WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN was originally reviewed during the 2011 Stella Artois 20th Annual St. Louis International Film Festival

Imagine yourself as a parent. Now, aside from outliving your own child, imagine the worst thing that could happen. Despite all your best efforts to be a good parent, to raise your child properly, imagine your child does something horrific and unforgivable. Imagine they have done something that turns the entire community against you. Now you are as prepared as you possibly can be for watching WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN, from Scottish filmmaker Lynne Ramsay, whose previous two feature films are RATCATCHER (1999) and MORVERN CALLAR (2002) and both films are extraordinary. WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN is the third feature film written and directed by this exciting new cinematic voice. This also happens to be her darkest film, and perhaps her best film to date.

Tilda Swinton plays Eva, a worldly free-spirited woman who suddenly finds herself settled down with her husband Franklin, played by John C. Reilly, and having a child. Eva, despite her best efforts to be the mother she’s expected to be, never wanted a child. Still, Eva tries her very best to raise her son right, but from a very early age, there’s something Eva sees in Kevin that sends chills down her spine, something only she sees, while Franklin is fully submersed in the intoxicating drug of fatherhood, blind to the warning signs.

Ramsay constructs this frighteningly all-too-familiar story with a mastery of non-linear progression. WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN is really Eva’s story, while her son Kevin is the film’s antagonist. This is mother versus son on a level as close to being a horror movie without being a horror movie. Eva has her flaws, both as a mother and as a human being, but Swinton gives her such authentic emotions, such conflicted motives and desires that we can’t help but fully empathize with her. It’s not just her son she must contend with, nor her community after the tragic event, but Eva’s most debilitating struggle is with herself, coping with the guilt of what has happened on her watch as a mother.

Ezra Miller plays Eva’s son Kevin as a teenager, while his various stages of youth are played by other child actors. Most notably frightening as a child is Rock Duer, who plays Kevin as a toddler. A mostly silent role, Rock will creep you out! If THE OMEN had not already been remade, I would count Rock as a shoe-in to play Damien. However, it’s Ezra Miller’s performance that stands out in defining Kevin as the troubled, enigmatic and dangerous teenager.

John C. Reilly is sort of an odd choice for this film. His character is the right fit for his style, goofy and lovable, but it often struggles to fit the dramatic mold setup in WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN, contrasting with the intensity of Swinton’s performance, but at the same time somewhat saved by Ezra Miller’s ability to shift his character’s diabolical personality with such smoothly polished seams. Regardless, Franklin is a relatively insignificant character to the story, a tool by which to strengthen the mother-son dynamic more than a central focus.

Ramsay has crafted an incredibly dark, terrifying story of the American family, while also engaging the audience is some rather black humor. WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN is one of those films that makes you laugh, then immediately feel like you’ve outright sinned for laughing at what’s really a very sad, unfortunate ordeal. The film will likely shock most audiences, hopefully most audiences, but more importantly should bring Lynne Ramsay more to the forefront of American audiences as the next great female filmmaker.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

For many, the “superhero” genre is as worn out as an old sock, with so many comic book movies proving they are bigger on their budgets than their concepts. I am, of course speaking of the average movie-goer, not the clutch of comic book fans that frequent the film adaptations, for better or worse. On the other hand, there’s the rare film that takes the superhero genre and turns it upside-down, delivering a fresh new concept or unique spin on the oft over-blown orgies of CGI and miscast megastars we are accustomed to seeing.

On one hand, you have filmmakers like James Gunn who take the superhero genre into an extremist, even exploitative (these are compliments, folks) realm of parody and violence like with SUPER, and smaller comic books of higher quality adapted into quality films such as KICK-ASS. On the other hand, you have filmmakers who take the superhero genre and break it down into its essential parts, with only the core premise remaining, and build something new, something conceptual and less grandiose. One of the best examples is M. Night Shyamalan’s UNBREAKABLE, which gets at the core of what makes a superhero, and their super villains tick on a human level.

CHRONICLE is the newest example of such a film, written by Max Landis (the son of director John Landis) and is the feature film debut of director Josh Trank, who worked as an editor on BIG FAN, starring Patton Oswalt. The story follows three teenagers — Steve (Michael B. Jordan), Matt (Alex Russell), and Andrew (Dane DeHaan) — as they learn to adapt to life with newly acquired abilities as a result of a mysterious discovery during a late night barn rave.

The film presents itself as a found footage project, with the awkwardly anti-social Andrew choosing to record everything on a recently purchased camcorder. This approach works well enough for about the first half of the film, even though most of it is clearly of a higher production quality than would be expected from amateur found footage. This is fine, alleviating concerns that arose from THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT and CLOVERFIELD regarding countless reports of motion sickness.

The problem, and really the only criticism I have of CHRONICLE, is that the film doesn’t fully commit to the found footage concept. The theme is inconsistent, primarily in the third act. In hindsight, this is understandable, as the third act contains most of the large scale action and special effects, which would have been more difficult to capture as found footage. There are attempts to convey and remind the audience of this notion, but there are also ways that this could have been done better, maintaining the perspective throughout the film.

I am purposefully being vague, as not to ruin anything about the ending of CHRONICLE. If you read between the lines, you’ll no doubt figure it out, but to explain how this could have been done better would not do the viewer justice prior to seeing it themselves.

As the three teenagers secretly learn and develop their abilities together, the group dynamics between them evolves and changes, which is where CHRONICLE shines. The characters are well developed, especially Andrew, who is clearly modeled along the lines of the DONNIE DARKO personality type. The film is told from Andrew’s point of view, not just because he is usually the one recording the found footage, but also because this is primarily his story. This in turn also presents another twist in the film’s approach, as Andrew becomes what you might call the film’s antagonist. Again, read into that what you will, but this is as far as I go with explaining Andrew’s involvement.

The special effects in CHRONICLE are achieved successfully, presenting the events on screen in a believable but frugal fashion, never overdoing the scale or flashiness of the effects. One of the most enjoyable scenes involved Steve helping Andrew make an impression during the school talent show, a scene where Andrew’s abilities are put to an impressively ingenious and playful use. The tone of CHRONICLE is very much in the high school “class struggle” vein, with elements of BREAKFAST CLUB and CARRIE mixed in with the previously mentioned DONNIE DARKO, and of course wrapped up in what is essentially a superhero origin story without all the pretentious back story and excess explanations of why and how. Instead, CHRONICLE focuses on how this development affects the three teenagers in their daily lives, and in whom they become.

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Now that the Academy Award nominations have been announced, with a total of nine films vying for the Best Picture Oscar, the question on the minds of all who care is “Who will win?” Sure, I’ve thought of that, but the bigger question on my mind is “Who cares?” The Academy Awards have been an up and down roller coaster of disappointment and surprise for me over the years, but I honestly can’t recall the last time I was this underwhelmed by the ballot. There are some good films in the mix, but so many great nominee-worthy films have been completely unrecognized.

The Academy made such a big deal about the change in their Best Picture structuring, as a way to enhance the excitement and potentially open the category up for more and different films to have a chance. They tell us “hey, we’re going to select between 5 and 10 films,” but then they select 9 and fill the extra 4 spots not traditionally there in the past with films of questionable worthiness, leaving one spot open where there are several worthy of filling that 10th slot. Does anyone really believe EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE is Best Picture worthy? Perhaps it made the list simply to fill this year’s sole “hot button” ticket, given it’s a film that involves both 9/11 and a boy with autism (we assume?). Seriously, I don’t mean “did you like the film,” but “would you actually vote for this as Best Picture up against the ballot as it stands?” I didn’t think so. I would love to see the full voting results, see if ANYONE of the voting members actually votes for it, and if so… who paid them to do so.

Of the 9 films nominated for Best Picture, I personally think it’s going to boil down to a three-way race between HUGO, THE DESCENDANTS, and THE ARTIST. For my money, HUGO has the best shot, partially because Martin Scorsese has suddenly become an adopted favorite of the Academy, which is ironic seeing as they’ve invited but somewhat ignored him for so many years. It’s kind of like all of a sudden, Scorsese having been a chubby nerd in junior high, lost a bunch of weight and reinvented himself as a cool kid upon entering high school. The other reason HUGO has a good shot is, well… it’s that damn good! THE DESCENDANTS is probably in second place, partially because the Academy can’t seem to get enough of George Clooney, like an overly proud parent assaulting everyone they pass on the street with pictures in their wallet. “Here’s George again, and again here. Isn’t he great! He’s so good! We’re so proud!” I liked THE DESCENDANTS, I think Alexander Payne (this is where Best Director is more favorable) is a great filmmaker, and the film deserves to be nominated for Best Picture, but it also feels like a safe choice this year, and with all the buzz and controversy swirling around this year’s Oscars, I’m inclined to say THE DESCENDANTS won’t be having any celebratory luau’s this year. Now, to address the “white elephant” in the room…

THE ARTIST. Cute, charming, nostalgic… these all describe the silent French film, but none of this equates to Best Picture. I enjoyed the film, although at 100 minutes, it started just slightly to feel a bit long for a silent film. Maybe that’s a sign of it’s flaws, as I’ve willingly sat through the restored version of METROPOLIS (153 minutes) twice now. Sure, Uggie the Dog was cute, and talented/well-trained, but Ive seen better dog tricks and why is the dog of all things getting the most publicity for a Best Picture nominee? The performances were good, the directing was good, but once again… shouldn’t the Best Picture be synonymous with “great” performances and directing? Honestly, the ONLY people I’ve heard buzzing positively about THE ARTIST for Best Picture are the marketers, and a select number of old school critics. I have not once heard anyone out in the “real world” say anything along the lines of “I sure hope THE ARTIST” wins Best Picture. It’s about 50/50 with half on my boat of “it was good, but not great” and the other half (guess who) utterly annoyed and/or befuddled as to why a black & white silent French film is even nominated for Best Picture.

This brings me to yet another qualm I have with the Academy Awards, an issue some may feel is akin to beating a dead horse, but why do they insist on having separate Animated Feature and Foreign Film categories if they are both eligible for Best Picture? I don’t mind having these categories separated, but in doing so, they should be ineligible for Best Picture. It’s like double-dipping a movie in the Oscar guacamole. Otherwise, if you want foreign films and animated films to be eligible for Best Picture, do away with those two separate categories. If nothing else, that will free up some time in the endless issue of the Academy Awards broadcast running long, and we can better justify having ten nominees over just five. Besides, we have a separate category for Best Documentary Feature, but when was the last time you saw a documentary film nominated for Best Picture? (The answer is NEVER.) Let’s put the petty squabbling aside, shall we, and just go with common sense here. It’s best for everyone involved.
Finally, how I feel about the “other films” nominated.

THE HELP was an obvious contender from the very beginning, but for that reason, I find it very unlikely it will win Best Picture. Personally, it feels way too Hallmark-ish for me to stand behind for the award, despite how good it is and how much people enjoyed the film. But, on that note, there is something said for a film’ popularity with the public when it comes to choosing a winner. It’s not the only factor by far, but should it be considered? Why not? I guarantee the public’s reaction to THE ARTIST winning will be less than appreciative. WAR HORSE. Steven Spielberg. Right there, you have three key phrases that spark the Academy’s attention. I enjoyed WAR HORSE, thought it was an accomplished feel-good film, but I think it missed the mark by a horse’s hair for being a realistic frontrunner for Best Picture. However, it should have a decent shot for Best Cinematography.

Woody Allen and the Academy have have an odd relationship over the years, almost as though Woody left the traditional marriage to the Academy to be in a sexier relationship with a younger, more exciting Independent Spirit Awards. With that said, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS is one of Woody’s best films in a while, but will Oscar agree? I doubt that, but it is nice to see the film recognized as a nominee. Terrence Malick’s THE TREE OF LIFE, I believe, is still a dark horse. It’s different enough, beautiful enough, ambitious enough, and controversial enough to have embedded itself deep within the Academy’s subconscious voting mind. My odds would be against it, but don’t crucify this spiritually experimental juggernaut just yet. Finally, we’ve come to the MONEYBALL. This, I believe, is this year’s long-shot contender. This makes Brad Pitt’s third Oscar nomination without a win, plus Jonah Hill is also nominated (although, doesn’t have a chance at winning, if the world is fair) and was a popular film amidst the general public. However, it’s a film about baseball, and that’s not exactly a topic I associate as being high on the Academy’s list of significance.

What does all this mean? Absolutely nothing. In the grand scheme of things, this is all purely speculation. For all we know, this entire thing may be a rouse by the Academy to throw us off and we could find ourselves relatively surprised, but I doubt that. Personally, the only way I’ll be truly shocked and pleasantly surprised with this year’s Academy Awards is if DRIVE is suddenly revealed as the “secret” 10th Best Picture nomination and we see a Best Actor in a Leading Role Oscar walk off the stage engraved with the name “Michael.” (You pick which one. I’d be happy with either.)

Everybody loves a good action film, right? But, what happens when a filmmaker more known for art house films takes a stab at a more mainstream Hollywood genre? Steven Soderbergh is, if nothing else, a highly curious, even enigmatic filmmaker. The same creative vision that came up with films such as SEX, LIES AND VIDEOTAPE (1989) and SCHIZOPOLIS (1996) also created the OCEANS ELEVEN through THIRTEEN films. In between were some great films that fall somewhere between art house and mainstream, like THE LIMEY (1999), CHE: Parts 1 & 2 (2008) and the recently disturbing CONTAGION (2011).

Soderbergh’s newest undertaking is called HAYWIRE, an action-thriller written by Lem Dobbs, who also wrote THE LIMEY and DARK CITY. The film follows a young female former marine named Mallory, played by Gina Carano. While working in Barcelona for a private firm, a rescue mission goes terribly wrong and Mallory finds herself on the run from both her employers and the law as she attempts to uncover the truth of what happened and clears her name. Her immediate boss and ultimate threat is Kenneth, played by Ewan McGregor, who has an oddly youthful and off-putting charm about him in this film. The opening scene of HAYWIRE somewhat sets the mood for the film, as Mallory is sitting quietly in a café when her former teammate Aaron, played by Channing Tatum, shows up and they confront each other, revealing that HAYWIRE isn’t going to pull any punches, but it’s going to address the audience on it’s own terms.

HAYWIRE is not unlike so many other films of the genre, most notably the BOURNE trilogy, whereas a highly trained agent goes rogue after being framed and must fight his way back to freedom. The difference between that franchise and this film, however, is in its state of mind. The Bourne films were rugged, frantic and jarring, whereas HAYWIRE has a sort of poetic rhythm, a sort of jazzy cool cat ease to the way the film flows. The score, composed by David Holmes, is highly influenced by and contributes greatly to the spontaneously freeform feel of the film, which slows and mellows during the dramatic dialogue-driven scenes and then ramps itself up for the action sequences.

One of the best parts of HAYWIRE are the fights, not merely for the fights themselves, but for the intensely kinetic, superbly choreographed ballet of combat dynamics that these scenes present to an audience not normally accustomed to realistic technique. Whereas similar films have Jason Bourne fighting in a blurred, nearly incomprehensible frenzy, HAYWIRE puts the fight on display, front and center. The success of this is due in great part to Gina Carano, a professional fighter turned actress with a Muay Thai record of 12-1-1 and a mixed martial arts record of 7-1-0. Yeah, this is one attractive and highly dangerous person in real life, so imagine how she stands out on-screen.

HAYWIRE also benefits, perhaps controversially, from the cinematography, which is provided by Peter Andrews. For those of you less familiar with the filmmaker’s history and tendencies, Peter Andrews is actually Steven Soderbergh, who often serves as his own director of photography, a relatively uncommon thing amongst Hollywood films. Soderbergh has a subtle experimental eye for shooting his scenes, often going with alternative choices in angle and composition that sometimes challenge the viewer’s sense of what should be expected.

HAYWIRE actually surprised me with its unconventional flair, complete with a quality performance from Gina Carano and an original twist on the genre, something we last had with Joe Wright’s HANNA (2011). In addition to all of this, Steven Soderbergh uses his status to fill out the supporting cast with Michael Douglas, Antonio Banderas, Bill Paxton and Michael Fassbender, with whom Gina Carana shares an intimately brutal scene.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Let me introduce you to a habit, I mean… a hobby of mine. I am an admirer (addict) of the Criterion Collection of unique and important films. What they do for these movies is wonderful, in most cases, presenting them in the most pristine and enjoyable presentation available for home viewing. So, anytime new titles are released, I get all excited like a schoolboy daydreaming about his very own Official Red Ryder carbine-action 200-shot range model air rifle, with a compass in the stock.With it being mid-January, I figured I would get you up to speed on the film fixes I am most eager to get high off of for 2012, so far…

Release Date: 2012, January 17th (Blu-Ray, Spine #593)

BELLE DE JOUR (1967) directed by Luis Buñuel and starring the ravishingly beautiful and talented Catherine Deneuve. In the spirit of full disclosure, it has been so long since I saw this film in college, a time in which I often struggled to stay conscious through relatively early morning screenings, that I am ecstatic about finally revisiting the film, especially on blu-ray.

Release Date: 2012, January 24th (Blu-Ray, Spine #594)

GODZILLA (1954) is the monster that started it all, the original king of giant Japanese creature films and the very best… except for KING KONG, but that doesn’t count. It’s not Japanese, but I love them both! From what I’ve gathered, this will feature a gloriously pristine, unprecedented transfer. I can’t wait!

Release Date: 2012, January 14th (Blu-Ray, Spine # 597)

TINY FURNITURE (2010) is one of my favorite films from SXSW that year and for the year in general. Unique, off beat and sarcastic, the film is a modern sort of coming of age story for a young woman seeking her own direction and purpose in life while dealing with her mother and sister, whom she now lives with after graduating college. This smart, slightly rigid comedy is a masterful breakout feature film debut and definitely deserving of the Criterion monicker.

SXSW announced this week THE CABIN IN THE WOODS as their opening night, world premiere for SXSW 2012. There is a lot of hype surrounding this long-awaited genre film, hype that we hope is true. According to some lucky Austinites who had the great fortune of seeing the film during this year’s Butt-numb-a-thon, the hype is justified. Little to nothing has has been revealed about the plot, but the general idea comes across in the title. I would comment on the trailer, but I have chosen not to watch it… at least, for as long as I possibly can avoid spoiling anything at all for myself. My recommendation to you… watch if you wish, but at your own risk. I’ve been told the film’s even better without seeing the trailer. The poster however, pictured below, is pretty darn cool, though!

THE CABIN IN THE WOODS was co-written by Joss Whedon (BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER) and Drew Goddard (CLOVERFIELD, LOST), and is Goddard’s directorial debut. The 2012 SXSW Film Conference and Festival will take place March 9 – 17, 2012 in Austin, Texas.

The film stars Chris Hemsworth (THOR), Kristen Connolly, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, Jesse Williams, Richard Jenkins (LET ME IN) and Bradley Whitford (THE WEST WING).

THE CABIN IN THE WOODS, the upcoming “horror movie to end all horror movies” that will turn the genre on its head, will be in theaters everywhere April 13th, 2012. Five friends go to a remote cabin in the woods. Bad things happen. If you think you know this story, think again.

Official Website: http://www.discoverthecabininthewoods.com/
Official Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/TheCabininTheWoods
Official Twitter Page: https://twitter.com/#!/lionsgatehorror #DiscoverTheSecret

Psychoanalysis is arguably still as polarizing in today’s society as it was a century ago when Sigmund Freud first conceived it. The very idea of all human neurosis being derived from a primal sexual foundation has controversy written all over it, which is what makes it such a fitting topic for David Cronenberg. Cronenberg’s career has spanned from RABID (1977) to A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE (2005) and most vividly with VIDEODROME (1983) and NAKED LUNCH (1991) – all of these films have one thing in common; sexually charged, taboo subject matter.

A DANGEROUS METHOD tells the story of Carl Jung, a protégé of Freud’s, and his triangular relationship with him and patient Sabina Spielrein during the emergence of psychoanalysis. Jung and Sabina go through a sort of symbiotic metamorphosis. Cronenberg focuses on the shift in character that occurs in Jung, which occurs in conjunction with his treatment of Sabina. They’re relation begins as strictly doctor-patient but transgresses into a sexual enlightening experience for both parties, leading to events to affect the professional relationship of all three characters.

For Cronenberg, A DANGEROUS METHOD is impressively subdued. The film is far less visually graphic and the events are far more cerebral than visceral. Regardless, the thematic elements of sexual taboo, fear and perversion are still very much in play. The film is adapted from the book of the same name by John Kerr, which lends the film its historical relevance. This is most likely the primary reason for a more restrained approach, but the film still works remarkably well.

Michael Fassbender (INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS) plays Carl Jung, a highly educated and passionate follower of Freud’s theories, the first to apply these concepts in treating a patient. That patient in Sabina Spielrein, played with remarkable intensity by Keira Knightley (NEVER LET ME GO). Freud is played by Viggo Mortensen (THE ROAD). Each character carries a specific level of emotional intensity throughout the film, allowing the dialogue-driven story to convey peaks and valleys to further engage the audience. Vincent Cassel (BLACK SWAN) plays Otto Gross, a small character with a significant purpose as a catalyst for Jung’s metamorphosis. Cassel also provides the sole source of crucial comic relief as the morally uninhibited and sexually obsessed doctor turned patient in Jung’s reluctant care.

Mortensen, playing a somewhat older character, is the calming element of the triangle. Freud rarely steps away from his levelheaded, perhaps stubbornly confident roots. Freud is very much a supporting character, a vessel through which Jung and Sabina channel their destructive yet therapeutic behavior. Fassbender strips away the confidence of Jung’s youthful ambition, breaking his psyche down into its conflicting parts from which he rebuilds himself. He shows the most range within his single character. But its Keira Knightley who outdoes herself in A DANGEROUS METHOD, showing an entirely new depth to her range, an extreme not similar to but far beyond her performance in DOMINO.

Easily the most exhilarating and profound moment in A DANGEROUS METHOD is during Jung’s initial session with Sabina. The film begins with Sabina being carried, kicking and screaming, into the hospital where Jung will attempt to treat her. In this long, boldly static scene the camera remains stationary. Cronenberg composes the frame carefully, creating a geometrically aggressive shot with Sabina in the foreground and Jung seated just off to the side and behind her, just slightly out of focus as he proceeds to dissect Sabina’s condition through a series of questions. Knightley’s performance is at first intimidating, even off-putting as she virtually assaults the viewer with her interpretation of Sabina’s physically manifesting psychosis. However, after a very short period of time, as I began to be drawn into the intricacies of her acting I began to realize the brilliance of the scene. Cronenberg set up the shot, and then allowed Knightley to carry the scene and she does with spellbinding conviction.

A DANGEROUS METHOD is a sexual film, without being blatantly graphic and direct with that sexuality. Cronenberg works so comfortably within this context that it never feels awkward or forbidden, but rather like the logical progression of such relatively fringe science to the time. Psychoanalysis is a science that feels much more like an art, a curious juxtaposition that really doesn’t occur in any other branch of the sciences. Cronenberg successfully presents a portrait of two maverick minds in a way that humanizes them, instead of placing them infallibly on pedestals. A DANGEROUS METHOD suggests the human animal is not greater than its primal instincts, but has the power to accept itself for what it is and in turn discover freedom from blindly imposed sexual morals.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

FAMILIAR (2011) is the newest short film from Fatal Pictures, produced by Zach Green, written and directed by Richard Powell, and starring Robert Nolan as John Dodd. This trio of morbidly creative filmmakers are churning out some very intriguing work on what I will simply call a truly indie budget, with a truly indie mindset and determination.

John is an average, uncharismatic husband and father in FAMILIAR, a man who is far from enthusiastic about his relationship with his wife Charlotte, played by Astrida Auza. Charlotte is anything but on the same wavelength as John, who considers her a prison sentence, one from which he secretly wishes an escape by whatever means necessary. There’s an underlying source of John’s disdain for Charlotte, but to give that away would in some part ruin the story.

FAMILIAR is an unconventional narrative, as nearly the entire film is told through voice over, conveying John’s troubled and demented thought process as he goes through his daily visage of being an otherwise typical family man. This technique of storytelling works well enough, but I couldn’t help but find myself wanting more direct dialogue between the characters, perhaps to further detail the state of the family relationship.

Robert Nolan once again nails the eerie, skin-crawling character traits he’s becoming known for to fans of Powell’s films. The key to FAMILIAR, however, is the twist which develops unbeknownst to John Dodd, revealing itself in the end. This is the really tough part about writing a review of FAMILIAR, in that I so so so want to talk about the afore-mentioned twist, but to do so without treading carefully would defeat the effort of seeing the film for yourself. So, what I will say is that the film reminded me – in a complimentary way – of a cross between the style of David Cronenberg’s films such as eXistenZ and a certain cult film from director Jack Sholder.

FAMILIAR features some really cool, considerably shocking special effects, all of which are packed into the final moments of the 24-minute short film. This, along with Nolan’s performance and the film’s dark, creepy atmosphere – aided greatly by the cinematography of Michael Jari Davidson – creates an all-too uncomfortably familiar caricature of a dysfunctional family.

While the premise of the film may seem as familiar as the title itself, Powell takes an idea once explored and ventures off into another parallel concept that works equally well. FAMILIAR takes the audience one step closer to the inevitable feature film debut of the exciting indie filmmaking collaborative, a project I am told is potentially in the works very soon. This makes me smile, deviously.

Few living things on this planet are more majestic than a horse. Creatures of graceful beauty and tremendous strength, almost as closely bonded with mankind as the dog, yet as a civilized species we’ve put the horse through so much over our centuries old relationship with the gentle giants.

WAR HORSE, directed by Steven Spielberg, offers a glimpse into the life of just one of these fine creatures. The story is told from the perspective of one horse named Joey, raised from a freshly born colt by an Irish farm boy named Albert (played by Jeremy Irvine) who immediately forms a strong friendship, only to be devastated when World War I hits home and the horse is sold into the cavalry by Albert’s father Ted (played by Peter Mullan).

What follows is the emotional journey of Joey through the trials and tribulations of war. Joey trades hands multiple times, his possession transferred from the British cavalry to German soldiers and to a frail young country girl and her pacifist grandfather. The film’s journey has no central human character, but several roles filling a segmented timeline. This creates a sort of anthology effect, allowing the viewer to more easily experience how this one horse could bring people together as it does.

WAR HORSE has two specific strong points; the performance – if you will allow me the liberty to call it such – of the horse playing Joey, and the gorgeous cinematography from Janusz Kaminski, a regular collaborator of Spielberg’s. The soft, glowing warmth of the scenes away from war and the colder, gray tinged scenes during and surrounding the war, compliment each other, but also often coincide and crossover to meld the two realities into one inseparable truth of the time and place of the film.

No one performance truly stands out amongst the human actors, except maybe that of Neils Arestrup’s as the frail girl Emilie’s Grandfather, the most endearing and convincingly unique performance. Otherwise, the entire cast performed wonderfully in their respective roles, never reaching beyond the scope of their purpose. The cast of many youthful and a few veteran names include Emily Watson as Albert’s mother, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hiddleston, David Thewlis and Eddie Marsan.

The original score for WAR HORSE is composed by the legendary John Williams – you know… the guy who helped immortalize Luke Skywalker, Indiana Jones and Superman in our collective aural memory. Surprisingly, the music in this film does not display that characteristically dominating presence of Williams’ most recognizable work, instead slipping into the background to near subliminal effect. I personally didn’t even realize I was listening to John Williams until reaching the end credits, when for the first time, his music became vividly apparent.

WAR HORSE is just as much about the tough times as it is about the horse’s journey. One thing I relished in observing during this film was the attention given to details and lesser known facts about World War I. There is one very powerful scene in the third act that takes place in no man’s land between the British and German trenches. The grounds are obliterated, bodies mangled and tossed about the tangled chaos of the barbed wire. This is not a violent scene, but rather an incredibly poignant and uplifting scene depicting an example of occurrences that actually took place during the war. While WWI and WWII may share very similar names and scopes of conflict, they were in fact two very different wars with two very different pairs of warring sides.

In the end, WAR HORSE delivers on the type of ending most audiences will expect and want, which is fine because it’s warranted in this film. Expect a journey that lasts just barely more than two hours, but doesn’t feel exceedingly long, a journey that will touch the animal lover within and remind us that wars are waged by governments, but fought be regular Joes, and Joeys.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Motion capture animation and 3D appear to be the rising stars of cinema technology, both of which have the equal shares of supporters and opponents. One thing is for sure, both relatively new technologies are still within their infancy, but there are occasionally examples of the inspiring potential of this trend toward high-tech storytelling. The most current being THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN, a collaborative effort of gargantuan proportion.

While many audiences may not be aware of the film’s origin, or too young to know better, THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN: THE SECRET OF THE UNICORN — which happens to be the film’s official, unofficial full title — is adapted from a comic book series from the ’30s of the same name by the Belgian artist Herge, which also became an animated television series which ran 1991-1992. Sadly, I must report I have no personal knowledge or experience with either, so you will not find me referencing the source material in this review, but, by all means… seek them out as I plan to do.

With all the history behind TINTIN, it’s no wonder the film has such an all-star team of imaginative storytellers working behind the scenes to bring the adventures to a whole new audience. Directed by Steven Spielberg, who also co-produced the film alongside Peter Jackson (LORD OF THE RINGS), THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN was written by Steven Moffat, a very talented writer behind the popular BBC series SHERLOCK and DOCTOR WHO, with assistance from Edgar Wright (SHAUN OF THE DEAD) and Joe Cornish (ATTACK THE BLOCK). That’s a lot of creative star power, and we haven’t even introduced the cast yet.

THE ADVENTURES F TINTIN follows a clever, young report named Tintin – no, the dog is not names Tintin, that’s an entirely separate franchise – played by Jamie Bell (JUMPER). Tintin has an unquenchable curiosity, so when he happens upon a magnificent model ship, he manages to haggle a good deal. Immediately following, he finds himself the center of an immense mystery regarding that model ship, for which various unsavory and dark figures are seeking for them selves. This is where Tintin’s adventure begins, leading him to the drunken Captain Haddock, played by Andy Serkis (RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES), a man with a family history crucial to the mystery of the model ship. Tintin also encounters Ivanovich Sakharine, played by Daniel Craig (CASINO ROYALE), a deviously cunning and dangerous foe seeking the secret of the model ship.

One thing you will certainly not experience during the film is sleep. THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN is non-stop action and endlessly fun. Tintin is sort of a combination of the Hardy Boys and Indiana Jones wrapped up into a small, scrappy package, always getting into a pickle but always managing to find a way out of trouble. He and his trusty Scottish terrier – I may be off slightly on the breed — are an effective investigative team, as they work with Captain Haddock and his rum-induced amnesia to recover the secret of the model ship before Sakharine figures it out himself.

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN takes the audience halfway around the globe to Morocco, where the greatest excitement of the story takes place. Tintin runs into a number of interesting characters along the way, including the bumbling Thompson twin detectives, played unrecognizably by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost (SHAUN OF THE DEAD, HOT FUZZ). Cary Elwes (THE PRINCESS BRIDE, SAW) also makes a welcome vocal cameo as the Pilot. The most awe-inspiring scene in the film occurs in Morocco, one last massive chase sequence that resembles a deadly life-sized Rube Goldberg contraption that spans an entire ancient city. This sequence is bound to have you leaning forward, even partially lifted from your seat, as Tintin repeatedly navigates through the perils of the Moroccan streets and Sakharine’s henchmen.

I’ve never had a personal grudge against motion capture, which seems a logical marriage between live acting and animation, as we move forward into new cinematic frontiers of technology. With that said, THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN does a splendid job of capturing the energy and excitement of the story using motion capture, but I am also pleased to say that the film gets the 3D right as well, integrating the often intrusive and annoying technology into the entire film, still utilizing the gimmick value of the tool, but without getting in the way. The use of 3D enhances the story without causing hurdles for the film to stumble over, which is rare indeed.

John Williams has been a busy man in 2011, having scored WAR HORSE as well as THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN, but the difference between the two scores is the music’s presence. In WAR HORSE, Williams’ music n unconventional backseat, but in TINTIN his work stands front and center, making itself known with all its glory and becomes, as is usually the case, a character in and of itself.

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN is likely to be the most fun you’ve had in an animated family flick all year, perfectly kid friendly with plenty of visual stimulus to keep the rug rats entertained, while still creative and intelligent enough to keep adults thrilled and engaged. Personally, this is the first animated film in some time I have left the theater with an immediate desire to watch a second time.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Mystery fans rejoice, the world’s greatest detective returns in SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS, to be referred to as AGOS from here out. Guy Ritchie returns to direct the sequel to his 2009 reimagining of the eccentric, yet brilliant master sleuth. Robert Downey, Jr. (RDJ) returns as Holmes, along with Jude Law as Doctor James Watson. This film also offers the arrival of Swedish actress Noomi Rapace (from the original THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO) in a major Hollywood film, as the gypsy Madame Simza Heron.

Holmes is up to his normal shenanigans, but this time he’s obsessed with what he calls the greatest case of his career, or even of all time, in his words. The problem, however, is that Holmes is working alone. Watson is about to get married, but Holmes isn’t about to let that stand in his way, managing to unintentionally involve Doc Watson in his deadly pursuit of a genius evil mastermind by way of biting off more than he may be able to chew. Also assisting Holmes this time around, but in a smaller role and with comedic flair, is Stephen Fry (V FOR VENDETTA) as Holmes’ brother Mycroft.

AGOS sees the emergence of Professor Moriarty, played rivetingly by Jared Harris, an incredibly smart and dangerous foe to rival the wits of Holmes himself. The two engage in a battle of the minds, a sort of game to determine who is superior, but a game that has the lives of many, even world peace at stake. Moriarty’s plans are merely a business venture to him, but to Holmes this is a test of his own ability, proving to be his most challenging and deadly investigation.

For fans of the first SHERLOCK HOLMES (2009), expect more of the same from RDJ, cunning and clever, witty and ill-mannered, obnoxious and reckless. With Ritchie once again behind the helm, AGOS also maintains the use of the slow-motion, or “bullet time” effects photography that allows incredible detail during epic action sequences. As before, this technique works wonderfully for the hand to hand fights, illustrating how Holmes preconceives his every move before the fight even begins. However, as spectacular as one massive scene involving Holmes, Watson and Heron fleeing an arsenal of massive guns may be, the technique is used to a point of being stretched too thin. The result is a dampening of the initially induced awe.

Aside from the slight overuse of the slow-motion tactics, AGOS involves some truly exhilarating action sequences. Hans Zimmer’s score is nothing short of a damn good time, energetic and highly appropriate, but the pacing of the film as a whole is not quite as finely tuned as in Ritchie’s 2009 film. There’s plenty of fun to be had with this second adventure, but the 129-minute sequel feels significantly longer than the 128-minute SHERLOCK HOLMES that rebooted the franchise.

Guy Ritchie continues to prove his knack from combining comedy and action, a talent Brett Ratner could only dream to accomplish on this level. Holmes and Moriarty are something like a superhero and his arch-nemesis super villain, whose quarrel with determine the fate of the world. AGOS is as much a battle of intellects as it is a physical battle, as the two characters try and gain the tactical edge throughout the film, much like the symbolic chess match they undertake in the final act of the film.

I found myself thoroughly entertained by SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS, despite the slower pacing. Unfortunately, the only real complaint I have about the film is the ending, which feels a bit too much like a Hail Mary, last resort effort to wrap up the final battle while setting up a twist to follow. The ending is absurd as it plays out, requiring more than it’s fair share of demand on the viewer’s suspension of disbelief, even for a popcorn movie such as this. Regardless of the faltering finale, SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS is well worth seeing for the fun factor on a Friday night.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

In many ways, Takeshi Kitano is perhaps as close to a one man machine as you will find in the filmmaking business. As is generally the case with most of his films, Kitano wrote, edited directed and starred in his latest film to hit the United States called OUTRAGE (2010). Once again, Kitano delves into a story centered on the Yakuza life. As is often, but not always the case, OUTRAGE contains more than a fair share of violence bordering on gratuitous, but relevant given Kitano’s ideology of showing the Yakuza in the extreme light and ironic nature that he often does with his storytelling.

Kitano, credited under the fitting pseudonym of “Beat” Takeshi, plays Otomo, an experienced Yakuza enforcer with an implied history as a boxer. The boss of the head family, known as Mr. Chairman, orders his lieutenant to crack down on the drug trafficking being perpetrated by a lesser branch of the Yakuza gone rogue. The complications quickly arise when Mr. Chairman reveals himself as a ruthless, backstabbing boss that has strayed from the old ways and code of the Yakuza. As they say, the “shit flows downhill” and Otomo ends up being at the bottom where he discovers his years of loyalty have meant nothing.

For the first third to half of OUTRAGE, the plot feels somewhat slow and messy, twisted and fragmented, but be patient and follow along as best you can, as it all comes together in the end. In some respects, this is a typical revenge story, but told in a very atypical fashion. Kitano’s chopping editing and fragmenting of the story serves to accentuate the manufactured chaos being designed by Mr. Chairman, paying off with a multi-faceted string of plot twists in the end.

“Beat” Takeshi is always a joy to watch play a badass. His common tendency is to wash emotion and expression fro his character’s face, resulting in an oddly serene but serious persona that could, in an instant, snap and do some serious damage to the person confronting him. As a filmmaker, Kitano is extraordinarily adept at visualizing his stories through the camera. Composition of frame is one of the key elements that continually draw me to Kitano’s films, meticulously constructing frames of beauty out of the simplest setting, like the art of Zen gardening with shrubs and stones.

One of the most fascinating examples of Kitano’s eye for the camera in OUTRAGE is a shot taken from a high angle over a long stretch of two-lane road. This stretch of road follows the coastline and travels into the distance, disappearing into the top edge of the frame, playing on the horizon perspective, while the angle itself offers a tremendous visual dynamic to an otherwise drab setting. This shot follows one of the most brutal, albeit creative, Yakuza kill scenes, and lingers for a moment.

OUTRAGE is not amongst the best of Kitano’s undertakings, but is certainly worth seeing. One may think his continued source of inspiration in the Yakuza would get dry and overused, but surprisingly, it does not. One element that adds to my enjoyment of OUTRAGE is the uncharacteristically electronic score from Keiichi Suzuki, giving the film a fresh edge. In the end, OUTRAGE is a superficially complex tale of criminal bosses in a power struggle with each other, riddled with deception and hair-trigger violence, but levels out to reveal itself as an ironic twist of fate with a melancholy ending.

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

OUTRAGE opens today in St. Louis at Landmark’s Tivoli Theatre.

Why is it that some people never grow up? Unfortunately, I do not have the answer to this question, but it does serve to explain the premise of YOUNG ADULT. This most recent screenplay written by Diablo Cody (JUNO, JENNIFER’S BODY) is directed by Jason Reitman, the man who brought us films including JUNO, THANK YOU FOR SMOKING and UP IN THE AIR.

Mavis Gary (Charlize Theron) is a struggling author of a once popular series of young adult fiction. Think something along the lines of the “Wimpy Kid” series, but for high school girls, rather than Harry Potter or the Twilight series. Mavis is currently writing the last book in her discontinued series, but is experiencing writers block. As an adventure, or more accurately as she sees it, as a calling of fate, Mavis returns home to her small hometown to win back Buddy Slade, played by Patrick Wilson (INSIDIOUS). Buddy was Mavis’ high school sweetheart, but he’s now married with a new born child.

One thing we learn about Mavis early on is that she’s not exactly a role model of being a responsible, well adjusted adult. YOUNG ADULT as a title refers both to the genre of fiction she writes, as well as the state of mind within which Mavis is perpetually stuck. However, when it comes to winning Buddy back, Mavis proves as unstoppable as a Juggernaut. The first person Mavis runs into upon returning home is Matt Freehauf, played by comedian and actor Patton Oswalt (BIG FAN). Matt is what you might easily define as a grown up nerd. He lives with his sister, reassembles and paints action figures as a hobby along side running his own home whiskey distillery. Matt also has an unfortunate handicap, the story of which plays a crucial role in defining his relationship to Mavis.

YOUNG ADULT has Mavis and Matt become the unlikeliest of friends. Matt serves as Mavis’ unwanted and questionably successful conscience, while Mavis serves as the closest Matt will ever get to having something special with the popular, attractive cheerleader type that never occurred in high school. The chemistry between this odd couple is wonderfully awkward, but natural. Both are damaged goods, but Matt realizes and accepts the truth. Mavis fantasizes about what her life is supposed to be versus what it has become, leading her to pursue a self-destructive path of volcanic proportions.

The dialogue is clearly Diablo Cody’s, sharp and quick, but more refined than in JUNO. This is a dark comedy based in ordinary life. The eccentric edge, or the wackiness factor of YOUNG ADULT is also a bit more restrained than we saw in JUNO or THANK YOU FOR SMOKING. Reitman’s direction is continually finding a more “grown up” edge – if you’ll permit the cliché – a shift which began with UP IN THE AIR. While the humor and tone in Reitman’s first two films are more playfully over-the-top, his last two films are more reserved and more focused on specific character development.

YOUNG ADULT also scales back quite a bit on the star factor. Sure, Charlize Theron is a major star and talented to boot – possibly even worthy of an acting nomination come Oscar season – but Patton Oswalt – as much as I love that little funny man – is still a relative unknown for most people outside of the geek culture. Aside from this, Patrick Wilson and a brief role from veteran Mary Beth Hurt, this does not feature the ensemble cast that Reitman’s previous films are known for. YOUNG ADULT is a comedy that may taste slightly bitter on your tongue at first, but given time to savor after seeing the film allows for the sweetness to emerge, as well as the fiery kick of the film’s ending.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Welcome to the 2011 Holiday Movie Geek Gift Guide! What is this? No, it’s not my personal gift wish list made public in hopes that readers will bury me in their affection — although, I wouldn’t be disgusted if you did — no, this is guide to finding that perfect, special gift for the Movie Geek in your life. You know who I mean. We all have at least one friend who obsesses about movies, someone who spouts a movie quote or a director factoid every other breath. What does one buy a person so firmly entrenched in the culture of movies? I hope this guide helps you with your shopping ideas, but don’t expect to find the typical, no brainer ideas — such as gift cards — on this list.

10. Postage Stamps

Yes, this is perhaps the only place you’ll find someone recommending postage stamps as a holiday gift. Whether you just like to express your movie geekness with flair on your mail, or enjoy collecting the history of cinema of commemorative USPS postage stamps, this is a fun — and relatively cheap — gift idea. Buy a book, a sheet, or even a First Day Cover featuring the likes of John Wayne, Marilyn Monroe and the more recent addition of Gregory Peck. And, if you want to get really creative, seek out some of the cool and often odd foreign commemorative stamps, available most readily through eBay. I’ve come across some pretty neat finds from China, Russia, Europe, and even third world countries! Sure, many of these turn out to be simply methods of increasing revenue for the respective states, but the art is often worth it. Some of the most bizarre finds I’ve made have come from African nations.

Price Range: from $0.88 (First Day Covers) up to $8.80 (Panes)

09. Trinkets & Toys

Movie Geeks typically appreciate anything affiliated with their favorite films… no mater how impractical or silly it may be. Once again, many splendid treasures can be found while trolling for ideas on eBay, but I recommend taking a more hands on approach if possible. Try heading out to your local indoor flea market or antique mall. If you’ve never been, you may be surprised to find far more “contemporary” goodies from the ’60s through the ’90s than actual “antiques,” but whatever your gift buying needs, remember this one thing… never underestimate the value of a heartfelt, unique gift that has meaning. Not all gifts have to be “new in box.” With that said, the choices range greatly, from STAR WARS Death Star Cookie Jars, to 20-inch functional Leg Lamps from A CHRISTMAS STORY, you can definitely find an original gift for your movie geek that doesn’t suffer from the fatigue of been there, done that. Some additional places to look for movie themed toys and statues include higher-end items from Sideshow Collectibles and more whimsical and/or horror movie fare from MEZCO Toys.

Price Range: $9.99 to $999.99 Varies greatly, depending on the item.

08. Hallmark Ornaments

No, I’m not talking about the cute, even nauseatingly adorable ornaments most people are familiar with from hallmark, but rather the nifty collectible ornaments based on memorable movie moments and characters. Hallmark has been rolling out a new slate of such ornaments each year for as long as I can remember. Amongst the options are a continued presence or ornaments from A CHRISTMAS STORY, a favorite of many movie geeks. Check out Hallmark to browse the vast collection of ornaments, including options from Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, Star Trek, Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones… and more.

Personally, my favorite is one from a few years ago: A CHRISTMAS STORY ornament depicting the Leg Lamp (aka “major award”) which actually lights up, inside the “FRA-GI-LE” wooden crate with a working hinged door, and a button that when pushed plays a couple of great quotes from the movie.

Price Range: from $7.95 up to $49.95

07. T-Shirts

We’ve all had holidays where we’ve received that dreaded sweater or the can’t go wrong with socks options, but there’s absolutely no reason you can’t still give the gift of fashionable apparel, without the fear of receiving the icy stare of gift-giving disgust in return. With the advent of online print-on-demand companies, which gave rise to websites devoted to offering high quality novelty t-shirts, movie geeks can always find a way to flaunt their film buffery on the chest for the world to see. If your movie geek has a nasty penchant for horror films, check out the spine-tingling selection of t-shirts over at Fright Rags. With the recent theatrical release of THE MUPPETS (2011), another popular option may be found with The Muppets T-Shirt Collection over at Threadless.

Price Range: from $14.95 up to $29.95 (price may vary by size)

06. BOSE Videowave

Yeah, sure… it’s a tad pricey, but the holidays only come ’round once a year, right? Certainly this is on the high end of any shopper’s gift list, but for those who can stomach the price tag, you’ll be guaranteed to have one giddy movie geek on the receiving end. The Bose Videowave is definitely not what most of us think of when we consider the typical home theater system, but then again, Bose doesn’t make “typical” products. One thing they have been a leader in for years is make home audio technology space-efficient without sacrificing quality performance. Now they’ve moved into video as well, which means you can have one killer home theater system for your home, without taking up too much precious floor space or having speakers strewn all over the room. Whether you’re looking to conserve space, hide unsightly electronics, or simply prefer that modern minimalist aesthetic, Bose Videowave is a mighty fine option to consider… so long as you can handle trading in a thick wallet for a dimensionally thin system.

Product Details:

• 46″ LCD Display, with stand
• Resolution: 1920 x 1080p (Full HD)
• Aspect ratio: 16:9
• Refresh rate: 120Hz
• All-in-One Click Pad Remote Control
• 16.5 x 9.5 inch Control Console
• iPad Dock
• Inputs/outputs
• 3 HDMI inputs (rear panel)
• 2 high-definition analog A/V inputs (rear panel)
• 1 USB input (rear panel)
• 1 HDMI input (front panel)
• 1 analog A/V input (front panel)
• 1 USB input (front panel)
• 1 headphone jack (front panel)

Price Range: $5,349.99 (for the movie geek you love the most!)

05. IRIS 9000

IRIS 9000 is a voice control module for the iPhone 4S and Siri Video, designed to evoke the HAL 9000 from Stanley Kubrick’s classic, groundbreaking science-fiction film 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY. Simply dock your iPhone and use the built-in micro remote to trigger Siri from up to 50 feet away.

“I’m sorry, Dave, but that is simply to cool for school.”

Product Details:

• Control your iPhone 4S and Siri from across the room
• Classic Sci-fi styling. Aluminum accents.
• Included micro remote triggers Siri with a single button press
• Built-in mic picks up your voice at a distance
• Embedded speaker amplifies Siri’s responses
• Use as a standard speakerphone to make and receive calls
• Glowing LED eye flickers along with Siri’s voice
• Powered by included 120-240V AC adapter
• ONLY COMPATIBLE WITH iPhone 4S
• Patent pending technology
• Exclusive product designed and manufactured by ThinkGeek

Price Range: $59.99 (but, this may be hard to get your mitts on.)

04. Books & Graphic Novels

For devoted movie geeks, when we’re not mesmerized by the flickering brilliant lights of the movie screen, we usually have our noses buried deep within a book that is often somehow connected to our love of the movies. This can take various forms, be it a screenplay, a director’s biography, a collection of reviews and/or essays on film, or even art book and graphic novels. Help to encourage and enhance your movie geek’s passion and knowledge of cinema by promoting a continued education though books. Even if they’re fascinated with foreign films, subtitles simply aren’t enough to ensure the movie geek in your life remains sufficiently literate. Now, you may wonder why I also recommend graphic novels. While there are some movie/comic book partnerships, the truth is that comic books and movies share a very similar method of storytelling. They both combine images carefully composed within set frames and constructed into meticulously crafted sequences, along with words, either spoken or written, to tell their tales.

Recommended New & Recent Books:

• CRAZY4CULT: Cult Movie Art, by Gallery 1988
• DREW STRUZAN: OEUVRE, by Dylan Struzan
• SAUL BASS, by Jennifer Bass & Pat Kirkham
• MARILYN MONROE: METAMORPHOSIS, by David Wills
• ART OF THE MODERN MOVIE POSTER POSTER: Int’l Poster Style & Design
• PAULINE KAEL: A LIFE IN THE DARK, by Brian Kellow
• LIFE ITSELF: A MEMOIR, by Roger Ebert
• HARRY POTTER PAGE TO SCREEN: The Complete Filmmaking Journey, by Bob McCane
• THE ART OF PIXAR: 25th Anniversary – The Complete Color Scripts and Select Art from 25 Years of Animation, by Amid Amidi
• MONSTERS IN THE MOVIES, by John Landis
• THE HAMMER VAULT, by Marcus Hearn
• ALIEN VAULT: The Definitive Story of the Making of the Film

Price Range: from $9.95 up to $34.99 (or, higher for deluxe or complete collections)

03. Soundtracks

No movie is complete without music. Even before the talkies made their debut, music was an essential element in the art of motion picture storytelling. For that reason, movie geeks have come to love original scores and soundtracks from their favorite movies. Consider it a way to appreciate a film, even when you’re not in front of your television. A great soundtrack can immerse the listener directly into the motion picture experience, much like reading a good book, the imagination takes hold. I remember my most vivid memory of this was with the JURASSIC PARK score from John Williams, and how after buying the audio cassette (yes, it was that long ago) and playing it nearly till it fell apart, over and over, reliving the film in my bedroom at night as I went to sleep. What are your movie geek’s favorite films? Once you know this, you have a pretty good stepping stone toward choosing a motion picture soundtrack or score that will make the recipient’s eyes and ears perk up.

Price Range: from $9.99 up to $14.99 (or, higher for box sets)

Recommended New Soundtracks:

• DRIVE Motion Picture Soundtrack – Cliff Martinez/Various Artists
• BELLFLOWER Music From the Motion Picture (Vinyl LP) – Jonathan Keevil
• HANNA Original Soundtrack – The Chemical Brothers
• THE MUPPETS (2011) Soundtrack – Various Artists
• MANIAC Original Soundtrack (Vinyl LP) – Jay Chattaway
• BLUE VALENTINE Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – Various Artists
• HUGO Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – Howard Shore
• BRIDEMAIDS Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – Various Artists
• CONTAGION Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – Cliff Martinez

02. Mondo Posters

One of the hottest recent trends in movie geekdom is a pop-culture phenomenon known by the name of Mondo, a company based in Austin, Texas. Mondo offers fans limited edition movie poster prints designed by artists from around the globe — such as Tyler Stout, Jeff Proctor, Ollie Moss and many more — numbered and signed. Within roughly a decade, Mondo posters have become insanely popular and highly collectible. Most of these sell out the same day they go up for sale, if not within the hour. Some of them, such as certain Tyler Stout pieces, sell for hundreds of dollars or more on eBay. Take a look at just a few examples below, then tell me these aren’t tremendous works of art. A gift of a Mondo movie poster for a movie geek is like a cute, cuddly puppy or a pretty pony on Christmas morning for a little girl or boy… except, the posters won’t make a mess and don’t cost a fortune in food and veterinarian bills.

Price Range: from $35.00 up to $65.00 (or, much, MUCH higher if it sells out!)

01. Movies… but, isn’t this obvious?

The idea of giving a movie geek movies for Christmas may seem obvious, even dull, but the truth is… nothing beats getting a good movie. However, there’s a trick to selecting just the right movie as a gift. First of all, have an idea what titles or types of movies interest your movie geek. First of all, if the person is into, say… Italian horror, chances are they won’t appreciate getting a sappy, romantic comedy. Secondly, for most movie geeks, DVD is dead. With the exception of hard-to-find cinematic gems, blu-ray is typically the format of choice these days. Finally, try finding a gift that is more unique than the typical movie off the shelf at a big box retails tore. Every year, there are a number of special limited editions and collector’s set that become available. These are always a treat for the serious movie geek. Movie geeks like “stuff,” so the more cool “stuff” that comes with the movies, the better. The same theory goes for discs. The more discs the better, whether it’s a single movie with 2 discs full of special features, or a box set with multiple films, there’s a reason studios market these as “collector sets.”

Recommended New & Recent Box Sets & Special Editions:

• BEN HUR: 50th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition
• Coen Brothers Collection: BLOOD SIMPLE, MILLER’S CROSSING, RAISING ARIZONA, FARGO
• JURASSIC PARK: Ultimate Trilogy – JURASSIC PARK, THE LOST WORLD, JURASSIC PARK III
• WILLY WONKA & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY: 40th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition
• STAR WARS: The Complete Saga, Episodes I-VI
• TRON: LEGACY 3D & TRON Limited Edition Box Set
• WEST SIDE STORY: 50th Anniversary Edition
• Three Colors Trilogy: BLUE, WHITE, RED – The Criterion Collection

Price Range: from $29.99 up to $169.99

Marilyn Monroe was a complicated woman. Even today, people struggle to make sense of her life and career. For many, she was merely a starlet, a famous actress and icon with the world wrapped around her finger. They believe she had the perfect life. The truth, however, is the subject of MY WEEK WITH MARILYN. The story revolves around a young man named Colin Clark (Eddie Redmayne) who wishes to make his own way by breaking into the motion picture business, instead of riding on his father’s success. Colin ventures out to obtain a job — any job will do — with Sir Laurence Olivier’s production company in London. Colin’s timing and youthful determination lands him on the set of THE PRINCE AND THE SHOWGIRL. This is how he meets Marilyn Monroe, played by Michelle Williams.

As London prepares for the arrival of the world’s most famous woman, Sir Laurence Olivier, played by Kenneth Branagh, prepares to director and star in a film with the sexiest woman on Earth. Part of him somehow hopes for a flirtatious rejuvenation, despite being married to actress Vivien Leigh of GONE WITH THE WIND, played by Julia Ormond, and Marilyn being on her third marriage, this time to the accomplished playwright Arthur Miller, played by Dougray Scott.

Directed by Simon Curtis, MY WEEK WITH MARILYN is his feature theatrical feature film. Curtis was worked primarily as a producer, and as director of multiple television series and made-for-TV movies. While this may sound like a warning sign for a mediocre movie, the rule does not apply in this case. The film may have a subtle element of melodrama, but is overwhelmingly insightful and uplifting in a non-sappy sort of way.

How does a virtual nobody like Colin Clark fit into the legendary story of Marilyn Monroe? The screenplay is based on the diaries written by Clark during his time with Marilyn, on and off the set of THE PRINCE AND THE SHOWGIRL, at the time titled THE SLEEPING PRINCE. Colin Clark wrote two books about Marilyn Monroe; “The Prince, The Showgirl and Me” and “My Week With Marilyn.” The interesting dynamic of the relationship between Colin and Marilyn is that, despite her incredible success, talent and fame, she still thought of herself as a regular, flawed person. She was a frightened woman, nervous and paranoid of being abandoned.

These traits come from Marilyn’s troubled and frankly sad childhood. Marilyn was not born with a silver spoon in her mouth. Rather, she worked very hard for her success, which occurred over time, not overnight. Beginning life as Norma Jean, she invented the persona of Marilyn Monroe, but she would continue to struggle with this throughout her unfortunately short life. Marilyn found it difficult coping with the constant attention as Marilyn, feeling like her own true identity was being held captive beneath the overpowering persona of her own invention. Colin comes into play soon after meeting Marilyn. She seems him as a kindred spirit, a regular guy. She could trust Colin and open up to him. What happens between them is left for you to experience in the film, but it’s the basis of support that triggers their unlikely bond.

Michelle Williams is breathtaking. Not only does she portray Marilyn with stunningly accurate beauty – in appearance, voice and mannerisms – but she captures the conflict so well. Williams’ has tapped into the psyche of Marilyn, allowing MY WEEK WITH MARILYN to humanize the woman Colin calls “a Greek goddess.” Branagh is stellar as Sir Laurence Olivier, a role meant for him alone to play. Branagh gives Olivier a frustrated hilarity, with class and manners, but also shows the temperamental perfectionist behind the camera.

MY WEEK WITH MARILYN chronicles many previously unrecognized elements of cinema from that long gone era. The trials and tribulations between Sir Laurence Olivier and Marilyn Monroe working together on a film was a fragile balancing act, bringing two eras of filmmaking together, illuminating the inevitable death of the ways things have been, ushering in the new era of Method acting and the new Hollywood star.

Aside from Williams’ and Branagh’s potentially Oscar-worthy performances, MY WEEK WITH MARILYN also serves up inspired supporting performances from Judi Dench as Dame Sybil Thorndike and Emma Watson as Lucy, the young wardrobe worker on set with whom Colin has a romantic interest. In addition to the acting, MY WEEK WITH MARILYN features a soundtrack for the music lover at heart. Conrad Pope provided the rich orchestral original score, while the film also features fabulous pieces of the era from Dean Martin and Nat King Cole. Most impressive is Michelle Williams doing her own singing when Marilyn performs… a treat in and of itself, especially during the “Old Black Magic” performance during the end credits.

MY WEEK WITH MARILYN is an enjoyable, well-made movie for anyone who is familiar with the icon and the era to enjoy, but I highly recommend the film to those less familiar with Marilyn, or those who perhaps only see her as the persona and nothing more. For those, the film should hopefully be an eye-opening thrill and a testament to the artist more than her creation alone.

Anyone who had the misfortune of growing up without The Muppets has my unyielding sympathy. There’s never been anything like it, and there will never be anything like it again… that is, of course, for the revival film simply called THE MUPPETS, directed by James Bobin.

THE MUPPETS (2011) was written by, and co-stars Jason Segel as Gary, a happy go lucky guy who lives with his pal Walter, who happens to be a Muppet who thinks he’s a man. It is abundantly clear that Segel has a passionate love for The Muppets and fellow fans will catch this immediately. He gets it, and he nails what needed to be done for a successful revival of the beloved characters in a time when such projects often go terribly awry.

I say Jason Segel is the co-star because, really… we all know Kermit the Frog is the real star. But in all fairness, Amy Adams is a great addition to the film as Gary’s girlfriend Mary. Gary and Mary are madly in love, but she wishes for more, a married life. Unfortunately, Gary and Walter are inseparable. So, when Gary invites Walter along with him and Mary to Los Angeles to see the sights, Mary feels a bit like a third wheel.

But, enough of this romance stuff. Off we go, to Los Angeles where Walter dreams of touring the now closed Muppets Studio. Unfortunately, what they find upon their arrival is heartbreaking. An evil oil tycoon named Tex Richman, played by Chris Cooper, has bought up the Muppets Studio property and plans to tear it all down in favor of oil exploration. The nerve!

Walter and Gary must now try and save the Muppets Studio, and the only way to do that is to get the band back together and put on one last show… a show to save the Muppet Theatre. This will prove easier said than done. We first reunite with Kermit the Frog. This is the first of several Muppet encounters that feels as familiar as so many of us being laid off and out of work. Muppets should never be down on their luck, but as Tex Richman points out… it’s a new era, and The Muppets are now irrelevant. To hell with that!

“You simply can’t keep a good Muppet down,” is what I always say. The Muppets feel and fresh and alive as I remember them some 25 years ago. Wow. I’d feel old now, if not for my abundantly active inner child. Not only do The Muppets have to overcome impossible odds, renovating the dilapidated Muppet Theatre and putting on a telethon to save it with little time to prepare, they must also contend with Tex Richman’s more modern and off-putting Moopets, his replacement for the Muppet.

THE MUPPETS (2011) is quite possibly the best live-action family musical I’ve seen since the original Muppet movie, but I am a bit biased. There is an intelligent cuteness to the song and dance scenes. The jokes are hilarious, for kids of all ages. That includes you, mom and dad. Segel is charmingly oblivious. For a guy that stands 6 foot 5 inches, you wouldn’t think he’d be able to pull off this level of being adorably silly, but he does.

Amy Adams is a blast, as well, especially during her musical numbers. Adams clearly jumped in with both feet and embraced the quirky, over-the-top nature of The Muppets, milking her scenes for all their worth without overdoing it a bit. Chris Cooper takes the essence of a Muppets villain and runs with it, giving a cheeky self-aware evildoer performance that rivals the best… Maniacal laugh! Maniacal laugh!

THE MUPPETS (2011) is everything fans hope it will be. I dare you to walk out of the theater and not be wearing a smile from ear to ear. I dare you not to get goose bumps when Kermit and Miss Piggy perform their classic duet of  “Rainbow Connection” for the first time in years. It’s unavoidable. Prepare yourself to rekindle that long, lost connection with all of your favorite Muppet characters, along with a gleefully rich cast of supporting and cameo roles including Rashida Jones, Alan Arkin, Zach Galifianakis, Ken Jeong, and… many more. I don’t want to spoil all the surprises.

Overall Rating: 4 “Wocka, Wockas” out of 5

MELANCHOLIA originally reviewed during Fantastic Fest 2011.

Writer and director Lars von Trier has shared his own personal experience with depression with the public, so its not surprising that his newest film, MELANCHOLIA, is such a strong representation of what that experience could be like. The auteur filmmaker revealed in an interview accompanying the screening of the film that MELANCHOLIA is not a story of his own account with the condition, but rather that his experience clearly helped him in telling an honest, accurate story two sisters, dealing with two distinctly different types of depression.

One thing MELANCHOLIA certainly succeeds at is dividing its audience, but Lars von Trier has a history of making films that do just this. Generally speaking, his films are either hailed as visionary masterpieces or criticized as pretentious, boring and self-indulgent. My experience lies very much in the center for virtually each of his films, and this one is no exception. I found myself compelled by the intensely accurate portrayal of a character living with depression, and the extraordinary cast as a whole, but also felt the film runs a bit long, which will lessen the impact the film can have on many viewers. Structurally, MELANCHOLIA is split into two parts, each chapter titled with character’s name whose point-of-view drives that chapter.

Part One – Justine (Kirsten Dunst) is an attractive, successful advertising copywriter who is about to get married to Michael (Alexander Skarsgard), the man of most womens’ dreams, but despite her best efforts, her crippling fight with depression overwhelms her. Partially triggered by he mean-spirited mother Gaby (Charlotte Rampling), her emotionally unavailable and playfully immature father Dexter (John Hurt) and her asshole boss Jack (Stellan Skarsgard), Justine has a sever breakdown that leads to a soul-shattering lever of personal disaster that would send anyone into a deep abyss of self-loathing. The difference, however, is that Justine’s depression is clinical and beyond her control, an experience so many people suffer daily. Much like those in real life, Justine’s family is less that supportive, even down right dismissive, except for her sister Claire.

Kirsten Dunst has rarely impressed me as an actress, but she shocks the hell out of me with her stellar portrayal in MELANCHOLIA. I am saying it now, with no regrets, that Dunst deserves an Oscar nomination — at least — for this role. Her ability to capture the range of emotions, the unpredictable change in moods and the paralytic effects of depression on both the mind and body are astounding. Without going into detail, I am speaking from a point of personal experience, from which I draw a great amount of my comparison. This is why, ideally, this film needs to be seen by everyone, but I am fully aware this will not happen. This is unfortunate.

Part Two – Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg) is Justine’s sister, her best friend and at times her worst enemy. Claire is as supportive as she can be, at times emotionally and physically drained by the amount of energy she must commit to helping her sister, which is intensified by also having a child, Leo, and a wealthy but selfish husband John (Kiefer Sutherland) who is the richest, whiniest money-pincher I’ve seen on film in years, but Sutherland does a great job in one of the first widely seen roles since his time on the TV series 24.

Claire is a women who deals with a much more manageable, yet unbearably brutal form of situational depression. Her primary catalyst for her breakdown is the result of MELANCHOLIA’s sub-plot that spells the end to everything, period. Charlotte Gainsbourg is every bit of fascinating on screen as her counterpart Dunst, which is what makes focusing on Dunst so difficult. Her performance, as is her character, is drastically different from Dunst’s and for good reason. It’s a reactionary role, whereas Dunst’s character is simply being, in the moment, for better or for worse.

Regarding that “sub-plot” I mentioned… MELANCHOLIA is on a very minimal level a science-fiction film, but don’t allow this to sway your preliminary outlook on the film, which begins with a tremendously uncharacteristic use of CGI from Lars von Trier. MELANCHOLIA opens with a superbly rendered depiction of a cosmic disaster, involving the planet Earth and a previously unknown planet that has been hiding behind the sun. Set to a beautiful, orchestral score, the scene sets the mood for the remainder of the film, and is the only bit of CGI in the film until the very last scene. MELANCHOLIA uses this setup as an experiment for how we may react to the knowledge that everything we know and are will inevitably end while we, as a species, are collectively conscious of that end as it occurs. On this level alone, I love what Lars von Trier is doing.

MELANCHOLIA is an astounding work of cinema, even with its flaws which include the need for a more streamlined storytelling structure, a slightly shortened running time and a final CGI ending that would have played better with a simple dissolve to white. Aside from Dunst’s and Gainsbourg’s performances, the star of the film is the cinematography from Manuel Alberto Claro, combining gloriously picturesque landscape composition with intimately personal shots capturing mood and moments of heaviness, but also showcasing some truly phenomenal slow-motion cinematography that makes Zack Snyder’s slo-mo style look like it’s in a hurry. I could watch MELANCHOLIA repeatedly, just for the visual masterpiece it is, especially when combined with the fittingly moody classical score that accompanies this cinematic interpretation of depression unlike any other.

MELANCHOLIA is currently playing in St. Louis at Landmark’s Tivoli Theatre.

What if you met a real life fairy? How would you know? What would you do? American audiences had a similar proposition presented through cinema in 1984’s SPLASH, replacing a fairy with a mermaid, with whom Tom Hanks fell deeply in love with. The 2011 French film LA FEE (The Fairy) is also a romantic fantasy, co-written and co-directed by Dominique Abel, Fiona Gordon and Bruno Romy.

THE FAIRY is about a man named Dom, played by Dominique Abel. He works as the front desk clerk in a small hotel. He’s friendly, quiet, and perhaps more than a little naïve. In the beginning of the film, Dom is hoping to settle down for the evening with some television and a sandwich. Unfortunately, business chooses otherwise.

After first handling an odd customer and his scurrying bag, Dom meets Fiona, played by Fiona Gordon. Fiona is a spritely woman. This is fitting, as the first words from her mouth include “I am a fairy.” What should one say to such a claim? Dom takes this in stride, as he does with everything in life. Fiona rents a room, and thus begins their adventure.

THE FAIRY is a cute — almost excessively so — little number that’s part romantic comedy, part musical, part slapstick and part Charlie Chaplin. Dom and Fiona are very animated characters in a very animated live-action film. After saving Dom’s life from a near-fatal sandwich, Fiona offers Dom three wishes. He first wishes for a scooter, then follows up with a wish for free gas for life. Fiona gladly complies. For the remainder of the film, we await Dom’s third and final wish.

Dom and Fiona connect quickly. Fiona shows Dom a world he never knew existed, right there in his own community. Her free spirit opens his eyes, but the truth about Fiona is a mystery that remains uncertain throughout THE FAIRY. Is Fiona really a fairy, or simply an unstable citizen? I found myself less and less concerned with this question as I was drawn deeper into the quirky world of these two characters.

THE FAIRY is a lot of fun, but if it doesn’t appeal to you at first, give it time. It took me 15-20 of the film before I finally settled into the experience. I am not typically a fan of musicals, but the charming silliness of THE FAIRY is rather hard to resist. The musical numbers, which are really more dance pieces, as the characters don’t sing, are strange and eccentric, but in their own way alluring.

In keeping with the film’s central characters, THE FAIRY is a richly colorful film that feels like something from another era. I was repeatedly reminded of the 1964 classic THE UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG. THE FAIRY is clearly a low-budget film, or at least is meant to look that way, perhaps drawing inspiration for its production design from theatrical stage production. From green screen chases to swimming jellyfish made of plastic grocery bags, the whimsically simple design is a major factor in the film’s charm.

Whether you’re a pushover for French film, an admirer of the silent era of slapstick comedy, or just looking for a unique option for a date night movie, THE FAIRY is a romantic option like no other I’ve seen in quite a long time.

Showtime
Friday, November 18th at 4:30pm – Plaza Frontenac Cinema
Saturday, November 19th at 6:00pm – Plaza Frontenac Cinema

HEADHUNTERS was originally reviewed during Fantastic Fest 2011.

In true Norwegian fashion, HEADHUNTERS is a taught thriller that pleases from the first to the last frame. Director Morten Tyldum (FALLEN ANGELS) weaves an intoxicating mystery that begins as a heist film. Roger Brown (Aksel Hennie) is a man of short stature with a large house and a towering beauty of a Swedish trophy wife named Diana (Synnove Macody Lund), as intelligent as she is stunning. What she doesn’t know is that Roger is not everything he appears to be.

Roger spends his days working as a successful corporate recruiter, a fitting cover for a man whose greatest skill is “knowing” people, but he supplements his lavish lifestyle by moonlighting as a thief, specializing in valuable works of art. Everything Roger does is to please Diana, so when the opportunity of a lifetime reveals itself, he sees the job that will end all jobs, but it begins with getting his mark a job.

Clas Greve (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) is an ex-military special ops soldier turned CEO of a major GPS nanotechnology developer. Recently having entered early retirement, Roger meets Clas at the opening reception for Diana’s gallery. Upon hearing about a priceless work of art that Clas possesses, Roger immediately begins developing a plan to relieve Clas of the artwork and set himself and Diana up for life, which Roger sees as the only way to truly secure his most prized possession. Unfortunately, despite Roger’s very careful and competent thieving skills and his attention to detail, what lies in store for him is far beyond his expectations and risk assessment.

HEAD HUNTERS is a methodical, calculated thriller that takes great care in setting up the dominoes in just the precise manner, intricately positioned for maximum fallout. Roger leads the audience through his every step, his motives and his methodology, seamlessly allowing the viewer into his life without disturbing the all-important third wall. It’s rare that we get to empathize with a criminal, but Roger’s motives are as honorable as they are selfish.

As is often the case with Norwegian films, especially of this genre, HEADHUNTERS is beautifully shot with a cold, post-modern sensibility. Roger’s house is a rigidly designed array of juxtaposed boxes that compliments the compartmentalized life he leads. Roger is calm, cool and in control while the supporting characters around him appear very much the opposite, from a seemingly desperate Lotte (Julie R. Olgaard) with whom Roger has an affair to the wild and reckless Ove (Eivind Sander), with whom Roger works on his moonlighting venture through a strategic partnership.

What we witness in HEADHUNTERS is the transformation of Roger from a well-disguised man living in fear to a strong and determined man born of the need to fight for survival. We witness Roger transform before our eyes, pushed to the extreme before he realizes what’s truly important and how vain and superficial his life has been prior to meeting Clas Greve.

Clas is a great antagonist, emotionless and precise, like a well-oiled machine with a clear purpose, but able to conceal himself in plain sight. I couldn’t help but notice a resemblance of Nikolaj Coster-Waldau to Josh Holloway from TV’s LOST, which I felt oddly added to the appeal of the character. Clearly this was unintentional, but every little bit helps. When it boils down to the essence of what makes HEADHUNTERS tick, it’s a lack of clearly defined good guys and bad guys. The story is ultimately a tale of misguided intentions and confusion in the face of well-laid plans. The tension between Roger and Clas is built upon a principle of two masters of their craft in a race to finish first, but the confusion arises from Roger reacting to misinformation and assuming a false conclusion.

HEADHUNTERS is a lot of fun, with some dark humor and brutal moments, all wrapped up into a true nail-biter. Aksel Hennie is excellent, showing an impressive range as his character is drug through the ringer on so many levels. I imagine HEADHUNTERS will surely be swallowed up by the Hollywood remake machine, if it hasn’t already, but the original is definitely worthy of your time.

Imagine yourself as a parent. Now, aside from outliving your own child, imagine the worst thing that could happen. Despite all your best efforts to be a good parent, to raise your child properly, imagine your child does something horrific and unforgivable. Imagine they have done something that turns the entire community against you. Now you are as prepared as you possibly can be for watching WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN, from Scottish filmmaker Lynne Ramsay, whose previous two feature films are RATCATCHER (1999) and MORVERN CALLAR (2002) and both films are extraordinary. WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN is the third feature film written and directed by this exciting new cinematic voice. This also happens to be her darkest film, and perhaps her best film to date.

Tilda Swinton plays Eva, a worldly free-spirited woman who suddenly finds herself settled down with her husband Franklin, played by John C. Reilly, and having a child. Eva, despite her best efforts to be the mother she’s expected to be, never wanted a child. Still, Eva tries her very best to raise her son right, but from a very early age, there’s something Eva sees in Kevin that sends chills down her spine, something only she sees, while Franklin is fully submersed in the intoxicating drug of fatherhood, blind to the warning signs.

Ramsay constructs this frighteningly all-too-familiar story with a mastery of non-linear progression. WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN is really Eva’s story, while her son Kevin is the film’s antagonist. This is mother versus son on a level as close to being a horror movie without being a horror movie. Eva has her flaws, both as a mother and as a human being, but Swinton gives her such authentic emotions, such conflicted motives and desires that we can’t help but fully empathize with her. It’s not just her son she must contend with, nor her community after the tragic event, but Eva’s most debilitating struggle is with herself, coping with the guilt of what has happened on her watch as a mother.

Ezra Miller plays Eva’s son Kevin as a teenager, while his various stages of youth are played by other child actors. Most notably frightening as a child is Rock Duer, who plays Kevin as a toddler. A mostly silent role, Rock will creep you out! If THE OMEN had not already been remade, I would count Rock as a shoe-in to play Damien. However, it’s Ezra Miller’s performance that stands out in defining Kevin as the troubled, enigmatic and dangerous teenager.

John C. Reilly is sort of an odd choice for this film. His character is the right fit for his style, goofy and lovable, but it often struggles to fit the dramatic mold setup in WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN, contrasting with the intensity of Swinton’s performance, but at the same time somewhat saved by Ezra Miller’s ability to shift his character’s diabolical personality with such smoothly polished seams. Regardless, Franklin is a relatively insignificant character to the story, a tool by which to strengthen the mother-son dynamic more than a central focus.

Ramsay has crafted an incredibly dark, terrifying story of the American family, while also engaging the audience is some rather black humor. WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN is one of those films that makes you laugh, then immediately feel like you’ve outright sinned for laughing at what’s really a very sad, unfortunate ordeal. The film will likely shock most audiences, hopefully most audiences, but more importantly should bring Lynne Ramsay more to the forefront of American audiences as the next great female filmmaker.