The Howling

Movie Name: The Howling
Year of Release: 1981

Director: Joe Dante

Starring: Dee Wallace, Patrick Macnee, Dennis Dugan, Christopher Stone, Belinda Balaski, Kevin McCarthy, John Carradine, Slim Pickens, Elisabeth Brooks, Robert Picardo, John Sayles

Genre: Horror

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7 

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Synopsis and Review:

The underrated Joe Dante started his career under the tutelage of Roger Corman. By the time "The Howling" came out, he had already started a franchise with the low budget "Piranha", which coincidentally would have a sequel directed by another Corman protege, James Cameron. "The Howling", co-written by the wonderfully talented John Sayles, tells the story of a TV reporter, Karen White. Karen at the beginning of the film is involved in an arresting story, trying to uncover the identity of a killer, who has accepted to meet with her. With proper precaution and supposedly bulletproof surveillance, Karen does indeed lure the killer, but the events that ensue, scar her psychologically. A reputed therapist, who has worked as a consultant with the TV channel where Karen works, advises her to recharge her batteries in a retreat that he is sponsoring, away from the city. Karen and her husband go to the retreat, only to find it populated by an odd bunch of people. Much to Karen's dismay and terror, she comes to find out that there's quite a lot more going on in that retreat, and that what she was running away from, has come back to find her.
Of the Werewolf films coming out in 1981, "The Howling" ended up embracing its B-movie aesthetic far more than the bigger budget venture that was John Landis's "An American Werewolf in London". Joe Dante smartly populated "The Howling" with a series of plot points and developments (and stylistic choices) which would be utilized over and over throughout a series of horror films of the 80s (not to mention all the subsequent sequels from "The Howling" series). Unlike the classic Universal film from 1941, George Waggner's "The Wolf Man", this take is no so much an exploration of the beast that exists within every man, or how the creature itself is a representation of the unshackling of sexual (and social) repression (which Walerian Borowczyk had done with "The Beast" in 1975). "The Howling" is a take on how this legacy, the Werewolf legacy that is, creates a sense of tribal communion between the people who are blessed with that gift, and how it also energizes them and sets them apart from every one else (something that they cherish and revel). Joe Dante understands the universe of this script (and the book from which it's adapted), and applies the Corman perspective on it, giving it just enough sizzle to be sexy, while also embedding just enough dark humor, which has been one of his staples throughout his career. It also has just enough frights, without ever being overtly grotesque. The characters are swiftly canvased and introduced, with Dee Wallace and Patrick Macnee, creating memorable performances. Worth watching.

Laurence Anyways

Movie Name: Laurence Anyways
Year of Release: 2012
Director: Xavier Dolan
Starring: Melvil Poupaud, Suzanne Clément, Nathalie Baye, Monia Chokri, Susan Almgren, Yves Jacques, Sophie Faucher, Catherine Bégin, Jaques Lavallée, David Savard
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6 
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Synopsis and Review:

Actor/Writer/Producer/Director Xavier Dolan made a splash with his debut, "I Killed My Mother", which he quickly followed with "Heartbeats". "Laurence Anyways" is his third film, and made its debut at the Cannes Film Festival of 2012. The film follows the story of Laurence Alia, a literature teacher who has been in a relationship with Fred for quite a few years. They're both clearly enamored of each other, but Laurence carries a heavy burden. He actually confesses to Fred that he has always wanted to transition and become a woman. That is his real self, and that this life he leads as a man, doesn't make him happy. Fred initially is taken aback by the situation, but comes to terms with it, and is supportive as Laurence starts the transition. As the transition starts occurring some unexpected events occur in Laurence's life, namely she loses her job, and her family, with whom she always had a somewhat erratic relationship with, is further strained. Fred also finds herself unable to continue in the relationship, even if the love for Laurence is there. Following a split, Fred marries someone, and has a child, whereas Laurence becomes a published author. A few years pass, and once they reconnect, the passion is still there, and they briefly have an affair, that only reinforces the differences in their paths. 
"Laurence Anyways" is as much of a narrative on the transition of Laurence in becoming her true self, as is the examination of a relationship that is undone by expectations and pressures from the lovers themselves and others that are in their circle of relationships. It's a film that details the evolution of Laurence as a person, her progressive confidence as she finds her own voice, and as life presents challenges and hurdles, it all makes a contribution to her resilience and of course her art. It's also a love story between these two individuals who are deeply infatuated and in love with each other, but who ultimately can't make it work due to choices and what they want out of life. This mix of love, lust and ultimately realizing where they want to be and who they want to be, is what drives them apart. The film has touches and flourishes of visual poetry that is truly fantastic, but on the other hand is also marred by an artificial tone, alongside some cliches, that remove some of its powerful statement and message. The performances are uniformly great, in particular Melvil Poupaud, Suzanne Clément and Nathalie Baye. The film also features a great and eclectic soundtrack (featuring Craig Armstrong, Moderat among others), not to mention the beautiful cinematography from Yves Bélanger. It's not an entirely arresting journey, but one worth witnessing nonetheless.

Child's Play

Movie Name: Child's Play
Year of Release: 2019
Director: Lars Klevberg
Starring: Aubrey Plaza, Gabriel Bateman, Brian Tyree Henry, Tim Matheson, Trent Redekop, David Lewis, Carlease Burke, Beatrice Kitsos, Ty Consiglio, Marlon Kazadi, Kristin York, Mark Hamill
Genre: Horror
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3 
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Synopsis and Review:

The original "Child's Play" from the creative mind of Don Mancini and director Tom Holland, has gone through the remake factory, some 30 something years after the original made its debut. The direction of this remake falls upon Lars Klevberg who has to his name the film "Polaroid" and a few shorts. The film follows the story of Andy, a young boy who lives with his single mom in a small apartment (in a city that is not identified). Karen works in a big department store, and decides to gift Andy with Buddi, the latest and greatest in smart toys, which connects with digital apps and also with smart houses, essentially controlling the environment of someone's residence. Andy's Buddi decides to call himself Chucky, but comes with some issues of cloud connection. It rapidly bonds with Andy, but also starts experiencing a possessive behavior, which quickly escalates to violence. The first of its victims is the cat of the house, followed by Karen's boyfriend, who violently berated Andy. Once Andy realizes Chucky's homicidal behavior, he tries to get rid of it, with the help of a few friends, but Chucky has plans of its own, and refuses to be turned away.
What made the original "Child's Play" so interesting and iconic, was not its supernatural component (the serial killer in the body of an innocent doll), but the sense of humor behind the perversity of its concept. It has been a concept that Don Mancini has smartly finessed, as the series has continued, embracing its B-movie aspect, amplifying its dark humor and surreal plot lines. This new version of "Child's Play" sadly, loses a lot of that charm, attempting to place the onus of the murderous doll on a AI gone rogue (it's basically a Terminator/Skynet in the body of a doll). The creepiness of the doll remains, but the rest of the story is barely serviceable, and sadly without much humor. It's also a film where sadly none of the characters have much time to develop relationships between each other, which means that at some point, as events unfold, these friendships/rivalries are quickly set in motion as a means to get the story to its end. Mark Hamill does a serviceable work with Chucky's voice, but doesn't compare to what Brad Dourif has done in the previous films (or for that matter, Jennifer Tilly, who has played Chucky's bride, Tiffany). The cast is quite talented, but sadly have nothing much to do. A missed opportunity to reinvigorate this franchise.

Madame Hyde/Mrs. Hyde

Movie Name: Madame Hyde/Mrs. Hyde
Year of Release: 2018
Director: Serge Bozon
Starring: Isabelle Huppert, Romain Duris, Jose Garcia, Adda Senani, Guillaume Verdier, Patricia Barzyk, Pierre Leon, Roxane Arnal, Angele Metzger
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4 
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Synopsis and Review:

After "Tip Top" made its debut at the Cannes Film Festival of 2013, where it was met with tepid reviews, actor/director Serge Bozon returned with "Madame Hyde". The film follows the story of a high school teacher, Madame Gequil, who has a difficult time controlling and motivating her students. She teaches a technical course, specifically Electricity/Physics, which has a practical component, which she refuses to teach her students. She typically prepares her classes in a detached container which operates as a lab, and one evening she suffers an accident, an electrical discharge that somehow permeates across her body. She starts exhibiting different behaviors, something her adoring husband starts noticing, the same going for her students, and the principal of the school she works at. As this new power surge flows through her, this new personality slowly emerges, that makes her more confident and reassured of herself, positively, while also causing some unexpected accidents with some people she interacts with.
The story of "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" has been adapted countless times to feature films, and this project in particular, features one of the most celebrated actresses working these days, the phenomenal Isabelle Huppert. While the director and the actress manage to convey the character's frustration and inability to handle her classes and the challenges associated with it, when the change does occur, it lacks the energy and the spike to make it feel more life changing and empowering. The transformation suffered by Madam Gequil ends up feeling more like a bizarre exercise in sleepwalking, and not something that is dark, but also empowering and even silently menacing. Isabelle Huppert is an actress who can play any role, but has also become well known for being able to convey a silent intensity that threatens to shatter everything in sight. Sadly her character never gets to experience that journey, and the film overall lacks energy and that actual punch to make it truly memorable. Romain Duris and Jose Garcia create solid supporting characters, but again, not enough to warrant further attention to the narrative. A waste of great talent and potential.

Il y a Longtemps que je t'aime/I've Loved You For So Long

Movie Name: Il y a longtemps que je t'aime/I've Loved You So Long
Year of Release: 2008
Director: Philippe Claudel
Starring: Kristin Scott Thomas, Elsa Zylberstein, Serge Hazanavicius, Laurent Grévill, Frédéric Pierrot, Lise Ségur, Jean-Claude Arnaud, Mouss Zouheyri
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8 
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Synopsis and Review:

"I've Loved You So Long" is the feature directorial debut of writer Philippe Claudel. The film focuses on the story of Juliette, a woman who is freed from prison after a 15 year stint. We first see her waiting for her sister to pick her up from the airport. She has come to live with her, alongside her husband, two children and father in law. Juliette is mostly quiet and remote, slowly getting reacquainted with society. She applies for a few jobs, while going to her probation officer for regular checkins. Initially skeptical and afraid of her presence, her brother in law starts warming up to her presence, the same going for her young nieces. Her probation officer, as well as a colleague of her sister Léa, also start trying to captivate her. Throughout the film we understand that there was something quite dramatic that happened to Juliette's life, which crumbled her marriage and sent her to prison. As the film moves towards its epilogue, Juliette manages to get a semblance of life going for her once again, and she finally opens up to her sister, to what happened, to her silence, and her grief.
One of the remarkable things about this film, is how confidently Philippe Claudel unveils the life of these two sisters, in particular of the silent and sullen Juliette. There are no swift resolutions for anything, no epiphany within the first encounter of two characters. These characters, are individuals dealing with challenging and gut wrenching life experiences, who individually and collaboratively have to find a way to heal, and somehow continue to live. It's a film that tackles head on the weight of decisions, of how some people find a way to survive them and continue living, while others choose to take different directions. It's a film filled with warmth, humanity, tenderness, with two terrific central performances, from the always luminous and underrated Kristin Scott Thomas, and the equally fantastic Elsa Zylberstein. A very good film worth watching.

Riddick

Movie Name: Riddick
Year of Release: 2013
Director: David Twohy
Starring: Vin Diesel, Jordi Molla, Matt Nable, Katee Sackhoff, Dave Bautista, Bokeem Woodbine, Raoul Trujillo, Conrad Pia, Noah Danby, Neil Napier, Karl Urban, Andreas Apergis
Genre: Sci-Fi, Adventure
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5 
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Synopsis and Review:

The third chapter in the Riddick series arrived in 2013, following the somewhat disappointing results of the big budget "Chronicles of Riddick" from 2004. Since the release of "Chronicles", Vin Diesel managed to be part of the very successful "Fast and the Furious" series (still going strong), while also joining the Marvel franchise with "Guardians of the Galaxy" (equally tremendously successful), without forgetting his attempt at another franchise with the "XXX" series (the Xander Cage series). The third film in the series, harks back to the humble beginnings of the first film, with a scope that is definitely less ambitious. Looking to move past the Necromongers, and discover Furya, his homeland, Riddick strikes a deal with the power lustful Lord Vaako. Vaako's team take him to a desolate planet, and while there try to kill him. Riddick manages to escape, but finds himself in a very inhospitable planet, filled with lethal predators. While recovering, he adopts a pet hyena, and soon realizes he has to abandon the planet, since a series of catastrophic storms are about to descend on the planet. Upon finding a dormant mercenary station, he activates the beacon, with two different teams responding to it, in order to come and claim the bounty on his head. It will be on Riddick to navigate the agendas and strategies of these two teams, who are intent on capturing him, dead or alive.
Following the lackluster reviews and commercial performance of "The Chronicles of Riddick", writer/director David Twohy went back to smaller scale thrillers with the well received "A Perfect Getaway", while Vin Diesel went back to the "Fast and Furious" series, which made him even more popular and well paid in the process. "Riddick" is a far more modest endeavor than the second film in the series, trying to capture the grittiness of the first film, while also building some further backdrop to the Riddick character. Working with a decidedly smaller budget, the film once again has a B-movie aspect to it, which means, most of the characters are rapidly defined and characterized, and the essential point of the film is Riddick's quest to escape the planet (and eventually uncover his birth planet). This film attempts to introduce some humor with the supporting characters, without much success, but once again, there is something to be said for David Twohy's attempts at capturing influences from other films, even if they are as remote as L.Q. Jones's "A Boy and his Dog" or some of the more classic westerns, of the Sergio Leone family, specifically his Man with no Name series (the Clint Eastwood series). It's a film that once again is unbalanced, in tone and even across the cast assembled, but there's something to be said for the creative team behind this series, who continues to see a narrative worth telling, even if this film doesn't necessarily add much to the cannon. 

The Chronicles of Riddick

Movie Name: The Chronicles of Riddick
Year of Release: 2004
Director: David Twohy
Starring: Vin Diesel, Karl Urban, Thandie Newton, Colm Feore, Judi Dench, Keith David, Alexa Davalos, Linus Roache, Yorick van Wageningen, Nick Chinlund, Mark Gibbon, Roger Cross, Terry Chen, Christina Cox, Nigel Vonas
Genre: Sci-Fi, Adventure
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5 
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Synopsis and Review:

"Pitch Black" fared well enough and gained a cult following which allowed for the creative partnership of actor/producer Vin Diesel and writer/director David Twohy, to extend that partnership to this second chapter of the adventures of the Riddick character. The film once again finds Riddick being targeted by a group of bounty hunters, intent on capturing him for the bounty on his head. Riddick manages to escape them, and goes back to the planet Helion Prime, in the hopes of uncovering who placed the bounty on him. While there he reunites with Imam, the religious leader he saved from "Pitch Black", and discovers he is part of a possibly extinct race of warriors, under the designation Furians. He also realizes that the planet is under the threat of Necromongers, a race who goes from planet to planet, religious fanatics who seek to convert everyone and kill those who refuse, who have in the past destroyed planets and civilizations in the process. As Imam gets killed, following the invasion, Riddick finds himself once again being taken to a prison, this time around with the Necromongers on his tail. At this "impossible to escape" prison, he also uncovers Jack (from "Pitch Black"), now under the guise of Kyra is there, and they soon hatch an escape plan. The Necromongers however have plans of their own, and it's up to Riddick and his allies to challenge their unstoppable domain.
"The Chronicles of Riddick" benefited from having a much heftier budget and ambitions than the first film in the series. If "Pitch Black" was an "Alien" inspired, taut and somewhat effective B-movie, this second chapter goes in the direction of building a much larger canvas, mythology and in the process, an epic space saga, with influences of Frank Herbert's "Dune". If the script never quite manages to reach the heights of the ambition of the creative team, there's still some elements to enjoy and admire on this unbalanced film. Visually the film benefits from the added budget, with far more sophisticated visual effects, costume design, production design and cinematography from the late Hugh Johnson. The cast is also more diverse, even if they don't get much to do. The wonderful Judi Dench, Thandie Newton, are always wonderful to watch, but sadly have little to do. Karl Urban, Linus Roache and Colm Feore, likewise solid actors, while adding color, can't overcome the fact that they don't have much to do. For all the sub-plots that the script sets in motion, the film needed more time with these characters to truly expand on their motivations, backdrops, as opposed to simply being there to support Riddick's narrative. Vin Diesel once again keeps Riddick as the anti-hero with the granite facade but with a hidden heart. Even if his range is limited, he still manages to keep the character somewhat consistent from the first film. It's a flawed film, one that could have benefitted from a slightly revised script, and possibly a director with a different point of view, but there's something to admire for its lofty ambitions. 

Pitch Black

Movie Name: Pitch Black
Year of Release: 2000
Director: David Twohy
Starring: Vin Diesel, Radha Mitchell, Cole Hauser, Keith David, Lewis Fitz-Gerald, Claudia Black, Rhiana Griffith, John Moore, Simon Burke, Les Chantery, Sam Sari, Firass Dirani, Ric Anderson 
Genre: Sci-Fi, Horror
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5 
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Synopsis and Review:

When "Pitch Black" made its debut in 2000, no one could have imagined this would start a series of films, largely propelled by its star and co-producer, Vin Diesel. The film follows the story of a group of survivors who crash land in an unknown planet, following a run with a meteor shower which damages the ship where a much larger contingent of passengers are traveling. Carolyn, one of the pilots, is thrown into a leadership position, when her co-pilot and senior officer die as a result of the landing. As the group devises a way to escape the planet, they are faced with a few challenges, namely the fact that the planet is going through an eclipse, and there are alien creatures in it that are attacking and killing the few remaining survivors. They're forced to rely on a survivor, who was also a prisoner by the name of Riddick. He can see in the dark, is very resourceful and a survivalist. The few survivors have to unite forces, in hopes of escaping the lethal creatures on the planet.
Director David Twohy made a name for himself in the 90s as a screenwriter, having written (or co-written) Andrew Davis's "The Fugitive", Deran Sarafian's "Terminal Velocity", Kevin Reynolds's "Waterworld" and Ridley Scott's "G.I. Jane", to name but a few, before his first directorial effort, the alien arrival thriller by the name of "The Arrival". "Pitch Black", which he also co-wrote, is a low budget sci-fi film, with a distinct B-movie flair, which drinks heavily from Ridley Scott's "Alien", nonetheless managing to have a distinctive flair, by way of introducing the anti-hero/lone ranger, in the figure of Riddick. The film also bears some influences from the Western Spaghetti of Sergio Leone, with the central character never really being a villain, but also never quite being a perfect hero. He's the man living by his own rules, saving himself before everyone else, and generally being resourceful in dire times. The film quickly establishes characters and motivations, and what it lacks in stylistic approach and visual prowess, it manages to deliver enough suspense to keep the narrative moving forward. The cast is fairly solid, with Radha Mitchell and Keith David in particular making this all the more enticing, while Vin Diesel manages to create a character with just enough edge. While not particularly memorable, it's still a watchable endeavor. 

The Green Hornet

Movie Name: The Green Hornet
Year of Release: 2011
Director: Michel Gondry
Starring: Seth Rogen, Jay Chou, Christoph Waltz, Cameron Diaz, Tom Wilkinson, David Harbour, Edward James Olmos, Jamie Harris, Edward Furlong, Chad L. Coleman, Joe O'Connor, Morgan Rusler, Analeigh Tipton, James Franco
Genre: Action, Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 2 
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Synopsis and Review:

Following "The Science of Sleep" and "Be Kind Rewind", director Michel Gondry tackled the big budget adaptation of the serial "The Green Hornet", which had itself been previously adapted into a TV show with Bruce Lee in the 70s. The film follows the story of Britt Reid, a hedonist heir, who following the death of his father, is confronted with his legacy and also his business (of owning and running a newspaper). He also meets his father's assistant, Kato, whom he eventually hires as his own assistant. Following a few incidents, they both decide to fight crime under the guise of The Green Hornet, which places them in direct confrontation with Chudnofsky, owner of a series of meth labs throughout LA. As Britt and Kato work through their differences, they hire Lenore in order to provide them with further research assistance, all the while uncovering more details surrounding Britt's father death, and the people involved in it.
"The Green Hornet" had a convoluted road to the screen, with a variety of talented filmmakers interested in the property at some point, which included Kevin Smith and Stephen Chow (who was suppose to direct the feature and play Kato). The version which ended up on screen, is based on a script written by Seth Rogen and his writing partner, Evan Goldberg (they've written "This is the End" and "Sausage Party" to name but a few). It's a film that never really works, on any level. Michel Gondry's point of view, which is typically associated with emotionally resonating love stories, or stories about recapturing love between characters, is nowhere to be seen here, and his visually distinctive style, barely makes an appearance. The comedy angle is barely present onscreen, with the whole aspect of "fish out of water" and "growing up rather quickly", faring very poorly, while the chemistry between the two leads is non-existent. It's a film that has a rather pedestrian plot, where supporting characters barely have anything to do, raising the question of why talented performers such as Cameron Diaz and Christoph Waltz even decided to embark on this journey. It's a film that never exactly gels, with generic action sequences reminiscent of Tony Scott's "Last Boy Scout", comedy sequences that are supposed to be based on physical humor, but lack the humor aspect of it, and attempts at character development, that never really materialize. It's a forgettable endeavor for everyone involved in it and a waste of talent from a very interesting director. 

Murder Party

Movie Name: Murder Party
Year of Release: 2007
Director: Jeremy Saulnier
Starring: Chris Sharp, Macon Blair, Stacy Rock, Sandy Barnett, Paul Goldblatt, William Lacey, Skei Saulnier, Bill Tangradi, Beryl Guceri, Beau Sia, 
Genre: Comedy, Horror
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4 
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Synopsis and Review:

Director Jeremy Saulnier who went on to direct "Blue Ruin" and "Green Room" made his feature directorial debut with "Murder Party", a decidedly smaller romp which premiered at the Slamdance Film Festival in 2007. The film follows the misadventures of Chris, a young man living by himself in Brooklyn, who decides to attend a Halloween party based on an invitation he finds. Following a long path to get the party, Chris discovers that the party is actually part of an art installation being done by a series of art students, all with the intent of impress someone named Alexander, and in the process get a grant from him. On top of it all, the intent of the installation is to murder the person who received the invitation, in that case himself. Chris quickly finds himself tied to a chair, and while the group awaits Alexander's arrival, a series of agendas and rivalries start being unveiled. When Alexander does appear, with his drug dealer friend, things quickly escalate, with accidents and deaths quickly piling up, while Chris is desperately trying to escape.
"Murder Party" definitely has a low budget bravado to it. The writer/director aims his satyrical view point at the pretentious art world of the New York  art scene, and gives it a murderous vibe, which is not quite as graphical (or successful for that matter) as Mary Harron's "American Psycho", but its definitely in the same zip code. It's a film that is quite rough, primarily from a view point of directing actors, but it showcases some of the ideas that the director would expand upon in his following features. Clusters of individuals, apparently within the same wavelength, thrown into situations that spark violence which quickly spirals out of control, with unexpected and dramatic outcomes. Whereas in his subsequent films, the narratives and characters have a greater deal of finesse and depth, in the case of "Murder Party", these are quite shallow/superficial. It's a film that can be seen as an exercise towards better and greater things. Watchable and forgettable.

Wildling

Movie Name: Wildling
Year of Release: 2018
Director: Fritz Bohm
Starring: Bel Powley, Brad Dourif, Liv Tyler, Collin Kelly-Sordelet, James Le Gros, Troy Ruptash, Keenan Jolliff, Mike Faist, Charlotte Ubben
Genre: Drama, Horror
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5 
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Synopsis and Review:

"Wildling" had its premiere at South by Southwest, March of 2018, where it was met with a mix of critical responses, some of which embraced the merger of its indie style roots with more of a horror/genre style. The film is the feature directorial debut of Fritz Bohm, following his stints directing a few shorts. The film follows the story of a young girl named Anna, whom we witness is being brought up in a basement of sorts, by a man whom she calls daddy. Anna never goes out, and is educated by that man, who always treats her very well, always warning her of the dangers that lie outside of the house, by creatures he calls the Wildling. As Anna grows up and becomes a teenager, daddy starts giving her shots, to essentially control her adulthood/womanhood, something that starts making her more and more sick. Following her daddy's failed suicide attempt, Anna is saved by the local sheriff, Ellen Cooper, who lives with her younger brother. As Anna becomes acquainted with people, and with living in society, she also starts realizing she possesses some unique traits that make her quite different than everyone else. Things quickly take a darker turn, when after going to a party, one of the bullies in town tries to harass Anna.
"Wildling" is for the most part a watchable film, mostly for its compelling cast, but also because the director manages to briefly capture the secrets that lie within a small town, and within a few strokes, outline the context in which these characters exist. The film exhibits a certain style reminiscent of Debra Granik's work, interwoven with the ambience of unease, something supernatural, that may lie with the central character, Anna. The director tries to capture a bit of the spirit of John Landis's "An American Werewolf in London", but this film is never quite as funny, nor quite as dark. Whereas Ari Aster and Robert Eggers, directors of "Hereditary" and "The Witch" respectively, tread similar ground, they are showcasing a stylistic approach to their features, which the "Wildling" is lacking. The cast is nonetheless quite compelling, with Bel Powley, Brad Dourif and Liv Tyler all managing to create dimensional and interesting characters. The cinematography from Toby Oliver is at times almost too dark, but it works well for the story being told. It's a watchable film, one that just needed a more distinct and visceral point of view, to make it truly memorable.

Farewell My Concubine

Movie Name: Farewell My Concubine
Year of Release: 1993
Director: Chen Kaige
Starring: Leslie Cheung, Fengyi Zhang, Li Gong, You Ge, Da Ying, Han Lei, Qi Lu, Di Tong, Zhi Yin
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8 
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Synopsis and Review:

"Farewell My Concubine" has a somewhat rare feat of being a Palm D'Or Winner, alongside another feature, in this case, Jane Campion's wonderful "The Piano" (another case of a double win occurred in 1979 with Francis Ford Coppola's "Apocalypse Now" and Volker Schlondorff's "The Tin Drum"). The film follows the story of two young boys in China, who are brought to a Peking opera troupe. Douzi is indoctrinated to think of himself as a girl, since he'll be playing female roles, while his best friend Shitou, will be playing the lead male roles. Douzi initially attempts to run away, but ultimately decides to pursue the acting path seriously after witnessing a famous opera master. As years go by, Douzi and Shitou become Peking opera stars under stage names Cheng Dieyi and Duan Xiaolou, respectively. Whereas Dieyi loves Xiaolou romantically, the latter one marries a beautiful courtesan by the name of Juxian. As the wars and the communist regime alter the Chinese society, so do their lives and allegiances change, with tragic consequences.
Chen Kaige followed the beautiful "Life on a String" with "Farewell My Concubine", who went on to win several accolades and be featured on the list of the best films of the year. What is so remarkable about this film, is the way it narrates the story of two individuals, from their troublesome childhood, all the way through their adult years, while also surfacing the rituals of the Chinese society and how they change throughout the years. It's a film simultaneously epic in scope, but also narrowly focused on the trio of characters which inhabits it: the two best friends, and the woman whom one of them loves, and ultimately causes the rift in the relationship. The director engrossingly depicts the arduous process of becoming a skilled performer, alongside all the sacrifices and brutality the performers have to endure in order to become successful. It's also a view into certain political regimes, ones that are intrusive and ultimately destructive. The trio of central performers is fantastic, particularly the late Leslie Cheung and Li Gong. The cinematography from Gu Changwei is stunning as are the costumes from Changmin Chen. A wonderful film always worth revisiting.

Falling Down

Movie Name: Falling Down
Year of Release: 1993

Director: Joel Schumacher

Starring: Michael Douglas, Robert Duvall, Barbara Hershey, Rachel Ticotin, Tuesday Weld, Frederic Forrest, Lois Smith, Ebbe Roe Smith, Raymond J. Barry, Steve Park, Michael Paul Chan, D.W. Moffett, Kimberly Scott

Genre: Drama, Thriller

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5 

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Synopsis and Review:

Director Joel Schumacher had a busy start of the 90s, commencing with "Flatliners" which premiered in 1990, quickly followed by "Dying Young" in 1991, all aimed at capturing the ongoing popularity of Julia Roberts, then on meteoric ascension to stardom. Following the mild response to "Dying Young" the director bounced back with "Falling Down", which premiered in the US in February, and was in competition at the Cannes Film Festival of 1993. The film follows the story of William Foster, an average man who just went through a divorce, and whose wife got a restraining order against him. He lives in LA, has recently been fired from his job, and the film showcases him spiraling out of control as his day starts, and he's stuck in traffic, under scorching heat, and his car's air conditioning has stopped working. He gets out of his car, and simply walks away. The film accompanies his increasingly bizarre and incident filled day, starting with an altercation at a convenience store, quickly followed by gang members attacking him, to name just a few, which eventually result in him carrying guns and starting to be tracked by the police. And all he wants, is to see his daughter.

"Falling Down" written by actor/writer Ebbe Roe Smith was a project that had its fair share of interest, until it caught the attention of Joel Schumacher who in turn sent it to Michael Douglas. The film has faint inspirational moments and certain tangents to Martin Scorsese's "Taxi Driver" without ever being quite as psychologically nuanced or rich for that matter. William Foster is an every day man, going through challenging moments in his life, someone who has lost his ability to cope with adversity and progressively starts relying on violence to remove obstacles in his path. The film tries very hard to depict Foster as an every day man, and the situations as something that could happen to anyone. It's film that caused some controversy, particularly because it premiered following the LA riots of 1992, and also because the film somehow gives an impression of endorsing the spiraling violence that surrounds Michael Douglas's character (and how other groups and minorities are characterized in the film). In the end, the film isn't quite as successful primarily because the central character is very much always portrayed in a single perspective (not much humanity or humor ever revealed). Robert Duvall's supporting role, the police officer trailing Foster, is a far richer and more interesting role, since the character has a life, has its own quirks, traumas and sense of humor. It's a far more rounded character than any of the other ones in the film. It's nonetheless a film worth watching primarily due to its cast, with a trio of wonderful performers, namely: Michael Douglas, Robert Duvall and Barbara Hershey. The cinematography from Andrezj Bartkowiak is solid, as is the score from James Newton Howard. Uneven, but still worth watching.

Dave

Movie Name: Dave
Year of Release: 1993
Director: Ivan Reitman
Starring: Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver, Frank Langella, Ben Kingsley, Kevin Dunn, Laura Linney, Ving Rhames, Charles Grodin, Faith Prince, Bonnie Hunt, Parley Baer, Anna Deavere Smith, Charles Hallahan, Tom Dugan
Genre: Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7 
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Synopsis and Review:

Following the success of "Kindergarten Cop", director Ivan Reitman returned with another well crafted, and far better received comedy, "Dave", written by Gary Ross (who had made a name for himself as the writer of Penny Marshall's "Big" and who would go on to be a director himself, with "Pleasantville" and "The Hunger Games" as two examples). The film follows the story of Dave Kovic, a Temp Agency operator, who looks exactly like the current President of the United States. The current President, Bill Mitchell, goes on his escapades, and when that happens, the Secret Service hires Dave to stand in for him. When the President suffers a stroke while having sex with one of his aides, Dave finds himself stuck in the role indefinitely (since the stroke causes the President to go into a coma). The Chief of Staff, Bob Alexander, refuses to divulge the events, to avoid having the Vice-President taking over. He also plans to use Dave to elevate himself to the White House, and generally manipulate the situations to his liking. However Dave becomes more and more comfortable in the position, realizing the good he can do, while also falling in love with the First Lady, who quickly realizes that Dave isn't her husband (whom she hated due to his infidelities).
"Dave" is a film that is not only indicative of a new political climate which started in 1993, but also a film that feels very much influenced by the classic works of Frank Capra (including "Mr. Smith goes to Washington" and "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town"). It's a film that embraces the idealistic side of an every day man, of a good man, who by extraordinary circumstances, finds himself as a President of a nation, and who while surrounded by moral turpitude, thrives to do better, not just for himself, but for everyone. It's also a love story, of two people meeting in somewhat strained circumstances, and who while not necessarily looking for love, find it by looking at each other for who they are, and not necessarily for what their standing in society is. Ivan Reitman manages to deftly and humorously illustrate Dave's progressive confidence and braveness, as he discovers his own strength, with Kevin Kline being fantastic in both roles. The supporting cast provides a variety of flavor including the always reliable and fantastic Frank Langella, Kevin Dunn, Ving Rhames, Ben Kingsley. The female cast is headed by the always superb Sigourney Weaver (who should probably be cast as President in a film of her own), with able support from the equally vastly talented Laura Linney, for whom "Dave" was her second feature film, not forgetting the always reliable Bonnie Hunt. The production team of this film is impeccable, including the score from James Newton Howard and the cinematography from Adam Greenberg. Worth watching.

Benny & Joon

Movie Name: Benny & Joon
Year of Release: 1993
Director: Jeremiah Chechik
Starring: Johnny Depp, Mary Stuart Masterson, Aidan Quinn, Julianne Moore, Dan Hedaya, Oliver Platt, CCH Pounder, Joe Grifasi, William H. Macy, Liane Curtis, Eileen Ryan
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5 
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Synopsis and Review:

Jeremiah Chechik's "Benny & Joon" was the director's third feature, following his debut with "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation", which was a considerable hit, whereas his second feature, "Arrive Alive", was terminated while shooting (after 18 days of shooting the production was shut down). "Benny & Joon" is in effect, the second fully released feature of his career, and follows the story of the two siblings in the title. Joon is a young woman, an artist, with some mental issues, while her older brother Benny, is her care taker. He owns and operates a garage, while Joon stays home and works on her art, usually in the care of a housekeeper who keeps an eye on her. Joon is quirky and challenging, resulting in a constant flux of housekeepers. While Benny is contemplating putting her in a group home, the young handsome Sam waltzes into their lives. Eccentric on his own, Sam is inspired by Buster Keaton, and is a cousin of one of Benny's friends. He becomes Joon's new housekeeper, and a relationship between the two of them starts to blossom, with unexpected outcomes.
"Benny & Joon" was one of three releases Johnny Depp had in 1993 (the other two being "What's Eating Gilbert Grape?" and "Arizona Dream"), and is now mostly remembered as a film that further cemented his taste in offbeat roles. It's a romantic film, where unique and particularly sensitive souls meet, fall in love, and fight to find their place in the world, against prejudice and fear from the community they live in and even of their own loved ones. The film works best when it uses Sam's quirkiness and his Buster Keaton inspired actions, to add whimsicality and some magic to the proceedings, since otherwise it's a fairly uneventful and somewhat forgettable endeavor. The film does benefit from a great cast, with particular highlights going to the three leads, but also Julianne Moore, who finally emerged as an actress to be noted (in 93 alone she was in Andrew Davis's "The Fugitive", Robert Altman's "Shortcuts" and Uli Edel's "Body of Evidence"), Oliver Platt, Dan Hedaya and William H. Macy. While not a particularly memorable film, the entire cast make it watchable and enjoyable, and for that alone it's worth revisiting.