Day: June 8, 2013

By Joe Bendel. Shall we compare Shakespeare to a superhero? His work transcends time and space, after all. No less an authority than Joss Whedon, the director of The Avengers, proves the point once again with his modernized yet still satisfying Much Ado About Nothing, which opened yesterday in New York.

As you really ought to know, Ado is a comic tale involving sibling rivalry, mistaken identity, and of course, love. Don Pedro has just routed an insurrection led by his deceitful brother, Don John. To enjoy the afterglow of victory, Don Pedro and his trusted lieutenants, the roguish Benedick and the earnest young Claudio, accept the hospitality of Leonato, the governor of Messina. Don John also arrives with his brother. They have supposedly buried the hatchet, but their truce is decidedly frosty.

In contrast, Benedick brashly presses his longstanding “merry war” with Beatrice, Leonato’s tart tongued niece. To mix Shakespearean quotations, Leonato and Don Pedro decide the sarcastic couple “doth protest too much” and secretly contrive to bring them together, like practical jokester cupids. Benedick and Beatrice get all the play’s best lines, but the above-board romance between Claudio and Leonato’s daughter Hero supplies all the plot points. As he instructs his remaining retainers, Don John would be quite pleased to see their happy union sabotaged, for the sake of his revenge and general mean spiritedness.

Shot during the twelve days in-between the filming and post-production of Whedon’s Marvel blockbuster, Ado is certainly a laid back affair, but it is still strikingly cinematic. There might have been limited time for pre-production, but Whedon was fortunate to have a pretty polished script from William Shakespeare. Maybe he found it on the “Black List.” Set entirely within Whedon’s real life home, designed by his architect wife and co-producer Kai Cole, this Ado updates the costumes and trappings to modern times, but wisely retains the Bard’s original language. Essentially, Leonato and the Dons are politicians or gangsters. Is there any difference between the two? Either way, the wardrobe largely consists of dark suits, sun glasses, and ear pieces.

While Whedon’s modernization is a bit eccentric, Jay Hunter’s stylish black-and-white cinematography really helps sell it. Frankly, Much Ado is one of Shakespeare’s most bullet-proof comedies, probably ranking just below Twelfth Night. Nonetheless, Whedon’s game cast does not merely get by. They have a genuine flair for the Shakespearean language. Alexis Denisof and Amy Acker make a terrific Benedick and Beatrice. The audience will find themselves laughing at their zingers, which speaks volumes for their zesty delivery.

Clark Gregg (the soon to be reincarnated SHIELD Agent Phil Coulson) also makes a solid Leonato, nicely conveying his mischievous and mature sides, while providing a familiar face for Whedon’s Marvel fans to latch onto. Poor Hero is always the problematic part, but newcomer Jillian Morgese (an extra on The Avengers) gives her a bit of pluck and substance this time around. As for good old Dogberry (here reinvented as the captain of the gated community’s rent-a-cops), Nathan Fillion truly hams it up, but that is exactly what he is supposed to do.

This is a genuinely entertaining movie that withstands comparison to Kenneth Branagh’s wonderfully elegant adaptation. It is a different take, but the time-tested characters and text are the same, so it all works out quite swimmingly. Recommended without reservation for fans of Shakespeare and Whedon, Much Ado About Nothing opened yesterday (6/7) in New York at the Landmark Sunshine.

LFM GRADE: B+

Posted on June 8th, 2013 at 9:52am.

By Joe Bendel. These two could probably use a serious talking to from Dr. Drew. Despite their very adult job killing people, Violet and her latest teenaged protégé seem stuck in a permanent state of arrested development. However, their latest assignment might lead to a bit of growing-up in Geoffrey Fletcher’s Violet & Daisy, which opened Friday in New York.

When not whacking gangsters, Daisy and her mentor try to live a Spice World lifestyle. Although slightly burned out, they accept another assignment from the hardboiled Russ, because their favorite pop idol has just released a new line of dresses. It will be a strange gig. For one reason, their sad sack target seems relieved when they arrive locked-and-loaded.

Suspicious of Michael’s resignation, the girls do not immediately kill him. Of course, the more they get to know him, the harder it will be to get the job done, especially for Daisy. A rival hit squad and the boss’s sniper-minder further complicate matters. Loyalties will fray and bullets will fly, as V&D coyly subverts gangster genre expectations.

Fletcher was nominated for an Oscar for his screenplay adaptation of Precious, etc, etc, but do not hold that against V&D. This film builds up quite a body count, but it is also rather clever and has some real heart. Somehow, he maintains a fable-like vibe, despite the gritty backdrop and not infrequent on-screen violence. Intriguingly, it can be seen as another dark modern fairy tale starring Saoirse Ronan as the little lost princess, somewhat paralleling Neil Jordan’s accomplished Byzantium and the highly problematic Hanna.

Much like Fletcher, Ronan deftly walks a fine line, portraying Daisy’s wide-eyed innocence, without becoming cloying or saccharine. She also develops some nice chemistry with her co-stars, Alexis Bledel and James Gandolfini. The latter has some particularly fine moments as the world weary but still protective Michael, whereas the former comes across a bit affected at times, looking far less at ease with Fletcher’s genre defying tone. For added seasoning, first rate character actors Danny Trejo and Marianne Jean-Baptiste show up in brief but colorful supporting parts.

V&D is a small film, but for cult cinema fans, it is a pleasant palate cleanser. Frankly, it sounds like a terrible concept in every way, but Fletcher largely pulls it off. Simultaneously violent, wistful, and amusing, Violet and Daisy is recommended for fans of Ronan, Gandolfini, and hitman comedies when it opens this Friday (6/7) in New York at the AMC Empire.

LFM GRADE: B

Posted on June 8th, 2013 at 9:51am.

By Joe Bendel. Is it the end of the world, or is it just Ohio?  Sarah White might be the last girl on Earth and the last man might have found his way to her doorstep. Yet, that does not necessarily mean what you probably think in J.C. Schroder’s Forever’s End, which screened yesterday as part of Dances With Films.

White apparently survived a violent attack when the apocalypse broke out. For the last six years, she has lived completely isolated in her family’s farmhouse, convinced she is Armageddon’s sole survivor. When several stragglers mysteriously arrive in rapid succession, she is confused, frightened, and perhaps a little hopeful. However, deciding who she should trust is difficult for the traumatized young woman.

Serious cult cinema connoisseurs will have a general idea where Forever is heading, but Schroder still keeps viewers wondering just how exactly the pieces will finally fit together. The writer-director-editor-cinematographer establishes an eerie vibe that keeps viewers off-balance, getting a key assist from his Ohio and Kentucky locations, where the apocalypse could happen tomorrow and you’d never notice. (FYI, I joke because I attended a Lutheran liberal arts college not far from where the film was shot.)

Charity Farrell’s Sarah White is convincingly vulnerable and emotionally troubled, but in an engaging rather than showy kind of way. Lili Reinhart has the perfect look for her sisterly protector, projecting all kinds of menace and resentment. Conversely, Warren Bryson’s understatement helps sell his character’s revelations.

A strange hybrid of apocalyptic cinema and the psychological thriller, Forever’s End is a fine example of how an evocative mood and rich mise-en-scène can fortify an inconsistent narrative. Despite its challenging budget constraints, Forever’s End is an impressive looking production. A promising first feature, it is worth checking out when it screens as part of the “Sweet Sixteen” Dances With Films, in Hollywood, California.

LFM GRADE: B

Posted on June 8th, 2013 at 9:50am.

By Joe Bendel. Ray Shekar is no idealist. He is a lawyer. He defends guilty monsters all the time, as long as they pay the piper. His new client can afford his services, but he has trouble reading the Widow Daugherty. The attorney-client relationship will be pushed and pulled all out of shape in Tamas Harangi’s The Advocate, which screens as part of the 2013 edition of Dances with Films in Hollywood, USA.

Considering Shekar’s one hundred percent acquittal rate and the unsavory nature of his customers, he is not likely to be popular with the police. Nursing a particularly personal grudge, Det. Perkins senses an opportunity for payback when the mouthpiece’s most recent client disappears under mysterious circumstances. A similar fate seems to have befallen Daugherty’s husband. When she woke up on their yacht, all that was left of him was a massive pool of blood.

Shekar will pounce on the missing body issue, but the constant dribble of embarrassing revelations will complicate his case. Motivation will not be a problem, though. He is dangerously attracted the Daugherty. However, he cannot determine to his own satisfaction whether she is guilty or not.

Boy, The Advocate sure loves its flashback sequences – but in fairness, there is a method to their madness. Granted, the reverse Jagged Edge concept is well worn territory, but at least Harangi revisits it with conviction. Essentially, Advocate is a lot like the sort of scandal-driven thrillers that often turn up on late night pay cable, except it is surprisingly demur. Even without a lot of naughty bits, the film still pulls viewers in, almost in spite of our better judgment.

In truth, it is rather good fun to watch Harangi drop one shoe after another. Nevertheless, there are head-scratchers strewn throughout, starting with the obvious fact Shekar’s Della Street is considerably more attractive than his femme fatale. Man, that’s just weird. Also, the whole working-out-of-his-house-while-the-office-is-remodeled thing would not inspire a lot of confidence in the real world. Of course, it is probably easier to get a presentable but not palatial pad with a view on the cheap, rather than an L.A Law office suite.

While not wildly charismatic, Sachin Mehta’s Shekar is convincingly smart and driven, which is certainly a good start. As his associate and on-the-wagon investigator, Steffinnie Phromanny and Marc Cardiff, respectively, flesh out the film nicely, adding character and credibility. Unfortunately, the uninspired and uninspiring Kristina Klebe is a conspicuously weak link as Daugherty.

Harangi deserves credit for scrupulously establishing each twist and turn he throws at viewers. Individually, none is especially shocking, but collectively they are rather impressive. The multi-ethnic composition of the cast is also aesthetically appealing, as is the lack of fuss the film makes over it. Oddly entertaining in a B-movie kind of way, The Advocate screens this Saturday (6/8) during Dances with Films ’13 at the Chinese 6 on storied Hollywood Boulevard.

LFM GRADE: B

Posted on June 8th, 2013 at 9:49am.

By Joe Bendel. Tibet is not merely a destination, it is an experience. Still, cycling across the country is taking matters to the extreme. Taiwanese Zhang Shuhao is not the man to do it. Yet, he has very personal reasons for biking from Lijiang to Lhasa in Du Jiayi’s 1 Mile Above, which opened yesterday in New York.

Zhang’s elder brother was the cyclist. Zhang himself is an amateur. However, he resolves to make the trek his recently deceased brother had been training for. Originally conceived as a tribute, it becomes a purification ritual and a struggle to survive. Although some of the local guides try to take advantage of the fish out of water, he has the good fortune to fall in with Chuan. The gruff mainlander is an experienced cyclist, who has made the grueling journey twice before. He also has a keen appreciation of Tibetan culture, especially the cuisine.

Indeed, Mile is at its best when it celebrates the Tibetan people and culture, most definitely including Tibetan Buddhism. As a narrative, Zhang Jialu & Cheng Hsiao-tse’s adaptation of Xie Wanglin’s memoir is fairly standard wilderness survival fare, even when circumstances force Zhang to carry on by himself. Yet, there are a number a genuinely beautiful moments to be found along the way. The scenes with a young Tibetan widow (sensitively portrayed by Li Tao) and her son are so honest and pure, they are guaranteed to choke viewers up. Likewise, an encounter with a silent pilgrim on the road to Lhasa is unusually moving, because it expresses so much without words.

Du and cinematographer Du Jie find all the rough hewn beauty in the faces of hardscrabble Tibetans, while also duly basking in the grandeur of the Himalayas. While the film glosses over many of the contemporary political and cultural challenges Tibetans face, it is still rather forthright regarding the region’s poverty. Frankly, Mile would be a good candidate for the Rubin Museum’s first rate film program.

As Zhang, Bryan Chang is convincing enough in his physical scenes of exhaustion, dehydration, and desperation. However, it is Li Xiaochaun who limns out the most fully developed character, with specific (but not excessively quirky) foibles. Yet it is Li Tao and several of her fellow Tibetan actors who will truly haunt audiences in a bittersweet kind of way.

1 Mile Above runs far deeper than its arresting scenery (which is spectacular, nonetheless). This film will make viewers want to visit Tibet (unfortunately a rather tricky proposition)—and not to simply stare at mountain peaks. Recommended quite highly for those who appreciate spiritually in-the-moment cinema, 1 Mile Above opened yesterday (6/7) in New York, courtesy of Asia Releasing.

LFM GRADE: A-

Posted on June 8th, 2013 at 9:48am.