2006 Films, Fantasy, International, International Fantasy, International Science Fiction, Science Fiction, Spanish, War, World War II

Pan’s Labyrinth-2006

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Pan’s Labyrinth-2006

Director Guillermo del Toro

Starring Ivana Baquero, Sergi López

Scott’s Review #1,156

Reviewed June 25, 2021

Grade: A

Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) is a treasure of a film. I would classify it as a masterpiece for creativity alone.

It is not for children!

The fact that it has some fantasy trimmings and tells its story from a child’s perspective is misleading. The film deals with some heady and heavy stuff that will both frighten and be lost on the younger crowd.

A clue is that Guillermo del Toro directs the film, he is well known for creating films such as Hellboy (2004), Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008), and The Shape of Water (2017), the latter winning the coveted Best Picture Oscar.

I adore that Pan’s Labyrinth is Spanish-Mexican. Somehow, that makes the experience a bit mysterious and exotic right off the bat.

The frightening period of 1944, directly post World War II, is also key to the good story since war and mayhem are themes.

The main character, Ofelia, meets several strange and magical creatures who become central to her story, leading her through the trials of the old labyrinth garden.

Young Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) and her pregnant and sick mother, Carmen (Ariadna Gil), arrive at the post of her mother’s new husband (Sergi López). This sadistic army officer is trying to prevent a guerrilla uprising.

Lonely and feeling lost, Ofelia explores an ancient maze, encountering the faun Pan, who tells her that she is a legendary lost princess and must complete three dangerous tasks to claim immortality.

She is completely and utterly spellbound and intrigued all at once. Finally, she can escape the ravages of real life and immerse herself in a fantasy world all her own.

She hates her stepfather, worries for her mother, and can’t wait to traverse her new world. If only life were that simple.

In a fairy tale, Princess Moanna, who Ofelia becomes, visits the human world, where the sunlight blinds her and erases her memory. She becomes mortal and eventually dies.

The king believes that eventually, her spirit will return to the underworld, so he builds labyrinths, which act as portals, around the world in preparation for her return.

Enter Ofelia.

About that creativity, I mentioned earlier. Pan’s Labyrinth is Alice in Wonderland for adults, taking some of the same themes and blending the horrors of both reality and fantasy into an extraordinary, spellbinding fable.

The forest’s darkness is the best and most memorable part.

The art direction is astonishing. Bewildering forest trimmings and haunting lighting make their appearance as Ofelia immerses herself in her new world.

The viewer sees her new world through her eyes, that is, through the eyes of a child.

So authentic are the sets and ruins that it is impossible not to be thrust full-throttle into the fantasy sequences.

The story can be downright horrifying at times. Carmen eventually dies, and Ofelia is taken under the wing of Mercedes (Maribel Verdú), Ofelia’s stepfather’s housekeeper, and also a revolutionary harboring dangerous secrets.

Ofelia and Mercedes team up to save Ofelia’s baby brother from the hands of the dastardly.

The strange fantasy world may confuse some viewers. It’s simply not the imagination of Ofelia (or is it?) because Vidal, Mercedes, and the baby all play a part in the eerie labyrinth.

Guillermo del Toro creates a world so imaginative and magnificent that we see this world through the eyes of a child, but also through the clear glasses of adults.

Scenes of torture mix with scenes of innocence so well that it is impossible not to be transported to a magical world where reality often disrupts the pleasurable fairy tale.

Pan’s Labyrinth (2008) is a visionary film and must be experienced to be believed.

Oscar Nominations: 3 wins-Best Original Screenplay, Best Foreign Language Film, Best Art Direction (won), Best Cinematography (won), Best Makeup (won), Best Original Score

1973 Films, British, Political Thriller, Thriller

The Day of the Jackal-1973

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The Day of the Jackal-1973

Director Fred Zinnemann

Starring Edward Fox, Michael Lonsdale

Scott’s Review #1,155

Reviewed June 22, 2021

Grade: A

Political thrillers can run the gamut from taut plots involving espionage, assassinations, and car chases to the political landscape.

They often risk being overly complicated and losing their audience through too much wordiness and not enough meat and potatoes.

The Day of the Jackal (1973), which tells the story of an assassination attempt on a world leader, is perfectly paced and intriguing, offering titillating elements and nothing run-of-the-mill. It’s not lazy and can be classified as a thinking man’s film.

I loved it.

The complexities and trysts the deadly title character experiences add extra pizazz and spice to the already compelling plot.

And the sequences in Paris and its lovely streets can elevate any film.

A cagey and intelligent underground French paramilitary group is determined to execute President Charles de Gaulle (Adrien Cayla-Legrand). Still, when numerous attempts on his life fail, they resort to hiring the infamous hitman known as “The Jackal” (Edward Fox).

As he plots to assassinate de Gaulle, he takes out others who stand in his way. Meanwhile, Lebel (Michel Lonsdale), a Parisian police detective, begins to solve the mystery of the killer’s identity.

The film is in English, not French.

Fox is the major draw. Charismatic, handsome, and athletic, he hardly looks like a fiend.  But that’s just the point. A lesser film would have cast an actor who looks like a killer. With Fox, we get many more intricacies.

He beds women… and men. Think: a bisexual James Bond.

This is enchanting to see in 1973, though the film is British, and sometimes the Brits were well ahead of American filmmakers in this regard.

The director, Fred Zinnemann, is Austrian, and boy, can he direct.

I wasn’t sure how engaged I would be. After all, the history books can tell us how the assassination attempt ended. It failed. What was the motivation for watching a film, especially one destined to be complicated?

I quickly realized that The Day of the Jackal had that special sauce. It’s more than engaging; it’s enthralling.

The audience is meant to root for Lebel to beat Fox, but so much more is bubbling under the surface. The villain is mysterious, and we know almost nothing about him. The ambiguity continues after the film ends.

This is a positive for the character and, by extension, for the film.

Meanwhile, the hero of the film, the guy after the “Jackal”, is your average, everyday Joe. He is unexciting but very smart and determined to capture Fox.

Lebel is likable for his savviness alone, but I still argue many will root for Fox to escape Lebel’s clutches. I know I did.

Great scenes occur in a swanky hotel when Fox becomes intrigued by Madame de Montpellier, played by Delphine Seyrig.

He picks up the rich and mysterious woman as they chat in the dining room. He later sneaks into her room and gets the girl.

Whoever cast this woman must have seen the Hitchcock classic Frenzy (1972) because she’s a dead ringer for Brenda Blaney (Barbara Leigh-Hunt).

Is it an accident that both meet grisly ends?

Not satisfied with merely bedding rich women, he goes to a Turkish bath to avoid the police and picks up a French gentleman.

It is implied they have a romantic date before the gentleman catches on to Fox’s identity (he is now on the run from the police) and meets his maker in his kitchen.

The Day of the Jackal (1973) is a meticulously crafted film that should be the blueprint for anyone intent on creating a political thriller. It avoids hokey stereotypes or predictability, instead offering an edge-of-your-seat experience with nuances for miles.

It’s exceptional on all levels.

Oscar Nominations: Best Film Editing

Golden Globe Nominations: Best Picture- Drama, Best Director-Fred Zinnemann, Best Screenplay

2008 Films, Horror, Los Angeles, Zombie

Quarantine-2008

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Quarantine-2008

Director John Erick Dowdle

Starring Jennifer Carpenter

Scott’s Review #1,154

Reviewed June 18, 2021

Grade: B+

Patterned after 28 Days Later (2002), Cloverfield (2008), and other popular 2000s zombie-horror offerings, Quarantine (2008) is more of a film of its day than anything fresh or original.

The funny thing is, it works fairly well as an entertaining popcorn horror flick.

It won’t be remembered very well, but it offers jumps, frights, and thrills.

It’s shot like a reality television show with seemingly handheld cameras following the characters, which also gives it a 2000s feel. The irony is that the story involves a reality television series (all the craze in those days).

The dark, glowing lighting and the Los Angeles apartment-building setting provide a good amount of peril.

While suspenseful, that doesn’t mean that Quarantine is necessarily a good film. It’s not, and my grade of a B+ grade feels generous, but the bottom line is that not every film is a cinematic gem. Some are just plain old entertainment.

Quarantine is one of those types of films.

Quarantine is a remake of a 2007 Spanish film called REC, which is set in Barcelona. The United States replaces Spain, and the characters are Americanized for the mainstream masses.

Reporter Angela (Jennifer Carpenter) and her cameraman Scott (Steve Harris) are doing a story on night-shift firefighters for a reality television program.

One night while filming, a late-night distress call takes them to a Los Angeles apartment building, where the police are investigating a report of horrific screams.

Angela, Scott, and firefighters Jake and Fletcher, played by Jay Hernandez and Johnathon Schaech, respectively, report to the building to find a loony older woman who attacks with teeth bared.

Alarmed, they realize the CDC workers have sealed the building and panic.

Of course, laughably, they continue to film despite feeling desperate. Gotta keep those television ratings intact.

The film pairs well with The Blair Witch Project (1999), though nowhere near as fresh and inventive as that film. Instead, it feels like a copy of that film and other films with very little originality of their own.

Again, this didn’t bother me so much as I had no expectations of cinematic art when I agreed to see Quarantine. I had entertainment on my mind, and that is what I received.

John Erick Dowdle writes and directs this project and creates a frenzied horror film. The action is quite quick and instantaneous amid a lightning-quick one-hour and twenty-nine-minute runtime.

Interestingly, Quarantine features no actual musical score, using only sound effects. As a fan of background music in cinema, this wasn’t a great decision, but I understand the intent.

After all, the Hitchcock masterpiece The Birds (1963) featured no music.

Of course, the plot can be picked apart like a salad onion, but that’s not the point. But, for fun, why didn’t the firefighters provide the trapped residents with weapons or objects they could fight with? Why did characters try to ‘save’ characters who had been bitten, only to put their own lives at risk?

Hasn’t anyone ever seen Dawn of the Dead (1978)?

All events and storylines feel like a setup.

I’ve seen better acting. Jennifer Carpenter, whom I have never heard of, is in a constant state of hysterics. That’s fine, but her endless cowering, whimpers, and hyperventilating do nothing to evoke a strong female character.

On a hot summer day, a cold, air-conditioned movie theater is the perfect setting for a film like Quarantine (2008).

There are worse ways to spend an hour and thirty minutes than munching on popcorn and being on the edge of your seat.

2008 Films, Alcoholism, Drama, Independent, Independent Drama

Rachel Getting Married-2008

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Rachel Getting Married-2008

Director Jonathan Demme

Starring Anne Hathaway

Scott’s Review #1,153

Reviewed June 17, 2021

Grade: A-

Rachel Getting Married (2008) is the film that put Anne Hathaway on the map as a powerful and respected actress.

Despite the heaps of praise heaped upon her, she was nominated for an Oscar for the role and would win a few years later for Les Misérables (2012).

Hathaway proves that good nuts-and-bolts acting never goes out of style.

Director Jonathan Demme goes for simplicity with his project.

The film is a quiet family drama with members gathered for a specific event. As the film progresses, we witness deep-seated emotions and history bubbling to the surface through terrific scenes that showcase the entire cast’s acting chops.

Pain, truth, and wry humor are explored as a naturalistic approach is employed. Not all the characters are likable, and it is debatable whether any of them are.

Thankfully, humorous moments are added to lighten the mood.

Jenny Lumet, the daughter of famed director Sidney Lumet and granddaughter of Lena Horne, wrote the screenplay. The filming took place in Stamford, Connecticut, a small city outside of New York City.

The Buchmans, an affluent New England family, prepare for their daughter Rachel’s (Rosemarie DeWitt) wedding. Their other daughter, Kym (Anne Hathaway), is permitted to attend the wedding despite being in the middle of a stint at rehab- she’s been there before.

As Kym causes upheaval and drama, Rachel resents her sister, causing family tensions to resurface.

Parents Paul and Abby, played by Bill Irwin and Debra Winger, do their best to put out the flames sparked by the bickering siblings. Unfortunately, tensions begin to erupt between Rachel and Abby, and away from Rachel.

Events come to a head on Rachel’s wedding day, hence the title.

Under different circumstances, Rachel Getting Married could have been a standard Lifetime television film. A girl with a drug addiction returning to the fold to stir up family drama is hardly a novel idea and has been told many times before in almost every medium.

I even cringed at first when I read the premise.

But the film feels as fresh and energetic as a new idea. The pacing is the first notice as it moves at a brisk pace, and the running time is under two hours.

Kym is frenetic acting, which also helps the illusion of a faster pace.

A dark secret is quickly revealed. Due to drunkenness, Kym caused the car she was driving to careen off a bridge, killing her younger brother. She has harbored guilt ever since and endured her family’s wrath.

It has made her struggle with addiction even worse.

I don’t think enough praise can be given to Hathaway for quite simply kicking the film’s ass.

Nearly destined for wimpy romantic comedies, Kym gives the actress a role she can not only sink her teeth into but also infuse with emotion and empathy.

At times, the audience will hate Kym, and other times, will sob along with her.

DeWitt and especially Winger, returning to the cinematic spotlight after a long absence, have plenty to infuse their characters with.

Anger, jealousy, and unbridled sympathy are just a few of the emotions their characters experience.

Demme creates an independent film that feels raw and is filled with naturalistic settings and emotions.

He takes a basic story and ravages it completely with great acting, handheld cameras that provide a real-life approach, and a story that will leave audiences thinking about the events and perhaps their own lives after the credits roll.

Oscar Nominations: Best Actress-Anne Hathaway

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best Film, Best Director-Jonathan Demme, Best Female Lead-Anne Hathaway, Best First Screenplay, Best Supporting Female-Rosemarie DeWitt, Debra Winger

2011 Films, British, Comedy, Drama, Romantic Comedy, Romantic Drama

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen-2011

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Salmon Fishing in the Yemen-2011

Director Lasse Hallstrom

Starring Ewing McGregor, Emily Blunt

Scott’s Review #1,152

Reviewed June 15, 2021

Grade: B-

Despite exceptional chemistry between leads Ewing McGregor and Emily Blunt, who were also bankable stars in 2011, the romantic comedy Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (2011) is predictable, dull, and lacks a good identity.

It is the feel-good film of the year, and that is not meant as a compliment.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s above par as compared to the usual drivel emerging from one of my least favorite genres, the rom-com, but it should offer more than the by-the-numbers plot it churns out.

Someone either felt lazy or was instructed to create a banal film.

With good actors and fabulous locales, I expected more edge from Swedish director Lass Hallstrom. But, alas, we get something merely adequate.

Doctor Alfred Jones (McGregor) is a fisheries scientist who one day receives an unusual request from a strong businesswoman named Harriet Chetwode-Talbot (Blunt). She wants his help in fulfilling a request from a wealthy sheik, played by Amr Waked, who wants to bring sport fishing to Yemen.

Jones declines at first, but when the British prime minister’s spokeswoman (Kristin Scott Thomas) latches on to the project as a way to improve Middle East relations, he joins in.

Romance blooms as Jones and Harriet work to make the sheik’s dream come true.

If this brief synopsis sounds like it’s taken from a novel, that’s because it is, and it is as straightforward as you can imagine. The film is based on a 2007 novel, which must have been better than the film.

Let’s be fair and clear. McGregor and Blunt are as good as they can be with the material they are given, and they succeed in bringing some life to the big screen.

The trouble is, there isn’t much to do with their characters. Harriet is a businesswoman with a task at hand. Alfred is a handsome doctor with something she needs. Did I mention he’s a doctor?

Harriet’s romantic interest is hardly a surprise, and Hallstrom puts nary any real obstacles in their path towards getting together.

The fact that, early in the film, Harriet is dating British Special Forces Captain Robert Meyers (Tom Mison) and Alfred is married to a woman named Mary (Rachael Stirling) is laughable after Robert is quickly killed off and Mary is sent away to Geneva for a conference.

Predictably, Alfred and Mary realize their marriage is over.

But wait, there’s more! Robert resurfaces from the dead, alive and well. Harriet struggles with her emotions and quickly realizes her feelings for him have changed, leaving her with Alfred.

The setup for Harriet and Alfred is as predictable as peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Poor Kristin Scott Thomas, a fantastic actor, is reduced to playing the cliched role of Public Relations Patricia Maxwell. She straightforwardly plays her as aggressive, impatient, and bitchy.

The performance doesn’t work well.

Second, to the sweetness of McGregor and Blunt, the locales are thankfully plentiful. Visits to London, Scotland, and Morocco are blessed treats.

A silly subplot about salmon being removed from British rivers and something about farming goes nowhere and isn’t worth the effort.

Suffice it to say, it does little for the film or as a companion to the main plot. The only thing viewers should focus on is Harriet and Alfred’s romantic involvement.

I only recommend Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (2011) for those fans of either McGregor or Blunt, or who yearn to escape to a fantasy world with a happily ever after ending.

If you enjoy fishing or fly-fishing (is there a difference?), that may be enough reason to give the film a twirl, too.

Otherwise, the film offers nothing that hasn’t been seen countless times before. By the conclusion of the film, I felt weary and bored for so much unchartered potential left on the cutting room floor….or somewhere else.

1973 Films, Crime Thriller, Thriller

The Friends of Eddie Coyle-1973

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The Friends of Eddie Coyle-1973

Director Peter Yates

Starring Robert Mitchum, Peter Boyle

Scott’s Review #1,151

Reviewed June 11, 2021

Grade: B+

Borrowing heavily from the standard cop thriller films that emerged during the early 1970s but containing a unique cynicism and a point of view all its own, The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973) is a taut and engaging crime thriller that will please fans of the genre but never bailing on those cinema fans seeking a more intellectual experience.

The Boston landscape is plentiful and a treat for fans of locale shoots and 1970s qualities.

A superior film, despite the many similar films created during the decade, there is a moroseness that encompasses the experience. I felt sorry for the main character, and The Friends of Eddie Coyle lacks a clear good-guy-versus-bad-guy standard. This helps the film.

What I’m trying to say is that those crime-thriller fans who desire a clear hero or standard characterization might be unsatisfied or miss the point, though the bank-robbery scenes alone are worth the price of a ticket.

Some say Robert Mitchum, cast in the title role, gives his finest film performance, but I wasn’t entirely blown away.  The film is an ensemble, and at times, Eddie Coyle feels like a supporting character.

Think Ma Rainey in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020).

Instead, I ruminated over his brilliant performances in my two favorite films of his, The Night of the Hunter (1955) and Ryan’s Daughter (1970).

His performance is fine, but all the actors bring their A-game.

Aging low-level Boston gunrunner Eddie Coyle (Mitchum) is fearful of the possibility of several years of jail time for participating in a truck hijacking in neighboring New Hampshire. Having a wife and kids dependent on him, and feeling old and desperate, he volunteers to funnel information to Dave Foley (Richard Jordan), an ATF agent.

Eddie buys some guns from another gunrunner, Jackie Brown (Steven Keats), then gives him up to Foley, but the agent isn’t satisfied. Panicked, Eddie decides to give up the gang of bank robbers he’s been supplying, only to find that Foley already knows about them and that the mob believes Eddie snitched.

These events do not bode well for poor Eddie, who now has a mark on his back.

The Friends of Eddie Coyle has a handful of plots happening simultaneously. There is Eddie’s predicament, the saga of the bank robbers and the bank owners they put in peril, and a bartender played by Peter Boyle (of television Everybody Loves Raymond fame), who is also an informant.

The stories intertwine, but sometimes not quite enough, and a conclusion over how the players relate is sometimes unclear.

From the get-go, I was reminded of Dirty Harry (1971), which arguably propelled the cop/crime thriller/crime drama to mainstream audiences.

Dave Grusin receives credit for the music composition and creates a score similar to Dirty Harry, with a funky tempo and time-relevant arrangements. They work and fit the times perfectly.

Unlike Dirty Harry, which is a superb film in many ways, the messaging differs. Whereas Dirty Harry professes a good-versus-bad approach and a conservative pro-gun stance, The Friends of Eddie Coyle doesn’t take the time to school the audience on most cops’ viewpoints.

The bad guys are complex, nuanced characters with worries and fears to wrestle with.

The location sequences are plentiful and lend the film authenticity and a sense of Boston appreciation. The classic Boston Garden is featured as two characters attend a Boston Bruins hockey game. The Charles River, downtown, and surrounding areas, such as Quincy, are featured.

Director Peter Yates certainly creates a blue-collar, Irish-represented community.

Lovers of classic 1970s American automobiles will be in heaven. I spotted a Ford Galaxy, a Chevy Impala, and similar full-sized cars. One character drives a green muscle car.

I mean, there are tons and tons of car sequences in this film.

With the seedy Boston underworld, a terrific performance by Robert Mitchum, and enough guns, car chases, and bank robberies to satisfy the action audience, The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973) is a win.

The film didn’t stick with me as much as I would have liked, but it’s a striking entry in the crime thriller genre.

2011 Films, Drama, Independent, Independent Drama, Psychological Drama

Take Shelter-2011

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Take Shelter-2011

Director Jeff Nichols

Starring Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain

Scott’s Review #1,150

Reviewed June 9, 2021

Grade: B+

Michael Shannon is a great actor. Appearing mostly in supporting roles and breaking out big time in 2008’s Revolutionary Road, he gets the lead in Take Shelter (2011) and is more than up to the task of creating a great character.

The ambivalence and uncertainty his character feels are central to the film’s enjoyment.

It’s a slow burn with an unsatisfying payoff, but I mean that as a compliment.

The plot is set in a small rural town in Ohio.

Curtis LaForche (Shannon) is a working-class husband, father, and provider for his wife, Samantha (Jessica Chastain), and young daughter, Hannah.

Curtis begins to have scary apocalyptic dreams, which he keeps from his family.

He decides to build a storm shelter in his backyard, which raises Samantha’s concerns. His strange behavior creates a strain on his family. As he builds the shelter, Curtis is afraid of his dreams, or rather, afraid that they are a premonition and will come true.

Is he going crazy, or will his dreams become a devastating reality?

Curtis, Samantha, and the entire audience will ponder this note throughout the film.

An interesting add-on is that Hannah is deaf, so the way her parents embrace and accept her disability is a nice nod to the inclusiveness of people with disabilities.

Take Shelter is delightful to revisit and discuss ten years following its release.

In 2011, both Shannon and Chastain were up-and-coming stars and only barely on the cusp of A-list status, so it’s fun to see them in an independent film that showcases their acting chops.

They would go on to become big stars and showcase their talents in many other roles, so it’s fun to see them in early-career performances.

Shannon is careful not to outshine Chastain, but Curtis focuses on what is going on inside. His conflict is palpable and written all over his face in quiet scene after quiet scene after quiet scene as he gazes at the luminous skies.

He wonders what is coming next.

His dreams, hallucinations, and auditory experiences involving swarms of blackbirds are creepy and well-made on a small budget. A clue is when it is revealed that Curtis’s mother had paranoid schizophrenia at roughly the same age that Curtis is.

A drained Curtis seeks counseling but still cannot shake his feelings of impending doom. I felt completely empathetic to his plight and never saw Curtis as crazy or out of control.

He possesses controlled restraint.

Director Jeff Nichols does an exceptional job of making the film largely quiet and peaceful, with a gnawing, foreboding dread, as if the expected apocalypse might come upon the lonely town.

Take Shelter is the debut by Nichols, who followed up this gem with two other low-key but critically acclaimed films, Mud (2012) and Loving (2016).

He knows how to get to the core of his characters’ deepest thoughts and feelings.

He wrote each of these works and received praise for fine writing.

The film is about the relationship between the characters and the possibility that Curtis is going insane. I’m not sure Take Shelter provides a neatly wrapped conclusion, but boy is it an edge-of-your-seat thrill.

And why does it need to?

Shannon’s best scene occurs at a Lions Club community event. With most of the town gathered in the hall for a delicious dinner of potluck dishes, things go bad when Curtis loses his temper and verbally berates the townspeople. He warns them that they are unprepared for the doom.

They look at him as if he belongs in a padded cell, and Shannon’s explosion is frightening and frighteningly good.

As good as Shannon is, Chastain must not be dismissed. She barely holds it together as a woman with a special needs child and an unbalanced husband. When they lose their health insurance, she nearly comes apart at the seams.

I love the ending because Nichols leaves the truth of reality a mystery to the audience. This may dissatisfy some, but I thought it’s how Take Shelter should be.

Unclear, just like the thoughts of its main character.

Take Shelter (2011) succeeds with a powerhouse performance by its star Michael Shannon, wonderful direction, and a refined imbalance.

The quiet and thoughtful cinema fan will be most endeared to this film.

2020 Films, Action, Science Fiction

Tenet-2020

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Tenet-2020

Director Christopher Nolan

Starring John David Washington, Robert Pattinson

Scott’s Review #1,149

Reviewed June 4, 2021

Grade: C

For those film lovers craving a plot that serves as a weaving puzzle that can never be figured out, Tenet (2020) is highly recommended. Others who desire a more defined and linear story and character development will be disappointed by the film.

Tenet is a visuals-only experience as I tuned in and out of the actual plot points after realizing they intersect past, present, and future elements.

I did try from the outset to understand, but ended up falling flat.

One’s enjoyment will depend on one’s cinematic desires and expectations.

I lean more towards a compelling story with excellent acting and a strong emotional connection to the project. I’m not as focused on brilliant CGI or dazzling visuals as some, but I recognize that Tenet has these elements.

However, I’m not sure I agree with the film’s Oscar win for Best Visual Effects or nomination for Best Production Design- thank goodness the terrific Mank (2020) won the latter award.

I’ll try to summarize the plot.

A secret agent named the Protagonist (John David Washington) embarks on a dangerous, time-bending mission to prevent the start of World War III.

The villainous Andrei Sator (Kenneth Branagh) is a Russian oligarch who communicates with the future and is intent on destroying the world. His wife, Kat Barton (Elizabeth Debicki), despises her husband and aligns with the Protagonist to stop him. They fall in love.

Along for the ride are an arms dealer, Priya Singh (Dimple Kapadia), and Robert Pattinson plays the Protagonist’s handler who may or may not be trusted.

Let’s start with the positives.

Tenet gets off to a terrific start with a scene at the Kyiv opera house in Ukraine. Though silly, the invasion of the theater and the massive sleeping effect of the theater attendees and performers is like a domino effect. The scene is fast and exciting.

Later, a daring car chase featuring a car speeding down a highway in reverse gear is pretty exciting. Add a character bound and tied in the passenger seat with no driver and no way to get out, which provides an incredible James Bond moment.

Another positive is the luscious locales like Estonia, Oslo, Norway, London, and the Amalfi coast.

That’s where the fun ends.

I have to admit that I expected more from Christopher Nolan, who wrote and directed the project. The man has churned out superlative efforts like The Dark Knight (2008) and Dunkirk (2017), but Tenet will not rank among his finest moments.

To that end, it’s a Nolan film. Sound and visuals are his trademarks, and the bombastic, booming score is tight and familiar. The mixing of loud, techy, thundering beats is commonplace, but sadly does little for the film. They almost become annoying.

The cast is seasoned and capable. With Washington, Pattinson, Branaugh, and Debicki onboard, there is a talent to be found. Even Michael Caine is cast in one wasteful scene.

Nonetheless, the actors drift through their scenes looking perplexed and stiff. Probably because they didn’t know what the hell was going on in the scenes.

Just like the viewer.

The dialogue is an issue because it’s not written well. Why would Kat want to kill a man who is already dying of terminal cancer? Why not wait out his demise? And the time travel was lost on me from the first sequence. I didn’t care.

The most laugh-out-loud line occurs when Kat exclaims to the Protagonist, “I just knew you’d have a backup plan. Wait, you do have a backup plan, right?” With juicy dialogue like this, it’s a wonder Tenet didn’t receive a Best Screenplay nomination. I jest, of course.

Minor details, such as the Protagonist and Kat having zero chemistry, despite the interracial romance having so much potential, are disappointing.

I can’t say I’d recommend Tenet (2020), but I can provide details of what you can expect from the experience. Some incredible visual moments can’t overcome the lack of any storyline, and the viewer will become lost in the tired moments.

By the final sequence, I thought I had watched a generic episode of a network television series like NCIS.

Ouch.

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Visual Effects (won), Best Production Design

1975 Films, Action, Crime Thriller, Thriller

French Connection II-1975

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French Connection II-1975

Director John Frankenheimer

Starring Gene Hackman

Scott’s Review #1,148

Reviewed June 2, 2021

Grade: B

The French Connection, the winner of the coveted Best Picture Academy Award for 1971 releases, is a brilliant film that holds up well as a cream-of-the-crop cop film.

An action film winning an Oscar is as rare as a horror film winning one. It’s rare.

The decision to make a sequel is debatable, but French Connection II (1975) stands as a decent action crime thriller, though hardly on par with the original.

Is anyone surprised?

Sequels rarely usurp their predecessors, especially when The French Connection is such a superior genre film. In a way, Part II didn’t have much of a chance to measure up against Part I.

Films like The Godfather (1972) only come around once in a lifetime.

Unfortunately, William Friedkin did not return to the fold to direct, replaced by John Frankenheimer, best known for the nail-biting The Manchurian Candidate (1962).

Thankfully, Gene Hackman did return. He helps the film from an acting perspective and gives his all in a tough role. His partner, played by Roy Scheider, doesn’t appear or get mentioned.

Picking up a couple of years after the first one ended, Detective “Popeye” Doyle (Hackman) is still hot on the heels of cagey and sophisticated drug trafficker Charnier (Fernando Rey).

Doyle hops a flight to lovely Marseilles, France. Away from his familiar New York City territory, he struggles to assimilate himself into a strange city and conquer the drug ring to bring Charnier down.

Doyle is accosted and spends time as a dreary heroin addict in rough confines before being tossed away and forced to recover cold turkey style. He becomes even more determined to bring the bad guys to justice- dead or alive.

As a stand-alone action film, French Connection II is not a bad experience. It is certainly better than the still-to-come 1980s doldrums, like the Die Hard and Lethal Weapon cop/buddy films, that marginalized the genre into cookie-cutter popcorn fare.

The equally compelling French landscape replaces the gripping New York City. Gorgeous locales like the French Riviera and the Mediterranean Sea are featured, but Marseilles is not Paris.

A certain seediness and dirtiness helps the film a bit.

Hackman acts his ass off, especially as a drug addict. I shudder to think of a weaker actor trying to pull off this acting extravaganza.

From scenes featuring his withdrawals to his drug cravings, it is exciting to watch and showcases Hackman’s wonderful acting chops.

But the intent is to produce a good action film, and that effort is mediocre.

French Connection II is not as compelling as The French Connection, and despite some decent chase scenes and a cool finale where Doyle gets his satisfaction, there is little else but by-the-numbers activity.

The final fifteen minutes are the film’s best part.

Remember the frightening car-chasing-a-subway sequence? Or the delicious cat-and-mouse subway sequence between Doyle and Charnier?

Brilliant scenes like this don’t happen often.

A few clichés are bothersome. Predictably, Doyle stands out like a sore thumb in France, and his hot-headedness emerges quickly, offending or pissing off the French authorities.

He is not the most likable character, and I frequently found myself rooting for the bad guys!

I don’t think I was supposed to.

Other implausibilities occur, like the boneheaded decision to send Doyle to Marseilles in the first place. Was he the only detective, including the French authorities, capable of catching Charnier?

What was the point of the old-lady heroin addict stealing Doyle’s watch?

A shadow of The French Connection, the dull-titled French Connection II (1975) is a weaker effort but still respectable compared to other genre films.

This is mostly due to the French landscape and Gene Hackman’s return.

Golden Globe Nominations: Best Actor- Drama- Gene Hackman

1953 Films, Art, Drama, International, International Drama, Japanese

Ugetsu-1953

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Ugetsu-1953

Director Kenji Mizoguchi

Starring Masayuki Mori, Machiko Kyo

Scott’s Review #1,147

Reviewed May 31, 2021

Grade: A

Kenji Mizoguchi, who directed the brave Japanese masterpiece Ugetsu (1953), successfully brought Eastern cinema to Western audiences when the film was discovered. The result is a groundbreaking ghost story that gorgeously fuses reality with the supernatural.

It’s not always clear what is going on, but in only the best of ways. It’s like being inside a dream.

The notice is long overdue, as Mizoguchi has been making films since the 1920s! But his forever stamp on cinema is worth the wait, and Ugetsu is a timeless treasure.

Ugetsu is not the most straightforward plot to follow, but that is fine because its brilliance lies in other areas. Like every area, to be precise.

The cinematography, the mix of reality and the supernatural, the tone, the questioning messages, and the character conflict all add muscle.

It’s cinema to be experienced and mesmerized by. Haunting, sad, and stoic, it explores themes such as war, family, and forbidden relationships.

Its cultural exploration is essential, and it teaches Japanese customs. This film taught me what great cinema is—not necessarily linear or explained, but drenched with brilliance, thoughtfulness, and art. I was able to escape the confines of traditionally constructed films, and it was an awakening in pleasure and creativity.

The lesson learned is that cinema knows no boundaries, and the film helped open my eyes to types and styles of films that may be deemed onerous.

Drawing its plot, particularly from Ueda’s tales “The House in the Thicket” and “The Lust of the White Serpent,” the film is set in Azuchi–Momoyama period Japan (1573–1600). Mizoguchi was fascinated and inspired by these fables and the supernatural style from the long-ago, powerful, and classic stories.

A peasant farmer and potter, Genjūrō (Masayuki Mori) leaves his wife and young son behind during the civil war and is seduced by a spirit that threatens his life. He finds himself at a Kutsuki mansion to sell his pottery.

The mansion is run by fabulous Lady Wakasa (Machiko Kyo), who seduces him and requests that he marry her.

But is Lady Wakasa real or a ghost from the past? She harbors a horrific secret.

A subplot involves Genjūrō’s friend, Tōbei (Eitaro Ozawa), who dreams of becoming a great samurai and chases this goal at the unintended expense of his wife. He steals the head of a well-known general and is rewarded with shiny armor. Eager to tell his wife, he finds her working at a local brothel.

The costumes specifically deserve a shout-out. Drenched in Japanese drawings and colors, they are exquisite to the eye despite Ugetsu being a black-and-white film. The apparent art looks better without color adding mystique.

My favorite visual is when two couples drift along in a boat on a tremendous lake. Amid fog and haze, the scene is gloomy yet magnificent, offering lush Japanese geography. It’s a breathtaking visual with a fabulous texture and tone that, once again, is aided by black-and-white filmmaking.

The ghost story also is aided by the black and white cinematography. Isn’t everything? The scenes seem to scroll by in a fusion of live-action and gorgeous landscapes.

It is up for debate what is reality and what is not, which adds to the confusion and overall beauty.

The humanity and moral conflict the two main characters face are hearty and worthy of discussion. They strive for great success and riches but live in a cruel world.

I found the men to be heroes. Ugetsu is as much a character study as it is an art film.

Ugetsu (1953) is a must-see for film lovers and those intrigued by other cultures. If it is not already, it should appear on lists of superior films shown at film schools.

Oscar Nominations: Best Costume Design, Black and White

2001 Films, Horror, San Francisco, Slasher, Valentine's Day

Valentine-2001

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Valentine-2001

Director Jamie Blanks

Starring David Boreanaz, Denise Richards

Scott’s Review #1,146

Reviewed May 26, 2021

Grade: C

Valentine (2001) is a horror film made in the wrong decade.

The film could have been more meaningful or relevant if only it had been made in the early 1980s.

Sadly, it feels like a weak retread and an ode to a former time. Its flight took off twenty years ago.

1981 or 1982 was the heyday of the slasher flick. It’s kind of like a band attempting to play 1980s pop hits passed off as original music- it doesn’t work.

Or, a cover band belting out Bon Jovi hits as their own.

What’s worse is that it’s set in 2001. It might have been a better film with feathered hair, parachute pants, and a direct tribute to the 1980s.

It’s painfully mediocre.

If I sound harsh, that is not my intention. Valentine is not a disastrous film, and the pacing is fine at a short one hour and thirty-six minutes. It’s just that it’s dreadfully unoriginal and therefore uninspiring.

It’s like the filmmakers thought, ‘let’s put some hot chicks in a slasher film and off them one by one and make some money.

But the joke’s on them. Valentine didn’t make much money and was universally panned.

Borrowing from several popular flicks like Prom Night (1980), Terror Train (1980), and My Bloody Valentine (1981), director Jamie Banks even steals the familiar holiday theme so essential to this genre.

Even the final twist is unfulfilling because, like in almost all slasher films, a twist is almost mandatory and therefore unsurprising.

Before I forget, the acting is painfully bad. So there’s that bonus.

The action begins at a junior high school Valentine’s Day dance in 1988. An outcast named Jeremy Melton asks four popular girls to dance and is disdainfully rebuffed by each.

They are mean girls. Their overweight friend Dorothy accepts Jeremy’s invitation, and they make out underneath the bleachers.

When bullies discover them, they are ridiculed. Dorothy lies and claims that Jeremy sexually assaulted her, resulting in his being beaten, expelled, and eventually institutionalized after the group testifies against him, lying on the witness stand.

Years later, on Valentine’s Day, Kate (Marley Shelton), Paige (Denise Richards), Dorothy (Jessica Capshaw), Lily (Jessica Cauffiel), and Shelly (Katherine Heigl) begin receiving scary messages from an unknown sender, signed “JM”.

The women are then killed off one by one by a psycho in a Cupid mask.

They reside in San Francisco.

They suspect the murderer is Jeremy, having returned to exact revenge. Ya think?

There is entertainment in the mean girls being hacked to bits unceremoniously, and it is satisfying.

I sided with the Cupid killer, but was I supposed to? Well, I did anyway. Jeremy is handsome and sympathetic. After all, they ruined his life. Why would we root for the girls to be spared?

And it’s enjoyable. The deaths include a slit throat, a brutal beating with a hot iron, and death by electrocution. A special Valentine’s Day edition is a box of chocolates filled with maggots!

I won’t ruin the final twist by revealing any specifics, but suffice it to say that, yes, Jeremy is indeed the killer. But it’s not quite in the way you’d think.

There is nothing original about Valentine (2001), which is about as formulaic a film as there ever was. Instead of ever watching or thinking about the film again, I’ll happily break out my copies of Halloween (1978) or Friday the 13th (1980).

But still, it’s not the terrible film most people think it is.

1996 Films, Comedy, Independent, Independent Comedy, Mockumentary

Waiting for Guffman-1996

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Waiting for Guffman-1996

Director Christopher Guest

Starring Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara

Scott’s Review #1,145

Reviewed May 24, 2021

Grade: B+

Somehow, mocking local community theater troupes with questionable talent couldn’t be funnier with the right premise and an outstanding cast.

The added fun of midwestern traditions like barbecues, good manners, and spot-on imitations, put on display for humor, works well.

They should be celebrated and appreciated in Waiting for Guffman (1996).

The hysterical Best in Show (2000) is probably my favorite Christopher Guest film, but Waiting for Guffman is a hoot-and-hollering good time.

The ‘B+’ rating is largely due to Guffman serving as the opening act for the fab Best in Show. They can easily be watched back-to-back and perhaps should be for further cherishing.

When the town of Blaine, Missouri, approaches its sesquicentennial, the residents decide to celebrate with a musical revue titled “Red, White, and Blaine.”

Flamboyant director Corky St. Clair (Christopher Guest) is determined to return to Broadway success by casting untalented yet passionate performers.

Eugene Levy, Fred Willard, and Catherine O’Hara play the main cast members.

When Corky reveals that influential theater agent Mort Guffman will attend the opening, the cast is convinced they will receive accolades and Broadway appearances if they perform successfully.

They become titillated, flustered, and manic as the pressure of opening night approaches.

I daresay some folks from the Midwestern United States, or those faithful to the local theater, may not enjoy Waiting for Guffman, but I sure did.

Most of the characters are written as buffoons and lack any talent. The hysterics come because they think that they possess what they lack.

The aforementioned Guest, Levy, Willard, and O’Hara work so well together that they are the reason Waiting for Guffman is so damned funny! The comic timing between the actors is flawless.

Levy and O’Hara appeared together in the Canadian television sketch comedy series SCTV in the 1970s and 1980s before hitting the jackpot with the television series Schitt’s Creek in later years. Hence, a fun thing to do is to watch them together in whatever they appear in.

They are that good!

There are many stereotypes in Waiting for Guffman since Corky is written as a walking gay stereotype with mascara and flamboyancy. The irony is that he reportedly has a wife who is never seen, allowing the audience to draw their own conclusions.

Given the casting and the director, Christopher Guest takes on acting and directing duties; the experience is largely improvisational and results in a witty outcome.

Guest treats his actors, and himself, to the famous Director Robert Altman’s mantra of letting his actors release and act on their terms, presumably knowing the characters better than anyone else.

The tactic works. Too often, comedies are stagey, and situations are forced in an attempt to make the viewer laugh because they think they are supposed to.

My favorite characters, unsurprisingly, are Ron and Sheila Albertson (Willard and O’Hara) as travel agents/amateur performers. They are zany and unpredictable, and their antics cannot be superseded by anyone else.

Recommended mostly for the artistic and the improv comedy crowd. The spoofs are all over the place, and fans of documentaries and talent shows can appreciate the gags.

Waiting for Guffman (1996) targets an intelligent audience craving fresh and original comedy. Being a cinema fan largely immersed in drama and horror, I was nonetheless won over.

The only drawback is that the film pales in comparison to the brilliant Best in Show (2000), which largely shares the same cast and tone, but it is still worth watching.

1983 Films, Drama, Musical, Musical Drama, Romantic Drama

Yentl-1983

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Yentl-1983

Director Barbra Streisand

Starring Barbra Streisand

Scott’s Review #1,144

Reviewed May 20, 2021

Grade: B+

Feeling slightly dated nowadays, perhaps for the year it was made, Yentl (1983) is nonetheless a very good watch, if only for Barbra’s performance alone.

Who else could I be talking about other than superstar Barbra Streisand?

It is astounding that she also directed the film, which was rare for a female to do in those days. Even in 2021, only two women had won the coveted Best Director Oscar.

Mind-blowing. Streisand was snubbed in this category and was understandably miffed.

But I’ll get down from my soapbox.

Streisand plays the title role.

Yentl is a bookish girl and the daughter of a respected Talmud teacher who instructs her, even though he is female, not male. This is forbidden in their culture.

Her father dies, leaving Yentl to her own devices and determinations.

She disguises herself as a boy to gain entry to a yeshiva and meets Avigdor (Mandy Patinkin), whom she becomes fascinated by. But he only has eyes for Hadass (Amy Irving), whom he is supposed to marry.

This results in a triangle of sorts, but not in the traditional sense. Hadass develops feelings for Anshel (really Streisand as Yentl in drag). After they marry (unconsummated), Anshel falls in love with Avigdor.

This may sound like a comedy rather than a drama, and it does contain a bit of each, but the romantic interludes, misunderstandings, and misinterpretations are not the film’s best parts.

The main themes of faith and romance are center stage. Streisand may have had feminism on her mind with the film, but I didn’t find this a major point, except for Yentl refusing to marry a man.

She pretends to be a boy because females are repressed in the religion. A real win would have been Yentl embracing faith as she is, but for 1983, the message isn’t a bad one.

Still, we are supposed to want Yentl and Avigdor to live happily ever after, but I never felt very much of a connection to the couple.

The best parts of Yentl are the musical score and the songs the audience is treated to. The highlight is the emotionally charged “Papa, Can You Hear Me?” which is a gorgeous moment for Yentl.

Yentl leaves Europe aboard a boat bound for the United States, where she hopes to lead a freer life. With a smile on her face, she rises above and into a new day.

It’s a dynamic singing performance that elevates the film beyond what it would have been without the number. It’s like the perfect culminating Streisand moment.

The romantic moments are unfulfilling and predictable, but the film is about Streisand and Streisand alone. As good as Patinkin and Irving are, they take a backseat to the illustrious star. We never even get to see Patinkin sing.

I’m okay with this. I watched Yentl (1983) for the enormous talents of its star. Her singing, acting, and directing all make the film a worthwhile and engaging experience.

It’s not a great film, and other Streisand films are better- I’m thinking of Funny Girl (1968) and Hello, Dolly (1969), but it’s way above average.

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Supporting Actress-Amy Irving, Best Art Direction, Best Original Score (won), Best Original Song-“Papa, Can You Hear Me?”, “The Way He Makes Me Feel”

1980 Films, Drama, Musical, Musical Drama

Fame-1980

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Fame-1980

Director Alan Parker

Starring Lee Curreri, Irene Cara

Scott’s Review #1,143

Reviewed May 18, 2021

Grade: A-

Fame (1980) is a high school musical drama centered on the trials and tribulations of gifted New York City kids. Anyone with musical, theatrical, or dance talent can relate to the film.

The rest of us can live vicariously through these kids and the potential careers ahead of them, wishing we had half their talent and drive.

This isn’t your standard 1950s or 1960s musical, and the pace is frenetic. Fasten your seatbelts because there is a lot packed in.

The film oozes with an upbeat musical score and the flavor of New York City, quite gritty and dangerous, circa 1980.

The now-legendary musical numbers, in which the cast dances together with faculty and strangers alike atop Manhattan taxi cabs, are silly beyond belief.

Still, the title song, by star Irene Cara, is a danceable, hummable classic.

These scenes offset the muscular, dramatic scenes with lightness and comedy, but they also diminish the credibility of the serious moments.

Events get off to a chaotic start as we watch a mass of teenagers frantically scramble to memorize audition lyrics and dance numbers as they vie for entry into the High School of Performing Arts, with free admission reserved only for the cream of the crop.

The film chronicles the lives of the lucky from their auditions through their first, second, junior, and senior years.

The main group features Montgomery MacNeil (Paul McCrane), a closeted gay male; Doris Finsecker (Maureen Teefy), a shy Jewish girl; Ralph Garci (Barry Miller); and Bruno Martelli (Lee Curreri), an aspiring keyboardist whose electronic equipment horrifies the conservative music teachers.

They align with Lisa Monroe (Laura Dean), Coco Hernandez (Irene Cara), and Leroy Johnson (Gene Anthony Ray), a gifted dancer who cannot read.

Each has an interesting backstory or problem to work through over their four years in school, and that is the film’s main appeal. The dance numbers, of course, are fabulous too.

I immediately became enamored with sensitive Doris, whose mother (Tresa Hughes) elicits viewer emotion simply by feeling it. Her passion for her daughter and her talent are infectious.

Alan Parker, who directs Fame, offers extremely heavy topics that the students must face. It’s not all fun and dance. The youngsters grapple with issues such as homosexuality, abortion, interracial dating, class systems, attempted suicide, and illiteracy.

Their pain is readily offered to audiences who become entangled in their worlds.

A downside is that, as many issues are brought to the forefront, the sheer number of them leads to few resolutions.

On top of their unique struggles, the students must deal with the mundane pressures of adolescence, such as homework, heartbreak, and rejection.

Their talent doesn’t make them any more special than anyone else in the growing-up department.

My favorite moments in Fame are the quiet ones. When Doris and Montgomery share a chat on the stairs that skirts around the talk of his absent mother, I thought what a delightful couple they would make.

Montgomery’s repressed sexuality slowly surfaces while Doris develops a crush on an older, popular boy.

As if the heavy topics eventually subside, they don’t.

As the students age and start to plan careers, Coco is lured by a man claiming to be a director, only to realize he is a porn film “director”. He coaxes her into taking off her shirt and photographs her sobbing.

The scene is heartbreakingly powerful.

The atmosphere of Fame also works well. A strong, suffocating heat and humidity hang in the air. Anyone who has spent time in New York City during the summer months knows the stench and thickness of the stuffy weather.

I got the impression the school had no air conditioning, as evidenced by the music teacher’s running perspiration.

A coming-of-age film that delivers hard-hitting messages only offset by the climactic dance-celebration numbers, Fame (1980) is a winner and gives teen angst its due.

This film ages well and stands the test of time.

Oscar Nominations: 2 wins-Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score (won), Best Original Song-“Fame” (won), Out Here on My Own”, Best Film Editing, Best Sound

Golden Globe Nominations: 1 win-Best Picture-Comedy or Musical, Best Actress-Comedy or Musical-Irene Cara, Best Original Score, Best Original Song-“Fame” (won)

2020 Films, Drama, Independent, Independent Drama

Never Rarely Sometimes Always-2020

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Never Rarely Sometimes Always-2020

Director Eliza Hittman

Starring Sidney Flanigan, Talia Ryder

Scott’s Review #1,142

Reviewed May 14, 2021

Grade: A

I’ll confess that a teen drama centered on abortion involving conflicted female characters wouldn’t be the first film I’d sit down and watch. Done before and not my demographic I assumed little in common with the characters.

Never Rarely Sometimes Always (2020) blew me away and taught me a valuable lesson- never judge a film by its synopsis.

The film only entered my radar because of positive buzz and a handful of independent film awards. Hopefully, this recognition catapults the director and actresses to other excellent projects.

It’s not that director Eliza Hittman does anything notably different with the vehicle on the surface. I joke slightly because she takes a standard story and hits it out of the ballpark so that even us middle-aged folks with no kids can remain engaged.

Anyone can watch the film as it compels completely, and I was enamored from scene one.

Before anyone gets their knickers in a twist, Never Rarely Sometimes Always doesn’t get on a soapbox about whether abortion is right or wrong. It’s not about that, though I can guess Hittman’s likely position on the topic.

Instead, it gives a fresh, raw, and realistic depiction of what it’s like for a seventeen-year-old girl to be scared and pregnant and, in some parts of the United States, unable to get proper guidance or treatment.

This could shape her whole life.

The kicker is that one doesn’t necessarily need to live in the middle of nowhere for this to occur. This note shocked me and, quite frankly, frightened me.

Faced with an unintended pregnancy and a lack of local support, Autumn (Sidney Flanigan) and her cousin, Skylar (Talia Ryder), travel from suburban Pennsylvania across state lines to New York City on a challenging journey of friendship, compassion, and a bit of adventure.

Autumn is brooding and upset, yet holds it mostly together. She performs beautifully at a high school pep rally despite being snickered at by a rude boy in the audience. Afterward, her family goes for pizza and soda to celebrate, whereas her stepfather is unable to praise Autumn.

The tension between Autumn and her stepfather is very ambiguous. Could he be the father of the boy she presumably dated and now wants nothing to do with?

We realize that the males in Autumn’s life pretty much suck after her boss disgustingly kisses her hand as a daily ritual.

She goes to a discreet mom-and-pop clinic where she learns she is pregnant. The woman in charge callously shows Autumn horrific abortion videos when she suspects Autumn might be flirting with the idea of getting one.

Autumn and Skylar realize they must flee their one-horse town for the hustle and bustle and better medical care provided by New York City. They steal cash from their job and take a bus.

This is the point where the film takes off. As the girls arrived at the chaotic Port of Authority bus terminal, I felt like I was on the journey with them. They arrive at a clinic and meet a kind receptionist and technician who tell her she is sixteen weeks pregnant instead of the ten weeks she thought she was.

Her procedure will take two days.

Where will they stay? What will they eat? The procedure is costly, so how will they pay for the bus fare home? A boy they meet on the bus reappears and maybe their savior, but at what price?

These are some of the questions I, as the viewer, was thinking throughout the experience, just as Autumn and Skylar were.

The most powerful scene occurs when Autumn receives question after question from the technician, which is the crux of the title of the film. We sadly realize that Autumn has faced some sexual abuse before.

The film does not reveal precisely what happened, which is clever and makes the scene more powerful.

Never Rarely Sometimes Never is a slow-moving vehicle, but because of the outstanding acting talents of Flanigan and Ryder, I was wholly engaged, hooked, and suckered. I fell in love with these characters, and the entirety of the film feels incredibly authentic.

A film that grapples with despair, hope, fear, journey, friendship, and much more than its main storyline offers, Never Rarely Sometimes Always (2020) is a brave film that hits a home run.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best Feature, Best Director-Eliza Hittman, Best Female Lead-Sidney Flanigan, Best Supporting Female-Talia Ryder, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Editing

1976 Films, Drama, PBS, Period Drama, Shorts

Bernice Bobs Her Hair-1976

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Bernice Bobs Her Hair-1976

Director Joan Micklin Silver

Starring Shelley Duvall, Veronica Cartwright 

Scott’s Review #1,141

Reviewed May 12, 2021

Grade: B+

Much transpires within Bernice Bobs Her Hair (1976), a short film based on a short story by famed author F. Scott Fitzgerald.

For the non-literary crowd, Fitzgerald penned the worldly The Great Gatsby, a treasured story set in the 1920s on Long Island, New York.

The story was adapted into a television production in 1976 for PBS’s The American Short Story.

Bernice Bobs Her Hair is a quieter story than Gatsby, and more peculiar, resulting in a fabulous tale of revenge set a 1920, the cusp of the American Jazz Age.

The setting is presumed to be Long Island or Westchester County, New York, though that’s never confirmed.

Regardless, our main character, Bernice (Shelley Duvall), hails from Wisconsin and visits her family.

The visit isn’t exactly peaches and cream, as you can imagine.

The bitchy and sophisticated Marjorie (Veronica Cartwright), Bernice’s cousin, pities her for being awkward and unlikable, and for being far inferior to the elitist company she keeps. She rolls up her sleeves and becomes determined to shape Bernice into a sophisticated vixen, molding her into a girl who gets what she wants.

The idea ends up biting her in the ass.

Bernice, mocked for being quiet and dull, blossoms into a brave young woman, titillated by the attention of the society boys. She delights in having her pick of the litter and daringly proclaims to have her hair bobbed in a few days, to the shock and chagrin of the rich group of friends.

Would a young woman ever dare to do something so drastic for attention? Hell, she’ll have to go to a barber and be sheared!

Marjorie’s jealousy intensifies as Bernice’s confidence soars, culminating in a dramatic and satisfying conclusion.

Duvall is delightful in the role. The actress, very unconventional looking, appears the prettiest I’ve ever seen her, even when she plays dowdy. Telling so much with her wide-eyed and expression-filled eyes, she seduced me into her world of mystique and wonderment. Duvall has a charisma all her own and fascinates in any film she appears in.

Not to be overlooked, Veronica Cartwright brings Marjorie to life with fury and pizazz, also doing so much with her trademark blue eyes. The actresses work so well together as they eventually play a seductive game of will and wit.

For the boys, there are a few love interests to note. I loved seeing Bud Cort, struggling for work after his groundbreaking role in 1971’s Harold & Maude, appear in the short film. Insecure, he is nonetheless smitten with Bernice, just as Draycott Deyo (Patrick Reynolds) is.

Other handsome suitors like Mark LaMura, of daytime television fame, appear.

The costumes and sets are lavish and fitting to the 1920s, which enhanced my enjoyment. The hot summer setting also infuses the film with smoldering and rigid tension, enhancing the experience. There is nothing like escaping into the past in style and enchantment.

The final revenge is extremely fulfilling as the classes clash. The socially awkward Bernice conquers the WASP-y Marjorie like a plain Jane would a beautiful evil princess. It’s quite satisfying.

The entire experience of Bernice Bobs Her Hair (1976) is pleasing and compelling. The kicker is that when Bernice does indeed ‘bob her hair’, she looks amazing and trendy for the decade to follow. She gets her just desserts in more ways than one, and the audience cheers her to victory!

1977 Films, War

Cross of Iron-1977

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Cross of Iron-1977

Director Sam Peckinpah

Starring James Coburn, Maximilian Schell, James Mason

Scott’s Review #1,140

Reviewed May 8, 2021

Grade: B+

Cross of Iron (1977) is a film that sticks with you. I appreciate that it’s not a standard, cookie-cutter war film that too often graces the big screen decade after decade, featuring different wars but applying virtually the same message.

The tone is usually pro-United States, with little explanation or defense of the other guys.

This is not one of those films.

That said, I could have used a more straightforward approach because Cross of Iron is all over the place. It’s like a fragmented puzzle that doesn’t add up or come together, but the experience is something both mind-blowing and unforgettable.

Sometimes confusing and unpleasant, Sam Peckinpah directs it, so anyone familiar with some of his other works knows what the experience will be like.

His best films, Straw Dogs (1971) and The Getaway (1972), are famous for their lightning-fast editing sequences galore and sudden still frames. Violence and mistreatment of female characters are also Peckinpah staples, and Cross of Iron sure has those elements.

But it’s not on the level that Straw Dogs and The Getaway are, as far as a solid storyline. Not even close.

The synopsis goes something like this. The time is World War II, and Corporal Rolf Steiner (James Coburn) is a well-respected member of the German military and a recipient of the Iron Cross, Germany’s highest military honor. He leads a group of soldiers to battle somewhere in Russia, presumably.

Envious of Steiner’s Iron Cross award, Captain Hauptmann Stransky (Maximilian Schell), a Prussian officer, clashes with Steiner when he joins the unit near the Russian front.

Desperate to receive his own Iron Cross, Stransky takes the credit for a significant attack and sparks a heated rivalry with Steiner.

Mixed in with all this machismo drama between Stransky and Steiner are several brooding German soldiers, one French soldier, and a rescued Russian boy.

A homosexual relationship between the French soldier and another soldier is discovered by Stransky and used as blackmail, while Stransky himself may also be gay. Yet another soldier kisses a fellow soldier on the mouth.

Sadly, these story points go nowhere. And I didn’t care one iota about the Iron Cross.

To add to the confusion, a few of the German soldiers appear to be German while the others, especially Steiner, seem American. They frequently denounce Hitler, which makes the viewer wonder why they are fighting for him. Are they forced to? Were many German soldiers not pro-Hitler but had to fight to avoid execution?

Again, these points are not explained.

The film’s introduction features children singing German songs amidst real-life footage of Hitler and Nazis, and the conclusion also features children singing and still frames of children suffering during the war.

The sequences, while powerful, have nothing to do with the story since the story has nothing to do with children except the one lone Russian boy.

If you can get past the cloudy storylines, Cross of Iron has some delicious stuff to chew on. Besides the fantastic editing, the film features one of the most intense and interesting scenes I’ve witnessed in a long time.

When the soldiers stumble upon a group of female Russian detachments, things heat up.

A despised Nazi Party member takes one of the women into a barn and rapes her. She bites off his penis, and he kills her. Steiner allows the remaining women to exact revenge on the rapist, and they beat him to death.

A couple of things stand out in this scene. As much as Peckinpah usually reduces his female characters to victims, this scene has a strong feminist angle, which I love.

Were there Russian female soldiers in real life, including a high-ranking major? Steiner allowing the women to kill the Nazis would make his group anti-Nazi?

There is a lot to ponder throughout and after watching Cross of Iron (1977). I’m not sure if I’m a huge fan of the film or ever need to see it again, but maybe I should. So much goes on throughout the film that it either adds to or detracts from the experience, making it a perplexing watch.

I’d add much more to the relationships between the characters, especially the male-male sexual dynamic, to bring more substance.

The dynamic of Steiner taking the Russian boy under his wing had more to offer, and I’d also reduce the number of battle scenes seemingly thrown in every so often to prove or justify that Cross of Iron is a war film.

1966 Films, Drama, Epic, Religious

The Bible: In the Beginning-1966

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The Bible: In the Beginning-1966

Director John Huston

Starring George C. Scott, Ava Gardner, Richard Harris

Scott’s Review #1,139

Reviewed May 5, 2021

Grade: A-

An epic of grand proportions that nearly rivals the magic cinematography of Lawrence of Arabia (1963), The Bible: In The Beginning (1966) embraces its definition of majestic, magnificent, and sweeping.

The story follows the Bible chronologically, beginning with Adam & Eve.

Remember, you need not be Catholic, Christian, or of any religious persuasion to enjoy the film’s rapturous beauty.

The pious and non-believers alike can enjoy the experience. There is a hint of the unbelievable and a suspension of disbelief in some of the stories gracing director John Huston’s “The Good Book.”

He also narrates some of the stories and appears as Noah.

Nobody is mocked for their beliefs, and the film is a straight-ahead interpretation of the first twenty-two chapters of the Book of Genesis, covering the stories from Creation and Adam and Eve to Isaac’s binding.

Abraham (George C. Scott) and Sarah (Ava Gardner) are heavily featured.

The film focuses on five main sections: Creation, Garden of Eden, Cain and Abel, Noah’s Ark, and Abraham’s story. Other stories get less screen time and attention but are still featured.

Speaking of Adam and Eve (Michael Parks and Ulla Bergyrd), they kick off the action with the fateful decision to pick and taste the luscious fruits dangling before their eyes as the Serpent fiendishly looks on.

God punishes Adam and Eve for their temptation, setting off a common theme throughout the film and, indeed, the excellent book: resisting pleasures of the flesh and being penalized for caving into desires.

Aod is happy when people are unfulfilled and joyless. Sadly, some have taken this too seriously.

We could debate religion until the cows come home, and many have, but I became aware of a hint of ridicule or at least intense questioning on the part of Huston.

He creates scenes that most would deem ridiculous if not written in the words of the Bible.

Again, Huston is careful not to mock anyone, shrouding any antics in good, stylized 1960s film, but a woman being turned into a pillar of salt for looking at the sky is amusing.

Admittedly, some chapters are better than others.

The trials and tribulations of Abraham and Sarah get off to a slow start when Abraham and company traverse miles and miles of the lonely desert so much that I was left wondering if they were on the road to nowhere.

Finally, the action takes off when Sarah realizes she is barren, which leads her maid to conceive a child with Abraham. I never knew this saga had so much in common with the Hulu hit The Handmaid’s Tale, but the similarities are eerie and uncanny.

Noah and his Ark is also an excellent sequence and brings more humor than necessary, but I guess it balances the more severe stories.

Noah adores animals, especially cats and lions, and treats them beautifully, choosing to save and live harmoniously with the creatures. They love him. The flooding scenes related to this chapter are exquisite and adventurous.

The film depicts God as a bit of a son of a bitch as he calls Abraham to lead his only son to a high mountain and sacrifice him. This tests Abraham’s will and is thought-provoking.

If many of the actors look Italian, it’s because they do. Pupella Maggio, famous for her role in Fellini’s Amarcord (1973), plays Noah’s wife.

Much of the film was shot in and around Rome.

Huston not only narrates some sections but also appears as Noah himself!

The Bible: In the Beginning (1966) is exquisite and pleasing cinematically. Many fans of religious cinema will prefer the more conventional The Ten Commandments (1956).

While slow at times, the film has aged like a fine wine by the end, leaving me enthralled and appreciative of its achievements.

Oscar Nominations: Best Original Music Score

Golden Globe Nominations: Best Original Score

1965 Films, Drama, Guy Films, Sports

The Cincinnati Kid-1965

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The Cincinnati Kid-1965

Director Norman Jewison

Starring Steve McQueen

Scott’s Review #1,138

Reviewed April 29, 2021

Grade: B

I suppose anyone really into poker playing or similar casino games might be partial to The Cincinnati Kid (1965), especially if they are a die-hard Steve McQueen fan.

But for those with no interest in the ‘sport’ and who think that McQueen is a royal douche who received a modicum of film success, the film is a marginally decent effort.

For those who don’t know, Steve McQueen, the actor and not the British filmmaker, was nicknamed the “King of Cool” and played the anti-hero in most of his films.

His heyday was from the mid-1960s through the early 1970s, and he garnered success by repeatedly playing the same role. He was notorious for insisting his hair was perfect, being selfish, and being a royal prick.

He died of cancer in 1980.

An earlier film of his, The Cincinnati Kid (1965), is set in Depression-era New Orleans, though the film’s severe 1960s look makes it almost impossible to determine that it’s not the 1960s.

Eric Stoner (Steve McQueen) is a cocky poker player nicknamed the Cincinnati Kid who challenges longtime champ Lancey “The Man” Howard (Edward G. Robinson) to a showdown at the table, where a war of persistence and luck ensues.

To add energy, Rip Torn plays Slade, a villainous man who seeks revenge against Howard and tries to help Stoner beat him.

In addition to the inevitable final poker game, Stoner is immersed in a romance with good girl Christian Rudd (Tuesday Weld) as he tries unsuccessfully to fend off the seductive advances of his best friend Shooter’s (Karl Malden) girlfriend (Ann-Margret), who is also a close friend of Christian.

Romance and double-dealing are in the air in this film.

The main draw is McQueen because he is charismatic and carries the by-the-numbers film.

The story seems to be a battle between youth (Stoner) and seasoned wisdom (Howard), but aside from the fantastic finale involving (what else!) a tense game of cards, I didn’t find the main story all that interesting.

Other impressive aspects, however, include the trimmings.

The actors handle the playing cards realistically, use the game terminology, and smoke a fat cigar, adding real authenticity to the film.

The New Orleans flavor adds culture, and many Black actors appear in minor roles that at least offer some representation of the actual southern city.

Despite the talented cast, only McQueen shines.

Weld and Ann-Margret are incredibly one-note characters and opposites (good girl and bad girl) with little development. Malden is the film’s moral compass but otherwise has little to do.

Interestingly, Norman Jewison replaced original director Sam Peckinpah shortly after filming began. He described The Cincinnati Kid as his “ugly duckling” film, which let him transition from the lighter films he’d made and take on more serious subjects.

Cinema lovers know he directed the 1971 film Fiddler on the Roof, a completely different film.

I wonder whether Jewison’s heart was in this film, or whether he did the best he could with a subject that wasn’t close to his heart.

Knowing Peckinpah’s brilliant work, I wonder if he would have made The Cincinnati Kid darker and more violent.

One scene that turns my stomach is a gruesome and violent cock-fighting scene. Any animal cruelty makes my blood boil, so I turned my head and refused to watch the scene or the group of merrymakers sitting around cheering the bloodbath.

The Cincinnati Kid (1965) is an enjoyable watch for poker lovers or Steve McQueen fans. It is also not bad for casual fans.

Though I have not seen it, I understand that The Hustler (1961) is a similarly themed and better-made film.

Golden Globe Nominations: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture-Joan Blondell

2002 Films, Erotic, Thriller

Femme Fatale-2002

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Femme Fatale-2002

Director Brian De Palma

Starring Antonio Banderas, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos

Scott’s Review #1,137

Reviewed April 28, 2021

Grade: B+

The plot of Femme Fatale (2002) is muddy, to say the least, and I was left perplexed by the details by the time the film concluded.

I had to review a synopsis to figure out what happened, but I was willing to do so.

But let’s remember that Brian De Palma directs it, so the beauty lies in the visual style and stimulation, which make the film pay off in spades.

Probably more similar to a modern De Palma film like 2012’s underrated and underappreciated Passion than more familiar turf like Carrie (1976) or Dressed to Kill (1980), Femme Fatale has juicy trademarks that only fans of the director will immediately notice and revel in.

The entire experience that De Palma creates is titillating, erotic, fetishistic, and thrilling. It’s an enrapturing piece.

Unfortunately, Femme Fatale was a box-office dud but has since amassed a cult following, likely due to legions of De Palma fans who appreciate the film’s strong style.

Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, with legs for miles and an abdomen to fry eggs off of, stars as Laure Ash, a master manipulator, who takes part in one last jewel theft, intending to leave behind her life of crime.

Her intention predictably doesn’t turn out so well, but Laura sure does look great in her leather-clad outfits and affair with a female supermodel.

Later, Romijn-Stamos also plays an odd character named Lily, who is suicidal.

Reinvented under the presumption of a respectable married woman, Laura captures the attention of eager photographer Nicolas (Antonio Banderas).

He becomes mesmerized by the elusive woman amid the gorgeous locales of Paris and accidentally shatters her carefully crafted world through his photography.

The steamy women’s bathroom love scene between Laura, who is bisexual, and Veronica, a model with a diamond gold ensemble top, is not just a male chauvinistic turn-on, but hugely important to the storyline.

Laura is supposedly in cahoots with thugs “Black Tie” and Racine, who aggressively wait outside the restroom, but is Laura double-crossing them both? Is she partnered in crime with Veronica, or is she just a mark?

The riddles of the plot are both positive and negative, especially when one scene plays out twice, midstream and during the finale.

There is a mystique that forces the viewer to give up any attempt at comprehension or plausibility regarding Laura, her motivations, and modus operandi.

I chose to immerse myself in the bevy of trimmings that De Palma tosses our way like a hungry dog salivating over a bone.

He borrows a bit from the best of Alfred Hitchcock’s films (when doesn’t he?) and his own, neither a bad thing. The most obvious is from the 1954 masterpiece, Rear Window, an orgy of fetishism, which appears throughout, mostly concerning Nicolas as he spies on Laura again and again, almost obsessively.

Romijn-Stamos isn’t the best actress in the biz, and Banderas would grow as an actor after this film. Still, Femme Fatale is about style, not Academy Award acting, and the beauty is trying to figure out a puzzle and being startled by a twist ending and a replay of the events to provide some explanation.

The twist is quite a doozy and had me rethink the entire film. Plot holes be damned, it was a very good reveal, but it also made most of the rest of the film a bit worthless.

Femme Fatale (2002) will never reach the upper echelons of the best of Brian De Palma’s films, but it’s hardly a waste of time to give it a spin, either.

Forgetting the steaminess altogether, the film is for European appreciating viewers with the astounding and plentiful sequences in and around Paris.

2020 Films, Courtroom, Drama, Historical Drama, Political Drama, Social Issues

The Trial of the Chicago 7-2020

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The Trial of the Chicago 7-2020

Director Aaron Sorkin

Starring Sacha Baron Cohen, Eddie Redmayne, Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Scott’s Review #1,136

Reviewed April 26, 2021

Grade: B+

The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020) is a Hollywood film with an important message. It’s conventional and explores a historic episode of great importance, and it tells the story well, taking many liberties for effect.

Director Aaron Sorkin sticks to a familiar formula, peppering humor with the standard heavy drama, and creates a film that will appeal to mainstream audiences. He earned several Oscar nominations for the film.

It’s a crowdpleaser first and foremost.

I would have been bothered more by the traditional approach if the subject matter hadn’t been so weighty or presented in a left-leaning way, which it was.

Solidly anti-war, this made the film more powerful and meaningful, though some of the comedic elements seemed silly and trite, and added to lighten the mood.

The period is 1969, though the main subject occurs in 1968, so there is a lot of back and forth. After antiwar activists clash with police and National Guardsmen at the important 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, violence erupts.

Charged with conspiracy and inciting to riot, seven of the protestors are put on trial. The charges are controversial because a new president, Richard Nixon, has just been elected, and a revenge-seeking Attorney General lusts for an example to be made of them.

The casting is tremendous.

John Doman is fabulous in the quick role of the evil Attorney General John Mitchell (historians know he later became a convicted criminal), and Frank Langella makes Judge Julius Hoffman into the asshole he was.

I’ve never been as impressed with Sacha Baron Cohen (or rather, this is the first time I’ve been impressed) as he steamrolls into the role of Abbie Hoffman, a social and political activist.

Eddie Redmayne, John Carroll Lynch, Mark Rylance, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt also deserve praise as either a member of the seven or lawyers for either side.

Whether it achieves specific accuracy isn’t top of mind for me. The Trial of the Chicago 7 provides a historical account of the events that unfolded the night of the riots and the subsequent courtroom proceedings the following year. I’m okay with a few exaggerations for cinema’s sake.

The product is a safe, glossy affair and incredibly slick to the eye.

The editing is fantastic. Snippets of the real Chicago riots of 1968 are interspersed with the created scenes, creating a sound effect through the back-and-forth.

But before this, real-life comments from Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy kick off the action. Both assassinated, their existence is essential to witness before the point at which the film is ever made.

Justice is not always served. Sorkin’s point in including these sequences seems to be that good politicians are out there fighting for truth and fairness.

My favorite scene is the final one. At the end of the trial, Hayden (Redmayne) is given a chance to make a case for a lenient sentence. However, over Judge Hoffman’s objections, Hayden uses his closing remarks to name the 4,752 soldiers who were killed in the Vietnam War since the trial began.

This act prompts many in the court to stand and cheer. Viewers will as well.

The main problem that gnawed at me is the same concern I had when I realized that Sorkin was at the director’s helm. He is a dazzling screenwriter, making the dialogue crisp and rich with intelligence.

But, known for television successes such as The West Wing (1999-2006) and Sports Night (1998-2000), this causes The Trial of the Chicago 7 to look like a made-for-television production versus a raw film experience.

I realize that Sorkin will likely never be a film auteur. Sorkin is why The Trial of the Chicago 7 is a B+ film, not an A film.

The late 1960s were a prominent and sometimes tragic time in United States history. The Trial of the Chicago 7 delves into a pivotal event in which several people were railroaded and punished for something they did not do.

The film makes sure that the railroaders get their just desserts, and that’s fun to see.

Oscar Nominations: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor-Sacha Baron Cohen, Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Original Song-“Hear My Voice”

2020 Films, Animated, Shorts

Oscar-Nominated Animated Short Films-2020

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Oscar-Nominated Animated Short Films-2020

Directors Madeline Sharafian, Adrien Merigeau, Will McCormack, Michael Govier, Erick Oh, Gisli Darri Halldorsson

Scott’s Review #1,135

Grade: A-

Having the honor of being able to view the five short films nominated for the 2020 Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film at my local art theater was pretty amazing.

Especially in the year of Covid! Far too often dismissed as either irrelevant or completely flying under the radar of animated offerings, it is time to champion these fine little pieces of artistic achievement.

On par with or even superseding the full-length animated features, each of the five offers a vastly different experience. Still, each offers either inspired or hopeful messages or dark, devious, and edgy stories.

The commonality this year is that there are no similarities.

The overall tone is dour, except for one cute short featuring a rabbit and a peculiar look at the everyday life of Icelandic people.

Below is a review of each of the shorts.

Burrow-2020 (USA)

A darling story, Burrow tells the tale of a young rabbit who tries to build the burrow of her dreams, becoming embarrassed each time she accidentally digs into a neighbor’s home.

By far the safest of the five shorts, and the most hopeful, the experience is pleasant and comical as the rabbit’s exuberance and joys are infectious.

I got a real sense of community and warmth seeing the rabbits and other creatures pull together and form a communal bond rather than living in separation.

It’s an inspiring and wholesome story.

Grade: B+

Genius Loci-2020 (France)

One night, Reine, a young loner, sees the urban chaos as a mystical oneness that seems alive, like some guide.

Genius Loci is dark and depressing and challenging to understand, but my takeaway was one of mental illness and the struggle to face daily life.

Reine appears to either live with someone or have a child, but it’s difficult to determine. Reine sees the world through watercolors and muted shapes, which is quite beautiful to experience, but the plot is tough to define precisely.

I used my imagination.

Grade: A-

Opera-2020 (USA)

Our society and history, which are filled with beauty and absurdity, are experienced with Opera, the oddest of the bunch. At merely nine minutes, it’s a short piece, but intriguing nonetheless.

It is a single, comprehensive image of various activities within a pyramid shape, meant to represent the history of the world and daily life. There are tons of windows showing different activities. Oddities, such as a brothel and someone being fed plate after plate of food, are featured.

This one is also open to much interpretation, as so many events can be seen.

Grade: A-

If Anything Happens I Love You-2020 (USA) (Won)

If Anything Happens I Love You, produced by Laura Dern, describes the aftermath of tragedy, as two grieving parents journey through an emotional void as they mourn the loss of a child.

This short will make the tears flow, if not a downright sob, and is my favorite of the group. The viewer is aware that the parents have lost their ten-year-old daughter, but not how until close to the end. We wonder how death occurs.

The timeliness makes it the most powerful in a time of school shootings and constant gun control battles. Yes, it’s depressing but necessary.

Grade: A

Yes-People-2020 (Iceland)

As someone with a deep affection for Iceland and fortunate enough to have visited the country, I was thrilled to see it represented.

One morning, an eclectic mix of people face the everyday battle, such as work, school, and dish-washing. As the day progresses, their relationships are tested and ultimately their capacity to cope.

Besides Burrow, Yes-People is the only one to include some humor, and the boozy housewife and her fat working husband are my favorites.

Joyous is also the couple who have loud sex for their neighbors to hear. Clever is how the word “yes” can be meant in so many tones and textures.

It’s a short slice of life, offering a glimpse into people’s ordinary lives.

Grade: A-

2012 Films, Action, Drama, Political Thriller, Thriller, War

Zero Dark Thirty-2012

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Zero Dark Thirty-2012

Director Kathryn Bigelow

Starring Jessica Chastain

Scott’s Review #1,133

Reviewed April 14, 2021

Grade: A-

Director Kathryn Bigelow, not far removed from her Oscar win for The Hurt Locker (2008), returns with a similar style of film centered on war and, more specifically, the emotional toll and psychological effects of not just battlefields but also dangerous missions.

The main character faces many conflicts, and the viewer inevitably does too.

Zero Dark Thirty (2012) is unique in the genre for having a woman in the lead role, and star Jessica Chastain is front and center and terrific.

She is calm, restrained, and in control. She is tough to rattle and a powerful, inspirational character to admire.

Chastain exudes cool in the face of danger.

Chastain does have a brilliant emotional scene at the end of the film. Her character, Maya, boards a military transport back to the U.S. as the sole passenger. She is asked where she wants to go and begins to cry. The emotion finally gets the better of her, as it would to anyone.

The film isn’t all Chastain’s to brag about, and there is little wrong with it.

Beautifully directed, Bigelow layers her film with enough tension and magnificence to enshroud the moral questions viewers will ask, specifically about torture.

It’s somewhat fictionalized, and in fact, Chastain’s character is made up, but Zero Dark Thirty is a gem nonetheless.

But we also know the events happened.

The film starts incredibly well and immediately grabs the viewer’s attention with a brilliant first scene.

Amidst a dark screen and soundtrack of actual calls made to the 911 operator from inside the World Trade Center Towers on 9/11, the scene is about as powerful an opening as a film can have and bravely sets the stage for what follows.

These include many scenes of Arab detainees being interrogated (that is, tortured) for information about Al Qaeda. Is this justified or unnecessary abuse?

The viewer is immediately saddened, in tears, and conflicted about whether the torture is justified, having just heard the 911 calls.

I know I was.

From there, the viewer also hears a summary that puts the pieces of the first scene together.

After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Osama bin Laden becomes one of the most wanted men on the planet. The worldwide search for the terrorist leader occupies the resources and attention of two U.S. presidential administrations.

This is the crux of the film and the story told.

Ultimately, a dedicated female operative (Chastain) proves instrumental in finally locating bin Laden. In May 2011, Navy SEALs launched a nighttime strike, killing bin Laden in his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

We all know this, but troubling is the use of torture. I keep coming back to this point.

I think what I like most about the film, besides the riveting pacing, action sequences, and psychological appeal, is the controversy that surrounds it.

The fact that it ruffled feathers at the CIA and in Congress about whether the info was leaked to the filmmakers makes me think that at least some of it is based on facts, despite what other reviewers (likely with a strong political bias) might claim to the contrary.

But as a political junkie, that’s just my belief.

The film’s reproduction of enhanced interrogation techniques is brutal. Some critics, in light of the interrogations being depicted as gaining reliable, useful, and accurate information, considered the scenes pro-torture propaganda.

Acting CIA director Michael Morell felt the film created the false impression that torture was key to finding bin Laden. Others described it as an anti-torture exposure of interrogation practices.

I guess we may never know the truth. But the film compels and provokes feeling.

Bigelow is at the top of her game with Zero Dark Thirty (2012), crafting a genre film (the war one) too often told through a masculine “us versus them” mentality and leaving behind the fascinating nuances that can make the genre a more interesting and less one-note.

The masterful director does just that and makes us think, ponder, and squirm uneasily.

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Picture, Best Actress-Jessica Chastain, Best Original Screenplay, Best Sound Editing (won), Best Film Editing

2020 Films, Comedy, Dark Comedy, Independent, Independent Comedy, Independent Thriller, Thriller

Promising Young Woman-2020

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Promising Young Woman-2020

Director Emerald Fennell

Starring Carey Mulligan, Bo Burnham

Scott’s Review #1,132

Reviewed April 13, 2021

Grade: A

Emerald Fennell, making her film directorial debut, kicks her viewers in the ass with significant help from star Carey Mulligan, with Promising Young Woman (2020).

The actress gives the best performance of her career.

The film is a sexy and haunting experience, mixing black comedy and witty dialogue with an important and timely subject matter- the abuse and victimization of young women by men.

Both men and women can be held responsible, as Fennell makes abundantly clear. Predators often have a share of people who choose to “look the other way” and thereby enable.

This is a constant theme throughout the film involving many characters who are called out for their passivity.

Fennell makes this point during two of the film’s most compelling scenes, calling out a high-powered dean and attorney for their betrayals. The scenes are so powerful that I wanted the characters to suffer as much as the revenge seeker does.

There is also a wackiness in the pacing and dialogue that reminds me quite a bit of the 1999 masterpiece, American Beauty.

The film is depravity, bizarreness, and brilliance all rolled into one. I felt this film in my bones.

Almost every scene is a treat in the mysterious and unexpected, and the film features peculiar characters and creative musical score renditions, and includes a scene and music from the underappreciated masterpiece The Night of the Hunter (1955). Fennell knows her classic cinema.

Mulligan stars as a woman named Cassie who seeks to avenge the death of her best friend, who was a victim of rape when they were in medical school, and their young lives had potential, and such possibility lay ahead of them.

Cleverly, we never see her friend, named Nina Fisher, but she is of vital importance and nearly a central character herself despite her absence.

Everyone said Cassie was a “promising young woman” until a mysterious event abruptly derailed her future. But now, at thirty and still living at home, her parents suggest, via a giant suitcase for her birthday, that it may be time for her to move on.

Cassie is tough to figure out since she’s wickedly clever, sometimes wisecracking, and tantalizingly cunning, and she’s living a secret double life by night. She goes to nightclubs looking drop-dead gorgeous and lures men to her rescue, pretending to be inebriated.

What happens when they go back to their pad is shocking, dark, and justified. The men will never see this coming.

Before the presumption is that Cassie is nothing more than a bad-ass, her intentions are not only admirable, but she has a heart and desires love. Promising Young Woman is a dark character study.

Besides the powerful story, Promising Young Woman is riddled with interesting cinematic techniques. Cassie’s parents lounge in their afternoon, watching The Night of the Hunter, a dark fairy tale for adults.

Later, a haunting version of Britney Spears “I’m a Slave 4 U”, complete with a string arrangement, is featured most uniquely.

All the supporting players add pizzazz and strength, some in odd or unclear ways, until certain revelations bubble to the surface.

Jennifer Coolidge as Cassie’s strange mother, Bo Burnham as the smitten Ryan Cooper, and Alison Brie as Cassie’s college friend Madison McPhee are the best examples.

Bo and Madison have the most to hide, but will they or won’t they face Cassie’s wrath? Not much is worse than a woman scorned.

But the main draw is Mulligan. Startlingly good, with an astonishingly powerful, deeply layered performance by her. She showcases a remarkable acting range, effortlessly shifting from brash to darkly humorous and, at times, emotionally vulnerable in her best performance to date.

Two scenes stand out to me.

The first is a delicious scene between Cassie and the female dean of her school, played by Connie Britton. At first dismissive and annoyed by Cassie’s accusations, Dean Elizabeth Walker finally takes notice when she believes that Cassie had kidnapped her teenage daughter and left her with a group of drunken frat boys. What comes around goes around!

The second is the finale wedding scene, interestingly not featuring Cassie other than by text messages. As the happy young couple says their vows a parade of police cars ruins the moment and the audience cheers victory. It’s a satisfying moment.

The screenplay is original, fresh, and timely. In the “Me Too” movement, the timing is vital and makes the subject matter relevant. Fennell wrote the screenplay- is there anything she can’t do?

Promising Young Woman (2020) is an exceptional film. It’s a controversial revenge film, but it’s so much more. Taking a powerful subject matter and examining the hypocrisy of men and women is telling and eye-opening.

That is why this film is critical to see and brings awareness to a situation that society still too often deems as okay.

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Picture, Best Director-Emerald Fennell, Best Actress-Carey Mulligan, Best Original Screenplay (won), Best Film Editing

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: 2 wins-Best Director-Emerald Fennell, Best Female Lead- Carey Mulligan (won), Best Screenplay (won)

2007 Films, Animals, Comedy, Drama, Independent, Independent Comedy, Independent Drama

Year of the Dog-2007

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Year of the Dog-2007

Director Mike White

Starring Molly Shannon

Scott’s Review #1,131

Reviewed April 9, 2021

Grade: B-

Comedienne Molly Shannon stars in Year of the Dog (2007), a quirky independent film that can be classified as a hybrid of comedy and drama.

It’s peculiar, sometimes being very creative and nuanced while other times feeling generic and clichéd. Somehow it’s not predictable either- a plus.

It’s not the cute, sentimental film the premise might lead one to believe it is, and at times it’s downright dark and depressing.

A story centering around dogs seems pretty cool, but it usually conjures up a pitifully dreary family-style affair with a husband, wife, two cookie-cutter kids (a boy and girl, naturally), and some story and drama involving the family pet.

And, of course, a happy ending. Thankfully, Year of the Dog bears little resemblance to that type of film.

While it could have been more cohesive and less messy, the film deals with the death of a pet in interesting ways, and the effort is evident. While it’s not a downer, it’s not cheery either.

After her beloved beagle, Pencil, dies unexpectedly when she lets it stay outside all night, an administrative assistant named Peggy (Shannon) strives to find ways to fill the void in her life while blaming herself for his death.

She becomes lonely and despondent, finally bringing in treats for her co-workers and fussing over other people’s kids. An ill-advised love affair with a gun fanatic (John C. Reilly) leads to more misery, causing Peggy to go off the deep end and change her life completely.

Shannon, unsurprisingly, is the best part of the film, though she doesn’t quite cut it as the lead. She is cast perfectly as the oddball secretary with no life outside of her pet dog, but isn’t she better as the interesting sidekick?

It’s tough to imagine another actress being as believable in the part, and her comic timing is on fire. The dramatic parts are a bit of a stretch, and I like her better in comedic situations.

The supporting characters are what Year of the Dog lacks. None of them is very interesting.

Laura Dern and Regina King are reduced to caricature types as the loyal best friend, Layla, and the cold sister-in-law, Bret, respectively. Layla is only interested in finding romance for lonely Peggy, while Bret barely notices Peggy’s suffering.

Yawn!

Characters like these occur so often in stock comedies that I can hardly keep count. Talents like Dern and King deserve better than one-note characters.

Reilly, as the intended love interest, has no chemistry with Shannon, and it’s obvious from the start that Al is written as the foil to Peggy, opposite in every way.

It’s just another standard cliché screaming from a mile away. Peggy dates Newt (Peter Sarsgaard), but the romance isn’t there either.

Where the film gets both interesting and lost is when Peggy becomes an animal rights activist. It sets up Year of the Dog as a message film, which never really works.

Peggy ruins furs, attempts to show children a slaughterhouse, and spontaneously adopts fifteen dogs because another injured dog dies.

It just doesn’t flow together with the comedy stuff. Especially when the ending takes Peggy in yet another direction.

It’s like the filmmakers decided to try and roll things up in a neat little bow, but instead have a sloppily wrapped present with a nice bow on it.

Director Mike White, also a producer and writer, creates a great concept, but Year of the Dog (2007) hardly lights the world on fire.  The finale is too sentimental, and too many cliches surface as the action plays out.

Shannon is the only interesting character, and the supporting players are stock-written.

White also penned School of Rock (2003), which is a better film.

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