Watch it now: Short Term 12

Like most things, I made the impulse decision to see Short Term 12 at the TIFF Bell Light box last night. After a grueling week and a half of being in an edit suite working on a TV documentary, this was a well-needed break.

But while breaks are a happy occasion, this movie made me feel a variety of emotions. I laughed, I cried and I felt that I actually knew these characters on a personal level. It all just felt so organic.

Of course this can be owed to Brie Larson who plays Grace, a long-term care worker who helps abused teenagers. Serious and professional about her job, she’s dealing with her own personal issues. So much so that even her longtime boyfriend and coworker Mason (John Gallagher Jr.) has trouble getting into her thoughts. With a rough past of her own, Grace suppresses her bad memories until she meets a young girl named Jayden (Kaitlyn Dever), who reminds her of herself.

I realize that the movies are filled with huge blockbuster hits like Thor 2 and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. But you shouldn’t let this indie slip under your nose. The supporting characters each have their own compelling stories of difficult pasts and you can’t but help route for each of them to do well. Larson plays Grace with such authenticity and vulnerability that this film should be the launching pad for her acting career. She and Gallagher have great chemistry and her interactions with Dever are dynamic. Another heartbreaking yet touching performance is offered by Keith Stanfield who plays Marcus, a teen approaching his 18th birthday but has trouble accepting the fact that he must leave the care facility.

Short Term 12 is only playing at the TIFF Bell Light box right now in Toronto. I made the foolish mistake of missing The Spectacular Now during its limited release in the summer. Don’t be like me. You can watch all the blockbuster movies when you want sooner or later. Indie films like these are gems that will definitely make you feel something real.

Informal Movie Reviews: Only God Forgives

2011 wasn’t the strongest year for movies.

But if there was one film that wowed me, it was Nicolas Winding Refn’s  Drive. 

What could be better than a sexy badass like Ryan Gosling playing the lead character (and yes, I’m totally being biased)?! Paired with wild car chases, a sick soundtrack and epic-ly gory (sometimes a bit too gory) fight scenes, Drive was undoubtedly a commercial success.

So when I heard that Refn and Gosling were going to pair up again for Only God Forgives, I was naturally really excited for the finished product. But alas, maybe I was too excited.

I went to see the film last Friday with my friend Tara, who also attended the TIFF premiere of Drive with me. As massive fans of the Gosling-Refn pairing, we were anticipating this film since they started filming in Bangkok around last year. 

To say the least, the film was rather disappointing. I can see why it was booed at the Cannes Film Festival.

Still, it wasn’t completely unbearable. Here’s what I liked and disliked.

Liked:

Ryan’s wardrobe: To be fair, I think Ryan ALWAYS looks good. He could even wear a paper bag. But his outfits in the film were very GQ. Three piece suit, badass boots and a white T-shirt paired with gray jeans? This casual and minimalist wardrobe would probably make any man look way cooler.

Cinematography: For an art film that looks to provoke people with its brutal violence (and let me tell you, it’s way worse than Drive), Refn manages to shoot some very beautiful scenes. Slightly tinted in red, the film is rather dark and mostly takes place during the night. But despite the gory scenes and Vithaya Pansringarm’s portrayal of a crazy, machete carrying former police officer, I do have to say some of the filmography here was really excellent.

Score: Do I really have to say anything about this? My heart pumped at moments when the music started to change between scenes. Cliff Martinez is a genius. Go figure, he also scored the soundtrack for Drive. 

Disliked: 

Script: What script? There was barely any dialogue. But from what I heard, everything was hilarious for all the wrong reasons.

I’m not sure if I enjoyed Kristin Scott Thomas’ portrayal of Julian’s (Gosling) mother Crystal. She was definitely bitchy enough…but some of the things she said were ABSOLUTELY ridiculous.

Ex 1:

Julian: It’s a little more complicated than that, mother.

Crystal: Meaning what, exactly?

Julian: Billy raped and killed a sixteen year old girl.

Crystal: I’m sure he had his reasons.  

Ex 2:

Crystal: And what with Billy being the older brother and having a bigger cock… Julian’s was never small, but Billy’s was… oh, it was enormous!

Apparently some of this was improvised, but the fact that this was all included just makes me laugh in disbelief.

Violence: I’m pretty sure Refn’s goal here was to provoke audiences with extreme violence and I guess he succeeded because that’s exactly what he did. I’m not sure if the gore really served a purpose. But as a viewer, I found a lot of it quite unbearable and disgusting. It was a lot darker and I found it didn’t make a lot of sense at many parts.

Pacing: Too slow, not enough talking and Gosling was just sitting around most of the time.

I feel like Ryan is beginning to get typecast into a mysterious, brooding type that barely speaks and it’s beginning to make me worry.

Ryan is such a capable actor and he can transform into anything. But then again, he is a pretty hot commodity in Hollywood at the moment so I’m sure he’s pretty selective for roles he’s offered. He seems to be really good friends with Refn so I can see why he decided to collaborate with him again. And knowing that he’s taking a hand in directing with How to Catch a Monster, maybe I can let this bad movie slide.

I’ll always love you, Ryan!

A collection of thoughts: The Fault in Our Stars

This is not going to be a formal review, but I felt it was appropriate to write something about this novel.

Last night, I stayed up late to finish reading John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars. I wasn’t sure what to think before reading the novel because I feared the hype was going to lessen how wonderful everyone was saying it was.

Although I’m still collecting my thoughts about the book, I can say this. It’s a beautiful story.

While I’m not a superfan of poetry (and yes, this book includes a lot of it), the quotes, the themes and the story itself just felt so compelling to me.

Now I haven’t really experienced the pain of a losing loved one, but this was a fabulous romance that ACTUALLY felt real. It was not a romanticized Nicholas Sparks novel and it didn’t feel as cliche as I thought it would be.  Here were two characters-through sickness and their limited days- caring and loving for each other through the rough of it all.

Now isn’t that what true love is all about? No walk on the beach or fancy dinner at a restaurant can ever be more romantic than that.

But since I can’t speak much on this front, what I really got out of the book was how important life is. I realize that not a lot of people truly realize just how important and lucky we all are to be put on this Earth. Many of us look at ourselves with our first world problems and wish life could get better.  Why are we here?  What mark will we leave?

At the end of the day, it’s all on us.  We choose our own paths. But even if we feel that we haven’t left our mark, we have. While we may not be loved by many, there will always be the few who have loved us unconditionally.

I think for me, I tend to forget this. Green’s book has sort of shown me the importance of this when the odds of his characters’ lives aren’t working in their favour. But even so, that doesn’t stop them from love, friendship and having a life.

It’s been a while since a book has made me feel this way. I think I should read more John Green.

Concert Recap: Vampire Weekend

Last night, I got to see one of my favourite bands since high school.

Vampire Weekend–with their indie pop, afrobeat, synthpop tunes–have certainly helped me get through some rough times by providing me with music that continuously makes me feel happy.

It was a particularly nice break from a rather stressful and frustrating year. From internship rejections, driving test failures, bad parking practices and lack of a summer day job, jamming out to Vampire Weekend was exactly what I needed.

The band played at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, which is a strange venue because there were arranged seats as opposed to the band’s usual general admission tickets.

But while that was a bit of a downside to why I couldn’t mosh and dance as much, the band did not disappoint. They played all my favourites from “A-Punk”, “Unbelievers”, “Everlasting Arms,” “Oxford Comma”, “Diplomat’s Son” to “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa.”

Everything about the show was almost perfect. The only things I would change would be to have a more intimate venue (or at least general admission) and more connection/banter with the band because they barely said anything to the audience. They just played.

But while those are minor details, the thing I would most definitely change is the smell of stinky feet wafting next to me.

No one likes to be a killjoy. Remember to air out those feet and shoes after a long day!

On another note, I’ve been obsessed with Vampire Weekend’s latest album Modern Vampires  of the City. The album was released earlier this week and has since earned impressive ratings from RollingStone, Pitchfork and Spin Magazine.

While I never really take reviews seriously, I have to agree. I haven’t really heard an album this good in a while. But then again, I might just be a little biased.

Here are two songs I recommend:

Book Review: The Gift of Ford by Ivor Tossell

Between conflict of interest controversies to chasing a Toronto Star reporter off his property, it’s a wonder how Rob Ford became the mayor of Toronto.

Since getting elected in 2010, Ford’s antics have made him infamous and a constant water-cooler topic. So much so, that he’s already the subject of a book just halfway through his first term.

Written by Ivor Tossell, The Gift of Ford offers a colourful and entertaining portrait of what could arguably be Toronto’s most intriguing mayors to date. In providing readers with a well-researched account of Rob Ford’s life in office from his early years as an Etobicoke city councillor to the eventful days of his mayoralty, it is Tossell’s conversational and often amusing tone that makes this book so easy to follow.

A former Globe and Mail columnist who regularly reports on urban affairs, Tossell relies on his own observations at City Hall to provide context on the city. Toronto is a new city, he says, striving to be “world class” but “forever a project.” Starting from its amalgamation to former mayor David Miller’s ambitious yet pricey plans to rebuild the city, Tossell takes his time explaining Toronto’s past to present with Ford’s penny-pinching political mantra.

Holy Motors might just be the weirdest movie I’ve ever seen

Maybe I’m naive or just plain stupid.  But after watching Leos Carax’s artsy- sci-fi flick Holy Motors yesterday, I had no idea how to even decipher it.

Starring Denis Lavant, the audience travels alongside the actor as he goes from appointment to appointment in a limo driven by Édith Scob.  Transforming into various interesting/weird characters such as a beggar woman, a troll, a hitman who becomes himself and a circus acrobat among others, this film was probably the strangest journey I have ever went on through the screen.

When I call this film strange, it doesn’t mean that I think this movie is terrible. I just don’t get it.  My guess is that this movie is about how the human race takes on different personas…or perhaps this might be a look into how cinema is changing over the years as it goes from sci-fi, drama to musical. I really don’t know. I would love to hear anyone’s take on it!

What I did enjoy however, was the costuming and make-up.  I even loved that fun, musical scene with the accordions because that was just so delightfully random.

To be honest with you, I thought Shame was the strangest film I have ever seen.  However, I think Holy Motors takes the cake now.

That being said, I don’t think it’s a bad thing to watch abstract movies now and then. As people, we need to open our eyes and watch things that are out of our comfort zone.

DVD Review: The Odd Life of Timothy Green

If you’re easily pleased with sugary-sweet and sentimental flicks, then The Odd Life of Timothy Green is perfect for you.  Because apart from that, what’s left is a predictable tale that tries too hard to tug at your heartstrings.

Directed and co-written by Peter Hedges (the other writer was Ahmet Zappa), the film stars Cindy (Jennifer Garner) and Jim Green (Joel Edgerton), a happily married couple who dream of starting a family but are told by the doctor that they aren’t able to.  Trying to recover from this news, the couple write a list of wishes for the child they dream of having such as bravery, honesty, big-hearted-ness and the ability to score the winning goal.  Thus putting the traits in a box and burying it in their garden, something magical and crazy ensues. When a young boy named Timothy (CJ Adams) mysteriously arrives at their doorstep after a stormy night, the couple take him as their son and ultimately learn the joys of having a family.

Centered around the importance of familial relationships, this fairy tale is excessively sappy and just plain bizarre.  Timothy’s arrival obviously elicits speculation. But after a small explanation by the Greens, the rest of their small community doesn’t seem to question his existence. In fact despite his socially-awkward demeanour and the weird leaves growing around his ankles, he’s perfect in every way.  As he warms up to almost everyone he meets, it’s almost as if the audience is expected to play along with the characters in the film who act like his appearance is anything but strange.

Garner and Edgerton work very hard to play loving and concerned parents, but their performances are rather annoying and smothering as they try to impress one-dimensional characters such as Jim’s stern father (David Morse) and Cindy’s pompous and competitive sister (Rosemarie DeWitt) through Timothy.

However, what is impressive is Adams’ performance as the sweet-natured Timothy.  Charmingly and expressively played, it is hard to find him unlikeable amongst the film’s bland characters because he just seems so lovable and cute.  But like much of the film’s plot, it is questionable how his character seems to hold much wisdom beyond his years.  Unlike many 10-year-olds, he’s mature and self-sufficient.  So much so, that he has the confidence to creepily draw a portrait of Cindy’s unsympathetic boss (Dianne Wiest) as she lets her hair down and stares almost seductively towards the boy.  In fact, this is the strangest scene in the movie as it is oddly reminiscent to the famous sketching scene in Titanic.

Overtly schmaltzy and predictable, it also isn’t a surprise that the Blu-Ray extras include touching featurettes such as This is Family and The Gift of Music about how the film was made.

But given that this is a typical Disney film about love and family values, those who are easily satisfied and touched will be satiated with this film during a lazy afternoon.

 (A mildly-edited version of this has been published on Exclaim!. I’m sure people are being trolls, but I have been told that this sounds like “a 12-year-old on her period.” If there is anything I can change, please let me know. I am very accepting to criticism, especially for my writing. But if you haven’t noticed, this movie was REALLY not my cup of tea.)

Review: Frankenweenie is a sweet and creepy homage to old cinema

(Originally published on andPOP)

Bringing a corpse back to life is often (if not always) extremely creepy.  But in Tim Burton’s new film Frankenweenie, resurrection is just as cute and endearing when it involves a boy and his everlasting love for his dog.

Plot

Set in the fictional town of New Holland, Victor Frankenstein (voiced by Charlie Tahan) is a bright and curious boy who doesn’t have many friends. Spending much of his time cooped up in the attic doing science experiments, the only companion he has is his beloved dog Sparky.

Together, the two are inseparable.  So much so, that Victor’s caring parents (voiced by Martin Short and Catherine O’Hara) convince him to make friends and try different things.

Everything changes when Sparky dies unexpectedly after an accident. Trying to deal with his grief in science class, Victor is suddenly inspired when his eccentric teacher Mr. Rzykruski (Martin Landau) shows how a dead frog’s limbs still work when electrocuted.  Motivated, Victor rushes back home to devise a plan to bring his dog back to life.

When the plan  works and Sparky lives, Victor tries to keep his resurrected pet a secret.  But when Sparky gets out, havoc breaks and it’s up to Victor to save the day.

Things I loved:  

The characters

It just wouldn’t be a Tim Burton film without some quirky characters, and with their bulging eyes and oversized heads, these ones are especially so. Some favourites that come to mind are Victor’s classmates, Edgar (Atticus Shaffer) and Weird Girl (also voiced by Catherine O’Hara), who try to tamper with his scientific discovery.

Winona Ryder on the other hand, seems to play the sanest character on the bill as Elsa Van Helsing.  She holds the most sympathy for Victor during his loss, but is way too distracted dealing with her tyrant uncle, who just so happens to be the town mayor (also voiced by Martin Short).

But the most interesting character in the movie is none other than science teacher Mr. Rzykruski.  Sounding like a European Dracula, he  steals the show, applying strange and unsettling teaching methods to his class.

The Special Effects

I’m not a big fan of 3D because I find it hardly ever works.  But coupled with the film’s beautiful set designs and art direction, Frankenweenie is worth seeing in another dimension.

Despite being in black and white to pay homage to Old Hollywood, this film never ceases to amaze me. While it’s a stop-motion animation, at times the scenes are so real you can almost feel the sweat dripping from the characters’ faces.

TIFF 2012 REVIEW: Quartet

After years of acting and two Oscars under his belt, Dustin Hoffman finally takes a turn behind the camera in his directorial debut for Quartet. 

Based on Ronald Harwood’s play of the same name, the film takes place at Beecham House, a home where retired opera singers Cissy (Pauline Collins), Reginald (Tom Courtenay) and Wilf (Billy Connolly) live.  Formally part of a quartet, every year the three take part in a concert to celebrate composer Giuseppe Verdi’s birthday. But when Jean (Maggie Smith), the fourth member of their group arrives at the seniors’ home, things get complicated.  As she is the ex-wife of fellow member Reginald, old rivalries, theatrical temperaments and drama evidently ensues and it becomes unclear whether or not the show will go on.

While the film never gets any more drastic than this, it is delightfully charming to see veteran actors Smith, Courtenay, Connolly and Collins strut their stuff.  With Smith perfectly playing the slightly narcissistic queen bee of the group, even Michael Gambon makes an appearance as the eccentric lead coordinator of the concert.  But as we see Courtenay’s Reggie harbour old feelings for his ex-wife and Collins play the lovable confidante Cissy, it’s Connolly who steals the show as the hilariously lustful Wilf.

Although there isn’t much material to let the actors stretch their acting capabilities, Quartet is a pleasure to watch.  Although it pokes fun at old age and shows the fears of becoming a has-been, it’s the performances by the film’s legendary actors that make Hoffman’s endearing tale what it is.

Footage from the premiere’s Q&A

In this video, Dame Maggie Smith talked about her experience working with Dustin Hoffman.

 

First-time director Dustin Hoffman talks about his experience working on the film and what he learned during the process.

TIFF 2012 REVIEW: THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER

When I read The Perks of Being a Wallflower in Grade 9, I was a slightly awkward freshman just like Charlie, trying to make friends and get involved in school. Even though I didn’t deal with the same problems as the book’s protagonist, there were evidently times when I felt alone.

The book’s author, Stephen Chbosky, knows these feelings all to well. On hand to present Perks’ film adaptation at TIFF (which Chbosky also directed), he reminded everyone in the theatre they should never feel lonely. “I’m so proud to be sitting in a room with 1200 people. Whether you like this movie at the end of the day or you don’t, just know that no one in this room is alone.”

His book gathered a cult following when it was released in 1999 and still resonates with many young people who deal with the universal challenges of growing up.

Plot:

The film stars Logan Lerman as Charlie, a bright yet awkward teen about to enter his freshman year of high school. Having spent time at the hospital to deal with the recent suicide of his best friend Michael, Charlie decides to cope with his loneliness by writing anonymous letters.

Hopeful for the upcoming school year, Charlie’s reserved and introverted nature initially makes it difficult for him to make friends. But once he meets the eccentric Patrick (Ezra Miller) and his beautiful stepsister Sam (Emma Watson), he’s soon introduced to a new world featuring mix-tapes, parties, sex, drugs and alcohol.

As things begin to look up for Charlie, curveballs continue to be thrown his way. He fights his growing feelings for Sam and struggles to push away unresolved memories of the past, all while realizing his friends have problems of their own too.

Things I loved:

 The cast

The chemistry between actors is crucial in a coming of age story that focus a great deal on love and friendship, and the film couldn’t have chosen better leads. While Watson may forever be known as “that girl from Harry Potter,” it’s nice to see her tackle a more challenging role like Sam, a troubled girl who sleeps with boys for validation. Although she experiences a few challenges with her American accent, Watson flawlessly depicts Sam’s insecurities about getting into university while trying hard not to be Charlie’s dream girl.

However, it’s Lerman and Miller who shine in the movie. While Miller steals scenes as the cynical and sarcastic Patrick, Lerman hits all the right notes by providing a heart-wrenching performance that’ll make you tear up. Also appearing, are Paul Rudd and Nina Dobrev as Charlie’s English teacher Bill and his sister Candace.

The Soundtrack

Featuring songs such as The Smiths’ “Asleep” to 80s hits such as Midnight Runners’ “Come on Eileen” and New Order’s “Temptation ‘87”, the songs in this film will either take you back to another decade or make you want to create your own mix-tapes.

How it stays true to the novel

What I really enjoyed about the film was how true it stayed to the novel. The book is written in a series of letters to show Charlie’s growth, so it’s nice to see this portrayed on screen. As Charlie experiences a new world featuring weed brownies, crazy antics and performing in a racy production of The Rocky Picture Horror Show, we’re also able to see him face the struggles he needs to overcome in order to live a happier, fuller life.

Takeaway

Like the novel, Chbosky’s film provides just as many laughs as it does tears. With Miller serving as the glue that holds the trio together, Watson and Lerman provide the more heart-breaking and sensitive moments that will probably make you want to cry.

But don’t worry if you haven’t read the book yet because the film is totally relatable on its own. Just be sure to bring lots of tissues as it’s an emotional whirlwind.

This review was published on andPOP.