Tag: STL

SLIFF 2010 Review: ROOM AND A HALF

ROOM AND A HALF is a look back on the life of Joseph Brodsky, as it might have happened. It starts out in Brodsky’s New York apartment with two crows sitting on a patio table. The narrator (Brodsky) tells you that they arrived upon the death of his father and his mother. He longs to return to the St. Petersburg homeland of his youth and memory. He decides to take a ship via Finland to try and re-enter the USSR. As Brodsky travels aboard ship, he reminisces about his childhood; his father’s return from Japan at the end of the war, his relationship with his mother and father, growing up, and St. Petersburg. The memories are shown in live action and sometimes by the use of cartoons. Most of the narration is in poetic form. Throughout it all there is a talking cartoon cat, who seems to be the personification of a poet.

The film is visually very interesting, for the first half, after that with the repeat of some of the same cinematic techniques, it becomes overly long (2-1/2 hours). Watching the film is difficult in spots as the translation whizzes by very fast and other times dialogue is not translated. Also, a working knowledge of Joseph Brodsky’s life is required. The film glosses over many details and it is difficult to figure out why some things happen. For example, Brodsky is kicked out of USSR but you don’t know why, and then he is a professor at the University in Michigan but as far as you know he only had a 7th grade education. He is asked one time mid-film if he is a poet, but he neither agrees or disagrees.

The last 30 minutes of the film clarifies most of the story, but it is a long time to wait to understand Brodsky’s life. I found the film intriguing and interesting at first but very long and convoluted. I would not recommend this film for anyone not well versed in Brodsky’s life or poetry but if you are interested in any way the ending is well worth its disclosures. ROOM AND A HALF was nominated at the Mar de Plata Film Festival for best film, but won for ACCA Jury Special Mention.

ROOM AND A HALF will play during the 19th Annual Stella Artois St. Louis International Film Festival on Monday, November 15th at 9:15 pm and Thursday, November 18th at 7:00 pm at the Hi-Pointe Theatre.

SLIFF 2010 Review: ANITA

It is morning,  Anita is being awoken by her mother with a kiss on the forehead, a mug of hot chocolate and vanilla biscuits. Anita is a young girl with Down’s Syndrome and this is her world; protected and loving. The film starts out slowly, you are introduced to Anita, her mother, her brother and sister-in-law. The family is very close knit but you get the impression that the brother loves his sister but really can not be counted on to participate in or help with Anita’s care.

Anita is severely handicapped and has a limited knowledge of life, for example at bath time her mother tells her to wash first one arm and then the other. Anita is not even allowed to stir a pot on the stove, as her mother says, “You will burn yourself.” Anita’s world is her mother’s world and the places that they go together whether it is the family store or to her father’s burial plot. On this particular day, Anita is left behind at the store as her mother goes off to collect Anita’s monthly government disability check. A sudden and horrific event occurs that jolts Anita onto a journey. She finds herself in a world to which she does not understand the people or places but she somehow finds  ways to cope.

Anita travels through neighborhoods and areas she never knew existed and this  will influence and affect  all the people she encounters along the way. Anita meets a drunken photo-journalist, who is so wrapped in the tradegy of his life that he can’t seem to figure out what he can do to help Anita. And, then Anita encounters a Chinese shop owner who can only see her as a thief until her elderly mother steps up to demand that her daughter help Anita. She meets up with street thieves who get her the only help that they believe is available. They take her one of the thief’s sister, who is nurse, to get her help but Anita ends up helping this women more. But through it all, Anita’s trusting and loving soul keeps her happy and content.

I found myself completely absorbed into this film. It was as if you were viewing the events from Anita’s perspective and you were unable to figure out the people or the events that were taking place. The movie is not confusing but rather insightful. It was a glimpse of the world from Anita’s view. You, as the viewer, are also put under Anita’s spell. You feel as if someone is going to step up and help Anita. The film was nominated by the Academy of Motion Pictures and Arts of Argentina in 2008 for Best Supporting Actress, Best New Actress, Best Screen Play (original) and Best Supporting Actress.  ANITA won for Best Supporting Actress.

ANITA will play during the 19th Annual Stella Artois St. Louis International Film Festival on Sunday, November 14th at 1:30 pm at Plaza Frontenac; and again on Wednesday, November 17th at 2:00 pm at Plaza Frontenac.

SLIFF 2010 Review: WINTER’S BONE

SXSW Review originally published on March 20, 2010.

WINTER’S BONE, quite possibly, is one of the top five best films to see in 2010. Based on the novel by Daniel Woodrell, the film is co-written and directed by Debra Granik, a New Yorker who has taken great care in meticulously ensuring an authentic and honest portrayal of the Ozarks region of Missouri, the people and culture and the struggle beset upon the impoverished families.

Jennifer Lawrence (THE BURNING PLAIN) plays Ree Dolly, a resourceful and determined 17-year old girl living in the rural Ozarks, caring for her sick mother and two younger siblings. The Dolly family has a history with the law, a reputation Ree wants no part of as she takes care of her family in the absence of her father. The dilemma for Ree is that her father placed their small house and land up as collateral for bail and if he doesn’t show up for court Ree and her family will lose what little they have.

Debra Granik (DOWN TO THE BONE) sticks surprisingly close to Woodrell’s book, capturing the details of life in the Ozarks with amazing accuracy. The language, the relationships, the traditions… its all there to illustrate for audiences the fully encompassing picture of what life can be like in the region. Granik maintains an emotional and suspenseful razor’s edge throughout the film as we follow Ree through her desperately fearless quest to find her father before its too late. On this journey, we’re introduced to hardship, the scope of family ties and the devastating yet unfortunate necessity that homemade meth labs have grown to play in the lives of some Ozark families.

Filmed using a RED One Camera, WINTER”S BONE is an indie film that features HD quality cinematography from Michael McDonough (DIGGERS, QUID PRO QUO) while also maintaining a brilliantly cinematic feel. The images appear as though shot on film, allowing the texture of the wooded setting and the earthy tones of the otherwise gray and brown land and sky to pop with depth and detail.

Lawrence delivers an outstanding performance as Ree, a young woman driven by her moral compass and sense of duty to her family. Ree persists in her efforts to find her father, despite warnings from family and neighbors not to pursue this dangerous inquiry. WINTER’S BONE presents a conundrum for Ree, relying cautiously on the same family ties as are putting her in danger. The existence of meth labs and trade as income is no secret, but to pursue her father is synonymous with Ree exposing their secrets in an unwelcome way.

The intensity given on screen by Jennifer Lawrence is matched only by the frightening performance from John Hawkes (DEADWOOD, AMERICAN GANGSTER) as Teardrop, Ree’s uncle and brother to her father. Teardrop is a strong and intimidating character, one that few of the locals dare scrap with, but Hawkes manages to also fully envelope the softer side of Teardrop buried deep within himself, a connection to his family responsibility that slowly forces its way up to the surface.

While WINTER’S BONE is an entirely different movie from O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU, traditional music from the region plays a crucial role in the film in much the same way, setting the place and tone of the story. The incredibly beautiful folk and bluegrass music in WINTER’S BONE digs deep into the soul of the audience. The film features original music by Dickon Hinchliffe (COLD SOULS) and a mesmerizing onscreen performance by Marideth Sisco as a participant in a group pickin’ session that Ree encounters.

Overall, WINTER’S BONE is a powerfully dramatic story that plays in a subtle enough fashion to maintain its realism. The story evokes mystery, placing Ree in the role of the meddling detective, while Teardrop takes on the veil of the anti-hero. There’s a clear parallel to classic film noir structure without becoming cliché. The dynamics of the characters throughout the film are well played, admirable considering many of the characters onscreen are non-actor locals. WINTER’S BONE is a film that can be enjoyed and appreciated by all, a sincere telling account of real life ordeals.

WINTER’S BONE will play during the 19th Annual Stella Artois St. Louis International Film Festival on Sunday, November 14th at 7:00 pm at Brown Hall on the Washington University campus.

SLIFF 2010 Review: WOMEN WITHOUT MEN

WOMEN WITHOUT MEN is told from the point of view of four women. The time is Iran 1953 and there is political unrest and unrest of another kind brewing. Munis is a 30 year old unmarried woman living in her brother’s house. He wants her to marry but she does not want to marry. Munis is very upset and concerned about the events that are transpiring in her country. She is glued to the radio for news. Faezeh is Munis friend. She is love with Munis brother but he is going to marry someone else.

Farrokhlagha is a 50 year old woman unhappy in her marriage to a military man. She realizes just how unhappy she is when she encounters an old beau who has come back to Iran from the west. Zarin is a prostitute who is numb to life until she looks up and sees a man without a face at her bedside. Zarin flees from him, her life and the city; she stumbles upon an orchard as a refuge. Farrokhlagha  is longing to escape her marriage and decides to buy an orchard. Thus Farrokhlagha and Zarin’s life intersect.  Munis is bound to help the cause for her country’s freedom and in the wake of her quest her friend is raped. Somehow Munis knows about the orchard and she delivers Faezeh there. The three women find friendship and solace there. The unrest in the town is becoming more and more violent until the violence spills over into the orchard.

This film reminds me of Ingmar Bergman films; there is lots of walking through bleak landscapes aimlessly. The landscape seems to play off of the events that are occurring in the town; more unrest, bleaker landscapes. The film is interesting in that it reveals the repeat of history; a lone girl (Munis), in a mob, protesting the government which leads to a death and the allusion to more current events. The film is slow going in spots but the portrayal of the women and the men that they interact with is very telling about the society. The film is interesting to watch and the visuals are beautiful. The film was nominated for the Golden Lion Award and won for The Silver Lion Award and UNICEF at the Venice Film Festival.

WOMEN WITHOUT MEN will play during the 19th Annual Stella Artois St. Louis International Film Festival on Saturday, November 13th at 7:15 pm and Sunday, November 14th at 4:45 pm at the Plaza Frontenac Cinema.

SLIFF 2010 Review: THE MOTHER

THE MOTHER is a documentary set in the heartland of Russia. It is a strikingly beautiful portrait of a three-year period of a woman’s difficult life. We are introduced to the main character on a train ride through the countryside. She is reflecting on her life as you see the landscape slip by; her escape from an abusive husband, her work and how she raised her many children in the midst of extreme poverty and deteriorating health.

The harshness of this woman’s life is played out in the interactions that she has with other members of the dairy co-op and between members of her immediate family. But, through all of the misery and hard work, the woman’s strong determination to keep her family healthy and happy prevails.

The director’s use of scenery and imagery convene more than the surroundings, they also show the overpowering harshness and brutality of the environment, but through it all this woman’s love and concern shine for her children. I enjoyed this film very much. The film was nominated for best documentary in 2008 by the European Films Award and by the Swiss Film Prize.

THE MOTHER will play during the 19th Annual Stella Artois St. Louis International Film Festival on Saturday, November 13th at 1:00 pm at the Tivoli Theatre.

SLIFF 2010 Review: SENSO

Review by Dane Marti

Having seen Visconti’s THE LEOPARD, I certainly was not expecting a lot of kinetic action from SENSO (1954). Going in, I did realize that it would undoubtedly be beautifully filmed, a motion picture of poetic images. However, I was pleasantly surprised. Although this is a film made years ago – a completely different age in which movies ordinarily told a story at a slower pace – a smart viewer, with a little patience, would definitely enjoy watching this dramatic story enfold. With a new, restored print from the Film Foundation, its epic beauty should entrance film-goers everywhere. Okay, it is slow and there are no characters dodging the obligatory fireballs. The film proceeds with the relaxed tranquility of an elephant on Quaaludes. Still, within this slow buildup, the film entraps the viewer in the passion and immorality of an Italian Countess doing something ‘shocking’, at least shocking during the historic period that the film takes place in War and the Austrian retreat from Italy in 1866. Setting the story within this dramatic era is a perfect way to highlight the film’s tragic and often melodramatic elements: it’s a cinematic morality tale. The film reminds one of GONE WITH THE WIND but unlike that masterpiece, with all of its wonderful Technicolor bluster, SENSO hits a perfect balance between reality and melodrama. The War scenes, as Austria retreats over the Italian countryside, are beautifully wrought; the environment of Venice in 1866 has potent realism.

As the film begins, Alida Valli (the haunted, beautiful woman in The Third Man) plays an Italian Countess who is married to an overbearing, buffoonish older man. She’s miserable and the actress’s portrayal is spot-on: she drips dignity while still oozing romantic notions of life, desiring the life she feels entitled to, the one, she imagines, destiny has promised her. She meets a young Lieutenant played with casual insouciance by Farley Granger, who acts dignified, narcissistic and yet playful. Within his blank, smiling face, a viewer can tell that he knows that he’s good looking, but also understands that his youthful handsomeness is simply skin-deep. The war, or his notion of what life is all about, has made him cynical. An objective film viewer is perhaps able to see sides of his personality that Valli doesn’t allow herself to see due to her own illusions. Granger is the best reason to see this movie.

There are many interesting qualities in Senso and among the best is a performance that seems unique to me: the neurotic acting by Farley Granger (Hitchcock’s STRANGERS ON A TRAIN) is excellent and multi-faceted. At first he seemed to hardly be acting, and I was about to write him off as a typical Hollywood pretty-boy, but by the climax of this film, he seemed to have been channeling Monty Cliff via Raintree County. I had no idea that he was fluent in speaking the Italian language. He also benefited greatly from the brilliant direction of Visconti. The production design is never ostentatious or over-the-top, the direction is clever and simple – completely in keeping with the theme of the story. Another highlight is the cinematography. It should definitely be viewed on the big screen. There were moments that had the grimy, period look of Goya’s war paintings. Outside of Granger’s acting, what impressed me the most was how realistic and understated this Epic, period film was.

SENSO will play during the 19th Annual Stella Artois St. Louis International Film Festival on Thursday, November 11th at 7:30 pm and Friday, November 12th at 7:00 pm at the Winifred Moore Auditorium on the Webster University campus.

Cinema St. Louis honors Kathleen Turner with a Lifetime Achievement Award

Cinema St. Louis honors Kathleen Turner with a Lifetime Achievement Award at Tribute Program on Oct. 24

What: Tribute to Kathleen Turner, including clip reel of career highlights, presentation of Lifetime Achievement Award, career-spanning interview with KMOX’s Mark Reardon, and screening of “The War of the Roses”

When: 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 24
Where: Hi-Pointe Theatre, 1005 McCausland Ave.
How much: $20

More info: www.cinemastlouis.org or 314-289-4153; tickets are available in advance beginning Oct. 1 during normal theater hours at the Hi-Pointe box office or by phone from Cinema St. Louis at 314-289-4153.

Cinema St. Louis honors Oscar nominee Kathleen Turner with a Lifetime Achievement Award at a tribute program at 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 24, at the Hi-Pointe Theatre, 1005 McCausland Ave.

Turner, who will be starring in the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis’ production of “High” from Oct. 13-Nov. 7, made a memorable first impression on the moviegoing public with her sexy turn as the femme fatale in “Body Heat” (1981). She quickly established herself as a major star with roles in such films as “Romancing the Stone” (1984), “Prizzi’s Honor” (1985), “Peggy Sue Got Married” (1986) (which earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress), “The Accidental Tourist” (1987), and “The War of the Roses” (1989). She also lent her seductive voice to Jessica Rabbit in “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” (1988). Subsequent films include “V.I. Warshawski,” “Serial Mom,” “The Virgin Suicides,” and “Marley & Me.”

Turner has alternated her film work with significant theatrical roles, including Mrs. Robinson in “The Graduate,” Maggie in “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” and Martha in “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” She’s also had recurring television roles on “Friends,” “King of the Hill,” and “Californication.”

The tribute program will feature Turner’s personally selected “The War of the Roses,” Danny DeVito’s hilarious, black-comic portrait of a disintegrating marriage, which co-stars Michael Douglas. The evening will include a tribute reel that surveys Turner’s impressive body of work and a career-spanning interview conducted by KMOX’s Mark Reardon.

Tickets for the event are $20. They can be purchased in advance beginning Friday, Oct. 1, during normal theater hours at the Hi-Pointe box office. They’re also available by phone from Cinema St. Louis at 314-289-4153. Tickets will also be available at the box office on the day of the show.

For more information, visit www.cinemastlouis.org

PREVIEW: 18th Annual St. Louis Int’l Film Festival 2009

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The 18th Annual Whitaker Saint Louis International Film Festival (SLIFF) will be held on November 12-22, 2009. The festival annually features the St. Louis premieres of more than 250 films from nearly 40 countries. Along with all the many great films from around the globe, there are several special events and screenings taking place as part of the festival that you’ll want to make sure and mark your calendars for.

  • AN EDUCATION, directed by Lone Scherfig (2009) on Thursday, November 12, 7:00 pm – Tivoli Theatre
  • The silent WITHIN OUR GATES – Screening will feature live musical accompaniment by Stace England and the Salt Kings. Micheaux biographer Patrick McGilligan will introduce the program and participate in a post-film discussion. – Friday, November 13 at 7:00 pm –   St. Louis Art Museum
  • UP IN THE AIR Cocktail Party – Saturday, November 14, 4-6pm, Hilton at the Ballpark. Special-event ticket price of $50; limited number of tickets available only by phone through the SLIFF office at 314-289-4153.
  • “For the Love of Movies: The Story of American Film Criticism,” Screening with a panel discussion on film criticism. – Saturday, November 14 at 11:00 am – Tivoli Theatre
  • PRECIOUS: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire, directed by Lee Daniels (2009) on Saturday, November 14, 7:30 pm – Hi-Pointe
  • UP IN THE AIR, directed by Jason Reitman (2009) Saturday, November 14, 7:00 pm – Tivoli Theatre
  • RIDE WITH THE DEVIL: Director’s Cut, With a panel on book-to-film translation. – Sunday, November 15, 6:30 pm – Brown Hall

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  • THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD, directed by Michael Curtiz (1938) – Saturday, November 21, 8:00 pm – Webster
  • CINEMATIC TITANIC: LIVE at 7:30 pm on Saturday, November 21 – Family Arena
  • THE IMAGINARIUM OF DR. PARNASSUS, directed by Terry Gilliam (2009) on Sunday, November 22, 5:30 pm – Tivoli Theatre
  • ME AND ORSON WELLES, directed by Richard Linklater (2008) on Sunday, November 22, 6:30 pm – Tivoli Theatre
  • Closing-Night Party & Awards presentation at 8:00 pm on Sunday, November 22 – Moonrise Hotel
  • Click here for ticket and venue information.

These are just a few of the many exciting films and events taking place during the 18th Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival, so be sure to take time to experience as much of it as you can. Your friends here at We Are Movie Geeks are certainly going to make our rounds and we’ll also keep you up to speed on the films we see and tell you what we think.

Hope to see you there! Until then, check out the official trailer for SLIFF 2009…

Review: ‘Shadowland’

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It’s been said time and time again, and it bears repeating every so often, that if you’re a filmmaker working with a low budget, the best thing you can do is come up with inventive ideas.  Ideas are free.  It doesn’t cost a dime to create an original and engaging story.  This is something writer/director Wyatt Weed has taken to heart and achieved with his first feature film, ‘Shadowland.’

Purely written for the screen, ‘Shadowland’ is among the best, original, vampire movies in recent memory.  Told in non-linear fashion, it keeps the viewer enticed in its mysteries without ever force-feeding exposition or crossing over into boredom.  The film is driven by plot and character, something Weed has no trouble in delivering ample amounts of.

The film jumps back and forth between the modern world and a small community in the late 1800s.  In the present day, a girl, Laura, awakens to find she has no memory of who she is or where she has come from.  She also cannot speak.  She soon discovers, however, that she is being chased by a man named Julian.  Julian is a hunter sent out by the Catholic church to rid the world of vampires.

The fact that Laura is a vampire is not part of the mystery to the story.  We see in the film’s opening scene how she came to be buried having been staked by a priest.  However, Weed does an excellent job of hiding Laura’s true self to us for much of the film.  We simply do not know who she was prior to being buried, whether she was an evil vampire of lore or something far more human.  This is the decision Julian must face, too, as his methods of killing a vampire as soon as he comes across one does not, exactly, align with the beliefs of the church.

This level of character is brilliantly crafted in Weed’s screenplay.  There is so much depth to even some of the smaller roles in the film.  A man working at an all-night diner who Laura comes across has as much depth as the leads, and that is an incredible level Weed achieves with his characters.  What we believe about Laura’s character switches sides numerous times throughout the course of the film.  What’s more, you care about her just as much as you do Julian, and, even though they are both on opposing sides, you understand where each of them are, why they make the choices they make.

Also of note with ‘Shadowland’ is the liberties Weed takes with the vampire mythology.   Much like “True Blood,” we know very little about the vampires of this world.   As the film progresses, more and more of their characteristics are revealed.   The vampire in ‘Shadowland’ is something Weed makes his own, keeping certain, familiar aspects and completely scuttling others off to the side.   These aren’t Hot Topic rejects with pointy fangs who burst into flames whenever they step into sunlight.   These vampire are playing on a much deeper level than most, and the mythologies Weed creates in ‘Shadowland’ are a welcome surprise.

‘Shadowland’ was filmed on a minuscule budget, but the film looks incredible.  The scenes that take place in the 1800s are beautifully shot by cinematographer Nicholas Gartner.  Some of these shots rival anything found in a film that costs $200 million.  The makeup effects and visual effects are superb, as well.  Weed does a great job of shooting around any trouble spots in his production.  You can never tell where the film had to hold back on certain things, and that is a commendable ability in a low-budget filmmaker.  Even a fight scene in an alleyway is shot particularly well and has some very clever and enjoyable choreography.

Caitlin McIntosh, a former semifinalist in the Miss Teen USA Pageant making her debut here, is near faultless in her performance as Laura.  She gives the character a deeper sense of mystery, but she allows herself to be likable, too.  The same can be said for Carlos Leon as Lazarus, a stranger whom Laura falls in love with in the film’s flashback scenes.  He gives Lazarus the perfect amount of charm and darkness the character requires.

Driven by its intricate story and beautifully developed characters, ‘Shadowland’ is an inventive entry into the vampire sub-genre, something the film’s big-budget siblings should take a cue from.  Wyatt Weed has crafted a fabulous screenplay and his director’s eye pulls the film’s execution off with very little in the way of imperfections.  ‘Shadowland’ is a low-budget film that never tries to be something it’s not.  It is highly original and a fresh return to the creativity that made the vampire film so popular to begin with.

‘Shadowland’ will play at the Tivoli Theatre from July 24 thru July 31, 2009 during the Saint Louis Filmmaker’s Showcase.