Funeral Kings (2012)

Directed by: Kevin McManus / Matthew McManus
Country: USA

Review: The adventures of two 14 year-old friends, Andy and Charlie, are the subject of “Funeral Kings”. The film has a wonderful start, with the two friends being turned on by a weeping young lady, while serving in a funeral as altar boys. Soon, David, a known actor kid with the same age, will join them. The story employed an invigorating rhythm in its first half but ended showing less than it had promised. The disconcerting moments and teen irreverence became to lose strength along the way, mostly due to the repetition of the ideas. The boys occupied their time by looking at girls, smoking, drinking, making pranks, and trying to get pornography from a video club. Guns also mark presence in their activities, originating some afflictive situations. “Funeral Kings” shows some agreeable moments, which ultimately are betrayed by the unevenness of the plot. Following teen minds for too long can become tiresome, especially when the adventures weren't taking us anywhere. McManus brothers' debut on writing, direction and production, left some expectations for the future.

The We And The I (2012)

Directed by: Michael Gondry
Country: USA / UK / France

Review: Michael Gondry will have to continue searching for his creative side, which is still missing since his debut “Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind”. “The We And The I” is a sort of Spike Lee joint that tries to show how High School students behave when together. Throughout its entire duration, we can follow the discussions and provocative behaviors from a group of teen students who cross the Bronx neighborhoods inside a bus. The movie partly succeeds in showing how nasty these kids can be, but my patience has its limits. After so many verbal disputes, violence threats, games, revelations concerning sexual adventures, confessions, pranks and mockeries, we become weary of this muddled scenario, wondering where Gondry was trying to take us. Unfocused, this movie could not hide some dissimulation in its characters; even the bus driver was portrayed as immature. I expected something more creative than just showing, in a rough manner, how these wild kids behave in adolescence. The personal issues of the characters almost didn’t have expression when compared with the central problem of a youth in decadence, which in turn, was depicted without a point of view or message.

In The Shadow (2012)

Directed by: David Ondricek
Country: Czech Republic / Slovakia / Poland

Review: “In The Shadow” is a police thriller with political contours. Its story is set in 1950’s old Czechoslovakia, in a time where a monetary reform was a possibility, raising doubts among the population. Away from all that, the obsessive police-inspector Jarda continues to do his job with honesty. He was sent to investigate a gold robbery whose evidences pointed to a suspect named Kirsch, a drunken Jew who would come to confess his involvement. However, after further investigations, Jarda concludes that this man had not participated in the crime. Unexpectedly, the State Security Service aided by a newcomer German cop, were assigned to replace Jarda. Together, they arrest four other Jews accused of smuggling gold and money to finance Zionist separatists in Palestine. Jarda will continue from suspect to suspect, searching for truth, until find who are behind the conspiracy. “In The Shadows” sets an atmosphere of obscurity, relying on suspenseful moments, adequate score, and mysterious behaviors scattered everywhere. The main problem is that the plot only left us with two possible suspects, giving sufficient hints for us to guess who the bad guy was. So, no much surprises here!

The Monk (2011)

Directed by: Dominik Moll
Country: France / Spain

Review: Adapted from Mathew Lewis’ gothic novel with the same name, “The Monk” is the fourth feature film by the German-born French filmmaker Dominik Moll. Ambrosio was abandoned by his mother and was raised in a monastery. He grew up as a man of huge faith and was respected for his integrity and devotion. When Valerio, an enigmatic man behind a mask, requests to live in the monastery, Ambrosio will be tempted and eventually falls in the traps of evil. Meanwhile, Ambrosio’s recurrent dream about a woman in a red mantle comes true. This woman is Antonia, an innocent soul whose beauty attracted him. Under Valerio's control, Ambrosio will sin and fall in disgrace. “The Monk” was able to create appealing images through dim lights and sinister ambiences, but was trapped by a couple of redundant scenes (the parallel story about a pregnant nun) and inattentive situations (the murder of a monk, which was neglected by everyone). Despite of these disjunctions in the plot, and deviations from the novel, this is a perfectly watchable film and should please those who are attracted by the mysteries of faith and temptations of evil.

The End Of Love (2012)

Directed by: Mark Webber
Country: USA

Review: Mark Webber shows his skills as director, actor, and writer, with “The End Of Love”, his second film behind the cameras. Using simple processes, the film was made almost like a documentary, where most of the actors play themselves. Mark is a comfortless actor whose wife died in a car accident, leaving a two-year-old child at his care. Isaac is a fantastic kid and a real movie star; it’s impossible not to be fond of him. Yet, he takes much of his dad's time. Mark starts showing signs of tiredness and emotional instability. Moreover, he is struggling to pay his rent and debts, but ultimately had no luck on getting small parts in cinematic projects. Everything seemed to start changing when he gets to know Lydia, the owner of a kindergarten, but Mark loses himself too quickly in words like love or marry. The film has consumed too much time on Isaac’s scenes and didn't take advantage from what this romance had to offer. I ended with a terrible sensation that the story didn’t give everything it should; just like an underdeveloped exercise that leave us wanting to know more about its characters. 

Reality (2012)

Directed by: Matteo Garrone
Country: Italy / France

Review: “Reality” confirms Matteo Garrone as a filmmaker to keep an eye on. After the raw look into the organized crime of Neapolitan Mafia with “Gomorrah”, he now presents us with an interesting character study, which also aims to be a criticism of the society we live in. Luciano is a talkative fishmonger from Naples who dreams to be famous. Taking advantage of having known a famous artist who was connected to the Italian ‘Big Brother’ reality show, he manages to get an audition in Rome. Counting on the support of his family and all the inhabitants of Naples, Luciano earnestly believes he is going to be called for the show. As the time passes by, he becomes suspicious about the strangers in town, convincing himself that they work for 'Big Brother'. Feeling constantly observed, he develops an uncontrollable obsession, which not even family, friends or religion, can stop. Assuming the typical Italian exuberance, this satire never loses intensity, denoting genuine comical moments, stirring alienation, and powerful images. Aniello Arena has here a dream debut in the role of Luciano. “Reality” won the Grand Prize of The Jury at Cannes, and should not be missed.

Marie Kroyer (2012)

Directed by: Bille August
Country: Denmark / Sweden

Review: “Marie Kroyer” is the typical film expected from a filmmaker such as Bille August. Taking into account his previous works, it’s easy to conclude that period dramas are the genre that he feels more comfortable with. This new feature-film depicts the relationship between the painter Peder Severin Kroyer and his wife Marie. The Kroyer couple seemed to live happily in fame and wealthy, but after a while we sensed that this happiness wasn’t so perfect but rather apparent. Suffering from bouts of mental illness, the talented painter becomes a threat to his family. Marie, whose dream was also to become a painter, was often hurt in her feelings by her husband's egocentrism. Their little daughter was another victim of his madness, in a couple of scenes that revealed to be simultaneously hilarious and sad. Exhausted, Marie leaves for Sweden to rest, eventually falling in love with a Swedish composer. Nevertheless, her life won't be easier. “Marie Kroyer” revealed competence and ability to entertain due to a refined ambiance and solid performances. It is not completely unpredictable or devoid of flaws, presenting coldness in moments that were asking for some more emotion. Yet, considering its story and genre, I believe it wouldn’t be easy to adopt a better approach in direction or create further excitement.

The Thieves (2012)

Directed by: Choi Dong-Hoon
Country: South Korea

Review: Another big hit in South Korea, “The Thieves” is a typical heist-film with a lot of characters, expectant action, noisy shootings, and some jolly moments. It could have been called ‘Ocean’s Eleven from Asia’, taking into account its similarities with Soderbergh’s hit of 2001. However, here the impossible stunts are in much larger number, as well as the greedy battle among the thieves to snatch a valuable diamond. Some suspense could be felt, although its frequent twists-and-turns never induced much enthusiasm or astonishment. The film presents the usual key elements: bluffs, quarrels, bribes, greed, hypocrisy, personal revenges, and even love. Actually, the amorous relationships among thieves revealed to be a major key in the plot’s turn of events. It was a constant guessing if the feelings were honest or cunning, or if the diamond was real or fake. “The Thieves” can be stirring and electrifying, although many times is just show-off, making us anticipate some of its calculated tricks.

Masquerade (2012)

Directed by: Choo Chang-min
Country: South Korea

Review: “Masquerade” is making a resounding success in South Korea, becoming the eighth film to surpass the ten million admissions, in October 2012. The plot tells the adventures of Ha-Seon, a common man who has been chosen to work as the double of king Gwang-Hae, the 15th ruler of Korea’s Joseon Dinasty. Ha-Seon was accustomed to work as a clown, making fun of the King and his court, hence no one better than him to temporarily assume the throne when the King fell ill due to poisoning. The humanity and honesty demonstrated by Ha-Seon, will conquer the queen’s heart, as well as the trust of the court men who were truly concerned with the country’s future. The costume design, scenarios, and resolute image compositions, were clearly the strongest elements in the film, whereas the plot revealed sentimental tendencies and a commercial appeal, very common in this genre. Its eagerness in combining mystery, humor, drama, and action, all at once, didn’t bring the expected results to make this epic more surprising or thrilling. Lee Byung-hun’s performance, and a few funny dialogues and situations, made “Masquerade” entertaining but far from fundamental.

Stoker (2013)

Directed by: Park Chan-wook
Country: USA / UK

Review: “Stoker” was directed by the cult filmmaker Park Chan-wook, becoming in his first film to be made outside South Korea. The result is one of his best works in a decade. Dropping the sanguinary cruelty of “Oldboy” or "The Vengeance Trilogy", Chan-wook should continue to please his fans by means of a psychological violence filled with attitude and gloominess. “Stoker” evinces the morbidity of “Harold and Maude” without the joyful moments or the happy ending. Instead, it embarks in a path of sensuality and deadly coldness. Mia Masikowska has here one of her best performances as India Stoker, a lugubrious girl, whose father died in strange circumstances. Right after her father's funeral, the mysterious newcomer uncle Charlie (Matthew Goode) invites himself to stay with the family. His presence will have a strange effect in his niece, rousing innermost feelings that were hidden in secrecy. This sinister tale about a cursed family might leave you dazzled with its uncomfortable moments of malevolent hostility. Written by Wentworth Miller, actor in the television series Prison Break, “Stoker” revealed to be a catchy and consistent thriller.

Smashed (2012)

Directed by: James Ponsoldt
Country: USA

Review: “Smashed” is a drama centered on alcoholism. Kate and Charlie are apparently a happy couple, who have a lot of things in common. However, life will change when they become completely dependent on alcohol. Kate is a teacher, whose job is put on jeopardy due to several absences, improper behaviors, and lies. Her nights consist in pretty much the same: drinking in bars until late hours. One morning, she awoke in the middle of the street, after smoking crack with an unknown woman. Since that moment, Kate started to worry, becoming aware of her addiction and seeking help at AA meetings. Her husband Charlie, on the contrary, didn’t show any intention to quit. “Smashed” has interesting moments, especially those showing the decadent behaviors that a drunk person is capable of. Yet, I wasn’t particularly moved, having the impression that something was missing here. The plot deliberately assumed a time discontinuity, between Kate’s first relapse and the celebration of a whole year without drinking. This fact kept me wondering how the couple had coped with the situation meanwhile. On the other side, the open ending worked well, while the lesson it tries to pass is already known. Great performance by Mary Elizabeth Winstead.

The Bay (2012)

Directed by: Barry Levinson
Country: USA

Review: Barry Levinson is an American filmmaker who deserves all my respect. Works such as “Diner”, “Good Morning Vietnam”, “Rain Man”, or TV movie “You Don’t Know Jack” can’t be easily forgotten. But is also true that filmmakers with an immaculate career are very rare and Levinson was many times accused of using unsubstantial stories and commercial approaches. “Toys”, “Sphere”, “Envy” or “Man Of The Year”, fall in this group. The brand new “The Bay” is an experience on horror/thriller in the form of a fake documentary that happens to be unconvincing. Combining moments of seriousness with slight tones of mockery, the film never truly impresses in any other way than through gore imagery or brutal violence. I confess that in the beginning the story aroused my curiosity, startling me for a couple of times, but after a while its imperfections started to become too obvious. The hasty ending made me wonder what happened with bacteria that were ashore, once the bay waters were cleaned with chlorine. “The Bay” might be an intriguing experience on visuals, but its phony tone almost never reached satisfactory levels.

Florbela (2012)

Directed by: Vicente Alves do Ó
Country: Portugal

Review: “Florbela” was loosely based in the life of Portuguese poet Florbela Espanca, whose writings became symbols of love, eroticism and feminism. Filmed in Vila Viçosa, her hometown, and Lisbon, the film depicts the Portuguese 20’s by making use of an interesting cinematography that contrasts shadowy images with colorful tones of blue and yellow. The script just slightly mentions Florbela’s doubtful past, centering mostly on the peculiar relationship with her brother Apeles, for whom she had a special love, and with her patient husband Mário Lage. This trio of characters was very well performed by Dalila Carmo, Albano Jerónimo, and Ivo Canelas, who were capable to pass all the devouring jealousy and discomfort, on every interaction. The poet’s constant struggle was shown with clarity, when confronted with feelings, insecurity on writing, and in her search for recognition. I liked how the light was used to create intimate, warm images, along with the spirited, wordy dialogues. A couple of scenes, however, seemed utterly misplaced, as if coming from nowhere. Nothing really serious, in a movie that was never boring.

Love Is All You Need (2012)

Directed by: Susanne Bier
Country: Denmark / Italy / others

Review: “Love Is All You Need” signals Susanne Bier’s return to comedy, after several years evincing great eye and solid hand for drama (“Open Hearts”, “After The Wedding”, “In A Better World”). The result was extremely disappointing; her weakest work so far. Patrick and Astrid decided to leave Denmark to get married in an old villa in Italy, where their families will join them. It’s excused to say that a pile of conflicts, dilemmas and separations will occur. Groom’s dad (Pierce Brosnan) and bride’s mom (Tryne Tyrholm) will become the beneficiaries of this gathering. Consecutively, and using a recurrent cheesy tone, we can witness the deep transformations on every single member of both families involved. I wouldn’t have nothing against it, if the plot wasn’t simultaneously predictable, weepy and drastically messy.  This story falls between sloppy comedy and overdramatic romance, where all the tension created among the characters was wrapped in triviality. Dean Martin’s tune “That’s Amore” annoyingly fills our ears over and over again, in a movie that was only able to impress through its beautiful southern Italian landscapes.

For Ellen (2012)

Directed by: So Yong Kim
Country: USA

Review: Korean filmmaker raised in L.A., So Yong Kim (“Treeless Mountain”), returns with another minimalist independent film. “For Ellen” tells the story of Joby Taylor, a long time traveling musician who drives into a small, snowy town to gather in court with his estranged wife, in order to sign the divorce papers. For a couple of hours, he is allowed to meet with his six-year-old daughter for the first time. This incident will change his life forever and nothing will be the same after that. Paul Dano has a terrific performance as a wobbly and repentant father, whose life has changed completely in a short period of time. The conversation with his daughter conveys a touching honesty that stayed with me for a while. There is also a strenuous scene that marks this film, when Dano dances completely drunk in a bar, at the sound of a Whitesnake’s rock song, leaving his lawyer perplexed. With a loose, nearly dreamlike cadence, “For Ellen” feels credible and genuine. Its leisurely pace might drive off many viewers, but actually, it manages to show sensitivity without being corny.

Sidewalls (2011)

Directed by: Gustavo Taretto
Country: Argentina / Spain / others

Review: “Sidewalls” starts by making an interesting parallel between the deficient architecture of Buenos Aires and states of mind on people. It depicts the long paths taken by two soul mates, before they finally meet. Martin is a phobic web designer, who is predestined to love Mariana, a depressed girl who's facing a four-year relationship rupture. Before they find each other, other amorous experiences will occur. The unhappiness and frustration that came out from those experiences were well conjugated with common issues of nowadays, such as: technology dependence, sedentary behaviors, and isolation. Debutant filmmaker Gustavo Taretto uses an immutable, unhurried ambiance, to depict loneliness and a bunch of psychological disorders. The dialogues weren’t so interesting, yet the film discoursed elaborated monologues, which tried to help us understand better the characters, the architecture, or the impact of technology on our lives. This particular aspect went through an over-explanatory tone that didn’t always work successfully. Despite its strangled spirit and implausible ending, “Sidewalls” still has its enjoyable moments, intercalated with riveting images of concrete, steel and glass.

Camille Rewinds (2012)

Directed by: Noémie Lvovsky
Country: France

Review: Noémie Lvovsky wrote, directed and acted in “Camille Rewinds”, a light French comedy that carries a little charm without being properly original. Displaying apparent similarities with “Peggy Sue Got Married”, and attempting to invoke Rivette’s moody surrealism of “Celine and Julie Go Boating”, the film tells the story of Camille, an alcoholic 40-year-old actress in the verge of a life crisis, after a painful separation from her husband, the man she always has loved. In the New Year’s Eve, Camille falls drunk, to be bizarrely transported to her past, when she was 16. In an inexplicably way, she continues with a mature woman's appearance, even having to go to high school again. Regardless the enjoyable music of the 80’s, the plot lingers too much time on teenager episodes, and often drags in the revived moments of passionate love. Sometimes ludicrous, sometimes sober, “Camille Rewinds” counts with a competent execution but stumbles in a borrowed back-to-the-future tale that will not stick in my memory.

A Hijacking (2012)

Directed by: Tobias Lindholm
Country: Denmark

Review: “A Hijacking” has a simple but effective plot regarding the capture of a Danish cargo ship by Somali pirates along the African coast. The story centers in two different fronts: on the ship, where the cook Mikkel struggles with fear and despair, and inside the naval-company premises in Copenhagen, where negotiations will take place in order to find a viable solution for both parts. The script rejected the usual violence or stirring situations, opting instead for a more psychological approach with proper doses of claustrophobia and impatience. Do not expect an electrifying film, since the negotiation process is slow, with ups and downs, and includes constant threats and bluffs. Whenever something atypical occurred, I expected some fierceness to arise. But that never happened. Hostile moments were scarce, only leading to stressful behaviors by the hijacked. The same cannot be said about the unexpected and shocking ending, which gave the final blow on the psychological study aimed by writer/director Tobias Lindholm. Despite the coldness and low profile maintained, “A Hijacking” cannot be disregarded, avoiding being manipulative and conveying a sensation of truthfulness.

Sound City (2013)

Directed by: Dave Grohl
Country: USA

Review: “Sound City” is a rockumentary that follows the first steps, golden years, and posterior decline of one of the most emblematic music studios in US. Dave Grohl, Nirvana’s former drummer and mentor of Foo Fighters, directed the film. He became a big fan of Sound City Studios while recording Nirvana's cult album ‘Nevermind’, in 1991. Amazed with the sound that was being produced, Grohl would come to buy some of the iconic gear to outfit his private studio, which included the famous Neve 8028 mixing console. Without great filmmaking skills, the presentation ran in good rhythm, almost boosted by the sound of great songs that were being presented. Big names of rock music, such as: Neil Young, Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty, Trent Reznor, Paul McCartney or Rick Springfield, have participated by telling their stories or performing songs. Ably, the film also makes reference to the crucial turning point on musical technology, when the analog gave place to digital, an easier way to manage recordings, though less human. Staunch rock fans should be pleased with the vitality and intensity evinced in “Sound City”, while the others probably will remain indifferent.

Corpo Celeste (2011)

Directed by: Alice Rohrwacher
Country: Italy / Switzerland / France

Review: “Corpo Celeste” is contemplative and observant in its attempt to conjugate coming-of-age issues with religious deception. Marta is a 13 year-old girl who moved to a small village in Italy with her mother and older sister, after spending her childhood in Switzerland. Undergoing tough transformations, and feeling misplaced, Marta only socializes in catechism, where she is preparing for the Confirmation rite. Unfamiliar with religious matters, she becomes curious about the meaning of prayers, as well as attentive to the behaviors from those who were connected to Church. Her vision about the religious community will quickly become blurred. Many happenings contributed to increase her perplexity and frustration: the ambition showed by the village priest, the catechist's fanaticism, a brief conversation with an embittered man of God, and the witnessing of brutal animal killings. The final moments express a search for something alive and pure, a return to innocence, refusing the ungenerous ideas and rotten procedures that were associated with the Catholic Church. The restrained tension worked strikingly well, whereas minor flaws didn’t have significant expression in the final result. Rohrwacher and Yle Vianello, are to be congratulated in their debut direction and acting, respectively.