Tag: neon

THE END (2024) – Review

As people gather from different corners of the globe to reunite with their families during this holiday season, here comes a film about a family that’s never apart. That’s because they’re all, or nearly, the people left on the planet. For many that may sound like a horror movie, but this can’t be completely categorized as that (so no, it’s not another zombie takeover). As may be expected it is a fairly heavy drama, but it’s also…a musical. This year has seen many tune-filled tales of different styles. We’ll soon see a couple of “jukebox” biographies with BETTER MAN and A COMPLETE UNKNOWN. And the multiplex is still packed with fans of the Broadway-based WICKED. But this new film is closer in spirit to last month’s EMILIA PEREZ as it tackles an unusual subject to be set to music. After all, would you be bursting into song, let alone dance, as you face the very real prospect that this could be THE END?

The story begins deep underground in caves that seem to be part of a massive salt mine. Old cars and pieces of furniture are covered in white dust. Just past a pair of massive steel doors, we meet the family. Somehow they’ve made a cozy, mansion-style habitat, run by Mother (Tilda Swinton). She spends much of her time making sure the rooms are tidy and finding just the right spot for the paintings that would be in the collections of famed museums. Putting around nearby is Father (Michael Shannon), former CEO of an energy conglomerate. They’re also focused on their only sibling, the twenty-something Son (George MacKay). Aiding them is a small staff that has become members of the extended family. Mother’s longtime Friend (Bronagh Gallagher) is the housekeeper/chef. Butler AKA “Butterball” (Tim McInnerny) also helps with the cleaning while tending to Father. And making sure everyone is healthy is the Doctor (Lennie James). Aside from moving the art, most of the day is spent in preparedness. After some brisk lap swimming in their modest pool, Son must be tested in fire safety drills. That’s when he’s not in target practice, in case any of the survivors on the surface try to break in. We learn that a disastrous climate catastrophe set the globe afire a few decades ago. The monotony is finally broken as they patrol about the entrance and discover a young woman has broached the cave. The unconscious Girl (Moses Ingram) is cleaned and nursed back to health before she is to be returned to the surface. But after they hear her desperate pleas, the family has a change of heart. Maybe they can share their resources from their well-stocked greenhouse and aquariums. Plus the Girl is nearly the same age as the Son. Could they save the world by repopulating the planet? It all depends on whether the family can survive after her recent trauma reopens painful emotional wounds from their past.

The big draw for this quirky film might be its always quirky lead actress. Swinton dives into her considerable bag of acting skills to give us another dithering yet tragic eccentric. Mother desperately wants to hang on to the manners of society by being fixated on tidiness and the ongoing display patterns of the painting in a gallery no one else will ever see. It’s interesting that she’s paired with the often scary Shannon who makes Father a shambling, affable fellow (I see a bit of sitcom icon Ozzie Nelson, but due to his unique hairstyle and glasses I kept seeing my favorite cranky former late-night host). It’s not until Father is emotionally “poked” do we get a sense of his inner rage. Doing that poking is his Son who is editing his memoirs (for …someday), and MacKay displays great affection for both parents, though his wide-eyed expression hint at his surprise at being with the “ghosts of the past”. His joy alternates with his anxiety over being the person to “carry on’. But that exhuburance is re-ignited by the arrival of the Girl, who is given a skittish “lost soul” vibe by Ingram, as she treads lightly to fit in, while trying to process the guilt over leaving her own family. Of the “staff”, Gallagher as Friend gives us another haunted survivor who feels a devotion to Mother while also trying to “right the past” with her maternal bond with Son. McInnerny is a sad-faced subservient who’s also full of regret while trying to amuse the others at the expense of his dignity. And James is a nasty “hard case” who lives to “lash out” as a Doctor with the worst “bedside manner”.


In his first narrative feature film, director and co-writer (with Rasmus Heisterberg) Joshua Oppenheimer strives to give the story a dream-like quality, resembling a modern, really futuristic, fairy tale using tiles rather than names (Mother, Father, etc.). Ultimately this becomes repetitive after the Girl begins to settle and a courtship starts with her and Son. This is also when the musical “novelty’ begins to wear thin. Mind you, I was “gobsmacked” when the Son began warbling in the first five minutes of the film. And aside from sharing a very somber adult subject matter, this film suffers from the same malady as EMILIA PEREZ, namely the melodies. The songs are increasingly forgettable, many sound too similar, and the vocal styling of some of the actors is inconsistent, even grating. But unlike PEREZ, the cherography is mainly the actors jumping around the salt piles though Shannon and McInnerny share a simple soft shoe routine. After much melodramatic “hand-wring”, truths are revealed, and a new tragedy occurs which leads to an abrupt “fast forward” that doesn’t address any of the third-act bombasts. It’s an unusual and creative way to tell a survival story, but its turgid pacing and tepid tunes may have you anxious to see that title card indicating THE END.

2 Out of 4

THE END is now playing in select theatres

ROBOT DREAMS – Review

So it’s been long established that the Summer season is the “go-to” release time for animated features (along with the year-end holidays). Kids are out of school and parents need an air-conditioned refuge for the whole family. This season has begun at the multiplex with a fully CGI’d version of the “funny papers” feline, and we’ll soon get an ’emotional” reunion with a Pixar sequel and another visit from Gru and his minions. Ah, but “in between” we’re getting treated to something special and somewhat unique as it’s not part of a franchise, rather it’s based on an acclaimed graphic novel. Plus it’s done in the “classic” animation style, often referred to as 2D, much like the “hand-drawn” shorts and features (and TV shows) of the past. Oh, and it’s an Oscar nominee…from last year. Yes, it was one of the five nominated films in the March ceremony. And though THE BOY AND THE HERON took home the gold, this little gem more than deserved to be “in the race”. Now, at last, everyone will get a chance to be dazzled and delighted by some heart-tugging ROBOT DREAMS.


This story’s “waking life” begins in an anthropomorphic (much like ZOOTOPIA) version of NYC nearly forty years ago. The canine hero (known only as “Dog”) spends his nights in a walk-up one-bedroom apartment (perhaps in Brooklyn or Queens) in front of his tube TV. It’s hooked up to a “home gaming system” enabling him to play the classic “Pong” by himself (each hand holding a joystick makes it a new spin on Solitaire). Dog then switches his set over to basic cable, and pops a frozen “mac & cheese” dinner into the microwave. Setting up his “TV tray” he notices the windows of buildings across the street revealing happy couples enjoying life. And then a commercial inspires him. It’s an ad for the “Amica-2000” robot companion. Dog grabs the phone along with his charge card and places an order. After days of listening for a delivery truck stopped on his street, the big package arrives. After the driver (a bull) leaves, Dog quickly assembles his new mechanical buddy. Its steel noggin sports wide quizzical eyes and a broad smile. Soon Dog and “Robot” are inseparable, strolling down the street, watching TV (THE WIZARD OF OZ is a fave), playing video games, sharing a pizza, and even roller skating in the nearby park. As the temps rise, Dog decides they should hop on a bus to “Ocean Beach Park”. After some fun and food on the “boardwalk”, the duo ventures into the water. After a bit of trepidation, the pals finally engage in some undersea exploration. Afterward, they grab a bit of blanket space on the sand and bask in the sun. They doze off and awaken to a nearly deserted beach at dusk. Dog hastily begins gathering their things and takes Robot’s hand. But he can’t move. perhaps the seawater damaged his inner workings (could be rust). Dog then leaves his friend (assuring him he’ll return) and heads back into the city for his tool kit (and an oil can). But when Dog returns, a fence has been erected because the beach is now closed for the season, the sign stating it will be re-opened in June of next year. He tries to squeeze through the fence but the police gorilla hauls Dog away. Can these “best buddies” survive the separation? Could something happen to either one during the long months of waiting?

This is quite an emotionally complex story for an animated feature, though told in a seemingly simple way. As I mentioned earlier, these aren’t digitally shaded characters with “pixel’d” strands of fur and whiskers. Sure there’s a “double color layer” to suggest a light source and guide the shadows, but the main duo would be right “at home” with the Flintstones, Jetsons, or the first seasons of the Simpsons, though Robot could be a distant cousin to Futurama’s Bender. The backgrounds also benefit from a smooth, slick design, with meticulous detail to the time period (from a couple of pop culture nods, I’m zeroing in on 1986). Plus the fact that Spanish craftsman could so convincingly recreate the Big Apple is most amazing. And the movement is quite impressive, as there’s no real spoken dialogue other than some “chirps”, grunts, and growls. Through body language we know exactly how the heroes are reacting and their “inner life”. Which touches on the universal adult feelings of loneliness and the joy of finally connecting with someone, even if you did have to build him. There’s a sense of that even as the duo are kept apart for months. Dog has a brutal “dust-up” with two nasty twin aardvarks, and later he begins a romance with an athletic duck. Even as he lies on the beach, Robot has some encounters, including a rabbit rowing team and a bird seeking a safe nest for its eggs. And he does dream, drifting into shattering fantasies of reunion and whimsy. It all builds to something beyond the usual cartoon “happily ever after” ending, instead, it’s a warm interlude bathed in melancholy. Surprising that these simple shapes could elicit “all the feels”. Even more startling is the director’s resume, as Pablo Berger is mainly known for live-action comedies and dramas (talk about hitting a homer the first time at bat). But then the source material he adapted, from graphic novelist Sara Varon, has plenty of both. So even though this is technically from 2023, ROBOT DREAMS is one of the best films, animated or live-action, that you’re likely to view, and be moved by this year.

4 Out of 4

ROBOT DREAMS is now playing in select theatres

Hunter Schafer, Dan Stevens, Jessica Henwick Star In The Terrifying Trailer For CUCKOO

NEON is already crushing it in 2024.. First the horror film IMMACULATE, and now this summer comes CUCKOO.

Reluctantly, 17-year-old Gretchen leaves her American home to live with her father, who has just moved into a resort in the German Alps with his new family. Arriving at their future residence, they are greeted by Mr. König, her father’s boss, who takes an inexplicable interest in Gretchen’s mute half-sister Alma. Something doesn’t seem right in this tranquil vacation paradise. Gretchen is plagued by strange noises and bloody visions until she discovers a shocking secret that also concerns her own family.

Following his festival sensation LUZ, German director Tilman Singer has once again succeeded in creating an atmospheric and visually outstanding horror trip with an original plot and perfidious twists. The film, shot on 35 mm, features EUPHORIA’s star Hunter Schafer alongside a brilliant and terrifying Dan Stevens.

Watch the trailer for CUCKOO now.

The film also features Jessica Henwick and Marton Csokas.

Look for CUCKOO in theaters August 9.

Image courtesy of NEON / Photography by Felix Dickinson of Studio AAA

ORIGIN – Review

Much like the earlier reviewed ALL OF US STRANGERS, here’s another “indie” film that’s now getting a “wide rollout” after end-of-the-year screenings on the coasts. And yes, it could have been out everywhere in the last couple of months, but it seems that it’s more pertinent now than ever, since the presidential election cycle began with the Iowas caucus just days ago. No, it’s not about someone running for office, but its subject is a major discussion of any political discourse, going back to the beginnings of the US. And that subject is race. Now this new film doesn’t focus on one particular historical event, much like the filmmaker Ava DuVernay did with SELMA, now ten years ago. This delves much deeper into it, as she travels the globe, and explores different eras, all in adapting a lauded scholar’s investigation into racism’s ORIGIN.

The film begins with a flashback to a tragic racially motivated killing over a dozen years ago (you’ll recognize it after a few brief sequences). Then the story jumps ahead a bit as historian/author Isabel Wilkerson (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor) finishes up a lecture. Afterward, she is approached by literary associates about writing an investigative book about that incident. But life calls her away as she moves her aging mother into assisted living and preps the old family house for resale. During this time she meets the son of a neighbor, Brett Hamilton (Jon Bernthal), beginning a romance that leads to marriage. But when he’s taken, Isabel recalls his last words which urged her to take on the discussed tome. She’s further nudged by her BFF cousin Marion (Niecy Nash), though Isabel decides to tackle the story and radically expand the work. Yes, the killing would be part of it, but Isabel wants to place it into an examination of racism itself, not just in the USA, but around the globe and through the centuries. She then starts “racking up” the frequent flyer miles, by traveling to Germany to learn of two American students caught up in the rise of Nazism, and of a forbidden love between a “pure Aryian” and a Jewish woman. Back in the States, Isabel looks into a research investigation that compared the experiences of two young married couples, one white, and one black, back in the pre-civil rights South. Then it’s off to India to explore the still-in-use “caste” system which divides society into different social, economic, and working classes as Isabel gets a tour by the country’s first “untouchable” collegian.

After impressing audiences as the Williams matriarch in KING RICHARD a couple of years ago, Ms. Ellis-Taylor is superb as the compassionate caring scholar who is the heart of this world-spanning historical essay. Her intelligence is established early on and gradually we see Isabel as a loving daughter and wife before her role as a truth-seeker. Ellis-Taylor shows us her inquisitive nature while never masking Isabel’s sense of wonder at the world tempered with her shock over the actions of its people through the years. She’s a terrific screen partner, whether we see her begin to fall for the charismatic Bernthal, who easily switches from his usual “working class hero/villain” roles, or trading affectionate barbs with cousin Marion, played with a fun-loving spunk by the energetic Nash. Ellis-Taylor is also effective as she discusses, and often disagrees with, a German historian, given passion and logic by Connie Nielsen. Another standout is real-life scholar Gaurav J. Pathania as Isabel’s guide (and the film’s third act narrator/teacher) who calmly recounts the mind-boggling class divisions in India with some truly heartbreaking degradations that still occur. And I should single out an “extended cameo” by the great Nick Hofferman as a plumber whose hard demeanor hides a warm soul and Audra McDonald whose character tells of how sexism enters the “big conflict”.

As mentioned earlier, director DuVernay takes a big swing at an even bigger target and connects for much of the time in her adaptation of Wilkerson’s “Caste: The Origins of our Discontents”. It’s a daunting endeavor that could’ve been a series of “talking head” dissections. But DuVarney puts us inside the pivotal events without tossing away the humanity. With Isobel’s travels the film could be called a cerebral investigative spin on EAT PRAY LOVE, but that would be dismissing the ideas and discourse that linger on well after the closing credits. DuVernay conveys the heartbreak of 30’s Germany and 50’s segregation, which have been in many previous films, but her deep dive into India makes for several sequences that will burn into your brain (involving public sanitation). And though you may not agree with many of the notions (the “shared genocide” debate will no doubt continue), everyone can agree that Ms. DuVernay has crafted an intellectual and emotional epic that will enthrall and educate in ORIGIN.

3 Out of 4

ORIGIN is now playing in select theatres

FERRARI – Review

And what’s that zooming toward the multiplex? Why, it’s yet another true-life sports film, and it’s comin’ in hot. Yes, it’s a whole lot faster than the rowing movie, as it is set in the world of auto racing. And unlike the other racing flick this year, GRAN TURISMO, there’s no video gaming involved as the bulk of it takes place over sixty-five years ago. Oh, and the director of this new film has been making some of the most interesting and stylish action epics over the last five decades. He’s focused on one year in a man’s life synonymous with the sport, so it could be considered a biography. Even after all this time that name resonates throughout the world in general. Sure it’s now a brand name, but behind all the iconic autos was the man named Enzo FERRARI.

This profile begins with newsreel-style footage of Enzo Ferrari (Adam Driver) churning up the dirt raceway in the 1920s. Flash forward to 1957, as he awakens and joins Lina (Shailene Woodley) for breakfast with their eight-year-old son Piero. He says goodbye but doesn’t go directly to his auto factory. Instead, he stops at the crypt of his late son Alfredo (‘Dino’) and the home he shares with his wife Laura (Penelope Cruz). Of course, she knows nothing of Enzo’s second family, perhaps owing to Italy’s ban on divorce in the day. Enzo’s arrival precedes a heated argument ending with her firing a pistol (later one would end with kitchen tabletop lovemaking). It’s a big day at Ferrari S.p.A, as a new racer, Alfonso De Portiago (Gabriel Leone) joins the company team before the next big road race. And much to Enzo’s chagrin, his movie starlet girlfriend Linda Christian (Sarah Gadon) steals some of the fanfare. He appears to have a complex relationship with the press. Enzo despises the “paparazzi” for trying to pry into his personal life, but uses them to plant rumors, like a possible merger with Ford Motors, in order to generate much-needed cash. Seems the company is teetering toward bankruptcy, which forces Enzo to make risky loans with banks and even barter with Laura over shares of the family company. Ah, but all will work out when his team wins the highly-touted race, Mille Miglia, which runs over several miles of public roads throughout Italy. But what would happen if disaster and death take the wheel?

In the title role, Driver (nice coincidence) is quite intimidating as the looming, passionate auto maven. he conveys a man completely focused on his profession, down to the smallest bit of machinery, while also juggling every penny of his company’s dwindling funds. But his best juggling is in his double life. With Lina and Piero he’s a warm nurturing patriarch, doting on his boy while frustrating his mother. But with Laura, he never quite knows what’s behind their home’s front entrance. Like the old fable, is it “the lady or the tiger”? As Laura, Cruz has a fierce bite along with her ultra-sharp claws, as she suspects that Enzo has “something on the side”, while she she to reign in his spending excesses. But Cruz also shows us that the wounds of losing a son have never healed as she lashed at him to unload her smothering grief. As the “other woman” Woodley shows us the defiant attitude that is tempered with a lingering affection for Enzo, paired with a sense of shame for having to exist “in the shadows”.As for team Ferrari, Leone oozes with machismo charm as the new “darling of the tabloids, while another charmer, Patrick Dempsey, conveys an easygoing demeanor as veteran “pedal man” Piero Taruffi.

Oh, the director mentioned above (who also serves as co-producer and “script doctor”) is the talented Michael Mann in his first sports biopic since ALI. He’s worked in many movie genres, but Mann may be best known for his action epic. That skill suits him well in this true tale, particularly in the “signature scene” that will leave audiences stunned. Some critics of auto racing believe it’s an excuse to witness a disaster, and since the film is based on real events, it happens here. Kudos to Mann for not “sugarcoating” the shocking horror of it all by “cutting away” or making it abstract or “dreamy”. The ‘blink of an eye” carnage and its aftermath will have viewers gasping and perhaps a bit shaken. Hopefully, the power of this sequence doesn’t detract from the strength of the quieter scenes like Enzo talking about racing skills with as son, or the haunting montage of the drivers preparing “goodbye letters’ for their loved ones on the night before the big race (and finding a spot for the envelopes to be discovered). The verbal sparring between Enzo and Laura verges on becoming a repetitive cycle, and we’re often not sure of Enzo’s intentions, especially in his relationship with Lina (despite the brawling there’s more heat with Laura). this is offset by the superb cinematography by Erik Messerschmidt, the expert period recreations (fashion, decor, and hairstyles), the gorgeous Italian locations, and some terrific insider info on the sport (I wasn’t aware of the two-man driving teams). Though it occasionally veers off the track, there is lots of super-charged power in the world of FERRARI.

3 out of 4

FERRARI opens in theatres everywhere on Christmas Day 2023

EILEEN – Review

Finally, we’re entering into the first weekend of the final month of 2023. So naturally many of the films hitting the multiplex have the big holiday at the end of December as a setting or backdrop. Of course, they’re all upbeat celebrations full of family togetherness. Well, not always as proven a few weeks ago with the release of one of the year’s best films, THE HOLDOVERS. It’s a dark comedy centering on a split family ignoring a son. So indeed it is a bit dark, compared to this weekend’s flick, which is nearly pitch-black, closer to a film noir than comedy. And it’s a tragic drama as we observe the dismal life of a young woman named EILEEN.

Right at the start of this tale, we’re introduced to Eileen (Thomasin McKenzie), a lonely woman in her twenties living in the Boston area around sixty years ago. We first see her silently watching amorous couples in a “lover’s lane” from her wheezing ancient auto, From there she begins her daily routine, starting her “9 to 5” job as a secretary at the local boys’ detention center (and enduring loads of verbal abuse from her co-workers). Luckily she can fantasize about a hunky guard. From there she returns to the squalid shanty she shares with her boozing papa Jim (Shea Whigham), former police chief of the village. Of course, he wakes from his drunken stupor long enough to toss off some insults and bemoan the loss of his wife, Eileen’s mother. At the day’s end, she trudges up to the attic, enjoys some candy (she sucks away the coating and spits the rest out), and passes out on a flimsy cot. The alarm barely rouses her at dawn, giving her just enough time to prepare breakfast for Dad (he sticks to his bottle as he belittles her), and hope that the battered car will get her to work. Ah. but today is different. A new therapist has arrived, the blonde, sophisticated Dr. Rebecca (Anne Hathaway). After all the welcoming hoopla is done, Eileen is stunned when the sultry doc expresses interest in her life. Eventually, the two share a lunch break and even meet for a post-work cocktail at the local “watering hole”. But aside from Eileen, Dr. Rebecca is focused on one “juvie” in particular, Lee Polk (Sam Nivola), who is there after murdering his father. But will her work turn into an obsession, leading to more time “after hours” with her new friend? And could this “relationship” lead to true “freedom” for Eileen?

The title role marks another interesting performance by one of our most promising young screen actresses. Since arriving just over five years ago with her dazzling debut in LEAVE NO TRACE, McKenzie has given us several memorable characters, always smart, but often soft-spoken. The latter trait is taken to extremes by her work as the painfully shy, often “blending into the woodwork” Eileen, eyes downward as disdain is heaped upon her. She’s slowly suffocating from a yearning for human connection in order to breathe. And when that happens, McKenzie alters her facial expressions and body language to convey Eileen’s “blooming”, bursting out of that “shell”. As the instigator of that change, Hathaway ignites the dull drab settings in an interesting twist on the iconic icy “cool blondes” that Hitchcock adored. Rebecca projects an aloof superiority to those at work, so it’s a surprise when she “zeroes in” on the ignored office “drone”. Is it a seduction, perhaps even a bit of “grooming” (comparisons to Cate Blanchett as CAROL arise), or is she “playing” with Eileen, much like a cat “toying” with a mouse before the final “pounce”? It’s a splendid departure from her usual “likable” roles and Ms. Hathaway truly rises to the challenge. Rounding out the film’s “trifecta” is the always engaging Whigham who somehow is able to inject some level of sad humanity into the blustery drunkard who has basically “checked out’ of life, save for spewing venom at his daughter, and only leaving his hellish abode to stagger the street, waving his pistol while ranting about the non-Catholic “interlopers” (“Them Lutherans!”). Whigham is often a “rough around the edges” charmer, but this punishing papa adds more fuel to Eileen’s interest in her new (maybe more than) friend.

With his second feature film (hard to believe it’s been seven years since LADY MACBETH), director William Oldroyd creates a dark grimy psychological character study, working from the screenplay adaptation of Otessa Moshfegh’s novel by her and Luke Goebel. But much like his last film Oldroyd again provides us with an offbeat central woman at the story’s core, though there’s also a supporting player to empower and transform her. Plus he’s adept at throwing us a “curve” since it appears to be a somber look at some in deep emotional stress, perhaps with a real “sexual panic”, then veers into an erotic “game”, but diving into an exploration of guilt and justice (and much like a parking garage, nothing “nice” ever happens in basement settings of a movie). And though it’s set in the mid-1960s, there’s no nostalgic “glow” to be seen, rather it’s a dirty stale smoky haze with ugly dangerous cars and stifling attire. This story is full of interesting heroines and strong performances, but the last moments of the third act feel rushed and vague. Of course, we don’t always need to know the exact futures of the leads, but it just seems as though too many threads are left to dangle and fray in that cold Boston breeze. Fortunately, this uneasy finale doesn’t distract from a powerful monologue in that basement (closer to the bowels of Hell) and from the superb actresses involved who invest us in the unusual “bond” between Rebecca and EILEEN.

2.5 Out of 4

EILEEN is now playing in select theatres

THE QUIET GIRL – Review

Most film fans know that this Sunday, just hours away, is the big award night. As a beloved former late-night talk show host used to see, even after he hosted the event, “In Hollywood, Oscar is king.” So, who’s going to wear that crown? While all the chatter is about the actors vying for the prize along with the ten (!) Best Picture contenders, this Friday we’ll get a chance to see a Best International Feature nominee that seems to be under everyone’s “radar”. But then, it’s a truly “soft-spoken” story, much like its subject. But don’t be fooled because the emotion is loud. much like its heartbeat, in THE QUIET GIRL.


And that tile character is nine-year-old Cait (Catherine Clinch) part of an ever-expanding family (another arrives soon) living in a ramshackle house in the mud of 1981 Ireland. She’s teased by her sisters, as Cait tries to hide the shame of being a bedwetter. And, yes she is quite shy, keeping silent while seeming to be always looking at her feet. Things are no better at school as she easily wanders away from the playground. This prompts a call to her surly, boozing Da (Michael Patric), who must drive her home early from school. Cait is so “invisible” that he gives a lift to one of his girlfriends from town, while Cait watches from the back seat. A decision is made. With her classes ending, and Mam (Kate Nic Chonaonaaigh) about to give birth, Cait will be spending the Summer with distant cousins, Eibhlin (Carrie Crowley) and Sean (Andrew Bennett) Cinnsealach at their dairy farm in County Waterford. Da drives Cait there and after a pint or two drives away, forgetting to leave the suitcase with Cait’s clothes. No worries as Eibhlin “makes due” with some stored-away boys’ clothes (the spare bedroom has a masculine feel). In all ways Eibhlin helps the little girl, showering her with attention and kindness. Sean is not so quick to embrace her, acting a tad distant and aloof. That changes when Eibhlin must leave the household for a day. When Cait loses her way while helping with the chores, a frantic Sean finally locates her which forms a strong bond. He even becomes a “coach”, clocking Cait’s run time as she dashes down a trail. She begins to break out of her shell, but when a local tells Cait of the couple’s secret, will this new friendship stop well before the end of the season and Cait’s return home?

In a most promising screen debut, Clinch takes on the demanding role with subtlety and natural warmth, proving to be quite compelling. She draws us into Cait’s world with no histrionics and manic gestures. If she chooses to pursue an acting career, Clinch could continue to impress if she can take on roles as well written as this. Also conveying warmth and a most generous heart is Crowley as the nurturing and gentle Eibhlin, who sees the wounded nature of Cait’s spirit and proves to be the healing force she needs, although both end up helping each other overcome their struggles. Much of that can be said of Bennet’s Sean, though he’s slow to open himself to Cait. He’s still processing his past, keeping his emotions in check, perhaps fearful of the pains of the past. He shows us Sean’s spiritual journey, as he inches toward accepting Cait, and allows her to pursue her passions. It’s the opposite of Patric, excellent as the loutish, derisive Da who offers little comfort to any of his “brood”.

All during the recent pandemic, much was said about treating others with kindness, It’s hard to think of another recent film that really embodied that sentiment. As the story unfolds slowly, at just the proper pace, we see how kindness, along with some attention, and an open heart, can truly change a lonely child’s world. Much of the film’s power must be attributed to director Colm Bairead, adapting Claire Keegan’s story “Foster”, deftly guiding this gifted cast and making superb use of the Irish locales and even the native Irish language, so lovely and lilting. He shows us Cate’s reawakening as she leaves the squalor of the family home (very overcast) and begins anew in the golden sun of the idyllic farm. Although the dramatic secret is exposed, it’s done without unneeded theatrics or fanfare. It all builds up to a truly heartwrenching finale which leaves us hopeful without giving us a heavy denouncement. Just be prepared for some “waterworks” as the end credits role. It’s simple kindness that changes the world of THE QUIET GIRL, and perhaps to those who embrace her story.

3.5 Out of 4


THE QUIET GIRL is now playing in select theatres.

Dan Stevens, Jessica Henwick And Hunter Schafer Added to Cast of CUCKOO – NEON To Release Tilman Singer’s Horror Film In 2023

Image courtesy of NEON / Photography by Felix Dickinson of Studio AAA

NEON has wrapped production on Tilman Singer’s Cuckoo, the feature film debut of Hunter Schafer (Euphoria). The horror film, written and directed by Singer, was shot on 35mm in Germany.

With plot details being kept under wraps, post-production is currently underway for the film’s 2023 release. Following his 2018 debut Luz, Singer became one of the most sought-after up-and-coming filmmakers. Lauded as a “major new talent” in cinema, Singer has been critically acclaimed for his genre-bending storytelling and wholly unique approach to horror.

The ensemble cast, led by Schafer, includes Dan Stevens, along with Jessica Henwick, Marton Csókás, and Greta Fernández.

Cuckoo reunites Singer with Luz lead actor Jan Bluthardt, as well as cinematographer Paul Faltz and production designer Dario Mendez Acosta. Simon Waskow will also return as composer and Henning Hein as sound designer.

Executive produced by Tom Quinn, Jeff Deutchman, Emily Thomas, and Ryan Friscia for NEON, Cuckoo is produced by Markus Halberschmidt, Josh Rosenbaum, Maria Tsigka, and Ken Kao, Thor Bradwell and Ben Rimmer, in a cooperation between FICTION PARK (Germany) and Waypoint Entertainment (USA). Additional funding led by the Film und Medien Stiftung NRW, HessenFilm and the German Federal Film Fund (DFFF).

Schafer made her acting debut portraying Jules in the HBO Emmy-winning series “Euphoria.” After co-writing and co-executive producing a special episode of the critically acclaimed series, Schafer expanded her resume, directing Girl in Red’s music video for ‘hornylovesickmess’. In 2021, Time named Schafer to its Next list of 100 emerging leaders who are shaping the future. She recently joined the cast of The Hunger Games prequel: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Schafer is represented by CAA, Untitled Entertainment and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern.

Dan Stevens photo by Sam Jones

Stevens starred in I’m Your Man, Germany’s official Academy Award submission for Best International Feature, which made the 2022 shortlist. The film premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival and received multiple nominations at the German Film Awards including Best Actor for Stevens. Stevens currently stars in the Starz political thriller series, “Gaslit,” alongside Sean Penn and Julia Roberts.

He was recently announced as the lead of Adam Wingard’s Godzilla vs. Kong sequel.

Henwick will begin filming NEON’s Kitty Green film, The Royal Hotel this summer alongside Julia Garner. She was most recently seen in the Warner Bros. box office hit Matrix: Resurrections, as well as in Blade Runner: Black Lotus. She will next be seen in the Russo Brothers film The Gray Man for Netflix this summer and Knives Out 2 this Fall.

Jessica Henwick photo by Matthew Berberi

After graduating from Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School in 1989 with a Diploma in Acting, Csókás has worked extensively in film, television and on stage across New Zealand, Australia, and the United States. With notable roles such as Celebron in the Lord of the Rings trilogy and working opposite Denzel Washington in The Equalizer, Csókás was last seen in Ridley Scott’s The Last Duel and stars along Russell Crowe in Prizefighter: The Life of Jem Belcher.

Greta Fernandez is an exciting and talented Spanish actress who is currently shooting Carlos Lopez’s highly anticipated Netflix series “Santo.” She is likely best known as the lead of Belen Funes’ critically-acclaimed feature La Hija De Un Ladron, for which she won a Concha de Plata in the category of Best Actress. The film was part of the official selection for the 2019 San Sebastian Film Festival and won Greta a handful of international awards and recognitions. Additionally, for her fiery supporting role in Isaki Lacuesta’s The Next Skin, Greta received a nomination in the 2017 Gaudi Awards. With over 15 films and TV shows under her belt, Greta has proven herself a force to be reckoned with across the new wave of Spanish cinema.

FLEE- Review

The following review was originally posted on December 2, 2021

This weekend sees the release of a new documentary concerning a subject that’s been covered extensively in the news over the last several years: the refugee crisis in the Middle East. Yes, it’s been part of the political debate, and countless reports have flooded the news outlets, not to mention feature-length and short-subjects “docs”. And yet this one feels fresh and immediate. Perhaps that’s due of the medium as this is an animated feature (well, about 95% of it), proving that that said medium (it’s not a genre) can be used to tell all sorts of stories (remember Spidey grabbing an Oscar, and the stop-motion drama ANOMALISA). Plus it’s a most intimate tale as it’s a coming of age saga related by a man whose later lifestyle would leave him no choice but to FLEE.


This true story of the now-adult Amin (voice of Riz Ahmed) commences in present-day Copenhagen as he is interviewed by a former classmate and friend Jonas (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau). Amin isn’t eager to share painful childhood memories, as he finishes his education in the US while starting a home with his partner Kaspar. But he indulges his pal with early recollections of growing up in Kabul, during the turbulent 1980s. He romps through the dusty streets while clad in one of his sisters’ dresses, dashing into the kitchen just as his grey-haired mother prepares Dinner. Many of those silver strands came from losing her military pilot husband who was arrested when the new communist regime took power. As the battles crept closer to the city, Amin’s family had no choice but to escape. Luckily his oldest brother, who’s a “cleaner’ in Sweden, meets them in Moscow, the “holding place” until they can join him (he’s trying to get the funds together). Over the next months, the family must hide in the tiny Russian apartment, avoiding the police, as they attempt to leave the country via arduous hiking and a rusted cargo ship all arranged by brutal human traffickers. Through it all, Amin trudges forward while realizing that his sexuality would prevent him from ever returning to his homeland.


Much as with the aforementioned SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE, the art of animation is elevated beyond family fables and musicals, to delve deeply into one man’s journey, both geographic and emotional. And though much of the current animated fare is done digitally, this film harkens back to the golden era of hand-drawn, or 2-D, films with the look of a graphic novel brought to vivid life. The main characters are given a simple outline, the thickness resembling a pen point or perhaps a well-worn marker. Basic curved lines and slashes represent the main features like eyes and noses. The colors are natural and subdued, often bathing the characters in a hue to emphasize their moods or the urgency of the sequence (the blues make us feel the cold during a winter trek through the snowy woods to the “escape vessel”). Yet there’s still room for moments of whimsy that might not have worked with live-action (a wink from an 80s action movie star). Early on, we even get a homage to a sketched MTV staple from A-Ha. Best of all, the choices help us focus on Amin and his family, as the bystanders are often rendered with blank faces, while the most harrowing memories are down with a jittery urgency with silhouettes blurring across pale color swatches. And kudos to the sound mixers who place us right in the middle of brutality, then suddenly escort us to the bliss of the countryside. It’s a triumph for the director Jonas Peter Rasmussen who co-wrote the film with its subject Amin Nawabi (their screen voices, Ahmed and Coster-Waldau, are also part of the producing team). My biggest compliment is that it feels like a feature version of the great shorts from the National Film Board of Canada (the highlight of many traveling animation fests). With its distant approach, FLEE. puts us right in the well-worn shoes of this weary world-explorer.

3 Out of 4

FLEE is now playing in select theatres and screens exclusively in the St. Louis area at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Cinemas

FLEE – Review

This weekend sees the release of a new documentary concerning a subject that’s been covered extensively in the news over the last several years: the refugee crisis in the Middle East. Yes, it’s been part of the political debate, and countless reports have flooded the news outlets, not to mention feature-length and short-subjects “docs”. And yet this one feels fresh and immediate. Perhaps that’s due of the medium as this is an animated feature (well, about 95% of it), proving that that said medium (it’s not a genre) can be used to tell all sorts of stories (remember Spidey grabbing an Oscar, and the stop-motion drama ANOMALISA). Plus it’s a most intimate tale as it’s a coming of age saga related by a man whose later lifestyle would leave him no choice but to FLEE.

This true story of the now-adult Amin (voice of Riz Ahmed) commences in present-day Copenhagen as he is interviewed by a former classmate and friend Jonas (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau). Amin isn’t eager to share painful childhood memories, as he finishes his education in the US while starting a home with his partner Kaspar. But he indulges his pal with early recollections of growing up in Kabul, during the turbulent 1980s. He romps through the dusty streets while clad in one of his sisters’ dresses, dashing into the kitchen just as his grey-haired mother prepares Dinner. Many of those silver strands came from losing her military pilot husband who was arrested when the new communist regime took power. As the battles crept closer to the city, Amin’s family had no choice but to escape. Luckily his oldest brother, who’s a “cleaner’ in Sweden, meets them in Moscow, the “holding place” until they can join him (he’s trying to get the funds together). Over the next months, the family must hide in the tiny Russian apartment, avoiding the police, as they attempt to leave the country via arduous hiking and a rusted cargo ship all arranged by brutal human traffickers. Through it all, Amin trudges forward while realizing that his sexuality would prevent him from ever returning to his homeland.

Much as with the aforementioned SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE, the art of animation is elevated beyond family fables and musicals, to delve deeply into one man’s journey, both geographic and emotional. And though much of the current animated fare is done digitally, this film harkens back to the golden era of hand-drawn, or 2-D, films with the look of a graphic novel brought to vivid life. The main characters are given a simple outline, the thickness resembling a pen point or perhaps a well-worn marker. Basic curved lines and slashes represent the main features like eyes and noses. The colors are natural and subdued, often bathing the characters in a hue to emphasize their moods or the urgency of the sequence (the blues make us feel the cold during a winter trek through the snowy woods to the “escape vessel”). Yet there’s still room for moments of whimsy that might not have worked with live-action (a wink from an 80s action movie star). Early on, we even get a homage to a sketched MTV staple from A-Ha. Best of all, the choices help us focus on Amin and his family, as the bystanders are often rendered with blank faces, while the most harrowing memories are down with a jittery urgency with silhouettes blurring across pale color swatches. And kudos to the sound mixers who place us right in the middle of brutality, then suddenly escort us to the bliss of the countryside. It’s a triumph for the director Jonas Peter Rasmussen who co-wrote the film with its subject Amin Nawabi (their screen voices, Ahmed and Coster-Waldau, are also part of the producing team). My biggest compliment is that it feels like a feature version of the great shorts from the National Film Board of Canada (the highlight of many traveling animation fests). With its distant approach, FLEE. puts us right in the well-worn shoes of this weary world-explorer.

3 Out of 4

FLEE is now playing in select theatres