Category: SLIFF 2011

AURELIE LAFLAMME’S DIARY – SLIFF Review

The pre-teen years are trying for most young people. This is especially the case for this film’s heroine. She lost her Dad five years ago. And she’s pretty certain she’s an alien. From another planet. This comprises several pages in AURELIE LAFLAMME’S DIARY, a sweet-natured coming of age French-Canadian dramedy. In the pre credit opening sequence she’s left stranded at the museum after the school bus heads out after the big field trip. The snarky, feisty, ninth grader clashes with her teachers and is a regular visitor to her principal’s office ( Ugh! He’s drenched in aftershave! ). She’s not a part of any clique, so she eats lunch in a bathroom stall ( she and her BFF Kat got into a spat ). At home her single, working Mom alternates between nagging her about her schoolwork and tidiness and embarrassing her ( Mom’s wearing a thong! And flirting with the principal! ). Once Aurielie and Kat mend their friendship they embark on series of adventures at the start of Grade Nine. Kat finds her dream guy, Truch, at the arcade while Aurelie begins a flirtation with the dreamy Nicholas ( why does her brain short-circuit around him? ). This leads to a disastrous Halloween party and a Christmas season that’s full of surprises. Who knows, perhaps the new year will bring a truce between mother and daughter.

This warm-hearted comedy benefits from its young energetic cast. Marianne Verville as Aurielie is endearing as she enacts the awkwardness and embarrassment of a young girl on the verge of womanhood. She aided well by Genevieve Chartrand as Kat who is maturing a bit faster and gets a jump on the whole dating scene. The adults at school are more than cartoon authority figures as they try to encourage Auriele’s independent spirit. Especially good is Valerie Blais as a still unsteady single Mom trying to walk the line between nurturer and disciplinarian. Youngsters should enjoy the many Walter-Mitty style fantasy sequences that help illustrate just what’s going in her head ( what imagination! ) Parents may squirm a bit at some feminine hygiene product jokes and a subplot involving baby hamsters, but this is a gentle, good-hearted that should engage young movie goers and perhaps remind their parents of similar ” alien ” emotions they felt not so very long ago.

Showtimes
Sunday, November 20th at 3:30pm – Washington University/Brown Auditorium

ELEANOR’S SECRET – SLIFF Review

It’s been said that when a child learns to read, the door to a whole new world opens up for them. This is literally the case in the delightful animated feature film ELEANOR’S SECRET ( that’s actually one of two big secrets ). The main hero of the tale is in reality a young boy named Nathaniel. He and his family ( Mom, Dad, and older sister Angelica ) are going to spend some time at the beach house they’ve inherited from their late Aunt Eleanor ( she nearly made it to 100! ). Little Nat is especially saddened because his Aunt would read to him. unfortunately he’s not been able to grasp his reading lessons at school, and his sister taunts him mercilessly about this. Their parents bring out a note just for the kids from their Aunt telling what she has left for them. Angelica gets a beloved old porcelain doll. Nathaniel gets a key to a mysterious secret room ( and its contents ). Unlocking the door, he is stunned to see a vast library filled to the brim with rare old editions. What good is this to him? That night as he endures a nightmare of letters and words, the old house suffers severe damage from a storm. The next morning they survey the damage and Dad decides that they may need to sell some of Aunt Eleanor’s things ( including the books ) to pay for the repairs. Returning to the secret room, Nathaniel is shocked to see tiny beings literally crawling out of the volumes! There’s Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf! Snow White, Peter Pan, Mowgli, and hundreds of classic literary creations ( could that be Count Dracula? ). Seems that unless he can read a magic inscription on the wall before noon, all the characters will fade away. After a few failed attempts, the bad fairy from Sleeping Beauty shrinks Nate down to their size. She won’t return him to his size until he reads the magic words. They hear a noise and scatter back into the books. It’s dad with that vulture-like antiques dealer. He boxes up the books and takes them to his store front further down the beach. Once there, Nathaniel decides to return home and read the inscription before noon. With the Ogre, the March Hare, and his beloved Alice ( from Wonderland ) they escape and embark on the perilous journey while the Hare’s pocket watch inches closer to twelve.

ELEANOR’S SECRET is a glorious, gentle adventure that may inspire youngsters to explore the library shelves ( and maybe peer through some of their family’s own, old dusty volumes ). The film is designed to resemble a modern children’s book with its angular, abstract, gently shaded characters. The classic literary heroes and villains are visualized quite differently from their established film icons ( this is not Disneyland! ). Backgrounds and vehicles are moved by the most subtle computer imagery, while all else is brought to life by the classic hand drawn style. The story builds up a sense of urgency that generates some suspense that should enthrall the young viewers, although the raging storm and escape from a determined crab may upset the very youngest. This is a sweet, whimsical escapade that should provide inspiration for many evenings ( or rainy days ) of adventures via the printed page.

Showtimes
Sunday, November 20th at 1:30pm – Washington University/Brown Auditorium

KARAOKE MAN – SLIFF Review

Review by Dana Jung

Offbeat love stories full of quirky characters are certainly nothing new. They can be groundbreaking (THE GRADUATE) or funny (RUSHMORE) or sweet (THE OH IN OHIO), and they seem to be perfectly suited to independent filmmaking, with low budgets and relatively unknown casts. These films live or die on the strength of their scripts, creating eccentric but lovable characters trying to navigate the sometimes turbulent waters of life and love. The best of these movies find a rhythm with their actors and paint lovely pictures of people. The latest entry in the genre, KARAOKE MAN, directed and co-written by Mike Petty, achieves these lofty heights for most part.

Louis is a brilliant but eccentric artist who has accepted a new job at a small independent comic book company. He is immediately smitten by Glennis, who is not so eccentric but is an aspiring singer/songwriter. We know from the start that these two belong together, and their budding romance is funny and heartwarming. One of Louis’ ideas for impressing Glennis is to help his natural shyness by donning an old (and rare) costume of some obscure superhero (a subplot here offers lots of comic relief). Thus Louis becomes ‘Karaoke Man’ and sings at the karaoke bar where Glennis works.

The film mixes the worlds of karaoke, comic book geeks, trivia, and the serious music business in a bright and entertaining way for most of its length. Veteran TV actors Brian Dietzen (NCIS) and Caitlin Crosby (HARD TIMES OF RJ BERGER) shine in a cast peppered with good performances. Marc Evan Jackson must also be mentioned as creating one of the funniest and wisest parental figures in recent memory. Other recognizable supporting faces include Spencer Locke (COUGAR TOWN) and James Denton (DESPARATE HOUSEWIVES) as Glennis’ co-workers.

Full of philosophical wit such as, “Today is the last day of your previous life,” and “I like unrequited love – it’s safer,” these actors make the most of the sharp dialogue. It isn’t until the last quarter of the film that things become rather ordinary. We get the Rude Ex-Boyfriend Showing Up scene, then the Sad Breakup scene, and a climax where things literally unravel in a heavy-handed metaphor that was fresh when first mentioned halfway through the film. All this makes the ending seemed rushed and rather cliched, which is a shame because KARAOKE MAN had me at “comic book”.

Showtime:
Saturday, Nov 19th at 4:00pm at the Tivoli Theatre

REHEARSAL FOR A SICILIAN TRAGEDY – SLIFF Review

Several years ago American actor John Turturro traveled to Sicily in order to work on a motion picture and promptly fell in love with the land of his ancestors. He had never been to the birthplace of his grandparents before, and since that film shoot he’s made it almost a second home. With REHEARSAL FOR A SICILIAN TRAGEDY Turturro brings us along on a colorful tour while he takes a working vacation. He’s got an idea for a movie about a puppeteer, and we follow him during his research and side trips to explore his family history. One of the more interesting tidbits concerns their version of the Day of the Dead and its similarities to Christmas. Children would place baskets under their beds and the next morning would have to locate the basket filled with toys and candies that had been filled by deceased relatives. Of course after WWII Western forces brought with them the trees and Santa which replaced the ghoulish gift giving. The main thrust of the film is the puppetry tradition. Before cinema, the puppet shows were the main entertainment ( even above sporting competitions ). One of the last master puppeteers trains Tuturro and offers insight into one of the most famous stage stories, the love triangle of Orlando, Rinaldo, and Angelica. Via some old black and white footage from a Peter Ustinov film we see how this play worked up audiences many years ago. With the help of two local actors we’re told of the special candies made by the nuns and the big tuna fishing boats. Later we get to sit in on audition as Tuturro works with several local preteen girls who may play the role of the fourteen year old daughter of the old puppeteer in this proposed film project. All though this whether talking ( and singing ) with the nuns at the building where his grandparents met or conversing with local politicians and historians, Tuturro is an enthusiastic, curious tour guide. REHEARSAL FOR A SICILIAN TRAGEDY is both a colorful, informative travelogue and a touching portrait of a gifted artist’s delight in embracing his family roots.

Showtimes
Saturday, November 19th at 1:00pm – Plaza Frontenac Cinema

THE FAIRY – SLIFF Review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

HAPPY NEW YEAR – SLIFF Review

HAPPY NEW YEAR is a new drama that explores the problems that must be solved.” When Johnny Comes Marching Home.” In the story of Master Sergeant Michael Lewis, it’s when he’s wheeled in. Lewis is wounded after tours of duty in the Middle East and is sent to an East Coast Veterans’ Rehabilitation Center, which is closer to his home, after a stint at Walter Reade. The left side of his face has been scarred by burns and his legs are of no use due to embedded shrapnel. Besides his face and legs, his psyche is also scarred. Lewis wakes up screaming from nightmares. A visit from his mother adds to his bitterness. His father couldn’t make the four-hour trek to see him, and it appears that his hometown girl has moved on. He’s also frustrated by the fact that he’s been moved to the psychiatric ward due to building renovation. Lewis wants to complete his rehab, regain the use of his legs, and leave the oppressive, dismal place. Slowly he befriends his timid, religious room-mate Jordan, bonds with the other damaged vets in his hall, and begins a tentative romance with a sympathetic nurse. But it seems that with whatever progress he makes, those war front memories send his mind back to that desert Hell.

This film plays almost as a modern spin on Hal Ashby’s classic COMING HOME while owing an enormous amount to Milos Forman’s ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST. One is easily reminded of McMurphy and his crew in the scene where Lewis starts a revolt against the kiddie-movie DVD nights by smuggling in a copy of the classic (and public domain) NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, then leads them in singing “Folsom Prison Blues.” The digital camerawork helps convey the dreary, antiseptic atmosphere of the institution. The bureaucratic director of operations Martinez is not the harpy that Nurse Ratched was, but then The ” Nest” gang didn’t have a nurse in their corner that would take them to a strip club (a scene that’s a bit contrived). This all leads up to the title holiday in a scene that doesn’t quite have the emotional punch it should deliver. The film has an energetic young cast (along with a sprinkling of some seasoned acting vets) and moves at a good pace. HAPPY NEW YEAR is a well made film with its heart in the right place as it sheds a light on the often misunderstood pain of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome.

Showtime
Saturday, November 19 at 1:15pm – Plaza Frontenac Cinema

THE MAN NOBODY KNEW – SLIFF Review

Upon the death of a parent a son or daughter will often spend hours and hours sifting through the deceased’s artifacts. Such is the case with Carl Colby, but with a couple of notable exceptions. His father William Colby was for many years the director of the CIA. And Carl has put together a documentary about him called THE MAN NOBODY KNEW : IN SEARCH OF MY FATHER, CIA SPYMASTER WILLIAM COLBY. The film serves as a look at a post WWII family and an overview of American foreign relations. As the film opens the camera pans over the contents of senior Colby’s top dresser drawer as the soundtrack plays various news reports about his mysterious disappearance while in a canoe. We’re then taken back to his entry into WWII as a paratrooper prior to volunteering for the OSS. This is illustrated with newsreel footage and personal family photos. With his slight build and spectacles, Colby seems to be an unlikely secret agent ( he’s looks like a cross between Wally Cox and Harold Lloyd ). At wars’ end he marries, starts a family, and begins his work overseas, first in Italy to prevent the country from going Communist. The photos and footage are quite startling pared up with comments from friends and historians. From there it was off to a very long stint in Southeast Asia, particularly Vietnam, at the request of President Kennedy. After the US withdrawal we get to see and hear Colby as he testified about the agency’s activities before a Senate committee. He remains calm and cool as he’s relentlessly grilled by many different members of Congress. Colby’s refusal to stonewall them soon lead to his removal by President Ford, who replaced him with George H.W. Bush. Carl Colby includes many interviews with newsmakers from the time periods from newsman Daniel Shorr to Donald Rumsfeld. The viewer gets the impression that the film lead to a better understanding of his father for the film maker, but in many aspects William Colby remains an enigma. This documentary offers a unique perspective on our government’s hand in other countries politics while also telling the story of a man coming to terms with his family’s past.

Showtimes
Saturday, November 19th at 3:00pm – Webster University/Moore Auditorium

HERE’S THE KICKER – SLIFF Review

“On the Road Again” is the rallying song of many a movie comedy, including the romantic comedy ( or rom-com ). From IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT to THE LONG, LONG, TRAILER, to FLIRTING WITH DISASTER many obstacles are thrown at the young lovers along their journey. Such is the case with the new film HERE’S THE KICKER. The two main travelers are trying to head along the highway into a bright new future together while trying to navigate through old friends, family, and nostalgia for the glories of the past.

Simon is a former ace college field-goal kicker, now struggling in the catering biz. His gal Brittany is using her make-up skills working on porno shoots. They dream of a better life and soon hit upon a game plan. They’ll head back to her hometown of Victory, TX ( Hmm, sports metaphor? ), not far from his home town, and open up a combination beauty parlour / sports bar ( or as they call it, a salon / saloon ). Breaking up the long drive, they make an overnight stop at his old team-mate Teddy’s place in Utah. Seeing his old pal turns Teddy into his old party animal self and soon he ditches the wife and daughter ( his ” Baby Ruth ” ) to join the couple on their trip to Texas. Another overnight stop at Simons parents’ house is also chaotic. Mom’s a clueless, compulsive cleaner, Dad’s a former high school football coach turned town booze-hound, and Simon’s wild child teenage sister ( who’s under house arrest ) sets her sights on Teddy. Simon decides to drop off his unwilling Pop at a Dallas rehab center along the way. But this just postpones the news that he’s not shared with Britanny since soon after they hit the road : He’s been offered a job as a football scout for So Cal. When will he find the right time to tell her? And how will she react?

The film makers make great use of the real locations and desert highway scenery in this small budgeted character comedy. Some of the home and auto interiors tight spaces give an added claustrophobia to the rattled hero’s aggravations. The  cast of mostly unknowns give energetic performances as does the veteran name actor Dan Lauria ( TV’s ” The Wonder Years ” ). We’re really rooting for these two all along the trip even as we become frustrated with Simon ( Tell her about the job offer already, you doofus! ). HERE’S THE KICKER is an enjoyable little romp that helps to remind us to forge ahead and not become mired in the quest to relive those youthful glory days.

                                                           Showtime

                7:15 PM on Friday, November 18 at the Tivoli Theatre

HEADHUNTERS – SLIFF Review

HEADHUNTERS was originally reviewed during Fantastic Fest 2011.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Showtimes
Thu, Nov 17th at 9:30pm – Plaza Frontenac Cinema
Fri, Nov 18th at 2:15pm – Plaza Frontenac Cinema

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN – SLIFF Review

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

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

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

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

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

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