HAIL, CAESAR! (2016) review
written by: Joel Cohen and Ethan Cohen
produced by: Joel Cohen, Ethan Cohen, Tim Bevan & Eric Fellner
directed by: Joel Cohen and Ethan Cohen
rated PG (for moments of mild language, violence and sensuality)
runtime: 100 min.
U.S. release date: February 5, 2016
Just as “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” was the Star Wars-iest of all Star Wars movies, “Hail, Caesar!” could easily by the Cohens-iest of all Cohen Bros. movies. It’s a movie that recalls with a knowing smirk the previous comedies given to us by writer/producer/director brothers, Joel and Ethan Cohen – and by now, you should know whether or not you fall into the crowd that enjoys their brand of humor. As a Cohen Bros. loyalist, I find that I mostly enjoy their comedies – although (gasp!) I haven’t shined on to “The Big Lebowski” like everyone else in the world – but I prefer their dramas. That being said, I do enjoy movies set in 1950s Hollywood and I like it when filmmakers pay homage and satirize that era – and that’s what “Hail, Caesar!” does best. Read more…
SOUTHBOUND (2015) review
written by: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Roxanne Benjamin, David Bruckner, Patrick Horvath and Dallas Hallam
produced by: Brad Miska, Roxanne Benjamin, Radio Silence, Greg Newman and Chris Harding
directed by: Radio Silence, Roxanne Benjamin, David Bruckner and Patrick Horvath
rated: unrated
runtime: 89 min.
U.S. release date: February 5-11, 2016 (at Gene Siskel Film Center, Chicago, IL) and February 9, 2016 (iTunes, Amazon & VOD)
I don’t know about you, but each time I’ve taken a long-distance road trip, I always wind up looking around and wondering what kind of people leave way out here far removed from major cities or even one stoplight towns. Don’t worry, I keep my eyes on the road too – if anything “Southbound” has reinforced that for me. It’s the latest indie horror anthology presents five tales of evildoers receiving their just comeuppance, friendly demon worshippers offering roadside assistance and a 911 call gone way wrong. These creepy macabre tales are more Tales from the Crypt and EC Comics than they are The Twilight Zone and intertwine in quite a creative fashion. What “Southbound” is most successful at doing is tapping into that fear of being in the middle of nowhere and realizing you’re in over your head. Read more…
26th Annual Festival of Films from Iran: AVALANCHE (2015) review
written by: Morteza Farshbaf
produced by: Javad Noroozbeigi
directed by: Morteza Farshbaf
rated: unrated
runtime: 85 min.
U.S. release date: February 6-7, 2016 (Gene Siskel Film Center, Chicago, IL)
While snowfall can be quite beautiful and relaxing, a subzero and windy winter can damper the spirits and drive those already struggling with depression into a downward spiral. Such an atmosphere can also summon a newfound awakening of these feelings, so you imagine what a blizzard would do to someone who’s been working the same tedious job for years. We find out in “Avalanche” the latest film from Iranian writer/director Morteza Farshbaf, which doesn’t contain a literal natural disaster, but a different kind of avalanche that unexpectedly builds in the life of one particular character, as the film unfolds. Read more…
ANESTHESIA (2015) review
written by: Tim Blake Nelson
produced by: Julie Buck, Josh Hetzler, John Molli, Tim Blake Nelson & Christopher J. Scott
directed by: Tim Blake Nelson
rating: R (for language, sexual content, drug use and brief violence)
runtime: 90 min.
U.S. release date: April 22, 2015 (Tribeca Film Festival), December 14, 2015 (limited/VOD) and January 8 & 14, 2016 (Gene Siskel Film Center, Chicago, IL)
One of my favorite Robert Altman films is his ensemble piece, “Short Cuts”, which is a satisfying example of a how to successfully balance multiple storylines as they eventually intersect. It had been done before and would be done again. However you feel about Paul Haggis’ “Crash”, which also weaves multiple through characters, it safely walked away with multiple Oscars despite controversy. “Anesthesia” finds writer, director and co-star Tim Blake Nelson taking a crack at the subgenre with several flawed and philosophical characters who are, for the most part, lost and lonely – kind of like this movie. Read more…
CLASSICS: Our Hospitality (1923)
written by: Clyde Bruckman, Jean Haven and Joseph A. Mitchell
produced by: Joseph M. Schneck
directed by: Buster Keaton
rated: unrated
runtime: 74 min.
U.S. release date: November 19, 1923
Having only a vague understanding of silent film star Buster Keaton before recently watching “Our Hospitality”, I found his feature-length directorial debut something of a revelation. He had tried his hand that same year, when he directed “Three Ages”, which was essentially three inter-stitched shorts, but this was his first attempt at a full-length linear comedy. Keaton’s vaudeville background obviously lent to his entertaining physical comedy, but his skills behind the camera were just as obvious in this movie – especially his specific narrative style, as seen in his physical comedy, which ranged from broad to subtle. Read more…
2016 Oscar-Nominated Shorts: ANIMATION & LIVE-ACTION review
If you ask me, it shouldn’t be hard to see every one of these annual Oscar-nominated Shorts each year. Oh, I know it’s getting easier every year for savvy film enthusiasts to know where to go to find them, but you sure don’t see them being promoted all that much once the nominations are announced and I’m always getting people asking, “where do I find these shorts?” Well, look no further…. Read more…
KUNG FU PANDA 3 (2016) review
written by: Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger
produced by: Melissa Cobb
directed by: Jennifer Yu Nelson and Alessandro Carloni
rated: PG (for martial arts action and some mild rude humor)
runtime: 95 min.
U.S. release date: January 29, 2016
2011’s “Kung Fu Panda 2” was the rare sequel that surpassed the previous animated feature in just about every way. There was a better story, the animation was kicked up another notch and Gary Oldman voiced a killer peacock. It actually had me looking forward to more adventures with the titular hero – that is, until I learned that DreamWorks Animation and 20th Century Fox (so long, Paramount) would be dropping “Kung Fu Panda 3” in January, where animated features go to die. I didn’t want to believe that the studios knew they had a dud on their hands and wanted to just release a movie that traditionally thrives in the summer, at the beginning of the year – but, it wasn’t looking good. Read more…
THE FINEST HOURS (2016) review
written by: Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy and Eric Johnson
produced by: Dorothy Aufiero and James Whitaker
directed by: Craig Gillespie
rated: PG-13 (for intense sequences of peril)
runtime: 117 min.
U.S. release date: January 29, 2016
“The Finest Hours” feels like a “based on a true story” disaster movie from the 90s, but it’s more like the maritime dramas from long ago. Although it’s set in the 1950s and there’s a resemblance to sea tragedy movies like “The Perfect Storm” and “Titanic”, it relies more on human drama than the visual effects of those blockbusters. The movie, directed by Australian Craig Gillespie (known for the “Fright Night” remake and “Lars and the Real Girl”) is a continuation of his working relationship with Walt Disney studios after he helmed 2014’s “Million Dollar Arm”. With Ron Howard’s true story-at-sea disaster “In the Heart of the Sea” sinking at the box office recently, the appeal for such movies in this subgenre seem to be lost at the multiplex. Read more…
A PERFECT DAY (2015) review
written by: Fernando León de Aranoa
produced by: Luis Fernández Lago
directed by: Fernando León de Aranoa
rating: R (for language including some sexual references)
runtime: 106 min.
U.S. release date: October 25, 2015 (Chicago International Film Festival), January 15, 2016 (limited), January 22-28, 2016 (Gene Siskel Film Center, Chicago, IL) and avail. on iTunes, Amazon and VOD
You don’t see too many movies about humanitarian aid workers, therefore “A Perfect Day” comes across as a bit of a surprise. Even more of a surprise is the film’s tone, which harkens back to the antiwar comedies of Mike Nichols’ “Catch 22” and Robert Altman’s “MASH” and reminds us that comedy is often used to balance the heavy weight that can be felt during and after war. This English-language debut from Spanish writer/director Fernando León de Aranoa premiered at Cannes last year and made its way last fall to the Chicago International Film Festival, but I missed it. Now, the film is receiving a limited release in theaters with the draw likely to be seeing two Oscar-winning actors working alongside each other. Read more…
written by: Steven Leckart
produced by: Sean M. Stuart
directed by: Colin Hanks
rated: unrated
runtime: 94 min.
U.S. release date: March 16, 2015 (SXSW), October 16, 2015 (limited), January 24 & 26, 2016 (at Gene Siskel Film Center, Chicago, IL) and now available on Amazon, iTunes, Google Play & Vimeo On Demand
From 1988 to 1990, I lived in Southern California and it was during that time that I discovered Tower Records. I would play discs on my first CD player – an Aiwa, a company that doesn’t exist anymore and ironically Colin Hanks’ documentary “All Things Must Pass: The Rise and Fall of Tower Records” is about an American company that doesn’t exist in America anymore – although there’s 85 Tower Records stores in Japan still. How sad and ironic, considering the store was more than just a place that sold books and records for so many, including myself. At least once a month, my friends and I make the hour-long drive up the 10 and make our way to the Tower Records on Sunset and Horn Ave. and unload our saved cash on albums (LPs, cassettes and CDs), after spending hours in the store. It was like going to a museum, a library and a shrine, all in one. Read more…
