NYFF Spotlight: Last Flag Flying

I’m thrilled to be covering a number of selections from the 55th Annual New York Film Festival, which takes place September 28th-October 15th.

Last Flag Flying
Directed by Richard Linklater
NYFF Opening Night Selection

Cranston, Carell, and Fishburne star in the film
Coming home from war is not an easy thing, and adjusting back to civilian life can be fraught with difficulty. Yet there’s also no point at which things magically return to normal and, even if they do, no point at which they’re not subject to bubble up to the surface again. The enlistment of a child in the military is one example of how everything previously forgotten can be dredged up again, and the unthinkable event of a child being killed in action is a particularly harrowing circumstance where thinking back to what it was like “over there” becomes entirely unavoidable.

Fishburne and Cranston at a press conference for the NYFF premiere
Mild-mannered Larry Shepherd (Steve Carell) tracks down his old Marine buddies Sal Nealon (Bryan Cranston), who runs a bar where he basically never stops drinking, and Richard Mueller (Laurence Fishburne), who has departed from his crazy partying ways and settled down to become a reverend. Larry tells the friends he has not seen in decades that, just months after the death of this wife from cancer, his son has been killed in Iraq. Eager for companionship, especially from those who understand what he has been through, Larry asks Sal and Richard to join him as they escort the body of his son home with the help of his friend Washington (J. Quinton Johnson), meditating on what they did when they were at war and how it has affected them throughout the journey.

Screenwriter Darryl Ponicsan, Fishburne, Cranston, Johnson, and Linklater at a press conference for the NYFF premiere
“Last Flag Flying,” despite its devastating subject matter, is a film laced with a great deal of humor. Much of that is due to the casting of three actors well known for their sitcom work. Director Richard Linklater notes that humor is important because it’s so real, and that every job anyone has ever been in has humor if looked at through the right lens. Johnson explains that humor is what makes the tragedy palatable, a way to preserve your humanity by not letting tragedy take it out of you. Cranston recalls being furious as a child at his grandfather’s wake because people were telling stories and laughing, and he now sees that people grieve in different ways. Carell and Fishburne fit their parts well, and Cranston steals the show as the hard-drinking Sal who never just wants to go with the flow. Though they’re being campaigned for it, these don’t seem much like Oscar-caliber performances, though Cranston’s turn is quite good.

Cranston at a press conference for the NYFF premiere
The quality of the performances is on par with the film as a whole, which proves highly entertaining due to the writing and the execution of the script by the actors, but isn’t an overly memorable or impactful commentary on war and its implications. Fishburne claims that there aren’t a lot of war movies about the people who are left behind after they return from service, but “The Lucky Ones” and “Handsome Harry,” just to name two that immediately come to mind, have covered this territory. Linklater was also asked about whether the American flag that adorns the coffin has special meaning now, to which he replied that his film is “so far from the ridiculousness of what’s happening with that conversation now.” This film was certainly made more quickly than Linklater’s last big hit, the epic “Boyhood,” though it does serve as a sequel of sorts to the 1973 Oscar nominee “The Last Detail” starring Jack Nicholson and Randy Quaid. Overall, this is a perfectly good film, and one that is likely do well with audiences.

B+

Movie with Abe: Shot

Shot
Directed by Jeremy Kagan
Released September 22, 2017

If there’s one topic that’s sure to rile controversy, it’s the issue of gun control in the United States. Since most people in Hollywood tend to be liberal, films often paint a picture from one side, which is to suggest that guns in general are dangerous and their mere existence and prevalence is cause for enormous concern. This particular film chooses its title carefully, opting for an action executed with a gun rather than naming the weapon itself, and its exploration of the consequences of one simple action serves as a much better metaphor and instrumental example than as a convincing and engaging film.

Mark Newman (Noah Wyle) is a sound mixer who, in the film’s opening moments, is editing an action sequence and amplifying the sounds as each member of the onscreen posse is hit with bullets. Little does Mark know that, just hours later, he himself will be shot, struck by a stray bullet accidentally fired by Miguel (Jorge Lendeborg Jr.). After an argumentative meeting with his soon-to-be-ex-wife Phoebe (Sharon Leal), Mark’s relationship with the woman who must now frantically call the police to try to save his life is irreversibly changed, as is his physical future following this unfortunate event that takes mere seconds to happen.

The film employs a split-screen technique as it stays with Mark, on the ground after being hit by a bullet he didn’t even see coming and just heard being fired, and also follows Miguel, who doesn’t know what to do after he mistakenly fires the harrowing shot. Miguel’s first instinct is to make sure that his victim is okay, but the questionable origins of the weapon and peer pressure compel him to flee the scene. It’s hard to know how anyone would react in this situation, and this film’s mission is to examine the way that this split-second transformation affects the shooter, his victim, and the closest witness.

This film’s effectiveness as a movie truly does take a backseat to its importance as a rallying cry against the widespread accessibility of guns, and the way in which even completely innocent interactions can lead to deadly, life-changing consequences. Wyle leads a cast of TV veterans, including Leal from “Supergirl,” Malcolm-Jamal Warner from “Sneaky Pete,” Xander Berkeley from “24,” Elaine Hendrix from “Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll,” and Joy Osmanski from “The Loop,” all of whom would be better using their talents in more prominent parts that take better advantage of their abilities. This film serves its intended purpose to attempt to inspire social change, but as a movie it’s fairly forgettable.

B-

Movie with Abe: Elizabeth Blue

Elizabeth Blue
Directed by Vincent Sabella
Released September 22, 2017

Mental illness is a difficult struggle that’s extremely difficult to understand and relate to for those who haven’t experienced it. There is a great deal of stigma attached to mental illness, and those who suffer from it are often reluctant to publicize or admit it because of the reactions they know they will receive from others. Schizophrenia is one affliction that can be especially harrowing, since it presents hallucinations that may seem real to the experiencer, creating a distorted perception of reality that those watching it from the outside are hopeless to be able to comprehend.

Elizabeth (Anna Schafer) has been recently released from a psychiatric hospital, and is making a slow and careful reentry into normal life. Her fiancé Grant (Ryan Vincent) is her one constant, there to support her and to be by her side even when he can’t relate to what she is going through, in stark contrast to her mother (Kathleen Quinlan), whose attitude about her daughter’s state of mind has always been dismissive and condescending. Her therapist Dr. Bowman (Adewale Akkinuoye-Agbaje) encourages her to make strides, but stresses the importance of medication and resisting the urge to be swayed by hallucinations, something that Elizabeth has trouble with as she faces her new reality head-on.

This is not the kind of film that glosses over its subject matter and attempts to paint an idyllic portrait of conquering the battle over mental illness. Instead, it is one that deals with the unglamorous and unpleasant state of not being able to have control over one’s mind. Elizabeth still functions as a human being, but she’s held back so much by the way that she knows her mind might play tricks on her, as well as a lingering dread that Grant will one day just disappear.

What makes this film particularly poignant is that director Vincent Sabella based this story on his own experiences as a schizophrenic who went through periods of his medications not working. The film’s partnership with the National Alliance on Mental Illness is a tribute to its effectiveness as a strong step in combatting stigma and exposing the way that many without a loud voice experience the world. As a film, it is involving and powerful, if not overly cinematic or especially creative. It serves its purpose well enough and should prove to be a strong and eye-opening educational tool.

B

Movie with Abe: Red Trees

Head over to Jewcy to read my review of "Red Trees," a new documentary about a Czechoslovakian survivor of the Holocaust out at select theaters in NY and LA today.

Movie with Abe: The Passion of Augustine

The Passion of Augustine
Directed by Léa Pool
Released August 15 on VOD

Stories that take place in convents aren’t usually the most optimistic or positive. Some darker tales over the past few decades have made such settings seem unsettling, but it’s good to know that there are plenty of more inspirational films that don’t involve torture, death, or haunting. No matter what goes on inside the walls of the convent, it’s likely that things happen at a different pace or in a different way than they do in the outside world. Preserving things the way they are can be a struggle no matter when or where in history.

Mother Augustine (Céline Bonnier) works at a convent school in Quebec in the 1960s, far from city life. The convent specializes in music education, enabling all who attend the opportunity to learn, including her niece, who is hardly the most well-behaved or manageable of students. Changes in society around the convent, coming from both the religious body of the Vatican and the political entity of the province of Quebec, threaten everything that Augustine has worked for, indicating that the convent may soon be headed for a new type of existence that doesn’t offer nearly the same cultural values it has been known for up until that point.

“The Passion of Augustine” tells a story that’s somewhat familiar about an outlier in an institution not known for its desire to embrace change or to think outside the box, and of course it’s a new kind of change which seems to be reactionary that serves as the thing that she precisely fights against. The school itself is already evolved to an impressive level, and seeing the way in which the students at the convent embrace music as a way to spread their message and raise awareness of what they are trying to preserve is endearing.

This film has won a number of awards, particularly for its acting, at film festivals and in Canada since its debut in Montreal back in March 2015. Now, more than two years later, it comes to VOD on a number of platforms in the United States. It is a well-made drama that utilizes music to great effect, with no added sexual content or violence and a relatively simple, straightforward narrative that speaks for itself definitely worth watching for those who find its premise and content appealing and who are interested in hearing some music passionately performed.

B+

Movie with Abe: Kidnap

Kidnap
Directed by Luis Prieto
Released August 4, 2017

The revenge thriller has become a popular genre, with many films declaring that their featured villains have messed with the wrong person. There are variations of this, of course, especially in terms of how severe the initial offending act was. Such films that deal with the abduction and/or murder of a child can have an added sense of fury from the parent who seeks to avenge, and usually that kind of premise leads down an increasingly violent and dark road. This setup can also represent a serious misfire, best described as an idea that never needed to come to fruition.

Karla (Halle Berry) is introduced as a hard-working woman who puts in plenty of effort to her waitressing job, staying late to cover an absent coworker’s shift when she just wants to take the day to be with her son Frankie (Sage Correa). A call from her divorce attorney at a park takes her away from Frankie for just a minute, and in that time, he gets grabbed by a vicious couple with unknown aims. Determined not to lose him, she jumps into her minivan and begins a nearly film-long pursuit of the vehicle that serves as her only hope of saving her son.

This film is essentially just one long car chase, but not one that operates all that quickly. Confusing camera angles beg the question of exactly how physics play into this particular pursuit, and there are frequent pan-out shots that seem to show the cars moving extremely slowly, which is the opposite of thrilling. This film feels like a poor imitation of “Speed,” and at times its music even seems to mimic the theme of that much, much better movie. It’s hard to figure out exactly what the point of this film is as it tries its hardest to feel relevant and invigorating.

Berry is an Oscar-winning actress who hasn’t been making all that many films lately and hasn’t made something of note in a number of years. This role is hardly a return to form for her, but that’s probably equally the fault of the terrible writing, which finds her narrating a good portion of the film’s developments as she verbalizes her inner struggle. The kidnappers are just as poorly conceived, and even less appealingly, this film is a stressful experience that creates an environment of discomfort and angst for no good reason. Its title isn’t even in a coherent form, representing the frantic and unnecessary nature of this slow-burn, off-putting vehicular tour of Louisiana roads.

F

Movie with Abe: Some Freaks

Some Freaks
Directed by Ian MacAllister McDonald
Released August 4, 2017

There are a number of films and television shows that exist which seek to reclaim the traditional definition of “freak” or “misfit.” Often these productions tackle the subject from a comic lens, portraying those who couldn’t possibly be seen as normal or like others around them as the heroes because of just how endearing they are despite the circumstances thrown at them, in addition to whatever personality trait or physical quality makes them an outcast from society. The new film “Some Freaks” shows that it can be equally effective, if not even more so, to show the resilience of those who can never be popular in a dramatic yet lightly entertaining way.

Things are not pleasant in high school for Matt (Thomas Mann) and Jill (Lily Mae Harrington). Matt, who wears an eye patch due to the fact that he’s missing one eye, is chased around school as bullies try to steal the patch and demand to see what’s underneath. Jill is perceived as overweight and not trying at all to conform to any sense of normalcy with other aspects of her appearance, and when one unkind girl accidentally knocks her books down in the hallway, she declines to insult Jill because she deems it too easy. Thanks in part to their mutual friend Elmo (Ely Henry), they meet and realize how much they like each other.

Watching the relationship between Matt and Jill bloom is enormously interesting, and what defines it – and the problems they encounter later – is that neither of them can fathom a world in which someone doesn’t see their outsiderness right away. They see any form of genuine compliment or legitimate question as a practical joke just waiting to play itself out, and push many people away as a result. When college comes around, neither of them is ready for the real world or, more importantly, how they change as they adapt to it and find what works for them.

This is a sweet story, one that isn’t obsessed with a neat finish or happy ending and succeeds very well as a result. Director Ian MacAllister McDonald has earned numerous accolades from small film festivals for this film, and rightly so. Mann presents a portrait of a teenager almost unwilling to be happy, while Harrington, a true find who got her start on “The Glee Project,” is a revelation as Jill, making her a layered, dynamic protagonist hardly ready for the challenges of the world. This small film is a resounding hit, one that should be seen much more widely than it’s likely to be.

B+

Movie with Abe: Dunkirk

Dunkirk
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Released July 21, 2017

Christopher Nolan has made a number of epic films throughout the past two decades. “Memento,” an immensely cleverly-constructed head trip, was his first big hit, and following that, he rose to prominence for his dark Batman trilogy. His past six films, of which “Interstellar” and “The Dark Knight Rises” are the clear favorites of this reviewer, have all existed in the realm of science fiction and fantasy, leading many to expect the same from him going forward. His latest project is a typically well-crafted work of art, this time grounded in history and capable of capturing the imagination without the aid of any fantastical elements.

“Dunkirk” opens with a legion of soldiers trapped on the beach of Dunkirk, France in the middle of World War II. Commander Bolton (Kenneth Branagh) stands at the end of the dock looking out to the sea for any hope of rescue, which seems less and less likely as fire hits the beach and the boats attempting to ferry the soldiers back the short distance to England. Mr. Dawson (Mark Rylance), the owner of a small boat, heeds the command to donate his vessel to the service of his country, though he insists on piloting it to Dunkirk himself with his son and his young friend in tow. And in the air, pilot Farrier (Tom Hardy) begins the hourlong journey to Dunkirk to provide whatever support he can to his army.

Nolan has established himself as more than capable of turning a moment into an eternity in the best possible way. Like “Memento,” this film is not structured in a clear linear fashion, which serves to enhance the feeling of the time since it seems like escape from Dunkirk will never come. There is a magnificent power that comes from watching hundreds of soldiers bend down at exactly the same way to avoid an aerial assault that they believe will begin immediately and then rise back up at the same time when the moment has passed. The entire experience here is captivating from start to finish, fully engaging and involving the whole time.

What “Dunkirk” proves is that Nolan doesn’t need space or super powers to create an impactful and effective film. He also manages to tell this visceral war story in just an hour and forty-seven minutes, his shortest film since his little-seen debut, “Following.” Some of his regulars, like Hardy and Murphy, serve their purpose well in the cast, and the enlistment of the likes of Branagh and Rylance is a boon to his ensemble. The cinematography, film editing, and sound editing all shine in this harrowing war film that doesn’t feel gratuitous at all and is not easy to forget.

B+

Movie with Abe: Opening Night

Opening Night
Directed by Isaac Rentz
Released August 1, 2017 (DVD)

Things rarely go as planned, especially in the world of live theater. The same act can be rehearsed over and over again, but until you’re in the moment, it’s impossible to know what minute aspect of a person’s temperament or the surrounding environment will prove unpredictable and derail an opening number or dramatic scene meant to have a very different impact than the one it ends up having. The first time a practiced production goes public, it’s even more likely that things will go awry, and only time can tell how it will all play out and whether, in the end, it all works out.

“Opening Night” follows production manager Nick (Topher Grace) as he prepares to launch a nostalgia-filled musical epic starring J.C. Chasez, the onetime ‘N Sync star, who plays himself. He’s distracted by the fact that he’s still in love with his ex-girlfriend, Chloe (Alona Tal), who just happens to be the understudy for Chasez’s has-been costar Brooke (Anne Heche), who doesn’t seem to be in the right emotional shape to headline a big production. Throw in dueling divas (Taye Diggs and Lesli Margherita), a fire-breathing executive (Rob Riggle), and plenty of unpredictable drama, and that leaves Nick scrambling to try to make sure that, against all odds, opening night doesn’t turn into a complete failure.

The DVD cover presents its characters looking quizzically at the camera, with Riggle seemingly screaming, above the tagline, “The show goes the f#&k on.” That’s hardly the most encouraging recommendation, but fear not – this film is far better than that would indicate. While it’s hardly masterpiece theater, this is an enjoyable, relatively engaging look at a bunch of characters who might be thinly overdrawn but still serve their purpose as elements of entertainment in this wild ride that isn’t quite as wild as its cover suggests.

Grace is the right person for this lead role, not the one to make jokes but instead to observe all the ridiculousness that occurs around him. Smartly, those who have altogether too much energy to play nice with the rest of the cast, namely Riggle and Paul Scheer, are relegated to minor roles while Heche and Tal, both endearing talents, get more screentime. Diggs is having fun with his part opposite Margherita, and Chasez, to his credit, does a good job of parodying himself. This is not a must-rent musical comedy, but it’s more fun than I think anyone going into it would expect.

B-

Movie with Abe: The Big Sick

The Big Sick
Directed by Michael Showalter
Released June 23, 2017

Romantic comedies come in all different forms. Usually, things aren’t all that simple or they’re complicated by just one hurdle that just proves to be too big to get over. If that were readily apparent, there would be no reason to watch. Cultural clashes are a common obstacle that proves insurmountable to some, and what might begin as a joke doesn’t always end well if the parties involved can’t find a way around it. “The Big Sick” is a truly intelligent, warm, and winning example of exactly how to make a sweet, touching romantic comedy that excels on all fronts.

Kumail Nanjiani, a Pakistani-born actor best known for his starring roles on “Silicon Valley” and “Franklin and Bash,” plays himself, a stand-up comedian who isn’t all that well-known but is trying to make it in the comedy scene. He meets Emily (Zoe Kazan) when the grad student pipes up during one of his sets and the two begin a relationship. When it becomes clear that seriously dating a white woman won’t fly with Kumail’s family, their romance hits the brakes, but everything is thrown back in the air when Emily is in the hospital and falls into a coma, leaving a confused Kumail to sit at her bedside, developing a relationship with her parents (Holly Hunter and Ray Romano) without her even knowing that her ex is with her almost every moment.

There isn’t another film much like this one, which has a remarkable honesty to it, portrayed so wonderfully in the simplicity of Kumail and Emily’s first meeting, where he informs her that even positive audience participation in a comic’s act is considered heckling. When things get serious, this film doesn’t lose any of its signature energy, and in fact becomes even more wonderful and sympathetic, with plenty of humor to be found even in moments that seem bleak.

For those who think Nanjiani belongs in the supporting cast, this film strongly suggests otherwise. In a story written by Nanjiani and his real-life wife, the Pakistani actor represents his heritage and the way it merges with American assimilation brilliantly, in a funny and loveable performance. Kazan is wondrous opposite him, and Hunter and Romano offer perfect support in their parts. This is easily one of the most uplifting and entertaining films of the year, easy for any audience to appreciate and enjoy.

A-

Movie with Abe: The Hero

The Hero
Directed by Brett Haley
Released June 9, 2017

Many people have a distinguishing feature, something that sets them apart from others and makes them almost instantly familiar or recognizable. Someone who spends a good part of their time in the public eye is even likelier to possess this kind of trait, especially an actor who has performed many times in front of the camera. In the case of Lee Hayden (Sam Elliott), it’s not just one thing but rather two. The veteran actor is well-known for his low, booming voice that anyone listening finds mesmerizing, and his vocal impact is matched by the intensity of his facial hair, a thick mustache that frames his long face.

Lee is not a man who lives a terribly exciting life. After a lengthy career, the highlight of which was the title role in a Western film that lingers in his memory, Lee now has considerable trouble getting work. Most of his time is spent doing endless takes of commercials in which his voice helps to sell meat products, and his only friend is Jeremy (Nick Offerman), an old costar who has become his drug dealer. The discovery of detrimental news about his health coincides with a newfound relationship with a much younger stand-up comic, Charlotte (Laura Prepon), and a long-delayed attempt at rebuilding a fractured dynamic with his daughter Lucy (Krysten Ritter).

Elliott is a formidable actor who has been working regularly for the past three decades. This reviewer remembers him most fondly from his humorous recurring role as Eagleton Ron on “Parks and Recreation” and also appreciated his performance around the same time in a far more villainous role on “Justified.” At the age of 72, Elliott is perfectly primed for this kind of part, one that reflects back upon a career with some similarities to his own, though with a far more melancholy downturn. It’s a fantastic performance that should earn him well-deserved accolades.

Appearing alongside Elliott in this endearing comedic drama, Prepon, who now spends most of her time on “Orange is the New Black,” is an affirming foil. Offerman, offering typical comic relief, is a delight, and the typically excellent Ritter offers her best portrayal of resentment in a small role. Elliott’s real-life wife Katharine Ross appears as his ex-wife, adding a nice personal touch to a story that isn’t overwhelmingly original but still feels sincere and honest, bolstered by a tremendous lead performance.

B+

Movie with Abe: The Women's Balcony

I had the chance to review a fantastic new film that opens today and says a lot about religion, "The Women's Balcony." Head over to Jewcy to check out my review.

Movie with Abe: Take Me

Take Me
Directed by Pat Healy
Released May 5, 2017

People run all sorts of businesses. Some are more legitimate, and some more normative, and often the two intersect. And then there are those that are both off-putting in nature and considerably under-the-table in terms of their legality, yet those who operate them might still take pride in the work that they do. How well someone does their job and how above-board it is are two completely different things, yet it does tend to be interesting to see someone treat what others might balk at as completely standard operating procedure, giving it their all despite its truly strange nature.

Ray Moody (Pat Healy) runs Kidnap Solutions, LLC, an agency that specializes in custom abductions, mostly used to help rid people of habits that they would like to cut. His methods are certainly unorthodox, but that doesn’t stop him from going in to a bank to apply for a loan that a horrified teller has no intention of giving him. When he receives a call from business consultant Anna St. Blair (Taylor Schilling) requesting a full-weekend kidnapping, he is reluctant at first and then entirely surprised when, once the simulation begins, she seems to have no knowledge of having contracted him in the first place.

This is a relatively intimate film, one that features a few supporting players, like Ray’s disapproving sister, in short scenes, but mostly this is a two-person show. Ray is a nice guy who puts on a strong front to seem tough, but even he has lines he won’t cross, and he never intends to make anyone feel pain or misery. Anna, on the other hand, is impossible to read, one moment scared for her life and then appearing to bait Ray to be more aggressive in the next. Their relationship is difficult to decipher, but it does make for good entertainment.

Healy, who has appeared in a number of films over the years, steps behind the camera to film his directorial debut, which is definitely a comedy and one that puts him in a fun role at the center. Schilling, best known for “Orange is the New Black,” is the perfect actress to play opposite him, making Anna more than just a one-dimensional character. For the length of its short eighty-four-minute runtime, this film is enthralling and engaging, presenting an adventure that might not be for all tastes but produces more than a few laughs.

B

Movie with Abe: The Drowning

The Drowning
Directed by Bette Gordon
Released May 10, 2017

I had a conversation a few nights ago with a friend about movies and her perspective that they’re supposed to provide entertainment. That can mean any number of different things, but usually it signifies enjoyment and fulfillment, or at the very least something to take your mind off more important matters. That concept isn’t always true, since some movies don’t in fact provide entertainment, but there does need to be something for viewers to tether themselves to while watching. A movie called “The Drowning” was never going to be an uplifting comedy, but it could have been far less miserable than this film turned out.

Psychiatrist Tom Seymour (Josh Charles) and his wife Lauren (Julia Stiles) are out walking one day when they spot a young man jump into the water in an attempt to commit suicide. After Tom saves him, he visits the hospital and realizes that he is Danny Miller (Avan Jogia), a former patient that he treated and then got sent to jail after a murder he committed as a child. As memories of their unsettling encounters flood back to him, Tom finds Danny, now going by a new name, appearing back in his life in a very forceful and unwelcome way that causes great concern for the increasingly distracted and frazzled Tom.

What this film’s title refers to specifically isn’t clear from the start of the film, but it is apparent that Tom is retreating from his life, distancing himself from his wife, who is perfectly charmed by the new young man she meets whose identity she knows nothing about, and immersing himself in a book about the cases that he has overseen over the years. Tom is far from an inviting character, while Danny exudes a frantic, crazed energy that makes him seem dangerously unhinged.

Charles was a very strong part of “The Good Wife” and has made a handful of films since his exit from the show. This shouldn’t be counted high among them, and doesn’t showcase the best of the talented actor. Stiles’ performance is also rather wooden and adds nothing to the film. When it begins, it seems that this story is headed somewhere, but unfortunately it never manages to get there and instead wallows in its own discomfort, offering nothing close to entertainment and achieving little in the way of dramatic or dynamic transformation.

D

Jewcy Interview: Tomorrow Ever After

There's a great little movie called "Tomorrow Ever After" that opened this past Friday. I had a really cool opportunity to chat with filmmaker and star Ela Thier, who does some pretty interesting things. Head over to Jewcy to check out the interview!

Talking Tribeca: The Last Poker Game

I’ve had the pleasure of screening a number of selections from this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, which takes place April 19th-April 30th.

The Last Poker Game
Directed by Howard Weiner
Festival Screenings

Getting old isn’t easy. Whatever a person has achieved during a long and illustrious career, the changes a body begins to go through and the increasing lack of independent function can be extraordinarily difficult to confront. People hang on to different things, whether it’s a title or a physical souvenir, to remind them of what they have accomplished. Some accept their new reality without much resistance, while others do what they can to preserve what they’ve had and prolong the inevitable by denying its validity and the certainty that there’s nothing they can do to stop it.

Dr. Abe Mandelbaum (Martin Landau) moves into a nursing home called Cliffside Manor so that his wife Molly, who has dementia, can receive the care she needs. Abe is quick to correct those who neglect to call him doctor, and he strikes up conversations and friendships with others, both residents and staff, at Cliffside Manor. In addition to an endearing bond with Phil Nocoletti (Paul Sorvino), a resident who believes his life ended when he could no longer have sex, Abe also takes an active interest in Angela (Maria Dizzia), a nurse who has come to find her birth father after receiving a note that he is at Cliffside Manor.

The difficulties of aging and the pains that come with it have been explored extensively in film over the years, and this movie doesn’t offer much in the way of new ideas. Abe is perfectly alert and aware of what is going on around him despite a few physical setbacks, while Phil’s vision has deteriorated considerably and he has become cognizant of his limitations. Yet what the film does achieve is that it shows that those who have not yet reached the final chapter of their lives go through some of the same struggles with just as little idea how to handle it.

Landau is an established actor who has just the right affect and composure to portray this protagonist, and, at eighty-nine years old he gives off an incomparable intensity of presence in the moment during every scene of this film. Sorvino plays off him well, jumping at the chance to make a friend towards the end of his life. Dizzia, recognizable to audiences from “Orange is the New Black,” provides a stable sense of comparable youth in her interactions with the two old men, both of whom form a special connection with her. This film is thought-provoking and endearing, and presents a solid, contemplative look at what’s to come in some form of another for anyone who makes it to old age.

B+

Talking Tribeca: The Exception

I’ve had the pleasure of screening a number of selections from this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, which takes place April 19th-April 30th.

The Exception
Directed by David Leveaux
Festival Screenings

Most films contain more than one storyline. At the very least, there may be multiple characters, all of whom play a central role and whose individual plotlines diverge as the film progresses, likely ultimately culminating towards the end of the film when everything comes together. In those cases, it’s fair to assume that one part or element may be stronger than the others, and it could even be that the film as a whole might have been better had it focused solely or more intensively on its more compelling assets.

Captain Stefan Brandt (Jai Courtney) is a Nazi officer who, after an unexplained incident, is transferred to Holland to serve as the head of the guard for the exiled former ruler of Germany, Kaiser Wilhelm II (Christopher Plummer). While there, Brandt meets Wilhelm’s wife Hermine (Janet McTeer), who is eager to see her husband returned to the throne, Colonel Sigurd von Ilsemann (Ben Daniels), Wilhelm’s loyal aide, and Mieke de Jong (Lily James), a newly hired maid. As Brandt builds a close but forbidden relationship with Mieke, he is tasked with finding the spy operating within Wilhelm’s complex, an assignment that proves to be more difficult than expected when he discovers the spy’s identity.

The Nazi captain’s affair with the maid who harbors secrets takes center stage in the film’s setup and even serves as the reason for its title - Brandt is the exception, a good man who wears the Nazi uniform. Yet that love story with all of its complexities isn’t what makes this film appealing. Instead, it’s the spotlighting of a deposed ruler, one who has been in exile for so long that he is no longer used to communication with the outside world, let alone a regime which punishes negative language about its commanders or policies with unforgiving efficiency. To see how Wilhelm operates and how he interacts on a daily basis with his inner circle and with visitors is immensely interesting.

Plummer, who won an Oscar in 2011 for “Beginners” and is now eighty-seven years old, received a well-deserved standing ovation and plenty of respect at the U.S. premiere of this film at Tribeca. His turn as Wilhelm is full of emotion and intensity, and it’s wonderful to see that Plummer shows no signs of slowing down this decade. McTeer and Daniels provide ample support, with Courtney and James doing their best to steer a less-than-enthralling subplot mistaken for the main focus of this film. This film, best described as a fictional historical drama, will be most remembered for Plummer’s performance and the strength of the character he portrays.

B

Movie with Abe: Grey Lady

Grey Lady
Directed by John Shea
Released April 28, 2017

Getting past the death of a loved one is a difficult process, and it can made considerably harder by the means of passing. When someone is murdered, it’s exponentially more difficult, especially if the culprit remains at large, meaning that not only has someone been taken, but another could easily be next. Hopefully this isn’t something that many in the real world have to contend with, and certainly not on the scale that it’s represented in film and television. If nothing else, the need to settle a score and make things as right as they can be is a unifying feature of all such productions.

Boston police officer Doyle (Eric Dane) is already reeling from the death of his sister, and the murder of his partner only sends him deeper into mourning. A visit to Nantucket to try to track down clues is strictly off-book, and in addition to the gloomy aura of death that Doyle brings with him, he begins to realize that he and those he cares about are being specifically targeted. He forms a connection with a local woman, Melissa (Natalie Zea), but that may well put her in the same danger as he uncovers unsettling secrets about his own family and past that may serve as the explanation for present-day events.

Dane and Zea are both TV stars who got their starts on popular ABC shows with bigger names - “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Dirty Sexy Money,” respectively - and have now ascended to leading roles on successful cable series - “The Last Ship” and “The Detour,” respectively - that properly use their talents and give them a new chance to shine. This, sadly, couldn’t be further from that, drowning in misery and severely lacking in logic. It’s much closer to Zea’s unfortunate role on “The Following,” a series that portrayed disturbed villains prone to psychological meltdowns yet somehow able to stay several steps ahead of the good guys at every juncture.

This film’s title is meant to invoke the off-season fogginess of its setting, and while it does that, all it manages to contribute is excessive dreariness that makes this film’s completely unappealing - and unconvincing - plot even less enticing. The convoluted story doesn’t pan itself out in a worthwhile fashion, and there isn’t much to salvage here in this forgettable film that doesn’t use any of its assets, actors or location, anywhere near as well as it could have.

D

Movie with Abe: Below Her Mouth

Below Her Mouth
Directed by April Mullen
Released April 28, 2017

Passion can do crazy things to people. Most human beings are capable of thinking things through and reasoning out logical options and consequences to their actions, but it’s easy to become blinded to all that when attraction and the allure of being with someone gets in the way. Films tend to spotlight the most intense moments of a relationship, however fleeting, both the highest points of complete joy and happiness and the lowest points of misery and regret. This subject has been explored endless times, and it’s nice to see a new take that feels familiar yet still manages to achieve sufficient originality to allow it to stand on its own.

Dallas (Erika Linder) is a roofer with her own business who has just ended a relationship with her girlfriend. At a bar one night, she sets her sights on Jasmine (Natalie Krill), a fashion editor who is happily engaged to a man and only there to be with her friend. Dallas presses Jasmine to give her a chance, and despite repeated reminders that she has a fiancé, Jasmine eventually gives in, leading to a momentous affair that shows both women something that they hadn’t expected: real romance for Dallas and something truly transformational for Jasmine.

This film has the unique distinction of being shot by an entirely female crew, lending it considerably more credibility than, say, “Blue is the Warmest Color,” another tremendous film that was the subject of some controversy after its release because of the fact that it was filmed by a male director that many claimed couldn’t possibly understand the lesbian perspective. While this reviewer can’t claim to do that either, this film does serve as a strong companion to the other, full of just as much passion even if it clocks in at less than half its runtime.

Linder, a female supermodel famous for being booked for male modeling campaigns, and Canadian actress Krill make a fabulous pair, each conveying the extreme emotions that go into the affair that Dallas and Jasmine begin. The romance here feels honest and raw, and the explicit nature of many of the sex scenes isn’t used as a handicap, with the film still managing to deliver plenty of depth. This is an affirming, memorable film that ends on just the right note, delivering an energizing and satisfying story that illustrates the power of passion.

B+

Talking Tribeca: Holy Air

I’ve had the pleasure of screening a number of selections from this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, which takes place April 19th-April 30th.

Holy Air
Directed by Shady Srour
Festival Screenings

The dictionary definition of a scam is “a fraudulent or deceptive act or operation.” A simpler explanation is “a dishonest way to make money by deceiving people.” There are obviously a number of levels in this business, and scams can turn into schemes when they involve large amounts of money taken by one person or group from another in exchange for little and sometimes nothing in return. There are, on the other hand, some scams that can be described more accurately as victimless crimes that hardly constitute as misdeeds given both the low financial loss suffered by the victim and the lack of any greater implications beyond an unnecessary purchase.

Adam (Shady Srour) is a budding entrepreneur in Nazareth, a Christian man who works alongside Jews and Muslims in his daily efforts to come up with a winning idea and market a successful product. His wife Lamia (Laëtitia Eïdo) is eager to have a baby, but the process isn’t so easy, and that impending cost coupled with his father’s failing health make his need for a cash infusion all the more urgent. Inspirational quotes written on toilet paper aren’t going to cut it, and Adam is struck with a notion far more likely to succeed: bottling “holy air” to sell to visiting believers, literally making money from nothing.

Srour, who stars, writes, and directs, should be recognizable to American audiences from his lead role as an Ultra-Orthodox Jew stranded at a convent in the West Bank in the Oscar-nominated short film “Ave Maria,” spotlights a facet of Israeli society that rarely gets top billing in cinema. Adam must gain approval from his Jewish funders, keep the Muslim gangsters from beating him up for encroaching on their territory, and appease the Christian authorities already trying to maximize their profits without his intervention. Adam doesn’t seem tethered to much, but he does want to succeed, and the way he comes up with to do it is truly ingenious.

Srour is not a showy actor, and he directs himself here as a protagonist who mainly allows others around him to shape events, and he gets to choose whether or not to participate. When Adam is ready to make his big pitch, watching him quietly come to life is a revelation of sorts. This film shouldn’t be mistaken as anything but a light-hearted comedy, one that serves to slyly entertain throughout its short eighty-one-minute runtime and then dissipates into a mere memory as Adam’s product would surely do in real life.

B