Very Ordinary Couple (Foreign-Romance-Comedy)

“No matter how much you want a romance to work, statistically after the first breakup your chances of the relationships longevity is limited”

After an initial breakup Lee Dong-hee and Jang Young are on the rebound track, but like most, are still unintentionally thinking of one another.  To make matter worse, they are also co-workers and have had to keep their relationship a secret for some time.  They try to move on, but after a few thoughtless mistakes and irrevocable decisions, they fall back into each other’s warm embrace and try to give their relationship another shot.  This time they are consciously avoiding the issues that pushed them apart in the first place, but begin to realize this may not be enough.

This Korean rom-com has all of the universal elements for this genre; including awkward comedic situations, forgiveness without bounds, and of course gobs of irrational behavior customarily triggered by jealousy.  One component that does set this apart from the company it keeps, is the authentic dialogue and relational elements that conjure empathy from those who have been there before.

This 20-somthing modern take on relationships spellbinds the viewers through both a relate-able storyline and two loveable characters.  The on screen chemistry apparent between these two, along with both characters personal convictions and flaws, formed an honest screenplay that was an engaging and uplifting even to the bitter end.  These two negatively charged magnets did everything positive to come together, but sadly an inert invisible force relentlessly kept a field of polarity between them.

 

Filth (Comedy-Crime-Drama)

“The title lacks novelty, but is still a very accurate representation of what the film is made out to be”

A detective by the name of Bruce is in line to become promoted, but first he must impress the chief as well as devise a plan to beat out his colleagues. Out of the other detectives, he really only sees a few that could stand in his way and all but one can be subdued. One major problem with his backstabbing and elaborate sabotaging is he is in no state of mind to competently remove his competitors from the runnings. With his drug, drinking, and sex habits coupled with his steadily increasing hallucinations, the odds of his victory are quickly decreasing as his insanity continues to overwhelm him.

The representation of Scotland from the start is quite a shame, and the characters and debauchery that converge with it are anything but pleasant. Having talent such as James McAvoy leading the show into complete despair was troublesome, and will make many question his integrity for future role selections. The performance itself was intense and compelling, but the screenplay dragged him into becoming a sick individual that twisted your perception of him into a pathetic self indulged coward.

The random hallucinatory components were disturbing and horrifyingly fascinating to start which tugged you along, up until the origin of disorder came to light, making them cliché and ridiculously illogical. Once you finally understand what is provoking this heavily weighted downward spiral into madness, you come to realize you will never redeem the 90 minutes of your life you spent waiting for some type of empathic anecdote.

Fruitvale Station (Drama-Crime)

“Some people just aren’t very good listeners, while others have nervous trigger fingers”

A young African American man by the name of Oscar Grant has just come out of the big house and is trying to turn his life around. After recently losing his job for tardiness, and then dumped his large marijuana stash in the ocean which was suppose to pay his bills, the young man puts himself in a tough spot. Nevertheless he still wants to enjoy the New Year with his baby mama, and let go of his troubles for a few hours. After a night of partying with his friends, he encounters a former white supremacist inmate that disrespected him and his mom in Jail. A fight breaks out, the police are called, and while Oscar and his friends are in custody, law enforcement “accidentally” shoots someone.

If you are in the mood for a depressing story and a heavy plot point that drags on and concludes on a sour note, this one is for you. The story is based on actual events that took place in 2009 at Fruitvale Station in Oakland,California, and the actual phone footage is shown at the start of the film. This brings the audience to the point of knowing what is about to happen before it does, which ruins the element of surprise all together. This is beside the point, as the events and story arcs leading up to it are the real focus, which are unfortunately generic and lack any originality for this type of urban tale.

Already having a shortage of creativity, the lead actors performance is not believable as a young man who grew up in the hood. What made matters worse is when his “strait from the hood” friends came onto the screen, you could tell he had to overcompensate to even partially blend in. No matter how many “brahs” he proclaims and other street references strait out of the urban dictionary, his preforming art school colors bleed right onto the screen making it very hard to watch without chuckling.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (Action-Sci-Fi)

“The elite shall bring the game to another level, as well as a hidden agenda that could bring a new rebellion”

After Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) are the first “Couple” to win the hunger games, they take a tour to speak to all the districts. In turn, small uprising are making their way to select districts and the president is nervous of another rebellion. With Katniss being the centerpiece of hope for the people, what better way to diminish her than to put her into another hunger game for the 75^th anniversary with all the previous winners. Just before the games begin, the odds seem to not be in her favor, but interestingly enough alliances fall into place were they are least expected.

Coming off of a very successful initial film by both critics and audiences alike, the series is on the path to become a fruitful franchise.  In a matter of speaking the same elements are used, the flashy parties, holograms, futuristic technologies, and social class systems holding animosity for one another.  A few things didn’t work as well with the sequel and most noticeably the pacing, which is attributed to the first half of the film with little to no action. This was no surprise, since the backstory was essential especially as this film is not the last of the series.

The problem wasn’t so much of the plot itself, but more that the over dramatization was being used in place of any substance.  Once realized this came off as a bit of a cheap way to rushed the meaningful development of the tale all together. There was also quite a bit of crying, mostly from Katniss, leaving the viewers ready for combat uninterested in the melodrama and emotional love triangle.

Once the games did begin, a few new obstacles were introduced and creative plays to the game, which had you on your toes through the remainder. This all led up to a brilliant cliffhanger that brought viewers into an amnesia to the slow start and created anticipation for the third installment.

Jug Face (Horror-Drama)

“The sacrifice of one to uphold the health of a society is easy to accept, until you are the one on the chopping block”

From the opening credits a story is delivered through child-like drawings displaying the essence of the communities belief system. It then transitions to present day with Ada who is part of a backwoods population who live very simple lives, grounded by a foundation of ideals controlled by a magical pit. Once she finds out she is pregnant the day her family signs a marriage contract with another family, she feels alone and nervous about bringing her family shame. She seeks comfort from a feeble minded friend, Dawai, who also inherits the gift of being the spirit of the pits hands; shaping a clay jug of the next sacrifice. On her way out she secretly opens the oven, only to reveal a jug with a face eerily similar to her own.

This low budget mystical creature-feature uses a very basic system to deliver an ever-looming terror. The tone was established by mixing elements of harsh religious traditions and a boondocks culture. The ruthless sacrifices were a bit hard to stomach using a rusty instrument to slit the throat of the martyr letting them bleed out into the pit which dripped down a tree stump before your eyes.

It is difficult not to parallel many passages of the Biblical Old Testament when comparing names, teachings, and the overall ideologies of this tale. Comparisons can also be made with many Native American beliefs and Japanese folklore of forest spirits of the deceased trapped because of their transgressions. The plot itself was very predictable leaving the variability lying solely on when the creature was to take its next victim, and if or when Ada was going to give herself up for the greater good of her people.

Blackfish (Documentary-Thriller-Drama)

“Want to swim in a pool with Killer Whales? My boss said their trade name is just for show”

Bringing an audience to a constant level of suspense with a film involving one of children’s most magical shows was unexpected.  Those who hear about this film would assume to see a liberal “save the whales” campaign on how we shouldn’t be removing these beautiful animals out of their habitat and forcing them to put on a show for money. Undoubtedly they allude to the root of the problem being the psychological torment these Orcas go through by the conditions they are in, but this element was only a precursor to the overall message of the film.

Interestingly enough this was a occupational health and safety expose’, the focus being around how SeaWorld’s negligence, even after recognizing the dangerous behavior shown by specific whales, lead to harmful accidents. These documented “misfortunes” began piling up, and the owners still continued using these valuable whales for both breeding and shows until the short fuse in one was ignited.

Through former whale trainers and other professionals with experience with these sea mammals, an inside look is given to the sequence of events that led to a veteran trainers death by a dominant Orca named Tilikum. This documentary reveals the information SeaWorld and its affiliates have been submerging for decades case by case, until this fatal accident brought it all up to the surface.

Enemy (Thriller-Suspense)

“You are your own worst enemy, especially when tarantulas and an enigmatic envelope are involved”

Adam (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a timid history professor stuck in a very stagnant time in his life.  When he discovers his exact double Anthony while watching a movie, he becomes obsessed with meeting him.  Adam finally obtains Anthonys’ contact information and convinces Anthony to get together with him, but unknowingly unlocked a revolving trap door.

The majority of the events were shot through what appears to be a cloudy yellow filter, creating a signature style that sets a nightmarish tone and an innate sense of anxiety.  On the same note the use of spiders may have many who suffer from arachnophobia crawling out of their skin, nevertheless this personification paired brilliantly with the themes of the film.

The initial objectification of women being used as the main catalyst, paralleled well with the connotation of the visceral male and the primal faults that cloud their judgements.  The dynamics involving relational control, depicted through various instances, was a very interesting component that lead the viewer to rethink their initial assumptions.

Be aware this is the type of film with a storyline that appears to be straightforward to start, but then you eventually finds yourself retracing your steps when everything becomes arbitrary.  The masterful and delicate use of hidden cues unmask a logical explanation, rewarding the conscious viewer with solace within their interpretations instead of a web of uncertainty.

Borgman (Foriegn-Thriller-Drama)

“Those who pride themselves to be lions, become visibly vulnerable to the hyenas”

When a clan of tramps are forced out of their underground dens, one of the men by the name of Borgman seeks hospitality in the neighboring community.  After being turned away from his first attempt to wash up, he meets a young suburban housewife, Marina, whose short-wicked husband batters him off their doorstep.  When Marina finds Borgman hiding in her shed, she offers him food, wine, and a warm bath behind her husbands back.  When the clan is eventually reunited with Borgman, they devise a plan for him to gain permission to Marinas homestead and manipulate their inhabitants through clever deceptions.

The direction used to convey the social statuses on opposite sides of the spectrum was pleasantly revealing, yet at times overly exaggerated and highly improbable.  Nevertheless, even with the farfetched plot-points and presumptuous behaviors, the cast was still able to captivate the audience with their genuinely intuitive performances.  Charmingly direct and witty dialogue was also used to bringing an essential lighter tone to the numerous heavier elements throughout this methodically twisted thriller.

The bold imagery tied along with whimsically haunting demonstrations of stalking ones prey, gave an eerie appeal that lingered through the duration of the film.  As the story progressed this gullible family was strung along by the mischievous persuasions suggested by the ringleader Borgman and in a few occasions his band of misfits.  This aspect of the film was amusing as well as mildly frustrating as the story developed to the final inconclusive shot, leaving the viewer to ponder if it was all just a dark and thought-provoking fairytale.

 

 

12 O’Clock Boys (Documentary-Crime-Drama)

“Reckless motor biking is horseplay in comparison to the cities alternative pastimes”

Pug, an inner city boy living in Baltimore, is just shy of becoming a teenager and is obsessed with urban motorsports. In particular he idolizes a group of vigilantes that take over the main streets in his neighborhood called the 12 O’clock boys. They get their name-to-fame from the ability to wheelie their vehicle to the point of complete inversion giving the impression of the hands of a clock at 12. Pug’s goal in life is to perfect this trick and gain the respect from this brotherhood with hopes to ride along side them.

The majority of the footage gave a dirty aesthetic as if the camera was picked up at a pawn shop.  The transition between scenes on the other hand used a high quality camera with slow motion, capturing these street riders frozen in that moment, which was in essence the only mesmerizing aspect of the film.

The prominent theme was the underground perspective through the eyes of the under privileged youth living in the ghetto.  Complimentary to this was the home environment of the main character and a typical single mother living in the projects, lacking a filtered vocabulary even around her young children.

The problem lies within the storyline,  showcasing three years of this young boys ambitious training and maturing process while squeezing it into a cool hour and 12 minutes.  One would assume this to be a rushed process, if there was some material to go off of.  What ended up happening was the film had no substance, falling short in delivering any progression or redemption.

The message the audience will take from this film is the jaded mentally instilled within this culture, which is openly portrayed on screen.  The anarchical driven mischief, stemming from a false sense of liberties, only confirms the stereotypes the outside world gives this demographic leaving the viewer perplexed as well as unsympathetic.

Cheap Thrills (Comedy-Thriller)

“How far would you stretch your moral integrity for cold hard cash?”

Family man Craig (Pat Healy) just lost his job as a car mechanic the day he received a 7 days until eviction notice.  While wallowing in his sorrows at a local bar, he runs into his high school drop out buddy Vince (Ethan Embry).  After some small talk Vince is approached by Colin, a high roller (David Koechner) accompanied by his newlywed meloncholy wife Violet (Sara Paxton).  In honor of his wife’s birthday, Colin wants to make a night to remember daring these two new friends with harmless gags for money.  The payoff on these antics begins to steadily increase, but so do the stakes.

The actors did a plausible job at depicting the stereotypical players set in this game of life, making it effortless to understand their motivations.  They were without a doubt type-casted to play these characters, which actually worked in their favor tremendously as their performances were very believable.

The plot itself was really just comic mischief, yet a surprising twist half way through cranked the dial from playful to deranged.  The humor was pretty dark throughout and was meant to make the viewer feel uneasy in almost every scene.  There definitely were a few moments that were in bad taste and may turn some audiences off, but before you know it they are on to the next challenge and you get pulled right back in.

Surprisingly enough, even though the nature of the film was unsettling, the way the comedy was layered within the insanity was thoughtful and made the film a real delight.   Expect money, debauchery, drugs, and a whole lot of blood and I bet you’ll enjoy it.