Tokyo Family (2013)

Directed by: Yoji Yamada
Country: Japan

Movie Review: “Tokyo Family” is Yoji Yamada’s homage to unrivaled master Yasujiro Ozu, and a modern adaptation of his 1953 masterpiece, “Tokyo Story”. This way, and recreating the gentle and smooth Ozu’s universe of family (not without some significant differences), Yamada moves away from the samurai scene (“The Twilight Samurai”, “The Hidden Blade”, “Love and Honour”) that gave him some notoriety in the last decade. The story follows an aging couple who travels from Hiroshima to Tokyo to visit their three children and grandchildren. Their arrival, despite being expected with eagerness by all the family, will cause deep changes in the rushed life and daily routines of the adult relatives who will think in other solutions to get the space and time they are used to. The comparison with Ozu’s original is simultaneously unfair and inevitable - some outdoor compositions of streets and trains passing by, were reminiscent of his serene style, while the indoor ones were a mix of steady shots through a low-positioned camera (a staple in Ozu’s filmmaking) and other own compositions depicting modern family's interaction. The weakest aspect here was the sentimental tendencies of its final part, but the richness of the story, in its whole, was enough to be enjoyed, focusing on problems that seem real and never forced, and with an approach that emphasizes affectionate relationships. In a time where remakes are so in vogue, Yamada’s contemporary Tokyo family, at least, remembers us how simple a film can be.

The Banshee Chapter (2013)

Directed by: Blair Erickson
Country: USA / Germany

Movie Review: Horror flick “The Banshee Chapter” marks the directorial debut of Blair Erickson, causing sensations of déjà-vu through the use of alternating techniques, consisting in extremely mobile handheld camera to accentuate the anxiety and distress felt, sinister footage (some in black-and-white), and a few sudden scares accompanied with loud noises, a repetitive strategy that doesn’t surprise anymore if not properly done. The film starts with a small introduction to the real and bizarre US Government’s MK-Ultra Program, carried out in the 60’s, which consisted in administering chemical substances on humans to induce mind control. After Bill Clinton’s public apologies to all the victims of the experience, and other strange testimonials, the film departs to its fictional story whose nature could have been better managed if presented with dreamlike tones and uncertainty, instead of trying to achieve some veracity through its pseudo-realistic scenes. Journalist Anne Roland narrates the occurrences while embarks in a deep investigation filled with radio noise, ghostly appearances, and some monologues, to try to understand what happened to her dear friend, James Hirsch, a volunteer in the experiences. For that, the help of Thomas Blackburn, a swindler, miserable and junkie writer, will become precious. Somewhere between “Paranormal Activity” and “Blair Witch Project”, “The Banshee Chapter” was never reasonable or unsettling, and its execution is a mere aggregation of ideas presented in other films of the genre.

A Magnificent Haunting (2012)

Directed by: Ferzan Ozpetek
Country: Italy

Movie Review: Not original in concept but depicted in agreeable tones, “A Magnificent Haunting” is a feel-good comedy without any other pretention than entertain us with the story of Pietro (Elio Germano), a homosexual croissant-maker who planned to change his life radically after the death of his father. He decides to leave his hometown, Catania, to live in Rome’s district of Monteverde. Pietro, always backed up by his inseparable and disoriented cousin, Maria (Paola Minaccioni), decides to rent a big old house in need of repair, but soon realizes that the place is occupied by amiable ghosts of several actors who belonged to a famous theatrical company called Apollonio, mysteriously disappeared during the wartime. The first signs of fear vanish when Pietro realizes that his hosts just want to leave the house for good, but also can be of great help in order to achieve his dream: to become an actor. Turkish director residing in Italy, Ferzan Ozpetek, continues to refuse stressful or disturbing plots, preferring instead charming dramas with hints of romance or light comedies as this one. Offering some good humor and bouncing performances from Germano and Maccioni, both winners of an Italian Golden Globe, “A Magnificent Haunting” is far from being essential, but provides good laid-back moments with its gentle and spirited aura. The film was well received in Moscow, winning the audience award, as well as the Russian Film Clubs Federation Award.

The Machine Which Makes Everything Disappear (2012)

Directed by: Tinatin Gurchiani
Country: Georgia

Movie Reviews: Tinatin Gurchiani’s directorial debut is a documentary focused on the reasons and motivations of a group of Georgians (ages from 15 to 23), for having responded to a casting call for a movie. After the first banal questions, the filmmaker starts to enter more in the personal life of the participants, being granted with easy access to their homes, dreams, and daily life, which intends to give an idea of current Georgia, former Soviet republic. In these unembellished interviews, each story told reveals to be very contrasting regarding the others. From the simple case of dreaming to be an actor, passing by psychological depression or disillusions of life associated to family problems, and ending in military reasons and war traumas, everything can be a motive to apply for the job. Not always satisfactory, the documentary itself lacks some dynamic, seeming sunk in the same depression of its guests/characters. Technically unimpressive, and with a sketchy approach, “The Machine Which Makes Everything Disappear” was incapable to compose the proper big picture of a socially affected and wistful country by gathering the individual stories of a few young inhabitants. I ended up paying more attention to the desolated landscapes and mistreated roads filled with elder people, than properly in what Gurchiani would like to have shown with the sad and despairing realities where traditional and modern coexist.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)

Directed by: Ben Stiller
Country: USA

Movie Review: “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” is a comedy-drama surrounded by fantasy and weak mystery, falling short in vivacity or interest. Ben Stiller directed, acted, and produced, basing himself in the acclaimed short story by American author, journalist, and cartoonist James Thurber. Stiller gives life to compulsive daydreamer Walter Mitty, who works as a negative assets manager for Life Magazine’s photography department. He tries desperately to approach his coworker Cheryl Melhof (Kristen Wiig) for whom he has a crush, and at the same time, locate his photojournalist friend Sean O’Connell (Sean Penn) who gave him an important photograph that would be the magazine’s next cover. The problem was that the photograph disappeared. This fact makes him confront, both in dreams and reality, the nasty executive Ted Hendricks (Adam Scott), who nags him all the time in front of others. However, a trip to Greenland, Iceland, and then lower Himalayas will make Mitty find the answers he’s searching for. The tortuous script with its multiple heroic dreams and foreign adventures, together with the awkward mood presented, never pleased me or made me feel involved. It worked more like a composition of small parts rather than a continuous and fantastic adventure towards self-discovery. Mr. Mitty’s great secret is dispensable, and its viewing lacks fun and thrill, adding up in the final part, a self-content fragment of cheesiness.

The Invisible Woman (2013)

Directed by: Ralph Fiennes
Country: UK

Movie Review: Ralph Fiennes’ sophomore feature film, “The Invisible Woman”, goes into the late life of Charles Dickens (performed by the same Fiennes), focusing particularly in the agitated relationship with his secret, and much younger mistress, Nelly Ternan (Felicity Jones). The screenplay was written by Abi Morgan (“Shame”, “The Iron Lady”), based on Claire Tomalin’s book from 1991 entitled “The Invisible Woman: The Story of Nelly Ternan and Charles Dickens”, but the outcome wasn’t so favorable. The film presented pace issues, which was aggravated along the time with Fiennes’ static approach and some coldness in performances. At first I thought it was an initial strategy in order to prepare us for what was coming next, but the story never really showed the passion it claims for its protagonists. In some way, the expressionless love depicted here, vulgarized their doubts and certainties, failing to give an exciting course to their problematic romance. I couldn’t feel sorry for them in the worst situations of their lives, and that was a clear sign that beautiful shots and a perfect recreation of the period, weren’t sufficient to hold my attention. Perhaps Fiennes wanted so much to avoid the sentimental traps and stereotypes, so common in this biographical period dramas, that he made “The Invisible Woman” with too much formality and passivity rather than with emotions, placing it in the limits of watchable.

Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa (2013)

Directed by: Declan Lowney
Country: UK / France

Movie Review: “Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa” is an action comedy directed by Declan Lowney and based on the fictional TV and radio presenter, performed by English actor Steve Coogan, who also created it together with Armando Ianucci (“In the Loop”) and other show writers for the BBC Radio 4 program ‘On the Hour’. If Alan Partridge became an undoubtedly success on British TV and radio, in this feature-film is just a character that scarcely shines in its tactless talks, behaviors, and personality. Irish filmmaker Declan Lowney was never able to drop his TV routines, evincing an approach that feels closer to the small screen rather than the big one. Coogan conveyed all the superficiality and repulsiveness in the representation of his own creation, this time wrapped in a fierce competition with the depressed and threatening DJ Pat Farrell, but after its end, I didn’t miss Partridge’s dodgy adventures and was almost relieved for not have to hear him again. The problem here, with the exception of Lynn, Partridge’s magnificent assistant, is that “Alpha Papa” wasn’t so hilarious as it should, stumbling too many times along the powerless plot and only creating sporadically impact in situations that, in a blink of an eye, fall over and over again in inconsequent triviality. Likewise its main character, “Alpha Papa” needed a bigger dose of art and cleverness to work out. That’s why the already proven good idea didn’t result, in this ho-hum cinematic experience.

Beyond Outrage (2012)

Directed by: Takeshi Kitano
Country: Japan

Movie Review: “Beyond Outrage” is the new Japanese yakuza thriller by Takeshi Kitano (considered best director by Asian Film Awards), relying in the same cyclic alliances and betrayals among gangsters and cops. Kitano plays confidently a fearless executioner and old-time yakuza, Otomo, who joins forces with another retired Mafioso called Kimura, right after being released from prison. All this strategy came from the organized-crime detective, Katoaka, whose goal was to gain power by creating a war between the Sanno clan from the East and the Hanabishi clan from the West. Employing dark humor even in the most raging and fiery scenes, “Beyond Outrage” is far less violent than its predecessor “Outrage” from 2009, and showed to be smarter and more appealing in terms of plot. The execution was the weakest aspect of the film, with a couple of questionable camera movements and some awkward shooting scenes that could have been improved to look more reasonable. Even though, the film is entertaining and shows some creativity in a few scenes, particularly a memorable one that depicts a man’s face being smashed by baseball balls thrown by a machine. I’m hoping that the announced third part of this outrage trilogy can follow the lines presented here, but without trying to show off in the shootings, and presenting some more suspense and unusual outcomes. Meanwhile, this second part goes on the right track, and deserves a peep.

The Selfish Giant (2013)

Directed by: Clio Barnard
Country: UK

Movie Review: With her directorial sophomore, British filmmaker Clio Barnard doesn’t disappoint, and even demarcates a style that despite very own in many aspects, doesn’t hide influences of Ken Loach’s social realism, considering the subject-matter, naturalism and rawness presented. The absorbing “The Selfish Giant” that nothing has to do with gentleness or warmness, follows the 2009 experimental documentary “The Arbor”, about playwright Andrea Dunbar, where the same unrefined approach has been taken with highly satisfying results. The script, written by Barnard and inspired in a short tale by Oscar Wilde, follows two problematic young friends, the impetuous 13 year-old Arbor and his best friend, Swifty, who have a passion for horses. Expelled from school, they both beat the streets of their rough neighborhood searching for some opportunity to earn some bucks. That’s when they enter the illegal and risky business of stealing copper, encouraged by a greedy, unjust scrap dealer who will put them against each other and exploit them without any consideration for their lives. Self-conscious and eye-opener regarding educational problems, “The Selfish Giant” exposes juvenile delinquency in a very compelling manner, thanks to the unimpeachable performances of the young actors, but also aims greediness and exploitation, which, as usual, led to lamentable outcomes. Everything was presented under grey skies, hazy landscapes, and a cheerless atmosphere that will also make the viewers remember its strong images.

Stranger by the Lake (2013)

Directed by: Alain Guiraudie
Country: France

Movie Review: Set in the summer, somewhere in the south French coast, “Stranger by the Lake” starts with some establishing shots that transport us to isolated lakeshores outlined by woods, frequented exclusively by male gays and nudism enthusiasts. Franck (Pierre Deladonchamps) arrives for the first time that year, and in his talkative way, makes conversation with the quiet and isolated Henri (Patrick d'Assumçao), a bi-sexual lumberjack who passes his days gazing the calm waters of the lake, completely uninterested in sex, in opposition to the rest of the bathers. The men became good friends, but Franck, clearly looking for a sexual partner, falls in love with Michel (Christophe Paou), a mysterious, jealous, and dangerous man who murdered his former partner in the lake at nightfall. Franck was the only witness of the crime and despite knowing what he was getting in, couldn’t refrain his sexual impulses. Even wasting time with unnecessary explicit sex scenes (its only, yet considerable setback), which didn’t add anything beneficial to the story, “Stranger by the Lake” was able to effectively bring together suspenseful moments and an interesting psychological side. Alain Guiraudie’s outstanding direction was awarded at Cannes, well backed up by Claire Mathon’s admirable photography. The entrancing, much chilling finale will leave you thinking about the triumph of desire over moral, making us expecting eagerly Guiraudie’s next move.

Lone Survivor (2013)

Directed by: Peter Berg
Country: USA

Movie Review: Based on true events, “Lone Survivor” tells the ill-fated story of four soldiers, members of Navy-SEAL Team 10, who went to Afghanistan’s Kunar Province with the mission of capture/kill a dangerous Taliban leader. The 2005 mission known as ‘Operation Red Wings’ was a complete failure, and only Marcus Lutrell, performed without great brilliance by Mark Wahlberg, escaped with life from the hellish mountains populated with numerous and ferocious Taliban who came out from all directions. The troubles arise when the team loses communication with the base, after has accidentally bump into two youths and an elder Taliban, deciding to release them afterwards as a good practice conduct. Peter Berg (“The Kingdom”, “Hancock”) was able to depict the soldiers’ despair and bravery in a raw manner, capturing some beautiful images among the devastating scenarios of war, but the film loses some grip as the story reaches its final part. I think those final minutes took the film to where I didn’t want to, sweeping some of the good thing it had done till there. Even so, this terrifying journey is worth watching, and for several occasions I felt this nightmare as if I was there in the middle of the mountains, witnessing my companions dying little by little. Far from essential, “Lone Survivor” shall please war genre fans, serving simultaneously to reinforce that this conflict shouldn't be against a country and its people, but against its fanatic minority factions.