's Devils Backbone and Pan's Labyrinth Humans in authority are the real monsters that prey and the innocent and weak. It's fitting that del Toro is such a champion of the film imploring anyone his vast social network can reach to see the film. The art department are influential in creating this world including the swatting locations the kids occupy during the film. Cinematographer Juan Jose Saravia work with shadows, reflections, light and dark help to portray both the fantasy and desperation of the kids' situation. The spray painted murals tell the story of the relationships in the community with the kids and the cartel members some describing tragedy easily invoking tears.
Paola Lara fills the screen as Estrella. She is scared and frightened at first returning home to find her mother missing with no food available or coming. But she finds her strength and resolve becoming key planner for the orphaned group to the anger of Shine. Juan Ramon Lopez occupies that second in command role. He is moody upset that he lost control of the group but willing to step up at the most critical time.
Tigers are Not Afraid is a deep look at violence and fear experienced in cartel run Mexican communities. It's even better on the second viewing and needs to be seen to inspire future storytellers with original ideas to find a way to get their work out there. The nimble young cast of first timers bring authentic voices to their roles. As del Toro stated in the Q & A to kick off the films 2 week run at Toronto's Bell Lightbox Tigers Are Not Afraid falls into the wake people up category rather than the put people to sleep one. The story is chilling but likely reflecting actual events. It's a desperate situation that needs to be exposed as done so here by Issa Lopez and her team.
**** Out of 4.
Tigers Are Not Afraid | Issa Lopez | Mexico | 2017 | 83 Minutes.
Tags: Tigers, Snakes, Birds, Squatting, Graffiti, Hunger, Orphaned, Disappeared, Cartel, iPhone, Campaign, Video.
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Fox Searchlight Film Review - Ready or Not
The Rich as a species are the villains it Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett's Ready or Not. Their quirks, family traditions, games rooms with hunting trophies and weapons on full display and paintings of revered past patriarchs for hanging on the walls. The legendary story here is of the Le Domas family Great Great Grandfather Victor met a fellow traveler and game enthusiast at sea circa U.S. Civil war. A deal was struck and a box passed to grant the Le Domas any gift. But the price, anyone marrying into the family has to be married at the family home and draw a card to play a game at midnight. The games can be benign if you draw chess or old maid but if you draw hide and seek the new bride or groom his haunted until dawn as a sacrifice to the benefactor to keep the family fortune moving forward.
Grace (Samara Weaving) who is quickly turning into a modern scream queen given her 2017 turn in Mayhem alongside Steven Yuen stars as the latest initiate to the Le Domas family. They are gaming royalty having started with playing cards in their grandfathers day, moving to board games the next generation and on to owning sports teams in current patriarch Tony (Henry Czenry) era. Grace is the love of Alex (Mark O'Brien) estranged from his relatives who witnessed to the last time this tradition turned deadly as a six-year-old when Aunt Helene (Nicky Guadagni) husband had to be sacrificed. Following the wedding and a brief time together in Alex room the pair present themselves for the traditional midnight game. Grace draws the hide and seek card, is given time to hide the quickly learns that the hunt is for keeps.
Weaving excels in the genre with her full embracement of body horror as she slowly turns her wedding dress into an effective kit for battle. Adam Brody is strong as Daniel the unenthused alcoholic son who Grace describes as hitting on her at every opportunity he gets. Melanie Scorano as sister Emily sets the comedic edge early showing the privileged natural disdain for servants.
Ready or Not is a funnier than expected squirm fest that takes dead aim at the old money country club set of dubious origins. The film has signature scenes: At the fence, In the goat pit, I the kitchen that will bring back feelings of anxiety and dread to the viewer when mentioned. communicate to the . It's a heart pounding seat gripping ultimate stakes ride that I highly recommend.
***1/2 Out of Four.
Ready or Not | Matt Bettinelli-Olpin / Tyler Gillett | U.S.A. | 2019 | 95 Minutes.
Tags: Cards, Games, Wedding, In-Laws, Hide and Seek, Sacrifice, Ritual, Satan, Midnight, Dawn, Wedding Dress, ONSTAR.
Grace (Samara Weaving) who is quickly turning into a modern scream queen given her 2017 turn in Mayhem alongside Steven Yuen stars as the latest initiate to the Le Domas family. They are gaming royalty having started with playing cards in their grandfathers day, moving to board games the next generation and on to owning sports teams in current patriarch Tony (Henry Czenry) era. Grace is the love of Alex (Mark O'Brien) estranged from his relatives who witnessed to the last time this tradition turned deadly as a six-year-old when Aunt Helene (Nicky Guadagni) husband had to be sacrificed. Following the wedding and a brief time together in Alex room the pair present themselves for the traditional midnight game. Grace draws the hide and seek card, is given time to hide the quickly learns that the hunt is for keeps.
Weaving excels in the genre with her full embracement of body horror as she slowly turns her wedding dress into an effective kit for battle. Adam Brody is strong as Daniel the unenthused alcoholic son who Grace describes as hitting on her at every opportunity he gets. Melanie Scorano as sister Emily sets the comedic edge early showing the privileged natural disdain for servants.
Ready or Not is a funnier than expected squirm fest that takes dead aim at the old money country club set of dubious origins. The film has signature scenes: At the fence, In the goat pit, I the kitchen that will bring back feelings of anxiety and dread to the viewer when mentioned. communicate to the . It's a heart pounding seat gripping ultimate stakes ride that I highly recommend.
***1/2 Out of Four.
Ready or Not | Matt Bettinelli-Olpin / Tyler Gillett | U.S.A. | 2019 | 95 Minutes.
Tags: Cards, Games, Wedding, In-Laws, Hide and Seek, Sacrifice, Ritual, Satan, Midnight, Dawn, Wedding Dress, ONSTAR.
Friday, August 16, 2019
Universal Pictures Film Review - Good Boys
12-year-old boy hijinks rule the day in director Gene Stupintsky's feature debut Good Boys. Stupintsky and co-writer Lee Eisenberg cut their teeth writing for the U.S. version of the Office. They're backed by Seth Rogan and Evan Golberg who spawned Superbad hence the natural comparison that has been promoted in the launch of the film. Filled with moments that will make you squirm in a good way plus rapid fire F-bombs the three best friends that refer to themselves as the beanbag boys set out to educate themselves on the art of kissing ahead of their first ever kissing part as they deal with a drone mishap.
Jacob Tremblay of The Room and Wonder is the leader of the trio as Max. He's crushing on classmate Brixlee (Millie Davis) while cut-off shirt wearing Thor (Brady Noon) lives to sing but downplays it as it's perceived as not cool topping off his embarrassing nickname sippy cup earned in a beer drinking fail. Rounding out the friends is Keith L. Williams as Lucas. He's the only one that can pass as a high schooler but hopelessly naïve and honest to a fault which is a major problem when you're ditching school to replace Dad's drone plus you may have to make a trade for drugs with two older girls.
The action takes place over one day in a tight laugh filed 90 minute package as the boys weave their way across town trying to solve the drone issue ahead of the return of Max's dad and the inevitable serious grounding. Hannah (Molly Gordon) and Lily (Midori Frances) are memorable as the arch rival villains of the piece. The older girls that confiscate the drone discovering it when the friends use it to spy on them poolside. Their battle turns into a mutually assured destruction standoff as the boys steal a purse at the first confrontation containing the girls molly (MDNA) meant to enhance their partying experience that evening.
Good Boys has its above the fold hooks of bad language, tween boys interpretation of sex acts and toys and their BMX bike riding adventure. But beneath there is a sweetness as they are discovering a multitude of things for the first time, still willing to cry openly when sad thinking it's the end of the world when the smallest thing goes wrong. The constant flow of bad language from 6th graders can be grading at times but the overall message of support and friendship makes the film worth the watch.
*** Out of 4
Good Boys | Gene Stupintsky | U.S.A. | 2019 | 90 Minutes.
Tags; Drone, Ditching School, First Crush, Kissing Party, Sex Toys, Drugs, MDNA, School Musical, BMX Bikes, Skate Park.
Jacob Tremblay of The Room and Wonder is the leader of the trio as Max. He's crushing on classmate Brixlee (Millie Davis) while cut-off shirt wearing Thor (Brady Noon) lives to sing but downplays it as it's perceived as not cool topping off his embarrassing nickname sippy cup earned in a beer drinking fail. Rounding out the friends is Keith L. Williams as Lucas. He's the only one that can pass as a high schooler but hopelessly naïve and honest to a fault which is a major problem when you're ditching school to replace Dad's drone plus you may have to make a trade for drugs with two older girls.
The action takes place over one day in a tight laugh filed 90 minute package as the boys weave their way across town trying to solve the drone issue ahead of the return of Max's dad and the inevitable serious grounding. Hannah (Molly Gordon) and Lily (Midori Frances) are memorable as the arch rival villains of the piece. The older girls that confiscate the drone discovering it when the friends use it to spy on them poolside. Their battle turns into a mutually assured destruction standoff as the boys steal a purse at the first confrontation containing the girls molly (MDNA) meant to enhance their partying experience that evening.
Good Boys has its above the fold hooks of bad language, tween boys interpretation of sex acts and toys and their BMX bike riding adventure. But beneath there is a sweetness as they are discovering a multitude of things for the first time, still willing to cry openly when sad thinking it's the end of the world when the smallest thing goes wrong. The constant flow of bad language from 6th graders can be grading at times but the overall message of support and friendship makes the film worth the watch.
*** Out of 4
Good Boys | Gene Stupintsky | U.S.A. | 2019 | 90 Minutes.
Tags; Drone, Ditching School, First Crush, Kissing Party, Sex Toys, Drugs, MDNA, School Musical, BMX Bikes, Skate Park.
Sunday, August 11, 2019
Film Review - Scary Stories to Tell In The Dark
Based on in Alvin Schwartz campfire folklore favourite of short stories from the '80s. Andre Ovredal Scary Stories to Tell In The Dark follows a bunch of misfit teens in 1968 with Donovan's Season of The Witch setting the tone as the story kicks off. Stella (Zoe Coletti) and her two friends Auggie (Gabriel Rush) and Chuck (Austin Zajur) reluctantly go out on Halloween knowing that the will have to face bully Tommy (Austin Abrams) at some point in the evening. They do, pull a prank to get the best of the letterman wearing jock then end up in a padlocked haunted house, alongside Ramon (Michael Garza) a passing through town loner and Chuck Sister Ruby (Natalie Ganzhorn) who Tommy dumped on the spot. The locals inform Roman of the myth of the Bellows family that owned the home. Well to do town founders that started the paper mill. However, children went missing and were traced back to the house when legend has it that youngest Bellows daughter Sarah told children scary stories through the wall in her room just before they disappeared. The family kept her isolated never allowing her to go outside. In the home, Stella finds Sarah's book a collection of stories with strange titles all with a doomed lead character. Without telling her friends she takes it home sealing the fate of everyone that was in the house when she took it.
The source material clearly drew for Guillermo del Toro to the project. In Chuck's conjure, Stephen Gammell's drawing of the Pale Lady is brought to life a creation that could easily pass as a del Toro original. Events play out linearly for the first teen to face Sarah Bellows rage at the theft. But when Sarah's pen turns to the next target Stella then Ramon see the story written on the page right before their eyes.
The five young main actors all play their slotted roles well. Zoe Coletti leads from the front as Stella. She lives with her dad, her mom had run off long ago. Her room is fully decorated with horror posters and she can quote The Night of the Living Dead by rote. Michael Garza is quiet but resourceful as Ramon. He is a target of the town bullies and police because of his Mexican background but has an immediate connection with Stella after he assists in getting the friends out of a Halloween jam. Natalie Ganzhorn does a lot more than the usual with the one dimensional pretty girl role of Ruth. She is willing to challenge jock Tommy and may be in the centre of the Scary Story that will resonate as the biggest fear of most The Red Dot.
Scary Stories to Tell In The Dark plays on the fear created though campfire stories. Schwartz's anthology housed universal stories. Stella states that you do not read the book. Instead, the book reads you playing on your darkest fears bringing them to life to paralyze you with fear first then kill.
*** Out of 4.
Scary Stories to Tell In The Dark | U.S.A. / Canada | 2019 | 111Minutes
Tags: Alvin Schwartz, Halloween, Haunted House, Small Town, Scarecrow Spiders, 1968 Election, Vietnam, The Pale Lady, Asylum, Dreams, Anthology, Toe, Stew.
The five young main actors all play their slotted roles well. Zoe Coletti leads from the front as Stella. She lives with her dad, her mom had run off long ago. Her room is fully decorated with horror posters and she can quote The Night of the Living Dead by rote. Michael Garza is quiet but resourceful as Ramon. He is a target of the town bullies and police because of his Mexican background but has an immediate connection with Stella after he assists in getting the friends out of a Halloween jam. Natalie Ganzhorn does a lot more than the usual with the one dimensional pretty girl role of Ruth. She is willing to challenge jock Tommy and may be in the centre of the Scary Story that will resonate as the biggest fear of most The Red Dot.
Scary Stories to Tell In The Dark plays on the fear created though campfire stories. Schwartz's anthology housed universal stories. Stella states that you do not read the book. Instead, the book reads you playing on your darkest fears bringing them to life to paralyze you with fear first then kill.
*** Out of 4.
Scary Stories to Tell In The Dark | U.S.A. / Canada | 2019 | 111Minutes
Tags: Alvin Schwartz, Halloween, Haunted House, Small Town, Scarecrow Spiders, 1968 Election, Vietnam, The Pale Lady, Asylum, Dreams, Anthology, Toe, Stew.
Friday, August 2, 2019
Universal Pictures Film Review - Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw
A futuristic threat, gunplay, chase scenes, style, high wire stunts, a lead defending the honor of their sister and nitrous oxide. All the elements one would expect from a Fast and Furious franchise spinoff is all here. Director David Leitch whose action chops include a hand in John Wick, Atomic Blonde and Deadpool 2 whose star Ryan Reynolds entertains as Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson's) handler give the viewers what they want right off the get-go. Two side by side scenes of Hobbs and Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) taking out the bad guy with an unusual choice of weapon in L.A. and London respectively.
London is where the action kicks off. M.I.6 are safeguarding a biological weapon that part machine Brixton (Idris Alba) a former colleague of Shaw's intercepts a military convoy to try to steal. Decklan Sister Hattie (Vanessa Kirby) injects herself with the virus and escapes. Now she has 72 hours before it activates inside her, then goes airborne spreading rapidly with deadly consequences. Hobbs and Shaw are recruited separately to work together to stop the threat.
The narrative is full of verbal sparring and one-upmanship by the two leads. They have their fights each getting in their licks along with Shaw's verbal threats to Hobbs to stay away from his sister. Brixton is being driven by paramilitary, tech, media, scientific group Eteon. They have their hands in everything controlling enough media outlets to spin a story any way they want. The action moves to Ukraine then on to Samoa where there is a final showdown with old world fighting tactics and weapons take on the super modern biometric ones. A few key characters pop up in the latter part of the film that injects energy into the proceedings playing a large part in moving the mission towards success.
Idris Alba and Vanessa Kirby do not take a step back from the two leads. There are several scenes with either facing off with the above the line stars where they give more than they get. The motorcycle stunts alone though the streets of London and burned out abandoned Ukraine Nuclear plant are worth the price of admission. It's a true popcorn movie that checks all the boxes for an action-fantasy thriller.
*** Out of 4
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw | David Leitch | U.S.A.| 2019 | 135 Minutes.
Tags: C.I.A. , F.B.I. M.I.6, Virus, London, Moscow, Ukraine, Samoa, Visitation, Elevator.
London is where the action kicks off. M.I.6 are safeguarding a biological weapon that part machine Brixton (Idris Alba) a former colleague of Shaw's intercepts a military convoy to try to steal. Decklan Sister Hattie (Vanessa Kirby) injects herself with the virus and escapes. Now she has 72 hours before it activates inside her, then goes airborne spreading rapidly with deadly consequences. Hobbs and Shaw are recruited separately to work together to stop the threat.
The narrative is full of verbal sparring and one-upmanship by the two leads. They have their fights each getting in their licks along with Shaw's verbal threats to Hobbs to stay away from his sister. Brixton is being driven by paramilitary, tech, media, scientific group Eteon. They have their hands in everything controlling enough media outlets to spin a story any way they want. The action moves to Ukraine then on to Samoa where there is a final showdown with old world fighting tactics and weapons take on the super modern biometric ones. A few key characters pop up in the latter part of the film that injects energy into the proceedings playing a large part in moving the mission towards success.
Idris Alba and Vanessa Kirby do not take a step back from the two leads. There are several scenes with either facing off with the above the line stars where they give more than they get. The motorcycle stunts alone though the streets of London and burned out abandoned Ukraine Nuclear plant are worth the price of admission. It's a true popcorn movie that checks all the boxes for an action-fantasy thriller.
*** Out of 4
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw | David Leitch | U.S.A.| 2019 | 135 Minutes.
Tags: C.I.A. , F.B.I. M.I.6, Virus, London, Moscow, Ukraine, Samoa, Visitation, Elevator.
Thursday, August 1, 2019
Fantasia '19 Film Review - Knives & Skin
Caroline (Raven Whitley) dressed proudly in her marching band school uniform is out by the lake with jock Andy (Ty Olwin). She is concerned about her new glasses as Andy makes his advances. When she rebuffs him demanding that he take her home he leaves her stranded; Caroline does not make it home. The ripples of her disappearance brings out the quirk in an already offbeat small Illinois town. The most affected is Caroline's mother Mrs. Harper (Marika Englehart) who is the choir teacher at the school where Carolyn and her friends attend. As she spirals downward her students sing in pop songs from the Go Go's to Cindi Lauper in layered multi-part harmony as they whisper to each other the truly disturbing thoughts that most teens have in their minds bubbling under the surface.
Caroline's three main friends and bandmates form the core of the film. Joanne Andy's sister makes cash on the side selling underwear to teachers. Cheerleader Laurel (Kayla Carter) whose dad Doug (James Vincent Meredith) is the police chief quietly pursues her crush on a fellow female student. Charlotte (Ireon Roach) whose a Grace Jones type performance artist wears tribal face paint in class and turns every presentation in class into a theatre event. Their parents are no less dull, in and out of each other's beds looking for a connection they cannot find at home.
Director Jennifer Reeder's film will draw immediate comparisons to Twin Peaks and other provocative Hight School dramas such as Heathers. The rich soundtrack sets the dreamlike atmosphere plus the peculiar behavior of the adults invoke the Lynchian comparison. However, Reeder's narrative is more about inclusivity and the need for females to stick together being cruel if need be as the writer-director screams verbally and an overt act by Kayla Carter's Laurel demonstrates specifically that boys often don't treat girls very well.
Knives and Skin loses its way at some points but the overall narrative is one that is empowering to females and outsiders alike who feel like they don't fit in are bullied or demeaned by the entitled class. Be yourself, develop a hard edge and support fiercely those that will do the same for you. The young cast of relative unknowns do not make a wrong step in a piece from a rising voice in film.
**1/2 Out of 4.
Knives and Skin | Jennifer Reeder | U.S.A.| 111 Minutes.
Tags: High School, Disappearance, Marching Band,Glasses, Choir, Football, Mascot, Sad Clown, 80's New Wave, Letter Jacket, Mustang.
Caroline's three main friends and bandmates form the core of the film. Joanne Andy's sister makes cash on the side selling underwear to teachers. Cheerleader Laurel (Kayla Carter) whose dad Doug (James Vincent Meredith) is the police chief quietly pursues her crush on a fellow female student. Charlotte (Ireon Roach) whose a Grace Jones type performance artist wears tribal face paint in class and turns every presentation in class into a theatre event. Their parents are no less dull, in and out of each other's beds looking for a connection they cannot find at home.
Director Jennifer Reeder's film will draw immediate comparisons to Twin Peaks and other provocative Hight School dramas such as Heathers. The rich soundtrack sets the dreamlike atmosphere plus the peculiar behavior of the adults invoke the Lynchian comparison. However, Reeder's narrative is more about inclusivity and the need for females to stick together being cruel if need be as the writer-director screams verbally and an overt act by Kayla Carter's Laurel demonstrates specifically that boys often don't treat girls very well.
Knives and Skin loses its way at some points but the overall narrative is one that is empowering to females and outsiders alike who feel like they don't fit in are bullied or demeaned by the entitled class. Be yourself, develop a hard edge and support fiercely those that will do the same for you. The young cast of relative unknowns do not make a wrong step in a piece from a rising voice in film.
**1/2 Out of 4.
Knives and Skin | Jennifer Reeder | U.S.A.| 111 Minutes.
Tags: High School, Disappearance, Marching Band,Glasses, Choir, Football, Mascot, Sad Clown, 80's New Wave, Letter Jacket, Mustang.
Fantasia '19 Film Review - Dead Dicks
Becca (Jillian Harris) has just received the offer of a lifetime. Acceptance into a prestige graduate nursing program. However, her thoughts turn almost immediately to her mentally ill brother Ritchie (Heston Horwin) she has been his main support system for all of her life for her medicated brother. As she decides how she will tell Ritchie the news she goes to a shift at the bar where she works during which discovers multiple urgent voice mails to his apartment. Fearing the worst she cuts out of work running into Ritchie's downstairs neighbour Matt (Matt Keyes) a corporate looking busy body who h brother is apparently disrupting push up regime.Becca enters the apartment to find Ritchie hanging in the closet. Mortified she goes to take him down when she hears her brother voice behind her explaining that this scenario has occurred before.
Based on an intriguingly original idea, the narrative of Dead Dicks continues to twist and turn at each moment the audience things they have things pegged. Writer directors Chris Bavota and Lee Paula Springer pack plenty into their limited budget one main set production. The mechanism that allows Dick to keep coming back is plain to see and understand but the different developing mutations of the process range from grotesque to surprising the latter in an Invasion of the Body Snatchers -John Carpenter The Thing type of way.
The viewers see the story mainly from Jillian Harris as Becca's point of view. She has to talk Ritchie off the ledge, is the one to get eyes on the full regeneration process and frustrates when she is slow to get in position to witness the rebirth. She's also the one tasked to dealing with the multiple Ritchie's. Heston Horwin work is more on the physical side as Ritchie. He's doing the body horror as he navigates the conflicting messages in his mind.
Dead Dicks is at its centre a relationship between a brother and sister. As anyone can relate that has a sibling the relationship can be frustrating at times to the point where time apart can be the best remedy. The writer directors show in the piece that it is O.K. to admit that frustration even if you are the sibling that is supposed to be the stronger supportive one. The opening warning at the start of the film directing those that need help to get it as what follows could be triggering is thoughtful. The film is a crisp narrative by a pair of fresh voices making moviegoers looking forward to what they will have to offer next.
***1/2 Out of 4.
Dead Dicks | Chris Bavota / Lee Paula Springer | Canada | 2019 | 83 Minutes.
Tags: Skype, Nursing, Graduate School, Mental Illness, Depression, Caregiver, Voice Mail, Suicide Attempt, Portal, Rebirth, Suffocation, Hanging, Electrocution, Medication.
Based on an intriguingly original idea, the narrative of Dead Dicks continues to twist and turn at each moment the audience things they have things pegged. Writer directors Chris Bavota and Lee Paula Springer pack plenty into their limited budget one main set production. The mechanism that allows Dick to keep coming back is plain to see and understand but the different developing mutations of the process range from grotesque to surprising the latter in an Invasion of the Body Snatchers -John Carpenter The Thing type of way.
The viewers see the story mainly from Jillian Harris as Becca's point of view. She has to talk Ritchie off the ledge, is the one to get eyes on the full regeneration process and frustrates when she is slow to get in position to witness the rebirth. She's also the one tasked to dealing with the multiple Ritchie's. Heston Horwin work is more on the physical side as Ritchie. He's doing the body horror as he navigates the conflicting messages in his mind.
Dead Dicks is at its centre a relationship between a brother and sister. As anyone can relate that has a sibling the relationship can be frustrating at times to the point where time apart can be the best remedy. The writer directors show in the piece that it is O.K. to admit that frustration even if you are the sibling that is supposed to be the stronger supportive one. The opening warning at the start of the film directing those that need help to get it as what follows could be triggering is thoughtful. The film is a crisp narrative by a pair of fresh voices making moviegoers looking forward to what they will have to offer next.
***1/2 Out of 4.
Dead Dicks | Chris Bavota / Lee Paula Springer | Canada | 2019 | 83 Minutes.
Tags: Skype, Nursing, Graduate School, Mental Illness, Depression, Caregiver, Voice Mail, Suicide Attempt, Portal, Rebirth, Suffocation, Hanging, Electrocution, Medication.
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