Film Review | The Daughter starring Sam Neill & Geoffrey Rush

After many years away from his birth town and father, middle-aged Christian returns home to attend his father’s second wedding. The relationship between father and son is tense, owing to something other than the fact that the upcoming wedding involves the 31 year old housekeeper his father had previously employed. As Christian reunites with his old friend Oliver, he pieces a few old secrets together that threaten to break apart Oliver’s family.

This Australian drama based on Henrik Ibsen’s play provided much more than I’d bargained for. The story line was intriguing and the characters were easy to relate to. The acting was very realistic without anything being overdone. Music set to the film worked quite well and served to enhance the movie overall. While the budget for this film couldn’t have been too much with it’s rural setting, I’m actually surprised it hadn’t drummed up more attention in the film world. Though it may bring on a few tears, The Daughter is certainly worth checking out from your local library!

Book Review | The Devil’s Dancer : a Satire of Nothing by Victor Bertocchi

I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to the author for participating in the giveaway.

This book was a mystery before it arrived without much of a synopsis available online at the time. Following the format used by Pirandello in Six Characters in Search of an Author, a play about the production of a play, Bertocchi has written a play for the stage about the production of a play in this book. Lines, physical character descriptions, and musical numbers are included. It speaks of varying opinions of art, the stage, popular culture and capitalism, amongst other things.
While the writing style was unique and still clear enough to follow, I’ll agree with another reviewer to say that the characters were just not appealing enough. Most of them were fairly flat, perhaps giving leeway for an actor’s interpretation on the stage, but also simply unlikeable. The individual chapters/acts were quick enough to get through, but once I had set the book down I was unmotivated to pick it up again. It was a chore to get through for me and I wouldn’t have finished it had it not been given in exchange for a review of the book’s entirety. That said, the quality of the actual book is great and it would work well for those wanting to read while using public transit since it can be frequently interrupted without problem. It is not currently available in any libraries, but the author was selling the ebook for 99¢ (info here).

Film Review | Journey to the Shore (Kishibe no tabi) directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa

Three years after his disappearance, Mizuki’s husband Yusuke returns home and calmly explains to his wife that he drowned at sea. Pleased that he has finally come back to her, Mizuki seems mostly unfazed by the fact that her husband is dead. Yusuke asks her to go away with him and she agrees, leaving the mundane life she has established as a children’s piano teacher behind. The couple embarks on a journey where they cross paths with various people in need of some type of spiritual release, ranging from a man whose wife has abandoned him, to a couple who has lost a child.

This movie was very well done. It was both moving and thought provoking. Although it dealt with seemingly impossible happenings, such as dead people blending in among the living, Kurosawa has done so tastefully, in a palatable manner. The movie captured my interest from the beginning and continued to keep my attention for the whole two hour duration. Fans of Japanese cinema are likely to enjoy this feature, especially because it moves at a decent pace with a logical and easy to follow plot. It may also appeal to those going through relationship issues away from a loved one or those who may have lost someone very close to them.

Film Review | Infinitely Polar Bear starring Mark Ruffalo

This movie is one of the best I’ve seen this year. It’s no secret that I am a big Ruffalo fan, but that wasn’t enough to get me to like Foxcatcher, Spotlight or Thanks for Sharing. Infinitely Polar Bear shares the story of two girls growing up in Boston in the 70’s with a bipolar father caring for them while mom is pursuing her MBA in New York City. Dealing with living in poverty and being a stay at home Dad and single parent are two of the movie’s themes. The film gives a keyhole perspective likely unknown to those unfamiliar with manic depression.

I laughed out loud, cried once and generally experienced a wide range of emotions while viewing this film. All four of the main characters do an excellent job getting into character and making their feelings palpable. The movie was instantly entertaining and kept my attention for the duration. I recommend this film to anyone who is or has a bipolar partner or is going through long distance relationship issues. It would also be of interest to a much broader audience, so give it a shot even if you don’t fit into either of those two categories. Check it out from a library near you.

Film Review | Félix et Meira by Maxime Giroux

Meira feels suffocated, living the life of a Hasidic Jewish married woman in Montreal. Because of strict tradition, she is unable to listen to the music she would like or spend time with friends of her choosing. The majority of her time is to be spent caring for her infant in the confines of her home. When Félix introduces himself to Meira in a neighborhood bakery, her immediate reaction is to flee without speaking. When the couple runs into each other again, Félix shares the news of his father’s passing and gives her a drawing he has made. Meira’s interest is piqued and she begins spending time with Félix and having a new kind of fun that furthers her belief that her current life is stifling.

While Félix & Meira is somewhat slow moving, it is interesting enough to keep the viewer’s attention. The plot is well developed and believable. The film won several awards in Canada, it’s country of origin, but the true highlight of the film is it’s soundtrack. Perhaps those to enjoy this film most would be those affected by similar issues of religious lifestyle restriction, or those wishing to leave a difficult relationship. Check this film out from a library near you.

Film Review | Contracorriente (Undertow) by Javier Fuentes-Leon

Set in a Peruvian fishing village, Contracorriente tells the story of Miguel, a beautiful man with a wife and child on the way and how he deals with the abrupt death of his secret lover Santiago. Miguel is a local with family ties who works on a fishing boat. Santiago is an artist who lives temporarily in the village and is a societal outcast because of his lifestyle. The two meet only in secret and no one knows of their relationship. After a fight, something unexpected happens, which causes Miguel to reevaluate his choices and values.

This film was the best movie I’ve seen in a very long time. I wasn’t expecting the depth and emotional waves that came. If you’re willing to relate to the characters, have a handkerchief nearby. The acting was top notch and the story was completely realistic. I didn’t want this movie to end. It’s no surprise that this film was featured at multiple film festivals and won the 2010 Sundance World Cinema Audience Award. If you loved Julian Schnabel’s film Before Night Falls based on the novel by Reinaldo Arenas, this movie is worth buying. If you want to try it out first, check a library near you. The trailer is also available on the film’s website.

Film Review | The Truth about Emanuel by Francesca Gregorini

For those who appreciate the artistic, somewhat surreal and slightly disconnected, The Truth about Emanuel is a film about two young women who connect through their losses. Emanuel (Scodelario) is 17. She lives with her father and stepmother, and feels responsible for the death of her mother, who died in delivery. She and her father were very close, but with the stepmother now in the picture their relationship has become a bit strained and she can’t really connect with the stepmother. When single mother Linda (Biel) moves in next store with her small baby a relationship between her and Emanuel takes root. Emanuel helps around the house, but finally makes a discovery while babysitting that changes the dynamic of their relationship.

This film does a good job showing realistic interactions between others and both Emanuel and Linda. Kaya Scodelario’s beauty is captured and matches the quality of her acting. Her disjointed relationships are highlighted and developed sufficiently. Viewers who are looking for a film that is entirely realistic and connected may not be able to appreciate some of the artistic nuances this film presents. For example, some footage takes place underwater, though the characters are still inside the house. The Truth about Emanuel deals with love and loss in a way that may help those on the outside to better understand it and those on the inside to consider it differently. Check out Gregorini’s film from a library near you.

Film Review | Kærlighed på film (Just Another Love Story)

This Danish film directed by Ole Bornedal shares the story of a crime scene photographer who steps into another man’s shoes after causing a traffic accident that cripples a lovely lady mentally and physically. Though short on money, things are going well enough for Jonas and his family. He lives in an apartment with his wife and two school age children. At worst, their life may be a bit boring for him and the sex life a bit lacking. When car troubles cause the family’s car to stall in the road on the way to school, a distressed young woman, Julia, swerves to avoid rearending them and collides with the oncoming vehicle resulting in fatalities and major injuries for her. Jonas feels at fault and rushes to comfort Julia, but in her hysteria she mistakes him for her lover from Thailand, Sebastien. To gain admittance to her hospital room Jonas claims to be her boyfriend and Julia’s family at once believe him to be Sebastien, a roll he falls into without objecting. The relationship between Jonas and Julia (mostly blind and without memories) develops as he continues to visit her and get to know her family better. Trouble is on the horizon as Sebastien returns to Denmark and Jonas has to choose between Julia and his family.

This film was pretty intense. The acting was solid and the performances believable. Though some parts of the film seemed a bit far-fetched, the overall plot contained enough tension to keep the viewer interested and the story going. The title, Just Another Love Story, is aiming at irony since this love story is anything but run of the mill. Check it out from a library near you.

Film Review | Philomena with Judi Dench & Steve Coogan

 

Based on a true story, Philomena relays the tale of a mother in search of her child 50 years after his international adoption. The film revolves around two main characters, Philomena Lee, played by Judi Dench, and Martin Sixsmith, played by Steve Coogan, and the voyage they embark on together. Philomena has gotten on in years and constantly wonders about what happened to a son she gave birth to 50 years before who was taken away from her as a boy. Recently out of a job and feeling down, Sixsmith decides to hear Philomena’s story with the intention of turning it into a human interest piece for the newspaper. The two began their relationship visiting the Irish convent where Philomena gave birth and was more or less enslaved for several years after the nuns placed her son with a new family overseas against her will.

This film really impressed me. The heartfelt tale was met with superb acting, believable conflict and true insight. The story may have you in tears, but if you can handle that and want to see a great film, check out Philomena from your local library. For another layer, read the 2009 book Philomena : a mother, her son, and a fifty-year search by Martin Sixsmith, first published in Great Britain as The Lost Child of Philomena Lee. 

 

Film Review | Short Term 12 by Destin Cretton

Short Term 12 is an independent film that focuses on a couple, Grace and Mason, and their work in a foster care facility for at-risk / troubled teens. After being introduced to the facility, staff and residents, a new girl, Jayden, is thrown into the mix. She keeps her distance from the other kids and seems to have a darker side. As Grace attempts to befriend Jayden, she finds Jayden’s current situation to have more in common with her troubled past and abusive father than she is comfortable with. Spurred into action by her father’s upcoming release from prison and an unplanned pregnancy, Grace embarks on a new course that pushes the limits of what has become her reality to try to save herself and Jayden.

This was a great movie. It’s hard to praise a film that deals with child abuse, but Cretton and cast capture all of the emotion without the graphic physical violence. This film shows palpable struggle, not just for Grace and Jayden, but for other characters as well. It presents a very realistic view of what living facilities for at-risk teens can be like, and some of their problems. It’s very clear to me why this film has won awards and been well received by both critics and audiences. If you’re looking for a down-to-earth film with great acting that does a terrific job covering a difficult topic, check out Short Term 12.