The Cinemaphile

Bridesmaids (2011)

2012-02-13T16:12:00.003-06:00

BRIDESMAIDS (2011)

Director: Paul Feig

Starring: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy, Chris O'Dowd

Bridesmaids starts out with a bang (literally) and throws us into the life of Annie (Wiig) a failed bakery owner living in Milwaukee who is hard up for money and fulfillment in her life. This desire is never more apparent when her life-long best friend Lillian (Rudolph) announces that she is getting married and moving to Chicago. Not only does Annie realize that her life is going to change, but that Lillian has begun to change and evolve without her. After Lillian asks her to be the maid of honor at her wedding, Annie’s life takes a turn for the crazy as she fights to keep things the way they’ve been, yet still be there for her friend.

Bridesmaids is a really crude film, but there’s something really refreshing about it. There has been a glut of successful and stupid “guy’s comedies” in the recent past and this film, co-written by Wiig lets the girls scratch their own metaphorical balls and get down and dirty like the guys do, but not without being hilarious at the same time. There were a number of sight gags that were practically stroke-inducing, I laughed so hard (“is that your fella?”) and there were a number of instantly quotable lines. Wiig, an obviously gifted comedic actress really shines in the film, though her affectations are derivative of a lot of female comedians now, including Chelsea Handler and Samantha Bee. Melissa McCarthy was a riot in the film, completely playing against type as a crude, mannish member of the wedding party who says what everyone is thinking, and then some.

Though Bridesmaids succeeds as a romantic comedy, it does have quite a few flaws: the dialogue is incredibly clever and snappy, and Annie is written as someone who is too much of a caricature to exist, or if she did, she would be an exhausting person to know. There were also a bunch of loose ends, and while the romance between Annie and Officer Rhodes (O’Dowd) was sweet, it wasn’t really fleshed out a lot, which was necessary only because it became such an important part of the film.

Despite its faults, Bridesmaids is a really fun film and I enjoyed watching it. I think that a lot of what is wrong with it can be forgiven, or at least pushed to the side because it doesn’t pretend to be an important film; it just opened some doors that we were never able to fully walk through. It’s certainly not a film that everyone would enjoy, but if you can get past the plot holes and embrace the gross out humor it’s actually really clever and entertaining.

3 out of 5 stars

Rango (2011)

2012-02-13T15:13:00.001-06:00

RANGO (2011)

Director: Gore Verbinski

Starring: Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin, Ned Beatty

Rango (voiced by Depp) is a wildly imaginative chameleon who has lived a sheltered life up until the point he finds himself alone and wandering the Mojave Desert. He winds up in the town of Dirt, a lawless Wild West town populated by many desert animals, including a lizard named Beans (Fisher) and run by the Mayor (Beatty) an old turtle. Rango decides that he can make up whatever past he wants, so he tells the townsfolk tales of false bravado, after which they elect him sheriff of their lawless town. After their water supply goes missing, Rango has to try to save the town, using his ingenuity and imagination while saving face for his new friends.

Rango is an absolutely delightful film from start to finish. It is incredibly entertaining, thanks to expert work by Verbinski and top notch voice talent headed by Depp. He was truly enjoying himself in this film, and his voice talent is just as impressive as his regular acting ability. Rango is a great throwback to classic westerns, including many homages to the genre, be it character design, a classic western plot, or even the mariachi band (made up of owls) who act as the film’s Greek chorus, always gleefully Rango’s ultimate demise, whether it’s true or not.

I am not a fan of most animated films and usually avoid them like the plague, particularly CG ones, but there was so much to like about this film, starting with the impressive animation. Roger Deakins, in my opinion the most amazing cinematographer working right now, was called in to consult on the framing of shots, and this expert consultation was obvious. There were so many amazing sequences (watch the chase scene between Rango’s posse and the thieves about 2/3 into the film, for example) that would have been impressive in live action, but were breathtaking in this form.

Rango also boasts a very intelligent script that features clever film references that will only be caught by “film people”, but isn’t so esoteric that it’s not for everyone. In fact, most times, it’s completely absurd and hilarious; I was laughing really hard throughout most of the film. It really was an enjoyable film that I can recommend to everyone, even the most jaded film lovers, since I’m solidly in that column as well.

3.5 out of 5 stars

Drive (2011)

2012-02-13T11:02:00.002-06:00

DRIVE (2011)

Director: Nicolas Winding Refn

Starring: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Albert Brooks

Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, Drive stars Ryan Gosling (whose character is simply billed as “Driver”) as a stunt driver, mechanic and part time getaway driver. As complicated and exciting as his life may seem, his life becomes more fulfilled when he befriends his neighbor Irene (Mulligan). Soon after, Irene’s husband is released from prison and “Driver’s” life spirals into real danger when he gets involved with the mob in order to protect Irene and her young son.

The plot sounds like it could be interesting and noir-ish, but it’s really not. Drive is nothing more than a plodding story rife with ridiculously long pauses in dialogue accompanied by wistful looks. Within a half hour I was completely bored and frustrated with the pacing of the film, which seemed to last far beyond its 100 minute running time. Not helping is the god awful music that plays throughout a lot of the film. The J-Pop sounding lyrics and voice coupled with the bad 80’s synth lines are laughably and distractingly bad.

Gosling and Mulligan are both good, proven actors but they didn’t help this film along at all. If they were supposed to have chemistry, I didn’t get the memo. Their blank stares only made them seem disinterested. This could be more forgivable for Irene’s character since she’s so undeveloped, but we’re supposed to believe that the Driver is supposed to be mysterious and like Eastwood’s iconic “Man with No Name”, when really he comes across as really dim. Much has also been made of Albert Brooks’ supporting role as a mob boss, but I just didn’t see it. Yes, it was a different role than he has ever played, and he did a fine job, but just because you play a really minor role against type and brandish a straight edge razor doesn’t make a role revelatory. Even Ron Perlman, who, despite growing increasingly simian in appearance is usually good for a few machismo moments, underserved as a mean mobster.

I’m not sure how it’s possible to make a film about a stunt driver who happens to get mixed up in the mob while making some tricky getaway drives so completely hapless and boring, but Refn manages it to do this in spades. There are a couple of good driving sequences, and a few violent moments that are so sudden and out of place that they are actually welcome because at least something is happening, but that little bit of redemption is quickly smothered by a lot of mediocrity. Drive is a film that should never have been made past a 25 minute running time because there simply is not enough material to work with; at least with the presentation we’re given. Drive has been universally hailed, but I think what is being mistaken for style is, quite frankly, pretention.

2 out of 5 stars

Margin Call (2011)

2012-02-13T10:52:00.001-06:00

MARGIN CALL (2011)

Director: J.C. Chandor

Starring: Kevin Spacey, Zachary Quinto, Jeremy Irons, Paul Bettany

The financial crisis of 2008 (to present) is a topic that has been explored ad nauseam in countless films, both feature and documentary, books and newspaper and magazine articles, so finding a twist to make “your” film stand out among the rest is imperative. With Margin Call, first-time writer-director J.C. Chandor successfully pulls this off by offering a quiet, yet powerful imagining of the crisis at its incubation and inception stages.

Margin Call features a great cast of character actors including Zachary Quinto, Stanley Tucci, Paul Bettany, Kevin Spacey, Simon Baker and Jeremy Irons, all portraying employees at an investment bank. The 24-hour period covered in the film begins with sweeping layoffs, including Eric Dale (Tucci), a middle manager who is on the verge of making a devastating discovery about the company’s finances. As he leaves, he hands the information over to Peter Sullivan (Quinto), one of his former underlings, with the warning, “Be careful.” After Sullivan analyzes the file and completes the puzzle, his discoveries not only prompt the involvement of every key player at the firm all the way up to CEO John Tuld (Irons), but set into motion the financial crisis that our world’s economy is still trying to recover from.

Margin Call is about as straight-forward a film can be without being a documentary, and it strongly reflects Chandor’s previous work in that genre. What was impressive about the film was that it breathed new life into a stale topic, and did it quietly and without hyperbole. The cast of the film give understated performances despite the highly charged theme, which was impressive. The film could have been played more theatrically, like Glengarry Glen Ross, with a bunch of stressed out people yelling at each other, but it went in the opposite direction, where they were struggling with trying to find a way out, feeling defeated and even wondering how their actions that very evening and day will impact the average man on the street. Margin Call doesn’t kid anyone though; there are no heroes here, merely “survivors” and sacrificial lambs.

There’s nothing flashy about Margin Call, and frankly, there will be some people who will probably be bored with it because there isn’t a lot of action in it. But it is a cerebral and daring presentation of facts that have already been revealed, simply told in an interesting enough way to warrant viewing; notable since this topic has been so pervasive in our lives for more years than I care to recall.

3.5 out of 5 stars

The Descendants

2012-01-11T10:53:00.004-06:00

The Descendants (2011)
Director: Alexander Payne
Starring: George Clooney, Shailene Woodley

When his wife goes into a coma following a boating accident, Matt King (Clooney) has to balance his busy business life with trying to reconnect with his daughters Alexandra (Woodley) and Scottie (Amara Miller). This would normally be a stressful time for King, an attorney whose native Hawaiian family is about to sell a large plot of land for millions, an issue that is big news in Hawaii, but further complications pop up as more layers of the lives of he and his family are peeled back.

The thing I love about Alexander Payne films, and The Descendants is no exception, is that no matter how laid back the tone of the film, the protagonist is always pushed to a breaking point where they end up doing ridiculous things they never imagined they would do, but along the way achieve an amazing level of self-discovery. Clooney's Matt King is self-assured and comfortable until he really opens his eyes (and has them forced open in some instances) and sees that he never had as much control or happiness as he thought, and this discovery is more perplexing than devastating. Clooney is a versatile actor who is just at home playing a lovable, flawed guy as he is the dashing leading man. I think it's more fun to see Clooney in the former roles because he's very natural, plus it's fun to see a guy with matinee idol looks making a boob out of himself once in a while.

Woodley and Miller are great in the film as the young daughters with issues of their own. Miller, as younger daughter Scottie, is a tomboy on the verge of puberty and Woodley's Alexandra is a teenager whose rebelliousness has landed her at a strict boarding school away from the family. Woodley in particular is amazing; from what I can tell, this is one of her first feature films after doing episodic dramas on television, and she has an amazing amount of range and talent. After King reunites with his daughters, the dynamic is not easy, nor even natural. Like Sideways and About Schmidt, Payne's previous two films, self-discovery and strengthened relationships occur as a result of a journey. In The Descendants, there are a couple of journeys, all poignant and educational, but also hilarious many times, thanks to Clooney's expert comedic timing and the addition of Alexandra's boyfriend Sid (Nick Krause) who is crude and not very bright, but who has a good heart.

Though the subject matter was heavy (and what Payne film isn't?) there was still a laid back and breezy feel to The Descendants, partly because of the environment (they were in paradise, after all) but I think the excellent acting and masterful direction and screenplay written by Payne are a large part of The Descendants' success as well. I've always been a fan of Payne's films because I love their introspection, intelligence and eccentricities, and The Descendants lived up to my expectations after waiting 8 long years for another Payne film (2004's Sideways was a long time ago). I experienced a great deal of joy watching this film, and afterward described the feeling as "delicious" to my companions. Though that may sound like a very Holly Golightly thing to say, it really sums up The Descendants quite well, actually. Delicious and sublime.

4 out of 5 stars

2011-11-27T13:36:00.001-06:00

Maybe it's the cooling weather, or maybe it's because I haven't written in a while. Or maybe it's because Chris may finally be getting my workspace together, but I've been feeling this desire to create. Create what? I'm not sure yet.

I'm just looking forward to having, after more than a year and a half, a functioning space that I can use for reading, writing, etc. in this house. I don't have "a space" and the lighting and (probably more so) my eyes are so bad that it's impossible to read anywhere, and my laptop has been firmly planted on the dining room table since we moved here. So, if I don't watch tv, I have to sit in the dining room and...that's about it. So now that there's been some movement from Chris working on the den (though even this weekend it's been slow going... "ten minutes of messing around on the computer" has now turned into an hour) I have hope. I really, really hope. The situation has become kind of desperate, and even though I may not spend all of my time in there (that would be pretty isolationist of me) I just want an option. Plus, it may kickstart some other improvements we should be making around here as well.

Here's hoping.

MFF Film #28 Outrage

2011-10-03T13:08:00.000-05:00

OUTRAGE
Japan, 2010
Japanese with English subtitles
Director: Takeshi Kitano

At a gathering with Mr. Chairman, the head of the Sanno-kai syndicate that rules over Tokyo, one of the crime bosses is admonished for his ties with an outsider and warned that he has to sever this relationship or suffer the consequences. What begins as a fake attempt to do this turns into an all out war, with allegiances changing and people in power playing with human lives as if they were pawns.

Outrage doesn't have a tremendously deep story, though the intricate plots that are conceived in order to move in on others' territory and advance within the yakuza are entertaining. The manipulation of outsiders is particularly scary (think "protection money" schemes by the mob, only more scary and desperate) and the power structure of the yakuza is actually kind of fascinating. In one scene, a man can ruthlessly kill four or five people in the span of 30 seconds, and in the next he is cutting off his finger as a sign of honor and sitting prostrate at the feet of Mr. Chairman. It is this kind of dichotomy that makes the relationships within the organization so complicated.

Outrage is sleekly shot and just plain cool looking, but it is extremely violent; not just people getting shot violent, but really up close and personal violent, so it's not a film for people with weak stomachs. There are so many characters involved that there is no one who stands out as a great villain (other than maybe Mr. Chairman, who is the craftiest of all of them) or anyone to root for, but I don't think it was director (and writer and star) Takeshi Kitano's intent; we're just supposed to experience them as a group of gangsters and not really "root" for anyone.

This isn't a film for everyone, and truthfully, it doesn't have a lot of story, but if you're looking for a well made, entertaining film that is full of action and violence, Outrage is a good one to watch. Plus, there are some really creative torture methods that will make you cringe but think, "Wow, THAT was clever..." And let's face it: despite its shortcomings, Outrage is better than 80% of the action films that are released in the United States any day.

MFF Ballot Rating: 3 out of 5

MFF Film #27 - Becoming Santa

2011-10-03T12:32:00.000-05:00

BECOMING SANTA
USA/Canada, 2010
English
Director: Jeff Myers

Jack Sanderson is a 44 year old man living in Los Angeles who, after losing his father (his mother passed away 10 years prior)decides that the best way to capture the Christmas spirit in a time when it's hard to find it would be to become Santa for a Christmas season. The result is Becoming Santa, a documentary that chronicles Sanderson's journey, from getting his hair and beard bleached to attending an official Santa school in Denver.

Becoming Santa not only features Sanderson's journey, but features a large number of interviews with other Santas around the country, including some niche Santas like, "Civil War Santa". Director Jeff Myers also delves into the history of the Santa story, dating back to St. Nicholas and even examines some of the racially provocative elements of the story, most specifically "Black Peter" who started out as a bad guy, but after some outcry over having a black person as the "bad guy" compared to the snowy white St. Nicholas, history was altered and now Black Peter is St. Nicholas' helper. Never mind the mind-numbingly horrifying tradition of kids and adults alike dressing in black face to play the part, mainly in Europe.

The film primarily focuses on Sanderson, however, and what a gem this guy is. He possesses an amazing sense of humor, and is an incredible wit. His comments and facial expressions had the audience I was in laughing, and I was in tears most of the time. I genuinely wanted to be this guy's friend. Though he is going balls out in his quest, (though he looked really cool, bleaching the hair and beard was just an astounding commitment) he is also very grounded and throughout the film, expresses indecision and doubt over whether this is something he would want to continue, despite everyone "in the know" asserting that he could be one of "the world's top Santas" if he stuck with it.

Becoming Santa is one of the most enjoyable films I've seen in a long time, and it charmed me to death. I don't think there was a time when I wasn't smiling while watching, (and usually laughing) and it exuded joy. I'm not known for being a big fan of children, but seeing the pure, unadulterated joy and excitement on the childrens' faces when Sanderson would appear as Santa was incredibly heartwarming and it really hit me right in the heart because when was the last time you were that unabashedly happy about anything? Becoming Santa made me happy and I not only loved it, but it may go into my coveted Christmas film yearly viewing schedule from now on. See this movie, you won't regret it. Better yet, wait until you need a pick me up and then see it. You'll thank me.

MFF Ballot Rating: 5 out of 5

MFF Film #26 - The Human Resources Manager

2011-10-03T11:52:00.000-05:00

THE HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER
Israel/Germany/France/Romania, 2010
Hebrew/English/Romanian with English subtitles
Director: Eran Riklis

When a suicide bomber is killed in Jerusalem, her death is partly blamed on her former employer, a bakery, because she had been recently terminated. As part of a public relations cleanup, the human resources manager is dispatched to identify her body and transport it back to Romania, her native country. He never knew the woman, yet to save his job, he accepts the assignments and embarks on a strange road trip involving an equally strange cast of characters who are picked up along the way.

I enjoyed The Human Resources Manager, but was led to believe that it was going to be more humorous than it turned out to be. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but the overall tone of the film was very dry. I did appreciate some of the sight gags (the replacement vehicle for their broken down van being an enormous, military-issue Humvee was a nice touch).

I didn't feel like I saw an outstanding film after seeing The Human Resources Manager, but it was an average, decent film that did the most with a minimal story, partly due to a good pace. Unfortunately, the biggest problem with The Human Resources Manager is its distance and slight coldness. None of the main characters were really fleshed out, so there wasn't a lot of sentimentality nor much to relate to beyond the most superficial level.

The Human Resources Manager is efficiently made and enjoyable on some levels, but walking out of it, I didn't have any strong feelings about it. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it) I expect a film to have at least some residual effect on me, and The Human Resources Manager simply didn't do that for me.

MFF Ballot Rating: 3 out of 5

MFF Film #25 - Shorts: Out of this World

2011-10-03T11:35:00.000-05:00

SHORTS: OUT OF THIS WORLD
Various Countries/Languages

Pioneer
A father tells an unusual bedtime story to his son. This was beautifully filmed and intimate, with two endearing characters and an unbelievable story. MFF Ballot Rating: 5 out of 5.

Time Freak
A man invents a time machine, but finds that he's not using it as he originally planned. Clever, funny and entertaining - I really enjoyed this one. MFF Ballot Rating: 4 out of 5.

Grandpa's Wet Dream
A Japanese grandfather's late in life obsession with porn leads him to become in actor in his favorite production company's films. At first I thought the title was going to be a clever play on words, but nope, it was aptly named, This was a good short - funny and odd. MFF Ballot Rating: 4 out of 5.

When the Wind Changes
After two annoying guys get on their friend's nerves one time too many, something happens and they receive their punishment in spades. I loved this short and laughed really hard during most of it. It was such a clever idea and really enjoyable - definitely an audience favorite. MFF Ballot Rating: 5 out of 5.

Bukowski
While on vacation at a hotel with his family, a young boy finishes reading Charles Bukowski's book, Pleasure of the Damned. He then takes on the persona of Bukowski and roams the hotel, encountering many of the hotel staff who are amazed when he introduces himself as Bukowski. I absolutely LOVED this film and was both charmed and bowled over by it. It was so clever and original, and I'm afraid that its nuances may have gone over the heads of anyone who doesn't know Bukowski or his work, but I thought it was absolutely brilliant. MFF Ballot Rating: 5 out of 5.

West of the Moon
An old man narrates his life, which is full of fantasy, with a killer ending. This short was creative, incredibly beautiful and so visually stunning. Outstanding. MFF Ballot Rating: 5 out of 5.

Yuri Lennon's Landing on Alpha 46
An astronaut is launched into space to explore and retrieve something for the space program, but ends up finding something completely unexpected. This short was awesomely filmed and riveting from start to finish. I thought the scenes in the rocket were cool, but once Yuri landed, the cinematography got even cooler. MFF Ballot Rating: 5 out of 5.

MFF Film #24 - A Good Man

2011-10-03T11:10:00.000-05:00

A GOOD MAN
USA, 2011
English
Director: Bob Hercules, Gordon Quinn

A Good Man documents the conception of and rehearsals for legendary choreographer Bill T. Jones' new piece about Abraham Lincoln's legacy, which premiered at the Ravinia in Chicago. The contemporary dance piece is ambitious enough, but Jones' uncertainty over his true feelings about the subject, particularly after exhaustive research, leaves him uncertain about what direction he wants the piece to take.

Bill T. Jones is a fascinating person, and though I am not the biggest fan of modern dance, nor pretend to understand most of it, A Good Man was incredibly interesting. Jones is incredibly accomplished, driven, a true intellectual and a strict perfectionist, which, rather than alienate the dancers in his company, commands the respect of his dancers and inspires them to strive for more. Regardless of one's appreciation level for modern dance, it is impossible to not be impressed by the dancers' fluidity, talent and sheer athleticism. Because Jones was still conceptualizing the piece as rehearsals continued, they were required to be extremely adaptable and improvisational, which is one of Jones' own strong points.

A Good Man is not a biography of Bill T. Jones, in fact, the bits and pieces we learn about him are really only revealed because of their relevance to the work he is currently producing. Rather, it is a front row look at the creative process and motivations behind an art form that is normally very subjective in its interpretation. Though "A Good Man" is the term for Lincoln that Jones grapples with, it is undoubtedly an appropriate term for Jones as well. Produced by Kartemquin Films, which releases amazing documentaries, A Good Man is a superb film that deserves its spot in their pantheon.

MFF Ballot Rating: 4 out of 5

2011 Milwaukee Film Festival - Day 8

2011-10-03T10:51:00.002-05:00

2011 Milwaukee Film Festival - Day Eight (Final Day)
Noon

So I decided to embark on my last day early so I could finish my reviews from yesterday. When I pulled in the parking lot I was the only car here, and when I looked up next after writing for a while the lot was full. LOL concentrate much?

So it's the last day of the festival and I've had a great time and seen some good movies. But I'm definitely wiped after trying to balance seeing films, home life and writing reviews quickly enough so I can get it done before returning to work on Tuesday. I can't deny that I've felt a little isolated, despite being surrounded by people. I love films so much and love nothing more than talking about them, but it's a lot more fulfilling when you're discussing them with someone you actually saw the film with.

Though I'm tired and have a ton of writing to do, I'm working on seeing all five movies today, because that will make 30 films seen, and if I don't get a round number in, that makes my OCD itch!

2:25pm

Really nice crowd for the shorts program, and it's a really mixed bag, which is kind of fun. Shorts programs seem to traditionally attract a younger crowd, so it's refreshing to see a fair amount of "seasoned" members in the audience.

I'm alert, but man, when I looked at the clock and saw it was just 2:25 I really have to wonder how I'm going to make it through four more movies and 10 more hours...yikes. Water may have to be substituted for some good old fashioned caffeine. Unfortunately, Marcus Theatres have Pepsi products and fountain-served Diet Pepsi is akin to drinking a soda that's had ice melting in it for three hours, so maybe not. Anyway, I'm boring myself with this conversation so I'm going to sit back and see if I can eavesdrop on a more interesting conversation...

Bonus! A woman behind me just shrieked because she spilled cheese on herself less than two minutes after her husband brought her nachos. I knew if I paid attention something more entertaining than me would happen.

Sorry, but thank god this is my last day of the sponsor trailer. Man.

7:15pm

I didn't get a chance to blog before my last movie because I was joined by my boss and her husband. Our company sponsored the screening of the 4:30 movie, and while it was well attended, it was unfortunately a mediocre movie. It was nice actually talking to someone though (even people who choose to be anti-social crave companionship sometimes) and I genuinely really like her so it was really nice.

Just two movies to go. Now I just have to keep the sound of my stomach growling from overpowering the sound of the film. I'm kind of looking forward to returning to what I had previously deemed my boring rut of workworkwork, come home, zone. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Ah yes, my day was just further made by hearing one 60 year old woman say to the other, "Give me knucks!" LMAO

Let's get this show on the road! Every single screening was late today and I'm running on fumes so this cannot move on fast enough.

11:30pm

Just made my last trek to my car from the North Shore Cinemas for quite some time. Great theater, but I overstayed my welcome by just a bit. The last screening went well, and since it was a Japanese film about the yakuza, it was populated by 20-something guys who undoubtedly still live at home, one of which let out a huge fart in the middle of the film. Klassy with a capital K. Time to drive home (I won't miss this drive, either) collapse and get up the next morning to do some cram writing.

Good times.

MFF Film #23 - Shorts: Let's Get Animated

2011-10-03T09:56:00.000-05:00

SHORTS: LET'S GET ANIMATED
Various countries/languages

Heirlooms
Several stories of the heirlooms people hold dear and the reason for their importance. It was more notable for their stories than the actual animation, and it went on a little long. MFF Ballot Rating: 2 out of 5.

Marvin
a boy is born with a hole in his head, and though he is accepted, a mishap causes him to literally lose his common sense, which he sets about finding. This was a really cute short film that was funny, and had a nice message. I also liked that it was told in rhyme. MFF Ballot Rating: 4 out of 5.

The Deep
A couple of minutes in the life of the deep sea, only the sea life are made out of household tools. It was interesting idea, but there wasn't much involved. MFF Ballot Rating: 2 out of 5.

Bike Race
A friendly bike race among two friends ends up in a love triangle. Told with simple white line drawings on a black background, and using real audio of the three main characters, both narratively and during the races, this was funny and really charming. MFF Ballot Rating: 4 out of 5.

Chief Serenbe
A man goes hitchhiking in the city. That's really all there is to it, and though some of the animation techniques were cool at the end, it was pretty forgettable. MFF Ballot Rating: 2 out of 5.

A Family Portrait
A family sits for a professional portrait, but cracks appear in their relationships with one another, with an unexpected ending. I loved this one, from its grotesque character designs to its cleverness. There is a lot of story told in under five minutes and it is dark and shocking. MFF Ballot Rating: 5 out of 5.

Something Left, Something Taken
A couple visiting San Francisco become convinced the man driving them from the airport is the Zodiac Killer. This one was so clever and absolutely hilarious. The animation was perfect for the story and i totally loved it. MFF Ballot Rating: 5 out of 5.

Malban
A young man visits a widow and her two children looking for the name of the secret island her husband conducted ornithology research at. The eldest daughter has to decide whether to reveal the location of the secret place she cherished with her Dad. There wasn't much of a story, but the animation was beautiful. MFF Ballot Rating: 3 out of 5.

Luminaris
A day in the life of the unusual profession of lightbulb makers. The animation was stop-motion and used what looked like photographs. It was strange and extremely creative. MFF Ballot Rating: 3 out of 5.

Dot
A little girl has to run from the danger as life is literally unraveling behind her. This was another stop-motion film that was cute and creative, and notable in that it is in the Guinness book for being the smallest animated film made. (The materials were so small they were literally film through a microscope.) MFF Ballot Rating: 3 out of 5.

The Eagleman Stag
A sardonic man narrates his life and accomplishments, including discovering a method of cell regeneration that he doesn't share with the world, out of spite. This was really clever and funny, and extremely cerebral, with a cool black and white claymation-looking style. MFF Ballot Rating: 4 out of 5.

2011 MFF Film #22 - Miss Tacuarembo

2011-10-03T09:36:00.000-05:00

MISS TACUAREMBO
Uruguay/Argentina/Spain, 2010
Spanish with English subtitles
Director: Martin Sastre

Natalia is a 30 year old woman who is chasing her dream of being a singer, but her reality is that she is an entertainer at a failing Catholic theme park. She works there with her best friend of more than 20 years, Carlos, who shares her dream and always has been her biggest fan. She finally gets her chance at national stardom, but it comes with strings attached that bring up a past that threatens her success.

Miss Tacuarembo is a strange but somewhat entertaining film, and during its best moments, it's reminiscent of the 2001 French film Amelie. Unfortunately, those moments are too rare, and the majority of the film is more like Strictly Ballroom, with corny comedy, flashy dance numbers and some characters that are obscenely overacted. Walking into the film, I heard someone describe it as "like an Almodovar film, only really Catholic." The Catholic thing I get, but the only comparisons I could see to Almodovar, one of my favorite contemporary directors, was Sastre's use of Rossy de Palma, one of Almodovar's go-to actresses, and the fact that the film was in Spanish.

The majority of the film is spent in flashback, and these scenes were sometimes cute, but the musical numbers were odd and out of place and didn't have the charm of most musicals - it seemed kind of force. As a whole, Miss Tacuarembo was entertaining enough, well paced and had a charming lead, but it really was just average, story-wise and overall, nothing spectacular.

MFF Ballot Rating: 3 out of 5

MFF Film #21 - Pianomania

2011-10-03T09:19:00.000-05:00

PIANOMANIA
Germany/Austria, 2009
German/English with English subtitles
Director: Lilian Franck, Robert Cibis

Pianomania is a documentary that follows Stefan Knupfer, Steinway's master tuner in Vienna, as he works with various famous pianists to achieve the perect sound they require, which usually varies according to the musician and/or the pieces they are playing.

Though Pianomania is an interesting film, there really is a specific audience it caters to - and that's not even just classical music lovers. It's directed more to classically trained musicians which, despite several years of playing the saxophone, I am not. Therefore, a lot of things went over my head, but there seemed to be a lot of reactions within the audience so I guess this film played to the right people.

Though frankly, Pianomania was pretty dull, and didn't help itself by letting the audience know the names of people who were interviewed or featured yet gave us no idea who they were, what they did and therefore, why we should care what they have to say, the film was redeemed for me by its subject, Stefan. He was passionate about his craft, and handled every situation with an affability that I not only made him extremely endearing, but made me envy him his incredible patience. He really kept me focused on a film that normally would have been kind of a snoozer for me, regardless of how well executed the film making was.

There are no frills to Pianomania;it's purely about the intricate sounds of pianos, so I wouldn't recommend it to anyone other than hardcore piano lovers or musicians who find the subject of piano tuning an interesting one.

MFF Ballot Rating: 3 out of 5

MFF Film #20 - Mysteries of Lisbon

2011-10-03T09:03:00.000-05:00

MYSTERIES OF LISBON
Portugal, 2010
Portuguese/French/English with English subtitles
Director: Raul Ruiz

Mysteries of Lisbon is a sweeping tale of love, deceit and the class system in 19th century Portugal. Pedro, a young boy who thought he was an orphan, learns the truth about his parents from the priest who oversees the orphanage/school he attends, and as characters are introduced into this story, their backgrounds unravel into an interweaving tale that all comes back to Pedro, years later.

At a staggering four and a half hours, Mysteries of Lisbon attempts to be an epic, but the only epic thing about the film is its ridiculous length. Mysteries of Lisbon is a story that could have easily been told in half the time, yet instead dragged from scene to scene with long shots of nothing, or lingering on scenes that should have ended long ago. Despite its attempt at connecting the characters, the film runs off the rails several times, causing confusion and showcasing how irrelevant so many scenes were. It got to the point where the words, "I have a story to tell you" began to cause laughter in the screening I attended, because if the people laughing were thinking what I was thinking, it was "Oh here we go again!"

Frankly, I couldn't stand this film. However, I do have to give credit to director Raul Ruiz for creating a beautifully shot film, with exquisite cinematography and incredibly lit scenes that, if not actually natural light, aped the effect perfectly. The beauty of Mysteries of Lisbon is the only thing that saved this film from getting the lowest rating I could give. There were so many times when I just wanted to walk out, but it would have made me angrier to invest as much time as I had and not seen it all the way through to its long-awaited (and wholly unsatisfying) conclusion. Unless you are under duress, as in strapped into a chair and forced to watch, I wouldn't recommend wasting your time with this film.

MFF Ballot Rating: 2 out of 5

2011 Milwaukee Film Festival - Day 7

2011-10-03T08:44:00.002-05:00

Saturday, October 1 - Day Seven

(well, for me... it's day 10 of the festival)

11:50am

I'm really slow moving this morning. It doesn't help that the Brewers are playing their first playoff game this afternoon and here I am sitting down to a 4 hour movie. Ugh. I hope it's good!

I skipped the festival last night because I just needed a break. Unfortunately, I chose a night that was going to have at least two good movies, and I was kind of regretting it all night. But I think it was all for the best because I got to bed at a decent hour and am not going into a full weekend of movies with reviews to write. The goal for this weekend, in order to keep on track with finishing my reviews on Monday, is to get as much writing done between films as possible so I just have to write a couple and flesh out the rest. Chris and I have a date to watch City Lights Monday night and I intend to keep it. I'm going to have so much work to do this week in order to make up for my week off and then my "real" vacation I'm taking the following week.

Ballot speech again. Doesn't this woman ever take time off?

5:15pm

Well, that sucked. On the schedule, that colossal movie was supposed to go until 4pm, however we got out at 5pm, giving me 15 minutes between movies after sitting through a 5 hour film. That's great. Really good for my review writing too - I was really counting on that time between movies to write, instead I was running around just to slip into a screening that, for some reason, is packed. I really hope THIS movie is good because I was thinking of calling it a day about 10 minutes ago. I'm also starting to wonder why, if the ball speech, etc. is going to go on for five minutes, that they don't start out earlier? Bah. I'm crabby. But I can hear other people bitching about that last movie too...haha.

7:30pm

So I decided to do a slight change of plans based on the little time snafu this afternoon. Though I would much rather see Sound of Noise at 9:30, I'm going to skip that and see the animated shorts program instead since reviews of those are usually limited to about three sentences or less. Yikes, I'm starting to feel the pressure now - so much for zen!

9:30pm

Hey, I won a $50 gift certificate to a spa at the last screening, based on having seen the most films so far out of the audience. Hey, I would take some public nerd humiliation for an unused Kleenex, so I wasn't going to pass this one up.

This has been a really rough day and I would love to bag the shorts program, but I just can't since I'm skipping a film I wanted to see in favor of doing something practical. So, in I go.

11:30pm

Of course, when my goal was to have something easy to review, I get the ballot for the shorts program and there were 11 freakin' shorts on it. Argh. And most weren't real notable either. I'm going home and laying face down and not moving until I have to.

MFF Film #19 - Wish Me Away

2011-09-30T12:57:00.000-05:00

WISH ME AWAY
USA, 2010
English
Director: Bobbie Birleffi, Beverly Kopf

After struggling with coming to terms about being gay for decades, country music star Chely Wright did the unthinkable in that community: she came out of the closet, and in epic fashion, releasing a book about her life and her most personal CD yet, and appearing on myriad talk shows and magazine covers. The world of country music isn't known for being the most tolerant of the gay lifestyle, so Wright was understandably reluctant and terrified to take this giant step. Wish Me Away chronicles the months leading up to her public outing and the struggles Wright experiences, mostly with herself.

Wish Me Away was an interesting documentary that, while not necessarily thought-provoking or overly complicated, sheds light on a really important issue. Country music tends to make my ears bleed and frankly, though I feel very strongly about gay rights, I'd never even heard of Chely Wright before this film. Wright grants amazing access to her life, even providing the filmmakers with a video diary she had created, and the results aren't always pretty. She is clearly unsure of her decision and suffered incredible depression during filming. Having grown up in the bible belt of Kansas, as a devout Christian herself, she was afraid of what her family and friends would say, but mostly, she was terrified of the bible loving, mostly Republican people that generally tend to buy country music records and who essentially control what the radio stations play. Looking at what happened to the Dixie Chicks when the lead singer criticized George W. Bush at an overseas concert, Wright was understandably scared to lose her fan base.

Wright is an extremely candid and likable person who seems really down to earth and genuinely wants to help people in the gay community, particularly children struggling with their sexuality the way she had for years. That is why, when she finally comes out publicly at the end of the film, it is great to see her so exhilarated that she doesn't just come out, she kicks the door down and says, "Here I am!" Since filming ended, she has become a leading gay advocate but appears to have been frozen out by the country music community, which is a shame since that was her passion, but I think she's developed a new fan base and will do just fine, especially now that she's fine with herself.

MFF Ballot Rating: 3 out of 5

MFF Film #18 - Vincent Wants to Sea

2011-09-30T12:23:00.000-05:00

VINCENT WANTS TO SEA
Germany, 2010
German with English subtitles
Director: Ralf Huettner

Vincent, a 27 year old man who struggles with Tourette's, is admitted into an institution by his father when his mother dies. He had a very close relationship with his mother, particularly after his father left them, but has, at best, a strained relationship with his distant and cold father. Vincent desperately wants to cure his Tourette's but knows that the best he can hope for is to be able to control it slightly. At the institution, he has a roommate with crippling OCD and meets a woman with anorexia. When the woman steals their doctor's car keys, she, Vincent and his roommate embark upon a soul-searching and sometimes hilarious road trip to the place where he knew his mom was happiest, to Italy, and the sea.

Vincent Wants to Sea is a wonderful film that addresses diseases that society tends to avoid or look away from. The film does this is in a real and positive way, with the characters attempting to live an existence where they are not defined by their disease. The screenplay by Florian David Fitz, the film's star, is brilliantly subtle, with every character achieving self-actualization and improvement in really organic ways instead of the miraculous self discovery that plagues so many films.

Vincent Wants to Sea won Germany's Best Picture award and Florian David Fitz won for Best Actor. I can understand why both awards were won because it really is an amazing film and Fitz did an amazing job portraying a Tourette's sufferer. Despite the heavy themes addressed in the film, Vincent Wants to Sea is actually an incredibly positive and uplifting film that had the audience laughing many times. By the time the film ended (unfortunately in a freeze frame) I felt really good (though they used "Hey Soul Sister" by Train during the last two minutes of the film and its credits, and who can't help but be happy during that song?) and honestly, walked out of the theater with a big smile on my face. Vincent Wants to Sea is a feel-good movie for people who don't mind a little darkness and pain thrown in the mix, and it is a true gem.

MFF Ballot Rating: 5 out of 5

MFF Film #17 - The Pruitt-Igoe Myth

2011-09-30T11:30:00.000-05:00

THE PRUITT-IGOE MYTH
USA, 2011
English
Director: Chad Freidrichs

"The Pruitt-Igoe Myth" is a term that is sometimes applied to explain the failure of public housing projects, and the public housing debate in general. The origin of the term dates back to the early 1970's, when the Pruitt-Igoe public housing complex in St. Louis was demolished after only 16 years of existence. The housing was developed in the mid-1950's in response to the mass migration of southerners to St. Louis. Slums were beginning to become a problem in the city's north side neighborhoods, so with federal money, the city planned a series of high-rise buildings designed by architect Minoru Yamasaki in a modern style and built over 57 acres. In the beginning, the complex was idyllic, but lack of funding prevented the city from maintaining the properties, which created a slippery slope; when the buildings were not kept up, the residents began not to care and vandalism and violence became rampant. Opinion of the authorities, especially the police obviously low, so they stopped coming when they were met with violence and danger, thinking, "We're going to have glass bottles thrown at us from 11 floors up. Why bother?" By then, it became a free-for-all and after people moved out due to safety concerns, drug dealers squatted in their empty apartments, putting the remaining residents at risk. The buildings were finally demolished in 1972 after no other solution could be found.

I had never heard of this story, and it is absolutely fascinating. Director Chad Freidrichs used a staggering amount of archival footage, which was available because this housing project was an international news story, partially because of the Civil Rights Movement. unfortunately, any good that could have been passed on from that struggle never hit Pruitt-Igoe, where disenfranchisement was pervasive. The welfare state did nothing but keep Pruitt-Igoe's residents from advancing economically, and really bred an isolationist atmosphere. For years they didn't allow telephones or televisions in the apartments and as part of the condition for living there, families with husbands and fathers who were able-bodied or employed were not allowed to live with the family because that would exceed income qualifications. Obviously, this created a culture of broken homes, where children didn't have a father and wives didn't have support. From a psychological standpoint, it was only a matter of time before something would snap.

The Pruitt-Igoe Myth is filled with interviews with former residents of the housing project who all, to this day, still have mixed feelings about the time they spent there. Though they were the ones telling stories of violence (one of the interviewees watched his brother get shot and killed there) and getting into urine-soaked elevators and seeing trash everywhere, there is still a nostalgia for Pruitt-Igoe. Perhaps because it was a good idea in general, but once the city became involved it went off the rails. They destroyed the slums in order to build Pruitt-Igoe and in record time, Pruitt-Igoe became worse than the slums it replaced, and that part of the city is just now starting to see a glimmer of revitalization. Will history repeat itself yet again?

The Pruitt-Igoe Myth is an excellent documentary that does more than tell the history of a failed housing project; it explores the psychology behind why it failed and really gets some answers. There isn't a lot left to interpretation here; what you see is what you get, and what we see is what is still going on to some degree in every major city in the United States, just not concentrated into 57 acres.

MFF Ballot Rating: 4 out of 5

2011 Milwaukee Film Festival - Day 6

2011-09-30T10:27:00.000-05:00

Thursday, September 29 - Day Six
5pm

Another day of the film festival, another day driving to the theater in a freakin' torrential rain storm. What the hell? Anyone who knows me well knows that I love gloomy weather - insert obvious Shirley Manson lyric here - but can someone give a blind sistah a break while she's driving? Sheesh.

So I walked into the first screening of the day and one of the volunteers goes, "Oh, another member of the press!" (which still makes me go all twitter-pated inside because I'm a huge nerd) so I thought "Uh-oh, is this going to be another packed screening I'm walking into like, 10 minutes before showtime like a complete ass?" I get inside and, including me, there were four bodies in the theater, five if you include the plush Badtz Maru key chain I had in my right hand. Yikes. Not a bad press ratio I guess.

About 10 more people have walked in but sheesh, I guess there isn't a large contingent of people who get excited over a documentary deconstructing the demise of a housing project in St. Louis. But aha, my salvation has arrived! An insane guy just walked into the theater with his wife and yelled, "Is anyone here from St. Louis?!" with the same tone as someone would say, "The owner of a blue Pontiac Vibe, you left your lights on!" Of course, no one answered him, because if you were from St. Louis, why would you speak up? Instead everyone just stared at him (except me because I was grinning from ear to ear and scribbling madly) so he says, "Well, we're from St. Louis and this film takes place in St. Louis." Nice, guy. Of course, he and his wife sat right behind me in the seats behind that divider bar.

I guess this woman volunteered she lived there at one time because now he's talking her ear off about all things St. Lous. It's been three minutes, and he started talking about his wedding, then some Vatican II priest and now he's talking about civil rights in St. Louis. Oh wait, he's moved on to journalism. What a spaz. I love when stuff like this happens because weirdos make my day. And my favorite part of the conversation? Right as the movie was starting, she asked when he moved to Milwaukee from St. Louis and he's like, "Oh, 1969." I didn't have to look at her to see that she had a "Well WTF?!" look on her face. LOL

Oh, and what's a day at the festival without the theater manager showing the audience how to tear a ballot. It's been at least 14-15 times that I've sat through this, and, like the sponsor trailer, was ok the first one or two times but ugh. And yes, I know that most people don't see more than a couple of films so they don't get to experience it SO...MANY..TIMES.

Just sayin'.

7pm

Well, the weirdo and his wife ended up being a problem. They were talking during a lot of the film, and it was stupid shit. Like, when someone being interviewed said something that wasn't, say, in Klingon, he would say to his wife, "She's wise." God, I can't stand people like that. Anyway, they apparently brought their own snacks and were loudly rustling around in their plastic bags and crunching on their Doritos for a really long time. How do I know they were Doritos? Because while they were talking I would get exposed to toxic Eau de Nacho Cheese Doritos breath. After several pointed looks at them, which involved turning around and seeing what only this woman's gynecologist should be seeing, (okay, I didn't see any naughty bits, but seriously, I would turn around and these two huge legs were up on the bar and the woman looked like she was ready for crowning) I meant to say, "Could you maybe be a little quieter with your bag?" That's what I meant to say. What I actually said was, "Are you almost done?!" Hahaha woops. No reaction, by the way. And it didn't work. Leave it to me to have the two most annoying people in this hemisphere sit behind me in a theater that seats 250 but was jam-packed with 15.

I really need to lighten up about the manager's ballot speech. She walks in and I can feel my chest tighten slightly. And I still have to hear it at least a dozen times. Hopefully she has a day off coming up? I'm sure she's a really nice person and all, it's not personal. Kind of.

I'm excited to see this film - Vincent Wants to Sea. I've heard really good things about it and there's a pretty good-sized crowd here. Even the crappy seats in front of me halfway filled.

Oh good, the lady in the wheelchair sitting behind me is somehow kicking the back of my chair. I don't even know what to say about that.

LMAO at the guy who yelled "Bring it up!" in time with the guy in the sponsor trailer. And why was I the only one who laughed at it?

9:20pm

I'm waiting to see Wish Me Away, which is a documentary about Chely Wright, the country singer who came out. It's safe to say there's definitely a demographic in this theater. There's only about 12 of us, but there's nary a penis to be found (at least a non-synthetic one) and I honestly have the longest hair in the theater and I just got a foot of hair cut off three weeks ago so make it barely shoulder length. I think they're all tremendous.

2011 MFF Film #16 - Don't Go Breaking My Heart

2011-09-29T10:34:00.000-05:00

DON'T GO BREAKING MY HEART
Hong Kong/China, 2010
Cantonese/Mandarin/English with English subtitles
Director: Johnnie To

A young woman, who went through a painful breakup with her boyfriend meets an unemployed architect on the street, and the two click instantly; he inspires her to move on with her life, she inspires him to stop drinking and start designing again. After an amazing night out on the town together, the two vow to meet up in a week when he will show her his drawings. In the meantime, her new found confidence leads her to start flirting with the businessman in the office building across from hers - they do things through the window to make each other laugh, he draws pictures with post-it notes and puts them up on his window for her, etc. This sparks a love triangle between the woman, the businessman and the architect that spans three years, until she finally has to decide who she wants to be with.

Don't Go Breaking My Heart is a lovely film that is romantic and utterly charming. Johnnie To, whose last film, Vengeance, was a violent revenge flick, surprised me with his obvious versatility. Don't Go Breaking My Heart is really funny and the characters (even the slick businessman) are all very likable. There are a lot of "awww" moments without the film going off the deep end into the saccharine pool. The film is not all about puppies and rainbows, however. There is pain and heartbreak, and some difficult moments, and it is so easy to relate to these characters that you become emotionally invested in what happens to them.

I had the choice of seeing this film or another screening playing at the same time at the Milwaukee Film Festival this year and something just kept drawing me to wanting to see this one, and I think I made a great choice. I loved Don't Go Breaking My Heart, and unfortunately can't express why as much as I would like to because there are things about the plot that shouldn't be revealed so I can't give too much away. Trust me on this: it's an excellent movie and if you're looking for a sweet, complicated film that is still incredibly romantic, Don't Go Breaking My Heart is your film.

MFF Ballot Rating: 5 out of 5

2011 MFF Film #15 - Make Believe

2011-09-29T09:57:00.000-05:00

MAKE BELIEVE
USA, 2010
English/Japanese/Khosa with English subtitles
Director: J. Clay Tweel

The world of magic has long been a fascinating and mysterious subject, and good magicians thrill their audiences, but they all have to start somewhere. Make Believe explores the world of young magicians, spotlighting six talented teens, all of whom have years of practice under their belts. Their special talents and hard work earned them coveted spots in the finals of the World Magic Awards where they will compete to become Teen World Champion. The magicians who place in the top three rankings are nearly guaranteed a certain amount of fame in their field, so the stakes are high to win in order to further their careers.

The kids featured in Make Believe come from a couple of different countries: three from the United States, one from Japan and two from South Africa, and there are five males and one female. Though their talents, ages and home towns vary, they are all great kids with very little ego among them, and all have very different personalities. Krystyn, from Malibu, is a Type-A overachiever (think Election's Tracy Flick without the meanness), Bill from Chicago is outgoing, clever and affable, Derek from Littleton, Colorado is wide-eyed, confident and sweet, Siphiwe and Nkumbuzo from South Africa are goofy, energetic and positive, and Hideo Hara from Japan is elegant, quiet and sweetly humble.

Director J. Clay Tweel clearly has a love for magic and affection for his subjects. Make Believe is wonderfully edited and fast paced, without compromising any of the activity of the film, particularly with the kids' preparations. Though the climax of the film is the WMA competition, it is not drawn out, rather, the audience gets to see how the kids got where they are, and showcases the amazing talents they have. There were many times when the audience gasped and murmured over the tricks being performed, and most of the time, it was just sleight of hand stuff that kids were doing without thinking about it while addressing the camera.

Because we get to know the subjects so well, the competition becomes more personal, and when the winners are announced, particularly the first place winner, it is a very emotional moment. The kids support one another, despite their success at the event, and it is inspiring, particularly since they are all kind of outsiders in their own peer groups.

I loved this film, and it reminded me a lot of another documentary I really like, Jeffrey Blitz's 2002 film Spellbound. You don't have to be a magic lover to enjoy Make Believe it's so much more than that. I highly recommend it for all ages, particularly if you want to simply enjoy something with a look of fascination and a goofy, happy look on your face.

MFF Ballot Rating: 5 out of 5

2011 Milwaukee Film Festival - Day 5

2011-09-29T00:34:00.000-05:00

Wednesday, September 28 - Day Five

4:45pm

I just walked into the screening of Make Believe and lo and behold, there's a guy doing magic tricks right next to the seat I wanted to sit in, so I sat in the seat in front of it (I'm a creature of habit and slightly OCD). The audience around me was enjoying it but I am just praying that he wouldn't pick on me, so I am sitting here with my steno pad up to my face scribbling these words madly and hoping he gets the hint. Aha... just found out he's one of the subjects of the film, so that's kind of fun. I still want him to leave me alone though and not find a quarter in my ear.

7:30pm

Sitting and waiting for Don't Go Breaking My Heart to begin. Unfortunately, because I chose this film and not the other one starting just before it, I'm going to have about 2 minutes to hit the bathroom and fill up my water bottle before running into the theater. I'm not sure why they couldn't have scheduled the films even 15 minutes apart, but whatever I guess. I hope it works out because I'd like to see the late show too.

I can't lie... I'm getting a little worn down from my schedule, especially when I realized this afternoon I haven't even seen half the films yet that I plan to. I think people assume it's all fun to go to so many movies during the festival, and it is! But regular festival attendees don't have to spend hours writing reviews, and right now my life is getting up, sitting down in front of my laptop and writing until I have to get ready to drive back to theater, and try and fit lunch strategically in there so it will sustain me until the next day when I get up and do it all over again. I'm not complaining, I'm just starting to wear down a bit. I would love to eventually do this for a living, but since it's not my profession (yet) I'm just going to count my blessings for having the opportunity to do this, keep seeing good movies and writing mediocre reviews.

Anyway, I promised myself I would be zen and goddammit, zen I will be! Having gone the beatific route (Sindhutai Sapkal would be proud) I can now in the next breath say let's get this friggin' film started please...tick tock. You're the guys who scheduled films 2 minutes apart. I'm also wondering if I should tell the theater manager to stop demonstrating how to rip a ballot since no one can see it, or if I should just keep seething about it. I think I'll go with seething.

9:40pm

Speaking of seething, you're seeing these words because there wasn't enough time to get into the late screening without having missed something. Nice one.

2011 MFF Film #14 - Anita

2011-09-29T00:05:00.000-05:00

ANITA
Argentina, 2009
Spanish with English subtitles
Director: Marcos Carnevale

Anita is a young woman with Down Syndrome in Buenos Aires who lives a protected life full of routine provided by her mother. When her mother goes missing and Anita wanders from home, she immediately has to learn to survive on her own when she doesn't even know where she lives or what her last name is.

Directed by Marcos Carnevale, Anita is an examination of the human condition, testing society's charity, goodness and ability to adapt to their surroundings. Anita is like a blank slate - in the beginning of the film she is essentially helpless, but each person and situation she encounters allow her to grow as a person, even though the film only takes place over the course of several days. During this time, Anita shows people they have emotions and capabilities they didn't know they had.

Alejandra Manzo, the actress who plays Anita deserves a mention for her performance because she is remarkable. It is refreshing that an actress with Down Syndrome was used, rather than an actor just affecting the part with watered down results. Manzo was real, charming and outstanding in her role. Anita is a beautiful film that could have slipped into saccharine storytelling, condescension or even exploitation, but instead it is compassionate, thought-provoking, charming and funny.

MFF Ballot Rating: 4 out of 5

2011 MFF Film #13 - The Interrupters

2011-09-28T23:47:00.000-05:00

THE INTERRUPTERS
USA, 2011
English
Director: Steve James

Chicago's streets have become a war zone, with violent crimes reaching unprecedented levels. In response to this alarming trend, the group Ceasefire has created a group of violence interrupters, most of them unpaid, all former gang members and violent offenders. The role of the violence interrupters is to attempt to defuse a situation before it becomes violent (they are usually retaliatory attempts) through counseling the subjects on their level and in their own turf.

Steve James, who directed the outstanding 1994 documentary Hoop Dreams returns to Chicago's violent and underprivileged streets with The Interrupters. Like Dreams, The Interrupters is gritty, brutally honest, and contains an enormous amount of heart and inspiration. The main violence interrupters profiled, Ameena, Cobe and Eddie, are all fascinating people who, despite their criminal pasts, were all able to redeem themselves with their own will. They have taken this incredible strength and character and turned it into positive deeds to inspire people who don't know they want to be helped. Their approaches may be different, but their passion is all the same. Not every case is a success, but the amount of good they and the other members of Ceasefire do is staggering.

The Interrupters is a disturbing film, simply because the violence is pervasive. The number of people, most of them teenagers and young adults, who were killed during the year James filmed was heartbreaking, and the impact on their families was devastating. James' camera never wavers, regardless of the pain, creating a true account of terrible situations. The Interrupters has its light moments too, usually provided by "Flamo", who Cobe is mentoring. he not only tells it like it is, but does it with such color and flair that he had the audience laughing, which, after all of the heavy situations we'd witnessed by that point, was really welcome.

The Interrupters is by far one of the best documentaries I've seen in at least a decade, and it is going to stay with me for some time. I'm really glad I was able to see it while it was still in the festival circuit because it will be interesting to see how far it goes once word of mouth sets in. Not only would I recommend The Interrupters to any audience (and plan to recommend it to everyone I know) but it should be required viewing for middle and high school students to show that inspiration and hope is possible, regardless of one's surroundings, and that personal redemption is possible.

MFF Ballot Rating: 5 out of 5

2011 Milwaukee Film Festival - Day 4

2011-09-28T23:27:00.002-05:00

Tuesday, September 27 - Day Four
4pm

Holy crap, I just scooted into the 4:15 screening of The Interrupters and it is PACKED. There's go to be at least 200 people here, and it's for an early show on a weekday. Crazy. I actually ended up having to sit in the second row on the end so I'm going to be doing some serious neck craning. Oh well. Shame on me for coming to a much buzzed about film so close to showtime. Ah, they just did an empty seat check - looks like we're going to be sold out. Wow.

After some technical difficulties yesterday, I was able to finally get cracking on some writing so I ended up getting through the first day of the festival and a small part of the second. There's a pretty significant break between the 7pm and 9:45pm show tonight so I think I'm just going to go home after the 7. Even if I don't write tonight I can go to bed at a decent hour and then start writing early tomorrow instead of going to the late show, going to bed at 2am and starting my day at 9 or 9:30am. Ugh, now I've got someone sitting next to me so I won't be able to write and I'll have to hold my messenger bag. I really need to clean this damn thing out, it's getting really heavy.

10pm

I wasn't able to get any writing done in between screenings because the lady who talked to me incessantly two years ago at the festival is back. Argh! So I'm back at the dining room table in front of my laptop and I'm going to write until my eyes hurt. I still have like, 7 or 8 reviews to write before I'm caught up, which I never will be since I see movies every night. I'm starting to be really glad that I decided to take off next Monday too since I'll presumably spending the whole day writing reviews from over the weekend so I can go back to work, work like a dog to catch up and prep for the following week and come home and not have to worry about writing. It's amazing that I'm taking a vacation a week after this vacation ends, but that will truly be my vacation and I'm realizing that I need it more than I thought I did - and I thought I needed it a lot!

2011 MFF Film #12 - Happy

2011-09-28T13:45:00.000-05:00

HAPPY
USA, 2011
Portuguese/Bengali/Danish/Japanese/English with English subtitles
Director: Roko Belic

The concept of "happiness" is subjective; what makes one person happy may be totally different from another's idea of bliss. But Roko Belic, the director of the documentary, Happy, examines the scientific study of happiness and why some cultures are more happier than others, regardless of economic or environmental conditions.

Happy features interviews with scientists who have studied the psychological and physical elements that make up the feeling of being happy, and also features people from around the world who are happy, despite not having the advantages that the average American believes would take to make someone happy. Whether it is a rickshaw driver in India, African Bushmen or a former beauty queen in Texas who suffered a horrifying and disfiguring accident, the common factor is having a support system, and being surrounded by people who care. In fact, despite being a war-torn island, the citizens of Okinawa, who generally work long and hard years as farmers, have the world's largest concentration of people who live to be over 100, possibly because they gather together as a vibrant and active community. It's no surprise that Japan has been found to be the least happy among the world's highest-economy countries, where a phenomenon of people actually working themselves to death has been occurring at an alarming rate. The moral of this story is the other main suggestion for achieving happiness: find time to do what you love.

Happy is an exhaustively researched documentary that takes common sense and expands upon it by showing (at times, surprising) examples of people who personify happiness and by backing up their thesis through scientific theory and physiological evidence. Frankly, the subject mater wasn't the most interesting for me, but I can definitely recognize Happy as a first-rate documentary.

MFF Ballot Rating: 4 out of 5

2011 MFF Film #11 - Breaking and Entering

2011-09-28T13:29:00.000-05:00

BREAKING AND ENTERING
USA/Canada/China/Norway, 2010
English
Director: Benjamin Fingerhut

Breaking and Entering showcases the many people who attempt to break world records, but also examines the psychology of why they do it. Many world record holders and record seekers are visited, including a guy who attempts to catch a grape thrown from the farthest distance, a marathon "joggler" (juggling while running), a man attempting to ride a stationary bicycle for more than 100 hours straight and even a guy who holds over 100 world records, from "fastest mile while pushing an orange with their nose" to longest time juggling under water.

Breaking and Entering is a really interesting documentary that, for the most part, is light and humorous. The records that people attempt are a riot, and in general, nothing one would think of doing unless under the influence. (Such as the fastest mile while pushing an orange with your nose - who came up with that?!) This is serious business for everyone though, and underneath the obvious reasons for attempting a record - challenging one's self, attention and competition - there are some deep psychological issues with some of them. The man who attempts the stationary bicycle record, despite his eye-rollingly egotistical comments, did not receive support from his father when he was a child and has been striving for his attention and approval ever since. Financial problems become a factor for some of the competitors as well, when their obsession that has no monetary gain begins to affect the family's financial well-being.

The tone of Breaking and Entering is light, however, and all of the interviewees are real characters. (Wouldn't you almost have to be?) It is very entertaining and enjoyable, and as long as the sight of the chafed rear end of the cyclist isn't too offensive beyond the obvious yuck factor, can be enjoyed by all ages, either as a celebration of achievement, or simply to gawk at the participants. Something tells me that either reason would be fine with most of the subjects.

MFF Ballot Rating: 4 out of 5

2011 MFF Film #10 - Nothing's All Bad

2011-09-28T12:44:00.000-05:00

NOTHING'S ALL BAD
Denmark, 2010
Danish with English subtitles
Director: Mikkel Munch-Fals

A middle-aged retiree loses her husband and finds the loneliness so unbearable that she tries to engage people who dialed the wrong number on the phone in conversation. A young breast cancer survivor who loses a breast and her feelings of self-worth and sexuality. A man who loses his family because he suffers from a crippling sexual dysfunction that makes him expose himself in public. A teenager who sells himself to anyone who will pay. All of the main characters of Nothing's All Bad find their lives intersect in sometimes awkward and unbelievable ways, but they all share one thing in common: the need to be loved.

I absolutely loved Nothing's All Bad, from start to finish. It is very reminiscent of Todd Solondz's 1998 film Happiness, another ensemble piece whose characters' lives intertwine in their pursuit of happiness. Like Solondz, director Mikkel Munch-Fals is not afraid to shock the audience, or have most of the comedic elements of the film be pitch black. Munch-Fals also manages to showcase perhaps the most awkward Christmas celebration ever, but it was brilliantly timed because it gives the viewer a much needed opportunity to laugh, and in the screening I attended, the audience was howling within minutes. For the most part, the cinematography of the film is bright and lush, which provides a jarring contrast to the film's deep subjects and dark themes.

There are not enough good things I can say about Nothing's All Bad, but there's very little I'm choosing to say because the unraveling of the story is so brilliant that I don't want to give any hints or spoilers. Munch-Fals' screenplay is clever, the lead performances were outstanding and the entire film was completely absorbing and compelling. Having said that, Nothing's All Bad is very provocative and sometimes sexually graphic, which, coupled with its dark tone, is not exactly for a mainstream audience. Though not for everyone, Nothing's All Bad is outstanding and I have no hesitation giving it my highest rating.

MFF Ballot Rating: 5 out of 5

2011 Milwaukee Film Festival - Day 3

2011-09-28T12:13:00.000-05:00

Monday, September 26 - Day Three
4:45pm

First I'm sitting and listening to inane conversations while waiting in line for the screening, now I have to sit and listen to more behind me. Now I remember why I can't stand small talk, especially around strangers. /antisocial

I'm just crabby because today started out really badly when I was all set to start writing the nine reviews I had to work on from over the weekend, but then experienced technical difficulties not only with my blog but other websites I use for my reviews. After giving up on that and realizing that I was going to have to count the working day as a complete loss I settled down in front of the DVR and pouted for a while before coming to the theater.

I was actually going to skip tonight in order for Chris, my computer-savvy boyfriend to magically fix everything and then get started on writing, but he essentially banned me from the house because he had to get some things done, one of which was watching The Secret In Their Eyes, which was our film club's pick for the week. And since I picked that movie, and it was awesome, I had to support him, so here I am at the theater for three screenings... and looking down the barrel of a really late night since we won't be able to start on the fixes until midnight, when I get home.

Anyway, there's a good sized crowd for the first film, which is encouraging since it is scheduled during work hours, on a Monday to boot.

7pm

So I'm riding high after a great 5pm film, and I had the rare opportunity to be able to spend a little time outside and away from the crowds before the next film, which is turning out to have a really good sized crowd. Unfortunately, there's a coughing and sniffling kid sitting right behind me who is clearly not covering her mouth or blowing her nose, so I will be wearing my turtleneck collar above my nose for the remainder of the film. Ugh. I just got over two colds in the last month and I'm no dummy - in line between screenings, I've been staring at the poster for Contagion, the film whose ending is now being spoiled for me by the infected kid's dad. Thanks, jackass.

9:40pm

It stuns me how many people are pronouncing Bud Selig's name wrong. What the hell? In the same what the hell category, why are we starting a 9:30 screening at 9:50? They didn't even start seating us until 9:35, and I was in this auditorium for the last screening so I know there was at least 20 minutes to clean up. I've noticed that more than a few of the screenings I've been to have started late, which just grows tiresome after you've been at a theater for several hours by that point. Oh well. The film I'm about to see is about being happy, so I'll stop grousing enough to try to enjoy it.

2011 MFF Film #9 - Shorts: Life's Curveballs

2011-09-28T10:50:00.000-05:00

SHORTS: LIFE'S CURVEBALLS
Various Countries/Languages

Love Lockdown
Non-fiction story of a woman with two children, waiting for her fiancee to get out of jail. Interesting, though not really notable. Plus, I really didn't get the radio show that caters to shout-outs for inmates, but overall, it was well done.
MFF Ballot Rating: 3 out of 5.

I'm Never Afraid
A young boy competitively races motor cross, but it turns out that he was born with his heart on the wrong side of chest, prompting doctors to first say he wouldn't live, then when he lived, they said he would be sickly. This extremely active kid has beaten all of the odds and in fact, is a total daredevil. This one was interesting, mainly because the boy was unbelievably sweet and caring with his friends and family, which is notable because he's 10 or 11 years old!
MFF Ballot Rating:3 out of 5.

Raju
The first of three fiction shorts, Raju is about a German couple who adopt a young boy in India. After the adoptive father loses Raju in a busy outdoor market, his search for the boy uncovers an ugly truth about the adoption. This was a really great short that was fast paced and emotionally wrenching; more full-bodied than a lot of shorts I've seen.
MFF Ballot Rating:4 out of 5.

Deeper Than Yesterday
A submarine crew finds a dead woman floating in the water, and once they surface to bring in her body, make some pretty unsavory plans for her. One of the crew members risks his reputation (and life) to save her, even after she's already dead. I'm actually making this sound better than it actually was and I'm still bored after re-reading what I wrote. I was so confused about the point of the film that I probably paid the most attention to this short because I was looking for anything to like about it or even understand it.
MFF Ballot Rating:2 out of 5.

Protoparticles
A scientist conducts an experiment that leaves him unable to take of his space suit, and unable to communicate the dangers the experiment caused. I really liked this one because the audience is just thrust into observing this guy in a weird space suit doing mundane things (like ringing up people in a checkout line at the market) so in the beginning, it's just observationally absurd. Through monologues by the main character however, we learn the circumstances (which are no less absurd, by the way) which set up the rest of the film. It was odd, shot in grainy black and white and totally entertaining.
MFF Ballot Rating:4 out of 5.

2011 MFF Film #8 - Page One: Inside the New York Times

2011-09-28T10:31:00.000-05:00

PAGE ONE: INSIDE THE NEW YORK TIMES
USA, 2011
English
Director: Andrew Rossi

Page One is a documentary filmed over one year at the New York Times and its newly created media desk, a group of reporters working to keep the paper in step with the transforming media landscape.

I actually have been looking forward to seeing this film for a couple of months, and it absolutely did not disappoint. The New York Times is a paper that has built a reputation for not being afraid to print controversial material, from the Pentagon Papers in 1971 to Wikileaks material in 2010. The media desk is comprised of several reporters who not only track the demise of paper news internationally, but their own publication's struggles as well. The most featured reporter was David Carr, who is an absolute rock star. His past includes alcohol and drug addiction and jail time, yet he built up his career after becoming sober to become a New York Times reporter. He is both the NYT's biggest cheerleader and defender, which is why he is chosen to represent them on discussion panels, where his raspy voice and tell-it-like-it-is style is always a crowd pleaser. (It certainly was in the audience I was in as well.) Bruce Headlam, the media desk editor was also a really interesting guy and personified the classic rumpled, hardworking editor. He became an instant favorite for me of course, because he had a huge poster of the Italian release of Citizen Kane in his office.

Director Rossi was granted outstanding access to the NYT offices, and he took complete advantage of it, creating a fast paced and action packed film that is sure to serve one day as a historical tool for near future generations, after online news eventually takes over print journalism. During the course of filming, the Times went through a series of 100 layoffs from their staff of 1200. Rossi also features interviews with former NYT columnists, including Gay Talese as well as media gadflys and editors-in-chief of magazines, newspapers and online news sources.

Page One is a brilliant composed film; a candid look at an institution that could be reporting on its own demise in the next few years. It gives an insight into why the New York Times has achieved an elite status in print journalism, and how that reputation has led to criticism, scorn and perhaps envy of some of its peers, and reverence and respect from others.

MFF Ballot Rating: 5 out of 5

2011 MFF Film #7 - I Am Sindhutai Sapkal

2011-09-28T00:28:00.004-05:00

I AM SINDHUTAI SAPKAL
India, 2010
Marathi with English subtitles
Director: Ananth Mahadevan

Though she strives to become educated, Sindhutai's traditional mother arranges her marriage at age 12 to an older man. Sindhutai essentially becomes an indentured servant to her husband, producing children and trying to keep house, despite her continued desire to read and learn. When her husband kicks her and their newborn daughter out of the house due to unfounded rumors, her struggle to survive manifests itself into becoming a caretaker of orphaned children, and eventually, a champion of the Indian people.

I Am Sindhutai Sapkal is based on a true story, and is a very well done film. The story was interesting, and the pacing was decent, though there were some jumps in time that were abrupt; the film seemed to linger a little long during some time periods and then suddenly we were seven years later and she's suddenly an established caregiver. Perhaps I missed a nuanced moment or something where this was explained, or justified, but it came across as somewhat abrupt.

I'm torn about the way the story was told for the first half of the film. Director Ananth Mahadevan unfolded the story by having a present day Sindhutai flashing back as she was traveling on an airplane to make a speech in the United States. I understand that it was a way to unveil her past in a non-linear way, but it seemed that every tiny thing that she saw would make her think about something from her past (which would drive me mad in about two hours I think). Though not offensive by any means, this really is a hackneyed technique, and frankly it did become a little tiresome after a while.

Perhaps it is a tenet of Indian cinema, but I did find a few things to be pretty schmaltzy as well. Some of the dialogue was over-the-top when it came to expressing adoration of Sapkal, even when it was a casual conversation between mother and daughter. It just seemed really unnatural for such a gritty film based on real events, and I found myself chuckling a couple of times at the dialogue. There were also about four dozen too many suffering and beatific looks on her part. (See the picture attached to this review and then multiply it by about 85.)

Having just criticized the hell out of I Am Sindhutai Sapkal, I really do think it was a decent film that was, for the most part, beautifullyshot. But it isn't a film I would recommend to a wide audience, nor do I really need to see it again.

MFF Ballot Rating: 3 out of 5

2011 MFF Film #6 - An Earthly Paradise for the Eyes

2011-09-28T00:04:00.000-05:00

AN EARTHLY PARADISE FOR THE EYES
Czech Republic, 2009
Czech with English subtitles
Director: Irena Pavlaskova

In 1968 Czechoslovakia, a mother and her two teenaged daughters experience the Russian occupation of their country, which is further exacerbated by the return of her ex-husband, an actor who is also a political dissident. The three try to make their lives as normal as possible as they find themselves becoming peripherally involved in the opposition movement.

An Earthly Paradise for the Eyes begins as a family drama, but then sort of spins off the rails a bit and the themes become more muddy. Pavlaskova's direction becomes scattered until there really is no direction. The pacing is also odd, with time jmps that don't make sense other than to force the story along, which made for some non-sensical timing. If the film had picked up the pac a bit, or stayed structured, as it seemed to be in the beginning, it would have been a better movie, but I was simply bored and starting to look at my watch a little more than an hour into it.

I was also really dismayed by the end of Paradise, which reintroduced a character that had disappeared long ago in the film, without any explanation of background that he was even involved with the mother. Plus, it contained what could be my biggest film pet peeve: ending in a freeze frame. I don't care that Truffaut did it in The 400 Blows, a film that I loved. Freeze frames are for 80's rompfests and basketball movies; anywhere else it's just a really lame technique. Plus, for the life of me I still don't get how the title corrolates with the film.

I rated An Earthly Paradise for the Eyes a 3/5 initially, but that was because I tore the ballot when I thought the film was ending, but then there was another half hour left. Had it ended when I thought it would, it would have been a tighter film and probably deserved that rating, though it still would have been a litle generous. I let it go since I had to race to get to my next screening, but I should have rated the film a 2/5, which is what I'm giving it at this point. It didn't come close to being as good or entertaining as any of the films I've previously rated 3/5.

MFF Ballot Rating: 3 out of 5
Should Have Been Rated: 2 out of 5

2011 MFF Film #5 - A Cat in Paris

2011-09-27T13:12:00.000-05:00

A CAT IN PARIS
France/Belgium/Netherlands/Switzerland, 2010
English
Director: Alain Gagnol, Jean-Loup Falicioli

Zoe is a young girl whose policeman father was killed and her mother, a superintendent with the police, works many hours and is trying to track down her husband's killer. In her grief, Zoe no longer speaks, and only finds solace with her cat, Dino. Every evening, Dino prowls the streets of Paris, the accomplice of Nico, a cat burglar. One night, Zoe decides to follow Dino to find out where he goes, and becomes embroiled in several sticky situations that could bring her great harm, and she finds that she has to trust Nico when even home isn't a safe place anymore.

A Cat in Paris is an utterly charming film. Though it was technically a children's film, it was definitely tailored to an adult audience as well. The themes of A Cat in Paris include murder, felony theft and contained a huge amount of action. There were several times when I could feel my heart racing and I know the look on my face was hilariously anxious; more than a few times, the audience (including me) audibly reacted to what was happening onscreen.

The animation was somewhat typically French: simply drawn characters with bizarre physical features. I noticed that the good guys all looked kind of similar, yet the bad guys all had different looks to them. There were also some really breathtaking animated "shots" and wonderfully illustrated panoramic scenes of Paris. Even the music was great, opening and closing with cool jazz rhythms and a rich symphonic score in between. The film was in English, undoubtedly for children, and though I tend to be really adamant about watching films in their native language, I wasn't offended at all by the voice talent in A Cat in Paris. In fact, I rather enjoyed the British accents of some of the characters; without having seen it in its original language (presumably French) it all worked really nicely with the characters.

I absolutely loved A Cat in Paris and I think my decision to see it despite being "a kid's movie" is going to prove to be one of the best viewing decisions I've made in some time. A Cat in Paris was amazing, charming, suspenseful and brilliant. Nowadays, we're hard pressed to find any feature film, animated or not, that can be described in these words.

MFF Ballot Rating: 5 out of 5

2011 Milwaukee Film Festival - Day 2

2011-09-27T12:46:00.000-05:00

Sunday, September 25- Day Two

Noon

I feel good about having seen four films yesterday, despite the fact that I bailed out of the 9:30pm show. I'm currently sitting and waiting for the screening of A Cat in Paris to begin. Apparently, it's currently nominated for a European film award (like the American Oscars, I guess) and this is one of the first screenings in the U.S., which is kind of cool. There are a lot of kids here because it's part of the Take One kid's festival, but I can't hate on the kids too much because their parents are obviously cool enough to take them to see something other than The Lion King in 3D for the tenth time. This is the only film I'm seeing as part of the kid's fest, but there are activities afterward for them and stuff, so that's pretty cool to see.

I was too busy vegging this morning and watching watered down reruns of The Sopranos on A&E to make myself anything to eat, so i basically have a small z-bag of vanilla cupcake goldfish to sustain me until midnight. Oops. I may have to treat myself to an overpriced icy beverage to assuage my hunger after a while.

I'm hoping that today is going to be a little less heavy than yesterday, when I saw four documentaries in a row, most with pretty heavy subject matters. I'm not sure if I'll be going to all of them, but as of now I have an animated feature, two fiction features, one documentary feature (that I've been waiting to see for months) and a shorts program. Ahhh variety.

9:30pm

A crazy busy day filled with movies but I made it to the final show of the night, the shorts program, and at 38, I'm feeling a little on the old side in this audience. Perhaps it's because of the late start time on a Sunday night, since I'll admit that I'm usually in bed with a book by now, kidding myself that I'll be able to read longer than 15 minutes before lapsing into snores.

MFF Film #4 - The Flaw

2011-09-27T12:00:00.003-05:00

THE FLAW
UK, 2010
English
Director: David Sington

The Flaw dissects the the hidden credit bubble beneath the financial crisis ravaging the world economy and features in-depth interviews with an impressive array of experts, including housing expert Robert Shiller and Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz.

Director Sington's previous work, In the Shadow of the Moon, was screened at a previous year's Milwaukee Film Festival and was absolutely outstanding, so I was looking forward to seeing The Flaw, and his treatment of this subject. Indeed, Sington presents the "evidence" thoroughly and in an entertaining way, inter-cutting the sometimes mind-boggling numbers crunching with hilarious scenes from financial-themed cartoons and short films from the 1950's. This, coupled with his use of graphics and charts to give a visual point of reference to what a talking head may have just explained.

Unfortunately, this is a subject that anyone who watches the news, reads the paper (or online news) or listens to NPR is already educated about. There weren't any "gasp!" moments for me, or new information revealed; it was just well-presented information, with a couple of the obligatory housing bubble victims trotted out again, that anyone who was interested in what happened have learned over the course of the last three years or more. And frankly, that is probably the audience for this kind of film.

The Flaw is a good, solid film, though not overly impressive, and unfortunately it felt like late news since, despite the after-effects that most of us are dealing with today, the "how" and "why" are by now, old news. Had any damning new information been uncovered and presented, it could have helped keep the film fresh, but unfortunately that didn't happen.

MFF Ballot Rating: 3 out of 5

2011 MFF Film #3 - Marathon Boy

2011-09-27T11:37:00.000-05:00

MARATHON BOY
India/UK/USA, 2010
Oriya/English/Hindi with English subtitles
Director: Gemma Atwal

Marathon Boy is a documentary that presents five years in the life of Budhia Singh, a young slum kid who was adopted by Baranchi Das, a man who owns a Judo school and orphanage. When Das discovers that Budhia, at age three, has incredible stamina and is a gifted runner, he enters him into marathons, prompting Budhia's rise as one of India's national treasures. The government and child welfare authorities accuse Baranchi of abusing the child through exploitation, and the film becomes an examination of exploitation vs. free-will and ambition, and whether a young boy is capable of making decisions that could affect his health and well-being.

Marathon Boy is a riveting film. There were times when I forgot I was watching a documentary because it played out like a noir thriller at times, pervasive with greed, politics, power and even murder. This is director Gemma Atwal's first film and it is first-rate. She captures amazing footage spanning five years, and presents a thoroughly researched product while remaining objective; she presents all sides,and then hands it over to the audience to decide for themselves. She was granted amazing access to everyone and captured some very candid footage, including exchanges among people who knew they were on camera, but continued to discuss plans that were blatantly exploitative and harmful. Atwal simply pointed the camera and soaked everything in.

An incredibly thought-provoking film that stayed with me for hours after I saw it, Marathon Boy is a "should see" film that would be of interest to a wide audience; I highly recommend it.

MFF Ballot Rating: 4 out of 5

2011 MFF Film #2 - Into Eternity

2011-09-27T11:14:00.000-05:00

INTO ETERNITY
Denmark/Finland/Sweden, 2009
English/Swedish/Finnish w/English subtitles
Director: Michael Madsen

The premise of the documentary Into Eternity is that it is serving as a film for generations far into the future, explaining that since they have found the film, they are now in a dangerous place, which are tunnels in Finland that house nuclear waste. The project will span almost two centuries, after which the tunnels will be sealed and left alone. The film explores what would happen if, 100,000 years from now, people would discover the tunnels and tries to explain why they're doing this through interviews with various scientists.

Realizing the subject matter of Into Eternity is serious, it was still incredibly over dramatic. Madsen goes for style and it manifests itself in a lot of slow motion: people walking in slow motion, people working in slow motion. It made the pacing absolutely excruciating, because a scene that would, frankly, have been boring in real time was suddenly dragged out to more than four times its normal length.

Madsen decided to provide captions for everything and everybody, even during the overused "aria by female opera singer dramatic moment". Here's the kicker: Everyone spoke perfect English. In fact, better English than some people I know, and myself after drinking too many Diet Cokes. I was absolutely astonished that they were captioned, and instead of being an aid to the audience, I found it to be completely distracting, because despite the fact that I could understand every word they were saying, my eyes were still drawn to the captions. And, in another attempt to be stylish, Madsen gave us many shots of interviewees just looking straight at the camera, or fidgeting and saying nothing. My suggestion to Madsen is that if he's going to rip off Errol Morris, he should also realize that Morris uses these techniques to great effect for the stories he's telling.

Clearly, there was not a lot of content to the film and Madsen attempt to mask this, but in general, got it all wrong. At one point, there was a dramatic shot of a moose defecating in the woods. Seriously, that was it. No lead in, no lead out, no relevance. We were just entertained with a moose shitting in the woods. There was so much padding in the film, it could have been edited down without removing any of the interview footage, and it would have made a perfectly fine 45 minute documentary for television. Madsen struck me, however, as a guy who is somewhat self-serving, both during his scenes in front of the camera and some of the inflections in his narration.

I've watched many documentaries before with subject matter I wasn't remotely interested in, yet I ended up not only impressed with the film, but informed as well. Into Eternity was not one of those films, unfortunately, and since I wasn't expecting anything to start with, ended up being a major disappointment.

MFF Ballot Rating: 2 out of 5

2011 MFF Film #1 - Kinshasa Symphony

2011-09-27T10:41:00.003-05:00

KINSHASA SYMPHONY
Germany, 2010
French w/English Subtitles
Director: Claus Wischmann, Martin Baer

A 200 piece orchestra of amateur musicians, the Kinshasa Orchestra of Congo is a group of diverse people who have or are experiencing poverty, bad living conditions and hardship, yet come together because of their desire to play classical music, sometimes at great sacrifice. As an orchestra, they practice in makeshift spaces on plastic chairs with spotty lighting rigged by one of the violists. When they perform, they perform outside in the dusty city and often-times hot climate.

Kinshasa Symphony is interesting, especially when it's revealed that not one of the musicians, or even the conductor, are professional musicians. The group is comprised of both singers and musicians, and all seem to be completely immersed in music. Stylistically, Symphony is structured differently than other documentaries. At times, it seemed that the camera was just trained on the city streets for minutes at a time, and I'm not sure if that was supposed to echo the cadence of the music, or if I'm just looking too much into it. Either way, I would have liked to have learned more about the profiled musicians. In fact, with the exception of a couple of them, the subjects would receive such sparse camera time that I completely forgot who they were by the time their story was revisited. I also would have liked to have known how some of the musicians learned their craft, particularly in the environment they were raised in.

Both the film and the orchestra push their way to the climactic final performance, at which point we realize how much they have improved since the beginning of the film. The performance, on a dirt field in the city, was attended by thousands, many of whom had never heard classical music before, and it was a triumph and absolute joy to watch the orchestra play Beethoven's Ninth, and the chorus putting everything they have into Ode to Joy and O Fortuna. It was truly an emotional moment that showed the culmination of so much hard work by a group of underdogs, and the audience I was in broke into spontaneous applause when their performance finished.

I liked Kinshasa Symphony, but really wanted to know more because these were some pretty interesting people. Despite that shortcoming, it was still interesting, heartfelt and enjoyable.

MFF Ballot Rating: 3 out of 5

The 2011 Milwaukee Film Festival is Here!

2011-09-27T00:39:00.002-05:00

Saturday, September 24 - Day One

12:45 pm

Back at the North Shore Theatres. Circumstantially, I wasn't able to make the opening movie the first two nights, so this is my first foray into the festival this year. So, henceforth, my day count is actually two behind the actual day count of the festival. Get it? Got it? Good.

Unfortunately my first experience here waiting for the first movie to start is the woman standing right next to me talking loudly to the woman sitting a couple of rows behind me. She's so annoying and pervasive that I can't even give her any slack for wearing a Brewer's t-shirt. Ugh, now I remember why people consider me anti-social...I'm a magnet for obnoxious people, which, mixed with a low tolerance for bullshit makes for a mighty horrendous cocktail.

Anyway, despite the harpy in my ear, I'll try to concentrate on the task at hand - the venue is the same, but the theaters are different. In fact, we're in a pretty big auditorium and I'm wondering if more people are going to get here because there are some reserved seats behind me that may be for people connected with the film, which would be kind of embarrassing with a half empty theater. (It turns out they just stayed free, much to the consternation of the people around them.) It's not so much that there aren't a lot of people here, it's just that there aren't 300 here to fill up the auditorium for a 1pm matinee about an amateur symphony in the Congo. Go figure.

One thing that's pretty cool is that the poor people behind me that the obnoxious woman honed in on were actually talking about the festival before she started jawing and they apparently got festival passes for the first time and are THRILLED about it. They were talking about the two films they saw at the Downer Theater the night before, and how they had 4 or 5 movies to see at the North Shore today. I think it's really cute and I love that this couple and their friend are so into it.

Philosophically, I'm kind of zen about this year. I've found that I really push myself every year and then just get completely burned out, between the time invested in the screenings and writing. Not to mention just getting there - it's an hour round trip and the weather has been crap; I got caught in a severe rainstorm with hail going 70 on the freeway on the way here. Anyway, last year I kvetched about "only" having seen 18 movies. But really, in 10 days, that's pretty damn good, especially considering the half-assed attempts at blogging I try to do, not to mention the reviews I eke out. I am planning on going with the "not so comprehensive" review structure again this year because it's just impossible to invest the time and effort into a huge review for every film I see and still get my writing done in a timely manner. Besides, sometimes there's not a whole lot to say about a movie, regardless of how critical you are.

Anyway, I'm planning on scheduling full slates of films every day and if I decide to see all of them, fab. If not, oh well. With the constant "go go GO!" I deal with daily in my professional life, I refuse to stress out on what is supposed to be one of my vacations! So, lady, get your abdomen out of my face, and in the immortal words of the great philosopher Henry Rollins, "Sit the fuck down and shut the fuck up!"

7pm

Three films into the day and I'm doing well. My festival comrades from the unfortunate jawing lady incident are behind me again, where they've been all day, regardless of the screen. I have no intention on engaging any of them in conversation, but it's actually a little comforting to have them hanging out behind me and talking about how many movies they're planning to see. It kind of makes me feel a little less freakish. Let's face it, the third time the volunteers say, "Aha... back again, Ms. Press?" is, well three times too many really because it's kind of a dumb thing to say, but they're all really nice so I just give them the sheepish thing and say, "Thank you, I'll be here all day folks" and then regret it instantly because it's just lame. I guess what I'm saying is that I'm glad that more people are getting singled out than me. Because anyone who knows me knows how much I love to be singled out. Despite the fact that my tailbone is starting to sing protest songs due to over usage, these guys inspire me to trek on.

When Ladies Meet

2011-08-25T09:56:00.005-05:00

WHEN LADIES MEET

1941

Director: Robert Z. Leonard

Starring: Joan Crawford, Greer Garson

A remake of the 1933 film of the same name, When Ladies Meet stars Joan Crawford as Mary, a writer who, during the course of writing her latest book, has fallen in love with her married publisher, Rogers (Herbert Marshall). This doesn't sit well with Mary's erstwhile (and still pining) sweetheart, Jimmy, (Robert Taylor) who, after a chance encounter with Rogers' wife Claire, (Garson) conspires to have the two strangers, who don't know their common bond, meet.

While watching this film, I kept getting the feeling that I'd seen this movie before, but there wasn't anything familiar about it beyond the actual storyline. When I realized that it was a remake the light bulb went on because I must have seen the Myrna Loy/1933 version. I really enjoyed When Ladies Meet; it is a perfect melodramatic vehicle with perfect casting. Crawford is strong but naive, and somehow, despite her awareness for what she is doing, is even a bit sympathetic. She's just so darn good at what she does. And Greer Garson... if she's played an unlikeable, weak woman I've never seen that movie. It was these two actresses that actually drew me to watch the film in the first place, and they didn't disappoint.

I'm also a complete sucker for melodramas, and while there were some lighthearted moments, usually provided by Robert Taylor, When Ladies Meet is a melodrama all the way, and considering the plot, how could it not be? Since the viewer knows what eventually has to happen, it becomes excruciating to watch Crawford and Garson become close friends during the course of the evening they spend together, and when the moment of realization happens, it's absolutely devastating. However, it's not a weepy film because the strength of the female characters don't allow it to become mired in treacle, and that is an admirable trait in a film, particularly one from the 40's, a decade which produced some of the best melodramatic films of the century.

When Ladies Meet is a great movie that should be seen by those who enjoy this genre of film, but it's a must see for Crawford and Garson fans.

4 out of 5 stars

For a Few Dollars More

2011-08-23T11:09:00.007-05:00

FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE

1965

Director: Sergio Leone

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef

Full disclosure: With a handful of exceptions, I can't stand westerns. However, there is something about a Sergio Leone film that makes me positively giddy. After finally seeing For a Few Dollars More (I seem to be working my way backwards through the series, since The Good, the Bad and the Ugly was the first one I saw) that familiar giddiness was back because these movies are just so good.

For a Few Dollars More finds bounty hunters Monco (Eastwood) and Col. Douglas Mortimer (Van Cleef) chasing after the same target - El Indio (Gian Maria Volonte), a really bad guy who, along with his gang, are going to attempt to rob the most impenetrable bank that exists, in El Paso.

I really enjoyed For a Few Dollars More, possibly because it was kind of fun to see Van Cleef and Eastwood together before The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. For a Few Dollars More is full of Sergio Leone-isms: sweeping landscapes, minimal dialogue, that great Ennio Morricone soundtrack that is both awesome and comical at the same time and shot after shot of people looking at one another. Really, rereading that last sentence, it's kind of surprising that Leone's films work as well as they do because in a vacuum, those four elements don't sound all that favorable. But work well they do, because after about ten minutes, I was hopelessly lost in the movie and enjoying every minute of it. Eastwood actually has a lot more dialogue in this film than some of the others, and is sometimes a little goofy, yet maintains his status as badass. Van Cleef is full-on badass, however, and acts a little bit like Eastwood's mentor in the film. I actually really like Lee Van Cleef; he really looks like he has no business playing a tough guy, but he really embraces that role and pulls it off fantastically. One of the things I expect in a film that has a villain is that he or she be a good villain. It's really easy to get this wrong, but Volonte's "El Indio" is a really, really bad guy. Women, children, anyone innocent - they're all cannon fodder for this guy. To add a little touch of fun to the character, Volonte also threw in some nifty insanity and flamboyance which I think enhanced the role a lot.

Though not my favorite Leone film so far, For a Few Dollars More is indeed a great film. I really enjoyed it and it's definitely a must-see for anyone who enjoys the genre. Plus, I personally enjoyed the "what the hell?" casting choice of Klaus Kinski as one of Indio's gang members. I also think that it's accessible enough for people not familiar with "spaghetti westerns" to enjoy, perhaps even more than The Good, the Bad and the Ugly; despite being the superior film, there's a little more patience needed during Leone's infamous "we're looking at each other" scenes, which tended to go on for more than a minute, whereas For a Few Dollars More is a bit more straightforward. And it's just plain awesome.

4 out of 5 stars

My Neighbor Totoro

2011-08-22T15:46:00.004-05:00

MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO
1988

Director: Hiyao Miyazaki

Though I'm not usually a fan of animated films in general, I do have a soft spot for Studio Ghibli, who have produced some amazing films like Kiki's Delivery Service, Spirited Away and Grave of the Fireflies. Since I'd seen almost all of their films, I was excited to watch not only one of the very few I hadn't seen, but probably one of their most beloved, My Neighbor Totoro.

My Neighbor Totoro is about a father who moves his two young daughters to the country in order to be closer to their ailing mother, who is in a nearby hospital. Everything is an adventure for the two young girls, and one day young Mei follows a little rabbit-like creature she sees through a thicket and encounters Totoro, a giant rabbit-like creature from one of her picture books. Totoro then reveals himself to the older sister, Satsuki, and later helps her through a scary situation.

Unfortunately, with as much anticipation I had watching the film, I was terribly disappointed. There was very little story involved, and what few plot devices were revealed, I felt like I was missing some information that I should have known before going into the film. For example, when Mei encounters Totoro for the first time, the viewer has no idea what it is, but when Mei tells Satsuki about it, she refers to him as the Totoro from her picture book, and it almost seemed like I should have known that, so maybe it is some kind of famous story in Japan that I don't know about. Also, why was Mom in the hospital? Because of the lack of story, I was completely bored, almost to the point of wanting to just cut bait and stop watching the film, even just 30 minutes into it. Usually, Studio Ghibli films have an abundance of cuteness that I can rely on to distract me, since I suppose these films are made for kids and shouldn't have a complicated story, perhaps be merely visually entertaining, but other than a few cute scenes with a sleeping Totoro, I just found some of the surreal action kind of creepy. And frankly, the cat bus that so many people rave about is in the movie for about three minutes. It was a cool three minutes, but obviously it must have made quite an impression on some people. The music was kind of odd and annoying too; it was really typical annoying J-pop that I don't remember in a lot of other Studio Ghibli films.

Don't get me wrong: I understand why people like this movie, and the character designs were typical adorable Studio Ghibli. (Can they make a non-adorable little girl character?) And perhaps because this is one of Miyazaki's first films, it didn't have as much of a story line or adorable characters, or even the eccentricities that some of his later films did. However, despite the fact that My Neighbor Totoro just didn't click with me at all, I will still eagerly await and see the next Studio Ghibli film.

2 out of 5 stars

The Help

2011-08-22T10:37:00.004-05:00

THE HELP
2011

Director: Tate Taylor
Starring: Emma Stone, Viola Davis

Films about civil rights and race relations in the 60's are not uncommon; even 40-50 years after milestone events occurred, this theme has been not all that uncommon. The trick is to bring a different slant or perspective on the subject. In 2009, after a glut of films about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, The Messenger, a film about the men who are charged with informing the families of soldiers that their loved ones are deceased, was refreshing because it showed the effects of war from a completely different perspective. Similarly, Tate Taylor's The Help portrays a quiet civil rights movement among a group of women who were usually invisible: the domestic help in the deep South.

The Help stars Viola Davis as Aibileen, a domestic worker in Jackson, Mississippi who has taken care of many children, and has watched them grow from wonderful kids to being just like their parents; basically indifferent to loved ones and at the very least, latent racists. Aibileen and her many African-American female friends all work as domestics, raising the white peoples' children, doing their cleaning and cooking their meals, all for much less than minimum wage, and with no respect. Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan, (Emma Stone) is a recent college graduate who grew up and is friends with the women who employ Aibileen and her friends, but has a different take on race equality than her friends, and, spurned on by her disgust over the initiative to require separate outdoor bathrooms for African-Americans her friend Hilly Holbrook (Bryce Dallas Howard) is hell-bent on passing, decides to take action in the form of writing a book from the perspective of the domestics, warts and all, starting with Aibileen. With the contentious civil climate in the South, Aibileen is terrified, but determined to have her voice and the voices of her friends finally heard, with Skeeter's help.

The Help is based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Kathryn Stockett, and though I think it is sometimes unfair to compare a book to its film adaptation, it's also human nature, and in this case, I enjoyed the book a lot more than I enjoyed the film. However, there are some pretty serious reasons for that, namely the fact that a lot more back story can be presented about characters in a book than in a film, and characters can be fleshed out more thoroughly, which was really my only big criticism between the book and the film. Though the characters felt less multi-dimensional on the big screen, it was really only because I had read the book that I felt this way. Davis and Stone were both wonderful; Davis' solemnity and stoicism was reminiscent of her small role in the 2008 film Doubt, but she also was able to easily show a lighter side among her friends. This is the first time I'd seen Emma Stone in a film, and really all I knew about her prior to this film was that she was kind of a teen sensation. I thought she did a great job in this role, deftly walking the very thin line between "white girl saves the day" and "good person who does the right thing" and coming out on the right side - there was nothing condescending about her character and her accomplishments. Also notable was Octavia Spencer who played Minnie, Aibileen's best friend. Minnie is a complex character that could very easily slip into caricature with the wrong portrayal, but Spencer was funny, endearing and fearless. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for Howard's performance. Perhaps it's more the adaptation of the character from the book, but the character of Hilly Holbrook is truly horrible, and though there were some smirks and narrowed eyes in the film, Howard basically vacillated between ice princess and foot-stomping harpy, which was more annoying and disappointing than anything. Her actions were terrible, but in terms of being a good villain, which she truly is, she fell short.

The Help isn't going to win any awards, other than perhaps some acting nods, but it was a decent film that gave another side of an oft-told story. It is a mainstream crowd pleaser, but sometimes that's okay, especially when it's quietly opening some people's eyes a little bit.

3 out of 5 stars

Winter's Bone

2011-02-25T14:27:00.003-06:00

WINTER'S BONE (2010)

Director: Debra Granik
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, John Hawkes

Deep in the Ozarks, a teenage girl named Ree (Lawrence) is forced to be the primary caregiver for her younger brother and sister because her father has disappeared and her mother is in a weird, incapacitated state. When the town's sheriff informs her that her father, on the run from drug charges, put their house up for bond and if he doesn't appear in a week, they will lose their house. Already barely surviving with the help of some neighbors, Ree sets out to find her Dad, and finds herself embroiled in a really bad situation.

Winter's Bone is a good movie with a good story, especially considering its small budget and resources. Jennifer Lawrence, a relative newcomer to films, gives an amazing performance as Ree, a strong girl whose dedication to her family seems to know no bounds. Her co-star, John Hawkes also gives a good performance as her uncle Teardrop, who both hinders and helps her investigation.

There actually isn't a lot to the film, except a really scary social structure in the Ozarks that will pretty much keep me away from there for life. There's nothing particularly notable about the film, which is why this review is so brief, but I really liked the simplicity of Winter's Bone. It is a dark and depressing film, both in tone and setting, but despite its somewhat derivative plot, writer-director Granik's is able to give the film freshness and some originality.

3 out of 5 stars

Dogtooth

2011-02-25T12:18:00.003-06:00

DOGTOOTH (2009)

Director: Giorgos Lanthimos
Starring: Christos Stergioglou, Michele Valley

This is going to be one of the most unconventional reviews I've written, because Dogtooth is such a unique film that I don't want to give away any of the film's plot or any specifics because it is far more interesting to experience it from level zero like I did, not knowing anything about it, and letting the plot reveal itself naturally.

I can critique Dogtooth without giving much away, however, and I can certainly say that it is one of the most thought-provoking films I've seen in quite some time. Once revealed, the actual plot is simple, but the ramifications of the actions on the screen sounded some serious alarms in my head that I couldn't shake for a day or more. Soon after Dogtooth ended, I was sitting alone in my living room, playing back the film in my head, and became really creeped out, yet I couldn't stop thinking about the film, which was incredibly exhilarating to me. I felt like I was back in AP English class my senior year of high school when my teacher had just shown us Philippe de Broca's 1966 classic King of Hearts and then told us that in the 15 minutes left in the class, we were to write a 5 paragraph critical essay breaking down what we had just seen. There aren't a lot of films where you sit and think about them, whether you want to or not, for hours, but Dogtooth is a rare exception.

The execution of Dogtooth is quite good; director Lanthimos films everything in white and pastels, and though everything is bright, there is a matte finish to it, which made it all the more surprising to me that it was filmed in 35mm. It's sometimes hard to judge acting when it's not being done in a language you understand, but I think that bad acting is universally recognizable and that definitely wasn't the case here.

Dogtooth is shocking, disturbing and without having done a lot of digging, I would imagine it's been pretty polarizing. In a film full of disturbing events, both cerebral and visual, I will admit that there was one point when I completely lost it and almost abandoned the film because I was so shaken by what had just occurred. I still think that, though that scene was necessary the graphic nature wasn't, but I am profoundly happy I continued to watch the film because in the end I thought Dogtooth was outstanding. I think it is one of the best films I've seen in a while, yet I think if I recommended it to most people I know they would watch and then either think I'm strange for admiring it so much or just punch me in the face for putting them through the experience. I mean, I actually had to reassure a good friend of mine that liking this film didn't make us bad people - true story.

Regardless, I do admire Dogtooth for being so daring and once again it serves as a reminder that there is so much great work out there that doesn't come from the good old U.S. of A. And remember, I avoided specifics for a reason in this review - if you do decide to watch Dogtooth, the less you know about it going in, the better. Just don't punch me in the face afterward.

4 stars out of 5

The Fighter

2011-02-25T09:19:00.003-06:00

THE FIGHTER (2010)

Director: David O. Russell
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams

Based on the true story of boxer "Irish" Micky Ward, David O. Russell's The Fighter features Mark Wahlberg as Ward and Christian Bale as his brother, Dicky Eklund, a former small-time boxer who splits his time training Micky and engaging in a serious crack habit. Ward is a stand-up, regular guy who struggles with pursuing his fighting career on his own and being tied to his dysfunctional family who hold him back, particularly when he meets and falls in love with a supportive and headstrong bartender, Charlene (Amy Adams).

Though I tend to enjoy sports movies, it really takes one with a different angle or strong story to impress me, and The Fighter completely exceeded all of my expectations. I didn't expect that the story would be nearly as compelling it turned out to be. The challenges that Ward faces are far beyond his actual fighting career; in fact, the fight scenes are practically secondary. It is the complicated relationships he has in his life, particularly with his family, that were really at the forefront. His mother, Alice (Melissa Leo), is the rough and mercenary matriarch of a family of 9 children by multiple men who clearly favors Dicky over Micky, her youngest. Dicky's golden moment was in 1978 when he knocked down Sugar Ray Leonard and has been planning his comeback since, only he's actually doing drugs all the time and becoming a shell of his former self. Though he is an unreliable trainer for Micky, he and Alice, Micky's manager, still won't cede any power to anyone nor will let Micky make his own decisions, despite their increasingly bad judgments that don't take his best interests into account. Micky's relationship with Charlene is the first healthy thing to enter his adult life, and though she is as opinionated as Alice, pushes Micky to do what he feels is best for him. There are so many rich story lines in The Fighter that it doesn't fit into a specific genre. Despite its sports themes, it's not a sports movie nor is it simply a family drama.

Christian Bale is amazing as Dicky, who is a complicated character, and there isn't a lot of sympathy one can muster up for him. He swings on an emotional pendulum that is nearly exhausting to watch at times because he looks and acts like he is constantly jacked up on 25 energy drinks. Only he lacks so much self-awareness that he has no idea that the HBO film crew following him around is filming an expose, rather than the "comeback documentary" he thinks it is. Though Bale's performance is flashy and front-and-center, I think that Wahlberg did a fantastic job as the straight man. It's not easy to play opposite a character like Dicky and still be notable, but Wahlberg pulls it off admirably. I actually think he's really underrated in general because he has proven that he can play a variety of roles. There are a lot of women in The Fighter, thanks to Micky's harem of tacky sisters, but the two main female roles were perfectly cast. Adams' Charlene is down to earth and foul mouthed, but has an air of respectability and goodness. Leo's Alice is a little more complex, torn between her allegiance to her deadbeat son and deep down, trying to be a good mother when all she has around her is chaos (much of it self-inflicted.)

David O. Russell, though rumored to be difficult to work with, has also proven that he can direct a varied genre of films, from a small independent film like Spanking the Monkey to a war film like Three Kings or even an "existential comedy" like I Heart Huckabees (incidentally, one of my favorite films of 2004). Regardless of theme or scope, he is able to take material that doesn't have a lot of flash and still make it seem epic; though with such a simplicity and richness of character that his films feel intimate and independent. Frankly, I think he is currently one of the best working directors.

I saw The Fighter on a three-film day and though I knew I'd liked Russell's previous films, still thought that, out of the other two films I was seeing, it would land in a distant third. Surprisingly, it was the last film I saw that day and the one I liked the best, and even beyond the obvious boxing similarity, The Fighter is a film I would compare in some ways to Scorsese's masterpiece, Raging Bull both story and performance-wise. I highly recommend it and encourage those who may write it off as simplicity a "sports movie" to give it a chance, because The Fighter is a lot more robust than one may think.

4 1/2 out of 5 stars

The King's Speech

2011-02-24T15:24:00.003-06:00

THE KING'S SPEECH (2010)

Director: Tom Hooper
Starring: Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter

Though he was often forced to attempt public speaking by his father, England's King George V, the future King George VI (Firth) was second in line to the throne behind his brother, and therefore did not expect (nor necessarily want) to be a king. When his brother, King Edward VIII (Guy Pearce) abdicates the throne in order to marry his divorced lover Wallis Simpson, George VI becomes the king and must, after years of failed speech therapy, find a reasonable cure for his stutter with the help of a new and unconventional speech therapist, Lionel Logue, (Rush) in order to represent England and lead the people of England through World War II.

The King's Speech is a small, somewhat quiet movie with a lot of character. Shot with muted tones, it appears vintage without the usual camera and film tricks that accompany some period pieces that strive for authenticity. The story is interesting and fairly straightforward; there isn't a lot of exposition nor are there many (if any) flashbacks. Rather, the action takes place in the present, with any background narrative delivered conversationally, and with such subtlety to appear completely natural, thanks in part to a great screenplay by David Seidler. Director Tom Hooper previously worked mainly as a television director, but many of the films/series are period pieces, which certainly explains the exquisite detail paid to the look of the film.

The excellent performances by the three main actors in The King's Speech complement the film beautifully. Helena Bonham Carter's role, as George VI's wife, Queen Elizabeth, is reminiscent of where she got her start in films, in a bunch of Merchant-Ivory period pieces. It's sometimes hard to remember that she has the acting chops she does since she tends to play over-the-top characters now, but her portrayal of Elizabeth as a devoted, but strong and independent wife was wonderful. Geoffrey Rush probably had the role that was the most fun to play, as an eccentric, failed actor, somewhat derided (but proud) for being Australian rather than British, and above all, really good at what he does. Rush could go from chutzpah to reverence in a snap, and make it believable and natural. And in terms of believable, Colin Firth is superb as King George VI. He is sympathetic without being pitiful, and though his self-confidence and resolve were not high, Firth's performance enabled us to see George VI's gradual transformation into a leader. Never mind having to affect a frustrating stutter while doing it.

I really have nothing but good things to say about The King's Speech. It fulfilled all of my expectations and is truly my kind of film; small, independent, story and character-driven. Because of this, especially since I acknowledge that it is a really good film, I am unsure why it still proceeded to leave me a little flat, but it did. I didn't have excessively high expectations for the film, but maybe it was because I took it for granted that I would like The King's Speech yet wasn't excited by any aspect of it, that it didn't blow me away. Having said that, I will surely own this film and recommend it to most people. And now I have hopefully seen enough good Colin Firth movies where I can forget the image of him dancing around in front of the mirror in leather pants playing air guitar in the "film" What a Girl Wants.

Yeah, it was on hotel cable on vacation - enough said.

4 out of 5 stars

Biutiful

2011-02-24T09:05:00.003-06:00

Biutiful (2010)

Director: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
Starring: Javier Bardem

Uxbal (Bardem) is a single father of two who makes his living through a number of illegal activities, including drug trafficking and illegal immigrant labor. He does have a legitimate gift of being able to connect with the recently deceased whose souls are having a hard time crossing over, and is sometimes hired to assist people's loved ones "let go". This connection takes on a greater meaning, and his need for income urgent when he is diagnosed with terminal cancer and realizes he has to look out for the futures of his children.

I have really ambivalent feelings toward the Inarritu-directed films I've seen. I had abject loathing for 21 Grams, and thought that while Babel was interesting and well done, it was a little heavy handed and didn't have a clear direction. I can proscribe that same description, almost word for word to how I felt about Biutiful. It was well done and amazing to look at from a cinematography perspective, and the story was decent, because it focused on a really interesting character. Uxbal is technically a bad guy - he's embroiled in the exploitation of immigrant workers and he's putting drugs on the street, to name just two illegal operations he's involved in. But he's also a stand up guy with his kids, and, if it's possible, tries to look out for the people involved in his illegal activities, to the best of his ability. Bardem is fantastic in this role, and his performance really embraces the striking dichotomy of his character, making the film more thought-provoking than I think it would have been without an actor as good as Bardem at the helm.

Unfortunately, an interesting character study and great performance doesn't absolve Biutiful entirely of its faults. With a more than 2 1/2 hour running time, the movie is often meandering and unfocused, but at the same time, like Babel, heavy-handed. The audience gets beat over the head with the repercussions of the bad acts being committed, and, like a similar film, Paul Haggis' 2004 movie Crash, confuses profundity and depth with oppressiveness and hackneyed themes. Though I don't mind looking at Javier Bardem - ever - I also tired quickly of his long, soulful looks out in the distance, and the long, soulful looks characters gave one another. The film could have been substantially tighter without these kinds of scenes, and frankly, would have trimmed the running time down to a less butt-numbing time frame.

I didn't dislike Biutiful, in fact, I thought it was decent. However, I left the film with such ambivalence it made me wonder how hard I really should have to work to come by a natural, gut-instinct feeling about it. A one word description for the film is "Meh", but I would encourage Inarritu to go back to the master of long looks, Sergio Leone, to see how it's really done.

3 stars out of 5

Seriously.

2011-02-24T08:45:00.002-06:00

Nothing really needs to be said.

Fin

2011-02-09T10:04:00.003-06:00

Well, my celebration upon completing the list of reviews I had to write came to a halt when I realized that the last review I had to write, for the horrible movie Salt, was actually written already. Unfortunately, I didn't realize that until after I'd posted the new review and was trying to add it to my review index on my web site, thecinemaphile. Not only that, but my original review was actually better than this one. Oh well, I posted it anyway. A movie so crappy, panning it makes me happy. (I guess)

So now it's full steam ahead with the Oscar push, albeit a couple of weeks late. Chris and I are traveling to Madison this weekend to clean up three movies in one fell swoop at the sublime Sundance theater, and then either before or after we are going to catch the Oscar Live Action and Animated shorts programs at the Rosebud Cinema Drafthouse and Times Cinema, respectively. Fun times ahead - now if I can just get through this work week.

One more wish - warm up a little outside, won't you? It's 2 degrees out and I'm sitting in my office with a long-sleeved turtleneck, but it's so cold I have my space heater going on full whack, which is just making me want to curl up and sleep.

Salt

2011-02-09T09:17:00.004-06:00

So, after lamenting that I had one stupid review left to write, I go to post this on my web site and find out that I reviewed it already, months ago. Niiiice. Well, here's another review of Salt, no point in deleting this one...lol (Ironically, my grade didn't change, months later)

SALT (2010)

Director: Phillip Noyce
Starring: Angelina Jolie, Liev Schreiber

After being accused by a defector of being a Russian spy, CIA agent Evelyn Salt (Jolie) goes on the run, followed closely by her boss, Ted Winter (Schreiber).

I wish I could add more to that summary, but I really can't. Salt is that shallow and dim of a film. Director Phillip Noyce has pretty much earned his bread and butter from mainstream action flicks like Clear and Present Danger and Patriot Games, and Salt certainly is a mainstream action flick, but it is also ridiculously bad. The plot didn't make sense, the acting was terrible and the film was just generally a hot mess.

I don't understand Angelina Jolie. I think she has some acting chops, and she can practically carry a film with sex appeal alone, but she keeps making mediocre (and bad) films in between some halfway decent ones and I can't figure out why. I'm also becoming profoundly disillusioned with Liev Schreiber, who has been my "intellectual" crush for years since his days as an independent film guy. I'll grant him the desire for exposure (and money) with a movie like Wolverine, but there's no excuse for Salt. I couldn't even sit back and take in the eye candy, I was so embarrassed for him.

When one walks into an action film or a "popcorn flick", expectations have to be low otherwise you're just setting yourself up for a disappointment and you have no one to blame but yourself. When my friend I walked into Salt, we were expecting nothing but a fun action film that would probably be bad, but hey, he could ogle Angelina and I could drool over Liev. What we got was a terrible film that somehow fell below our already nonexistent standards, and the best thing I can say about it is that it had us hysterically laughing during several parts of the movie. Unfortunately, I don't think Noyce was looking for that reaction at any time during the film because Salt, even above all of its faults, commits a most egregious sin in film making: it's a dumb action film that takes itself too seriously. And as a result, it is an epic fail.

1 1/2 out of 5 stars (with an extra 1/2 for making us laugh so hard)

Inception

2011-02-08T16:06:00.004-06:00

INCEPTION (2010)

Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page

When one falls asleep, there is a general expectation that your subconscious secrets are kept safe until you let them out. Writer-director Christopher Nolan obliterates this sense of security in Inception, where a band of thieves-for-hire not only can invade your dreams to steal your secrets, but implant ideas as well. Led by Cobb (DiCaprio), the team includes Arthur (Gordon-Levitt), Cobb's right hand man who keeps the team grounded, Ariadne (Page), the architect of the dream, Eames (Tom Hardy), a forger who can appear as different people in the person's dream in order to extract information or move the subject along, and Yusuf (Dileep Rao), the chemist who sedates and watches over them. Cobb has been on the run and unable to return to his children in the United States since being accused of the death of his wife, Mal (Marion Cotillard) but when Saito (Ken Watanabe) hires the team to implant an idea into the head of the son of his business rival, Robert Fischer (Cillian Murphy), Cobb sees his chance to go home, regardless of the danger it puts his team in.

I loved this film for a lot of reasons, one of them being some really fine performances by a great cast. DiCaprio has shown that he can handle some really meaty material, and he really nails it in his portrayal as the extremely complicated Cobb. Also notable was Cotillard, playing Cobb's wife. With a simple look, she could swing from extremely sinister to pitiable in a second. I'm singling these two out, but all of the performances were truly outstanding, and it was nice to see some good character actors get some screen time in such a blockbuster film.

Inception is brilliantly and expertly directed by Nolan, who is no stranger to creating thought-provoking films, like the mend-bending Memento or his twisty debut, Following. With Inception, he creates an epic experience: it's an action-packed thriller, but it's also incredibly cerebral. It's also highly stylized and really nice to look at, with amazing special effects and enough gorgeous slow motion shots to put John Woo to shame.

Unfortunately, the biggest problem with Inception is one of the things I most loved about it - its intelligence. I love cerebral films that encourage conceptual thought and require you to come to some of your own conclusions, but there is a fine line between being effortlessly intelligent and not only forcing the material down one's throat but then saying, "look how clever I am." I didn't exactly feel like I was being force fed during Inception, but intellectual revelations were not always natural. Coupled with some heavy-handed moments, the result was a slightly smug undertone at times.

These criticisms aside, I consider Inception to be a remarkable film that was truly exceptionally well done, if not completely accessible. Above all, I loved that a film this intricate could also be so gorgeous to look at and at times, be seriously kick-ass action packed.

4 out of 5 stars

The Kids Are All Right

2011-02-07T16:29:00.005-06:00

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT (2010)

Director: Lisa Cholodenko
Starring: Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo

Joni (Mia Wasikowska) and Laser (Josh Hutcherson) have two mommies: Nic (Bening) and Jules (Moore). When Laser asks Mia to help him try to find their sperm-donor father before she goes off to college, she reluctantly agrees. This is how they bring Paul (Ruffalo) into their family's lives, regardless of whether Nic or Jules were ready for him. As his involvement becomes deeper, thin cracks begin to appear in what seemed to be a strong and loving relationship between the two women, and their relationships with their children begin to change as well.

I went into The Kids Are All Right expecting a smart film with a lot of depth, and my expectations were met kind of half way. While I was delighted to see a well-received film about alternative approaches to family (both the lesbian and sperm donor angles) I really couldn't shake the feeling that I was watching a made-for-Hollywood family that is really whitewashed; kind of like saying The Cosby Show accurately represented African-American families in the 80's. Those families did/do exist, but they're annoying perfect and...easy.

I don't intend to downplay the conflicts in the film; for the most part, they are well played out and believable, with the exception of the Jules-Paul scenario, which could have been a really interesting conflict, considering it ended up being the crux of a lot of Nic and Jules' problems. Unfortunately, there were so many gaping holes in how it progressed and was eventually addressed that it left me more confused than anything, which made the believability factor go right down the tubes.

I thought the acting, primarily by the female leads was excellent, and I'm thrilled that Bening, who is not only extremely talented but seems to exude class and naturalness, got a great role and in turn, has received a lot of recognition for her work in the film. Mark Ruffalo - what can I say - he's always "Mark Ruffalo" and that's not a bad thing, but it's also not fresh either.

The Kids Are All Right was a decent film, but I guess I didn't see in it what a lot of other critics did. Perhaps I had higher expectations for it, considering the subject matter, and perhaps I thought it would contain a little more edge or depth to it, considering the conflicts presented, but it was a nice, somewhat vanilla movie that was enjoyable but not remarkable.

3 out of 5 stars

The Social Network

2011-02-07T15:04:00.003-06:00

THE SOCIAL NETWORK (2010)

Director: David Fincher
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake

A film about the inception of the most popular social networking site, its seemingly arrogant creator and the legal troubles he faces doesn't necessarily sound like thrilling and riveting entertainment, but with a screenplay by Aaron Sorkin, a strong cast and a talented and stylish director like David Fincher at the helm, The Social Network transcended all of my expectations.

Though the names are real, what is actually true and what is fiction in The Social Network is debatable. However, like Oliver Stone's brilliant 1991 film, JFK, after a while, the film is so good, you don't really care. The Social Network traces founder Mark Zuckerberg's creation of Facebook and its hysterically rapid growth in popularity and the subsequent lawsuits he encounters, both from those who sue him for intellectual property theft to the one person who supported him throughout, financially and emotionally, but was denied a piece of the pie.

Jesse Eisenberg is mind-blowingly fantastic as Zuckerberg, with machine gun-like speech patterns, a mind that is working in a million different directions at once and a disdain for most of the people he meets. His best friend, fellow Harvard student Eduardo Saverin (Garfield), shares Zuckerberg's intellect, but is his complete opposite; he's charming, outgoing and socially dialed-in. Garfield plays Saverin as sweet and soft-spoken, which makes his downfall all the more tragic. When the two begin to expand Facebook across the country, they end up meeting Sean Parker (Timberlake), the founder of Napster who wants to get in on Facebook, and though he is outgoing, possesses a crippling sense of paranoia. Though it honestly took me a while to get used to Timberlake in a dramatic role, I just finally had to realize that he's a total natural when it comes to the acting thing, and he really did a great job with Parker, who is a complex character, to say the least.

Sorkin's script is quick and clever, yet very compelling. Without being heavy handed, or beating anyone over the head with a sense of "See? This is what I'm telling you", he addresses the obvious irony of an incredibly socially inept person creating a social network with more than 500 million members. He writes Zuckerberg as someone unwilling to change or acknowledge his difficult demeanor, yet has a staggering desire for acceptance. Sorkin takes content that could have been nothing more than an article in a newspaper or possibly a featured article in a magazine and turns it into a sublime Greek tragedy rife with dishonor, regret and desire for redemption.

David Fincher, who I've admired back to his music video days, has such a strong aesthetic sense that I think has not been fully utilized in some of his feature films. Sure, his work has all been slick and, regardless of its content, interesting to look at. However, just looking at the Regatta scene in The Social Network, with its tight shots of elongated, straining, sinewy muscles and grimacing faces...I'm no longer watching a film, but looking at a Mannerist work of art. However, it isn't just the high style that is most impressive about Fincher's direction. He is able to not only keep up with Sorkin's quick pace, but turn a scene where a guy is hacking into a web site (without the cliche of security about to confront him) into a seriously action-packed sequence. Or jumping between multiple deposition scenes with the snap of a finger, but giving the audience enough visual clues to figure out exactly where they are at that particular moment within a second; it's kind of like watching a great tennis match.

Before I saw it, never in a million years would I have thought that The Social Network was not only going to be nominated for eight Oscars, including being one of the front runners for Best Picture of the Year, but appear on my Best of 2010 list. But it has surpassed all of my expectations and is truly a well written and sublimely directed film that, upon a second viewing for purposes of writing this review, hadn't lost any of the suspense or gloss in the three months since I first saw it. The Social Network is a supremely intelligent film that holds appeal for a wide audience, something that can be said about a shamefully few amount of films lately.

4 1/2 out of 5 stars

Alice in Wonderland (2010)

2011-02-07T10:48:00.003-06:00

ALICE IN WONDERLAND (2010)

Director: Tim Burton
Starring: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Mia Wasikowska

Based on the Lewis Carroll's book, and following many previous incarnations, Tim Burton's version of Alice in Wonderland follows the adventures of Alice, who returns to the "underland" to revisit her friends, including the Mad Hatter, among others, and fulfill her destiny: to end the reign of the Red Queen.

I apparently only had a peripheral knowledge of the Alice in Wonderland story because I had no idea it was so surreal or that Alice was such a badass, what with the armor and the jabberwocky and all. This is a perfect story for Tim Burton to add his cartoonish and surrealistic touches to, but as a whole, it wasn't as fun or exciting for me as a lot of his other films.

As the Mad Hatter, Johnny Depp once again sinks his teeth into another eccentric role and does a good job of it, but there just seemed to be something missing. Perhaps when we're confronted with a cadre of odd characters it's difficult to shine, as opposed to being the head wackjob in Charlie & the Chocolate Factory. That's not to say I didn't enjoy his performance; I did...ish. I also was oddly fascinated by the bizarre Red Queen (Bonham Carter) and was pleased as punch to see the grossly underused Crispin Glover as her henchman. In fact, the most disturbing character, in my opinion, was the White Queen, played by Anne Hathaway. Even though I knew she was supposed to be comically ethereal I still found her really bizarre, and not in a good way. Alice (Wasikowska) was just kind of there; not dynamic or even particularly charming or clever.

Alice in Wonderland is full of signature Tim Burton touches: surreal and angular landscapes, bizarre characters, bright colors and a fun (if not derivative) Danny Elfman score. But it just felt kind of hollow in the end, and as a whole, fell flat for me. Personally, I'd like to see Burton get back to making films that aren't primarily geared toward children (though I suppose it can be argued that this film and Charlie & the Chocolate Factory could be for children and adults) because it was films like Ed Wood and Big Fish that really cemented him as a brilliant filmmaker. Even an original "adult fairytale" like Edward Scissorhands had a lot more depth and, in my opinion, were a lot more entertaining than his recent remakes, which just kind of whimper to the finish line.

2 1/2 out of 5 stars

Blog, Interrupted - Packers Edition

2011-02-07T10:01:00.002-06:00

On a weekend when I should have been doing nothing but watching Oscar nominated films and catching up on reviews, the Packers had to go ahead and play a Super Bowl game. And I just had to go ahead and watch it since I'm a life-long fan.

No worries. I wrote three reviews, re-watched another movie so I could review that one as well and now have four reviews to catch up on. I'm hoping that I can get some time in on those today and then really push forward and watch more films this week. I kind of need to, since I have to send Inception back to Netflix and want to watch it again before I review it.

I guess my "to do" list could be worse. Not to mention the fact that our house is starting to look like a rat's nest and I/we should be getting some quality cleaning time in.

Exit Through the Gift Shop

2011-02-05T18:40:00.004-06:00

EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP (2010)
Director: Banksy

A documentary that begins as a study of one subject but turns into something much more abstract, Exit Through the Gift Shop is, at face value, about the renegade art movement of "street art", which has evolved from simple graffiti tagging to, arguably, masterpieces. It begins with Thierry Guetta, a French entrepreneur that settled in Los Angeles with his family, where he soon became obsessed with documenting every moment of his life with his video camera. During restless nights, he would walk the streets of Los Angeles, where he came across street artists who, after finding out he was the cousin of one of their own, Space Invader, granted him unrestricted access to their work and process with the understanding that he was making a documentary about them. This is how he comes to work closely with the elusive Banksy, one of the most prolific and famous artists to come out of the movement. Unfortunately, the film that Guetta produces is unwatchable, which is when the documentary takes an interesting turn, with Banksy at the helm.

As a documentary on street art, Exit Through the Gift Shop is fascinating. It features interviews with many artists and even better, shows their process, which is much more action-packed than that of most other artists. Personally, I'm a huge fan of this movement because its aesthetics, coupled with an enormous amount of cleverness, is a perfect representation of conceptual art. However, the film kind of screeches to a halt two-thirds of the way through, and while the rest was interesting, I couldn't shake the idea that there was something more going on in the film than was being presented; that Exit Through the Gift Shop was becoming less a documentary than a colossal mind screw by Banksy - a performance art piece as clever as one of his tangible pieces, only with a lot more complexity.

Exit Through the Gift Shop, as presented, could be seen as a straightforward documentary, but I really don't think it is. What is it exactly? I have no absolutely no idea - I've been turning it over in my head since I watched it and I can't come up with definite answers, or even full bodied theories. What it definitely is, however, is an exciting film that is more thought-provoking than I ever thought it would be, and though it wasn't as conventional, nor did I like it as much as some of the many other documentaries I've seen the past year, I'm still thinking about this one long after I'd forgotten about the others, and there's something to be said for that.

3 1/2 out of 5 stars

Toy Story 3

2011-02-05T17:45:00.004-06:00

TOY STORY 3 (2010)

Director: Lee Unkrich
Voice Talent: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack

I'm going to preface this review with full disclosure: With a couple of exceptions, I'm not a fan of the Pixar film pantheon, and truthfully, really haven't liked any of the Toy Story films that have been released before Toy Story 3. Other than kind of saying, "Oh yeah, I had one of those toys growing up" a few times during the first film, I couldn't relate to it at all, nor did I enjoy anything about the second film. Having said that, as I've aged and matured, I've prided myself on my objectivity when it comes to movies, so I sat down to Toy Story 3 with an open mind.

Unfortunately, my mind was quickly numbed with boredom, once again, by the further adventures of Buzz Lightyear (Allen), Woody (Hanks), Jessie (Cusack) and the rest of the toys in the toy box. This time, their owner, Andy, is off to college and the toys are wondering what is going to happen to them when he goes, considering he hasn't paid much attention to them in years. Though he intended all of them but Woody to be stored in the attic (what the toys considered a nice retirement) they are instead donated to a day care center where they think they will be played with by happy children, which makes them happy. Unfortunately, as members of the low end of the totem pole, they end up being used and abused by some of the worst behaved children I've ever seen and have to find a method of escape.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the voice talent in Toy Story 3, as a matter of fact, the number of known actors who lend their voices to the smallest of characters is staggering, and they're all great at what they do. I would imagine this is the last film of the Toy Story franchise, since it hit a natural ending, but I'm kind of cracking myself up at my ridiculous optimism that the franchise won't get more played out. The story was okay too, actually, a lot darker than I expected it to be at some points. And, I got a glimpse of a toy phone that I played the hell out of when I was a kid and hadn't thought about in about 32 years, so that was cool. However, it wasn't the tear-jerker for me that it seemed to be for everyone else, including my boyfriend, who was snorfling at the end (which I always find kind of cute).

It's not that I'm heartless. I was concerned about that at one point in my life, but for at least the last five years I've owned the fact that, just like there are a lot of movies that I think are fantastic and other people dislike, there are going to be a lot of well-reviewed, commercial success that people revere and I just don't like. It's not even animation that I don't like; I have loved every Studio Ghibli film I've ever seen (which is most) and count Persepolis and The Triplets of Belleville as two of the best films, animated or not, I've ever seen as a result of their Oscar nominations. I've just learned to brush off the comments of "Come on, you must be heartless" or "Are you serious? What's the matter with you?" since those are probably easier to digest than calling someone a philistine for not liking The Seventh Seal or a dullard for not appreciating the performance-art genius of Plan 9 From Outer Space. Besides, I'm not impervious to Pixar's charms. I bawled like a baby during Up, really got into The Incredibles and thought Finding Nemo was cuter than Hello Kitty's red bow. I didn't hate Toy Story 3, but it was boring and not my thing, and despite how apologetic this capsule review is starting to sound, I don't apologize for my opinions anymore and certainly don't take anything away from anyone who loved Toy Story 3, which seems to be everyone else on the planet.

2 out of 5 stars

Black Swan

2011-02-05T16:58:00.006-06:00

BLACK SWAN (2010)

Director: Darren Aronofsky
Starring: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel

Nina Sayers (Portman) is a highly skilled, but reserved ballerina who has never had a principal role in her ballet company. When principal ballerina Beth Macintyre (Winona Ryder) ages out and is forced into retirement, Sayers is chosen by the ballet's director, Thomas Leroy (Cassel) for the dual role of Odette and Odile in The Black Swan. Though Sayers is ecstatic upon winning this coveted and challenging role, her happiness turns to fear and paranoia when she has to contend with Lily, (Kunis) a free-spirited and talented new member of the company who seems after her to take the role away, Leroy's constant doubts of her ability to bring passion to the role, and her mother's (Barbara Hershey) expectations of her.

Darren Aronofsky loves to put his actors through the wringer, and from all of the physicality and pain (both physical and emotional) he draws amazing performances out of actors you didn't know had it in them, or perhaps were past their prime. I never thought that Jared Leto or Jennifer Connelly were anything but pretty faces before seeing Requiem for a Dream (and I can't even express how surprised I was by the depth of Marlon Wayans' performance in that film), and Mickey Rourke had a celebrated comeback with The Wrestler with a performance that was better than anything he did in his heyday. Natalie Portman has always shown a precocious ability to act, especially with her first film, Leon (The Professional), but her career has kind of mirrored her character's progression in Black Swan. She was always competent, even good, but it took being pushed to the brink (she famously suffered injuries during a brutal rehearsal regimen) to get the outstanding performance she gave in Black Swan. Teetering on the verge of fragility and mania throughout most of the film, it was riveting and sometimes exhausting to witness Sayers' ascent/descent.

Black Swan boasts a very strong supporting cast as well, and again, I was surprised by the talent. Mila Kunis, primarily a television actress, brought a sexy and mysterious edge to her character that could have easily been overdone, but there was an ease and naturalness to the portrayal. Barbara Hershey's Erica isn't going to win Mom of the Year anytime soon, and her obsessive and sometimes menacing role made me temporarily forgive her for Beaches. Winona Ryder was both terrifying and tragic as an aging diva, and Vincent Cassel, who I thought was miscast before seeing the film ended up being perfect for the role.

This is not a film for the faint-hearted, and it's not pleasant to watch. Though the world of ballet is beautiful to an audience, when the layers are peeled back, there is a lot of pain, both emotional and physical, that achieve that beauty. When madness and obsession are added into the mix, that makes for a very dark film. My boyfriend and I caught a matinee on Christmas in between family parties during one particularly ghastly moment in the film I turned to him and said, "Merry Christmas honey!" However, there were also at least 150 other people at this screening, so obviously we weren't the only weirdos.

I can't think of a point during the film where my attention waned or I thought the pacing was off. If I had any complaints about the film, it would be some of the more graphic, kind of gross physical moments, but then again, they really worked in the context of the film, so I can't count that as a valid complaint, it's just my old, squeamish stomach. Black Swan was high on my Best of 2010 list during a year when I saw a lot of really good movies, because as a thriller, it really hit all of the right notes - just be prepared to not feel especially uplifted after.

4 out of 5 stars

True Grit (2010)

2011-02-04T11:59:00.005-06:00

TRUE GRIT (2010)

Directors: Joel & Ethan Coen
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Hailee Steinfeld, Matt Damon

After the murder of her father, 14 year-old Mattie Ross (Steinfeld) travels to the town where he was killed by thief Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin) to settle his affairs and to settle the score on his death. She attracts the attention of LaBoeuf (Damon), a Texas Ranger who has been on Chaney's trail for another murder, but Ross seeks out the help of Reuben J. "Rooster" Cogburn (Bridges), a U.S. Marshall with the reputation of having "true grit." Cogburn is tough, but is also a drunk, which, among other things, impairs his abilities. Despite this, Ross hires Cogburn to take her into the Indian territory, where they are soon joined by LaBoeuf, on the hunt for Chaney.

True Grit is a simple story of revenge, but, like every one of their other films, the Coen brothers give it a layer of complexity. Unlike the original True Grit, starring John Wayne as Cogburn and Glen Campbell as LaBoeuf, which seemed outdated even when it was released in 1969, the Coen brothers' seems timeless, even epic at times, despite its simplicity. Never ones to shy away from unusual language, dialects or speech patterns (see The Hudsucker Proxy, Fargo or The Ladykillers for just three examples), they made the really wise decision to go with the language of the time - 1880 - which turns out to be at times eloquent, flowery and above all, wholly without contractions. It's noticeable, and a refreshing contrast to movies that don't give a damn about dialect. Just watch Kevin Costner in Robin Hood Prince of Thieves and you'll understand completely.

With few exceptions, the Coen brothers' films are well paced, clever and have their quirky moments, and True Grit is not an exception to what has become their norm. Oddball one-off characters punctuate the film, but don't steal the show from the full-bodied main characters, with perhaps the exception of Lucky Ned Pepper (Barry Pepper), the feared leader of Chaney's gang who ends up being an interesting dichotomy of a murderous, but fair outlaw. Despite the fact that Westerns (followed closely by War films) are nearly my least favorite genre, there wasn't a single moment during the film when I wasn't completely interested and invested in what I was unfolding.

And Roger Deakins, god bless him. In my opinion, the greatest cinematographer in the business, hands down. Though his lush, breathtaking style wasn't there (or appropriate) for the first film I ever saw that he shot, Sid and Nancy, his work has transfixed me for years, and in particular, his many collaborations with the Coen brothers. I still remember walking out of a movie theater in Madison, where I'd just seen Fargo, realizing that, regardless of subject matter or content, I had just seen one of the most beautiful movies I'd ever seen in my life - thanks to Deakins. His photography doesn't disappoint in True Grit, and whether it is scenes peppered with snowfall, vast shots of the wilderness or a closeup of the flushed but determined Maddy Ross, his masterful work is recognizable and something to behold.

Where the hell did Hailee Steinfeld come from? When I did some research on her in preparation for writing this review, there wasn't anything of note, yet she gave what was one of the greatest performances I've seen on screen in the past year, and certainly the best by someone so young since Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver. She was steely, but vulnerable, precocious and intelligent. She was up against two established and accomplished actors, and beat them both out as the most interesting person on the screen. Jeff Bridges was good, but wasn't really anything more than a meaner version of The Dude, but with a really bad mumbling problem. (Truthfully, I had a hard time understanding most of what he said without straining to translate it.) I'm not a fan of Matt Damon on any planet, but I actually enjoyed his supporting role and appreciated his effortless interpretation of a tough guy who's really kind of a buffoon. And though the film wouldn't exist without him, the character of Tom Chaney had very little screen time, but Brolin did a great job being the feared mean guy who is actually really uncool and whiny, but dangerous, nonetheless.

Despite a few missteps, I thought True Grit was nearly flawless. It's certainly not my favorite Coen brother film, but truthfully, the worst Coen brother films tend to be better than anything that passes for mainstream entertainment, so the scale is a little skewed. Though not epic in terms of scope or action, True Grit is full-bodied; kind of like listening to Rachmaninoff - it's not showy or garish but when you do experience it, it's exquisite.

4 out of 5 stars

Zoinks

2011-02-04T11:02:00.005-06:00

I woke up with a sour stomach this morning that I can't seem to get rid of, and it's hampering any spark of motivation I may have right now.

This week has been a bizarre one. Like most of the country, we got smacked with some serious precipitation and after the initial hysteria it's basically done nothing more than cause a major slowdown and feeling of malaise. Everything is just so haaaaaard nowwwww..... (whiny voice).

Anyway, the Oscars were announced. I've seen half the movies nominated and probably won't get to see another quarter of them because apparently nominated foreign films are only seen via academy screener copies or in cities larger than Milwaukee. So it's a mad race to see the other quarter that are available. Well, not so much a mad race but a reluctant shuffle. I'm just finding it hard to be a completist this year - I am abjectly opposed to paying money for a film like Harry Potter just to check it off my list, and even though I actually would see Tron, I would only do it if it worked out in a perfect scenario and I didn't have to pay for the 3-D version since my blind eye doesn't allow me to experience that effect anyway. So I guess I'm not seeing Tron.

On top of all of that, I decided that I probably should put an Oscar section up on my web site so therefore, I probably should put some Oscar-related content up. That means reviews and that means ZOINKS! I'm looking at the list of Oscar-nominated films I've seen and therefore should review and I kind of want to drop into a snow bank. So that's why I'm stalling by complaining about my sour stomach and anything else I can think of off the top of my head.

In all seriousness though, I need to get my shit together so I can actually watch some movies without feeling like it's adding to my burden, even if it means working on reviews for nearly an entire day. Ugh. There goes my weekend.

Oh yeah: GO PACK GO! Now I've done my due diligence as a life-long Packer fan. Like every other workplace in Wisconsin (and probably parts of Arizona and Florida) today is "PACKER DAY!" at work. We were encouraged to wear jeans and our Packer gear, but, well I don't really do the group thing. I'm not a renegade, I'm just allergic to forced participation. Especially when I'm in my office and looking at people in their 40's with their hair in pigtails and green and gold hair ribbons who look like a played out Raggedy Ann after she got jumped by a mugger with a fetish for Packer paraphernalia.

So, I'm wearing a brown turtleneck and calling myself a representation of the football used in the game-winning touchdown...with a sour stomach.

A Short Fuse

2011-01-17T11:38:00.003-06:00

I refuse to turn this into a bitching blog just because I haven't been able to watch movies lately, but holy crap am I in a crabby mood today!

Upset stomach
Annoying co-workers who act like howler monkeys on a daily basis even though this is supposed to be a professional office
Uninspiring writing projects I'm supposed to be working on
A creepy co-worker across the hall who I'm convinced would turn me into furniture at the drop of a hat
The unyielding snow that's threatening to kibosh my plans to see finally see True Grit tonight
It's Monday and I'm just simply tired
I'm eating a peanut butter sammich for lunch for about the third week in a row

There's more, but I'm going to stop now at the risk of sounding like a complete and total kvetch.

SUCCESS!

2011-01-13T17:09:00.004-06:00

I managed to get my head out of my tuchus and get my site up and running again. Hooray!

Now I just need to create some new content... hmm....

See it here: www.thecinemaphile.com

And now, a random picture of Oscar the Grouch that totally epitomizes how I feel right now.

Color Me Confounded

2011-01-13T09:51:00.002-06:00

There are a couple of things I don't understand, and I realize that they are all going to make me sound petulant, but I own that.

How is it that there isn't remotely enough time or motivation for me to the things I want to get done on any given day? I suspect part of it is a generally frenetic day at work where there are a lot of demands put on me from various internal clients, but it really makes me wonder how people with real problems and real lives get it done.

Why is it that regardless of the fact that we have plenty of food in the kitchen and pantry do I have a mental mindblock when it comes to cooking dinner for Chris and I at night? I think I may have an answer to that one; that I work best on a schedule and we have nothing resembling a schedule because of his erratic work/after work activities, but I still can't get past my stubborness and work around it. (Though I'm still not entirely sure that's my fault.)

On a day when I finally have a shot at reviving my screwed up web site and doing some much needed updates, why is it that the program keeps "throwing exceptions" and closing everything down? On a good day I'm terrible at all of this, so I don't need crap like this to shake my confidence further.

Yowza.

Well, at least my web site is able to be worked on again. Chris clicked a button on the program that I clicked a million times and it worked for him so mazel tov to both of us. Now if I could just actually get in there to do some work on it the world would be just a little brighter.

I guess I'll end this blog post on that night since there's nothing worse than a kvetch with nothing really to say.

TGIF: Think Grumpy. It's Fun!

2011-01-07T11:54:00.002-06:00

Day three of web site panic. I seriously have no idea what I'm going to do if I have to start from scratch. Chris said he took a look at it last night but will look at it further this afternoon, which translates into, "I didn't get a chance to look last night because I was playing Batman, or I logged on to technically be able to say I went to your web site, but I'll maybe get to it at some point this evening or tomorrow after yelling at you for asking me about it yet again." It's been 7 years - I know him better than he thinks I do!

Anyway, last night I went home an hour early from work and crashed in my chair, hard. After Chris got home from the mall we just watched a couple of Bones episodes, but I vow to not get out of the weekend without seeing at least 3 movies. Nothing much planned for the weekend, but it's going to be cold as hell so I'm not in a hurry to go galavanting around, so to speak, so it shouldn't be too difficult to fit some flick time in.

Computer Blue: The Sequel

2011-01-06T15:35:00.003-06:00

Still no word on my web site. I got a fun pat answer from godaddy that was basically just a cut and paste from their FAQ and didn't help. Apparently, according to Chris, this is not uncommon since most people don't check the FAQs before bugging customer support. Regardless, I still don't have a site and I'm starting to get really worried about having to completely redesign/reconstruct the whole thing. I'm hoping Chris can tear himself away from his computer game tonight to look at it for me. (I'm normally not such a nudge, but he promised me he would look at it last night, so in not doing so, it just prolongs my agony.)

Work hasn't been much better today. I completed a couple of big, non-computer related projects, and just about the time when I was ready to start up again with a new batch of projects, our e-mail server goes down. Yikes. Yesterday it was our donor database being down for a half a day that basically had me with one hand tied behind my back, and now this today. It's pretty unreal how dependent we become on computers, especially at work. And I would imagine that I'm on the extreme low-end of computer dependency; I'm just glad I don't need it for friends and a social life. If anything, I actually would like to spend more time on the computer reading various blogs and writing more. Well, that was part of my resolution for this year, so we'll see how that goes.

So, it's been a dog day afternoon, and I may just watch that very movie tonight; it just popped up on Netflix Instant. I'm so determined to get through the IMDB 250 this year (finally) after years of treading water and rewatching movies while friends catch up, but now that I've been hunkering down to watch some of the movies I'm finding myself backpedaling because I'll watch 1 or 2 movies and cross them off the list, but then it changes and adds 3 more movies I hadn't seen and movies I have seen fall off the list, and I'm back to square one. A week ago I had 30 movies to go, now I have 32. How about them apples?

Regardless of what goes down tonight, I'm gong to kick it out of here an hour early, at 4, go home and relax a bit and then make some kind of yummy pasta bake something or other for dinner. Basically, I have a vat of homemade marinara I made a couple of days ago, various dried pastas and a couple of different cheeses I shredded in the food processor the other day, so I'm sure I can come up with something. Then, depending on what Chris is in the mood for (hopefully not a fight) it will be more Bones catchup or a movie. Either way, it's semi win-win.

Now, if I could just get my damned web site dilemma straightened out...

Computer Blue

2011-01-05T10:29:00.002-06:00

Ugh ugh ugh. I finally decided to take a look at my web site (www.thecinemaphile.com) because I've been hating the format of it for a long time; it seems really long, there's a lot of wasted space on the side, etc. Since I'm in no way a computer genius (or even a computer imbecile) I've been working with templates, and I finally got one that looked kind of how I wanted it to look - clean, but wider, with the navigation buttons on top of the screen instead of the side where there would be a bunch of dead space.

Well, lo and behold, moving the content blocks around, I completely screwed it up, so I decided to just let it go and go back to what I have and start from scratch. Unfortunately, the damn thing is now reverting to a project that I started before I put all the work into the current incarnation of my web site, and I can't figure out how to get back to it. My saving grace is that I never published any of the "new" content, but I can't get to my old site anymore to make any changes.

Sigh. After the threat of many tears and frustration I e-mailed godaddy to see if they can help me, and Chris is going to take a look at it later this afternoon. I just have to be able to get through until then because I'm terrified at the thought of having to reconstruct everything again. I don't know that I could at this point.

Hopefully a cheerier update later...

An evolution of resolutions

2011-01-04T08:33:00.002-06:00

I try not to make resolutions because I've learned not to kid myself about thinking that I'll actually keep them beyond day #2, but this year I actually am going to make a resolution to do my very best to make time to do the things I should be doing and the things I want to be doing. Sometimes the two end up being the same thing, like keeping in touch with family and friends, and sometimes they don't, like making sure the house is clean and finding the time to watch films and write reviews instead of just plopping down in front of the plasma and letting my brain die with the Real Housewives.

My challenge is to do some of this in conjunction with Chris, and I think we're a world apart in many aspects right now. I'm not sure if a schedule is the answer, (it hasn't seemed to work so far with other things) or what, but I've been trying to be patient while sorting things out. It just doesn't work out as well as I'd like it to most of the time, even though when things come together, either around the house or when we watch a good movie together, we both have to admit the end result is a good one.

So that's my 2011 resolution. It may seem small but it has many facets. It's only January 4th and there have already been some bumps but hopefully things will get smoothed out and I/we can form a routine that is more than a rut full of laziness and procrastination with occasional bursts of productivity or inspiration. Even if my life isn't action-packed (and I don't want it to be) I can still be fulfilled with a happy household, a nice relationship with Chris and engaging in my hobbies.

Best and Worst Films of 2010 - The Best

2011-01-01T18:06:00.014-06:00

As I mentioned in an earlier post, 2010 was one of the hardest years in recent memory to glean a true "best of" list because there were so many good ones. I agonized over the elimination process, but when I did, deciding what order they should go in was actually a lot easier. Here are my favorite 11 films of 2010, in order.

THE BEST FILMS OF 2010

11. A SERIOUS MAN (2009)

Joel and Ethan Coens' film based on the book of Job is perhaps one of their most personal, dealing with strong Jewish themes. Michael Stuhlbarg is Larry Gopnik, a math professor who sees his world unraveling through a series of life altering events, until something as simple as being hounded by a collector from Columbia House records becomes almost too much to bear. Darkly humorous, yet profound, A Serious Man is a polarizing film, but I think those that appreciate it, really appreciate it, and I loved it.

10. BROKEN EMBRACES (2009)

I haven't yet found a Pedro Almodovar film I haven't liked, and his latest film, Broken Embraces, didn't disappoint. He always draws an incredible performance out of his muse, Penelope Cruz, who stars as Lena, the tragic love interest of two different men. Part thriller, part romance, Broken Embraces is both precise and beautiful.

9. HOWL (2010)

I didn't need to be sold on the premise of Howl; being a huge fan of the literature of the Beat generation, and Ginsberg's work in particular, I was looking forward to whatever was going to be prevented onscreen. What surprised me, however, was how incredible and imaginative the film turned out to be. Primarily focusing on the obscenity trial over Ginsberg's epic poem Howl, the film also examines Ginsberg's life and creative process during the time he produced his seminal work. Part pseudo-documentary, part courtroom drama, the film boasts imaginative and sometimes horrifying animated representation of Ginsberg's poetry, and an amazing, Oscar-worthy performance by James Franco, who continues to surprise me with his talent.

8. THE SOCIAL NETWORK (2010)

I have no idea what is fact and what is fiction in The Social Network, David Fincher's film about the creation of the hugely successful social networking site, Facebook and the people who claim to have created it, but I honestly don't care. The Social Network is effortlessly compelling, and Jesse Eisenberg gives a completely amazing performance as Mark Zuckerberg, the lead player in the drama that almost takes on a bent of Greek tragedy. Scripted by Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network also contained my favorite movie quote of the year, when one of the Winklevoss twins, who claim to have had the Facebook idea first expresses the desire to kick Zuckerberg's ass: "I'm six-five, 220 pounds and there are two of me."

7. PERSONA (1966)

Starring Liv Ullman and Bibi Andersson and directed by Ingmar Bergman, Persona is a masterpiece of psychological manipulation and decline. When "The Actress" (Ullman) suddenly stops talking, she is assigned to "The Nurse" (Andersson) and the two become close while they share a cabin at the beach as part of Ullman's recovery. Their roles soon become reversed, with Ullman acting as Andersson's confidante, and their personalities soon begin to meld together until Andersson becomes paranoid and unsure of who she is anymore. Full of amazing imagery, complicated, cerebral and scary, Persona is brilliance personified.

6. INCEPTION (2010)

Though I like his Batman films less than his "other" films, I'm pretty sure that it is an understatement that Christopher Nolan is one of the best directors to come out of the last decade. I was thrilled to see him going back to his mind-bending roots of Following and Memento with the wildly entertaining and thought-provoking Inception. Part colossal mind-screw and part kick-ass action film, Inception gives us philosophical food for thought in a fantastically polished package that left some unanswered questions that had a lot of people talking - just one indication of a great film.

5. A SINGLE MAN (2009)

Though it was his directorial debut, I never doubted that Tom Ford would bring high style to A Single Man, being a fashion designer and former head of Gucci. What I didn't expect was the subtlety and incredible depth he would bring to this story about George (Colin Firth), a closeted gay man in the 1960's who has to cope with the sudden death of his longtime lover. The beauty of A Single Man, and the heart-breaking performance by Firth (sorry, but he deserved the Oscar for this one) had me in awe and wracked with sobs by the end of the film. Unfortunately I saw the film in public, but I'm sure I wasn't the only one who walked out of the theater sniffling.

4. BLACK SWAN (2010)

Having only seen Black Swan a week ago, this one really skyrocketed up my list. Directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Natalie Portman, Black Swan is a scary psychological thriller that delves into the competitive (and obsessive) world of ballet. If Portman doesn't at least get an Oscar nomination for her role (it's still too early to deem her a deserving winner) I will be shocked. Aronofsky notoriously puts his actors through hell with his challenging characters, and ultimately gets some of the best performances of their lives out of them. Black Swan is beautiful to look at, even if you sometimes want to look away. The brilliance of the film lies in the fact that you can't look away.

3. MY VOYAGE TO ITALY (1999)

The best film I saw during my Scorsese filmography project, My Voyage to Italy is a fabulous 5 hour opus by Martin Scorsese about the Italian films from the 1940's through 1960's that influenced him as a filmmaker and as a lifelong student of film. Covering films and filmmakers that extend beyond the obvious choices, Scorsese's passion for film is practically tangible and charming to witness. I found that I had to keep a steno pad next to me during the film so I could make a note of the films he showcased that I hadn't yet seen. Scorsese begins the film by saying, "I saw these movies. They had a powerful effect on me. You should see them." He is a born teacher, and My Voyage to Italy makes every viewer, like its director, a student of film.

2. (500) Days of Summer (2009)

A couple of cute people meet at work and begin a relationship, only it's not all sunshine, despite the best efforts of Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) to reign in Summer (Zooey Deschanel). (500) Days of Summer is a chronic of their relationship, with a non-linear order that both affords clues of its impending doom and makes the audience second-guess what they think they already know. The film has its sweet, breezy moments, (the dancing in the park scene with Gordon-Levitt is a joy) but for the most part shows how relationships really can be, with its insecurities and false hopes. (The party scene which shows Tom's expectations and the reality in split-screen is both ingenious and gut-wrenching.) Though not as clever, (500) Days of Summer has a lot of similarities to Annie Hall, and I found it absolutely brilliant.

1. MARY AND MAX (2009)

A tale of an unlikely friendship between a young girl in Australia and a middle-aged man in New York, Mary and Max is a brilliant animated film. By complete serendipity, Mary and Max become pen pals, with loneliness being their common bond. During their decades-long correspondence, they share their ups-and-downs and become irreplaceable in each others' lives. With clever animation, an inspired script and fantastic voice over performances (particularly Max, played by an almost unrecognizable Philip Seymour Hoffman) Mary and Max is sweet, sad, funny and above all, uncompromisingly charming. There were a few times during the film when I was in tears, but I was soon laughing over something cute or funny. You've probably never heard of Mary and Max, but it is truly a film that must be seen, and hands down, it was the best film (out of a lot of excellent films) that I saw in 2010.

Best and Worst Films of 2010 - The Worst

2011-01-01T16:11:00.013-06:00

Of the 155 films I watched in 2010, there were about 11 that I considered to be undeniably bad. After reflecting on one of them, I couldn't in good conscience include Jack Goes Boating on the list, because while I really didn't like it, it wasn't inherently terrible. Plus it looked a little out of place with the rest of them.

As with all of my "worst" lists in the past, I'm sure there are going to be big question marks to go along with the obvious picks, but hey, that's what good intellectual discourse is all about, right? The following films are the worst of 2010, and though they are in no particular order, they're all just plain bad.

THE WORST FILMS OF 2010

HARRY POTTER & THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE
(2009)

Boy, am I sick of defending my position on Harry Potter. I don't read the books, but I commend J.K. Rowling for getting kids (and adults) to read. And while I didn't really like the first two films, I actually really liked the third film and thought the fourth film was pretty good as well. So, I gave Half-Blood Prince a shot earlier this year and was so bored I could barely make it through the entire film. In fact, I wouldn't have, if it hadn't been nominated for special effects Oscars (which also amazed me because those weren't so great either). Harry Potter fans can look at me in shock and call me a hater (and worse) but sorry, this movie was just plain boring, hard to sit through, and simply bad.

THE LOVELY BONES (2009)

No surprise here. This movie was universally panned and fans of the book were appalled by Peter Jackson's adaptation of what was really a good novel. I saw this film in a near-empty theater (there was one other guy sitting somewhere behind me which made the experience that much more unsettling) and I couldn't help but laugh during many parts that clearly were not intended to evoke that reaction. Nonsensical and offensively bad, The Lovely Bones shows that Jackson should probably stick to playing with wizards and little people.

AVATAR (2009)

I know, it was the biggest movie of the year and people went back and saw it multiple times. But for every person who is shocked by my hatred for this movie I am just as shocked by its success. Overblown, underacted and with plot points that are so stupid they are laughable (unobtainium? REALLY?), Avatar was a 3 hour snooze fest that couldn't have ended soon enough. I have no love for James Cameron, quite the contrary, but if I was going to invest the cash and time to see this movie, I was still hoping to enjoy at least some of it. Unfortunately my enjoyment was limited to the 2 second time span when I realized it was the end of the film and I could get the hell out of there and do anything else - bang my head against the wall repeatedly, walk in circles on the bathroom rug for 3 hours, clean the litter box with a tweezers... you get the point. It was bad.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK
(1977)

For the most part, my journey into Martin Scorsese's filmography in 2010 was an enlightening experience, seeing some really great early films I hadn't yet seen. Unfortunately, there were a couple of stumbling blocks as well, and the worst was his foray into musicals, New York, New York, which, on paper, should have worked. Starring Liza Minnelli and Robert DeNiro, the film is an epic study of a dysfunctional relationship that spans decades. What it actually is, however, is a really boring, overacted waste of film that, when I thought it couldn't get any worse, contains a 20 minute musical number that makes the film-halting "Broadway Melody" scene in Singing in the Rain look cohesive and relevant. Someone with Scorsese's long and illustrious filmography deserves a dud, but it was surprising that this was it.

SALT (2010)

I knew this film wasn't going to be rocket science, but when a friend and I went to see this one I thought we could at least experience some decent action, I could drool over Liev Schreiber and he could drool over Angelina Jolie. Hell, as a heterosexual woman I drool over Angelina Jolie sometimes. Instead, we were too distracted by the ridiculous Cold War espionage "plot", obscenely bad action scenes and worse acting to appreciate anything aesthetically. There were several times when we were just outright laughing in the theater because we couldn't believe what we were seeing, or supposed to be believing. Salt isn't even worth watching for its bad factor - give me one of those SyFy original movies over this one any day.

CONFESSIONS OF A PORN ADDICT (2008)

I got snookered into this one via Netflix. Apparently my recent rentals of Kurosawa films and my Netflix Instant queue full of independent films and foreign films of the 1950's and 1960's caused Netflix to decide that a fake documentary about a porn addict who loses his job and relationship to his girlfriend, only to find out that she's become a porn star herself and about to star in an epic orgy film unless he "rescues her" was right up my alley. Beware of "Suggestions for You", Netflix subscribers: for every unknown hidden gem there's a mind-numbingly bad suggestion waiting to jump out at you!

BASIC INSTINCT 2
(2006)

I know, duh. I think the only surprise about this film being on the list is that I watched it in the first place. To be honest with you, I have no idea why I watched it; even a glance back at my film journal doesn't give me any answers - I hadn't recently been on a diet of heavy foreign films and wanted to watch something stupid, I just watched the damn movie. Sharon Stone, who is supposed to be "the ultimate cougar" is about as sexy as a sloth and delivers her lines with the same vivacity. Normally I would just say "Shame on me" and leave it off the list as too obvious a choice, but the fact that I went into the movie realizing it was going to be a terrible and then still being surprised at how much worse it actually was than I expected is a pretty impressive feat for even a bad film.

BRIEF INTERVIEWS WITH HIDEOUS MEN (2009)

If there's anything I can't stand in a film, it's pretentiousness, and Brief Interviews With Hideous Men, directed by John Krasinski has that in spades. Based on the writings of the late David Foster Wallace (who apparently is ivy league Generation Y's Kerouac) is a misogynistic look into the hearts and minds of men that throws in a collapsed relationship for good measure. Disjointed, terribly acted and so smug I wanted the film to grow a face so I could smack it, Hideous Men tells me that Krasinski maybe needs to stick to being the affable acting guy (or at least reexamine his choice of material).

W. (2008)

This film was just unfortunate from the beginning. Despite the fact I couldn't stand the subject, I thought I might find it interesting, particularly because director Oliver Stone is such a reactionary. The problem with W. doesn't lie in its actors, or even the story, really. It's just incredibly boring. Its biggest fault is the pacing, but it is also really disjointed and flops all over the place. But mostly, it's just plain boring. I could barely make it through this one, and truthfully only did so that I could give it an honest assessment. Stone is a polarizing director, and I do think he's a little crazy, but I think he makes some pretty good films, which makes W. such a major disappointment. (No comment about the commonality between my assessment of the film and its subject of course...)

THE AMERICAN (2010)

Boy, before I saw The American this fall I sure didn't think I was going to be putting it on my "worst list". I'm a sucker for films where actors play against type, really enjoy George Clooney as an actor, and admire the work of director Anton Corbijn. Unfortunately, the film peaked after the first five minutes and then steadily went downhill from there. Ridiculous in concept, (why would you ever hire someone who looks like George Clooney to be a hit man who is supposed to "blend in"?) and paced with glacier-like speed, my friend and I were eventually unable to contain our snickering at the dozens of lingering shots of Clooney looking solemn, which finally turned to outright laughter during the film's ridiculous climax. I think the ending was supposed to be profound, but we both just went, "WHAT?!" and then proceeded to boo the credits. What a terrible, terrible movie. I saw it for free and still wanted my money back.

Best and Worst Films of 2010 - Honorable Mentions

2011-01-01T14:03:00.015-06:00

Another year of film viewing has ended and it turned out surprisingly stronger than I had expected. Of the 155 films I watched in 2010, I came up with a whopping list of more than 25 films that could have been in contention for the top films of the year, which is somewhat unprecedented. Several films broke out of the large pool of "good, but not great" films, like Julie & Julia, Kick-Ass, Conversations with Other Women and The Other Guys, (I was as surprised as anyone how much I enjoyed that one) and classics like The Passion of Joan of Arc and La Strada were late-year viewings that proved once again that there are a plethora of excellent classic films I have yet to unearth.

So, for 2010, I had to expand my lists to include my regular top 11 (some years it has to be a top 10, unfortunately), a list of non-ranked "honorable mentions" that were in contention for, but didn't ultimately make the top 11, and of course, the bottom 10. In other years I've only gathered a bottom 5 list, but apparently with the abundance of good, you're going to have to take some bad too. And some were very, very bad.

As in other years, my lists are different from most others because they are not just comprised of new releases, but films that I saw for the first time, regardless of their release date. One quick disclaimer is that I have not seen the Coen Brothers' remake of True Grit yet, but considering I have a couple of films I saw in January of 2010 on my list, that shouldn't be an issue, should it blow my mind when I do see it in a week or two.

Agree? Disagree? I'd love to hear comments regarding either.

HONORABLE MENTIONS OF 2010

The following are films that I thought were great, but didn't make my final 11. They all come, highly recommended, however.

DEATH OF A CYCLIST
(1955)

Director Juan Antonio Bardem's Spanish neo-realist film about deception, morality and redemption is gritty and riveting. Its stark black and white photography also affords a lot of amazing shots. Deep, but accessible, Death of a Cyclist was my first glimpse of a neo-realist film outside of Italy, and made me want to explore the genre further.

DISTRICT 9 (2009)

Anyone who knows me well knows that I have very little interest in or tolerance for science fiction; I'm just not wired that way and I've come to accept it. However, sometimes a film that is categorized as science fiction can transcend the usual boring morays of the genre with a great premise or story and for me, District 9 was one of those films. Part cautionary tale/part commentary on apartheid/part gross-out alien-monster film, I thought it was outstanding and thought-provoking without being heavy-handed.

AN EDUCATION (2009)

This was one of the handful of films that I really struggled with not putting on my top 11 list, because I thought it was so outstanding. An Education is set in the 1960's and Peter Sarsgaard gives a tremendous performance as a mentor/svengali to a young girl (Carey Mulligan) whose intelligence and lust for life and culture beguile him. Mulligan is the star of the show, however, and her performance is both inspiring and heart-breaking. At the end of the film I remember telling my boyfriend Chris, "I want to be her."

SHUTTER ISLAND
(2010)

When I saw Shutter Island, I was embarking on an as-yet-unfinished project of seeing every Martin Scorsese feature film or documentary made, and it was a great way to kick off the journey. Leonardo DiCaprio, who really has immense talent, gives an amazing performance in this atmospheric psychological thriller that, even after the cards have been revealed, gave me pause about what truly happened, and I love movies like that.

NO DIRECTION HOME: BOB DYLAN (2005)

Another film I discovered during my Scorsese journey, this mammoth 3 hour documentary about the life of Bob Dylan not only focuses on the artist himself, but his generation and the historical events occurring during his rise. Filled with interviews from everyone imaginable, including Dylan himself, No Direction Home ended up being more than an excellent documentary; it turned me into a Dylan fan.

LET THE RIGHT ONE IN (2008)

I haven't seen the remake of this film yet, but Tomas Alfredson's original, about a bullied young boy who becomes friends with a mysterious young girl is emotional, intriguing and above all, fresh and original. Alfredson isn't afraid to cross the line, including violence toward children and strange romances, and that makes Let the Right One In that much better.

MID-AUGUST LUNCH
(2008)

Written, directed by and starring Gianni di Gregorio, Mid-August Lunch is a film I saw at this year's Milwaukee Film Festival. From start to finish, I was utterly charmed and I was either laughing or had a smile on my face, watching the hapless di Gregorio try to hold his own while waiting on and caring for a group of old ladies who have been left in his charge by various friends who dropped off their mothers so they could take the mid-August holiday of Ferragosto off and go to the beach. Mid-August Lunch is one of those films that I wish I could convince everyone to see, because it is truly a gem of a film.

BREATHLESS (1960)

I had the honor and pleasure of not only seeing Jean-Luc Godard's iconic Breathless on the big screen at the Milwaukee Film Festival this year, but it was the restored version as well. Regardless of the decks that were stacked against me that night; it was the third screening that night (on a week night); it was nearing the end of the festival and I was getting dog-tired; I was enraptured from frame one. The chemistry (yet subtle distance) between Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg was like watching a playful game of cat and mouse, where you know that it can't possibly end up well for either one of them. And Godard's in-your-face camerawork in the streets of a vital Paris was, pardon the pun, breathtaking.

IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE
(2000)

Wong Kar Wai's beautiful In the Mood for Love is one of those movies that have been on my short list to see for years now, and it wasn't until I recently decided to finally sit down and watch it when I realized what I had truly missed, not having seen it. The tale of neighbors who find out their spouses are cheating on them with each other, the cuckolded pair, Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung begin a relationship that begins as a means of catharsis; reenacting how their spouses may have began their affair, but becomes much more emotional. Wong Kar Wei is one of the greatest directors of our time, and the exquisiteness of the film, the pain and beauty of the actors and their performances, and the haunting soundtrack had me in tears more than once.

BLUE VALENTINE
(2010)

There has been a lot of buzz about this film, primarily around its initial NC-17 rating for an explicit sex scene, (which, honestly, I didn't even remember, even after I read what the scene in question was) but it deserves a lot more respect for its intricate and well-told story and the amazing performances by Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams as a couple who meet cute and marry, though they probably never should have. Blue Valentine may leave you feeling a little bruised, but at its heart, it is an honest depiction of a real relationship without Hollywood's bells and whistles.

5 MORE FILMS TO CONSIDER IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SUGGESTIONS:

Up in the Air - yes, most people have seen it because it is a George Clooney film, but it really is a full-bodied, adult film.

The Last Station - if this film didn't star Hellen Mirren and Christopher Plummer, it may not have been quite as good, but their performances really made it enjoyable and gave us an idea of Tolstoy we may not have been aware of.

Freedom Riders/Soundtrack for a Revolution - these are two documentaries I saw at the Milwaukee Film Festival this year that focus on the civil rights movement of the 1960's. The former deals with mainly the Freedom Rides in the South, while the latter gives a broader overview of the movement, coupled with the protest songs participants sang. Both are first-class films.

My Dog Tulip - an animated film based on the memoirs of J.R. Ackerley and his beloved temperamental dog Tulip. Narrated by Christopher Plummer, My Dog Tulip is beautiful, emotional and hilarious.

Lemmy - Who would have thought a documentary about Motorhead front man Lemmy Kilmister would show up on my list? I saw this at the Milwaukee Film Festival this year, and the documentary not only had first-class production values (this was the first film for the directors, who were present at the screening) but its subject was fascinating as well. This warts and all (literally) documentary is accessible even for those like me who aren't into the hard rock music scene.

MFF Film Review - The Art of the Steal

2010-10-03T18:07:00.003-05:00

THE ART OF THE STEAL
2009

Director: Don Argott

The Art of the Steal documents the drama behind the struggle for control of the Barnes Foundation, a foundation and institution established in the 1920's by Dr. Albert Barnes just outside of Philadelphia. The reason this has become a hot-button issue is because Barnes, who made his fortune in pharmaceutical sales, assembled the world's greatest private collection of Post-Impressionistic art valued at more than 25 billion dollars. Barnes, a New Deal-era liberal democrat, was protective of his foundation and made some powerful enemies, including philanthropist and Philadelphia newspaper mogul Walter Annenberg, and despite a seemingly iron-clad trust that strictly forbade the art to be sold or moved to another location, soon after his death in 1951, the battle for his foundation began.

The Art of the Steal is an amazing and breathtaking, and succeeds in performing the rare feat of being a suspenseful documentary. Director Don Argott does an incredible job telling the history of the foundation and interviews many of the people who worked closely with Barnes or were students at his foundation. The breadth and scope of the art collection is unfathomable, and the more that is revealed about Barnes' intentions, the more heartbreaking the mismanagement of the foundation is, and the passion of the supporters of the foundation is infectious.

I grew up among art and have a passion for art history so The Art of the Steal was not a hard sell for me, but it is accessible and intriguing for those who may only have a peripheral interest as well. The Art of the Steal also proves that it is important to look beyond the headlines to see the real motivations behind a story; Argott shows several newspaper headlines announcing stories like, "Pew Foundation to infuse 100 million in Barnes Foundation" which on the surface looks great, but knowing the story behind it is what is important and changes the tone completely. The amount of politics, back room deals and even bribery is astounding, especially in light of the fact that what we are discussing is a beautiful collection of art that was always supposed to be private and for education. The beginning of the film shows a press conference with the mayor of Philadelphia announcing the acquisition of the Barnes Foundation's art, which takes on a completely tone by the end of the film. In my mind, there is no doubt this is a sign of a compelling and thought-provoking film.

The Art of the Steal is truly one of the best documentaries I have ever seen and feel that it is important to see for a number of reasons, regardless of the viewer's degree of interest in art history and politics. After seeing this film, opinions may change about how some non-profit agencies work and you will be educated.

My Scale: 4 1/2

MFF Film Review - Lemmy

2010-10-03T17:46:00.004-05:00

LEMMY
2010

Directors: Greg Olliver, Wes Orshoski

Lemmy is a documentary about hard rock icon and genuine character Lemmy Kilmister, lead singer and bassist for Motorhead. Directors Olliver and Orshoski follow Kilmister around in his day-to-day life in Los Angeles, where he is an institution, and also on tour with Motorhead and the Head Cats.

I criticized the film I saw I before this, Who is Harry Nilsson? because I thought that it wasn't full-bodied enough for non-fans of the subject. I'm not a Lemmy Kilmister fan, nor did I really know a lot about him, yet I was enthralled with this documentary from start to finish. Kilmister is one hell of an original and lives his life balls to the wall. What makes him refreshing is that he is also completely down to earth and, despite his hordes of fans, still seems kind of surprised at his fame and success.

Lemmy is Olliver and Orshoski's feature debut which I find jaw-dropping, based on the quality of this film. Not only did they gather an amazing amount of interviews from nearly every hard rock singer I can think of, from Scott Ian to Joan Jett, to Ozzy Osbourne, but what they were able to film and the quality with which they filmed it was outstanding. The audience gets to see recording sessions between Kilmister and Dave Grohl, and a practice session where Kilmister sat in with Metallica. There are also full-scale concert footage at performances from around the world that are so high quality that it's really hard to believe this is their first film.

Though I thought the film was a bit long, perhaps by about 20 minutes (though the concert footage was well done, after a while it hit a saturation point, particularly since I actually am not crazy about this kind of music) I thoroughly enjoyed Lemmy and feel that I saw a first-rate documentary about a true character and musical icon.

MFF Ballot Vote: 4
My Scale: 4

MFF Film Review - Who is Harry Nilsson?

2010-10-03T17:25:00.004-05:00

WHO IS HARRY NILSSON?
2006

Director: John Scheinfeld

Who is Harry Nilsson (And Why is Everybody Talkin' About Him)? is a film by director John Scheinfeld that examines the life and influence of singer/songwriter Harry Nilsson, who is one of famous unknown singers of the second half of the 20th century. Though he began his professional life as a banker, he went on to write and perform some of the best known songs of the 60's and 70's, including "Everybody's Talkin'" and "Without You". His influence was so great that he was The Beatles' favorite singer, and eventually became close friends with Ringo Starr and John Lennon.

Scheinfeld presents Nilsson's story through photographs and television clips, and there is a running narration by Nilsson himself, who died in the 1990's. A number of musicians, colleagues and what seems to be a million attorneys are also interviewed, filling in the gaps of the story of an elusive life, though he was in the public eye for a couple of decades. I spent a lot of the film going, "Oh, he did that song"; he was really talented and it's easy to see why he was so influential.

Though I admittedly really had no interest in the subject matter, I'm a sucker for a good documentary, so I had an open mind going into this film. Scheinfeld did a decent job using the materials he had, and there were certainly a plethora of people who wanted to step up and talk about him, but there was just too much. There were also pacing problems, and it seemed like I was sitting there for well over two and a half hours, so I was pretty surprised when I discovered that the film was just under two hours. Though I can certainly enjoy and become enthralled with a film when I don't know about or have an interest in the subject matter, I think that I would have had a little more patience with Who Is Harry Nilsson? if I cared, even just a little. It was just a bit too niche for full mainstream appeal, I think.

MFF Ballot Vote: 2
My Scale: 2

The 2nd Annual Milwaukee Film Festival Days 10 & 11

2010-10-03T17:15:00.003-05:00

The MFF ended early for me because of time constraints and an aching back, but I'm still really thrilled with the films I did see, more than 20 in all. As always, I plan to keep a list of the films I wasn't able to see that looked interesting and look them up on Netflix when they are released, and will review them at a later date.

Once again, I had a fabulous time, and even though the experience was pretty tiring (and I get to go back to work after 11 days away tomorrow!) I'm sure I will have completely forgotten the work involved and will look forward to covering next year's festival again. Overall, I had some fantastic experiences and saw some great movies. The MFF crew and the volunteers all did a great job and should be thrilled with the results.

Until next year...

The 2nd Annual Milwaukee Film Festival Day 9

2010-10-02T21:46:00.005-05:00

A new day and a new venue - today is the first day I'm going to the Ridge in New Berlin to see a couple of movies, and I wasn't sure what to expect. I'm not sure why I have a dislike for this theater, but I try to avoid it in favor of seeing films at other theaters if possible. When I got there I discovered that the film festival was relegated to the back theaters which are kind of small. Perhaps they were looking at crowd control, and that putting the two screens at the back of the theater would solve that, but then why is the North Shore so much more successful and their MFF theaters are in the front?

Turns out that for all of my grousing about the venue changes since the reincarnation of the MFF, going to the Ridge made me yearn for the comfort of the North Shore, even with the crowds and travel time investment. While the number of people there was really great for the festival and was very encouraging, the lines were interminable and I could tell people were starting to get annoyed. With several older people in line who looked like they needed a place to sit, there was one small bench in the entire wing, and for a time it was taken up by MFF volunteers. Seating didn't occur until about 10 minutes before the start of the show, and once in there, the auditorium was kind of small. This was fine for the first film I saw, Who is Harry Nilsson? because it was at 4:30 and there weren't more than 2/3 of the theater's capacity there, but the subsequent film I saw, Lemmy, had a really good crowd. Even larger was when we got out of Lemmy and saw the line for the Date Night shorts that almost reached from one end of the hallway to the doors on the other end. It was pretty nuts, and while I was on the fence about staying for a third movie that night, knowing the size of the crowd and the discomfort of the seats after a while I decided to head out early. I have three films to see there Sunday so that should be kind of interesting, particularly Metropolis, since it's 2 1/2 hours long. I'm finding myself actually dreading it. I wish I were spending my last day at the North Shore instead, but I promised my boyfriend, Chris and one of my close friends, Jay, I'd see it with them.

Speaking of Jay, it was because of him that I went to see Lemmy tonight, and it was so much fun experiencing a MFF film with a friend. Though surrounded by an audience, so much of the MFF feels solitary to me since I see all of the films by myself, then come home and type about it on my laptop. When I get home every night, Chris asks me how the movies are and I can pretty much only give him a one word answer because I just don't feel like talking about it, frankly. Eventually, after mellowing out at home a bit, I sometimes disclose a little more information, but not much. So it was fun to sit with Jay in the theater and hang out, especially since he and I egg each other on with laughter, which there was plenty of during Lemmy.

Two more days to go. I think I'm going to be watching the other Netflix movies tomorrow in lieu of going to the theater, and I'm done obsessing over the number of films I see this year. To evoke one of my least favorite sayings of all time: "It is what it is."

MFF Film Review - Winnebago Man

2010-10-02T20:47:00.003-05:00

WINNEBAGO MAN
2009

Director: Ben Steinbauer

Jack Rebney has been called "The Angriest RV Salesman in the World" and "Winnebago Man" ever since outtakes of a Winnebago industrial sales movie he filmed in 1989 went viral. It started as blurry VHS tapes that people copied and passed around to others, until the advent of You Tube turned them viral, seen by millions of people worldwide. What makes the videos so infectious is that Rebney, when he messes up, lets out foul-mouthed diatribes and throws his body around so much that one can't help but laugh at this middle aged guy who is just plain pissed off. Winnebago Man seeks to track this Internet legend down and get the story behind the more than 20 year old footage and find out if Rebney is, indeed, the angriest man in the world.

Winnebago Man is an interesting documentary that provides a lot of laughs, but some of them are a little uncomfortable. Director Ben Steinbauer, who conceived of this project as a long-time fan of Rebney's videos, perhaps gets a little more than he bargains for in the more than two years he spent making the film. The beginning of the film is hilarious, depicting the history of the spread of the videos, showing (hilarious to the point of tears) response videos and interviews with Rebney fans who are in the entertainment industry. Steinbauer conducts an exhaustive and admirably ambitious search to find Rebney, who had seemingly dropped off the face of the earth, but in actuality, was actually living on top of a mountain. At first, Rebney's behavior and plain talk are really funny, but after a while, the more that becomes apparent about his life, the more dark the tone seems to become. Steinbauer and Rebney have two completely different agendas: Steinbauer seems conflicted with whether he wants to exploit Rebney or honor him (or a little of both) and Rebney feels like he's doing Steinbauer a favor and therefore only wants to talk about his political views and how much he hates Dick Cheney and big business.

The film starts out strong, perhaps because it is entertaining and fast paced, but it kind of loses its way in the middle, where it was difficult to see what direction it was going to take, and as a result, seemed to stall for a while. The end of the film, which takes place at the Found Footage Film Festival in San Francisco, brings the film back on track for the most part, and Steinbauer seems to achieve his thesis, (though it would have been nice to have been informed of what it was earlier) that people may laugh at him, but it's not out of malevolence, it's because they are fans, and I think that his ultimate accomplishment was being able to show this to Rebney himself.

Winnebago Man is a far from perfect film, but it is more thought-provoking than I thought it was going to be. During the film, I found myself reflecting on why I was laughing at this foul-mouthed 76 year old and if it was okay or just kind of sad and immature. That is for the viewer to decide, but if nothing else, Winnebago Man is a fairly entertaining reflection and investigation on modern pop culture history.

MFF Ballot Vote: 3
My Scale: 3

MFF Film Review - Feed the Fish

2010-10-02T20:35:00.004-05:00

FEED THE FISH
2009

Director: Michael Matzdorff
Screenwriter: Michael Matzdorff
Starring: Ross Partridge, Tony Shalhoub

Joe Peterson (Ross Partridge), a "tough love" children's' book author who is suffering from writer's block leaves his Venice, California home to vacation in Sturgeon Bay, WI with his girlfriend's brother JP. (Michael Chernus) JP's agenda is to train for and participate in the annual Christmas day Polar Bear Plunge, and Joe is hoping to gain creative inspiration. When an accident lands JP in the hospital, Joe is forced to fend for himself and begins to befriend some of the locals, including the sheriff (Tony Shalhoub) and his daughter Sif (Katie Aselton) who quickly becomes a love interest.

Feed the Fish is a charming little film that celebrates the beauty of northern Wisconsin while maintaining a sense of humor about how freakin' cold it can get in December. Director/writer Michael Matzdorff presents funny characters who are heavy on the charm and light on small town "crazy local" stereotypes. Patridge is appealing, and conveys "fish out of water" without stooping to a gawking figure who just looks amazed at everything. Shalhoub is awesome as a cranky sheriff who is overprotective of his daughter, and seems to have fun with the role. The plot is simple, sometimes almost too simple, with unanswered questions at the end that, while normally appealing in other kinds of films, just seemed like an oversight in this one. I think that there is a desire to see romantic comedies wrapped up in a little package, and this one didn't quite get the ribbon right.

Feed the Fish isn't rocket science, and I didn't walk out of it with a revelatory feeling as if I had seen an amazing and important film, but overall, it was well done and enjoyable. Sometimes that's all we really need in a film.

MFF Ballot Vote: 3
My Scale: 3

The 2nd Annual Milwaukee Film Festival Day 8

2010-10-01T13:11:00.004-05:00

I do feel pretty recharged, so I think that despite the fact that I feel I missed out on some movies the last two days, it was a good decision to catch up on my writing, etc. Past years, it sometimes took weeks after the festival to get caught up on everything, so I feel like I'm in a really good place. After counting the remaining movies I have scheduled to attend, I'm going to be less than 30 (28 to be exact) but I'm not going to beat myself up about that since that's still the most films I've ever seen at a film festival.

In an effort to ensure that I get a seat at Feed the Fish, I decided to skip the early show and come to the theater early, which turned out to be a great idea since it is packed. I was in the ladies' room before I saw the line and overheard two teenage girls saying, "What the hell is Feed the Fish?!" I knew it was going to be a sold out show, but didn't know it was going to be insanity.

I'm normally one of a few pass holders in most screenings, but this time I was in line with about 40 other pass holders. Craziness. I still got the seat I was gunning for though, since it wasn't in the stadium seating part. Of course, I not only had to share the seat next to me, but they apparently had to bring some chairs in as well.

Yikes, I was just inadvertently in a picture that three old ladies in front of me had taken. (Who does that?!) Though it wasn't my choice to be in the picture, my Dad, The Mad Photo Bomber would be proud.

Thank god for roomy seats, because I am officially a sardine at this point. Unfortunately, the guy next to me is maniacally rocking back and forth so it's shaking my seat as well, and I don't think the list of symptoms on the bottle of Alleve I just dug out of my messenger bag is "motion sickness". I'd tell the guy to knock it off but I guess that's what rocking seats are for - working out your aggression and making the person next to you seasick.

Waiting for the film to start, I have to wonder what the draw is for this film, since it was sold out before the festival even began. Maybe because of the Wisconsin connection? I also spotted Ruth Schudson, Bernice from the film Baraboo, in the audience.

Woohoo! Tony Shalhoub is here. I'll admit to getting a little giddy about it, and even more giddy after the film when our paths crossed and I introduced myself and shook his hand. Tremendous. Really nice guy - so "normal". The talkback with he and the film's director, Michael Matzdorff was great - Shalhoub kept taking more and more questions. Too bad the Marcus theater couldn't figure out how to get the house lights up because it was just unprofessional and lame to look at shadowy figures in front of us instead of their faces. I couldn't even take a picture with the flash going.

The late show of the evening was Winnebago Man and I was immediately put on notice by the entry of two douchebags who were so drunk that I could smell the alcohol all the way across the theater the instant they stumbled in. Of course, the warbled, "I'm too drunk to watch this HAHAHAHA!" would have been an additional clue. The theater filled up pretty fast, and the audience was a mixture of some people who were juvenile enough to find yelling, "Winnebago!!" 45 times really funny, and regular schmucks like me who just thought it was an interesting subject. The movie was short, but it was late, so when they announced there was a short beforehand I almost fell out of my seat. Oh well, I still got out of there just before midnight.

MFF Film Review - Ajami

2010-09-30T17:10:00.003-05:00

AJAMI
2009

(Hebrew & Arabic with English subtitles)

Directors: Scandar Copti, Yaron Shani
Screenwriters: Scandar Copti, Yaron Shani
Starring: Shahir Kabaha, Fouad Habash

Ajami is a film in five chapters set in the West Bank on both the Israel and Palestinian sides. (The title refers to the neighborhood a couple of the stories are set in.) The five stories are all interwoven, with shared characters that, with each progressive chapter, become more fleshed out and motivations become apparent. The stories include two brothers who strive for survival after their uncle injures a member of a powerful clan, an Israeli policeman looking for his missing brother who is a soldier in the Israeli army, and a love story between a man of Muslim faith and a Christian woman, which is forbidden (or at the very least, frowned upon) in the West Bank.

Ajami is non-linear, with characters returning when you least expect them to, and the stories and actors weave seamlessly among one another. No real actors were used, only local residents, which is quite shocking based on the depth and strength of all of the performances. Every story, though approximately 20 minutes long each, were rich and full-bodied due to the excellent screenplay by writer/directors Copti & Shani. Though the subject matter was very heavy and involved some politics and nuances that may have gone past me a bit, Ajami was riveting from start to finish, a real accomplishment for a film so dense and complicated.

The winner of several Israel Academy Awards, and nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Film, Ajami is like the 2004 film Crash, only good. It gets its point(s) across without heavy-handedness and literally had me holding my breath at the end, so intense and impactful the entire experience was. Ajami is not for anyone looking for levity in a film, but the film is so good, it really should be experienced.

My Scale: 4

MFF Film Review - Soundtrack for a Revolution

2010-09-30T16:51:00.004-05:00

SOUNDTRACK FOR A REVOLUTION
2009

Directors: Dan Sturman, William Guttentag

Soundtrack for a Revolution examines the impact of protest music on the Civil Rights Movement. Interviews with student movement leaders and activists including Julian Bond and Coretta Scott King provide personal accounts of the non-violent protests and the evolution of the rise of Martin Luther King as the leader of the movement. News stories, photographs and archival footage show evidence of the stories being told. Also featured are current artists, including Joss Stone, John Legend and The Roots, who perform some of the songs sung by the hundreds of protesters more than forty years ago.

Like another film I recently screened at the Milwaukee Film Festival, Freedom Riders, Soundtrack for a Revolution is a powerful documentary about a turbulent and important piece of 20th century history; in fact, the broad series of events covered include the subject of the freedom rides. If anything, the photographs documenting those events were more effective than some of those used in the former film, which is an impressive achievement.

The modern-day performances were handled well; they could have brought the documentary to a screaming halt each time. Rather, it was a nice marriage of contemporary soulful singers and the past, with very little time spent showing the singer(s), instead just listening to the song with accompanying historical footage.

One of the things that hit me hardest about Soundtrack for a Revolution is that it both educates and shows the struggle people made to make the United States a better place. However, it also is self-aware enough to show that some of the principle figures learned that through music, their forefathers could provide tools for them to survive. One of the interviewees pointed out that the majority of the protest songs were derived from old negro slave spirituals and his generation had completely discounted them until they were embroiled in the Civil Rights Movement. It was only then that they truly grasped the strength the words and music provided. I love that the film, as a documentary, strives to serve as a historical educational tool, yet also shows that its subjects turned to history as well.

Soundtrack for a Revolution is a first-rate documentary that documents one of the most important eras in American history, and shows ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Rather than simply documenting the horrifying struggle, Soundtrack for a Revolution is incredibly inspirational and ultimately, sublimely triumphant.

My Scale: 4

The 2nd Annual Milwaukee Film Festival Days 6&7

2010-09-29T20:39:00.005-05:00

Nothing really to see here! I decided that it would be best to spend a day or two getting caught up with all of my writing and reviews, plus get a few things done around the house as well, so I took Tues. & Wed. off to write, write some more and recharge. I also found a couple of the films on Netflix instant so I am lucky enough to watch about 3 of them here and experience other films in the theater instead. All told, I think I'll still hit my goal of seeing 30 films during the festival.

MFF Film Review - Breathless (1960)

2010-09-29T20:39:00.003-05:00

BREATHLESS (1960)
2010 Restoration

(French with English subtitles)

Director: Jean-Luc Godard
Screenwriter: Jean-Luc Godard (Story by Francois Truffaut)
Starring: Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jean Seberg

(Note: this is not so much a review as just a few thoughts about the film, since there have been about 3 million reviews written about this film in the past 50 years)

Michel (Belmondo) is a car thief who, while joyriding in his latest acquisition, shoots and kills a policeman. When he returns to Paris, he tries to secure money owed to him, avoid the law and convince one of his former lovers, Patricia (Seberg) an American journalist and student, to join him in Italy so he can hide out.

Breathless is absolutely exquisite, and a gleaming example of the French New Wave film movement, by its leading director, Jean-Luc Godard. In crisp black and white, beautifully photographed with quick, jarring edits, Breathless is contradictory with its pacing. Some scenes are fast-paced and set on the busy streets of Paris, with an incredible jazz soundtrack screaming over the action, while others are quiet and intimate between Michel and Patricia in her room. It's really amazing to realize that Breathless is 50 years old because it seems absolutely timeless; everything about the film is hipster-cool and barely dated.

The French New Wave is not a movement for everyone, but those, like me, who are devoted to it as an art form should not miss this beautiful restoration; it is absolutely breathtaking and it makes me want to crack open my vintage French New Wave film books again.

MFF Ballot Vote: 5
My Scale: 5

MFF Film Review - Only When I Dance

2010-09-29T20:15:00.003-05:00

ONLY WHEN I DANCE
2009

(English/Portuguese with English subtitles)

Director: Beadie Finzie

Only When I Dance is a documentary focusing on two Brazilian teens; one boy, Irlan, and one girl, Isabella who are transcending the "white, wealthy" stereotype of ballet students and vying for positions with international dance companies in order to escape the favelas they live in. Irlan is a breathtaking dancer and has opportunities lined up for him, whereas Isabella struggles with having her talent overshadowed by racism (she's black) and body issues; despite her talent and strong body, everyone is telling her she needs to lose weight (whereas in real life, she would be perceived as thin.) What Irlan and Isabella have in common, however, are their poor financial backgrounds and the unwavering support of their parents, who sacrifice everything so their children can dance.

The film is a good documentary that really gives the audience a taste of where the subjects come from and the environmental challenges they are forced to overcome. Overcrowded schools filled with rowdy kids that spill into streets where many male youth end up on the wrong side of the law or dead is difficult for those who are disciplined and focused enough to thrive in their chosen field. By contrast, the dance school acts as a sanctuary, where the students can concentrate on their craft and be mentored by their instructors.

Only When I Dance succeeds in not being afraid to show every side to the principle subjects; the headmistress mentions the fact that she's "nouveau riche" more than once and alludes to money throughout the film, Irlan, with all of his sweetness, seems to have a bit of an ego, and Isabella, suffering a loss, is shown feeling really sorry for herself, much to the irritation of her fellow dancers. This makes the film and its subjects multidimensional and interesting, and I think is an improvement over sentimentality, which is infectious, but should not be the overwhelming conceit of a documentary film. Only When I Dance is uplifting, nonetheless and very enjoyable.

MFF Ballot Vote: 4
My Scale: 3 1/2

MFF Film Review - Monica & David

2010-09-29T19:48:00.004-05:00

MONICA & DAVID
2009

Director: Alexandra Codina

Side note - if anyone is interested in seeing this film, it will be aired on HBO on October 14, 2010

Monica & David is a documentary about a great love story. What makes it different is that Monica and David both have Down syndrome and while they are unable to live on their own as a couple, decide to marry. An examination of the lives of two very special people who are very much in love, Monica & David is a film that shows love can transcend most barriers.

Director Alexandra Codina, Monica's first cousin, noted in a talk back following the screening I attended that she made the film to show those who are against marriage among the intellectual disabled that these relationships, with the right support, can not only work, but flourish. The key factor, however, is support, and though there are many challenges, the environment that Monica and David live in is nearly ideal. Monica's mother, foreseeing the challenges her daughter would face, both emotionally and financially, created a solid and protective world for Monica that affords her comfort and security. She and David are able to live with Monica's parents, and even have their own wing at their apartment at the beach. The family does face challenges and concern while caring for Monica and David and I don't want to downplay the difficulties they face, but it's absolutely wonderful that the two are able to flourish in their world, but it appears to be more ideal than the norm.

Having said that, I really enjoyed Monica & David. The film also shines a light on the issue of dignity and the desire the disabled have to be productive members of society and the need for jobs for this demographic. Monica & David is a delightful film, and it's clear why it has been a festival circuit hit, including at its Tribeca premiere where it had 9 sold out screenings. Monica & David is sweet and charming, which are perfect adjectives to describe the film's couple. The love they have for another is very beautiful and I'm sure a lot of preconceptions about people with Down syndrome will be shattered once people see it.

MFF Ballot Vote: 4
My Scale: 3

The 2nd Annual Milwaukee Film Festival Day 5

2010-09-29T19:30:00.003-05:00

Three promising films on tap today, including the film that I've been waiting the most to see since the films were announced, Breathless. Fatigue is really setting in, and I think I'm going to need to take some time off soon in order to catch up with writing and just generally recharge. I think it probably sounds funny to someone that attending a film festival is exhausting work; you're sitting in a theater after all, but it genuinely is.

The first film of the day is Monica & David, which is a documentary about a couple with Down's Syndrome who get married. The film's subjects are here, as is the director, and I actually found this out because I saw them walking to the theater in the parking lot. They looked really sweet, chatting and holding hands. The talk back following the film was very interesting - I know that I miss out on a lot of director/actor talk backs by staying at the North Shore theater because I think there are a bunch of them that attend screenings at the Oriental, but I have appreciated the ones I've been able to see and hope that the festival continues to offer those. I still regret not being able to see Susan Sarandon, but it was announced too late for me to be able to change my film schedule without blowing out the whole day, so I had to weigh what was most important to me - seeing films or listening to Sarandon and screening one of my least favorite of her films.

Then there's a documentary about two ballet dancers in Brazil that I'm only seeing because it's between two films I scheduled, but if history has told me anything, I'll probably end up loving it because I started out lukewarm on it. It seems that I've encountered at least a dozen or two of films in the six years I've covered the festival where some of the best movies came out of nowhere and were originally time fillers.

Finally, there's Breathless, that I'm really glad isn't going to be in the Ultrascreen since the aspect ratio would be all weird on that big screen. I'm a huge French New Wave fan, and Breathless has been on my "must watch" list forever, so when I saw that the festival was going to offer the newly restored version it quickly shot up to being the #1 film I wanted to see. There was a great crowd for it, which was really encouraging since I immediately felt a common bond with everyone there, because they not only came out to a 9pm show on a school night for a classic movie, but a classic French movie to boot, which is all good in my opinion.

By the end of the night I was Fidgety McSquirmsalot and while I was loving the movie, was wanting to get the hell out of there, so I can tell it's definitely time for a break and regroup day.

MFF Film Review - The Revenant

2010-09-29T10:22:00.003-05:00

THE REVENANT
2009

Director: Kerry Prior
Screenwriter: Kerry Prior
Starring: David Anders, Chris Wylde

A revenant is a living dead creature, not quite a zombie, and not quite a vampire, but it needs blood to survive or its body will continue to rapidly decompose. Though the rules are not completely clear, the way to kill one is to drive a stake through its chest and cut off its head. In the film The Revenant, David Anders plays Bart, a soldier killed in Iraq who wakes up in a grave and has no idea what's happened to him. It's only after he visits his best friend Joey (Chris Wylde) that he realizes he's actually dead, despite the fact that he's walking around and interacting with people (though his smell isn't so great). After the initial shock over the situation, Bart and Joey figure out how to keep Bart going, which involves draining humans of their blood, so they set off on a killing spree, but kill two birds with one stone, killing druggies, thieves and murderers, attracting the attention of the police and media who dub them, "The Vigilante Gunslingers."

The Revenant is a buddy movie of a completely different order, and there are things to like about it and things that left me cold. (Pun intended) Director Kerry Prior, who also attended the screening I went to makes a decent directorial debut. The film's attributes are not its superior acting, (though the acting was decent) but its premise of zombie/vampire guy as rogue superhero. I think that is a fun premise and it made for a lot of entertaining and funny scenes, but the most honest word I can think of to describe most of the film is "juvenile", which isn't always a bad thing but can get tiresome after a while.

The Revenant is certainly a genre film, and will be enjoyed by lovers of horror-comedy fare. While not as clever as another horror-comedy film, Shaun of the Dead, The Revenant is a solid contribution. There are major gross-out moments and it's certainly not for the squeamish, particularly those who have disgusting bodily fluid or dismemberment issues.

I love great monster movies, particularly zombie films, but I wouldn't call myself a big fan of the horror genre as a whole. I think The Revenant lacks enough general appeal for a mainstream audience, but that it will be wildly successful with horror-comedy fans and may even become a cult classic.

MFF Ballot Vote: 3
My Scale: 2 1/2