Strong performances anchor lovely story of compassion, hope
Brie Larson’s Grace lends a sympathetic ear to Keith Stanfield’s Marcus in Short Term 12.
After writer/director Destin Cretton graduated from college, he took a job in a group home for troubled teenagers. Years later, for his film school thesis, he created a short film loosely based on his experiences, which went on to win the Jury Prize for short filmmaking at Sundance in 2009. He has now turned that 20-minute short into a feature-length film of the same name, Short Term 12, and the result is a truly beautiful piece of cinema that speaks to the transcendent power of kindness, understanding, and love. Continue reading “Film Review: Short Term 12”
No sense and no sensibility: Jane Austen as uninspired rom-com
Jennifer Coolidge, Keri Russell, and Georgia King are living the Jane Austen dream in Austenland.
With Austenland, first-time director Jerusha Hess (one half of the husband/wife team that wrote Napoleon Dynamite) has turned Shannon Hale’s popular novel into a dippy, run-of-the mill, predictable romantic comedy. The novel’s fans may be the only audience for this dud, and even then their enjoyment no doubt will stem purely from the curiosity of seeing how the story translates to the screen. Everyone else would be better entertained by staying home and reading an actual Jane Austen novel. Continue reading “Film Review: Austenland”
Maybe we can get a fourth movie in this trilogy if we ask nicely.
Tomorrow sees the U.S. release of The World’s End, the third film in a so-called trilogy of films from Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of sitting around a table with a group of San Francisco film writers to talk with them for a few minutes. Those few minutes became a lot more minutes, as once they started talking, they had a lot to say. Part one of this two-part interview will touch on subjects such as traveling to England, Raising Arizona, and putting peanuts in a log. Come back tomorrow for part two of this interview, and a review of the movie as well.
You mentioned during a post-film Q&A that you wanted to show parts of England that weren’t London, but then these parts of England that aren’t London have zombies, they have murderers, they have what we see in this movie …
The intoxicating, nostalgic scent of freshly popped, earthy corn merging with the salty richness of melting butter permeating the air is a familiar movie theatre setting. At the Castro Theatre in San Francisco, where the annual San Francisco Silent Film Festival (SFSFF) is held, our olfactory senses are still treated to this familiar comfort and all seems like a typical Castro event, at first. Not that the Castro Theatre is your ordinary strip-mall movie experience to begin with, however. The majestic landmark building, built in 1922, has grand stairways, a charismatic Wurlitzer organ, 1937 Art Deco chandelier, rare scrafitto wall décor, seats over 1400 patrons, and weekly shows “repertory cinema, foreign films, film festivals and special first run presentations,” as well as favorite cult classics, and occasionally hosts special live theatrical or sing-along events. It is certainly a major source of pride in San Francisco. Once you move past the enticing phantom of popcorn aroma lingering in the lobby and take a seat, the heavy, old-fashioned curtains part like a luxurious and dramatic movement Isadora Duncan would be proud of.
“Jobs” is uninspired and constantly misses the mark…unlike Steve Jobs.
Ashton Kutcher does a serviceable impersonation, including a Jobs pose.
Most of us know about Apple, Inc. If you were born in the early 80s, you may even remember many of the corporate controversies, lawsuits, etc. that Apple had to trudge through before profitability in the late 90s. If you were born later, it’s likely you’ve heard of these events, anyway. We also have an appreciation for the design, innovation, and use of their products and show it by making purchases. When we purchase an Apple product, we are acknowledging the brilliant mind for business and technological innovation that Steve Jobs had. But acknowledgement is one thing, and understanding is another, and what most of us don’t know and can’t find through a simple Google search, is extensive information about the man himself and why he did what he did. Jobs, the new biopic starring Ashton Kutcher as Steve Jobs, does not shed any light on the subject, instead giving us a standard (and repetitious) timeline of the company…which isn’t that interesting on screen.
Kick-Ass is back, and this time he’s (too) serious.
Kick-Ass and Hit Girl take a moment.
2010’s Kick-Ass had a refreshingly original tone — including a hard-on for depicting severe violent repercussions within a completely unrealistic comic-born plot. The film solidified Chloë Grace Moretz as a rising star…and a genuine bad-ass. Fans hoped to eventually see more of Hit Girl and more of this type of violent mayhem that was (crucially) grounded in a sense of fun and, dare I say, purpose. Now comes Kick-Ass 2, a mostly straightforward revenge tale that features more graphic violence than the original, but much less fun and with less purpose.
To boldly go where everyone has gone before: Mediocre sci-fi film delivers nothing new
Europa’s icy landscape awaits exploration by the Europa One crew
In his new film Europa Report, Ecuadorian director Sebastian Cordero tries his hand at cinema verité science fiction, and, unfortunately, the results are disappointing. Working from a screenplay by Philip Gelatt, Cordero can’t overcome the flatness of the material, and the story, which has a sort of Blair Witch Project meets The Right Stuff feel to it, never fully gels. Despite featuring a few skilled performances from his international cast, Cordero’s film ultimately fails to satisfy as either intriguing science fiction or as compelling docudrama. Continue reading “Film Review: Europa Report”
‘Prince Avalanche’ takes a humorous stroll down melancholy road.
Where we’re going, we don’t need lines on the roads.
Adapted loosely from the Iceland film, Either Way, Prince Avalanche is a sad, yet, somehow, delightful tale of unlikely friends connecting in an equally unlikely setting. Alvin and Lance are spending the summer of 1988 re-painting traffic lines on a Texas highway that winds through a burnt out forest. Their job is repetitive and tiresome, and takes an extraordinary amount of patience to adapt to the disconnect from city life and nearly all social/romantic interactions. There is a lot of isolation in Prince Avalanche, from within the characters, to the landscape in which they work and pine, yet the film is light and inviting thanks to the humor elicited from a charming script and powerful performances by the two leads.
Icon or victim? Exploring the depths of one woman’s story
Peter Sarsgaard’s Chuck works on convincing Amanda Seyfried’s Linda that his money making ideas are totally reasonable.
In 1972, Linda Boreman Marchiano, better known by her stage name, Linda Lovelace, spent a sum total of 17 days working on one notorious pornographic film, but the results of that work led her to a lifetime of fame – or, more accurately, infamy. Her story is vividly brought to life in Lovelace, the new film by directors Rob Epstein and Jeremy Friedman (The Times of Harvey Milk; Howl) and writer Andy Bellin. They have crafted not only a fascinating psychological drama, but also a brilliant evocation of a bygone era. Continue reading “Film Review: Lovelace”
More spotlights from the 33rd Annual San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, which runs until August 12th (still plenty of time to catch a few films). Full schedule, tickets, and more information at: http://sfjff.org
My Awkward Sexual Adventure (Canada 2012, 103 min)
Jonas Chernick is ready to learn something new in My Awkward Sexual Adventure
Canadian director Sean Garrity has made a charming, very funny picture that combines the sweetness and raunch of The40-Year-Old Virgin with the wisdom of Star Wars. Winnipeg accountant Jordan (Jonas Chernick) isn’t a virgin, but he’s so bad in bad that his girlfriend Rachel (Sarah Manninen) consistently falls asleep during their intimate interludes, and breaks off their relationship. Desperate to win her back, Jordan makes a deal with Julia (Emily Hampshire), a pretty, smart stripper with big dreams and messy finances. The two work out a quid pro quo agreement – financial lessons for sex tips, with Julia serving as a sensual Yoda to Jordan’s naïve Luke Skywalker. The ensuing results are awkward, yes, but always hilarious and honest. A side plot involving Jordan’s best friend Dandak (Vik Sahay) and an arranged marriage candidate also parallels the main story nicely.
And just a warning: this film does for cantaloupe what American Pie did for apple pie… you may want to opt for watermelon at your next picnic.
