Month: January 2015

LFM Reviews Z for Zachariah @ The 2015 Sundance Film Festival

By Joe Benel. Lets face it, the future surely won’t be utopian, like in Star Trek, and most likely won’t be dystopian as in 1984 (although some days you have to wonder). Chances are, it will just sort of be topian, as it is now. However, Craig Zobel puts his chips on a radioactive post-apocalyptic future in his adaptation of Robert C. O’Brien’s young adult novel Z for Zachariah (clip above), which screens during the 2015 Sundance Film Festival.

One by one, Ann Burden’s family members left the safety of their self-contained valley looking for survivors, eventually leaving her with only the family dog for company. One day, Loomis, a scientist in a heavy radiation suit staggers into the sheltered ecosystem. However, just when he thinks he has found an unspoiled Eden, Loomis contaminates himself in a stream fed from an outside source. With the help of his meds, Burden slowly nurses him back to health. He appears to be the companion she has long prayed for, but his scientific materialism is somewhat at odds with her rugged Christian faith.

Nevertheless, mutual attraction steadily percolates between them, until it is interrupted by the arrival of another stranger. On paper, Caleb the former coalminer would be a better match for Burden because of their shared values, but she is surprisingly frustrated by Loomis’s passive reaction to his potential rival. At least an additional set of hands can help build Loomis’s proposed hydroelectric generator, but then what?

Perversely, screenwriter Nissar Modi removes everything that was distinctive and challenging about the novel written by the Mrs. Frisbee and the Rats of NIMH author Robert Leslie Conley under the O’Brien pseudonym, replacing it with a shopworn post-apocalyptic love triangle. Since Caleb was Modi’s creation, he could have at least made him more interesting. However, the watering down of the pitched struggle between Burden’s traditional values and Loomis’s scientific fanaticism is real loss. Frankly, one would have thought that was what attracted Compliance helmer Zobel to the project in the first place.

From "Z for Zachariah."

Still, Z is notable in one respect. It makes a major career statement for Margot Robbie, in a radical departure from her sexpot roles. It is a sensitive performance that presents Burden’s faith in a respectful manner, while also convincingly portraying the slow awakening of her long dormant sexuality. As usual, Chiwetel Ejiofor exudes wounded dignity as the new and improved Loomis, but evidently Chris Pine has seen as many apocalyptic films as the rest of us have, because he just looks bored out of his mind as Caleb.

If you are not going to preserve its themes, why pretend to adapt a book in the first place? Obviously, Modi’s adaptation is an attempt to cash in on the craze for dark futuristic YA projects, but the final product is guaranteed to disappoint fans of the novel (and the earlier 1984 BBC adaptation). As a point of comparison, J.C. Schroder’s Forever’s End has a similar feel, but is far more compelling. Only recommended for fans of Robbie who want to see her take her craft to the next level, Z for Zachariah screens again tonight (1/25) at the Sundance Mountain Resort, tomorrow (1/26), Thursday (1/29), and Saturday (1/31) in Park City, and Friday (1/30) in Salt Lake, as part of this year’s Sundance.

LFM GRADE: C-

Posted on January 25th, 2015 at 2:58pm.

LFM Reviews Natan @ The 2015 New York Jewish Film Festival

Natan – Trailer from screenworksfilmandtv on Vimeo.

By Joe Benel. Bernard Natan (born Natan Tannenzaft) should have been the Louis B. Mayer of France and for a while he was. Unfortunately, a Jewish mogul helming the storied Pathé film studio was more than the French establishment could handle. With the help of a dubious “whistleblower” and an unfortunate secret in his past, the French media destroyed Natan’s reputation and largely erased him from the cinema history books. David Cairns & Paul Duane defend the groundbreaking producer from malicious slander and historical neglect in their expressionistic documentary Natan, which screens during the 2015 New York Jewish Film Festival.

Since Natan lived in 1930s France and his doc was selected by the NYJFF, you can probably guess why he is not capable of defending himself. He did indeed perish in a German concentration camp, after the French authorities eagerly deported him, but there is far more to the story than that.

Natan was a Romanian Jew, who became a naturalized French citizen after honorably serving his adopted country in WWI. He had an instinctive affinity for motion pictures, scuffling his way from a projectionist and lab technician to a scrappy mini-magnate, who acquired the famous Pathé brand when Charles Pathé decided to liquidate rather than deal with the advent of sound. Unfortunately, while he was still a desperately poor immigrant, Natan was convicted of peddling dirty movies. Much will be made of this later, to the detriment of Natan’s historical standing.

Even though it is the last thing Natan would probably want, his docu-exoneration will make you despise the French. It will not do much for most viewers’ estimation of film historians either, particularly those that specialize in “stag films.” Frankly, as screenwriter, Cairns thoroughly persuades the audience to consider Natan a mid-Twentieth Century Job, who was done wrong by nearly all quarters.

Especially mind-blowing is the role of a rather unsavory figure named Robert Dirler, who wormed his way onto the Pathé board to undermine Natan, despite his criminal record and suspicious German connections. That last part gives one pause, does it not? To their credit, Cairns & Duane do not overplay the conspiracy card, but the shadowy Dirler clearly merits further research.

The film also uses various stylistic strategies that are likely to be divisive. Cairns & Duane often depict exaggerated re-enactments from Natan’s life, featuring the producer with a large papier-mâché head, largely modeled on National Socialist propaganda, including a famous exhibit in occupied Paris, prominently featuring Natan. It is somewhat distractingly surreal at times, but there is an underlying point to it. In fact, it makes Natan considerably more distinctive visually than most documentaries.

The eerily sensitive score by Irish Alt band Seti the First further distinguishes the production. Cairns & Duane also incorporate plenty of clips from Natan’s acknowledged classics, such as Marco de Gastyne’s La Merveilleuse Vie de Jeanne d’Arc, but aside from Serge Bromberg (admittedly quite the fitting expert commentator), the French cinema establishment is largely absent. It just makes them look all the worse. In a mere sixty-seven minutes, the film assembles a damnably convincing case that inspires rage and sorrow in equal measure. Anyone who takes cinema seriously as an artistic and commercial endeavor really should see it. Highly recommended, Natan screens twice this Wednesday (1/28) at the Walter Reade Theater (with How to Break Into Yiddish Vaudeville) as part of this year’s NYJFF.

LFM GRADE: A-

Posted on January 25th, 2015 at 2:57pm.

LFM Reviews The Amina Profile @ The 2015 Sundance Film Festival

By Joe Benel. Razan Ghazzawi is one of the few Syrian dissident bloggers who posts under her real name. A critic of censorship and an advocate of women’s rights and tolerance for gays and lesbians, Ghazzawi has been arrested twice by the Assad regime and still faces potential prosecution and constant interrogations. This film should have been about her, but it is not. Instead, it chronicles the short but provocative history of Amina Arraf, who was very much like Ghazzawi, except she was a hoax. It is a strange and ultimately unhelpful story told in Sophie Deraspe’s The Amina Profile, which screens during the 2015 Sundance Film Festival.

What started as an online flirtation for French Canadian Sandra Bagaria soon turned very real, except it wasn’t. Perhaps she should have been more suspicious in the age of catfishing, but the ostensive Arraf always had good justifications for her elusiveness, such as the fact Skype is blocked in Syria. With Bagaria’s encouragement, the Arraf persona launched the Gay Girl in Damascus blog, which soon became a retweetable phenomenon. To their credit, the person behind the phony identity had a decent handle on the Syrian situation, but said individual (easily findable online) misjudged badly when they decided to have Arraf kidnapped.

Having been widely cited in credible media outlets, as well as The Guardian, news of Arraf’s abduction ignited an online firestorm of protest. However, as real deal Syrian dissident Rami Nakhla explains, it diverted attention from legitimate known prisoners of conscience, such as Ghazzawi. It also gave an opportunity for the pathologically anti-Israeli Electronic Intifada to do the Assad regime a favor by following the i.p. trail of the person behind the Gay Girl in Damascus.

Ironically, Profile does exactly what it decries, by concentrating almost entirely on the Arraf story, at the near total expense of Ghazzawi and other imprisoned Syrian activists. It would have made much more sense to divide the narrative between the very real perils facing Ghazzawi and the bizarre Arraf narrative unraveling concurrently. However, we have to deal with the film as it is, rather than how it might have been.

From "The Amina Profile."

To an extent, Deraspe justifies Profile’s editorial strategy by following Bagaria’s long-term efforts to process the revelation. It is good to know that she was able to reach some measure of closure, but without the wider Syrian implications, her experience would not be so very different from that of Manti Te’o.

Anyone intrigued by Profile should definitely try to catch it while it makes the festival rounds, because it is hard to see it playing on PBS, given some of its early erotic imagery. Of course, HBO might be a possibility. It is never dull, thanks to Deraspe’s solid sense of pacing and the hot button issues it addresses, but one cannot help wishing she had widened her focus. For those who are fascinated by media hoaxes and feeding frenzies, The Amina Profile screens today (1/25) in Salt Lake and tomorrow (1/26), Thursday (1/29), and Friday (1/30) in Park City, during this year’s Sundance.

LFM GRADE: C-

Posted on January 25th, 2015 at 2:57pm.

LFM Reviews Ratter @ The 2015 Slamdance Film Festival

From "Ratter."

By Joe Benel. Surely, even the most tenacious cyber-stalker has to go to work or buy groceries sometime. Somehow, the predator tapping into Emma’s life always seems to be watching. That monomaniacal focus makes it is even more unsettling to watch her through his eyes throughout Branden Kramer’s Ratter, which screens during the 2015 Slamdance Film Festival.

Obviously, we cannot see the man who has maliciously hacked Emma’s computer and assorted internet accessing devices, but he did quite a job on her. Through their web-cameras, he (and we) see just about all of her presumptively private moments. She moved to New York following a rough patch back home, but in retrospect, that seems to be a mistake. When she finally realizes she has been hacked, she immediately suspects her still bitter ex, but he seems an unlikely culprit from our perspective. Unfortunately, the cyber harassment dangerously escalates when the unknown perpetrator starts sabotaging her relationships.

Ratter is the sort of film that will scare viewers into moving a good portion of their lives off-line. Like Bobby Boermans’ more conventionally thrillerish App, it makes retro flip phones look like an idea whose time has come again (they make and receive calls, period). Kramer takes some time to set the scene and flesh out Emma’s backstory, but he steadily builds the claustrophobic tension until you want to scream at her: “get out of the apartment.”

From "Ratter."

Given its online video look and the menacing vibe, Ratter feels somewhat akin to the original V/H/S anthology film. The most notable dissimilarity—and it’s a significant one—is Ratter’s lack of fun.

In a way, Ashley Benson (of Spring Breakers and Pretty Little Liars) is too realistic as Emma. We see her make dozens of mistakes and in just about every unflattering moment imaginable, yet she always seems like a generally decent, somewhat naïve kid. She also develops some surprisingly down-to-earth flirtatious chemistry with her prospective new boyfriend Michael, also nicely played by Matt McGorry. They certainly do not deserve what befalls them.

Kramer exercises commanding control of the film’s twisted mood and psychopathic concentration, while Benson withstands the relentlessly intimate focus remarkably well. However, even mildly sensitive viewers might be disturbed at where it ends up. Recommended for luddites looking for a bitterly black thriller, Ratter screens again this Wednesday (1/28) at Treasure Mountain Inn, as part of this year’s Slamdance.

LFM GRADE: B

Posted on January 25th, 2015 at 2:56pm.

LFM Reviews Clinger @ The 2015 Slamdance Film Festival

By Joe Benel. It would be a shame if Fern Petersen’s brief high school romance with Robert Klingher were to hold them both back. In Petersen’s case, she hopes to attend MIT, whereas Klingher needs to move onto the next spiritual plane. Yes, he is dead and not loving it. It is also rather awkward for her too in Michael Steves’ Clinger, which screens during the 2015 Slamdance Film Festival.

When Klingher first asks out Petersen, it looks like they have the makings of a cute couple. Unfortunately, Klingher doesn’t know when to crank it down and go with the flow. Exhausted by his over-eager attention, Petersen has resolved to break-up with him, but a mishap with his latest guillotine-like Rube Goldberg love contraption renders the question tragically moot—or so she assumes.

It turns out the decapitated Klingher is not ready to move on. He also wants to keep dating. As her “love ghost,” only Petersen can see Klingher. However, it turns out her mysterious track coach was once an exorcist. She wants no part of Petersen’s paranormal business, but might have some reluctant advice to offer.

Granted, Clinger might not be blazingly original, but it deftly juggles multiple forms of gross-out humor while maintaining a good heart. Perhaps the film’s vibe is best illustrated by Petersen’s best friend, the Evangelical Moe Watkins, who is constantly inadvertently blurting out the raunchiest things in perfect innocence. Yet, the film never feels like an attack on her faith.

From "Clinger."

Maybe we’re all just getting older here in the Slamdance press corps, but Clinger’s principal cast-members all really do look like high school kids. As Petersen, Jennifer Laporte is appealingly down-to-earth and admirably comfortable with the film’s chaotic style of comedy. Vincent Martella’s Klingher is an appropriately nebbish sad sack, but Shonna Major really shines through as the deliriously sweet-tempered Watkins.

Clinger might not generate the most buzz in Park City, but if you just want some raucous genre laughs, it delivers. In fact, it is quite a welcome palate-cleanser amid all the hype and noise. Affectionately recommended for fans of horror and teen comedies, Clinger screens again this Thursday (1/29) at Treasure Mountain Inn, as part of this year’s Slamdance.

LFM GRADE: B+

Posted on January 25th, 2015 at 2:56pm.

LFM Reviews Beach Flags @ The 2015 Sundance Film Festival

Beach flags de Sarah Saidan from vegaprod on Vimeo.

By Joe Bendel. They might be lifeguards, but their lives are nothing like Baywatch and Vida is not anything like Pam Anderson. For one thing, she happens to be an excellent lifeguard, but because her team is required to wear headscarves in international competitions, she can only participate in one event: her weakest. It is unnecessarily hard to be a young Iranian woman in Sarah Saidan’s terrific animated short film, Beach Flags, which screens during the 2015 Sundance Film Festival.

Vida knows she deserves to represent Iran at the Australian meet, because she is the best on her squad, even when it comes to their only allowable event—a race across the beach to capture the flag. She outclasses everyone until the coach brings in the abnormally tall and fleet Sareh. Try as she might, Vida just cannot catch her. Understandably, she resents the newcomer, vibing her hard. However, when she inadvertently spies on Sareh’s home life, Vida’s perspective changes radically. It turns out it is even harder for Sareh to be a young woman in Iranian.

From "Beach Flags."

Beach Flags says volumes about the state of women’s rights in Iran, beginning with the absurdity of the restrictions placed on the lifeguard squad, but shifting to the profoundly depressing circumstances faced by Sareh. It is a pivot Saidan makes with considerable grace. Yet, even though the film addresses pressing human rights issues, Beach Flags is really a lovely little coming-of-age tale that will leave viewers feeling good—which is quite a trick to pull off.

Saidan’s animation is not as richly detailed as a Studio Ghibli masterwork, but it has an appropriately Persian vibe that transports the audience to the two very different Irans inhabited by the rival team members. It is a powerful piece of storytelling that also happens to be rather timely. Highly recommended, Beach Flags screens again today (1/24) in Salt Lake and Monday (1/26) and next Saturday (1/31) in Park City as part of the Animation Spotlight shorts program at this year’s Sundance.

LFM GRADE: A

Posted on January 24th, 2015 at 5:59pm.