6 CIFF Reviews
Festival coverage is coming slow and furious. Sorry about the delays. I'm working on a hopefully soon to be announced development that's eating up quite a bit of time. But I'm still working hard and trying to pump out all the reviews that I know you so desperately want and need. Along with the the rest of the festival flicks (see previous post for the list), I'm also going to be reviewing Borat. I'll also be trying to throw in some other films by festival directors after a short while as well. And we can't forget that all the award contenders are about to flood the theaters. I'll be busy, so keep checking back for hopefully frequent updates.
The Last Gaze
Review by Jon Waterman
***
Homero is one of the top painters in Querétaro, Mexico. He’s well respected by the art community, and, despite his age, well liked by the younger members of the opposite sex. Everything seems to be going great for him until one day he finds himself unable to see the color green (as it is replaced by white). The doctor tells him that he suffers from a rare disorder that will soon also take away his ability to see blue hues and finally red, thus leaving him completely blind. Meanwhile, Mei seems to be coming into her own as a young woman. She’s finally met a boy she likes and in general is content with her life. Then one day, her prostitute mother leaves her to care for her grandparents, forcing her to become a maid within the brothel that used to employ her mother.
The film starts off with a shot of an empty bedroom splattered with blood, followed by the real opening of the film “one year earlier.” They come back to this scene every once in a while. Normally, I’m against the whole flashback (or in this case, flashforward) thing, but this time it works. I can’t really explain why without potentially spoiling anything, but it’s pretty necessary to make the film as a whole and as an experience more effective. The rest of story is very well done, too. However, there is one thing that irked me.
(more....)
++++++++
Princess
Review by Jon Waterman
****
After leaving his monastery, August becomes the legal guardian to a five year old niece he’s never met before. Mia was recently orphaned when her mother Christina suddenly died. Instantly upon arrival, August learns that not only does he have to deal with the struggle of raising a child with resentment and all kinds of other problems, but he must also confront his sister’s legacy as the porn star named Princess. Determined to prevent his sister’s name from being tarnished forever, he sets out to destroy the people that manipulated and profited off of his poor sister’s tragic double life.
This first feature effort by Danish animator/director Anders Morgenthaler is probably one of the best movies I’ll see all year. The film is just constant quality entertainment from the clever, flashy pop-art title sequence to the nearly perfect ending. There’s plenty of action to be had mixed in with the interesting, but very straightforward storyline. If I have one complaint, it’s that there isn’t a whole lot of depth within the narrative, nor are there any real surprises. But that’s fine because the subject matter is still good enough as it is. It’s just a straight-up revenge story starring a priest and his accomplice niece.
And it’s also probably the best combination of live action and animated elements since “Who Framed Roger Rabbit.”
(more....)
+++++++++
Suburban Mayhem
Review by Jon Waterman
*1/2
Katrina Skinner is just your average suburban teenager. That is, if your average suburban teenager is a manipulative, violent, over-sexed sadist. Not that her family is all that average either. Her brother is in prison for murdering a guy that talked back one too many times. Her drug addicted mother has been banned from showing her face. And you know her young son is just bound to turn out great. The only normal one, the unheard voice of reason, is her father. That’s probably why she’s plotting to have him killed.
Remember how “American Beauty” started out with the daughter being interviewed on camera talking about potentially killing her father, and then we go back to see the story play out? Well, this starts off virtually the same way, except this time the daughter’s being interviewed by a reporter and the deed has already been done. And they keep cutting back to various characters being interviewed. And it’s not nearly as good.
(more....)
++++++++
Syndromes and a Century
Review by Jon Waterman
***1/2
The first half of “Syndromes and a Century” focuses on Dr. Toey as she hires a brand new doctor and interacts with all the interesting hospital workers and quirky patients. When she is confronted with the unrequited love of the timid janitor, Dr. Toey must explain to him that sometimes things just aren’t meant to be, using her past relationship as an example. In the second half, Dr. Nohng, the new hire, is put through the steps and is forced to address senior physicians, parents of patients and his girlfriend troubles.
I’m not sure if I could do less justice to a film through an introductory paragraph than I just did up there. That makes it look like the two halves are completely separate wholes, when in reality, although they have quite a few differences, they are essentially one in the same. Not only do they share a lot of the same scenes and a lot of the same characters, but they also share a lot of the same themes. They’re just placed in what appears to be an alternate universe and happen to follow a different lead. I think everyone has a chance to bring home something different after watching the mirrored episodes, but what I take away from it is that no matter where you are or what you’re going through, there is someone else out there, possibly in a different time and space, that is going through a very similar situation; that many key elements of human nature are universal and necessary for survival; and that no one will ever be certain of anything. Does that help sell it a little better for you?
(more....)
++++++++
The Free Will
Review by Jon Waterman
***
Theo is placed in a psychiatric institution after violently raping three young women. Upon his release he gets a job working at a printing plant, a place he hopes will keep him far away from temptation and potential relapse. Instead, what he finds is the boss’ daughter, Nettie. Desperate to start a new life, Theo secludes himself and backs away from any contact with the opposite sex. Nettie has other ideas and sees a nearly perfect match for her in Theo. Was he released too soon? Is he able to conduct any sort of actual relationship? Does he deserve to if he can?
You know what? I didn’t see one damned whale in this whole freakin’ picture. And good thing I don’t have kids, because I’m not sure I’d want to explain why the bloody lady was crying during mommy/daddy time in the beginning. What a brutal scene that was. Not the most graphic I’ve seen on film, but the violence really helps to set a tone that will be completely flipped around on you a couple times over. The movie does a great job of taking your expectations and preconceptions and throwing them out the window.
(more....)
++++++++
The Magicians
Review by Jon Waterman
*
In 1937, right in the middle of the Spanish Civil War, an amateur magician and filmmaker came to the Sant Julia orphanage every Sunday to entertain the young kids. At first, he would perform tricks and show movies from his personal collection. Then they decided to make their own movie, “Imitating the Fakir,” with the entire cast made up of orphaned boys and girls. Now, nearly seventy years later, a few of the surviving cast members gather together at the school to reminisce about the movie and what life was like for them during this troubled time.
Or at least that’s the premise initially presented to us. After a while though, the movie, like a small child, wanders off in various directions forcing us to go places that we weren’t really looking to go. The only problem is that first time filmmakers Elisabet Cabeza and Esteve Riambau don’t discipline the child when it goes astray. Not even so much as a threat of turning the car around and heading right back to the orphanage. No, instead we get bounced around from the interesting stuff about the film and the octogenarians’ lives to the mildly interesting, yet not always fully appropriate history of the school and events of the civil war, to the wild tangent about Cabeza’s late father who was also a kid in the film and how she got to feel closure, etc.
(more....)
The Last Gaze
Review by Jon Waterman
***
Homero is one of the top painters in Querétaro, Mexico. He’s well respected by the art community, and, despite his age, well liked by the younger members of the opposite sex. Everything seems to be going great for him until one day he finds himself unable to see the color green (as it is replaced by white). The doctor tells him that he suffers from a rare disorder that will soon also take away his ability to see blue hues and finally red, thus leaving him completely blind. Meanwhile, Mei seems to be coming into her own as a young woman. She’s finally met a boy she likes and in general is content with her life. Then one day, her prostitute mother leaves her to care for her grandparents, forcing her to become a maid within the brothel that used to employ her mother.The film starts off with a shot of an empty bedroom splattered with blood, followed by the real opening of the film “one year earlier.” They come back to this scene every once in a while. Normally, I’m against the whole flashback (or in this case, flashforward) thing, but this time it works. I can’t really explain why without potentially spoiling anything, but it’s pretty necessary to make the film as a whole and as an experience more effective. The rest of story is very well done, too. However, there is one thing that irked me.
(more....)
++++++++
Princess
Review by Jon Waterman
****
After leaving his monastery, August becomes the legal guardian to a five year old niece he’s never met before. Mia was recently orphaned when her mother Christina suddenly died. Instantly upon arrival, August learns that not only does he have to deal with the struggle of raising a child with resentment and all kinds of other problems, but he must also confront his sister’s legacy as the porn star named Princess. Determined to prevent his sister’s name from being tarnished forever, he sets out to destroy the people that manipulated and profited off of his poor sister’s tragic double life.This first feature effort by Danish animator/director Anders Morgenthaler is probably one of the best movies I’ll see all year. The film is just constant quality entertainment from the clever, flashy pop-art title sequence to the nearly perfect ending. There’s plenty of action to be had mixed in with the interesting, but very straightforward storyline. If I have one complaint, it’s that there isn’t a whole lot of depth within the narrative, nor are there any real surprises. But that’s fine because the subject matter is still good enough as it is. It’s just a straight-up revenge story starring a priest and his accomplice niece.
And it’s also probably the best combination of live action and animated elements since “Who Framed Roger Rabbit.”
(more....)
+++++++++
Suburban Mayhem
Review by Jon Waterman
*1/2
Katrina Skinner is just your average suburban teenager. That is, if your average suburban teenager is a manipulative, violent, over-sexed sadist. Not that her family is all that average either. Her brother is in prison for murdering a guy that talked back one too many times. Her drug addicted mother has been banned from showing her face. And you know her young son is just bound to turn out great. The only normal one, the unheard voice of reason, is her father. That’s probably why she’s plotting to have him killed.Remember how “American Beauty” started out with the daughter being interviewed on camera talking about potentially killing her father, and then we go back to see the story play out? Well, this starts off virtually the same way, except this time the daughter’s being interviewed by a reporter and the deed has already been done. And they keep cutting back to various characters being interviewed. And it’s not nearly as good.
(more....)
++++++++
Syndromes and a Century
Review by Jon Waterman
***1/2
The first half of “Syndromes and a Century” focuses on Dr. Toey as she hires a brand new doctor and interacts with all the interesting hospital workers and quirky patients. When she is confronted with the unrequited love of the timid janitor, Dr. Toey must explain to him that sometimes things just aren’t meant to be, using her past relationship as an example. In the second half, Dr. Nohng, the new hire, is put through the steps and is forced to address senior physicians, parents of patients and his girlfriend troubles.I’m not sure if I could do less justice to a film through an introductory paragraph than I just did up there. That makes it look like the two halves are completely separate wholes, when in reality, although they have quite a few differences, they are essentially one in the same. Not only do they share a lot of the same scenes and a lot of the same characters, but they also share a lot of the same themes. They’re just placed in what appears to be an alternate universe and happen to follow a different lead. I think everyone has a chance to bring home something different after watching the mirrored episodes, but what I take away from it is that no matter where you are or what you’re going through, there is someone else out there, possibly in a different time and space, that is going through a very similar situation; that many key elements of human nature are universal and necessary for survival; and that no one will ever be certain of anything. Does that help sell it a little better for you?
(more....)
++++++++
The Free Will
Review by Jon Waterman
***
Theo is placed in a psychiatric institution after violently raping three young women. Upon his release he gets a job working at a printing plant, a place he hopes will keep him far away from temptation and potential relapse. Instead, what he finds is the boss’ daughter, Nettie. Desperate to start a new life, Theo secludes himself and backs away from any contact with the opposite sex. Nettie has other ideas and sees a nearly perfect match for her in Theo. Was he released too soon? Is he able to conduct any sort of actual relationship? Does he deserve to if he can?You know what? I didn’t see one damned whale in this whole freakin’ picture. And good thing I don’t have kids, because I’m not sure I’d want to explain why the bloody lady was crying during mommy/daddy time in the beginning. What a brutal scene that was. Not the most graphic I’ve seen on film, but the violence really helps to set a tone that will be completely flipped around on you a couple times over. The movie does a great job of taking your expectations and preconceptions and throwing them out the window.
(more....)
++++++++
The Magicians
Review by Jon Waterman
*
In 1937, right in the middle of the Spanish Civil War, an amateur magician and filmmaker came to the Sant Julia orphanage every Sunday to entertain the young kids. At first, he would perform tricks and show movies from his personal collection. Then they decided to make their own movie, “Imitating the Fakir,” with the entire cast made up of orphaned boys and girls. Now, nearly seventy years later, a few of the surviving cast members gather together at the school to reminisce about the movie and what life was like for them during this troubled time.Or at least that’s the premise initially presented to us. After a while though, the movie, like a small child, wanders off in various directions forcing us to go places that we weren’t really looking to go. The only problem is that first time filmmakers Elisabet Cabeza and Esteve Riambau don’t discipline the child when it goes astray. Not even so much as a threat of turning the car around and heading right back to the orphanage. No, instead we get bounced around from the interesting stuff about the film and the octogenarians’ lives to the mildly interesting, yet not always fully appropriate history of the school and events of the civil war, to the wild tangent about Cabeza’s late father who was also a kid in the film and how she got to feel closure, etc.
(more....)
