Review: ‘MADELEINE COLLINS’ overflows with complexity.

MADELEINE COLLINS

Judith (Virginie Efira)’s life is split between two households in two countries. In Switzerland, she is Margot, a translator who lives with Abdel (Quim Gutierrez) and the little girl they are raising. In France, she is known as Judith and lives a glamorous life with acclaimed orchestra conductor Melvil (Bruno Salomone) and their two older boys. This fragile balance, based on complex lies and tightly scheduled back-and-forth trips, gradually begins to crack and veer dangerously off the rails. The mysterious reasons for her lies, and the complications that ensue from her efforts to keep the two lives separate, propel the third narrative feature from Antoine Barraud anchored by a virtuoso turn from Efira in all of her character’s many guises.
 

Judith/Margot’s curated existence managing two identities and two families begins to crumble, exposing her lies, motives, and underlying trauma.

Virginie Efira wows audiences as a woman wearing all the hats. Effortlessly embodying each distinct persona, Efira proves, once again she is a star. It is a balancing act of power structures, dangerous satisfaction, and unusual sacrifice.

Antoine Barraud gives audiences a film almost best viewed without prior knowledge of the plot. Enticing the audience and challenging their sense of morality, MADELEINE COLLINS hypnotizes with twists, turns, and deep complexity. Barraud and co-writer Héléna Klotz carefully weave an unmissable commentary about beauty, unrequited male infatuation, and childhood trauma into the narrative. The film overflows with nuance, and its final reveal changes everything. It is a wildly elaborate hurricane of grief.


Directed by Antoine Barraud
Written by Antoine Barraud and Héléna  Klotz
Starring Virginie Efira (Revoir Paris, Other People’s Children, Sibyl, Elle, Benedetta)
Co-starring Bruno Salomone, Quim Gutierrez, Jacqueline Bisset, Valérie Donzelli, Nadav Lapid 
 

Opens on Friday, August 18 in NY (IFC Center) and LA (at Laemmle Royal and Laemmle Town Center, Encino)


 

Review: Joaquín del Paso’s vicious film ‘A HOLE IN THE FENCE’ is a tale of fearmongering and the stunning contagion of hate.

A HOLE IN THE FENCE

Synopsis: At a secluded exclusive summer camp in the Mexican countryside, under the watchful eyes of their adult guardians, boys from a prestigious private school receive physical, moral, and religious training to turn them into tomorrow’s elite. The discovery of a hole in the fence sets in motion a chain of disturbing events as the boys devolve into a Lord of the Flies-like mob mentality that creates and spreads hysteria in this profoundly disturbing coming-of-age drama that unravels like a horror movie while drawing on actual events. Features an original score by Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein (Stranger Things).


Save one or two, a group predominantly of elitist little shits wage war against the weaker for power. To no one’s surprise, these kids could not care less about following the religious aspects of the camp’s intentions, instead actively torturing the child with the darkest skin. Perhaps the saddest part is how the hatred spreads so quickly.

Outside the inner workings of the boys, there is a grander racism playing out beyond the chain link fence of the camp. A hole brings fear that an outsider has infiltrated the grounds. Slowly, we discover the nefarious intentions of the staff, the indoctrination of following orders, and never questioning authority.

The film plays out in two distinct acts. Once in the woods, the fractures widen, and smaller groups become exceedingly hostile. This Lord Of The Flies meets The Village script is exhilarating. My nerves almost could not take it. Performances are extraordinary. The film speaks to a growing global evil in Christofascism, sexual abuse in the church, and the destruction of otherness. A HOLE IN THE FENCE displays toxic masculinity at its core. It is a sick test and focuses on the myth of manhood. It is a microcosm, and we should all be afraid.

Joaquín del Paso’s Venice Film Festival Selection Opens May 26 at the Laemmle Theaters in L.A., More Dates To Come

 

Original title: El hoyo en la cerca
Starring: Valeria Lamm Williams, Yubah Ortega, Luciano Kurti, Eric Walker, Santiago Barajas, Enrique Lascurain, Jacek Poniedzialek, Raul Vasconcelos
Directed by: Joaquin del Paso
Written by: Joaquin del Paso, Lucy Pawlak
Produced by: Fernanda de la Peza, Joaquin del Paso
Specs: 2021 / 102 Minutes / In Spanish w/English Subtitles / DCP / 1.66:1

www.alteredinnocence.net/holeinthefence


 

NYFF60 review: ‘BONES AND ALL’ is a cult classic in the making, boasting stellar performances, morbid humor, and visceral visuals.

BONES AND ALL

Lucky audiences at NYFF60 had the chance to experience BONES AND ALL, one of the buzziest films to come out of the Venice Film Festival, with its eight-and-a-half-minute standing ovation. At this point, it is hard to imagine that you haven’t heard about it. It is thoroughly accurate to describe it as the following: “A coming-of-age romantic cannibal road film” Directed by Luca Guadagnino, Bones and All comes from a screenplay by David Kajganich, based on the 2015 novel of the same name by Camille DeAngelis. It centers on Maren’s father abandoning her at age eighteen, leaving behind an audio tape as her only guidance and explanation. This narration is an overarching theme during Maren’s journey. Left to fend for herself after years of life on the run with her father, she stumbles across another “eater” named Sully. When he makes her uneasy, she runs again, only to bump into Lee on the road. The two form a bond based on survival and their need to consume flesh. As they travel cross country, the menace from other eaters proves to be the most spine-chilling aspect of their relationship. 

Part of this story features Maren tracking down the mother she’s never met. In what would essentially prove to be a brilliant monologue, Chloë Sevigny‘s brief screentime makes you sweat. Michael Stuhlbarg is incredibly unsettling as fellow drifter Jake. When you discover that he’s teaching a non-eater how to do what they do, it feels wrong and so very right. Stuhlbarg crushes every role. Here, it took me a few minutes to realize it was him. Jake is a dirty, overalls-wearing backwoods soul and proud of it. It’s scary good.

Mark Rylance, who I have had the privilege of seeing on Broadway in Twelfth Night (yes, I had the coveted seats onstage), is hands down the most uncomfortable aspect of Bones and All. His performance borders on caricature and yet somehow works like gangbusters. From his straggly ponytail and fedora to his flair-spangled jacket, Rylance will have you eating out of the palm of his hand, whether you want to or not. Pun intended.

Timothée Chalamet as Lee is nothing but charming. He oozes casual suave. It should come as no surprise to anyone who knows his work. Bones and All reconnects Chalamet with Luca Guadagnino. One could argue that Call Me By Your Name was Chalamet’s star vehicle at NYFFF55. Bones and All is just as bold. Chalamet brings a punk edge and a caring nature opposite Taylor Russell. As Maren, she’s measured and soft. Her approach to adults shows a curated maturity. It’s a perfect balance to Chalamet. Together, they capture the innocence of young love, even if they’re pulling the wool over people’s eyes for a meal.

Bones and All is one of the most visceral films in history. As a horror fan (one might even call me a fanatic), I have seen and heard it all. Bones and All had me squirming and gagging and utterly entranced. It gives new meaning to “a visual feast for the eyes.” It will not be a film for everyone. It is best to go into your viewing experience with little to no knowledge, but that may feel like a bait and switch to some viewers. You can find out if you have the stomach for BONES AND ALL when A24 releases it on November 18th. Bring an open mind, and leave the snacks at home.

Review: ‘OLD HENRY’ is a stunningly performed western.

OLD HENRY

Old Henry is an action-Western about a widowed farmer and his son who warily take in a mysterious, injured man with a satchel of cash. When a posse of men claiming to be the law come for the money, the farmer must decide whom to trust. Defending against a siege of his homestead, he reveals a talent for gunslinging that surprises everyone, calling his true identity into question.


Writer-director Potsy Ponciroli‘s screenplay harkens back to classic westerns. There’s plenty of gunslinging, horseback, and trouble, for genre fans. It’s ceaselessly engaging, overflowing with slick writing, striking natural lighting, and insanely fantastic performances. There’s an underlying complexity that history fans will fawn over. Ponciroli has given audiences something special.

Trace Adkins, as Henry’s brother-in-law, Al, is a wonderful balance of welcoming and spitfire. He owned every moment of screen time. Stephen Dorff is an unmistakable villain. You’ll loathe him. That’s a compliment to the work he does. Scott Haze plays Curry with confidence that counters Nelson to a tee. He shared the screen with Nelson in his breakthrough role in Child Of God. Here, he’s just as intense. Tim Blake Nelson gives a seemingly effortless and pitch-perfect performance. His unflappable conviction at every turn is award-worthy stuff. The scenes between Haze and Nelson are like watching a chess match. You’ll be mesmerized.

There is a smartly laid-out trail of clues, so keep a sharp eye out. Old Henry has a climax so legendary you’ll want to watch it again. It’s destined to be a classic. You can find Old Henry in theaters, beginning today. And, if you’re in the New York City area, our colleague, Joey Magidson at Awards Radar, will be hosting a few Q&As with Tim Blake Nelson! You can find all the details below.



Coming to Theaters on October 1

Written and Directed by Potsy Ponciroli

Starring:
Tim Blake Nelson (O Brother, Where Art Thou, The Ballard of Buster Scruggs)
Scott Haze (Jurassic World: Dominion, Venom)
Gavin Lewis (“Little Fires Everywhere”, “NCIS: Los Angeles”)
Trace Adkins (Deep Water Horizon, The Lincoln Lawyer)
Stephen Dorff (Blade, Immortals)

RT: 99 minutes