Film Review - Suicide Squad

The D.C. universe has taken a hard turn to port and into a dark and dreary corner. The shift stems  from this Spring's Batman vs. Superman featuring rain and darkness in just about every frame. Its as if Batman was given the rebranding job so he remade the D.C. Universe in his image. It's from this background that Suicide Squad emerges. A world where Superman has taken a pause leading the shady government types to crunch the numbers and analyze. Their stats tell them that the world was lucky that Superman was a friendly and not a hostile. If he were a hostile or a terrorist they would have no means to oppose. Therefore the next Meta-Human might fall on the other side.  To prepare for this government heavy Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) assembles a group of desperate skilled villains beholden to her answer the call should it arise.

The narrative shifts to its weakest section as the next half an hour is spent in exposition on too many of the group, true fans already know them while newbies could figure them out with a few hints as the action progressed. The three main baddies are Harley Quinn, Deadshot and the Joker. The are also the most fully fleshed out participants. Margot Robbie's Quinn former Arkham Asylum Psychiatrist turned Joker Gal pal after shock therapy and an acid bath has the most to do in the piece. Will Smith's want to be good dad wile working as a hired assassin Deadshot pairs well with Robbie on screen. Jerad Leto puts his own stamp on the Joker building on the rumors that he sent disgusting gifts to his castmates and never broke character while on set.

A crisis develops where the Squad's services are needed so they assemble to head into Midway City to battle a 4000-year-old supernatural brother and sister duo that are building a weapon to destroy the earth. Beside the three headliners the other supporting characters are only given a couple of distinguishing features if they're lucky. Jai Courtnery's Boomerang is obliged to enter every scene swigging a beer then making a wisecrack in is Aussie accident. Mexican gang-banger Diablo (Jay Hernandez) attempts to walk a path of non-violence owner of the only with is backstory that flows with the pacing of the film.

The other main irritant is the overuse of pop songs to introduce and underpin just about every scene. We get House of the Rising Sun alongside the opening credits and Eminem's superhero spoof Without Me as the team gears up to go out on their mission. The production feels the need to club you with top 40 instead of employing a score that could have resulted in more impact from a few selected songs.

Suicide Squad has several good elements that get bogged down with uneven writing and an overbearing soundtrack. The top of the credit cast members help to drive the action but the supporting members are left two dimensional at best. If the viewer considers this a test run a second outing void of the rambling exposition might focus on a couple of the below the fold characters in the rhythm of the story. If that's the case the sequel could easily be better that the original.

** 1/2 Out of 4.

Suicide Squad | David Ayers | U.S.A. | 2016 | 123 Minutes.

Tags: D.C. Comics, Prisoners, Enchantress, Shock Therapy, Maximum Security, Special Ops, Joint Chiefs, Father-Daughter, Brother-Sister.

Fantasia '16 Film Review - Kiki Love to Love

When you think of Spain certain flair comes to mind, openess about any topic, warmth, rich colours, passion and an indulgence in all of the senses. Paco Leon hits all of these notes with his film Kiki, Love to Love. The opening sequence of different pairs of animals copulating to a driving Latin beat interspersed with shots of fruit being devoured and rich vegetation gives the viewer a clue where this affair is headed.

The narrative follows 5 different stories each featuring a player that has a sexual fetish. Whenever the fetish is first described or presented on screen it is followed by a popup giving a dictionary explanation. The five story lines appear to be completely independent but Leon wraps them together at the end at an open-air festival. Leon himself takes a role in one of the stories to go along with his directing and writing credits. The inspiration comes from the Australian film The Little Death but Leon injects more drama into his film along with a Spanish soul.

Alex (Alex Garcia) and Natalia (Natalia Molina) have just enjoyed a spirited romp when she tells her partner how she became very excited while being held by a masked robber the other day. Alex wants details and to know if her reaction was more than it is when they are together. Up pops the term Harpaxophilia followed by madcap attempts by Alex through the rest of the film to stage an event where he can duplicate that day sparking the same reaction from Natalia. Next up are Paco and his wife Ana (Ana Katz) who's sexually relationship has hit a wall. In walks Paco's old flame Belen (Belen Cuesta) who has just broken up with her girlfriend, crashes with the couple and invite them to the sex club where she works. The pair are both taken by her open and frankness sparking their fetish of being aroused by a multi partner relationship. The coupling of Jose Luis ( Luis Bermejo) and Paloma (Mary Paz Sayago) brings the most laughs for all the wrong reasons. He's aroused by his partner sleeping, so he gives his disabled wife medication each night then has sex with her. Jose Luis moving around his dead weight wife is priceless along with her reaction to her new bumps and bruises plus the need to bribe the live in maid to keep her quiet.

Belen Cuesta leads the cast with her performance. She portrays all that is fantasized about Spanish women. She's relaxed, passionate, open sexually, freely discussing all aspects of her life ready to absorb  the next adventure from wherever it may come. Mary Paz Sayago's Paloma is the exact opposite. She is confined to a wheelchair, treats her husband with contempt, puts him constantly on the defensive and can only give him sexual satisfaction when she has no idea what's going on. Look for Alexandra Jiminez as Sandra. She's deaf, has constant problems with her hearing aid, works as a telephone translator with a strong fetish for fabrics especially silk. She's involved in the funniest scene in the film where she has to interpret a call to a sex line.

Paco Leon's Kiki Live to Love captures the Spanish spirit along the lines of a Pedro Almodovar film. There are many tip of the caps to Almodovar sprinkled throughout the piece. The narrative is peppered with many memorable comedic moments dotted by dramatic passages to balance out the scrip. Overall its a film that will have you leaving the theatre with a smile on your face and one that I can recommend.

*** 1/2 Out of 4.

Kiki, Love to Love | Paco Leon | Spain | 2016 | 102 minutes.

Tags: Sexuality, Fetish, Harpaxophilia, Sex Club, Robbery, Plants, Fruit, Plastic Surgery, Silk, Open-air Festival.

Fantasia '16 Film Review - We Go On

A large full page ad appears prevalently in a major Los Angeles newspaper; the headline $30,000 reward to anyone that can show proof of the afterlife. The author Miles Grissom (Clark Freeman) who suffers from just about every phobia in the book with Thanatophobia, the fear of dying sitting at the top of the list. He will take an angel, a ghost or a demon as proof. He also warns that he will know if you're lying due to his job as a video editor that should help him catch any tricks. Miles gets over 1000 responses to his ad he narrows the number to 3 with the help of is feisty and protective mom Charlotte (Annette O'Toole) that he plans to check out.

Fear is the major theme of the film. It can consume, isolate and make lives completely miserable. The key point of the production is to get to a level to cope enough to make it reasonably through the day. Miles plan is to find something to help him alleviate his biggest fear thus allowing him to deal with the minor ones as well.

Two of the three finalists do not have an answer for Miles while the third's response is to chaotic coupled by  a negative comment from Charlotte forces Miles to leave the scene. Back at home he circles back to an odd voice message that leads him in the direction that he wants to go.

Co directors Jesse Holland and Andy Miton present a story that's more in the realm of the supernatural than the horror. The narrative presents a different type of hero. A grown man that has multiple flaws is paralyzed by fear for large chunks of the piece relying on his mother for protection.

Annette O'Toole commands the screen as Charlotte. She has enough backbone for both herself and her son. She speaks frankly and plainly to all ad respondents. Her clearly stated goal is to make sure her son does not get fooled or ripped off. Giovanna Zacaris turns in a strong performance as (Josephina) She works in a family restaurant by day but is surrounded by different spirits who are constantly trying to communicate. She makes a connection with a close family member of Miles but protective Charlotte stomps on her ability.

Subtlety and nuance set the tone for We Go On. There are no big effects or grand events to provide proof of the existence of the afterlife. The goal instead is to get Miles what he needs to get on with his life which the narrative succeeds in providing.

** 1/2 Out of 4.

We Go On | Jesse Holland / Andy Mitton | U.S.A. | 2016 | 89 Minutes.

Tags: Phobias, Reward, Afterlife, Ghosts, Angels, Demons, Funeral, Horror, Thriller.

Fantasia '16 Film Review - Blood Father

Does art imitate life or is it the other way around? Mel Gibson in recent years has been caught on the street saying mean things, caught on tape saying even worse and spiraled downhill from an A list perch as an actor. In the world of Hollywood he hit rock bottom then fell through to the sub basement. Therefore it's fitting that he would take role in a foreign backed father-daughter protector film by a French director. Gibson is largely playing to type here and does a very good job in doing so.

In his first moments on screen John Link (Gibson) is celebrating his two year sobriety and his one year anniversary of being out of prison. He's in an AA meeting in a California desert community where he makes a few bucks working out of his trailer as a tattoo artist with his sponsor Kirby (William H. Macy) a stones throw away. Link has two worries, keeping sober and giving his parole office no reason to pay him much attention. Both of these goal are put as risk once his estranged runaway daughter Lydia (Erin Moriaty) gives him a call looking for help. It turns out she's been on the wrong side of the law for a while now as well. Her boyfriend Jonah (Diego Luna) is a leader of a notorious Latino gang plus he's run a foul with the Cartel back in Mexico.

Most of director Jean-Francois Richet's piece has the pair on the run on the road. The script hits all of the necessary cliches, the APB flashed on the motel room TV, the young desk clerk that taking a liking to one of our hero's and helping them out. The need to shave and or change hair colour. But the narrative has some original passages as well; one a visit to an old pal who has changed and disappoints. The other into the last place you'd expect a fugitive from the law to go to obtain vital information on their main advisory.

Erin Moriaty holds her own on screen opposite Gibson in the role of Lydia. At the time when she makes the call she is more of a criminal than her dad. On the road she shows her resourcefulness in gathering helpful information. She's even willing to go it alone to protect her father, as she's the main target of the gang and the police. Gibson for his part is very ruff at the outset of the film. His real life hard living, self-inflicted wounds looking larger that life on the big screen. He's very at home in the role and highly believable as an ex-con, prison smart tattoo artist. The role givens him a chance to rage once again.

The premise of Blood Father is very simple and there are no real surprises in the story. The production is a revenge action thriller with a short run time that will play well to the films target audience. If the right people get to see the film domestically Gibson's performance might be enough to spark a comeback Stateside.

*** Out of 4.

Blood Father | Jean-Francois Richet | France | 2016 | 88 Minutes.

Tags: Ex-Con, AA Sponsor, Biker, High Desert, Mexican Cartel, Sicario, Biker, White Supremacist.

Fantasia '16 Film Review - Creepy

He's not my father, he's a total stranger are the chilling words uttered by a young girl to her neighbour before she turns and heads back into her home in Creepy Kiyoshi Kurosawa's return to his horror roots.  Based on a novel with the same name by Yutaka Maekawa, the film has all of the classic Kurosawa elements. A mesmorizing villain, an eerie central location and a hard driving honest detective working a case that suddenly becomes very personal.

Former detective Koichi Takakura (Hidetoshi Nishijimi) has left the force and the action in Tokyo for the suburbs and a job teaching criminal psychology to college students. His former junior Nogami (Masahiro Higashide) asks for his opinion on a 6-year-old case on a missing family. Koichi becomes involved spending a lot of time interrogating the surviving daughter on what occurred. At home his wife Yasuko (Yuko Takeuchi) is introducing herself to the neighbours without much success except for Nishino  (Teruykui Kagawa) who lacks social niceties but is at least somewhat responsive.

The story weaves in and out the Takakura and Nishino households. The former being the main centre of action at the outset then the latter as the suspense builds. Kurosawa manages to bring some breaks in the heaviness of the narrative with timely comic relief. In one exchange with his students Takakura describes the actions of one serial killer in the U.S. who's final act was to fly his victims to the mountains then hunt them for sport breaking the terror of the story he remarks that They do everything bigger in the US.

The most notable performance belongs to Yuko Takeuchi as Yarsuko. Kurosawa uses her as the vessel to demonstrate how Nishino gains ones confidence, begins to influence then completely controls the actions of a once total independent person. By the time the film reaches its peak Yarsuko is clearly on the side of her neighbour and not her husband.

Creepy is an engaging psychological thriller. The lead actors deliver on screen and there is not a weak link in the supporting cast. Kiyoshi Kurosawa is clearly at home back in his element delivering a tale of horror and terror. The film has its grizzly elements that will stay with the viewer but if you're a fan of J-horror its in a good way.

*** 1/2 Out of 4

Creepy | Kiyoshi Kurosawa | Japan | 2016 | 130 Minutes.

Tags: Cold Case, Murder, Neighbour, Drugs, Needle, Dungeon, Hostage taking, Identity theft. Kanto region.

Fantasia '16 Film Review - The Bacchus Lady

Senior prostitution is a major issue in South Korean society. Despite being a rich country it has the highest senior poverty rate among the 35 country Organization for Economical Co operation and development. The result South Korean seniors doing what they can to make ends meet including begging, collecting scraps of paper, metals and bottles or prostitution.  The man activity is illegal therefore the women sell an energy drink (Bacchus) to men to initiate conversation. Once the gentleman is engaged they offer sex for a nominal fee.

When we meet So-young (Youn Yuh-jung) she's at her doctor's office to obtain medication for a sexual disease. A violent event in the office leaves her in charge of a small boy. She brings him home and spreads his care amongst her building mates while she goes out to apply her trade at Jongno Park.

Director E J-yong's tale is raw frankly presenting the mechanical aspect of the job. The women compete for the attention of the older men. They often approach a potential client cold having to deal with lots of rejection. Their clients are not long term given their age, health issues and critical parts of anatomy starting to fail. The narrative incorporates a secondary story featuring a reporter doing a documentary on the Bacchus ladies zeroing in on So-young for an interview.

Youn Yuh-jing turns in a superior performance as the films protagonist. She is dignified despite her current predicament, goes beyond what's expected for her regulars and a very good friend to he neighbours in her complex. She takes in Min-ho even though she knows it will complicate her life. Her neighbours Tina (An-zu) and Do-hoon (Yoon Kye-sang) are also strong as a support network for So-young.

The Bacchus Lady is a melancholy story that shines a light on an important situation in Korean society. Their elder citizens do not receive enough support from a wealthy country forcing them to take desperate measures to make ends meet. The image that South Korea is a society that takes care of its elders is turned upside down by the production.  They suffer from health issues and are often s so desperate that a drastic step may be their only solution. E-J-yong also takes a shot at the loose behaviour that results in mixed offspring. It's an important piece of filmmaking that I can recommend.

*** 1/2 Out of 4.

The Bacchus Lady | E J-yong | South Korea | 2016 | 110 Minutes.

Tags: Senior Citizens, Bacchus, Prostitution, Jongno Park, Korean-Filipino, Korean-African American.

Fantasia '16 Film Review - Abattoir

Starting out as a graphic novel co-penned by director Darren Lynn Bousman Abattoir attempts to bring a 40's film noir investigation feel to a modern horror story. Someone is going around buying up homes where murders have taken place. Real estate agents are happy to sell, as these home are hard to move on the market. However the buyer does not keep the home but instead rips out the room where the crime occurred then flips the home. When one of these instances touches investigative real estate reporter Julia a plucky and stubborn Jessica Lowndes directly, she decides to do some research. Her investigation leads to the buyer Jebediah Crone (Dayton Callie) who's connected to her home town of New English that Julia left when she was very young.

Julia embodies the golden age style of the production. Her car is a Ford Fury, she uses corded phone at home and her hairstyle is a cross between Lauren Bacall and Rosalind Russell.  Her banter with her Editor at the paper synchs it as the exchanges could be lines straight from the film His Girl Friday. 

Bouseman's narrative begins to show cracks when the action shifts to Julia's hometown of New English. Police detective Grady (Joe Anderson) follows her there where the pair encounter townsfolk that want them to leave immediately. The secretive small town community vibe is not original and has been presented better in the past.

Cinematographer Michael Fimognari's  helps to set the look and tone of the piece. His lens is particularly effective in the pivotal third act lighting and showing the new locations of the collected rooms along with the ultimate project of Jebediah Crone.

Abattoir attempts to be part film noir, part mystery and a horror period piece. The results are a jumbled project at best that revisits old territory. The final creation featuring the spirits from the stolen rooms has the feel of an amusement fun house where the same jump scares repeat over and over. It has some suspense filled scenes in the opening third and hits the mark on its look and feel but ultimately it's not a film that I can recommend.

* 1/2  Out of 4.

Abattoir | Darren Lynn Bousman | U.S.A. | 2016 | 98 Minutes.

Tags: 40's, Nostalgic, Mystery, Horror, Film Noir, Reporter, Real Estate, Smalltown, Secrets, Pact.