Category Archives: 2015 Films

2015 Films, Drama, Favorite Film of the Year, Independent, Independent Drama, LGBTQ+ Drama, LGBTQ+ Films, Romantic Drama, Top 250 Films

Carol-2015

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Carol-2015

Director Todd Haynes

Starring Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara

Top 250 Films #117

Scott’s Review #308

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Reviewed December 27, 2015

Grade: A

I’d compare this film to Brokeback Mountain (2005), but with a female lead.

Carol is a story of hidden romance and secret lives in the early 1950s, when it was difficult to lead an alternative lifestyle openly (or even in hiding!).

The film is a marvel of honest storytelling, exquisite class, and grace, with excellent cinematography and a heartwarming tale.

Todd Haynes directs Carol, a director known for films about doomed romances facing societal challenges. Carol is a wonderful film.

The film features two equal female leads: Carol Aird (Cate Blanchett), a gorgeous, sophisticated socialite.  She exudes confidence and style in everything that she does.

Always perfectly dressed and well made up, with manicured fingernails, her mannerisms convey confidence and control.

She is married to a wealthy businessman, Harge (Kyle Chandler), who is madly in love with her, yet they are divorcing because of her “problem”.

The fact that Carol is a lesbian is known to Harge, and they share somewhat of an understanding and a five-year-old daughter. Their divorce is difficult.

Therese Belevit (Rooney Mara) is the polar opposite of Carol.

Young and naïve, she is a part-time shopgirl, fascinated by photography. She dates men and goes to parties, living out a typical young girl’s life.

When Carol and Therese meet at the store where Therese works, they are immediately enamored with one another, and a friendship develops. Both seem caught off guard, and the chemistry between the two actresses sizzles.

The focus is the budding romance between Carol and Therese, and the societal differences they face, including the age gap between them.

I found the chemistry between Blanchett and Mara quite evident.

Worlds apart, the two women somehow find each other and form a bond. Their relationship is tender, gentle, and carefully presented to the audience. They are neither animalistic nor barbaric in a sexual way, but rather sweet.

When Therese takes a spontaneous car trip from New York to Chicago, conflict develops with her boyfriend, Richard.

He wants them to run off to Paris, but Therese wants to be with Carol. He breaks up with Therese and accuses her of having a crush on Carol.

Therese and Carol’s romance is finally consummated in a Midwestern hotel. It is New Year’s Eve, and Todd Haynes shoots this scene in a romantic, spontaneous way.

They are celebrating the holiday, but both are blue and vulnerable. It makes perfect sense that they would turn to one another.

The film explores many emotions Carol and Therese face: love, glee, anger, rage, confusion, rejection, and loneliness. These emotions and the film’s tone are why it succeeds.

From an acting perspective, both Blanchett and Mara are great, but I prefer Blanchett’s performance. She embodies this character.

From when she orders a martini dry with one olive, to how she brazenly approaches Therese, she is a woman in control. But when family issues arise, she becomes vulnerable, and we see her as human.

Beyond the interesting story of a love facing many challenges, the film’s look is grand. The sets, hairstyles, clothes, and makeup are graceful and rich.

Overall, everyone looks great, and it paints a perfect picture of the 1950s.

A progressive Hollywood tale, Carol showcases glamour and great acting, and sends a powerful message of acceptance and struggle during a difficult time to be “different” and fulfill one’s life.

Oscar Nominations: Best Actress-Cate Blanchett, Best Supporting Actress-Rooney Mara, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: 1 win-Best Feature, Best Director-Todd Haynes, Best Female Lead-Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography (won)

2015 Films, Thriller, Top 250 Films, Western, Winter

The Hateful Eight-2015

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The Hateful Eight-2015

Director Quentin Tarantino

Starring Kurt Russell, Samuel L. Jackson

Top 250 Films #172

Scott’s Review #319

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Reviewed January 3, 2016

Grade: A

Quentin Tarantino does it again!

The modern equivalent of Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick, David Lynch, or any of the great directors, his films are an experience to be reveled in.

The viewer is taken to another world and experiences a great fantasy.

This time he dives into western territory with The Hateful Eight (2015), a brutal tale of eight strangers holed up in a shelter during a Wyoming blizzard shortly after the Civil War.

The film delivers blood, unique characters, and brilliant writing.

We are introduced to Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson) and John “The Hangman” (Kurt Russell) early on, as Marquis hitches a ride on John’s stagecoach.

They are bounty hunters heading to Red Rock to deliver their prisoners and collect a large loot. Marquis has three dead bodies, but John has captured brutal female criminal Daisy Domergue, played wonderfully by Jennifer Jason Leigh, alive and well.

The group then picks up the new Red Rock sheriff, Chris Mannix, who is headed there to take the job.

Everyone is in a panic to reach safety before a vicious blizzard hits, and the group comes to a shelter where they meet the other film principals, Joe Gage (Michael Madsen), Oswaldo (Tim Roth), Marco the Mexican (Demian Bichir), and General Sandy Smithers (Bruce Dern).

These eight make up “The Hateful Eight” in the title.

The setting could not be better. The cold, wintry blizzard and the grand mountains of the West are authentic. However, most of the film is set inside Minnie’s Haberdashery, an inn where the eight (and some others) spend most of the film.

I found the setting tremendously effective: the howling wind, the driving snow through the windows, the glowing warmth of the lighting, and the hot, steaming, soothing stew and coffee that they eat and drink, ingeniously featured throughout the film.

These hot and cold elements contrast so well.

Shot on 70 mm film for a widescreen, epic look, the film succeeds in the snowy outdoor scenes, though I am not sure I would notice this camera style without it being touted at release.

The characters bristle with authenticity and engagement, and each one is interesting in their own right- even the secondary characters.

My favorites are John “The Hangman”, Daisy, Marquis, and Sandy Smithers. John is probably the most likable character of the bunch and Kurt Russell (almost unrecognizable under the thick beard), gives the character charm and wit.

As the story unfolds, each character is mysterious, and their motives unclear, which makes the film fun. Are some in secret cahoots with others? When someone poisons the coffee, a whodunit erupts.

This is the beauty- the characters’ motivations slowly come into play, and a slow reveal occurs.

The gore/violence is fantastic. Without revealing too much, there are many deaths, and the film is non-linear, with the middle portion of the story occurring before the first section.

To keep things organized, Tarantino divides it into chapters, and over three hours long, the film is a monster.

I like how Tarantino features an interracial relationship (black inn owner Minnie and her white husband).

Favorite scenes include the vomiting blood sequence and the brutal scene of the severing of a character’s arm.  There is also the scene of Marquis dragging a victimized, naked soldier through the snow that is intense and shocking, involving brutal sodomy.

As with all of Tarantino’s films, the characters are cartoonish and not to be taken completely seriously, and the violence will undoubtedly offend some, but that is the beauty of his films.

This is a masterful work by a masterful modern director.

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Supporting Actress-Jennifer Jason Leigh, Best Original Score (won), Best Cinematography

2015 Films, Documentary

Hitchcock/Truffaut-2015

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Hitchcock/Truffaut -2015

Director Kent Jones

Scott’s Review #933

Reviewed August 21, 2019

Grade: B+

A documentary about film and filmmaking is a worthy watch for any rabid lover of cinema, and when the subject at hand is Alfred Hitchcock, any fan must certainly chomp.

I remember Hitchcock/Truffaut (2015) playing at my local independent theater at release, but I missed my chance to see it.

With that misstep undone, the work is fine, and the result is an abundance of riches, serving as a fly on the wall for those who want to listen to two geniuses speak, or watch clips of great films and revel in the creativity.

Already having a hefty knowledge of Hitchcock doesn’t dull my perspective, nor do I take the appreciation for granted.

For an entry-level fan of the director or French film director Francois Truffaut, the title belongs on one’s “to see” list.

The documentary inspires and satisfies cinema lovers. Billed as side-by-side directors in the title, the documentary treats Hitchcock as the teacher and Truffaut as the student, especially given the age difference between the two men.

Truffaut interviewed Hitchcock in 1962 during a week-long discussion in a windowless Hollywood office, where the former soaked up the latter’s knowledge and perspective like a sponge.

Truffaut was already a well-regarded filmmaker at age thirty-two, with gems like The 400 Blows (1959) under his belt.

Truffaut later wrote a book about his conversations with Hitchcock, and director Kent Jones brings it to life as a documentary, explaining why the book had such a tremendous impact on cinema while teaching audiences a thing or two about the movies.

The production analyzes filmmaking from technique to style to clothing, actors, and in between.

The main crux is the technique Hitchcock used to create tension and suspense, manipulating the audience every step of the way.

A plethora of his films are featured, which is a personal joy to see; most importantly, the documentary is clever enough to build to Hitchcock’s most memorable sequence of all: the shower sequence in Psycho (1960), the director’s most recent film, and now, easily his most notorious.

Hollywood titans such as Martin Scorsese, David Fincher, Wes Anderson, and Richard Linklater, arguably geniuses, explain the influence Hitchcock had on them.

Listening to these formidable directors whimsically praise and dissect Hitchcock’s analysis, and explain how he helped them blossom, is a wonderful experience.

Hitchcock/Truffaut (2015) is a treat for die-hard fans of Hitchcock, Truffaut, or both.

Conversations and interviews with other famous directors show the heavy influence, love, and appreciation for an ingenious suspense director and an equally unique French New Wave director.

A thirty-two-year age difference separated the two men, but they appear as natural as close colleagues.

Great minds do think alike.

2015 Films, Austrian, Horror, International, International Horror, Psychological Horror

Goodnight Mommy-2015

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Goodnight Mommy-2015

Directors Severin Fiala, Veronika Franz

Starring Susanne Wuest

Scott’s Review #833

Reviewed November 21, 2018

Grade: B

Goodnight Mommy (2015) is an Austrian film not for the faint of heart nor the squeamish.

Being a seasoned viewer of diverse, bizarre, and otherwise unpleasant cinematic experiences, I found the film a tough watch.

Universally lauded and even submitted as Austria’s Foreign Language entry for the Academy Awards, the film is rather pointless and gratuitous in its torture scenes.

Still, the film stayed with me days later, and that was a good thing.

In a peculiar and unclear story opening, we witness a mother (Severin Fiala) and nine-year-old twin sons (Lukas and Elias Schwarz), residing in a remote lakeside location surrounded by cornfields and nature.

The mother (character unnamed) is disfigured and wrapped in bandages, with only her eyes and mouth revealed, a haunting and grotesque image.

The twins, Elias and Lukas, are disturbed by her appearance and grow concerned when she begins acting strangely, ignoring Lukas entirely and repeatedly chastising Elias.

Through a game that the mother and twins play, the audience learns that the woman is a television personality- has she had a facelift of her choosing, or has she been in an accident?

As she acts cruelly and selfishly towards the twins, they begin to question whether the woman is their mother or a fake.

They become determined to find out at all costs, turning the tables on the mother and resorting to torturous methods to get the truth out of her.

A few positives for me in Goodnight Mommy are as follows.

The Austrian setting and language are huge strengths that add to the film’s overall mystique.

The unfamiliar (to me) speech and the remote modern home that the mother uses as a sanctuary work very well.  Loneliness and isolation infuse the film, adding a measure of dread.

The way the plot unfolds and the circumstances are slowly revealed is good.

The hows and whys of the mother’s surgery come to light, and allegiances shift from the boys to the mothers throughout the film, which I found interesting.

The major negatives are the twins’ motivations and the big reveal at the end of the film, a reveal easily figured out within the first portion of the running time.

Though not shocking, the revelation only complicates those motivations, and it raises questions. Is one of the twins just plain crazy? Who is the woman in the photo, dressed exactly like the mother?

If this is a red herring, no wonder the twins think this woman is impersonating their mother. The mother not being able to escape the twins’ clutches is a bit hard to swallow- remember they are only nine years old!

The torture scenes are brutal for the audience to endure. As Elias and Lukas tie their mother to her bedpost and demand she reveal she is not their mother, the methods they resort to are devious and cringe-worthy.

Prolonged in nature so that the viewer feels they are also being tortured, when the twins burn her face with a magnifying glass, the process is slow and excruciating.

Later, they decide to superglue her mouth shut, and when they realize she cannot eat, they sever the glue with scissors, leading to a bloody mess.

These scenes are tough to take.

The point of Goodnight Mommy (2015) seems rather, well, pointless. Torture for the sake of torture and many plot holes or story-dictated plot devices- who did not think that the Red Cross would fail in rescuing the mother?

Nonetheless, the film does contain a mystique and an unnerving, haunting quality.

The viewer will undoubtedly keep thinking about the subject matter and the ending, especially the final still frame.

2015 Films, Horror, International, International Horror, Musical, Polish, Vampire

The Lure-2015

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The Lure-2015

Director Agnieszka Smoczynska

Starring Michalina Olszanska, Marta Mazurek

Scott’s Review #741

Reviewed April 12, 2018

Grade: B

2015’s The Lure is as odd a film as one can imagine- dreamlike and sometimes even absurd.

The story mixes a strange blend of the horror genre with musical numbers, but I would wobble to the side of gothic horror for classification purposes.

Oddly enough, some of the choreography numbers are reminiscent of 2016’s La La Land, but that is where the comparison ends, as the former musical numbers are dark and the latter cheery.

A tough film to review, The Lure is rather disjointed, but kudos for creativity and unpredictability.

Bravely directed by a female (more kudos!),  Agnieszka Smoczynska, a Polish filmmaker, the story is a cross between an autobiography of her troubled youth and a retelling of the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale, The Little Mermaid.

Beyond the obvious Polish-language content, the film doesn’t feel particularly Polish; it might have been nice to see more of the culture.

The film immediately gets off to a mysterious start as two teenage girls, later revealed to be mermaids/vampires named Silver and Golden, emerge from the water and follow a rock band back to a tacky nightclub where the band regularly performs for patrons there for the strippers.

It is sometime in the 1980s.

The girls perform music and strip, becoming an act called “The Lure”. While Golden continues to thirst for blood, Silver falls in love with a bassist, causing her to yearn to be a real girl, and subsequently has surgery to remove her tail and grow real-girl legs.

As part of the fairy tale, if her intended marries someone else, Silver will turn into sea foam and die.

The story is perplexing and hard to follow, yet something about it is mesmerizing and escapist.

I wonder if Smoczynska intended the film to make total sense or left it open to a bit of interpretation. The film is a mix of fairy tales and real-life experiences.

Some portions feel dreamlike; for example, the nightclub singer has thoughts or visions involving Silver and Golden, but it is unclear whether she is experiencing reality or imagination.

Props must be given to The Lure for originality alone. The film stirs up multiple genres and creates something truly unique.

In particular, the characters of Silver and Golden are transfixing; at times they are sweet and kind, then their fangs come out at a moment’s notice, revealing evil and a carnivorous bloodthirst and a grotesque, haunting countenance.

Smoczynska’s creation of these characters is awe-inspiring, and the up-and-coming director must have a wealth of imagination.

On the other hand, the plot never really comes together enough to hold the viewer’s attention in a riveting way.

While Silver and Golden are clever characters and we feel some empathy for them, I never felt completely gripped by them. I felt no connection to any of the supporting characters either.

Trying to figure out the plot will only leave the viewer frustrated. I would advise taking The Lure as an experience, not a puzzle to unravel.

The Lure (2015) has elements of immeasurable fascination and an enormous creative edge. Its attempt to blend a unique fable with a disturbing central theme succeeds.

The overall story is too confusing for the average viewer and ultimately drags toward the end, with the climax a wee bit unsatisfying.

A brave and inventive attempt at achieving something fresh and imaginative in cinema.

2015 Films, Drama, Independent, Independent Drama

Chronic-2015

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Chronic-2015

Director Michel Franco

Starring Tim Roth

Scott’s Review #682

Reviewed September 18, 2017

Grade: A-

Chronic (2015) is a brave film, a character study, that offers an in-depth look at the life of a male nurse. He has rich relationships with his patients.

The film also reflects not just the patients’ obvious physical needs, but the strong effects their dying has on the main character.

The film is quite bleak, with a quiet tone and very long scenes with little dialogue, but it’s a treasure in bold storytelling and brazen reflection.

The film is a subdued work requiring attention and focus.

Yes, some would deem Chronic to be slow, and most would describe it as “a downer”, but dismissing the film is a mistake, as it offers rich writing and an in-depth look at a vocation and lifestyle misunderstood or confusing to most people.

Tim Roth, famous for his bad-boy roles, especially in Quentin Tarantino films, does an about-face, delivering a superb, subdued performance as David Wilson, a lonely, depressed nurse in the Los Angeles area.

He is a quiet, kindly man whose internal pain registers on his face as he dutifully treats his mostly close-to-death patients, sometimes attending their funerals after they have expired.

Initially, we meet David as he treats a sickly young woman. Once beautiful, she is now haggard, and I cringed when the woman’s nude, skeleton-like body is on display as David washes her with a washcloth.

The filmmakers do not gloss over his tender attention to her private areas, shot gracefully rather than garishly.

Still, the long scene is frighteningly realistic.

When the woman succumbs to AIDS, David reluctantly becomes involved in a celebratory drink with a newly engaged young couple after he goes to a bar to unwind.

When he pretends the deceased woman is his wife, he receives sympathy, but the couple quickly becomes aloof when he reveals what she died of.

Does he do this purposely to push the couple away? Throughout the film, we realize that David thrives on being with his patients and can do no other work.

In contrast, he has difficulty with relationships with “normal” people.

Perplexities abound in this film, which makes the viewer think and ponder throughout and after the story ends.

For example, David searches a young girl’s Facebook account, looking at her photos; later, he finds the girl, who is studying medicine, and they happily reunite.

Is she his daughter or the daughter of a deceased patient?

Later, David is sued by an affluent family and subsequently fired after he watches porn with an older man to lift his spirits. There is a glimmer of uncertainty where we are not sure what David’s sexual orientation is.

In the most heartbreaking sequence of all, David begins caring for a middle-aged woman with progressive cancer.

Martha (Robin Bartlett) is strong-willed and no-nonsense and makes the painful decision not to continue with chemotherapy after suffering chronic nausea and later soiling herself.

It is apparent that her family only visits her out of obligation, as she lies to them that her cancer is gone and she is in the clear. She then pleads with David to end her life with dignity using a heavy dose of morphine- the sequence is heartbreaking.

The final scene will blow you away, and I didn’t see this conclusion coming. The event left me questioning the entire film, wondering how all the pieces fit together.

Surely, being overlooked for an Oscar nomination, Tim Roth proves he is a layered, complex, full-fledged actor in a painful yet necessary story called Chronic (2015).

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best Feature, Best Male Lead-Tim Roth

2015 Films, Drama, Independent, Independent Drama

I Smile Back-2015

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I Smile Back-2015

Director Adam Salky

Starring Sarah Silverman

Scott’s Review #654

Reviewed June 13, 2017

Grade: B+

As a fan of Sarah Silverman, the comedienne, I was eager to see the 2015 film I Smile Back, which earned her a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination.

Silverman tackles a heavy dramatic role in a film that teeters on being a pure “downer.” Fans expecting the actress’s comic wit may not find it.

Instead, I embraced the performance and found the film a treat, thanks to Silverman’s powerful work. She nails the part and carries it to success.

I Smile Back is a small film that I wish had garnered more viewers.

Laney Brooks (Silverman) appears to have it all. She lives an affluent existence in Westchester County, New York, with her handsome husband, Bruce (Josh Charles), and their two young children.

With a gorgeous house, dinner parties, and friends, who could ask for anything more?

Bored and troubled by a tough childhood and “daddy issues,” Laney tends to drink too much, abuse drugs and prescription pills, and carry on an affair with her best friend’s husband, all while managing to run a household.

As she spirals down a darker path, Laney watches her perfect world crumble around her.

Throughout the film, I asked, “Are we supposed to root for Laney or dislike her?”

Director Adam Salky does not make it easy to like her.

In addition to her substance abuse (or overuse), Laney is rather selfish.

From the small scenes when Laney drops off her kids from school and is annoyed when the crossing guard and a teacher refuse to give her special treatment, she mutters insults under her breath as she grabs a cigarette and heads for her scandalous rendezvous.

But when she is put in great peril later in the film, following one of her benders, I could not help but feel deep sympathy for her.

It is a bit unclear what the audience should feel.

This leads me to conclude that the film belongs to Silverman. What impresses me most is how believable she is in most scenes.

She packs creative lunches for her kids and plays fun birthday cake decorating games with them, but in the next breath snorts cocaine and rails at a neighbor lady for not celebrating Thanksgiving.

Thanks to Silverman, she plays these scenes with gusto.

Some critics have complained about the script, but I find no real fault. While not the strongest element, it is fine, nonetheless.

I Smile Back is a low-budget indie drama that serves its purpose- it does not delve too deeply into the hows and whys of her addiction, and a nice scene with Laney’s father (Chris Sarandon) offers no concrete evidence of why this man drove her to drugs through his abandonment.

The film seems to be more about proving a good performance by Silverman than anything else.

Sarah Silverman commands great respect for her dark portrayal in I Smile Back.

This role, combined with her recent turn in Showtime’s Masters of Sex, where she portrays a pregnant lesbian in the 1960s, proves she has what it takes to compete with today’s great dramatic actresses.

She is much more than a stand-up comic. Here’s to hoping for more drama from this talented lady in the years ahead.

2015 Films, Drama, Independent, Independent Drama

99 Homes-2015

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99 Homes-2015

Director Ramin Bahrani

Starring Andrew Garfield, Michael Shannon

Scott’s Review #633

Reviewed April 13, 2017

Grade: B+

99 Homes is a 2015 independent film whose central message is morality, bubbling to the surface throughout.

Our main hero faces a major dilemma.

Set in 2010 amid the dark housing-market crisis that left thousands of families facing foreclosure, the film is depressing but turns uplifting toward the end.

Reminiscent of The Big Short (2015) and Inside Job (2010) in subject matter, the film delivers a wonderful lead performance from Andrew Garfield, with a worthy supporting turn from Michael Shannon as an opportunist.

Director Ramin Bahrani immediately creates tension with a taut musical score that bombards the screen.

We see a poor victim of foreclosure, having shot himself to avoid the humiliation of being evicted from his home, followed by the introduction of a powerful real-estate mogul, Rick Carver.

Carver has wisely capitalized on Florida’s slew of working-class families living well beyond their means and novice homeowners, booted from their homes by adjustable mortgages they cannot afford.

Andrew Garfield plays Dennis Nash, a struggling construction worker, raising his young son and presumably supporting his mother (Laura Dern).

They are fated to be evicted even though they have tried to win an extension with the court- months behind on their mortgage payments. They feel victimized and are forced to move to a seedy motel that houses many others in the same circumstances.

Desperate for work, Dennis ironically ends up working for Rick and becomes encased in the dishonest world of real estate scheming, manipulating banking and government rules at the expense of down-on-their-luck homeowners.

The main point is the exploitation of the “working man” at the expense of “the man,” and Rick exemplifies this beast.

Dennis represents the goodness of humanity as he wrestles with the moral repercussions of evicting families, since he has faced similar circumstances.

Is the money worth the pain and the hardship he causes people? How is it that Rick has no morals, but Dennis does? Will Dennis choose money and lose himself in the process? What would the viewer do?

Despite the moral questions, the film plays like a slick thriller, with a few slight contrivances and a “wrapped up in a neat bow” ending.

This slightly dulls the film at times. It is implied that it ends happily for Dennis and that Rick gets his “just desserts”, but what about the characters kicked out of their homes?

Sadly, as in real life, they are largely forgotten by the end and play as footnotes in a larger story. Some follow-up as to what happens to them might have been nice.

99 Homes is a thinking-man’s film and will undoubtedly leave the viewer asking what they would do in many of the situations Dennis faces.

The emotions ooze from the face of Andrew Garfield as Bahrani uses many close-ups, and enough cannot be said for Garfield’s bravura performance.

In one heart-wrenching scene, he is forced to evict a man and his wife and children from their home; the man is reduced to tears, comforted by his wife-Dennis is pained.

In another, an older man with nowhere to go is evicted and defeated by the side of the road.

These scenes may have played as overwrought, but Garfield convincingly brings honesty and raw emotion to the work.

Laura Dern is good as Lynn, the young mother to Garfield’s Dennis, and I am perplexed why she was cast; she barely seems old enough to play his mom convincingly, but she pulls it off.

However, I couldn’t help but want more from this Oscar-nominated actress. Sure, there is one great scene when Lynn realizes the extent of Dennis’s involvement with Rick, but I wanted more.

Still, the acting all around in this film is superb.

What bothered me most about 99 Homes (2015) is that situations like the ones in the film reflect countless real-life experiences driven by greed, dishonesty, and uncaring people, and that is a sad realization.

Director Bharani, with a stellar cast, brings this realism to the big screen through raw, honest storytelling.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best Supporting Male-Michael Shannon

2015 Films, Comedy, Coming-of-Age, Drama, Independent, Independent Comedy, Independent Drama, San Francisco

The Diary of a Teenage Girl-2015

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The Diary of a Teenage Girl-2015

Director Marielle Heller

Starring Bel Powley

Scott’s Review #614

Reviewed February 2, 2017

Grade: A-

I wasn’t sure what to expect from the Independent Spirit Award-winning film, Diary of a Teenage Girl (2015).

I expected a light-hearted, well-written coming-of-age story, but the film is much darker than I thought, and that is a plus.

The film is edgy.

The central characters have so much depth, and newcomer Bel Powley delivers an incredibly complex performance in the title role.

Stars Kristen Wiig and Alexander Skarsgard also give tremendous performances.

The film is based on Phoebe Gloeckner’s graphic novel The Diary of a Teenage Girl: An Account in Words and Pictures.

Set in 1976 in San Francisco, a time filled with hippies, drugs, music, and life, fifteen-year-old Minnie, an aspiring comic book writer, is as insecure as any typical fifteen-year-old is.

With wide eyes and stringy hair, she is cute but rather quirky-looking, not the prettiest girl in her class, and records her deepest thoughts into a cassette recorder.

Minnie is intelligent and worldly, accepting of alternative lifestyles and drugs. She is wise well beyond her years.

Minnie’s mother, Charlotte (Wiig), lives a bohemian lifestyle, constantly partying and losing jobs, and is divorced from Minnie’s and sister Gretel’s affluent, but mostly absent father, Pascal (Christopher Meloni).

The girls call him “Pascal” instead of “Dad,” which he hates. Determined to lose her virginity, Minnie is man crazy and develops a sweet relationship with her mother’s boyfriend, Monroe (Skarsgard).

Things begin slowly but develop into a full-blown sexual relationship.

A controversial part of the story is that Monroe is thirty-five years old, and Minnie is only fifteen. Both Monroe and Minnie have their feelings challenged by the circumstances, and Minnie’s emotions spiral out of control.

The subject matter of The Diary of a Teenage Girl will undoubtedly be off-putting for many folks, as the actions are technically statutory rape.

The film never goes in that direction.

Rather, director Marielle Heller crafts a tender story of young love, and when there is too much drama, comic relief is added.

Monroe is never the aggressor, and Minnie is. She is a young girl who knows what she wants.

Since the director is female, there is no hint of Minnie being taken advantage of or regretting her affair- the film is not about this.

Rather, it is about a young girl with blooming sexuality and emotions finding herself in the world. I admire this left-of-center approach immensely.

Other aspects of the film may be too much for some. Minnie and her best friend pretend to be prostitutes and orally service two young men in the men’s room on a lark.

Later, Charlotte uses filthy language to describe Monroe’s and Minnie’s relationship.

The film isn’t safe, but it’s daring and honest. I admire its courage.

Enough cannot be said for the three principal actors in Diary of a Teenage Girl. Bel Powley is a find!

Nominated for an Independent Spirit Award, this amazing young actress should have been recognized by the Academy Awards, but she no doubt has many years and films ahead of her.

She is a “regular girl” type and reminds me of actress Lena Dunham in her looks and her rich delivery.

Kristen Wiig is fantastic and is evolving into a great dramatic actress. As Charlotte, Wiig is wonderfully insecure and an offbeat mother.

She doesn’t discipline; instead, she befriends her daughters, showering them with hugs and kisses and giving the character vulnerable neediness.

Wiig, dynamite in the comedy/drama The Skeleton Twins (2014), has embraced small but important indie films, and kudos to her for this.

Lastly, Skarsgard, mainly known as HBO’s villainous Eric on True Blood, is as inspiring as Monroe.

Providing his character with sympathy and humanity (tough when having an affair with a teenage girl who also happens to be your girlfriend’s daughter), Skarsgard evokes so much emotion in the role that you almost root for Monroe and Minnie before remembering that she is too emotionally fragile.

Skarsgard is brilliant in Monroe’s breakdown scene. I hope audiences see him in more of these complex roles, as he is far more than a hunky actor.

Diary of a Teenage Girl (2015) intersperses graphic-novel and animated elements into the story told from Minnie’s perspective, and the character narrates parts of the film.

This authentic story is not only for teenagers but for smart thinkers and anyone who has ever been overwhelmed by the emotions of love.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: 1 win-Best Female Lead-Bel Powley, Best First Screenplay, Best First Feature (won)

2015 Films, Australian, Drama, International, International Drama, International Romance, LGBTQ+ Drama, LGBTQ+ Films, LGBTQ+ International, LGBTQ+ Romance, Romantic Drama

Holding the Man-2015

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Holding the Man-2015

Director Neil Armfield

Starring Ryan Corr, Craig Stott

Scott’s Review #612

Reviewed January 24, 2016

Grade: B+

Holding the Man (2015) is a brave love story centering on two young men and spanning fifteen years as the men begin as high school sweethearts and progress into adulthood, and sadly both contract AIDS.

This is a pivotal aspect of the film as it is set during the 1970s and 1980s- a time when this disease was dreadful and more or less a death sentence.

The film is tender and poignant, but despite these qualities, I felt it lacked something more vigorous. I didn’t have the exact emotional reaction I thought I might.

Set in Australia, the film is adapted from a 1995 memoir of the same name.

The action begins in 1976 as we meet Tim and John, both high school students. They come from different social groups: Tim is a theater student, and John captains his soccer team.

Surprisingly, they connect romantically as Tim asks John out on a date.

The pair receive little hassle and are quite open with their relationship. Certainly, they face a bit of opposition from officials at the school, but this is not the main aspect that the film goes for.

Instead, the main problems come from John’s family, specifically his father, but the film handles this safely. Tim’s family is much more accepting.

Over the next fifteen years, the couple encounters death directly when they are simultaneously told they have acquired HIV.

The film is mostly told chronologically but occasionally flashes back and forth.

Specifically, flashbacks remind us of John’s youthful good looks when he is close to death, bald and sickly-looking.

The main point is the men’s enduring love for each other, which is a nice message.

Otherwise, the film (2015 and long since the AIDS plague) goes for a reminder of how harsh those times were for gay men, though there is a softness to the film that I felt instead of the brutal reality.

The actors playing John and Tim (Craig Stott and Ryan Corr, respectively) have decent chemistry, but that may have been stronger than I perceived, and it’s why I didn’t feel emotionally invested in the film.

The film was nice and sweet-the romance part- but when one of the men succumbs to AIDS, I should have been a puddle of tears, and I just wasn’t.

I did enjoy how the film doesn’t focus too much on the opposition from John’s father (Anthony LaPaglia). He would wish his son’s sexuality differently but is more concerned with how his son’s relationship with a male looks to Dad’s friends and neighbors.

The deeper story was the love between the men who knew no barriers.

It was nice to see Geoffrey Rush and Guy Pearce in supporting turns as a drama teacher (Rush) and as Tim’s father, Dick (Pearce).

Both do well in limited roles, and I adore how the film portrays Dick as a supportive father, even dancing a slow dance with his son at a wedding, without embarrassment.

Also notable is the sweet ending, where a photo of the real Tim and John appears during a narrative from an interview with the real Tim before his death.

Holding the Man (2015) is a nice film, but it doesn’t have the power other LGBT films in recent decades did.

Brokeback Mountain (2006) immediately comes to mind as a similar film, but one that was more emotional and engaged me much more.

An honest effort, though.

2015 Films, Biography, British, Comedy, Drama

The Lady in the Van-2015

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The Lady in the Van- 2015

Director Nicholas Hytner

Starring Maggie Smith

Scott’s Review #610

Reviewed January 19, 2017

Grade: B

Maggie Smith can do no wrong, and I will happily enjoy watching her in anything- anytime. Since the 1950s, this lady deserves a starring role in film.

Utterly distinctive, as legendary actress Bette Davis was, Smith has a style purely her own. Her facial expressions and exasperated gasps make her one of the great film stars.

The Lady in the Van (2015) is made specifically for her, but beyond her talents, the movie is a decent, if very safe, offering.

It lacks the depth it could have.

Written by Alan Bennett, the film tells the true story of Mary Shepherd, an older woman living in a broken-down van, who befriends Bennett and eventually lives in his driveway for fifteen years before her inevitable death.

Set in northern London, a quaint and gorgeous part of the world, Mary harbors a deep secret involving her van and is revealed to have been a star piano pupil in her day.

Smith has no qualms about playing unflattering characters.

Shepherd is grizzled, abrupt, and rude, but Smith puts a lot of heart into her too, so the audience senses her vulnerability and falls in love with her.

With her sad, protruding blue eyes, wrinkles for miles, and chirpy voice, Smith is fantastic at giving her all to the role.

The rest of the cast plays their roles adequately but are limited and overshadowed at every turn. Most notable is Jim Broadbent’s wasted talent, appearing in a small and quite meaningless role.

Besides Smith’s brilliant performance, The Lady in the Van lacks layers.

The story is good, but we never see many of Mary’s struggles. How does she afford food? How is she not sick? The film skims over the darker elements of homelessness in favor of a lighthearted tale.

Fine, but what about her inevitable issues?

The film mentions other, less important stories but doesn’t fully explore them. Alex speaks to what looks like his twin brother, but is it his alter ego?

Young men come and go at night, so the presumption is that Alex is gay, and in the end, we do see Alex living with a man, but why is this so vaguely written? Why mention it at all?

This story would have been more interesting to explore, given that the real Alex Bennett wrote the film.

Other side stories are introduced but remain on the surface.

Alex’s mother suffers from Alzheimer’s, but this is not explored much, and Mary’s brother, who institutionalized her at a young age, offers no explanation as to why this was done; she had a mental illness, but the brother’s motivations are not clear.

I wanted more from the supporting characters than was offered.

Still, the bottom line is that The Lady in the Van (2015) is a Maggie Smith film, and any in which she has the lead role is pretty damned good for that reason alone.

2015 Films, Adventure, Epic, Science Fiction

Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens-2015

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Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens-2015

Director J.J. Abrams

Starring Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill

Scott’s Review #540

Reviewed December 8, 2016

Grade: B

As a youngster who grew up on the original three Star Wars films (admittedly, I cannot keep track of, nor care enough to learn, the franchise’s exact chronological order), the 2015 reincarnation feels very nostalgic.

Star Wars (1977), The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and Return of the Jedi (1983) were magical films for a kid.

I saw each one in theaters.

Sadly, The Phantom Menace (1999) was a rather forgettable endeavor and did nothing to draw new fans to the franchise or keep existing fans engaged.

Taking center stage in this installment are beloved stalwart characters Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), and Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) in a nostalgic trip down memory lane.

A slight gripe is the shamefully underused status of one of these characters.

The visual effects are impressive, the main villain is okay, and the action sequences are adequate, but the ode to history keeps longtime viewers engaged most.

In a way, Star Wars: The Force Awakens is aptly titled as it is a rebirth of sorts for the storied franchise.

Legendary actor Max von Sydow is shamefully underutilized, with a throwaway role in the film’s opening sequence.

He resembles the late, great Guinness, who was famous again in the 1970s when he appeared in the first Star Wars.

A coincidence?

Filmmakers are aiming for a modern reboot of Episode IV (1977).

The main character, Rey (Daisy Ridley), is meant to be the new Luke Skywalker, a Jedi hero known across the galaxy and missing for years. Rey has special powers and is accompanied by her sidekick droid, BB-8, a similar character to R2-D2.

The villain is Kylo-Ren, son of Han Solo and Princess (now General) Leia, and reminiscent of Darth Vader.

The film is a classic good-versus-evil tale as the evil First Order battles the good Resistance.

I enjoyed the good storytelling most of all, and prominent roles for Han Solo and Leia were good choices for the storied franchise. Newcomers Rey and her love interest, Finn, are appealing, as is fighter pilot Poe, played by Oscar Isaac.

Reportedly, this film kicks off another trilogy, so we will undoubtedly see more of these characters.

I could not help but notice the Nazi similarities of the First Order and their soldiers, the Stormtroopers. Possessing a red quality and a Nazi-like salute to their supreme leader, they even look German in appearance.

Kylo Ren, raven-haired, pale, and clad in a black cape, was clearly inspired by Darth Vader, especially in his masked appearance.

He almost could have been his son.

Set thirty years after the original Star Wars, the plot is similar, and I think this is a wise move: it introduces the franchise to a new audience while staying true to the rich history of the central characters and their offspring.

Han Solo and Leia discuss their love affair, past adventures, and their son, who has been hypnotized to the dark side. They struggle to concoct a way to rescue him and hope to persuade him that aligning with the Resistance is the only way.

Favorite scenes include the ultimate showdown between Rey and Kylo-Ren. Set in a snowy, wintry forest, the scene is visually gorgeous, with their glistening, glowing lightsabers, as are many scenes in one battle station or another.

The re-appearance of comical C-3PO is darling.

As with the original Star Wars, humor is mixed in to lighten the mood.

Han Solo and his dedicated sidekick Chewbacca gently spar, and when Han Solo takes the group to a saloon filled with interesting creatures, the scene is light and fun. 

The real drawback for me is that the film isn’t all that compelling, aside from the nostalgia. It is a classic battle of two wills, but nothing new and exciting.

Sure, there are a few new characters, but the plot is rather basic and what one would expect. 

I am not truly invested in the franchise, despite zillions of die-hard fans who are fanatics about the films and their intricacies, so this is more an opinion than a criticism of its merits.

Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015) will undoubtedly please fans and introduce new ones to a galaxy and the “force.”

A satisfying trip down memory lane.

Oscar Nominations: Best Original Score, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Film Editing, Best Visual Effects

2015 Films, Adventure, Art, Black & White, Drama, International, International Drama, Spanish

Embrace of the Serpent-2015

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Embrace of the Serpent-2015

Director Ciro Guerra

Starring Nilbio Torres, Antonio Bolívar

Scott’s Review #524

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Reviewed November 23, 2016

Grade: B+

Embrace of the Serpent (2015) is a cerebral experience of complex storytelling, weaving two parallel stories set forty years apart.

It is an immensely creative film, crafting a black-and-white cinematic expressionism into its lurid walls.

Admittedly, I found the stories tough to follow at times, and the film contains an impressionistic quality, but I knew I was watching something creative and brave.

That is worthy of a hefty thumbs up.

The setting is the Amazon jungle, along the vast Amazon River, deep in the heart of South America.

The story spans 1909 and 1940, and both feature an Amazonian shaman who is the last of his people and deeply resentful of white men.

In 1909, he traveled with a dying German scientist, and in 1940, with an American.

Both look for a sacred healing plant with magical powers.

Both parallel stories feature a Spanish Catholic mission along an Amazon tributary.

In 1909, the leading priest was sadistic and abusive towards the young boys in his charge. Years later, the young boys are now hardened and grizzled.

Both stories also reveal the plant, though in different ways and with vastly different outcomes.

The best part, and much better than the storyline, is the black-and-white visuals. This gives the film a mysterious, old-world vibe that makes it feel like a film made in the 1940s, if not earlier.

In this way, it becomes a visual spectacle, especially as countless scenes unfold along the Amazon, where the characters float by canoe and are treated to the beauty of the water and the surrounding lush mountains.

It feels otherworldly, a part of a remote continent few see or appreciate.

This is my favorite aspect of the film.

The stories are complex and sometimes don’t make complete sense, and I found myself a bit confused throughout, but this may be because of the film’s clear art-film persona, which leaves it open to interpretation.

Both white men have different experiences with the sought-after plant.

I was left with some questions even after reading the synopsis. One of the men has a dreamy, hallucinating experience with the magical plant, but what happens after?

The shaman is an interesting character, as we see him as a young man and later as an older man living a lonely, resentful life.

Embrace of the Serpent (2015) is a perplexing, interpretive film with a magical quality; if the story is muddy, you can whisk away to a fantastic experience just by watching and enjoying the cinematic treats it offers.

Oscar Nominations: Best Foreign Language Film

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best International Film

2015 Films, Best International Film Oscar Winners, Drama, Historical Drama, Holocaust, Hungarian, International, International Drama

Son of Saul-2015

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Son of Saul-2015

Director László Nemes

Starring Géza Röhrig

Scott’s Review #520

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Reviewed November 16, 2016

Grade: A

Son of Saul, arguably the deserving winner of the 2015 Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, is a grim yet refreshing and inventive look at a subject matter cinema has covered at length.

The topic is a heavy, and calling the film a downer is justified, but there is also something brave and even heartwarming about it, and about the central character’s desire to do something decent in the face of death and hatred.

The film is Hungarian and takes place in 1944 when Saul is a prisoner in a Nazi extermination camp.

He is given various duties, considered a “glorified” prisoner, as he takes valuables from the belongings of those gassed and scrubs the floors after the gassing.

He later must dump the dead bodies into a pit to be incinerated.

One day, after a group of Jews is gassed, a young boy is miraculously still breathing. Soon after being discovered, the boy is suffocated. Convinced the boy is his son, Saul is determined to bury the boy properly for religious purposes.

I was immediately struck by two aspects of Son of Saul that set it apart: the camera work and the coloring.

Saul’s character is immediately shoved in our faces from scene one, letting us see things from his point of view. Extreme close-ups of Hungarian actor Geza Rohrig overwhelm the viewer as suffocation is apparent.

When close-ups aren’t used, the camera follows Saul as he performs his duties without emotion, clearly having done them many times before.

We become Saul and experience activities solely as he sees or hears them. This is understated yet compelling.

Secondly, the film has a rustic, beige palette mixed with sickly greens and yellows, muted almost, which is highly effective given the amount of death involved.

Not glossy, the color scheme conveys a sense of ruin and decay without overwhelming the viewer or leaning into total bleakness. The style is a dusty, smoky variety, nauseating at times.

I found this to set Son of Saul apart from other films with the same subject matter, making it distinctive.

Not a happy film, and it’s not a complete downer that leaves you entirely depressed. Saul’s intention to give his son a decent burial (and it is unclear whether the boy is Saul’s son or is hoped to be) is admirable and a small glimmer of goodness in a world full of evil.

Other prisoners aid Saul in his efforts, showing that their world isn’t without hope.

Still, despite the goodness of some of the prisoners, a couple of scenes are tough to take. Early on, dozens of people are huddled naked in a small room.

They are promised coffee, jobs, and most importantly, hope.

Sadly, the viewer quickly realizes the intention is to exterminate them, though the film wisely doesn’t show it visually. A brilliant distinction in Son of Saul is the contrast between the background sound and what is happening near Saul.

We hear the gasping, the pleading, and the screaming of the victims, while the camera stays on Saul and his stoic reactions.

We realize this is a typical day in his life.

Deserving of its accolades in a year of exceptional foreign-language films, Son of Saul (2015) takes a familiar subject matter and adds new, unique elements.

The film also ends on a cliffhanger involving a second young boy, a clever moment in an already superior film.

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Foreign Language Film (won)

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: 1 win-Best International Film (won)

2015 Films, Biography, Drama

Straight Outta Compton-2015

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Straight Outta Compton-2015

Director F. Gary Gray

Starring O’Shea Jackson Jr.

Scott’s Review #517

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Reviewed November 12, 2016

Grade: B-

The rap group N.W.A. was a highly influential and controversial unit to emerge from Compton, California, in the late 1980s and featured soon-to-be solo rap artists Ice Cube and Dr. Dre.

Another member, Eazy-E, rounds out the trio featured in this film along with their manager Jerry, played by Paul Giamatti.

Straight Outta Compton (2015) tells their story.

Ice Cube and Dr. Dre produced the film, along with Eazy-E’s widow, Tomica Woods-Wright, and Ice Cube’s real-life son, O’Shea Jackson, Jr., who portrays Ice Cube.

The film is interesting as a way of learning about the rap group and their rise to and fall from stardom, but the film has a very slick and glossy style that detracts from the grittiness of the subject matter.

It feels very Hollywood and overly produced.

Especially since the language is atrocious- almost overly so- as if the point was being shoved down our throats.

Additionally, the acting, except for Giamatti, is not too impressive.

Lastly, the violence portrayed and the gang stuff seem a bit stereotypical for my tastes.

The film begins in 1986, and we meet a trio of friends. Determined to provide a raw, honest style of poetry to their music, they eventually meet their manager, Jerry, who takes them under his wing and leads them to their success.

Predictably, with success comes jealousy and contract disputes.

The film delves into this subject matter as the partying and drug use, womanizing, and violence all lead to the rap group’s constant struggles with the police force, especially since one of their top songs is anti-police.

Impressive is the real-life footage used of the 1991 beating of taxi driver Rodney King by the Los Angeles Police Department and the subsequent riots that occurred after the officers were found not guilty of any wrongdoing.

The racial tension in this city was interesting to revisit and palpable to the film’s subject matter.

The acting was noticeable to me and not in a good way. The young actor who plays Dr. Dre (Corey Hawkins) was fine, but the others (Jackson) and Jason Mitchell as Eazy-E were average at best.

In any of their dramatic scenes where they appear to be angry, it just does not work, and the scenes lack grizzle and intensity.

Conversely, any dramatic scene that held any gusto belonged to Giamatti, who was excellent in his part. He makes the others seem better, but in other ways, their inexperience is evident compared to his.

In any event, he only makes the scenes he appears in more genuine. Early in the film, when Jerry lashes out at police officers, it is a meaty scene and forceful.

The filmmakers go for a message of violence and swearing in this film, but despite this, Straight Outta Compton still seems safe and overly produced. This may have had to do with the bright, slick cameras used.

It has a studio, high-budget appearance that does not completely work. I wanted it to look grittier and dirtier and see more of the seedy side of the business instead of merely being explained to me.

Women in this film are not treated very well, and the characters who are the girlfriends are written sympathetically, but not given much substance to sink their teeth into.

In contrast, Death Row Records CEO “Suge” Knight is portrayed as a maniacal, violent man.

Straight Outta Compton is a guy’s film.

I had difficulty relating to any of the central characters except perhaps Giamatti’s, and it becomes unclear if Jerry had been ripping off the members of the rap group or if that is merely their perception.

He seems to care about the members, so that part is undefined.

Perhaps this film might hold more appeal for fans of N.W.A., which I never was, and rap is not my preferred style of music.

I can appreciate the biographical way the film explains the trio’s story, ups and downs, reunions, death, and violence, but this film could have been much better and is flawed by its over-stylized filming.

Oscar Nominations: Best Original Screenplay

2015 Films, Biography, Documentary

What Happened, Miss Simone?-2015

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What Happened, Miss Simone? -2015

Director Liz Garbus

Starring Nina Simone

Scott’s Review #499

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Reviewed October 25, 2016

Grade: B+

Nina Simone, who died in 2003 at seventy, was an iconic singer and pianist with a musical style all her own.

As important as her soulful musical creativity, Simone was also a civil rights activist during the restless 1960s and spoke out about Black Power and racial discrimination.

This led to much controversy.

What Happened, Miss Simone? (2015) tells her story in a thorough, rich fashion.

Executive produced by her daughter, Lisa Simone Kelly, who is interviewed throughout the documentary, the piece is standard fare, using interviews and performances by Simone.

We experience her upbringing in North Carolina, her acceptance into the prestigious Juilliard, her family’s reliance on her for money, and her years of struggle performing in dingy nightclubs.

I loved seeing the old clips of her performances. They are raw, gritty, and full of something special, almost poetic.

Simone struggled to relax; she gave every ounce of energy in her shows and knew no other way to be.

Simone is like no other, and the documentary doesn’t need to explain it. Her performances tell it all. Not one to phone in performance and arguably not really “performing” at all, Simone was as real as they come.

She immersed herself in her music – and seemed to drift off into another reality.

As an activist, Nina Simone is shown to be controversial, not against supporting violence by blacks against whites in the name of freedom.

Simone had tumultuous relationships with both her husband and daughter and has claimed to have been beaten repeatedly and forced to work.

The text draws clear comparisons to other singers, such as Aretha Franklin. There is an element to Simone that other singers of that day did not have. She had a style all her own and did not “play the game” to achieve her success.

Instead, she chose to only be true to herself.

This is not a slight against Franklin, but the documentary states that if Simone had been happier, she might have had more commercial appeal, but would she have been satisfied with that?

I doubt it, as she was an intense soul.

Shocking to me are claims of physical abuse vocalized by her daughter, but this is explained away as a result of her mental illness and not herself at times.

Prescription drugs and diagnoses weren’t what they are now.

From a critical perspective, the documentary delivers what it should: an overview of this amazing talent, warts and all.

We see her from childhood until retirement, and cannot help but pity her in a way because of her apparent mental illness, which caused her not always to be the charming celebrity we would want her to be.

What Happened, Miss Simone? (2015) helped me learn something fresh about an artist I wasn’t familiar with. That is what a documentary should do.

Oscar Nominations: Best Documentary Feature

2015 Films, Drama, Sports

Creed-2015

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Creed-2015

Director Ryan Coogler

Starring Michael B. Jordan

Scott’s Review #495

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Reviewed October 16, 2016

Grade: C+

Creed (2015) will please die-hard fans (and there are legions) of the Rocky (1976) franchise, eager for a trip down memory lane to revisit Sylvester Stallone’s “Rocky Balboa”.

For those yearning for a slice of nostalgia and a harkening back to when the first Rocky was released, Creed will be a crowd-pleaser.

For others expecting something new or innovative, the story will not be as satisfying. The film is predictable with all of the expected elements of a sports film.

Instead of Rocky Balboa as the main attraction, he is now a senior citizen, long retired, and owns a modest Italian restaurant in Philadelphia.

The action centers on a young fighter, the bastard child of Apollo Creed, Rocky’s nemesis turned friend from the first few installments.

Adonis Johnson Creed (played by up-and-coming star Michael B. Jordan) is his name. Before being rescued from a group home (he has a temper and fights a lot, naturally) by Apollo’s wife (Phylicia Rashad), he doesn’t know that fighting is truly in his blood.

Determined to make it big in the boxing world, he moves to Philadelphia and convinces Rocky Balboa to train him.

Along the way, he meets a love interest, Bianca (played by Tessa Thompson), a musician.

The main positives are the historical nods and a few sentimental moments throughout the film.

How wonderful to see Rocky Balboa again. It’s like catching up with an old friend you haven’t seen in years.

We learn that, sadly, Paulie and Adrian (Rocky’s brother-in-law and wife) have long since died, and a sweet moment shows Rocky visiting their side-by-side graves, pulling up a chair, and reading the newspaper to them.

Rocky’s son has moved far away, leaving Rocky a lonely man, and Apollo’s son revives a father-figure element within Rocky.

The film also includes flashback scenes to earlier Rocky films, and we see portions of Rocky’s and Apollo’s fights.

The plethora of external Philadelphia scenes brings authenticity and familiarity to the film, and it is a wise decision instead of too many interior scenes in a studio.

Otherwise, the film is largely a miss.

The formulaic predictability must have been intentional, making Creed an ode to fans and a film that is easy to watch.  We get the usual “inspirational” training scenes as Adonis trains for the big match, with an arrogant, loud Londoner and an equally unlikable coach.

The “good vs. bad” mentality that the film develops is contrived and completely plot-driven. It makes Adonis that much more likable and gives him a reason to root for him.

This occurs time and time again in sports films. Why not make both fighters nice guys?

But, of course, the film also gives Adonis a temper so he appeals to testosterone-driven fans who expect it.

Phylicia Rashad and Tessa Thompson are stock characters.

We get the standard reaction shots from both as they wince along with the blows that Adonis receives, and Rashad gets an unintentionally comic moment.

When Adonis lands a flattening blow on his opponent, she proudly professes, “That’s what I’m talkin’ about!”

Interestingly, the film makes the clever choice to have Bianca shave progressive hearing loss. Her handicap gives her humanity, though once the fight scenes begin, the film never mentions it again.

A standard boxing film with the expected elements- testosterone, brutal fighting, sentimentality for good measure, and dutiful female characters with little substance.

Creed (2015) is a guy’s movie, basic and predictable, with a little edge and lots of machismo.

However, it capitalizes on the Rocky franchise and offers a nice nod to the past. Otherwise, it is a rather forgettable film with a mediocre story.

Oscar Nominations: Best Supporting Actor-Sylvester Stallone

2015 Films, Drama, Independent, Independent Drama

Songs My Brother Taught Me-2015

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Songs My Brother Taught Me-2015

Director Chloé Zhao

Starring John Reddy, Jashaun St. John

Scott’s Review #494

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Reviewed October 14, 2016

Grade: B+

Songs My Brother Taught Me (2015) is an understated film experience, but despite its slow pace, I found it very interesting.

The Native American population is largely ignored in cinema (and perhaps other avenues), so it was a treat to see a film, albeit a small, quiet one, made to represent this group of people.

Forest Whitaker produces the film.

Undoubtedly, the funding made it possible to make it at all.

Living on an Indian reservation in remote South Dakota, the story focuses on Lakota Sioux brothers and sisters Johnny and Jashaun, aged sixteen and eleven, respectively.

When their father dies in a house fire, they are forced to ponder their future within the Indian reservation, and also their desires to escape their lives and move to Los Angeles with Johnny’s girlfriend- also an inhabitant of the land.

The film is largely a slice-of-life on a reservation, showing the trials and tribulations of the people who live there.

Johnny’s mother is a kindhearted but boozy young woman, and her other son is in prison.

Jashaun’s mentor is a tattooed man who is creative and attends alcoholics anonymous meetings, only to be caught drunk by Jashaun. A rivalry between Johnny and some rival boys develops.

Finally, Johnny aspires to purchase a truck from an older gentleman. The film is laced with different facets of real-life situations, trivial to some, but an entry point into a culture most know little about.

I found the film quite interesting and compelling in a very subdued way. A marvel is the frequent long views of the prairie land- sweeping winds and gorgeous scenery for miles.

Many shots feature Johnny and Jashaun simply gazing into the crisp air in deep thought.

We see the conflict that weighs on both youngsters. Johnny, quite handsome and the object of affection for more than one young lady, yearns for a more exciting life.

His girlfriend will be attending college in California. Pretty and smart- she is sure to move on to success, but Johnny plans to go with her.

Her brother inquires how Johnny will live with no job and no money- all valid points. Will Johnny age and remain on the reservation for the rest of his life or escape to a different world?

Jashaun, quite young, is filled with quiet energy and curiosity. She is educated and wise beyond her years. What will become of her without a father, surrounded by some unsavory types her family knows?

Not an offering for those who want more action than thought, but for the patient viewer, it is a fascinating, introspective treat.

Songs My Brother Taught Me (2015) taught me a lesson in good storytelling.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best First Feature, Best Cinematography, Acura Someone to Watch Award

2015 Films, British, Drama, Romantic Drama

45 Years-2015

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45 Years-2015

Director Andre Haigh

Starring Charlotte Rampling, Tom Courtenay

Scott’s Review #488

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Reviewed October 1, 2016

Grade: B+

In 45 Years (2015), acting is the film’s clear highlight and the main reason to watch it.

Seasoned veterans take center stage and give tremendous performances and lessons in acting.

Tom Courtenay and Charlotte Rampling carry the film.

45 Years follows an enduring marriage tested by an outside revelation that escalates into conflict and mixed emotions.

The film moves at a slow pace and can challenge even the most patient viewers, but that pace is warranted, as the longevity of the characters’ marriage is key to the film.

Geoff and Kate Mercer, a happy couple living in rural England, excitedly plan their 45th wedding anniversary (the 40th was canceled because of Geoff’s heart condition).

They are a popular couple in their town, both kind and decent, and many will attend the event.

One day Geoff receives a letter from authorities in Switzerland- a young woman (Katya) he was once involved with, and presumed dead in 1962, has been found.

After falling into an icy glacier, her body is preserved and looks the same as it did then.

Unsure of the extent of their relationship, Kate is riddled with jealousy, curiosity, and guilt.

Geoff and Kate’s marriage is tested.

45 Years is a mature film involving mature characters. Geoff and Kate are still in love decades into their relationship, but the introduction of Katya becomes an unwelcome conflict.

The film plays out gradually, but realistically, as marriage moves along slowly.

The film shows many scenes of Geoff and Kate’s day-to-day activities: they walk their dog together, travel into town to shop, relax, and read the newspaper.

Like real people do.

This is an asset to the film. Real life is sometimes mundane and dull, but these little tasks are pleasurable and soothing.

Geoff and Kate’s marriage contrasts with the relationship Geoff and Katya briefly had years ago (excitement, risk, youth), and Kate’s point of view is understandable.

As details reveal themselves, Kate feels inferior.

She is no longer young and thinks of Geoff and Katya, and the life they might have had together if the accident had not occurred. Despite being dead, Katya becomes an obstacle in Kate’s mind.

The film wisely doesn’t write Kate as a jealous shrew or a one-dimensional character. She fights her jealousy at every turn and tries to stay strong and realistic.

Charlotte Rampling gives such a good, subtle, understated performance that it is easy to overlook how good she is.

She does not have hysterical moments or a scene where she loses control. Instead, Rampling conveys a range of complex emotions through her facial expressions.

Let’s not forget to mention Tom Courtenay. Imagine being in the golden years of your life and a long-lost lover (in spirit anyway) returns to the fold. Geoff cannot help but imagine a life with Katya if she remained alive.

Kate asks Geoff if he would have married Katya, and he cannot deny it.

Several scenes show the couple dealing with “old people” issues, awkward lovemaking, for example, which highlights how different things are from when Geoff and Katya were in their prime.

Geoff cannot help but be whisked back in time with thoughts and what-ifs.

A standout scene is when Kate and Geoff dance at their anniversary party. Having professed his love during a speech, they casually dance. Kate is both touched and pained, and as the scene goes along, it unravels. She explodes internally.

Sometimes, perhaps a tad too slow-paced, I get the point of pacing 45 Years this way. After all, nearly 50 years of marriage is a long time, and similar days will pass with few important moments.

Thanks to great acting, I overlooked this and was astounded at the complexities both Rampling and Courtenay bring to the table.

Oscar Nominations: Best Actress-Charlotte Rampling

2015 Films, Biography, Comedy, Drama

Joy-2015

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Joy-2015

Director David O. Russell

Starring Jennifer Lawrence

Scott’s Review #485

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Reviewed September 24, 2016

Grade: B-

Joy is a safe, mainstream, female-centered 2015 film, a biopic written for current star Jennifer Lawrence.

She was nominated for a Best Actress at the Academy Awards for her role, and she carries the film.

Still, despite her performance, the film is nothing special and is written in a ho-hum manner.

It is simply not very compelling, and the supporting characters aren’t used as well as they could be. Despite being based on a true story, the writing is lazy and the plot far-fetched.

I expected more.

The film is another collaboration between director David O. Russell and big stars of the time, Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, and Robert De Niro, all used in previous Russell films.

Lawrence plays Joy, a struggling Long Island mother of two, divorced from her husband (who still lives in the basement of her house), with multiple family members living with her to form a support unit.

Joy is the family’s breadwinner.

Joy’s grandmother narrates the story, whom she calls Mimi (Diane Ladd). Mimi always knew Joy would be a success, and we see a few scenes of Joy as a child, surviving her dysfunctional family and her parents’ disputes.

DeNiro plays her womanizing father, divorced from her mother (Virginia Madsen), who lies in bed all day watching soap operas.

Cooper plays opportunist QVC executive Neil Walker, who takes a liking to Joy and helps her achieve her dream as a successful businesswoman after she patents an idea for a new, high-powered mop.

The authenticity of the time, 1989, and through the 1990s is apparent, as we see Joy working for Eastern Airlines, a company that would fold several years later.

The automobiles, dresses, and hairstyles also feel authentic to the time.

The film does these points very well. And how cute was it to see famous daytime television stars such as Susan Lucci, portraying soap opera stars, as Joy’s mother lives her life vicariously through their tangled and bizarre soap lives?

Several scenes on the television set give us glimpses of the soap stories.

The film as a whole, though, feels too neat.

Predictably, Joy faces obstacles on her way to success.  Already struggling financially, she takes out a second mortgage on her house. At first, she cannot give away mops, let alone sell them.

On the brink of giving up, she finishes a meeting with execs who laugh at her product, but Walker gives her a break because she has a pretty face.

Predictably, things don’t go well, and a rather dull subplot follows a company in Texas trying to steal Joy’s idea. When she goes and threatens them, they immediately back down and obediently give in to her every whim.

This is both unrealistic and uninteresting.

I would have liked to have seen a messy back-and-forth or some court scenes, but the Texas company is portrayed as nothing but the villain.

The writing has plot holes or missed opportunities, and many questions abound. Despite many scenes of Joy’s past, we still learn little.

Her entire family lives with her in a suburban Long Island house; why does Joy own the house instead of her mother or grandmother?

Why does Joy have a rivalry with her half-sister, Peggy? Why does Joy’s father own an auto garage and still need to stay with Joy? Why is Joy’s mother mostly in bed?

Madsen as the mother is rather cartoonish and unnecessary to the plot, and Ladd is a dynamic actress given little substance.

I didn’t buy De Niro as a cad or as someone in love with his wealthy new girlfriend, Trudy (though seeing Isabella Rossellini in the part is a win), who conveniently shows up to finance Joy.

Despite an enormously talented cast, which is fantastic to see, most of the supporting parts could have been played by anyone, as the roles aren’t that challenging, and the film is certainly a vehicle to showcase Jennifer Lawrence, David O. Russell’s current “it” girl.

This isn’t a slight against Jennifer Lawrence, since she is the best part.  She portrays Joy as a sympathetic, strong-willed, fair, decent human being with enormous struggles and a blue-collar sensibility.

Great performance, but I wish the writing and the other talents involved in the film were given better material.

Oscar Nominations: Best Actress-Jennifer Lawrence

2015 Films, Comedy, Independent, Independent Romantic Comedy, Romantic Comedy

Results-2015

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Results-2015

Director Andrew Bujalski

Starring Guy Pearce

Scott’s Review #471

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Reviewed August 29, 2016

Grade: C-

Aside from one fantastic supporting performance by Kevin Corrigan, who should have been the star, Results (2015) is an independent romantic comedy that lacks any real identity.

The film struggles to decide which couple the audience is meant to root for, leaving me rooting for none of them, and frankly, a bit bored with the overall script.

Still, Corrigan and, to some degree, Guy Pearce make it a tolerable watch.

Corrigan plays Danny, a newly wealthy average Joe type who joins a gym, presumably to build a supportive network of friends, as he is new in town, Austin, Texas.

He meets Trevor (Pearce), who owns a local gym and is trained by the moody Kat (Cobie Smulders).

The three individuals’ lives intersect as a triangle of sorts develops.

Kevin Corrigan, who has appeared in numerous independent films over his decades-long career and in blockbusters such as Goodfellas (1990), completely steals the show and is the main reason to tune in.

His acting is effortless as he plays a lonely, rich man looking for human connections. He is troubled but has a comic wit that shines and gives him the vulnerability he needs.

We want him to find happiness despite being unlikable.

Speaking of unlikeable, Smulders as Kat is a frigid iceberg with attitude for miles. Why anyone, let alone two men, would be interested in her is beyond me.

Pearce is appealing as the good-natured, aspiring-to-be successful businessman named Trevor, who is buff beyond belief- to enormous credit, since Pearce is no spring chicken.

Otherwise, we know little about his character. He is not in love with Kat, but suddenly seems to be.

Kat warms to Danny, but then falls for Trevor. The entire romantic entanglement is silly, and no chemistry exists among them.

Casting Giovanni Ribisi as a stoner lawyer and Anthony Michael Hall (The Breakfast Club from the 1980s) as a fitness guru is pointless.

The fitness/gym angle is cool if you’re a fan of physical fitness, as I am. It is a nice little lesson as Kat teaches Danny basic core exercises.

But after too many scenes of Kat drinking kale shakes and jogging incessantly, or Trevor eating egg-white omelets and doing bodyweight exercises, the message feels like overkill.

They are fitness buffs- we get it.

The biggest fail is how the film focuses on Danny and Kat as a potential romantic couple, then suddenly shifts gears and makes Kat and Trevor the main couple, with Danny on the outside looking in.

It really makes little sense, and by that point I was already bored, so the film just petered out for me.

Results (2015) has shreds of potential with better-structured storytelling, but it misses the mark in many areas; underdeveloped characters and a meandering plot are a couple of major problems.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best Supporting Male-Kevin Corrigan

2015 Films, Crime Drama, Drama, Independent, Independent Drama

Glass Chin-2015

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Glass Chin-2015

Director Noah Buschel

Starring Corey Stoll

Scott’s Review #470

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Reviewed August 28, 2016

Grade: B-

Glass Chin, an independent drama film from 2015, has both strengths and weaknesses.

The film has two intriguing central characters, a working-class appeal, and some fun, Quentin Tarantino-style moments.

The villains are unappealing and downright annoying, which detracts from the main story.

Still, a solid effort.

The premise is straightforward and comfortable. Corey Stoll plays Bud Gordon, a former New York boxer with a level of one-time success.

He now lives in a small apartment in New Jersey with his girlfriend Ellen (Marin Ireland). Yearning to get back into the game, he aligns with crooked businessman JJ Cook, played by Billy Crudup.

Along for the ride is JJ’s odd henchman, Robert.

Framed for murder, he is now “owned” by JJ, and Bud must struggle to escape the mess he has gotten himself into.

The best parts of Glass Chin are Stoll and Ireland, who make Bud and Gordon likable and genuine. They are a great team, once successful and now struggling to pay the rent.

They encompass blue-collar appeal.

They are nice people, happy to dine at cheap diners and clip coupons, but want a comfortable life.

When Ellen tries caviar for the first time at a fancy hotel, she dislikes it. She is a happy working-class girl, comfortable in her skin. Bud misses the boxing lifestyle, not for the glamour, but for a purpose.

After running a failed restaurant, he’s forced to take a job with a shady character to make ends meet.

I would have preferred to focus only on Bud and Ellen and their life struggles, perhaps with more emphasis on their aspirations, his feelings of failure, and more story involving his training as a young boxer, Kid Sunshine.

But sadly, these aspects take a back seat to the emergence of the villains JJ and Robert.

I am not sure why the filmmakers made both JJ and Robert so weird, and I assume they were going for a Quentin Tarantino influence, but it didn’t work and made the film feel less cohesive.

Both characters, especially Robert, meander through monologues of nonsense dialogue and downright crazy, over-the-top talk.

It adds nothing to the story.

They are high-class thugs- the point comes across. The female characters, besides Ellen, are Tarantino-influenced in their left-of-center actions (the wedding dress outfit, the statuesque model who beds Bud), but we know almost nothing about them.

As a side note, I love the film’s constant outdoor New York City and New Jersey locales, which add authenticity.

When Bud drives around in his beat-up 1980s Country Squire station wagon in the snowy New York weather, it adds atmosphere.

More Bud and Ellen would have helped, and less JJ and Robert would have made Glass Chin a better film.

Still, there is some appeal, but overall Glass Chin (2015) is quite uneven.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best Supporting Female-Marin Ireland

2015 Films, Animated, Comedy, Dark Comedy, Drama

Anomalisa-2015

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Anomalisa-2015

Directors Charlie Kaufman, Duke Johnson

Starring David Thewlis

Scott’s Review #469

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Reviewed August 27, 2016

Grade: A-

Anomalisa (2015) is one of the most creative offerings I have seen recently.

Animation is not my forte- typically I find them much too nice, and the old “family-friendly” tags make me cringe. Anomalisa has received heaps of buzz, so I decided to check it out.

I am glad I did.

The stop-motion film is quite adult-themed, though not the slightest bit raunchy. Instead, it is an intelligent tale about loneliness and how people connect through it.

It’s also a bit melancholy, based on a 2005 play.

The central character is Michael Stone, a depressed customer service expert, who travels to Cincinnati to deliver a seminar on his expertise.

Michael is riddled with anxiety, and his life is rather mundane, though he checks into a stylish hotel that is presumably hosting his convention.

He is a bit of a big name within his industry. Oddly, every person he encounters looks and sounds the same- that of a white man- even his wife and son.

He is haunted by the memory of an old flame, Bella, whom he jilted years ago, and who now lives in Cincinnati.

The story gets interesting when Michael hears a woman’s voice singing; up until now, all voices are male, remember, and he is desperate to find the voice.

He meets Lisa (voiced by Jennifer Jason Leigh), an insecure, rather dowdy woman, with whom he becomes infatuated.

A customer service representative at the hotel to witness Michael’s seminar, Lisa is instantly smitten, though wary of Michael’s intentions.

They bond, and the film tells of their romance and insecurities.

The film is highly creative and unique. It is also mysterious. My first question was why all the characters, regardless of gender, share the same voice.

Michael is lonely and sees everyone else as monotonous or meaningless until he meets Lisa.

The film is unclear about what Michael sees in Lisa, perhaps her realness in a world of phoniness. She is an ordinary girl, but what is the point? I am still not sure of this.

I didn’t find Michael likable or someone I’d root for. He is dismissive of some characters and a bit condescending, but he’s not a hated either.

He and Lisa, as a duo, are to root for.

Anomalisa has some humor too, albeit dark humor.

When Michael mistakes an adult toy store for a traditional toy store and purchases a Japanese sex doll for his son, Michael’s wife hilariously wonders about some foreign substance around the doll’s mouth.

A nervous male passenger on Michael’s flight clutches Michael’s hand, even after landing safely.

The explicit sex scene between Michael and Lisa is as shocking as it is tender. I think showing this graphic edge in animation threw me for a loop, since this rarely happens in animated films, perhaps incorrectly, assuming they are for children only, with their parents to endure.

Anomalisa is not true animation- felt puppets are used, giving a great, human-looking feel and making the characters more life-like.

Anomalisa (2015) is not a perfect ten but damn close for its left-of-center approach alone.

A journey into the art of creativity and thought. A bit far out there for most, and perhaps the sarcasm may be lost on some, but a unique experience, nonetheless.

Oscar Nominations: Best Animated Feature Film

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best Feature, Best Director-Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson, Best Supporting Female-Jennifer Jason Leigh, Best Screenplay

2015 Films, Documentary, Political Documentary

Best of Enemies-2015

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Best of Enemies-2015

Directors Morgan Neville, Robert Gordon

Starring William F. Buckley Jr., Gore Vidal

Scott’s Review #467

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Reviewed August 19, 2016

Grade: B

Best of Enemies is a 2015 documentary that transports viewers back to the 1960s, specifically 1968, during the Republican and Democratic presidential primaries.

I found the documentary to be a nice little history lesson for me, since 1968 was before my time, and my viewing date (2016) was perfect, as we were in the midst of an intense presidential race.

This is an adequate slice of political debate and rivalry with differing ideologies among the central figures.

At that time, ABC Primetime News was a floundering network that needed something to attract viewers and compete with competitors, the much higher-rated CBS and NBC.

This was a time when audiences had merely three networks of news offerings to choose from.

The documentary notes that television’s power in 1968 was intense and still new. I look back fondly on the limited network choices then, compared to the oodles of offerings now.

Still, everyone watched the same programming, which, it could be argued, led to better conversations the next day.

ABC concocted a scheme to bring together two bitter rivals, ultra-conservative William F. Buckley and ultra-liberal Gore Vidal. The pair, obviously of differing opinions, reportedly despised each other, and the possibilities were electric.

I found the documentary very genuine. In 1968, reality television and mock feuds to garner ratings didn’t exist.

Their heated debates are now legendary, and they felt authentic.

The documentary is told in a structured way.

Buckley and Vidal faced off during ten primaries: five in the Republican primary in Florida and five in the Democratic primary in Chicago.

Beyond their blowups, the conversations crackled with intelligence, with both men passionate and well-educated in their views.

Best of Enemies also gives an overview of Vidal and Buckley and how they each came to achieve their respective fame.

The documentary intersperses interviews with family members, colleagues, and friends among the constant barbs as the debates rage on.

A moment during the final democratic debate that would cement the loathing between Vidal and Buckley for decades to come.

Continuing to debate with a snarky, condescending tone by both, tensions came to a head as Vidal referenced Buckley as a Nazi, and Buckley, in turn, called Vidal a queer and threatened to sock him in the mouth.

The hatred in both men’s eyes is legendary, as their rivalry knew no boundaries. The fact that this all took place on live television (before tape delay censors) made it all the more shocking.

Strangely, the documentary uses narrated voices by Kelsey Grammer and John Lithgow for Buckley and Vidal, respectively, for a few segments. I found this rather unnecessary and even distracting. The voices surmised what each felt at the time, and it didn’t work.

This documentary shows the real birth of political pundits (now a dime a dozen) and the realism of television at the time, still rather novel.

Today it is filled with outrageous people and those looking for their ten seconds of fame.

Best of Enemies (2015) shows us television’s authenticity in its early days and, sadly, reminds us what it has become.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best Documentary Feature

2015 Films, Drama, Independent, Independent Drama

James White-2015

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James White-2015

Director Josh Mond

Starring Christopher Abbott

Scott’s Review #465

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Reviewed August 15, 2016

Grade: A

A warm feeling always strikes me, and my faith in the film is reaffirmed when I watch an interesting independent film (or mainstream studio film, for that matter) that has the guts to tell a dark, character-driven story, and does it very well, with sympathetic characters written exceptionally well.

2015’s James White is an appreciative look at life and death, and how the main characters deal with life’s roadblocks and the effects of death.

This film is quite dark, however.

A fantastic young actor, Christopher Abbott, plays the title character of James White.

We meet James in a loud nightclub, wearing headphones, with soft music mixing interestingly with the pounding beats of the club music.

The audience immediately can tell that James is wound up, aggressive, and troubled. His estranged father has just died, and while he is not too upset by his father’s death, he cares deeply for his mother, Gail, and is worried about her.

No sooner has a service, hosted by the father’s new wife, been held than we learn that Gail is suffering from stage four cancer and will not live much longer.

The film follows James as he deals with his problems, from his mother’s illness to finding a job, a rocky relationship with a teen girl, and his reflections on his life, all while filled with rage.

The film spans three months, culminating in the dead of winter, an obvious irony.

Abbott and Nixon give astounding performances as son and mother, the apple of each other’s eye, and show how they each deal with Gail’s inevitable, impending death.

James is bottled up with anger throughout the film and frequently needs to escape before losing it.

In one amazing scene, though, he does lose it during a drunken hotel bender with pals Nick and Jayne. The sheer emotion and desperation Christopher Abbott brings to this scene are inspirational for any aspiring actor to emulate.

One wonders if director Josh Mond allowed his actors to improvise most scenes, as the compelling, raw feeling of the scenes is evident.

Since her fame on television’s Sex And The City, Nixon has chosen daring, complex roles, and this is to her credit.

As Gail, we see her desperate, emotional, filled with rage, and at times delusional, as she wonders what will become of her son after she is gone and how her world has spiraled out of control.

We also see Nixon successfully play motherly, coaching her son through his anger and pleading with him to take care of her. It is a powerful performance.

Two slight knocks to the film: James’s best friend Nick is gay (and black), but despite their different sexual orientations, they are the closest of friends.

While this aspect earns heaps of praise, we know very little about Nick, his family, or his inner feelings.

James’s new girlfriend Jayne is also a mystery. She is significantly younger and dutiful, but what motivates her?

Yet, given the film’s very short runtime (one hour and twenty-seven minutes), I can see why the filmmakers chose to focus on the mother/son relationship.

A slight criticism.

A film such as James White (2015) is purely character-driven and must be enormously rewarding for actors to play these two raw characters.

Painful for anyone dealing with a loved one suffering from cancer to watch, but a fantastic journey into the world of wonderful acting and dynamic screenwriting.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best Male Lead-Christopher Abbott, Best Supporting Female-Cynthia Nixon, Best First Feature