Review by Sean Boelman
Any list of the most notable authors of the 20th century would be incomplete without a mention of Truman Capote, who lived a life almost as interesting as his work. Yet despite the fact that the subject is so interesting, Ebs Burnough’s documentary The Capote Tapes is too traditional in its execution to be noteworthy.
The film explores Capote’s posthumously-published unfinished novel Answered Prayers, the impact it had, and how it reflected his life as a whole. With Capote being such a well-known figure in the literary world, it will definitely take more than a traditional biography to interest informed viewers, and while there is an element of specificity to this movie, it still leans back on formula a bit too often. One of the issues with Burnough’s approach is that he attempts to cover so much ground in so little time. With a runtime clocking in at under an hour and forty minutes, it is impossible for the film to dive into the content of Answered Prayers in addition to Capote’s role in the literary and LGBTQ communities. It’s clear that this is meant to be the type of movie where the filmmaker pulls back the curtain on a well-known individual whose personal life has been very well-documented in the media, but so much of what we see is stuff that has already been discussed many times before. There isn’t a whole lot of new or original insight to be found here.
Capote’s personality is iconically eccentric, and yet Burnough is unable to really translate that to this documentary effectively. Interviews with people who knew Capote serve as a sort of testimony as to how unique and interesting of a person he was, but there definitely would have been better ways of getting this across.
The movie also features a lot of archive material (as implied by the title), but Burnough doesn’t seem to know how to use it as a first-time director. It often feels as if we are just being shown this footage, rather than seeing it integrated into an overall narrative, and the result is that it doesn’t have the impact it should. As a whole, the film straddles that line where it is competently-made but doesn’t have the level of creativity or uniqueness to make it memorable. There needed to be a lot more energy to the movie, or at least a more pronounced sense of style. Instead, what we get is something that is almost sterilized in nature. The Capote Tapes has an enormously fascinating subject but doesn’t do justice to his image. It definitely hurts the film that there have been other movies about Truman Capote that are far more compelling and dynamic. The Capote Tapes is now in theaters and virtual cinemas. Rating: 3/5
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Review by Dan Skip Allen
Two of the most prevalent topics in the history of movies are films in, around, or about the Big Apple and films about being in relationships and dating. The title of Dating & New York says exactly what you're getting into as a viewer.
Wendy (Francesca Reale), named after the literary character from Peter Pan, and Milo (Jaboukie Young-White), a stand-up comedian, meet each other on a dating site called Meet Cute. They meet at a nondescript bar in an out-of-the-way area of town to not garner any attention from friends or family. They hit it off pretty well. They spark off a relationship with a kiss in front of the bar amongst a pile of trash. In the modern age of dating and relationships, social media plays a big part. The same goes for phones. Texting is a popular method of talking instead of actual discussions, but these two do like to make the rounds at a lot of different locations from diners, restaurants, bars, and parks. This allows them to get familiar with one another and introduce each other to friends.
They do have friends who are good for the relationship. Sometimes in films, friends and family members can get in the way of good positive relationships. That's not the case here. The friend is very supportive of this pairing. The problem is the titular couple may not be that into each other apart from a sexual sense. Being friends with benefits can be toxic for a burgeoning couple. These two are too into their heads in this regard.
This film has a pretty lighthearted feeling to it even though I would describe it as a drama. There are times of a comedic nature in the film, usually when the couple is having discussions and when they are out and about with their friends. This is where New York comes into the mix. It's a character in the film. The director/writer, Jonah Feingold, makes sure of that. The locations are a big part of the story. Feingold infuses this film with a lot of fast dialogue and witty banter between the leads. There is some pretty straightforward dialogue regarding the millennials it depicts. They have this intelligence about them so they have to come across as pretty smart. That is a big part of why this film works. Sometimes relationship films can be a bit contrived, but this one isn't. Feingold and company make a film that could have been very similar to a lot of other films in these genres. They don't though. For the most part, Dating & New York is a very smart, intelligent film that is enjoyable to watch. Dating & New York is now in theaters and on VOD. Rating: 3.5/5 Review by Camden Ferrell Dogs is a Romanian drama that premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section. It is the feature directorial debut of writer and director Bogdan Mirică. At its premiere it won the FIPRESCI Prize. The movie has a visually pleasing atmosphere with some interesting moments, but its sloppy narrative and emotionless script make this drama feel rather dull. Roman has just been bequeathed land from his late grandfather. As he tries to sell off the land, he learns the means by which it came into possession of his family. He slowly uncovers this perilous mystery and learns why selling this land will be more difficult than he thought. After continuous danger ensues, Roman must decide how to approach this situation. It’s an interesting premise that explores some timely themes and has the promise to be quite suspenseful. Unfortunately, Mirică’s script is rather uninspired and dull. The dialogue is stale and doesn’t do much to develop its cast of characters. It doesn’t give the viewer a reason to empathize or care about anyone, and it doesn’t do enough to build-up the drama and suspense that its premise affords it. Despite this, the movie has some striking visuals. It begins with a hauntingly sinister tracking shot that promises much, but it soon becomes obvious that the atmosphere and widescreen cinematography is the film’s only commendable aspect. Dragos Bucur leads the film as Roman. He does a decent enough job of leading the film, but he’s severely held back by the quality of the film’s script. His supporting cast features a lot of titans of Romanian cinema, but their presence didn’t do much to grab my attention, and they merely floated around until the film ultimately ended.
Even though the film lacks in a lot of aspects, you can’t deny that Mirică has a vision to which he is strongly committed. His execution leaves a lot to be desired, but it’s confident if nothing else. It opts for longer more meditative takes, and he sometimes gets close to striking gold, but he makes some questionable directorial choices that scramble the narrative and pacing. This culminates in a bloody final act that doesn’t feel warranted or earned, and it feels underwhelming more than anything. Dogs doesn’t satisfy the way one hopes it would. It’s a great premise with themes about class and corruption that aren’t fully realized. It has a strong vision and a great atmosphere, but it ultimately falls flat in almost all other categories. Dogs is in theaters and virtual cinemas September 10. Rating: 2/5
Review by Camden Ferrell
Who You Think I Am premiered at the 2019 Berlin International Film Festival. It is the newest movie from French director Safy Nebbou. It is based on the novel of the same name by Camille Laurens. While the movie loses some of its steam later on, the overall experience is elevated by a dynamic first half and an impressive leading performance from Juliette Binoche.
Claire is a middle-aged woman with two kids and an ex-husband. Becoming interested in Alex, a friend of her fling, she decides to create an online persona on Facebook. Posing as a woman in her twenties, she develops an emotional affair with Alex. This is a really interesting premise that has a lot to say about middle-age, love, and the digital age. Nebbou penned the script with Julie Peyr, and it’s quite impressive especially in the first half. They’re able to truly capture the emotions and insecurities Claire faces without losing much of its subtlety. The dialogue is natural, and there are a few twists dispersed throughout. Unfortunately, the narrative becomes a little less compelling in the final half of the film, but it still remains thematically strong until the end.
The standout of this film is the fantastic leading performance by Juliette Binoche. She plays the role so tenderly and profoundly in ways that surprised me. She transcends beyond the trope of mid-life crisis mother, and she transforms it into something that is equal parts sensual and heartbreaking. Her supporting cast is decent but forgettable, and this movie is truly a showcase for her talents as a performer.
While the movie has a tightly paced and endearing opening half, it slowly loses its momentum. It lacks the same energy afforded to it in the earlier half and isn’t quite as engaging. However, Binoche as well as a combination of narrative twists, will keep audiences interested and engaged from start to finish. It also succeeds in tenderly exploring this woman’s mid-life crisis and the longing she has for a relative stranger. I was impressed by how maturely and non-exploitative its execution of its central premise is. Who You Think I Am is a fresh new take on the mid-life crisis, and it’s anchored by a dedicated and solemn performance from Binoche. It has a strong script, and a delicate execution that makes this an enjoyable film from the French director. Who You Think I Am is playing in New York and LA September 3, followed by a national rollout. Rating: 4/5
Review by Sean Boelman
A COVID-times anthology of short films from some of the greatest filmmakers working today may sound like a great idea, but their limitations combined with their already restrained styles results in a frustratingly minimalistic experience. As an anthology movie, The Year of the Everlasting Storm has far more misses than it does hits despite the talent involved.
The central concept of the film is that each filmmaker contributed a segment while abiding by a series of rules designed to both promote creativity and protect the filmmakers in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Something that makes this movie unique compared to a lot of other films made during this time is that it isn’t focused entirely on the pandemic, but the situations that rose up around it. When it comes to most anthology movies, the segments are typically pretty consistent in quality with one or two standouts and disappointments. In this film, the segments are all rather frustrating. The portions directed by Jafar Panahi and Dominga Sotomayor are probably the least spectacular of the bunch, competently-made but not especially interesting. Two of the more established directors, David Lowery and Achichatpong Weerasethakul, make segments that are well-done but perhaps a bit too ambiguous for their own good. Weerasethakul’s contribution, in particular, is very experimental and it’s hard to put a fair amount of thought into it while overwhelmed with the other segments. Also on the more experimental side is Malik Vitthal’s segment, which is also the one that feels the most incomplete. Commenting on the police brutality situation that got even more rampant last year, this is undeniably the segment that has the most important thing to say in the anthology, but it’s too short to have its full impact. The worst segment in the movie is that by documentarian Laura Poitras. Although Poitras has made some absolutely exceptional nonfiction films in the past, this story just isn’t as compelling as those she has explored in the past. The result is an unpleasant and often boring series of lingo-heavy conversations. Anthony Chen’s segment is the only one in the movie that is an unmitigated success. Filled with genuine emotion and some great performances, this is the only one where it feels like we actually have a reason to care as the audience. It’s the type of intimate, compelling story that one would have hoped would have made up the entire anthology. Even though the film features work from some of the greatest filmmakers working today, The Year of the Everlasting Storm is a near disaster. There is one good segment in the movie, and the rest range from just alright to outright dull. The Year of the Everlasting Storm is now in theaters. Rating: 2.5/5
Review by Sean Boelman
The Cyrano de Bergerac story has been adapted and modernized plenty of times before, so new versions need to do something really unique to stand out. While It Takes Three might not be a success in that regard, the charm of the cast allows this to be an enjoyable enough teen romantic comedy.
The film follows a nerdy kid who is recruited by a popular kid to help him win the heart of the attractive new girl at school. It’s a very basic premise, and the script by Logan Burdick and Blair Mastbaum doesn’t feel the need to reinvent the familiar tropes in any particular way, instead doubling down on the sappy factor to make it work. As expected for a movie that is aimed primarily at teenagers, the humor isn’t of the most complex variety. There are a lot of jokes about boners and cunnilingus, and while some of them elicit a chuckle, none of them will leave viewers rolling in their seats. Instead, many of the laughs come from secondhand embarrassment. The film says all of the expected things about self-esteem and manipulation in a way that is palatable to young audiences. And while there is certainly a level of timelessness and universality to these ideas, one would hope that a modernization such as this would at least add something new to the equation.
Similarly, all of the characters in the movie are super archetypal. The protagonist is an awkward nerd who has trouble functioning socially. But the two female leads are even more frustrating. There is the fundamentally shallow love interest who the protagonist likes for her (very clichéd) personality, and the sidekick who is significantly more interesting but still exists to serve the male character’s arc.
Jared Gilman, who is best known for his role in Moonrise Kingdom, is an extremely talented actor and this just proves this point. The fact that he was able to carry a conventional rom-com shows that he deserves to be getting more (and better) work. The supporting cast is mostly over-the-top in their roles. Director Scott Coffey attempts to do some interesting things with execution at times, but for the most part, he sticks to the glossy, oversaturated teen movie look. There is one sequence that is cross-cut in a way that is almost interesting, but doesn’t embrace the potential quirkiness of the situation. It Takes Three is good enough for what it is, a simple, charming teen rom-com. Those wanting to watch something original or intellectually challenging won’t be impressed, but it’s a solid way to spend ninety-odd minutes. It Takes Three is now available on VOD. Rating: 3.5/5
Review by Sean Boelman
Every week, it seems that there is a new crime thriller released straight-to-VOD that stars one of a rotating roster of B-movie actors, but it isn’t often that you get one with three of them. Michele Civetta’s The Gateway has a pretty solid ensemble, but the story is just as mediocre and predictable as one would expect.
The film follows a social worker who becomes involved in the lives of one of the families he was assigned to protect when the father is released from prison and draws them into his life of crime. It starts out as a sort-of blue-collar character study before turning into an on-the-tun thriller in the final act. With a runtime of just over ninety minutes including credits, there’s not a whole lot of breathing room here. And given that the screenplay by Civetta, Alex Felix Bendaña, and Andrew Levitas mostly sticks to the bare minimum, it keeps everything very lean. That said, the tonal shift heading into the last third is jarring, as is the cut to credits which may be one of the weirdest in B-movie history. Part of the issue with the movie is that it can’t seem to decide what it really wants to say. A title card at the end of the film implies that this is about the dangers of the foster care system, but this is a tertiary thread at best, explored only through expositional dialogue. As a whole, the movie feels rather empty, as if it has nothing going on in its head.
The film does deal pretty heavily in archetypes when it comes to supporting characters. A single mother dealing with a criminal ex as the father to her daughter is immediately sympathetic, although also one of the most textbook stock characters there is. The protagonist is more complex, although his arc goes in so many different directions that it isn’t effective.
Shea Whigham does some genuinely great work in his leading role. He’s someone that can elevate a subpar movie like this into something at least enjoyable to watch. Olivia Munn’s performance fits the movie, but is lacking in any sort of nuance or subtlety. And supporting turns from Bruce Dern, Frank Grillo, and Keith David are insignificant and forgettable. There is at least a style to this film, which is more than can be said for a lot of its peers. It isn’t just a bland grittiness, as Civetta sets out to do some interesting things with the execution, especially in the final act. His swings miss more than they hit, but there’s still something to be said about his ambition. The Gateway is a watchable crime thriller, although there are plenty of other movies that you have seen like it. The thing that makes it worth the rental fee is Shea Wigham’s strong performance, which keeps this from being entirely forgettable. The Gateway is now on VOD. Rating: 3/5
Review by Dan Skip Allen
Worth made a splash at the Sundance Film Festival back in 2020. It makes sense with the great cast and story that this film focuses on. Netflix bought the film out of Sundance and it's finally coming out nationwide a year and a half later. A lot has happened in between its premiere at the festival. An early September premiere on Netflix might be just what this film needs considering the subject matter.
Worth stars Micheal Keaton, as a Washington, D.C. lawyer Kenneth Fienberg. Fienberg and his colleagues are tasked with divvying out funds for the 9/11 victims relief fund. This is harder than it might seem. His thought processes on how to disperse the money might not be as easy as you'd think. A deadline and a relative of a victim, Charles Wolf (Stanley Tucci) is an obstacle in Fienberg's way, but a champion for other family members of victims in the film. Sara Colangelo, the director of this film, is a newer filmmaker. I first heard of her when I was invited to a special remote Sundance screening of her film Little Accidents a few years ago. After watching that film, I knew Colangelo was a director to watch in the future. Fast forward to today and she's got another compelling feature film with great acting and a very good topical story. She knows her way around dramatic fare such as Little Accidents and Worth. Worth has a tough subject matter to get across to the viewers watching the film. To a lot of people, 9/11 is still pretty fresh in their minds. We all remember where we were and what we were doing on this frightful day in American history. Telling this story wasn't easy, to say the least. Colangelo assembled a great cast of actors to portray these true-to-life characters. Amy Ryan and Tate Donovan are also among the already stacked cast.
There were a lot of talking scenes as in person-to-person scenes in the film. The dialogue had to address the laws involved in how the money was dispersed to each Clement. Keaton and his staff had a lot of the heavy lifting in these scenes. This dialogue had to come across as very realistic and professional in nature. Max Borenstein adapted the book What is Life Worth? written by Kenneth Feinberg. He had the man's words to use and that was a good thing regarding the film's dialogue.
The camera work by Colangelo and cinematographer Pepe Avila del Pino was a key aspect of the film. It could have looked like a bunch of talking heads in a documentary but it doesn't. They change the angles and lighting in every scene to not get too repetitive with these scenes. A few archival scenes of the aftermath of the bombing were thrown in to show the full effect of this tragedy. Netflix invested its money well this time around. It's a little similar to the 2018 Academy Award-winning Best Picture winner Spotlight, but that's a compliment. They both star Michael Keaton and Stanley Tucci and have a similar look and feel to them. That's why the comparison is a natural one. With very good acting, writing, and camera work Worth is worth your time. Worth is now streaming on Netflix. Rating: 4.5/5
Review by Dan Skip Allen
New York is full of people from different walks of life and religious backgrounds. One group in particular that makes up a big portion of the population in New York is the Jewish community. They have a lot of businesses and synagogues to worship in and are a tight-knit group. There aren't a lot of movies that focus on these people or their community the way that Tango Shalom does. It's a breath of fresh air to see a film about something different and focus on similar topics we've seen before from a different point of view.
Tango Shalom is about a traditional Jewish family in New York. Hardships come from all corners to cause pain and strife for this family. Moshe Yehuda (Jos Laniado) is a Hasidic Jew and the father of this big Jewish family. He tries to do anything to help his struggling family, but things just aren't working out for him. Problems keep coming from every corner of his life and family until he finds some solace in dance. Specifically, tango dance and its teacher Viviana Nieves (Karina Smirnoff, Shall We Dance). When she suggests they enter into a dance competition together, this throws his life and beliefs into turmoil but the financial reward can help him and his family out. Every step that this duo dances can throw their lives and religious beliefs of generations aside. This is not good from the perspectives of his wife or his rabbi. He knows it'll help his cause as far as his financial difficulties but it could put a rift between him and his family. This kind of dance is strictly forbidden by his people because of the nature of the dance. It's a sensual kind of dance. The tango is very hot and heavy. The partners have to touch and have a kind of energy together on the dance floor. This is a difficult choice for this man. Gabriel Bologna made this film a family affair with his father, Joseph Bologna (Father Anthony), and a second set of brothers Claudio Laniado and Jos Laniado as the story and screenplay writers. It's a story that encompasses a lot of spiritual iconography and ideas. As mentioned before, New York is a melting pot of all kinds of people and religions and the lead character travels the city to get advice about his dilemma from as many people as he can, from Muslims, Hindus and Catholics. This idea of not being able to touch a woman is quite traumatic for him.
This film has some great work from the craft departments. The hair and makeup and costumes departments are on point in this film. As well as the music composer, Zizi Bologna, and others. The music is like a character all its own in the film. The cinematography by Massimo Zeri is very vivid and bright and colorful. This film is very vibrant from the very beginning to the end. The editing by Robert Meyer Burnett is first-rate. He has to do a lot of quick cuts to all the dance scenes and traveling from place to place by the lead actor in the film. The editing is a huge key to how the film flows.
In a way, Tango Shalom is a film about how different people can step out of their comfort zones and do something different that benefits them and their families. It's a dilemma a lot of people face in the world. In this day and age, we as a country have to embrace diversity and all its different permutations. Each different group needs to see that being able to relate to different people from different walks of life and religions can help make things better overall for the world. New York is a perfect setting for this film. Tango Shalom is an eye-opening look at a man who's going through an existential crisis: are his religious beliefs and family dynamic more important than his financial freedom of winning this dance competition? The filmmakers get to the bottom of this dilemma very effectively. The writing, cinematography, music, editing, and crafts departments are all top-notch for this little independent film. I didn't know what I was getting into with this film, but it was terrific. It just says you should take a chance on something different, it may pay off in the end. Tango Shalom is now in theaters. Rating: 4/5
Review by Dan Skip Allen
Attention Attention is the name of the sixth studio album from the rock band Shinedown. Shinedown consists of lead singer Brent Smith, Zach Myers on guitar, Eric Bass on bass, and Barry Kerch on drums. I wouldn't be lying if I said Shinedown is my favorite band. They pack venues all over the world with their amazing sound and innovative lyrics. Now they have a movie based on their album Attention Attention.
Attention Attention is basically a rock opera such as American Idiot from Green Day or The Wall from Pink Floyd. It consists of all the songs on Attention Attention in video form combined together to make a movie. Songs such as "Devil", "Monsters", "Human Radio", and "Brilliant" are some of the best of the bunch, but "Get Up" is like a crescendo of sound and uplifting energy and enjoyment. It's by far the best segment in the film. Each of the videos is divided into segments of the film that have their unique flavor and flair. Some of them were darker and more depressing, but that's the nature of the songs. The others are positive and inspiring. This album has so many different kinds of songs but as a whole, they fit together very nicely. This film is a beautiful mix of all these amazing songs.
The videos have actors playing characters in them and they cross over into the other videos. This crossover of actors and actresses helps lend a kind of consistency to the film. Seeing the recurring actors helps the viewer get some clarity while watching the film. The videos/songs go from one to the next.
Bill Yukich wrote and directed this film with the help of Brent Smith and others. Even with the different kinds of songs and tones to each video, he melds them all into a confluence of beautiful sounds and a cinematic mastery. The colors and real cinematography of the videos make this fever dream of music combined with great messages of how people think, feel, and act towards others as well as ourselves. As a fan of Shinedown, this isn't going to be a surprise, but I loved this film based on their sixth album. It has a great mix of songs and dramatic performances. That mix was well executed by Bill Yukich and the band. I never thought I'd see a rock opera based on a Shinedown album, but I'm glad I did. It's not on the level of some of the classics of the genre but it's a very solid film. I could watch it over and over again and jam out to the songs. Attention Attention is now available on VOD. Rating: 4/5 |
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