Category: Dramedy

NOT FADE AWAY (2013) – The Review

Ah, the lure of sweet, sweet nostalgia. Television has been lured many times by her siren call with “Happy Days”, “The Wonder Years”, and “Mad Men”. Several film directors have indulged in this desire to return to simpler times (usually in their own younger years) from George Lucas’s AMERICAN GRAFFITI and Woody Allen’s RADIO DAYS. Although it should be noted that Allen had his biggest box office success with 2011’s MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, which could be considered an anti-nostalgia flick (turns out that the people from the era you longed for also longed for an earlier time). Now TV mastermind David Chase, creator of “The Sopranos”, follows Lucas in returning to the golden 60’s in his feature film directing debut NOT FADE AWAY. Music played a major role in the 1973 classic about California cruisers and music factors into Chase’s story of East Coast pals. But instead of listening to tunes on their AM radios, AWAY’s teens are hoping to strike it big making their own music. And their passion isn’t ignited by stateside idols like Buddy Holly and Elvis. They’re inspired by a couple of lads from across the pond who are still at it today because they know it’s only rock ‘n’ roll, but they like it.

The film opens with a black and white sequence of teenage Mick Jagger and Keith Richards conversing about music while riding the “tube”. Cut to color, suburban New York state 1962. Douglas (John Magaro) and high school buddy Wells (Will Brill) decide they should form a band. They’re impressed by the British Invasion (particularly those lads from the first scene) and the adoration the music inspires from the ladies. Douglas really wants to impress the beautiful Grace (Bella Heathcote) who’s a part of the “moneyed” set (as opposed to Douglas’s lower middle class digs). The film follows Douglas as he clashes with his blue collar parents (James Gandolfini and Molly Price), conflicts in their band, the “Lord Byrons” (Eugene played by Jack Huston is a real loose cannon), and tags along with Grace to college (while considering film studies in LA).

Luckily Chase has brought in his big TV gun, Gandolfini, to inject some life into this meandering trip down memory lane. Pappa Pat is a low rent version of Tony S. with a bit of Ralph Kramden and Archie Bunker tossed in. He really has no clue about his son! The clothes, the hair, the attitude (“You and me are gonna’ tangle!”)! Another tube vet, Brad Garrett, shows up for a cameo as a disinterested agent. Their scenes are much too brief. The bulk of the film rests with the young, mostly unknown cast who just aren’t very compelling (only Huston stands out with his deranged outbursts). The main problem may be the unfocused nature of the script. Several subplots seem to drift away (Grace’s free-spirited older sister, a family illness). The clouds of Vietnam and civil unrest loom, but quickly pass. Even the film’s narrator, Douglas’s kid sister, disappears until the flick’s final moments of forced whimsy. The movie does do a good job evoking the early sixties in hairstyles, fashions, cars, and TV clips ( a snippet from “The Hollywood Palace” with Dean Martin rolling his eyes after a song from The Rolling Stones is priceless). But oh, do they go overboard with the constant smoking (even worse than the recent HYDE PARK ON THE HUDSON)! Cough! Hack! And the switch in our hero’s interest from music to film is far too abrupt (when he gets to LA, Douglas has to meet “Twilight Zone” creator Rod Serling…yup, he’s the director’s alter ego!). If you really want a fun rock ‘n’ roll trek through the 1960’s, Tom Hanks’s directorial debut THAT THING YOU DO is still a great ride. Now that Chase has made this autobiographical feature, let’s  hope he moves on to movie stories closer to his outstanding television efforts. As they’d say on “American Bandstand”, ” So-so beat. Tough to dance to.”. Or as we say here….

3 Out of 5 Stars

HYDE PARK ON THE HUDSON – The Review

Abraham Lincoln’s not the only former president to get a little cinema love this year. HYDE PARK ON THE HUDSON gives us another look at the man who spent the most time in the oval office: Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Like Abe, FDR served during one of the country’s most difficult periods. With the former it was the Civil War, while the latter dealt with the Great Depression and the second World War. And both men inspired extreme passion from their countrymen, either admiration or condemnation. Oddly both films concentrate on a single incident instead of the standard “rags to riches” movie bio. LINCOLN centers on his efforts to get Congress to ratify the 14th Amendment in 1865. HYDE concerns the visit by the British royal couple to the upstate New York home of FDR’s mother in 1939. While Spielberg stays out of the boudoir for the most part, director Roger Michell delves fully into the extra marital activities of our 32nd president by telling the story not through his eyes, but through one of his paramours.

That woman is distant cousin Margaret “Daisy” Stuckley (Laura Linney) who takes care of her mother in a modest home not far from the Roosevelt estate Springwood. One day, out of the blue, she’s summoned there. The president (Bill Murray) needs a distraction from his job stress during this visit to his mother’s home. The two soon bond over family talk and his stamp collection. The visits become more frequent and the shy, quiet Daisy becomes a fixture there. Eventually she and Franklin share a more intimate relationship. Tensions increase around the estate in anticipation of a visit by King George VI (Samuel West) and his wife Elizabeth (Olivia Colman). George AKA Bertie has come to plead for the US aid his country against the German military. Mother Roosevelt (Elizabeth Wilson) is in a nervous tizzy preparing for their arrival while Franklin’s wife Eleanor (Olivia Williams) returns in order to keep up appearances. The royals are quite perplexed by the American customs. During all the festivities, the affair between FDR and Daisy reaches a crossroads.

Michell has really assembled an all-star cast for the main American characters, but the real stand outs are the “fish out of water” Brits. With THE KING’S SPEECH still fresh in most movie goers’ memories these fine actors may be a bit overlooked. West makes a great somewhat stiff, befuddled Bertie as he tries to ascertain the hidden meanings of these New Yorkers. Colman is a great foil as she tries to inspire her hubby to show no weaknesses to their hosts. They’re not Firth and Bonham-Carter, but they’re delightful in their many conspiratorial scenes. Murray just snagged a Golden Globe nom, but he doesn’t bring anything new to FDR that actors like Ralph Bellamy and Edward Herrman haven’t already explored. It’s a far cry from the typical snarky Murray role, but his upper-crust accent and energetic lilt is more of an impression. Williams is toned down perhaps too much as the First Lady. She’s got the New England inflections and some prosthetic choppers, but doesn’t make an impact besides giving her hubby an icy stare. Unfortunately, the very gifted Linney has little to do with the under written Daisy. For most of the film she remains the passive wide-eyed innocent. In the latter part of the film we get little indication of her true feelings besides a confrontational fantasy sequence. Too often we just seeing her sitting, smoking, and staring off into the distance.

On the plus side of this work, the art direction is superb. The period fashions, gorgeous automobiles (particularly FDR’s specially equipped roadster), and plush furnishings are a marvel to behold. They’re shot with a golden. late Summer haze that captures those long-ago days and moonlit nights. On the negative side is the salacious nature of several scenes. A main source of the script was the recently discovered diaries and letters of Daisy, but is this the real story of these affairs? There have been great films made that try to humanize history’s icons, but this seems to drag down the legacy of a remarkable leader who helped the country recover after its darkest hours. The first intimacy between FDR and Daisy is truly seedy. It’s a scene of a powerful man using kindness to seduce a fragile delicate young woman. What’s perhaps even worse is the acceptance of such behavior by the film’s end, that this gifted man is beyond standard morality and decency. It seems that polio has not slowed his stamina in the least. At least Eleanor’s dalliances are just hinted at with a few lines of conversation. During the last moments, the President is pretty much excused of all sins by his paramours and even celebrated. Oh, and the smoking is way overdone. I know most folks lit up 75 years ago, but this started to get pretty nauseating (almost as much as the condoned adultery). HYDE PARK ON THE HUDSON is a well-produced story about the special relationship between the US and Great Britain that unfortunately is mired in a speculative sleazy scandal.

2 Out of 5

PLAYING FOR KEEPS – The Review

Had to believe that only six years ago the graphic novel film adaptation 300 burst on to movie screens featuring ground-breaking CGI effects and a bravado charismatic performance by a generally unknown actor as the fearless King Leonidas: Gerard Butler. Aside from a great vocal performance in the terrific animated feature HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, Hollywood has not known what to do with this handsome Scott. There’s been a few thrillers like LAW ABIDING CITIZEN, but generally he’s been consigned to “rom-com” Hell, sometimes paired with other denizens of that genre such as Katherine Heigl and Jennifer Aniston. Just a few weeks after the family flick CHASING MAVERICKS, Butler’s back in that pit once more with PLAYING FOR KEEPS. Hmm, this one’s got an Oscar-winning actress in the mix. Maybe this will be the one to show off his acting chops rather than just his scruffy good looks.

Butler plays George, a Scottish soccer superstar well past his prime. After squandering most of his sports earnings he moves to a rental guest house in Virginia. There he can re-connect with the ten-year old son Lewis (Noah Lomax) from his ex-wife Stacie (Jessica Biel), while he tries to become a TV sports analyst. George takes his son to soccer practice and is dismayed by his clueless, distracted coach. The former star steps in to give the team a few pointers. He’s soon lured by a “soccer dad”, the very rich Carl (Dennis Quaid), to take over as coach. Now George must end his son’s team’s losing streak while fending off the advances of Carl’s neglected wife Patti (Uma Thurman) and divorced “soccer moms” Denise (Catherine Zeta Jones) and Barb (Judy Greer). At least he’s finally bonding with his son, but now Stacie’s about to get re-married! Is there a chance that he can turn things around for the team and his family?

Really, is there any doubt where this fluff is heading? At least Butler doesn’t have to strain at another American accent (usually screaming out of one side of his mouth). He’s playing another variation of the man-child who becomes a responsible adult thanks to the love of an adorable tot and an extremely patient woman. At least the ladies are treated to a couple of sans shirt scenes. Speaking of ladies, the actresses here are ill-served by this weak script. The radiantly beautiful Biel is made to look frumpy for most of the flick (Butler’s tousled locks are given more attention than her glowing mane). She’s icy to her ex at first, but that dad-son bonding melts her heart, of course. On the other hand, the maternal temptresses always look like they were just touched up by their personal stylists. After picking up her CHICAGO Oscar, Jones has not had any film roles that have showcased her considerable talents. This  role is a bit of an improvement over the wild-eyed shrew in ROCK OF AGES. When Butler’s immune to her sultry smiles she offers herself to groom him for ESPN. Here’s hoping next year’s BROKEN CITY is more worthy of her time. Still, she fares better than Thurman as a desperate housewife on the prowl. At one point she’s bemoaning her hubby’s infidelity, then next moment she’s rolling around on George’s bed in skimpy black lingerie (perhaps to prove she’s got her pre-baby bod back). Maybe Quentin can get her back in the bright yellow track suit soon. The other steamy suburbanite is played by the delightful comic actress, Greer, who is the film’s only bright spot (I’ll add a star just for her way too short scenes). She’s deserving of her own screen showcase. After playing the third pompous movie jerk in a row (after THE WORDS and WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING), I’m happy that Quaid has scored a hit TV series (“Vegas”). If this is what the big screen is offering him, then the small screen can provide much better vehicles. I guess the same can be said for all those involved with this effort.

The actors are certainly not helped by the odd directorial choices from Gabriele Muccino. He overuses the steadycam to the point of nausea. It’s a dialogue scene in a kitchen! Lock that camera down! It’s not edgy, it’s distracting! Same shakiness for the scenes of the soccer team saying inappropriate lines, but it’s so adorably cute. At least we can be safe to say that PLAYING FOR KEEPS is the last dismal dreary rom-com of the year. I wonder if there are cinema penalty cards?

1.5 Out of 5

SMASHED – The Review

Seems like yesterday (actually a few weeks ago) that we were talking about the depiction of alcohol dependency in movies with the release of the excellent FLIGHT. This weekend the much lower-budgeted independent film SMASHED opens in a few select screens (far fewer than the Zemeckis flick). I hope movie goers don’t pass this one up thinking that they’ve covered this territory too recently. This is a study of a young couple in their 20’s and how the desire to end an addiction affects the relationship. There’s no nail-biting airliner crash landing at the heart of this one, but the journey of the young woman at the center of SMASHED has more than its share of emotion and drama.

That aforementioned young woman is Kate Hannah (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). She’s happily married to Charlie (Aaron Paul). They share a modest LA home and spend their evenings at several local watering holes boozing the night away. Charlie works out of their home while Kate barely makes it to her job while dealing with the after-effects of the previous nights. One day the hangover catches up to her at work which compels her to lie to her gullible boss (Megan Mullally). Everyone believes the fib except Kate’s co-worker Dave (Nick Offerman), who suspects her secret. He invites her to an AA meeting. She brushes him off until two more frightening black-outs convince her to join Dave’s group. Kate befriends a recovering caterer named Jenny (Octavia Spencer), who agrees to be her sponsor. Unfortunately Charlie chafes at his wife’s news. He just doesn’t think that there’s a problem. A trip to make amends with Kate’s estranged mother (Mary Kay Place) doesn’t go as hoped. But Kate struggles to change her ways. Can she get clean before the truth comes out at work? And will her quest for sobriety drive a wedge between Kate and Charlie?

This an intimate,smaller-scaled version of a story Hollywood has told previously with THE DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES and WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN. Without a big budget it needs strong performances to draw us in. Luckily Winstead is more than up to the task. Her powerful work is the anchor of the story. She’s made a name for herself in the past few years with mostly genre roles (THE THING, SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD, ABRAHAM LINCOLN, VAMPIRE HUNTER), but this film establishes her as a major dramatic actress. This echoes Charlize Theron in MONSTER. We’ve seen her before, but had no idea of her range. Kate’s behavior disturbs us (she keeps a cold beer bottle within reach of the shower) and is often repellant (an early morning liquor run turns grim quickly). But we see how good she is at her job and how pleasant she is with her co-workers. Immediately we’re rooting for her. Her decision to get help doesn’t send her to happiness. One of the film’s most harrowing moments is when she relapses. Kate’s confrontation with Charlie is raw and very scary. Winstead delivers a brave, searing performance that takes Kate to dark, ugly depths. If there’s any justice Mary Elizabeth Winstead will be one of the five actresses vieing to take home Oscar. I look forward to hopefully even more stellar work from her.

Winstead is joined by a superb supporting cast that’s mostly known for their superb work on television. Paul has taken home several awards for the acclaimed “Breaking Bad” and will get some deserved recognition as the hard-partying Charlie. He truly adores Kate and fears that she will change radically once she’s sober. The aforementioned relapse scene shocks him to the core but doesn’t spur him into dealing with his own abuses. Although he can be cruel , he still elicits much sympathy by the film’s end. Offerman is doing a lovable buttoned-up, nerdy variation on his Ron Swanson character on the sublime “Parks and Recreations”. A scene expressing his feelings for Kate is both hilarious and unbelievably awkward (truly cringe-worthy). Mullally infuses Barnes with more of the daffyness of her sitcom work, which makes her resolution with Kate even more heart-breaking. It’s great see Place back on the big screen once more. She’s unafraid to show why Kate has broken off contact with this toxic parent. This film is Spencer’s first work since picking up the Oscar this year for THE HELP. Jenny is much quieter than the boisterous Minny. Her testimony at the meeting and her advise for Kate while working in the kitchen are memorable. Like her co-stars, she works very well with Winstead.

Relative newcomer director James Ponsoldt hasn’t gotten great performances from all the actors here. He never lets the camera get in the way of this intimate character study. His nighttime LA is fully of wavering streetlights and headlights that simulate intoxication. The sunlight sears into the hungover revelers almost causing them to react like classic vampires (none of that sparkly stuff!). Unlike FLIGHT, Kate knows she has a problem fairly early on. The drama is seeing her try to get past all the many obstacles life tosses in her way to recovery. SMASHED is quite a wonderful drama that’s not to be missed. Ponsoldt and his troupe ( especially the astounding Ms. Winstead) have uncorked one of the year’s most powerful (almost intoxicating) films.

4.5 Out of 5

KILLING THEM SOFTLY – The Review

The life of the gangster isn’t as glamorous in the movies as it once was. Sure the title characters of THE PUBLIC ENEMY, LITTLE CAESAR, and SCARFACE all met horrific deaths before the final fade-outs, but their lives of excess must have looked pretty great for depression audiences. And then the Hayes Office, the studios’ censorship board, cracked down. In James Cagney’s last great crime epic WHITE HEAT, his Cody Jarrett is a vicious psychopath. And later with the classic GOODFELLAS and TV’s “The Sopranos”, mob life was shown as dangerous, dirty work. The easy cash is never really easy. And so it is with KILLING THEM SOFTLY which re-teams star Brad Pitt with his THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES director Andrew Dominik. Few films have been as gritty as this “simple” score that goes bad in a big, big way.

The tale begins on the very mean streets of New Orleans in 2008. Frankie (Snoot McNairy) is fresh out of prison and ready for some fast cash (job placement is just not working for him). Low level mobster Johnny Amato (Vincent Curalta) wants to hire him as part of a robbery crew. He explains this “can’t miss” plan. Markie Trattman (Ray Liotta) hosts illegal, secret big money card games attended by many local gangsters. A few years ago he gets the idea to hire a couple of thugs to rob his own game. Instead of getting a cut of the night, he (and his cohorts) take all the cash. After a brutal questioning from mob enforcer/hitman Dillon (Sam Shepard), Markie is believed innocent of involvement with the robbery. A couple of years later, after a night of high spirits, Markie laughingly admits to some pals that, yes, he did rob his own game. But he’s bringing in a lot of dough, so he’s given a pass. Amato believes that if the game is robbed again, all fingers will point to Markie. Much to Amoto’s chagrin Frankie brings in his pal Russell (Ben Mendelsohn), a dog-stealing wannabe drug dealer, to be join him in the stick-up. After the deal goes down, the local mob’s representative (Richard Jenkins) hires Dillon’s associate Jackie Cogan (Pitt) to get to the bottom of this fleeced card game. Jackie, aided by jaded East Coast pal Mickey (James Gandolfini), tries to track down and dispatch those responsible.

Of course the big alpha dog in this bunch of mutts is Mr.Pitt. With his slick pompadour and neatly trimmed goatee he’s the Mr. Cool of hit men. He’s also a hard-edged cynical guy who delivers a blistering monologue summing up his jaundiced view of the world in the film’s final scene. When he arrives at the thirty minute mark, Pitt’s assured, smooth performance carries the rest of the film. Before he enters, the film belongs to two guys that barely register on the cool meter. McNairy’s Frankie is a sleazy, motor-mouthed weasel that’s just looking to score and avoid heading back to “the joint”. He’s always going to be a mob foot soldier (or cannon fodder) and never a general. Hard to believe he’s the same actor who was so good as the most nervous “guest of Canada” in ARGO. Mendelson as Russell AKA “squirrel” is much more laid back, not doubt due to constant self-medication. You can almost smell the stench of flop sweat from the guy in addition to the constant canine aroma. The actor’s convinces us the he may be the absolute lowest of the lowlifes. The Mickey character may be too similar to Gandolfini’s signature role of Tony Soprano. He whines and complains in his big scenes with Pitt (he’s boozing too). There’s a real beaten-down Willy Loman vibe with Mickey that wears thin fairly quickly despite Gandolfini’s best efforts. His Sopranos co-star Curatola is very funny as the little man crafting big plans at the back of his dry cleaning shop. Jenkins also scores big laughs in his scenes relaying mob directives to Pitt. This guy sounds more like a mild-mannered accountant or mid-level manager. The always entertaining Liotta does a great comic riff on his GOODFELLAS persona. You just wish this easy-going guy wasn’t mixed up with these thugs (he’s perhaps the film’s most sympathetic character).

The film’s marketing team are selling this as a zany, crime comedy full of loveable screw-ups. Sure, there are some funny bits, but Dominik is aiming for something darker. With the opening image of McCain and Obama posters side by side, he’s striving to blend mob life with (still) current politics. Talk radio blares out of cars. TVs are constantly tuned to a news network or C-Span with then Senator Obama or President George W Bush (usually speaking on the financial lending collapse). The blaring media Greek chorus is sometimes heavy-handed, and most often distracting. Dominik does establish a dark mood with the constant grey skies and pounding rain (it’s coming down so hard we almost feel sorry for the two goons beating down a poor chump on the street). That ultra-violent smack-down is almost tame compared to the brutal gunplay (a slow-motion hit is almost balletic) There’s also a sequence of the two stick-up men trying to converse after “riding the H train” that goes from clever to tiresome quickly. KILLING THEM SOFTLY doesn’t achieve Coppola or Scorsese greatness, but features a few good performance that help prove what the old short subjects and 1950’s comic books tried to hammer home: crime does not pay.

3.5 Out of 5

SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK – The Review

Writer/director David O. Russell has been tackling difficult family issues since his breakout comedy/drama SPANKING THE MONKEY back in 1994. He followed that up with the more whimsical FLIRTING WITH DISASTER. His most recent hit, the based on a true story THE FIGHTER, also dealt with a family in crisis. His newest screen work, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, again has the family dynamic as its focus and concerns a subject that has been touched on more frequently in the cinema recently: mental illness. Going back to THE THREE FACES OF EVE to A BEAUTIFUL MIND the movies have attempted to portray this subject in a compassionate manner. And with LININGS, Russell (working from Matthew Quick’s novel) attempts to meld this with a romantic (occasional) comedy. It’s quite the tightrope walk.

In the opening scenes of the film we meet Pat Solatano (Bradley Cooper) as he prepares to leave a Baltimore mental health facility. After a violent episode with his wife, Pat was been remanded there and a restraining order was issued. His mother Dolores (Jackie Weaver) signs him out and drives him back to the family home in Philadelphia where they surprise Pat Sr. (Robert DeNiro), a diehard Eagles fan and sports bookie hoping to open a sandwich shop. Pat soon re-connects with old pal Ronnie (John Oritz), whose wife Veronica (Julia Stiles) insists that Pat come over for Dinner in a few days. Ah, but it’s a set-up! Also at the Dinner is Veronica’s kid sister Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a recent widow also dealing with mental and psychological problems. The two don’t connect romantically, but begin a tenuous friendship. Then Tiffany strikes a deal: she will get a letter from Pat to his estranged wife (he obsessively pine for her) if he will be Tiffany’s dance partner in an upcoming competition. As they train, the damaged pair strive to return to normalcy and perhaps built on this new relationship

To make this tricky subject matter work ,the actors must be capable of bringing these broken characters to life. This exceptional cast hits it out of the park (or perhaps I should say they score a touchdown). The two leads, best known for franchise films (Cooper with the HANGOVER films and Lawrence for the just starting HUNGER GAMES) , truly bring their A game and tread that tricky balance of comedy and dark tragedy. Cooper proves he’s much more than a pretty face (and abs) as this fragile and often violent man in transition. He’s trying so hard to stay upbeat, that his erratic outbursts are heart-wrenching. This is a real guy with big, big problems. The same could be said for Lawrence’s Tiffany except the she uses her sexuality to lash out at the world. Happily her friendship with Pat helps her to focus on life (primarily via dance). Lawrence gives a mature performance that builds on her fine work in WINTER’S BONE. She’s forging quite a career.

The two are backed by a superlative supporting cast bringing this story to vivid life. Oritz scores big laughs as the hen-pecked Ronnie who ‘s always there for his pal. Another pal who garners big laughs is Chris Tucker in a small role as Pat’s group therapy buddy, Danny. He pops up only a few times, but is a very welcome brief comic relief (without resorting to his usual high-pitched shrieking). Weaver is terrific as the polar opposite of her ANIMAL KINGDOM maternal monster. The real stand-out (and a bit of a surprise) is DeNiro in a sympathetic restrained performance as Pat Senior. He truly loves his son and somewhaow believes his son’s problems are a result of his neglect. He desperately wants to connect and bond before it’s too late. Despite his effort he can’t seem to mend his family. Much of his recent work has seemed so much like parody versions of previous roles but his subtle, quiet work here is refreshing. A scene between senior and junior as the elder admits his parental failings is a heartbreaker that should reward him with another Oscar nod.

Russell makes wonderful use of the suburban settings and keeps the story moving at a nice even pace. No showy camera tricks or stylistic flourishes detract from the moving, compelling script and nuanced performances. SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK is an engaging look at two lost souls that more than desire to find that ‘silver lining’.

4.5 Out of 5

FAT, BALD, SHORT MAN – SLIFF Review

The film’s title pretty much sums up the world’s view of poor Antonio. Oh yeah, he’s pretty shy and constantly abused, too. He’s the butt of the office bully’s constant jabs at the little notary office where he works. His neer-do well brother Nardo only calls him to ask for money (and gets furious when reminded of past loans). Even the waiter at his lunch-time restaurant ignores him. Something’s got to change. And, surprisingly, things do change. He gets a new boss who looks remarkably similar (they’re constantly posing for photos together). And it turns out that the support group for shy people he reluctantly joined may just bring him out of his shell. Antonio’s story is told using new animation techniques in this Columbian feature-length film. Live action footage of the actors are traced in the computer and turned into squiggly-lined (the line weight is constantly changing) cartoon characters (a technique used for the recent films WAKING LIFE and A SCANNER DARKLY). Their look is simplified with only a few lines to delineate facial features (eyes, noses,etc.) with solid bright colors. The characters movie against photos and footage of real places (some that include blurry real folks). The  unique animation style helps bring out the humor and pathos of this story of a modern-day Latin MARTY.

FAT, BALD, SHORT MAN screens as part of the 21st Annual Whitaker Saint Louis International Film Festival on Monday, November 12 at 4:30 PM at the Plaza Frontenac Cinemas

WRINKLES – SLIFF Review

Silver screen icon Bette Davis is generally credited with this adage, “Old age isn’t for sissies.”. This is well illustrated in the Spanish feature-length animated film WRINKLES based on Paco Roica’s award-winning graphic novel. The prime focus of this tale is Emilio, an elderly widower (and former bank manager) residing with his son’s family until he becomes too difficult (tossing his soup seems to be their breaking point). The son and his wife drop him off to live in a cold, sparsely furnished old age home. There the stiff, buttoned-down Emilio is assigned to share a room with the gregarious conman Miguel (“I’ll take care of that for ten Euros!’). As they tour the facility, the men walk near the stairwell and hear the howls emanating from the dreaded second floor. Miguel explains that this is where those with extreme dementia and Alzheimer’s’ Disease reside. As the year slowly passes, Emilio begins to deteriorate physically and mentally as Miguel tries to figure out a way to hide his pal’s condition from the supervising doctor and the staff. The stories of neglect and loneliness are balanced out by some of the home’s eccentric residents and Miguel’s rebel spirit. The animation is put to good use in flashback sequences involving Emilio as a child and a young father and also with several of the residents (we see how one couple met as young children). We also get to go inside some of their fantasies (one lady sees alien kidnappers everywhere while another believes she’s an elegant passenger on the Orient Express). The style of animation is close to the old school, hand-drawn cell animation (I was reminded of the excellent Batman TV cartoons of the 1990’s) as opposed to Pixar-type CGI. This is an expertly told tale that will have you reflecting on how to care for your own family, and what will happen if you need some help yourself when you enter the “golden years”. This film proves that animation can tackle the most challenging subject matter.

WRINKLES screens as part of the 21st Annual Whitaker Saint Louis International Film Festival on Sunday, November 11 at 4 PM and Monday, November 12 at 9 PM at the Plaza Frontenac Cinemas

HELLO I MUST BE GOING – The Review

1994’s HEAVENLY CREATURES turned out to be the little flick that launched some big careers (along with helping turn New Zealand into a movie making mecca), This docudrama pushed director Peter Jackson out into the big studios and all the way to Middle Earth (with several Academy Awards along the way). Another CREATURES alum to go home with gold in a few years was Kate Winslet (with a stop on that doomed boat trip that became the second biggest box office hit of all time). And what about poor, young murderess Pauline? I’m speaking of the talented actress that shared the screen with Ms. W. Well, Melanie Lynskey has racked up a lot of screen time ( big and small screen ) since then. Many may know her as Charlie Harper’s stalker-ex in the TV sitcom smash “Two and a Half Men”. She’s also had some great supporting roles in several critically praised films like UP IN THE AIR, THE INFORMANT!, and the recent gem THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER. But she’s not had her date with Oscar…yet. But that may soon happen thanks to her wonderful work in HELLO I MUST BE GOING. And this is not a supporting role, not someone’s gal or pal. Ms. L is the lead here and carries this quirky comedy/ drama superbly.

Lynskey plays Amy Minsky, a woman who’s been knocked for a loop by her cheating husband. We meet her several months after a divorce and she is in quite a funk (to put it mildly). This thirty-something has moved back to her Connecticut family home, much to the consternation of her mother, Ruth (Blythe Danner) and soon-to-retire father Stan (John Rubinstein). Amy sleeps till noon and mopes about the rest of the day while wearing the same shorts and ratty red T-shirt. Ruth nags her to straighten up. Seems they’re going to have a big client over for Dinner (if Stan lands his account then he and Ruth can take that ” Gallivanting the Globe ” tour!). The big night arrives and the client, his wife, and 19-year-old actor son, Jeremy (Christopher Abbott) sit down for a meal. The conversation upsets Amy and she retreats to another room. Presently Jeremy enters this room and plants a passionate kiss on  the very surprised more-than-a-decade -older lady. Soon the two are sneaking out to indulge in passionate carnal encounters. Amy finally feels alive again. But is this a rebound fling or the real deal? Is she finally ready to move forward with her life?

After a few early scenes of Amy floundering at home ( he seems to move about in a thick fog), the film kicks in to be become a gentle comedy and an uplifting ” starting over ” fable. Lynskey’s a real charmer as she finally starts to stand-up for herself (and grow-up somewhat). Her scenes of rekindled passion are heart-warming and very funny (sneaking around like a teen after curfew, throwing pebbles at bedroom windows). Abbott’s very appealing as the sensitive, determined young lover (he’s going to crash through every age-barrier she throws at him). He’s at a crossroads also. After over a decade of acting, he may have lost the passion. Rubinstein is a delightful actor mostly known for his extensive TV works. His sympathetic Stan is a tender-hearted Poppa who still adores his little girl, but is at a loss trying to ease her pain. On the opposite end of the parenting spectrum is Danner’s Ruth. She’s sick and tired of the returned prodigal (darn this reverse empty nest !) and Mom’s dishing up a big helping of really tough love. But she’s not just playing a cranky spin on her feisty senior from the MEET THE PARENTS series or THE LUCKY ONE. Ruth’s had her share of crushed dreams that we learn of after she finally explodes at Amy. Kudos to Sarah Koskoff for a delightful script that never feels forced and to actor turned director Todd Louiso for guiding this talented cast and never letting the laughs get in the way of this story of ‘do-overs’. Oh, and if you’re wondering, those funny comedy brothers do indeed make an appearance. HELLO I MUST BE GOING is sweet romance that gives a terrific actress a chance to truly shine. To quote another song from ANIMAL CRACKERS, ” Hooray for Melanie Lynskey! “.

4 Out of 5 Stars

HELLO I MUST BE GOING screens exclusively in the St. Louis area at Landmark’s Tivoli Theatre

THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER – The Review

Time to hit the young adult section of the bookstore ( yeah, there’s a few left ) for cinematic source material. Now, there’s no sparkly, hunky vamps or arrow-shooting young heroines in this flick. It might be considered a ” coming of age ” tale or a high school set journey. Some reviewers are comparing it to the John Hughes teen opus THE BREAKFAST CLUB, but I think it may be closer in spirit to the lesser known MY BODYGUARD in its pain and sweetness. But what really surprised me were the many laughs in Stephen Chbosky’s THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER. Yup, like real life high school there’s a lot of comedy mixed in with the angst. And there’s several  memorable characters portrayed by a very gifted acting ensemble.

The main wallflower of the title is Charlie ( Logan Lerman ). He’s missed a year of school due to a mysterious hospital stay, and now he’s ready to begin his freshman year of high school. He’s quiet, shy and immediately a target for the bullying upperclassmen. Things look incredibly bleak ( he counts off the days, like a convict awaiting parole ) until he encounters the funny, flamboyant senior Patrick ( Ezra Miller ) in his shop class ( Patrick has had to re-take the course in order to graduate ). At the Friday night football game Charlie encounters Patrick again. The sympathetic senior introduces him to his same-age stepsister Sam ( Emma Watson ). The sibs invite Charlie to join their circle of friends ( Sam refers to them as the ” misfit toys ” ) that includes Buddhist / punk-rocker Mary Elizabeth ( Mae Whitman ). Over the next nine months the friends party, share secrets ( and mix cassettes ), perform at weekend midnight THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW screenings, and try to move past painful memories. As graduation day looms closer, Charlie’s attraction to Sam causes him to confront a dark secret that his mind has blocked off.

Sounds pretty heavy, doesn’t it? Well, yeah some of the script is really dark. But this talented cast is so engaging that you’ll be drawn into their troubles and triumphs. Lerman has the less showy role of the film’s anchor, but he commands the screen with a quiet intensity. You hope that his new friends will bring him out of his shell. When this finally happens, Lerman deliver’s some of the film’s best lines. Now the showy role belongs to Miller as the out, proud, and very loud Patrick. This is a big switch from his evil, repellant title character in WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN. The world around is his stage ( until he can don those fishnets at the local art cine’ every weekend ). But when Patrick can be himself with his closest pals he shares his heartbreak.  Seems he can only be with his love in the shadows, hidden away from the world. Miller makes this motor-mouthed class cut-up  a tragic, romantic hero. And then there’s his sis Sam. A lot of media attention has focused on what Ms.Watson will do now that she’s left the familiar grounds of Hogwarts. We got to see her last year in a small supporting role in MY WEEK WITH MARILYN, but this is a big starring role and she’s ( dare I say it? ) magical. When Charlie sees Sam for the first time, she’s almost an ethereal goddess ( particularly as she lets the wind caress her as they drive through a tunnel at night ). Getting to know her, Charlie discovers her troubled past as she continues to make poor romantic choices ( currently it’s condescending college dudes ). The damaged duo’s halting steps toward romance are the film’s beating heart. And she nails the Yank accent. Watson’s going to have a great post-Potter career. There’s a great supporting cast led by Whitman as the boisterous, strong-willed Mary Elizabeth. And there are non-high school actors involved. Three current TV stars play Charlie’s Mom, Dad, and big sister, and there’s a some familiar screen faces as a favorite Aunt, a sympathetic doctor, and an encouraging English teacher. I won’t reveal their names so that you might be as pleasantly surprised as I was ( oh, and a true behind-the-scenes film artist appears as a gruff instructor-very cool! ). They’re all great, but Chbosky ( directing his screenplay based on his novel ) wisely puts the focus on this terrific trio. He captures the exhiliration of the weekend away from class and the alternating thrill and trepidation over the future out in the big world. The setting may be early 1990’s Pittsburgh ( took me a bit to realize the era, what with those audio cassettes and cordless phones ), but its themes really are universal and timeless.You’ll find that watching THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER is truly one of the perks of being a filmgoer.

4.5 Out of 5