Pacific Rim (2013)

Pacific Rim (2013)
Directed by: Guillermo Del Toro
Country: USA

Review: Guillermo Del Toro continues his extremely graphical career on cinema with “Pacific Rim”, another sci-fi film filled with destruction scenarios and insensate battles between monsters (in variations of sharks and dinosaurs) and giant robots. The film puts so much energy in the fighting scenes that I had difficulty to know what was going on in them.  Actually, its imposing score, together with the rumble of the battles, can lead to a terrible headache. There are some interesting characters, like the crazy scientists or an extravagant trader from the black-market, but not even them could save the movie from its unemotional story filled with banality. As usual in this genre, the exuberant visuals became tiresome and repetitive in a short time; and the washed-up plot was completely smashed by its meticulous eye-catching details or by its unpleasing fights. I wished Del Toro had adopted a weirdest, dark mood, in the same line of Shynia Tsukamoto’s “Tetsuo”, but unfortunately he chose something closer to “Transformers”, although technically much better. If you’re a fan of fierce action and exhaustive special effects, without minding if the story is fresh or appealing, then this is a film for you. Otherwise, skip it, because this is more nauseating than riding a roller coaster for ten times in a row.

Fruitvale Station (2013)

Fruitvale Station (2013)
Directed by: Ryan Coogler
Country: USA

Review: The sad and real story of Oscar Grant, a 22-years-old Bay Area dweller, who was fatally shot by a policeman in a local Rapid Transit station, was in the base of Ryan Coogler’s fantastic directorial debut. The tragic events, captured by numerous cell phones and digital video cameras, were subject of impetuous protests against the policemen involved. The story was able to catch my attention in such a way that I simply could not take my eyes off the screen. Michael B.Jordan, Melonie Diaz, and Octavia Spencer, bestowed a deep intensity in their performances, enhancing the realism of the scenes. Coogan’s direction was another crucial factor in this aspect, encouraged by a skillfully hand held camera and decent digital treatment. I didn’t find any type of exploitation in dramatic terms; only the inevitable emotional weight associated to the facts. We were spared to see the tough moments of a mother saying her daughter that her dad is dead. But I kept wondering how hard this situation must be. All those scenes, so powerful and full of soul, could hit you hard, and that’s why “Fruitvale Station” is so valuable, absorbing, and yet revolting in its story. This new gem of the independent cinema is an absolute tour de force, and is very much recommended. The film deservedly won the audience award and the grand jury prize at Sundance, as well as the Avenir Prize at Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section.

A Field In England (2013)


A Field In England (2013)
Directed by: Ben Wheatley
Country: UK

Review: English filmmaker Ben Wheatley confirms, once and for all, his immense versatility and creative quality with the puzzling and odd “A Field in England”. After the triumphant “Sightseers”, one of the brightest dark comedies recently released, he now turns toward a totally different approach. A sort of avant-garde experimentalism was used, featuring a grotesquely appealing cinematography with foggy, rural landscapes in black-and-white; a more significant usage of sound, whether isolated or in the form of troubadour songs that helped to create the ambiance; a rough humor that matches perfectly with the harrowing story depicted; and a wildly violent side that not even his bleak “Kill List” can come close. The story is carried in a baffling way, when during the 17th century English Civil War an alchemist called Whitehead (Reece Shearsmith) joins a group of deserters who were compelled to find a mysterious treasure under the orders of the tyrannical Irishman O’Neill (Michael Smiley). Without anything to eat in the fields except hallucinogenic mushrooms, the characters set off on a trip into obscurity, threatening one another while trying to understand the evil forces that surround them. The hypnotic “A Field in England” gets into your senses with all the screams, madness, and visceral behaviors of its characters, being a violent art-house film with no limits for the mind that is closer to the insanity than to reality.Its audacity proves Wheatley as a consistent director who showed not to be afraid of taking bold and risky moves.

I'm So Excited (2013)

I'm So Excited (2013)
Directed by: Pedro Almodóvar
Country: Spain

Review: Most of filmmakers get better with the age, as a result of experience and maturity gained through many different aspects, but this seems not to be the case of Pedro Almodóvar. His new sexual comedy, “I’m So Excited”, is an uneven and humorless private party, with alcohol and drugs included, on board of a plane to Mexico with serious problems to land safely. Its characters were simply uninteresting and shallow, consisting in the passengers of the first class plus the flight crew composed by a bisexual pilot, a straight co-pilot, and three gay stewards. The jokes, as expected, were all made around the subject of sexuality, but just a couple of them were able to pull out some chuckles. It seems that Almodóvar is self-content in showing us his shabby, flamboyant fantasies, without being aware that he is becoming repetitive, highly predictable, and tacky. Lacking substance or anything palpable, this is probably the worst film in the career of a filmmaker who, a few years ago, had the genius to create “Talk To Her” or “All About My Mother”. In case you are a fan of Antonio Banderas or Penélope Cruz, you can always stick to the first five minutes, in which they appear in just another ridiculous scene. Strictly disapproved!

The Heat (2013)

The Heat (2013)
Directed by: Paul Feig
Country: USA

Review: Paul Feig’s new comedy “The Heat” is even weaker than his previous “Bridesmaids”. It puts together Sandra Bullock, as an ambitious FBI agent, and Melissa McCarthy, as an impolite cop, with the mission of bringing down a drug lord. It is excused to say that their initial incompatibility turned out in the best friendship (how many times did we see this before?), but their actions never led to anything funny or substantial. What was meant to be explosive and energetic, fell once again in the trap of clichés and silly humor with very small doses of satisfaction. Unrealistic in many aspects, starting with McCarthy’s behavior as an agent of the law, the film was slightly better in its dialogues filled with vulgarity, than properly in the situations created. I can point one exception to this fact, when a tracheotomy was made to a choking man, capturing my attention for the intensity of the images. As for the rest, this stereotyped comedy, which expressed as much confusion as stupidity, never showed anything special to make the difference. Bullock’s performance was powerless, while McCarthy showed her capabilities by giving an authentic lesson on how to be dangerously unstable, but unfortunately the plot didn’t show consistency, charm, or wittiness to help us remember her. Simplistically boring!

Paradise: Faith (2012)

Paradise: Faith (2012)
Directed by: Ulrich Seidl
Country: Austria / Germany / France

Review: Ulrich Seidl’s ability to disturb through psychological aspects is wide known, and the second part of The Paradise trilogy confirms exactly that, this time associated to faith issues. Nothing could have been more convenient than join in the same house a religious fanatic woman, Anna Maria (Maria Hofstatter), who is literally in love with Jesus (really?), to the point of masturbate herself with a crucifix, and her Muslim husband, Nabil (Nabil Saleh), who became paraplegic and returned home after an absence of two years just to realize that his wife got insane. Beyond this fact, we can follow Anna Maria going door-to-door, carrying a statue of the Virgin Mary and trying to convert immigrant people to Catholicism. Every scene was depicted with a deep mockery associated to its human decadence, and revealing a bizarre side that is quite common in Seidl’s films. Great part of them were ludicrous, with often unintelligent dialogues, and evincing the same tireless urge to shock us somehow. Contrary to what may seem, this religious battle of Anna Maria with herself and with the world, didn’t bring anything significant to be debated, being just an art-house exercise punctuated with enough strong sexual content and profanity. Through confident static shots and an impeccable direction, Seidl shows his admirable technical skills, but there’s not much to take from “Paradise:Faith”, which showed too much degradation to be likable, in addition to its opportune plot manipulations.

Europa Report (2013)

Europa Report (2013)
Directed by: Sebastian Cordero
Country: USA

Review: This low-budget sci-fi film told in flashbacks, directed by Ecuadorian Sebastián Cordero, fictionalizes a documentary about a space expedition to Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons, made by a crew of international astronauts in a spacecraft named Europa One. The events are narrated by Rosa, a pilot, as well as by the CEO of the private enterprise responsible for the launch of the mission. Great part of the information is showed by video footage with constant interruptions and noise that feel real, passing the idea of how the communication systems were sensitive on a moon exposed to radiation and with a lot to investigate, not only at surface. The almost primitive interiors of the spaceship (remembering the 80’s), as well as the beautiful and crafted outer images were a lesson to many high-budgeted films that simply overdo this crucial aspect. The cast was not outstanding, while the plot revealed some issues and questionable choices (gravity matters included) that could have been avoided, although it creates the right amount of tension and gripping to make us hold our breath once in a while. Gladly, “Europa Report” tried to create fear by exploring the psychological factor associated to the unknown, instead of wasting time with scary aliens. Being a different sci-fi, it will give rise to divergent opinions among the aficionados of the genre, but considering the film’s budget, I can say that Cordero did a competent job.

The Lone Ranger (2013)

The Lone Ranger (2013)
Directed by: Gore Verbinski
Country: USA

Review: The adventures of the Lone Ranger (Armie Hammer) and his Comanche friend, Tonto (Johnny Depp), are adapted to the screen by the hand of Gore Verbinski, in a production of Walt Disney Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer Films. With the old West as background, the duo will have to join forces to defeat Butch Cavendish (William Fichtner), an irascible outlaw and killer. By adopting a similar posture used in his Pirates of The Caribbean's trilogy, Verbinski misses the chance of creating a more suitable mood for this kind of tale. Without a rich plot to stand out, “The Lone Ranger” relies on clumsy fights, dull facial expressions, and silly humor to succeed, but this ungracious approach in tones of comedy didn’t achieve its purposes. The dialogues and intrusive musical score didn’t help either, and despite the motion that brings to the screen, it just revealed to be an ode to incoherence and exaggeration in the action scenes. The exhaustion provoked by its overextended duration, along with its fractured structure, makes this an almost unbearable experience that has the visual side as stronger aspect. Closer to slapstick routines than to real adventure, “The Lone Ranger” is a failure and doesn’t make justice to one of my childhood's favorite animated series.

The Way, Way Back (2013)

The Way, Way Back (2013)
Directed by: Nat Faxon / Jim Rash
Country: USA

Review: The Way, Way Back” is a refreshing coming-of-age drama that takes its subject matter a step up when compared with other recent releases of the same genre. The film follows 14-year-old Duncan (Liam James), a shy and sensitive boy who went in a summer vacation with his mom, her boyfriend, and her boyfriend’s daughter. Once there, he will struggle to come out from the shell where he was hidden all the time, not just realizing that his mother was increasingly drifting away from him, but also that something was not right with his own attitude. Everything will change for better when he get to meet Owen (Sam Rockwell), the local water park’s manager who offers him a job there. The film was written and directed by Jim Rash and Nat Faxon, whose screenwriting abilities could already be witnessed in Alexander Payne’s “The Descendants”. This duo, who also performed a small role, couldn’t avoid the clichés associated to this kind of stories, but managed to dissimulate them in such a way that we almost forget they are there. This aspect was achieved due to not even one uninteresting character in the plot and the amazing performances from all cast, with a special mention for a cool Sam Rockwell. Despite one or another slip, which includes the final moments in the water park, “The Way, Way Back” is ideal for a good summer watching, providing enough bittersweet moments to grab your attention.

New World (2013)

New World (2013)
Directed by: Park Hoon-jung
Country: South Korea

Review: Park Hoon-jung’s directorial sophomore causes mild entertainment throughout its occasional violent scenes, snitches, betrayals, bribes, and obscure collaborations between police and members of the most fearful organized crime organization in Korea called Goldmoon. Taking advantage of Goldmoon's big boss's death, police chief Kang (Choi Min-sik) looks forward to dismantle this syndicate from inside and launches a strategic operation named ‘New World’. For that task, he will count with Ja-sung (Lee Jeong-jae), an undercover police who has been infiltrated in Goldmoon eight years ago. The problem that arises, beyond two dangerous candidates who are fighting to occupy the position of chairman in the company, is that Ja-sung seems to wobble after so many years living like an influential gangster. The story, compellingly constructed and shot with rigor by Hoon-jung (screenwriter of “I Saw The Devil”), wasn’t so fresh as required for this genre. He adopted a more conservative attitude rather than innovative, and the energy that was canalized for several scenes was not always successful. The physical fighting scenes are a good example, seeming more unnatural dances of stretched arms and legs, than real fights. Despite these setbacks, “New World” was able to keep me aware of its games and twists. With solid performances and an appealing cinematography, it is a perfectly watchable crime thriller that still presents a few valuable ingredients.

Drug War (2012)

Drug War (2012)
Directed by: Johnnie To
Country: China / Hong Kong

Review: Hong Kong helmer Johnnie To, returns in great shape to his favorite action-crime-thriller genre, putting in confrontation astute drug dealers and relentless cops. This ride to the underworld of narcotics supply and distribution is often hilarious and suspenseful, covering a mega operation carried out by Captain Zhang (Honglei Sun) and his anti-drug police squad, to dismantle a huge network that operates across Asia. The key for their success will be a drug lord named Timmy (Louis Koo) who decided to cooperate to avoid death sentence, after has been arrested. Well structured, the story flows coherently and is characterized for a dynamic pace, punctuated by one or two sporadic slowdowns that didn’t change my interest in the story. In addition to its fierce shootings and car maneuvers, which will put the action genre fans in ecstasy, there were some moments of good humor that helped turning “Drug War” in an easy-watching movie. Its major strengths were the simplicity and effectiveness of processes, without trying to stand out through unrealistic action scenes. To’s long time collaborator and partner in his Milky Way Production Company, Wai Ka-fai, co-produced and co-wrote, contributing to create a fruitful action flick. It simply became Johnnie To's most interesting film in years.

Siberian Education (2013)

Siberian Education (2013)
Directed by: Gabriele Salvatores
Country: Italy

Review: Inspired by Nicolai Lilin’s biography, “Siberian Education” is the first English-language film from Italian filmmaker Gabriele Salvatores, best known through the works “I’m Not Afraid”, and especially the Oscar-winner “Mediterraneo”. Starring John Malkovich as Grandfather Kuzya, a Siberian educator and boss of crime, the film counts with a non-Italian cast, headed by two debutant Lithuanians. They play two fearless friends who since childhood, learned the rules to be part of the Siberian clan, but decided to go opposite ways after one of them has been arrested. Friendship, honor, and survival instincts, were depicted in a way that never pleased me, despite the astonishing cinematography by Italo Petriccione. The English words were pronounced with an annoying accent, and the film was never able to convey the seriousness needed for the matter, opting instead to make several attempts to create humorous situations, which fell in complete banality. Even the romance between one of the Siberians, Kolyma, and his doctor’s daughter, Xemya, was totally out of interest and depicted with a considerable amount of stupidity. Scattered and tedious, “Siberian Education” didn’t bring anything more than a dissimulated agitation that never convinced me, only increasing my disconnection with its characters and their motives.

This Is The End (2013)

This Is The End (2013)
Directed by: Seth Rogen / Evan Goldberg
Country: USA

Review: “This Is The End” came up from the minds of its two directors and screenwriters: Seth Rogen (also actor) and Evan Goldberg. Their idea was simply put six Hollywood young actors playing themselves in an end-of-the-world situation. Firstly they will get locked up inside the house of James Franco who was holding a party, and later they will be confronted by grotesque threats on the streets. In the meantime, the plot not wanting to stand only by the comedy standards, made an incursion in horror (with exorcism and cannibalism) and sci-fi (blue light beams coming from the sky and demonic creatures). The film, poorly directed, started with some suitable jokes, but then it fell in a cadence that was too stupid to be taken seriously and too dumb to be funny, like when six indelicate guys facing a delicate situation, put up a fight for a Milky Way. Even with some surprises, the impact was null, making this gaudy and often gross apocalyptic parody, a pointless bad joke. Its anarchic manners became messy at all levels, and I got bored most of the time, looking desperately to say ‘This Is The End’ of the movie. Comedy fanatics may say wonders about it, but for me this was nothing more than a decontextualized, hysterical, and imbecile film. Definitely, not my cup of tea!

The Bling Ring (2013)

The Bling Ring (2013)
Directed by: Sofia Coppola
Country: USA / UK / others

Review: Sofia Copolla’s “The Ring Bling” is an observant film in tones of mockery that exposes the whimsical state of mind of a group of five teenagers, whose obsession for fame and luxury led them to rob several celebrities' houses in L.A. The plot was based on the real events reported by TMZ in 2011, when they denounced burglaries that victimized Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Megan Fox, Audrina Patridge, and Orlando Bloom, among others. Although depicted with apparent superficiality, the characters were interesting to follow through their natural immaturity and mischievous behavior. I believe the filmmaker chose this type of characterization on purpose by following the assumption that there’s not much to show or dig in such frivolous characters, unless their stupid talks about clothes and shoes, and drug consumption. The natural and convincing performances from the young cast were fundamental for the film’s success, leading this modern society's satire to realistic levels that are worrying. Copolla did a great job by capturing all the relevant details that were important to create visual attractiveness. However, some more tension could have been added in several scenes, especially those inside the robbed houses. “The Bling Ring” certainly will not stand among her best works, but it didn’t disappoint me either, making me smile quite often with its sarcastic humor.

World War Z (2013)

World War Z (2013)
Directed by: Marc Forster
Country: USA

Review: “World War Z” is a weak blockbuster based on Max Brook’s novel, about a zombie pandemic that starts threatening the world. It stars Brad Pitt as Gerry Lane, a privileged UN employee who will travel worldwide to put a stop on the troubles by learning how to deal with these raging creatures. Marc Forster, who already gave us some well-referenced movies like “Monster’s Ball” or “Stranger Than Fiction”, directed the film with such a pretentious attitude that discouraged me since the first moments. The lousy first half didn’t show anything unfamiliar, just reinforcing continuously my sensations of déjà-vu, while the second was slightly more thrilling but leading us to some terrible final scenes, such as when Lane walks through a laboratory corridor with a bunch of zombies running franticly in opposite direction without even touching him. The overdone images of thousands of zombies running and falling along the streets or even climbing walls, made quite noticeable the computer technology that was behind. With the main goal of impressing through chaotic situations and try to scare us with the zombies’ facial expressions (which weren’t so bad actually), “World War Z” left behind any concerns about involvement or depth of the story. This sensationalist crowd-pleaser is devoid of funny moments (maybe it would have gained something with some), becoming more silly than scary.

100 Bloody Acres (2012)

100 Bloody Acres (2012)
Directed by: Cameron and Colin Cairnes
Country: Australia

Review: The first feature film from Cairnes brothers is an outrageous and shocking exercise on gore and comedy, which let us foreseen an interesting career for the filmmakers, yet many things have to be rethought in the future in order to attain a more mature level. The story is basic and follows three friends whose car broke down in their way to a music Festival. Their lucky seemed about to change when they get a ride from Reg who was making deliveries in a van from the fertilizer's company ‘Morgan’s Organics’. But what they didn’t know is that Reg and his merciless brother Lindsay, the owners of that company, were using grinded human bodies as a secret ingredient to produce their successful fertilizer. Not everything worked fine in this formulaic comedy, in particular the romantic conflicts, which seemed more a soap opera obfuscated by the horrendous scenes. But despite the lack of depth of its characters, the film is worth for what it is: a feast of craziness filled with enough blood to please the gore fans, and hilarious scenes, which have more to do with sex, that probably will make you have a good laugh. The contrast obtained between the two brothers was funny, with Reg showing more heart and naivety, while the gruesome Lindsay will be remembered as a freak villain with very odd tastes. Ridiculously disgusting but entertaining, “100 Bloody Acres” is an uncomplicated film to watch in a Sunday afternoon, without the kids around.

Something In The Air (2012)

Something In The Air (2012)
Directed by: Olivier Assayas
Country: France

Review: “Something In The Air” is a semi-autobiographical film by the French director Olivier Assayas. The story, set in the turbulent France of the early 70's, focuses on Gilles (Clément Métayer), a young radical high-school boy, whose time is basically spent in riotous student movements, painting, and amorous relationships, which would become meaningful in this crucial phase of his life. Therefore, a big emphasis is given to his early romances with Laure (Carole Combes), an aspiring actress who departed to London to get lost on drugs, and Christine (Lola Créton), his close mate on the revolution that students were trying to carry out. These were not impetuous romances, for sure, but they were depicted with an inherent sensibility and in a non-sorrowful way, which is commendable. Assayas knew what he wanted from the actors, whose expression and characterization reminded me some of the works by Christophe Honoré, but was his confident objectivity behind the camera that made the difference here, even if in some moments the film doesn’t get the appropriate vigor for better serving its intentions. In truth, excepting the fighting scenes between activists and police, the film runs in a passive tone that doesn’t provoke the viewer, making the revolutionary attitude of its characters get a bit lost on the screen. More personal and intellectual than properly striking or bold, this film certainly must have a huge sentimental value for its author, but for me it just became likeable and partly satisfying.

Mon Ami (2012)

Mon Ami (2012)
Directed by: Rob Grant
Country: Canada

Review: Teddy (Mike Kovac) and Callum (Scott Wallis) are employees in Hal’s Hardware store and best friends since childhood. Aiming a better life, they decide to kidnap their boss’ beautiful daughter, Crystal (), but what was planned to be a simple and efficient plan, soon became a bloody nightmare. The jokes and attempts to create funny situations, do not always hit the target, but the addition of suspenseful elements to create horror scenes that were presented in tones of farce were satisfyingly amusing. Despite being more artisans of foolishness than of crime, these two friends can be considered psychopaths worthy of any horror movie, evincing a dark, sarcastic humor that reminded me the animated characters of Beavis and Butt-head but without any musical connotation. The tightness of their friendship could be seen through the constant covering up to any issue that might appear, as well as Cal’s jealousy regarding Teddy’s wife, whose appearance in the final moments seemed to take the craziness to extreme proportions. “Mon Ami” belongs to those kind of movies in which stupidity fits well, providing enough surprises to maintain the levels of interest. It’s a stirring comedy that has nothing new to say or show, but certainly provides some entertainment, which will be greater if watched in a crowded theater.

Redemption (2013)

Redemption (2013)
Directed by: Steven Knight
Country: UK / USA

Review: “Redemption” is an action/thriller film that tells the story of Joey Jones (Jason Statham), a traumatized ex-soldier in Afghanistan war, who becomes homeless and starts begging in the streets of London. In a desperate attempt to run from a group of men who wanted to beat him, Joey enters in an empty apartment and steals the owner’s identity. A lucky strike that will give him strength to fight the London’s underworld crime and avenge his girlfriend’s death with the help of a young nun, Sister Cristina (Agata Buzek), who is also a survivor of her sad past. In terms of script, I must confess that I expected a lot more from debutant director Steven Knight, having in consideration his talented past as screenwriter, with works such as David Cronenberg’s “Eastern Promises” or Stephen Frears’ “Dirty Pretty Things”. The film was uninspired and occasionally messy, using a dark ambience to depict the scenes that were never exciting. The performances didn’t convince me either, particularly the Polish actress and former model Agata Buzek who played an awkward and unattractive character. The music by the Italian Dario Marianelli was the only aspect that stood out, creating a sort of tension that was never matched by what was happening on the screen. Unfunny, unstimulating, and emotionless, “Redemption” only stirred me up through its most violent scenes.

The East (2013)

The East (2013)
Directed by: Zal Batmanglij
Country: USA / UK

Review: Not so thrilling as I was expecting, “The East” is the new incursion of filmmaker Zal Batmanglij in the world of cult groups, two years after his debut “Sound Of My Voice”. Batmanglij wrote both scripts in collaboration with the actress and producer Brit Marling, presenting the same style, mood, and pace. Only this time, the motives that led several people to join a cult group wasn't so suggestive or mysterious, since they embark in a sort of home terrorism to make justice by themselves. Better results would have been achieved without a few stereotyped scenes that transformed it in a less cerebral story and in a much more explicit and conventional thriller. Sarah’s dilemma about doing the job for what she had been paid for, and the growing attachment to the members of a dangerous but sympathetic group, is quite possible and could be sensed, but the film stumbles in little details that don’t bring any benefit to the story. The game of kissing and hugging played by the group members, along with the scene where the owner of an industry dives in contaminated waters, represent good examples of this, and might well have been suppressed without compromising the final goal. Despite gradually losing strength as it moves forward, “The East” still delivers some controversy and intrigue, gained mostly through the moral and ethical issues that raises.