In the near future, Major (Scarlett Johansson) is the first of her kind: A human saved from a terrible crash, who is cyber-enhanced to be a perfect soldier devoted to stopping the world’s most dangerous criminals. When terrorism reaches a new level that includes the ability to hack into people’s minds and control them, Major is uniquely qualified to stop it. As she prepares to face a new enemy, Major discovers that she has been lied to: her life was not saved, it was stolen. She will stop at nothing to recover her past, find out who did this to her and stop them before they do it to others. Based on the internationally acclaimed Japanese Manga, “The Ghost in the Shell.”
Directed by Rupert Sanders and stars Scarlett Johansson, Pilou Asbæk, Takeshi Kitano, Michael Pitt & Juliette Binoche.
See GHOST IN THE SHELL in theaters nationwide on March 31, 2017 in REALD 3D and IMAX 3D.
WAMG invites you to enter for the chance to win TWO (2) seats to the advance screening of GHOST IN THE SHELL on March 29TH at 7PM in the St. Louis area.
Answer the following:
Scarlett Johansson stars as Griet, a young 17th-century servant in the household of the Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer in which 2003 film?
TO ENTER, ADD YOUR NAME, ANSWER AND EMAIL IN OUR COMMENTS SECTION BELOW.
OFFICIAL RULES:
1. YOU MUST BE IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA THE DAY OF THE SCREENING.
2. No purchase necessary. A pass does not guarantee a seat at a screening. Seating is on a first-come, first served basis. The theater is overbooked to assure a full house. The theater is not responsible for overbooking.
Get a first look at the new GHOST IN THE SHELL spot before it debuts in the Big Game on Sunday.
Based on the internationally-acclaimed sci-fi property, GHOST IN THE SHELL follows Major, a special ops, one-of-a-kind human-cyborg hybrid, who leads the elite task force Section 9. Devoted to stopping the most dangerous criminals and extremists, Section 9 is faced with an enemy whose singular goal is to wipe out Hanka Robotic’s advancements in cyber technology.
Directed by Rupert Sanders, the film stars Scarlett Johansson, Pilou Asbæk, Takeshi Kitano, Michael Pitt & Juliette Binoche.
GHOST IN THE SHELL opens in theaters nationwide on March 31, 2017 in REALD 3D and IMAX 3D.
In celebration of the upcoming film GHOST IN THE SHELL, stars Scarlett Johansson, “Beat” Takeshi Kitano, and director Rupert Sanders joined fans and influencers from across the globe in Tokyo on Sunday for the film’s global launch party.
Scarlett Johansson on stage during the Ghost in the Shell Fan Event at Tabloid in Tokyo, Japan November 13, 2016
Opening with Taiko drummers, including the legendary anime film composer Kenji Kawai, the event held at TABLOID began with a screening of never-before-seen footage from the film. Attendees were given an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the costumes and props from the film, as well as an opportunity to capture their experience in a film-centric experiential photo booth – “Becoming the Major.” The exciting show concluded with Johansson, Kitano, and Sanders debuting the film’s global trailer, triggering its worldwide launch.
Based on the internationally-acclaimed sci-fi property, GHOST IN THE SHELL follows Major, a special ops, one-of-a-kind human-cyborg hybrid, who leads the elite task force Section 9. Devoted to stopping the most dangerous criminals and extremists, Section 9 is faced with an enemy whose singular goal is to wipe out Hanka Robotic’s advancements in cyber technology.
GHOST IN THE SHELL opens in theaters March 31, 2017.
The incoherent mess known as CRIMINAL is rescued from disaster by a game cast. Seasoned pros join hot younger stars to elevate a ridiculous script, keeping what could have (and should have) been a train wreck mostly on track and lending CRIMINAL far more credibility than it deserves.
CRIMINAL opens with a gritty chase through the streets of London that ends with CIA agent Bill Pope (Ryan Reynolds) murdered by having a cattle prod shoved down his throat by the sinister “Spanish Anarchist” Heimdahl (Jordi Molla) and his vicious moll Elsa (Antje Traue). But Pope’s now-dead mind is full of critical, earth-saving info involving his interactions with “The Dutchman” (Michael Pitt), a nut who has hacked his way into the controls of U.S. nuclear missile silos and will start WWIII unless his demands, mostly involving a passport and a big bag of cash, are met. Pope’s CIA superior Quaker Wells (Gary Oldman) hires Dr. Franks (Tommy Lee Jones), the brains behind a secret mind transference project, to plug Pope’s memories into the brain of someone else. When Wells asks Dr. Franks (as in Frankenstein) if he has a subject in mind, the answer is “Yes, but you’re not going to like him”. That’s because, according this movie’s dopey logic, the only candidate in the world to be on the receiving end of Pope’s thoughts is death-row inmate Jericho Stewart (Kevin Costner), a lunatic sociopath so dangerous he lives shackled, Hannibal Lecter-like, in double-secret solitary confinement (we’re never told why a more stable subject isn’t chosen, or one already in London, since they have to fly Jericho there from the U.S. even though time is running out). The operation is a success but Jericho tricks Wells and Dr. Franks into thinking it’s a failure and on his way back to prison, escapes and goes hunting for that satchel of cash that Pope’s memories tell him is stashed somewhere near a row of vintage George Orwell novels. He visits Pope’s widow Jill (Gal Gadot) who immediately buys his farfetched tale (Him: “Tonight is chicken and waffles night” – Her: “Wow! My husband’s mind really has been injected into that scar on the back of your neck!”) She and her young daughter Emma (Lara Decarro) join Jericho for a series of progressively incomprehensible plot developments.
CRIMINAL is initially audacious and intriguing – but ultimately bogged down by its preposterousness as the overstuffed narrative become more and more ludicrous and confusing. It’s never clear how exactly Heimdahl and his goons fit into the Dutchman’s plans. Neither Kevin Costner nor the script ever seem to have a real grasp on how much of Pope’s mind Jericho is sharing his noggin with at any given time. Jericho is a step ahead of the CIA and Heimdahl’s army of well-organized villains on his tail one minute, and mumbling dumb like Billy Bob Thornton in SLING BLADE the next. There may be philosophical questions lurking beneath the surface of CRIMINAL, but they’re mostly avoided in favor of bloody action sequences with blazing guns, car chases, explosions, action and plot directions that make the head spin. The only fantastical aspect of the film is its brain-transference concept, and everything beyond that is taken from a conventional action film template (spoiler alert: Jill and Emma are kidnapped by Heimdahl !).
It’s the cast however, that makes CRIMINAL watchable, though perhaps in a sort of ‘guilty pleasure’ way. Costner is never convincing as a man in another man’s body, but he doesn’t have to be. Scowling and growling like a grumpy Clint Eastwood, Costner has a lot of fun with the role and the audience has fun along with him, watching Jericho bashing in teeth and even murdering innocents just to steal their food or their cars. Gary Oldman, a long-term devotee of the art of ham, screams and spits and rolls his eyes like a champ. Challenging him in the overacting department is Michael Pitt who delivers his character’s manic dialogue with nutty aplomb but he spends almost the entire movie alone in a hotel room which just makes his approach that much odder. Tommy Lee Jones is the laid back one, but he disappears for much of the film while Jordi Molla makes for a hissable villain and gets to deliver some of the film’s best howlers like “If you’d kept better track of the Dutchman, we’d have the wormhole by now!” Gal Gadot looks good in a standard part but isn’t given much to do. Alice Eve is wasted as a doomed CIA agent, while Antje Traue makes the best impression of the three women as a sadistic henchwoman. After THE CHANGE-UP and SELF/LESS, this is the third Ryan Reynolds body swap film. You’d think he’d know better but this one won’t hurt his career. Keep expectations low. CRIMINAL isn’t good…..but it’s a good time.
What happens when the CIA’s only hope to stop a terrorist threat to the nuclear arsenal lies in the dark, unpredictable recesses of a criminal’s damaged mind? Directed by Ariel Vromen and featuring a star-studded cast led by Kevin Costner, Gal Gadot, Tommy Lee Jones and Gary Oldman, CRIMINAL is a fresh, provocative spin on the espionage action-thriller that probes the secret world of memory and identity, as it propels an unwitting death row killer into the consciousness of a dedicated CIA agent in a ferocious race against time.
The film opens in theaters April 15.
WAMG invites you to enter for a chance to win a pass (Good for 2) to the advance screening of CRIMINAL on Monday, April 11 at 7PM in the St. Louis area.
We will contact the winners by email.
Answer the following:
Costner played “Devil” Anse Hatfield in what History Channel record-setting mini-series?
TO ENTER, ADD YOUR NAME, ANSWER AND EMAIL IN OUR COMMENTS SECTION BELOW.
OFFICIAL RULES:
1. YOU MUST BE IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA THE DAY OF THE SCREENING.
2. A pass does not guarantee a seat at a screening. Seating is on a first-come, first served basis. The theater is overbooked to assure a full house. The theater is not responsible for overbooking.
3. No purchase necessary.
This film is rated R by the MPAA for strong violence and language throughout.
Starring Kevin Costner, Ryan Reynolds, Gary Oldman, Tommy Lee Jones, Alice Eve, Michael Pitt, Jordi Mollà, Antje Traue, Scott Adkins, Amaury Nolasco, Danny Webb, Colin Salmon and Gal Gadot, watch the trailer for director Ariel Vromen’s CRIMINAL.
This looks amazing – count me in!
The story of the right man in the wrong body. In a last-ditch effort to stop a diabolical plot, a dead CIA operative’s memories, secrets, and skills are implanted into an unpredictable and dangerous death-row inmate in hopes the he will complete the operative’s mission.
I ORIGINS, the second feature film from writer and director Mike Cahill, tells the story of Dr. Ian Gray (Michael Pitt),tells the story about a molecular biologist studying the evolution of the eye, and finds himself in a struggle between science and spirituality. Recently, I sat down with director Mike Cahill and star Michael Pitt to talk about the film Check it out below!
He finds his work permeating his life after a brief encounter with an exotic young woman (Astrid Bergès- Frisbey) who slips away from him. As his research continues years later with his lab partner Karen (Brit Marling), they make a stunning scientific discovery that has far reaching implications and complicates both his scientific and spiritual beliefs. Traveling half way around the world, he risks everything he has ever known to validate his theory.
What is the impetus of the idea?
MIKE CAHILL : This idea was floating around in my head for a decade. But it wasn’t until I met Michael [Pitt] on a general meeting in Brooklyn that the abstraction became concrete. I had a lot of research – I had researched the eye, the fact that eyes are unique, all of our irises are unique, I was fascinated by the fact that the eye forms when you’re in your mother’s womb and stays the same your entire life, identical twins have different eyes – and if you look at the poster, it’s aesthetically beautiful and feels very spiritual in a way, but it also feels very scientific and like a nebula in space. But again, it wasn’t until I was given the opportunity to meet Michael – I leapt at the opportunity because I had admired him from afar for a very long time as an artist for all the choices he makes; whenever he’s in a film, I’m super-excited to see it just because his choices are surprising and bold and thoughtful in the role and in the scenes. So we chatted, artist to artist, and it was in the middle of the conversation – I was swept up by his amazing sense of humor and personality, and incredible wisdom and insights on the world – and it was interesting because Michael as an artist has such integrity and the things he does are for the purpose of the art. In many ways, that’s very similar to Ian who is doing the purpose of the work. It felt like to capture the truth of a Ph.D. student whose prime goal is discovery, something just gelled, and right in that moment I said, ‘Michael, can I tell you a story?!’ I told him about the duplicate eyes and Ian Grey and he was very encouraging and said, ‘You’ve got a future, kid.’ (Laughs)
MICHAEL PITT : He explained to me the story as though it was something he read in the science journal about duplicates coming up, and I was like, ‘This is amazing. This is true?’ and he was like, ‘No, I just made it up.’ (Laughs) I was like, ‘Who the fuck is this guy?’ But then two really interesting things happened when he did that: 1) I wasn’t surprised. In thinking about it, I wasn’t surprised. I wanted to read up on it, what was going on, but there was this weird realization for that minute that I believed he was informing of something that had just occurred. I wasn’t surprised. That was really interesting. And then, I was like, ‘At the end of the movie or later at some point, if you can put the audience in the same place that you just put me where they believe it or want to believe it or go on a suspension of disbelief, I think we can do something really cool.’
What about the leap of faith aspect and the balance of science versus religion?
MIKE CAHILL : Throughout history, science and spirituality have collided. This is not a new thing at all; this has been going on forever.
MICHAEL PITT : It used to be dangerous to discover scientific things.
MIKE CAHILL : Yeah, burned at the stake. But I had this feeling that science and spirituality don’t have to be at odds with each other. There’s an experiment Karen does in the film, which is based on a real experiment, which is modifying worms that have two senses – smell and touch – and modifying them to have vision. Scientists can do that in a laboratory today. They do, do that. When I learned about that, that blew my mind, and all of a sudden it shed a lot of light on how science and spirituality actually are right, not on the same plane, but they don’t have to be colliding with one another. If this worm all of a sudden has access to another world that we know is there, it’s right there on top of it – light, sound is all around – and sound and light are indirectly influencing each other – the light of the sun will warm an apple and the worm can smell that – and through that metaphor, you understand how, first of all, five sense are by no means the limit. That’s too much hubris to say we’re the top of the sensorial perception species. So it follows that there must be more domains that we don’t have access to; that’s the metaphysical. There are so many religions – there’s like five or six huge religions with hundreds of millions of followers – and we’ve been trying to create narratives to explain that which is only having its echoes in our tangible, touchable, testable realm. And when you can wrap your head around that thought – the worms – you find that you can reconcile the two quite easily. I find. Does that make sense?
Which comes first for you – the scientific what-ifs you’re asking, or the characters?
MIKE CAHILL : For me, as a writer the way it works is, concept comes first, and then the imperative story within that concept emerges. So with Another Earth, it was string theories, concept of multi-verse and duplicate earth, and who needs to meet themselves most – so that’s where the character emerges. With this, it’s iris biometrics, the iris returning, whose story do we need to tell in that paradigm – so all this science stuff is just the texture, but the story is about a man who loves deeply and loses that love, then loves again in a totally new and different way, and coming to terms with that loss and the different types of love, which you could tell without science-fiction at all, but it just makes it cooler.
So you’re a bit of a romantic then?
MIKE CAHILL : Yeah, totally. No, not at all.
MICHAEL PITT : The kid’s a Romeo.
You said that you would like to challenge your audience with the roles that you take. Is there any particular role or challenge that you are looking for next?
MICHAEL PITT : I have a couple of projects that I’m developing right now. I probably shouldn’t talk about them. [Laughs] What I’m trying to do right now in my career is… I’ve had a really amazing career where I’ve gotten to work with some amazing directors who’ve sort of taken me under their wing. They’ve had huge resumes, and have changed cinema in a lot of ways. I’m really trying to be active in working with the new generation of filmmakers – Mike being one of them. I’m putting what i’ve learned into that, and supporting that. Also, being more active and not sitting around waiting for the projects to come, because if you are selective it can… Before I did ‘Boardwalk Empire’ I had just done a film with Michael Haneke, who’s an amazing director. He may be the smartest director – most intellectual director that I’ve ever worked with. [Looks at Mike Cahill and laughs] He’s in his 70’s though, so you’ve got some time.[Laughs]
MIKE CAHILL : I bow down. [Laughs]
MICHAEL PITT : You know, working on a level – you know, some of his films are really hard to watch. It’s not necessarily a pleasant experience – but working with him… that guy is working on a whole nother level. After having that experience, it kind of messed with my head… a little bit. I was like “I’m not going to work on something if I’m not positive. Unless creatively it interests me. I’m not going to go backwards after having that experience.” and I didn’t work for three years. I was either going to have to move out of my house in Bed-Stuy, and I was like “First of all, aren’t I supposed to be some sort of a famous actor? Second of all, where do you go when you have to leave Bed-Stuy? [Laughs] Where the fuck do you go?” Luckily, [Martin] Scorsese gave me that project. What was amazing about meeting him was he saw my choices. It had a lot to do with it, and when that happens you’re just like ‘Whew!’ [Laughs] You’re not doing it for nothing. There are people…
Both Michael and Brit seem to have that same language where they’re both trying to be choosey in their roles. What is that like, as a director, to work with actors that are so responsible with their careers, and what they want to do, and their storytelling?
MIKE CAHILL : I mean, it’s a huge privilege. It’s no secret that this movie is a very inexpensive movie. You know everyone who’s involved is passionate about it. They’re not coming for a paycheck. They’re coming because of the art form. What I was so impressed with everyday in working with Michael and continuing to work with Brit is the amount of work that they put into it – building up to it – to build these characters. He doesn’t just show up on set. He’s so involved. Ian Gray is his. He created Ian Gray, and that involved spending time in the laboratory, working with scientists, learning the mundane movements that they would do, extracting DNA, eye cleansing with saline solution, and burning gels.These guys would soak it up and make these mannerisms baked in to their own DNA. I witnessed the shift in energy. We called Michael Ian when we were filming, the entire time. Even when the cameras weren’t rolling. It was as if an ionic charge of all his cells became Ian. It’s something that is really, really hard to describe… but really easy to witness, or to pinpoint and see. You know that people are coming together because they want to be there, and they want to do the work. It just makes life a lot easier.
How much does location inform an actor, because obviously New York, you live there, you film there… there’s an energy…
MICHAEL PITT : …I love California though… I want to say that for the record. I’m not a hater. [Laughs] People assume that if you’re from New York that you hate California.
No, no, no. I’m leading somewhere different…
MICHAEL PITT : Sorry. [Laughs] What was the question?
When you go to New Dehli, how does that inform you – the environment there? Most people will never get an opportunity to partake in that landscape, so…
MICHAEL PITT : What do you mean?
Didn’t you shoot in India?
MICHAEL PITT : That was a set.
MIKE CAHILL : No. That was a set!
That was a set?
MICHAEL PITT : No, I’m just kidding! [Laughs] We did that in the studio.[Laughs] That would be amazing! One thing, that I’m super blessed to do… One of the advantages of being an actor is that you do get to travel to these places, all over the world. Early on in my career, it just so happens that I was digging a lot of filmmakers were doing in Europe, so I got a chance to go there, and work there, and I kind of went the other way. I mean, I love traveling. People ask me ‘What place don’t you like?’ and I’m like ‘None!’
Did you sense the spirituality there?
MICHAEL PITT : Oh! That place is a pulse. It’s a giant place of spirituality, science, corruption, extreme beauty, extreme tragedy. I had to shoot a film right after. If I didn’t, and this is not that uncommon, I probably would have gotten lost for a couple of months.
This movie was a breath of fresh air because I had just watched ‘Hannibal’, and then there you are [in this film] looking beautiful. You’re not crazy… Safety!
MICHAEL PITT : It’s safe for my mother! ‘Can I watch this one?’ [Laughs] Poor mom.
You’re saying you warned her about THE DREAMERS?
MICHAEL PITT : Ahh… yeah. She was warned about that.
You have made such interesting choices. Obviously, you’ve kind of touched on that. I know it may seem like a very simplistic question, but what was it in Ian? What kind of muscles did you get to stretch, or what was it that you got to do that you haven’t really gotten to explore before in your character?
MICHAEL PITT : Well, I’m constantly trying to learn. I would be very nervous if I get to the point where I wasn’t. I just don’t even know where you would go after that. It’s a character that I haven’t been able to… I haven’t played yet. It’s kind of something that I think… It was really technical. It was a seriously challenging role. I wish I had more time with that role. That’s kind of normal. I always feel that way, but this one in particular wasn’t easy. Just getting over the scientific jargon… I don’t say line that I don’t understand, so you’ve got to get a general understanding of the lines. Mike was amazing because he spent a lot of time with me. Also, his brother was a scientist who really taught me to understand the basis of what they are doing. That’s just like a technical thing. And then, he’s {Mike Cahill] just, like, this creative genius who’s got a short hand in science. It wasn’t that uncommon for him to get inspired at 2 o’clock in the morning and say ‘Oh! I just wrote a three page scene.’ [Laughs] So, there were those technical things, just character things, that were needed to technically run its repetition. But then, on a more instinctual level, I loved playing this character. It was… he was so passionate about science, and so, sort of… in one direction about data, and proof, and trying to create this little light that’s burning about what he believes… and in another sense, how does a guy who’s a little socially awkward, what does he look like. That was fun, but difficult. It was a really challenging role.
Did you empathize with the plight of losing someone that you love right in front of them, and then starting the next chapter of his life, and starting over again… letting love be rebirther to him, and seeing something new?
MICHAEL PITT : Do you mean at the end?
Not to give too much away, but after the tragic element occurs in his life, he allows himself, with Karen…
MICHAEL PITT : Yeah.
… to love again.
MICHAEL PITT : Working with Brit, and deciding how we were going to approach that relationship was really interesting. We gave a lot of thought to it. It was something that’s difficult. The way that I looked at it was that these things were, this love was happening. He had no idea that this was evolving, and then in that scene when they kiss, I think it was as surprising to him, at that moment. It came out of a really desperate moment, that these two bonded, and it was like that they had been turning into this relationship and from that moment fourth moment, I never played it in a way where that was ever shaken. He new that she was the one. The only thing that through that off balance was when tragic things happen is not having closure. It’s important to take the time to close whatever chapter, whatever that means. He never did it. He kind of lived with it. Stuffed it aside and lived with it. Of course, at some point it comes back.
I ORIGINS is in select theaters now, opens everywhere tomorrow
2011 saw the release of one of the quirkiest of the many independent film releases (and there were many oddball little flicks), ANOTHER EARTH. This weird drama/science fiction/fantasy hybrid (it does indeed concern a twin to our big, blue marble) was the first collaboration between director Mike Cahill and actress Brit Marling (the two co-wrote the script). It was an uneven blend of mysticism and intimate character study. Since then Marling became one of the “indie” film scene’s “it” girls with leads in THE SOUND OF MY VOICE and THE EAST, while scoring some supporting roles in mainstream studio flicks like THE COMPANY YOU KEEP and ARBITRAGE. Now the two are back, working together (but not writing) on a science speculative/drama/love story I ORIGINS. And while Marling is not the lead player this time out, it still has that offbeat, off-center vibe while being much more down to (just this one) Earth.
The film begins with a voice-over by the movie’s main protagonist Ian (Michael Pitt) as we see intense close-ups of human eyes. Ian is a molecular biologist who has collected eye photos ever since he could pick up a camera, even concocting a special flash/lens set-up for just that purpose. The story then shifts backwards six or seven years to the college lab he shared with fellow scientist Kenny (Steven Yeun). Much to Ian’s annoyance they are assigned a student assistant Karen (Marling) who’s earning extra credit for her time. Ian hopes to eradicate color blindness and thinks the key may be to actually build or grow an eye on a test animal. Karen takes her internship seriously and begins the search for a sightless, eyeless animal from thousands of candidates, which would have the right molecular make-up that will allow them to add vision. That evening at a friend’s Halloween party, Ian is accosted by a woman wearing a full face ninja-like black stocking mask. He whips out his camera to snap a shot of her exposed eyes. But just as they are getting better “acquainted” in the bathroom, she dashes away like Cinderella at midnight. Spotting the same eyes on a billboard for cosmetics, he tracks down the model, the gorgeous Sofi (Astrid Berges-Frisbey). They begin a whirlwind, doomed, passionate affair. Flash forward to the present day. Ian and Kenny are behind a worldwide internet database of eyes and their owners. When some researchers make some odd tests on his newborn son, this sets Ian on another worldwide quest in search of those unique eyes from a party so long ago.
Pitt, so menacing in FUNNY GAMES and the TV series “Hannibal”, isn’t given a lot to do as the lead here. He’s aloof as the scientist, fervent (and a bit creepy) as the pursuing lover, and testy as the doubting researcher. Yeun, so wonderful as Glen on AMC’s “The Walking Dead”, is regulated to observer role when he’s not helping to explain the convoluted proceedings. And Marling must spew endless science-speak as her character tries to hide her feelings and motivations. She an engaging screen presence saddled with a glorified “Ygor” part. Berges-Frisbey is supposed to be the free spirit that saves Ian from his work, but besides the physical (and she is quite lovely), there’s no convincing reason that Sofi and Ian should be together (she’s visibly repulsed by Ian’s lab) besides plot mechanics (plus I had a difficult time with her thick accent). Marlin’s co-star from EARTH, William Mapother is brought in as a pointless “red herring” while “The Good Wife” cast member Archie Panjabi is required to furl her brow and push Ian toward the film’s final fade-out.
Director Cahill makes good use of the NYC locations (love the view out the lab window), but keeps the film moving at a snail’s pace. For the first half we’re supposed to be enthralled by the romantic search (the stalking subway waltz feels very off), then we’re slammed with lots of metaphysical mumbo-jumbo that’s never fully resolved. Is this about reincarnation? Are souls transferred from the dead to newborns via shared eye colors? A last act trip overseas seems a desperate attempt to liven things up, but only re-enforces tired cultural stereotypes. Just when it appears that Ian has made some revelation (we almost expect the bright lightbulb to materialize above his noggin), the film just thuds to an abrupt stop. Cahill raises some interesting concepts and theories, but doesn’t follow-through on many of the plot points. Perhaps he wished to challenge movie-goers, but the real challenge is keeping your own eyes open during this long, dull slog.
1.5 Out of 5
I ORIGINS screens exclusively in St. Louis at Landmark’s Tivoli Theatre and Plaza Frontenac Cinemas
I ORIGINS tells the story of Dr. Ian Gray (Michael Pitt), a molecular biologist studying the evolution of the eye. He finds his work permeating his life after a brief encounter with an exotic young woman (Astrid Bergès- Frisbey) who slips away from him.
As his research continues years later with his lab partner Karen (Brit Marling), they make a stunning scientific discovery that has far reaching implications and complicates both his scientific and spiritual beliefs. Traveling half way around the world, he risks everything he has ever known to validate his theory.
Like director Mike Cahill’s first film, 2011 Sundance Film Festival winner ANOTHER EARTH, I ORIGINS is a personal and unconventional exploration of the mysteries of the scientific world. To Cahill, scientists are important role models for filmmakers.
“They spend their lives asking the big questions,” he explains. “Why are we here? What are we made of? They explore the minutest levels of matter and they look at the biggest things, like the universe. I wish I were a scientist, but I’m a filmmaker, so I make films about scientists.”
Fox Searchlight Pictures Presents a Verisimilitude / WeWork Studios Production, in association with Bersin Pictures and Penny Jane Films, I ORIGINS starring Michael Pitt, Brit Marling, Astrid Bergès-Frisbey, Steven Yeun, Archie Panjabi, Cara Seymour, Venida Evans, William Mapother and introducing Kashish.
Written, directed and edited by Mike Cahill, I ORIGINS hits theaters July 18th and opens July 25th in St. Louis at the Landmark Theatres.
WAMG is giving away Run-Of-Engagement Passes (Admit Two) to see I ORIGINS in the St. Louis Area.
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There are many ways a person can commit suicide, quick and easy or long and slow, but the end result is all the same. One way, for example, would be to deliberately do something to royally piss off the mafia. Yes, that would just about guarantee your own demise. With this in mind, let’s talk about a film, based on a true story…
By its title, ROB THE MOB does sound like it should be a comedy about the mafia. In fact, it is actually a very funny film. I’d even say it holds its own against MY COUSIN VINNY (1992). As appealing as that is on the surface, it gets better. Not only is this a funny, entertaining movie, but it’s also based on a true story. The events in this film, or at least parts of it, actually happened… in real life!
So, why am I making such a big deal about this? Let me explain. ROB THE MOB is about a couple from Queens, New York who decide their big break will be to steal from the mafia, i.e. “Rob the Mob.” Sounds pretty straight forward, right? That’s how Tommy and Rosie feel about their master plan to make it big and live the high life. Tommy, played by Michael Pitt, is a stick-up man and his girlfriend Rosie, played by Nina Arianda, is the getaway driver. Together, they are a match made on the mean streets and a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde.
Tommy and Rosie both get pinched, do their time, then make an effort to live a straight life once out of the slammer. By chance, or by twist of fate, this coincides with the trial of notorious modern-day mob boss John Gotti. Tommy gets the idea to attend the trial as a spectator where he learns about mafia social clubs peppered around New York City where gangsters hang out and no guns are allowed. Unfortunately for Tommy, a light bulb goes off and his big plan is hatched. He’ll knock off a mafia social club, because mobsters always have lots of cash, no danger of getting shot, and no danger of getting caught because a mobster isn’t going to call the cops. On the surface, this is a brilliant plan. The problem, of course, is that neither Tommy or Rosie are the sharpest criminals.
ROB THE MOB, written by Jonathan Fernandez and directed by Raymond De Felitta, pulls headlines right out of the newspaper that scream to be glamorized on the big screen. Many of those very headlines may have actually existed, as written by journalist Jerry Cardozo, played by Ray Romano. Tommy and Rosie actually succeed in this insane endeavor, at first. However, as greed sets in as it so often does, the best laid plans go to waste. Tommy and Rosie get sloppy, overly confident and seduced by fame. Michael Pitt and Nina Arianda play fully into their roles and there is no doubt in the viewers’ minds that the characters were anything other than the World’s Dumbest Criminals candidates they appear to be on film. With that said, you can’t hep but fall in love with them and root for them as they continue on they Robin Hood spree at the mafia’s expense, all while certain tragedy lies waiting just around the dark and violent corner up ahead.
Big Al, played by Andy Garcia, plays the mysterious mob boss running the show in the absence of John Gotti. Despite the unbelievable antics and humorous real-life scenarios taking place, Big Al — despite his stereotypical nick name — provides a dramatic, philosophical element to the story that helps to level off the humor and grounds the story in a lesson of morality. Garcia is magnificent as the calm, mild-tempered mob boss who has a secret past and an unconventional view of the family’s future. Perhaps the best performance, however, is a rather short one provided by Burt Young as Joey D, an aging mobster who holds the key to the mafia’s survival or downfall. In this key scene, whereas Joey D encounters Tommy in one of the mafia social clubs, emotions run high, tension is taught and someone gets beaten like a sack of potatoes. If not for being such a short and limited scene, I’d already be screaming for a Supporting Actor Oscar nod… but, let’s be realistic.
Music. It plays a key role in ROB THE MOB as well. The film takes place circa 1992(ish) but the music is much more timeless, evoking an era far more indicative of the mafia’s hay days. Stephen Endelman composes the original music while accompanied by tracks from The Staple Singers’ “City In the Sky” and Wilson Pickett’s “Somethin’ You Got.” The opening sequence of the film, however, oddly sets the mood in an unexpected use of Deee-Lite’s “Groove Is In the Heart.” Trust me when I say it sounds odd at first, but quickly makes sense and certainly amps the viewer to the appropriate energy level for what’s about to take place.
ROB THE MOB ends on a bitter-sweet note. The film tells a story that is both funny and tragic. A story of two young lovers whose hearts are in the right place but at the expense of their intellect. A story of two reckless dreamers who steal from those far worse than themselves, but are abandoned by those sworn to protect them. BONNIE & CLYDE, TRUE ROMANCE, NATURAL BORN KILLERS… all films with a similar theme and sense of moral ambiguity, but none will capture your heart in quite the same way as Tommy and Rosie.
