Category Archives: Movies

Movies, Theatre

Stylish Filmgoing in Toronto

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In Toronto two nights ago I found myself spoiled for choice on things to do – a natural conundrum for a Saturday night in a big city. If I had planned the night more effectively ahead of time, I would have ended up at a hockey game or theatre performance, but the spontaneity card took me to a movie theatre instead… and the venue itself (seen above) was a highly memorable one.

The TIFF Bell Lightbox functions as the year – round home of the Toronto Film Festival, and even at this time of year, the opposite end of the film festival, it remained busy and active. An impressive four or five floors of cinemas rise up from the main lobby, which reminded me more of a European museum than a cinema with a bright, white interior and very high ceiling.

This entry is taking way too long to write (oh, distractions and the internet), so I’ll try to do just a quick summary…

Of a plethora of diverse and unusual films to choose (best seen here) I went for the unknown and chose a screening of Possible Worlds, directed by noted Quebec-based theatre & film maker Robert Lepage. whom I’d actually seen perform in Berkeley several years ago. Turned out he was there for the screening and gave some brief introductory remarks about the film along with the producer and writer. Lepage was also being feted in Toronto for a prize of some sort… I don’t recall the specifics.

The film at hand, Possible Worlds, was highly impressive. Originally released in 2000, I’m not sure if it enjoyed a US release, and I don’t recall hearing about it at the time. It offered a typically strong lead performance from Tilda Swinton, just before she transitioned to more “mainstream” roles (or perhaps just more well known roles) and beautiful location photography in Montreal and the Magdalen Islands region of Quebec. I don’t want to say too much more about it, except that it was provocative and thought provoking, and you should Google it.

possible worlds

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Movies

The Wind Rises to thought provoking anime

I returned to the State Theatre again last night to catch The Wind Rises, reportedly the final film of noted Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki.

I wasn’t quite sure what to make of this fact-based animated drama, focused on the life of Jiro Horikoshi, an aviation designer who contributed to the building of Japanese fighter planes during World War II. The film boasts typically beautiful designs from Miyazaki and his cohort, with one image pictured here. But the storyline confuses somewhat (admittedly likely due to my unfamiliarity with the topic) jumping around in time and seeming to go back and forth with the main character’s focus and motivations. I also wished that I had chosen to see it with subtitles rather than dubbing, as the American voice cast (Joseph Gordon – Levitt, Emily Blunt and others) performed well but also distracted from the story.

A provocative tale for sure. I’ll be thinking about this one further in the near future.

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Movies

Canadian Filmgoing leads to a treat

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On my third visit to Windsor, Ontario, I enjoyed a first visit to the Devonshire Mall Cinema, which also served as my first Canadian filmgoing experience since 2001. It was oddly jarring to not experience the usual US filmgoing motifs before the film (i.e. “the following preview has been approved by the Motion Picture Association of America…) but only in a “wow, didn’t realize I take that for granted!’ kind of way.

The film at hand, Enemy, was a sneak preview of sorts, as it’s not due to arrive in Ann Arbor for another two weeks, and currently seems to be only viewable in New York City for its initial US release. I felt a bit like I’d cracked a hot story, getting to see it before the rest of metro Detroit and most of the rest of the USA.

The film “re-teams” director Denis Villeneuve and actor Jake Gyllenhaal, who collaborated on last fall’s Prisoners, but was actually shot before that film, and offers a much more satisfying cinematic experience than the wider-released recent film, which I thought was well – made, but too full of dread and gloom. Interestingly, in some reviews and press that I looked at after seeing Enemy, Villeneuve states that he could not have made Prisoners without having done Enemy… so go figure.

Gyllenhaal masters a dual role, giving one of his finest screen performances in the last several years, initially drawing the viewer’s attention as Adam, a loner college professor who ambles through a workaday life in Toronto, droning to students at a local university and coming home to a dingy apartment, which he seems to share part-time with an attractive girlfriend (Melanie Laurent) and then repeat the same cycle for days on end.

One day a co-worker recommends that Adam, who isn’t much of a film fan, seek out a particular movie. After some thought, Adam rents the film (from a charmingly old – fashioned neighborhood video store), and discovers that a bit player in the film bears a strong resemblance … to himself. Adam decides that he wants to find more information about this actor, who is indeed a real person in the film’s universe, Anthony, leading Gyllenhaal into an impressive dual performance where the latter man is portrayed with startlingly and strikingly different characteristics as their lives begin to irreversibly intertwine…

As seen to a more somber effect in Prisoners, Villeneuve masters elements of mood and style here, letting an omnipotent Bernard Hermann-esque music score racket up the tension in key moments, alongside cinematography of metro Toronto seen in hazes and sepia tones. I’m strongly tempted to see the film for a second time when it does arrive in Ann Arbor, not only to re-interpret the complex plot, but to soak up the compact and layered cinematic experience again.

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Movies

A road trip for a practically secret film and a road trip in another more public film

Yesterday brought Chapter 4 in my occasional series of “will travel to Oakland County for film in limited release”, this time for a screening of In Secret (worst title ever?), the new adaptation of the “Therese Raquin” story known in French drama. (Until recently this film was just “Therese” – it should have stayed that way.) The film’s distributor, Roadside Attractions, recently slammed by Robert Redford, may or may not have used poor judgement in creating a tiny release for the film – it’s only playing at this one theatre in the Detroit area. And so off I went, mostly based on curiosity and nostalgia from seeing the story told onstage in London in one of my favorite productions I saw there early in 2007. (the link goes to a review roundup since the production’s main page appears to have gone offline.)

I found the film to be mostly stellar, with an impressive lead performance from Elizabeth Olsen and nuanced support from Oscar Isaac (doing a quick turnaround from Llewyn Davis and seemingly enjoying a chance to show some dramatic range), Tom Felton (leaving Draco Malfoy behind with a sense of earnest joy) and Jessica Lange (chewing the scenery in style). The performances were really the showcase of the film… I also want to mention British character actress Shirley Henderson, who popped up as a neighbor knowing more than she lets on.

olsenThe rest of the film proceeded as a highly committed if not four/five star adaptation, with the strongest take on the story coming in the middle of the film as  a devious plot is hatched and its consequences take full force after the fact. But after one of those consequences hits one of the main characters, I was disappointed with how workmanlike the story became as it marched towards the finale. I missed the atmosphere and particularly the sound design – with lots of low menacing noises – of the stage version’s take on that part of the story.

It’s too bad that the film is receiving such a limited release, as I think that others would find it intriguing based on the cast and storyline, especially with Lange appearing onscreen for the first time in (seemingly) several years and Olsen demonstrating great character actress potential in a more dramatic role.

For some reason the movie theatre itself, the Birmingham 8, offered some of the worst examples of audience etiquette I have seen in recent years. At least eight people (not all together) walked in to the individual theatre about 3/4 of the way through the film, two of them staying through the end credits, and the others loudly asking their companions if they were in the right theatre, when obviously they were not. I think the theatre needs to work on its signage…

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dern and squibbI didn’t note my viewing of Oscar contender Nebraska last week at the State Theater here in Ann Arbor, and just wanted to make a quick mention of it as being a delightful film, much better than I expected, with winning portrayals from the central trio of Bruce Dern, Will Forte and June Squibb. Dern and Squibb in particular offered a highly believable impression of a long-lasting marriage, with all of the history and emotion that would entail.

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marin county, Movies

Recent and older titles revisited

This week I’ve actually been making use of my DVD collection, which happens a lot less often than you might think, and so have chosen to pull out some titles from the library that I continue to build at a selective rate.

First up was last summer’s Blue Jasmine, which has stayed in the public consciousness pretty continuously since then thanks to the strength of Cate Blanchett’s performance and some other more recent events. I should have written about it here last summer, but guess that when I saw it in August was shortly before I made the “official” decision to include film commentary here on a more regular basis.

The actors emote in my former homeland (Marin County)

      The actors emote in my California homeland (Marin County)

Frankly, the film did not hold up as well as I recalled from my cinematic impression. By no means a terrible film, it just felt… flimsier … without the dramatic heft that some individuals/critics might be attaching to it in light of Blanchett’s skill and high probability of capturing the Best Actress prize on Sunday night. There are a few plot points that reek of contrivance, especially in the situation that leads to the end of the story. However, my opinion may be colored by being a Bay Area local, and knowing that it does not take two minutes to get from the Marina District to Oakland, nor is it likely that someone who lives on Great Highway or 48th Avenue would randomly be at the corner of Grant and Bush… but you get the picture. And on the other hand, Allen offers a refreshingly relatively local view of my California homeland Marin County, with no tourist-themed driving over the Golden Gate Bridge shot, and cutting right into a realistic-looking social gathering in Tiburon. Similarly, Sally Hawkins’ character lives in an apartment on the edge of the SOMA and Mission districts, with a quirky mix of modern and classic decor bumping right up against the noisy main street below the residence – and I’m fairly sure that they shot at a real apartment. So maybe it’s a toss up…

But Cate Blanchett’s performance is definitely not a toss-up. Appearing in almost every scene of the film, she expertly carries the pathos and tragicomedy of her character, aided by a slowly unweaving narrative – with a surprise ending that hasn’t really generated that much response, to my surprise – and skilled support from all the actors, most notably Hawkins as her adopted sister. It seems that it may be rare in modern cinema to see an actor who draws you in so completely to their part, making you forget about their outside associations (a point I’ll raise in my second commentary below) and go right along with them in the story they are telling.

On a note of local trivia, Blue Jasmine enjoyed the longest run I have seen at the Michigan and State Theaters, playing continuously at one or the other of the downtown cinemas for three months.

My second choice for a film flashback was 1998’s Out of Sight, a film that captivated me as a 13/14 year old – and for several years after that – with its effortless cool and web of stylish intrigue. As with Jackie Brown last week, it’s very weird to realize how old the film is now in 2014. And it’s probable that seeing Jackie Brown reminded me of this film, as they are set in the same Elmore Leonard universe and share one character.

The film stars George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez before they became the entertainment personalities we know them as today (I’m bolding that because it was a key realization for me while watching the film) with Clooney now effortlessly comfortable and charming as the actor/statesman and Lopez arguably known more for music and her high-profile relationships than her acting capability and credits. I felt that Lopez showed more potential here than in any of her pre-music film roles and would be interested to see a parallel universe representation of a world where she only focused on film acting. out of sight

Undoubtedly related to their lack of actor-baggage at the time of the film’s release, and helped by director Steven Soderbergh (also lesser known then vs. now) and his stylistic choices, the two leads draw the viewer right in to the film’s complex storyline, and the success of the narrative arguably hinges on their chemistry, which is very present (sizzling!) through an initial meet-cute scene and later interactions, which are kept to a minimum by the mechanics of the plot – and thus made more appealing.

I would say this is a film that is definitely more interesting in hindsight/many years later, a clear instance of knowledge of actors and filmmakers careers after the film was made (supporting actors Don Cheadle and Catherine Kenner were also not as well known at the time of release, and Viola Davis appears briefly in only her second film credit)  playing in to the perception of how the film unspools – and enhancing the experience.

On a local trivia note for this film, it was certainly interesting seeing many images of Detroit circa 1997 – 98, most notably the (then) State and (now) Fillmore Theatre in downtown. I never would have anticipated watching the film in 1998 that I would one day get to know Michigan on a very personal level.

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Movies

Appreciating the Appreciated: Pam Grier visits Detroit

Last night I had the pleasure of attending the Redford Theatre‘s finale of its weekend tribute to actress Pam Grier. The theatre staff said this event had been “a year in the making”, arranging three separate screenings of (arguably) Grier’s most iconic films, Coffy, Foxy Brown and (the finale) Jackie Brown. pam grier at the radfordMs. Grier herself was on hand for the entire weekend, which also included a higher-priced dinner with her earlier on Saturday evening. I can’t think of a better bargain than the $6/per film ticket price at the Redford, though!

The Redford rose to the occasion of glitzing out for the screening, with many unique souvenirs offered as one walked into the theatre and a long line in place an hour before the show to have an autograph and photo with Ms. Grier. It seems that the theatre does this type of event at least once or twice per year, and they eagerly mentioned plans to have Rita Moreno come to the theatre this fall for a similar event centered around screenings of West Side Story.

Ms. Grier appeared at the opening and intermission of the film, expressing gratitude for Detroit’s role in her personal career history/trajectory (she attended her first film premiere of The Big Doll House here) and emphasizing an interesting and thoughtful point that she wouldn’t be where she is without the support of strong and supportive audiences. I feel like I don’t often hear actors of her stature turn it back to the fans like that, and this audience (myself included) clearly appreciated her honesty.

She didn’t offer very many comments on the film at hand, Jackie Brown, aside from clear appreciation for Quentin Tarantino’s effort to write a film role especially for her, an interesting Method-actor type effort (that I would have liked to have heard a little more about) where she lived in her character’s apartment while the film was shooting, and a satisfied recollection of being able to point a gun at Samuel L. Jackson. But perhaps with her comments in mind, I felt that her satisfaction and pleasure in the role was more evident as I watched the film than how I had recalled it; I may have seen the film only once before.

I should add that since the screening took place in Detroit, this film’s role as a movie adapted from an Elmore Leonard novel was explicitly noted. Pam Grier and Leonard had met on several occasions, not only while making the film, and she shared an amusing anecdote of waiting in line for a book signing he did (as a regular customer) until Leonard noticed she was there and called attention to “the star of one of my film adaptations” or something like that being right there in the bookstore.

And finally the film itself. Weird to realize that the movie is now 16 years old, where I remember the long-building excitement of its role as Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction follow up, and a possible sense of commercial disappointment following its release on Christmas Day 1997. But time has been kind to the film, and it seems to have aged well, with only a few dated moments. Perhaps inevitably with what is now an older film, I found myself wondering “what the hell happened?/where are they now?” about most of the supporting cast, where Bridget Fonda abruptly left acting after 2002, Michael Keaton appears in films very rarely these days, and Robert DeNiro seems to (for the most part) value quantity over quality of roles. However Samuel L. Jackson and Robert Forster continue to be regular film presences. And Pam Grier herself is most likely somewhere in between, and her relaxed demeanor at last night’s event showed she’s most likely perfectly fine with that.

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Movies

13 films I will remember from 2013

A few nights ago I sat down to create a list of 13 films that I saw last year and would consider highly memorable. To my chagrin, I didn’t fill the list, but I did write out 13 films. So here they are with brief comments. It’s worth noting that I saw all but one of these films in the vicinity of Ann Arbor, and 2/3 of the titles were seen by me at either the Michigan or State theaters.

 

Definitely will remember!

In The House
A French refreshment seen in early June. Clever storyline and just the right European verve. Kristin Scott Thomas continues her strong streak in European cinema – not that it was ever broken.

American Hustle
Not the clearest or tightest storyline I’ve ever seen at the movies, but strongly overcompensated by exuberant performances from all five main cast members, most notably Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence in the two lead female roles. Was disappointed that the shooting location of Boston (my home city) was not used as itself and actually stood in for locations in New York and New Jersey.

Much Ado About Nothing
Another summer refreshment, this time coming way out of left field from the mind of Joss Whedon – and filmed in his Santa Monica (or environs) backyard! Who knew Shakespeare could be so modern and fun?

In A World
I wrote about this in detail here on this blog; to recap, a clever comedy from Lake Bell that used the truth of the competitive voice over industry in a way that felt honest, likable, and real.

Enough Said
A brutally and comically honest study of modern relationships featuring mature, thoughtful performances from the central trio of Julia Louis-Dreyfus, James Gandolfini and Catherine Keener.

Before Midnight
Chapter 3 of a long running saga first seen in 1995. But this time, Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy brought a world weariness to their characters that made them more relatable than ever, as the audience could pick up on their shared history as if it was (their) own life, and draw their own conclusions from a dramatically intense, realistic storyline.

12 Years A Slave
Also mentioned on this blog shortly after seeing it – not an easy film to watch, but an important tale. 

How I Live Now
Probably the “sleeper” of the group, in that it was little – seen by a wide audience, but reminded me of a transcendent teen/young adult state of mind where nothing seems to matter besides what you are doing in the here and now. And with this story, that was exactly the point.

Maybe I’ll remember them, maybe I won’t??

The Place Beyond the Pines
This April release boasted a uniquely complex narrative and sterling performances from leads Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper. However, it was almost too ambitious and could have been a tighter story.

Gravity
Made a boat load of money in the fall and continued Sandra Bullock’s stellar second act twenty years into her career. But I wasn’t captivated by it when I saw it, though I did appreciate the effort put into the film and its tightness as just a 90 minute movie.

Don Jon
Impressive directorial debut from Joseph Gordon – Levitt with luminous co-lead performances from Scarlett Johannson and Julianne Moore. However, was also “slight” in the comedic way – not life changing or affecting.

Blue Jasmine
I enjoyed this one the most for the San Francisco and Marin County filming locations, plus Cate Blanchett’s immersive and captivating lead performance, then the rest of the familiar storyline. I will remember that it name drops my two favorite places of Martha’s Vineyard and Marin County, and features cameo appearances from a few people I know through Bay Area theatre.

Prisoners
One of the most unsettling films I’ve seen in the theatre in several years, with incredibly committed work from Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal and Melissa Leo, among others… but so full of dread and dark and gloom and murky camerawork that it’s hard to single it out.

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Movies, Theatre

Familiarity breeds appreciation

Yesterday brought two currently rare examples of seeing people I know perform onstage – and in film. Initially thought it was the first time that had happened in over two years, but I now recall there have been a handful of occurrences since leaving the Bay Area (where that situation was much more frequent.)

In the afternoon I cheered on friends from The Penny Seats for their annual “Five Bowls of Oatmeal” performance given in collaboration with local non-profit 826michigan, which is itself, coincidentally, an offshoot of a San Francisco-based organization. This event was the culmination of several weeks of writing workshops with 826 volunteers and local middle school aged students, collaborating with the students to write short plays that (VERY IMPORTANT) had to have oatmeal incorporated into them. And the students succeeded! Many writers were in the audience yesterday to see their work and be (humorously and thoughtfully) interviewed in between some of the plays.

Of course for me there was an extra appeal in the performance: seeing my friends take on new and often outlandish roles, like a loaf of bread, a winter storm, a few babies, children who are budding actors, police officers and various types of food (just to name a few…) with everyone clearly having a great time loosening up and honoring the student’s written word. I can’t forget to mention the creative cartoon-style props and thoughtful attention to sound design that were an integral part of the complete performance.

In the evening I again ventured to the State Theater (quickly becoming my most frequently visited local cinema) to see the acclaimed film 12 Years A Slave, featuring college friend Lupita Nyong’o in a key supporting role. I’m not exaggerating when I mention that Lupita has received considerable press attention for her work in this film, with corresponding Oscar buzz. A quick Google search yielded many recent examples including 3 from the past 10 days (!) which I will link to here:

The New York Times highlights Lupita’s fashion sense
The LA Times checks in with Lupita as the Oscar season begins
and most honorably…
The Springfield Republican interviews several of our Hampshire professors about their experiences working with Lupita.

The Republican’s opening comment that “But for those who knew her when she was a student at Hampshire College, the applause is nothing but expected” resonated with me for obvious reasons, as I was always impressed with Lupita’s dedication to her/our college pursuits that I observed, and am happy to observe support for her continuing to come from our alumni community.

Where both of the observations in this post stem from college theatre connections, it makes me feel very grateful for my time at Hampshire College. Relatedly, there’s a good chance I would not be here in Ann Arbor right now if I hadn’t gone to Hampshire… but that’s for an alternate reality science fiction-style post.

The film – 12 Years A Slave? Easily one of the most intense, visceral and harrowing films I’ve ever seen in the movie theatre. I’m sure those feelings were connected to knowing that the story is based on a real event, combined with a sad knowledge of slavery’s reality and heavy footprint in history. It’s a film that generates quiet contemplation (there are no words, really) although I am sure it will be a recurring presence in the film awards season ahead.

An esteemed cast gave power to the characters, with Chiwitel Ejofor in the devastating lead role (and seeming to make a comeback of sorts after being less visible on screen for the past several years), easily rising to the front of Best Actor conversations, while several well-known actors offered supporting portrayals of varying importance to the story.

I had some quibbles with a few technical aspects of the film, but can’t deny that director Steve McQueen brought a powerful tone, emotional resonance and consistency to the story.

“12 Years” is definitely not an easy film to absorb, but one that is clearly a must-see, if you are up for it.

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Movies

YA on screen with Ender’s Game and How I Live Now

Both of my filmgoing ventures this week centered around young adult novels coming to the screen, in an unplanned coincidence. Unfortunately I can’t comment on these films’ efforts bringing their literary source material to the big screen, but it has raised my interest to seek out their original written forms, especially in the case of the latter film.

On Monday I took in a showing of Ender’s Game, once again venturing over to the Quality 16. I found the film to be an entertaining throwback, in some ways, to a simpler time in moviegoing that was focused on the experience of the story and less about quick cuts and overblown visuals that seem to be widespread in typical fast-paced commercial fare these days. In his review, my friend Gabe noted a directorial flatness at times in this film, and I found in retrospect that I have to agree with that – scenes and the storyline were engaging, but didn’t pop in a directly relatable, immediate way. However, by the time the surprise ending appeared (suddenly, but not unpredictably, where the finale is staged in a “you know this must be the finale” style), I was appreciative that the film chose to close on a more philosophical and contemplative note than your typical adventure film. It was good to see now-senior actors Harrison Ford and Ben Kingsley taking mentor-type roles with the younger actors, although Viola Davis felt underused as another leader figure. The younger actors were serviceable if not outstanding; I was the most surprised to see onetime young ingenue Abigail Breslin in an older teen role and definitely looking moved on from her Little Miss Sunshine days.

Time will tell if a follow up appears to Ender, likely determined by financial receipts of the film though the possibility is left wide open at the end of this initial movie.

This afternoon I ventured back to the State Theatre for How I Live Now, which I might have only heard about just last week but wanted to catch based on my love of British films and the fact that this was its last day showing at the State. On a side note, I learned on returning home that the film is available for iTunes instant streaming/downloading, which I still have never taken advantage of as I greatly prefer the in -the-theatre viewing experience…

This film made for a great pair with All Is Lost in mirroring intensity and drama of story! In contrast to Ender, there were consistent and vivid directorial and cinematographic touches that enlivened the material throughout the film. Not that it needed to be boosted, as it featured a (mostly) strong through line in the story, but those choices took it to another level. The director (Kevin MacDonald) and his work caught my eye a decade ago with Touching the Void, an extremely intense docudrama, and he later went on to film The Last King of Scotland, which I did not see.

The narrative was expertly carried by young actress Saoirse Ronan, whom I’ve found intriguing ever since seeing her break out in Atonement almost exactly six years ago. (I had the privilege of seeing that film in London in November 2007 shortly before it took the USA by storm.) In fact, some segments of this film could easily serve as a sequel to her role in Hanna two years ago, as Ronan (looking more adult and mature than ever) once again powers through the great unknown of open landscapes and absent parental figures. There was a similar and slightly odd parallel with young British actor Tom Holland, whom I saw in The Impossible earlier this year (released last year), who also found himself again in a  “searching for parents after a disaster” role, though with a few distinct twists.

How I Live Now benefitted from a compelling storyline – how would I/we react to society in a time of crisis, and how far might we go for those we love – that has admittedly been told before but seemed to find just enough quirks, alongside the aforementioned visual flourishes and a very present musical score, to keep it fresh. Some ambiguity is allowed in the conclusion here as well (as with Ender) although I’m sure it’s less likely the story would be picked up again later.

I feel that the adage of “the book is better than the movie” is probably still true with these two films, but found them both to be appealing works of cinema, and a good taster for me of a (YA to film) market I haven’t paid much attention to in recent years.

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