Day: March 14, 2015

By Joe Bendel. Not exactly comedy or tragedy, Cymbeline is considered by many critics Shakespeare’s sly attempt at self-parody. Its only highly quotable line is: “the game is up,” so it is not surprising that it is one of the Bard’s least performed plays. Yet, that makes it considerably easier for Michael Almereyda to stage a liberty-taking modernized production. The battle fought by the Celtic British and the forces of Rome becomes a conflict between the British biker gang and the Rome Police Department in Almereyda’s Cymbeline, which opens this weekend in New York.

In many ways, Cymbeline really is a mash-up of Shakespeare’s greatest hits, starting with the star-crossed romance of Imogen and Posthumus Leonatus. Having secretly married, they have already gotten further than most Shakespearean lovers. However, Imogen’s father, Cymbeline the biker king, is less than thrilled when their union is revealed. Since he essentially promised Imogen to step-son Cloten, the loutish offspring of his Lady Macbethish second wife, it is a rather awkward turn of events for him. Fleeing Cymbeline’s wrath, Leonatus takes refuge in Italy (or somewhere more prosaic), where he encounters the Iago-like Iachimo. After listening to Leonatus boast of his wife’s fidelity, Iachimo wagers he can seduce the woman. It is a bet Iachimo will collect through deceit and subterfuge.

There is no avoiding the antiquated vibe of the Iachimo storyline, but Almereyda plays it up big anyway, because the old scoundrel is portrayed by Ethan Hawke. Much more successful is the geopolitical intrigue reconceived as the biker gang’s fraught dealings with the corrupt civic constabulary. Some things are timeless, whereas as other are very much a product of their time and place.

Of course, Ed Harris as a leather jacket wearing biker monarch blasting away with an assault rifle gives Almereyda a solid base to work from. He has the stately presence of a Shakespearean king, while calling back to his early roots in George Romero’s Knightriders. Believe it or not, Milla Jovovich pulls off the Queen’s Machiavellian iciness quite well. Bill Pullman has limited screen time, but he makes a great entrance as the ghost of Leonatus’s father, while John Leguizamo is well cast as Pisanio, the wily servant. Nevertheless, it is Delroy Lindo who steals scene after scene as Cymbeline’s banished former ally.

On the other hand, the younger romantic leads and rivals largely underwhelm. Dakota Johnson is just sort of eh as Imogen. Penn Bagley is a double-eh as Leonatus and Anton Yelchin is a triple-eh as Cloten. Generally speaking, the older and more seasoned the cast member, the better they come across in Almereyda’s Cymbeline.

Once known as Anarchy, the updated Cymbeline openly invites comparison to Sons of Anarchy. It is a strange choice for such a treatment (perhaps Julius Caesar, the grandpappy of all power struggles would have made a better fit), but the greasy roadside settings are considerably more effective than one might expect, giving it a distinctly austere but slightly unreal aesthetic. It is clear why Cymbeline is considered a minor work in the Shakespearean canon, but perhaps the best way to handle it is by thoroughly recontextualizing as Almereyda does. It is an odd little film with a big cast that is rather entertaining, in an idiosyncratic way, despite its ragged edges. Recommended for fans of non-traditional Shakespeare, Cymbeline opens this weekend in New York at the Quad Cinema.

LFM GRADE: B

Posted on March 14th, 2015 at 4:35pm.

By Joe Bendel. Considering Japanese pop artist and commercial phenom Takashi Murakami frequently features his manga alter-ego, Mr. DOB in his work, it is not surprising his debut feature film is heavy on the creatures. Eventually, a kaiju attacks, but that also makes sense, given Ultraman’s formative influence on his artistic development. It is all kid friendly, but in a slightly trippy sort of way, like Sid & Marty Krofft rebooted for Japan. As a result, one sensitive young lad is in for the weirdest coming-of-age story in Murakami’s Jellyfish Eyes, which screens during the 2015 New York International Children’s Film Festival.

Tsunami survivor Masashi Kusakabe is relieved to be moving out of the shelter, even though he and his mother are still deeply grieving his father. However, he quickly suspects there is some sort of strange presence in their new exurban apartment. That would be the critter he eventually names Kurage-bo or Jellyfish Boy. It turns out all the kids at his new school have what they call F.R.I.E.N.D.S., except they can control theirs with special handheld devices given to them by the local lab, from where Kurage-bo escaped.

Kusakabe quickly bonds with Kurage-bo, whose resourcefulness stymies the attempted bullying of the bad boy clique and their creepy F.R.I.E.N.D.S. It seems there is a sort of underground F.R.I.E.N.D. fighting circuit operating afterschool. Fortunately, Luxor, the biggest, hairiest F.R.I.E.N.D. was entrusted to Saki Amamiya, who vehemently dislikes all forms of fighting. She is not too fond of her mother’s doomsday cult either, but she might be okay with Kusakabe. Unfortunately, the aspiring bullies will escalate their aggressive behavior, with the secret encouragement of a shadowy cabal operating in the research institute. Somehow the negative energy generated by the children and their F.R.I.E.N.D.S. perfectly suits the needs of the so-called “Black-Cloaked Four.”

Based on post-screening reactions, it is safe to say Luxor is a smash hit with kids. You have to admit, he is pretty cool and pairing him up Himeka Asami’s Amamiya just cranks up the cuteness to Spinal Tap levels. In contrast, Kurage-bo is sort of weird looking, but he grows on you. However, the earnestness of young Takuto Sueoka and Asami really sell the madness, while directly expressing extraordinary angst no kid should have to deal with. Likewise, Mayu Tsuruta is quite touching as Kusakabe’s bereaved but steadfast mother Yasuko.

The shadow of the 2011 disaster is constantly present in Jellyfish Eyes, but Murakami largely keeps it in background, rather than belaboring the point. He clearly has a nice touch with kids, but there is a lot of manipulation and thematic recycling going on his the boy-and-his- F.R.I.E.N.D. narrative. Nevertheless, the bizarre details (how many kids’ films have both an apocalyptic cult and an apocalyptic secret society?) as well as the sincerity of the primary cast really distinguishes the film from the field. Imagine if he got together with Takashi Miike? The mind reels. Warmly recommended for older elementary school kids who have discovered anime or kaiju movies (and big kids who enjoy either), Jellyfish Eyes screens again at the SVA Theatre this coming Sunday (3/15), as part of this year’s NYICFF.

LFM GRADE: B+

Posted on March 14th, 2015 at 4:35pm.

By Joe Bendel. James Stewart is a reluctant imperialist. He and his brothers are sort of gentlemen, but they hardly have a pound to their names. They are serving their military service during the time of the British Raj, to earn enough money to buy a farm in America. Stewart also happens to be Jay Fennel, a near future marine biologist. The spitting image of each other, the two men are somehow connected by destiny, the laws of physics, and a matched set of rings. Centuries pass, but love remains a painful force to reckon with in Roland Joffé’s The Lovers, which opened this Friday in New York.

Jay Fennel and his wife Laura are ocean researchers, who get to use mega-expensive submersibles to scour the ocean floor for shiny objects that might catch their eye—like say a ring. When Laura gets excited by a potential find, she carelessly heads down to the site, getting trapped beneath some debris. Manning-up, Fennel free-dives down to rescue her, but without the proper decompressing, he comes back up essentially brain dead. While his wife and doctors agonize over his condition, the film flashes back to the Eighteenth Century.

Stewart and his brother Charles are decidedly outsiders amongst the colonial establishment. They still think they take their orders from King and Parliament, but the governor makes it clear the British East India Company is calling the shots. Based on the Company’s wink-and-a-nod encouragement, a coup is staged within the Marantha royal family. Much to the new king’s frustration, the beloved queen escapes thanks to her protector, Tulaja Naik, who assumes her identity to further safeguard her security.

In a case of good news-bad news, the queen’s party is to be escorted to Bombay (as it then would have been called) by the Stewart Brothers. Once they arrive at their destination, the queen will be little more than a hostage of the governor and his cronies. However, the Stewarts are probably the only officers resourceful enough to protect the Queen and her retainers from the army of assassins following them.

The Lovers is a very odd film. In many ways it is a throwback to 1940s exotic ports-of-call films, but with a generous helping of New Age mysticism layered on top. It is sort of like Gunga Din crossed with Titanic, as mashed-up by Richard Matheson, writing in his What Dreams May Come-Somewhere in Time bag. Once known as Singularity, the film is supposedly structured around the principles of physics, but that fact will not be immediately obvious to even reasonably attentive viewers.

Frankly, the Eighteenth Century storyline is rather appealingly old fashioned, even though Josh Hartnett’s Scottish accent is almost as big an adventure as their trek across the mountains. Still, he can swagger respectably and develops some rather nice romantic chemistry with Bollywood superstar Bipasha Basu. Without question, she is star of the film, shining in her considerable action sequences and smoldering in her scenes of passion.

Although clearly shot on a limited budget, Joffé shrewdly uses the sweeping backdrops to give the picture a suitably big look, even when he conspicuously lacked the swarming masses of extras. Regardless, the primary reason to see The Lovers is to witness Basu’s American coming out party. Somehow she carries it across the goal line, or at least makes it an interesting viewing experience. Uneven yet strangely absorbing, The Lovers will be better than a lot of things out there as it opens this weekend in New York, at the IFC Center.

LFM GRADE: B-

Posted on March 15th, 2015 at 4:14pm.

By Joe Bendel. Up until The Matrix, they were cinema’s most troublesome red pills. The historically based “Case of the Red Pills” inspired Liang Yusheng’s wuxia novel, Ronny Yu’s memorable screen treatment, The Bride with White Hair, as well as a sequel and several television serials. However, it is Fan Bingbing’s snowy mane that most fans will most remember about the latest adaptation, Jacob Cheung’s White Haired Witch, which releases this weekend on DVD and Blu-ray from Well Go USA.

Due to his talent and natural lack of ambition, Zhuo Yihang has been anointed the successor to the leader of the Wudang Sect. His first official duty will be to pay tribute to the emperor with an offering of the order’s red pills. Obviously, such a gift presents an ambitious eunuch like Wei Zhongxian the perfect opportunity to dispatch the emperor and blame an innocent fall guy, which he will not squander. Taking the long way home to visit his grandfather, a military governor on the frontier, Zhuo initially has no idea he has been falsely accused. Nor is he aware his grandfather was murdered by the treasonous general Jin Duyi, who similarly framed the demon-outlaw known as “Jade Rakshasha.” However, he sure thinks she is something when he encounters her during his journey.

Soon Zhuo is forced to take refuge in Jade Rakshasha’s Luna Fortress. Ming-era Tracey & Hepburn sparks continue to fly between them, while Zhuo proves his worth to community. Of course, they inevitably fall in love, but they will be separated when Zhuo willingly surrenders to the feared imperial guard, rather than risk the lives of the displaced peasantry sheltered in Luna. He will eventually regain his freedom by skillfully playing a double game with Eunuch Wei, even going so far as to marry his innocent daughter, Ke Pingting (she came before his you know what), but the apparent betrayal turns Jade Rakshasha’s hair white. It also makes her mad, which is never a good idea.

Yes, Fan Bingbing looks great with white hair. She also looks fab and establishes decent action cred in her fight scenes. Just for the record, Fan probably kicks more butt in Witch than the entire cast of the prospective “Expendabelles” film. You could make an equivalent film any day of the week in Hong Kong or Taiwan, but you simply won’t find an ensemble with the chops in Hollywood.

Be that as it may, Fan’s chemistry with Huang Xiaoming’s Zhuo is just okay. Frankly, he is a little stiff at times, but since he was working for a considerable time with a broken leg, he earns points for being a gamer. In limited screen time, Tanya Tong makes a strong impression humanizing the visiting team as Wei’s daughter Ke. Vincent Zhao chews plenty of scenery as the dastardly Jin, but he also gets to show a more nuanced side of the turncoat.

There are a number of big names in Witch’s ensemble, but along with Fan, the real stars are Stephen Tung’s fight choreography and the Oscar winning (for Crouching Tiger) Timmy Yip’s costuming. Frankly, it is a bit conspicuous that the intricate narrative has been somewhat abridged, but at least Cheung keeps the energy level up. It really is a lot of fun, as long as you can handle a tragically sweeping grand finale. Seriously, would you expect anything else? Recommended for fans of Fan and wuxia, White Haired Witch is now available on DVD and digital platforms from Well Go USA.

LFM GRADE: B

Posted on March 14th, 2015 at 4:13pm.