abuse - Row Three

27 Oct

Category

Toronto After Dark 2011: The Woman Review

1

After watching a movie that takes place in such a strange headspace such as Lucky McKee’s The Woman, it is probably best to let the thing percolate a bit before even attempting to articulate a reaction. The prime example of this visceral reaction is a youtube video that went around Sundance after the films premiere featuring a guy who wanted the film destroyed from existence. *Deep Breath* Here goes. The Woman boldly defies any attempts to slot it into any sort of easy niche. It is simultaneously a blunt gender provocation, a deadpan satire and a gory torture movie. I suppose if a filmmaker elicits a visceral reaction in your audience, you have made a successful horror picture, but I am not sure that the film has anything new or interesting to say, and I am not exactly enamoured with how it goes about saying it. There are a fair number of of leaps and contortions to be made to get into the the film. You not only have to swallow that there is a super-psychotic family that is well integrated into the polite rural society of back-yard BBQs and supermarket chit-chat, but also that there is a feral woman who has lived her life out in the back forty thus far unnoticed. But let us proceed with an open mind, nevertheless.

» Read the rest of the entry..

05 Oct

Posted by
Marina Antunes

Category

VIFF 2010 Review: Snap

0

Irish director Carmel Winters has arrived and her debut feature, a demure little film titled Snap, is a marvellous achievement from a woman who clearly has a sense of the art of storytelling.

Adapted by Winters from a scene she wrote and later developed into a one woman show, her feature film debut is a further extension of the original idea which tackles issues of family and media, creating a fascinating document on how individuals act and interact both in front of the camera and behind closed doors.

Intricately built with layers of information revealed at every turn, Snap is a film taken in with little previous knowledge as part of its winning formula is the way in which the mystery unfolds, adding a new layer to the story with each passing scene. What at first appears to be a story of a mother dealing with the fallout of her son being charged with murder slowly morphs into a tale which extends much deeper than that, revealing a family history which is perhaps more damaging than any accusation thrown at the mother.

Irish actress Aisling O’Sullivan delivers a performance of intensity and raw emotion which shows her in varying degrees of emotion, each more powerful than the previous.

Winters makes the transition from stage to film successfully with powerful, fully rendered story which lives well beyond its running time and which marks her and cinematographer Kate McCullough (who shoots the feature in a variety of formats) as two women to watch. Snap is a brilliant debut.

See VIFF screening schedule for show times.

13 Oct

Posted by
Marina Antunes

Category

VIFF 09 Review: Cole

0

Few Canadian directors are as prolific or diverse as BC’s Carl Bessai. From mysteries, family dramas and even horror, over the last few years the director has really been pushing the boundaries of what one might expect from independent film by telling beautiful, rich stories on a shoestring budget. Bessai surpassed expectation with last year’s Mothers & Daughters (our review), a film which also marked a sort of new era in his career. It’s a little unfair but I went into Cole with high expectations and for the most part, the film reached and even surpassed them.

» Read the rest of the entry..

07 Oct

Posted by
Marina Antunes

Category

VIFF 09 Review: Applause

1

Uninterested in seeing another film about an individuals suffering from some sort of addiction or another, I nearly skipped Applause and wrote it off as the same old same old but hearing raves for Paprika Steen’s performance and with little else to choose from, I gave the film a chance. Though it didn’t provide anything we haven’t seen before (addict struggling to stay clean and keep her life in order), Martin Zandvliet’s film does provide something which is a little rarer, a powerful performance that is memorable well after walking away from the film.

» Read the rest of the entry..

29 Sep

Posted by
Marina Antunes

Category

VIFF 09 Review: Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

2

Life is full of adversity and for some, the hurtles can be too much to bear. So is the case for Clareece ‘Precious’ Jones, the title character in Lee Daniels’ poorly titled Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire, but rather than take the easy way out and walk away from life and all of the problems that plague it, Precious takes the higher road and decides to tacked the problems which are continuously stacked in her way.

Precious is 16 and pregnant with her second child. She can’t read or write, she’s verbally and physically abused by her mother and continuously raped by her father. It’s a sad life and one too depressing to be believed and though the immediate thought is that there are simply too many issues piled onto the character, it’s the overwhelming amount of issues that render the book and to an extent the film, so successful. Both mediums provides the story of a girl broken far beyond repair (or so one would imagine) and yet here she is, surviving. But everyone has a breaking point and though Precious’ comes much later than anyone could image, when she finally reaches it she takes the high road and changes her life for good.

» Read the rest of the entry..

25 Aug

Posted by
Marina Antunes

Category

News

Bad Lieutenant Gets Release Date

0

Yes, it’s true. Folks who don’t have a chance to see one of Werner Herzog’s new film’s Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, at TIFF will have a chance to take a hit off the lucky crack pipe soon after.

Big Picture is reporting that the batshit crazy, Herzog/Nicolas Cage team up will be distributed in the US by First Look Studios with an opening date of November 20th. Mark the calendar!

Now for the big question: what are the chances this will be a relatively wide release? I want to see this!

And if you, for whatever reason, missed the trailer, you need to do yourself a favour and see it now. I’ve tucked it under the seat.

» Read the rest of the entry..

13 May

Posted by
Marina Antunes

Category

Sure to Alienate Audiences: Precious Gets a Trailer

4

Precious One Sheet Coming out of Sundance this year, one of the films causing a stir was Lee Daniels’ Precious (previously known as Push: Based on a Novel by Sapphire. The film was, from all my readings, considered an across the board winner and though the film won both the Dramatic Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award, it seemed unlikely that it would be picked up for distribution.

A few weeks later we posted news that Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey had signed on to help distribute the film; good thing too otherwise I doubt anyone would get the chance to see it. Daniel’s film is based on a groundbreaking novel by Sapphire which tells the story of Claireece Precious Jones, an abused teen trying to make her way in life. Precious’ story was a devastating read but it resonated an unexpected joie de vivre and hope that seems to have translated well onto film.

Precious stars new comer Gabourey ‘Gabby’ Sidibe in the title role with Mo’Nique, Mariah Carey and Lenny Kravitz appearing in supporting roles. I know it sounds ludicrous to have a line-up of musicians as supporting actors but it sounds as though they all pull through and looking at the trailer, it looks like the reviews weren’t exaggerating.

No official release date but the film is scheduled to play at Cannes in the Un Certain Regard line-up.

Trailer is tucked under the seat!

» Read the rest of the entry..

20 Apr

Posted by
Marina Antunes

Category

Closer to Relase? New Trailer for Downloading Nancy

0

Downloading Nancy Movie Still I first posted the trailer for Downloading Nancy when previewing Sundance 2008. The film eventually played, receiving less than favourable reviews. Even with the reviews (everything from depraved to unwatchable), I was happy when, months later, it was announced that the film would be released, however limited, by Strand Releasing. At the time of the announcement, there was no indication as to when the release might come and though that’s still the case, the film’s recent re-appearance suggests that the time is soon.

Late last week Cinematical debuted the film’s poster and today, a new trailer for the film has appeared online. It’s not much different from the original trailer and the film and, as Variety originally commented, still has below-zero commercial prospects, but I’m now, more than ever, curious to see what all the hubbub is about.

Maria Bello stars as an unhappy wife who finds an individual online to kill her but the plan goes slightly astray when the two fall in love. There seems to be more to the story (the trailer clearly shows that at some point, Bello’s husband (Rufus Sewell) meets and confronts the “other” man (Jason Patric)) but none of the reviews I’ve read have had much to say about the film’s plot. What everyone does seem to agree with is that it is an ugly and difficult movie to watch and though it may not be theatrical release material (I’m not sure Strand will release it theatrically or direct to DVD), I’m thrilled to know that it won’t simply disappear onto some shelf somewhere unseen outside of Sundance.

I want to see this for myself and decide, once and for all what, if anything it’s saying/getting at. It can’t possibly be as difficult to watch as The Free Will (our review) and even if it is, it should also provide a load of material for rumination.

Downloading Nancy Trailer [ 0:01 | 10.95 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup

14 Mar

Posted by
Marina Antunes

Category

Tyson: The Fighter, The Biter, The Man

1

Tyson Movie Still You know him as a prize winning fighter, an ear biter, a convicted rapist and all around “crazy” guy but what do you really know about Mike Tyson? James Toback doesn’t think we have the full story.

Toback, a close friend of Tyson’s, has directed Tyson, a documentary which features a mixture of archival footage, photographs and interviews, including conversations with Tyson himself, to shed light on Tyson’s life experiences. From the trailer, it’s difficult to discern what Toback is trying to get at with the film: is he simply allowing Tyson the opportunity to air out his laundry, is he creating a more complete image of the icon or is he trying to elicit sympathy for his good friend? I’m curious to see what he is trying for and what he actually achieves.

Tyson premiered at Cannes last year and has since been picked up for distribution by Sony Pictures Classics. Look for it in limited release on April 24th.

Trailer is tucked under the seat!

» Read the rest of the entry..

07 Mar

Posted by
Marina Antunes

Category

The Merry Gentleman: Keaton’s Comeback?

3

Oh Michael. Where have you been?

Though you’ve been consistently working the last few years, it feels like I haven’t seen you in a decade. I miss you and your exploits of the 80s and 90s but it looks like you’ve made a comeback. Not sure where you were hiding this little gem but it certainly looks worthy of attention.

The Merry Gentleman premiered at Sundance last year, played one more festival and then seemed to disappear until earlier this week when the distributor (who I assume only recently picked it up) finally released a trailer. Directed and starring Michael Keaton, it’s the story of a hitman who falls for a girl (the great Kelly Macdonald) with a past after finding her under a Christmas tree.

It sounds a little “quirky” and that looks like the aim, but I’m also smitten by this trailer. I love the quick shot of them standing in a field with the Christmas tree on fire. I love that she brings him rum balls at the hospital (“Nurses love rum balls” haha) but beyond all of that, I love that Keaton actually looks like he’s acting (and in a promising looking film to boot).

Samuel Goldwyn Films haven’t announced a release date for The Merry Gentleman but I assume we’ll see it later this year, perhaps right after the summer releases. We’ll keep you posted.

Check out the trailer tucked under the third row!

» Read the rest of the entry..

17 Oct

Posted by
Marina Antunes

Category

VIFF Review Roundoup #2

3

In this second instalment, we have reviews of:

Let the Right One In
Waltz with Bashir
The Desert Within
Welcome to the Sticks

Click on the film’s title to jump directly to the review.

Let the Right One In

Let the Right One In I wouldn’t say I’m an expert on vampire films, there are a whole lot of films before the 1980’s which feature vampires that I’ve yet to, and will likely never, see, but I have the back catalogue filled in nicely. From Nosferatu to Bella Lugosi and the modern classics of Interview With a Vampire, Shadow of the Vampire and even Coppola’s Dracula. Add in the action vamps like Blade and Selene and it’s pretty safe to say that if a vampire is involved, I’ll be watching it; even if it isn’t very good.

One of the film’s I was most looking forward to this year (we’ll leave Twilight out of the equation – for today) was the Norwegian tween vampire romance Let the Right One In. Kurt had said good things and he wasn’t kidding. I’m not sure he used the words but I will: brilliant.

In a day where loud, violent and bloody is the key to vampire movies, Tomas Alfredson’s film, adapted from the novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist, is at the opposite end of the spectrum. Quiet, deliberately paced and demure, this is a film that revels in mood. But don’t let that turn you away: the film is just as bloody and gruesome as we expect from a tale about a creature that feeds on human blood to survive, it simply manages to use the violence much more effectively than most. Against the beauty and serenity of winter, the blood that flows seems that much more effective in its creep factor.

Sometimes, adding a vampire to the mix simply makes a film sexier but in some other cases, it adds an entire new layer of meaning, as is the case here. Not only do you have an individual who can live forever, the creature happens to be a little girl named Eli. A child who is dependent on killing to survive yet, she manages to keep herself in check around her new friend, Oskar. Then there’s the relationship between the two children which is as pure and innocent as one would expect from 12 year olds yet it’s tinged with something else, a mothering instinct brought in by Eli who suddenly becomes protector as well as friend.

I expected good things from Let the Right One In and from the moment, I walked away, I was not disappointed but over the past few days, I’ve returned to the film with a new thought, gathering some new meaning from some small action. Though on the surface this is pure, gleefully gorgeous genre filmmaking, there’s a whole lot more at play. I’m eagerly awaiting the opportunity to see it again: sooner rather than later.

Trailer

More reviews tucked under the seat!

» Read the rest of the entry..

10 Oct

Posted by
Marina Antunes

Category

VIFF Review: Heaven on Earth

2

Canadian director Deepa Mehta is quite the talent. People either know her for her lighthearted comedic approaches to marriage, family, relationships and love like Bollywood/Hollywood and The Republic of Love while others will be more familiar with her Elements Trilogy of which Water is head and shoulders above the rest.

Heaven on Earth Movie Still Going into Mehta’s new film Heaven and Earth, which premiered at TIFF earlier this year, I wasn’t sure what to expect: dramatic or comedic? As it begins, there’s a sense that this is going to be a dramatic tale of true love. It starts in India with a wedding celebration. Chand is a beautiful young woman who has been married off to a man living in Canada. A short time later, we see Chand arriving at the airport, meeting her husband Rocky for the first time and all seems to be going well (he’s “shy as a mouse”). Could it be that we’re going to see a tale of true love unfolding? Unfortunately, that is not the case and almost immediately it’s clear that Rocky is not as soft hearted and kind as he appears and the events that unfold are anything but heaven on earth.

Though some of Mehta’s other films have involved a light touch of fantasy, Heaven and Earth goes further into that dreamworld than any of Mehta’s other films. Still present are the themes we’ve come to expect from the writer/director but mixed in among them is a survival mechanism unlike any I’ve seen before in her films. To escape her brutal reality, Chand retreats into the stories of her childhood and from one of those stories comes a new “reality” that helps her cope and, eventually, escape.

» Read the rest of the entry..