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‘BROKEN HORSES’ takes your heart strings on an extraordinary ride.

Posted on April 8, 2015 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

Your parents teach us right from wrong. What if your parents aren’t around? What if we’re molded from something evil instead? In Vidhu Vinod Chopra‘s new film BROKEN HORSES we meet two very different brothers at a pinnacle time in their life. When a manipulative man strolls into their lives, each brother takes a path of his own. 15 years down the road, simple minded and gentle soul Buddy works and does a little too well for himself, while younger brother Jake, now living in the city, is the successful music prodigy from his youth. Buddy reaches out to the newly engaged Jake to give him his wedding gift. Jake is hesitant to return to his desolate, Mexican border hometown, but understands that the love of his brother wills him to do so. Upon arrival, he learns that Buddy is being used as a deadly pawn in a drug lord’s chess match. Jake has no choice but to dedicate himself to saving his brother.
The script takes some truly unexpected turns. I was constantly on my toes, especially emotionally. This engrossing story is only amplified by the stunning character development by Chopra’s writing and the outstanding and moving performances by Anton Yelchin and Chris Marquette as Jake and Buddy. Yelchin, in yet another film in a long line for 2015, plays a caring and protective role. It’s slightly more challenging than his usual boyish, all American vibe. Vincent D’Onofrio is manic in the role of evil puppeteer, Julius. There is very carefully crafted back story that we only get a glimpse of, and frankly it’s just enough.The profoundly magnificent acting award, hands down, goes to Chris Marquette. There is a fine line when portraying a person that is not of average cognitive function . It can so easily read disingenuous and forced. Marquette gives us a performance of a career as Buddy. Every beat is perfection. This is one that must not be overlooked. Even if the film were not as great as is, Marquette blows everything out of the water. Broken Horses is enchanting and thrilling all in one. A game of sick manipulation is slowly built into a war for the soul. The acting is top notch and the scenery is breathtaking. Heart-pounding and gut-wrenching, Broken Horses is a story of undying love and devotion that will resonate with everyone.

Synopsis: Having left town as a child after the death of his father, young music prodigy, Jacob Heckum (Anton Yelchin), returns to his desolate hometown after years only to discover that Buddy (Chris Marquette), the child-like brother he left behind now works for a drug gang. The gang’s ruthless leader (Vincent has twisted his simple mind and manipulated him into a killer… a surrogate son who blindly does as he is told. He is unable to convince Buddy to leave his new fraternity. Drowned in guilt for having abandoned him, Jacob quickly realizes the only way to save Buddy is from the inside out.

BROKEN HORSES comes to theaters in limited release Friday, April 10th

Michael’s Review: ‘The Squeeze’

Posted on April 7, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — 1 Comment ↓

Money is a powerful motivator, especially for a young man faced with caring for his family, but when you’re a young golf phenom presented with the proposal of easy money, well, that motivation is more than tempting; it calls to you. The Squeeze is a based on true events golf weather they were indoors or outdoors, dramedy directed and written by seven-time Emmy Award winner Terry Jastrow, which explores the temptation of gambling and the dangers which lie beneath the surface.

Augie (Jeremy Sumpter) is a exceptional young golfer from a small town in Texas who dreams of becoming a professional golfer. After winning the City Golf Championship by an astounding 15 shots, Augie peaks the interest of a fast talking Southern gambler named Riverboat (Christopher McDonald) and his traveling companion Jessie (Katherine LaNasa) who are passing through the small town on their way to Las Vegas. Riverboat tries to convince Augie on abandon his dreams of qualifying for the PGA Tour to come play for him in high-stake gambling matches for big money, but Natalie (Jillian Murray), Augie’s girlfriend, tries to convince him otherwise. For young Augie, the temptation proves too tough to resist.

The money starts to roll in for the pair, but Riverboat is not satisfied. He begins to set his sights on bigger fish and convinces Augie to follow him to Las Vegas, where stakes are higher, but so are the risk. The two soon cross paths with known mob associate named Jimmy Diamonds (Michael Nouri), who enters into a million dollar bet with Riverboat. Augie is soon thrown into the middle where all bets are off in this a game of life or death. It’s sudden death and the stakes have never been higher young golfer. Can Augie find a way out of this no win situation or is he truly on his last hole?

The Squeeze is a wonderful movie and a true testament to the talent of director Terry Jastrow. The film is so carefully crafted with a captivating story and wonderfully portrayed characters that will leave you wanting more. Christopher McDonald and Jeremy Sumpter are a fantastic pair and the their chemistry on screen is very impressive. Jillian Murray brings such a wonderfully calming presence to her scenes and really shines as the voice of reason in a sea of temptation. Michael Nouri is brilliant as Jimmy Diamonds. Nouri has the voice, mannerisms and facial expressions of a true mobster and you truly believe that he means every word he says.

Overall, The Squeeze is as close to a hole in one as you can get. Very reminiscent of great gambler movies of the past and worthy of being talked about in the same breath.

ARC Entertainment will be releasing THE SQUEEZE on VOD and in-theaters on April 17th. Check it out!

Stars:

3 1/2 out of 5

After Credit Scenes?

Trailer:

Michael’s Review: ‘Roadside’

Posted on April 6, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

Stop me if you’ve heard this before…man in the shadows targets an unsuspecting victim with a rifle and expects said victim to do his bidding. Yes we’ve seen this many times in the past, but those films actually had an objective and a conclusion. The problem with Roadside is that is suffers from being a been there, seen that, thriller with little payoff that will leave you scratching your head as to what the point of the film even was.

Dan Summers (Ace Marrero) and his pregnant wife, Mindy (Katie Stegeman) are on a road trip to Dan’s sisters for a family get together during Christmas time. Trying to get to their destination before the weather turns bad, the couple travel down a desolate mountain highway when they come across a dead tree trunk in the road. When Dan gets out of the SUV to remove the trunk, a voice out of nowhere instructs Dan not to move. Confused about the situation he finds himself in, Dan soon comes to realize that he and Mindy are being held hostage on the side of the road by a mysterious man with a gun. As the temperatures continue to plummet and the situation becoming dire, Dan must find a way to escape the impending doom the couple finds themselves in before this game of cat and mouse comes to a tragic end.

Roadside’s premise isn’t overly original, but the setting does add a different dimension to the overall telling of this play out concept. Being stranded in the middle of nowhere in the dead of winter should add enough drama to keep the audience engaged while the story unfolds, except, there is no story, there is no point, there is absolutely no reason why this situation is happening! All we know is that there’s someone with a gun and he is pointing it at this couple, for some reason. Roadside is a frustrating film because you want to connect with the events and the characters, but neither are enjoyable. At no point do you care about what is happening to this couple because they are so unlikable. At no point can you take the gunman seriously because he sounds like a commercial spokesman trying to sell you fear. Director Eric England seems to have an idea as to where to take this film, but gets lost along the way. England reaches for the proverbial Hitchcock inspired ending but adds more confusion than awe. It’s a shame because there’s a template there for a great film, it’s just not this one.

Stars:

1 1/2 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

Trailer:

Victor Levin’s ‘5 to 7’ brings Parisian romance to New York City.

Posted on April 3, 2015 by Liz Whittemore — 1 Comment ↓

There is something about the French that evokes whimsy and passion. Paris is touted as the romance capital of the world. The language is oozing with lust and the men and women who reside there, are to be envied and adored. But give me NYC, anyday. There are so many stories just waiting to happen. In 5 to 7, we meet Brian, (ANTON YELCHIN) a 24 year old, down and out writer who won’t quit following his passion. He wallpapers his apartment with rejection letters but never stops creating. One day, by sheer chance or perhaps by fate, he looks across the street to find a stunning, French brunette smoking a cigarette. This moment is the catalyst for the entire story. Arielle (BÉRÉNICE MARLOHE) is a married 33 year old woman with two children and a unique understanding with her husband. The two and affair but with rules in place; only from 5-7pm. Arielle’s husband has a mistress, as well. She is Jane (OLIVIA THIRLBY), a 25 year old editor, who has followed the rules for a year already. Brian is welcomed into the “family” with open arms, everything is out in the open, and as unusual as it seems, somehow it works… for the while at least. At some point, sharing the woman of his dreams is too much for Brian to bare and an ultimatum is presented.The angst in this film is palpable. The heaviness of the situation and the excitement is wrought from the very beginning. There is something so wrong with this arrangement and yet you cannot help but root for them, and for everyone. The struggle between happiness and traditional thinking is constantly challenged in the script, crafted carefully by Victor Levin who does double duty as Director. As a New Yorker, this film is also a love story with the City itself. Peering into locations like The Guggenheim, Central Park, The St. Regis, and neighborhoods all over Manhattan is a love affair no city dweller can overlook. We are also treated to diverse cultural experiences between young downtown and sophisticated wealthy uptown. “Beer Vs. Wine”, if you will, but all New York City at heart.Yelchin, who is in quite a few feature this year alone, is wonderful, charming and insightful as ever. Marlohe is enchanting and effortless. Rounding out the amazing cast is Glenn Close and Frank Langella as Brian’s parents, Arlene and Sam Bloom. These two pros come into their scenes as if they were married for 30 years. Funny and honest and keeping us on our toes, they are a delight as a foil to Brian and Arielle. 5 to 7 has a built in audience. This film is for anyone who has ever had stars in their eyes and hope in their hearts. It’s a story of choices and finding out how far you’ll go for your happy ending.

In speaking to Victor Levin this week, I got a whole new insight on his first feature. He was simply a gentleman and a scholar and I thank him for every minute of his time. Take a listen to our chat below.

5 to 7 opens in theaters today in NY and LA, with a nationwide release next Friday, April 10th. It is also available now on VOD.

‘EFFIE GRAY’ is a true story of a Victorian feminist.

Posted on April 3, 2015 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

Courting is essentially a thing of the past in today’s society. In the Victorian age, it was the norm. Women joined the family of their husband and were better seen and not heard. Effie Gray was a real life young women wed to infamous art critic, John Ruskin. With dreams of entering a love filled marriage, Effie was thrown into high society under an overbearing mother-in-law and a frigid husband. Parties and showing social grace in a world where she was an object for show became increasingly more smothering and confusing. Ruskin was a progressive and outspoken art critic, which is what attracted Effie as a child. Although once married, she was discouraged from speaking her views, sexually rejected, and labeled a harlot by the one person she sought affection from. This virgin bride suffered years of emotional abuse until encountering a helpful soul and patron of the arts, Lady Eastlake. Without giving too much away, this film actually becomes a wonderful example of the power of a determined woman. In an age where divorce was simply not an option, Effie Gray finds a loophole allowing her move forward with someone who loves her deeply. The film is artistically crafted by Emma Thompson with careful detail of Victorian society alongside the world of art. One of the loveliest aspects of the film, visually, is the juxtaposition of paintings that reflect where Effie is on her emotional journey through time. Dakota Fanning is elegant and vulnerable as Effie. She has just enough tenacity to pull off a role with an arc such as this. Greg Wise is a stifled tyrant as John Ruskin. His temperament grows increasingly more horrid and he is borderline frightening at moments. Julie Walters, as Mrs. Ruskin, is just about as serpentine as one comes. A far cry from her famed roles as Mrs. Weasley in the beloved Harry Potter films, Walters is a crazed woman who needs to “cut the cord” already. The handsome Tom Sturridge plays Pre-Raphaelite Painter, John Everett Millais and the eventual object of Miss Gray’s affection. Emma Thompson portrays Lady Eastlake with an ease known to few actresses of our time. I could think of no other woman to play this part. Her watchful eye and skilled hand play such a massive part in this historical drama.Shot on location in Scotland, London, and Venice, EFFIE GRAY is a beautiful portrait of a young woman’s inner strength and the world she so desperately tried to escape. With a haunting score and outstanding performances by a true ensemble cast, EFFIE GRAY will inspire those with passion for art and life.

In EFFIE GRAY, Emma Thompson peers boldly inside the forbidden realms of Victorian society through the true story of the marriage of Effie Gray and renowned art critic John Ruskin, courageously exposing a secret world of unrequited passion hidden behind the veil of an opulent public life. Set in an era when neither divorce, nor gay marriage were an option, EFFIE GRAY is the story of a beautiful young woman coming of age, and finding her own voice in a world where women were expected to be seen but not heard. Within the lush environs of a world brimming with art, painting and high society and feverishly bucolic scenes of the Scottish countryside, EFFIE GRAY explores the intricate relationship between sexual intolerance, repression and desire which continue to permeate society today. In this impeccably crafted period drama, Thompson delicately and incisively probes the marital politics of the Victorian Era, and beyond.

Cast: Emma Thompson, Dakota Fanning, Tom Sturridge, David Suchet, Sir Derek Jakobi, Julie Walters, Riccardo Scamarcio and the legendary Claudia Cardinale.

The film opens nationwide on April 3.

Michael’s Review: ‘Furious 7’

Posted on April 3, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

Nevermind the overall story, Furious 7 is a wonderful tribute to the late Paul Walker. The actor, who died in a single car accident during a break in filming, left a huge void for the cast and crew, who scrambled to piece together their lives and reinvent the film so it would not only continue the franchise, but also honor Walker’s legacy following the tragedy.After thisa lot of the member started to be more careful at driven and even a few talked about the Blackbox my car products, cameras for the dash of your car for more safety and to avoid any misunderstanding in the future to have it all in a recording.

Director James Wan (Insidious) takes the helm for this ride as the the crew take on their toughest opponent yet. Buckle up, this fast paced, action packed franchise shows no signs of slowing down.

The events of Fast & Furious 6 have begun to haunt the crew as the older brother of Owen Shaw has come to claim vengeance. Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham), a former British secret service assassin who is more dangerous than anyone the crew has faced in their lives, is on a mission to take down those who almost killed his brother. After Shaw puts Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) in the hospital, Dom (Vin Diesel) realizes that his family is in danger. A simultaneous attack on his home and the death of long time friend Han, heightens the situation and Dom decides to take matters into his own hands before anyone else dies.

Frank Petty (Kurt Russell), a covert ops director, enlists Dom to complete a mission to find a hacker named Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel) and bring back a high tech surveillance program called the God’s Eye, but getting Ramsey back isn’t an easy task. Kidnapped by a known terrorist named Jakande (Djimon Hounsou), things gets complicated and Dom must rely on his crew to help complete the mission as only they can. With Shaw in toe and the prize in sight, the mission will take the crew across the globe in the race of their lives. Brian (Paul Walker), Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), Roman (Tyrese Gibson), and Tej (Ludacris) set off for one last ride, to take down the bad guys and protect the lives of those they love.

Director James Wan should be commended for finding a way to complete this film in the face of such adversity. Paul Walker was the number two most important character in this franchise and his loss will be a huge one moving forward, but the way that Diesel, Wan and the studio found a way to complete his scenes and send the actor out on a high note is tremendous. Cast and crew pulled this film together after the tragedy and you can tell the passion they felt to honor the fallen actor with the best film they could. Like the other films in the Fast and the Furious franchise, you need to turn your brain off before entering the theater, but this film is an action packed thrill ride from beginning to end that won’t disappoint. Furious 7 may not win an Oscar, as Diesel suggests it should, but it sure is a blast to watch.

Stars:

3 1/2 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

Trailer:

Hayden Christensen Is ‘Outcast’ Alongside A Horrendously Laughable Nicolas Cage

Posted on March 31, 2015 by Melissa Hanson — Leave a reply

This is how I felt watching the movie.

You never know. Sometimes you’ll stumble upon a movie that surprises you. Unfortunately, the only surprise I got watching Outcast was how terrible it was. Boring and bland, the only highlights are the parody of acting that is Nicolas Cage. He finally shows up about an hour in and steals each of his short scenes due to his absurd accent and silly hairstyle.

The story is supposedly about a young son exiled after his older brother kills the emperor to take over the throne. However, it really just follows Jacob (Hayden Christensen) rescuing the son of the emperor and his sister in their return to get the throne back. I didn’t care. There’s zero character development. None. The best part is the stunts, but that’s to be expected as the first-time director, Nick Powell, has a heavy background in stunt coordination. There are also a shocking amount of slow-mos that are completely unecessary.

The directing is laughable. It’s all crazy angles and hand-held that’s really distracting. The score is a rip-off of a bad TV movie and causes constant eye rolls. (Complete with the Gladiator-type singing of battle scenes.)

What is with Hayden’s hair? For a guy who never showers, it certainly looks clean and coiffed. He even has the same hair in flashbacks! Odd.

Can we also talk about how it’s all in English? That’s something that REALLY bugs me. This is supposed to be The Far East in the 12th Century. It’s just silly to hear all the Chinese speaking perfect English. This used to be par for the course, but it’s so nice how recently even TV shows embrace native languages. Subtitles are really not that big of a deal.

In between the bits of crazy sword fights and Hayden Christensen is lifeless and forgettable. Nicolas Cage, however, is in rare form with an over-acted performance that must be seen to be believed.

Available on demand, digital and March 31st on Bluray and DVD.

https://youtu.be/seRWrLzOHUg

Jeremy’s Review: Alex Gibney’s ‘Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief’ Is a Scary and Spot-On Adaptation of Lawrence Wright’s Book

Posted on March 27, 2015 by Jeremy Harmon — Leave a reply

Having read Lawrence Wright‘s bestseller Going Clear before seeing Alex Gibney‘s documentary adaptation, I was well-versed in much of what this film covers with regards to the “Church” of Scientology. The book is dense with the craziest shit about founder L. Ron Hubbard and the operation of his religion and the zealots that surrounded him and took over after his death in 1986. The book focused heavily on the journey of Oscar winning screenwriter-director Paul Haggis (Crash, Million Dollar Baby, Casino Royale) through the ranks of the church as he attempted to go “up the bridge” to the highest levels, covering nearly 35 years. His resignation letter hit like a ton of bricks and really brought to light many grievances that had been trickling out from ex-church members without much in the way of corroboration since the church had so far been able to silence those who left through extreme intimidation tactics. Even armed with all of this knowledge, seeing this story play out on screen did nothing more than seal my perception that Scientology is a bigoted, dangerous enslaving cult.

Gibney’‘s film is incredibly well-crafted like the rest of his films. He fleshes out Wright‘s story by bringing a long list of extremely high ranking former – Scientologists, among them are Haggis, former Executive Director of the Office of Special Affairs Mike Rinder, former Inspector General of the Religious Technology Center Marty Rathbun, former SeaOrg executive Tom Devocht, handler for John Travolta, Spanky Taylor and actor Jason Beghe (check out his video describing his life in Scientology). Wright also appears filling in gaps. This is a veritable who’s who of ex-Scientologists and each of their stories are incredibly compelling and really sad in so many ways. Many of them spent decades in the church and you can see the pain it has caused them and still causing them as they are routinely harassed by members of the church and private investigators that are hired by the church.

Funny enough, the film doesn’t concentrate a ton of time on L. Ron Hubbard himself. Sure, there is enough to give us a working knowledge of who he was and the evolution of his ideas into what later became Scientology. Of course Hubbard (who famously said, “You wanta make real money, you gotta start a religion”) and his legacy are never far away, but the main focus of the film is what happened with the church after he died and the direction it took under its new leader, David Miscavige. Miscavige is portrayed as a paranoiac who has gone to extreme measures to consolidate his power, doling out abuse in any way to keep his detractors, both real and perceived, in check. The people listed above corroborate these charges, they being the very reasons they left.

We get our requisite time on Tom Cruise‘s transition into the poster boy for the church and his special relationship with Miscavige, although the book goes into far more detail about how abusive Miscavige is even to someone like Cruise. His rise and the church’s win in the battle with the IRS over getting tax exemption status and the absurd way that they ended up getting it, really opened the flood gates of money and the church’s ability to snap up real estate all over the world adding to their coffers. But the more steam the church gained, the more Miscavige flew into rage and pushed out those who were closest to him.

This is a powerful story and one that is quite scary. The vigor that the members of the church, and I do use that term as loosely as one can, protect their beliefs is undying. If someone they know leaves the church, they completely disconnect from them and never talk to them again. They dedicate their lives, and some even sign a billion year contact with them, to the messages of Hubbard. They are fanatical in ways that echo the followers of Jim Jones, but go far beyond sans the suicide. The words of the former Scientologists are harrowing and Gibney does a great job of illustrating what they go through after leaving and why the followers of this “religion” are as cult-like as you’ll find (here’s a good example).

There will be blow back from this film, but it’s good to know that HBO lawyered up from the outset of making this movie in anticipation of Scientology trying in their typical fashion of shutting anything down that is critical of their beliefs. Gibney and company pull back the curtain and really expose Scientology for what it is – a quack religion that is built on the money of the members who sacrifice literally everything they have for the church. The active members are, by all intents and purposes, enslaved both physically and mentally and in a Hotel California kind of way – you can check out, but you can never leave. Like so many documentaries of late, this film plays out more like a thriller than a non-fiction film telling a story, which engages the viewer even more than the fascinating story unfolding over the two hour running time. The church likens itself to a humanitarian effort, that it is doing the work that no one else will or can, but the words of people like Mike Rinder and Marty Rathbun quickly counter that notion. The charges in the film might be unbelievable without the cast of former members to flesh it all out, but due to the sheer absurdity of the beliefs of this particular cult, I can’t say that’s really the case. I think the most shocking things are that they were able to coerce the government into giving them tax exemption and that they get away with the culture of degradation and violence that appears to be rampant and unchecked.

This is an absolute must see film this year. I give HBO and Alex Gibney all the credit in the world for tackling this subject knowing there was going to be legal wranglings from the very beginning of its production. In addition, I urge you to read Lawrence’s book. It is able to give far greater detail about much of what is covered in the film.I dare you not to be intrigued.

Here’s the trailer:

‘While We’re Young’ and think we know everything.

Posted on March 27, 2015 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

Being a grown up… firstly, let me say that phrase is so off putting, I can’t believe I actually wrote it, but I digress. Let’s start again. Being an adult, and by that I mean living by the expectation that we’ve made our path our own and are so brilliantly happy with those decisions that we feel self satisfied, is frankly a bunch of bullshit. Few of us who identify as adults are completely content to say we’ve plateaued at the level of “Everything is Awesome”. Most if us are simply lying. It’s much easier to tell the younger generation that they’re doing it wrong (Because, if we’re being honest, self loathing, fear, and envy throw those words and thoughts into our frontal lobe pretty swiftly on a regular basis. But, are we completely wrong? When I watch some of the “interactions” between millennials these days, I have to wonder: “How do they live this way?!” When did “swiping to the left” becoming any way to meet anyone? How conceited do you have to be to not even give an individual more than a few seconds of attention before writing them off completely? Were we just as annoying, bold, outspoken, talented, brash, lost, self aware, smart, lazy, passionate, and entitled? WHILE WE’RE YOUNG is Noah Baumnach‘s new film starring Ben Stiller, Naomi Watts, Amanda Seyfried, Adam Driver, Charles Grodin, and Adam Horovitz. In a day and age where technology makes life easier and harder all at once, a middle aged couple, Cornelia and Josh, think they’ve got it made; no kids, free schedule, and creative passion for filmmaking. When they meet young hipster couple Darby and Jamie, their preconceived notions of what life should be like are thrown into a bit of chaos. Jaime is a huge fan of Josh’s work. The young couple boldly asks if Cornelia and Josh want to hang out with them. What would a middle aged couple have in common with a barely mid twenties couple? Turns out a lot, if a lot meant doing all the things we did in our youth that almost seem ironic to a millennial generation. But fondness might just be an act of manipulation forcing Cornelia and Josh to grow up themselves.

Ben Stiller gives us a really grounded performance. You know this guy. While still having perfect comic timing, he plays Josh as a genuinely earnest guy trying to reinvent his life and marriage. Naomi Watts as Cornelia is hilarious and heartbreaking. Struggling with fertility issues she attempts to pass off as not so big a deal, she connects with Darby over the simple moments, woman to woman. Speaking of Darby, Amanda Seyfried plays this character with a gentle ease. Her down to earth attitude is refreshing and she remains altogether likable. Adam Driver, whose stock is has taken off since GIRLS began, is fantastic. His combination of perceived sincerity and inflated ego trips are spot on for this generation. Charles Grodin plays Cornelia’s documentarian father, Leslie. He is the father we all wish we had. Loving, guiding, with a hint of cynicism, Grodin is a delight on screen.

In a world where every moment can be edited with an app, Baumbach throws our societal downfalls back into our own faces. He has a habit of injecting personal moments into his scripts. They play with an elegant ease and familiarity that touch a wide audience. For Baumbach, writing what he knows has been extraordinarily successful in his previous films like The Squid and the Whale, Kicking and Screaming, and Frances Ha. The film has an eclectic soundtrack, with tracks from Vivaldi, The Psychedelic Furs, David Bowie and HAIM. WHILE WE’RE YOUNG is heartfelt, funny, and a real joy to watch. The struggle between Gen X and millennials is a revelation on screen. I highly recommend this film to audiences of all ages. You will walk away one happy camper, I assure you.

WHILE WE’RE YOUNG opens today! (Friday, March 27th)

Retro Review: Michael Schultz’ Martial Arts Epic ‘The Last Dragon’ Turns 30 Today

Posted on March 22, 2015 by Jeremy Harmon — Leave a reply

As we take another spin around the films that came out in 1985, it’s hard to pass up an 80s cult classic like Michael Schultz‘ (or should I say Barry Gordy‘s) The Last Dragon. The 80s were an interesting time for martial arts films. Since Bruce Lee’s death in 1973, the genre lingered in the exploitation realm with no bona fide star to bring it to the forefront again. Grossing $26 million (33rd best of 1985), The Last Dragon was a hit despite opening opposite Friday the 13th Part V and Porky’s Revenge. Did it help resurrect the genre? Likely not. However, it helped keep the martial arts film in consciousness of moviegoers until the late 80s when stars like Jean-Claude Van Damme and Steven Seagal picked up the mantel.

So for the unlucky few who haven’t seen this one, this is how it shakes out. Local legend “Bruce” Leroy Green (Taimak – yes, that’s his name…and he isn’t the only singular name in the film) trains hard with his master, gives everything he’s got to take himself to the next level of consciousness as a student, to achieve the final level where the spirit takes over for the mind and guides the body without thought. Why do you ask would he want to do this? Well, whoever achieves this level will find him or herself engulfed in “the glow”, a power that, if in the hands of a true master, could create beauty that would be without bounds. But if it got into the wrong hands…well, I think you know where this is going. This struggles unfolds by happenstance when Leroy rescues popular club deejay and singer Laura Charles (former Prince protégé Vanity…see, another singular name) after refusing to help video arcade magnate Eddie Arkadian (Christopher Murney) by playing his girlfriend’s music video on her show.

As Arkadian attempts every trick in his devious book to persuade her to play the video, including letting her order a la carte at dinner, Leroy is there to thwart his efforts. So he decides to look for a little help to get Leroy out of the way. And who does he turn to for help? Only the Shogun of Harlem, Sho Nuff (Julius Carry), that’s who. He’s the meanest, prettiest, baddest mofo low down around this town and he has serious issues with Leroy who has turned down his attempts to battle in the past. In this situation he sees the opportunity to once and for all decide who is the master. Using Laura and Leroy’s little brother Richie (Leo O’Brien) as bait, Sho Nuff and Leroy finally come to blows and the ending is incendiary.

I loved this film as a kid, all of 10 when it was released in the spring of ’85. It had some funny parts (mostly courtesy of the character Johnny Yu played by Glen Eaton), it had the beautiful Vanity (Denise Matthews is her given name) and had some badass kungfu in it. What was there not to like, right? And I still love the film. I will say that it hasn’t necessarily held up that well over time. Taimak, while an asskicker in the martial arts department, is no actor. He is awkward and his performance is quite stilted, but his presence was there for one reason – to kung fu the hell out of his role. The charisma just isn’t there. I love that Christopher Murney is the heavy in this film. His turn as Hanrahan, the insane goalie, in my favorite movie, Slap Shot is as good as it gets and he brings that same energy to this film. And he looks the part of a crazy bastard, too.

Barry Gordy‘s participation in the film is one of the most interesting aspects. Gordy is the founder of Motown Records and it’s strange to see his name so prominently displayed on every piece of marketing for this film. You don’t see Michael Schultz‘s name hardly mentioned and when the final credits roll in the film, it’s Gordy‘s name as producer that is mentioned first (really, Schultz’ name is absent from the end credits). This film was used in large part to launch musicians, especially DeBarge, whose megahit single, ‘Rhythm of the Night‘, is played in its entirety in the film, appears on the soundtrack and was nominated for a Golden Globe for best song. The soundtrack is actually an awesome time capsule of pure 80s sound with Dwight David‘s theme song, Vanity‘s awful ‘7th Heaven’, Willie Hutch‘s awesome ‘The Glow’ and cuts by Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson and Gordy‘s son, Rockwell.

Rewatching this film gave me two shocks – first was seeing William H. Macy as Laura Charles’ lackey and Chazz Palminteri as one of Arkadian’s goons who is dispatched by Leroy. The Last Dragon is quite representative of the 80s – style over substance. One thing I will give to this film is that racial stereotypes that were so prevalent up to and beyond this time are largely absent so deserving credit to the filmmakers for that. While The Last Dragon doesn’t really hold up, it’s a fun film to revisit from time to time for all the things I’ve mentioned above.

There have been rumblings that the Wu Tang Clan’s own RZA is in talks to remake this film, which I think would be quite interesting. His martial arts homage Man with the Iron Fists received mixed reviews (I actually liked it, but I think I’m in small company). I’m almost exclusively against remakes of any kind, but it would be interesting to see the envelope pushed a little more with the martial arts and the removal of the advertising for Motown recording artists in this film. I guess we’ll see if that actually happens or not.

So if you haven’t seen it before or have forgotten about it and want to revisit it, here’s the trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0i5zVyyhtpA

Michael’s Review: ‘The Gunman’

Posted on March 21, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

The current trend in Hollywood these days, if you haven’t noticed, is turning aging actors into action stars, and no one is better at it than director Pierre Morel, the man behind Taken which solidified Liam Neeson’s action stardom. The Gunman looks to create an action star persona for screen legend Sean Penn behind a star studded cast and political agenda driven plot which suits the actor to a tee. The problem is, the movie is more “been there, done that” than “wow! give me more!” and falters right from the start.

Terrier (Sean Penn) is an ex military man working for a a humanitarian organization in the People’s Republic of Congo, but secretly he is an assassin in waiting. After being contracted by Felix (Javier Bardem) to kill the minister of mines for a private firm, Terrier is forced to flee the country and leave behind Annie (Jasmine Trinca), a humanitarian doctor and the woman he has grown to love. Fearing for her safety, Terrier entrusts her life with Felix who swears to protect her. Eight years have past and Terrier returns to the Congo to work for an NGO, but eventually finds himself to be the target of a paid hit squad somehow connected to the ministers assassination. Realizing that he must find those responsible for the hit, Terrier leaves the Congo on a mission to search out his former colleagues and collect intel on the contract. Terrier realizes that turning over too many stones leads him straight back into the life and puts Annie in danger.

Sean Penn is one of the finest actors of our time and his performance in this film is not the problem, it’s the story. Director Pierre Morel isn’t sure whether he wants to make a political thriller or a James Bond movie and the end result winds up being a messy depiction of an all too familiar tale. The most frustrating part of this film is the use of the all star cast. Javier Bardem plays nothing more than a drunk, jealous jerk with aspirations to steal the girl and become rich. This role is beneath the acclaimed actor and provided none of the charisma that has brought to so many roles in the past. Idris Elba has a blink and you’ll miss him role that offers him so little screen time you’ll forget he’s even billed on the poster. Ray Winstone plays the exact same role he plays in every film only this time he does it more bloodier. I wish I had more positive to say about this cast but unfortunately, besides Penn, they all mailed this one in.

Overall, The Gunman is not going to redefine the action genre or turn Sean Penn into an action star, it might not even hold your interest for two hours. Chalk this one up to so much potential but poor execution.

Stars:

2 out of 5

After Credit Scene? No

Trailer:

Michael’s Review: ‘The Divergent Series: Insurgent’

Posted on March 21, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

The adventures of reluctant heroine Tris Prior (Shailene Woodley) continue in The Divergent Series: Insurgent, a film that seems to rehash a lot of the plot points from the prior film, Divergent, but with daunting task of keeping audiences interested enough to get to next year’s (and the year after that’s) grand finale Allegiant: Part 1 and 2. Director Robert Schwentke (Red) takes over the franchise this time around which sees Tris facing off, once again, against Jeanine (Kate Winslet), the films antagonist and resident psychopath politician with goals of Divergent extinction. The film is suppose to represent the series’ great civil war but it’s execution barely rates higher than a middle school scrum. Will audiences be intrigued enough to continue the series past Insurgent?

Following the assault on Abnegation by Jeanine’s mind-controlled Dauntless soldiers in the first film, Eric (Jai Courtney) and his platoon are searching through the wreckage of Abnegation for an artifact, a box of unknown origin containing the symbols of all the factions. Upon its recovery, the box is taken to Erudite, where Jeanine claims that she believes it to contain a message from the city’s founders, and the means to end the Divergent problem once and for all. However, only a Divergent can open the box, and she orders that all Divergents be hunted down and captured.

We find Tris, Four (Theo James), Peter (Miles Teller), and Caleb (Ansel Elgort), weirdly enough all three love interests from Woodley’s last three films, hiding out amongst Amity, who have offered the group sanctuary. All four have become fugitives now after Jeanine has declared that Divergents and their sympathizers are enemies of the city. After being tracked down by Eric and the rest of his dauntless followers, the group is forced to split up and escape. Tris decides to take the fight to Jeanine’s doorstep by attacking Erudite, but Four knows the fight will be harder than Tris thinks. Knowing an army is needed, Four hopes to reconnect with their dauntless faction and reassess the situation, but an unlikely ally presents itself which will force Tris and Four to make hard decisions. With the lives of her friends at stake, Tris makes a decision that will have ramifications for all the people she loves and will take her deep into enemy territory to face her fate.

Fans of the Insurgent novel will notice quite a bit of differences between the book, but writer Veronica Roth believes the changes “really work” so I guess we should too. The story is constructed in a way to keep us wanting to know what’s in that box, but it stalls at various times during the film as the need to plug in some unnecessary cry time for Woodley’s Tris just to let us know what we already assume, which is that this is all really trying on the young hero. The chemistry on screen between Woodley and James has improved drastically over the last film, which is a positive, as the original film had some truly awkward moments between the two. Woodley herself is becoming more comfortable with the character and it really shows on screen. Kate Winslet never seems to truly grasp the concept of being the antagonist. The actress has a fantastic scene presence, but really needed to let go over her constraints and let her inner psychopath out. The rest of the supporting cast, minus Teller who is enjoyable in his limited screen time, is relegated to the background this time around with a few welcome additions from the book series who were omitted from the first film.

If nothing else, the second installment into the The Divergent Series, Insurgent, will act as a primer for the real show when Allegiant: Part 1 hit theaters next year. Insurgent is much better than a lot of the YA adaptations out there and fans of the series will no doubt be left with a lot to talk about, but don’t fear those among us that don’t read, the film is much different than the book so you won’t be left in the dark. Insurgent is a fun popcorn movie that should entertain teens and adults alike.

Stars: 2 1/2 out of 5

After Credit Scene? No

Trailer:

‘GROWING UP & OTHER LIES’ speaks to the inbetweeners in us all.

Posted on March 19, 2015 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

The city will make you or it will break you. But, perhaps that’s just a myth. How do we survive the rat race that is New York City? The great divide between those living paycheck to paycheck and those who own their own apartment is pretty wide. Do we, as New Yorkers, put that pressure on ourselves, or is it the city that places those life expectations on us? In Growing Up & Other Lies, four friends commemorate and commiserate their friendship by deciding to send off one of their crew with a walk along the entire length of the island of Manhattan. It’s the true to life story of Rocks, Gunderson, Billy and Jake. Friends who took their own paths after college. Although they all still reside in the city, like so many of us in our 30’s, life gets in the way and connections become fewer and further between. Jake make a go at living as an artist and now, on the heels of a breakup and a sick father, is a good time to exit the city gracefully. The guys plan to walk the length of the island in one day. Along the way, stopping at points that have meaning or that, maybe, they’ve never stopped to observe before. (Also a common occurrence for natives. You’ll never actually see a New Yorker at The Empire State Building. Ever.) Complications get in the way as they try to ease Jake into making his final decision.

Written and directed skillfully by Darren Grodsky and Danny Jacobs, who have been a creative team in the past with the film Humboldt County, Growing Up & Other Lies speaks to anyone who has felt like they aren’t where they planned to be. Life throws you curve balls. Whether you choose to bat is up to you. This is a truly solid ensemble cast. Josh Lawson, Adam Brody, and Wyatt Cenac play Jake, Rocks, and Gunderson, respectively. Danny Jacobs play Billy. Each of these characters is someone you already know. Jake is kind of a self esteem starved mess, Rocks seems like he’s got it together but it’s too good to be true, Wyatt is the smart ass we all need and Danny, well, Danny is the over excited one of the group that sort of makes it easy to pick on.

The editing of the film in itself is a beautiful love song to New York. As they travel from one neighborhood to the next, there is a gorgeous “hand drawn” graphic that guide you. The music changes, the view changes, and the guys change. As cliche as it sounds, the film really drives home that life is what you make it. I got the opportunity to talk with Danny and Darren on the phone about the film. (Bare with the Google Voice recording… I heart you so hard Google) Take a listen to our chat below:

Darren Grodsky and Danny Jacobs talk GROWING UP & OTHER LIES

Growing Up & Other Lies is a quintessentially New York film. It’s an homage to the generation surviving between X and Y. Touching and laugh out loud funny, it’s a true testament to the times in our lives we either live to regret or live for.

Synopsis | After struggling for years as an artist in New York City, Jake is calling it quits and returning home to Ohio. On his last day in the city, he persuades his three oldest friends to help him retrace their greatest adventure together: a walk down the entire length of Manhattan. But their attempt to reclaim the glory of their early 20s doesn’t go quite as planned.

Over the course of the day, buried conflicts emerge as Jake becomes embroiled with his ex-girlfriend and his friends dip into their own crises of manhood. GROWING UP AND OTHER LIES is an anti-coming-of-age comedy.

Written & Directed by | Darren Grodsky and Danny Jacobs (Humboldt County)

Starring | Adam Brody, Wyatt Cenac, Danny Jacobs, Josh Lawson, Amber Tamblyn and Lauren Miller

Run Time | 90 Minutes

Release Date | In theaters and On Demand March 20^th

6 Films to catch at this year’s New Directors New Films Festival

Posted on March 18, 2015 by Liz Whittemore — 3 Comments ↓

Last year’s fest was a total success in my opinion. I saw some of my favorite films of the entire year there; Buzzard, The Babadook, Fish and Cat, Dear White People, and the #1 film on my Top 10 for 2014, A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night. This year’s selections were just as eclectic in subject and style. Here is my personal list of things to consider at this year’s New Directors New Film Festival.

THE DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL

Minnie is a 15 year old with a coked out mom and little self esteem. When she takes her childish fantasies to an adult level by sleeping with her mother’s boyfriend, emotional hell breaks loose in form of a tape recorded diary and sketches turned animated thoughts. This film jumps off the screen with a breakout performance from Bel Powley as Minnie. She is funny, insightful, and an apparent old soul, all while still just a kid trying not to lose her shit. The added element of the animation only adds to the wonder of this film. Kristen Wiig plays Minnie’s absent mother. She is a revelation in this role. You know, those rare cinematic moments when you forget who the actor is because you’re so immersed in the performance, that it’s a winner. Alexander Skarsgård is the creepy object of Minnie’s affection. This is not a coming if age tale for our lead, but truly for the adults in the film. The Diary Of A Teenage Girl will remind you of your own sexual awakening. All the awkwardness, the curiosity, and frankly, the lies you were told by everyone around you. Rediscover your own past. Go ahead.

VIOLETJesse has been through a terrible trauma. He is despondent after the murder of his good friend, just feet from him at a local mall. Violet is a look into the world of survivor’s guilt. The camera work alone should get you through the door. Breathtaking closeups coupled with soft focus and exquisite sound editing creates a barrage of sense memory moments for both for Jesse and the audience alike. The uncomfortable silence (dialogue wise) is the key to this film. At a tight 82 minutes run, Violet is about what’s not being said.

WESTERNWestern is a documentary that takes us into the world of small town politics up against very large drug cartel violence in the two bordering towns of Eagle Pass, Texas and Piedras Negras, Mexico. Mayor Chad Foster puts on a brave face as violence escalates and threatens the harmony he’s worked so hard to procure in Eagle Pass. Mayor Jose Manuel Maldonado, tries his best to ease the minds of local constituents and the mass media alike. Local cattle rancher, Martin Wall’s, smile turns hard in the wake of a temporary USDA ban on livestock trade over the border. Each of these men is doing their darnedest to maintain peace, safety and the livelihoods of so many others. Pulling the curtain back on what feels like scenarios that only happen in the movies, is eye opening. You have to remind yourself that these folks are living, breathing people with families and loved ones. This documentary is unusually educational and will certainly restore your faith in humanity.

LISTEN TO ME MARLONThis doc opens up in a jarring fashion. Reminiscent of the floating head at Disneyland’s The Haunted Mansion, there we see and hear the disembodied “Head” and voice of Marlon Brando. Director, Stevan Riley has granted the world the access he gained to mountains of audio tapes made by Brando himself. Some are self hypnosis tapes in which he recalls childhood moments once kept very close to his chest. Through archival footage and Brando’s own voice, we delve into the personal life of the reclusive star. These confessional tapes reveal a side of this legend not many people were privy to. Acting was somewhat of a spiritual outlet. His charisma was endless, as was his passion for sex and affection. Receiving little from his alcoholic parents, Brando‘s ego was lifted by his enormous talent, perhaps too far for the likes of some. Although, as you listen to him speak, you gather that he was a rather astute, observant, reflective man who struggled with real abandonment issues that never truly get resolved for him. Tragedy followed him in his personal life and the genius and attention swallowed him hole at times. Listen To Me Marlon is a gorgeous portrait. When you stop taking notes during a film and just listen, as a critic, that is the moment of pure magic.

GOODNIGHT MOMMYGive a kid an inch, so they say, and they’ll take a mile. Twins Lukas and Elias have been awaiting the return of their mother. She has just completed facial reconstructive surgery. Longing for her love and affection, the boys are thrown into detective mode when Mom returns a different person. Face completely bandaged and rage on the surface, she forces the boys to maintain quiet and changes all the rules. Something clearly amiss, Lukas and Elias must find a way to make her admit who she really is, while facing the changes themselves. Much like last year’s The Babadook, psychological torture is in the cards. Can you stomach the tactics used by children when they don’t fully understand the consequences themselves? Goodnight Mommy will scare the hell out of you and make you squirm like never before.

DOG LADYFollowing a woman surrounded by a pack of discarded dogs, this film highlights the off-grid lifestyle to the nth degree. The film’s subject, played flawlessly by co-director Verónica Llinás, chooses to live on the outskirts of Buenos Aires in a what begins as a primitive lean-to, and progresses in sound structure along with the movie itself. We follow our lady through four full seasons as she forages for food and supplies. Her ingenuity is astounding, taking what is essentially trash and making a home for herself. She has absolutely zero dialogue. The sparse dialogue that does exist comes from what little human interaction she allows; taunting children, a clinic doctor, and a brief sexual encounter with a rather verbose rancher. This film is highly engrossing, perhaps causing the viewer to reassess the amount of material objects we carelessly cast aside. Her sense of survival and her clear warm spirit guide this film along it’s year long timeline. There is definitely something to be said about the it’s wide final shot. It will force you to come to terms with your true feelings of our Dog Lady.

You can find out more about these incredible films, and so many more, at NDNF. The Diary of a Teenage Girl opens tonight! Screenings during the fest take place at MoMa and FSLC.

Jeremy’s Review: Patrick Wilson Kills It in Anthony Burn’s ‘Home Sweet Hell’, But the Rest of It Leaves Much to Be Desired

Posted on March 14, 2015 by Jeremy Harmon — Leave a reply

It makes sense that Home Sweet Hell was released on Friday the 13th. Chock full of bad luck, and playing out like an Ozzie and Harriet version of Very Bad Things, the film capitalizes on familiar horror tropes with a touch of humor. It’s very clear throughout the film, by its script as well as how director Anthony Burns directs it, that the film has pulled from other great films. But does that make it good? Well… Read More →

Liz’s Review: ‘CYMBELINE’- True in text, new in vision.

Posted on March 13, 2015 by Liz Whittemore — 1 Comment ↓

Hamlet, Romeo & Juliet, Twelfth Night… Ghostly apparitions, star-crossed lovers, mistaken identity… If you mashed up all three of these Shakespeare plays, you would get the plot of his work Cymbeline. We’ve seen modernized versions of Shakespeare in the past, with films like Baz Luhrmann‘s Romeo + Juliet, O (for Othello), Hamlet, 10 Things I Hate About You, which was a modern incarnation of The Taming of the Shrew, and She’s The Man, meant to resemble Twelfth Night. Only R+J and Hamlet made the bold decision to use the original text. This can be a hindrance in getting audiences through the door. Some might look at this as too much of a challenge when stepping into a movie theater versus going to see a live play. Let alone the general understanding of the language, it’s not the easiest to follow for some. Cymbeline knocks it out of the park in both use of text and understanding. With a glorious cast, filled to the brim with talented celebrities, this version of Shakespeare’s work is pretty spot on. Read More →

Liz’s Review: ‘IT FOLLOWS’ an unexpected path.

Posted on March 12, 2015 by Liz Whittemore — 1 Comment ↓

Most horror films are relatively formulaic. I can appreciate that as a fan, but every once in a blue moon, something truly special comes along. It Follows is the story of 19 year old college girl, Jay. During the early stages of a relationship with a boy named Hugh, Jay is knocked out by chloroform and tied to a chair. He explains that since they have slept together he has passed a curse onto Jay. A thing, a force, an entity, call it what you like, will now follow her wherever she goes. It will take many forms, oftentimes of a loved one, sometimes deceased. Never let it touch you, for if you do, it will kill you. The only way to pass along the curse it to sleep with someone else. Absurd premise, yes. Scary as hell, absolutely. Writer/Director David Robert Mitchell takes us into a world that was created from one of his childhood nightmares. A presence that stalked him slowly and incessantly. We’ve all had these dreams; something or someone following us. The main difference here is we always wake up. Read More →

RIP Albert Maysles

Posted on March 6, 2015 by Jeremy Harmon — Leave a reply

The film world lost an absolute giant last night when documentarian Albert Maysles passed away at the age of 88. Maysles started making films back in 1955 with the short film Psychiatry in Russia. He frequently collaborated with his brother David and together they created some of the most iconic documentaries of all-time, among them Gimme Shelter, Grey Gardens and The Beales of Grey Gardens and the seminal Salesman. A fair amount of his work was dedicated to covering music, film and art, most notably his series of films on artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude.

Albert Maysles was an American treasure and I am considerably thankful that I had the opportunity to meet him and see him introduce Gimme Shelter at the Indiana University Cinema a couple of years ago, an experience I won’t soon forget.

Rest in peace, Al. Your films gave us a up close and personal look at the human condition in its rawest sense.

Here’s Al‘s TEDx talk on The Gift of Documentary:

Liz’s Review: ‘OCTOBER GALE’ is a quiet storm

Posted on March 6, 2015 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

Regret and personal penance are issues we all tackle. Life’s small decisions can turn into life’s large consequences. Fleeting moments become the the ones that stick with you forever. In the new film October Gale, a woman looks to move on from her husband’s death by opening their seasonal cabin by herself. When her solace is shattered by an oncoming storm, she must tap into her emotional resources not only to save her home, but the mysterious who washes ashore with it.

Writer/Director Ruba Nadda brings us a story of trust and instinct. Set in Ontario’s Lake Joseph, While perhaps under the guise of a thriller, when you get to the heart of this film, it’s sincerely about two people healing from their respective tragedies. Patricia Clarkson is a legend in my book. Every beat and breath has purpose. Scott Speedman, who still looks like a Greek god, is a superstar. The chemistry between Clarkson and Speedman is electric. These two are truly gifted actors. Each battling their own demons, the pair is a joy to watch.

The film has a lovely structure, utilizing flashbacks as sense memory. The first 20 minutes are focused on Clarkson‘s character, Helen, while the final 20 minutes shift towards Will, Speedman‘s character (as far as the flashbacks are concerned). The location is breathtakingly stunning. Each long shot is a warranted break from the chaos that ensues during the meat of the story line. I must give pause and recognize the composer, Mischa Chillak. The score is both reminiscent and hopeful. It sets a beautiful tone throughout. October Gale is a slow and steady burn. I very much enjoyed this film and would specifically recommend it for the 30+ audience for the full appreciation of subject and tone.

Toronto doctor Helen Matthews (Patricia Clarkson), mourning the death of her husband (Callum Keith Rennie), retreats to the isolated island cabin where they’d spent some of their most cherished moments together. Her reverie is cut short when a mysterious man, Will (Scott Speedman), washes ashore with a bullet in his shoulder. As he recuperates, the two develop a tentative connection, though Will refuses to explain what happened. When a severe storm traps them on the island as Will’s would-be killer returns, their ability to trust each other then becomes a matter of survival. Also co-starring Tim Roth. OCTOBER GALE is a story about a couple warily exploring their growing bond under extreme circumstances.

Writer-director Ruba Nadda has received critical acclaim for character-driven dramas such as SABAH and CAIRO TIME (winner of Best Canadian Feature Film at the 2009 Festival). In OCTOBER GALE, she brings her astute psychological insight to bear on an intimate, suspenseful thriller.

Directed by: Ruba Nadda

Screenplay by: Ruba Nadda

Starring: Patricia Clarkson, Scott Speedman, Tim Roth

Release Date: March 6, 2015

Running Time: 91 minutes

Liz’s Review: ‘X/Y’ and why we’re not all fine.

Posted on March 6, 2015 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

So many of us are brilliant actors in our everyday lives. There is a fine line between what everyone expects our lives to be like and actual happiness. More often than not we’re giving into the these expectations without fully contemplating the consequences. Poor choices lead to the need to subconsciously push back by making even more terrible decisions. It’s easier to bullshit everyone. In the new film X/Y, we’re thrown the perfect examples of shitty decision making skills. Four people, all living life on the edge of falling apart. When do any of us ever realized enough is enough? Read More →

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