Mark Glass – Page 2 – We Are Movie Geeks

“Backwoods Crime” – TV Series Review

“Backwoods Crime” is a subtitled series from Austrian TV that is actually ten separately-titled 90-minute movies that originally aired from 2013-16, bundled into an anthology format. The cast, tenor and setting are unique to each. None of the stories overlap or connect with each other.

Nine of the ten were made available for screening. They do share some similarities. All are set in small Austrian villages – mostly in the Alps. Production values are consistently excellent for the medium, providing plenty of lovely vistas and street scenes in charming towns. All involve one or more murders to be solved by protagonist cops or ex-cops, or a mix of each. Almost all are low enough on the violence and gore scales to be comparable to U.S. prime-time fare, and somewhat more adult than mysteries on the likes of Lifetime or the Hallmark Channel. Moments of sexual activity are shown in several, but without nudity except for a briefly-bared breast in one of the offerings.

Their tones are generally on the lighter side of crime dramas, with varying degrees of humor, and few intense scenes. For most, the pace was reasonable for its plot, though a couple may seem a bit stretched to fill their time slots. However, when any temporal padding is done with picturesque Alpine vistas and lovely rural environs for transitions or mood, one’s patience is minimally strained.

Since the tales are unrelated, the collection can be watched at your own pace, in no particular order. My least favorite was “Southern Cross” (“Kreuz Des Sudens”) in which a city cop, shelved due to a head injury, goes home to settle family affairs. When a fatality occurs during a circus performance, he winds up helping the locals sort it out. “The Woman With One Shoe” (“Die Frau Mit Einen Schuh”) seemed the slowest, despite its intriguing accumulation of body parts in odd places.

My higher ratings went to “All Flesh Is Grass” (“Alles Fleisch Ist Gras”), which opens with a skinny Santa apparently killing someone on a snowy Christmas Eve, leading to several more dispatches of folks having dubious merit. The weirdest and funniest fave is “Midsummer Night’s Murder” (“Sommernachtsmord”), opening like a thriller featuring a DELIVERANCE-esque mountaintop family posing threats to visitors before morphing into a dark comedy, bordering on farce. “Final Settlement” (“Endabrechnung”), with a lead actor (Robert Palfreder) resembling Gerard Depardieu, contains the most action and gore, though the worst of the killings occur largely off-camera. “Styrian Blend” (“Steierblut”) and “Death On Ice” (“Der Tote Am Teich”) do nicely at making familiar small-town political corruption plot lines seem fresh and engaging in different ways.

“Backwoods Crime”, mostly in German with English subtitles, is available streaming on July 11 on MHzChoice.

RATING: 2.5 out of 4 stars

“Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” Season 4 – TV Series Review

*John Krasinski as Jack Ryan, in “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” TV series, Season 4. Courtesy of Amazon*

“Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” Season 4 brings another batch of challenges for the eponymous CIA super-agent who headlined a series of novels by Tom Clancy before starring in successful films, and, since 2018, three season of streaming adventures. This next season draws the TV series to a close with this fourth and (for now, at least) final season-long, globe-trotting thriller. Fans of any or all of the preceding Jack Ryan iterations will not be disappointed with John Krasinski’s continuing portrayal of their hero, or the six-episode plot-line he navigates.

As usual, there’s a huge conspiracy afoot threatening the world we know, with the action alternating among far-flung arenas of action, and plenty of questions as to who (other than Ryan) is on which side of the crisis. The series opens by showing Jack being subjected to “enhanced interrogation,” then jumping back three weeks as it progresses to and beyond that point. Several characters from the first three seasons return for this new challenge. One newcomer, veteran character actor Michael Pena, turns in what may rank among his best performances.

No more about the plot. What you need to know is that if you haven’t watched the first three seasons (still streaming on Prime), you won’t fully appreciate the characters and their motivations, even though this is a stand-alone story. No expense was spared on locations, sets or effects in this top-quality production. The first three episodes are longer on talk than action but that ratio reverses in the second half of the season.

Finally, since the initial release is only the first two episodes with the rest coming in pairs over the following two weeks, you might keep everything straight more easily by waiting until they’re all in hand for one big ol’ binge. If your memory and concentration are better than mine – very likely common among Clancy buffs – you may do fine piecemeal. For me, the chance to stream them all in a one-day spy-fest splurge helped considerably in keeping track of who’s who and what’s what in this complex web of plotting, counter-measures, facades and shifting loyalties. All in all, the popular series bows out on a high note, with no one likely to think they stayed too long at the party.

“Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” Season 4 starts streaming on Amazon Prime on Friday, June 30, with the first two episodes, followed by two more on July 7 and 14.

RATING: 3.5 out of 4 stars

“Homicide Hills” Season 3 – TV series review

*Caroline Peters as Sophie, Meike Droste as Barbel and Bjarne Mädel as Dietmar, in “Homicide Hills” on MHz Choice. Courtesy of MHz Choice*

The German TV crime-solving comedy series “Homicide Hills” debuts its third season on streaming service MHzChoice on June 27. Previously, I’ve reviewed the first two seasons of this German crime comedy series on this site, and in the previous seasons, Sophie Haas (Caroline Peters), a tough, brash cop from Cologne, was shipped off to become the police chief of a sleepy German village named Hengasch. Season 3 opens with Sophie’s wedding to Hengasch’s local vet. True to form, things go wildly awry, resulting in “marriage interruptus,” then morphing into another crime to solve in the series’ light-hearted fashion. Her charming father (Hans Peter Hallwachs) moves with his “nurse” to Poland, removing one of the reliable cast members from the equation. That’s a loss.

Sophie continues leading her three-member force in solving 14 episodes worth of crimes. Actually, the streaming release is 13 hour-long episodes from 2014, plus a longer movie that aired the following year to provide closure for story arcs of these now-familiar – and mostly likable – characters. There is a fourth season but it came out in 2022, with an almost totally different cast, so this batch is the swan song for our protagonist police pals.

As before, Sophie’s weekly sleuthing challenges are mixed with romantic developments and her ongoing efforts to get reassigned to the major leagues – the Cologne force from whence she came. Hengasch has too many lulls between crimes of import, so she almost jumps for joy whenever a new murder relieves the tedium. Barbel is coping with pregnancy and other personal distractions. Dietmar’s life is truly cursed when his demanding mom has to move in with him and his wife – the similarly-annoying Helga. The overkill of demands from the elder explains why he married shrewish Helga. It supports the axiom about men tending to marry women like their mothers. They’re two of a kind, and constantly compete stridently for his allegiance over the other in squabbles large and small.

The crimes and the levity surrounding them are comparable to the first two seasons, except for a bit more of the running-time focused on their personal lives. And it seems as if they stressed the comedic side more than before, including moments of madcap. But each outing continues to be cleverly written, mixing the mystery with the merriment.

A village historical event that’s re-enacted every 5 years goes awry when the pretend killing within it turns real. A safe-cracker escapes from prison, resulting in a very unusual sort of crime wave. Another involves a man killed during a parade, when it’s not clear who the bullet was meant for. The movie-length finale is a murder in a nearby village for which Sophie finds herself the main suspect. It’s presented in a RASHOMON style, alternating among the different perspectives of our principals under interrogation by another tough cop (Nina Proll), who is basically a humorless version of Sophie.

“Homicide Hills” Season 3, mostly in German with English subtitles, begins streaming on MHzChoice on Tuesday, June 27.

RATING: 2.5 out of 4 stars

Agatha Christie’s Criminal Games: The 70s – TV Review

Forget whatever you assume about Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot. They don’t matter here. “Agatha Christie’s Criminal Games: The 70s” is actually the third season of a French TV series “Les Petits Meutres D’Agatha Christie,” (“The Little Murders of Agatha Christie”) but it’s like a first season, since most of the cast are new to this delightful comedic crime-fest. The package is ten 90-minute tele-films, with our trio of cops solving different cases in each.

A large part of the fun for viewers lies in everything they display about the 1970s, from miniskirts and go-go boots to music and attitudes. When no-nonsense Annie Greco (Emilie Gavois-Kahn) arrives as the new homicide captain in a precinct, the old-boy network smugly gives her a hard time, from the detectives under her to the brass looking over her shoulder, waiting for this woman to fail, thereby validating their chauvinism. But the gents soon learn that they picked the wrong target. Greco, built like a linebacker with a slight resemblance to Kathy Bates, is as solid inside as she looks. She’s tough, smart and dishes out ripostes decidedly sharper than the digs they throw at her.

Sensing the collective sloth and skepticism of the three squad slackers who greet her, Greco finds her partner in Max Beretta (Arthur Dupont), a brash young detective who’d been banished to desk drudgery because of his temper. In their first case, they meet Rose Bellecour (Chloe Chaudoye), a rich dilettante trying to establish herself as a therapist. The trio squabbles and annoys each other in many ways, but still manages to untangle a mare’s nest of suspects and motives to solve the murder of a popular actor. Greco keeps Rose on as a consultant, and orders Max to submit to sessions with her. Therapy for his anger issues is a non-negotiable condition of freedom from his previous paperwork patrol.

The crimes are interesting enough as whodunits but the biggest treats come from the settings and supporting cast. The mostly-glitzy milieus for the murders allow a bonanza of eye candy. TV stars in the first, murdered high-fashion models in the second, an exclusive sex club for the rich and powerful, touring rock stars, and an upscale matchmaking service. All venues presenting beautiful people at their most glamorous, clad in the height of ‘70s fashion. At least the ones who are still alive. Sets, props and decor will evoke nostalgia in any viewers old enough to recall the era.

On the comedy side, a bunch of amusing oddballs surround the three leads. Rose’s parents have no respect for her, or anything she does, maddeningly unaware of how desperately she wants – and deserves – their approval. Her mother’s (Christele Tual) ego-crushing narcissism is so off-the-charts that it makes “Arrested Development’s” matriarch (Jessica Walter) seem like Oprah on the sensitivity scale. She also steals just about every scene she’s in. Max’s wife dumped him because of his volatility, but his ongoing efforts to win her back reach hilariously beyond extreme. Meanwhile, the precinct’s shy, nerdy forensics guy (Benoit Moret) is totally smitten by Greco, who is too focused on her job to even notice, much less accept or reject his sweetly awkward overtures. And she reports to a neurotic chief (Quentin Baillot) who quivers with constant fear of disfavor from the honchos above him – especially when Greco’s crew steps on any influential toes. Which, of course, they regularly do.

The result is more comedy than crime but not in a sitcom way. The humor comes from the evolving relationships among the characters and the situations, rather than setups and quips. A few episodes may go a bit overboard on the plot du jour (the one hinging on hypnosis, particularly) but the better we get to know the players, the more enjoyable their stories become. At 90 minutes, some outings may run a bit longer than needed but should still seem well worth the time for those who appreciate a healthy serving of mirth with their murders.

“Agatha Christie’s Criminal Games: The ‘70s,” mostly in French with subtitles, starts streaming on MHzChoice on Tuesday, June 13, with two episodes; the rest released weekly thereafter.

RATING: 3 out of 4 stars

*Arthur Dupont and Émilie Gavois-Kahn in “Agatha Christie’s Criminal Games: The ‘70s” on MHz Choice. Courtesy of MHz Choice*

“What Pauline Is Not Telling You” – TV miniseries review

*Ophelia Kolb in French TV psychological thriller “What Pauline is Not Telling You” on MHz Choice. Courtesy of MHz Choice*

It’s harder than usual to decide on a reliable 1 – 4 star rating for this four-part dramatic miniseries from French TV, “What Pauline Is Not Telling You” (“Ce Que Pauline Ne Vous Dit Pas”). One might love or hate it, depending on mood, and the extent to which any given viewer relates to the characters and situations in this very personal suspense tale.

Pauline (Ophelia Kolb) is the divorced mother of two. Her ex, Olivier, was a rich jerk from very prominent family, adored by his mother, admired by his father, and loathed by his brother, whose existence had been mostly shrouded by the glare of his sibling’s limelight. We meet Pauline embarrassed at the grocery store by an unexpected lack of funds, then driving home with the kids while yelling at Olivier on the phone for starving them out by callously refusing to pay the required alimony. She decides to confront him and drives to his house. We next see her minutes later crouching over his body on the patio. Her son sees the same. Pauline’s odd ways of handling of the situation lead to her being suspected of a murder she claims not to have committed. We’re kept in suspense about that throughout, as the authorities investigate amid a swirl of pressures, possibilities and missing pieces of the puzzle. As the title suggests, Pauline’s words, deeds and affect do little to help, keeping her under suspicion more than might have been the case, whether rightly or wrongly so.

Her ordeal unfolds slowly, showing us much about the process for investigators, family and all who know them. Because of Olivier’s family’s status, the crime fuels a social media frenzy, affecting the course of events far more than it should. But how one feels about Pauline will likely bounce all over the place due to her inexplicable silences and strange actions in response to each occurrence. Are her mystifying behaviors and attitudes the result of years of psychological abuse, or a strategic series of poses? Sympathetic victim or sociopath? It’s impossible for the cast or any viewer to get a read on whether, or to what extent, we should continue rooting for her.

The morally complex screenplay covers a raft of social and familial issues common to all western cultures. How the rich manage any and all legal problems, including the greater deference they receive from the authorities. The cumulative effects of how families interact, the processes and pressures on those involved with solving crimes and prosecuting offenders, the toll inflicted on children by the flaws and shortcomings of the adults around them, and the undue influence of social media and public perceptions on a supposedly unbiased legal system. There’s a lot of macrocosm explored in Pauline’s microcosm. The script includes a few particularly compelling scenes in the latter episodes.

So, don’t watch this to be entertained. Avoid it if this description of the content reveals issues too close for comfort. Kolb’s task of remaining a cipher by underacting as her actions and reactions baffle the audience as much is they do the ones deciding her guilt or innocence is either a fine thespian achievement, or an annoyance. Perhaps a bunch of both. Mileage may vary widely on this one as to whether the meat on its bones satisfies expectations.

“What Pauline Is Not Telling You” (“Ce Que Pauline Ne Vous Dit Pas”), mostly in French with English subtitles, streams on MHz Choice starting on June 6.

RATING: 2 out of 4 stars

*A scene from French TV psychological thriller “What Pauline is Not Telling You” on MHz Choice. Courtesy of MHz Choice*

“Monterossi” – TV series review

Italian TV gives us “Monterossi – The Series,” an unusual light-crime package. Lead character Carlo Monterossi (Fabrizio Bentivoglio) is the creator of a highly popular, sleazy tabloid series called “Crazy Love.” He’s disgusted by the voyeuristic monster they’ve unleashed on the public, and desperately wants out. His agent and the producers are doing all they can to keep him on board. That bit of conflict suddenly shifts to Carlo’s back burner when a masked guy with a gun comes to the door to kill him. Fortunately, the gunman misses. Otherwise, the series either would have just been a short, or they’d have needed a new star and title. You’ll be quite pleased to have spent the time getting to know the eponymous gent we’re given.

The 2022 season’s six 45-minute episodes are equally split between two miniseries, turning our mild-mannered hero into a sleuth for separate sets of crimes. The scripts are well-written but it’s Bentivoglio’s charm that makes it all work as effectively as it does. There’s some wry humor in the undertones, largely from the business about the show he’s trying to escape and the pressures to do otherwise. Cops are a relatively small factor, unlike the many series pairing one with an amateur (usually reluctantly for either or both). Instead, Monterossi pursues his solutions with a couple of young recruits (Martina Sammarco, Luca Nucera) from the TV series’ staff, starting with trying to figure out why the attacker left a jar containing someone’s finger on his steps, and who it belonged to.

Both sets of cases become surprisingly complex, with multiple players and possibilities swirling throughout. The first seems to have mushroomed from dirty tactics in a real-estate deal; the other begins with the killing of a car dealer who’d catered to a star-studded clientele. The scripts artfully blend the crimes with Monterossi’s love-hate relationship for the show he now regrets, including ways to slyly use the latter to assist in solving the former. In Monterossi, Bentivoglio has inhabited a character with plenty of cozy appeal, somewhat akin to France’s retired judge Mongeville (in a show previously reviewed here), and worthy of as long a run as Jessica Fletcher enjoyed on our side of the Atlantic.

“Monterrosi – The Series,” mostly in Italian with English subtitles, streams on MHz Choice starting on June 6.

RATING: 3 out of 4 stars

UNDER LAW AND GRACE – TV series review

There have been numerous TV crime series from Europe pairing cops and clergy in the sleuthing. England’s “Father Brown” is among the best known and longest running. Italy has given us “Don Matteo,” with the superb Terence Stamp as a savvy priest. The French offering “Under Law and Grace” (“Priere D’Enquentere”) is a series of four 90-minute movies pairing police captain Elli (Sabrina Ouazani) and her assistant Franck (Jerome Robart) with novitiate monk Clement (Mathieu Spinosi) for murders with varying degrees of religious involvement. While most of these programs have been relatively light in tone, this quartet plays more as straight dramas.

The requisite initial mismatch of personalities is apparent from the get-go, as Elli, whose parents were Muslim and Jewish by birth but atheists in practice, and Franck (who is going through a messy divorce), head to a monastery. A monk was murdered, and a valuable bible was stolen. Clement has spent his entire 33 years there, having been dropped off as an infant and adopted by the caretaker, with the deceased as his mentor. Clement has studied voraciously, getting three college degrees without leaving the cloistered premises. True to form, Elli resents his involvement in the detecting until she grudgingly grows to appreciate his value. Clement gets to actually explore the outside world he’s only known through books.

Three of the four episodes involve deaths in religious settings, one in academia. For the second case, Clement has been hired by the department as a criminal psychology consultant, due to his contributions in solving the first. He does this with the blessing of his order, viewing it as part of his preparation for being ordained. For most, time in the monastery is the test period of suitability and desirability of an ascetic lifestyle. Since Clement has already spent his whole life there, experiencing the secular realm is way to an informed choice of whether he wants to commit – much like Rumspringa for Amish teens.

The four murders arise from suitably complex scenarios, with all the dangled motives and suspects needed to sustain suspense to the end. Compared to other shows, this one has a higher percentage of time spent on personal dramas and conflicts in relation to the primary task of discovering whodunnit. Franck is distracted by his romantic life. Elli has been raising her three younger sisters since their parents died years before, with one of the siblings being a particular pain in the derriere. Home-front clashes and pressures on top of the caseload make her angry most of the time, snapping impatiently at just about everyone. That’s a sharp contrast with Clement, whose beatific pleasantness and almost childlike curiosity and willingness to be of service never seem to flag. Yet beneath the grousing, Elli reveals solid love for those in her circle and dedication to her duties, to remain a protagonist we root for.

Those who shun blood and gore can relax here. None of the murders occur on-camera, and views of the victims are minimized. No nudity, either. It’s tamer than most domestic prime-time network fare in all respects. The tales should definitely be watched in order due to progression in relationships that carry over. This may not be ideal for a binge. Elli’s baseline surliness might wear thin on prolonged exposure but play better with some spacing. Clement’s character will provide enjoyment regardless of the time factor.

These productions aired from 2020-22. Though each crime is wrapped up in its episode, a few characters’ personal issues remain open, dangling a bit of grist for a fifth. Here’s hoping they decide to make it.

“Under Law and Grace” (“Priere D’Enquentere”), mostly in French with English subtitles, streams on MHz Choice starting on May 30.

RATING: 2.5 out of 4 stars

*A scene from the French TV series “Under Law and Grace.” Photo credit: Fabien Malot – Mother Production. Courtesy of MHz Choice*. *© Cécile MELLA / FTV / MOTHER PRODUCTIONS*

“Homicide Hills:” Season 2 – TV Review

“Homicide Hills” comes to the U.S. as a novel treat – a light-hearted TV police series from Germany! A country not exactly renowned for humor (Google Robin Williams on that point) gives us its equivalent of charming shows like England’s “New Tricks,” France’s “Sharif” (previously reviewed here) or Canada’s “Nurdoch Mysteries.” In this case, Sophie Haas (Caroline Peters) is a tough, brash cop in Cologne who thinks she’s up for promotion. She’s right… in a way. The brass doesn’t approve of her bold tactics, seemingly irked by her gender and unmatched success rate. So they ship her off to become the chief of a sleepy German village’s force far from their turf.

Upon arrival in quaint, quiet Hengasch, she finds a staff of exactly two, with a caseload that’s almost nonexistent. Everyone knows everyone, and no one commits any serious crimes. Or so it seems. Haas keenly notices details and patterns that others haven’t. In the opener she connects several old fires to other presumably benign, unrelated events that turn out to be part of an undetected murder. After proving herself in that case, the outsider starts earning respect and acceptance from those who resented her intrusion. That adjustment is eased by the friendly presence of her charming father (Hans Peter Hallwachs) – a retired surgeon who moved there with her. In Season One, We got to know the key players and the village in thirteen 50-minute episodes, each with its own crime to solve.

If this set-up seems familiar, you may also be a fan of one of my favorite darkly comedic movies, 2007’s HOT FUZZ. But the delightfully sinister underbelly of that English hamlet is not to be found in this one. That shift better suits this medium, since the weird challenges Simon Pegg had to face wouldn’t be sustainable throughout a series. Hengasch is more like a Mayberry, with an array of variably amusing and/or annoying locals. Petra Kleinert, as the omnipresent wife of Officer Schaffer (Bjarne Madel), elevates the nosy, meddlesome neighbor to an art form not seen here since Gladys Kravitz in “Bewitched.” The show ran for 45 episodes in four seasons from 2008-22, earning a handful of awards and nominations for Peters and the program.

For its second season, “Homicide Hills” has upped its game on the comedy side, based on the six of 13 episodes made available for review. Sophie is about to leave the too-peaceful hamlet for a more challenging job with the Cologne police when her dad’s heart attack keeps her stuck in the boonies. That also introduces a new character – the charming live-in nurse, Danuta (Karina Krawczyk) to care for what might become ALL of his needs. This plot line is still evolving in the first half of the season. Sophie had a fling with rival cop Andreas (Max Gertsch) that ran its course rather quickly …perhaps.

Within the three-member Hengasch police department, conflicts continue amusingly between mousy Dietmar (Bjarne Madel) and his overbearing (and scene-stealing) wife Helga, especially when his old unrequited crush turns up in Episode 3 and has him rather mesmerized with memories and unfulfilled dreams. As before, Helga provides a mix of help, hindrance and just plain nuisance as the town’s leading busybody. Barbel’s (Meike Droste) eagerness to learn from Sophie – her sensei, shifu or mentor, depending on your genre preference – continues charmingly. She’s not quite up to emulating Sophie’s seductive tactics in working a witness or suspect. But she is catching up on the sleuthing skills.

Between oddball characters and situations, the requisite murders and mayhem continue with varying degrees of whimsy on the side. In Episode 2, the town is in upheaval from someone blowing up ceramic garden gnomes and critters. The pot-growing mystery of Episode 4 is probably the funniest of this half-dozen offerings, with the clash between locals and a gang of middle-aged, middle-class bikers over the noise they make in Episode 5 running a close second.

Bottom line: Season Two seems even more enjoyable than the first from a combination of settling in with now-familiar regulars, and scripts containing more mirth while maintaining the mysteries to be solved in each outing. Nice to know there are more seasons yet to come.

“Homicide Hills: Season 2”, mostly in German with English subtitles, is available streaming on May 16 on MHzChoice .

RATING: 3 out of 4 stars

YOUNG IP MAN: CRISIS TIME – Review

I’ve enjoyed many of the films based on Ip Man, the eponymous actual Chinese martial arts hero of the last century – especially the batch starring Donnie Yen. YOUNG IP MAN: CRISIS TIME is set in 1917, when Ip Man came to Hong Kong as a teenager to further his education. Unfortunately, his upper-crust school is targeted by a big time criminal who’d just escaped from prison to occupy the whole place, holding the entire student body for ransom, aided by a small army of hench-persons.

Ip Man, of course, is compelled to rise to the occasion despite overwhelming odds, diminutive stature and a couple of other personal complications. In structure, this one more closely resembles a Bruce Willis DIE HARD ordeal than most traditional martial movies. I wanted to like this film more than I could. The production is lavish enough, and there are some satisfying action sequences but two factors blocked the path to a higher rating.

First, although claiming to be set in 1917, they seemingly borrowed sets, costumes and props from a recently-wrapped period piece occurring in the 1930s to ‘40s. I’m all for recycling, but this bit of economizing created a huge distraction from the story for any of the diminishing audience base that can still distinguish between eras. At least no one used a cell phone.

Second, Pantheras Freedman may not have been the best choice for the lead here. Though 26 at the time of filming, he did look like a fresh-faced teenager. But after so many other heroic productions – some of which had included Ip Man’s early years – Freedman lacked the gravitas associated with that legendary figure. The dialog was fine. He said all the principled words meant to establish the requisite integrity and courage for honoring the man, but they sounded more like rote than conviction.

In 1992, after the Indiana Jones films had been such a phenomenal success, George Lucas whipped up a TV prequel series, THE YOUNG INDIANA JONES CHRONICLES, with Sean Patrick Flanery as the youth that would become the Harrison Ford character. Although it only lasted 28 episodes, production values were quite exceptional for the medium, and Flanery captured just enough of Indy’s panache to make the show worthy of 10 Emmys, and a slew of other nominations. Pretty much what one would expect from Lucas, irrespective of screen size. This one falls well short of that mark.

Had this been the same movie, except with Freedman playing a fictional kid forced to rise to an occasion, they could have matched the dates with the accoutrements, and not been pressed to live up to all that rich historic and cinematic past. If you’re unfamiliar with the Ip Man background (which includes the fact that his most famous student was Bruce Lee), your chances of enjoying the excitement this does contain should be significantly greater.

YOUNG IP MA: CRISIS TIME, mostly in Mandarin with English subtitles, streams on Hi-YAH! starting Apr. 28, and will be available on Blu-Ray and DVD as of May 16.

RATING: 2 out of 4 stars

BALLOON ANIMAL – Review

This review of the movie, BALLOON ANIMAL is starting off slowly, which serves a couple of purposes. It takes more patience than usual to read, as does the film to enjoy. The decision begins with writer/director Em Johnson, who has earned quite a few awards and nominations on the festival circuit (including the St. Louis International one) for a handful of shorts before this feature.

An old cliché (guess that’s redundant, since all cliches must be old to qualify) that has been the basis for many books and movies is a protagonist who tires of the humdrum of an average childhood or adult life and runs off to join a circus. This one gives us a young woman named Poppy Valentine (Katherine Waddell) who is been raised in her father’s (Ilia Volok) traveling circus and feels like running away to live in the mainstream. Spending her life as a magician’s assistant who also whips up the eponymous latex creatures for the kiddies between shows has lost whatever romance it once had, or that outsiders might assume exists.

Poppy struggles with how to handle her gnawing discontent, including how it will affect her dad. He is already bitter and depressed by her mother’s departure and the dwindling audiences threatening the demise of their entire industry. We see her world as being so sequestered that forays into the culture of their customers are as alien to her as the rumspringa year might be for Amish teens. Even worse, they usually take that step away from their comfort zone at 16 years of age, and with the full support of their community. She is 24, and knows it would devastate her father and alienate the few friends she has from growing up with them under the big top.

Poppy’s process is a slow and quiet one, with considerable suspense about what she will do and whether any of several dangled unpleasant possibilities will materialize. Waddell, who has worked with Johnson a couple of times before, was a good choice for the lead. We can see her internal struggles even between lines of dialog and the interactions with the others who will be affected by her decisions. Dad mostly seems like such a jackass that one may wonder why it has taken her so long. In other moments, he is a more sympathetic character, clinging desperately to the only existence he has known or wanted as societal changes whittle away at its financial viability.

Johnson gets solid performances from all of her players. The film’s limited budget works to her advantage, making the circus small and rundown; the audiences small; the town of this current stay is nothing special. These aren’t the times for those romanticized circus spectacles of yore, when a Burt Lancaster or Charlton Heston dazzled packed bleachers with pizzazz aplenty. I’m not even close to the target demographic for this sensitive depiction of a woman’s inner conflicts and struggles, but the film kept me in suspense and invested in her outcome. And that’s a good thing.

BALLOON ANIMAL is available via video-on-demand on most platforms as of Friday, April 7.

RATING: 2 out of 4 stars

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