Review – Page 206 – We Are Movie Geeks

LOVE THE COOPERS – The Review

Social media is filled with complaints about retailers jumping the gun on Christmas. Hey the jack-o-lantern’s not yet ripe when the tinsel and wreaths go on sale. Well at least this inspired one of the great double holiday flicks, THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS. So, if the mall starts early, why not the attached (usually) multiplex theatres. Hollywood loves sending out movies at the end of the year set around the staples of the season. So, before you even think about grabbing the turkey (let’s not get ahead of this piece) for Thanksgiving, here’s a flick about a big, big family getting things set for the big Christmas Eve shindig. Now Mom’s a perfectionist, so everything has to be plotted out and just right. Of course, like most families, things are far from perfect. Doesn’t mean they can’t try their darndest in the new star-packed cinema stocking, LOVE THE COOPERS.

It’s early morning, December 24 (CE Day if you will) and Charlotte (Diane Keaton) and Sam (John Cooper) are on the road. Things aren’t going well in their marriage (they plan to separate in the new year), but they don’t want the family to find out. First, it’s off to son Hank’s (Ed Helms) home to pick up his pre-K daughter Madison (Blake Baumgartner) ,but oh oh, she’s repeating a naughty phrase! Hank has separated from his wife Angie (Alex Borstein), but his folks don’t know that he’s actually spending his days looking for work. His teenage son Charlie (Timothee Chalament) is not handling the break-up well, so he’s taking his little brother Bo (Maxwell Simkins) to the mall to shop (and flirt with a gal working there). Sam and Charlotte with Madison go to a senior center to sing carols and pick up Sam’s daffy Aunt ‘Fishy’ (June Squibb) , who also says (and does) naughty stuff, too! Charlotte’s father Bucky (Alan Arkin) heads into his usual diner for breakfast, unaware that his favorite waitress Ruby (Amanda Seyfried) is going to drop a bombshell on him: she’s leaving town. Back at the mall, his other daughter, the divorced adrift Emma (Marisa Tomei) is busted for shoplifting and is being transported to the station by Officer Williams (Anthony Mackie). Meanwhile at the airport, Hank’s sister Eleanor (Olivia Wilde) is hiding out in the pub, dreading the disapproval from Mom over her still single status. She strikes up a rapport with a cute soldier, Joe (Jake Lacy) whose flight has been delayed a day. Hmm, maybe he’d agree to play her fella’ for the night? Man, now that’s one frenzied family circus (no offense Mr. Keane)!

Oy, where to begin! First off, I’ve enjoyed the work of the cast so much, but really…really. All of you show know better. Talk about having to flail about without a net! Diane Keaton, You’ll always be Annie Hall, so why do you take on such a shrill character, constantly trying fix everything and everyone when not giving an earful to both your on-screen hubby and sis. At least she has a bit of a personality which is more than be said for the sad sack role Goodman has been saddled with. His appearance in films, in even the briefest cameos (see what he does in TRUMBO, for gosh sake) can spring the story to life. Helms is doing a riff on the put-upon schlubs from the HANGOVER trilogy and VACATION and TV’s “The Office” with little else to do, besides looking anxious. Arkin only seems to bounce from befuddled to indignant. And who thought he could be Keaton’s father (there’s just a dozen years difference). Tomei’s pop I can believe. She’s stuck spewing vapid psycho-babble in the back of a police cruiser on the loooooongest ride to the station ever (there’s no sub station?)! Mackie isn’t allowed any of the energy he often brings to the screen as he’s stuck as another uptight guy with a secret (much like his role in WHAT’S YOUR NUMBER?). Speaking of “The Office”, another alum, Lacy, does hold on to a bit of dignity, and can be a good leading man. His scene-mate Wilde is still dazzling and a delightful comic talent, though her character is mind-numbingly silly, even for a bit of froth like this. Seyfried, the film’s other beauty, can’t spark life into this immature twenty-something who hasn’t any semblance of a game plan (oh, just gonna’ pick a town at random, eh? Uh huh). Can it be just two years ago when Squibb stole every scene in NEBRASKA? Now she’s playing the crutch of lazy screenwriters, the unpredictable senior, always good for a cut-away gag or a scene ender. She is so much better than that.

Director Jessie Nelson (I AM SAM and CORRINA, CORRINA-that explains a lot) hammers us with every manner of forced whimsy. From slow-motion dancing to fantasy flash forwards, even some CGI as characters turn to ice and shatter (that was clever on “Ally McBeal” a decade ago). But nothing fails to revive this cliché filled script from Steven Rogers (no relation to the star-spangled avenger, I should hope!). Do we really need a dream sequence of Joe and Eleanor frolicking in the airport (where’s the TSA when ya’ really need them?)? And who in the world brings their soon-to-be ex-wife to the big family Christmas Eve event? Why the better to have a big argument followed by a heartfelt plea from the kiddos, naturally! The only thing that perked me up was when I realized this was all set in Pittsburgh. Could one of these shopping centers be the legendary Monroeville Mall from the 1978 DAWN OF THE DEAD? That’s what happens during drek like this. You think about much better films, and I had a lot to think about. The narrator of this film was part of a true holiday classic, one that can be watched and enjoyed any time of the year. At the screening of this, many viewers wanted to give this flick a pass, since, well it’s a Christmas movie and it’s got nice decorations and festive foods and lights. No, much like the old thought “it’s only a kids’ movie”, a “holiday movie” should not be given a free pass. That’s an affront to all the wonderful flicks that have become annual viewing favorites. Not so with this cloying, precious mess. You want to see Christmas-y stuff. Go to your local mall instead or, better yet, stroll down main street or downtown. That’s a much better way to get in the “Noel” mood since LOVE THE COOPERS goes down like a cold glass of egg nog…from a carton that’s been sitting at the back of the fridge since last Christmas. Now that’s a lump of coal in yer’ stocking!

1/2 Out of 5

MY ALL AMERICAN – The Review

Well, the temps are dropping, and the leaves are changing. That can only mean one thing: better check on furnace. Or get the old rake out. Of course, that’s unless you’re a sports fan. Then, for the most part, it’s football all the time (just seems like it to the rest of us). And what better way to lure those fans away from their TVs and bars? Why Hollywood has been passing the ole’ pigskin for decades, even before sound (Harold Lloyd in THE FRESHMAN has quite a spectacular final game). There are comedies and dramas, the latter has mostly been the province of the true story. JIM THORPE, ALL AMERICAN (as was coach Knute Rockne) and INVINCIBLE to name a few. And, of course, there’s that much beloved crowd-pleaser RUDY. Well, all you gridiron movie lovers, here’s a new flick from the same fellow that penned that underdog story. Let’s suit up and hit the field, or the multiplex, for MY ALL AMERICAN.

As the story starts it’s 2010 as an eager young reporter quizzes long-retired University of Texas football head coach, Darrell Royal (Aaron Eckhart) about the players he’s worked with during his illustrious career. The young scribe rattles off the names of several All America winners. But the player that Royal recalls is Freddie Steinmark. She reminds him that Freddie was not an All American, to which the coach replies, “He was my All American”. We then flash rapidly back (you could get a whiplash) to the 1960’s as we see little Freddie playing “pee wee” football in Colorado. He was smaller that the other lads, so he had to try harder. And train extra, under the stern guidance of his father, Fred senior (Michael Reilly Burke). Jump to high school and Freddie (Finn Whittrock) still hasn’t gotten that growth spurt, but he still trains after school with Dad, and he’s the star safety on the team, forging a bond with the much larger Bobby Mitchell (Rett Terrell). Oh, and he attracts the eye of a pretty classmate, Linda Wheeler (Sarah Bolger). As graduation looms, the mailbox is full of rejection letters from colleges. He’s just too short to be taken seriously. Luckily his coach has an in with the staff of the University of Texas Longhorns. Impressed by game footage, Coach Royal offers Freddie and Bobby full scholarships. Plus Linda’s going to school there too! The tenacious Freddie earns the respect of the coach and the senior players and is soon an important part of the Longhorn’s winning season. But one day, on a picnic with Linda, Freddie’s legs begins to throb with pain. She insists he see a doctor. He agrees to, but only after the season ending bowl games. But coach Royal notices his limp. Is it just tired muscles or something very serious…?

Although Eckhart is the most prominently featured actor in the film’s marketing and poster, he’s really in a supporting part. After his awkward old age makeup (barely sold with his halting line delivery), in the first minute or so, we don’t see him for a good half hour when he’s in full coach-mode. Then he’s barking out orders during practice and giving stern pep talks (while glaring at his team). His demeanor does finally warm up and Royce becomes a tough and tender mentor/father figure to the player at the heart of this story. Of course that’s Steinmark played maximum earnestness by Whittrock as the son/boyfriend/pal that most people can only dream of knowing. He’s all focused forward-motion until the fates throw him a curveball (wrong sport, I know). Whittrock admirably balances the role’s sweetness and competitive nature. It’s easy to see how he got on the radar of Linda played by Bolger as the devoted girl next door, stunned and stumbling at their first meeting. Her infatuation morphs into a real romance and Bolger doesn’t make her a flighty, flirty bit of arm candy, but a true partner in life off the field. Terrell at first seems to be the stronger, but his Bobby benefits from Freddie’s friendship. Burke has little to do beside gazing into a stop watch, but his stoic daddy is balanced by Robin Tunney giving a warm, nurturing take on the heart of the household, mamma Gloria.

As I stated earlier, this is from RUDY (and HOOSIERS) screenwriter Angelo Pizzo (adapting Jim Dent’s book), plus it’s his first time directing. He seems to adhere to the inspirational sports story formula. Perhaps he adheres a tad too much as the film seems to be throwing passes right into cliché territory. Often it seems to be filling time before the next big game, with often seen slow-motion shots of seemingly impossible aeronautics (bodies in full triple-flips) accompanied by amped-up audio of bones-crunching and helmets cracking (it’s nearly an appetizer for the upcoming football medical drama with Will Smith, CONCUSSION). Yes, Freddie is height-challenged like Rudy, but its second half sets the film squarely in the “sports tear-jerker” territory making one (I recalled the brilliant “Terminal Football” radio sketch from the recent National Lampoon documentary) think of the 70’s classic made-for-TV “Brian’s Song”, and going further back to KNUTE ROCKNE, ALL AMERICAN and its story of George Gipp (played by future prez Ronald Reagan). So, yes Freddie becomes a late sixties “Gipper”. The marketers of this film appear to be making a play for the “faith-based” film fans that made WAR ROOM an unexpected hit by making sure that every college montage includes a bit of Freddie in the UT chapel, but aside from a clumsy bit about a Vietnam War loss (and a “filthy hippie” straight from FOREST GUMP) this element isn’t that exploited. This is one of the film’s few subtleties, since it’s saddled with a bombastic swelling, uplifting score designed to hammer away at the heart-strings, Pizzo uses it to pummel away at every dramatic moment to the point of exhaustion. This all contributes to the near canonization of the film’s hero. Steinmark becomes a symbol of all this is good in sports and America, but stripping away his complexity (well, he is stubborn about his health) takes away from his humanity. We’re left with this smiling image at the stadium, rather than a flesh and blood person. MY ALL AMERICAN is an upgraded cable-TV tear-jerking sport biopic that never veers away from the playbook to make the story as special as its subject.

2.5 Out of 5

SHELTER (2014) – The Review

What does it mean to be home? A building with four walls and a roof? A place to feel like you belong? What does it mean to be homeless? One definition would be the lack of a permanent dwelling as protection from the elements. I would argue a deeper definition would be the lack of comfort.

Suppose home is not a place or a thing, but is instead a state of mind. What if home could be a relationship, whereas the sense of safety, comfort and belonging can all be had, regardless of the location? What if home isn’t where the heart is, but rather the heart is where we find our home?

SHELTER is an extraordinarily beautiful story of two homeless human beings brought together by chance and held together by a love fueled by a mutual need and understanding of the other. Written and directed by actor Paul Bettany, SHELTER is his debut as a filmmaker and shows Bettany has the triple threat of talent. Most recently known for his portrayal of Vision in AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON, Bettany has performed in a number of memorably eccentric roles, but SHELTER is a much welcomed human drama of a sincerely high calibre.

Anthony Mackie (who portrays Sam Wilson, aka Falcon, of the Marvel Cinematic Universe) plays Tahir, a Nigerian man in the United States without legal documentation. From the opening of the film, we are introduced immediately to his character. Tahir is smart and wise, fearless but calm and in control. Tahir conveys a sense of worldly experience. He is a survivor, but also a sinner. What we eventually discover is that Tahir also has an unsavory past, one which he carries like Atlas carries the weight of the world on his shoulders.

After being released from custody by local authorities, Tahir returns to the streets to find what few belongings he had collected and called his own had been pillaged by his fellow vagabonds. By chance encounter, or perhaps by fate, Tahir meets Hannah (played by Jennifer Connelly) after recognizing she possessed his jacket. What begins as a simple interaction between two strangers over a stolen article of clothing rapidly evolves into a deep connection between two lost souls seeking a light to lead them out of their darkness.

Jennifer Connelly (REQUIEM FOR A DREAM) pulls out all the stops as Hannah, a street smart, classically educated middle-aged woman with a heroine addiction and a tragic past who is living on the edge of sanity. As she and Tahir come to know each other more intimately, it becomes clear that their pasts are not only parallel in pain but bound to collide in happenstance only to emerge in rebirth like a phoenix from the ashes of sorrow and regret.

Connelly physically wears he role, having lost weight and pushed her body to extremes as to sell the heroine and hardship in her life. Emotionally, Connelly is equally dynamic, providing range and depth to develop Hannah into a textured, three-dimensional character with whom we can relate and empathize with throughout her ordeal. She is a sight to behold.

As a storyteller, Bettany focuses on the relationship between Tahir and Hannah, but in doing so never loses sight of what they represent. SHELTER is a story of hope and redemption, and of how even the smallest of communities, as small as two people coming together in support and love, can make a world of difference. SHELTER highlights how the slightest glimmers of humanity and kindness can still be found within a wasteland of apathy, selfishness and greed.

SHELTER juxtaposes Hannah’s nihilism with Tahir’s desperate grasp on his muslim faith to illustrate that life dwells within a gray area, that the human experience rarely gravitates toward the black and white extremities of the scale, but resonates within the wider space between. Hannah and Tahir are both misguided, but it takes them coming together to balance each other out and see the error in their ways.

Through suffering, SHELTER satisfies as an unconventional modern love story with fantastic performances guided by a director familiar with the actor’s journey.

SHELTER opens in theaters and VOD on Friday, November 13th, 2015.

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

SLIFF 2015 Review – TOUCHED WITH FIRE

Review by Dana Jung

TOUCHED WITH FIRE screens Thursday, November 12th at 7pm at The Tivoli Theater as part of The St. Louis International Film Festival. Ticket information can be found HERE

Two powerful performances dominate the new film TOUCHED WITH FIRE, which examines the sometimes blurry line between genius and madness. Carla (Katie Holmes, who also co-produced) and Marco (Luke Kirby, seen recently on TVs RECTIFY) are two creative and restless poets who are also bi-polar. They each display an almost obsessive need to write and perform their verse at local poetry bars. After a chance meeting attending group therapy in the mental ward of a hospital, the two find in each other a kindred spirit with a common bond—the burning need to create.

Though not really a film version of the book TOUCHED WITH FIRE, the film is informed by the basic themes of that work. Published in 1993, and subtitled “Manic-Depressive Illness and the Artistic Temperament,” TOUCHED WITH FIRE was written by Dr. Kay Redfield Jamison, a clinical psychologist and Professor of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University. Much of her work shows incredible insight into the condition of manic-depressive behavior (she herself suffered from the disorder, which she details in her other books), and TOUCHED WITH FIRE contains several case studies of famous artists, writers, and other creative people—including Lord Byron, one of the great Romantic poets.

Around these themes, writer-director Paul Dalio has made a thoughtful, touching, and beautifully acted film that asks many questions with no easy answers. What is the relationship between artistic expression and some types of dementia? Can we have true art without the influence of at least some sort of non-normal perception of reality? How responsible are creative people to live a life of normalcy, with the responsibilities of jobs, homes, and families? Almost mirroring the highs and lows of typical bi-polar behavior, the film tells the story from both sides. We see the “manic” exuberance of two people falling in love amid fantastical elements in lovely, visually wonderful scenes at the mental hospital. Later, we witness the depression and dark moods as the realities of parental pressure and the stress of a committed relationship deepen. Holmes is a naturally gifted actress who totally loses herself in the role of Carla. Wearing little makeup, with an almost haggard expression from her terminal sleeplessness, Holmes rides the mood swings of Carla with great depth and passion. From the scene of her first interaction with her mother (Christine Lahti in fine support), when Carla chokingly asks, “When did it start? What caused it?” we are rooting for her to find the answers we know she never will. Kirby is equally impressive, whether he’s spouting the most intellectual yet paranoid rap poetry we’ve ever heard, or trying to fight through his illness for the sake of Carla.

After the highs, when we come to the lows of the love story, the film raises its central question: Is manic-depressive behavior a gift, to be set free and nurtured, or is it an illness, to be medicated and controlled? TOUCHED WITH FIRE seems to see the value in both points of view, and even presents the notion that both may be necessary in some form in order to create lasting works of art. And as both an adult romantic drama, and as a study of the effects of bi-polar behavior on artistic expression, TOUCHED WITH FIRE succeeds admirably.

www.touchedwithfire.com

SLIFF 2015 review: THE SUMMER OF SANGAILE

How’s that old 1950’s standard go? “Why must I be a teeeen-ager in love?”. Well, for one thing teen love inspires countless films, from all over the world. Take Lithuania, for example. That’s the setting for THE SUMMER OF SANGAILE, a most magical time of year, indeed. Now, it is a love story, between two 17 year-old girls, set against the backdrop of fashion, photography, and … aeronautics? Tray table up and buckle yourself in…

The film begins at an air show at a small town airport. Lovely, somber Sangaile (Julija Steponaityte) has her head in the clouds, almost bumping into other flying fans, as she stares at the circling prop planes. She catches the attention of a brightly attired show worker, Auste (Aiste Dirziute), who is selling raffle tickets. The prize: a ride on one of the two-seater stunt planes. The friendly Auste gives the shy Sangaile a ticket, assuring her that she has the winning number. But when that number is called (thanks to some chicanery), Sangaile doesn’t step forward, choosing instead to dash home. Auste gazes sadly as she peddles away. At her family house, Sangaile insults her parents and party guests before she retreats to her attic room. There she finds an odd comfort in making small cuts on her arm. Sangaile returns to the airport the next day and discovers that Auste is a waitress in the terminal cafeteria. After sneaking her a special pastry treat, Auste invites Sangaile to join her as she hangs out with some friends after her shift ends. She has fun, but Sangaile’s focus stays on Auste and vice versa. Soon they are spending long days at Auste’s apartment as she creates dresses fo Sangaile. This leads to photo sessions in the nearby woods, as the friendship between the two young women evolves into a passionate love affair.

The freedom of flying connects with the ecstasy and blossoming of love in writer/director Alante Kavaite’s dreamlike portrait of two very different women who somehow connect. The outgoing Auste and the brooding Samsaile do fulfill a deep need in each other. Auste seems to give direction to the drifting, unfocused Samsaile making her feel alive, more so than her destructive “cutting” addiction. The film doesn’t quite reach the sublime heights of BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR, but it’s a sweet, sensual story that often soars as high as the planes that the title heroine adores. Like that season THE SUMMER OF SANGAILE is warm and full of fun and frolic.

THE SUMMER OF SANGAILE screens at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac on Friday, November 13 at2:05 PM and Saturday, November 14 at noon as part of the 24th Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival. Purchase tickets here and here

SLIFF 2015 Review: THE KINDERGARTEN TEACHER

Now this makes for an interesting double feature. Recently I looked at the SLIFF feature entry from France, ONCE IN A LIFETIME, a high school drama. Now, here’s another education-inspired film. But it’s much younger, as you can assume from the title THE KINDERGARTEN TEACHER. And it’s a whole lot…stranger. That’s the word for this character study from Israel. A great deal of scrutiny is place on the preschool levels, since those young minds are still developing along with their social skills. This tale is about a woman in charge of guiding these little ones as she realizes that one of her charges is quite uniquely gifted.

Nira (Sarit Larry) is the title character, devoted wife and mother (her son’s now in the Army), and teacher to a dozen or so kiddos. But one has a unusual talent. Little Yoav (Avi Shnaidman), without warning, will start to pace back and forth, prompting him to go into some sort of trance. He then recites incredibly sophisticated original poetry. Nira is stunned, while Yoav’s nanny thinks nothing of it, calling the boy an “oddball”. His teacher becomes obsessed, hurriedly jotting down this impromptu verse. In the evenings, she passes off Yoav’s gifts as her own at a night school poetry class, earning raves from the other students and her handsome instructor. But soon Nira becomes possessive of the lad, especially when she learns that the nanny has been using the poems for her acting auditions. After getting the nanny fired, Nira pleads with Yoav’s single dad, a rich restaurant owner, to enlist her son into special classes, or to hire a tutor to develop his remarkable talents. Father will have none of this nonsense, his son will not make his living as a poet. When Nira becomes adamant he takes Yoav out of Nira’s school and sends him to an exclusive, gated daycare center. This sets Nira on a dangerous course of action with far-reaching consequences.

Writer/director Nadav Lapid has crafted a riveting tale of obsession, often recalling the themes of AMADEUS, and even FATAL ATTRACTION. He guides wonderful performances from Shnaidman whose Yoav seems as confused about his gift as he is about the attention from his teacher. But Larry is the film’s complex, conflicted heart. Nira has no qualms about claiming Yoav’s verse, but the idea of the nanny reciting his words at auditions sends her into a rage. She’s full of contradictions, enjoying a passionate relationship with her hubby, but plunging headlong into an affair with little remorse. Yes, there are lots of sweet children at the school, but this film is quite adult in its language and sexual situations. You’ve never net a boy like Yoav or a woman like Nira, THE KINDERGARTEN TEACHER.

THE KINDERGARTEN TEACHER screens at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Cinemas on Friday, November 13 at 4:15 PM and Sunday, November 15 at 4:30 PM as part of the 24th Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival. Purchase tickets here and here

SLIFF 2015 Review: THE DINNER

THE DINNER poses an interesting question, several actually. And I’m not talking about whether to go with red or white wine, wise-acres. It’s an exploration of families, of the dynamic of two adult brothers, their wives and children. Established roles are reversed and secrets are shared as old clashes rise to the surface. The film also gives us two moral options and asks on which (or whose) side would you go. It gives us a lot to mull over as the desert cart wheels toward the table.

The title refers not to a big family feast, but rather an intimate weekly dinner for two couples, the brothers and their wives, in an upscale restaurant in Rome. At least one half of the table never looks forward to this “obligation”. That would be brother Paolo (Luigi Lo Cascio), a busy surgeon who shares a big apartment with his wife Clara (Giovanna Mezzogiorno) and their teenage son, the quiet Michele (Jacopo Olmo Antinori). The dinner tab is usually picked up by brother Massismo (Alessandro Gassman), a high-priced defense lawyer who shares a plush townhouse with second wife Sofia (Barbora Bobulova), their new baby, and his teenage daughter Benedetta (Rosabell Laurenti Sellers). The film opens with a brutal, horrific “road rage” incident. Paulo is treating the young survivor/witness to said incident while Massismo has been hired by the man brought up on charges in the case. This adds to the tension add the weekly dinner (Paolo views his sibling as an immoral sell-out), not helped by the animosity between the two women. At least their kids get along. Michele and Benedetta share a love of violent viral videos. She even invites him to come along to a big party thrown by one of her schools (the parents are out-of-town, natch’). The next morning a change has come over Michele. Paolo is perplexed until he takes a look at his wife’s favorite true crime TV show. Rome is outraged over the savage beating of a street person. The act was caught on grainy, black and white surveillance cameras. The two attackers…no…could they be….? And what is to be done?

Director co-writer Ivano de Matteo has fashioned a compelling modern morality play along with co-writer Valentina Ferlan (adapting the Herman Koch novel). What are the parents’ responsibility? To the children or to justice? The moral stance of the two brothers seem to be fairly set in the film’s initial scenes, but this fateful night upends them, almost to the point of switching personas. The four main actors deliver energetic performances, especially in the film’s last act, all set at a restaurant tabel as they prod, plea, and agonize over life and death decisions. THE DINNER is one film feast that will satisfy the most discerning dramatic palettes.

THE DINNER screens at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Cinemas on Friday, November 13 at 9:10 PM and on Saturday, November 14 at 4:45 PM as part of the 24th Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival. Purchase tickets here and here

SLIFF 2015 Review – ONCE IN A LIFETIME

The travails and triumphs of teachers have been ample fodder for filmmakers almost since the start of cinema. But it wasn’t until the strains of “Rock Around the Clock” at the start of BLACKBOARD JUNGLE over 60 years ago that the movies really delved into the true life frustrations that many educators faced. Not only was there rampant violence, but an overall apathy often squelched any attempts at learning. Through the years, similar themes have been explored, from UP THE DOWN STAIRCASE to DANGEROUS MINDS. The teachers in those films struggle to get through to the students, to connect, engage, motivate. Well, it turns out such struggles are universal, even in Paris. That’s the setting of the new drama ONCE IN A LIFETIME.

After we witness a heated argument between in the administrative offices over religious garb, we then meet the high school teacher trying against incredible odds to break through to her often unruly class, a middle-aged red-haired firecracker, Ms. Anne (Ariane Ascaride). Many times she seemed to be playing the referee (or lion tamer) rather than instructor, breaking up fights, confiscating cell phones, and making sure none of them dozes off. The pupils all hail from the toughest part of the city, all different races and ethnicities, and nearly all intolerant of each others’ differences. How can she unite them, or just keep their focus? Anne hits upon an idea. They will all work on one project and submit this group report to a nationwide scholastic competition. And what of the subject? The grim story of French children in Nazi concentration camps will be explored. The students are indifferent. Didn’t this happen several countries away, not in their own back yards? Suddenly they’re forming groups and teams all in order to gather all the information. And when an elderly survivor of the camps, Leon Zyguel, visits the classroom to give his own testimony, the students are inspired. But can Anne keep the energy level up and lead them to victory at the big competition ceremony?

A film that could have devolved into a remake of TO SIR WITH LOVE or even an R-rated “after school special” becomes so much more thanks to the steady, subtle direction of Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar and the script she co-wrote with Ahmad Drame, who also plays the tough but tender student Malik. The film almost feels like a horror/thriller in its first act, with lots of threats and screaming arguments. But with the beginning of the big project, we’re shown how the kids are actually “alright” as they begin to think about their country’s past and develop an empathy for others. This change is driven home by the remarkable sequence with Zyguel, as this gentle soul touches their hearts and minds with his harrowing tale of loss. Based on actual events, ONCE IN A LIFETIME is an inspiring story of healing and hope through the wonder of education and one tough, determined teacher.

ONCE IN A LIFETIME screens at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Cinemas on Thursday, November 12 at 7:05 PM and Saturday, November 14 at 4 PM as part of the 24th Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival. Purchase tickets here and here

SLIFF 2015 Review – SEA FOG

By nature of its title this film may conjure up comparisons to other nautical flicks, but your preconceived notions about its theme or plot will be quickly up-ended while viewing SEA FOG. Is it a disaster film like THE PERFECT STORM? Not really. Is it a horror/fantasy thriller like John Carpenter original THE FOG? No, but you might suspect this from the film’s producer and co-screenwriter Joon-ho Bong, the acclaimed filmmaker of THE HOST and SNOWPIERCER. Well, there’s no futurist vehicles or mutated monsters here. There are, however, lots of human monsters. Oh, and it comes from South Korea, set in 1998. The movie begins with a riveting credits sequence, showing a near-fatal accident that will be familiar to fans of TV’s “Deadliest Catch”. This is all business as usual to the men that work on the creaking, rusted-out fishing boat, the Junjin. Moments later Captain Kang (Yun-seok Kim) is steering the vessel towards the dock. not much of a haul this trip as he checks in with the boat’s owner. And the news gets worse. He may soon sell the Junjin. While his staff enjoys a brief shore leave, the desperate captain agrees to a quick cash job, one that could land him and his men in prison. When the crew gets back on board, Kang explains that they won’t be bringing back fish, they’ll be transporting people, illegal immigrant workers from China. Facing few options, the men reluctantly agree. Hours later, in the dead of night, the Junjin pulls up alongside another ship, and the “cargo” is transferred. Two of the illegals are women (“bad luck” at sea) causing havoc with the lusty sailors. Luckily the youngest lady is taken in and protected by the youngest shipmate who hides her in the engine room. The next day, a surprise inspection by corrupt authorities instigates a tragedy. Soon the young lovers are in hiding, as the crew turns on each other, and the captain descends into madness. And then the fog rolls in…

Bong has left the direction in the most capable hands of Sung-bo Shim who expertly balances the beauty and danger of work on board an ocean vessel. The Junjin almost become a character itself with her creaking floorboards and clanking, smoking engines. Shim takes the time to develop the sweet love story between the young couple who are quite the contrast with the crude, cruel sailors. But when the “incident’ occurs, the film goes into thriller (and a touch of horror) mode as the men frantically go into action. Action that leads to furious fights and scrambling for safety. The enveloping fog ratchets the tension up several notches. SEA FOG is no pleasure cruise, but rather a nightmarish journey into brutality and insanity.

SEA FOG screens at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac on Wednesday, November 11 at 9:10 PM and on Thursday, November 12 at 2:20 PM as part of the 24th Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival. Purchase tickets here and here.

SLIFF 2015 Review – THEEB

1916. The Ottoman Empire. A vast, arid landscape. All part of one of the greatest cinema epics of all time (actually Steven Spielberg watches it before he begins a directing a feature). Of course we’re talking about David Lean’s LAWRENCE OF ARABIA. But not in this case. Same setting, same period, very different film. This new motion picture is told through the eyes of the title character, THEEB (Jacir Eid Al-Hwietat). This boy of eight or nine is part of an isolated tribe of Bedouins. His father was the head of said tribe, but he and Theeb’s mother have died. His older, teenage brother Hussein (Hussein Salameh Al-Sweilhiyeen) has taken on the parental role, teaching the lad who to find water, tend the goats, and fire a rifle (lots of raiders and rebels about). One night as the boys, along with the tribe elders, gather about the communal fire, the silence is broken by the arrival of two strangers: an English military officer (Jack Fox) and his guide. They wish to find the watering hole on the route to Mecca. Since tribal law requires them to fulfill the request of visitors, Hussein pledges his services (a task his father would have taken). Theeb pleads to come along, but his brother adamantly insists he stay. Of course the boy secretly follows the trio. When Theeb is spotted they are too far along to take him back, and so the trio becomes a quartet. But the journey is cut short by a band of ruthless outcasts and nomads, and the ill-prepared brothers engage in a deadly battle for their young lives.

Director Naji Abu Nowar captures the tranquil beauty of the desert along with its shocking unexpected dangers. The tribe leads a simple uncomplicated life until the foreigners plunge them into chaos. The script, co-written by Nowar along with Bassel Ghandour, keenly grasps the dynamic of the two brothers, alternating between teasing fun and warm affection. The sand and rocks provide a breathtaking backdrop to what becomes, by the film’s last act, an intimate two person drama. Subtle , nuanced performances are delivered by the cast including Hassan Mutlag Al-Maraiyeh in a crucial role. The story effortlessly segues from family road trip to suspenseful tale of survival. THEEB, the boy and the film, are quite unforgettable.

THEEB screens at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac on Tuesday, November 10 at 2 PM and Thursday, November 12 at 9:20 PM as part of the 24th Annual Whitaker St Louis International Film Festival. Purchase tickets here and here

Share this:

Share this:

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: