Three Films of Varying Skills and Desires (And Another Show)
Last night I traveled down to Boston in order to catch another show. I had never really been too interested in the California, emo band Augustana, ever since they burst onto the scene with their perpetually catchy, emo song "Boston" which became quite overplayed-- But, I saw that Chris Carrabba's newest incarnation as the band Twin Forks was opening, I decided $20 was worth it. And it so was worth it, even just for Twin Forks' set, which was awesome. Here's the thing, Twin Forks is Carrabba's take on bluegrass/country-esque music, and it works really well. Check out the setlist and some videos of songs and performances. I definitely encourage you to check them out!
.........................................................................................................
"Boogie Woogie"
starring: Gillian Anderson, Alan Cumming, Heather Graham, Danny Huston, Jack Huston, Christopher Lee, Joanna Lumley, Simon McBurney, Meredith Ostrom, Charlotte Rampling, Stellan Skarsgard, Amanda Seyfried, Jaime Winstone, Gemma Atkinson
Maybe I missed the point of this film. Maybe it's story got lost in translation- the scene and characters were transferred from New York City's art gallery scene to the United Kingdom. And, I'm not so sure I believe these uppity, snobby people could actually be that interested in art. I just didn't get this film or it's story. What's the point?
The story includes three art gallery people- an amoral art gallery owner named Art Spindle (played by Danny Huston). He's got two very attractive and ambitious young ladies: one is Beth Freemantle (played by Heather Graham, who always seems to get cast and lost in the fray of her films, she never really lived up to her potential) and Paige (played by Amanda Seyfried).
....................................................................................
"Goon"
starring: Seann William Scott, Jay Baruchel, Allison Pill, Liev Schreiber, Eugene Levy, Marc-Andre Grondin, Kim Coates
directed by: Michael Dowse
written by: Evan Goldberg, Jay Baruchel
Seann William Scott will perhaps never live down being typecast as a lovable loser (thanks to his stint in the "American Pie" franchise). In this film, Scott plays Doug Glatt, a security guard turned enforcer for a Massachusetts minor league hockey team. Having grown up playing hockey and loving to watch hockey, especially as a kid for the fights, I knew I could appreciate this indie film.
Doug Glatt is a lovable, genial guy from a nice family (sort of ashamed that their son is an enforcer, a paid fighter when their other son is a doctor, and gay). Just because he fights and beats the shit out of people doesn't mean Doug Glatt doesn't like anyone. In fact, it's just the opposite, and he almost hates the fact that he has to fight people. He's just happy to wear a uniform and he brings in the lost art of respect for the uniform, too. Doug is also a realist. He's modest. Both of which make him likable.
Liev Schreiber plays the enforcer named Ross Rhea at the end of his career. Interesting choice for the role, but he makes it work. Rhea is a Canadian hockey star who has actually also been Doug's hero. Ross Rhea had a major role in nearly ending the career of an amazing, up-and-coming hockey player named Xavier Laflamme. Doug is brought to the Canadian league and team with the sole purpose of protecting Laflamme, because since the hit delivered by Rhea, Laflamme has lost his quick steps and he is a nervous wreck on the ice, afraid to get hit again. What the film makes perfectly clear is that this violence is an expected and sanctioned event during the games. Doug's sole purpose is to deliver punishment, but to also take it, on the other hand. And throughout the film he certainly delivers some amazing punches, but he also takes his share of beatings.
There's an unnecessary love-romance plot added to the story with an adorable and equally lovable hockey groupie, played by Alison Pill, who happened to be engaged to Jay Baruchel at the time, who also stars in it, but more importantly wrote the film (with his buddy, Evan Goldberg, both well known for collaborating with Seth Rogen). It's a well-written film and it works on all levels.
Enjoy film, even for those who are opposed to the violence in sports that seems to be celebrated. It certainly helps to bring a human-aspect to the sports and the athletes dishing and taking beatings for our enjoyment.
The film is actually based on the biography of Doug Smith, a real-life enforcer from the 70s.
...................................................................................
"A Teacher"
starring: Lindsay Burdge, Will Brittain, Jennifer Prediger
written and directed by: Hannah Fidell
"A Teacher" almost works as a credible, indie film about a touchy, yet cliche (these days) and controversial subject matter. But, as soon as you think it's working, it completely breaks down for a few reasons, which I'll get into soon enough.
What works: the soundtrack that plays strategically throughout the film is that of rather avant-garde jazz, like that heard at a late-night, sleazy jazz club in the middle of St. Louis or New Orleans. These musical compositions help bring out the unyielding and quite obvious emotional undercurrents that are playing themselves out during the film, with the main character.
The director also decides to play with the tone and texture of the film with darkness, throughout, especially during rather pivotal scenes, too. The film is layered with shadows and dark lighting to give way to the intimate setting, which entices us to think every moment is supposed to be seductive.
This all works until it all just starts to piss you off, because the lighting doesn't let you see the film, and then the music just becomes rather cliche.
You see, Diana (played by Lindsay Burdge) is a young, exuberant new teacher at a high school. She comes off rather shy, until she starts shacking up with a high school boy- one of her students. Their romance is exciting, for them, because of the caution they must take and the fact that it is so wrong, but for Diana it just feels so right. And that's when it all really comes tumbling down, as a film and a story. What is supposed to be a character study type of film becomes a disaster because Diana, as a person, starts to fill a bit of a typecast as a crazy, obsessively girlfriend. She comes off as a teenage girl whenever she's around Eric (the high schooler she's having sex with). He is a typical teenage boy, and that really starts to worry Diana. She really starts to break down and confesses her love for him, that she'll do anything for him. She even gets angry and jealous when she chaperones the school dance and he brings a "normal" date. She stalks him down and gets angry when he becomes careless about their affair. Then she even goes to his house, with no fear of being caught by his father. She loses it all and just doesn't seem to care, when really she should be so much smarter than that. But, should that piss you off, as a viewer?
I wanted this film to work so much better than it did. I finished it, thinking, "no, no, no. You've cheated me." And that's not a good feeling.
-
-
-
(Cory Branan cover)
-
-
(Dashboard Confessional cover)
-
-
-
(Steve Earle cover)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Encore:
-
-
-
.........................................................................................................
"Boogie Woogie"
starring: Gillian Anderson, Alan Cumming, Heather Graham, Danny Huston, Jack Huston, Christopher Lee, Joanna Lumley, Simon McBurney, Meredith Ostrom, Charlotte Rampling, Stellan Skarsgard, Amanda Seyfried, Jaime Winstone, Gemma Atkinson
Maybe I missed the point of this film. Maybe it's story got lost in translation- the scene and characters were transferred from New York City's art gallery scene to the United Kingdom. And, I'm not so sure I believe these uppity, snobby people could actually be that interested in art. I just didn't get this film or it's story. What's the point?
The story includes three art gallery people- an amoral art gallery owner named Art Spindle (played by Danny Huston). He's got two very attractive and ambitious young ladies: one is Beth Freemantle (played by Heather Graham, who always seems to get cast and lost in the fray of her films, she never really lived up to her potential) and Paige (played by Amanda Seyfried).
Spindle is desperate to buy a Mondrian, titled “Boogie-Woogie,” off ailing Germanic tycoon Alfred Rhinegold (Christopher Lee) but Rhinegold’s wife and secretary play Spindle off against rival bidders, including voracious collector Bob Maclestone (Stellan Skarsgard). Maclestone is having an affair with Beth, while his wife Jean (Gillian Anderson) beds upcoming artist Jo Richards (Jack Huston), who’s supposedly going out with Beth.
Meanwhile, Beth is keen to open her own gallery using money from Maclestone and plans to exhibit the work of artist Elaine (Jaime Winstone), a sexually predatory lesbian whose salacious video diary will rep the centerpiece of her first show. Like nearly everyone here, Elaine is willing to betray any friend or lover to get what she wants, even her best-friend/manager Dewey (Alan Cumming), the pic’s only sympathetic character.
Maybe too many characters in a semi-decent story, but this film failed for me on every level. Too bad, because it could have been good, perhaps. There have been a lot of films focused in the New York art scene, so I'm not sure this would have been good, either way. Having an ensemble cast could have killed the film, too.Meanwhile, Beth is keen to open her own gallery using money from Maclestone and plans to exhibit the work of artist Elaine (Jaime Winstone), a sexually predatory lesbian whose salacious video diary will rep the centerpiece of her first show. Like nearly everyone here, Elaine is willing to betray any friend or lover to get what she wants, even her best-friend/manager Dewey (Alan Cumming), the pic’s only sympathetic character.
....................................................................................
"Goon"
starring: Seann William Scott, Jay Baruchel, Allison Pill, Liev Schreiber, Eugene Levy, Marc-Andre Grondin, Kim Coates
directed by: Michael Dowse
written by: Evan Goldberg, Jay Baruchel
Seann William Scott will perhaps never live down being typecast as a lovable loser (thanks to his stint in the "American Pie" franchise). In this film, Scott plays Doug Glatt, a security guard turned enforcer for a Massachusetts minor league hockey team. Having grown up playing hockey and loving to watch hockey, especially as a kid for the fights, I knew I could appreciate this indie film.
Doug Glatt is a lovable, genial guy from a nice family (sort of ashamed that their son is an enforcer, a paid fighter when their other son is a doctor, and gay). Just because he fights and beats the shit out of people doesn't mean Doug Glatt doesn't like anyone. In fact, it's just the opposite, and he almost hates the fact that he has to fight people. He's just happy to wear a uniform and he brings in the lost art of respect for the uniform, too. Doug is also a realist. He's modest. Both of which make him likable.
Liev Schreiber plays the enforcer named Ross Rhea at the end of his career. Interesting choice for the role, but he makes it work. Rhea is a Canadian hockey star who has actually also been Doug's hero. Ross Rhea had a major role in nearly ending the career of an amazing, up-and-coming hockey player named Xavier Laflamme. Doug is brought to the Canadian league and team with the sole purpose of protecting Laflamme, because since the hit delivered by Rhea, Laflamme has lost his quick steps and he is a nervous wreck on the ice, afraid to get hit again. What the film makes perfectly clear is that this violence is an expected and sanctioned event during the games. Doug's sole purpose is to deliver punishment, but to also take it, on the other hand. And throughout the film he certainly delivers some amazing punches, but he also takes his share of beatings.
There's an unnecessary love-romance plot added to the story with an adorable and equally lovable hockey groupie, played by Alison Pill, who happened to be engaged to Jay Baruchel at the time, who also stars in it, but more importantly wrote the film (with his buddy, Evan Goldberg, both well known for collaborating with Seth Rogen). It's a well-written film and it works on all levels.
Enjoy film, even for those who are opposed to the violence in sports that seems to be celebrated. It certainly helps to bring a human-aspect to the sports and the athletes dishing and taking beatings for our enjoyment.
The film is actually based on the biography of Doug Smith, a real-life enforcer from the 70s.
...................................................................................
"A Teacher"
starring: Lindsay Burdge, Will Brittain, Jennifer Prediger
written and directed by: Hannah Fidell
"A Teacher" almost works as a credible, indie film about a touchy, yet cliche (these days) and controversial subject matter. But, as soon as you think it's working, it completely breaks down for a few reasons, which I'll get into soon enough.
What works: the soundtrack that plays strategically throughout the film is that of rather avant-garde jazz, like that heard at a late-night, sleazy jazz club in the middle of St. Louis or New Orleans. These musical compositions help bring out the unyielding and quite obvious emotional undercurrents that are playing themselves out during the film, with the main character.
The director also decides to play with the tone and texture of the film with darkness, throughout, especially during rather pivotal scenes, too. The film is layered with shadows and dark lighting to give way to the intimate setting, which entices us to think every moment is supposed to be seductive.
This all works until it all just starts to piss you off, because the lighting doesn't let you see the film, and then the music just becomes rather cliche.
You see, Diana (played by Lindsay Burdge) is a young, exuberant new teacher at a high school. She comes off rather shy, until she starts shacking up with a high school boy- one of her students. Their romance is exciting, for them, because of the caution they must take and the fact that it is so wrong, but for Diana it just feels so right. And that's when it all really comes tumbling down, as a film and a story. What is supposed to be a character study type of film becomes a disaster because Diana, as a person, starts to fill a bit of a typecast as a crazy, obsessively girlfriend. She comes off as a teenage girl whenever she's around Eric (the high schooler she's having sex with). He is a typical teenage boy, and that really starts to worry Diana. She really starts to break down and confesses her love for him, that she'll do anything for him. She even gets angry and jealous when she chaperones the school dance and he brings a "normal" date. She stalks him down and gets angry when he becomes careless about their affair. Then she even goes to his house, with no fear of being caught by his father. She loses it all and just doesn't seem to care, when really she should be so much smarter than that. But, should that piss you off, as a viewer?
I wanted this film to work so much better than it did. I finished it, thinking, "no, no, no. You've cheated me." And that's not a good feeling.
Comments
Post a Comment