Tag: film review

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The rare case of a seemingly justified sequel

RENTON (Ewan McGregor), SPUD (Ewen Bremner), SICK BOY (Jonny Lee Miller) BEGBIE (Robert Carlyle)

The trailer for the T2:Trainspotting sequel has fans and critics jumping for joy

Heroin consumption is a bleak topic. One would be pressed to find a single positive aspect of opioid consumption, as it is known to destroy lives and relationships. That’s what makes Trainspotting (1996) such a memorable film—it explores the topic of heroin addiction with a weirdly realistic sense of humour. The characters realize the futility of their habit and make fun of each other’s horrible life choices. However, the movie is still a sincere story of the void created by drugs. The film has developed a cult following due to its great script and highly-effective editing.

It is worth mentioning the film only lasts 90 minutes and concludes with an open-ended scene. This abrupt ending leaves the viewer wanting more, and rightly so. The movie was based on a then-unfinished series of books written by Scottish writer Irvine Welsh.  The book’s sequel, Porno, was published in 2002—almost a decade after the first installment. The cinematic sequel to Trainspotting will be loosely based on this second book and will explore the unorthodox topic of porn-addiction and vices.

However, Trainspotting was released 20 years ago, which makes its scheduled January 2017 sequel seem unnecessary for those who haven’t seen the original. According to Mohamad Hassan Bassal, a film studies student at Concordia, the movie industry is filled with reboots and remakes which often come much too late for them to be justified. For instance, Alice Through the Looking Glass, the sequel to the blockbuster hit Alice in Wonderland, proved to be a massive box office and critique failure, one of the reasons being the film was released six years after the original. This delay hurt the film’s ticket sales and the sequel seemed unjustified by fans and critics who found the film devoid of the charm of the first movie. Therefore, it is understandable for fans of Trainspotting to be weary of the upcoming sequel only being a cheap attempt at using nostalgia to lure people into the theater.

Despite these negative speculations, the trailer for T2: Trainspotting, which was released last week, has considerably increased interest in the story’s continuation. The trailer showcases the original cast, including big names such as Ewan McGregor, whose role in Trainspotting catapulted him to Hollywood stardom. The trailer does not reveal specific plot points but instead proves to have kept the overall feel of the original. The famous “choose life” speech, which has been endlessly quoted by cinema fans, is given a modern spin as the narrator tells the audience to “choose Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and hope that someone, somewhere cares.”

The trailer is full of little nods to fans of the original, as it uses locations and songs from the first film. As the film has not been released yet, only time will tell if producer Danny Boyle will be able to capture lightning in a bottle for the second time.

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2010 G20: A dark moment in Canadian history

Lucius Dechausay's short documentary, Kettle, showcases footage from the mass arrests at the 2010 Toronto G20 Summit

Protesters who were held hostage by the Toronto police share their story in new documentary

The 2010 Toronto G20 summit will forever be remembered as a sad moment in Canadian history. According to the Toronto Star, the event marks the largest mass arrest in Canada, as over 1,100 people were detained. The majority of these individuals were never charged, since there was no valid reason to warrant their arrest. It is a moment most Canadians would like to forget, as it projected an overwhelmingly negative image of our police force onto the international stage. At Cinema Politica’s latest screening, filmmaker Lucius Dechausay’s short documentary, Kettle, showcases footage from the protest and interviews with people who were detained by Toronto police.

What is shocking is how mundane the initial protest was. There were just a group of people standing in an intersection protesting the G20 summit. According to Terra Dafoe, one of the protestors, the atmosphere was quiet and rather calm. It was a spur-of-the-moment demonstration. After a couple of minutes of peaceful protesting, a large crowd of police officers advanced on the group, banging on their shields. What ensued was the kettling, a term used to describe the cops’ technique of boxing in a large group of people, both protesters and bystanders.

The documentary shows footage of those who were left standing in the heavy rain without proper clothes or shelter. Since the event took place in June, some protesters were wearing tank tops and flip-flops and were not given any blankets. Erin Macpherson, one of the protesters interviewed in the film, joined the voluntary line-up for arrest, thinking she would at least be able to escape the cold weather by surrendering herself to the police. Instead, she was handcuffed and left standing in the rain for hours while waiting to be processed.

A lot of those who were held in the kettle were not involved in the protest. Some were only walking home from work, some were kids enjoying a day downtown or mothers running errands. They were people in the wrong place, at the wrong time. Some were detained for 24 hours, simply because they were standing on a public street.

One of the main reasons the situation got so out of hand was the clear miscommunication between protesters and police. There was no warning to disperse nor any use of crowd dispersing equipment. Law enforcement officers were waiting for instructions from Supt. Mark Fenton, who instructed his team to arrest every person caught in the kettle. Fenton latter publicly apologized for the mass arrest order, as it “demonstrated a lack of understanding to the right to protest.” In 2015, The Toronto Star reported that Fenton was convicted on two counts of unlawful arrest and one count of discreditable conduct relating to two incidents of kettling.

This documentary reminds us why we can’t allow ourselves to shove critical moments in our history under the rug. We owe it to those who were affected by the mass arrest at the G20 summit to determine why such an embarrassing situation was allowed to unfold. Even though Kettle is uncomfortable to watch, it conveys the shortcomings of our police system.

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Marvel’s superhero ranks grow once more

Doctor Strange uses his time- and space-bending abilities to save the world from destruction.

Doctor Strange brings another superpower to the Marvel cinematic universe: Magic

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) includes people gifted with incredible genius, raw power, cunning intelligence and the strength of gods. Now, it’s adding magic to the mix.

Directed by Scott Derrickson and starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Rachel McAdams, Doctor Strange is an interesting and worthy addition to the Marvel franchise. It has the same core formula (reluctant hero, powerful item, final showdown) that Marvel has perfected, yet it also brings something new to the genre.

Dr. Stephen Strange (Cumberbatch) is a brilliant neurosurgeon whose intellect is surpassed only by his ego. His world collapses after his hands are shattered in a terrible car accident, in which his vehicle goes careening off the road one rainy night. Broken both inside and out, Strange goes to great lengths to repair his hands—the tools that allow him to perform his life-saving miracles. When Western medicine fails him, a desperate Strange travels to Nepal to dabble in the mystic arts as a last resort. There, he meets the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton).

In a psychedelic montage that must have been inspired by some drug-induced trip, Strange gets a glimpse of this new world of mysticism: rushing lights, hands growing on fingers, mirror dimensions and endless universes. From there, Doctor Strange begins his tutelage in the arts of mysticism, where he learns to manipulate time, matter and space.

The cinematography of the film is incredible, featuring beautifully composed shots and incredible montages of a city folding and bending in on itself. The depictions of magic and spells are interesting and creative.

Aficionados of the superhero genre will find a breath of fresh air with this atypical Marvel film. We might not have needed another superhero origin story, but we got one anyway and it is an interesting direction to take the MCU in.

Unlike other Marvel movies, Doctor Strange doesn’t rely as much on explosions and grand finale battles. Rather, the fights occur in different dimensions where gravity is subjective and, in order to vanquish your opponent, you must bend space and time at your will. Think Inception meets The Avengers.

What’s interesting about Strange’s character is that he went searching for this power. Unlike Spider-Man, who was bitten, or Bruce Banner, who accidentally radiated himself, Strange goes out of his way to learn the mystic arts—but not under the guise of being a hero. His intentions, like his character, are self-centered. He wishes to heal his hands and become the surgeon he’s always been. Having worked on the cutting edge of science and medicine, he transitions to the harder-to-grasp mystical arts, something none of his PhDs will help him understand.

Doctor Strange is yet another piece of the Marvel puzzle, and it will be interesting to see how they all fit together.

⅘ stars.

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Seeing clarity in blindness

Borealis is the story of a father trying desperately to reconnect with his daughter, Aurora, who is slowly becoming blind.

Borealis, which had its premiere in Montreal last year, returns for a limited screening

Things aren’t exactly peachy. Jonah (Jonas Chernick) owes Tubby (Kevin Pollak) close to $100,000 in gambling money. His house is in shambles. His daughter Aurora (Joey King) is slowly losing her vision to a rare illness and wants nothing to do with her father who just never seems to be able to keep a promise. Yet, despite his daughter’s resentment towards him, all Jonah wants is for Aurora to see the Northern Lights once before completely losing her sight.

Borealis, written by and starring Jonas Chernick, is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. Chernick based his idea for Borealis on Blind, a short film by  Borealis’ director, Sean Garrity. The film has garnered recognition at a few festivals, with Joey King winning Best Actress at both the Vancouver International Film Festival and the Canadian Filmmakers Festival, where Garrity also won Best Director.

“For me, the genesis of the feature film came from when I started to imagine who the characters would be in my version of the story. I immediately saw a father and a daughter who each had a crutch or an addiction,” said Chernick. In the film, Jonah’s love of playing cards creates tension and resentment between him and Aurora, ultimately fraying an already fragile relationship.

Having written the script, produced the movie and played the main character, Chernick was intimately involved in nearly every aspect of the film—from conception to post-production. According to Chernick, writing the script made it easier to portray Jonah, as he understood the psychology of the character and the motivations behind the choices he was making since he had orchestrated them in the writing.

The strength of the film comes from the strength of the characters and the wide spectrum of emotion they display. However, there were also challenges associated with Chernick’s role, as he had to go to some dark places while portraying the lying, gambling-addicted father. According to Chernick, “playing a shitty dad” was one of the toughest challenges of portraying Jonah.

Chernick, who has two daughters himself, described Jonah as a reckless father who has no idea how to connect with his daughter. “He’s a mess. And he makes terrible choices for most of the movie. It was difficult to tap into that, as someone who takes great pride in the choices he makes as a father,” Chernick said.

The film is not only beautifully scripted and portrayed, but it is also visually strong, with well-composed and interesting shots throughout the film. A recurring visual cue is that of smudged or dirty glass or reflections. Since the movie deals with the issue of blindness, Garrity wanted to use this concept of skewed sight in the visual composition.

“Shawn really liked the idea of blindness as a metaphor,” Chernick explained. “Not just visual blindness, but blindness to yourself, to your emotions, to what is right in front of you.”

As the film progresses, we slowly begin to see the characters through dirty glass or reflections less, as these characters finally see each other more clearly than they have ever before, according to Chernick.

Borealis returns to theaters in Montreal for a week, starting Oct. 28. in English at the Cineplex Forum, and dubbed in French at the Quartier Latin Cineplex.

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American Honey: Chasing American dreams in a hopeless place

Shia LaBeouf gives a stellar performance as Jake in this fourth feature film by Andrea Arnold.

One of cinema’s leaders in social realism, Andrea Arnold, returns with an American Indie classic

As the blockbuster season finishes and award season begins, American Honey, the fourth feature film by Andrea Arnold, emerges as an early favourite for number one movie of the year, winning the Cannes prix du jury.

An intimate American road trip movie about a few disenfranchised youths, American Honey provides a fun, sometimes horrifying look at people who aren’t often seen in cinema. It is a simple film in terms of plot, yet it is very complex in terms of character development. It is realistic without being cynical, and sympathetic to its characters without romanticizing the lower-class hero. American Honey is a special film with characters who are not romanticized as heros.

The film follows Star (Sasha Lane), an 18-year-old who is taking care of her dirtbag boyfriend’s two children. A chance encounter at a KMart with Jake (Shia LaBeouf)—in the role he was born to play—opens the door for her to escape her troubled domestic situation. She decides to go across the country with Jake and his ‘crew,’ a merry band of magazine-selling misfits. An intense romance quickly develops between Star and Jake, to the disapproval of their boss, Krystal (Riley Keough). From here on, there is not much plot—it is a mixture of a mundane work-a-day lifestyle and spring break.

Typically Arnold’s films deal with characters trapped in a society packed with symbolism related to a constant desire to be free in nature. ‘The Crew,’ as they are referred, move aimlessly around the country selling magazines while singing along to songs about making money. Star is quickly accepted by the group as one of their own, yet she still seems to not fit in completely. She is an outsider within outsiders.

Viewers who aren’t familiar with Arnold’s work should note going in that she is not a director interested in finite conclusions or plot-based stories. Rather, she is more preoccupied with observing people in the margins of society. Some viewers have been put off by the open-ended nature of her endings as well as the idleness of her plot lines, and American Honey is no different. However, the brilliance of this film is not the end of the road, but the journey itself. This is a road trip movie with no destination, because there cannot be a destination. In fact, Star’s journey is effectively just a circle which ends where it started.

While the cast, besides Lane, is entirely white and mostly heteronormative, interested viewers should be aware that this is not a nostalgic Americana love letter to the past. American Honey is a very critical look at a country built on classism—one which ignores its poor, never granting even a small hope of escaping the cycle of poverty. The film can be described as an epilogue for the American Dream.

American Honey comes to Montreal theatres on Oct.14. It will be playing at Cinema Du Parc and the AMC in limited release. 

Grade: A (4.5/5)

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The Occupation of the American Mind

The film examines the brutal conflict and devastation that has affected the citizens of Gaza.

Cinema Politica’s latest screening focuses on the public relations of the Gaza-Israel conflict

There are two sides to every story and conflict. The Occupation of the American Mind explores the other side of the Gaza-Israel conflict—the side that pro-Israel North America doesn’t get to see. This visually-packed documentary, screened at Concordia’s Cinema Politica on Oct. 3, examines the pro-Israel public relations mandate within the United States.

Directed by Loretta Alper and Jeremy Earp, The Occupation of the American Mind analyzes the backlash against Israel’s invasion of Gaza from the majority of the world, and the pro-Israel political stance within American politics.

As if there were a public relations agreement between the U.S and Israel, the film claims the American media is only showing one side of the story. It opens with a jarring quote from former Israeli president Benjamin Netanyahu that perfectly sums up the purpose of the film: “It doesn’t matter if justice is on your side. You have to depict your position as just.”

The film begins with an explanation of the various treaties and wars that have led to the current Gaza-Israel conflict. Although heavy with political jargon, this summary is beneficial for anyone going into the film with very little knowledge of the conflict’s origins.

The film focuses on the unilateral conflict between Israel and Gaza, and, specifically, how American media is both manipulating the American public and being manipulated by the American and Israeli governments. With interviews from political activists like Yousef Munayyer and Noam Chomsky, the filmmakers sought to give a voice to activists who feel the media is demonizing their point of view. Munayyer references an interview in which he was verbally accosted by the news anchor for not giving the answer they were looking for.

The sights and sounds of the film may be graphic or triggering to some viewers. The film opens with a heartbreaking shot of an apartment building being destroyed by a bomb. The sounds of the ambulance sirens mix with the desperate cries of the injured and mourning. The filmmakers did not shy away from showing desolated homes and gut-wrenching images of those most affected by the conflict—the innocent civilians.

Monday’s screening was followed by a Q&A session with Sut Jhally, a professor of communication at the University of Massachusetts. He is the founder and executive director of the Media Education Fund, which was involved in the creation of the film. He also directed the 2004 documentary Peace, Propaganda & the Promised Land: U.S. Media and the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict.

Cinema Politica will be screening a second film this week titled The Last Omelette: The making of “The Land of the Enlightened” on Friday, Oct. 7.  For their full line-up, check out their website www.cinemapolitica.org.

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Maya Angelou rises again in first documentary

The documentary examines the life of Dr. Maya Angelou, with interviews from friends and colleagues.

The award winning documentary comes to Montreal’s International Black Film Festival

Co-directed by Rita Coburn Whack and Bob Hercules, Maya Angelou And Still I Rise opened the 12th annual Montreal International Black Film Festival. A great success, the film has won nine awards from multiple countries including the Best International Feature Documentary award from the Galway Film Fleadh. It is the first biographical documentary about Angelou, which is surprising, considering her many accomplishments, including being the writer of 36 published books, a poet, dancer and activist. From the opening frame to the end credits, the film creates a strong sense of community that brings together its viewers to honour a woman who has touched so many hearts.

The film covers many lesser-known aspects of Angelou’s life, beginning with her childhood in Stamp, Arkansas. Her journey continues on—from place to place, job to job, man to man. The film takes a look at the countless struggles she faced throughout her life, including racism and rejection. The film exudes courage and class, and leaves viewers feeling empowered and inspired.

Maya Angelou And Still I Rise includes interviews with many actors and friends of Angelou, including Cicely Tyson, Oprah Winfrey, Quincy Jones and Angelou’s son, Guy Johnson. The film uses a significant amount of found footage. The found footage and brought the film to life, as it showed so many memorable moments in Angelou’s life. The footage is not necessarily shown in chronological order, although it ties in nicely with the large range of interviews.

From beginning to end, the score rises and falls with the emotions of the story, evoking sadness as it slows down, and inspiration when the music becomes upbeat. Nevertheless, the story itself brings out all kinds of emotions, from beginning to end.

Although this documentary had moments of sadness and some elements of shock and anger, it was predominantly filled with moments of laughter and joy that permeate through the audience. Watching Angelou rise from her past with the help of her family and friends reminds us of the importance of courage and community. The film allows us to look beneath the surface of Angelou’s fame, and discover the stories we may have never otherwise known about her. This film is a must-see for those who are less familiar with her story, and a special treat for those who praise and admire this monumental woman. Maya Angelou And Still I Rise promotes love, diversity and courage, and is representative of what inspirational cinema should be.

Concordia is a private partner of the Montreal International Black Film Festival, which runs from Sept. 28 to Oct. 2.

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The revolution you didn’t hear about gets its screen time

At a time of questionable politics, music and rap bring a country together to oust a president-for-life

The Revolution Won’t Be Televised takes a look at how a president-for-life was brought down by democracy

The last five years have been politically eventful, starting in late 2011 with the unraveling of the highly mediatized Arab Spring. Every year since has seen its own political movement emerge, notably the Black Lives Matter and the Occupy movements of 2012. In the midst of those political events was a revolution in Senegal, one that was overlooked by the Western media. Senegalese producer Rama Thiaw took matters into her own hands by making a documentary about the political turmoil in her home country.

The Revolution Won’t Be Televised was screened on Sept. 19 at the season opening of Cinema Politica.

It tells the story of the Senegalese rap group Keur Gui that lead a political revolution in their home country. The groups’ members, Thiat (Cheikh Oumar Cyrille Touré), DJ Gardiaga and Kilifeu (Mbess Seck), were tired of the social injustice, the political corruptness, the endless cycle of poverty and the police brutality that plagued their country. Together, they created an association named “Y en a marre,” which roughly translates to “enough is enough.” Outraged, they planned peaceful demonstrations against the upcoming election campaign of President Abdoulaye Wade, a man who had enslaved his people for 12 years without any political opposition. The Revolution Won’t be Televised documents Keur Giu’s actions during the election and its aftermath.

At a time of questionable politics, music and rap bring a country together to oust a president-for-life.

What is highly refreshing about this documentary is its message and overall tone. It’s surprising lightheartedness showcases how commitment and self-sacrifice can reap social change. The interactions between the rappers are funny and quirky, and it is interesting to see a political revolution driven by music. The rappers are inspirational characters, speaking to their peers about how important it is to register and vote. Fans are asked to show them their voting cards during concerts and the group implores them to not sell their cards, a practice that is crippling their political system.

It’s also worth noting how these men completely transform once they are on stage. They become incredibly energetic, and Thiat becomes a Super Saiyan from Dragon Ball Z, based on the look of his hair. Their rapping style is aggressive and conveys the anger they feel towards their government leaders. As shown in the documentary, it is no wonder people took to the street after listening to their songs. Their lyrics are politically charged, including such statements as, “We are the victims of the crisis and true discrimination/I am fed up of this corrupt justice system.” These lyrics come from their song “Coup 2 Geule.”

During protests, the rappers would frequently tell their supporters to project a good image and to respect the policemen by saying “these men are men like us.” Thiat also values education and there is a scene in the documentary of him speaking to a classroom full of university students about the importance of being educated. The trio had no interest in becoming politicians—they just wanted people to not be cynical anymore and to start speaking out against injustice. Defying all expectations, their movement successfully managed to oust the president by encouraging the masses to register and vote.

What is shocking is the lack of media attention this revolution received. When asked about the lack of coverage by the international press, Thiaw said it might be due to the fact France did not want a “black spring” on their hands, and thus overlooked the revolution in Senegal. It is worth noting that Senegal was colonized by the French and gained its independence in the 1960s. According to the BBC, as a rather young country, Senegal has had its share of political unrest, but has been one of the most stable countries in Africa.

Thiaw edited the whole film by herself—the herculean task took her two years. She also did the whole post-production on her own, and the entire film crew was young and inexperienced. This lack of technical knowledge is visible in some scenes but does not take away from the impact the movie has on its viewer. Much like the rap trio presented in her documentary, Thiaw is someone whose determination is admirable. It took Thiaw and her crew six years to make the documentary, and they struggled to find funding since: “[the] cinema industry does not trust women when it comes to technical jobs,” Thiaw said.

Cinema Politica will present 13 politically-charged documentaries throughout the fall semester, and often holds subsequent Q&A sessions with the filmmakers. Cinema Politica’s upcoming documentary is called Seed: The Untold Story on Sept. 26 at 7 p.m in the Hall building (room 110). The film looks promising, it tells the tale of the seed industry and how Monsanto’s monopoly has forever changed the face of farming.

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Fire and chaos on the rig

DEEPWATER HORIZON, Mark Wahlberg, 2016. ph: David Lee/©Summit Entertainment

Deepwater Horizon tells the incredible tale of the people who tried in vain to cap the well during the 2010 disaster

Facing enormous pressure from the British Petroleum representatives, Rig Manager Jimmy Harell (Kurt Russell) didn’t really have a choice but to give the go to start extracting oil from the well. They were nearly 50 days behind schedule. Two tests had been performed on the 1,500 metre pipe and they had passed, although barely. The team needed to move on to the next well. Little did he know, everything would soon erupt into chaos.

Deepwater Horizon, directed by Peter Berg and written by Matthew Michael Carnahan, is based on the true events of April 20, 2010, when the Deepwater Horizon oil rig erupted into flames, 64 kilometres offshore. Eleven crewmembers died during the disaster, and the fallout included 4.9 million barrels of oil spilling into the Gulf of Mexico, causing the largest oil spill in American waters, according to CBC News.

In the wake of the ecological calamity caused by the oil spill, the loss of life was overlooked—however, the human element of the disaster is the focus of Deepwater Horizon.

The film centers on Mike Williams (Mark Wahlberg), an electrician aboard the Deepwater Horizon, as he tries desperately to flee the rig, helping as many fellow crewmen as he can get to the lifeboats.

Cinematically, the film shows how the rig, which had been dubbed “the well from hell” by its crew, became a literal pit of hell. Rolling smoke, powerful explosions and raging fire took over the rig, assailing the crew, one explosion after another.

Crew on the Deepwater Horizon had to dodge fireballs and explosions on their way to the lifeboats in order to survive.

There are several powerful scenes in the film. The viewer already knows that the disaster cannot be prevented, and yet, the build-up to the calamity adds tension and drama, as well as a sense of foreboding for a disaster we know is coming.

While still at home, Williams listens to a presentation his daughter is going to give at school about her father’s profession. She illustrates his job by shaking a soda can, turning it upside down and driving a metal straw through it. Using honey as the mud substance used to plug wells before extraction, she plugs the metal straw, which acts as a pipe. After she finishes speaking, the soda comes gushing out. While the family scrambles away from the rush of sticky liquid, the camera lingers on the can, and the sounds of fizzing soda are gradually replaced by groaning rock.

One of the main strengths of the film is in how it portrays the characters after they’ve been brought back to shore. After being rescued, the surviving crew are checked into a hotel to wait for their families. As Williams walks into the hotel, shell-shocked from the events he just survived, the worried family members of his crew surround him, asking for information on their sons and relatives. Once in his hotel room, Williams collapses on the floor, overcome by heaving sobs.

The film shows the real aftermath of the incident, from the human perspective. The crew that survived might eventually heal from their physical injuries: the burns, the bruises and the lacerations. But cuts and scrapes aside, the crew that walked off that rig were emotionally wounded. After surviving a hellish ordeal by fire, fed by the greed of the corporations that rented out their labour, they must eventually, somehow, return to a normal life.

The film is a reminder of the hell the crew lived through on that fateful night, and of the political decisions that led to it happening. Although it could have put more emphasis on the crew that perished during the fire, overall, it did a good job of drawing attention to the human collateral damage of the disaster.

Deepwater Horizon will open in theaters across Quebec on Sept. 30.

3 and a half stars.

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Blair Witch: A return to the Black Hills Forest

While not fully living up to the original, Blair Witch still has frights and fights

Hidden under the title of The Woods during production, Blair Witch is the latest sequel to The Blair Witch Project (1999), a film that is considered one of the pioneers of found-footage horror. While this new instalment is a significant upgrade from the catastrophe that was Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000), viewers should still not be expecting a classic this time around.

Fans of the original should be advised to leave their expectations for another Blair Witch at home, as this instalment feels like a fan fiction that somehow managed to become a feature film. The filmmakers did make the effort to continue the found-footage tradition and even staged the film in its original location. However, the shaky camera style quickly becomes distracting and the woods somehow feel smaller than in the original film.

The story is painfully straightforward. James, the brother of Heather (who disappeared in the original), finds newly discovered footage on YouTube that he thinks features his sister. This opens up the possibility that she could still be alive. He decides to round up his three closest friends to go investigate, reluctantly bringing along the two people who found the footage for guidance. What follows is the typical, predictable filler of character conflict that leads to the group splitting up for no good reason, a flurry of jump scares and some mediocre deaths, which all lead up to the abandoned, decrepit house from the original.

Blair Witch manages nothing new, despite having an acre of potential. photo: Chris Helcermanas-Benge/© Lionsgate

There are many fatal flaws that plague the film, the biggest being that there is never a sense that these characters have any kind of chance of making it out alive. It resembles a one-sided fight between a wolf and six blind lambs. Moreover, rather building up any kind of substantial suspense, Blair Witch is just a basic monster movie shot exactly like Cloverfield (2008). The monster in this movie being an amalgamation of Jason Voorhees, Freddy Krueger, Slender Man, and a self-aware forest. Worst of all, there really is not much of a point to the film. It fails to build on the original, all the while being predictable just like every other horror movie made in the last 10 years.

However, for all of Blair Witch’s faults, it must be said that the third act inside the house is well worth the price of admission. This is where the film finally jumps into top gear. It is the kind of scary that will keep most viewers frozen in their seats. There really isn’t a logical reason for the characters to go into the house, but the movie needs to go inside more than its characters do. While the ending is not something that will stick with many people, the sequence is a genuinely fun time. If I were to compare the film to anything, it would be to a rollercoaster ride. There is a lot of time spent waiting for something to happen, then a few bumps to get your attention, and finally a sudden rush that slows down right before you’re let off.

Those who are looking for something new should stay away, but anyone who enjoys a fright should check it out.

Stars: 2.5

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Big films make their big debut at TIFF

Graphic by Tom Bell

The Toronto International Film Festival screen is alive with foreign films this fall

As the mid-way point of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) draws near, the streets of the city get evermore crowded with journalists and visiting stars. For both obsessive and casual film lovers, here is a short report from the scene.

Korean master of film Park Chan-wook’s The Handmaiden is, in my opinion, one of the best films of the festival and of the year. It is a tense and visually exquisite erotic thriller that starts as a gothic melodrama, and gradually descends into the hell of perversion and violence that you would expect from the man who directed Oldboy. It’s sure to be a special experience if you’ve never heard of Sarah Waters’ novel, Fingersmith, which the film is based on, but I won’t tell you why.  What I can tell you is that it will leave you with some added understanding of the long-standing Japanese tradition of tentacle porn.

Maintaining the same level of perversion, Paul Verhoeven’s Elle is a shocking and darkly funny French thriller starring the excellent Isabelle Huppert. The film starts with a rape—careful, it has trigger warning written all over it. It is being promoted as a revenge story, but that’s not what it is, and even the ‘whodunit’ is not always central to the plot. Instead, it’s a surreal look at sexual passion and family dynamics, which are shown in an unconventional light. Although it sometimes feels a bit too cynical and calculated, the film is nonetheless a treat. A particularly memorable Christmas Eve dinner is one of its highlights.

No movie generated as much talk at this year’s Cannes festival as Toni Erdmann, but for all its strong qualities, it’s hard to understand what made it such a sensation. Its key concept is so exceedingly simple, perhaps it would have worked just as well as a short film, which is odd considering it clocks in at two hours and 42 minutes. What makes it worthwhile, is its touching depiction of a waning father-daughter relationship, the dullness of adult life, and the  magic of childhood—something that can never be truly reclaimed.

Finally, Kim Jee-woon’s The Age of Shadows is a thrilling action drama set, like The Handmaiden, in Japan-occupied Korea—which might give you some insight into current Japanese-Korean relations. Entertaining, brazenly patriotic and ultimately moving, the film was made with a great sense of scope on a remarkably small budget (IMDB estimates it at under $9 million). It’s not as bold as Jee-woon’s The Good, the Bad, the Weird, but features wonderful set pieces and a solid cast, led by Song Kang-ho who plays a man caught between resistance fighters and imperial police.

TIFF, sometimes referred to as “the Cannes of North America,” runs until Sept. 18.

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Arts

A summer film to soothe the soul

Together, Masao and Kikujiro embark on an unlikely adventure.

Kikujiro draws parallels between a boy’s quest and the transition to adulthood

Kikujiro (1999) is an essential summer movie, but it’s all about when you decide to watch it. This summer was a time for me to break away from the last few years of stressing over adapting to adulthood. Watching Kikujiro at this time in my life really validated what I was going through.

Kikujiro is about a little boy, Masao (Yusuke Sekiguchi) who embarks on a journey with his elder neighbour Kikujiro (Takeshi Kitano). Together, they have a very random, yet life-changing summer adventure. The movie pulls you in with the innocence and sadness of young Masao, but it takes you on a trip that lets you reflect on the value of the people you meet throughout your life. Written and directed by Takeshi Kitano, who also stars in the film, Kikujiro was entered in the 1999 Cannes Film Festival.

The sad tone of the film is balanced by the light-hearted nature of Kitano’s character, and the bizarre encounters he and Masao have along the way. As a viewer, you are introduced to a rather despondent nine-year old boy who lives with his grandmother.

When his summer vacation begins, Masao has nothing to do and no one to play with, since all of his friends go on trips with their parents. Masao doesn’t know much about his parents—the only thing his grandmother tells him is that his mother is working hard. One day, he stumbles upon a picture of his mother. Written on the back of the picture is an address in Toyohashi, several hundred miles away. He decides to take a trip to meet her.

A lowly neighbourhood thug, Kikujiro becomes Masao’s companion. His wife, a former neighbour of the boy, convinces him to accompany Masao on his trip.

Their trip starts off a little shaky, with both parties forced into travelling together. After winning a bicycle bet, the pair stumbles into several messy situations, such as hitchhiking after their taxi breaks down, that help the two grow closer.

Watching this movie, I realized there are special people you meet that can change your life and how you view yourself. Regardless of how you feel about this movie, Kikujiro perfectly captures a pivotal journey in the characters’ lives. Kikujiro reminded me of my childhood, when I was a bored kid living in the city with a working parent, trying to find any way to amuse myself. The film also reflected my current situation, as I struggle to transition into adulthood.

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