TBFF Film Review - Manos Sucias

Delio (Cristian Abvincula) is 19 years old, a new dad and an out of work fisherman in Buenaventura Columbia. Delio spends his days practicing his rapping style dreaming of making it big in the music industry. Through an introduction he meets Don Valintin who sets him up with a job towing a hollowed out torpedo full of narcotics up river to a handoff point for some fast cash. Delio cohort in the venture is an older brother from town Jacobo (Jarlin Javier Martinez) who wants to get to Bogota since he sees no future in his hometown.

The story is very straightforward but takes some time to get going. Delino is happy go lucky constantly smiling and looking to give is the other guy the benefit of the doubt. The elder Jacobo having seen the criminal and violent elements in the town through the actions of both paramilitary and guerrilla forces is more stern and suspicious.

The narrative picks up well into the journey when the pair's cargo is threatened. The duo have a short time to react and recover as the transfer is set to occur at sundown that day. Writer cinematographer Alan Blanco is at his best showing life along the river. The look of the production peaks as the camera trains its lens on normal village activities along the riverbank as our protagonists motor by. Director writer Josef Wladyka excels at building tension in a scene. A strong example is a sequence where our heroes run into a guerrillas patrol while riding the rails on a Brujita. Delino and Jacobo have to move the Brujita to the side while being questioned by the guerrillas. They are particularly at risk since they are not from the area and the local with them had just put a major obstacle in their path to complete their job.

Another key element in the story is the disconnect between Afro and Latin Columbians. They argue over who is the better soccer player Pele or Zico.  The debate is emphasized in one fireside argument with Latin-Columbian Hector (Hadder Blandon) who is the link to gang that provided the job. Then again when Delio cannot understand why Jacobo wants to move to Bogota because as he states repeatedly that there are no black people in the Columbian capital unless they are doing manual labour.

The two main actors are a good fit for their roles. They spend a lot of time together on the boat, sing traditional local songs and change in their initial opinions as the story progresses. Jocobo is hard on Delio and the ways of his generation at the outset but at an early moment of truth he is there to defend his brother. Delio's trusting persona slowly drifts away leading to a critical moment when he has to make a major decision to protect the pair that is far from an act of a happy go luck individual.

Manos Sucias is a basic story with a few twist and turns. After the action picks up the film finds its rhythm and the audience becomes invested in the fate of Delio and Jacobo. Josef Wladyka presents a story seen from viewpoint of Afro-Columbian youth.  If you have an interest in the region and hang in during the slower early parts of the narrative then the film is worth a watch.

** 1/2 Out of 4.

Manos Sucias | Josef Wladyka | U.S.A. /Columbia | 2014 | 84 Minutes.

Tags: Narco torpedo, Smuggling, Crime, Buenaventura,  Fishermen, Rapping, Paramilitary, Guerrillas.

Film Review - American Sniper

The film opens in the middle. Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle (Bradley Cooper) is poised on a rooftop with spotter Goat (Kyle Gallner) by his side. He is still, quiet and breathing rythmically as he peer through the lens of his M40 rifle. The marine unit below rolls down the towns main street the audible rhythm of the Abrams tank's chains fill the air. Kyle stares back into his scope and spots a woman and young boy entering the street are they friendly or a threat? Kyle has to make a call from hundreds of yards away. If he shoots and they are innocent he could face charges if he hesitates and they are the enemy it will mean death for the marines that are relying on him for protection.

The scene shifts back Texas of the near past. Kyle's main concern is riding bucking horses, his younger brother Jeff ( Keir O'Donnell), having a few beers and spending time with his girl. His Father took him hunting reglarly as a kid teaching him respect for both his rifle and his prey. After a break up with his current girlfriend followed by a night out with Jeff September 11th occurred leading Kyle to the local recruiting office and off to SEAL training.

Veteran director Clint Eastwood presents the story of a true life American solider. Eastwood uses every opportunity to develop tension in the film. From the moments where Kyle has to make the decision to shoot or not on rooftops. To heated discussions with locals, interpreters present as the American troops go door to door to find the enemy. Another different take in the story by writer Jason Hall and from Chris Kyle's book are the satellite phone calls home from the theatre of battle. As a Sniper Kyle is often removed from the action therefore he has the chance to switch his earphone to a different channel to call home and speak to his wife Taya (Sienna Miller).

The heart of the film is the focus on the difficulty for Chris Kyle to reintegrate back into domestic society. He goes on four plus tours of Iraq hits all the hot spots Fallujah, Ramadi and Sadyr City.  Over there he has his orders and his team. He can do his job and is very good at it. He is a hero to his fellow troops with a confirmed 160 kills knowing exactly where he fits in.  Back at home he can't adjust to the pace. He's distant from his wife, awkward with his kids and family friends seeing combat scenarios from Iraq at backyard barbecues and while traveling on city streets. The production also dedicates a good bit of time to Veteran hospitals and services including Kyle's work with wounded veterans that helps both the soldiers in the hospital and Kyle himself.

Bradley Cooper is forceful as Chris Kyle. Cooper bulked up for the role, settled into a thick Texas drawl and seemed at ease playing a menacing guy especially during several scenes on the home front. Sienna Miller is strong as Taya. She resists Kyle's advances as first not wanting anything to do with a Navy SEAL but becomes his wife and partner.  She is the one that his to try to reach him when he tunes out at home. She is also the person on his mind when he realizes that he is done in Iraq and is coming home for good.

American Sniper looks at the war in Iraq from a different lens. It's the attention paid to the time between tours on the home front and the struggles veterans face working back into normal society that separates the piece. It is a film I can recommend.

American Sniper | Clint Eastwood | U.S.A. | 2014 | 132 Minutes.

Tags; Biography, Iraq, Navy SEAL, Falluja, Ramadi, Sadyr City, 4 Tours, PTSD, Veteran Affairs, BUD/S.

Elevation Pictures Film Review- A Most Violent Year

Abel Morales (Oscar Isaac) wants to run a legitimate business. He is the owner of a fast rising heating oil company. Morales an immigrant to the United States, rose through the ranks and bought the company from his wife Anna's (Jessica Chastain) father. Anna knows the seedier side of the heating oil business having grown up in the industry. The world includes attacking fellow competitors trucks, buying stolen product, fast and loose accounting practices and rigging scales for company friendly meter readings.

The story is set in 1981 New York and as the title states it was one of the top years for murders in the City's history. In 1981 New York was much grittier that it is today. Times Square was porn shops and peep shows not Disney, ESPN Zones and Apple stores that it is today. The cities back alleys and abandon spaces were full of graffiti along with subway trains and stations . Writer /Director J.C. Chandor and his production team do an excellent job of setting the scene. The first aspect is a historical undertone of daily radio crime reports. The commentary is muted under a given scene but the viewer is able to pick up the grim details. The second is the wardrobe choices. 1981 is in the near past but the clothing, hair and glasses choices make the film look like a period piece. The film is set and shot in the winter. Big coats, big collars, hats, and hair rule the day. The third is recreating the grittiness of the time. The production tagged fresh graffiti and the use of dark drab pale blues, whites and greys brought home the feel of a cold New York winter.

A Most Violent Year refreshingly takes it time to get to its point. At the films outset one of Morales' Standard Heating Oil trucks is highjacked, its driver pistol whipped. The audience soon learns that this is an ongoing issue targeting the company. Morales is also about to make a significant deal for a little used property between Standard Heating Oil's terminal and the river that will open up the ability to bring in product by water when the prices are low store them in the onsite tanks then sell at a higher price when the heating oil market rises in the winter. Chandor story slowing unravels these issues along with the battle by Morales to stay legit while Anna is more willing to bend the rules to accomplish the couples goals.

Oscar Isaac absorbs his character of Abel Morales reminding one of a young Al Pacino in the Godfather films. The first striking thing about his character is the long expensive camel wool coat he ports throughout the film. The coat is above his current standing but Abel is portraying where he wants to be instead of where he is now. He displays his personal and professional philosophy when he instructs three new sales people on how to close a deal. Standard oil will not be the cheapest option but it will be the better one. If a customer gives you a choice of refreshment always pick the more expensive or exotic option. If offered coffee or tea you take the tea. Jessica Chastain turns in another in a string of strong performances as Anna Morales. She battles her husband toe to toe, attacks his manhood when he refuses to push back and go the more violent route but is quietly loyal protecting her families future while taking on public officials that appear at the Morales' door.

A most Violent year is an engrossing take on a little explored subject on film. The production team does a formidable job of recreating the time period.  The two lead actors are captivating in their roles. J.C. Candor continues his impressive run of solid features on vastly different subject matters. The Heating Oil business circa 1981 here, alone at sea in All is Lost and the investment banking in Margin Call.  This is a film that I can recommend.

*** Out of 4.

A Most Violent Year | J.C. Chandor | U.S.A. | 2014 | 125 Minutes.

Tags:1981, New York, Crime,  Immigrant, District Attorney, Inditement, Land Deal, Union.

eOne Film Review- Mortdecai

Charlie Mortdecai (Johnny Depp) is an Art expert and dealer of questionable peerage who dabbles in the shadier side of the business. At the films opening he's in Hong Kong working on a deal for a vase with long term rival Fang Fat (Junix Inocian). As the pair banter it's revealed that Mortdecai is in serious financial difficulty with the British Government. The two do not come to a deal leading to a physical confrontation Mortdecai is backed by his manservant/thug Jock (Peter Bettany).

A quick transition back to London where Mortdecai's wife Johanna (Gwyneth Paltrow) survey's the next pieces from the estate that must go out to auction. She is put off by the new mustache a Mortdecai male tradition declaring an either or ultimatum.  The pair are soon visited by MI5 Inspector Martland (Ewan McGregor) who is investigation a theft of a Goya painting plus the death of a restorer that may have terrorist implications.

Director David Koepp's film based on a Kyril Bonfiglioli novel whirls around the capitals of Europe in pursuit of the missing mural. The film tries to recreate the heist capers from the sixties but misses the mark. Eric Aronson script does not hit the right comedic notes. The production has a few instances that will bring a smile or a chuckle but most of the attempts at hilarity stall or fizzle.

The film has a few running gags mainly Mortdecai's mustache that is an item of conversation each time a new character enters the scene and causes Johanna to gag whenever she comes in close proximity. Another the irresistible prowess of manservant Jock bedding women at every turn. 's  that becomes tiresome after the third depiction.

The highlight of the film is in the handling of the transitions. As the characters jet around Europe the cities are shown satellite style with  multiple story high letters on screen. Planes carrying our group fly though O's around the A's and into an S shattering it to pieces. The film often uses fast pace frames linking the last location of one city to the first point of call in the next.

Johnny Depp seems to be working on an inside joke that only he knows with his character Mortdecai. He appears to be channeling Peter Sellers, David Niven  or possibly even Mike Myer's Austin Powers but does not quite get there. Gwyneth Paltrow does well with little material as Johanna the smartest person in the film and the only one with any investigative skills. Which is what one would expect for McGregor's MI5 investigator Markland  who spends more time mesmerized by Johanna who passed him over for Mortdecai back when the three of them were in college.

David Koepp's Mortdecai is an attempt at an international escapade that falls short. The vast majority of the jokes are not funny and the film suffers from a thin plot. Depp's character has some  good moment but they are few and  far between. It is not a film that I can recommend even to die hard Johnny Depp fans.

* 1/2  Out of 4.

Mortdecai| David Koepp | U.S.A. | 2015 | 106 Minutes.

Tags: Art , Goya, Smuggling, Mustache, Restorer, Forgery, Auction, Manservant, Lord, MI5.  

Lists - Top 10 Films of 2014

It's time again to look back over the year that was and chart the best films of the year.  2014 was another solid year with many contenders for a spot in the year end top 10. Due to my attendance at several film festivals some films make my list that have not yet had a wide release while others on several top 10 lists such as IDA and WE ARE THE BEST were on last years list. Lastly I did not catch SELMA or  INHERENT VICE both of which  ave early January releases and could have made my list.  Without further adieu here are the titles:


10.  Mr. Turner.

9. The Notorious Mr. Bout.

8.    What We Do In The Shadows.

7.  Leviathan.

6.  In The Crosswind.

5.  Boyhood.

4.   Calvary.    

3.  Force Majeure.                

2.  Under The Skin.

1.  Mommy

On the opposite side of the spectrum my worst three movies of the year were Among Ravens,  Impunity and  The Monuments Men.

Cheers and best to everyone for 2015!

Film Review - Mr. Turner

How are you faring Mr. Turner? This is the standard greeting in J.M.W. Turner's world where Lord Nelson's feats at the battle to Trafalgar are a current memory. The Mike Leigh film focuses on the last quarter of the painter's life. Turner is relatively well off, travels to locations all over Europe to find the settings for his paintings and is a leading figure at the Royal Academy of Arts.

The film opens with an exquisite shot of Turner out at a vast field in the Netherlands sketching a windmill. The camera locks in on two woman walking from left to right in the frame with the windmill above them then extends back to show Turner at a higher elevation working on his sketch. of the scene sets the tone for Turner's method of going to, on, in and amongst nature to create his art.

Director Mike Leigh creates a visually stimulating mid-nineteenth century world. The dirt roads, horse drawn carriages, buildings and especially the costume design team contribute to the production in bringing the viewer into the time period. Leigh keeps the camera fixed using wide angles whenever possible to demonstrate the full scope of the settings for Turner's landscapes and naval pieces.

Director of photography Dick Pope plays a major part in creating the world that appears on screen. Pope who has worked with Leigh on many occasions captures the rich array of colours that are prominent in Turner's paintings with his lens. He is especially good at showing several sunrises and sunsets driving home Turner's reverence for the star. In one scene Pope displays a giant valley with bright green mossy areas and a body of water at its base. The shot is astonishing and naturally the spot that after his hike into the area Turner decides to sit down to sketch. Pope's vision is fully displayed at a key moment in the production as Turner is taxied along the Thames as the Temeraire is tugged to it's final resting place inspiring the famous painting of the event.

Timothy Spall is fantastic in the title role of J.M.W.  Turner. Grunting is his main method of communication. Based on the length a pitch of the grunt something is pleasing or annoying to the Artist. His verbal utterances are a cross between an Orc and a large Bear. Spall is very physical in the scenes where he paints throwing everything from brushstrokes to fingers to spit at the canvas to create the pieces.

Paul Jesson who has worked with Spall and Leigh both before in Vera Drake. Turns in a strong performance as Turner's father William. He lives with his son, does all of the paint mixing, buying and canvas construction while Billy goes out on his travels. He is in poor physical heath specifically  his lungs but continues to do all that he can for his son to allow so him to focus on painting. He makes a matching pair with Dorothy Atkinson who plays Hanna Danby Turner's dutiful housekeeper. She is constantly bent over, has trouble walking features an extremely bad complexion that worsens as the film progresses. She is tends house and is always at the door to meet Turner when he returns from his trips. Marion Bailey another Leigh regular is memorable as Turner's companion Sophia Booth. Having already buried one husband when they first meet Sophia starts a relationship with Turner following the death of he second husband. She is usually ready to assist when Turner physically overexerts himself in the name of his art.

Mr. Turner is a well acted biopic that paints a vivid picture spanning parts of three decades. Leigh presents the elements of the art along with the effort required to get the picture. The film is beautifully shot and the reliance on natural sound serves the production well.  It is a film I can recommend.

*** 1/2 Out of 4.

Mr. Turner | Mike Leigh | UK | 2014 | 150 Minutes.

Tags: Biography, Painting, Nineteenth Century, Royal Academy, Romanticism, Landscapes, Watercolours, Maritime Scenes.

Film Review - The Gambler

Jim Bennett ( Mark Wahlberg) is an all or nothing guy. If you can't achieve genius at a task you should just give it up and forget it. Coming from a very well off family; his grandfather Ed (George Kennedy) started a successful and still striving Los Angles bank, Jim's goal is to get to zero and start over.

Bennett is an associate professor at a local University where he teaches English Lit 101. One of his students Amy Phillips (Brie Larson) has that potential to be genius.  Another Lamar (Anthony Kelley) a star basketball player that will go very high in the NBA draft and the rest in his estimation just filling seats for another credit on their ledger. Jim does not bring any conviction to his teaching. He sits amongst his students as he lectures when not confronting them with highly personal questions. It's this direct full on personality and desire to get to the ground that leads him to difficulty in the underground Los Angeles gambling dens.  

Directory Wyatt coming of blockbuster success with Rise of the Planet of the Apes has moved back to direct a character driven story in the vein of his 2008 film The Escapist. Wyatt presents a different L.A. in his film; private casino's up in the rolling hills, abandoned swimming pools in the pawnshop district through back entrances into Korean gambling halls and members sections in downtown steam rooms. There are no obligatory shots of Rodeo Drive, Capitol building or either of the Hollywood or Beverly Hills signs.

Writer William Monahan delivers another script full of rich expression and offbeat characters.  The film features two exceptional monologues. One by Bennett when he spells out his genius theory to his class working around the room challenging individuals until he gets to his Amy. The other by notorious money lender Frank (John Goodman) as he lays out the conditions of a potential loan and FU money philosophy to Jim when he comes looking for cash to pay off his debts.      

Cinematographer Greig Fraiser is instrumental in presenting Wyatt's grittier version of L.A. The film is shot in several dark settings. Fraiser uses outside light from a windows or other rooms to bring the figures on screen in into focus. He was also the co conspirator in Wyatt's determination to have no  palm tress in the film ofter resetting his lens to achieve the goal.

Mark Wahlberg delivers a top notch performance as Bennett leaving no grey areas in his characters soar or crash mentality. In one particular scene right after he pieces together the funds to makes it back to level he proceeds to sink slowly and steadily back into the hole $10,000 at a time is painful to watch. Wahlberg plays it well berating the dealers that look on him with sadness going out of their way to give him the option to stop.

Brie Larson does remarkably well with the supporting part of Amy. She does not have much dialogue but her facial and body expressions bring life to her role. She particularly shines in a scene where she walks across campus ear buds fixed in her own happy world listening to tunes. Her fresh young attitude plays well off of Wahlberg's  negative spiral into depression and self loathing.

The cast is rounded out with superior performances from the above mentioned Goodman plus Jessica Lange's turn as Bennett's up from the working class mother Roberta. Michael Kenneth Williams ( Omar from The Wire) as Neville one of the loan sharks that Bennett owes big and another Wire alum Domenick Lombardozzi as Frank's bodyguard.

The Gambler is a dialogue driven story that does not dishonour the 1974 James Caan version. The film has a strong cast and director Wyatt succeeds with his goal of presenting Los Angeles' dark alleys, basements, nooks and crannies. It's one of the rare studio driven character films that we only seem to get one or two of each year. It is a film that I strongly recommend.

*** 1/2 Out of 4.

The Gambler | Rupert Wyatt | U.S.A. | 2014 | 111 Minutes.

Tags; Drama, Gambling, Professor, Addiction, Loan Shark, Korea Town, English Lit, College Basketball,