Although it was the second country to ever claim independence, Haiti has had a troubled past, with ruthless dictators coming into power, militaristic coups and near-constant political strife. In 2010, a massive 7.0 magnitude earthquake, the largest to ever occur in the country, hit Port-Au-Prince, leaving an estimated 220,000 people dead, 300,000 injured, and 2.3 million without homes. In the aftermath, the country was left devastated and demanded new leadership in its upcoming presidential election.
It’s nearly impossible to talk about Black or White without causing some heated debate. Writer/director Mike Binder’s movie is, perhaps, the most earnest and repulsive “get off my lawn” euphemism directed at people of color in a very long time. Some will claim that Black or White is well intentioned (as so many did after seeing The Blind Side, The Help and so forth), but intentions could not be any clearer: This is a film that attempts to justify white male privilege as a mild character flaw, something that simply cannot be changed and should be accepted as unavoidable. Its heart could not be further from being in the right place.
Teens construct a time machine in Project Almanac and do things that teens might do: go back to ace a test, win the lottery, get revenge on a bully, check out Imagine Dragons at Lollapalooza, and so on. In a way, it’s refreshing that the focus is left relatively small. However, these trivialities, an exhaustive attempt to ground the time travel conceit in reality, and the inclusion of a dopey teen love story really bog the film down. Add the shaky-cam, found footage style and its inherent issues into the mix, and the dramatic thrust of the movie evaporates.
Strange things have been happening in and around the two Helen’s hometown in Attieh and Garcia's H.; everything is leaking, gravity is acting without any rhyme or reason and there may even be a black stallion roaming around the streets of Troy. The scope of these peculiar instances vary, ranging from fleeting moments of slight strangeness to the more panic-inducing occurrences of missing people and wall staring.
There’s a lot of phony posturing going on in The Loft, a wannabe steamy thriller that’s too devoted to its poorly constructed, twisty whodunit narrative to develop the unpleasant characters behind the scowls and stares. The pomposity starts with a Hitchcock knockoff opening. The camera moves through a cityscape as it slowly zooms toward the titular loft, similar to the opening shot of Psycho. There’s even a Bernard Herrmann-esque score playing as credits appear and then quickly dissolve.
Last year we saw Richard Linklater’s magnum opus Boyhood, a wonderful coming-of-age story that chronicles 12 years in the life of an angst-ridden, white, suburban Texan. Céline Sciamma’s Girlhood is also a coming-of-age story but instead focuses on a black teen girl living in the urban projects of France. Although these films are two very different slices of life, they both share a unique and impeccably crafted filmic vision of what it’s like growing up today and the tribulations that go along with it.
Writer/director Sean Mullin’s feature debut, Amira & Sam, is an interesting take on not only the romantic comedy genre, but also the returning vet genre. Centering around an Army veteran returning from his most recent tour overseas, Mullin’s film extends itself into a number of wide-ranging topics, proving helpful in some areas and detrimental in others.
Whether you enjoy the paintings of Margaret Keane or not, there's no denying her impact on the art world. Her bizarre portraits of creepy girls with freakishly large eyes became a phenomenon in sixties and gave birth to the concept of mass-produced, commercial art.
Although Margaret was the sole creator of these works, her husband, Walter, took all the credit until she finally took him to court and proved he was a fraud. Tim Burton's film Big Eyes delves into this story, and provides an entertaining and poetic look at the life and career of Ms. Keane.
Suburban Gothic is the sophomore feature for writer-director Richard Bates Jr., and although the tone is decidedly different than his first film, Excision, the unique visual style is much the same. Favoring comedic antics and funny dialogue over gore, this is a lighter horror film, but still manages to be a fun and entertaining ride and yet another solid entry into Bates’ filmography.
In 2021, Earth is invaded by an alien force. The combat goes on globally for several years until 2023 when the “Heavies,” as they became known, are driven off the planet. The enemy force, in such a hurry to depart, leave some of their own soldiers behind. Over the next 10 years, the USDF (United Space Defense Force), an international army established to fight the threat, eliminate the remaining Heavies.
The mockumentary genre has been around for quite some time. Mockumentaries can be comedies or dramas that present fictional events in a documentary format, thus giving the material a sense of cinéma vérité.
In the opening scene of Birds of Neptune, high-school senior Rachel (Britt Harris) anxiously waits for her number to be called at a health clinic. We’re pretty sure we know why she’s there, and her reaction driving home makes us certain. There are thoughtfully constructed moments like this sprinkled throughout director Steven Richter’s film, unfortunately they’re few and far between. The pensive tone of the movie is a benefit on the rare occasions the artistry connects, though ultimately this is a quiet movie that doesn’t have a lot to say. When the characters attempt thoughtful conversation, the screenplay reveals its strain for meaning.
The advancement of technology has made the world a smaller place than ever, bringing people from all over the globe together in a thriving community where information can be retrieved with the swipe of a finger. The ability to see and interact with friends and loved ones can be achieved almost instantaneously through our cell phones and web cams. With this rapid integration of technology into our personal lives comes the fear that some of this private information is also seen by others.
Chorus is a unique film in its composition and story. It is a quiet and unassuming film that surveys a couple’s reaction to the finding of their son – Hugo – whose body is discovered 10 years after he went missing.
The film opens with a man confessing to Hugo’s disappearance. He is calm as he recounts the events surrounding Hugo’s final hours; it is a chilling display.
It’s a common occurrence for a film to explore the objectification of women, usually by featuring stereotypical male protagonists whose only goal in life is to repeatedly get laid by as many nameless women as possible. In Female Pervert, writer-director Jiyoung Lee takes this trope and flips it around, focusing on a woman who objectifies the men in her life. This results in a delightfully awkward romp that, while fun, plays it a little too safe.
Falling in love for the first time can be a beautiful, exciting, and scary thing. To suddenly care so much for another person that you can’t bear the thought of being apart is an overwhelming emotion. While expressing your love and devotion to your significant other is a good thing, sometimes partners can feel smothered, especially when in a new relationship. Michael Steves’ horror-comedy Clinger explores the most extreme version of this concept and achieves varying degrees of success.
7.5
