"What We Do in the Shadows" Movie Review

My review of "What We Do in the Shadows" starring Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi, Cori Gonzalez-Macuer. 

"What We Do in the Shadows"

Posted on Feb. 27, 2015 on CWAtlanta.cbslocal.com

Wayback Machine Archive Post

Photo courtesy of Unison Films

“What We Do in the Shadows” (2014)

Four vampires are living together in a large house and decide to let a documentary team in order to capture the months leading up to the big vampire ball. An alarm clock goes off in a dark room, and a hand comes out of a coffin to turn it off. The hand belongs to Viago (Taika Waititi), 379-year-old vampire, who wears frilly clothes, is a neat freak and is pining away for a long-lost love. He goes around the house and wakes up the rest of the vampires living there. We meet Deacon (Jonathan Brugh), a 193-year-old vampire, who sleeps hanging upside down in a closet and is determined to live his life like a rock star. Next is Vladislav (Jemaine Clement), an 862-year-old vampire, who lead a legendary and storied life, killing and torturing people for most of his time as a vampire. He has recently seen that times are changing, and he has given up the torturing part. He still kills because, after all, he is a vampire. Last but not least is Petyr (Ben Fransham), an 8,000-year-old vampire that lives in a tomb in the basement. Petyr is the least human-looking vampire, and his diet consists mostly of drinking the blood of chickens. He lives in the tomb apparently because he has very few social skills.

Photo courtesy of Unison Films

This is not your usual vampire clan, and we see that in the first five minutes of the film as Viago calls a roommate meeting to address the fact that Deacon has not cleaned the dishes in five years, shirking his duties as a housemate. Viago also complains that the other vampires are spreading out newspapers on the floor and towels on the couch before killing their next victims. Their lives are changed when a human, Nick (Con Gonzalez-Macuer), is accidentally turned into a vampire by Petyr. Now the guys have a new roommate, one that they never intended to have, and it’s going to change the dynamic of the house forever.

Photo courtesy of Unison Films

“What We Do in The Shadows” is a broad comedy from the creators of the hit TV show “Flight of the Concords.” It plays on all the stereotypical vampire icons, like being able to turn into a bat, hypnotizing people to do their bidding and having human servants to do their mundane chores in the daytime. In this film, things don’t always turn out the way you think they will. Vampires turned into bats crash into power lines; the hypnotizing wears off rather quickly, and the human servants complain quite a lot about not being turned into vampires as they were promised. Even the nightlife, where you would think a vampire would flourish, doesn’t work out. It seems that when you’re a vampire, you can’t go into a nightclub until you are invited in.

Photo courtesy of Unison Films

“What We Do in The Shadows” is a very funny film at times, and I think fans of the “Flight of the Concords” show will have a good time. It does go a little long, and some of the comedy bits don’t always work. But there are some wonderful scenes in the film that do work. One of my favorites is the vampires get into an argument, and the cops are called by the neighbors to investigate the situation. The cops get hypnotized by Viago, who admits isn’t always good at doing it. As the cops blindly go through the house, ignoring dead bodies and vampires suspended from the ceiling, they are more concerned that the house doesn’t have smoke detectors.

Photo courtesy of Unison Films

Three of the actors in this ensemble cast stand out. Con Gonzalez-Macuer, is hilarious as Nick. He plays him as a clueless guy who isn’t above yelling out “I am Twilight” while walking by people on the street after he has been turned into a vampire. Ben Fransham plays Vladislav as a vampire that has seen better days, always seemingly disappointed that he can’t kill everyone whom he meets. The star of the film is Taika Waititi, who plays Viago with an almost childlike wonderment, as his character seems to enjoy the attention that the cameras are giving him. Waititi has a nice, light comedic touch that the film uses, and many of the best scenes involve his character on the screen.

This mockumentary is a fun ride that plays on the vampire stereotypes in film to make a funny movie, though a little long, is enjoyable to watch. After seeing this film, you may not fear the night but embrace it, hoping to meet some of these characters in the street.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee

My movie rating system from Best to Worst:  1). I Would Pay to See it Again  2). Full Price  3). Bargain Matinee  4). Cable  5). You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again

“What We Do in the Shadows” is playing exclusively at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema

“What We Do in the Shadows” Website

"Leviathan" Movie Review

My review of the Russian drama "Leviathan"

"Leviathan"

Posted on Feb. 27, 2015 on CWAtlanta.cbslocal.com

Wayback Machine Archive Post

Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics 

“Leviathan” (2014)

In a Russian coastal town, Kolya ( Aleksey Serebryakov) has been told that his house will be torn down to make way for some sort of official town development. Kolya, married to Lilya (Elena Lyadova), has vowed not to go down without a fight. Kolya built the house with his own two hands and uses the garage on the grounds to repair cars for a living. He is convinced that the mayor of the town, Vadim (Roman Madyanov) has plans to build a lavish house on the very property that Kolya’s house stands on. The big problem is the mayor controls the town and especially its police force.

To help fight the local government, Kolya asks an old army buddy, Dmitri (Vladimir Vdovichenkov), a big time Moscow lawyer, to come down and help him. Dmitri is convinced that he can get the house back because he has dirt on the Mayor that he can use against him if they lose in court. The big question is can the big-city lawyer come into the small town controlled by a power-mad mayor and win against the corrupt political machine?

This film was nominated for the Best Foreign-Language Film Academy Award, and it’s worthy of the nomination. It’s a tense film, reminiscent of a mob film by Scorsese, with plenty of suspense and character depth. There is a constant feeling of doom and gloom, as it’s inevitable that failure and possible death is in the cards.

Cinematographer Mikhail Krichman does an incredible job of creating the mood for the film. The film is filled with shot after shot of a grey coast littered with skeletons of beached boats, rusting away as the years go by. You can feel the desperation as the camera moves from scene to scene, as Kolya’s life slowly unravels before our eyes.

Director Andrey Zuyagintsev, who co-wrote the script with Oleg Negin, gets some rich and deep performances from his cast. One of my favorite scenes from the film is very early in the film, where Kolya and Dmitri are in the courtroom to hear the dreaded verdict of the case adjust Kolya. In a scene that takes at least three minutes, a judge, in a very rapid pattern, recites all the particulars of the case, seemly never taking a breath. As the case is read, and it’s brutally sure that they are ruling against Kolya, he is visually upset. Steam seems to become off his forehead, and Dmitri keeps casting worried looks that his friend is going to explode. From this scene, it is very apparent that the bureaucracy of the government is going to win out, and Kolya chances are doomed. The government is too big, and the Mayor has just too much power.

Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

Aleksey Serebryakov, as the fiery Kolya, gives one of the better performances of the film. He runs the gamut of emotions in this film. To the feeling of hope and brotherhood, when his savior shows up, to utter desperation when he realizes that he will never win, and his life just might be over, a failure in front of his wife and kid. Vladimir Vdovichenkov, as the cocksure, high-powered lawyer Dmitri, who just might be in over his head in this backwater of corruption and greed, is perfect in his role. As soon as he walks in the door of Kolya’s home, you feel the attraction between his character and that of Lilya.

From the start, we know that there is something between the two, and they pull it off beautifully. Elena Lyadova, playing the troubled Liiya, is asked to do the most complex role of the three main characters. Lyadova, shows everything through her face and her body language, as she tries to stand by her husband and support him in this time of trouble, only to be drawn to the good-looking Dmitri. Through her actions, we surmise that theirs is a history between Lilya and Dmitri. It’s as if the forces that are bringing down Kolya, have put the two former lovers together to bring him further pain.

“Leviathan” is a film about people fighting bureaucracy, and though they may be determined, their fate is already sealed, just like the beached boats on the coast. If they aren’t destined to be destroyed by the waves, they will surely rust to nothing over time.   My Rating: Full Price

My movie rating system from Best to Worst:  1). I Would Pay to See it Again  2). Full Price  3). Bargain Matinee  4). Cable  5). You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again

“Leviathan” Website

“Leviathan” is playing exclusively at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema

"A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night" Movie Review

My review of the Iranian horror film "A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night"

"A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night"

Posted on Feb. 13, 2015 on CWAtlanta.cbslocal.com

Wayback Machine Archive Post

Photo courtesy of Kino Lober 

“A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night” (2014)

Arash (Arash Marandi) is a young man who is just trying to survive in “Bad City.” His father, Hossein(Marshall Manesh), is in mourning, never having gotten over the death of his wife. Hossein is a drug addict, who spends all his time strung out and who owes lots of money to Saeed (Dominic Rains), the local gangster in town. Arash tries to take care of his father, making a living as a gardener for a wealthy family. Saeed makes a visit to their home and takes Arash’s prized possession, his car, to pay off some of Hossein’s debt.

A mysterious woman (Sheila Vand) suddenly appears in town. She only comes out at night, wandering the streets dressed in a long, flowing black robe. While walking along the streets, she learns about the city’s inhabitants, including watching Saeed and how he treats everyone very badly. She accepts a ride from him, going back to his home. You get the feeling that the young woman in black can take her of herself, and Saeed might just be in trouble.

Photo courtesy of Kino Lober

This film is a fascinating take on the vampire movie, with a mix of a modern setting with horror and classic western genres thrown in. It’s a beautiful, stylish film, with a black-and-white look that adds to the ambiance. Director of Photography Lyle Vincent’s perfectly captures the mood with dark scenes that give the town of Bad City the feeling of doom and gloom. The mysterious woman is constantly bathed in darkness, with only her eyes and the top of her white striped shirt visible as she walks the streets. The sole time we see her without her long, black cape is when she is inside dancing around her room to pop tunes in her modern apartment adorned with colorful pictures of recording artists.

Photo courtesy of Kino Lober

The film has an incredible soundtrack that is very diverse. Current-day pop songs (both Iranian and English) fill the scenes with energy and vibrancy, in direct juxtaposition with the somber setting of Bad City and its inhabitants. At other times, the score is filled with music that belongs in an Italian Spaghetti Western of 1970s. The Sergio Leone style music accompanies a number of confrontations that the mysterious woman has on the dark streets, bringing to mind two gunfighters meeting at high noon.

Photo courtesy of Kino Lober

The screenplay, by the director of the film, Ana Lily Amirpour, favors style over content, and unlike a lot of modern films, in this movie it works. This is a film where dialog is kept to a minimum, making people’s actions and reactions paramount. The mysterious woman says almost nothing throughout the film, telling us more with her expressive eyes than her voice.

Director Amirpour uses lots of long, static shots, often letting the shadows of the characters play along the walls of the city. Amirpour does a masterful job of camera placement throughout the film, making us feel a part of the grimy and soulless city. This oppressive, dark atmosphere is evident throughout the film, and Amirpour uses it to her full advantage as we get the idea that no one is going to get out of Bad City alive.

Photo courtesy of Kino Lober

She also gets the most out of her cast, especially the wonderful and talented Sheila Vand as the mysterious woman in black. Vand is perfect in the role; you can feel the power and the confidence of her character emanating off the screen. She has great chemistry with Arash Marandi, and you can see their attraction to each right from the start. Marandi has the look of James Dean but has the vulnerability of someone much younger, making his character seem rather unsure of himself at times. His scenes with Vand are the highlight of the film as they carry out their back and forth courtship. Dominic Rains makes an excellent bad guy, playing a thug who will mess with the townspeople just to get his jollies. His mixture of cocksureness, tattoos, and muscle, give off a menace that dominates the scenes he is in.

Photo courtesy of Kino Lober

“A Girl Who Walks Home Alone at Night” is a unique film that mixes genres to create its own film style. That style comes from writer/director Ana Lily Amirpour, who gives us a terrific feature film debut. She will be someone we will be talking about for years down the road. This one of those movies that will get better with repeated viewings due to its rich texture and a soundtrack that quickly became one of my favorites of the past five years. It’s not your typical Vampire film and because of that, it’s a much richer and interesting viewing experience.     My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again

My movie rating system from Best to Worst:  1). I Would Pay to See it Again  2). Full Price  3). Bargain Matinee  4). Cable  5). You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again

“A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night” is playing exclusively in Atlanta at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema

“A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night” Website

"Still Alice" Movie Review

My review of "Still Alice" starring Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin, Kristen Stewart.

"Still Alice"

Posted on Feb. 6, 2015 on CWAtlanta.cbslocal.com

Wayback Machine Archive Post

Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics 

“Still Alice” (2014)

Dr. Alice Howland (Julianne Moore) is a renowned linguistic professor, known for her brilliant mind and her teaching skills. She is happily married to John (Alec Baldwin), a scientist, and they live near the Columbia University campus. They have three grown children; Anna (Kate Bosworth), a married working lawyer who is trying to get pregnant. Tom (Hunter Parrish) is a medical student who is always talking shop with his father. Lydia (Kristen Stewart) is the black sheep of the family who has quit college to become an actress. The subject of Lydia going back to school is a constant source of topic with Alice.

Alice starts noticing that she is having trouble concentrating, getting lost in her lectures for moments in time, losing track of her keys and forgetting appointments or dinner plans. At first, she attributes it to being overworked or tired. When she gets lost on her own campus while running, it becomes evident that it’s more than just being tired. She goes to see a specialist and gets hit hard with the news that she has early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. As the film progresses, she slowly tells family, friends and co-workers her condition as the disease becomes more and more a part of her life.

Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

This is another film in a long line of movies that I have seen recently where the sum of its parts don’t measure up to the cast’s performances, especially in this case, the brilliant leading lady. The film’s weakness is the script, written by the directors of the movie, Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland. The film never quite finds its footing, making the film seem, at times, a little empty. It’s a movie that should move you to tears but outside of a memorable scene between Moore and Stewart near the end of the film, there just aren’t that many emotional scenes. I also would have liked to have seen more from the perspective of her husband and children. Glatzer and Westmoreland seem only to want to make the husband and children as almost outsiders to Alice’s character. One of the many heartbreaking things about this illness is how it greatly affects the families of those stricken, especially those who are given the task of caretaker. There is very little action or discussion on how the family is handling Alice’s illness and why they are doing it a certain way. The kids, other than Stewart, are often an afterthought to the story, only showing up when it’s necessary.

Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

I liked Alec Baldwin in the role of the husband. It’s a hard role to portray because, as the disease progresses, we get to see more and more of John’s real character, making him almost unlikable near the end of the film. He and Moore have great chemistry together, making their early conversations believable and enjoyable to watch. Kristen Stewart gives an inspiring and moving performance as the daughter who is driven to be an actress and is willing to struggle to become one. It’s an impressive performance, as Stewart’s plays off of Moore, letting Moore carry the scenes with Stewart just reacting off her lead. It helps that Stewart is playing the most likable character in the film, as she sacrifices her own well-being to help her mother cope with the illness.

Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

Moore is the center of the movie and lets scenes just sort of roll through her. It’s a heartbreaking performance that lesser actors would stumble with, but Moore isn’t afraid of the role, and performs it with a passion. She is so good at playing off other actors, truly hearing and reacting to them, making her so believable in the role. Moore shows us the frustration in her face as her character struggles to remember something simple, like her kid’s names. She also gives us those few and far between little victories, where her character is able to remember how to do something or remember a person’s face. Moore’s most impressive scenes are in the first half of the film; especially the scenes where she realizes that she can no longer do her job. Day to day, living is going to be a struggle for Alice, and it shows in Moore’s face and body language. Moore seems to waste away before our eyes as the disease takes more and more from her. This condition is made harder by the fact that at the beginning of the film, we saw Alice at her most vibrant and confident, a woman that Moore portrays as whip-smart and sure in everything she does.

Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

The score of the film by Ilan Eshkeri does a masterful job helping set the mood of the scenes without being obvious or overbearing. I especially loved the cinematography by Denis Lenoir. His use of focusing the scene on Moore, as she stands out in focus and letting the rest of the background be blurry is a perfect technique to gives us the feeling of isolation and confusion that Alice is feeling.

While “Still Alice” has a memorable portrayal by Kristin Stewart and an Oscar worthy performance by Julianne Moore, it can’t overcome a script that doesn’t fully explore its characters and never delivers the knockout blow of emotion that a film of this type calls for. It’s still worth seeing due to Moore’s outstanding performance, but just know that you will walk away wanting more.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee 

My movie rating system from Best to Worst:  1). I Would Pay to See it Again  2). Full Price  3). Bargain Matinee  4). Cable  5). You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again

“Still Alice” is now playing in theatres nationwide.

“Still Alice” Website

"Love, Rosie" Movie Review

My review of "Love, Rosie" starring  Lily Collins, Sam Claflin, Christian Cooke.

"Love, Rosie"

Posted on Feb. 6, 2015 on CWAtlanta.cbslocal.com

Wayback Machine Archive Post

Photo courtesy of The Film Arcade 

“Love, Rosie” (2014)

Rosie (Lily Collins) and Alex (Sam Claflin) have been best friends since they were five years old. They live almost across the street from each other. They are the type of friends who while maybe they can’t finish each other’s sentences, they at least know what the other person is going to talk about. Their friendship is so deep that they tend to overlook each other as romantic partners. After a night of drinking, celebrating Rosie’s eighteenth birthday, they finally kiss before Rosie passes out, falling off her bar stool. The next day, Rosie has one heck of a hangover with no remembrance of the kiss. Alex decides not to tell her of the kiss, and they each ask other people out for the prom. While they keep checking out each other on the dance floor, Rosie ends up in a hotel room with her date.

Photo courtesy of The Film Arcade

Their plan is for the both of them to go to school in Boston. Rosie’s plans go out the window when she discovers that she is pregnant from that one-time prom date. She decides to have the baby and creates an excuse to tell Alex why she can’t go with him While Alex is on his way to college, Rosie must decide to either keep the baby or put it up for adoption, allowing her to only miss a semester or two in Boston. Either decision is bound to change her life.

This is a fun romantic comedy in the tradition of “Four Weddings and a Funeral,” with two characters who are destined to end up together. As they go through life, they flirt with getting together as a couple, but there is always a reason not to. Neither one realizes that the other person wants to get together, and both continue to hesitate to make the first move. The question is not that Rosie and Alex aren’t meant for each other but will their lousy timing ever let up enough for them to get together?

Photo courtesy of The Film Arcade

I liked the script by Juliette Towhidi, adapted from Cecelia Ahern’s novel “Where Rainbows End.” Towhidi kept the story moving a bright pace and developed two complex and realistic characters in Rosie and Alex. The biggest complaint I have with the script is there are a couple of attempts at broad comedy that just don’t work. One bit is so badly done that it wouldn’t belong in even the worst TV sitcom out there. The high points of the film are the scenes between Rosie and Alex. The film never loses sight of the fact that the movie centers around the two and their scenes together are what hold our interest.

Photo courtesy of The Film Arcade

Director Christian Ditter keeps the story flowing, quickly moving from scene to scene as he deftly keeps the romantic tension going throughout the film. He is able to keep the story afloat as Rosie and Alex continue to miss their big chance for romance in scene after scene.

Ditter is aided by the excellent chemistry between the two leads of Claflin and Collins. Their interplay is the best thing about this film, and their timing is perfect in their scenes together. The film is also aided by the fact that the other romantic partners that Rosie and Alex have throughout the film are rather dull and uninteresting characters. Claflin plays the good-looking guy, who has heart and brains with a light, easy touch. He is a good match for Collins, who comes off as a combination of Anne Hathaway and Rose Byrne. She shines in this film, showing a nice comedic touch. We start rooting for Rosie right when she first appears on the screen, with a winning smile and a spunky attitude. Collins has a natural grace about her that helps her be goofy, but not overly so. She is a delight to watch on screen, and I hope that she will do more of these types of films.

“Love, Rosie” while not a perfect film, is still a bouncy British romantic comedy that uses its leads to the fullest. It’s a fun ride, mostly due to a wonderful performance by Lily Collins. It’s never too late to take a chance and let love into your life; just ask Rosie.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee

My movie rating system from Best to Worst:  1). I Would Pay to See it Again  2). Full Price  3). Bargain Matinee  4). Cable  5). You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again

“Love, Rosie” is currently playing in the Atlanta area at AMC Colonial 18 Theaters

“Love, Rosie” Facebook page

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