Enemy

2014’s “Enemy” by Denis Villenueve.

Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Melanie Laurent, Sarah Gadon, and Isabella Rossellini.

Based off of Pulitzer Prize winner for literature winner Jose Saramego’s novel, “The Double”, in his second English film Veillenueve shows off his suspense building talents around the twisting narrative adapted by Javier Gullon.

Gyllenhaal plays a history teacher, giving lectures on dictatorships’ methods of control. He has a girlfriend (Laurent), whom he’s intimate with, but often won’t spend the night. On a recommendation from a coworker, Gyllenhaal rents a movie. He discovers a doppelganger of himself in the movie (Gyllenhaal again), and becomes obsessed with locating him. We then meet the doppelganger, an actor with a more assertive personality, with a pregnant wife (Gadon). Things become muddled, as both personalities alternate between anxious avoidance, and wanting to see what the other’s experience feels like. 

Those seeking an orderly and procedural exercise will be baffled by Gullon’s script, as “Enemy” takes the existential mind trip of “The Double” and recalls “Fight Club” by way of Hitchcock. Even the extremely warm tones of “Enemy” recall Fincher’s unnatural palette, as it is as yellow as “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” is orange. Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans’s score keep things anxiously alienating, and Toronto (actually playing itself for once) has never looked so foreboding (Look at that traffic on the 401!). Gyllenhaal puts in 2 solid performances, but neither 1 of them is particularly that interesting, especially when compared to the source novel. It is possible that the introduction of arachnids is intended as an explanation to the overall plot as well. While the adaptation lacks the novel's Dostoevskian psychology, and the meandering can be a trifle sadomasochistic at times, the creeping tone of “Enemy” makes it a friend of mine.

3.5/5

Trailer: Click Here.

Christine

2016's "Christine" by Antonio Campos.
Starring Rebecca Hall, Michael C. Hall, and Tracy Letts.

"Christine" is the true story about the Sarasota reporter Christine Chubbuck, who committed suicide live during a news broadcast in 1974. Chubbuck seemed to struggle with her mental health, coping with at least depression and suicidal ideation, and what may been un-diagnosable (for the time) bi-polar disorder. Before taking her life, Chubbuck openly resisted the news industry's shifting standards that were leading towards the ethos of, "if it bleeds- it leads".

Screenwriter Craig Shilowich does a masterful job of crafting a biopic where the protagonist continually pushes and pulls against her natural supports, occasional good fortune, and hard earned rewards. A lesser film would have had a lot more trouble creating a portrayal of a sympathetic and wounded individual who liked to keep people at arm's length.

Rebecca Hall is spectacular as Chubbuck, continually walking a tightrope of being both competent and driven while insecure and manic, at times soft but unable to be open and vulnerable. The supporting cast is also wonderful, with their characters occasionally seeing the signs, trying to support Christine, and being helpless to stop fate. It's likely not just a coincidence that Chubbuck's fate coalesced around the same time that 1976's "Network" came out, as the news at least used to be a great opportunity to keep up on current events and political ebbs and flows. Nowadays... yikes.

"Christine" is a memorable time capsule charting the eventual turn of the news tide, from community based work covering the news ideological spectrum, to the sensationalist and bipartisan Breitbart and Fox News of today.  More importantly, it’s a great example of how it takes a mentally unwell person to show us just how crazy we are.



4/5

Trailer: Click Here.

Colossal

2017’s “Colossal” by Nacho Vigalondo.
Starring Anne Hathaway, Jason Sudeikis, Tim Blake Nelson, and Dan Stevens.

Movies covering addictions are usually pretty rote. Cover the intoxicating thrill of using substances, spending time with others who morph from mere acquaintance to instant best friend, the seemingly endless world of entertaining possibilities as the night roars on, and the inevitable comedown the next day, accompanied by physical, mental, and spiritual let down (If it’s 2000’s “Requiem for a Dream”, also amputation, shock therapy, and group sex). “Colossal” takes this formula and adds a monster sized metaphor.

Anne Hathaway’s character is introduced as the New York centered shiftless girlfriend of Dan Stevens, preferring to party rather than be responsible. Stevens puts his foot down and shows her the door, and Hathaway moves back to her childhood small town (incidentally filmed in my hometown of Langley, BC) to center herself. Hathaway reconnects with Jason Sudeikis, who it turns out never left the small town, and is the owner/operator of the town watering hole. Hathaway reverts to her old form, with the good times and hung over times firmly attached. However, a skyscraper sized wrinkle develops, as a monster is shown multiple times, romping through the streets of Seoul, which is soon joined by an equally sized robot. Hathaway and her group of friends discover that the gang’s actions seem to be influencing the monsters, and they have to battle their internal demons to tame the city sized ones.

By paying homage to such classic fare such as “Godzilla”, “Colossal” refreshingly supersizes the familiar tropes of both returning to one’s small town, and of coming clean. At it’s heart, it’s about the Hathaway character coming to grips with her addiction and in overcoming Sudeikis’ grudges and biases built up while Hathaway was away from the small town. In particular, Sudeikis shows us something very misleading here: the bully resentful for not being recognized as the nice guy who can get the girl. Hathaway again shows us she’s more than just a pretty face (and overmatched Oscar host), working through the nightmare of addictions issues.

While at times the characters’ slights and grudges can feel as small as the town they’re centered in, the oversized homage to Tokyo sized destruction of film classics past keeps things in globalized perspective.

3.5/5

Trailer: Click Here.

Out of Sight

1998's "Out of Sight" by Steven Soderbergh.

Starring George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez, Ving Rhames, Dennis Farina, Steve Zahn, Don Cheadle, Aalbert Brooks, and Michael Keaton.

“OoS” features Clooney, as a pacifist lifelong criminal who makes his living robbing banks (with longtime partner, Ving Rhames), before running into a U.S. Marshall (Lopez). Clooney and Lopez become smitten, despite being on opposite sides of the law (and contrary to advice from family/colleagues). Their attraction to both each other, and their respective careers, comes to a lovely and jagged ending, as the wonderful ensemble cast play their parts out.

"OoS" was another of the Elmore Leonard penned movie adaptations that were so popular in the mid 90's ("Get Shorty", "Jackie Brown", and "Touch"), and Soderbergh doesn't disappoint with the adaptation, developing his signature experiments with time that he would later master with his, "The Limey" and others. He also creates something both old fashioned and modern, with the score by David Holmes playing on in a fusion of urban and historical influences like Miles Davis, Dean Martin, and Quincy Jones.There's no better way to accompany Clooney's Cary Grant-like vibes jutting out of his jumpsuit.

After coming to fame via Cannes' and Sundance best picture wins for "Sex, Lies, and Audiotape", as well as a number of other art house films, Soderbergh was interested in the opportunity to direct big budget stars in a more Hollywood movie, or as he described it, "climbing out of art house hell". His interesting auteur approach remains intact, as the story smoothly jumps back and forth in time, until the ending recedes faster than Albert Brook's hair. Perhaps as a warm up to the "Ocean's 11" series, OoS features one of the better casts around, with Micheal Keaton's character from "Jackie Brown" bizarrely making an appearance here- 1 of the more meta crossovers in recent memory. It's difficult to think of a performance (or scene) here that doesn't work (including a clumsy gallute having one of the funniest final acts in film history) , and "OoS" is a treat for romance fans, crime movie fans, and especially movie fans. For all the J-Lo haters out there, this is a movie worth waiting for tonight.

5/5
 

Trailer: Click Here.

Manhunter

1986's "Manhunter", by Michael Mann.
Starring William Peterson, Dennis Farina, Bryan Cox, Stephen Lang, and Tom Noonan.

Adapted from the Thomas Harris novel, "Red Dragon", Mann begins the Hannibal Lector saga with his usual trademark style of focussed professional men of objectives, skillfully chasing their target through muted and minimalist pastel colours (when they're not brooding in beach houses). 

Peterson plays a retired FBI profiler who's skill set is based around having enough empathy to successfully think 1 step ahead of serial killers, and that was both how he caught Lector and how he ultimately burned out. Dennis Farina's cop asks Peterson to come back from retirement to help catch the "Tooth Fairy" killer, who murders families during full moons. We experience a race against time to learn about the killer, bait him, and attempt to save innocent lives before the tooth fairy can strike again.

For the first time, we see that Lector is valuable (and entertainingly creepy as hell) as an insight to how criminal pathology manifests itself. Bryan Cox was the first actor to portray Lector. While he is up to the task, he is no evolved lizard like Anthony Hopkins' Oscar winning 1991 performance in "The Silence of the Lambs", preferring a kind of bored sociopathic vacancy. 

But despite Mann's abundance of detached style amongst OCD focus, and the serial killer subject, "Manhunter"'s trope of a hunter who must repress his humanity to catch a serial killer may be the most disturbing aspect of the film. By the end, Paterson has sacrificed all to make his mark, no less than the tooth fairy himself.

3.5/5

Trailer: Click Here.

Logan

2017's "Logan" by James Mangold.

Starring Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Boyd Holbrook, and Dafne Keen.

Set in the almost mutant free future of 2029, we see Logan, who's diminishing anti-aging and healing powers have started to make him look his actual age, toil away as an exhausted man. Employed thanklessly as a limo driver by day, Logan works at night as his mentor's caregiver (Professor Charles Xavier), whom is suffering from some sort of dementia that causes the telepath to uncontrollably issue massive paralyzing sonic waves. As well, Logan's adamantium that is coated on his bones is now operating like a cancer, forcing him to drink constantly to block out the pain. Complicating things is a young mutant girl (Keen), who shares more in common with Logan than he would care to admit. Keen comes around looking for safety from the relentless government agency that performed experiments on her to make her a living weapon. The agency gets wise to Logan trying to hide her, and the chase is on, as the trio hits the road in search of a safe zone.

The film's savage violence and language well earns it's R rating (taking it's cues from last year's "Deadpool"). This is a brutal and apocalyptic journey, with welcomed real world consequences from super human powers and abilities. The film's viscera is a welcome change to the bloodless comic book universe (not counting 2009's "Watchmen" and again, "Deadpool"), but even more welcome in the film are the moments of silence.

Here, Jackman (who has sworn this is the last time he will play the character), shows the pain and suffering of living more lifetimes and losing more people than anyone would ever care to. While director Mangold is not new to the X-Men universe (he made 2013's "The Wolverine"), the character arc of Logan here is unfortunately something we've seen before. From containing his feral anger, to learning how to trust people, to being open to the possibility of love, to being a leader when that's everything his instincts rally against, Logan's arc plays like something that is unaware of the previous 9(!) movies Wolverine at least makes a cameo in. While it's refreshing to see a comic book movie that is both insular from other movies/universes, AND conclusive (with no end credits button), it's a shame that "Logan" couldn't have been made sooner (maybe at some point in the series' peak in 2003-2006?). Either way, for the last time, Jackman puts in the work of 2 feral animals, and I can't wait to see what he does moving forwards. As for the Wolverine/X-Men canon, there are always rumours swirling about, such as a reboot of the Wolverine character. Given it's made over half a billion on just under a 100 million budget, could this really be Wolverine's final cut?

3.5/5
 

Trailer: Click Here.

Never Let Me Go

2010's "Never Let Me Go" by Mark Romanek.

Starring Kiera Knightley, Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield, and Dohmnall Gleeson. 

(Warning: in order to have something to talk about, this review will have spoilers) Ever felt like agreeing to donate your body's organs upon your death? It's a selfless gesture that will likely do good- and certainly can't do any harm. What if society decided to volunteer you for that sole purpose instead- while you are still living? "NLMG" focuses on a fictional British society in the late 20th century that breeds individuals, houses and schools them until adulthood, and then later at random times uses their organs for other people until their compromised life is no longer possible (a process referred to as, "completion"). We watch the sheltered child characters of Knightley, Mulligan, and Garfield be taught about taking care of their health, following orders, and the importance of serving others. While being indoctrinated at the school, a love triangle develops, and it's consequences and resolutions that play out over the ensuing years ebb to a finish.

The movie is adopted from the novel by Kazuo Ishiguro by Alex Garland, who has a history of adapting interesting material (28 Days Later, Ex Machina). Undoubtedly one of the most profoundly dour films I've ever seen, I struggle with my thoughts as to if the movie was predictable, given it's proclivity for elegiac sadness from start to finish. As well, Mulligan's arc develops to a place of understanding and acceptance that is difficult to relate to, but is still deeply moving. This is not a surprise, as the 3 main cast members are amazing. However, I'm confident that the majority of people would prefer to have the choice on whether their lives extend into old age- and indeed, the movie does explain that the national health care plan causes people's average age to rise to a 100, due to the said harvesting of organs. Regardless, NLMG is an amazing allegory into free will, as well as the class system. The characters articulate their various whims, desires, frustrations, dreams, hopes, and system friendly goals- but never question if there is effectively a better way, such as resistance or reform. They are human beings lost to memory, time's onward march, and the realization that they are about to be let go.

4/5

Trailer: Click Here. 

Burnt

2015’s “Burnt”, by John Wells.

Starring Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Daniel Bruhl, Emma Thompson, Alicia Vikander, and Uma Thurman.

Who hasn’t toiled away in the service industry, with it’s back of the house setting buried under orders while being flame broiled by the heat and saucy language? It’s a pressure cooker for the soul. Anthony Bourdain, of the immortal novel “Kitchen Confidential”, has referred to cooks as, “Pirates”. Indeed, the kitchen of any restaurant is where you’ll find both the hellish engine of the establishment, and the temperamental driver, whose mental space is somewhere between a neurosurgeon and an angry alley cat. It takes a special kind of person to thrive under these conditions, and a special kind of crazy to enjoy it.

In “Burnt”, Cooper plays a washed up chef, done in by his ego and the lifestyle of booze, drugs, and women when he was working in Paris. We meet him now, self sentencing himself to purgatory in New Orleans, shucking oysters in an anonymous restaurant. Once he hits his millionth shuck, he heads to London’s fine dining establishments to redeem himself, in pursuit of the prestigious third Michelin Star (the highest acclaim in the culinary world). With help from benefactors, and with an enormous amount of Cooper charm, he hijacks a kitchen and recruits his dream team.

The recruitment phase in the beginning plays out like a culinary version of “The Blues Brothers” as Cooper puts, “the band back together”. And once the heat turns up, the plot at times resembles something that doesn’t acknowledge what happens if you leave food under the heat lamps. But if there’s one thing “Burnt” gets right, it’s in the relentless pursuit of perfection that these culinary masters attain their zen. Michelin star chef Marcus Wareing consulted on the film, and many a shot of culinary masterpieces are displayed. While not as sumptuous or decadent as “Big Night”, there is a level of precise measurement “Burnt” has over more organic fare like “Chef”. The kick ass soundtrack really helps too.

While the redemption story, loaded cast, and dinner service arranged to the millimetre is pleasantly savoury, the fantasy plot can feel a little undercooked at times.

3.5/5

Trailer: Click Here.

Aguirre: Wrath of God

1972's "Aguirre, the Wrath of God" by Werner Herzog.

Starring Klauz Kinski and Del Negro.

“Wrath” is about a 16th century group of Spanish Conquistadors in search of the golden city of El Dorado. Fresh off of their conquering of the Inca empire, a group of armoured men, a man of faith, inca slaves, and a king, trudge through forests and rivers, carrying all sorts of ill suited paraphernalia in search of the fabled city. The horrors of capitalism and colonialism (endless expansion and complete annihilation of natives) are quickly joined with extraordinary hubris and denial as the party continues to shrink, the food supplies wear down, and the emperor wears less and less clothing.  

Featuring an amazing score by Popul Vuh, "Aguirre" was cited as a major influence on Francis Ford Coppola's "Apocalypse Now", which also was both a great movie and fascinating making of a movie. Director Herzog and actor Kinski had such a conflict driven relationship that Herzog apparently made Kinski act at gunpoint. Herzog apparently also would indulge Kinski's legendary tantrums until Kinski would peter out, and then roll the camera. The 2 of them would end up making 5 films together, as they seemed to bring the best out of each other. Here, Kinski is electrifying as the anarchist troublemaker turned mutiny orchestrator, all cunning and sneering bully tactics. Herzog often has been called an artist of capturing both nature's power and mankind's folly, and at the conclusion of the film, with madness incarnate at the helm, it is clear to us someone is confused whom is subject to god's wrath.

4/5

Trailer:Click Here.

Hacksaw Ridge

2016's "Hacksaw Ridge" by Mel Gibson.
Starring Andrew Garfield, Vince Vaughn, and half of Australia (Sam Worthington, Hugo Weaving, Teresa Palmer).
Nominated for an Academy Award in Best Picture, Best Director (Gibson), Best Actor (Garfield), Best Editing, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound Mixing.

Starting where he left off in Braveheart, The Passion, and Apocalypto, Gibson keeps the martyr complex going strong. “HR” is based off of the true story of Desmond Doss, who joined the military in WWII to become a field medic. For the entirety of his military career, he did his duties while refusing to touch a weapon (including in basic training). Doss would later go on to receive the medal of honour as a conscientious objector.

In the movie's first half, we explore Doss' backstory, learning why he became a pacifist, and meet the love of his life, whom he ends up proposed to. In the second half he travels to Okinawa, Japan, and sees the pain man can inflict on himself (again and again). While he saves lives and ends the suffering of people on both sides, he longs of returning home to his wife. You can't blame him, as some of the goriest war footage ever committed to film is borne witness to, as the Allied forces hammer away at the entrenched but increasingly cornered Japanese forces. Yet the most effective footage was when they showed present day (ish: 2003) interviews with Doss, a la 1981's "Reds". You can't blame Gibson for doing what he does best here- witness the Academy's love of war films and the fact the movie quadrupled it's budget. You just wish that there were more details beyond the gory details.

3/5

Trailer:Click Here.

Hidden Figures

2016's "Hidden Figures" by Theodore Melfi.

Starring Taraji Henson, Janelle Monae, Octavia Spencer, Kevin Costner, and Mahershala Ali (having a heck of a year).

Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay (Theodore Melfi and Alison Schroeder), and Best Supporting Actress (Octavia Spencer).

“HF”’s true story focuses on the unique lives of 3 talented and smart black women who work for NASA during the Space race with the Soviets during the 1950's. In particular, Taraji Henson's mathematician has to fight both institutional racism and the body's needs for rest in the middle of the cold war with her demanding boss (Costner) insisting labour standards aren't applicable during war time.

The movie is a pleasant reminder of resilience in the face of oppression, as the ladies more than hold their own with the math nerds and bigots (often the same thing). While being enjoyable, and competently acted and shot, it's difficult to see this as anything but Oscar bait- based on it's simplistic exploration of very complicated topics (see 2005's "Crash"). I'm curious if this makes it into the best picture nominations if the academy hadn't expanded the Best Picture lineup from 5 to 10 in 2009. Either way, “HF” may blast off, but it never soars.

3/5

Trailer:Click Here.

Contract to Kill

2016's "Contract to Kill" by Keoni Waxman.
Starring Steven Seagal, Russell Wong, and Jemma Dallender. 

“CtK” stars Seagal as an ex CIA, AND ex DEA agent, who is hired by the CIA to recruit a team and hunt cartels of terrorists. A treat for bad movie lovers, "CtK" interrupts Seagal's theatrical release moratorium, for reasons unknown except to Seagal's ego. It appears to be the end for Mr. Seagal, as to quote a friend of mine, he looks like a Pez dispenser caricature of a Lego figure. His hair appears to be of the artificial variety, he never takes off his orange glasses (not even for a awkward love scene), and walking slowly appears to be his new modus operandi (stunt doubles fight and drive for him naturally). 

Assuming he was ever famous at all, Seagal had a 5 picture 5 year run from 1988 to 1992 (Above the Law, Hard to Kill, Marked for Death, Out for Justice, and Under Siege) that defined him indubitably at least the fourth most bankable action star in Hollywood. Besides ensuring there were typically 3 words in the title, some of the factors involved in making them (if at all) watchable films consisted of:
Decent directors and writers keeping things simple with the plot.

Keeping Seagal's dialogue to minimum.

Having talented character actors to carry the film (especially the villains).
Zero creative control to Seagal.

However, Seagal announced to the world that he was an artist with "On Deadly Ground" and his efforts were awarded with a directing Golden Raspberry Award. On "Glimmer Man" he had a spiritual crisis, not wanting to portray death and murder in his violent and contractually obligated films- which clearly did not last long. Not content to be merely an actor, producer, and director, Seagal also made the musical (?) albums "Crystal Caves" and "Mojo Priest", with the priest title another self anointed term. A trip to reality television hell completed his soul's long strange wayward journey to the bottom.
"CtK"'s lazy and ego filled tribute to a bizarro action based Ed Wood film, could plant the seeds for a possible title for Seagal's next VoD release: Difficult to Disappear.

1/5

Trailer: Click Here.

NIght Shift

1982's "Night Shift" by Ron Howard.

It stars Henry Winkler, Michael Keaton, Shelley Long, and Richard Belzer.

Winkler plays a man who is so mild he has chamomile tea running through his veins, and who works at the city morgue. He has an over-controlling fiancée, is disrespected by his boss, and is disregarded by his wacky new co-worker, Billy Blaze (Keaton). Winkler has a prostitute neighbour who's just moved in (Long), whom he gets along with, but he's generally stuck in his life. Luckily, Long's pimp is slam dunked to death, and Winkler and Keaton conveniently take over as management for Long’s group of prostitutes. Along the way, Winkler learns from Keaton's free wheeling ways and starts to realize that he can have what he wants.

Ron Howard has made plenty of tear jerkers, fantasies, and populist dramas, but this is his only cartoon. Firmly entrenched in the Reagan economics of the times, this is one film I'm delighted was never regulated.

3.5/5

Trailer: Click Here.