The Panic in Needle Park (1971) - Movie Review by Ben Cahlamer

Al Pacino and Kitty Winn in ‘The Panic in Needle Park’ (1971)

Directed by: Jerry Schatzberg

Screenplay by: Joan Didion and John Gregory Dunne based on “The Panic in Needle Park” by: James Mills

Starring: Al Pacino, Kitty Winn, Alan Vint, Richard Bright, Raúl Juliá, Kiel Martin, Paul Sorvino

When thinking about how to best celebrate Al Pacino’s birthday, one is inclined to think about his cinematic legacy. The actor who turns 80 on April 25, has given us such indelible performances over the course of his career, but none have been as stark and as charismatic as that of the drug-addled, hopeless romantic Bobby in Jerry Schatzberg’s “The Panic in Needle Park” from 1971.

Billed as his first leading role and only his second major feature performance, Pacino who is known for his subtlety as well as his charisma, would lay the groundwork for many future, nuanced performances.

“The Panic in Needle Park” is first and foremost about the ongoing drug addiction problem in the United States; the ease by which your drug of choice can be obtained and the euphoric feeling on reaching a high and the dramatic fall in which we often find Bobby, a low level pusher in the Sherman Square section of Manhattan.

The story by Joan Didion and John Gregory Dunne doesn’t depict Bobby as strung out, nor does he lack intelligence. In fact, Bobby is an aspiring entrepreneur. He is ambitious, a hallmark of every Pacino performance. He is driven toward a better life, though his purpose might be to find that high again. Within the film’s tragedy, we see him headed toward that goal.

The Sherman Square section of Manhattan, nicknamed Needle Park for the drug addicts it attracts is the urban setting for Schatzberg’s taut thriller. The city, crumbling from over population, overbuilding and a lack of oversight is in serious disrepair. It is the perfect setting for which Helen (Kitty Winn) can recover from an illness following an abortion. Living with her boyfriend Marco, played by a very dynamic Raúl Juliá in his first role, she falls for Bobby when he shows compassion for her situation.

While Pacino’s exquisite performance fuels the direction of the story, Schatzberg brought numerous elements together in “The Panic in Needle Park” to create the visceral realism it depicts, a realism that got the movie banned in several European countries on its initial release, having been rated X. In depicting an addict’s life fueled by drugs, right down to the actors injecting themselves, the audience is drawn directly into the world Bobby and Helen live in.

Didion and Dunne balance the drug usage with a doomed love story; doomed not because Bobby and Helen didn’t love each other. Their drug fueled relationship was perhaps the most real aspect of the story because they believed in one another. However, Bobby’s short fuse and Helen’s desire to make her own way in the world, another 1970’s truism, made their relationship rocky.

That, and a very ambitious Detective Hotch (Alan Vint) who was looking for his big score, puts the struggling couple in between the harsh realities of the drugs problem: ambition begets ambition, and knowing who to trust is critical.

Within the realities of the story comes strong, well-defined characters with Bobby being the most present, while the muted grey landscape of Manhattan serves as the most omnipresent character in “The Panic in Needle Park.” The production made the decision to abandon Ned Rorem’s score for the film replacing it with the sounds of the everyday crush of people and cars, the sounds of construction and development, creating a unique environment in which to drive Pacino’s performance, yet another reflection of the film’s ‘ambition begets ambition” themes.

Every scene in the film reminds us of the place New York City was, cementing the struggles that surrounded Bobby and Helen, giving them purpose in trying to find their highs and discovering the utter depths of their lows. These reminders offer a reason to want to do better, to be better. Bobby was willing to get his hands dirty, driving his ambition and when he gets his chance, he finds a better high, which is just as quickly yanked down.

Some 49 years later, “The Panic in Needle Park” remains a contemporary film because of its ambition to deliver a gritty, realistic look at drugs and the ambition it fuels.

Al Pacino’s performance in “The Panic in Needle Park” doesn’t call attention to itself, rather it is the anchor in a film where every character, no matter how big (New York City) or how small (Raúl Juliá) flourishes.

Reportedly, Pacino’s performance in this film was the sole reason why Francis Ford Coppola chose him a year later for the role of Michael Corleone in “The Godfather.” Pacino would go on to many other memorable roles, including Frank Serpico (“Serpico”), Sonny Wortzik (“Dog Day Afternoon”), Frank Slade (“Scent of a Woman”), Tony Montana (“Scarface” (1983)) and Vincent Hanna (“Heat”), each performance a testament to his esprit de corps.

All the Wild Horses - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

Donal Fahy and Richard Killoran in ‘All the Wild Horses’. © Richard Dunwoody

‘All the Wild Horses’ wins by a comfortable margin  

Written and directed by:  Ivo Marloh

“All the Wild Horses” – The Kentucky Derby began in 1875, and this 1.25-mile race is dubbed the most exciting two minutes in sports.  

On the other side of the world, Mongolia hosts an altogether different event.  The Mongol Derby is one thousand kilometers long and runs across the country’s prairies.  The contest takes eight days to complete and is known as the longest and toughest horse race in the world. 

If the Run for the Roses is an ultra-brisk sprint, then the Mongol Derby is a marathon of the most grueling order.  Competitors ride semi-wild Mongolian horses for over 13 hours a day but stop every 40 kilometers at marked stations (called urtuus) to disembark from their current four-legged partners and connect with new ones.  Depending on the mount, a rider may find a cooperative or taxing traveling companion, which – of course – adds another unpredictable element to an already infinitely-challenging environment. 

Even though this race has only existed since 2009, perhaps patrons and participants will be curious to know that a bronco-based postal system ran – about 800 years ago - across these same grounds.  Well, Genghis Khan operated the aforementioned mail service, so maybe not.   

(As a side note, Mongol Derby Chief Kate Willings mentions that Khan’s postal system finally shut down in the 1940s.  The 1940s?  Geez, and you thought that Amazon has an enormous reach.)

Director Ivo Marloh needed no encouragement to immerse himself in this wholly unique cross-country, man-and-horse event.  He was raised on a horse farm, and during an interview at the 2017 EQUUS Film Festival, Marloh noted that he always wanted to travel to Mongolia.  When he heard about the Mongol Derby, he said, “I have to do that.”

His inspiring documentary “All the Wild Horses” certainly has an I-want-to-try-that impact, because even though the 87-minute film chronicles this exceedingly laborious, backbreaking competition, almost every on-screen moment feels very accessible.  Rather than pitting an intimidating landscape and mysterious host country as unapproachable unknowns, the film breaks down barriers straightaway and welcomes us with congeniality and warmth, despite the trying paths – literally and figuratively – that lie ahead.

The Mongolian Steppe has a familiar grasslands’ look that one might find in an American western, and Marloh’s camera offers countless angles of open green pastures and nearby rocky buttes that help frame this Wild East.  These gorgeous, scenic moments – captured from high above and also at ground level via horses and mechanical chariots – really need to be seen on the biggest televisions, as these lightly populated, enormous swathes of serene nature seem to unearth mystical, timeless sentiments, ones molded by some observant presence from eons ago.  Surely, the setting is a foremost character, but the horses and humans comprise the main focus, and the two-legged beings include locals, Derby staff and riders. 

In the doc’s first few minutes, we see Mongolian horses – on their own - rumble across the landscape, and soon after, riders accompany these grand creatures, but not with constriction.  Their bonds appear harmonious, and Donie Fahy - a jockey from Ireland – gives a wide smile for the camera.  He declares, “Because it’s something completely crazy.  That’s why I wanted to do it.”

Horse trainer Monde Kanyana adds, “(This is) my first time to leave South Africa, and I’m very keen to be in the wild (to) handle (these) horses.”

Players from all over converge on Mongolia’s Bulgan Province, including Devan Horn from Houston.  She’s the early favorite to win, and Marloh spends generous amounts of minutes with Donie, Monde, Devan, and many others like Will, Julie, Linda, and Simon who openly bequeath testimonials, observations and outlooks. 

Several rich, personal stories and journeys proudly establish the documentary’s communal tones.  So much so, that your interest in who first crosses the finish line might almost become a simple postscript.  Almost is the key word, because the film does craft plenty of intrigue, but there’s something spiritual and timeless at work in “All the Wild Horses”.  Animal lovers will also feel comforted that the horses’ care and safety take the utmost importance, but whether or not horses are your thing, this is for certain:  you’ll be grateful that the documentary lasts a lot longer than the most exciting two minutes in sports.

(3/4 stars)

Jeff – a member of the Phoenix Critics Circle – has penned film reviews since 2008, graduated from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and is a certified Rotten Tomatoes critic.  Follow Jeff and the Phoenix Film Festival on Twitter @MitchFilmCritic and @PhoenixFilmFest, respectively.

Selah and The Spades - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

Lovie Simone in ‘Selah and The Spades’ © 2018 - Sundance Institute

Dir: Tayarisha Poe

Starring: Lovie Simone, Jharrel Jerome, Celeste O’Conner, Ana Mulvoy Ten, and Jesse Williams

Early in director Tayarisha Poe’s visually intriguing, youthfully exuberant film “Selah and the Spades”, a group of ethnically diverse young people from different factions within a boarding school sit around a table discussing/arguing which crowd controls the cultural sway in the school. Cinematically, this scene falls in the same structural composition as some gangster, mafia, or yakuza crime films; not one crew wanting to show weakness and no one willing to let go of the power they have amassed.

This component of power plays the major narrative role in “Selah and the Spades”, as the young factions vie for control as the school year rolls forward. Selah (Lovie Simone) is the commanding, powerful, although insecure leader of the Spades, she is in her senior year and every other faction understands that a power shift is about to happen.

Paloma (Celeste O’Conner) is a new scholarship student, she is a gifted photographer who finds quick and keen camera eyesight into the power hierarchy within the school. Selah, seeing glimpses of her former self, takes Paloma under her guidance, introducing her directly to the world of The Spades.

Director Tayarisha Poe and cinematographer Jomo Fray have a confident grasp of the visual design of the film, which is beautifully framed and richly composed of neon and metallic palettes. Moments when characters speak directly to the camera, framed center position sometimes with action choreographed behind them, or when an assemble of characters, shot with altering points of focus to emphasize their emotional perspective, are particularly affecting in displaying the uncaring, immature and dishonest nature of hierarchy in the school.

The faction focused narrative wears thin quickly, as the struggle between the different groups becomes frustratingly cliché, and sometimes completely pointless, as it overwhelms unnecessarily the fascinating elements happening between Selah and Paloma. However, when the shifting relationship between Selah and Paloma takes hold, where Paloma grows confident and Selah becomes resentful, the film develops into something significantly fascinating. This is partly because Lovie Simone and Celeste O’Conner are so great in the roles.

Ms. Simone brilliantly composes Selah with strong motivations of confidence, arrogance, and ruthlessness while also allowing moments of insecurity, self-doubt, and fear. Ms. O’Conner is also excellent. Paloma is stronger than Selah in different ways, less outwardly fierce and more internally resilient and grounded. Celeste O’Conner composes a naïve sensibility, in the beginning, her eyes big and glowing at the experiences happening around her, but slowly showcases a more assertive and assured performance as her character’s convictions become stronger. Also adding Jharrel Jerome, who was stunning in "Moonlight", as Selah's second-in-command adds some great power struggle moments.

“Selah and the Spades” is a bold statement for director Tayarisha Poe, revealing a creative talent that has an interesting visual style and a distinctive voice for cinema. It’s also a star-making turn for both actors Lovie Simone and Celeste O’Conner. While the film struggles to find its narrative footing, meandering and aimless in its execution at times, the captivating performances and beautiful visual design offer an intriguing perspective on the high school drama.

Monte’s Rating
3.25 out of 5.00

Streaming on Amazon Prime starting April 17, 2020.

The Booksellers - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

‘The Booksellers’ is a celluloid page-turner

Directed by:  D.W. Young

“The Booksellers” - According to a 2019 Pew Research Center study, 73 percent of U.S. adults have started at least one book in the past year, but this is down from a 2005 Gallup News Service poll, in which 83 percent did.

Why the drop?  Well, one can point to several factors:  longer work hours, shorter attention spans, social media’s rise, instant gratification needs, home streaming services, and the Joe Exotic documentary series.  Actually, Netflix released “Tiger King” in 2020, a year after the 2019 findings, so we can’t blame it on Mr. Exotic. 

Okay, let’s just note that professional wrestling and “The Bachelor” haven’t exactly helped book sales and call it a day. 

It’s true.  The 21st century doesn’t feel like an enlightened era in which humanity has collectively stretched towards the written word, one that is typed on coated or uncoated paper stock, supported with binder’s board, wrapped in cloth or leather, and glued on an elemental spine. 

Whether you’ve started a book in the past year or not, it’s hard to imagine someone who doesn’t like books.  Hey, books are great, and bookstores are fun!

Director D.W. Young seems to appreciate the alluring joy of a great bookstore, and he offers plenty of them – which appear in countless, wide-ranging forms – and also showcases the men and women who buy, stock and sell tangible, handheld treasures in “The Booksellers”, his intriguing cinematic cornucopia of New York City’s book world. 

(Please note that the aforementioned men and women turn up in wide-ranging forms as well, and these eccentric drivers of this hyper-focused industry are as fascinating as the rare books that they seek.)

Over the course of 97 minutes, Young packs an incalculable number of quips, sayings, trends, facts, oddities, ideas, biographies, and anecdotes, along with some distresses but mostly warm feelings into his documentary.  He travels from bookstore to bookstore, but also to offices, apartments and fairs, including the New York International Antiquarian Book Fair.

It’s here that we are introduced to book dealer Henry Wessells, who explains, “It’s another New York book fair which is the roller coaster ride between tedium and great bits of commerce and discoveries.”

Another seller jumps in and says, “My PhD is in 16th century Spanish lyric poetry, which explains why I’m totally broke after 15 years of academia.  I left that in order to become an antiquarian book dealer, so I’ve had the pleasure of having really fantastic books in my hands.”

Whoosh, and we’re off on this dizzying, but pleasurable and peculiar journey.  After about 20 minutes, however, “The Booksellers” wanders, or a minimum, it seems awfully tricky to gain your footing from a big picture perspective.  It’s so easy to feel disoriented, but not in the moment.  No, in the immediate present, Young dives deep with the highest clarity on an individual who (or a particular intricacy that) fits into this passionate pantheon. 

For example, take Dave Bergman.  He’s a pleasant, gray-haired 40 or 50-something who claims that he’s not fit for any other profession but the book business.  When he’s not purchasing a 1907 photo album that includes a 15,000 year-old clump of hair from a mammoth (yes, from an actual mammoth), Dave plays on seven softball teams every week. 

We do see him again, but not before, we are whisked to the Strand Bookstore.  Sometimes, Young provides the names of his on-screen subjects.  On other occasions, he doesn’t, but his doc always turns each cinematic page with thought-provoking color, whether we catch a person’s or locale’s name or not.

Some familiar faces pop up, including a world-famous NYC author (who will not be revealed in this review) and also Rebecca Romney, a book dealer who frequents the Las Vegas-based TV show “Pawn Stars”.  Another book dealer Heather O’Donnell mentions that – years ago – the industry was comprised of 85 percent men, but not much has changed today.  That didn’t stop Young from finding compelling women to interview. 

Like many other businesses, there may be some institutional roadblocks here, but “The Booksellers” feels inclusive and abundant, even if the industry sits on somewhat-shaky ground.  Books are vulnerable, like print newspapers, but with one big difference.  A newspaper’s print edition loses its worth when the latest and greatest Internet news updates arise, but books don’t have that tiny shelf life (pardon the pun).  Their contents are timeless, and with great care, their physical forms can be as well. 

Here’s hoping that bookstores will still be with us in 2120, and as “The Booksellers” concludes, another revelation may strike you.  D.W. Young’s film might wander, but it is with a purpose.  Have you ever gotten lost in a bookstore for hours and wonder where the time went, as you eventually leave with a drunken smile on your face?  Yea, “The Booksellers”….same thing. 

(3/4 stars)

Jeff – a member of the Phoenix Critics Circle – has penned film reviews since 2008, graduated from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and is a certified Rotten Tomatoes critic.  Follow Jeff and the Phoenix Film Festival on Twitter @MitchFilmCritic and @PhoenixFilmFest, respectively.

Three Days of the Condor (1975) - Movie Review by Ben Cahlamer

Max von Sydow in ‘Three Days of the Condor’ (1975)

Directed by: Sydney Pollack

Screenplay by: Lorenzo Semple Jr. and David Rayfiel, based on “Six Days of the Condor” by: James Grady

Starring: Robert Redford, Faye Dunaway, Cliff Robertson, Max von Sydow, John Houseman

Max von Sydow, who would have turned 91 on April 10, had a 70-year career that spanned some 150 films. Though he is most well known as Antonius Block in Ingmar Bergman’s “The Seventh Seal,” Father Lankester Merrin in William Friedkin’s “The Exorcist” or as Ming the Merciless in “Flash Gordon,” von Sydow’s performance as Joubert in Sydney Pollack’s 1975 political thriller, “Three Days of the Condor” remains a highlight.

Featuring an all-star cast, “Three Days of the Condor” is truly Robert Redford’s story. As Joseph Turner, Redford is a bookworm-turned-spy in mid-1970s New York City. Pollack uses a grey palette muting the background, not so much obscuring it, but rather blending it in to raise Redford’s profile as a man on the lamb.

The muted profile also allows von Sydow’s Joubert to stand out, not just because the actor was tall. In fact, there is a scene in which both Redford and von Sydow are in the same frame that you get a sense of just how tall both actors are. It helps to give von Sydow an even more menacing profile; he is thin and silent, his eyes always moving, calculating the next steps forward. He shows no remorse and no empathy, the hallmark of a cold-blooded assassin.

Even more menacing is that the character is in very few scenes in the film. This is not to say that the character is utilitarian in nature; he is referred to in the third person more frequently than seen. This helps to keep Turner on the move. The script, a collaboration between Lorenzo Semple Jr. and David Rayfiel, crafts a series of subdued characters for both Redford, but especially in von Sydow’s Joubert. In muting the background, Pollack allowed the actors to truly stand out, von Sydow being the most obvious benefactor.

The subdued nature of the background also helps Turner establish trust, something that does not come easily for the character after witnessing his colleagues having been murdered in the think tank, a cover for the CIA. Turner’s group was responsible for scanning books looking for hidden meanings and other useful information when Turner uncovers a plot within the CIA.

Knowing that he must keep a low profile, he kidnaps Kathy Hale played by Faye Dunaway, who plays the “damsel in distress” act quite effectively. Pollack’s direction of her performance elevates her relationship with Turner in an unexpected way; they fall for each other once the bonds of trust are forged.

Just as critical though is Turner’s relationship with the mysterious Joubert and the two actors get to share the screen twice in this film. Owen Roizman’s cinematography is key in establishing that the game of “cat and mouse” is still very much in effect, especially during their first encounter when Turner tests the waters to see if he is still a target.

The second encounter between the two men is vastly different as the third act takes an unexpected turn. Once the plot is revealed, and the two men can speak as compatriots rather than antagonists, we still see Joubert as a menacing figure, a credit to von Sydow’s performance and persona earlier in the film. We also see Redford’s Turner a changed person from that of someone who is fearful to someone who becomes fearless. Without a doubt, Max von Sydow’s performance makes Turner’s transition that much more jovial, only to be let down in the final few minutes of the film when Turner confronts Cliff Robertson’s Higgins.

Still, Sydney Pollack would go on to make many other thrillers featuring similar style stories, but none are as strong as “Three Days of the Condor,” a tribute to everyone on the production but most certainly Max von Sydow’s mysterious Joubert.

Trolls World Tour - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick in ‘Trolls World Tour’ © 2019 DreamWorks Animation LLC.

‘Trolls World Tour’ might be a good at-home distraction…or not

Directed by:  Walt Dohrn and David P. Smith

Written by:  Jonathan Aibel, Glenn Berger, Maya Forbes, Wallace Wolodarsky, and Elizabeth Tippet

Starring:  Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Rachel Bloom, James Corden, Ron Funches, Kelly Clarkson, Sam Rockwell, George Clinton, Mary J. Blige, Jamie Dornan, Kenan Thompson, and Ozzy Osbourne

“Trolls World Tour” – “So tell me what you want, what you really, really want.  I wanna, (ha) I wanna, (ha) I wanna, (ha) I wanna, (ha).  I wanna really, really, really wanna zigazig ah.” – Spice Girls, “Wannabe”

“One man’s nonsense is another man’s sense.” – author Peter Cameron, “Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You”

Poppy (Anna Kendrick) is over the moon.  Over the moon…in her world.  She’s Queen Poppy of the Troll Pop Kingdom, a place with rainbow-splashed mushrooms, truckloads of glitter and more neon pink and green than a 1984 Wham! concert.  Bouncy, positive vibes can be felt everywhere, as sugary-sweet discourse and the aforementioned colorful, Candyland surroundings are only topped by inspired music performances by this joyful collection of diminutive beings.   

Well, unbeknown to Poppy, her close friend Branch (Justin Timberlake) and almost everyone else in this Whoville on cherry-flavored laughing gas, the world also supports five other Troll kingdoms, and they define themselves through specific music genres.  Yes, trolls also live in the Funk, Country, Techno, Classical, and Rock Kingdoms, but the last-mentioned community aims to colossally clutter the others’ cultures.   

In “Trolls World Tour”, directors Walt Dohrn and David P. Smith – along with five screenwriters – and a long list of musicians and Hollywood thespians donate to a noble message: let’s embrace diversity.  Although the film sometimes highlights the trolls’ physical differences, the contrasting cultures - primarily influenced by music - drive the celebrated distinctions. 

At one point, Poppy rightfully asserts, “Listen to other voices, even when they don’t agree with us.”  

Hey, maybe that explains the need for five screenwriters…or not. 

Even with so many scribes, “Trolls World Tour” borrows its main storyline from “Avengers: Infinity War” (2018).  You see, a mohawked psycho named Queen Barb of the Hard Rock Trolls (Rachel Bloom) travels to the other kingdoms and attempts to steal their associated mystical musical strings, attach them to her guitar, and then strum an ultimate power chord to turn all trolls into rock and roll zombies. 

Six strings and six kingdoms will be under Barb’s control, because – according to her - who wants to listen to funk, country, techno, classical, and pop music, right?  Dohrn and Smith apparently forgot ska, bluegrass and industrial, but perhaps they’ll be included in a sequel.  

Regardless, the “Infinity War” odes include the sparkly colors of each valued string and a very brief turn-to-dust visual.  Also, Queen Barb rolls, flies and swims in an intimating black caravan straight from “Mad Max: Fury Road” (2015), and the Rock Kingdom resides at a volcano reminiscent of Mordor from “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy.   

There’s no denying the impressive world building and massive cast of characters, and the players come in all shapes and sizes, like a doughy Biggie (James Corden), big-haired Delta Dawn (Texan Kelly Clarkson), bedazzled Tiny Diamond (Kenan Thompson), and a talking flute named Pennywhistle (Charlyne Yi), to name a few. 

Take note that Mary J. Blige, George Clinton, Sam Rockwell, Jamie Dornan, and Ozzy Osbourne bring their talents to these goofy, misshapen “H.R. Pufnstuf” animated oddities as well.  Certainly, Dohrn, Smith and a minivan of writers believe that more is more.  We are whisked from one wild locale to another, as trolls sing catchy snippets of “(Trolls) Just Wanna Have Fun”, “Groove is in the Heart”, “One More Time”, and “Crazy Train”. 

Part of the fun is wondering what famous song will come up next, but because so many are included, most times we only get 20 seconds of a memorable ditty.  Oh, can we hear more of Heart’s “Barracuda”, and does the Rock Kingdom have to play the bad apple?  It’s not like rock has been trampling on the music scene over the last 20 years.  Quite the opposite.  That’s a minor complaint, but a bigger one is that “Trolls World Tour” is more of a busy and scattershot shiny object rather than a polished example of masterful storytelling.  Well, everyone on-screen seems to be having fun, and with current lockdowns in place – due to the miserable COVID-19 pandemic – maybe a light, agreeable (but also loud) escape is just what the doctor ordered.  Maybe not.  Sure, one person’s sense is another’s nonsense, but hey, young kids will probably like it…or at least be distracted.

(2/4 stars)

Jeff – a member of the Phoenix Critics Circle – has penned film reviews since 2008, graduated from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and is a certified Rotten Tomatoes critic.  Follow Jeff and the Phoenix Film Festival on Twitter @MitchFilmCritic and @PhoenixFilmFest, respectively.

The Innocent (1976) - Movie Review by Ben Cahlamer

Laura Antonelli and Giancarlo Giannini in The Innocent (1976)

Directed by: Luchino Visconti

Written by: Suso Cecci D'Amico, Enrico Medioli, Luchino Visconti, based on “The Intruder” by Gabriele d’Annunzio

Starring: Giancarlo Giannini, Laura Antonelli, Jennifer O’Neill, Rina Morelli, Marc Porel

With more people isolated in their homes, there has never been a better time for a revival of classic films featuring well-defined characters with scintillating stories of treachery and deceit, let alone love.

From 1976, comes Luchino Visconti’s final film, “The Innocent,” a story of a frivolous aristocrat, Tullio Hermil (“Casino Royale’s” Giancarlo Giannini). Tullio is interested in maintaining the dignity and poise of events that effect his life and his wife, Giuliana (Laura Antonelli). When we first meet Tullio, it is during a fencing match with his brother, Federico (Didier Haudepin). Both brothers are relentless in their pursuit of landing the important first strike.

In these early scenes, Visconti demonstrates Tullio’s lack of feeling, except for what is directly in front of him. Giannini also demonstrates his fastidious desire to win at all costs, no matter the sacrifice. At the same time, it also shows a weakness in that he cannot anticipate how the other half of his battle will be fought; he cannot see the outcome. And when the outcome does not favor him, he acts like an impudent child, pining for “his way or the highway.”

From the way Tullio is introduced, his mannerisms and attitudes, it should come as no surprise that he and his wife, Giuliana are separated. For appearance sake, they are still married. To be sure, when they arrive at Mother’s (Rina Morelli) estate, they are quick to ask for separate rooms, because of their differing schedules. Mother accommodates them, not suspecting any infidelities between the two.

Visconti slowly reveals the rapturous hunger with which both Tullio and Giuliana attend to their affairs; Tullio with Teresa Raffo (Jennifer O’Neill), a very becoming woman with demanding tastes, though she tries to get Tullio to show his affection for her in public, unaware of the implications of doing so, even though Tullio warns her to show discretion.

For Giuliana, her infidelity is at the hands of Filippo d’Arborio (Marc Porel), a doctor whom we only see once, but whose presence is felt throughout the entire film; Giuliana has conceived with Filippo, though Visconti wisely chose to reveal the pregnancy slowly so as to play into Tullio’s sensibilities. The screenplay does not hide behind the pregnancy nor its implications on their relationship.

In fact, it emboldens Tullio’s desire to swiftly sweep any transgression under the rug that might sully his reputation. That desire leads to a tragedy of innocents: an innocent and helpless baby, an innocent wife, even through infidelity who remained steadfastly by her husband’s side and a husband whose forsaken relationships left him with no other choice, but the ultimate sacrifice.

There is a rich look and feel to the film, indicative of the late 1970s when the film was shot, evoking the late 19th century the story was set in. Visconti’s final film was the second adaptation of Gabriele d’Annunzio’s novel while Franco Mannino’s score, accompanied by classical works from Mozart’s Rondò Alla Turca and the aria Che faro senza Euridice from Christoph Willibald Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice suggesting that swift and wide justice was enacted on all participants, but none more than Giancarlo Giannini’s Tullio.

“The Innocent” is full of strong performances, a tragic story not soon forgotten. The most striking aspect of the film is in which the way the characters nonchalantly dismiss the feelings of their counterparts. Luchino Visconti’s direction is taut and the film is a tragic painting come to life.

3 out of 4 stars

The Wild Goose Lake - Movie Review by Matthew Robinson

Ge Hu in ‘The Wild Goose Lake’.

Read all of Matthew Robinson's reviews at DarkoftheMatinee.com

Diao Yinan's The Wild Goose Lake, a neon noir, is proof that Chinese crime/noir films are peaking. Last year brought us Ash is Purest White and Long Day's Journey Into Night. Those films marked a resurgence of the noir genre in China. The Wild Goose Lake is less incredible but still a solid entry into an exciting genre.

On a rainy night, a man is approached by a woman with a see-through umbrella. The man is a gang leader on the lamb named Zhou Zenong (Hu Ge). The woman is Lui Aiai (Gwei Lun-Mei), who claims to be there to help him, even willing to pose as his wife. Two nights earlier, Zhou and his gang were in a contest to win a territory in the city. The goal was to steal as many motorcycles as possible. One of his men is killed during the contest and Zhou accidentally shoots a cop, mistaking him for one of the rival gang's gunmen.

The police do not take this lightly, offering up a 300,000 yuan reward for any information that leads to his capture. Zhou plots to find someone he can trust to turn him in, collect the money and give it to his wife and son. Is Lui that woman? Can Zhou make this happen, redeeming himself for abandoning his family?

This is the basic plot of The Wild Goose Lake. While it may not be anything to new or inventive, the plot serves as a structure for Yinan to contruct a moody style and impressive set pieces. The film glows with fuchsia and green. The characters are more archetypes than real people. The film seems to strive to hit upon every trope in the genre but it does so with such a lavish style and command over its visuals that one can forgive the film's emptiness. The film seems content in doing the genre with flare rather than expand it.

While watching the film, I often thought of Wong Kar-wai and Kinji Fukasaku. These may seem like disparate influences but that is the charm of the film. It has its own thing going on in the way it both lingers and bursts with violence. The film's set pieces are incredibly well executed. A nighttime police raid on a zoo brims with tension. The films climax is a wonder of lighting and camera movement to create thrilling action. Diao purposefully blurs the line between cops and criminals here. His treatment of violence often blurs tragedy and comedy. All the while, the cinematography impresses with its deep color saturation and noir lighting.

The Wild Goose Lake may not add up to anything more than a stylish tale of desperate redemption. The structure of the film often is uneven in its pacing and dreamlike in its editing. However, there are so many moments I won't soon forget in the film. Diao is a filmmaker to follow.

3.5/5

Corpus Christi - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

Bartosz Bielenia in ‘Corpus Christi’

Oscar-nominated ‘Corpus Christi’ spins an inspirational tale and a tense countdown

Directed by: Jan Komasa

Written by: Mateusz Pacewicz

Starring: Bartosz Bielenia, Eliza Rycembel, Tomasz Zietek, Aleksandra Konieczna, Lukasz Simlat, Barbara Kurzaj, and Leszek Lichota

“Corpus Christi” – “No seminary accepts convicts like you.” – Father Tomasz (Lukasz Simlat)

“Doesn’t matter where you’re coming from.  All that matters is where you are going.” – Daniel (Bartosz Bielenia)

Daniel (Bielenia) doesn’t wish to think about his previous travels. 

This slight, young Polish man - with glittery sapphire eyes and an impish crewcut – has crashed into life’s dead ends and incessantly circled in nowhere cul-de-sacs.  He actually resembles an Eastern Bloc version of Scottish hooligan Renton (Ewan McGregor) from “Trainspotting” (1996), but sans any mates to lift his spirits or share his misery.

Daniel is a loner. 

Although, he does have a future.  One picked out for him, because after his release from a detention facility, he’s assigned a job at a sawmill nestled in the comfortable, picturesque countryside.  It also looks like his move coincides with late summer and long, sunny – but not stifling, humid – days, to boot.  This man with a questionable past, however, wishes to kick this preordained trade to the side of a winding, single-lane road and instead, choose his ordained calling.  Well, opportunity knocks, and Daniel begins a devout masquerade as a priest.

Yes, “Corpus Christi” – nominated for a 2020 Best International Feature Film Oscar - is a movie about dreams and deceit, as director Jan Komasa and writer Mateusz Pacewicz spin an inspirational tale and a tense countdown.  Daniel impersonates a man of the cloth in figurative and literal broad daylight, but a simple Internet search or an inquisitive phone call would unravel his spur-of-the-moment charade faster than you can say, “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.”

The casual, trusting small-town atmosphere does offer some cover for his sham, but doesn’t Facebook have a Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon rule or something?  Well, no matter, because an unseen cinematic clock ominously ticks during every sermon, confessional duty or simple walk around town.  In addition to the frequent bouts of unease, Bielenia and Komasa also warmly invite the audience to embrace Daniel’s new identity.  Since the movie offers a couple glimpses into Daniel’s reckless and destructive sides, any sort of altruistic turns and warm connections with the locals in this nameless village (but actually filmed in Jasliska and Tabaszowa, Poland) will most assuredly bring heartfelt smiles.

Smiles and laughter, however, are difficult to muster for many residents, because a recent tragedy has shaken this settlement’s collective soul, and not only is Daniel hiding his true identity, but many others are suppressing their Christian natures.  It turns out that folks in these parts might need Daniel’s outsider-spark to draw out their best selves. 

“Corpus Christi” steps into “Dead Poets Society” (1989) and “Monsieur Lazhar” (2011) circles, and more so the latter film.  Although both aforementioned movies feature teachers inspiring their students, John Keating (Robin Williams) is more assured of his gifts from the outset, while Bachir Lazhar (Mohamed Fellag) is a newcomer to the profession but surprises himself with his positive influence.  Daniel and Bachir feel a similar satisfaction with themselves and recognize equal measures of gratitude from their on-screen audiences.

Speaking of on-screen audiences, Lidia (Aleksandra Konieczna) and an unnamed widow (Barbara Kurzaj) play key roles in responding to Daniel’s affirming impacts, and Eliza (Eliza Rycembel) is a welcome sight in every scene as the priest’s biggest ally.  Take heed though, because this film isn’t all rainbows and lollipops.  Daniel’s pious journey starts with opportunistic circumstances and is built on a foundation of dubious behavior.  Those suspect elements don’t simply disappear into the ether, but “Corpus Christi” makes an honest case that seminaries should take a hard look at this particular convict.  

(3.5/4 stars)

Jeff – a member of the Phoenix Critics Circle – has penned film reviews since 2008, graduated from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and is a certified Rotten Tomatoes critic.  Follow Jeff and the Phoenix Film Festival on Twitter @MitchFilmCritic and @PhoenixFilmFest, respectively.

Never Rarely Sometimes Always - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

Sidney Flanigan in ‘Never Rarely Sometimes Always’.

The troubling drama ‘Never Rarely Sometimes Always’ always hits the mark

Written and directed by: Eliza Hittman

Starring: Sidney Flanigan, Talia Ryder and Theodore Pellerin

“Never Rarely Sometimes Always” –  Autumn (Sidney Flanigan) is in trouble. 

She’s the oldest, 17, in a working-class family with younger siblings, her mother (Sharon Van Etten) and an aloof, frosty stepfather (Ryan Eggold), and this troubled teen often feels overlooked.  Ignored.  Her mom’s semi-disregard for Autumn is not out of malice, but with other kids to tend to, her eldest – in a pinch, when such time-squeezes may appear in bunches - can fend for herself. 

So, this reserved, unsure-of-herself teenager tolerates her way through her small town in Pennsylvania as a high school student from 9 to 5 and a grocery store cashier in the evenings.  She doesn’t appear to have many friends or lean on an extensive support network, but thankfully, her cousin Skylar (Talia Ryder) shows general care and concern, like a sister or thoughtful BFF, but two 17 year-olds’ personal histories don’t equal 34 years of maturity.  Alas, Autumn could use some adult wisdom right now. 

She is pregnant. 

She does not want a baby.

She is in trouble. 

Writer/director Eliza Hittman (“Beach Rats” (2017)) places Autumn, Skylar and us on a raw, uneasy journey – that feels entirely authentic - from rural Pennsylvania to New York City.  It’s an impromptu field trip of the most serious order and with no chaperones.  Hittman’s close off-camera proximity doesn’t offer any comfort for the girls, as they bid to navigate through The Big Apple’s urban minefield of subway logistics, crowded foot traffic and cold concrete in every direction.  “Never Rarely Sometimes Always” depicts intimidating physical surroundings in both Autumn’s humble township and a bustling metropolis, but they are both seen through the lens of inexperienced girls. 

The film taps into this vulnerability from the immediate get-go in the opening scene, when Autumn proclaims, “He’s got the power of love over me.” 

Our young protagonist doesn’t seem to possess influence anywhere, which includes an unsupportive home environment, a hostile workplace and – with this pregnancy - intimacy with an unknown partner.  Throughout the picture, Hittman expresses – and Autumn and Skylar live through - the daily, unfair pressures placed on women through slanted interactions (both subtle and blatant) with men.

In a March 2020 BUILD series interview, Hittman explains, “I was just thinking about a way to create an atmosphere of hostility towards these young women rather than having a conventional antagonist.”

Thinking back, there’s probably not a single positive exchange between the girls and the various older men (in their 30s and above), but perhaps one might discover one or two during a second viewing.  Actually, a particular male subway worker isn’t chauvinistic with the teens, but he’s no bastion of comfort either.  To be fair, most New York City subway employees are not Fred Rogers disciples.  

Anyway, the girls do run into a college-aged man in their travels.  Jasper (Theodore Pellerin) is - by all appearances - an awkward, nice kid, and he seems free of malice, but his intentions aren’t wrapped in philanthropy either.  He’s attracted to Skylar, and hence, his motivations are clear. 

It’s also obvious that Autumn is not only colliding into confrontations with males, but also with a combative family planning monolith, at least in her hometown.  Over the last 40 years, local and state governments have chipped away at Roe v. Wade in several ways, including raising specific emotional hurdles. 

Prerequisites to an abortion may involve reading mandatory pamphlets, watching required videos, coping with an artificial waiting period, and more.  The system forces our young protagonist to deal with these barriers, and at one point, she looks away to some random point on an impersonal office ceiling and silently begs for the red tape madness to mercifully end.  This is, however, Small Town, U.S.A., so a trip to The City that Never Sleeps becomes a necessity. 

For anyone with a daughter, sister, granddaughter, mother, aunt, grandmother, niece, or female friend, “Never Rarely Sometimes Always” should be required homework, as Hittman, Flanigan and Ryder paint a troubling picture for young American women in 2020.  Certainly, Autumn’s and Skylar’s experiences don’t fit into all teenagers’ or 20-somethings’ narratives, but there’s no question that Generation Z faces notably fewer choices than their mothers, and male chauvinism remains as ever-present as death and taxes.  Will it ever change?  Don’t know, but for the foreseeable future, women will continue to face…trouble.

(3.5/4 stars)

Jeff – a member of the Phoenix Critics Circle – has penned film reviews since 2008, graduated from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and is a certified Rotten Tomatoes critic.  Follow Jeff and the Phoenix Film Festival on Twitter @MitchFilmCritic and @PhoenixFilmFest, respectively.

Let's Celebrate Brendan Gleeson's Birthday with a Triple Feature

Happy Birthday, Brendan Gleeson! This in demand, Irish-born actor turns 65 on March 29, so it is the perfect time to celebrate his work with a triple feature.  Gleeson has starred in lots of big movies since his film career began in 1990, including “Braveheart” (1995), “Michael Collins” (1996), “28 Days Later…” (2002), “Gangs of New York” (2002), the “Harry Potter” series, and “Suffragette” (2015). 

His impressive resume offers countless choices to highlight, but let’s look at a film from director Michael McDonagh and two more from his director-brother John Michael McDonagh. 

According to IMDB.com, Gleeson once said, “I don’t plan in terms of career ambitions.  The only career ambition I have is to work with people who are going to bring you up and elevate your performance.” 

No question, Gleeson has reached his career aspirations, and along the way, he’s clearly performed some elevation of his own. 

Brendan Gleeson in In Bruges (2008)

Ken, “In Bruges” (2008) – If you’ve never heard of Bruges, Belgium, writer/director Michael McDonagh undoubtedly ensures that it is seared into your memory after watching his very dark comedy “In Bruges”.  This charming, canal-based city – which is only a 114 km drive from Calais, the Channel Tunnel’s French endpoint – is a temporary hiding place for Londoners Ray (Colin Farrell) and Ken (Gleeson).  These hitmen found themselves in a shifty off-screen conundrum in the UK and need to lay low for a while, until their boss Harry (Ralph Fiennes) phones with new instructions.  Patience isn’t Ray’s strongest suit, and he hates being stuck in Bruges, but Ken – regardless of his chosen profession – is a glass-half-full human being and wishes to make the best of their stationary situation.  In addition to Ray, information booths and travel maps become his trusted companions, as this older, wiser of the two embraces the moment.

The script dives into some downright hilarious, whip-smart banter between the leads and the arriving-and-departing, eccentric supporting players, but McDonagh’s picture – like “Seven Psychopaths” (2012) and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” (2017) – can get bloody in a hurry.  Consider yourself warned, but also know that Farrell won the 2009 Golden Globe Best Actor (Comedy or Musical) award, and Gleeson was nominated in the same category as well.  The Academy also awarded McDonagh with a Best Original Screenplay Oscar nomination, which just goes to show that Ken’s well-placed, good-natured outlook on Bruges must be apropos.

(3.5/4 stars)  

Don Cheadle and Brendan Gleeson in The Guard (2011)

Police Sergeant Gerry Boyle, “The Guard” (2011) – “I can’t tell if you’re really m*****-f****** dumb or really m*****-f****** smart,” FBI Agent Wendell Everett (Don Cheadle) says to Police Sergeant Gerry Boyle (Gleeson). 

Yes, perceptions of Sergeant Boyle’s intelligence may vary, but there’s no doubt about Gleeson’s performance in writer/director John Michael McDonagh’s buddy-cop comedy.  He’s really terrific here, and the Hollywood Foreign Press thought so too, as Gleeson earned a 2012 Best Actor (Comedy or Musical) Golden Globe nomination. 

Well, after years and years with the Irish Garda Siochana police service, Boyle has grown comfortable and indifferent about his job.  He’s certainly competent, but police life – for him – is matter of fact, because this 50-something bachelor is more interested in occasional bouts of mischief and caring for his sick mom (Fionnula Flanagan), not at the same time, of course.  His small-town world suddenly hits big city problems though, as a 500 million euro drug deal brews close by, so Everett partners with him.  McDonagh plays with an Irish vs. American culture clash, as Boyle schools Everett with the West Region of Ireland’s intricacies, as the fish-out-of-water FBI agent struggles to catch up.  Gleeson and Cheadle have enjoyable, comedic chemistry, and “The Guard” is more about their relationship, not the looming criminal transaction.  In fact, the bad guys barely register any attention, but no matter, because Gleeson’s droll character study of a sarcastic, overly frank lawman should absolutely capture yours.

(3.5/4 stars)

Brendan Gleeson in Calvary (2014)

Father James, “Calvary” (2014) – Father James (Gleeson) is a good and decent priest, but despite his earnest nature, he’s unfortunately living under extreme duress in a small seaside Irish community.  Although scenic beauty surrounds him at every winding, country-road turn, many of the townspeople spew ugly hostility.  The biggest danger, however, comes from a man who enters his confessional and threatens to kill him in one week’s time.  Writer/director John Michael McDonagh weaves a dark whodunit that really plays like an old western, as it methodically marches towards Father James’ date with (his possible) destiny.

Although released in 2014, “Calvary” was filmed in 2012 and therefore, made during – arguably - the lowest opinion of the Catholic Church - in recent memory - due to the well-documented sex abuse crisis.  The unpopular Pope Benedict was still in power, so disdain for the institution weighs heavily on the narrative.  It dominates it, as a reflection of the times reverses on-screen roles.  The aforementioned townsfolk lost faith and lost their moral direction, while Father James stands tall with altruism and grace.  The notable supporting actors – including Aidan Gillen, Chris O’Dowd and M. Emmet Walsh (yes, that M. Emmet Walsh) – stand tall too and cradle Gleeson’s deep, introspective performance, and Kelly Reilly especially leaves a lasting mark as Father James’ daughter in one of the very best films of 2014.

(4/4 stars)

Jeff – a member of the Phoenix Critics Circle – has penned film reviews since 2008, graduated from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and is a certified Rotten Tomatoes critic.  Follow Jeff and the Phoenix Film Festival on Twitter @MitchFilmCritic and @PhoenixFilmFest, respectively.

Dick Tracy (1990) - Movie Review by Ben Cahlamer

Madonna and Warren Beatty in ‘Dick Tracy’ (1990)

Directed by: Warren Beatty

Written by: Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr. based on Characters by Chester Gould

Starring: Warren Beatty, Al Pacino, Madonna, Glenne Headly, Charlie Korsmo, Charles Durning, Dick Van Dyke, Kathy Bates, Dustin Hoffman, William Forsythe

In Warren Beatty’s many cinematic endeavors, one thing about him stands loud and proud: he is a consummate professional, and no matter the story, Beatty, who celebrates his 83rd birthday on March 30, always delivers an experience that very few directors have been able to replicate.

Take 1990’s “Dick Tracy,” which is currently on Cinemax. There is a vibrancy in the look and feel of the film, and two of the three Academy Awards that the film won in 1991, for Best Makeup and Best Art Direction, are a testament to Mr. Beatty’s excellence in craft.

As both director and producer on “Dick Tracy,” Beatty also creates a vibrant performance out of a comic book character from the 1930s. It isn’t just that the pages flip as the story moves forward; the characters manage to become bigger than life and in a three-dimensional way.

The character Dick Tracy is nothing without the characters that surround him, namely Al Pacino as Alphonse “Big Boy” Caprice, the man who has designs on Old Chicago. Pacino offers an over-the-top, but not-overdone performance in the way that Pacino can: unrelenting and undemanding, yet able to offer restraint in even the smallest of details, he constantly is ahead of Dick Tracy in their ongoing game of Cat and Mouse.

Interestingly, Big Boy is nothing without Madonna’s Breathless Mahoney, as she woos the crowd at the Club Ritz. Scribes Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr (“Top Gun,” “Turner & Hooch”) use Tracy and Big Boy to bookend Breathless; there’s almost a symbiotic relationship between the three main characters, with Madonna the seductress trying to take Tracy from his sweetheart, Tess Trueheart (Glenne Headly) and by questioning Big Boy at every turn.

I hadn’t seen the film since the summer of 1990, and watching it again some thirty years later, I had a newly found perspective for Beatty’s film. Age and experience certainly have a lot to do with my impression of the film. The characters just leap off the screen; they are bigger than life and the makeup work is absolutely first rate. As an example, it took me several minutes to recognize Dustin Hoffman as Mumbles, who is singly the funniest character in the film. William Forsythe, who is menacing without any makeup is twice the menace as Flattop; the character doesn’t have much in the way of dialogue, but his presence on screen is noticeable.

Beatty brings out the best in his circle of characters. Charles Durning and Dick Van Dyke have smaller roles as the Police Chief and the District Attorney, but it is their interactions with Beatty as Dick Tracy that make them stand out. Also, of note, are Seymour Cassel, James Keane and Michael J. Pollard as Sam Catchem, Pat Patton and Bug Bailey respectively who comprise Tracy’s lieutenants. They know their jobs, they trust their boss and are willing to stand by his side, even as Big Boy gives Tracy the slip.

What gives Tracy a humanity that I didn’t expect is not just Beatty’s performance; it certainly is more than that. At the beginning of the film, Tracy and Tess Trueheart are certainly an item, but there is an awkwardness to their relationship; Tracy is more invested in his job than he is in Tess, which leads to Breathless being able to wedge her way in. Tracy is, of course, wise to the fact that he does truly love Tess, but it takes The Kid (Charlie Korsmo) to really bring the two of them together. The Kid starts the film out as a street rat with a careless caretaker. Once Dick Tracy gets his mitts on the kid, he melts our hearts.

None of the characters are able to leap off the screen without the technical craftsmanship that Beatty employs, namely Vittorio Storaro’s (“Apocalypse Now,” “The Last Emperor”) stunning cinematography. Between the matte paintings, the scenic backgrounds and all the makeup on the individual characters, Storaro creates a brilliant image which adds another dimension to the characters and the actors’ performances. Danny Elfman, who just a year earlier had scored “Batman” created a dynamic and lush score to match the vibrant images on the screen.

The story doesn’t always work as well as it thinks it should, but Beatty doesn’t mind. He was having way too much fun in front of and behind the camera.

Thirty years later, Warren Beatty’s “Dick Tracy” still feels cartoonish, though not in a juvenile way. Beatty’s attention to every detail created a film that simply leaps off the page through over-the-top performances and craftsmanship that is second to none.

Shuffle (2011) - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

T.J. Thyne and Paula Rhodes in ‘Shuffle’.

The 2012 Phoenix Film Festival’s Best Picture winner:

‘Shuffle’ deals an affecting time travel story

Written and directed:  Kurt Kuenne

Starring:  T.J. Thyne, Paula Rhodes, Chris Stone, and Meeghan Holaway

“Shuffle” (2011) – “The bottom line is that time travel is allowed by the laws of physics.” – theoretical physicist Brian Greene

Lovell Milo (T.J. Thyne) is not a theoretical physicist.  No, he’s a photographer – and a darn good one – who lives in the Norman Rockwellesque Riley Creek, Calif., but he cannot discern the strange events that plague him.  Quite frankly, Albert Einstein couldn’t either.  He’d be baffled. 

When we first meet Lovell, 28, he’s sitting with a therapist, who is utterly mystified, as Mr. Milo claims that he was 15 years old yesterday, and the day before that, he was 30.  What about the day before that?  He was 8. 

No wonder he’s sitting with a counselor. 

According to Lovell, when he falls asleep, he wakes up on a different day in a different year, and there appears to be no end in sight.  This dazed and confused lensman can barely endure his bizarre, jumbled trek through his personal past and future.  Geez, the poor guy is spinning on a slanted dancefloor with a marshmallow foundation but rarely finds a soft landing. 

At least Phil Connors (Bill Murray) in “Groundhog Day” (1993) always returned to the same day like clockwork with morning replays of Sonny and Cher’s “I Got You Babe”.  This actually eased Phil’s route to open-minded realizations, but Lovell must follow a trickier path, one dictated by an unknown dealer with a shuffled deck of otherworldly, cosmic cards. 

Writer/director Kurt Kuenne surely incorporates an out of this world concept here, but thankfully, he does not ask Lovell to save the world from a nuclear disaster or stop a political assassination.  Lovell’s purpose, instead, is much smaller in scope, squared within his immediate surroundings from age 8 and onward, but the ramifications for success or failure are quite monumental, not unlike a classic “Twilight Zone” episode. 

Speaking of the late ‘50s and early ‘60s, “Shuffle” is set during the ‘80s through 2011, but Kuenne - for the most part - bathes his picture in a wholesome, President Kennedy era atmosphere.  Manicured suburbs with bright, lovely ranches set the outdoor backdrop, and a sentimental, sugary score noticeably frequents key emotional scenes.  Capable players fill these aforementioned spaces, including Lovell’s mom (Meeghan Holaway) and dad (Chris Stone) and the girl next door (Paula Rhodes).  Grace (Rhodes), in particular, steals the show with her jazzy, sunny cheer, as she not only grounds Lovell but also offers her never-ending support to lift him up.  Their relationship is the film’s positive, affirming engine, while Lovell’s combative association with another character purposely trudges in damaging circles.

Although steeped with welcome sentiment, don’t forget the tick-tock, detective tones.  Sure, Kuenne’s picture embraces a dreamy layer, but an absorbing, tense time warp drives the narrative, where he whisks our hero from one time and place to another time and place, but all within Riley Creek.  The settings don’t (physically) venture very far, but the close, contained surroundings provide some comfort on this wavy ride.  Meanwhile, “Shuffle” shines by capturing us in the moment, in Lovell’s immediate experience.  So much so, it proves difficult to recall where and when we just visited.

The story may run a modest and speedy 77 minutes, but Kuenne packs twice as much empathetic humanity than most films which attempt similar emotional punches and embraces.  “Shuffle” certainly connects in big, surprising ways, as it bequeaths enlightening life lessons for Lovell…and for us.  Make sure to bring your tissues, and wow, who knew that physics could be so affecting.

3.5/4 stars

(“Shuffle” is available on Amazon Streaming and Netflix DVD)

Jeff – a member of the Phoenix Critics Circle – has penned film reviews since 2008, graduated from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and is a certified Rotten Tomatoes critic.  Follow Jeff and the Phoenix Film Festival on Twitter @MitchFilmCritic and @PhoenixFilmFest, respectively.

Rich Kids- Movie Review by Ben Cahlamer

Directed by: Laura Somers

Written by: David Saldaña and Laura Somers

Starring: Gerardo M. Velasquez, Justin Rodriguez, Michelle Magallon, Ulysses Montoya, Naome Antoinette, Alessandra Mañon

One of the most unique film experiences I’ve had is with an independent film called “Rich Kids.”

Premiering at the Phoenix Film Festival in 2018, most of the cast and crew were in attendance and you could hear the joy, laughter and pride behind the work that the team put into this film.

That’s why it so deservedly won the Ensemble Cast Award for that year.

During the Q & A following the screening, writer-director Laura Somers mentioned that the story she co-wrote with David Saldaña was based on a real-life incident that happened to her in her Houston home. Building around her own life story, the writing duo depicted a group of teens in a poorer section of Houston who take up residence in a more affluent neighborhood, that of “los ricos.”

The most interesting aspect of “Rich Kids” is the way in which its character-driven story progresses through a natural change in perspective.

Somers defines the film’s hard-hitting narrative from the very first frame; Matias (Gerardo Velasquez) is forced to stand up for himself from a father who has all but abandoned him and a mother who supports the family but cannot get through to her husband that he must be a provider. The brunt of Matias’s home life is intentionally shocking, but not unexpected; the living conditions of his family’s abode are in disrepair and not well-maintained. Yet, there is a lot of love felt within the family.

The perspective changes as we share Matias’s journey. Somers was very careful to frame Matias as a stand-up individual while remaining a prankster. It is easy to see Matias as being friends with Steve (Justin Rodriguez), a lanky teenager who is the opposite of Matias; when we first meet Steve, his cousin Carlos (Ulysses Montoya) is teaching him to hotwire a car. Steve, who is more concerned with playing Grand Theft Auto, commonly referred to as GTA, can’t hack the demands Carlos puts on him, in order to “toughen him up.” Matias’s easy-going nature is such that he can relate to both Steve and Carlos, yet, we are acutely aware that Matias wants more than simply the confines of the neighborhood in front of him.

Eventually, Matias and Steve work their way toward “los ricos”: a sanctuary from the repressed lives they are forced to live, with a pool and the luxuries that the rich can afford. The house is the centerpiece of the film and highlights the perspective from which the story is told; by Matias’s standards, the home is a castle.

The house is also a barrier, one that is easily surmounted. Matias’s objective is clear, though Steve is still shy about taking advantage of their fortunes.

Once the barrier is breached, Matias and Steve enjoy all the amenities offered by “los ricos.” It is not long before Vanessa (Michelle Magallon), Isabel (Naome Antoinette) and Jasmin (Alessandra Mañon) are at the gate, also looking to enjoy the oasis. Somers wastes no time in developing each of the three ladies, piecing together relationships, especially once Carlos shows up.

A game of “Truth or Dare” reveals quite a bit about each of the characters, their motivations, their desires. Vanessa is painted as someone who thinks beyond her means: very intelligent, thoughtful. Isabel is reserved and is also very intelligent. Jasmin is overly comfortable in her skin and is not shy about letting others know.

I had an eerie feeling coming out of the screening of the film. The narrative, the characters, they felt ‘familiar,’ like an homage to Lawrence Kasdan’s “The Big Chill,” where more is revealed in actions than what is spoken. Part of the eerie feeling can be attributed to that film’s 15th Anniversary release, which I saw while I was in college: another customer at the video store (remember those?) told me that he didn’t think I would like “The Big Chill.”

I found that Kasdan’s film, the characters, the settings, the mutual feelings between disparate lives and situations were as powerful as Somers’s film was when I saw it at the Phoenix Film Festival in 2018, some 20 years later.

“Rich Kids,” which is now streaming on Netflix is certainly deserving of all the accolades it has received. The third act doesn’t gel as well as the rest of the film, though the nature of the character-driven story made the first two acts stand out, the third act is an effective tie-off to an afternoon spent resting in paradise.

3 out of 4 stars

“Rich Kids” was the Ensemble Cast Winner of the 2018 Phoenix Film Festival.

Blow the Man Down - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

Morgan Saylor and Sophie Lowe in ‘Blow the Man Down’.

The female creators and cast crack open big surprises in ‘Blow the Man Down’

Written and directed by:  Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy

Starring:  Sophie Lowe, Morgan Saylor, Margo Martindale, June Squibb, Annette O’Toole, and Marceline Hugot

“Blow the Man Down” – “The simple truth is that you can understand a town.  You can know and love and hate it.  You can blame it, resent it, and nothing changes.  In the end, you’re just another part of it.” – Brenna Yovanoff

The Connolly sisters, Priscilla (Sophie Lowe) and Mary Beth (Morgan Saylor), reside in Easter Cove, Maine, a fictional coastal town that – actually - is not so picturesque.  Sure, it meets the ocean, but a wintertime chill smothers and covers the whole local-lot, as crisp air and snow annually lounge – like unwanted houseguests - for months and months. 

Then again, when is it not winter in Maine? 

July, perhaps.

No matter the month…or day, Mary Beth has had it.  She missed a year of college and reluctantly stayed in town while her mother fought death, but in the end, Father Time is undefeated, and Mary Margaret Connolly passed.  Filled with sorrow, but also freedom, Mary Beth can flee.  Priscilla and she, however, inherited her mom’s debts, and their business Connolly Fish could face doom. 

Soon after the funeral, a sudden, ill-fated incident transpires (that will not be revealed in this review), and this college-aged twosome confront an entirely different challenge, one that dwarfs debts and stunted dreams.

Without actually asking writers/directors Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy, “Blow the Man Down” might be their lifelong dream come true.  They wrote the script’s first draft about 9 years ago, and the ladies should beam with pride, because their vastly entertaining dark comedy is chock-full of surprises, quirky discourse and absorbing characters, played by June Squibb, Marceline Hugot, Annette O’Toole, and Margo Martindale.

Martindale especially stands out.  Shades of her performance as Maggie’s (Hilary Swank) miserable mom in “Million Dollar Baby” (2004) creep into this seaside village.  Sixteen years later, this critic still gets chills when thinking about Clint Eastwood’s film and Earline (Martindale) ungratefully saying to her daughter, “Why didn’t you just give me the money?  Why did you have to buy me a house?”

Anyhow, these women – Susie (Squibb), Doreen (Hugot), Gail (O’Toole), and Enid (Martindale) -  comprise a collection of old friends who oversee the goings-on in this New England community.

Every square inch. 

They are the decision makers.  Cole expands on this idea at a 2019 Toronto International Film Festival screening and Q&A.

“The people who could really scare us growing up were women, so we wanted to think about power, and the nature of how power happens in different ways.  Our dream for this movie is that you look back at your mom and (her) friends chatting around a table,” Cole said. 

She adds, “We do have these real people who are making real decisions and forwarding the plot, but you underestimate them in the beginning, and we invite you to underestimate them, because we’ve all been underestimating them.” 

Apart from a thoughtful, kindhearted cop (Will Brittain) and an atmospheric assembly of fishermen-crooners, the men soak in one-dimensional, forgettable simplicity, naturally by assured design.  The homegrown fellas might spend their waking hours throwing darts or commenting on football.

For instance, Susie’s husband Bob (Neil Odoms) steps into their dining room and announces, “I dropped my fork.”

He was watching a New England Patriots game and opines, “They’re not giving Brady any protection.  They’re playing like a bunch of nuns.”

The aforementioned group of women certainly are not nuns.  On the contrary, they are much closer to a coven.  Salem and the fictional Eastwick are semi-nearby, and although Susie, Doreen, Gail, and Enid aren’t cooking up spells, they spin modern-day double, double toil and trouble.

Circling back, Priscilla and Mary Beth are the ones who find themselves – through their own actions – in trouble, as Lowe and Saylor perfectly portray pits-in-their-stomachs people who are over their heads and skid on their feet.  They slide a slippery slope, and their naivety and empathetic state of bleak affairs drive the conflict and our interest, like rooting for an antelope to outrun a lion’s pursuit during a National Geographic TV special. 

No warm prairies can be found in Easter Cove, but “Blow the Man Down” is a special movie, and like the Connolly sisters, we become another part of it for 91 minutes…and long after the credits roll.

(3.5/4 stars)

Jeff – a member of the Phoenix Critics Circle – has penned film reviews since 2008, graduated from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and is a certified Rotten Tomatoes

The Hunt - Movie Review by Ben Cahlamer

Betty Gilpin in "The Hunt”. © 2020 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS All Rights Reserved.

Directed by: Craig Zobel

Written by: Nick Cuse and Damon Lindelof based on “The Most Dangerous Game” by: Richard Connell

Starring: Betty Gilpin, Ike Barinholtz, Emma Roberts, Hillary Swank

The timing for the release of Universal Pictures’ “The Hunt,” which after a six-month delay is being released into theaters this weekend, couldn’t be worse.

Or could it?

Craig Zobel’s (“Z for Zachariah”) film is a raucous look at what happens when a group of 12 complete strangers is put into a green pasture, hog tied and forced to fend for themselves, with sniper fire pinning them down from every direction, traps set out to maim or kill the group, thusly restricting their movements.

While the screenplay by Nick Cuse and Damon Lindelof is full of modern-day allegory to our own ongoing struggle with the current administration and the division it has created, there is a subtler undertone to the story that caused this critic’s brow to furrow in interest.

Zobel does not shirk behind the material. In fact, even as the Universal logo fades in, the swell of Nathan Barr’s score exults a triumphant wave of music, almost farcical in nature. It sets the tone for the next 90 minutes in that the characters that populate both sides of this charade are just as unprepared for the reality they’ve created.

“The Hunt” is more a parable for the ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’ than it is about ‘red’ and ‘blue,’ but those political ideologies inform our characters, especially that of Crystal (Betty Gilpin) and Athena (Hillary Swank).

Glipin is an absolute blast as Crystal, the proclaimed Southern Redneck with a lanky drawl. Yet, her calm demeanor suggests that she is something far more than meets the eye. Zobel doesn’t bring those attributes of her character out in to the open immediately, instead letting her character build slowly.

Athena on the other hand is a hot head; someone who is used to getting exactly what she wants when she wants it and Swain relished in the chance to perform this type of role. It was outside of her comfort zone, but we never see her sweat. Zobel makes the brilliant choice to not show her face right away, giving her a voice only as if Geppetto pulling the strings from behind the curtain.

This makes her far more ominous than the other characters that fill her cadre; the fearful elites who think their fun will be taken away at a moment’s notice. And, Crystal does exactly that.

Even if there weren’t overt references to George Orwell in this story, it has an Orwellian feel to it with the tongue-in-cheekiness that keeps us in the game but is just enough for us to realize that it is fake.

Or is it?

The film was due to be released in late September 2019 but was pulled after two test screenings didn’t sit well with audiences, followed by a push from the media to hold the film back due to an ongoing epidemic of gun violence. Now, a new epidemic might keep people from seeing this in theaters this weekend.

Which would be a shame because it deserves a chance, even though its politics might not agree with most audiences, “The Hunt” is undeniable fun with a really solid finale.

3.75 out of 4

Bloodshot - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

Vin Diesel in "Bloodshot”. 2019 CTMG, Inc

Vin Diesel’s ‘Bloodshot’ feels like ‘Boreshot’

Directed by:  Dave Wilson

Written by:  Jeff Wadlow and Eric Heisserer, based on the comic book by Kevin VanHook, Bob Layton and Don Perlin

Starring:  Vin Diesel, Eiza Gonzalez, Guy Pearce, Toby Kebbell, Sam Heughan, Alex Hernandez, and Lamorne Morris

“Bloodshot” –  Don’t mess with a United States soldier.  Apparently, Dr. Emil Harting (Guy Pearce), a modern-day mad scientist of sorts, didn’t get the memo.  To make matters worse, his middle name might be Frankenstein, because in “Bloodshot”, he brings a soldier back from the dead and gives him some monster powers. 

Ray Garrison (Vin Diesel) prides himself on surviving countless dangerous missions and returning home to his wife Gina (Talulah Riley), but evidently, his commanders sent him on one too many assignments, because an unsuspecting adversary terminates him.  (Please note that this is not a spoiler, since the aforementioned tragedy occurs within the first 10 minutes of director Dave Wilson’s film, an adaptation of a comic book with the same name.) 

When Ray wakes from his surreal, out-of-body slumber, he cannot remember his name or anything else and discovers that Dr. Harting has resurrected him with the help of a billion nanites.  These “biomedical constructs” give Ray new physical and cerebral abilities and have – in effect - become his blood.  Hence, the movie’s title. 

Now, this isn’t Dr. Harting’s first rodeo, because he’s assembled a team of enhanced ex-military combatants, including a former Navy Seal with artificial gills (Eiza Gonzalez), a soldier with brand new mechanical legs (Sam Heughan) and another who sports a few cameras to replace his lost eyesight (Alex Hernandez).  These makeshift Avengers carry a world of possibilities to light up the screen, but other than KT’s (Gonzalez) 60-second synchronized swimming routine sans a partner, Wilson - inexplicably – does not really showcase their boosted new gifts.  In fact, Jimmy (Heughan) dons a pair of elongated arms – possibly inspired by Ripley’s (Sigourney Weaver) human forklift suit in “Aliens” (1986) – in the third act, which makes one wonder:  Why all the previous fuss with his legs?

Instead, the team loiters around the penthouse of Harting’s skyscraper, which looks a lot like Tony Stark’s tower, as KT occasionally delivers streams of verbal jabs in the good doctor’s direction, and Jimmy regularly broods about beating up Ray. 

Why?  No clear reason, other than Jimmy’s a raging jerk. 

Jimmy, however, is clearly not a worthy adversary for Ray, and the lack of a threatening villain deadens the film’s whole narrative.  Hey, this critic’s pulse probably never broke 35 during the 109-minute runtime, and say what you want about the schlocky, soldiers-turned-cyborgs “Universal Soldier” (1992), but at least Dolph Lundgren stood opposite Jean-Claude Van Damme throughout the cheesy nonsense.

Not here, and ‘90s practical effects give way to total reliance on CGI, and perhaps the filmmakers confused cartoons and comic books, because Ray’s superpowers do not exactly inspire or suspend disbelief.  Case in point: Ray and a foe’s slow-motion fist fight (while they fall 1,000 feet) unfortunately carries all the gravitas of a peanuts-versus-pretzel decision on your next flight.  

Based on the comic book’s premise, it’s easy to see why Diesel, Pearce, Gonzalez, Toby Kebbell, and others jumped on board, and to be fair, “Bloodshot” is not a bad movie.  It’s more of a harmless non-event, and after watching the finished product, “Boreshot” feels like a better title.

(2/4 stars)

Jeff – a member of the Phoenix Critics Circle – has penned film reviews since 2008, graduated from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and is a certified Rotten Tomatoes critic.  Follow Jeff and the Phoenix Film Festival on Twitter @MitchFilmCritic and @PhoenixFilmFest, respectively.

First Cow - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

Photo Credit: Allyson Riggs/A24

Dir: Kelly Reichardt

Starring: John Magaro, Orion Lee, Toby Jones, Ewen Bremner, Scott Shephard, Gary Farmer, and Lily Gladstone

Food is emotional. For Native American people, its value is one associated with love, well-being, and companionship. Food is history. Whether from the assortment of ingredients that example the development of societies throughout the world, to the way that good food can spark mighty memories that take the person back in time to feelings and emotions both pleasurable and hurtful. Food is personal. For the creator, food is an artistic expression of their individuality but also their relationship with the emotions that connect them to everyone that eats their offerings.

“First Cow”, director Kelly Reichardt’s newest fable set in mid-19th-century Oregon Territory, composes all these unique emotions connected with food and the relationships humans have with it; emotions defining how the food was viewed, consumed, and abused by humanity. Amidst all these emotions is a beautiful friendship between two unlikely men who hatch a plan to get beyond their poverty by stealing milk from the lone cow in the area to make “oily cakes”, basically a doughnut, to bring a small taste of joy to the rugged and dire situation during this time. Kelly Reichardt’s allegory is a mix of sweet friendship challenged by the overwhelming sense of bad omens on the horizon.

 Cookie (John Magaro) is the cook and chief forager for a group of trappers who are in the final days of their venture into the woods, their animosity for one another is felt with every move and word uttered. While Cookie is out searching for food he encounters King-Lu (Orion Lee) hiding completely naked in a nearby bush. King-Lu is trying to evade murderous circumstances involving a group of Russians. Cookie helps hide King-Lu with his party but on their voyage back to Fort Tillicum, King-Lu leaves. It doesn’t take long for the two men to find one another again, they bond through circumstance and create a business partnership utilizing Cookie’s culinary skillset and King-Lu’s salesmanship.

Director Kelly Reichardt crafts minimalistic films centered around specific emotional relationships; whether with humans, animals, nature, or other unique products of emotional connection, Reichardt has an undeniable ability to make the most simplistic of stories feel overwhelmingly complex.

“First Cow” composes this same quality. While focused on the relationship between Cookie and King-Lu, Reichardt charts a relationship founded on desperation which soon moves to camaraderie and then progresses simply to loving friendship. It’s a beautifully structured composition that is assisted by two actors, John Magaro and Orion Lee, who provide nuanced and natural performances.

Interesting still is that “First Cow” composes an even more complex relationship with the animal in this film. The cow, new to the region at this time, provides a political, historical, and poetic relationship and sensibility to the film. The political economics of supply and demand found with Cookie and King-Lu’s “oily cake” company, the historical memory found with the bountiful bovine living at the home of the Chief Factor (Toby Jones) who composes a picture of wealth from a foreign land but also the powerful memories associated with food primarily founded by the animal. As one man explains, the “oily cakes” taste like something his mother used to make. There is also something wholly poetic between the connections between the cow and the humans using her; a sense of comfort during complicated times, of peace in a place so ravaged by greed, of life during a time when death seems imminent.

“First Cow” may serve as the perfect example of the kind of art director Kelly Reichardt creates; emotional, historical, personal, and deliberate stories about relationships. It may also be looked upon as one of the director’s finest works when her stunning career is completed.

Monte’s Rating
4.00 out of 5.00

The Banker - Movie Review by José-Ignacio Castañeda

Samuel L. Jackson, Nicholas Hoult, and Anthony Mackie in ‘The Banker’.

Directed by: George Nolfi

Starring: Anthony Mackie, Samuel L. Jackson, Nicholas Hoult and Nia Long

This film follows the true story of Bernard S. Garrett (Anthony Mackie), a black business man who achieved great success in banking and real estate ventures in the 50’s and 60’s, despite the institutional racism of the time. In spite of the original story, the film chooses to focus on the intricacies and numbers of real estate and banking instead of Garrett’s important and powerful role.

Mackie plays Garrett as a strait-laced numbers whiz who wants to succeed in real estate. Garrett moves out to Los Angeles with his wife Eunice (Nia Long) in an effort to help black people buy houses and open new businesses. After a few mistrials Garrett teams up with Joe Morris (Samuel L. Jackson), an exuberant businessman who is willing to invest in Garrett’s idea.

Shortly thereafter, Garrett and Morris succeed at helping black people open new businesses and integrate into white-only neighborhoods. Then, Garrett decides to capitalize on the success by buying a bank in order to give more loans out. Garrett utilizes his worker friend, Matt (Nicholas Hoult), to pose as the buyer of the bank in order to bypass the discrimination they would have faced.

The film then serves up some amusing “Pretty Woman” montages of Garrett and Morris trying to give Matt a white-collar makeover. These montages also begin to introduce a lot of numbers and banking equations that the film devotes too much screen time to. It is after this first act that the feature begins to lose focus of the story it is trying to tell. Matt’s story and development receive an abundant amount of undue screen time that could have been better spent elsewhere.

“The Banker” works best when Mackie and Jackson share the screen. Jackson’s eccentric womanizing take on Morris plays extremely well off of Mackie’s straight-faced interpretation of Garrett. Their interactions help keep the film interesting in the face of its slow pacing. 

The film ultimately buries Garrett’s inspirational story beneath unnecessary subplots that don’t contribute to the message of the film. The feature included great elements, such as acting and story, but did not succeed at showcasing them. Overall, “The Banker” boasted a great set-up, but fizzled the execution.

Wendy - Movie Review by Ben Cahlamer

Directed by: Benh Zeitl

Screenplay by: Benh Zeitlin and Eliza Zeitlin, based on “Peter Pan” by: J. M. Barrie

Starring: Devin France, Yashua Mack, Gage Naquin, Gavin Naquin, Ahmad Cage, Krzystof Meyn, Romyri Ross

Movies, entertainment in general, have been used by many as an escape from reality. In theory, a movie should allow us to expand our imagination, to experience an adventure that we wouldn’t normally explore, either because our own life experiences tell us we can’t or that we shouldn’t. There’s an ease with which we accept the latest physics-defying and calculating “Avengers” tale at the local multiplex; there are characters and intrigue which draw us in, and yet the stories are relatable; they ground us.

For “Wendy,” it isn’t that the story grounds us, but rather the characters’ spontaneity within that story that allows us to enjoy Benh Zeitlin’s (“Beasts of the Southern Wild”) sophomore film.

To get trapped in “Wendy’s” story would be to take the pure joy out of this raucous adventure. It is bright in its visual and audio style, bold in its assertions.

And yet, none of it works as well as it does without Devin France, the young actress who plays the titular character. Zeitlin correctly frames the story in a reality that far too many of us will recognize, but we take for granted because we accept the limitations of our own circumstances. As Wendy, France offers us an innocence in an ugly place.

Surprisingly, that “place” is a run-down restaurant in the middle of the Louisiana bayou. The restaurant, run by her mother, is always busy; people coming and going. There is a healthy respect for the love and the heart that drives the life blood of the restaurant even as Wendy and her two older brothers, Douglas and James, played by real-life brothers Gage and Gavin Naquin respectively, dream of a better life.

The reality comes crashing down somewhere in between as Mom callously reminds them of what awaits their adult lives: waitressing, bussing and running the restaurant; there is no choice.

Despite the callousness with which the story imparts this wisdom, there is a very strong bond between the siblings. That bond, whether for protection or for a shared experience is put to the test one night.

Interestingly, the building housing their restaurant and apartment adjoins a train track. Each night, the train passes aimlessly by. One night though, Wendy is whisked away by a phantom child her age, Peter (Yashua Mack). Wendy has a bold sense of adventure in her, which Peter and Douglas do not immediately share. The strong bond between the three is what ultimately causes them all to be whisked away to an island in the middle of nowhere.

The volcano island, which burps with life as it spews steam is a gentle reminder that life evolves; that change is inevitable. It also represents the dangers of uncontrolled imagination and a break in trust; the bond between the siblings is put in jeopardy as the older folks of the island are prohibited from co-mingling with the younger people.

Zeitlin drives resentment as a wedge between the two factions, but he also uses that as the story’s strength in finding a commonality between the two sides: the young and the young-at-heart. “Wendy” doesn’t purport to offer a fountain of youth. Just as in reality, lost time causes our dreams to fade away as responsibility takes its place, a reference to the reality of the restaurant.

The ecosystem in which “Wendy” is set doesn’t break the laws of physics like the “Avengers” movies do. In fact, the ecosystem is what fuels Wendy’s journey and makes its imagined reality that much more luscious and exciting. Just as in the restaurant, the characters that inhabit the ecosystem are the driving force, and it’s a legacy that, much like the reimagined “Peter Pan” reminds us that it is okay for our imaginations to run freely.

“Wendy’s” imagination is inventive, witty, bold. It reminds us of the ties that bind us to one another, not to a specific place. It is a fantastical adventure, well worth taking with the family.

3 out of 4