True Mothers is a 2020 film directed by Naomi Kawase that follows three main characters as they work out issues with child bearing and adoption. I’m personally a fan of older Japanese cinema but I haven’t seen many films from Japan post 1990, so it was interesting for me to see how the country’s films have developed over time, as well as being intrigued to see the style of Kawase who is a director I’ve heard very positive things about. You can tell in this film that she definitely has a specific style and likes to take her time to develop the characters, which could be a negative factor for some audiences.
This film is very slow paced, which can make it seem boring at the start however it definitely hooks you in with the excellent flashbacks which help focus on the characters and their motivations, which is an incredible way to help us connect to them, particularly Aju Makita’s character Hikari. Her story is by far the most interesting in this film, a 14 year old girl who is pregnant and her struggles negotiating this with family and everything else she goes through as a teenager.
You can see her character’s mannerisms change as she gets older as she loses confidence after putting her baby up for adoption. Aju Makita definitely gives the best performance of the film, despite her looking a bit old early on she ages well as her story progresses and is very convincing. The rest of the acting in the film is decent, nothing special however not bad and off putting.
The way this film was shot was very interesting, as at times it was beautifully shot, particularly the scenes at night, but sometimes it felt like a daytime movie you see when scrolling through the TV guide. This was mainly caused by over lighting scenes inside, and in the second half it occurred less. Sometimes it slipped into this Cassavetes hand held camera style, which felt out of place and unnecessary, as it doesn’t have the gritty atmosphere that is usually there when this camera technique is adopted, although it isn’t distracting and isn’t there most of the time.
The music also felt like it fit well with the way True Mothers was shot, as it had the same issues, at times it was incredibly well made but in general the score was pretty simple and did the bare minimum to achieve the desired reaction from us. It did help contribute to the emotional ending, as both the cinematography and score were both taken up another level.
True Mothers works excellently as an emotional film, and the writing helps this, despite it being relatively bland and predictable (which could be down to the subtitles being slightly wrong every now and again), it still works great with the performances to help us attach to these characters. The themes of adoption and teenage pregnancy don’t resonate with me, however I can imagine that for people who have had experiences related to these topics that this film would feel more real to other people.
I definitely recommend this film to audiences that enjoy films that take time to develop characters, which is probably why I personally didn’t like this film very much and mainly have admiration for the great filmmaking on display from Kawase, and I will definitely check out her other films as her style intrigues me.
Playdurizm is the debut feature film by the young artist, Gem Deger, who writes, directs and stars in this avant-garde sci-fi/fantasy/horror.
The strange and frankly nonsensical plot would be impossible to describe properly without writing a detailed outline. However, as a brief summary Playdurizm follows Demir (Deger), a teenager who finds himself caught in either a virtual reality or dream-state (it is unclear) where he lives with his celebrity crush, Andrew.
But Andrew’s violent fetishes soon become too apparent for Demir to ignore, forcing Demir to adapt and uncover hidden truths about himself. It is absolutely possible that another audience member would have a completely different plot description of this film as it is impossible to truly decipher the time or place of each scene, let alone the plot.
It is important to state that this is an extremely traumatic movie to watch and there is particularly triggering content that is explicitly shot. This includes (but is not limited to) love-making over a brutally murdered body, necrophilia and a creepy and masochistic gang-rape scene that last for what seems like an eternity.
Although this film is blatantly not being recommended here, it should be mentioned that not all aspects of the filmmaking were bad. The script and story are senseless with no resolution, but one could perhaps interpret that this film poses the question: ‘how grey is the line between real life and the virtual world, our dreams, and drug fuelled hallucinations?’ This is an interesting premise at least.
The visual and sound quality of the film is of a high standard. The use of electronic/house music and a futuristic soundscape was effective in creating a virtual-reality atmosphere, as was the fluorescent colour pallet. All the main actors including Gem Deger (Demir), Austin Chunn (Andrew) and Issy Stewart (Drew) played their roles with conviction.
It is not surprising to learn that Gem Deger is an artist turned filmmaker. From an artistic perspective Playdurizm is a colourful and psychedelic look at the human mind and the concept of ‘reality’, but as a feature film it is just not story-driven enough with far too much shock value for it to be enjoyable.
Emma Watson Edition: Bits & Pieces – A young mother’s “American Dream” turns into a living nightmare until she finds the inner strength to hear a voice she hadn’t heard before: her own. Donna : Stronger Than Pretty, featuring Kate Amundsen (“Shameless”) in an unforgettable performance, premieres on all major streaming platforms February 23 from Gravitas Ventures.
Arrow Video is excited to announce the March 1 release of Jill Gevargizian’s The Stylist, the headliner of the March 2021 lineup of their subscription-based ARROW platform. Building on the success of the Arrow Video Channel and expanding its availability across multiple devices and countries, ARROW boasts a selection of cult classics, hidden gems and iconic horror films, all passionately curated by the ARROW team. The full March 2021 lineup will be announced shortly.
Based on true events from 1939, the film follows teacher Thomas Miller (Izzard) who has taken a last minute and controversial role teaching English to the daughters of high-ranking Nazis at the Augusta-Victoria College, Bexhill-on-Sea – a finishing school on the south coast of England. Under the watchful eye of their headmistress Miss Rocholl (Dench), and her devout assistant Ilse Keller (Juri), the girls practice their English and learn how to represent the ideal of German womanhood.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOKZGNB-SzU
Sovereign is proud to announce the return of EFFIE GRAY, the true story of a scandal that shocked Victorian England, on 19th April in Virtual Cinemas and on VOD, and out 3rd May as a special collector’s edition DVD and Blu-ray.
Based on the graphic novels by Mark Millar and Frank Quitely, Jupiter’s Legacy is an epic superhero drama that spans decades and navigates the complex dynamics of family, power, and loyalty. The series stars Josh Duhamel, Leslie Bibb, Ben Daniels, Elena Kampouris, Andrew Horton, Mike Wade, and Matt Lanter. The eight episode season debuts Friday 7th May on Netflix.
This gripping psychological thriller stars Brian Cox (Succession, X-Men 2, Autopsy of Jane Doe) Samara Weaving (Ryan Murphy’s Hollywood, Three Billboards, Bill & Ted Face The Music, Guns Akimbo) Zach Avery (Fury, Farming, The White Crow) and Udo Kier (Bacurau, Blade, Downsizing).
Verdict was the official Philippine entry to the International Film Category for the Oscars in 2020 and the deserved winner of the prestigious Horizons Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival. It is in good company – previous winners include 2015’s Free In Deed, and Court (2014), about the Indian legal system. Verdict is equally compelling, an affecting examination of the dubious notion of ‘justice for all’.
Synopsis: Cherry (Tom Holland) drifts from college dropout to army medic in Iraq – anchored only by his true love, Emily (Ciara Bravo). After returning from the war with PTSD, his life spirals into drugs and crime as he struggles to find his place in the world.Based on Nico Walker’s auto-biographical novel.
After helming a quartet of Marvel Cinematic Universe films (including a little-known series called The Avengers), Anthony and Joe Russo find themselves at an interesting career crossroads. Where can a pair of previously unheralded directors go after crafting some of the most profitable franchise films of all time?
Now operating outside their typical sphere with creative carte blanche, Cherry is The Russo Brothers’ well-intended stretch into weighty dramatic fare. Their go-for-broke attempts to adapt Walker’s sprawling auto-biography isn’t without filmmaking flair, though it’s those exact quirks that ultimately prove to be the duo’s biggest downfall.
There’s directing with style…and then there’s throwing the kitchen sink at audiences to see what sticks. Cherry spends most of its bloated runtime in the latter category. Taking a page out of Martin Scorsese’s vibrant playbook (the internalized narration and several long-take frames make the influence apparent), The Russos implement a myriad of confectionary aesthetics to try and relay Cherry’s internal hardships.
The reckless frenzy of techniques borders on obnoxiously edgy posturing, as there’s rarely a moment of quiet reflection between the chaos. Why use the cinematic medium of film to subliminally relay a discovery when you can yell your point across with blunt devices? An array of familiar song choices and in-your-face framing choices vie for a semblance of artistic merit, but all of these abrasive techniques only work to distract from the lingering emptiness at the film’s center.
For a film that tries to ruminate on PTSD, the opioid crisis, and society’s mistreatment of disenfranchised souls at the bottom of the food chain, Cherry mostly pulverizes these concepts into one poorly-balanced concoction. The narrative’s separate act structure races through Walker’s volatile Americana reflections without giving any of these subsections much substance. I can see how Cherry’s tumultuous journey could work as a fleshed-out mini-series, one where each life point could render onscreen with intricate care. As a 140 minute film, Cherry feels too scattershot and impersonal to say much of anything.
The Russo Brothers’ frustrating missteps aren’t without some accomplished achievements. When the duo doesn’t get in their own way with overbaked busyness, some of their frames elicit a powerful reaction with their mixture of style and craft (the war sequences are fittingly frenetic and dour). I also credit Tom Holland and Ciara Bravo for grounding the material’s overly-theatrical tendencies. As a pair of pained addicts, both actors impressively strip away any vanity to convey the characters’ uneasy state of mind.
Cherry is an overindulgent mess at its worst and a provocative swing-and-miss at its best. I admire Anthony and Joe’s decision to step away from their comfort zone, but their ambitions far exceed their craft with this outing.
Cherry opens in theaters February 26th and Apple TV+ on March 12th.
While the theatrical market is still taking it slow amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, studios have kept content-starved audiences engaged via a myriad of streaming releases. I am encouraged to see studios keeping content moving especially during the infamous wintery doldrums of February. Given my hefty Sundance workload at the beginning of the month, I’m reviving this hilariously inconsistent blog series to cover the February releases existing around the periphery. Let’s get it rolling!
Synopsis: An unfulfilled man (Owen Wilson) and a mysterious woman (Salma Hayek) believe they are living in a simulated reality, but when their newfound ‘Bliss’ world begins to bleed into the ‘ugly’ world they must decide what’s real and where they truly belong.
The buzz surroundingMike Cahill’s latest sci-fi experiment Bliss has not been glowing, but I’ve always had a personal affinity for the director’s ambitious marriage between concept and themes. While his latest effort doesn’t quite come together as intended, it isn’t without some notable promise.
Utilizing an idealized, Matrix-esque reality to ruminate on the alienating effects of drug abuse and depression, Cahill certainly has his pulse on a worthwhile premise. His against-type casting of Owen Wilson helps sell the distorted reality while also displaying the actor’s rarely-recognized range. Wilson’s vulnerability adds a welcomed earnestness to his straightforward character, as he and Salma Hayek develop a natural rapport that effectively highlights the duo’s manic existence. I also give Cahill credit for taking advantage of his most luxurious budget to date on the screen. His inventive visual touches help engulf audiences into the characters’ vibrant mindsets, with Cahill consistently finding little cues to build-upon his familiar science fiction concept (the Bill Nye casting is top-notch).
I’ve always loved Cahill’s intimate approach to the sci-fi genre, but his well-intended dramatic aspirations never quite come together. Outside of a few engaging visual techniques, Cahill’s screenplay only observes its meaningful conditions on a surface level. The dearth of insular character moments feels noticeable as the film only keeps audiences engaged through its semi-interesting narrative. I can see how the plotting could represent the alluring highs and sobering lows of addiction. That being said, the audience remains a step ahead of Cahill’s narrative as he traverses down predictable territory.
Bliss doesn’t really work as intended, yet I still am enamored by Cahill’s inventive spirit as a filmmaker. I hope he doesn’t take another lengthy break between big-screen projects (his last film I Origins came out in 2014), as this promising misfire still reflects his unique skillset as a craftsman.
Bliss premiered February 5th on Amazon Prime.
TO ALL THE BOY: ALWAYS AND FOREVER – Directed by Michael Fimognari
Synopsis: As Lara Jean Covey prepares for the end of high school and the start of adulthood, a pair of life-changing trips lead her to reimagine what life with her family, friends, and Peter will look like after graduation.
Netflix has single-handedly revived the romantic comedy genre with their well-regarded To All the Boys franchise leading the forefront (sorry Kissing Booth). While I enjoyed the first film for its shamelessly earnest energy, its sequel I Still Love You stretched the lines of plausibility past their breaking point. The conclusion to the trilogy Always and Forever sadly falls into the sequel’s inauthentic predicament.
Stars Lana Condor and Noah Centineo continue to make a compelling pair onscreen, but Always and Forever settles for the safest rom-com contrivances. There’s promise in the film’s exploration of the last year of high school, a period where adolescents become adults and typically move on from the world they once knew. Aside from a few intimate frames (John Corbett continues to shine as Lara Jean’s supportive father), the premise is mostly explored from a simplistic perspective.
Cinematographer turned director Michael Fimognari pushes the narrative forward with confectionary montages and poppy song choices, yet it all reeks with a generic busyness (seriously Netflix, not every scene needs a new top 100 pop track). Netflix deserves props for reviving a long-forgotten genre, especially in embracing more diversified stories amongst its mostly whitewashed peers. That being said, Always and Forever’s schmaltzy energy likely won’t resonate outside of its target demographic.
To All the Boys: Always and Forever premiered on Netflix on February 12th.
Synopsis: Based on the Newbery Award-winning book about 10-year-old Flora, an avid comic book fan and a self-avowed cynic, whose parents have recently separated. After rescuing a squirrel she names Ulysses, Flora is amazed to discover he possesses unique superhero powers, which take them on an adventure of humorous complications that ultimately change Flora’s life–and her outlook–forever.
Disney continues to steadily build upon its original content library with Flora and Ulysses. Similar to some of the other early Disney+ originals (looking at you Artemis Fowland Magic Camp), this painfully by-the-numbers detour into kid hijinks barely registers a pulse.
I can’t fault the lovely ensemble cast for trying to carry the thin material over the finish line. It’s been a joy to watch Ben Schwartz break out in the mainstream, with the Sonic star’s quick-timing and affable energy always making him a beloved presence onscreen. His DuckTales compatriots Danny Pudi, Kate Micucci, and Bobby Moynihan add some much-needed comedic flavoring with their supporting roles, while Alyson Hannigan provides a sturdy center as Flora’s self-deprecating mom.
Outside of a few bright sparks from the talented cast, Flora and Ulysses boasts little to endorse. I am happy to see director Lena Khan land another project after her overlooked debut The Tiger Hunter, but the talented filmmaker is mostly reduced to director-for-hire tendencies. The premise’s superhero elements are also integrated without much creativity or consistency, often relying upon infrequent visual quirks to relay some sort of energy. Brad Copeland’s generic adaptation of the celebrated book reduces the material’s strengths into a mish-mash of mawkish cliches (it’s a Disney movie, so of course the parents aren’t getting along). It won’t take clairvoyant vision for audiences to predict each tired plot development, as the bland final product mostly reeks of thankless studio mandates.
Flora and Ulysses is entirely tolerable and not without some comedic bright spots. It’s just a shame that this Disney+ release feels more like a merchandised product than any sort of creatively-crafted creation.
Flora and Ulysses premiered on Disney+ on February 19th.
