Movie with Abe: Truth

Truth
Directed by James Vanderbilt
Released October 16, 2015

It’s not uncommon for the reporting of a story to become the story itself. Especially in an age where the average citizen has access to an immense vault of information on the Internet, it is staggeringly easy for a news story to be dissected and taken apart. Even back in 2004 when services like Twitter did not yet exist, this still occurred. “Truth” tells the disconcerting tale of how one startling exposé about President George W. Bush by 60 Minutes came crashing down as what initially seemed like a rock-solid story was transformed into anything but a stable instance of journalism.

Mary Mapes (Cate Blanchett) is introduced as the producer of CBS News’ flagship series, a seasoned veteran of enterprising, hard-hitting pieces. Her business partner is anchor Dan Rather (Robert Redford), a renowned and popular public figure who is well-trusted by his viewers. Mary is the go-getter who goes after the most difficult investigations, and Dan supports her in the pursuit of true, sincere journalism. Mary assembles a crack team of experienced talent (Dennis Quaid, Elisabeth Moss, and Topher Grace) when she comes upon what may just be the biggest story she’s ever had: an allegation that Bush was absent for most of his initial training period in the National Guard, putting his entire military career in question.

Unsurprisingly, holes start appearing in the story even before it airs, and it only gets worse once the initial coverage begins and right-wing bloggers and others with an axe to grind with the show begin to dissect the many pieces of the claims that don’t add up. The film wisely chooses to show things as they are purported to have happened as written in the novel by Mary Mapes on which this adaptation is based. There is never a moment where things seem to be confirmed beyond a doubt or irrefutable, but it makes sense that Mary, Dan, and her team decided that it was smart for them to move forward. When everything comes crumbling down, it’s unfortunate but not shocking.

Blanchett and Redford are both formidable actors with long resumes and trophies on their mantles. Blanchett inhabits her role as usual, fully becoming the intrepid workaholic producer and showing her pain and anguish as the credibility she has built is irreversibly diminished. Redford uses his typical charisma to play Rather, who ends up being more of a background player than a leading protagonist. Quaid, Moss, and Grace are appropriately quirky contributors to a highly populated ensemble that also includes Bruce Greenwood, Stacy Keach, David Lyons, Dermot Mulroney, and John Benjamin Hickey. The story is an undoubtedly a compelling one, but this doesn’t feel like a groundbreaking, original news movie. Like the events in the film, there is so much intrigue at play, but the payoff isn’t exactly what was promised.

B

Tuesday’s Top Trailer: The Big Short

Welcome back to a weekly feature here at Movies with Abe, Tuesday's Top Trailer. One of my favorite parts about going to see movies is the series of trailers that airs beforehand and, more often than not, the trailer is far better than the actual film. Each week, I'll be sharing a trailer I've recently seen. Please chime in with comments on what you think of the trailer and how you think the movie is going to be.

The Big Short – Opening December 23, 2015

I saw this trailer before a showing of “Steve Jobs” with no knowledge whatsoever of the film. This trailer was the first in a while that really surprised me in terms of the actors who showed up as its stars. The first was Christian Bale, who did wow me with his Oscar-winning turn in “The Fighter” but hasn’t usually impressed me too much in other roles, including his unnecessarily Oscar-nominated performance in “American Hustle.” Bale has worked with a number of actors, and Brad Pitt makes some sense since he too has tended to jump around from action films to more serious movies without much concern for whether he’s the lead or a supporting player. The two who I wouldn’t have pegged for this are Steve Carell and Ryan Gosling. The former has been foraying into more dramatic films recently, earning an Oscar nomination for “Foxcatcher,” and here he appears with blond hair messy on his head, and the latter, a dependably intense actor, has completely different hair, making him look much more buttoned-up and less reckless than usual. These four make a formidable foursome to take on big banks, a natural faceless but omnipotent enemy for a film like this. With this diverse talent, this film is sure to be electric and watchable; it’s just a question of whether, with this potential, this will be a big Oscar contender or somewhere more along the lines of “The Company Men,” which looked like it could have been that and then turned out to come and go with no fanfare at all. Director Adam McKay’s credits are essentially all Will Ferrell movies, which conjures up a bizarre resume for this movie, and the screenplay is based on a book by Michael Lewis, the author of both “Moneyball,” which was adapted by Aaron Sorkin as a fantastic script, and “The Blind Side,” which was not. We’ll see what happens here as this film opens just around when every other big film does: Christmas.

Movie with Abe: Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs
Directed by Danny Boyle
Released October 9, 2015

Steve Jobs is a household name. Even those who have little to no knowledge of the computer industry know that Jobs was inarguably the most important person involved in developing and growing Apple, one of the most popular and successful computer companies. Making a film about the late, famously temperamental Steve Jobs is a daunting task, and who better than dependable screenwriter Aaron Sorkin and the creative, ambitious director Danny Boyle to take on such a project? The result of this partnership, coupled with terrific performances from an outstanding ensemble, is nothing short of amazing.

Any fan of “The West Wing” or any Sorkin-penned film script knows that he can be relied upon to write at least three times as many lines as most humans could possibly deliver in a film or episode of normal length, and his actors have the formidable job of firing off his dialogue at rapid speed. Something truly interesting has come of Sorkin’s partnership with Boyle, a director known for “Slumdog Millionaire” and “127 Hours.” Boyle’s artistry and focus work to slow down Sorkin’s fast pace and still produce the same immensely memorable and watchable scenes at a more standard and human rate.

There is much that could be covered in a film about Jobs’ life, and the decision made by Boyle and Sorkin is a risky but strong one. Three significant events – all product launches – are chosen as the settings for this film’s scenes. All three are monstrous milestones of innovation - the Macintosh in 1984, the NeXT computer in 1988, and the iMac in 1998. In the run-up to each, Jobs (Michael Fassbender) is coached by his loyal colleague Joanne (Kate Winslet) and encounters the most influential people in his life: Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak (Seth Rogen), another colleague, Andy (Michael Stuhlbarg), Apple CEO John Scully (Jeff Daniels), and his illegitimate daughter Lisa and her mother Chrisann (Katherine Waterston). It is understood that these conversations may not have all happened at those exact times, or as eloquently as Sorkin writes them, but isolating Jobs’ experience to three formative moments of his life is a fascinating technique that pays off wildly in this case.

The film’s script is superb, its direction excellent, and its technical elements, particularly the cinematography by Alwin H. Kuchler, are all terrific. And then there’s the cast. Fassbender, a tremendous actor who already has delivered so many magnificent performances, is astonishing as Jobs, so consumed by his grand dreams and the fact that he is changing the world with every new product. Winslet is just as fiercely dedicated to making his right-hand woman a devoted innovator with a more realistic grasp of the possible, infusing humor and sarcasm into her performance. Rogen, Stuhlbarg, and Daniels augment the film with turns just as focused and minor as they are meant to be. This cast does an incredible job of latching on to Sorkin’s dialogue and, with Boyle’s expert, eccentric guidance, they contribute to a fantastic film that is as much the story of Apple and a part of the computer industry as it is the story of a man. Not even entering the twenty-first century or touching upon its many inventions, including the iPod, iPad, and iPhone, is a brave choice. The film could well have gone on an additional two hours and still been captivating, but the finished product as it stands is perfectly exceptional. One brilliant line stands out to summarize the film, after Jobs fires back when he is told that a few weeks wasn’t enough time that God created the world in only a week and receives the perfect response: “One day, you’ll have to tell us how you did it.”

A-

Movie with Abe: Reversion

Reversion
Directed by Jose Nestor Marquez
Released October 9, 2015

There is a genre of film that is often classified as science fiction which explores the near future and the advent of technology that, realistic or not, might be just around the corner and whose existence would radically transform the way humans interact and society functions. Usually, such an invention is presented in a very contained context, not yet having reached its full universal potential. Stories like this are often lonely as the purpose of the technology is to create a more internal sense of happiness and fulfillment rather than a public, interactive one. A device that allows its users to harness and relive only happy memories is sure to have sinister side effects, as shown in this haunting new film.

“Reversion” opens the way its signature product, Oubli, is best marketed to its prospective constituents. A woman who has achieved an impossible level of bliss details the experiences that led up to her current state, praising Oubli as a masterful and life-changing device that can truly alter the mind and the way she and others can see the world. Its creator, Jack (Colm Feore), sits by and smiles as his daughter and the Oubli’s head of marketing, Sophie (Aja Naomi King) shares her own perspective of the device’s transformative power. As the Oubli’s big launch hurtles closer, Sophie’s world is shattered when she is kidnapped by a mysterious woman and she begins to realize that her memories may not be as reliable or true as she has come to believe.

Much of the film features just Sophie, struggling to make sense of her situation and utilizing the device wrapped around her ear to recall the last moments she remembers of her mother and to immerse herself in more pleasant thoughts. King, who stars on “How to Get Away with Murder” and previously starred on “Emily Owens, M.D.” is genuine and believable as a woman who firmly stands by what she sells, and watching her discover that what she knows cannot be trusted is an intriguing experience.

The film transitions frequently from a focused character study to a less complex thriller with murderous elements and treachery aplenty, which works considerably less convincingly. This story presents a mesmerizing idea, but its premise is much more worthwhile than the finished product. The concept of memory and its fallibility, including its ability to be manipulated, is immensely interesting, and “Reversion” touches on that idea, but never fully expands upon it. Its subject and style are hard to forget, but this is a film that certainly could have run longer than eighty-five minutes to tell a grander and more emphatic story.

B-

Saturday Night Movie Recommendations with Abe

Welcome back to a weekly feature here at Movies With Abe. I'm going to be providing a handy guide to a few choice movies currently playing in theatres as well as several films newly released on DVD and Netflix. I invite you to add in your thoughts on any films I haven’t seen in the comments below.

Now Playing in Theatres

Freeheld (recommended): Julianne Moore and Ellen Page star as a lesbian couple whose own personal love story becomes a much larger battle for equality in this moving adaptation of the Oscar-winning documentary short from 2007. The cast is strong and the film, from director Peter Sollett, is too. Now playing at AMC Lincoln Square, AMC Empire, Bow Tie Chelsea, Landmark Sunshine, and City Cinemas East 86th St. Read my review from Wednesday.

Manhattan Romance (recommended): This energetic, engaging romantic dramedy features great performances from Caitlin FitzGerald, Katherine Waterston, Gaby Hoffmann, and director Tom O’Brien. Read my review from the 2014 Big Apple Film Festival.

The Prime Ministers: Soldiers and Peacemakers (recommended): The second part of the adaptation of Ambassador Yehuda Avner’s novel about his time spent working with Israel’s prime ministers is a major improvement on the first, offering an extremely informative analysis of Yitzhak Rabin and Menachem Begin and the circumstances that defined their terms in office. Now playing at AMC Village 7. Read my review from yesterday.

Reversion (mixed bag): The concept of this film – an executive marketing her father’s invention that allows its users to relive happy memories starting to doubt the validity of her own experiences – is a great one, and the resulting film is an intriguing but far from satisfying thesis with a strong central performance from Aja Naomi King. Now playing at AMC Empire. My review will be up tomorrow.

Shanghai (mixed bag): John Cusack stars as an American agent dispatched to Shanghai in October 1941 who becomes embroiled in a rebellion plot while war is about to break out. The setting is strong, as are performances from Gong Li and Chow-Yun Fat, but the film isn’t an entirely solid or crucial period thriller. Now playing at Village East Cinema. Read my review from yesterday.

Steve Jobs (highly recommended): Michael Fassbender and Kate Winslet astound as the famed Apple founder and his most loyal associate in this excellent and magnetically interesting take on Steve Jobs’ most formative moments from the winning duo of director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin. It’s a surefire Oscar contender and a must-see for all. Now playing at AMC Lincoln Square and Regal Union Square. My review will be up on Monday.

New to DVD

Felix and Meira (recommended): Hadas Yaron, who starred in “Fill the Void,” plays a different kind of Hasidic woman in this story of a religious woman and a secular man who find an unexpected comfort in each other’s arms. The performances from Yaron and Martin Dubreuil enhance a film that starts off from an intriguing vantage point and isn’t entirely sure where it’s headed.

Manglehorn (mixed bag): Al Pacino stars in this mediocre, forgettable tale of an older man dealing with his age and memories of a woman he could have had, all of which feel like an ineffective ode to a long and prolific career of an actor who used to try much harder.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (highly recommended): It’s difficult to convey just how awesomely creative and engaging this film, which took home both the Audience Award and Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, where I tried to see it but didn’t get in, is. The child and adult actors are equally excellent, and it’s hard to match this film’s wondrous style and dialogue.

People, Places, Things (highly recommended): Jemaine Clement of “Flight of the Conchords” is a wonderful lead in this terrific comedy featuring a comic book artist father of two trying to get his life on track. The whole cast is great, and this film is a lot of fun.

Ten Thousand Saints (mixed bag): Asa Butterfield and Hailee Steinfeld, two terrific young actors, deliver great performances in this film about teenagers who grow up much faster than most. Their performances are authentic, but the film doesn’t always feel as real.

Now on Netflix Instant Streaming

Cheatin’ (recommended): This 76-minute animated film is mostly silent and uses detailed evocative images to tell its story of romance and infidelity. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea but it is a captivating wonder to behold for those with an interest in imaginative animation.

The Face of an Angel (anti-recommended): This fictionalized version of the infamous Amanda Knox trial involving an American college student accused of murdering her British roommate in Italy might have been interesting had it focused on the case itself and not the egotistical filmmaker and journalist, played by Daniel Bruhl and Kate Beckinsale, respectively, who covered the story.

The Wedding Singer (recommended): This happens to be one of my favorite Adam Sandler movies, the first of three cinematic pairings between Sandler and Drew Barrymore, with the former playing a moderately successful wedding singer whose latest gig turns out to be the love of his life. It’s more highbrow than much of what Sandler has produced, and highly entertaining.

Movies with Abe: The Prime Ministers: Soldiers and Peacemakers

The Prime Ministers: Soldiers and Peacemakers
Directed by Richard Trank
Released October 9, 2015

Two years ago, Moriah Films released “The Prime Ministers: The Pioneers,” an in-depth look at Levi Eshkol and Golda Meir, two early prime ministers of a young Israeli nation, adapted from a nonfiction book written by Ambassador Yehuda Avner, who served in a number of capacities under five different heads of state. The film, while interesting, never reached a truly invigorating point, and it’s reassuring to see that the second part of the cinematic adaptation of Avner’s book, featuring the late politician in interviews throughout, is a much stronger and more magnetic project.

The focus of this chapter is on two other prime ministers, Yitzhak Rabin and Menachem Begin. An excitable Avner introduces the two intimidating figures and explains their origins and how they came to be elected and to serve, sprinkling the historical narrative with some choice anecdotes, including a memorable visit to the White House in which Rabin made President Ford believe that it was Avner’s birthday and that’s why he was getting special attention from his tablemates rather than have the Israeli press catch wind of the fact that Avner had ordered a kosher meal and Rabin hadn’t.

The film is laced with such moments of humor and lightheartedness among stories of noble political leaders from a number of nations coming very close to reaching monumental peace agreements only to be assassinated by insurgents intent on continuing tensions and worsening them. It is incredible to see just how much of the film deals with foreign policy, and how big a role the United States and its leader play in everything. The transition from Ford to Carter is particularly striking, and Avner paints a relatively neutral portrait of their attitudes on Israel as defined by their words and actions at the time.

Avner, who passed away in March at the age of eighty-six, brings to life two long-dead prime ministers whose left immense and unforgettable legacies. His energy and amazement at the way that these two men overcame many struggles to take on the difficult task of leading their country towards some semblance of harmony within its borders and with its treacherous neighbors is infectious, and the celebrity voices of Michael Douglas and Christoph Waltz are less prominent and distracting than they were in the first film. This second half proves far more engaging and magnificent in its own right, thanks in large part to the energy of its narrator.

B+

Movie with Abe: Freeheld

Freeheld
Directed by Peter Sollett
Released October 2, 2015

Stories of overcoming adversity are common in filmmaking, and are usually told in two parts. The exposition is crucial since it must introduce characters and make them compelling in their own right before presenting specific obstacles that they must face. “Freeheld” begins by showing New Jersey police detective Laurel Hester (Julianne Moore) thriving in her work despite being surrounded by men, earning some needed relaxation in private with her much younger girlfriend Stacie (Ellen Page). Only when Laurel becomes sick and learns that her benefits will not go to her domestic partner does her public life merge with her private one, and a battle for justice and equality begins.

“Freeheld,” which is based on an Oscar-winning documentary short of the same name from 2007, succeeds in establishing Laurel as a dedicated, hard-working cop whose social life was limited mostly to a friendly relationship with her longtime partner Dane Wells (Michael Shannon). When she meets the less outwardly feminine Stacie at a volleyball game, Laurel begins to truly show her happiness while keeping her love life a secret from everyone. Laurel frequently acknowledges the extensive age difference – the two were actually nineteen years apart while the actresses are twenty-seven years apart – and it’s clear that their romance is genuine even though it rarely sees the light of day.

“Freeheld” experiences a distinct shift in tone when Laurel is diagnosed with advanced-stage cancer and her prospects are grim. While Dane rushes to her side to help her in the fight to award Stacie her pension, the freeholders’ association and other locals turn a blind eye to her cause. Steven Goldstein (Steve Carell), the founder of Garden State Equality, quickly latches on to Laurel and tries to utilize her specific fight as a larger case for the legalization of gay marriage. While this story represents an important benchmark in the progress of equality across the United States, this is ultimately an individual tale of people who want only to have what they built together remain after one of them is no longer alive thrust into the public sphere because of what they want means.

Moore won an Oscar last year for playing a woman diagnosed with early on-set Alzheimer’s in “Still Alice,” and she is no stranger to portraying strong-willed women forced to deal with unexpected hardship and physical decline. Page, who has come a long way from playing the spunky pregnant title teenager in “Juno,” plays well opposite Moore, and the two anchor the film’s dramatic core with help from Shannon as Laurel’s other loyal partner and Josh Charles as a freeholder with more sympathetic views, with some great comic support from an enthusiastic Carell. The film has its truly emotional and stirring moments, augmenting an already touching true story. Director Peter Sollett, whose previous feature films are “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist” and “Raising Victor Vargas,” helms an affirming and memorable ode to two real people, their journey together, and the implications and aftereffects of that journey.

B+

Movie with Abe: Shanghai

Shanghai
Directed by Mikael Hafstrom
Released October 2, 2015

Historical wars, namely World War II, are frequently the subject of films. The heart of the war and the havoc it causes on all sides is often the focus, but an equally compelling setting is the time before war has officially broken out, when chaos is just waiting to erupt yet has not quite reached a boiling point. “Shanghai” chooses its title city as its topic, a major Chinese port that in October 1941 was still relatively free from Japanese control and rife with rebellion, suspicion, treachery, and intrigue throughout and among the many cultures contained within its boundaries.

Paul Soames (John Cusack) is the film’s protagonist, an American spy sent by naval intelligence to the Far East following a stint in Germany where he posed as a Nazi-leaning journalist. Almost immediately upon arrival, Soames discovers that his best friend Conner (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), also a spy, has been murdered. He begins to piece together the last month or so of Conner’s life in which he checked in with his handler (David Morse) infrequently and had contact mainly with a mysterious Japanese woman. As he adjusts to his new life, Soames balances his time between a German friend, Leni Muller (Franka Potente), and an intriguing new relationship with local businessman Anthony Lan-Ting (Chow Yun-Fat) and his alluring wife Anna (Gong Li), who harbors more than a few secrets of her own.

“Shanghai” uses the bustle of its signature city to create an involving and compelling picture of a multicultural city largely free from organized conflict but plagued by the anticipatory energy of those just waiting for a crisis to explode. It’s reassuring to see Li and Yun-Fat in the cast, representing a true authentic Asian contribution to and presence in the film, along with the venerable Ken Watanabe, who portrays a Japanese policeman with his eye on the Lan-Tings and their new American friend. Cusack is a good actor to be in the center of many things happening without taking too much focus from those events, hardly delivering a tour de force performance but playing his part as he should. This isn’t an electric thriller but rather an in-depth period drama that, in its best moments, showcases the feeling of the era. This film, which was released in China and other countries back in 2010, is a worthwhile watch but not a vital one.

B-

Movie with Abe: Sicario

Sicario
Directed by Denis Villeneuve
Released September 18, 2015

Some films put all their cards out on the table at the beginning, explaining to audiences just what story it is that they’re telling. Others shroud their plots in secrecy, eager for audiences to be kept in suspense as long as possible, piecing together the puzzle of just what is happening along with the protagonist. Both can work well, but they can also be frustrating, particularly the latter approach, which means that audiences need to be invested enough in what is clear to want to discover more. As a film, “Sicario” has some strong points but definitely suffers as a result of the direction from which it spins its story.

“Sicario” opens with FBI Agent Kate Macer (Emily Blunt) arriving as part of a hostage rescue team to a home in Chandler, Arizona. No hostages are found, but the gruesome discovery of countless bodies housed in the walls of the house and a devastating explosion cause the event to merit serious agency consideration as the onslaught of very bad things. Macer is then quickly appointed to an interagency task force led by the reckless and mysterious Matt Graver (Josh Brolin), who sits in meetings with a t-shirt and flip-flops, and his quieter, more intimidating associate Alejandro (Benicio Del Toro). Throughout it all, Macer has no idea what is going on, and continually says so, as her two new friends lead her on a treacherous tour of more than one country with unknown but certainly devious aims ahead.

There is an intensity to “Sicario” that works extremely well, and those moments are the few where the film’s lack of clarity does work to its advantage. One particularly tense scene set on the bridge between Juarez, Mexico and El Paso, Texas is an early indicator of the film’s strengths, but unfortunately that is one of a few isolated moments that demonstrate that this film might be strong in concept and the execution of selected scenes, but the overall experience is not a cohesive or fully fleshed-out one. As an action film, it’s occasionally strong, but less so as a thriller. Blunt is always reliable but should have more to do than point a gun and ask questions, and Brolin and Del Toro, which exactly the right fits for their characters, have done better work in the past. I’m not sure that this film could have been better, but it’s far more suspenseful than it is satisfying.

B-

Movie with Abe: Black Mass

Black Mass
Directed by Scott Cooper
Released September 18, 2015

The gangster film has a rich history almost from the beginning of popular filmmaking, and it’s still just as prevalent as ever. The focus of any given gangster film can vary, with fictionalized turf wars and personalities often created to heighten drama and present the opportunity to showcase conflict with the police element. There are a few famed gangsters who are more than deserving of cinematic treatment, chief among them the infamous James “Whitey” Bulger, whose influence in South Boston in the 1970s and 1980s was felt in all corners. His story is undeniably interesting, and this film version of his life is definitely worth a watch.

What makes Bulger a particularly fascinating subject is the way that his existence and success ties in so closely with the FBI and its operations at that time. The film introduces John Connolly (Joel Edgerton), who grew up with Whitey in Southie and took a different path to become an FBI agent. Connolly, who is still friendly with Bulger’s brother Billy (Benedict Cumberbatch), a successful state senator, suggests to the infamous mobster that he should serve as an informant of sorts, feeding information about his competitors to help keep Boston relatively clean. That relationship blossoms into something that looks very much like the FBI sheltering and protecting the man who should in fact be the target of their most aggressive investigation.

“Black Mass” unfurls its plot in detail, showcasing the many characters involved in Bulger’s operations and home life, often interspersing brief moments of interviews from Bulger’s imprisoned deputies recalling events that led up to Bulger’s downfall and their incarceration. The story is extremely involving and interesting, and the film plays like a typical gangster thriller, balancing drama and suspense to create an immensely watchable and gripping experience. The film clocks in at just over two hours and could well have gone on longer without losing focus or audience attention.

The acting in “Black Mass” is strong, and the most exceptional portrayal is that of Bulger himself. Johnny Depp, an actor known for taking on challenging roles, plays Bulger like he’s never played anyone before, hidden behind extensive makeup and making this gangster character a unique and intimidating mob boss with a penchant for anger and overreaction. It’s an exceptional turn, and he’s ably supported by a talented cast led by Edgerton and Cumberbatch, with standout supporting turns from David Harbour, Dakota Johnson, Julianne Nicholson, Corey Stoll, Rory Cochrane, Peter Sarsgaard, and Juno Temple. Scott Cooper, whose directorial debut was “Crazy Heart,” does a fine job of retelling history in dramatic fashion with this proper ode to one of Boston’s most notorious criminals.

B+

Saturday Night Movie Recommendations with Abe

Welcome back to a weekly feature here at Movies With Abe. I'm going to be providing a handy guide to a few choice movies currently playing in theatres as well as several films newly released on DVD and Netflix. I invite you to add in your thoughts on any films I haven’t seen in the comments below.

Now Playing in Theatres

Becoming Bulletproof (recommended): This affirming look at the making of a film by a production company composed partly of disabled actors is a fun, fresh, and inspiring chance to see how a positive community environment can present a wonderful opportunity for cinematic contributions from all people. Now playing at IFC Center. Read my review from yesterday.

Mississippi Grind (highly recommended): Ryan Reynolds and Ben Mendelsohn are both excellent as gamblers unable to resist the allure of the game who form an unlikely partnership that leads them down a winding and immensely watchable road. Now playing at IFC Center. Read my review from Sundance.

Misunderstood (recommended): This film from Italian actress-director Asia Argento showcases a nine-year-old girl who has trouble fitting in thanks to her extravagantly destructive warring parents and other complications of childhood life. The acting is superb in this enjoyable and memorable movie. Now playing at IFC Center. Read my review from Thursday.

99 Homes (highly recommended): Michael Shannon and Andrew Garfield are fantastic as a real estate developer and the man he evicts from his home in this tense and involving drama about bank repossessions in Florida which is not to be missed. Now playing at IFC Center. Read my review from Sundance.

Western (anti-recommended): I saw this unmemorable, unengaging documentary at Sundance this past year, and it ranks as one of the worst films I’ve seen out of the 70+ I’ve screened there. Its look at a Texas border town and its Mexican counterpart should be much more interesting and involving than it is. Now playing at IFC Center. Read my review from Sundance.

New to DVD

Nothing to report this week!

Now on Netflix Instant Streaming

Because I Was a Painter (recommended): This documentary features artwork created in concentration camps during the Holocaust along with interviews with the survivors who created them. Its strongest asset is its theoretical exploration of finding beauty in something truly hideous.

Philomena (recommended): Judi Dench deserved her Best Actress nomination for her endearing performance as an older woman who tries to find the son she had to give up for adoption decades earlier, but her film isn’t exactly a worthy Best Picture nominee. It’s a fine light-hearted ride with a few memorable high points.

Serendipity (recommended): This 2001 romantic comedy about fate, destiny, and all that is a fun, enjoyable rides featuring likeable performances from John Cusack, Kate Beckinsale, and a pre-“Entourage” Jeremy Piven.

Movie with Abe: Becoming Bulletproof

Becoming Bulletproof
Directed by Michael Barnett
Released September 25, 2015

Sometimes, the story behind a movie is just as interesting as the movie itself. That’s definitely the case with “Becoming Bulletproof,” a documentary that documents the process of making a Western called “Bulletproof.” The hook is that the film is made by Zeno Films, an organization comprised of actors and crew both disabled and not, all of whom get to work on a film together each year. This behind-the-scenes chronicle of the making of this film and the people involved in it is a heartwarming and extremely worthwhile look at a great organization and the exceptional work it does.

“Becoming Bulletproof” begins by showing one of its actors, A.J. Murray, at home. A.J. has cerebral palsy, and he describes the many struggles he has faced as a result of his condition over the course of his life. He also proclaims how lucky he is to have such a supportive family and to have been given many great opportunities along the way. Working with Zeno Films is cited as a defining and transformative experience, enabling him to achieve a dream of starring in a film and being treated just like anyone else.

Other actors with various conditions are introduced throughout the film as “Bulletproof” begins production. The methodology of pairing crew members without disabilities with each actor shows how the organization enables all of its cast and crew to work together to be part of a real movie. Everyone comes into the project with such a positive and wonderful attitude – all as unpaid volunteers – and it is rewarding and inspiring to see them overcome the limitations of their conditions to do their part and contribute to a unique and fantastic process.

What differentiates the film-within-a-film here from other projects Zeno Films has produced is that “Bulletproof” was designed to be a full-fledged movie that could make the film festival circuit, a graduation to a longer and more professional project than the already ambitious organization had previously made. The film has in fact been shown at festivals throughout the United States, and whether or not it has a bright and remembered future, it is clear that Zeno Films will continue to do terrific work. Their commitment to the players involved is remarkable, and this sweet, energizing snapshot of what they do makes for a great film and story in its own right.

B+

Movie with Abe: Misunderstood

Misunderstood
Directed by Asia Argento
Released September 25, 2015

Misfits and outcasts of one generation can often be the trailblazers of the next era. The promise of future redemption isn’t much of a comfort during the time at which said rebellion or atypical behavior is occurring, especially since fame and praise often don’t come until after death. Childhood is a particularly trying time where being different or even seeming different can cause society to turn a cold shoulder. “Misunderstood” is a bold, colorful look at one young girl who faced all odds against her and still persisted to be her own person and exist despite obstacles and closed doors at every turn.

Aria (Giulia Salerno) is a nine-year-old in Rome with two sisters and parents who couldn’t possibly hate each other more. Each sister belongs to only one parent, which makes them the natural favorite of their respective parents. Aria is shuttled back and forth from her oblivious famous actor father (Gabriel Garko) and her torrential mess of a musician mother (Charlotte Gainsbourg), cast out repeatedly by each at the first sign of trouble, even and especially if such disturbances are instigated by the preferred sibling. At school, Aria is a star student detested and mocked by all except her kindhearted best friend, Angelica (Alice Pea), who nervously resists any attempts at rebellion that Aria instigates with her.

Aria’s life is exaggerated, with parents who are true caricatures of bad role models and children in adult form, which only makes her school experience all the more bitter since her home life doesn’t afford her any appreciation of the one place in which she can actually excel. Through it all, however, Aria is starry-eyed and hopeful, often imagining a more positive outcome of events, and continuing to try to latch on to each parent in the sparing moments in which they do pay attention to her and spend a few seconds with her doing something other than scolding, hitting, or outright ejecting her from their lives.

Fourteen-year-old Salerno, who has already been appearing in Italian projects for several years, does a superb job of making Aria a relatable protagonist who still pushes the limits of normal and conventional even if her particular circumstances did not exist. The actors portraying her parents, particularly the dependable Gainsbourg, contribute strongly in creating monsters so self-obsessed and fickle that it’s a wonder they even hang on to their children for as long as they do. This film is an occasionally funny, occasionally disturbing, and fully engaging experience from Italian actress-director Asia Argento that works well in any language.

B+

VEFFNY Spotlight: Gone with the River

The third edition of the Venezuelan Film Festival in New York begins today, September 23rd, and runs through September 27th at the Village East Cinema. The film's tagline is: Many Venezuelas. Many stories. One film festival.



Gone with the River
Directed by Mario Crespo
Screening September 24 at 8:30pm

Venezuela’s official submission for Best Foreign Film at the Oscars this year is an intriguing look at a woman who sought to fight cultural conventions and live her own life despite expectations from all sides of what it is that she should be doing. Dauna is a strong-willed, determined native whose indigenous people frown upon women’s equality, education, and any sort of deference from the traditional path. Dauna is a formidable lead character, soft-spoken but firmly committed to her ideals and ready to face the hardships that come along with standing by them. This film boasts no special cinematic qualities, but it does offer an involving and informative portrait of one person struggling to achieve change in a society that might be specific to the Orinoco Delta of Venezuela but might as well be representative of similar stories elsewhere too.

Saturday Night Movie Recommendations with Abe

Welcome back to a weekly feature here at Movies With Abe. I'm going to be providing a handy guide to a few choice movies currently playing in theatres as well as several films newly released on DVD and Netflix. I invite you to add in your thoughts on any films I haven’t seen in the comments below.

Now Playing in Theatres

Breathe (recommended): Mélanie Laurent’s film about two high school girls and their occasionally close, usually volatile relationship is an involving exploration of the nature of high school popularity and how it completely rules teenagers’ lives. Now playing at Laemmle’s Royal and Laemmle’s Playhouse in Los Angeles. Read my review from yesterday.

New to DVD

Heaven Knows What (mixed bag): Everyone seems to love this story about a homeless drug addict in New York City, but it really didn’t do it for me when I saw it at the New York Film Festival last fall. Actress Arielle Holmes, playing a version of herself, is compelling, but that’s about it.

The Overnight (highly recommended): This irreverent comedy was one of the funniest films I saw at Sundance this past year, thanks in large part to superb performances all around from Taylor Schilling, Adam Scott, Jason Schwartzman, and French actress Judith Godrèche as two couples brought together by their young children for an unforgettable wild night.

Now on Netflix Instant Streaming

Closer to the Moon (anti-recommended): This dramatization of a real life heist by Jewish Romanian resistance fighters staged to look like it was a movie being filmed takes what could have been an interesting story and incorporates none of its involving elements into its execution, resulting in a bland and uninviting disappointment of a film. Also available on DVD.

Moonrise Kingdom (highly recommended): His next film, “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” got all the Oscar love, but Wes Anderson’s 2012 period piece about two young campers trying to connect is far better, utilizing his token extended ensemble to tremendous comedic and dramatic effect. The screenplay is perfect, the music is great, and everything about this film is involving and enjoyable.

Movie with Abe: Breathe

Breathe
Directed by Mélanie Laurent
Released September 18, 2015

The teenage years can be an especially volatile time, and culture only contributes to that. “Mean Girls” was a particularly appropriate title to describe the behavior that often occurs with high school girls that can find someone ostracized for no reason and made miserable simply because one popular “queen bee” deems it her will and others choose to follow her every command. “Breathe” focuses on Sarah (Lou de Laâge), who takes a powerful hold over the sensible and less abrasive Charlie (Joséphine Japy), dragging her along on whatever adventures she chooses and then casting her aside whenever she feels like it.

The relationship between Sarah and Charlie is a very typical one in terms of its stark difference in the interactions when they are around others and when they are alone. When left to themselves, Sarah and Charlie experience a deep intimacy, spending every moment together and sharing more than a few secrets with each other. When they return to real life, namely school, Sarah can’t be bothered to acknowledge Charlie’s existence, and that’s the best case. When Sarah realizes that Charlie is clinging to her, she makes it her mission to eviscerate the poor girl who did nothing wrong aside from trying to be a good friend and not accepting her lower place on the totem pole.

“Breathe,” which is directed by French actress Mélanie Laurent, star of “Inglourious Basterds” and “Beginners,” is reminiscent of a cross between two recent French films. “Blue is the Warmest Color” showed the blossoming of a lesbian relationship between an impressionable high school student and an older, alluring artist. “Being 14,” which showed at the Tribeca Film Festival earlier this year, followed several French teenagers who treated each other horrendously, giving the term “mean girls” a whole new meaning. Charlie’s experience with Sarah often feels as intense as that in “Blue is the Warmest Color” even though sexual feelings for each other are never verbalized, and it approaches the level of fury and viciousness that comes with being a popular girl and using it to destructive ends. The actresses here are talented and the material is intriguing, but the film doesn’t quite make it as far as those other two in terms of fleshing out the characters and the way that they see the world according to their perceptions of each other. It’s an intriguing start, but doesn’t feel like a finished product.

B

Movie with Abe: The Second Mother

The Second Mother
Directed by Anna Muylaert
Released August 28, 2015

Class differences can be a complicated thing, especially if not everyone is on the same page about exactly where they stand in the world. This can be particularly tricky in a workplace setting, where one person’s sense of subservience is not matched or felt by another person. In “The Second Mother,” a live-in maid at a wealthy home finds her universe deeply disrupted when her daughter moves in to her room and fails to grasp the role she should inhabit, presenting an uncomfortable and often entertaining look at people existing in the same space with vastly different ideas of the world around them.

Val (Regina Casé) is introduced as a woman fully committed to her job, someone who goes above and beyond to cultivate deep, caring relationships with those she works for, treating them like family. The dynamics that she has with the three other inhabitants of the house vary, as patriarch Carlos (Lourenço Mutarelli) speaks rarely but is courteous enough, matriarch Barbara (Karine Teles) is relatively matter-of-fact and commanding, and Fabinho (Michel Joelsas) is close enough to her to climb into bed with her as a teenager when he can’t sleep. Val sees these roles as ordained and never thinks about anything being unjust or changing.

The arrival of Val’s headstrong daughter Jessica (Camila Mardila) shakes things up in a major way, one that transforms Val from a background object consistently and reliably doing her job to a much more visible element. Jessica’s presumptiveness finds her acting more like a guest than someone who should be grateful to her hosts for letting her live with them temporarily, something that makes Val extremely uncomfortable. Carlos and Fabinho obliviously egging Jessica on doesn’t help matters at all, infuriating Barbara and turning an awkward situation into something much more volatile.

This film, which was selected by Brazil as its official Oscar submission for Best Foreign Film this year, is a goodhearted picture of society that isn’t unique to its country. Casé is the center of the film, anchoring it with her portrayal of a docile worker who gives much of herself without receiving anything concrete back. Mardila’s performance helps to draw out that relationship and paint these characters as layered women whose lack of a solid connection only contributes to their bond when thrown together in someone else’s house. This film may not be satisfying or fully comfortable, but it’s definitely an enjoyable snapshot with a knowing and intelligent tone.

B+

Saturday Night Movie Recommendations with Abe

Welcome back to a weekly feature here at Movies With Abe. I'm going to be providing a handy guide to a few choice movies currently playing in theatres as well as several films newly released on DVD and Netflix. I invite you to add in your thoughts on any films I haven’t seen in the comments below.

The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution (recommended): This documentary is a strong and stirring chronicle of the Black Panthers from the organizations’ incitement to their redefinition both internally and by lawmaking authorities. Now playing at Film Forum and AMC Magic Johnson Harlem. Read my review from Sundance.

Sleeping with Other People (highly recommended): Jason Sudeikis and Allison Brie are both terrific in the funniest film from Sundance 2015, a hilarious tale of two friends who try not to be more than that but have trouble keeping themselves from falling for each other. Now playing at AMC Lincoln Square and Regal Union Square. Read my review from Sundance.

Z for Zachariah (recommended): Margot Robbie, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Chris Pine are all terrific in this decent depiction of a post-apocalyptic world that doesn’t involve zombies, mutants, or anything of the sort. Read my review from Sundance.

New to DVD

Citizenfour (mixed bag): This Oscar-winning documentary is extremely overrated, featuring an extremely compelling subject, document-leaker Edward Snowden, but hardly made as a strong documentary. See one of the other nominees instead – this one isn’t nearly as invigorating as it purports to be.

Five Star (recommended): This 2014 Tribeca entry is a matter-of-fact look at two men, one following a stint in jail and the other just starting to get into criminal enterprises. The performances are strong and the film is involving if not too memorable.

Now on Netflix Instant Streaming

Above and Beyond (highly recommended): This documentary about the birth of the Israeli air force is an extremely enjoyable, inspiring, and fresh look at how one young country was able to defend itself from attacks on old sides with the help of American and other volunteers eager to fight to safeguard Israel. Hearing from the senior citizens who flew the planes is a particular treat.

Miss Julie (mixed bag): Jessica Chastain and Colin Farell star in this realization of the famed 1888 play that probably is better suited for the stage. Chastain is always good but this is hardly the film to see her in any year.

6 Years (recommended): Taissa Farmiga and Ben Rosenfield star as Melanie and Dan, two people who have been dating for the title period of time and aren’t sure exactly where they are heading. This depiction of a relationship is honest and engaging if not entirely mesmerizing.

Up in the Air (highly recommended): This 2009 Best Picture nominee from director Jason Reitman is a superb and enjoyable look at a man who spends his life living out of a suitcase, with terrific performances from George Clooney, Anna Kendrick, and Vera Farmiga.

Movie with Abe: 6 Years

6 Years
Directed by Hannah Fidell
Released September 8, 2015 on Netflix

Conveying time and the history of any relationship in a film is a difficult task. There are intricacies and brief moments that need to demonstrate much more than they might explicitly do, giving those watching a sense that there exists a wealth of previous experiences and events that play into what is specifically occurring in the present. In “6 Years,” the title time period is the length of the romantic relationship between Melanie (Taissa Farmiga) and Dan (Ben Rosenfield), two young adults just starting to figure out where life will take them and forced to consider whether their paths will be together or separate.

Both Melanie and Dan, in their early years after college, are in relatively ideal positions. Melanie is getting hands-on experience in a classroom as an assistant teacher, and Dan is interning at a record label where getting kept on almost always translates to an impending job offer. Their relationship has not necessarily evolved with them, however, as after six years they are no closer to deciding what or when the next step will be. They have known each other forever, and therefore their parents are extremely familiar with each partner and invested in some way in the future of the relationship, which seems unknown at best given both parties’ attitudes and motivations.

Most of the interactions we see between Melanie and Dan find them in insolation, spending time in a room together or at a party. There is a disconcerting casual violence inserted into the romance when, in the middle of a fight, Melanie pushes Dan and injures him far more than might be expected. This becomes a trend throughout the film, as Melanie responds with unintentional physical consequences when Dan harms her emotionally by failing to consider her or outright disregarding her role in his life.

“6 Years” showcases an intriguing but familiar relationship dynamic and does not attempt to sugarcoat or whitewash the inherent flaws in both the individuals on their own and the couple together. Farmiga, who has spent much of her career starring on “American Horror Story,” is raw and real as Melanie, who remains headstrong despite her shortcomings and optimistic even with worries plaguing her mind. Rosenfield, who played Nucky Thompson’s nephew on “Boardwalk Empire,” builds up a wall around Dan’s emotions that makes its inevitable destruction all the more potent and powerful. This film is far from affirming, inspiring, or satisfying, but there is a certain intensity and roughness that makes it worthwhile.

B

Movie with Abe: Dirty Weekend

Dirty Weekend
Directed by Neil LaBute Released September 4, 2015

A film’s title can have different meanings, and as a result it’s helpful when characters do the job of defining exactly what it’s supposed to reference. Shortly into “Dirty Weekend,” Natalie (Alice Eve) cites a term for the type of behavior that two coworkers start to discuss when weather keeps their plane stranded in Albuquerque: a chance to be away and try things that aren’t normally acceptable. For Natalie and Les (Matthew Broderick), their unexpected time spent in Albuquerque provides a gradual and necessary departure from the banality of their everyday life.

As soon as he is introduced, it is entirely clear that Les is an uptight person. He does not like his schedule being disrupted and has a certain way of doing things, but he is also used to being ignored and not being heard. Natalie is also buttoned up in her own way, mainly in that she wears a turtleneck even in hot weather and refuses to disclose details of her personal life. Spending so much time together inevitably leads them to become closer as they begin to open up about their deepest secrets.

“Dirty Weekend” feels a lot like a play, with dialogue and conversations featured frequently with a small, tight-knit cast, including a cab driver (Phil Burke) who consistently appears every time Les and Natalie think to go into town. The setting of Albuquerque, which might as well be any unknown city, is an effective player in its own right, enabling them to experience something different than usual in transit from their base of operations to their delayed business in Dallas.

Ultimately, the film’s success is based on the quality of its performers. Broderick is an established actor who here gets to be as awkward and uncomfortable as possible, something he does well but that doesn’t lead to his being too endearing. Eve, who was charming in “Starter for 10,” “Star Trek Into Darkness,” and “Entourage,” does her best to give the film some charm but also proves a bit too bottled up to be inviting. Paired together, they make for an interesting duo, both appropriately muted but also prone to outbursts of energy, matched well by the calm, cool nature of those few people they encounter more than one in Albuquerque. This film is a fun idea but not one that ever really materializes into a substantial and winning concept.

B-