This drama film centers on Melanie (Stefania Lavie Owen) a teen about to graduate high school planning to go to USC to study medicine like her late father. Melanie and her mother Dawn (Lili Taylor) are shown to have a close relationship in the wake of Melanie’s father’s passing. For her part, Dawn is portrayed as somewhat over-anxious and neurotic.
One day, Dawn accuses their next door neighbor of being verbally aggressive after she and him get into an argument that Melanie never sees. As time passes, Dawn becomes more and more convinced that this unseen neighbor is following her and otherwise persecuting her and Melanie with an increasing intensity of accusations. Starting with throwing rocks at the windows, progressing to building equipment designed to torture her. At first, Melanie dismisses these notions as an exaggeration of her mother’s anxiety due to her leaving for school. Unfortunately, it soon becomes apparent that Dawn is suffering from delusions and has been for some time. The remainder of the film follows Melanie as she tries to balance loving and helping her mother whose condition worsens, with her desire to have her own ordinary teen experiences. Meanwhile, Dawn tries to convince Melanie and others that what she is experiencing is real and that she needs to protect herself and those around her from this threat.
Director and writer Inon Shampanier and co-writer Natalie Shampanier craft a very thoughtful story with this film. It would be easy for this film to be a coming-of-age story that features mental illness as simply a gimmick or new wrinkle to an established formula. Here however, the Shampaniers instead give audiences a brutally honest portrait of how when dealing with mental illness, it can fully consume not just the person with the illness, but the people closest to them. The script gives full respect and attention to all of its characters.
We the audience go on Melanie’s journey as her confusion turns to fear and eventually anger as she realizes the extent of her mother’s illness. At the same time, the film spend’s enough time with Dawn so the audience empathizes with her frustration over the fact that people seem dismissive and belittling of her pain and suffering, which to her is genuine. It is this thorough examination and empathy which helps ensure that the film does not come across as an exploitation but a study in how mental illness affects people and their relationships.
Audiences will latch onto the film in large part due to the dimension of the characters, and the actors here bring these characters to life completely. Stefania Lavie Owen steals the movie, playing the full range of Melanie’s emotional journey without ever slipping into overacting as someone striving to be a loving daughter while also maintaining her sense of self. Lili Taylor is also superb as Dawn, embodying the anger, isolation and resentment of someone who feels that those around her are not taking her concerns seriously, and how dealing with mental illness can strain individuals professional and personal relationships.
The two leads also do a great job at crafting a dynamic that implies a genuine bond and history, with their own unique hobbies and idiosyncrasies. Ian Nelson also gives a strong supporting performance as Daniel, a boy in Melanie’s class pursuing her affections who has some mental health struggles of his own. Not only does this romantic subplot add depth to Melanie’s character and story, but Daniel’s struggles provide Melanie with insights about her mother.
In addition to a strong script and cast, the soft piano heavy score by Ariel Blumenthal serves as the perfect accompaniment to this quiet, thoughtful character study. In addition to the original music, songs from Lily Kershaw compliment the score beautifully without being overbearing and the lyrics perfectly suit the themes and story.
Paper Spiders is a film that thoroughly, honestly and empathetically looks at mental illness and many of its ramifications. Featuring great writing, two strong leading performances, and great music, viewers should seek this film out.
In this drama/thriller, real estate agent Alex (Heston Horwin) discovers a woman is being attacked while he is preparing to show a property to prospective buyers in Sedona Arizona. Alex is able to scare off the woman’s attacker and bring her back to the property. The woman introduces herself as Marakya (Michaella Russell). Marakya explains that the man who was attacking her is named Kellin (Chase Cargill), who works in the employ of a lawyer named Anthony (Taylor Flowers). Marakya further elaborates that Anthony’s law practice is in actuality a front for a sex trafficking operation, wherein Anthony exploits desperate clients who are unable to pay their legal fees into the trafficking trade in order to work off their debt. Marakya herself is an undocumented immigrant from Africa who was represented by Anthony, then forced into his operation where she learned too much about its interworkings. This led Anthony to send Kellin to kill her. The rest of the film follows Alex and Marakya as Marakya seeks vengeance against Anthony while also evading Kellin and other henchmen, the former not being all he appears to be.
While the notion of “a person out for revenge on the person who wronged them” is well established, and writer/director Nicholas Woods fulfills certain known tropes well. This is particularly true when it comes to the action set pieces in the film. Woods attempts to inject serious meditations on how people and organizations with authority can take advantage of people with lesser means into the script. Most of the characters in the film are acting not of their own volition, but due to being indebted to more powerful individuals. Unfortunately, one gets the feeling watching the film that it is sometimes struggling between being a fast-paced action/thriller, and serious character study. This leads to some issues of pacing in the film and the feeling that certain sub-plots could be omitted.
One of the film’s greatest strengths is the performances. Michaella Russell is captivating as Marakya, perfectly embodying the fear, resilience, and anger of a woman seeking to reclaim power and control after being abused and traumatized. Chase Cargill is also a standout as Kellin, adding depth to what could easily be a forgotten henchmen character. Instead, Cargill imbues the character with a nuanced sense of conflict and doubt. Taylor Flowers is engaging as Anthony, equal parts threatening, deviously manipulative, while also being saddled with a hidden sense of fear. All of these components combine into the perfect antagonist for our protagonists to clash with by the film’s end.
Another strongpoint in the film is Sten Olson’s cinematography. As alluded to above, Olson along with Woods’ direction shows deftness in creating the film’s action pieces with clear and methodical long takes. For the film’s quieter moments, Olson shows great care in composing intimate close-ups that highlight the performances given by the actors. Olson also shows his skill with lighting and color with the scenes taking place in Sedona desert landscapes. Tyler Rydosz’ music is also a strong accompaniment, the string-laden score lending the film the perfect mix of anticipation and dread.
Echoes Of Violence does not entirely succeed in fully investigating the deeper themes it presents. That said, it is a film that takes a known story format and puts its own stamp on genre conventions. Featuring engaging action and performances, haunting music, and memorable visuals, fans of drama/thrillers should seek this film out.
Songs My Brothers Taught Me: The BRWC Review – This drama film centers on the inhabitants of the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, mainly Johnny Winters (John Reddy) and his family. Johnny spends his days breaking horses and boxing, while caring for his sister Jashaun Winters (Jashaun St. John) and his mother Lisa Winters (Irene Bedard), the latter of whom struggles with alcoholism.
Johnny hopes to one day leave the reservation and move to Los Angeles with his girlfriend Aurelia Clifford (Taysha Fuller). In order to secure enough money, Johnny has resorted to illegally selling alcohol on the reservation. However, Johnny feels conflicted about leaving his home, family and friends, especially his sister. The remainder of the film follows Johnny as he wrestles with the tension between his desire to explore life beyond the reservation, and his fear of abandoning those closest to them, while also looking at the hardships, joys, and bonds of the people on the reservation.
Director/writer/co-editor Chloé Zhao has been lauded for her naturalistic filmmaking style that blurs the line between documentary and fiction. Many of the actors featured here are either playing themselves or fictionalized versions of themselves inspired by real people, places, and events. Even in the case where established actors like Irene Bedard appear in the film, the naturalistic approach carries through. This deliberate use of largely non-actors and real places and experiences allows viewers to truly connect to the world and people of the film, and lends the film a level of authenticity not often afforded to other fictional films. The relationship and chemistry between St. John and Reddy is particularly poignant and moving.
Zhao also shows her complete commitment to authenticity not only in terms of acting, but in terms of the story that is told. While the narrative is scripted, as stated above the use of real people and places largely removes feelings of manipulation. The film unflinchingly tackles hard topics like the pervasiveness of alcoholism and economic strife on the reservation, and the lasting impact of U.S. policies on the Native-American community. At the same time, the film never feels like an exploitation piece. Though Zhao focuses on the struggles many of these inhabitants face, in equal measure she celebrates these people and their culture. This is done in a variety of ways, whether it is through the showcase of song, chants and artwork, or allowing viewers to hear honest conversations between people about their communal bond and strength due to their shared experiences.
People in the film talk about shared heartbreak over the generational pain their people have experienced, their hopes for the future and so on. Zhao’s determination to almost live in and show the lives of these people in all their facets, in order to bring the audience into their world in a naturalistic way goes a long way in generating empathy in viewers for the people featured. That being said, the lack of conventional plotting or character arcs may lead to a feeling of a slower pace than some are used to when it comes to fictional films.
Another aspect of the film that helps accomplish this naturalistic and poetic feel is the cinematography by Joshua James Richards. For the most part, Richards opts for a handheld camera which solidifies the feeling that the camera and audience are invited visitors into this very rich and defined world. Richards and Zhao collaborate in such a way that every frame feels perfectly composed in terms of light, depth and composition in order to achieve its maximum effect and potential. This is particularly true of scenes taking place outdoors which take advantage of the natural beauty of the landscapes around the reservation which highlight the people’s connection to the land and the animals that inhabit it. These moving images are accompanied beautifully by Peter Golub’s gentle piano and string score which also lends to the poetic nature of the film.
Songs My Brothers Taught Me is a beautifully shot film that honestly portrays the realities of the lives of a group of people in all of its hardship and also its beauty. Featuring engrossing performances from both established actors and non-performers alike, stunning cinematography and nuanced direction, this film is not to be missed.
I recently had the opportunity to interview Happy Cleanersstar Yeena Sung. Born in Seoul and raised in Cheonahn and Bundang South Korea, Yeena has been working in theatre and film for the past nine years, having graduated from both New York University and Columbia University. Her theatre credits include Twelfth Night, Hi-Fi Wi-Fi Sci-Fi, Campfire, and To Pieces. In addition to her leading role in Happy Cleaners, Yeena has been in many films and will soon appear on the seventh season of Darren Starr’s Younger. Over the course of our interview, Yeena and I touched upon many different areas such as the differences between performing on stage instead of film, and the portrayal and conversation surrounding Asian/Asian-American performers and characters. Read our full conversation below.
What are some of the differences you noticed between growing up in South Korea compared to when you came to the U.S.?
Yeena Sung – One of the main differences I’ve noticed is that Korea is much more focused on the collective ideals, whereas there’s more attention to the individuals in the U.S.
What are some things you look for in a role or project before signing on?
Yeena Sung – I like to be in projects where the narrative is in-line with my core values and ones that I truly believe are important to be told. In terms of roles, I am drawn to play characters that are either very close to me or the extreme opposite of me – interestingly enough, they are both equally challenging and enlightening.
When it comes to theatre, you have done Shakespere, musicals, multimedia pieces etc. What are your favorite aspects of performing on stage compared to film and TV?
Yeena Sung – I love theater productions because, unlike film and tv, you as the actor get to experience the full journey as the character without having interruptions or cuts. It’s an amazing feeling to go through the full arc and every time you perform, it’s an opportunity to understand and get closer to the character and the story. I also enjoy the energy you get from the audience members. Every night is different and you can never fully anticipate how, where, or when the audience members will respond. And no matter what, unless it’s life-threatening, “the show must go on”. This means you can’t stop midway and it’s up to the performer to navigate any unexpected things that may come up. It’s a fun and scary challenge, and it keeps you on your toes!
I enjoy the filmmaking process just as much. I love the aspects of having to be highly concentrated and to not be distracted by the cuts in-between. You also have to have a huge imagination and inner-life that is just as driven and strong as when you’re performing on stage. People often say, “be natural” or to “tone it down”, but nothing about the film sets’ environment is natural. I actually think the fun challenge of on-screen acting comes from embodying and channeling that big inner life without being theatrical, and expressing it in a way that is in the style of naturalism.
The experience of acting in both stage and film/tv are distinctly different but I believe the core of acting stems from the same place. Thus, I enjoy doing both!
You have done a few projects centered on young teenage characters such as Clique Bait and Let’s Play Dead Girl. How does Asian/Asian-American culture and values impact (if at all) how adolescence is portrayed compared to how it is portrayed in American film and television?
Yeena Sung – This is a difficult question to answer because both of these films weren’t centered around the Asian/Asian-American experiences. It just so happened that the characters I played were Asian/Asian-American. There are narratives that actively hold space for how the characters were impacted by the Asian/Asian-American culture and values. But in the case of Let’s Play Dead Girl, the director just wanted to have a diverse cast to realistically represent his upbringing from Queens. However, the story wasn’t about my character being uniquely Asian-American. As for Clique Bait, it is a short film specifically about teenagers who go to an international highschool in Hong Kong. But that was just the setting and the actual story touches upon the complex relationship between two friends who grew apart. I think these characters might have been portrayed differently if the purpose of the film was to concentrate on how the characters were affected by their respective cultures.
I think we’re at a stage where we are curious and eager to learn more about the specific cultures and how that affects the story telling. And that’s fine. But I ultimately hope that, even in films that are culturally specific, audience members can learn to celebrate the differences but also relate to the characters as fellow human-beings experiencing the complexities of life.
How did you come to be involved with Happy Cleaners and what drew you to the role of Hyunny in particular? What aspects of Hyunny if any could you identify with?
Yeena Sung – I found out about Happy Cleaners through a casting call on Backstage. I read the description of the piece and was immediately drawn to it. However, I was at a low point in my journey as an actor at the time from facing multiple rejections and wasn’t going to audition for it. But on the day of the audition, I decided to show up anyway. It’s funny because the directors were struggling to find the right actor to play Hyunny and I happened to be the last person to show up to the audition!
I was initially drawn to Hyunny because I felt that we were very similar. Hyunny and I are both resilient and we don’t give up on things easily. We continue to look at the positives despite the hardships. Our vulnerabilities are often overshadowed by our grit but it’s the softness in our hearts that allows us to move forward.
What facets of Asian/Asian American life does Happy Cleaners capture really well?
Yeena Sung – I would say everything about Happy Cleaners portrays what it means to be a Korean family who immigrated to Flushing, New York. The intergenerational struggles and friction between the younger and older generation is spot on. I also love that there are a lot of scenes involving food, because it is a huge part of how Koreans communicate to one another- even if there are no words involved. The common Korean greeting to check in with someone is, “have you eaten rice”. Just from this, you can tell how important food is for Koreans and I love that this film was able to portray that.
With films like Happy Cleaners, The Farwell, and Parasite receiving critical acclaim, have you noticed changes in the cultural conversation surrounding types of roles and stories available to Asian and Asian-American artists? How would you like to see the cultural conversation continue to evolve?
Yeena Sung – I think an important change is that Asian and Asian-American artists are finally starting to be included in these conversations. Asian/Asian-Americans have been invisible to the public eye and were not attended to for a very long time; Asians were often seen as obedient and easily silenced. My hope is that more conversations and platforms will open up to bring more agency for all actors of color. Actors, especially those who are marginalized, are susceptible to working in environments that inhibit their ability to perform their rights. Due to the lack of opportunities, BIPOC actors often partake in productions that they don’t feel comfortable being in, play roles that perpetuate stereotypes, or do work for less or no pay. We need to have more conversations to change this cultural norm and actively create space for all artists.
I also hope to see more conversations that focus on what the actual story of the film is, rather than just on the aspect of asian-ness. I think it’s a great start that Asian/Asian-American performers and stories are gaining more popularity. However, I hope that the attention doesn’t come from a place of “othering” but from a genuine interest in the intention of the story.
What are some cliches and stereotypes surrounding Asian stories and performances you try to avoid or hope to see less of in projects?
Yeena Sung – We’ve all heard about the stereotypes around an Asian character with an accent, a nerd, an asian guy who is de-sexualized or an asian woman who is highly fetishized. Even if it’s not that big of a cliche as the ones mentioned above, oftentimes Asian/Asian-American characters are written from a person with some type of prejudice and therefore the roles aren’t fully dimensional and only serve as foils to highlight the other white characters. Unless there is a specific purpose to have these characters present, I try to avoid these types of roles because I do not want to perpetuate negative stereotypes. I simply want to be an actor who can be a vessel for portraying characters truthfully and fully!
In your opinion, what are some under-represented aspects of Asian/Asian-American life and culture you hope get more representation in the future?
Yeena Sung – I think we concentrate a lot on the differences of being an Asian/Asian-American and the narratives we see are very specific to a certain race or background. It’s definitely stories that we need more of because we haven’t seen enough of them and they deserve to be celebrated. However, we are all human beings at the end of the day. As much as I am happy to be in narratives that are centered around the experience of being Asian, I’m just as interested to be a part of stories that are intercultural – where different people from varying backgrounds coexist – which is how America is.
Have you noticed any differences in how American writers and directors approached storytelling compared to Asian or Asian-american artists?
Yeena Sung – It’s difficult and a bit unfair to generalize, but I’ve noticed that in the case of Minari, Happy Cleaners, and The Farewell, these specific Asian- American writers wrote stories that are very much centered around the characters. The characters are what move the story forward, as opposed to the plot. I’ve also noticed that the edits for these particular films are slower than other Hollywood films as they focus more on the emotional journeys that these characters go through. I admire them for making these bold choices and I can’t wait to see more projects that are written and directed by, as well as starring Asian/ Asian American artists.
How important is it to you to not only play roles that directly address Asian/Asian American stories, but also simply feature Asian/Asian-American actors playing roles as simply part of a cast and is a compelling character regardless of race?
Yeena Sung – It’s just as important for me to play roles that address Asian/Asian American stories as well as roles that don’t really address those narratives.
I think Asian/Asian American actors often struggle to get cast in stories that aren’t Asian/Asian-American narratives because some argue that it doesn’t “make sense” for them to be in them. I’ve had an experience where I made it to the final round of auditions to play the role of a daughter, and evidently I didn’t get the part because I wasn’t the “right fit for the story”. Truth be told, I knew I wasn’t cast, not because I wasn’t fit for the role, but because the rest of the family members that had already been cast were white. You get the story.
There’s nothing wrong with Asian/Asian-American actors being a part of Asian/Asian-American specific stories. It’s actually amazing to get the opportunity to celebrate a story that is mine. But it becomes a problem when Asian actors are just limited to that. Especially if it’s due to one’s lack of open-ness and inability to see beyond the actor’s asian-ness. I’m not saying this to stress that we should all be color blind. Never! For one, that’s not possible and two, that’d be erasure of one’s culture and race.
I just hope that we could collectively grow to appreciate and embrace the race of the actors and also be able to see beyond it, so that we don’t pigeonhole Asian/Asian-American actors to play only one character or one story. We are all people at the end of the day and all human-beings are so complex. I just want to be an actor who is in service of playing these different characters as well as be a part of stories that portray the full human experience- whether it be through a narrative that is centered around the Asian/Asian-American experience or not.
Is there anything advice you would give to Asians/Asian Americans looking to be actors,writers,etc?
Yeena Sung – Be true to who you are! Don’t lose a sense of who you are just because you want to prove to others that you can fulfill what they want from you. At the end of the day, you know yourself best. Being flexible and being open is a very important trait to have as an actor, but that wouldn’t serve you in the long run if you lose yourself along the way.
Furthermore, I hope you find a way to be generous with others without yielding the power you hold as an actor. I think it takes years of practice to achieve this sense of confidence (I’m still working on it myself!) but I truly believe that an actors’ voice can have a huge impact on others.
You are about to guest star on the next season of Darren Starr’s series Younger, is there anything you can tease about your role?
Yeena Sung – I can’t give too much away but I’ll be playing Dylan Park, an emerging writer from Queens!
Is there anything else you would like to add for our readers?
Yeena Sung – With the success of films like Happy Cleaners, The Farewell, Minari, and Parasite, I feel excited for the progress that’s been made in this industry. But I also can’t help but feel deeply saddened by the Anti-Asian hate crimes that’s been surging this past year. There is a divide between what we see in the industry and reality. I believe this is why we need more stories of varying Asian and Asian-American experiences. My hope is that when more stories are made, audience members will have more opportunities to empathize with these specific stories; to digest these different cultures, race, and identities as complex but equally connectable human experiences.
Thanks for having me and I hope this interview will create room for thought and curiosity!
Those looking to follow Yeena’s upcoming projects be sure to check out her website,Instagram, and Youtube accounts. Yenna is represented by Brillstein and A3 Artists Agency.
This documentary follows folklorist Henry Glassie as he interacts with and documents artists and their work across continents and generations. Spanning Brazil, Turkey, the U.S., and Ireland, this film serves as a celebration of artists and the art they create. More specifically, the film contains a meditation on why people create art and why Glassie has studied art and artists in order to understand people and their cultures.
One of the most remarkable things about this particular documentary is how subdued and meditative it is, particularly the first half. Director Pat Collins along with editor Keith Walsh and cinematographer Colm Hogan keep the film in a mostly observational mode, where the presence of the subjects are much more felt than that of the filmmakers. This is due in part to Glassie stating, “I don’t study people at all, I stand with people and study the things that they create.” The filmmakers here seemingly have allowed this philosophy to inform the construction of the film.
Viewers along with Glassie observe as artists work with a perfect blend of close-ups on hands and the medium the artist is working with to convey the care and precision that is needed, as well as close-ups and wides on the artists themselves. Sometimes their faces are an expression of confusion, almost as if they are trying to decipher what the piece itself wants to be naturally as opposed to inflicting their will upon it. Other times, their faces convey a perfect sense of tranquility as they get into an almost unconscious state where they are working seamlessly with their medium. All the while, the filmmakers are not shown to be saying anything. The observational and more subdued nature of this film can lead to the feeling of a slower pace than some viewers may be used to as opposed to documentaries with a more conventional guiding force and narrative structure.
Contributing to this observational feeling, we do not hear a lot from the artists themselves in the film apart from one or two comments on how their individual process works. The subject we hear the most from is Glassie who talks about his travels, his mentors, and why he views art and artists as such a crucial part of understanding people, culture, and place.
At its core, this film serves as a meditation on why people create art. Both Glassie and the filmmakers here posit that crafting art of any kind is one of the true universal human experiences. Glassie himself says at one point that, “Art is ultimately a devoted reconciliation between the individual and collective nature that all of us have.” The film shows that different cultures and individual artists use different mediums, in Brazil we see a lot of woodworking and sculpting, in Turkey we hear about the making of oriental rugs and ceramics, in the U.S. it is pottery and sculpting, in Ireland, song and the sharing stories and history. All of these artists are also informed by varying cultural and religious values. For instance in Brazil, a lot of the artists work on pieces centered on religious figures and iconography, whereas in the U.S., the pottery and sculpting does not seem to have overt religious connotations. Despite the individual approach each artist has to their craft, all of these people are bound by this desire to express themselves and share what they create with others. This variety of results stemming from a universal impulse is what fascinates Glassie and is what the film communicates and utilizes to enthrall the audience.
Henry Glassie: Field Work is a thoughtful documentary on the universal power of art and its ability to affect and connect people regardless of culture, background, and economic status. Featuring great cinematography displaying the beauty and intricacies of artists and their work, viewers interested in art and how people express themselves should seek this film out.
