The Hi-Pointe Theater (1005 McCausland Ave in St. Louis), the best place in St. Louis to see movies! The Hi-Pointe has the best popcorn, the biggest screen, and a great beer selection! No reservations required at The Hi-Pointe. Just show up! Wes Anderson’s THE FRENCH DISPATCH opens this Friday October 29th at The Hi-Pointe.There will be an advance screening October 28th at 7pm. The Hi-Pointe’s site can be found HERE
A love letter to journalists set in an outpost of an American newspaper in a fictional twentieth century French city that brings to life a collection of stories published in “The French Dispatch Magazine”.
THE FRENCH DISPATCH stars Benicio del Toro, Adrien Brody, Tilda Swinton, Léa Seydoux, Frances McDormand, Timothée Chalamet, Lyna Khoudri, Jeffrey Wright, Mathieu Amalric, Stephen Park, Bill Murray, and Owen Wilson
“Who’s going to believe a talking head? Get a job in a sideshow!”
It’s that time of the year again! SLASHFEST will be playing at The Skyview Drive-in in Belleville (5700 N Belt W, Belleville, IL 62226) this Weekend (October 29th and 30th. The box office will open at 6:00 every night. .
Here is the amazing schedule:
Screen 1 – Family Slashfest – Monster House PG 8:00 and Labyrinth PG 9:40
Screen 2 – Hardcore Slashfest – Wes Craven’s New Nightmare 8:00 and Pumpkinhead 10:00
At midnight, you can choose to watch Rocky Horror Picture Show on screen 1 or Reanimator on screen 2.
There are two reasons for you to come out early for for the weekend: “That Guy” Jeff Uhlemeier will be here to provide live music and Cosmic Comics will have a booth with all kinds of great stuff for you to look at and purchase. That’s why they will be opening at 6:00.
There are Ten reserved spots on screen 1 and five spots on screen 2 will be available on Monday, October 25th at 12:00 noon. To request a reserved spot, send an email to skyviewdrivein@att.net and tell them what night you want to come, which movie you want to see and whether you will be parking at an orange pole (vehicle taller than 5’3″) or a white one (vehicle 5’3″ or shorter)The box office will open at 6:00 every night. .
Martha Plimpton and Ann Dowd in MASS. Courtesy of Bleecker Street.
Is there anything harder for a parent than the loss of a child? That heartbreak is at the center of the drama MASS, in which one couple who suffered such a loss meets years later with the couple whose child was responsible for that loss. Jason Isaacs and Martha Plimpton play one of the two couples, Gail and Jay. who have agreed to meet with the other parents, Linda and Richard (Ann Dowd and Reed Birney). The meeting is to take place in around a table in a small room of an Episcopal church, in a town in a Western state. The meeting has been arranged by a therapist who has been working with Gail and Jay. It has the look of a “truth and reconciliation” meeting to help both couples get past what happened.
That is not giving away any more than is in the film’s trailer. Exactly what did happen, and even which son is the killer and which the victim, is not clear at the film’s start, a deliberate choice by first-time director, but long-time actor, Fran Kranz. The carefully written script, also by Kranz, slowly brings out details of the events, as the actors develop and reveal aspects of their characters, giving the drama much more suspense than if the film had laid all cards on the table to start. The therapist and the couples know the facts but the audience does not. The meeting of the two couples is tense, even wary, and a sense of anger and sorrow permeates the room.
Eventually it is revealed that the killing happened during a school shooting six years earlier. The four parents have dealt with the aftermath in differing ways, and one couple, Richard and Linda, have divorced, although they are still cordial to each other. Most of the drama takes place in the church meeting room with a lead-in sequence, in which the therapist inspects the room while a hovering church worker makes too many helpful suggestions, which serves to pique our curiosity.
Of course, it is hard to avoid the sense of a stage play with a drama set largely in a single room. What makes for searing drama on stage does not always translate to the big screen. But director Franz deals with this problem first by shifting angles and moving the characters about the space, but largely by revealing the information, about what happened and who these people are, in carefully paced bits. The drama also rests heavily on the skill of the cast, who exceed expectations as each slowly reveals their characters. Who they seem to be in the scene where they first meet changes over the course of the shifting drama, as new facts are revealed.
Martha Plimpton’s Gail is seething with barely suppressed anger even before the meeting, anger we glimpse in a scene with her and Jay before the two couples meet face-to-face in the church room. It looks at one point as if she will back out at the last minute, and the couple have an exchange about something she has come to say. By contrast, Ann Dowd’s Linda seems more open, even eager to reach out, offering Gail flower arrangement as a gift. It leads to the first of many awkward moments as Gail politely thanks her but does not reach out to accept them, a fore taste of the back-and-forth emotional dance to come.
The scene also illustrates the careful construction of each moment in the film and the skill of the performers. Eventually, the ice breaks and bit by bit, facts and feelings come out, as one side seeks to know if there were a hints that could have prevented what happened and the other struggles with the answers.
Richard seems the most wary and reserved at the beginning, speaking about agreed to contracts and seeking to avoid acknowledging anything or sharing details that could lead to legal action. By contrast, the more open Jay has devoted his life to activism on school shootings. As the meeting goes into deeper emotional depths, Richard’s surface gradually cracks a bit, exposing raw unspoken feelings, and Jay begins questioning what his work really has accomplished in the ensuing years. Questioning and self-doubt, admissions and denial all swirl through the charged atmosphere.
Outstanding performances are the key to MASS, which it has in abundant. All the actors are excellent but Ann Dowd is the standout. The discussions thoughtfully explore the variety of issues that have been raised by school shootings, such as debates over guns, violent video games, and the political aspects that have grow up around them. At the same time, these characters grapple with their own complex, sometimes conflicting emotions – anger, regret, guilt, grief – all of which are on both sides in some fashion, leading slowly towards forgiveness and acceptance.
The subject matter, and the film’s structure as a drama built around discussion, means there is a limit on the kind of audience MASS will draw. But the drama offers much, with its thoughtful, complex discussion of difficult subjects, its delving into human nature and the human heart, and its stellar, multi-layered performances. There are no easy answers and there are no uncomplicated people nor personal stories in MASS.
MASS opens Friday, Oct. 22, at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Cinema and other theaters.
“I’m just a sweet transvestite, from Transsexual Transylvania.”
9 Mile Garden, in partnerships with Irrational Roots and Rockwell Beer, will be hosting a Halloween themed pop-up event. The event will take place inside 9 Mile Garden’s Canteen on Friday, October 29th from 9:00 to midnight. Halloween enthusiasts will be able to experience pairings of Irrational Roots food with Rockwell Brewing’s local beers.
Irrational Roots, a pop-up with an upscale take on loaded fries (all of their dishes start with a base of golden brown crispy potatoes.) and Rockwell Brewing, a local St. Louis brewery, will be featuring killer beer and food pairings throughout the evening. Irrational Roots will be offering two food options, both paired with a delicious sample of Rockwell Beer.
The pairings options will consist of a sample of Passing Clouds Belgian-style wheat beer with a German Halloween inspired dish and Byrd Up, a dry-hopped rye pale ale with a take on a Mexican style dish.
“We are excited to be hosting these two awesome local favorites at The Canteen for a late-night pop-up,” says Brian Hardesty, managing partner of 9 Mile Garden. “This will be the perfect Halloween event for any beer, food or Rocky Horror Picture Show lover!”
The event will take on a Rocky Horror Picture Show theme. Halloween fanatics will be able to catch a feature of THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW starting at 9:30pm inside the Canteen and pop-up goers are encouraged to dress up, if they dare!
Entry into the pop-up event is free, with Irrational Roots food and Rockwell beer pairings available for purchase throughout the event. 9 Mile Garden’s Canteen will have both Rockwell beers available on draft and for purchase, along with their regular menu of beer, wine and cocktails.
About 9 Mile Garden
9 Mile Garden is a family-focused entertainment district and home to Missouri’s first food truck garden, featuring local food trucks, outdoor movies, live performances and community events. The park can be rented for private events such as weddings, corporate events, fundraisers, reunions and more. For more information, visit www.9milegarden.com and follow us on social media @9milegarden.
Benedict Cumberbatch as artist Louis Wain, in THE ELECTRICAL LIFE OF LOUIS WAIN. Courtesy of Amazon Studios.
Benedict Cumberbatch stars in a charming, bittersweet true story of an eccentric late-Victorian British artist whose whimsical drawings of cats was instrumental in popularizing them as pets. Based on the true story of British artist and would-be polymath Louis Wain, THE ELECTRICAL LIFE OF LOUIS WAIN sports a wonderful cast that includes Claire Foy, Toby Jones, Andrea Riseborough and narration by Olivia Colman (and therefore two of the Queens from TV’s “The Crown” although Colman is unseen). It delivers a sympathetic biopic about a unique, now nearly-forgotten artist who once charmed Victorian audiences with his playful, slightly tongue-in-cheek drawings of cats, and changed how people saw them.
Although there are plentiful cats and drawings of cats, director Will Sharpe’s biopic about a once-famous eccentric artist, the ups and downs of his life, and why cats meant so much to him, rather than about cats. Wain’s cat drawings were inspired by his love for his wife, who transformed his life, and the black-and-white kitten they found in their garden and named Peter. It is more about his love for his wife than cats, but he certainly changed how people saw cats, using his funny, playful cartoon drawings, and popularized them as house pets, not just useful animals in the yard or barn to control pests.
Anthropomorphic drawings like Wain’s cats were very popular in Victorian England and like Tenniel, the illustrator of “Alice in Wonderland” and others, Wain’s playful cat images often satirized or poked fun at human fashions or foibles. In Louis Wain’s early drawings, landscapes and animals are portrayed realistically but he becomes famous for his cartoon anthropomorphic cat drawings, which begin with a Christmas illustration assignment for the magazine. Wain’s cat drawings bring him fame but, with no head for business, not fortune, and he struggled throughout life despite his tireless work.
Since cats and the cat drawings for which Wain was famous are everywhere, cat haters are unlikely to find this film appealing. Which is rather sad because this bittersweet tale of talent, madness and transformative love has much to offer. For those who like cats, and have an affection for quirky artists, this film is the cat’s meow.
After opening with a brief framing device scene of Wain’s late life, the story really gets underway with Olivia Colman calmly narrating over frenetic, somewhat comic scenes of Louis Wain (Cumberbatch) rushing about London streets shortly after he became the primary financial support of his widowed mother and five younger sisters.
Louie (as he is called) rushes between his many interests – composing an opera, learning boxing, and experimenting with electricity (which becomes an enduring fascination) – with plenty of energy but without much practical focus. He also works as a free-lance illustrator for several magazines, providing realistic drawings of rural landscape and of animals, and also paints portraits of pet dogs as a side job. The understanding, patient editor (Toby Jones) of one of the magazines for which Wain works, the Illustrated London News, offers Louis a regular position at his magazine but Louis hesitates, worried he won’t have time for his many other interests.
Louis’s more practical (and resentful) oldest sister Caroline (a perfect Andrea Riseborough) would be a more suitable head of the family but Victorian era restrictions on women mean that role falls to the less-practical sole male family member Louis. When a new governess for the younger girls, Emily (Claire Foy), joins the household, Louis is quickly smitten. Louis takes the job at the magazine to help pay for the governess, which pleases Caroline, but she objects to Louis’ romantic interest in Emily. To head off scandal due to the difference in social status between the more aristocratic family and the lower-class governess (plus the fact that she was a decade older than Louis), Caroline fires her. Louis, in turn, marries her.
Sharpe’s film follows Louis Wain through the ups-and-downs of his life and career. It quickly becomes clear that director Sharpe is using the frenetic tone and then a romantic comic tone to reflect Louis’ inner life. Cumberbatch is irresistible, even electrifying, in this role, hitting the right notes of crackling eccentric energy and charm as he falls unexpectedly for the governess. Claire Foy is perfect as the slightly quirky Emily, who draws Louis out and profoundly changes his life.
Emily transforms Louis’ world, changing his life forever. The couple move to a country house, and the romantic idyll they create often is shown through carefully framed scenes that subtly morph into painterly shots that resemble some of Louis’ work, in a charming effect. One day, they discover a black and white kitten in their yard, which they take in and name Peter. When Emily falls gravely ill, Louis uses drawings of their beloved cat to cheer her.
Director Will Sharpe, a British-Japanese filmmaker educated in classics at Cambridge, frames this story with a bouncy, precious Victorian tone that suggests Dickens, particularly in Colman’s narration, as well as suggesting a comedy, at least at the start. The story starts in full with a comic and romantic bent, although much of what happens in Wain’s life is far from happy. Sharpe displays an sympathetic view towards his talented but flawed subject, as well as stronger hand as a director than it seems at first from the film’s beginning. We first meet the young Louis Wain in a burst of frenetic activity, shortly after the death of his father, when Louis suddenly finds himself the sole support of his mother and five younger sisters, as the only male in the family. It is a role he is not well suited for but not for lack of effort or energy, due to lack of focus and practical judgment.
At the story’s start, narrator Olivia Colman notes that despite simple straight-laced image of the Victorian Age, it was also a time of great invention and technical advances. What is not mentioned is that it was also an era of great eccentrics. Which is one reason why Benedict Cumberbatch is so perfect for this role, having played Sherlock Holmes, another Victorian eccentric, albeit a fictional one. Another, larger reason Cumberbatch is perfect in the role is the actor’s amazing skills and range. The film takes full advantage of Cumberbatch’s talent since it spans Louis Wain’s adult life, which allows the remarkably talented Cumberbatch to play the character from youth to old age. Cumberbatch does it does brilliantly, imbuing his portrait of the artist with moving nuance, deeper meaning and touching insights.
The film’s Dickens-esque tone and early slightly comic, frantic start makes it seem more naive than it eventually reveals itself to be. That is a credit to filmmaker Sharpe who paints an appealing portrait of man who struggled with mental illness and an eccentric, creative nature but never seemed to stop trying. A great strength is the cast, but particularly the amazing Benedict Cumberbatch, who takes Louis from a naive bundle of hopeful energy, to a man whose world is transformed by love, and who works through grief by his art and by transforming how people see cats, to an elderly man with a tenuous grip on reality. The film traces the growth of Louis Wain’s strange ideas about and fascination with electrical energy and his growing obsession with it, part of a deteriorating mental state. It is a unique story, a moving one filled with bittersweet moments and uplifting spirit.
Besides the surprisingly good direction and the fine performances that ground the film, it is also filled with wonderfully beautiful, touching visual touches, with several scenes that slowly transform into what feel like paintings.
THE ELECTRICAL LIFE OF LOUIS WAIN opens Friday, Oct. 22, at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Cinema and other theaters.
“When I paint the sun, I want people to feel it revolving, giving off light and heat.”
The popular interactive exhibit BEYOND VAN GOGH: THE IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE is extending its stay in St. Louis at at the Starry Night Pavilion through January 2nd, due to high ticket demand. Tickets are available now HERE
Here’s a clip from local news channel 5 news about the extension:
Imagine being completely immersed in more than 300 of the greatest works of post-Impressionist artist Vincent Van Gogh. Now imagine experiencing all of this art liberated from its two-dimensional limitations into a three-dimensional experience that exhilarates every sense and brings to life one of the most influential artists the world has known. It’s all part of Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience (www.vangoghstlouis.com), which has sold over two million tickets globally, making it one of the most popular current traveling exhibitions.
Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience was created by French-Canadian Creative Director Mathieu St-Arnaud and his team at Montreal’s world-renowned Normal Studio. “We are so grateful and of course honored by the audience’s positive reaction and enthusiasm towards the experience.” commented Creative Director, Mathieu St-Arnaud. “Since it’s early inception, we knew we wanted to create a very personal and awe-inspiring experience for the audience. When we feel the appreciation, it’s hard to put into words the wonderful feeling it gives you. It’s why we do what we do and it makes all the hard work worth it.”
“We are thrilled that audiences in St. Louis have responded so positively to Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience,” said Justin Paquin, Co-Producer, Paquin Entertainment. “We are excited that more Van Gogh fans will be able to see this exhibition.” Guests are transported into Van Gogh’s world through an all new, exclusively designed space comprised of three areas that segue fluidly into each other. The Education Room leads into the unique Waterfall Room which flows into the Immersive Experience Room. Freed from their frames, Van Gogh’s spectacular paintings appear on projection-swathed walls inviting guests to fully immerse themselves into the incredible detail of his work and be enveloped in his ever-shifting, swirling and colorful flowers, cafes and stunning landscapes. And, hearing the artist’s own dreams, thoughts and words set to a symphonic score drives an unmatched narrative experience.
Cinematic Van Gogh exhibitions have crossed the ocean from European cities to North America in recent years and met with great critical acclaim, with sold-out audiences in every market. Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience continues to amaze audiences and will continue its extended run in St. Louis before moving across North America. Art lovers near and far will have the opportunity to live this truly unique and unforgettable experience.
WHEN: Extended through January 2, 2022 WHERE: The Starry Night Pavilion on the grounds of the Saint Louis Galleria TICKETS:www.vangoghstlouis.com DETAILS: The exhibition is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Four entry times will be available each hour. Tickets are sold online only at www.vangoghstlouis.com. Prices begin at $33.99 for adults and $19.99 for children ages 5 to 15. Children under 5 are free.
SCHOOLS INVITED TO APPLY FOR BEYOND VAN GOGH-FUNDED”KEEP LIVE ALIVE SAINT LOUIS” GRANT. One lucky St. Louis area high school will win a $5,000 grant from Keep Live Alive Saint Louis, funded by the Beyond Van Gogh exhibition. Imagine a world without music, theatre, dance, or art. Whether you’re performing or watching, composing or listening, creating, designing or teaching, the arts enhance our lives and our spirits. Schools are urged to be creative and enter the Keep Live Alive Saint Louis 2021-2022 Grant Contest.
Who is Eligible?: Any high school, public or private in the St. Louis Metropolitan Region. What is the Award?:A one-time $5,000 grant for the winning entry. What is the entry deadline?: December 3, 2021 How do I enter? Go to Keep Live Alive Saint Louis (www.keeplivealivestl.org) for more information and guidelines. Fill out the application and submit to: grants@keeplivealivestl.org
There is a still huge interest for all things artist Vincent Van Gogh. His well-documented life, much of it in his own words in letters to his brother Theo, combined with the more than 2,100 works he created in a little over a decade, offer a seemingly endless treasure trove of material. We Are Movie Geeks has five movies (in alphabetical order) about the artist we recommend watching before (or after) you experience the exhibit
AT ETERNITY’S GATE (2019)
During a self-imposed exile in Arles and Auvers-Sur-Oise, France, Van Gogh (Willam Defoe) develops his unique, colorful style of painting. While grappling with religion, mental illness and a tumultuous friendship with French artist Paul Gauguin (Oscar Isaac), Van Gogh begins to focus on his relationship with eternity rather than the pain his art causes him in the present. Though Willam Defoe was 62 years old when he played as Van Gogh (who died at age 37), he pulls off an acting tour de force as the deteriorating, emotionally and mentally unstable artist that landed him an Oscar nomination.
LOVING VINCENT (2017)
LOVING VINCENT is an eye-popping and original look at Van Gogh’s life and final years told through the animation of more than 130 of the artist’s works. Nominated for an Oscar in 2018, the film sparked controversy by casting doubt on the long-accepted story that Van Gogh committed suicide. Filmmakers Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman spent five years applying the talents of more than 100 artists who painstakingly animated frame by frame the images Van Gogh painted from life, resulting in a uniquely artistic 93 minutes. Loving Vincent was an earnest labor of love expressed in brush strokes.
LUST FOR LIFE (1956)
LUST FOR LIFE is a biography, based on a novel by Irving Stone, of Van Gogh from director Vincente Minnelli and starring Kirk Douglas as Van Gogh and Anthony Quinn in an Oscar-winning supporting performance as Paul Gauguin. While the film leaves out parts of Van Gogh’s life, it hits the high points. Douglas portrays Van Gogh as a sensitive man with a spiritual sense of life. Van Gogh seeks from the beginning to express God in some way and to give something to the world. He is unsuccessful as a minister and eventually takes up painting, supported by his loving brother Theo (played by James Donald).
STARRY NIGHT (1999)
A magic potion returns artist Vincent Van Gogh (Abbott Alexander) back to life and lands him in the center of the Rose Bowl Parade in STARRY NIGHT, an oddball comedy from 1999. Of course, no one believes who he is and he is startled to discover his popularity after the passage of time. This sets him off on a crusade to steal his paintings back from collectors and sets a detective on his trail. Along the way, he makes friends with an ambulance chasing attorney and a young artist (Lisa Waltz), who gradually begin to believe his claims of identity. STARRY NIGHT is a somewhat forgotten low-budget fantasy but it’s a charming and clever fish-out-of-water story.
VINCENT AND THEO (2007)
Directing legend Robert Altman directed this complex 3 ½ hour TV biography that focused on Vincent Van Gogh’s (Tim Roth) relationship with his art-dealing brother Theo (Paul Rhys). Vincent is the black sheep of the family, an artist who lives in squalor with whores, peasants, and fellow artists. Theo, who can’t get people to buy his brother’s work, feels both superior and inferior to him. Outwardly different, they have matching souls. Tim Roth conveying the poverty and hardship of the artist’s life while also reveling in the beauty he found in surrounding landscapes. The film received a theatrical release after being shorn an hour.
The thrilling action-packed film EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM starring Michael Madsen and Richard Dreyfuss is available in theaters, on demand and digital October 22nd. Check out the trailer:
Now you can win the Win the Redbox Code for EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM.We Are Movie Geeks has three to give away. Just leave a comment below and leave your email address. It’s so easy!
.WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN FROM ALL QUALIFYING ENTRIES. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY
In EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM, Ex-Black Ops soldier Jake Hunter is desperate to find his missing daughter. As Jake uncovers the terrifying truth surrounding her disappearance, he goes on a merciless quest for revenge, bringing those responsible to justice in this gripping thriller.
EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM stars Paul Sloan, Jake Weber, Taryn Manning, Mike Hatton with Michael Madsen and Richard Dreyfuss
RLJE Films, a business unit of AMC Networks, has picked up select rights to the horror film SKULL: THE MASK from Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium streaming service for horror, thriller and the supernatural. RLJE Films will release SKULL: THE MASKon VOD, Digital HD and DVD on October 26, 2021. Check out the trailer:
Now you can win the Win the DVD of SKULL: THE MASK.We Are Movie Geeks has two to give away. Just leave a comment below telling us what your favorite horror movie starting with the letter ‘S’ is. (I’d say SPIDER BUTTON. It’s so easy!)
1. YOU MUST BE A US RESIDENT. PRIZE WILL ONLY BE SHIPPED TO US ADDRESSES. NO P.O. BOXES. NO DUPLICATE ADDRESSES.
2. WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN FROM ALL QUALIFYING ENTRIES. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY
Co-directed and co-written by Kapel Furman (Ghost Killers vs. Bloody Mary) and Armando Fonseca (“CineLab”), SKULL: THE MASKstars Natallia Rodrigues (Elis), Wilton Andrade (VIPs), Tristan Aronovich (Sem Fio), David Wendefilm (Sessão de Terapia) and Rurik Jr. as “Skull.” The DVD will be available for an SRP of $27.97.
In SKULL: THE MASK, after disappearing over fifty years ago, an ancient artifact known as the Mask of Anhangá resurfaces at an archaeological dig in the Amazon. It is brought to Sao Paulo to be exhibited at a museum, but before reaching its destination, the Mask starts to claim its victims as it possesses and forces them to carry out visceral sacrifices in gruesome fashion. With the body count increasing, it’s up to Officer Beatriz Obdias to find the Mask and put an end to the murder spree.
What say we saddle up and mosey’ down to the ole’ multiplex, pardner’? Or something like that since we’ve got an opportunity to take in a true cinematic rarity. Several decades ago the Western (or as the Variety “trade paper’ called them “Oaters”) was a staple at the local “Bijou”, just like comedies, musicals, romances, and horror flicks. And TV “rode alongside’ with the genre encompassing over half of network primetime fare. Oh, but now…(cue the tumbleweeds). Sure, there have been modern Westerns like the recent LET HIM GO and CRY MACHO, but they’re pretty much set in modern times (yes, I know Clint’s last entry was a 1980s story). No, this new one takes place near the tail end of the 19th century and its cast is mainly black (I’d say African-American but many of the actors hail from foreign lands), But this isn’t a first as it follows in the “boot-steps’ of ADIOS AMIGO, BUCK AND THE PREACHER, and POSSE (that’s nearly 30 years ago). And before you ask, this isn’t a remake of Bogie’s last flick, though it’s also called THE HARDER THEY FALL. Giddeyup’!
This “sagebrush saga’ opens with a flashback, showing us a decade-old attack on a frontier family by notorious outlaw Rufus Buck (Idris Elba). The tale jumps forward as a survivor (no, he didn’t become Batman or even the Lone Ranger), Nat Love (Jonathan Majors) exacts his revenge on one of the Buck gang in a deserted church. Meanwhile two members of the “Love crew”, “crack” rifle “shot” Bill Pickett (Edi Gathegi) and cocky confident “quick draw” kid Jim Beckworth (RJ Cyler) ambush the “Vermillion Gang” (they wear colored hoods now closer to pink) and relieve them of their stolen bank loot, which was intended for the Buck gang, though he’s “rotting” in jail. Or is he? Far away a locomotive is stopped and bordered by “Treacherous” Trudy Smith (Regina King) and “fast-draw” killer Cherokee Bill (LaKeth Stanfield). And what is the train’s treasure? Cash? Gold? No, it’s their boss, Buck himself who was being transported to another “facility” (it seems that the gang has an unlikely ally high up in the government). Meanwhile, Nat visits a high-class saloon, after checking his gunbelt with the tough bouncer/ bodyguard “Cuffee” (Danielle Deadwyler) and reunites with its owner, and “lost flame”, “Stagecoach” Marie (Zazie Beets). Later, the saloon hosts another reunion as Love is approached by famed lawman Bass Reeves (Delroy Lindo), who delivers the news of Buck’s escape. The next morning the two are joined by Pickett and Beckworth on the trail to Redwood City, where, much to Love’s surprise, they are joined by Mary and Cuffee. Over in their destination, Buck re-establishes himself as the town’s “kingpin”, tossing off the law, acting Sheriff Wiley (Deon Cole), and levying a hefty “protection tax” (to make up for the earlier “ripoff”) on its poor citizens. When Love’s crew arrives, Mary insists that she go into town “incognito” to “scope out” the situation. When things go awry, Nat and his gang are caught in a jam. Do they become outlaws to rescue Mary? Either way, the Buck Gang could triumph and make the town a stronghold for the lawless. Sounds like a “showdown” is a-comin’!
An excellent ensemble helps make the West very wild indeed. Heading up the forces of good (well, not as bad as the other “sidewinders”) as Love is the very compelling Major (so great in the recent Disney+ streaming show “Loki”) who proves to be one confident cowbo…er…man. His Love is an excellent leader who backs up his six-gun skills while somehow being several steps ahead of anyone else. His fighting and romantic partner is played with equal part allure and danger by the radiant Beetz (there’s a lady worthy of their “ride into Hell”). Lindo is filed with righteous gravitas as the somber Reeves. Luckily the mood is lightened somewhat by the comic sparring of Gathegi as the usually pessimistic Bill and Cyler’s full of motor-mouthed swagger Jim. Rounding out the “heroic six” is Deadwyler whose Cuffee has a fierce sense of loyalty to offset her often awkward social skills. They’re all “put through the wringer” by the enigmatic Elba as the hulking Buck who quietly hovers over his victims, waiting to strike with unbridled fury, like a simmering powderkeg. King as Trudy seems to be his good “right hand” as she does his bidding while barely suppressing a sadistic smile. Her cohort Cherokee Bill as portrayed by Stanfield is a cold, dead-eyed one-man army, whose banal stare is almost as deadly as his trigger finger (and it’s so itchy). Cole also provides a bit of levity as the ineffectual Wiley whose bellowing bark is much more painful than his bite (even with those shiny gold choppers).
Director Jeymes Samuel, helming the script he co-wrote with Boaz Yakin, brings a lot of kinetic energy to this “horse opera”, mixing the visuals of Sergio Leone with some of the ultra-violent snark of Tarantino (if only his THE HATEFUL EIGHT had this sense of style and brevity). Samuel takes all that we love about the genre and makes it feel somewhat fresh. And there’s a nice sense of history as he uses the names of real Western icons for this fictional fable (I only knew about Reeves via the recent HBO sequel to “The Watchmen”). Yes, some of the humor is hammered into a pulp (the color of a very unfriendly town) and a few scenes seem too weird for the time period (a saloon entertainer painted blue ala’ Mystique from the X-Men would not have “played” well with thirsty cowpokes). Oh, and the carnage of the final “throwdown” is more than a bit mind and backside numbing. However, the cast seems to be having a terrific time ( no matter how old we get, playing “cowboy’ is a blast), and the art direction is top-notch from the saloons and side shops to the wardrobe. Any fans of SILVERADO and THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN should get that same rawhide rush from watching the “souped-up”, hip hop, shoot-em-up’ spectacle of THE HARDER THEY FALL. And when they topple, look out for those popping “blood squibs”.
3 Out of 4
THE HARDER THEY FALL is now playing in select theatres and is streaming exclusively on Netflix
“She eats unmarried young girls. It is the only time she can wear her wedding gown.”
Don’t miss the upcoming screening of the local hero’s best films. Director Nobuhiko Obayashi’s HOUSE (1977)will be showing Friday, October 22nd at 8 pm. Tickets are $9 each The Arkadin is located at 5228 Gravois Ave, St Louis, MO 63116.Films are currently showing on the Backlot Patio (Enter through the Heavy Anchor) and bringing extra lawn chairs is strongly encouraged. The Arkadin Cinema site can be found HERE
“Delirious, deranged, gonzo or just gone, baby, gone — no single adjective or even a pileup does justice to House.” -New York Times How to describe Nobuhiko Obayashi’s indescribable 1977 movie House (Hausu)? As a psychedelic ghost tale? A stream-of-consciousness bedtime story?…
In HOUSE, Oshare is excited about spending summer vacation with her father, until she finds out that his beautiful, freakishly serene girlfriend Ryouko would be going as well. Oshare decides she will be going to her aunt’s house in the country instead. She brings with her her friends from school – Fanta (who likes to take pictures, and daydreams a lot), KunFuu (who has very good reflexes), Gari/Prof (who is a major nerd), Sweet (who likes to clean), Mac (who eats a lot), and Melody (a musician). However, the girls are unaware that the house is actually haunted. When they arrive at the house, crazy events take place and the girls disappear one by one while slowly discovering the secret behind all the madness
