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Reviewed by Jonathan Berk  A good crime comedy can leave you feeling a little dirty, but oddly satisfied. It takes a certain temperament to laugh at the dark humor inherent in the genre. Sensible people often know they probably shouldn’t laugh at those moments, but the absurdity of the way they are presented coax the laughs out almost uncontrollably. Fans of the Coens’ films like Burn After Reading, The Big Lebowski, and the Oscar-winning Fargo will see glimmers of those films in director Nicol Paone’s new film The Kill Room. While it never gets to the level of those Coen films, there is enough of that DNA in it that fans will find something to enjoy. Uma Thurman plays Patrice, an owner of an art gallery that isn’t making much money. Samuel L. Jackson plays Gordon Davis, an owner of a Jewish bakery, though that’s a front he uses for organizing hits for the mob with his partner Reggie a.k.a "The Bag Man” (Joe Manganiello), who needs a new way to launder their dirty money. Patrice is introduced to Gordon via her drug dealer (Matthew Maher). An arrangement is made where Reggie will make “art” and Patrice will sell it, giving them all a nice cut of the sale. However, when Reggie’s first piece sells for a notable price, it sets the art world abuzz, drawing unwanted attention to the hitman and his underworld buyers. Thurman, Jackson, and Manganiello are definitely having a lot of fun making this movie. Their chemistry and performances make the film much more fun than it would have been otherwise. Thurman’s character especially feels underwritten at times, and the emotional stakes of her character aren’t as developed as they need to be to get the audience fully invested, but her performance helps fill in the gaps in the writing.  Manganiello's character opens the film with a somewhat cliche shot of a plastic bag floating in the wind, a la American Beauty, before showing one stuck on a storm grate he walks past. The camera tracks him as he enters a bodega. He demands a refund for bad coffee and an argument with the clerk, but it’s really just a rouse to find out if there is a security camera or not. This leads to the first kill we see, featuring a plastic bag paying off that opening cliche unexpectedly. The scene is a solid primer for what the film will be, as the scuff marks left by the first victim's shoes cross-fades into a piece of art on display at Patrice’s gallery. Audiences should know immediately if they’re on board for this particular ride.
The weakness of the film seems to mostly stem from the script. Apart from the characters not getting enough development, there are too many things going on that the film tries to juggle. Just in Patrice’s story, there are many players the film has to give time to, including her rival art gallery and its owner, the various collectors who now want a piece of the Bag Man, the art critic played by Debi Mazar, and her assistant (Amy Keum), all of whom have to be introduced and their roles in the plot explained. The underworld side has the mob bosses, and the backstory of Reggie worked into the film. It’s quite a complex story, and it's in these complexities that writers like the Coens find so much of the humor. It happens in this film, but not as expertly done. Despite that, The Kill Room was a perfectly enjoyable time at the movies, assuming you find dark humor entertaining. Paone’s second feature film shows a lot of promise, and the cast seemed to have had a blast based on their screen presence. It’s possible that we all just need to find that inner artist to help express ourselves to escape the joyless job in which we are currently trapped. The Kill Room is in theaters on September 29. Rating: 3.5/5
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[Fantastic Fest 2023] SO UNREAL -- Amanda Kramer's Documentary is Expectedly Bizarre, Trippy9/25/2023
Review by Sean Boelman
Amanda Kramer is no stranger to Fantastic Fest, her previous features Give Me Pity! and Ladyworld both having played at the Austin genre festival. So Unreal is Kramer’s first foray into documentary filmmaking, and it’s just as idiosyncratic as one would expect — an intriguing experiment in formalism that is full of interesting ideas, even if they don’t always pay off.
In the movie, Kramer explores the genre of cyber-cinema, considering the role of classics (The Matrix, The Terminator), cult classics (eXistenZ, Tetsuo: The Iron Man), and even more obscure films in a discussion of the relationship between technology, the media, and ourselves. Like many essay films, So Unreal is likely a cinephiles-only affair, but it is made even more so by a challenging structure that threatens to test the viewer’s patience. Kramer’s documentary is one of transformation — future into present, utopia into dystopia, dream into reality, and literal into abstract. What starts as an examination of cyber-cinema soon evolves into something attempting to be more profound: an exploration of what makes us human. Although Kramer doesn’t always succeed in philosophizing on this theme in depth, she should at least be given credit for making such an ambitious swing. The film takes some tangents that are intriguing, but aren’t explored substantially enough to really challenge the viewer. For example, there is a section that addresses the inherent sexuality of some of the cyber-cinema films used as case studies, which is a natural extension of Kramer’s filmography, but there’s enough content here to make a documentary in and of itself — not just one section of a larger documentary. 
Ultimately, this is an essay film that is less about its content than it is about the vibes. Of course, as much of the movie’s success in that regard is owed to editor Benjamin Shearn and composer Josh Ascalon (who also share the credit for sound design) as it is to Kramer. So Unreal fittingly has an entrancing nature to it thanks to the hypnotic soundscape by Shearn and Ascalon.
The tone is further set by a narration track by Debbie Harry, the frontwoman of the classic rock band Blondie. There doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of rhyme or reason to why Harry was chosen for the role other than her voice having the perfect blend of serenity and sensuality to make the film feel more alluring. To tell this story, Kramer uses a combination of 16-bit-esque graphics from Jon Cooper and footage from the movies she is referencing. It’s definitely a lot more kinetic than your average video essay thanks to the retrofuturist vibe to which Kramer is fully committed, effectively creating the ethereal vibe that is clearly the intention. So Unreal is certainly an ambitious documentary, and it deserves a great deal of recognition for that alone. However, in its ninety-odd minute runtime, it arguably attempts to bite off more than it can chew, leaving its thematic exploration feeling somewhat underwhelming and making it more effective as a sensory experience. So Unreal is screening at the 2023 Fantastic Fest, which runs September 21-28 in Austin, Texas. Rating: 3/5
Review by Sean Boelman
Some films are so ambitious that you could never imagine their lofty swings paying off, and yet they do. Masterfully blending sci-fi, horror, and romance, The Beast is a dense movie that lends itself to analysis and dissection over multiple watches, but it’s an experience you will not soon forget.
The film follows a woman who decides to have an operation to have her DNA — and memories of her past lives — erased, finding that her fate might be inexplicably intertwined with that of a man she finds eerily familiar. Taking inspiration from a 1903 short story called “The Beast in the Jungle,” the movie is best described as if David Cronenberg had directed Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. One of the most challenging things about the film is its intricate narrative structure that unfolds like a puzzle. With storylines set in 1904, 2014, and the future, The Beast weaves together these different permutations of the tragic love story to create an evocative dive into the ideas of memory and love. The movie is extremely dense in a way that demands multiple watches to fully grasp everything it is trying to say. The central theme of love radiates throughout the film, but in a way that is nothing short of unorthodox. However, there are some other interesting themes that Bonello and his co-writers play around with, including the toxicity of online culture, that feel extraordinarily modern and zeitgeisty. Also intricate is the character development, which goes beyond the standard archetypes you would expect from a star-crossed lovers storyline. Particularly when it comes to the male love interest, the movie challenges the viewer’s expectations of what we are supposed to think about love interests. The film is buoyed by what are two of the best performances of the year from George MacKay and Léa Seydoux. While Seydoux is just excellent at doing her own thing, MacKay’s performance is incredible, as he effectively plays three different characters in one. And the chemistry between the two of them — across all three timelines — sparks in a way that few other on-screen couples ever have. The narrative ambition of The Beast is only matched by Bonello’s visual ambition. The timeline set in 1904 would be impressive enough on its own as a period piece with some fantastic production design. However, when you add in the futuristic storyline and the horror-tinged 2014 storyline, you have what might be one of the most visually eclectic and distinct movies of the year. While some viewers will understandably be put off by the complex nature of The Beast’s narrative, it’s one of the most profound films you will see this year. A pinnacle of filmmaking in all of its genres, The Beast is the type of movie that will undoubtedly make a splash among cinephiles, even if it has little to no chance of being a mainstream breakout. The Beast screened at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, which ran September 7-17 in Toronto, Canada. Rating: 5/5
Review by Sean Boelman
Image Courtesy of TIFF.
Anatomy of a Fall won the Palme d’Or upon its debut at Cannes, and is now making its way through the festival circuit before a hopeful awards run in the fall. Justine Triet’s film might not be as weighty as you expected it to be, but it's a completely gripping watch thanks to flawless execution.
The movie follows a woman who is accused as the sole suspect in the case of her husband’s suspicious death. It’s a film that unfolds in a constantly surprising way, even if we think we know where it is heading, as the script forces us to think back on what we remember and challenge the idea of trust. What is most surprising about Anatomy of a Fall is that it is thoroughly entertaining. Despite a two and a half hour runtime, a substantial portion of which takes place in a courtroom, it manages to be utterly captivating. The dialogue by Triet and Arthur Harari is very sharp and rapidly paced, keeping the movie engaging even when it falls into more familiar territory. That being said, the film is unexpectedly shallow and straightforward. Although there are some undercurrents that viewers could read into — like the misogyny of the justice system assuming it’s the wife who did it, as well as a few others that are best not discussed to let the twists of the case unfold naturally — it’s really a pretty standard courtroom drama, just extremely well told. 
Image Courtesy of TIFF.
Anatomy of a Fall also fumbles some of its characterization. Although the protagonist is naturally compelling, and the movie does an excellent job of planting the right seeds of doubt in the mind of the viewer, the supporting characters are a tad underwhelming. For example, the film attempts to do something complex with her son, but it results in a decision that could have many viewers turn on him rather than sympathize with him.
Still, the excellent ensemble makes the most out of the characters, adding a much-needed level of nuance. Sandra Hüller’s performance will go down as one of the best of the year. Not only is it impressive how much emotion she is consistently able to get out of the role despite it being trilingual, but it’s a turn that feels extremely subdued — even in the moments of more heightened emotion. In the supporting cast, Milo Machado Graner, Samuel Theis, and Swann Arlaud all do an excellent job as well. The movie is also brilliantly executed. The cinematography by Simon Beaufils is perfect, with a feeling of coldness and clinicality that is necessary for the tone to be effective. The sound design is also excellent, with some recurring motifs — including a steel drum cover of “PIMP” being used to especially unnerving effect. Anatomy of a Fall is an unexpectedly unfussy, unpretentious film. Instead, it’s entertaining in a way that unfolds as a nail-biting thriller as opposed to your standard courtroom drama. It’s the rare Palme d’Or winner that seems to have genuine mainstream breakout potential, as it’s just that captivating. Anatomy of a Fall screened at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, which ran September 7-17 in Toronto, Canada. Rating: 4/5
Review by Sean Boelman
Review by Sean Boelman.
Robot Dreams is a Spanish-French co-production based on an American graphic novel and featuring no dialogue. However, the story and message are so universal that it transcends all of these borders. Robot Dreams is truly a highlight in the animated cinema canon of 2023, featuring a story that’s so downright adorable it would be impossible to hate.
Based on the graphic novel by Sara Varon, Robot Dreams follows an anthropomorphic dog who purchases a robot to be his best friend, only for them to be separated, sending them on a quest to be reunited with one another. Viewers will run the gamut of emotions watching this — you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll go “awwww” several times — but that’s exactly the way it should be. The choice to tell the film’s story with no dialogue and purely visual storytelling was an ambitious decision for director Pablo Berger, but it pays off quite well. The sound design of the movie is excellent, managing to get so much emotion out of something as simple as a squeak or the recurring motif of Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September” (which you may never hear without crying ever again after seeing this movie). Yet, despite the fact that they never utter a word, it’s easy to fall in love with Dog and Robot. The amount of characterization Berger is able to get out of the characters early on through their actions and mannerisms will connect you with them immediately — although it would be hard not to love a dog and a robot being best friends anyway. As one would expect, there are some moments in the film that are a bit tear-jerking. However, the movie culminates in one of the most emotional finales you’ll see in any animated movie this year, and every bit of the emotion you will feel is earned. It’s not the type of contrived ending that feels like it exists just to make viewers cry, but instead, is just incredibly poignant. The 2D animation of Robot Dreams is also quite strong, chosen to replicate the style of Varon’s graphic novel. It’s very playful and lighthearted, yet done with an extraordinary amount of artistry — especially with regards to the backgrounds of this alternate version of New York City and the emotive character designs. As the film was adapted from a graphic novel, it does have a bit of an episodic structure, much as one sees the stories confined within panels and pages of the source material. At a certain point, it begins to feel like you’re traveling along with Dog and Robot on a series of little adventures, giving it an absolutely magical feeling. Robot Dreams is not just an adorable and poignant animated movie, but it’s an extraordinary achievement in visual storytelling. The fact that Berger was able to get so much emotion out of a simple premise with no dialogue is absolutely astounding, making this an early contender for best animated film of the year. Robot Dreams screened at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, which ran September 7-17 in Toronto, Canada. Rating: 5/5 |