Friday, January 11, 2013
Amour
Here is the law of Mother Nature: at some point in our
lives, we have to encounter the ultimate death, often
accompanied by unfortunate illness. Mortality is the
inevitable to every life. Yet, in reality, we generally tend
to avoid the unpleasant subject. We fantasize that we can
elude the last stage of life as long as we are able to,
until death knocks on the door. That's not the case for
renowned Austrian writer/director Michael
Haneke. He confronts this very devastating subject
head-on in his striking new film "Amour"
(Austria/France/Germany 2012 | in French | 127 min.). This
slow paced, impeccably precise, beautifully tender, and
fascinatingly arresting film tells a poignant
story. Although it's a love story, it is perhaps the least
suitable film for a movie date on a Valentine's Day.
The film's protagonists are an elderly couple Anne (Emmanuelle Riva) and Georges (Jean-Louis Trintignant) who are in their eighties. After a successful career of teaching music, they comfortably enjoy their retirement life and each other's company in their Parisian apartment. One morning, Georges notices Anne acting strange. A doctor's visit confirms that Anne has a stroke. However, an operation not only doesn't improve her condition, it makes the matter worse—Anne becomes partially paralyzed and can no longer take care of herself. She becomes gravely ill and she is not going to get better. However, Georges promises to grant Anne's wish not to take her back to the hospital. Dragging his clumsy feet, he gently takes care of Anne the best he can, with occasional help from nurses he hires. Anne's deteriorating health poses great challenge to Georges, but he firmly declines help from their physically and emotionally distant daughter Eva (Isabelle Huppert). He is determined to cherish the decades of love with Anne in his own way, and to maintain their dignity during the last chapter of their lives.
Unlike Michael Haneke's previous films that often contain surprising and shocking violence ("Funny Games", "Caché"), in this film he quietly and masterfully unfolds a heartbreaking love story and elaborates a scenario that we can all resonate. We all might have a family member or a loved one like Anne. You can't help but thinking what you would do if you are in Georges's shoes. Unexpectedly, Georges suddenly becomes a caregiver even he is a fragile aging man himself. He tries to ease Anne's concern by persuading her: "imagine you are in my situation." But who would want to image to be in that terrible situation? Certainly not Anne. There is no easy solution, there is no easy way out, and there is no alternative route to take, but there is much love. The tenderness between the two aging adults is absolutely compelling and deeply touching. Two legendary French actors Emmanuelle Riva and Jean-Louis Trintignant give a magnificent performance as Anne and Georges, even it's often heart-wrenching to watch. After winning the top-prize Palme d'Or at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival, the film is nominated for five Oscars for Best Picture, Best Actress in a Leading Role (Emmanuelle Riva), Best Original Screenplay (Michael Haneke), Best Director (Michael Haneke), and Best Foreign Language Film. I have no doubt that it is marching its way to at least receive the Best Foreign Language Oscar at the 85th Academy Awards. "Amour," a Sony Pictures Classics release, opens on Friday, January 11, 2013 at Bay Area theaters.
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Labels: MVFF 2012
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Life of Pi
I don't know which one is more challenging: surviving a
shipwreck at sea for 227 days with a hungry tiger in a
lifeboat, or making a film about the ordeal. Renowned
Academy Award-winning director Ang Lee not only
brings an incredible adventure story to the big
screen, but for his first time, he crafts it in 3D. Based
on Yann
Martel's novel, his latest film "Life of Pi"
(USA 2012 | 127 min.) is certainly an
enchanting experience for anyone who tend to believe in
miracles or fairy tales. For others who are able to have the
leap of faith, the film's sumptuous visual entertains
handsomely.
After an exquisite 3D exhibition of adorable animals in a zoo during the opening credit, the film opens in present time. The adult Pi (Irrfab Khan) is telling his journalist guest (Rafe Spall) about his amazing surviving story at sea when he was sixteen years old. Pi assures his guest that he will believe in God when Pi finishes his story. Then the film flashes back to the true beginning of the story, in India. Pi is a son of a zoo owner. During his preadolescent years, he practices Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism at the same time, in addition to his amusing recitation of the values of π for many digits. One day, Pi's father sells the zoo and moves the whole family to Canada. The entire family and many exotic animals are loaded into a freighter sailing into the Indian Ocean. On a stormy night, the ship sinks. Miraculously, Pi becomes the only human survived on a lifeboat, with a hungry Bengal tiger. Relying on his faith, as well as a survival manual and limited supplies in a lifeboat, he keeps up his hope and fights for his survival in the open sea.
Director Ang Lee has a great gift in telling his stories with lush visual. That is quite evident in this film when it involves animals, the sea, and the nature in his helm. The only comparison I can think of to the marvelous scenes in this film is a magnificent BBC television documentary series "Life" (UK 2009), or perhaps that's where he draws inspiration from while creating his computer generated images. For that reason, I wish this film were only a fairy tale about a boy and a tiger at sea. That would have been more perfect and more dazzling with all the fantastic 3D images. Unfortunately, the film keeps pulling me out of a fantasy world and brings me back into adult Pi's kitchen to listen to his philosophical narration. That immediately discredits the great adventure story at sea. It's understood that many details must be left out of a two hour long film about Pi's 227-day drifting journey. If the film were simply a fairy tale, that would be just fine without elaborating them, even they might be crucial to the credibility of Pi's story. However, when adult Pi tells the story in first person, the film is cornered and it must come up a plausible explanation on how and why Pi survived. It's preposterous for adult Pi to suggest to his guest (read: the audience) that there must be a God, because the fact of his telling the story himself is a living proof. If God were Pi's savor by providing him hints in many instances during his journey, why wouldn't God save Pi's family and prevent the freighter from sinking at the first place? And why a tiger, instead of, say, a giraffe? The good news is that Ang Lee indeed takes up the challenge of telling Pi's story in 3D, the bad news is that Pi lives on to defeat that challenge. "Life of Pi" a 20th Century Fox release, opens on Wednesday, November 21, 2012 at Bay Area theaters.
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Labels: MVFF 2012
Friday, November 16, 2012
Silver Linings Playbook
Is it possible to make a romantic comedy that is both
heartfelt and funny even if its characters have mental
health issues? The answer is yes if you see
director David
O. Russell's crowd pleasing "Silver Linings
Playbook" (USA 2012 | 122 min.). Its raw
emotions, high energy, and earnest performance make you not
only overlook any underneath familiar formula often found in
a typical romantic comedy, but they also bring you closer to
its likable characters, even they are not perfect.
The film opens at a mental hospital where substitute teacher Pat Solitano (Bradley Cooper) has been confined for eight months. Now he is going back home to live with his mother (Jacki Weaver) and father (Robert De Niro), but without his house and his wife Nikki. His mental health facility stay is partially due to his bipolar disorder, and partially due to the fallout with his wife who is protected by a restraining order. Pat is still madly in love with Nikki and he is determined to win her back. After Pat meets a straight talking widow Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), she agrees to help him only if he agrees to dance with her in a dance competition. The intriguing tension between Pat and Tiffany adds more drama to the topsy-turvy farce in Pat's family.
Although Pat is mentally ill, the film portrays him as a focused and self-disciplined guy—his only goal is to get back together with his wife. He seems quite normal and even nicer than many regular people in reality, except he runs in a garbage bag and has trouble to control his temper sometimes. This image of Pat is very crucial to the film's success. Imagine that if he were obnoxious and crazy, any romance involving him would have not been sexy and he would not be well-liked. Materials like this are too easy to fall into a routine romantic comedy trap that is often neither funny nor romantic. However, director David O. Russell magically tiptoes around the trap and lets his characters develop and be felt by the audience, in a very fast pace. With the terrific performance from a superb ensemble cast, all the flaws in the plot, based on a novel by Matthew Quick, can be forgiven. (Dance competition? Really?) As in his previous film "The Fighter" (USA 2010), the relationship between father and son is brilliantly crafted by director David O. Russell. Robert De Niro is excellent playing Pat's endearing, funny, obsessive-compulsive gambling father, with an equally wonderful Jacki Weaver as his sidekick. But the center of the film is the relationship between Pat and Tiffany, which is quirky, touching, delightful, and outstandingly performed by two beautiful actors that actually have a great chemistry on screen regardless how mentally troubled as they are labeled. In the end, this is an enjoyable film that is funny and warm, sometimes even romantic. And it makes bipolar look sexy when it's played by "Sexiest Man Alive." "Silver Linings Playbook," a Weinstein Company release, opens on Friday, November 16, 2012 at Bay Area theaters.
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Labels: MVFF 2012
Friday, October 26, 2012
The Sessions
Let's face it: sex is still a taboo in American culture. You
can do it, but you are not supposed to talk about
it. However, for a disabled person, doing it may even become
a problem, and talking about a disabled person's sex is
almost unheard of.
Twenty-two years ago, paralyzed Berkeley poet Mark O'Brien published an essay "On Seeing a Sex Surrogate" (The Sun, May 1990). It chronicles his quest to experience one of the most profound human activities. I suspect many people have read it. That may be forever changed by director Ben Lewin's funny, candid, and moving film "The Sessions" (USA 2012 | 94 min.). The film is based on Mark O'Brien's true story described in his essay, and it wins the Audience Award and a special Jury Prize at 2012 Sundance Film Festival. It surely will get more nominations for the upcoming Academy Awards. Paralyzed by polio in his childhood, Mark (John Hawkes) is confined to bed with an iron lung and can breathe on his own only for few hours each day. Although he can only move his head a little bit, his mind appears to be sharper than any able body. He is a poet, a journalist, a charming soul, and foremost, an extraordinary human being who refuses to give in. He uses a mouth-stick to write when he is not using it to talk with wit and humor. That's not enough. At the age of 38, after philosophical yet hilarious discussions with Father Brendan (William H. Macy), he decides to hire a professional sex surrogate Cheryl Cohen-Greene (Helen Hunt) to lose his virginity. Both Mark and Cheryl take on the unusual challenge that changes both their lives in many ways.
Being a victim of polio himself, director Ben Lewin seems able to connect with his characters on a personal level. He tells Mark's story with striking honesty without being sentimental. He never makes the audience feel sorry for Mark's condition. Instead, he magically inspires the audience with Mark's positive vibe and his uplifting spirit. And, he is telling Mark's incredible story that involves having sex with his a paralyzed body, no less. Both John Hawkes and Helen Hunt are pitch perfect in the film. Although I have seen many characters who are paralyzed in films such as "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" (Le scaphandre et le papillon | France 2007), John Hawkes's outstanding performance in this film is the most mesmerizing one and certainly the funniest one. He vividly brings Mark to life by simply using his sensitive facial expressions and his quirky voice. The rest casts are also superb and generate numerous comic moments, especially William H. Macy who terrifically plays Father Brendan. By losing his virginity, Mark gains new experience and achieves a new level on living life to the fullest. Brilliantly shares Mark's story, this touching and hilarious film is a celebration of sexuality as well as humanity. "The Sessions," a Fox Searchlight Pictures release, opens on Friday, October 26, 2012 at Bay Area theaters.
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Labels: MVFF 2012
Friday, October 12, 2012
Argo
The foundation for a thriller to be thrilling is that it has
to be convincing. Ben Affleck
brilliantly builds that foundation in his masterfully
crafted third feature "Argo"
(USA 2012 | 120 min.). Standing on that solid
foundation, he pulls all the strings to maximize intensity
and suspense, not forgetting to sprinkle with some jokes
on Hollywood's expense. The final production is an awesomely
entertaining political thriller. In the end, it makes you
want to stand up and sing the national anthem to salute the
unsung hero in the film—CIA agent Tony
Mendez, played by Ben Affleck.
The film is based on a true story that was declassified by President Clinton in 1997. Aided by storyboards and news footage, the film efficiently elaborates the background about Iranian Revolution in 1979, and explains why the Iranian people are furious about the US government after their ousted dictator Shāh Mohammad Rezā Pahlavī finds a safe haven in the US. It swiftly dives right into the middle of a crisis: the protesters storm into the US Embassy in Tehar, and capture 52 Americans as hostage. However, six Embassy staff members elude the capture and hide out in the Canadian Embassy. If they are found, they may be executed as spies. CIA agent Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck), an exfiltration expert, is brought in to come up a rescue plan for the six trapped Americans. What Tony comes up is the surreal "best bad idea"—let the six Americans pose as Canadian film crew who are scouting exotic locations for a fake movie called "Argo." With the help from Tony's real-life makeup artist friend John Chambers (John Goodman) and a fictional legendary Hollywood producer Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin), project Argo is carried on.
As a director, Ben Affleck perfectly controls his storytelling and keeps the audience engaged as well as thrilled. He never lets the urgency of the crisis get weaken. Meanwhile, he seamlessly blends in hilarious not-so-inside jokes about Hollywood to create plenty delightful humorous punch lines, impeccably delivered by John Goodman and Alan Arkin. When Tony Mendez comes to John Chambers for his fake movie idea, John replies: "So you want to come to Hollywood, act like a big shot without actually doing anything? You'll fit right in." In the wake of recent US Consulate attack in Benghazi, Libya that killed US Ambassador to Libya J. Christopher Stevens, the film's life and death atmosphere can be felt with even more intensity. The performance by a fine ensemble cast terrifically recounts the terrifying moments 33 years ago. This is certainly one of the most entertaining films this year, and certainly Ben Affleck's best work to date as a director. "Argo," a Warner Bros. Pictures release, opens on Friday, October 12, 2012 at Bay Area theaters.
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Labels: MVFF 2012
Seven Psychopaths
The New York Times just published an
in-depth report about patent
wars in the technology world and their negative impact on
innovation and competition in recent years. Luckily, so
far patent disputes have not sprawled into
filmmaking. Otherwise, if director Quentin
Tarantino's "Pulp
Fiction" were iPhone, then
Martin
McDonagh bloodthirsty offbeat comedy
"Seven Psychopaths"
(USA/UK 2012 | 109 min.) would look like a
Samsung phone, and Martin
McDonagh might get sued for patent
infringement.
"Seven Psychopaths" has plenty bells and whistles to make itself looks awesome, but the whole package doesn't quite live up to the expectation. The film can't seem to shake off the influence from Tarantino's style. Even with the ample absurdly funny and quirky dialogue, a delightful trademark for writer/director Martin McDonagh, his second feature is unfortunately inferior to his hilarious first one—"In Bruges" (UK/USA 2008). "Seven Psychopaths" is a screenplay which an alcoholic Irish screenwriter Marty (Colin Farrell) is trying to write. However, Marty is unable to go beyond the title. His eccentric buddy Billy (Sam Rockwell) comes to help. Billy tells Marty stories about psychopaths and even puts up classified ads in the newspaper looking for psychopaths to provide Marty some more writing materials. Meanwhile, Billy and his smooth talking partner Hans (Christopher Walken) conduct a phony operation. They snatch dogs in a rich neighborhood in LA, and then they return them to owners a few days later in order to collect reward money. That scam goes smoothly, until they steal a Shih Tzu that belongs to a gangster Charlie (Woody Harrelson). Charlie furiously pursuits his beloved dog's kidnappers, Marty included.
Like Quentin Tarantino's films, "Seven Psychopaths" has a fantastic and bloody opening. However, like Marty, the movie seems to hit a writer's block as where it should be going. It turns out that the true identities of the seven psychopaths, if you can keep track of them, have little significance. The film is simply using them as a way to ostentatiously deliver all the quirky one-liners in director Martin McDonagh's goody bag. As a result, watching this movie is like stepping into a cool teenager boy's play room—there are plenty awesome toys, but the room looks messy. Yet, you want to stay and play some games and have a good time. Compared to almost any other character in the film, Colin Farrell's character Marty is the dullest. Colin Farrell looks like a dumb student who is stuck with his term paper, from start to finish. On the other hand, Sam Rockwell, Christopher Walken, and Woody Harrelson are having a ball terrifically playing each of their lively characters. In the end, the biggest joke is that none of these characters actually can be labeled as a psychopath and the biggest relief is that no patent war is involved, even plenty blood is shed. "Seven Psychopaths," a CBS Films release, opens on Friday, October 12, 2012 at Bay Area theaters.
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Labels: MVFF 2012
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
The 35th Mill Valley Film Festival
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October is certainly a golden month in San
Francisco. Indian
summer's warm air begins to blow and bring out hundreds of
thousands of people into the City. This coming week alone,
the City will host the Fleet Week,
the American's
Cup, the Hardly
Strictly Bluegrass Festival, the Italian
Heritage Parade, the Castro Street
Fair, and the games of the Giants
and 49ers.
Too much? Indeed. Actually, it seems a perfect time to get away from the crowd and noise. But, there is no need to go too far. Just across the elegant Golden Gate Bridge from the City, Mill Valley Film Festival (MVFF) offers a perfect getaway with more than 90 features films from all over the world.
With hundreds of filmmaker guests and tens of thousands cinephiles, Mill Valley Film Festival celebrates its 35th birthday October 4-14, 2012 at CinéArts@Sequoia and 142 Throckmorton Theatre in Mill Valley, at Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center in San Rafael, and at other venues for panels, parties and live music events. Like every year, the 35th Mill Valley Film Festival once again unofficially kicks off the Oscar campaign for 2013 in the West Coast. A long list of high profile Oscar contenders are among this year's programming. However, there is a noticeable absence of Chinese films this year (no, this one doesn't count). Understandably, MVFF pays more attention to Cannes, Berlin, and Venice more closely than Busan. Last year there were two Chinese language films, but no Korean or Japanese language films (not for adults anyway). This year, there is only one Korean language film. Between the two Japanese language films, one is a movie from an Iranian director. The 35th Mill Valley Film Festival opens on October 4, 2012 with Brazilian auteur Walter Salles's good-looking drama "On the Road" (France/UK/USA/Brazil 2012 | 137 min.) and director David O. Russell's Oscar buzzed comedy "Silver Linings Playbook" (USA 2012 | 120 min.). Ten days later, on Oct 14, 2012, the festival closes with the highly anticipated "Life of Pi" (USA 2012 | 120 min.) by Academy Award-winning director Ang Lee, who receives Variety International Filmmaker of the Year Award at this year's festival. In between, the festival shines spotlights on John Hawkes and Billy Bob Thornton, and pays tributes to Dustin Hoffman and Mira Nair. For those die-hard Star Wars fans, on Monday October 8th, the festival features the 35th anniversary celebration screening of "Star Wars" (a.k.a. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope | USA 1977 | 122 min.). The following is a list of films I think you should not miss at this year's festival. As always, each title is linked to the festival program for more details and showtime information. Each image is linked to a film's official Web site when it's available. You can also download a complete festival guide here.
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Labels: MVFF 2012
