THIS WEEK IN MOVIES: Robot Dreams, Longing

By Jorge Ignacio Castillo

Robot Dreams (Spain, 2023. Dir: Pablo Berger): Don’t be fooled by the clean, simple lines of the Academy Award nominee for Best Animated Feature. Robot Dreams is a poignant dramedy about companionship and how relationships can both tear you to pieces and build you up. It’s also an indictment of the culture of disposability, a main force behind the climate crisis that currently enfolds us.

At the center of this dialogue-free feature is Dog, a lonely Manhattan dweller longing for someone to share his life. As hot-blooded creatures continue to disappoint him, he opts for purchasing an artificial one. Robot is the perfect fit: pleasant, accommodating, and game for anything. The twosome has a grand time until a day at the beach separates them to no fault of their own. Will they find their way to each other?

Robot’s journey is often heartbreaking. Easy prey for users and the self-serving, Robot has little control over his situation, but faces every challenge with an open mind while fantasizing about a reunion with his friend. In turn, Dog tries to get Robot back, but one can’t help but think he could put a little more mustard on his efforts.

Despite the weighty issues the film deals with, Robot Dreams is a delight. So much so, it makes Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September” feel fresh again. It’s a more emotional experience than most live action films out there. Four stars (out of five).

Robot Dreams is now playing in Toronto and Montreal.

Longing (Canada, 2024. Dir: Savi Gabizon): Richard Gere deserves a far better career than the one he currently has. Declared persona non grata in China (the actor has been consistently critical of the communist regime), no movie starring Gere has opened across the Pacific since his heyday as Julia Roberts’ romantic foil. Now Gere can only be found in indies (Norman), films unlikely to make any money in China (Nights in Rodanthe), and now Canadian-made dramas.

The former leading man does his darndest to save Longing, but there’s no way to rescue this unreservedly silly drama in which none of the leads have any common sense and the characters that do are treated as villains. Gere dusts his successful-businessman™ persona to play Daniel, a confirmed bachelor who agrees to have lunch with an old flame (Xavier Dolan regular Suzanne Clement). Lo and behold, turns out he had a child (yay!) and now he’s dead (boo).

Without asking for as much as a blood test (the kid looks nothing like him), Daniel goes to his hometown, visit his biological son’s school, meets his classmates, chats up the stunning teacher the kid was stalking (Diane Kruger as your average Hamilton, ON educator), and takes everyone at face value. As days go by and he’s unable to leave town for one reason or other, Daniel comes to the realization there’s no value in being rich, handsome, and single. He should have had a kid.

A remake of an Israeli film with the same scriptwriter and director (Savi Gabizon), Longing is mannered and progressively ridiculous. At the same time is profoundly backwards thinking in subjects like disability and abortion. You can’t help but feel bad and a little embarrassed for Richard Gere, delivering overcooked dialogue as if it was the highest form of poetry. Here’s hoping Gere’s next Great North adventure (Paul Schrader’s Oh, Canada!) is worth his (and our) time. Two stars (out of five).

 Longing is now playing in Vancouver and Toronto.

DON’T SLEEP ON… You Can Call Me Bill, One Life

By Jorge Ignacio Castillo

You Can Call Me Bill (USA, 2023): William Shatner is a complex character. He is both a hammy actor and sci-fi icon; avuncular know-it-all and problematic figure (he’s a supporter of Autism Speak, on organization detested by many in the autistic community); environmental activist and corporate shill. Given the many angles available, I doubted documentarian Alexandre O. Philippe (78/52) would be able to fully capture the Shat in 96 minutes of footage, more so since he would be the only interviewee. Nobody to challenge his perception of himself or his surroundings.

You Can Call Me Bill covers a lot more ground than expected. Philippe allows Shatner to talk at length about his passions (space, the environment) and concerns (loneliness, insignificance) and in doing so, reveal plenty about himself. Extraordinarily sharp at 93, William Shatner is more self-aware than he lets on and his vision of a world in peril is unimpeachable. Sure, a bit more pushback would have been welcome, but the film is interesting in its own right. 3/5 stars.

 You Can Call Me Bill is now playing in theatres.

One Life (UK, 2023): When was the last time you ugly cried at the movies? I had a clean record for many years… until I watched this movie.

You’re probably familiar with the story: Nicholas Winton, a British stockbroker, successfully got 669 Jewish children out of Czechoslovakia in the early days of the Nazi occupation. Not one to brag about his actions, his story only came out to light over fifty years later. Consumed by the memory of the ones he couldn’t save, he failed to realize the impact of his efforts… until a TV show came calling.

While the direction by James Hawes (Black Mirror: Hated in the Nation) is rather unremarkable, One Lifebenefits of strong turns by Johnny Flynn (Beast) as the younger Nicholas Winton and Anthony Hopkins as the older. Hopkins is superb and the emotional center of the film. When he finally breaks down, you break down with him. 3/5 stars.

One Life is now playing in theatres.

THIS WEEK IN MOVIES: High and Low - John Galliano

By Jorge Ignacio Castillo

High and Low - John Galliano (UK, 2023): Few careers have come to a more abrupt ending than House Dior’s artistic director John Galliano. After dominating the fashion industry for nearly two decades, two antisemitic tirades in 2011 (one captured on camera) got him kicked out of the industry he helped transform and in hot water with the French justice system.

The documentary High and Low covers the incidents, but also the before and after to one of the greatest designers to notable effect. Director Kevin Macdonald (Whitney, Marley) isn’t here to condemn or rehabilitate Galliano. Instead, he tries to understand what caused the meltdown and whether he should be considered rehabilitated.

The top half of the film is dedicated to Galliano’s rise. A terribly compelling figure, it’s hard not to like the scrappy kid who oozes talent, but has no nose for the business aspect of fashion. His creations are impractical, operatic, hypnotic. Models like Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell and Amber Valleta are happy to work for free for the couturier, and finds champions in Vogue’s denizens André León Talley and Anna Wintour.

With success come responsibilities and, by the time of his fall from grace, Galliano was in charge of 32 collections per year. The level of stress and the need to tap into his creative side constantly led him to abuse alcohol and other substances. It’s not out of the question Galliano chose to commit social suicide, overwhelmed by it all.

John Galliano is at hand to discuss his life, triumphs and tragedies. He’s forthcoming about everything except the root of his antisemitic tirade. When asked, he’s cagey and seems confused by all the fuss. Director Macdonald lets us make our own mind and to me at least, he seems more sorry about getting caught than about what he said.

Worth mentioning, Galliano “did the work”, got sober and put himself under the tutelage of rabbis who taught him about the Holocaust. Yet he didn’t apologize to the victim of his rant, still pained by the experience, and kind of dressed like a Hassidic Jew for kicks.

High and Low is fascinating for multiple reasons. You can come for the clothes, the scandal or the so-called redemption arc and feel satisfied by the end. A slam dunk. 4/5 stars.

High and Low - John Galliano opens Friday 15 at Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema in Toronto and VIFF Theatre in Vancouver.

THIS WEEK IN MOVIES: The End of Sex

By Jorge Ignacio Castillo

The End of Sex (Dir: Sean Garrity. Canada, 2022): Sex farces are a complicated affair. Unless the movie is extremely funny (The 40-Year-Old Virgin), daring (Y tú Mamá También), or has something interesting to say (The Graduate), odds are stacked against it.

The End of Sex has nothing going for it. It’s juvenile (it acts as if threesomes and sex clubs are inherently funny), but not particularly amusing. There’s pathos, but the movie doesn’t dare to explore it. It pretends to know about marriage, but it doesn’t come close to depict recognizable adult dynamics. It’s the kind of film a teenage boy would come up with.

Emma (Emily Hampshire) and Josh (Jonas Chernick), the couple at the center of The End of Sex, are content with their lot in life, although they’re aware something is lacking in the bedroom. Their daughters’ trip to camp gives them the chance to confirm it: the spark is gone.

Instead of talking about it, manage expectations, or consider counselling, they take the “spice up your marriage” route. Instead of reviving their sex lives, their hare-brained schemes cause further damage.

Directed by Sean Garrity (After the Ball) and written by Chernick, The End of Sex goes for the lowest hanging fruit every time. The movie doesn’t have characters but stereotypes and the moment it touches on something real, it sacrifices it for a comedy bit. The film is cohesive enough to be watchable, but if you’re looking for insight, try somewhere else. 1 ½ stars (out of five).

The End of Sex is now playing across Canada.

THIS WEEK IN MOVIES: Evil Dead Rise, Beau Is Afraid, Chevalier

By Jorge Ignacio Castillo

Evil Dead Rise (USA, 2023. Dir: Lee Cronin): Unlike in most horror movies, the malignant forces depicted in the Evil Dead franchise (the Deadites) are essentially undefeatable. Sure, Ash (Bruce Campbell) may be able to keep them at bay at extreme personal cost, but there’s no sure-fire way to destroy them.

This chapter in the saga knows this very well and successfully toys with the audience’s emotions. I’m guilty of thinking “there’s no way this movie will cause irreparable damage to a family” (a self-imposed rule most American horror films obey) and mere minutes later witnessed director Lee Cronin (The Hole in the Ground) breach every unspoken convention in the book.

Evil Dead Rise opens in a traditional setting, the perfunctory cabin in the woods, but quickly moves to a condemned building in Los Angeles. The few remaining dwellers are getting ready to move, including Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland, Vikings), a beleaguered mother of three. Unaware of her sister’s dire straits, Beth (Lily Sullivan), comes for a visit, burdened by an unexpected pregnancy and lack of prospects.

As luck would have it, an earthquake and teen curiosity conspire to unearth the third volume of the Necronomicon (the “Book of the Dead”). The text and accompanying spirits cause havoc among the family in a demonstration of evil far more transgressive than expected.

To its credit, Evil Dead Rise doesn’t use the jump-scare technique all that much. It’s thoroughly tense with genuine hair-raising moments (imagine The Shining elevator… from inside). The movie only falters when it doubles down on the gore at expense of character development: it wastes an opportunity to pursue more lasting unease as opposed to just temporary thrills. Still, as genre movies go, this is a solid performer. Three stars (out of five).

Evil Dead Rise is now playing in theatres.

Beau Is Afraid (USA, 2023. Dir: Ari Aster): While under no circumstances can be considered a dismissible artistic endeavor, Beau Is Afraid is the weakest of Ari Aster’s films to date. Granted, his two previous movies (Midsommar, Hereditary) are modern classics, but still, one has come to expect greatness from Aster.

Where Midsommar and Hereditary are tight and have clarity of purpose, Beau is meandering and obtuse. Did Astor need three hours to tell us in the most baroque way possible that maternal love can be castrating? No. Hitchcock did it in an hour fifty and using the pulpiest material available.

Alas, at least the first hour of Beau is Afraid is a complete riot, a smorgasbord of black comedy and modern neuroses with a dash of slapstick. The real feat would have been to sustain that pace for the entire movie. Three and a half stars (out of five).

Beau is Afraid is now playing in theatres.

Chevalier (USA, 2022. Dir: Stephen Williams): Imagine coming across the fascinating story of Joseph Bologne, the earliest European composer of African descent to receive widespread acclaim, and bungle it beyond recognition. It’s what happens with Chevalier, a drama that not only oversimplifies Bologne’s figure, but the entire French Revolution.

As portrayed here, Bologne (Kelvin Harrison Jr., Waves) was friends with Marie Antoinette (Lucy Boynton, Bohemian Rhapsody) and thought that because of his connections, he could run the Paris Opera. Instead, he becomes a target for racist oligarchs and cuckolded husbands. As he loses his privileges, he comes to the realization he should use his gift for more noble purposes.

A glorified soap opera atrociously written, Chevalier is at its best when generating unintended laughs: imagine the streets of Paris weeks before the Revolution, and Marie Antoinette decides this would be a good time to venture into the city to mend fences with her old friend, accompanied only by two guards walking a good ten feet behind. Two stars (out of five).

Chevalier is now playing in theatres.

THIS WEEK IN MOVIES: A Good Person

By Jorge Ignacio Castillo

A Good Person (USA, 2023. Dir: Zach Braff): It’s hard to explain why a portion of the public can’t stand Zach Braff. He hasn’t been cancelled or done anything embarrassing that we know of (Wish I Was Here wasn’t that bad). If nothing else, he tends to fall upwards, but for the most part the actor/director has worked his butt off to get his movies made.

Granted, Braff’s greatest hits are from over a decade ago (Garden State, 2005; Scrubs, 2001-2010), but he has worked consistently since, in front and behind the camera. He has earned the benefit of the doubt.

His latest film as writer/director, A Good Person, isn’t great, but is competent enough to be watchable (except for that hideous poster, a photoshop crime). It greatly benefits of two pros making an effort: the indefatigable Florence Pugh and Morgan Freeman in a role with a bit more edge than the rest of his recent grandfatherly output.

(Mild spoilers ahead) Pugh is Allison, once an up-and-comer sales rep about to get married, now an oxy popping screw-up with nothing to look forward to. What happened in between? A horrific car accident that strained her relationship with her fiancé and destroyed her self-esteem.

Borderline suicidal and in denial about her addiction, in a half-hearted effort to go straight, Allison attends an AA meeting. She runs into Daniel (Freeman), her ex-fiancé’s dad, who has very good reasons to shun her altogether. Against all odds, Daniel provides Allison with a lifeline and a very faint possibility of redemption. (End spoilers)

A drama like A Good Person lives and dies by the dialogue and Braff alternates corny, basic, and sporadically insightful lines. Some of the comedy work thanks to Florence Pugh’s ability to make fun of herself, but that’s obviously not the film’s tone and we’re quickly reminded this movie is about DEATH.

This being a Zach Braff movie, action takes the backseat to character development, which is refreshing for an American film. If only the filmmaker had relinquished the rehab template and dared to explore the more obscure corners of a story a hundred times told, A Good Person could have transcended the clichés it’s mired on. 2/5 stars.

A Good Person is now playing in theatres.

THIS WEEK IN MOVIES: Boston Strangler

By Jorge Ignacio Castillo

Boston Strangler (Dir: Matt Ruskin. USA, 2023): First thing you should know is this is not a remake of the Tony Curtis film. In fact, the main characters of Boston Strangler—two female journalists—are not even mentioned in the 1968 film (the cops are the heroes), an example of patriarchal mindset that alone justifies revisiting the grisly case on film.

While the movie succeeds at shedding light on the two reporters—Loretta McLaughlin and Jean Cole— who cracked the case, it fails as a thriller: there isn’t a shred of suspense to be found, in spite of the grim color palette, bleak score, and rather basic set pieces. In fact, these traits remind us of David Fincher’s work (Se7en, Zodiac, Mindhunter) and the comparison isn’t flattering.

The plot isn’t a mile away from She Said (the film around the NYT journos who exposed Harvey Weinstein), just set five decades earlier: Loretta McLaughlin (Keira Knightley, miscast but game) is a reporter stuck covering domesticity matters, such as how good is the new toaster model. She aspires to break hard news and gets a shot when she speculates three murders of lonely women in the greater Boston area are connected.

Despite official denials and obstructions, McLaughlin is right on the money and is paired with investigative reporter Jean Cole (Carrie Coon, never bad) to continue on the Boston Strangler beat. Their work is impeccable, but at every step they’re forced to deal with discrimination and a hearty dose of misogyny.

Because real life events don’t unfold in three acts, the film feels repetitive and at times aimless. The often-bright Knightley is deprived of all light. Coon is given very little to work with but manages to conjure a lived-in character out of thin air (probably her own research).

The film’s greatest value is as a reminder not to let strangers into your house. Then again, The Cat in the Hat does the same and in verse. 2/5 stars.

Boston Strangler is now playing on Disney+

THIS WEEK IN MOVIES: Fall

By Jorge Ignacio Castillo

Fall (USA, 2022): The thing about bottle movies (films that revolve entirely about a singular event in a single location) is that they live and die on the strength of their premise. Fall has a very good one —two climbers trapped at the top of an antenna— but in an effort to stretch it to feature length, it introduces low-level drama, fake outs, and stilted dialogue, all of which subtracts more than add to the total. (Sample line: “Live is short, so do whatever makes you feel alive. Oscar Wilde, it’s not.)

Following a mountain climbing tragedy, Becky (Grace Caroline Currey, Shazam!) finds herself in a deep, lengthy funk. To infuse some joie de vivre in her, her best friend Hunter (Virginia Gardner, Runaways) invites her to climb a 2,000 ft. abandoned communication tower (suspect judgement there.) The structure in question—decommissioned, rusty, unkempt—is certain to give the leads a run for their money. They make it to the top, but getting back down is a whole new deal.

Fall is at its best when dealing with the challenges of being stuck In the middle of nowhere and no help in sight. Everything that could possibly go wrong does, and the fact the protagonists are mildly competent makes every complication more plausible. The film also succeeds at recreating vertigo (susceptible audiences beware).

It’s the wrapping that doesn’t do Fall any favors. There’s romantic triangle drama that undermines the empowerment message. The characters are paper thin and have a single defining trait: Becky is depressed and Hunter is an influencer (automatically hard to root for). Pro tip: Fleshing up your protagonists is bound to elevate a movie’s stakes. 2.5/5 stars.

Fall is now playing in theatres.

THIS WEEK IN MOVIES: Prey

By Jorge Ignacio Castillo

Prey (USA, 2022): By comparison, one can certainly argue that Prey is one of the better Predator movies. The Alien vs. Predator saga is indescribably bad and Shawn Black’s take on the character (The Predator) was overcomplicated yet flat: a main character is killed so unexpectedly fast, for many in the audience it didn’t even register.

This is not to say Prey is a great movie, as the bar is low. It does many smart things —simplification of the character’s ethos, First Nations setting, the casting of Amber Midthunder as the lead— but overall it’s a run-of-the-mill actioner good enough to make us wonder why it didn’t get a theatrical release.

As with every Predator movie, it opens in a conflict zone: a Comanche tribe fending off colonizers and trappers. Naru (Midthunder), a capable, whip-smart healer wants a shot at becoming a hunter, but the ruling patriarchy keeps her on the sidelines. She’s the one who witnesses first a spaceship landing in the forest and later an otherworldly creature making mincemeat of earthly creatures, her tribe’s best hunters, and a bunch of red-shirts… I mean, French trappers.

Armed only with her ingenuity and a small ax, Naru becomes a formidable opponent while the predator comes to regret underestimating her.

There’s nothing controversial or challenging about Prey. It stands for the right things and it’s as straightforward and predictable as it gets. To cater to the fanbase, the kills are numerous and the gore is plentiful. But I can’t say it’s memorable. 2.5/5 stars.

Prey is now available in Disney+.

THIS WEEK IN MOVIES: Downton Abbey: A New Era

By Suzy Castillo

Downton Abbey: A New Era (UK, 2022): Full disclosure, I’m a Downton Abbey and Hugh Dancy fan so this will not be an unbiased review. When Downton Abbey: The Motion Picture was about to be released in 2019, I posted on Facebook that I was probably the only Indigenous person who was excited to see it. My post was quickly flooded by comments from friends who were also Indigenous and fans of the TV show.

The thing is, Downton Abbey as a franchise is about as pro-colonialism as you can get, yet it’s hard not to be delighted by this idealized world. Even the Indigenous satirical news site “The Walking Eagle” couldn’t help but be amazed by Downton’s production values, yet wary of accidental colonialism.   

I’d describe Downton Abbey as a soap opera that will appeal to those who do not like soap operas. It follows the aristocratic Crowley family and their servants at their stately home, where afternoon tea and drama flow freely.

The good news is that even if you are unfamiliar with the television show, you may still be able to enjoy this film. If you are a fan of British productions or period dramas, this will be right up your alley. If none of those things appeal to you, then you better stock-up on popcorn before the film starts because this will be a long ride. 

Downton Abbey: A New Era picks up from where The Motion Picture left off. For fans of the show, this film—like the first—is like watching a whole season in one go. The basic plot of A New Era has half the Crowleys staying at Downton while a silent film crew takes over the estate. The other half of the family heads off on an adventure in the south of France. This section is a spoiler minefield. All you need to know is that the Dowager Countess (Maggie Smith) inherited a villa in the French Riviera.

The two divergent plots work and is probably as close to a novel approach as the franchise will get. We even get to see one or two actors who are not British and not white!

I was at first wary of the Sex and the City 2 vibes of having Downton hit the road. After all, the whole point of the franchise is about the family’s life in the English countryside. However, the Downton Abbey abroad plot works and adds new opportunities for drama and period costumes. In terms of the silent film plot, The director of the silent film is the charming Hugh Dancy and probably one of the few British actors who has yet to be featured by the franchise. The silent film plot takes a lot of cues from the plot of Singing in the Rain but is entertaining, nonetheless.

4/5 cups of tea. Downton Abbey: A New Era is now playing.

THIS WEEK IN MOVIES: Memory

By Jorge Ignacio Castillo

Memory (USA, 2022): I’ll be honest: the idea of reviewing another Liam Neeson shoot-em-up gave me pause. In the beginning of his reinvention as an action star, Neeson’s movies showed a level of craftsmanship worth some attention. The ones of late (Blacklight, The Marksman, Honest Thief) have felt like VOD fodder. Only the involvement of director Martin Campbell and supporting players Guy Pearce and Monica Bellucci convinced me of giving Memory a shot.

While Memory is above average (better dialogue, properly staged action sequences), it’s still not great. Campbell is capable of telling a story in a mildly compelling way, but it’s no match to the source material (the two-decades old Belgian flick The Memory of a Killer). Guy Pearce—basically a co-lead—picks up the slack, but the outcome is flat if a little bloodier than your standard Taken knockoff.

Neeson gets a slightly meatier character for a change. Big Liam plays Alex Lewis, a force of nature turned killer-for-hire who’s considering retirement. The motivation? Early-onset Alzheimer. He wants to enjoy his last few months without tracking and murdering people. Fair enough.

His employer has other plans. Alex’ proverbial final contract is a minor whose testimony may bring down a child prostitution ring and very high profile clients. He refuses to go through with it, a decision that puts him in the crosshairs of the cartels, the police and the FBI. The only one who thinks there could be more to the story is FBI detective Vincent Serra (Guy Pierce), but few listen to him.

Never mind it’s inherently funny that a movie about memory loss features the protagonist of Memento. Memory seriously lacks ideas of its own: think Taken (of course) with a dash of Sicario, a sprinkle of The Raid, and a splash of John Woo, only with pigeons instead of doves (they work for less). If “Mexico” or “Texas” feel a little off, it’s because the film was shot in Bulgaria. Why shoot on location when you can get a tax break?

While the ending is gimmicky, it requires from Neeson more of an effort compared to his output of late. Yet his reluctancy to stretch his acting skills beyond these formulaic action romps remains baffling. Maybe it’s time to stop humoring him. 2/5 stars. Memory is now playing in theatres.

THIS WEEK IN MOVIES: C’mon C’mon

By Jorge Ignacio Castillo

C’mon C’mon (USA, 2021): Director Mike Mills (20th Century Women, Beginners) is an specialist on family dramas with a twist. Instead of retread the same old roads, Mills explores the corners and crevices of modern families. More often than not, he finds gold.

C’mon C’mon is no exception. More than a getting-to-know-you story, the film is more interested in chronicling the experiences of a detached adult experiencing parenthood (or a light version of it) for the first time. 

Johnny (Joaquín Phoenix) is a radio journalist who, in an attempt to mend his relationship with his sister (Gaby Hoffman, Girls), agrees to babysit her nine-year-old son while she helps her ex-husband struggling with schizophrenia. Johnny and Jesse (Woody Norman) become fast friends in spite of the former’s reserved nature and the boy’s many quirks.

From outside, we know Jesse’s path will be a challenging one, so we can’t but hope for his connection with Johnny to flourish. In a way, the kid’s future hangs in the balance.

The film doesn’t have a plot per se, but follows the leads as they travel across the US and get in each other’s nerves. At no point the relationship is played for laughs, unless they materialize organically. This approach works as we see them bond and adapt to each other and a sturdier narrative would only get in the way.

C’mon C’mon is periodically interrupted by essays, poems and short stories about the childhood experience. While a noble idea, it’s not cinematic whatsoever and stops the movie dead on its tracks. If at first sight the black-and-white cinematography feels like an affectation, soon becomes clear the approach forces the audience to focus.

Joaquín Phoenix tones his trademark intensity way down to great effect (after The Master and Joker is hard to fathom Phoenix as a happy-go-lucky dude). As Jesse, Woody Norman is refreshingly free of the mannerisms that characterize child actors, in spite of his rather extensive filmography (for a kid).

While indirectly, C’mon C’mon tackles stress among children. Through interviews with regular kids (Johnny is putting together a show about the young’uns perception of the future), it’s clear they perceive the planet as in peril and is causing them anxiety. They also feel consistently misunderstood.

In short, C’mon C’mon succeeds at pointing out that as challenging as kids can be, getting to know them is well worth the effort. 3.5/5 stars.

C’mon C’mon is now playing, everywhere.

THIS WEEK IN MOVIES: The Last Duel

By Jorge Ignacio Castillo

Even though his name commands respect in most circles, Ridley Scott is not an easy guy to trust. For every The Martian (a perfect popcorn movie) there is a pretentious award-chasing flick, most recently All the Money in the World; for every masterpiece (Alien, Blade Runner), a bloated mess (Kingdom of Heaven, Exodus: Gods and Kings). One thing is undeniable: His craftsmanship is always aces.

The 84-year-old Brit is as active as ever: this year alone he has two movies on deck, both studio films with decent budgets and Academy Awards ambitions. The first one, The Last Duel, was written by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck (alongside Nicole Holofcener) in their first script since winning an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay 23 years ago for Good Will Hunting. Ridley’s other film, House of Gucci (a sudsy drama starring Lady Gaga) is expected for the end of the year. 

Based on actual events—the last officially recognized judicial duel fought in France—the incident doubles as proto #metoo: At the very end of the 14th century, knight Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon) accused squire Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver) of raping his wife (Jodie Comer, Killing Eve). There were no witnesses—it was her word against his—and at the time, a woman’s testimony only meant something if there was a husband with property to back her up. 

Scott tells the story Rashomon-style. First we are introduced to Jean de Carrouges, a chip-on-the-shoulder kind of guy. He and Jacques Le Gris start as brothers-in-arms, but the relationship deteriorates because of perceived slights. Later we witness the same events from Le Gris’ perspective: Carrouges comes across as callous and moody, while Le Gris sees himself as a fair man who happens to be irresistible to women. The third POV, Carrouges’ wife’s, is the closest to the truth. Without going into spoilers, I’ll just say the two men have inflated opinions of themselves.

Ridley Scott avoids being repetitive by unveiling information strategically. He’s so good at it, the film is at its best when setting up the action. However, when focusing on the subjects that make The Last Duel current, the film becomes clumsy and broad. The script shoves in lines destined to make you think “things haven’t change all that much, have they?”

The movie picks up again towards the end for the actual duel. Scott, who knows a thing or two about gritty and gnarly violence (see Brad Pitt’s gory death in The Counselor). Impeccably planned, the fight to the death is brutal, with both parties on top at different stages (avoid Wikipedia if you don’t want to know the result).

The unexpected MVP of The Last Duel is Ben Affleck, the actor, not the scriptwriter. As nobleman Pierre d’Alencon (he was originally slated to play Le Gris), Affleck approaches the role as a man who doesn’t believe in divine right, but is happy to exploit it, as well as every advantage that comes from being born a lord in the Middle Ages. 

While well intentioned and entertaining throughout, The Last Duel would have benefited from less moralizing. The point would have come across and more effectively without having to spell it out for the general public. Sometimes they need it, but not here. 3.5/5 stars

The Last Duel is now playing.

THIS WEEK IN MOVIES: Mogul Mowgli

By Jorge Ignacio Castillo

While Hollywood is still trying to figure out Riz Ahmed (often wasted in tentpole films like Jason Bourne and Venom), the British actor/rapper has indie cred to spare. His turns in Nightcrawler and Four Lions were eye-opening, not to mention his Oscar nominated performance in Sound of Metal.

His involvement in Mogul Mowgli goes beyond acting. Ahmed wrote and produced the feature, which showcases his not small musical abilities. The film is limited in scope, but ambitious all the same. 

Mogul Mowgli isn’t entirely dissimilar to Sound of Metal. Zed is an up-and-comer hip-hop artist who, ahead of a career-making tour, decides to make a pitstop at the family home in London. His relationship with his parents is cordial, but distant, undercut with Zed’s complicated relationship with his religion.

While a bit of tension hangs in the air, it has nothing on a degenerative condition that manifests at the worst possible moment and threatens to wreck Zed’s big break. Stuck between dream space and reality, Zed is confronted with the limits of his will power, the lasting impact of his religious upbringing and his own misapprehensions regarding his situation.

Ahmed threads the needle between likeable and full of himself brilliantly. Unfortunately, the film leans too much on him and not enough on the plot, even as barebones as this one is. Mogul Mowgli is at its best whenever not taking itself all too seriously (the terrible rapper replacing Zed on the tour is a highlight). Three (out of five) stars.

Mogul Mowgli is now playing.

THIS WEEK IN MOVIES: Candyman

By Jorge Ignacio Castillo

Perhaps the biggest surprise about Nia DaCosta’s Candyman is how respectful is of the 1992 original. While hardly a box office smash, the Tony Todd-Virginia Madsen starrer got decent reviews and reverberated through the years by having more of a social edge than your average slasher. Unlike the likes of Freddy Krueger or Jason Vorhees, Candyman didn’t start a monster, but was turned into one by others.

DaCosta and writer/producer Jordan Peele (Get Out) build on the first Candyman, by focusing on how the violence against the African-American community echoes through time. Injustice creates boogiemen.

The new Candyman opens with a sadly recognizable tableau: a group of policemen try to apprehend a black suspect and end up killing him. The setting is the Cabrini-Green project, the same area that three decades ago witnessed the events of the first film.

Cut to several years later. The social housing area has been gentrified. Anthony (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Aquaman), a visual artist struggling for inspiration, is told about the Candyman legend and decides to makes the ghostly killer his next project. Let’s just say he gets more than he bargained for and there’s no shortage of people willing to repeat the vicious spirit’s name five times in front of a mirror.

The movie is heavy on allegories, chief among them how black pain echoes through generations to become anger. The fact the movie suggests the possibility of multiple versions of the same legend fits the narrative. To a lesser degree, the film is critical of gentrification and harsh on the art scene for commodifying black suffering. There’s enough material here for a couple of movies, alas Candyman clocks 90 minutes sharp, a welcome rarity after so many bloated tentpole films.

Candyman doesn’t forget this is a genre picture (it makes effective use of body horror, pushing the envelope enough to make you squeamish), but there’s something perfunctory about the horror sequences. Ironically, the most disturbing scenes come in the form of shadow puppets, used to contextualize the plight of the Cabrini-Green dwellers. Not something you would like to see as live action. 3/5 stars.

Candyman is now playing in theatres.

THIS WEEK IN MOVIES: Free Guy

Free Guy (USA, 2021): There is a good movie inside Free Guy, one that takes place entirely inside an open-world video game and digs deeper on the ontological conundrum of discovering you’re a supporting player in someone else’s existence.

Unfortunately, Free Guy wraps that idea on a pedestrian intrigue and an uninspired love story. The outcome is predictably uneven, a mix of Ted Lasso-like earnestness and ostentatious demonstrations of corporate synergy.

Free Guy is a rarity by a number of standards: An original creation not opening simultaneously in streaming services that was developed by Fox before it was acquired by Disney. The high-concept comedy not only survived that, but also three postponements due to the COVID pandemic.

Ryan Reynolds lends his off-kilter charm to Guy, a non-playable character in a Grand Theft Auto-like videogame called Free City. Guy is content with his never-ending, cyclic existence until his path crosses Molotov Girl (Jodie Comer, Killing Eve), a striking player visiting his corner of the game. Inspired by her, Guy starts acting independently and gains fans from across the globe while at it.

Meanwhile, in the real world, Molotov Girl a.k.a. Millie is engaged in a covert campaign to demonstrate Free City not only is based on a game she developed, but her code was stolen by the nefarious Antoine (Taika Waititi), an entrepreneur bro that embodies the worst traits of the gaming subculture.

The setting allows for Looney Tunes violence and cameos galore, absurdist and undeniably entertaining. The problems begin whenever the movie steps out of the video game. Millie’s investigation is dull and wastes Taika Waititi considerable comedic chops in a character both over the top and archetypical.

Granted, nobody is going to watch the movie because of the plot, but Free Guy’s resist no analysis. Never mind the winks to gamers, I’m not sure the writers have ever written a line of code in their lives or know how computer servers work. I’m not asking for social realism but a little verisimilitude. As a piece of entertainment is fine, but the potential it hints at goes unrealized. 2.5/5 stars.

Free Guy is now playing in theatres.

THIS WEEK IN MOVIES: Jungle Cruise

By Jorge Ignacio Castillo

Jungle Cruise (USA, 2012): Four-quadrant movies these days are reaching peak levels of constrains. You can forget of any resemblance of edge over the fear of cancel culture or bad publicity (The Goonies would’ve never been greenlit today). International markets, particularly China, must be ok with the content or it’s goodbye to hundreds of millions of dollars.

Even though there’s a particularly glaring example of trying to appease everybody (you’ll know it when you see it), Jungle Cruise does a fairly good job keeping things entertaining, mostly by relying on the utterly charming Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson.

A combination of The Mummy with pieces of the Indiana Jones saga set in the early 20th century, the film follows the pursuits of Lily Houghton (Blunt), a British socialite with a philanthropic streak and the soul of an adventurer. In pursuit of a mythical tree with healing properties said to be in the middle of a family-friendly Amazon jungle, Lily hires a riverboat captained by Frank (Johnson), who can barely keep his business afloat. Cue callbacks to the Disney parks ride.

The mismatched couple (she’s intrepid but clumsy, he’s wary of the jungle but good with his fists) turns out to be the ideal combination to fend off a greedy German prince (an amusing Jesse Plemons) and undead conquistadors, because why not.

There’s a dash of Aguirre, the Wrath of God in Jungle Cruise which is never a bad idea (also, Paul Giamatti looks like Klaus Kinski in Fitzcarraldo), but for the most part, every set piece is run-of-the-mill. The stakes are mild at best and it goes for way too long. There’s little chemistry between Blunt and The Rock, although both are good sports.

The most intriguing part is how Jungle Cruise, a movie with state-of-the-art CGI and a considerable budget, fails to dethrone the more modest yet more satisfying The Mummy. My money is on the script. While Jungle Cruise feels like a bunch of action sequences stitched together (much like the ride that inspired it), The Mummy has a simple, yet propulsive storyline that peaks at the climax. It’s scriptwriting 101. 2.5/5 stars.

Jungle Cruise is now playing in theatres and Disney+ Premier Access.

THIS WEEK IN MOVIES: Here Are the Young Men

By Jorge Ignacio Castillo

Here Are the Young Men (Ireland, 2020): The ability of British films to deliver coming-of-age stories far edgier than their American counterparts can’t be underestimated. Part of this can be traced back to a willingness to stick with their characters’ narrative even when it’s unpleasant. Hollywood’s idea of teens in crisis is Booksmart. 

The leads of Here Are the Young Men definitely fit the bill. Matthew (Dean-Charles Chapman, Game of Thrones), Kerney (Finn Cole, Peaky Blinders) and Rez (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Sing Street) are done with school and ready for a summer of debauchery. Their plans are derailed after witnessing a deadly car accident they had nothing to do with, for a change.

Since not a single one of the teens has the emotional tools to deal with trauma, their reactions are extreme and run the gamut. Matthew gives responsibility a go, Fez falls in a deep depression and Kerney becomes the poster boy of toxic masculinity.

Throughout the film’s 96 minutes, the trio bounces off each other and Jen (the excellent Anna Taylor-Joy), Matthew’s love interest and the only member of their circle with clear goals and accurate sense of self. But as the summer progresses, their diverging reactions to the accident drive a wedge between the titular young men and send a couple into a dangerous tailspin. 

Here Are the Young Men is very critical of their subjects, their lack of substance and warped vision of their circumstances. The barely-there parental figures are never singled out, but their responsibility is clear: Matthew’s mom gives the teen a modicum of conscience, while Kerney’s dad provides zero guidance or support. The obviously talented lead performers keep the characters watchable even at their worst. The conclusion works as a moral litmus test, but it’s not as compelling as everything that preceded it.

There’s however a narrative device that quickly becomes grating: Kerney likes to imagine himself the guest of a talk show in which his increasingly boorish and violent behavior is celebrated (think The Tonight Showhosted by Jordan Peterson). The amusing bit quickly overstays its welcome and eventually takes you out of the movie. Regardless, on account of its boldness in holding a mirror to wayward youth, Here Are the Young Men is worth watching. 3/5 stars.

Here Are the Young Men is available on VOD/digital, DVD and Blu-ray. 

REVIEW: Badsville Is Actually Okaysville

April Mullen’s entry in the biker-gang subgenre packs quite a few punches.

By Jorge Ignacio Castillo

THE PLOT: Badsville revolves around a greaser gang, the Kings, and their presumed leader, Wink (newcomer Ian McLaren). Following the death of his mother, Wink begins to consider leaving town. After all, there is no much of a future in a place called Badsville.

Wink’s decision doesn’t sit well with the rest of his posse, particularly with his lieutenant, Benny (Benjamin Barrett), who harbors an ill-advised crush on him. The arrival of Suzy (Tamara Duarte) pushes Wink’s plans into high gear, but a rival gang and the scorned Benny are likely to get in his way.

CRITIQUE: Another pulpy concoction by April Mullen (closer to 88 than to Below Her Mouth), Badsville is a fun genre entry that shows growing confidence and skill. The script (by McLaren and Barrett) follows traditional biker-gang-movie beats for the top half, but from midpoint on, it stubbornly refuses to obey expectations.

While the setup is not particularly original, Badsville is coherent and cohesive. At 97 minutes long, there is not enough time for world building. The rival gang feels underwritten, although a terrific turn by Robert Knepper as the Aces’ patriarch almost makes up for it.

WHAT WORKS:

·      Simone Cilio’s score is rich and wide-ranging, perfect for the seedy mise-en-scene.

·      For a first-time feature lead, Ian McLaren delivers a confident, strong performance. Barrett, Duarte and Knepper also strike the right notes given the hyper-reality setting.

·      The characters’ quirks (and there are plenty) bring something to the table, as opposed to oh-so-many-movies in which the weirdness feels fake and distracting.

WHAT DOESN’T:

·      The hardboiled dialogue is awfully close to parody, and every “daddy-o” pushes it closer to the edge.

·      The relationship between Suzy and Wink is extremely rushed. This would be fine if the filmmakers weren’t expecting the audience to believe this is a true romance (see what I did there?).

·      While there is a clear effort to create an emotional connection with the characters, it never quite gels. Thankfully, the film is entertaining enough it doesn’t matter.

RATING: ***

RATING (CANADIAN CURVE): ***1/2

Badsville opens this Friday, January 26th, at the Carlton (Toronto). Available on VOD February 6th.

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TIFF '17 Day 9: The Lightning Round

By Jorge Ignacio Castillo

When a movie falls through the cracks, The Canadian Crew catches it in a yearly section called The Lightning Round.

Disobedience (UK, 2017): Understated drama about two women coming to terms with their sexuality within a Jewish Orthodox community. It doesn’t obey any of the clichés this subgenre has us used to.

Downsizing (USA, 2017): By far director Alexander Payne’s worst film to date, it has plots for about five movies, all undercooked.

Oh, Lucy! (Japan/USA, 2017: Slight and tonally awkward. I wasn’t expecting Josh Harnett (of all people) to pop up in a Japanese movie.

The Crescent (Canada, 2017): Imagine The Others, but boring and badly acted. It looks otherworldly, but desperately needed a better plot to go with the visuals.

The Summit (Argentina, 2017): There are two plots in this film: Political intrigue among Latin American countries, and the daughter of a president acting crazy. The former is far better than the later, but the movie focuses on the wrong one.

Cocaine Prison (Bolivia, 2017): Underdeveloped country chooses to punish drug traffic small offenders over the infinitely more powerful kingpins. It personalizes the problem without forgetting the context. Not bad.

Princesita (Chile, 2017): Twelve year-old girl lives in a cult, gets a taste of the outer world, wants out. Noteworthy allegory of the oppression of the patriarchy, with a truly horrifying, artfully shot sexual violence sequence.

Let the Corpses Tan (France, 2017): The story of a robbery gone wrong embodies everything wrong with the Midnight Madness program this year. Weird for weird sake, barely competent filmmaking and ultimately, a pointless enterprise.

mother! (USA, 2017): Masterpiece. We’ll be talking about it for years.

Happy End (France, 2017): Michael Haneke’s weakest effort in years. Family alienation was better dealt with in Caché.

Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond (USA, 2017): A glorified behind-the-scenes doc from the time Jim Carrey interpreted Andy Kaufman in Man on the Moon, this doc has great footage but loses its way trying to pretend is deeper that it actually is.

The Shape of Water (USA, 2017): A beautiful, dark fairy tale from Guillermo del Toro featuring a man-fish and Sally Hawkins. It certainly has its virtues, but I was less blown away than most people here.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (USA, 2017): Martin McDonagh relies less on his sharp dialogue and more on his character building skills in this black comedy with a heart. Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell use their well-honed personas to great effect.

The China Hustle (USA, 2017): Apparently, investing in China is a terrible idea. Dense but important doc.

Borg/McEnroe (Sweden, 2017): In theory opposites, the cool-as-ice Swede and the hothead American came from the same place. Well-made and ntertaining, although I ended up wanting to watch a Vitas Gerulaitis biopic.

Revenge (France, 2017): We live in 2017, do we really need to take ideas from I Spit in Your Grave? This is not feminism, it’s exploitation disguised as feminism.

TIFF 2017 overall: Three stars. The movies were average, but the parties were fantastic.