'G-Funk' Review: Warren G's Account of West Coast Gangster Rap
Making its hometown premiere in Los Angeles, the city whose roots were, in part, defined by the rise of ’90s rap music, is “G-Funk,” the biography of rapper Warren G and of West Coast gangsta rap. The film played at the Ace Hotel Theater in Downtown LA as part of the 2017 LA Film Festival.
The release of "G-Funk" comes at a time where other rap icon biopics have hit the big-screen. Films include the critically and commercially successful NWA biopic, "Straight Outta Compton" as well as this year's (less-well received) Tupac Shakur biopic, "All Eyez on Me," which may speak to the larger movement of the recognition of ethnically-marginalized peoples (Black Lives Matter), and real-life stories.
"G-Funk" re-tells the largely familiar story of the rise of hip-hop music on the US coasts at the end of the '80s followed by the rise of rap music in the early '90s. What sets this film apart is the emphasis on the subgenre from which it became – "G-Funk" (short for Gangsta Funk), and the people that put it on the map – including Snoop Dogg, the late Nate Dogg, and the film's producer and creator, Warren G, whose careful supervision of how the story is told, and his portrayal, is evident.
"G-Funk" follows the influence that this one particular style of music had on American politics and culture at the end of the '80s and early '90s. In telling a story as familiar as this one, "G-Funk" had to overcome some obvious challenges: how do you tell yet another side of the rap movement, centered largely around a figure who might not be able to greenlight his own big studio movie, to a new generation of movie-goers?
In "G-Funk," one of its very own members of that new generation was hired to bring Warren G's vision to the big screen- 23-year-old director Karam Gill. Gill, a Chapman University graduate, may not have been born when G had made his contributions to the genre but was nonetheless hired to tell this all-encompassing story of rap, politics, culture, icons, and ultimately, the music.
[Karam] Gill might not have been the most obvious choice – an underdog, even, among his contemporaries – but he shows that he has both the drive and capability of realizing his vision and expressing his art. We learn that this is the type of role that Warren G played in the rise of G-Funk, as well.
One might wonder what Warren G saw in Gill that got him the job (Gill got the gig after attending one of Warren G's concerts, asking the rap star if he could shoot video of his concert, which, after being reviewed, was evidence that he could capably direct this movie). And perhaps there's an interesting parallel to be drawn between their pairing: Gill might not have been the most obvious choice – an underdog, even, among his contemporaries – but he shows that he has both the drive and capability of realizing his vision and expressing his art.
We learn that this is the type of role that Warren G played in the rise of G-Funk, as well.
We witness G’s earliest elementary school days, growing up with Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg (MC-ing grade-school freestyles), through defining the G-Funk movement and later linking up with Dr. Dre (G's step-brother) to create era-defining beats including Dr. Dre's 'The Chronic.' "G-Funk" goes on to show the downfall of the genre – in the "Gangsta" lifestyle, filled with power struggles and politicking, with its guns, drugs, and gang-related violence so visibly captured in the East Coast vs. West Coast rap battles.
Along with Warren G and Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Russell Simmons, and Deion Sanders contribute their stories to this documentary, offering their insights over this time and movement and its place in history.
87 minutes. "G-Funk" is currently not rated and awaiting distribution.
'Spider-Man: Homecoming' Review: A Millennial Teen Makes for a Snappy Superhero
In this age where today’s moviegoing audiences roll their collective eyes over the sequels and remakes that now so frequently populate cineplexes across the country, it’s inescapable that the "Spider-Man" franchise is not brought up as one of Hollywood's biggest re-boot offenders, having wrapped the previous take with Andrew Garfield in the title role only three short years ago.
"Spider-Man: Homecoming" is the latest installment in the Marvel franchise, but thankfully, comes with a fresh new spin (pun intended).
Stepping into the web-slinger's new spandex – or rather, new suit that's as tech-filled and tricked out as Iron-Man's (the new suit being a present from Stark Industries) – is the young Tom Holland, the next British import to play the spider-bitten superhero following his predecessor Garfield. The young Holland, with his smaller-than-most build, lends pitch-perfect casting to the role, bringing a constantly-amazed, mouth-agape enthusiasm to this Peter Parker. Parker continues to count down the hours in the school day until he can begin his “internship” with Stark Industries and put on the Spidey suit and swing around the city, stopping petty thefts and burglaries, as the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. This barely satiates his desire to fight real crime and super-villains (a desire that would give the Avengers a run for their money).
The millennial-set movie fits perfectly into the millennial-aged mindset of kids today, as the movie's high-school students refer to Spider-Man as "the Spider-Man from YouTube."
What makes "Homecoming" a winning outing is, apart from all of the fight scenes, how the movie portrays our super-hero as a regular old high-schooler, which director Jon Watts ("Cop Car") – and five other credited screenwriters of the film – tap into so well and get so hilariously spot on from start to finish. Exposing Peter’s nerdy sophomore existence, Watts and company perfectly portray Spider-Man experiencing all of young-adolescent life, getting teased by the likes of bully Flash (Tony Revolori), navigating flirtatious chemistry with school-mate Michelle (Zendaya), and hanging out with pudgy pal and best friend (and the movie's funniest character) Ned, (Jacob Batalon). And it’s Ned who helps Peter build a thousand-piece Lego Death Star while the two dream of becoming popular and catching the eyes of certain classmates. All of these things are as important to Peter as tracking down the Vulture (Michael Keaton), the city’s new supervillain who attempts to gain power by stealing new Stark Industries technology to develop other worldly weapons for the black-market.
Watts is also credited for casting a diverse group of high-schoolers who more accurately resemble the multi-ethnic swath of today’s kids, in roles that tap into the anxieties and pressures of young adult life. The millennial-set movie fits perfectly into the millennial-aged mindset of kids today, as the movie's high-school students refer to Spider-Man as "the Spider-Man from YouTube." While this formula makes for a winning outing, this reviewer is curious to see how far Peter will be stretched as the character matures through high-school and how these light hearted years will be managed and dealt with in future sequels as the stakes get higher. But for now, "Spider-Man: Homecoming" stands as one of Marvel’s most recent successes and one of this year's most entertaining big-screen events.
"Spider-Man: Homecoming" is rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence, some language, and brief suggestive comments. 133 minutes. Now playing in theaters everywhere.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiTECkLZ8HM
'Baby Driver': A Total Joy Ride Fueled by a Killer Soundtrack
If you're looking for some excitement at the movies this summer, look no further than Baby Driver.
Written and directed by fanboys everywhere's favorite Edgar Wright, Baby Driver is a stylish explosion of a genre-blending action thriller, romantic heist movie and crime film all in one.
Driver centers around a kid named Baby (Ansel Elgort), a Wayfarers-wearing youth who keeps a mostly wordless demeanor (think Steve McQueen or Ryan Gosling's strong and silent type high school selves). After getting mixed up in a world of crime, Baby uses his talents behind the wheel as a getaway driver to pay off a debt to crime boss, Doc (Kevin Spacey).
Winding and wheeling his way around Atlanta's city streets, Baby evades the cops with devilish gear shifts and burnouts that will leave audiences totally floored (the movie uses no CGI for the car stunt work). Every hairpin turn of every getaway drive is accompanied by some carefully curated song queued up on his iPod. Baby Driver fuses getaway driving and rock radio so expertly, that if the movie was considered the engine, the music would be the fuel that keeps it roaring. After a traumatic car-collision leaves a childhood Baby parent-less and with an always-present ringing in his in ears, he drowns out his Tinnitus by listening to music, and at all hours of the day. Compulsively cranking classic rock cuts during his high-speed sprints or just serving up some old Soul tunes, music is as much Baby's secret weapon as it is his distraction.
Starting with the film's opening getaway chase, grooving along to the soundtrack is like rocking out at a concert. This neo-musical act continues through to the very end, where, after meeting the sweet, kind-eyed diner waitress Debra (Lily James), Baby decides to go straight and get out of the crime game – that is, if he can escape the ruthless Doc (Spacey) and the job's skizo thugs, Buddy (Jon Hamm) and Bats (Jamie Foxx).
...notice Ryan Heffington, the choreographer of Sia's "Chandelier" music video, is credited as the film's choreographer in the opening title credits.
Wright continues to prove he is truly one of today's most "visionary" directors. Fans of Wright's previous films (Sean of the Dead, Scott Pilgrim vs the World) will know that he has perfected a visual identity and humor all his own, but with Baby Driver, Wright brings those elements together to an even bigger stage.
Baby Driver is slick and effortlessly cool, where lane changes and car spins, camera zooms and cuts are all oiled up in perfect unison (notice Ryan Heffington, the choreographer of Sia's "Chandelier" music video, is credited as the film's choreographer in the opening title credits). The film's opening scene, one long uninterrupted take set to "Harlem Shuffle,” is an amazingly choreographed number (look for the song lyrics graffiti hidden on the sides of walls).
In the driver's seat is the baby-faced Ansel Elgort (The Fault in Our Stars) in a role that requires the young actor to play both the strong and silent type while keeping his youthful aloofness intact. Wright’s remaining ensemble is just as well cast – it's always a treat to see Kevin Spacey play bad, as well as Jamie Foxx as a menacing character. Lily James delights as a Southern Belle, but the stand out performances must go to Jon Hamm, who sheds his Don Draper image for a villain with depth and CJ Jones– a real-life deaf stand-up entertainer who plays Baby's caretaker, who lends another great performance.
If you're looking for an adrenaline rush this summer, do yourself a favor. See Baby Driver in theaters. It's not only one of the best films of the summer, but of the year to date.
‘Baby Driver' is rated R for language throughout and violence. 113 minutes. Opening tomorrow in theaters everywhere.
'Dean' Review: A Familiar Tale of Millennial Rumination
Fans of stand-up comic Demetri Martin admire the comedian for his deadpan stylings and his detached persona, commenting on the rest of modern society through witty and dry observation.
His puns, plays-on-words, and general irony on all matters make his shtick and style one that's enjoyable to commiserate and laugh with. However, in the indie comedy Dean, which Martin wrote and directed as well as stars in as the titular character, Martin delivers a mild and familiar tale of New York and Los Angeles hipster moroseness. Unfortunately, last year's Tribeca Jury Award Winner for Best Narrative Feature sees Martin conform as a familiar hapless hipster trying to overcome writer's block, arrested development, shortcomings in love, and general self-pity, making Martin's last outing a disappointing dud.
As writer and director, Martin gives his personal life the semi-autobiographical treatment, as modern indie auteur fictionalizations treatment akin to 'Girls' and 'Master of None' have so recently done. Playing Dean, an illustrator who makes wry cartoons similar to New Yorker cartoons with a Woody Allen death-obsession bend, in where a looming Grim Reaper looms in his cartoons is large. These moments certainly shine more than Dean going through the motions of sulking as a depressed illustrator as merely a sketch of a person itself, who, after being confronted with his father's (Kevin Kline) decision to sell their family house after the recent passing of his mother, takes an impromptu trip to LA to figure out his life. Kevin Kline, self-help lover, and couch lover, is visited by Carol (Mary Steenburgen) and a middle-age romance is hinted at, which is almost half the movie, and also shows how also inadequately in love and confused we all are next to Dean.
..."Dean" trades all of Martin's interesting personality for a more conventional and formulaic hipster comedy that is largely as insufferable as he is.
An impromptu trip to LA has Martin get to show how much of a cog he is in the system as well as outside the system of hipster nonsense. LA brings about cliches about Vampire teen shows and “improv” comedy until he meets Nicky (Gillian Jacobs) as the quintessential LA girl you see her pixie self in Netflix’s 'Love,' falling for another hapless fella here. They have tepid romance and conversation, but after a quick return back to LA, it points out that nothing is happening, about as safe and boring as it could be.
While Martin has made a name for himself as an ironically detached and deadpan comic, Dean trades all of Martin's interesting personality for a more conventional and formulaic hipster comedy that is largely as insufferable as he is. While there are interesting storylines related to his father's unluck in love, as well as Martin's drawings and cartoons (personally, I would have loved to have seen an entire movie about just his cartoonist exploits), other movies about depressed illustrators trying to get out of their life ruts worth checking out are the Jemaine Clement starrer People Places Things as well as Mike Nichols' Beginners.
87 min. 'Dean' is rated PG-13 for language and some suggestive material. In theaters this Friday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1a-TDnXEV7M
'Band Aid' Review: Love Is on the Rocks in This Indie Rock Comedy
Embarking on adulthood is hard, but doesn’t have to be joyless, as the new indie mumblecore comedy Band Aid shows.
Making its premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and in theaters this Friday, Band Aid is a light-hearted romantic comedy about the hardships of modern relationships and how sometimes those things are best dealt with by some good old fashioned rock and roll. Making her feature film debut, writer, director, and star Zoe Lister-Jones shows in her millennial-set Silverlake comedy how young adults of today’s age deal with major relationship issues by self-therapizing and writing indie rock songs about one’s troubles, leading to a refreshing take on romance and growing up.
Band Aid centers around a longtime Los Angeles couple, Anna (Lister-Jones) and Ben (Adam Pally), who, while seeing their friends’ relationships take the next steps with engagements and children, busy themselves by dealing with remedial frustrations. Their constant complaining about dirty dishes serves as a deeper frustration for their stagnant lives and inability to commit more to each other. When petty shouting matches continue to erode at their relationship, the two decide to deal with their anger by dusting off their garage-kept instruments and writing rock songs as an outlet for expressing their annoyance with each other – a temporary “band-aid” on a much larger issue both are unwilling to admit to. Band Aid moves along charmingly, but the longer the two stay together, the more they fight, in turn, leading to more originally written songs. This puts them in the awkward spot of advancing their rock band life but at the cost of worsening their relationship. Emotions swirl, leading to a dizzying place that forces Anna and Ben to confront the hardships of their complicated relationship.
The most redeeming moments of 'Band Aid' are the original songs that Lister-Jones and Pally perform, which are catchy and show a fun chemistry between them.
While Band Aid is light-hearted fare and moves along with a breezy and casual style (it most resembles the mumblecore stylings of indie director Joe Swanberg’s 'Joshy' and Netflix’s original series 'Easy'), it, unfortunately, plays its minor notes far too heavily and for far too long. The continuous fights throughout the movie end up playing much too uncomfortably, without any sense of release or relief."Band Aid" should have been more of a joyous and uplifting comedy, but this story is one that feels more willing to ruminate in the low points of their relationships rather than the fun and promising times of creating music together. For this reason, the film will probably be best received by younger crowds who relate to the light-hearted fare and snarky attitudes of the unrelenting protagonists.
The most redeeming moments of Band Aid are the original songs that Lister-Jones and Pally perform, which are catchy and show a fun chemistry between them. Also in on the fun is veteran funnyman Fred Armisen lending consistently funny moments to the flick as the weird next-door neighbor who plays drums for the band. Although Band Aid treads far too much into tonally-uncomfortable areas, it’s still a strong showing from Lister-Jones and may really capture a hard note to hit.
'Band Aid' is not rated. 91 minutes. Opening at ArcLight Hollywood and The Landmark this Friday. Available on VOD June 9th.
'David Lynch: The Art Life' Review: Lynch Muses on the Philosophy of His Craft
A perfect model of Lynch's artful manner and of his not-so-traditional biography.
David Lynch may be known as a singularly unique type of filmmaker, whose films explore the oddities and anxieties of the modern American tapestry by literally physicalizing the strange and grotesque into form (or, he’s known as just a guy who makes inaccessible, incomprehensibly absurd art films). But the elusive yet celebrated film director, known for such feature films as Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive, as well as the beloved cult TV series "Twin Peaks" (which is getting rebooted at HBO), is also a dedicated artist in other mediums, which a new documentary, David Lynch: The Art Life, sets out to explore.
David Lynch: The Art Life turns the spotlight on the eccentric director and lets Lynch speak candidly and freely about himself and of his younger, more formative years that led him down the artist’s path. Unprompted by another body or traditional interviewer in the film, Lynch is still left to guide the narrative and remain slightly mysterious. Photographed entirely in his secluded yet sunny Hollywood Hills home studio, it’s a treat as a viewing audience to receive this much access to Lynch in action who, while reminiscing about former years, paints and puffs on his cigarettes (Lynch smokes throughout the entirety of the doc).
Co-directors Jon Nguyen and Rick Barnes put Lynch in full focus in their tribute documentary (funded by Kickstarter), making him the singular face and voice to recount things like growing up in the Midwest with his loving family in a world "no bigger than a couple blocks," to a young adolescent move to Virginia which, coupled with intestinal problems and a newly formed smoking habit, put the director into a mild depression. Lynch reminisces about the good, the bad, the traumatic, and the haunting incidents that would ultimately shape his off-tilt perspective of a peculiar and dreamlike world, in some scenes remembering in such stunningly vivid detail the traumatizing languish of a father’s shaming outburst and the haunting dream of a woman, pale and nude and confronting and confusing. All of these anecdotes and stories are fun for the viewer to try and unpack and derive meaning from, already acutely practiced at attempting to decipher the puzzle that is Lynch’s mind through his films. All of these things led Lynch to pursue what he calls “the art life,” which, as artist friend Bushnell Keeler explained to him, consists of drinking coffee, smoking cigarettes, and painting (perhaps philosophizing as well, but Lynch is seen as content to leave even that out of the mix here).
'David Lynch: The Art Life' turns the spotlight on the eccentric director and lets Lynch speak candidly and freely about himself and of his younger, more formative years that led him down the artist’s path.
Now, how seminal is this documentary to further understand Lynch and his expressionist and confounding body of work? Those that might be looking for the director to shed a more revealing insight into his personal creative process or of any inspirations that led him to imagine such wildly evocative art will be left a little hung out to dry, as Lynch’s stories are more anecdotal than confessional or more personal than surface-level. However, for those who are fans of this mysterious figure, this documentary provides even further context in which to view and learn about this eccentric’s accomplished career.
The best part about David Lynch: The Art Life, aside from the access to see Lynch working away in his studio, is his original works of art that are featured throughout the film. We see his paintings and other original mixed media projects flurry on the screen throughout his voiceover and dialogue, which provides a further intrigue to the viewing experience. The documentary ends around the time when he got his film grant from the American Film Institute to create his career-making feature film, Eraserhead, which would lead him down a path of even further artistic and critical achievement. Even though there could have been even more gained in drawing this artist out of his own little world a bit more, David Lynch: The Art Life is a perfect model of Lynch's artful manner and of his not-so-traditional biography.
'David Lynch: The Art Life' is not rated. 90 minutes. Now playing through the end of April at the Cinefamily.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVgQ8yAdLbI
'The Last Picture Show' and 'Black Narcissus' Wow at The 2017 TCM Classic Film Fest
Amidst all of the new and contemporary movies that we, here at Cinemacy, watch and share with our readers, there are always old classics that have been skipped, or just need to be to re-watched and enjoyed all over again. One event that celebrates the films of the past is the Turner Classic Movie Film Festival, held annually at the Hollywood Chinese and Egyptian Theaters, and running from Thursday, April 6th through Sunday, April 9th . This festival, in which this genre of movie lovers take in and discuss all things classic movies (sometimes walking about in full vintage dress to get into the fun), celebrated the theme, ‘Make ‘Em Laugh: Comedy in the Movies.’ Films shown included such classic comedies as Steve Martin’s feature film debut, "The Jerk," the 50th Anniversary screening and restoration print of Dustin Hoffman’s "The Graduate," and "Singin’ in the Rain," which honored the late Debbie Reynolds. This year there was a somber note in remembering Robert Osbourne, TCM’s famous host who passed away last year and who served as the channel’s most recognizable face. Osbourne’s presence was synonymous with the channel itself. Nonetheless, it was a wonderfully produced film festival where I even caught a few gems that I had not seen before.
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)
Alfred Hitchcock’s feature film that got him recognized as a filmmaking talent by then-legendary Studio Head David O., was one of four films presented as part of TCM’s special nitrate film screenings. This new screening series in which four film prints that were shot on nitrate film stock – whose high silver content in the film stock made color contrast alluring, but also highly flammable and prone to theater fires – were played at the Egyptian Theater, whose projection booth was painfully retrofitted in order to play the film stock. As Martin Scorsese noted in the introduction of the movie’s amazing print quality, nitrate film was popularly used before the 40s until it was eventually phased out. The mystery of a family whose daughter is kidnapped and held ransom, played to enthused audiences. Peter Lorre’s English-speaking film debut was a stylish mystery that had me excited to watch the remake (the 1956 remake of the same name, starring James Stewart and Doris Day).
The Last Picture Show (1971)
Peter Bogdanovich introduced his most critically awarded film in "The Last Picture Show" before the Saturday afternoon screening. He was impressed that the packed house had shown up “that early” for the screening. Bogdanovich spoke candidly, speaking about the visual inspiration modeled after "Citizen Kane," in which friend Orson Welles advised that the only wayBogdanovich could capture the sharp depth of field that Citizen Kane had achieved years before, was to shoot it in a black and white format, which also places the film in its context of the period. The 50s-set movie about a small Texas town that centers around the local high school was a visual masterpiece, and became further cemented in film legacy when it took home Academy Award wins for Ben Johnson and Cloris Leachman for their Supporting Actor and Actress roles (this also marks Jeff Bridges’ first film debut).
Saturday Night Fever (1977)
John Travolta had a multi-picture deal with Paramount Pictures after starring in "Grease" when he was cast as Tony Manero, a young Brooklyn teenager who’s weekday work only serves to pay for weekend dancing and shenanigans with friends. The film, with Travolta’s disco-dancing and the Bee Gee’s iconic soundtrack, immediately entered pop culture and ended up making a quarter of a billion dollars. Directed by John Badhamm, who was on-hand to introduce the film, Badhamm recounted that Travolta was nervous about the dance scenes and that the iconic white suit (which there were only two versions) had to be dried off with a hair dryer between takes.
Black Narcissus (1937)
Closing the festival coverage was another nitrate film screening of the beautiful "Black Narcissus" (this film was buzzed about since Thursday’s screening of "The Man Who Knew Too Much" as the most anticipated of the nitrate films) – and it did not disappoint. Introduced by the Academy’s Film Archivist, this film was included for its beautifully preserved print, making it obvious why "Black Narcissus" won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography. The Technicolor picture, about a group of sisters who open a nunnery in the Himalayan mountains, was truly one of the most gorgeous films I had seen in a theater. It was a fantastic way to end the festival, so if you ever have the chance to see it on the big screen, jump at the opportunity to do so!
In fact, make a plan to rediscover great classic films as well as explore unknown gems, by attending the TCM Film Festival next Spring.
For more information, visit TCM Classic Film Festival 2017.
'Kong: Skull Island' Review: This Jungle Expedition Looks to Find Fun With New Beasts of Kong-sized Proportions
In "Kong: Skull Island," Skull Island is a remote, uncharted island in the Pacific, hidden away from the outside world by a stormy surface that has kept the island unexplored for years – which also keeps the mystery of who, or what, lives there as well. That is, until satellite photos – a new technology in the year 1973, of which this latest King Kong movie takes place – reveals the island (named for its foreboding topographical resemblance of a skull) and proves its existence to a team of scientists who set out to discover what unknown mysteries such a place could offer.
However, the mysteries that "Kong: Skull Island" tease as to what could happen hardly end up showing audiences anything they haven't seen before, as this popcorn romp ends up being a more familiar take of a crash-landing on a dangerous and exotic location. Although, in this take, all must survive not only the wrath of the enormous king primate but that of similarly colossal creatures of equally enormous stature which prove to be their biggest threat, until they are lifted to safety.
And yet, while the cash-out mystery is barely paid out to the audience, the film is hardly a disastrous time. This blockbuster, directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts ("The Kings of Summer"), made by Legendary Pictures and released by Warner Brothers, brings a large ensemble cast of cartoony characters who evoke the camp of B-movie seriousness along with a visually fun, 70s-drenched period piece reminiscent of the post-Vietnam era that the movie mines its story from. The light politicking that "Skull Island" enters into channels the original "King Kong" story (of the developed nation's Anglo man capturing and conquering the primal “other") as an allegory of the controversial U.S. involvement and entering into foreign lands for stakeholding.
"Kong: Skull Island" hardly tries to explore new territory, but has its fun as an ensemble movie that slides by with camp and charm.
Living in the silly-serious world of Skull Island are a lot of famous faces that, at just under two hours, make this outing a fun enough time. Leading the expedition is Bill Randa (John Goodman), an assumed crackpot enthusiast who gets last minute approval (and funds) to explore the mysterious Skull Island. Enlisted to lead the team are local guy at the bar James Conrad (Tom Hiddleston), a tracker whose T-shirt physique is more defined than his actual character, and Mason Weaver (Brie Larson), a sexy bombshell war photographer. Leading the team from a defense perspective is the now out-of-work Lt. Col. Preston Packard (Samuel L. Jackson), an American soldier whose post-war memories of losses on the battlefield fuel aggressions that extend to the island's native inhabitants, including the mighty Kong, being eventually made into this movie's real villainous and threatening character.
"Kong: Skull Island" is a large movie (about as large as this CGI'd Kong, the biggest of any King Kong in the movie's franchise), where, upon the group's arrival to the island and immediate encounter with the giant primate, three separate factions of characters get their own storylines, getting quite episodic early. While Randa, Conrad, Weaver, and more stumble upon the face-painted loin-cloth-laden natives and a few other wacky characters (Hey, John C. Reilly!), Packard grows further hell-bent. Consumed by his PTSD, he grows determined to conquer the King who, we learn from Reilly's kooked out WW2 pilot that lives on the island, is actually the protector of the island from an even greater (read: bigger) danger – "skull walkers" that look like two-legged slithery dinosaurs with the face of a bare skull. The consciences of all parties are tested when Kong is threatened by Packard and the "skull walkers," forcing the group to realize how saving Kong’s life will affect their own safety and chances of returning home (stay tuned for the sequel).
"Kong: Skull Island" hardly tries to explore new territory, but has its fun as an ensemble movie that slides by with camp and charm. The movie diverts from telling the traditional tale of men capturing the mountain-sized monkey (of which we've already seen in Peter Jackson's 2005 faithful re-telling of the 1933 classic film, "King Kong"), and instead puts a new spin on the Monster Universe, which also coincides with "Godzilla" (be sure to stay tuned after the credits for a post-movie teaser). It may drain you a little more than you'd like, but an alluring visual draw and list of enjoyable onscreen talent makes"Kong: Skull Island" a light-faired, playful time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44LdLqgOpjo
118 min. 'King Kong: Skull Island" is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and for brief strong language.
'Get Out' Review: A Horror Satire and One of This Generation's Most Important Films
It starts out as a movie send-up of the classic meet-the-parents awkwardness before dovetailing into the dread of discovering her family’s possible secret (or secret society) that feels like "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" meets "The Stepford Wives."
By now you've probably heard that the suburbia-horror satire "Get Out" is worth seeing in theaters, standing as one of the first big movie events of the year. In its fifth week in release, the genre-pic, with a budget of only $4.5 million dollars and a total gross of– as of this writing– just north of $133 million, has found its legs by being a horror movie for the twenty-first century."Get Out" is not only an edge-of-your-seat nutso head-spinning story, but a socially conscious movie that adds to the national conversation of race and safety championed by the Black Lives Matter protesting of post-Obama America.
"Get Out" is written and directed by comedian Jordan Peele, better known as one-half of the comedic duo of Comedy Central's former hit show "Key and Peele" (along with partner Keegan-Michael Key). The Universal Pictures release, produced by veteran horror producer Jason Blum of Blumhouse Productions ("Split", "Insidious") has more than connected with audiences, this time being "Certified Fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes at 99% and opening at a record-setting 100%.
"Get Out" follows a typical horror film template, but Peele makes it fresh by slotting the perspective of the current African-American experience of living in a predominantly white middle-class America into the framework and then corkscrewing that premise into a full-tilt satirical terror. The story of a young man of color (Daniel Kaluuya) meeting his white girlfriend's (Allison Williams) family for the first time starts out as a movie send-up of the classic meet-the-parents awkwardness before dovetailing into the dread of discovering her family’s possible secret (or secret society) that feels like "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" meets "The Stepford Wives".
What can and should be said about the movie is that, while"Get Out" may technically be Jordan Peele's first credited feature film (and only his second writing effort next to 2016's Key and Peele-starrer "Keanu"), one shouldn't be surprised that Peele has executed a vision that so successfully blends all genres...
When young photographer Chris (Kaluuya) is brought by Rose (Williams) to meet her parents at their country estate for the weekend, he asks her if they know that her boyfriend is black – it's an early temperature reading that sheds light on those things that are still on the forefront of nonwhite's daily living. Rose's loving reassures Chris and the two are off to her parent's house in the backwoods, putting in motion the familiar story of horror movie isolated helplessness. At Rose's warning, her neurosurgeon father Dean (Bradley Whitford) and psychotherapist mother Missy (Catherine Keener) only evoke slight cringe-worthy conversations that mildly substantiate Chris' worries of meeting her all-white family, and it doesn’t help when he notices that the grounds worker and house-staff are all African-American (and act a little more than odd). However, the little tensions go fully bonkers when it's remembered that their weekend stay is also during the annual Armitage family gathering, where an entire drove of upper-class whites drive in for the afternoon and even odder occurrences reveal themselves to a freaked out Chris, who begins to wise up to the fact that things are definitely not what they seem, and that his safety may or may not depend on his "getting out."
It should be said now that"Get Out", as was this reviewer's experience, is best watched with little to zero pre-knowledge of the movie and no knowledge of what you're in store for (which makes writing a review of the film in which to sell the movie a trick in its own right), as it's effect is fully felt in the surprises that come around every corner. What can and should be said about the movie is that, while"Get Out" may technically be Jordan Peele's first credited feature film (and only his second writing effort next to 2016's Key and Peele-starrer "Keanu"), one shouldn't be surprised that Peele has executed a vision that so successfully blends all genres – horror, comedy, and wickedly welcome surrealism – as he's cut his teeth arguably making hundreds of original short films with wacky jokes and even wackier characters that made up his Emmy-Award winning television series.
Past the early year's stuffy Oscars season and now with the start of early summer blockbusters,"Get Out" has proven that it connects with audiences and has tapped into a very real message, both recent racial injustices as well as this country's history with slavery. It's an original scary movie that flips a script on the traditional scary set-up and will take you out of your comfort zone in more ways than one.
'Get Out' is now playing everywhere. Rated R for violence, bloody images, and language including sexual references.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRfnevzM9kQ
'Dying Laughing' Directors Lloyd Stanton & Paul Toogood on Truth in Comedy
"I know we sound identical," says Llyod Stanton in a thick British accent at the start of our phone interview. "Maybe I'll talk down here." "Ah yes, a Michael Caine, if you will," I reply. They laugh, and we're off to a great start.
Lloyd Stanton and Paul Toogood are the directing duo behind the film Dying Laughing, a documentary that gives an introspective look into the struggles behind the laughs in stand-up comedy. Both lifelong fans of the art form, I had the opportunity to chat with the directors, who shed light on their favorite comedians, the importance of sharing your truth, and how social media can affect a stand-up's future.
What makes the perfect joke?
PT: The jokes that work for me are the ones that work on several different levels. Louis C.K. is a perfect example. He tells an everyday story, [my favorite] is the one where he's playing monopoly with his kids. It's a really delicate take on the meaning of life, and it's very funny.
LS: All the jokes that I find funny are so sick I would never mention them in an interview.
You gave the film a very interesting title– "Dying Laughing." Usually, it's the audience that is dying laughing but here it's the stars themselves who experience a form of "dying" onstage that the audience is unaware of. What was your approach to the film?
LS: Yes, it's an investigation into what we think is an undervalued and underloved art form. Now obviously lots of people are crazy about standup comedy, but we wanted to take a step back and really think about what these incredible people do. It's actually really difficult, and we had heard from so many people about how difficult it was when they started out. Of course, when people do something really well, they often times make it look very easy. We learned it can take 10 years before you get any good at standup! Part of that process is developing as a human being and speaking your truth– this goes for all of us, not just comics– and that's how you develop your voice as a human. They confront the painful parts of life and find a way to laugh at them.
PT: It's a noble art. These people are the writer, director, and producer all at once and they don't seem to have any [work] to support them when they're not onstage, so it's a frightening thing. They create an extraordinary bond with their audience, which takes on an almost religious significance. Garry Shandling and Chris Rock are terrific examples of this.
Is the comedian's struggle something you discovered while making the doc or something you've been familiar with?
PT: I think we definitely had an understanding of it. We have friends who are comedians and have experienced it over the years. We both learned [during filming] lots about who these people were and how much personal investment goes into it– not only on a professional or technical level but on a private level as well– because of the nature of the job. It's probably the most anti-social job you could ever have. You're not in a band, you don't have anyone around you, it's often just you, on your own.
LS: Particularly in the U.S., you're driving several thousands of miles between very bad gigs, terrible hotels, and awful food. So over the time we made the film and the stories from the 120 comedians we interviewed, we got a full sense of what these people go through so that you can have a laugh on a Friday night.
So over the time we made the film and the stories from the 120 comedians we interviewed, we got a full sense of what these people go through so that you can have a laugh on a Friday night.
Let's go back to that number- 120 interviews! How did reach out to all of those people and, on the flipside, how did you it narrow down to the comedians we see on screen?
LS: When we sent a request to a comedian, they'll see the work we've done before and hopefully that will be an attractive proposal. We also asked friends of ours to come on board and serve as producers, and they had friends who were big talents. Then you get to a point where, after we interviewed Jerry Seinfeld or Garry Shandling, we found that people ran very quickly towards us to be a part of our film. Those people very often had ignored us the first time we reached out, haha.
PT: We had 120+ hour-long interviews, which gave us more footage than we could ever use in a 90-minute cut, and the challenge was to find the narrative in the stories they told us. That was a very difficult thing. It was a very hard-fought choice we made together. Certain people, how they spoke and what they said, fit that narrative better, and so that's how they ended up in the film. That's not to say the other people who didn't make the feature cut weren't fantastic in their interviews. So we're now in production on a 10-part spin-off television series where we get more time to investigate some of these stories, and we'll feature many of the people that we interviewed for the film. We're very grateful to all of them.
Some of the stories of bombing and heckling are pretty emotionally traumatic.
PT: There's something really extraordinary about a grown man who doesn't mind sharing his truth with potentially millions of people, and that is really at the root of this process– people who are prepared to tell the truth.
It seems like nowadays, a lot of comedians are getting famous online, through social media and the internet. Do you have any thoughts on this new medium?
LS: I think there's definitely a good and bad sad to social media. In the end, good stand-up comedy will continue to do what it's always done, whatever the delivery format, which is to make you laugh and at the same time maybe give you some information on how to live. The best stand-ups I know and love are the ones who are able to talk about issues that are taboo or culturally difficult, you can see how comedians are playing to politics at the moment. I think they all appreciate social media and recognize what it can do for them, as well as bemoan the fact that they can't do a warm up gig in a small town and try out new material... because it will be on social media that evening. Although I don't think [social media] will change comedy in the end.
I think they all appreciate social media and recognize what it can do for them, as well as bemoan the fact that they can't do a warm up gig in a small town and try out new material... because it will be on social media that evening.
(Cont.)
LS: I think there's never been a more important time for people to make jokes. Political jokes seem to take hold in Europe and America at the moment. I think it's really important that funny people speak out and speak the truth. I was talking to my daughter the other night, she's 25, and she wanted to talk about politics. I've never had a conversation with her about politics, so I asked her where this was coming from. She told me about an amazing stand-up comedian she'd been listening to on a podcast who was talking about the Brexit in the U.K. That's what got her attention! Not the newspapers, not the news, but a stand-up comedian.
How did you two come together to direct this film?
PT: We're best friends. We've been making things together for many years– 25 years ago it was pop videos, we've written lots of scripts together, and we'll be making many more things together until we kill each other.
Is there any seminal thing that opened your eyes to the world of comedy?
PT: Absolutely! As a teenage, white middle-class kid in England, having the Richard Pryor records– the live in concert ones– was genuinely extraordinary. I actually just watched it again the other night on Netflix, and it still is relevant and powerful. It feels so completely contemporary and yet it was made in the mid-70's and the world is a very different place.
LS: Me too, can I have that one as well?
(Laughter)
PT: Oh and anything at all by Eddie Murphy. Murphy, please come back!
Kris Avedisian and Jesse Wakeman of 'Donald Cried' Talk Unexpected Influences
A personal early favorite of 2017, "Donald Cried" is a little gem of an indie comedy whose sharp humor about deconstructing the notion of "arrested development" had me literally laughing out loud.
In this dark comedy, which was executive produced by David Gordon Green, Jody Hill & Danny McBride, former childhood best friends, Donald (Kris Avedisian) and Peter (Jesse Wakeman), are forced to reconnect under the oddest of circumstances. At its core, "Donald Cried" is a simple story about rediscovery and friendship while remaining bizarrely funny and, ultimately, universal.
I had the opportunity to talk to the stars of the film, whose talents extended far beyond just the front of the camera. Both guys, in addition to their friend, Kyle Espeleta, wrote the script, and this marks Avedisian's feature-length directorial debut. With so much time, money, and passion invested in this film, we talk about their prior filmmaking history, inspiration from the Coen brothers, and toeing the thin line between "Euro" and "Conventional."
What was your favorite movie of last year (2016)?
Kris Avedisian: I'm honestly going to say my most memorable experience is not a movie, but it was actually a video game called Inside. It is a small, independent dice-rolling game, like a David Lynch thing. I think that game was just as much a narrative experience as a movie could be.
Jesse Wakeman: 'The People vs OJ,' which was also not a movie, but I think it's amazing.
KA: Was "Green Room" from 2016?
Oh, it was, it made my "Top 10."
KA: Yeah, that's one I think about for sure.
I saw "Donald Cried" a few weeks back at the Cinefamily, and I went in not knowing what to expect. Turns out, it's hilarious! What is it like for you to take this movie on the road and hear the audience laugh?
KA: It's amazing that you can take [the film] to these different people in different places. I've shown it in colleges to younger folk and also people in Tallahassee, FL who are in their 60's who were really, really into it. It's been awesome. To be able to make strangers laugh like that is unreal.
JW: It's kinda sad, you spend all this time wanting exactly that to happen, and then it happens, which is completely incredible. But I'm just too fucked up and always worry what's wrong with the movie, or what's next still, unfortunately. Fortunately, it's been amazing.
How did you two meet and what was your first filmmaking experience together like?
KA: We met in the Bay Area through our other co-writer, Kyle Espeleta. Kyle and I were making shorts and eventually, Jesse came into the mix. We all got along pretty immediately and sort of formed this family.
JW: In retrospect, I feel so lucky that we did meet. I worked as an actor for a long time, before I met the crew. When we first met, I was like, 'Wow, our sensibilities really align.' This was about 17 years ago. We were just grinding, working on these short films. We made the Donald short in 2012, at that time we had a couple of feature scripts in the works and were trying to make our first feature, but after the short, we thought, 'Wow, these are characters we can work with and develop more.' Plus, we were both in it, so we could control it ourselves. We had to find a way to do it our way but with no money, and do it well. I guess that's what took us so damn long.
To be able to make strangers laugh like that is unreal.
You mentioned working on other projects before this one, what made you want to make your feature debut with 'Donald Cried?'
KA: We've always liked the comedy-drama mix, and the short film had all of the ingredients we needed– Jesse and I would primarily be in it, we could afford to make it, and it was funny which would be good commercially. Even writing the script, we were debating how "Euro" or "conventional" we should make it. We knew if it was too experiential or "Euro" it would have failed.
JW: I felt like in watching the performances, we weren't pushing. We had made a lot of shorts where the acting was close to the characters, but it wasn't quite right. Then we made 'Donald' and it was like, oh, I believe these characters.
Among other champions of the film are your executive producers, David Gordon Green, Jody Hill, and Danny McBride, who presented the movie at the Cinefamily screening. What did they say they responded to in the film?
KA: David said at the Cinefamily screening, which I think was the nicest thing he said about it, was that he felt like "Donald Cried" was a personal gift made for him. I don't want to speak for him, but I think they responded to the humor and the compactness of the story– how much it does in such a small amount of time.
JW: We have been watching their work for years now, they are huge influences on us, so having their approval was huge.
How do you work together, specifically during the scriptwriting process? Do you finish each other's sentences?
KA: For this particular project, we would just throw ideas around and build outlines. I would then write a draft based on that outline. We'd go through that, see what was and wasn't working, and then get back together and keep working on it from an outline standpoint. I think that's kind of our thing, the writing comes last.
JW: We'd look to other films, "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" would come up a lot. That one in particular, although it has a different tone, we'd ask "How did they do that buddy structure?"
KA: I just listened to a Coen brothers [interview] because I was curious how they operated. I forget if it was Ethan or Joel, but one of them writes just because they type faster than the other one. He just sits there and writes as they're both talking through it.
That's the scene that ended up being what I hoped it was when it was just in simple sentence form. Plus, people seem to really enjoy that scene, and you can't tell that we were actually really miserable.
When you look back on shooting, was there one moment that you remember fondly?
KA: I think the scene that we're smoking pot in. That was written as us going into the woods and kind of fuck around, and it just looked terrible in the script but I knew it was something we would improvise. During production, we shot a version of it that was really constricted and wasn't improvised, and it didn't really work. We had to reshoot [that scene] while it was snowing, and I thought the movie was a failure. Jesse wasn't feeling well but we just forced ourselves to do it, and that's the scene that ended up being what I hoped it was when it was just in simple sentence form. Plus, people seem to really enjoy that scene, and you can't tell that we were actually really miserable.
JW: Absolutely, it was tense. The snow came to us five days before we started shooting. We needed the snow, but were prepared to shoot without it, but it came. And then when we needed to do the reshoot, it came again.
Any last thoughts on the film before it hits theaters?
KA: I hope people see it in a movie theater, that's the best way to experience a movie. I need to see more movies in a movie theater.
JW: Yeah, we just feel so lucky and hope to make more things soon!
Best Picture Winner 'Moonlight' Sweeps at the 2017 Film Independent Spirit Awards
Each year, on the day before the film industry's biggest night that is the Oscars, the non-profit arts organization Film Independent hosts the Independent Spirit Awards, an annual event that brings out some of Hollywood's finest indie filmmakers and stars to a beautiful Santa Monica beach setting to celebrate the films that are made outside of the mainstream studio system. This year, Cinemacy's Editor-in-Chief Morgan and I covered the awards show from the press room. There was a diverse lineup of films being honored this year, from the Franco-Mexican drama "Chronic" to this year's Academy Award winner for Best Picture, “Moonlight" (who will ever forget the massive flub that initially and incorrectly awarded the film to "La La Land”). Despite their background or box office success, all nominees shared one common thread – a deep rooted passion and love for independent films.
In a politically-charged era that has viewers almost expecting Hollywood to comment on our nation's current political happenings, comedians Nick Kroll and John Mulaney co-hosted the event with no shortage of sharp-witted jokes. Their buddy breeziness set a perfect atmosphere for a relaxed and casual evening (along with house band Gary Clark Jr.). This, being the day before the stress-filled night that is the Oscars, is a much-appreciated thing.
The Indie Spirit Awards recognized "Moonlight" with six top honors, including Best Feature, Best Director, Best Editing, Best Screenplay, and Best Cinematography. The show brought out the film's stars Mahershala Ali (who went on to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor), Naomie Harris, Janelle Monáe, and more, who all cheered on director Barry Jenkins as he received the Robert Altman Award on the film’s behalf. Speaking about “Moonlight’s” impact on the film industry, Jenkins was humbled by the acknowledgment and considered it a "beacon of inclusivity,” noting that the industry has to tell “more stories that speak truth to power.” “Moonlight” is available to rent on iTunes now.
For our review of "Moonlight," click here.
Voters awarded Casey Affleck, who would also win Best Actor in a Leading Role at the Academy Awards the following night, with the award for Best Male Lead for his performance as a grieving janitor in "Manchester by the Sea” (available to rent on Amazon).
For our review of "Manchester by the Sea" click here.
Best Female Lead was awarded to Isabelle Huppert for her performance as a woman assaulted in the amazing, but little-seen, French film, “Elle" (available to rent on Vudu beginning March 14th).
For our review of "Elle," click here.
Winning Best Supporting Male was Ben Foster for his bank-robbing bad boy character in “Hell or High Water” (available to rent on Amazon).
For our review of "Hell or High Water," click here.
Best Supporting Female was an ecstatic Molly Shannon for her portrayal of a cancer-stricken mother in “Other People” (available to stream on Netflix).
For our review of "Other People," click here.
"Toni Erdmann" won Best International Film. Receiving the award was the film's director, Maren Ade, who spoke to the news of the film's remake, starring Jack Nicholson and Kristen Wiig, as "strange," but ultimately humbling. When asked if she was to have any part in the remake, she quickly answered, "No."
The award for Best Documentary went the seven-hour epic, "OJ: Made in America" (which was awarded the same honor at the Academy Awards the following day). Director/producer Ezra Edelman accepted the award, and made it clear that this was his first, and last, seven-hour long film.
Another independent film to be recognized was last year's Puritan horror film "The Witch," which saw writer/director Robert Eggers take home the awards for Best First Feature and Best First Screenplay.
For our review of "The Witch," click here.
The event's first award, Best Editing, went to Joi McMillon and Nat Sanders for "Moonlight." McMillon made history as the first African-American woman to be nominated for a best editing Oscar.
The theme of the day, celebrating both the diversity of filmmakers and the important stories they tell, resonated when more than a handful of winners thanked us, the members of the press, for their dedication to their job in a time when the media has faced so much attack from Washington. The feeling of unification we felt this day reminds us why stories are so essential to tell now more than ever, and independent cinema continues to prove that this is the place to do it.
Morgan and Ryan would like to express our sincere thanks to Film Independent and Ginsberg/Libby for our inclusion in the event.
'Dying Laughing' Review: Comedians' Pain Gets the Spotlight
There's a pain in life that comedians know all too well, which directors Lloyd Stanton and Paul Toogood shine a spotlight on in the new documentary, "Dying Laughing."
As Stanton and Toogood show in their documentary, a collection of interviews ranging from the Mount Rushmore of stand-up comedians such as Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, and Kevin Hart, to lesser known talents, it's actually often not the audience who are the ones dying from laughter. Speaking to a number of less than glamorous moments that every stand-up has to share, from disastrous early comedy sets (“bombing”), taking an act on the road and the loneliness it brings, audience “heckling” turning into insults and threats, to re-examining why they choose to do this in the first place, the documentary provides a unique behind-the-curtain look at these struggles and stresses that are so woven into these artists’ craft.
Running at just eighty-nine minutes, "Dying Laughing" shoots all of its famous faces in black and white against flat white backdrops, giving a unifying aesthetic to the whole film. This look, without much use of music or score underneath their emotionally vulnerable stories, lends a viewing experience that's more of a studied watch, an intellectual understanding of comedy, which gives this a bit more heft than other documentaries on the subject.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mWZeIgMO68
From Jerry Seinfeld observing that "comedy is purely a result of your ability to withstand torture," Sarah Silverman talking about needing the approval of strangers, Kevin Hart scrolling through pages upon pages of logged ideas and "bits" in his iPhone, to Amy Schumer talking about finding her comedic inspiration, to Cedric the Entertainer talking about being called the "N-word" on one such stand-up occasion, there is a vast amount of stories that the documentary features. "Dying Laughing" further contextualizes the role of the stand-up comedian in this modern age, with Chris Rock opening "we're the last philosophers - everybody that talks now is taking with a pre-approved scripts."
It's clear that the directors themselves are clued into the sense of self, spirit, and struggle comedians hold, usually coming from a real sense of internal struggle and depression. For those who would be just as interested in the existential crisis that accompanies comedians' craft as they would their jokes, this documentary has much to offer.
"Dying Laughing" will most appeal to those who aren't so much looking for actual laughs, but who are curious to learn more about the people who work their whole lives to earn them. The documentary also features an interview from the late and great Garry Shandling, who the film is dedicated to. "Dying Laughing" is at both times poignant and profound, and adds another layer to the truth about comedy and its crucial place in the world today.
Grindhouse Comedy 'I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore' Wins Grand Jury Prize
Cinemacy just came back from covering this year’s Sundance film festival (my and Morgan's first time!), and we were lucky enough to see the film that took home the top prize.
That film was Macon Blair's comedy-thriller I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore, which won the coveted Grand Jury Prize after leaving audiences in stitches with its raucous tonal mixings of genuinely side-splitting comedy and shock-violence action that plays like an indie grindhouse comedy.
I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore is built on the premise that the world is full of self-centered jerks. It’s certainly the world that Ruth (Melanie Lynskey) lives in, where minor violations like witnessing lifted trucks pumping out black exhaust, people’s careless discarding of items on the floor at the grocery store, and constantly not picked up dog droppings on her lawn, are a part of everyday life. The easygoing nice-person levee breaks when, after the discovery of a home invasion with personal affections stolen, Ruth decides to take matters into her own hands and track down the culprit, if nothing more than to confront the perpetrator for their moral wrongness. Ruth enlists the help of her quirky karate-obsessed neighbor Tony (Elijah Wood) to help find the burglar, but little do they know that they're tracking down a band of junkie nutso's led by slithery and vampiric Marshall (Tony Zow), who are planning an even bigger smash and grab job. This sucks them into an underbelly world full of bloodbath mayhem that puts them in way, way over their heads.
Even the notion of being one of the last few moral-defenders in a world run amuck by schmucks is a feeling that taps into the collective conscious that we all have (haven’t we all fantasized about confronting that jerk who uncaringly spoils a major twist in that fantasy novel??), making the cathartic and comedic effects here even greater.
As Ruth, Melanie Lynskey is great as an elder’s nurse turned homespun moral crime-fighter, playing the full comedic range of meekly expected disappointments in the beginning of the film, up through passing her tipping point and boiling over into DIY revenge, stealing back her grandmother’s silver from a seedy pawnshop in one of the film’s most jarringly and unexpectedly hilarious moments when the pawnshop owner tries to stop them. Even the notion of being one of the last few moral-defenders in a world run amuck by schmucks is a feeling that taps into the collective conscious that we all have (haven’t we all fantasized about confronting that jerk who uncaringly spoils a major twist in that fantasy novel??), making the cathartic and comedic effects here even greater.
Elijah Wood as Ruth’s nerdy, karate-loving loner neighbor Tony may have never been funnier onscreen. With his rat tail hair, old man specs, and nunchucks and ninja stars, Wood plays the punchline sidekick that keeps the filming motoring confidently on its screwy head. Wood gets rich deadpan dialogue at every turn from Blair’s original script (after struggling to pull out a ninja star from the wall, Tony surmises “That’s how hard I threw it”). But Wood’s sensitivity also conveys the introverted anti-social neighbor that makes Tony a perfect companion. The chemistry between them makes one wish what other adventures the two could get into.
I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore (its mouthy title comes from a Gospel LP that Blair received from director pal Jeremy Saulnier, whose name ended up fitting the tone of the film perfectly) is a true belly laugh of a film, and the perfect choice for when you want to watch a weirdly hilarious and insane hybrid of a movie. Director Blair, who Morgan and I had the fortune of actually running into while walking down Park City’s Main Street earlier in the day before his film would win at the Awards Ceremony later that night, could not have been a more pleasant and nice person- which just goes to show – as the film will be streaming on Netflix later this year – that nice people don’t always finish last.
'Newness' Captures Millennial Love in the Digital Age
Having its world premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival is director Drake Doremus’ newest film, Newness, a romantic drama set in today’s digital age.
Shot in just eighteen days in November of last year, Doremus and team found that they were able to whip the project together and cut it into an unapologetic and raw feature-length film.
Fans of Doremus and his films will know that he prefers to make a certain kind of movie– meditations on modern romance about two lovers who, although in love, are kept apart by some force larger than themselves. The larger force in Newness is the digital age itself, in which social media and hookup apps allow for the possibility of an infinite amount of connections but also leaves this generation feeling emotionally bankrupt, unsatisfied, and incomplete (as if the imagined opportunity of infinite is more desirable than any current situation).
When Martin (Nicholas Hoult) and Gabi (Laia Costa) use technology to swipe and match with each other, the two meet up (after both having been on a date earlier in the night) and hook up even quicker. It doesn't take long after that special night for the two to form a connection that sees them enter into something of a relationship. As their relationship ramps up past the physical desires of each other, the pair soon finds that as they get more serious, the more honest and sacrificial they must become. The messiness of previous relationship histories and the temptations of others are something they can’t ignore, forcing each other to look at their lives and evaluate what they are willing to give up to be together.
Newness is almost like a barometer reading of today’s young love landscape, a near-perfect capturing of the real-life moments that drive our obsession for seeking out the new and the hesitant satisfaction of being happy with what one has. Working off of a script from longtime collaborator Ben York Jones (Like Crazy, Breathe In), Newness runs the full emotional spectrum of young dating life that will surely connect with today’s millennials as well as show the pitfalls of this dating culture to all others.
'Newness' is almost like a barometer reading of today’s young love landscape, a near perfect capturing of the real life moments that drive our obsession for seeking out the new and the hesitant satisfaction of being happy with what one has.
As is Doremus’ filmmaking style, which is exploring and discovering the story in the moment of shooting, Doremus allows Hoult and a whirlwind Costa (who starred in 2015’s amazing single-take film Victoria) to navigate the emotional moments between each other throughout the story. While this is an energizing practice, in some moments, it ends up dovetailing and cornering scenes into emotional walls with no resolution.
After having grown in story scope since his first feature film, Douchebag, and through his bigger films like the dystopian Romeo and Juliet movie, Equals, “Newness” returns to an intimacy felt in Like Crazy. What hurts Newness is that, following Martin and Gabi’s hookup, comes a good amount of steamy scenes between them (we already knew they had the hots for each other), but there doesn’t seem to be any moments that show a real connection between them that would solidify a base foundation for the infidelities and emotional insecurities that threaten their relationship. This, in turn, makes the film feel a bit trepidatious in making its ultimate point. All this can be rationalized as “real life,” but the longer the film plays and the further each emotionally drift from each other, it feels like we want to see these characters fight to be with each other rather than let personally manufactured insecurities let the story peter out.
Yet for these few dips, Newness sees Doremus further developing his directorial storytelling abilities while also showing what he can do better than most of his peers – tell a romantic story that feels so electric, alive, and which captures modern love in all of its beautiful and messy form. Newness is dedicated to the late Anton Yelchin, star of Doremus’ Like Crazy, simply put: “To Anton, Into the Jungle.”
This review previously ran on January 27, 2017, during the Sundance Film Festival
NEWNESS (2017)
Starring Nicholas Hoult, Laia Costa, Danny Huston
Directed by Drake Doremus
Written by Ben York Jones