Four (2012)

Directed by: Joshua Sanchez
Country: USA

Movie Review: There are so many things going on in “Four”, a drama that triggers intense emotions by illustrating an agitated 4th of July for four different characters whose lives are dipped in a sort of prison. The film shows us that if you’re not well resolved in life and don’t assume what you really are with absolute conviction, unhappiness and pain will be inevitable. Despite still living with his wife and daughter, Joe (Wendell Pierce), sneaks out home to meet for the first time with a teenage boy named June (Emory Cohen), who in turn is struggling to find his identity in terms of sexual orientation. Simultaneously, Joe’s daughter, Aby (Aja Naomi King), leaves for a while the heaviness of taking care of her sick mother, to meet with Dexter (E.J.Bonilla), a former High School basketball player who takes refuge in drugs. These people’s secrets will be exposed through a series of encounters, coincidences, and findings that will change their relationships forever. Sometimes the way the film was structured and the story’s coincidences seemed wisely fabricated, but that aspect was exceeded by the interesting emotional battles that each character was fighting. It succeeds in making you think about some characters' choices, whereas some are deliberated, others are part of a growing up process. The fantastic performances were able to give some credible airs of reality, even considering that there are no happy moments in “Four”, which make us lose ourselves in its gravity.

Wadjda (2012)

Directed by: Haifaa Al-Mansour
Country: Saudi Arabia / Germany

Movie Review: “Wadjda” is the first feature film accomplished by a female Saudi director, the debutant Haifaa Al-Mansour, who was triply awarded in Venice and has to be congratulated for this rewarding piece of cinema. Set in the suburbs of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the story tactfully follows Wadjda (Waad Mohammed), an 11-year-old girl whose dream is to buy a green bicycle that is exposed in front of a store where she passes every day. This gives rise to a problem since girls from her culture are discouraged to ride bikes and her mom, who is more concerned with the possibility of her husband's second marriage, does not even consider that fact. But Wadjda is determined not to give up, and her eye for business and some special favors conceded to a schoolteacher will bring her an extra income, which nevertheless is insufficient. Her last hope is to win the school's Koran contest whose cash prize is considerably large. With a touch of modernity, the film addresses the strict morals of a society and their impact on women with a sort of lightness and freedom that are not very common on movies alike. There is sweetness in the children’s non-harmful but illicit operations to get what they want, but there is also an evident disappointment and frustration in Wadjda’s mother that is understandable. Merit goes to the newcomer filmmaker who built a compelling drama with great sense of storytelling and handled with expertise and absolute confidence.

And While We Were Here (2012)

Directed by: Kat Coiro
Country: USA

Movie Review: Actress Kat Coiro seems focused on film direction, since three of her films were released in the last couple of years. “And While We Were Here” tells the story of Jane (Kate Bosworth) who moves to Ischia Island with her violinist husband, Leonard (Iddo Goldberg). While he is working in Naples, she wanders around the city listening to a tape, which contains her grandmother’s voice talking about life in wartime. When looking for Aragonese castle, Jane bumps into Caleb (Jamie Blackley), a much younger man with whom she will start an amorous relationship. The talkative and seductive Caleb slowly awakes in Jane a sense of adventure that was lost a long time ago. Jane’s immediate openness not always seemed truthful, but the film overcomes this aspect by giving us sufficient hints to understand her attitude. It is a wordy film in its first part, and I was afraid that Coiro had followed the same path of the Linklater’s trilogy. But fortunately, this didn’t happen, and as the time passes, “And While We Were Here” becomes more active and more restrained in words. Despite the familiarity of the marital crisis and search for oneself, this journey of necessary life change can be followed quietly in its quietude through the reserved and gentle style together with alluring landscapes in the background.

Blackfish (2013)

Directed by: Gabriela Cowperthwaite
Country: USA

Movie Review: Gabriela Cowperthwait’s sophomore documentary, “Blackfish”, is a real-life thriller, which explores possible factors that could have motivated the killings of three individuals perpetrated by Tilikum, an orca whale kept in captivity for SeaWorld Marine Park at Orlando, Florida. Very clear in its purposes, this film uncovers shocking aspects regarding whales' treatment and highlights the lack of respect for the workers who are mislead to believe in a bunch of lies. The interviews made with former SeaWorld trainers are quite explanatory for you to start hating this greedy company. SeaWorld opened doors in 1964 and the violations started in the early 70’s when they attempted to capture several killer whales by using powerboats, airplanes, and explosives. Another incident that occurred in Loro Parque, Tenerife, was also covered, leading to the same shameful conclusions. Everyone should see this documentary and help to denounce all the atrocities that these wild animals are subjected to. It’s not by chance that wild orcas are not considered a threat to humans, but only those held in captivity, driven by constant frustration and sufferings. The whales’ crying and agony when their babies were taken away from them is harrowing and revolting. “Blackfish” is a high-valued, powerful achievement that kept me immersed in its fantastic images and stories, eventually breaking my heart with the offensive and sad truths revealed.

Still Mine (2012)

Directed by: Michael McGowan
Country: Canada

Movie Review: Considering that “Still Mine” is a drama based on true events, I was afraid that it could fall into the usual dramatic tricks, but fortunately and for my surprise, Michael McGowan managed this aspect very well, avoiding that type of risky situations. The story is much more meaningful than it would seem at first,  addressing old age, sickness, and death, with a strong determination. But do not be mistaken, because the approach here nothing has to do with anger, revolt, or despair. On the contrary, it uses a relaxing pace with warm tones of intimacy and affection to show how to face difficulties with temperance, and not giving up so easily at the first adversity that may come. The plot basically consists in the struggle of 87-year-old Craig Morrison (James Cromwell) with the bureaucratic authorities of New Brunswick, after he decided to build a new house in his own terrain that was more functional for his wife Irene (Geneviève Bujold) who suffered from a degenerative disease. What I liked most in “Still Mine” was the honest way chosen to deal with the subject matter. McGowan just took time for what was really important to tell the story, appealing to our feelings in a natural way, and addressing it with objectivity, sensibility, and simplicity. That is what makes it better than other similar films like “Unfinished Song” or the Norwegian “Chasing The Wind”, which use the same old grumpy characters who inevitably change along the way without much surprise.

You're Next (2011)

Directed by: Adam Wingard
Country: USA

Movie Review: “You’re Next” is a fierce horror movie that exhibits sufficient gore and terrifying scenes to please the genre fans. The story is centered in the dysfunctional Davidson family whose gathering in their country house, ends up in a bloody old-fashioned mayhem. Every member of the family starts to be victimized one by one, falling at the hands of a merciless psychopath whose identity is hidden behind a sheep mask. The film uses tension with wisdom, with the family's screams and adequate score serving as a booster to the thrilling cat and mouse games. There is no time to be sad here, because the killer seems to be lurking at every corner. The plot reserves good surprises and sometimes a sinister humor, unraveling abominable dark secrets that will leave you occasionally breathless. As the only setback, I can point the extreme violent scenes near the final, which didn’t add anything relevant to the inventive story. In a general way, the performances were not bad at all, and Wingard’s direction was attentive enough to all the important factors that could shake your senses. It’s true that nothing seems new in this picture, but if you don’t mind excruciating violence and are willing for a good dose of adrenaline, “You’re Next” can be a good solution. Screenwriter Simon Barrett, also co-produced and played one of the murderers, in a film that was shot in 2011 at an old mansion in Columbia, Missouri.

Jobs (2013)

Directed by: Joshua Michael Stern
Country: USA

Movie Review: One of the worst biopics I’ve seen recently, “Jobs” is a wretched, savorless portrait of Steve Jobs, for many years the brain behind the Apple computers. The film, directed by the heavy-handed Joshua Michael Stern, follows Jobs’s career from his earlier years in Palo Alto, California, where he founded the company in his garage when still a college student, until the golden years when he was recognized as one of the most creative and visionary entrepreneurs in the technological field. Obviously, Steve Jobs and Apple cannot be dissociated, but the story was written (by Matt Whiteley) in such way that became boring, in all its technical aspects, business stratagems, and broken partnerships. I felt that its creators were more concerned in painting the character in its own way and elucidate us about Apple’s history than really construct a good, interesting biography. Many scenes were close to ridiculousness and the bad taste on the soundtrack just increased my discontentment. Ashton Kutcher did what he could (at least Job’s way of walking was there), but was dragged by the almost commercial vision set up here, and ultimately ended up unnoticed. Contrived in every way and never gratifying, I have nothing more to say about the wearisome “Jobs”, a film that gave me little to enjoy.

A Teacher (2013)

Directed by: Hannah Fidell
Country: USA

Movie Review: “A Teacher” depicts another teacher/student relationship, created by director, producer, and screenwriter Hannah Fidell. Diana (Lindsay Burdge) is a High-School teacher in Austin, Texas, who is widely immersed in a relationship with her student Eric Tull (Will Brittain). With some rumors in School about other similar cases of infringement, Diana lives with a constant dread that her secret may be uncovered. Eric, in turn, seems carefree and decided to enjoy every moment with her. After a certain episode when they were spending a weekend in a ranch, Diana starts to show signs of discomfort, and her fear soon falls in mistrust and anxiety. The relation starts to deteriorate, but the dependence on Eric makes her too exposed, putting her profession in jeopardy. The story plays with Diana’s emotional instability, placing face-to-face desire and moral concerns. It’s also evident that Diana has pending problems with her family (we just aren’t told which ones), acting like traumatized when facing them; this point just serves to reinforce her loneliness and dependency on this new love. Not being particularly new and lacking the surprise factor, “A Teacher” was nicely shot and addressed with sobriety within a correct pace, though I believe that Fidell could have developed her characters and story in more depth, so they don't seem so vague in particular aspects. Special mention to Lindsay Burdge who was convincing as the depressive teacher.

Adore (2013)

Directed by: Anne Fontaine
Country: Australia / France

Movie Review: Based on a novel by Doris Lessing entitled “The Grandmothers”, “Adore” was turned into a cheesy exercise by Anne Fontaine (“Coco Before Channel”, “The Girl From Monaco”). Lil (Naomi Watts) and Roz (Robin Wright) are childhood best friends and neighbors in a secluded, small coastal town of Australia. While Lil is a recent widow, Roz is married with Harold, who feels excluded and is about to move to Sidney where he has a better job opportunity. These women’s lives will be shaken when both of them start an affair with each other’s son. The plot lives from the successive changes in these complex relationships, with all the morality concerns associated, and by confronting two different generations that have distinct perceptions of the reality. All quite messy and melodramatic, “Adore” presents so many twists along the way that, at certain point, I felt disconnected from what was happening. Any possible interest that the story might have roused, vanished all of a sudden, diluted in the layers of multiple complexities that arise when the two boys decide to marry with younger women, turning Lil and Roz into despaired grandmothers hungry for love. The lousy climax reserved for the end, was presented in a sequence of ridicule scenes that reminded a cheap soap opera rather than a real drama. Ladies’ performances eventually became the valuable aspect of this film.

Populaire (2012)

Directed by: Régis Roinsard
Country: France

Movie Review: “Populaire”, the directorial debut by Régis Roinsard gains in ambition in the same proportion as lacks in creativity. It’s a kitsch recreation of the American romantic comedies from the 50’s, set up with frenetic boogie rhythms and jazz standards in the background. The last thing Rose (Déborah François) wants is to live in her small hometown, working for her father and marry the son of the local gas station's owner. Feeling pressured, Rose decides to go to Paris and become a secretary, a dream that will come true after being hired by Louis Echard (Romain Duris), an eternal bachelor who doesn’t sees her as an efficient employee but recognizes her ability to typewrite with an unusual speed. The duo will become successful in speed typewriting contests, and love arrives without surprise, but not everything will be so easy for the couple, since Louis shows decision problems regarding their relationship and tends to restrain his inner feelings. The interest of the film came more from the energy of the contests than the romance itself whose development left me with a sense of déja-vu. Though, its ending statement: ‘Americans for business, and French for love’, doesn’t apply so much as a truth here. With obvious outcomes and far-fetched tones, “Populaire” accomplished its role of crowd-pleaser and entertainer with some charms, most of them coming from the reliable performances.

Touchy Feely (2013)

Directed by: Lynn Shelton
Country: USA

Movie Review: After the relatively successful “My Sister’s Sister”, Lynn Shelton returns to screenwriting and direction with “Touchy Feely”, a sweetish drama about human connection, pursuit of happiness, and energy benefits. The story is focused on three relatives: Abby (Rosemarie DeWitt), a massage therapist whose occasional aversion to body contact hampers her from working or having a normal relationship, and is pondering to take ecstasy pills as a solution; her brother Paul (Josh Pais), a dentist whose apathy suddenly changes to a sort of healing touch after he has discovered reiki energy; and finally the latter’s daughter, Jenny (Ellen Page), who wants to study and is not happy to work for her father at the dental office. Shelton applied sad, depressive, and self-pity tones to depict all the characters, which was a bit annoying. The few times that she tried to take advantage on some humor, the scenes simply didn’t work, and the story remained lost in its despaired question of ‘what can I do with my life to feel better?’. In its final part, the confusion in the characters’ heads changed to a clear insight and the plot ran into a controlled mess of intentions and behaviors that seemed quite unbalanced. Ironically, by seeing so many disconnections, I wasn’t able to connect with this story. Perhaps a movie about the power of energy should have been less faint and more dynamic, with or without ecstasy pills...

Northwest (2013)

Directed by: Michael Noer
Country: Denmark

Movie Review: Without being particularly original, “Northwest” gives a good notion of the multiracial conflicts in the Northwest’s Copenhagen's underworld. Casper is a 18-year-old burglar who works for Jamal, the leader of an Arab gang that controls the black market in town. Casper’s younger brother, Andy, isn’t very much welcome in the group, having inclusively some problems with Ali, a dangerous thug and Jamal's right-hand. Fed up of being tricked by the Arabs, Casper accepts a job's proposition made by Bjorn, a local drug dealer who also runs a prostitution business. Little by little, Casper involves his brother in these organized crime scenarios, but will have to deal with Jamal who starts to intimidate them. More about Casper and Andy’s personalities will be revealed when they are assigned to kill Jamal in his hiding place and things get out of control. Stepping known territories, “Northwest” revealed sufficient rawness and energy to be considered an efficient action-crime film. Helmer Michael Noer, who co-directed “R” with Tobias Lindholm in 2010, was capable of mixing racial and family issues in an engaging way, making us follow the story with expectation. Real brothers Gustav and Oscar Dyekjaer Giese did a great job, in a film that probably won’t be a reference in the genre but which offers interesting and believable situations.

Crystal Fairy (2013)

Directed by: Sebastián Silva
Country: Chile

Movie Review: After the failure “Magic Magic”, it was with enormous satisfaction that I saw Chilean helmer Sebastián Silva returning to his best with “Crystal Fairy”, a cool trip into the world of drugs, friendship, and compassion. The film was co-produced by the cult-director Pablo Larraín, author of authentic gems such as “Tony Manero”, “Post Mortem”, and “No”, and its approach comes much closer from the looseness of “Magic Magic” rather than the rigor of “The Maid”. The story, set in Chile, begins with the weird Jamie (Michael Cera) doing drugs in a party where he strikes up a conversation with Crystal Fairy (Gaby Hoffman), a hippie girl under the effect of acid. Without any real intention, Jamie gives his phone number and tells her about his plans to go on a trip to the North with his friends on the next day. Without losing time, Crystal Fairy joined the group towards the adventure but her presence seems to mean trouble. Very funny situations were created when Crystal made herself too comfortable in front of the boys, talking about energy, meditation, and chakras, or when they go desperately looking for San Pedro, a cactus known for its hallucinogenic properties. Near the end, the tempers get hot, paranoia arises due to drugs, and many sad truths are revealed. With a confident moving camera, Silva, who won the directing award at Sundance, mixes humor, drama, and adventure, in a believable portrait about a wandering, lost soul. Cera and Hoffman were simply irreproachable in their roles.

Night Across The Street (2012)

Directed by: Raoul Ruiz
Country: Chile / France

Movie Review: Raoul Ruiz was able to finish “Night Across The Street” before he dies at the age of 70, making it a meaningful goodbye in a great career. Certainly it was not a coincidence that Ruiz had returned to its origins, Chile, to make this reflective and ironic film about time, life, and death. By mixing real and surreal aspects, he encloses everything that he considers life, through the story of Celso (Sergio Hernandéz), his main character. Celso is one step closer to retirement and seems disoriented with that fact, keeping the mind constantly occupied with visits to his childhood. In these frequent absences from reality, he contacts with the writer Jean Giono, the musician Beethoven, or the pirate John Long Silver, three great storytellers, according to him. These fictional scenes are intertwined with other that we assume to be real. It was almost if Ruiz had an urge to share all his collected knowledge throughout the years; history, politics, cinema, dreams, technology, landscape change, spiritualism, love, and even a crime subplot in a doomed house; everything was a good pretext to tell us about life. But the occasional sound of an alarm clock is still there to take him away from his cinematic dreams and remind him that lifetime has reaching an end. Beautifully shot using faint lights and a profound sense of nostalgia, this surrealist film wouldn’t make Buñuel or Fellini ashamed of its haunting inaccessibility.

This Is Martin Bonner (2013)

Directed by: Chad Hartigan
Country: USA

Movie Review: In this drama, written and directed by Chad Hartigan, we can see two men trying to restart their lives in two different ways. Martin Bonner (Paul Enhoorn) is in his late 50’s, and with stubborn determination is doing the best he can to reconstruct his life in Reno, Nevada, where he moved after a painful divorce that left him broke. He left two children in Maryland: a daughter, with whom he speaks often on the cellphone, and a son who runs a gallery and never has time for his dad. Now working for a charitable organization, his life will become easier to handle when he gets to know Travis (Richmond Arquette), a man who spent 12 years in prison after killing someone due to drunk driving. Both men showed to have many things in common, and their conversations flow easily and unforced, covering subjects such as wives and children, Christianity and faith, and the hardness of building a new life from scratch. Helmer Chad Hartigan found is own unhurried and observant look in this earnest, adult, and humanistic story that not for once seemed unrealistic. We can’t say its pace is enthusiastic or vibrant, yet “This Is Martin Bonner” belongs to those unpretentious tales, in which nothing relevant seems to happen, but when better analyzed, we realize there’s a lot of relevant details going on, worthy to dig and think about. Not suitable for all audiences, it can be better absorbed if watched in a non-tiring day.

I Declare War (2012)

Directed by: Jason Lapeyre, Robert Wilson
Country: Canada

Movie Review: It’s almost impossible not to think about “Lord Of The Flies”, “Stand By Me”, or “The Hunger Games” when we watch “I Declare War”. This is a film about the kids' nature, made exclusively with kids, which shouldn’t be seen by kids. We follow a group of them playing war games in the woods, but their uncontrollable thirst for winning and power falls into real torture and physical violence, causing many rules to be ignored. Friendship, jealousy, and loyalty are in the basis of the behaviors, putting leaders and followers of each team in a constant mental and emotional strain. Among rebellions and war strategies, they also spend some time in discussions about God and faith, philosophy, love, and even giving wings to their imagination. It was curious that only one feminine player was present, functioning as seductive element with the goal of disorienting the troops for the sake of her little boyfriend. Despite the intensity of the performances, I didn’t find the story so thought provoking as I was expecting, and gradually became indifferent to what might happen to these antipathetic young teenagers. We already know that kids can be ambitious, competitive, and very mean to one another when they want to. So, what this film has to offer beyond this idea and compared to other similar movies? Absolutely nothing. Production values are solid enough, though.

The Girl From Nowhere (2012)

Directed by: Jean-Claude Brisseau
Country: France

Movie Review: I was never an admirer of Jean Claude Brisseau’s movies, and “The Girl From Nowhere” still didn’t exceed my expectations. Brisseau himself plays the main character, Michel, a retired math professor whose true passions are cinema and philosophy. One day he sees a girl being spanked by a man in the stairs of his apartment building. Letting this homeless drifter named Dora (Virginie Legeay) stay with him until she recovers, will lead to contentment, unusual feelings, and illusions. While Michel talks about an unfinished book, his deceased wife, and philosophical theories about life and religion, Dora shows a tendency for being inquisitive, self-assured, and to have special abilities to deal with the supernatural. As usual in Brisseau’s works, all the conversations and scenes carry a sexual tension; only this time he added a mystic factor that revealed to be the best aspect in the film. The ghosts' spooky appearances were one of the few things worthy of admiration. As for the rest, “The Girl From Nowhere” was never capable to achieve successfully its artistic pretensions, losing itself in devised conversations given in literate, philosophical, or nostalgic forms. All these aspects were carried out with inexpressive performances and a sense of fakeness in the most of its scenes. The film ended up winning the Golden Leopard at Locarno Film Fest.

Wild Girl Waltz (2012)

Directed by: Mark Lewis
Country: USA

Movie Review: Indie spirit is alive in Mark Lewis’ second feature-film, “Wild Girl Waltz”, a comedy that takes us into an uncontrolled street adventure. Tara (Samantha Steinmetz) and Angie (Christina Shipp) are two friends who wanted more than the boredom of their day in a small town, and decided to take some ‘goofy pills’ to cheer life in a better way. Tara’s boyfriend, Brian (Jared Stern), will be their protector for all the afternoon, yet conniving with some of the girls’ pranks until they come back to normal. This low-budget film was shot in a raw way during only eight days; so don’t expect anything elegant or sophisticated. It was based on a simple and realistic plot that tries to involve us in some funny scenes. It’s far from perfection, though; there are issues in light setting, and the dialogues are not so special. The good aspects of “Wild Girl Waltz” are the direction/acting, which conveys the untidiness and freedom absolutely necessary for this kind of tale, as well as some occasional (what a pity they were so few) unexpected situations that gave a jolt to its regular pace. As for the jokes, I can’t say I was much impressed with all of them, but the ones that hit the spot made me laugh heartily. In terms of performances, Christina Shipp stood out among the trio, in a minimally entertaining film that, even with some setbacks, did a lot with so little.

Stories We Tell (2012)

Directed by: Sarah Polley
Country: Canada

Movie Review: After experiencing drama with “Away From Her” and romantic comedy with “Take This Waltz”, filmmaker Sarah Polley makes her debut on documentary with “Stories We Tell”, a very personal film in every sense of the word, since it uncovers a secret of her own family. The film works as a tribute to her mother’s memory, as well as a description of the process that led to her biological father. Narrated with a perfectly articulated voice by Michael Polley (her non-biological father), the film travels to the past, making us know what happened to Sarah’s mother, the genuine and intense actress Diane Polley, now deceased. This documentary, according to its creator, tells a story that had to be told due to its beauty and richness, and we can see it was made with appreciable affection and sensibility. Challenging the truth, interviews were made with everyone who was still alive and wanted to talk about the case, including her dad, half-siblings, her mom's presumed lover, her mom's real lover, friends and confidents. Among recollections, confessions, and revelations, super-8 footage was incorporated to better recreate the story and help us be acquainted with the characters. “Stories We Tell” is a touchy, funny, and incredibly interesting film that was conceived with a praiseworthy courage and high accuracy by a talented filmmaker who has so much to give. Recently this year, Toronto Film Critics Association has considered it the best documentary and best Canadian film of 2012.

The World's End (2013)

Directed by: Edgar Wright
Country: UK

Review: The ones who watched Edgar Wright’s previous comedies certainly know that good humor, lots of energy, and creative plots, mark a constant presence. Therefore, that’s exactly what you get from “The World’s End”, another absurd, revolutionary, and irreverent film, which falls in the same category of “Hot Fuzz” and “Shaun Of The Dead”. The plot follows five friends who get together again in their hometown, Newton Haven, to try what they have failed 20 years ago: finish a pub crawl composed by 12 different pubs in which the last one is called The World’s End. Along the ride towards their goal, they will take the opportunity to see old acquaintances, clarify some past problems, and literally fight the end of the world since some robots created from the DNA of real people had invaded the city. The boisterous scenes of drubbing were mixed with lively conversations under the alcohol effect about whatever. The inveterate drinker Gary King (Simon Pegg, who also co-wrote the story with Wright) headed the troop constituted by the powerful-pissed Andy (Nick Frost), the passionate Steven (Paddy Considine), the wimp Peter (Eddie Marsan), and the considerate Oliver (Martin Freeman). All the cast was great, while the 90’s soundtrack which includes Primal Scream, Soup Dragons, Happy Mondays, and Stone Roses, was delightful. I must confess I didn’t like the ending but that didn’t prevent “The World’s End” from becoming one of the most intense and hilarious comedies of the year.