Zack and Miri Make a Porno

New Movie Review.


Written by Kevin Smith
Directed by Kevin Smith
Starring Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Craig Robinson, Jason Mewes, Jeff Anderson

The main goal of a movie like Zack and Miri Make A Porno is to make you laugh. In that regard, the film is a wonderful success. If the second goal is to contain some heart and make you feel it is also a success. So, yes, this is a successful movie, but as far as Kevin Smith's movies go, this is a bit of a disappointment.

I don't want to sound too negative throughout this review, as this is a nearly great comedy that I highly recommend, but I must declare I am a big fan of Kevin Smith. My favourite film ever is Chasing Amy, with many others of his high up on my list. Out of his filmography, Make A Porno ranks above only Jersey Girl, a movie most Smith fans have tried to forget. It has some great dialogue but it lacks some of the quotables of his other films. More importantly, there is no attempt at raising the bar substance wise, making this the third lateral movement in a row after the surprisingly meaningful, insightful and affecting Chasing Amy and the almost equally great but far more ambitious following film Dogma. Both those movies had the great dialogue, the great heart but they also had something to say.

Kevin Smith is at the top of his game, however, in one very touching sequence. Eventually, longtime best friends Zack (Seth Rogen) and Miri (Elizabeth Banks) have to "perform" on screen together. The ensuing result is of considerable emotional weight. As Zack later puts it, "we were supposed to f**k, but ended up making love". The story of two friends discovering what was under their noses all along is told very well here.

In comparison to Smith's other work this is most like Clerks II. They follow somewhat similar formulas, but Clerks II worked much better for a few reasons. First off we already knew and loved the characters from Clerks and the story of two male best friends was much closer to Smith's heart giving it a stronger sense of sincerity and resonance. Also, telling a story about two dudes digging each other as buds is way less common than boy loves girl.

Like I said, the movie is hilarious and is quite sweet but it has the added bonus of being about making a porno. This adds freshness and fun to an otherwise formulaic film. The highlight of the movie has to be the scenes where longtime best friends, Zack and Miri are, along with some new found pals, shooting their flick. It captures the fun of doing something creative and collaborating with other people to make it happen. Quite simply, it may inspire you to do a little filming of your own. Perhaps not pornography, but I'm sure you get the point nonetheless. It accomplishes what Michel Gondry's Be Kind Rewind tried to do, and it tried really really hard whereas Make A Porno makes it look effortless. The ragtag group of people Zack and Miri scrounge together are a mixed bag. Each character seems interesting enough, and each actor portraying them seems on their game, but Smith seems only interested in exploring the title characters and Deleany, played by a never better Craig Robinson (Knocked Up, Pineapple Express). This is a shame and gives the move a much narrower feel than what may have been best. You'll certainly notice this after a "three months later..." cut that just doesn't feel right and doesn't convey the scope that was seemingly intended.

One worry I had going in was that Seth Rogen's overbearing personality would overshadow Kevin Smith's as a director. Instead both their personalities intertwine in comedic harmony. This is a great pair. However, The show stealer is star on the rise Elizabeth Banks who plays funny well and plays real even better. She has a similar effect on the movie that Rosario Dawson did on Clerks II; and that's no small compliment. As far as 2008 goes, Zack and Miri Make a Porno falls short of Forgetting Sarah Marshall but ranks ahead of Pineapple Express or Tropic Thunder. So overall, this isn't a Kevin Smith classic, but it is a more than worthwhile comedy.

Rachel Getting Married

VIFF 08 Movie Review.


Written by Jenny Lumet
Directed by Jonathan Demme
Starring Anne Hathaway, Rosemarie DeWitt, Bill Irwin, Debra Winger, Tunde Adebimpe and Mather Zickel

Rachel Getting Married is one of my favourite films of the year. It's a completely original, unique experience I'll never forget and one that I'll always treasure. First off there's the plot which follows Kym, played by an Oscar worthy Anne Hathaway, just out of rehab to join her family for the weekend as her sister, Rachel, is getting married. Family drama ensues. Don't get me wrong, the story is interesting on it's own, but deserving more attention is the actual wedding. This is the best fictional wedding in film. When the credits roll, it feels as if you did indeed attend Rachel and Sidney's ceremony, and it's a shame to have to leave. This is one of the most remarkable accomplishments in cinema this decade.

Rachel (Rosemarie DeWitt) is marrying Sidney (Tunde Adebimpe) at a backyard wedding with both families coming together for the very first time. Rachel, and her family, are white. Sidney, and his family, are black. This is never an issue. This is never brought up. The wedding displays their cultural diversity with various celebrations, dances and music. A testament to our (slowly) evolving society. The two families get along, ecstatic that bride and groom are happy. Many give colourful toasts, that are either sweet, funny, touching or all that at once. All of these speeches are completely authentic and help achieve a realistic, emotionally involving setting.

None of this would work without a superb cast. Anne Hathaway is absolute perfection as Kym, she plays a very troubled young woman who has occasional emotional outbursts but her performance is somewhat reserved. Hathaway doesn't look to exaggerate any particular aspect of her character. She gives as human a rendering as one can. It's a bit early, but Anne Hathaway is my pick for best actress so far this year. All the supporting players make up one of the most memorable casts of the year, at least up there with The Dark Knight and In Bruges, perhaps more so due to the size of the ensemble. Rosemarie DeWitt is great as Rachel. She and Tunde Adebimpe make for a very convincing engaged couple. The supporting actor that stands out the most for me is Bill Irwin. He plays the father with such convincing love, that it's overwhelming. He brings happiness to his character complimented by a hidden reservoir of sadness we catch a couple devastating glimpses of. Irwin does not get prominent roles in film but he has won a Tony award. If it weren't for Heath Ledger's Joker, this would be my favourite supporting performance of the year.

Jonathan Demme has crafted a wonderful film from Jenny Lumet's one of a kind screenplay. With the help of his cinematographer Declan Quinn, Demme has made a visually unprecedented film. It feels as if we are attending the wedding, moving from room to room, observing. I highly recommend this special movie to everyone, especially if you feel like going to a wedding.

Sugar

VIFF 08 Movie Review.

Written by Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck
Directed by Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck
Starring Algenis Perez Soto

Sugar is the story of a Dominican teenager working towards his goal of becoming a professional pitcher in Major League Baseball. Miguel Santos, or "Sugar", is eventually recruited to the US minor leagues, and we get to follow his journey to the MLB. This is the next film from writing/directing duo Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, the pair who brought us the masterful Half Nelson. While this film isn't as powerful and doesn't feature a performance of the same magnitude that Ryan Gosling had, it's a worthy follow up and the best sports film of the year.

Great sports films are about as hard to come by as great horror movies. These genres, in my opinion, have very similar history and patterns. Both usually follow a very simple formula, with sports movies we follow an underdog team to an unlikely victory or a a players personal journey to fame and fortune. It's no less than ridiculous, that almost every sports movie made, even ones being released this year, fall into those descriptions. So, when something comes along that doesn't follow a formula, I give it full attention. Sugar is different because it barely follows any of the actual baseball games. It only shows what Santos does, how his pitching performance goes. It only shows what's important for the character as this movie is somewhat of a character study. We really get in the mindset of a foreigner struggling to understand America and struggling to improve his game. Another breath of fresh air is that Santos isn't a star. He is an average pro who may never really be a starting pitcher. For once we get insight into the journey of someone normal, not someone destined to make it.

One of the most interesting insights we are afforded is that of seeing the process of how a player in the Dominican Republic is scouted and signed. It's fascinating, and very different than one might expect. I attended a Q & A with both Boden and Fleck, and Fleck said what inspired him to make this movie, besides loving baseball, was his curiosity in how this process works and also wanting to tell the story of an average player. They succeeding in doing so, as the story is very engrossing and it goes to surprising places, including a terrific ending.

One of the more interesting things I found out at the Q & A was that Algenis Perez Soto was a non-professional actor who could not speak english. Throughout the film, Soto's character learns more and more english as he arrives in the US. The actor actually went through the very same learning experience. This really helps the movie feel authentic. Soto is very believable and likable as the title character. He brings a soft sincerity lost in most Hollywood pictures.

The movie never shows the scoreboard when a game ends. This film is not interested in such things, it only wants to tell this one man's story. As a result, Sugar might not please all sports movie enthusiasts. However, I savoured every minute of this rare gem. This is simply one of the best, freshest sports movies of the decade.

Religulous

VIFF 08 Movie Review.


Written by Bill Maher
Directed by Larry Charles
Starring Bill Maher

“Religion is detrimental to the progress of mankind”.

This is the thesis Bill Maher uses to introduce his film, Religulous, directed by Larry Charles (Borat). I wish it wasn’t so simple, but if you agree with his statement, this is your movie, if you don’t, it probably isn’t. However, I urge everyone to see it. While it likely wont be changing all people’s views on faith, it is thought provoking. This is probably the best conversation starter in theaters this year.

The director, Larry Charles is no newcomer to controversy. Two years ago he brought us the brilliant Borat, which immediately divided audiences with it’s offensive content. While Borat was accused of racism, it was actually meant to expose the prejudice of the “Land of the Free”. This time around, Charles is taking on religion which should spark even stronger controversy. Also, audiences will be divided within the first 30 seconds of the trailer. A shame, really, as this is one of the most thoughtful and powerful films of the year.

We follow famous stand-up comedian Bill Maher on his quest to prove not that there’s no God, but that it’s impossible to know if one exists. As he puts it, he preaches the church of “I don’t know”. He interviews people of various faiths, but Catholicism is his primary target. He pretty much only goes for the easy victims. For example, an actor performing as Jesus, a holocaust denying Rabbi and the people inside a truck stop chapel. While his choice in interviewees seems like cheating, Bill Maher actually gives them all a chance to have their say. He is surprisingly fair to everyone he interviews. OK, maybe not the Holocaust denier. Maher listens to everyone carefully. In each conversation he goes on to debunk everything they say, and he does so respectfully. It’s clear that Maher is very well read and informed. Of course, none of his subjects give in, but they do manage to make fools of themselves again and again, and make no mistake about it, Maher and Charles never cease to capitalize on their ignorance and they do it in hilarious fashion.

Religulous actually harbours some very sweet moments. One display of kindness and sincerity from a Christian found in the truck stop chapel is very powerful. Bill Maher asks the man to pray and the ensuing prayer is sincere and heartwarming. Maher isn’t looking to insult everyone with faith. What he wants is to point out the flaws of organized religion and have people reason with him, instead of having blind faith. He mentions being terrified by having a religious government. Again and again he points out how religion contributes to many of the world’s problems. Maher’s argument is a convincing one.

At the end of the film, he nearly pleads for the world to wake up and change. This is something I feared he would do. However, by the end of the movie he has done such a good job of supporting his ideas, that it comes off extremely well. The last few minutes are deathly serious and astoundingly powerful. I was moved and enraged. This is one of those rare movies that makes you want to do something about what it’s saying.

Unfortunately, I fear that Religulous will suffer from the “Fahrenheit 9/11” effect. By this I mean that only the supporters of the film’s cause will go see the movie, thus completely ruining the possible effect Bill Maher hopes it to have. Once again I urge everyone to see it, as it is one of the funniest movies of the year, It’s one of the most powerful, but moreover, it’s the most important.

Blindness

VIFF 08 Movie Review.


Written by Don McKellar
Directed by Fernando Meirelles
Starring Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Gael Garcia Bernal, Alice Braga & Danny Glover

In Fernando Meirelles's latest film, a city is struck by an epidemic of blindness. Those afflicted with the "white sickness", named such because it is a white blindness as opposed to the traditional darkness, are placed in quarantine in an abandoned mental hospital. Once you're put in the quarantine, you can not leave. Military personnel have the exits surrounded, and are willing to kill those who try to escape. When a husband and wife arrive early on, played by Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo (no characters are given names), they step up as leaders and try to bring kindness and order inside the quarantine. Julianne Moore's character has a secret, she can see. She followed her husband, not wanting to be separated. Soon the building is overflowing with too many people, and the mini-society they had formed begins to crumble.

I have not read the book, so I can not compare the two. I have noticed many critics are attacking the film and claiming it to be an insult to the Nobel Peace Prize winning novel by Jose Saramago. I'm sure most would agree the go-to opinion would be the original author's. When Saramago saw Blindness, he told the director, "Fernando... I'm as happy with the movie... as I was when finished the book". You can even see his initial, very emotional reaction, while in the theater, on YouTube. It's not often an author praises a film adapated from his work, I can only think of when Phillip K. Dick said he loved Blade Runner. The only example where the author was wrong I can think of is Stephen King hating Kubrick's The Shining.

Fernando Meirelles is a world-class film maker. His last three films are all attempts at masterpieces. It seems he is only interested in setting the bar as high as it can go, and never compromising. I have all the respect in the world for him and if he doesn't always reach the bar, he comes close. City of God was a masterpiece, and The Constant Gardener, like Blindness, had it's flaws. Also like Blindness, those flaws are forgivable and fade away from memory, while the important points of each film linger on and on.

This film is shot like no other before it. It is somewhat experimental, but I was never distracted, at least not in a bad way. Cesar Charlone, the film's cinematographer deserves to mentioned come Oscar time early next year. There is frequent over exposure and brilliant use of shadow and reflection. One particular shot when Julianne Moore first arrives at the quarantine is astonishing. The camera sits in one spot, while she walks around and in several rooms off camera, but we can always see her in a reflection in the windows and clear glass walls.

People will be divided by the film's brutality in certain scenes. There is a specific sequence receiving much criticism. A cruel, group rape scene, in which the women are humiliated and used. Does this scene make you angry? Uncomfortable? Miserable? Don't let that stop you from thinking about what it may mean or represent. In an allegorical sense it could mean the raping of women's rights. Anyways, it's supposed to make you feel that way, it is the director's intention to go to these dark places. Film can not always be entertaining and enjoyable. We must be honest about the depths of human indecency, to earn the right to tell the stories of unwavering kindness. And if you look close enough, you will find that that unwavering kindness is in Blindness.

The acting is solid, but Julianne Moore steals the show. She conveys through her eyes, the weight that is on her shoulders from having to be the only one who sees, the only one who can ultimately guide everyone to freedom. Mark Ruffalo is very good as always, and plays his role in an everyman fashion hard to find in Hollywood. The always superb Gael Garcia Bernal is a little too at home playing the sadistic "King of Ward 3". This is the man, who sets the aforementioned rape in motion. In one scene, he sings to everyone through the PA system, happy as can be, laughing in between lines.

I do have a problem with the inconsistent narration from Danny Glover's character. In two or three instances, he has a brief narration that feels very out of place. Each time we hear his thoughts, he merely describes his feelings or what is taking place, mind you he does it eloquently. It is completely unnecessary and beneath a film of such substance because it halts our own thoughts and conclusions and subjects us to his, which at least for me, were already what I was thinking about on my own. It almost seems like it's an attempt to think for the audience so they don't have to. Fortunately I'm discussing just two minutes out of a two hour picture but it still degrades the quality.

I have had a couple good discussions about what this film means, and most people I talk to, myself included have several ideas. My favourite theory can't be fully discussed because it involves the final act in explaining it. I do get somewhat of a pro-anarchist vibe, as these people all struggle to survive in the hospital, where they create a mini-society. The blind are leading the blind. Mark Ruffalo's character begins a democracy and "The King of ward 3" starts a supposed monarchy. It all crumbles. These people can not be free until they let go of such notions.

Blindness can be seen as how humans would actually react to the devastating "white sickness", or it can be taken allegorically in several ways. How many recent mainstream movies can you say that about? This may be the most thought-provoking film since Children of Men. That was a masterpiece, and this may be flawed, but Blindness is an admirable effort that mostly succeeds. Despite that the vast majority of critics dislike this movie, I highly recommend it. Especially to those who like being challenged by cinema. Otherwise, what's the point?

Ballast

VIFF 08 Movie Review.



Written & Directed by Lance Hammer
Starring Micheal J. Smith, JimMyron Ross & Tarra Riggs

Ballast is the story of how the suicide of one man effects his twin brother, ex-wife and son. The film begins with an exquisite shot of a young black male running in a field as a massive flock of birds takes off in flight. The brilliant title then fills the screen, causing a surprising emotional stir, considering it's the first minute of the movie. Unfortunately, that holds as the peak of the movie's power.

Next we see Lawrence, sitting on the couch in his obviously poverty effected home in the Mississippi Delta. Down the hall, lying in bed, is his dead twin brother. He has been there for a few days, but Lawrence is trapped by his despair. Fortunately, a concerned neighbour inquires about Lawrence's wellness and calls an ambulance. Lawrence, along with his brother, ran the local convenience store together, but now he just stays at home. Marlee, the ex-wife eventually expresses interest in running the store with the help of her troubled young son, James.

This is Lance Hammer's first feature film, which surprised me. This is a movie that sets out to be something and succeeds. I was fortunate to be present at a Q & A where he shed light on his inspiration. Hammer, when visiting the Mississippi Delta, felt a profound feeling of sadness and longing, particularly when in the poverty stricken area that he eventually filmed the movie in. He claims the landscape, housing and people made him feel this one thing so strongly that he wanted to put it in film. He uses several techniques to accomplish his goal; he casted local non-professionals; he gives the film a somber, blue tint; and made the decision to exclude all use of music. Hammer's most interesting decision was to not use a script. Of course, he wrote a script, but only as a guideline. Hammer would just describe a scene to his actors and ask them to say what they naturally would. This is a move that certainly pays off. Hammer is able to successfully convey the aforementioned feeling in every frame of his picture, but that's all Ballast really does.

The characters are merely there to help contribute to the mood. The plot is a little less than involving and a little more than slow-moving. While I admired the artistry and lack of convention, despite my best efforts, I found my mind wandering off a couple times. I feel a little guilty, because movies like this need support to live, but I can't recommend it to everyone.

I have to elaborate on how much I love the title as it is so rare that there is any figurative thought behind one. Ballast is something that gives stability. Each of the characters in this film are recovering from the trauma of someone close to them taking his own life. Each person is looking for stability, so they can move on. I only wish that there was more to the film than a great title and a consistent mood.

It is clear that Lance Hammer is a very talented film maker who should go on to great things. His control over tone, mood and his use of the non-professional actors he personally casted are most impressive. Supporters of indie film, or actual aspiring film makers will likely enjoy as well as learn a few things from Ballast. Other movie goers may have trouble paying attention.