Review – Page 190 – We Are Movie Geeks

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: OUT OF THE SHADOWS – Review

The “heroes in a half-shell” have repeatedly been reintroduced for almost three decades. Even for fans, it’s hard to keep track of all the different comic series, movies, cartoons, live-action shows, and action figure lines. Michael Bay and his team clearly noticed the success of the Nickelodeon cartoon that began in 2012 (and continues to be amazing) and seemed to think that they could carry over that popularity into a new live-action film series. And so the turtles were born again for the big-screen two years ago. TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES (2014) introduced us to the next incarnation of our favorite crime-fighting turtle team, even if we didn’t exactly spend as much time with the brothers as we do with the bodacious brunette April O’Neil (that’s at least how Michelangelo would describe her). Never did we really just get a scene with the brothers outside of April’s involvement or one not through her eyes. Director Jonathan Liebesman and the writing team seemed content in having her be our tour guide to the sewers.

Such is not the case this time around. As the title suggests, this time around the turtles are out of the shadows and front and center in all their obnoxiously ugly glory (more on that later). After April O’Neil (Megan Fox) discovers that brainy scientist Baxter Stockman (Tyler Perry) is working with the “Foot” gang to break loose the evil mastermind Shredder, the turtles head out to stop the jailbreak and find out what Stockman’s intent really is. The turtle plan hits a major roadblock when Shredder disappears to another dimension with the help of Stockman’s technology, causing the evil leader to join forces with an alien who goes by the name of Krang. It’s now a race against time as the brothers have to work together to stop Shredder and his new mutant goons, Bebop (human warthog hybrid) and Rocksteady (human rhino hybrid), from collecting the parts to unleash a bigger portal for Krang and the Technodrome to enter our dimension and destroy the planet.

If that all sounds really silly, then it’s because it is. But that’s also kind of the point. This time around there is no question that this crime-fighting adventure is made for kids. The first film struggled tonally with who to appeal to. Was it made for older fans, teenagers, or giggling kids? As a result, it suffered from trying to be too much and feeling disjointed. This one is definitely for kids. If it wasn’t for a few foul words from Casey Jones (Stephen Amell) at the beginning and an over the top sexy schoolgirl scene with Megan Fox, I would say it’s like a Saturday morning cartoon complete with fart jokes and nose-picking. And that’s not a bad thing! Older fans, like myself, who grew up with the late 80s cartoon know that that is how many fans remember the turtles. Sure, the black and white original comic was meant to be gritty and absurd – it doesn’t take much to see the inanity of four giant animals that are known as slow and lethargic creatures acting like butt-kicking ninjas. But that’s the joy of this universe. A ridiculous concept is made better because at the core of the story is a family drama of four brothers who are trying to get along with each other and with the outside world.

OUT OF THE SHADOWS has its heart in the right place. It focuses on their bickering and comradery even through all the CGI and visual clutter. They act and feel like they grew up together, constantly riffing off each other and goofing off like teenagers do. The prior film did a great job establishing the characterizations just right. There is no mistaking Raphael from Donatello and so on (if you need a quick reminder, the intro has their names across the screen as they appear complete with unnecessary taglines for each). Through thick and thin these four fighters are brothers, and in the end, the idea of companionship and working together as a family rings true.

Although they feel like the characters we know and love, they still sport the overdesigned ugliness from the first film. This aesthetic applies not just to the characters, but to their world in general. Every shot is filled with gaudy detail and blinding neon color, to the point that you walk away exhausted after the film because your brain has to process so much overbearing visual noise. Decked out in too many bells and whistles, the turtles bounce around busy CGI environments like pinballs, while lights flash and lens flares create an eyeball-melting 90s rave light show.

In the eyes of director Dave Green (EARTH TO ECHO) – new to the series following Jonathan Liebesman’s departure – the heroes and villains can both be lovable. It’s not a matter of good vs. evil as most of these types of films tend to be. TMNT: OUT OF THE SHADOWS can show that you can root, laugh, and cheer for both. Seeing Bebop and Rocksteady chase Casey Jones isn’t thrilling so much as it’s meant to feel like just goofy fun. Nothing is at stake. No harm is felt, nor blood ever spilled. This is more or less a cartoon, pure and simple. Depending on your mood or level of fandom, you might be able to look past the glossy mess on the surface and find charm in the innocent nonsense.

Overall rating: 2.5 out of 5

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: OUT OF THE SHADOWS is now playing in theaters everywhere

IT’S SO EASY AND OTHER LIES – Review

Review by Stephen Tronicek

Christopher Duddy’s IT’S SO EASY AND OTHER LIES feels long at 84 minutes, but that’s not a criticism. All that means is the movie, which is about the life of the Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan has it’s tone in the right place. It’s a film about a lifetime, and the dynamism of the tone allows the film to feel like an intimate epic.

It helps that the time period covered here is absolutely fascinating. The earlier moments of the film take place in Seattle at the beginning of the punk band scene. The energy that is generated by Duff and the other subjects of the documentary is potent, and exhilarating. There’s an earnestness to listening to Duff talk like you’re talking to an old friend as he pulls artifacts of days past out of a box. . The description of creating a stage out of wood and plastic milk crates at the age of 15 brings a longing nostalgia that runs through of many great films, such as Almost Famous and most recently Sing Street. The creation of Guns N’ Roses is depicted in much the same way. The palpable excitement of the time period shines through here beautifully.

Soon, though the film needs to come back to focus on it’s main subject, Duff McKagan. The film shows McKagan’s fight against alcoholism, and drugs. McKagan has been on an undeniably difficult journey. even if his exploits seem to be a little cliched for the genre of the music documentary. Then again those cliches have to come from somewhere. It’s a compelling and very uplifting story, but it seems like something that’s been made before. That doesn’t really break the engagement of the story here though. Documentaries eliminate the sense of disbelief for the most part, and that allows the power of the stories told by them to make a startlingly clear impact. Duff is also a very expressive person to listen to, and the way he lights up when discussing the good days as well as the intensity he brings to the discussion of the bad ones creates a certain charisma for the film that undeniably works. The story of an idealistic rocker who gets wrapped up in drugs and alcohol only to return to a better way of life has been told before, but it’s special through the eyes of Duff and the interviewees.

All of that goes a long way for the documentary too. For as engaging as the subject matter of IT’S SO EASY AND OTHER LIES is the direction is marred by a flat aesthetic that the film never really escapes. There’s attempts at adding effects and animation to change up this feeling but much of it looks cheap. Cheap effects aren’t enough to break a story though. The idealistic beginnings of the piece are a great contrast to the heavier middle and ending acts, making the film feel tangible. That’s more than flat direction could ever bring down.

IT’S SO EASY AND OTHER LIES manages to give life to an old story, and it does that very well. Technically it’s not wildly ambitious, but the soulful interviews manage to make up for any problems that arise in that. Duff McKagan has lived a fascinating life and IT’S SO EASY AND OTHER LIES lets us go through it with him.

4 out of 5 Stars

XLrator Media will release IT’S SO EASY AND OTHER LIES in select theaters on June 3.

MLFF 2016 : MYRTLE BEACH – Review

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina has been a vacation destination for many over the years. Rather than focusing on the fantasy, directors Neil Rough and Michael Fuller want to tell a darker side to the fun-in-the-sun playground with their Mammoth Lakes Film Festival selected documentary, MYRTLE BEACH.

MYRTLE BEACH follows the lives of several residents living their lives in, mostly, solitude around the hustle and bustle of the tourist city. The filmmakers jump back and fourth amongst their all male subjects to weave together the common threads of loneliness, mental illness, and troubled pasts.

https://vimeo.com/149213335

We don’t really get to know them by their names, although a few do mention them. Instead, the filmmakers start by showing the characteristics of each individuals personality, and then slowly unravel the yarn to show the parallels of their lives.

The most important thing to take from this film is that mental illness is real, and it is incredibly isolating. None of these men speak of a family, other than in the past tense, and they show no signs of having friendships, other than a few with animals. The men all seem to have a common thread of spirituality, and lack of fear of death. The one man that does not speak of religion instead speaks of conspiracy theories and higher powers, which still ties into the spirituality that these men found amongst their mental and emotional pain. They all also seem to think that whatever they are doing in life, the goal is to do the right thing. They truly think that they are impacting society in a positive way… and you know what? Who’s to say that they aren’t?

The film is raw, and I get the impression that the filmmakers weren’t trying to paint their subjects in a negative light by picking the most eccentric of clips. They took care with the handling of this story, and I really respect them for that. Instead, the film reminds me a bit of the film GUMMO. There is definitely a correlation to income levels, economics, and general location that come into play. None of these men are well off. Instead, they all live in the solitude of a 72.3% white city where the average male median income is just under $27,000. It shows, since all but one of the men live in small apartments with no frills, or on the streets.

My only complaint about the film, and it’s a minor one, is that the narrative threads don’t start to come together until much later and the film, leaving the audience in the dark. The focus of MYRTLE BEACH is to show a real look at mental illness, and the filmmakers achieve that. After all, the audience is merely there to listen.

You can check out MYRTLE BEACH on their Facebook or Website.

MLFF 2016 : MAD – Review

The 2nd Annual Mammoth Lakes Film Festival is happening right now in beautiful Mammoth Lakes California, and their programming, yet again, is nothing short of spectacular (thanks to Festival Director Shira Dubrovner and Director of Programming Paul Sbrizzi).

One of the more powerful films that I have seen thus far is the feature film by director/writer Robert G. Putka, MAD. In this tragicomedy, daughters Connie (Jennifer Lafleur) and Casey (Eilis Cahill) are trying to navigate their own lives and relationships while also dealing with their mother, Mel’s (Maryann Plunkett) nervous breakdown after her recent divorce, on top of her bi-polar disorder. Mel finds herself abandoned in a psych ward after her daughters decide they would rather not deal with her, and is now faced with navigating through her mental health. Meanwhile, perfect daughter Connie and ‘fuck up’ Casey can’t seem to find a common thread other than verbally ripping each other’s throats out. The film is a hard hitting look at a family trying to cope with this thing called life.

https://vimeo.com/150977962

Putka uses crass, biting humor, to help navigate the intense pain that the characters go through, taking the audience on an emotional rollercoaster ride. Think ‘if Judd Apatow were to have written and directed REQUIEM FOR A DREAM.’ Almost every emotion is felt while watching MAD. Joy, fear, anger, desperation, loneliness, the search for oneself, humor, shock… For those of us that didn’t grow up under the warm rooftop of a 1950’s Cleaver type household, this film is incredibly relatable. You don’t have to be going through remotely the same circumstances as the three main characters to find some level of comradery.

The three main actors in this film are nothing short of incredible, with an impressive amount of credits under their sleeves. The chemistry between the three is nothing short of amazing. Adding an extra dose of humor and drama is Mark Reeb, who plays Jerry, a fellow patient at the psych ward with Mel. The director mentioned in a Q&A after the film (via speakerphone) that Reeb was dying to play the part, and that most of his lines were improvised. What we end up with is a passionate actor with the ability to let loose, and give a hilarious, emotional performance.

There is definitely a ‘The Taming of the Shrew’ element to the characters of Connie and Casey. Connie is the put together, sophisticated beauty with a perfect family, while Casey is struggling with finding her path in adulthood. Looks can be deceiving. This type of twist, when pulled off correctly, is one of my favorite scenarios to watch unfold on screen. It’s a very ‘don’t judge a book by it’s cover’ thread that never ceases to be relevant.

MAD is currently making it’s way around the festival circuit. To keep up with the film check out their Facebook, or their website.

THE LOBSTER – Review

Yorgos Lanthimos doesn’t make easily digestible films. His films aren’t meant to be sweet little treats or light popcorn fare for a date night. The Greek arthouse director aims more for the mind than the stomach. Films like ALPS and DOGTOOTH placed Yorgos Lanthimos on the radar of many for his sheer audacity to examine elements of the human experience in absurd and unusual ways. Whether he’s examining the mental effects of death and loss or social constructs surrounding family and education, Yorgos Lanthimos is an anthropologist with a passion for telling stories.

As you can expect, THE LOBSTER continues his study of cultural norms. Even though it’s his English language debut and he’s now working with Hollywood actors, Lanthimos shows no signs of watering down his approach. Colin Farrell plays a recently single man named David. Accompanied by his brother, David enters The Hotel and has 45 days to find a suitable companion to live the rest of his days. If after 45 days David does not find a partner, then he is turned into an animal of his choosing and sent out into the wild. This might now be a good time to explain that David’s brother is actually a dog.

Although it comes across as a dystopian future, the world in which the film takes place doesn’t seem out of this world. Considering how many commercials I see on TV for Match.com and Okcupid.com and other dating sites, there’s clearly a trend to move singles into a “happier” more “acceptable” way of life. This future doesn’t seem that far off. THE LOBSTER is ultimately a dark comedy that cuts into the center of society’s need for companionship. As evident by the simply named Hotel in the simply named City, this world is one that’s not meant to have unique characteristics or any form of imagination. In one forced relationship in The Hotel, “The Limping Man” (Ben Whishaw) continuously forces his nose to bleed on his dates with another woman he likes because she suffers from random nose-bleeds. It’s this look at how individuals connect with one another on a superficial level that makes THE LOBSTER a searing critique of our desire to find a mate akin to our “public self.”

The first half of the film takes place entirely in The Hotel. Lanthimos injects a large amount of absurdist humor into these scenes at the cost of his emotionless and lifeless characters. Colin Farrell doesn’t break a smile even once as he interacts with the other guests – one of which is John C. Reilly, continuing his sad sack streak on film, but this time turning it up even more with an unfortunate speech impediment. It isn’t until the second half of the film where we’re introduced to another group of outsiders living on the run outside The City that we see that Lanthimos is not just critiquing the antiquated civilians, but also the rebellious fringe communities. A scene where he describes the music the outsiders listen to and how they dance practically made me howl with laughter.

THE LOBSTER shows that expectations and norms are put in place in every society. Any time a group of individuals with specific characteristics come together, regardless if the intentions are good or not, they eventually melt into one entity – what once made them unique becomes commonplace. This is evident even in the outsider group. It’s the second half of the film that will test audiences the most. Humor is replaced more with heart, while still maintaining Lanthimos’ extra dry approach. Even though the tone is consistent with his other films, the air in THE LOBSTER is unchanged from start to finish and becomes a bit stifling. Its dreary tone becomes a little repetitious after two hours.

By the end of THE LOBSTER you will appreciate the special relationships you have in your life; the relationships that can’t be classified; the little quirks you share with someone that only the two of you know about; the loving memories that can only be gained through real experiences. You can’t simply explain the complexities of a relationship through a couple of shared traits. THE LOBSTER as a film is similar in this way – it’s hard to explain its complexities in a few paragraphs. There are rich ideas at work that aren’t necessarily easy to embrace. It’ll take some time for me to fully accept it all, but it’s a relationship that I’m willing to take some time with and develop over the years.

Overall rating: 4 out of 5

THE LOBSTER is now playing in select cities

LOVE & FRIENDSHIP – Review

Film comedies packed witty, biting humor and whip-smart dialog are pretty rare these days. So LOVE & FRIENDSHIP, director Whit Stillman’s screen adaptation of Jane Austen’s lesser-known early short novel “Lady Susan,” is particularly welcome. With Kate Beckinsale shinning in the lead role as clever, ruthless Lady Susan, the witty comedy is even more delicious.

LOVE & FRIENDSHIP is pure fun, a brilliant comedy filled with laugh-out-loud moments and terrific ensemble performances by a largely British cast, making it entertaining even for those who are not big fans of Jane Austen or costume films.

Unlike other more familiar Austen works, LOVE & FRIENDSHIP is more comedy than romance, although there is some of that too. The story might be described as a comedy of manners but that label makes this very funny film sound more tame than it really is. The story is set in the 1790s, a little earlier than most Austen stories, and focuses on the mother more than the daughter, as Austen usually does.

Writer/director Whit Stillman (“The Last Days of Disco”) crafts Austen’s work into a sharp, zinger-filled, twisty romp, a far funnier, smarter comedy and a refreshing change from the typical comedies in theaters now.

Kate Beckinsale turns in one of her sharpest, funniest performances as Lady Susan. Since her husband’s death left her with a daughter and a noble title but insufficient funds, she has stayed with a string of better-off relatives. Sharp-witted Susan has a well-deserved reputation as an accomplished flirt and a woman who can wrap a man around her finger. Now that her daughter Frederica (Morfydd Clark) has reached a marriageable age, Lady Susan is determined to find her a rich husband, and one for herself as well.

That is the plan when a touch of scandal, involving Susan’s married lover, the handsome Lord Manwaring (Lochlann O’Mearain), brings her to the quiet country estate, Churchill, of her late husband’s brother., where she hopes to hide out while gossip dies down. Charles Vernon (Justin Edwards) welcomes his sister-in-law but his wife Catherine DeCourcy Vernon (Emma Greenwell), who has never met her before, is more leery, as Lady Susan’s fearsome reputation for twisting circumstances to her advantage, particularly with men, precedes her.

Susan has her eye on Reginald DeCourcy (Xavier Samuel), the handsome bachelor brother of her hostess. Catherine regards that possibility with suspicion and alarm, as do her parents, Lady DeCourcy (Jemma Redgrave) and Sir Reginald DeCourcy (James Fleet). Her husband Charles has a more kindly view of his brother’s widow.

Susan arrives at the estate with a friend, Mrs. Cross (Kelley Campbell), who assists her like a combination companion, lady’s maid and seamstress, although as she tells her hostess, it would be “offensive to us both” if she paid her. However, Susan’s romantic plans are complicated when her daughter Frederica also arrives, tearfully fleeing the attentions of Sir James Martin (Tom Bennett), the always-sunny but dull-witted wealthy aristocrat that her mother had selected as a suitable husband for her daughter. The very silly Sir James soon arrives as well, uninvited, and becomes another house guest.

Susan confides her frustration and plots to her close friend Alicia Johnson (Chloe Sevigny), an American married to an English aristocrat, the “very respectable” Mr. Johnson (Stephen Fry). Their conversations allows us to see inside Susan’s Machiavellian plans. To make things a big more complicated, Mr. Johnson’s former ward is Lady Lucy Manwaring (Jenn Murray), the jealous, hysterical rich wife of Susan’s lover.

It may seem like a lot of characters to keep track of but Stillman’s well-crafted script and firm directorial hand keeping things running smoothly and makes keeping everyone straight easy. Of course, no one does this kind of story as well as Austen.

Unsurprisingly, the period costumes are gorgeous and perfect, and sets and locations are lush and lovely, as is the polished photography. The gracious beauty of the clothes and locations deliciously contrasts with the ruthless social maneuvering taking place, part of the humor.

Few complications are beyond Susan’s powers to turn to her advantage, although plots may not turn out exactly as planned. Beckinsale’s fast-talking Susan is a force of nature, who both lights up and transforms every room she enters, but really the whole cast is a dream, nailing each character perfectly so that the whole plot unfolds in hilarious precision. Sevigny is particularly good as Susan’s confident, whose husband is alarmed by her wife’s friendship and threatens the unthinkable – leaving London for the wilds of Connecticut. Greenwell is very good as Catherine, appalled and intimidated by the relentless Susan. Samuel is also excellent as Reginald, who falls under Susan’s charms, and expresses the best shock at Sir James’ jaw-dropping witlessness. Bennett is wonderfully funny as the always happy, clueless Sir James. The ensemble cast works great as a clockwork whole.

LOVE & FRIENDSHIP is just great fun, a fast-paced and brilliant gem that is sure to enchant Austen fans and non-fans alike.

LOVE & FRIENDSHIP opens in St. Louis on May 27th, 2016

OVERALL RATING: 5 OUT OF 5 STARS

X- MEN: APOCALYPSE – Review

The Uncanny X-Men – as they were once and sometimes called – have returned to show off their special abilities, remind us that being different is a gift not a curse, and of course, to save the world. However, the newest entry avoids the uncanny description even more by delivering a story that feels too normal or comfortable. Even for X-fans, this is a tedious page turner that’s rarely intriguing enough to make you want to see what happens in the next panel.

This time around the threat is one that feels all too familiar. In the opening prologue, a ritual in an Egyptian temple is performed to transform fresh-faced Oscar Isaac into the big blue baddie that the film is named after. But the transferring of powers or souls (or what have you) doesn’t go according to plan, burying the all-powerful mutant deep within the crumbling tomb and placing him in a coma-like state. In comes Moira (Rose Byre) from the previous installment X-MEN: FIRST CLASS to stumble upon the tomb centuries later in 1983. She witnesses his resurrection which in turns awakens something in our wheelchair bound professor (James McAvoy) to seek out the CIA agent to find out what she witnessed and knows. In the meantime, Xavier’s school begins to fill up with the classic characters like Cyclops (the emotionless and stilted Tye Sheridan), Jean Grey (Sophie Turner faring slightly better), and Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee trying his best to not look like he’s about to cry at any moment). As school gets back into session, Apocalypse goes on a quest to pick out his own army consisting of Storm (Alexandra Shipp – the only newcomer of the bunch that makes an impact), Psyclocke (Olivia Munn), Angel (Ben Hardy), and the real hero and heart of this trilogy of films, Magneto (Michael Fassbender). And guess what? He and his army want to destroy the world.

The script gets heavily bogged down by introducing so many of these new characters, and then is made worse by a by-the-book villain motivation that fuels the plot. More so than Simon Kinberg’s previous script for X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST, the dialogue feels rote with the same comic book clichés we’ve heard in so many films before; rants about great power and warnings of letting go of anger. It would sound even more pedestrian if it wasn’t for the talented cast that sells it.

Fassbender and McAvoy have proven they can handle the great powers and great responsibility – Jennifer Lawrence, however, still seems like her energy and interest in the franchise changes scene to scene. Fassbender, in particular, makes his scenes in the first half of the film somewhat memorable through a side-story involving a wife and child. As is the case with the tortured character, things never end up well for Maggy and his anger is pushed to new limits, which leads him down a sullen and (dare I say) somewhat emotional path to Apocalypse. However, I guess director Bryan Singer felt the need for both him personally and the character to have a self-healing therapy session, as the destruction of a tragically historical location is completely destroyed in one of the most weirdly uncomfortable moments I’ve felt in a theater in a long, long while.

Who is new this time around and is given the most weight to bear is Oscar Isaac as the title villain. Given all the controversy over his look, voice, and size, I half-expected Singer to end up hiding him for most of the film to appease the fanboys ready with their torches and pitchforks. Nevertheless, Apocalypse is in the film quite a bit and never really shuts up. It’s the same sort of stuff we’ve heard from villains before about tearing down the old world to rebuild a new one, but Oscar Isaac at least doesn’t look or come across as silly like many have come to expect.

The main thing that holds back the film is the lack of intrigue. With X-MEN: FIRST CLASS, we were introduced to essentially new characters since they were younger versions of what we’ve seen before. And the cool swinging 60s vibe combined with the Cold War timeline added a nice dash of reality into the fantasy. With DAYS OF FUTURE PAST there is a sense of urgency with the film as it bounces back and forth between the future and the 70s. It also kept up on our toes as we watched Wolverine having to work with Magneto and others, not knowing if he can trust his accomplices. APOCALYPSE is missing a hook. Gone is the sense of intrigue. Aside from the new characters that you don’t really care as much about as the main ones, the only thing that we’re left to hang onto is the 80s setting and a villain who’s motivations we’ve seen before. Sure, hearing Eurhythmics is fun and cute, but the real life ideas and paranoia of the time are simply a quick mention on television as the story has to rush to introduce another character. “Here’s Psylocke! A character that looks really cool and speaks a total of five sentences!”

Subtlety and nuance are out the window in favor of broad strokes, all leading to a battle of the minds between the superheroes. With all the brainy talk about erasing the past for a brighter future, it feels almost ironic that so many fans (myself included) will be looking at the past films for relief as opposed to looking ahead at what the next films could offer. The new characters and costumes in X-MEN: APOCALYPSE may look as if they jumped right out of the comic panel, but new ideas are lost somewhere else in time.

OVERALL RATING: 2.5 out of 5

X-MEN: APOCALYPSE is now playing in theaters everywhere

WEINER – Review

It’s no surprise WEINER is such an entertaining documentary. How could an account of sleazy ex-congressman Anthony Weiner’s failed NYC Mayoral 2013 bid be anything but awesome? Weiner was a colorful pol even before his unfortunate “habit” of texting photos of his genitals to college-age girls was exposed. Put a creep like that on camera 24/7 amidst an against-the-odds shot at returning to political fame, toss in a new sexting scandal, and you’re destined for one of the most gripping political freak-show chronicles ever, which is exactly what first time documentarians Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg have delivered.

Brooklyn native Anthony Weiner, an effective spokesman for liberal positions, served 12 years in Congress, and was once taken seriously as a candidate for higher office. Weiner is married to key Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin and was a popular guest on cable news. WEINER opens with footage of Weiner’s loud, firebrand debating style pre-scandal. In May of 2011 it’s discovered he was sexting pics of his junk to young girls he’d never met (while his wife was pregnant no less). He lied at first, claiming someone must have hacked into his twitter account, but he ultimately fessed up and in June of 2011, resigned his seat in disgrace. WEINER picks up two years later when he’s decided to throw his hat in the ring for the Democrat New York Mayoral primary. This is when filmmakers Kriegman and Steinberg (who once worked for Weiner) are approached to follow the candidate around, resulting in this film. The pair were given extraordinary access to Weiner, who saw himself as the ‘Comeback Kid’ and wanted a record of his rebound to power. Things starts off well for the Weiner campaign. He finds plenty of enthusiastic young supporters to work as volunteers and soon the polling is going his way. But chaos reigns when another sex scandal emerges. Under the name ‘Carlos Danger’, Weiner had found a new cybersex-paramour in the form of Sydney Leathers (her real name!). He again tried to spin his latest transgression, but it soon becomes clear to everyone, except for perhaps Weiner himself, that he is well and truly finished in public life. Wife Huma is increasingly grim and withdrawn as she too watches her dreams go up in smoke. His election night party is a bleak affair (Weiner received less than 5% of the vote). Not only did Huma not bother showing up, the buxom and slightly bucktoothed Sydney Leathers (at the behest of Howard Stern) did. Weiner’s’ handlers do all they can to avoid a confrontation with Miss Leathers and her tight dress, even dragging the candidate through the back of a McDonalds to dodge her. It’s a surreal moment, and I’m sure a far cry from the triumphant reception that Weiner must have had in mind just weeks earlier.

Kriegman and Steinberg’s seemingly limitless access to Weiner makes WEINER one of the best political documentaries I’ve seen. Though Weiner comes off looking terrible, the film is not a hit piece in that I’m sure the filmmakers were on Team Weiner when the project started, and even they seem shocked at these humiliating moments that they have chronicled. Weiner seems to think he’ll survive this sex scandal like his wife’s boss’s husband did, but while Bill Clinton had charm and charisma, Weiner comes off as abrasive, deluded, and thin-skinned. When Weiner is asked on Lawrence O’Donnell’s MSNBC show “What is wrong with you?”, he smirks and laughs like he has the upper hand. The filmmakers weave in just the right amount of tabloid headlines and archival TV footage with John Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Conan O’Brian, etc. cracking the expected penis jokes and punny euphemisms. Funniest is Jane Lynch and Bill Maher breathy recitation of ‘Carlos Danger’ and Miss Leather’s sexts on a late-night show. The most jaw-dropping scene is when we see Weiner rehearsing how “profoundly sorry” he is, testing a series of ‘serious’ voices. It’s a nauseating look at just how inauthentic his remorse actually is and a great example of why so many Americans hate politicians.. That he let them film that shows an astonishing lack of self-awareness. You wonder why Weiner doesn’t shut the filming down or at least ask the filmmakers to turn the cameras off during scenes like this. Perhaps his hubris extended even to the idea of this documentary. Hey, why not let the audience watch while he tries to find just the right tone for an apology? Weiner’s got nothing to hide anymore. Escaping this tawdry episode with dignity intact is Sydney Leathers. She has since parlayed her 15 minutes of fame into a lucrative career in hardcore pornography that includes a XXX video titled ‘Weiner and Me’. I’m sure her parents are proud.

5 of 5 Stars

WEINER opens in St. Louis May 27th exclusively at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Theater

NEIGHBORS 2: SORORITY RISING – Review

College comedies are back in session this spring. Richard Linklater previously gave us baseball buds just hanging out with EVERYBODY WANTS SOME!!, and now Nicholas Stoller and Seth Rogen return with their take on avoiding higher education in lieu of high times with NEIGHBORS 2: SORORITY RISING.

Comedy sequels aren’t known for subverting stereotypes. Most are content with delivering 90 minutes of cheap laughs that play off the same theme as its precursor. And so it’s admirable that Stoller has made a progressive sequel that tackles gender issues and shines a light on a double standard in the Greek system: a sorority is not allowed to throw parties inside their house. Fraternities can but sororities can’t. Crazy, right? It almost seems unheard of that this would exist in the year 2016, but it’s true – look it up. And so, this causes three freshmen girls who become aware of the cold hard truth to start their own. Sure, you could always attend parties at fraternity houses, but as the film illustrates and is bluntly described by one of the girls, those parties tend to be “rapey.”

As you can expect, this time around Mac (Seth Rogen) and Kelly (Rose Byrne) go to war with the new sorority next door, led by Shelby (Chloë Grace Moretz), Beth (Kiersey Clemons), and Nora (Beanie Feldstein). Initially, to get Kappa Nu off the ground, they employ the help of Teddy (Zac Efron), but when the tables are turned on him, Teddy joins sides with Mac and Kelly to bring the girls down.

It’s weird to think that a film titled NEIGHBORS 2: SORORITY RISING is a feminist movie… but, it kind of is. So much, in fact, that it sort of gets lost in the idea at times. It happily shows these women be strong and funny and stand up for what they believe in, but then falls back on female stereotypes also at times. So it wants to have its cake and eat it too, as is the case in the tailgate turned heist scene (snappily edited to make even Michael Mann smile). One minute the girls are shown as smart entrepreneurs selling “pot-pies,” but then the next minute they are easily distracted by Efron performing a MAGIC MIKE-inspired dance number. Showing the women suddenly dropping their responsibilities to slobber over the sight goes a little against the film’s message, but I also don’t blame the film for reaching for a cheap laugh after all the good it’s mainly doing.

Zac Efron has the ability to make an obnoxious character in theory, come across more as a lovable loser. Sure, his abs redefine the idea of a six-pack, but it’s Efron’s natural charm that shines more. He instills enough heart in the character of Teddy to make him more than just a dimwitted bro.

What’s interesting about the three freshman girls that lead this revolution for the woman’s right to party is that they aren’t necessarily caricatures. Most films would be quick to label these girls. This is the smart one; this is the funny one; this is the party girl. NEIGHBORS 2 avoids this by just showing three normal college girls. Moretz, Clemons, and Feldstein may not have defining characters, but as a result, they feel more natural than the stereotypes that made up the fraternity in the first film.

NEIGHBORS 2 may not be as laugh out loud funny as the last one, but Stoller and his team of five writers – yes five people had a hand in this – trade in dick jokes for a message. Although the first film may have gleefully worn its “bro-ness” like a badge of honor, the sequel mercilessly pokes large holes in the world of bro culture so that the women who are usually relegated to set decoration in this world can have their fair share of the spotlight.

OVERALL RATING: 3.5 out of 5

NEIGHBORS 2: SORORITY RISING is now playing in theaters everywhere

A BIGGER SPLASH – Review

A sunny Italian island, rockstar privilege and a long-standing personal animosity come together in A BIGGER SPLASH.

Tilda Swinton stars a rock-and-roll legend named Marianne, who hiding out on the Italian island of Pantelleria with her younger photographer husband Paul (Matthias Schoenaerts) while her voice heals from recent surgery. The couple’s quiet idyll is interrupted by the sudden arrival of Harry (Ralph Fiennes), Marianne’s former long-time producer and ex-lover, and his newly-discovered daughter Penelope (Dakota Johnson). Harry is a non-stop talker and life of the party, determined to bring back the good old rock-n-roll party days and a tsunami of nostalgia.

Ralph Fiennes is the lightning rod at the center of this taut, sexy psychological thriller. The film is directed by Luca Guadagnino, the Italian director best known for I AM LOVE, the visually lush art-house hit that explored love in the world of the very rich. The mostly-English language A BIGGER SPLASH has some nice photography but not the same intense visual beauty.

The story takes place on Pantelleria, a real-world favorite of celebrities such as Madonna as a hide-out. The island is famous for its rocky, sunny landscape, quaint little villages, pervasive snakes, and as a way station for illegal immigrants from Africa arriving by boat – all of which appear in this film. The film is a loose remake of a 1969 Italian-French thriller named “The Swimming Pool.”

Much of the story does take place around the couple’s pool, and water figures heavily in the story. Due to her surgery, Swinton’s character bares speaks but her presence is strong nonetheless and her character is the center of what unfolds. It is immediately clear the three have a long history together, and in fact, Harry had introduced his friend Paul to Marianne. A certain tension, from long history and how lives diverge over time, fills the air from the start.

Fiennes is electric as Harry, the character who fires up the film. Harry is a lot of fun but he is also exhausting and self-centered. While Marianne and Paul decide that the presence of the young Penelope means no more skinny-dipping in the pool, Harry boldly strips down and dives in bare. A high-energy character never stops talking, a man who is not only the life of the party but determined that everyone must join the party too – whether they want to our not. Fiennes embraces this role with relish, dancing with goofy abandon to old Rolling Stones tunes, strutting about in the nude and exhibiting a child-like enthusiasm as he indulges his nostalgic impulses.

Harry’s energy is entertaining but he is also exhausting and unable to dial it back, and Fiennes captures that sense brilliantly as well. In an early scenes, Harry drags his reluctant hosts, who have been keeping a low profile, to a restaurant, and then name-dropping Marianne’s name to get them a table, much to the irritation of Paul. The scene illustrates much about Harry’s essential character, and how his strong-willed presence disrupts the couple’s quiet, restful break.

Director Guadagnino does a masterful job of creating a dynamic sense of people who have known each other well for years – and have lingering issues between them. Fiennes, Swinton and Schoenaerts are all excellent, and Johnson also does well in the smaller role of the daughter, mostly an observer in the growing tensions. Although the film is primarily in English, the sensibility is entirely European, with tensions slowly building to an explosion at the end. The drama also offers a telling commentary on the privileges of fame.

While not the visual treat of I AM LOVE, this re-pair of star Tilda Swinton and director Luca Guadagnino delivers a taut commentary on relationships and the power of fame, and one striking performance from Ralph Fiennes.

A BIGGER SPLASH opens on May 20th, 2016

Category: Review

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MLFF 2016 : MYRTLE BEACH – Review

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THE LOBSTER – Review

LOVE & FRIENDSHIP – Review

OVERALL RATING: 5 OUT OF 5 STARS

X- MEN: APOCALYPSE – Review

WEINER – Review

NEIGHBORS 2: SORORITY RISING – Review

A BIGGER SPLASH – Review

OVERALL RATING: 4 OUT OF 5

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OVERALL RATING: 5 OUT OF 5 STARS

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OVERALL RATING: 4 OUT OF 5

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