Movie Review: Hot Spot

 

Michael's Movie Grade: C+

I have been a fan of Polish director and writer Agnieszka Smoczynska since her brilliant first movie, The Lure (2015). This film doesn't live up to her best work, but it isn't terrible either.

In the future the whole world is connected to an AI system to survive. When a cyber witch threatens the system, a detective is assigned to stop her. 

More than just your average AI storyline, this movie has a lot to say and says it all very well. This film delves into not just how much we rely on AI but how we sacrifice our humanity to it. The characters seem either robotic or animalistic, showing how their entire humanity is being controlled. It is when they disconnect that they are able to truly allow their emotions, yet they are so deeply controlled that they cannot function beyond primal instincts when disconnected. 

With such a talented filmmaker as Agnieszka Smoczynska at the helm, naturally this movie is overflowing with atmosphere. The world building is quite well done and there are moments that are filled with creativity that remind you of the director's best work.

Unfortunately, this movie does have lots of flaws in it. The pacing is far from great as it somehow manages to move at a slow pace, while still making many plot points feel rushed. Though I love Agnieszka Smoczynska's creativity there are times when the quirkiness can feel more than a little forced. There is also a tonal unevenness that is quite jarring at times as the movie goes from silly and fun to deadly serious and artsy. However, the worst flaw is the sound mixing. I don't know what happened here but often times the sound mixing makes it hard to follow anything the characters are saying as there is too much happening that is distracting from the dialogue.  

This is an intelligent and thought-provoking story that is brought down by a flawed execution. 

Movie Review: Sheep in the Box (箱の中の羊)

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

A moving and thought provoking Japanese sci-fi film. 

This movie takes place in the not-so-distant future, where through AI and robotic technology people can get a cybernetic version of lost loved ones. A couple who lost their 7-year-old son gets a cybernetic version of their son. The mom immediately accepts this as their son, while the dad finds it insulting that his son was replaced by (in his words) "a Roomba."

This film is not necessarily a movie for everyone. It's a slow paced and meditative film, that will bore some and fascinate others. Yet for those of who love these types of movies, this is where much of its charm comes from. This movie talks on some weighty subject matter including how we deal with grief, the nature of AI and what makes us human. All of this subject matter is handled in a very intelligent way. Unlike many films featuring AI as a major plot point, this film actually has subtlety in its messaging. The AI version of the young son is not dumb, evil or unsympathetic. However, he is also not their son. Even if outwardly, he looks and acts like the son, deep inside he is something else. The movie doesn't treat him as subhuman but rather just something different from humanity. We like and care for this character, but it becomes increasing obvious that he never quite fits in with the human world. This shows brilliantly that while it has it purposes, AI can never truly be a replacement for humanity. This all leads to an emotional and thought provoking third act, that even the most seasoned movie goers won't see coming. As we see how this AI cyborg is outwardly seemingly human but still can't fully be a replication of humanity makes the audience think about what it is that actually makes us human. Like all great movies, this film doesn't give any easy answers to such questions. The theme of grief is brilliantly explored with how the parents immediately react to this new kid. The mother is immediately willing to accept this cyborg as the reincarnation of her child before even getting to know him. The father on the other hand isn't willing to even get to know the child before dismissing him. They are not reacting to the child itself but instead are reacting to preconceived notions that are formed by how they are grieving the loss of their son. 

Though this quiet, mediative, slow-paced film may not be for everybody, it is a very smart and captivating movie for those willing to give themselves over to it.    

Video Link: Jean-Luc Godard Interview with Dick Cavett (1980)

 

Movie Review: Father Mother Sister Brother

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

Another great film from director/writer Jim Jarmusch. 

Jim Jarmusch's films are very much an acquired taste. Luckily, they are a taste that I acquired. Rather than focus on big, larger than life stories and dramatic twists, Jarmusch's movies often focus more on the small everyday moments that may seem mundane to us. With a lesser filmmaker such an approach to filmmaking would come off as simply boring. However, Jarmusch is a great observer of human nature, who notices all the little things that we might miss. Because of this for Jarmusch fans, his films help us see the beauty and the drama in the things we take for granted. 

His new film is a perfect example of this. The movie tells three different stories each revolving around the theme of family members reuniting after not seeing each other for a long time. These are not your typical movie stories with huge obstacles, big climaxes or any sort of resolutions. Instead, they are very observant meditations on family. They capture all the little moments that come when we see those we haven't seen in a long time. These include the difficultness of starting conversations, the awkward silences, the constant offering of beverages and food, the exaggerating of the truth to make your life seem better and the car ride around a place that has greatly changed over the years. All of these are captured so perfectly that the film feels incredibly real to us. Though the movie may be dialogue heavy, like all of Jarmusch's films the dialogue is excellently written. It is very intelligent and insightful but at the same time so completely natural and real. The movie also benefits from a stellar cast that includes Tom Waits, Adam Driver, Mayim Bialik, Charlotte Rampling, Cate Blanchett, Vicky Krieps, Sarah Greene, Indya Moore and Luka Sabbat, who all give great performances here. 

While this won't make fans of those who don't like Jarmusch's signature style, it will absolutely delight fans of the director/writer. 

-Michael J. Ruhland 

Summer Movies (2021)

 

This book from TCM explores the tradition of the summer movie. Author John Malahy takes a very broad approach to this subject. Such lighthearted summer fun as Gidget (1959), The Parent Trap (1961) and Beach Blanket Bingo (1965) co-exist with the likes of Ingmar Bergman's Smiles of a Summer Night (1955), Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window (1954) and Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing (1989). Also included are the part-silent part-talkie Lonesome (1928), the Andy Hardy movie You Only Live Once (1937), Jaques Tati's Monsieur Hulot's Holiday (1953) and of course the original summer blockbuster Steven Spielberg's Jaws (1975) as well as many more. This broad approach makes this book a must for both causal movie fans and hard boiled cinephiles (who might even discover a film or two from this book). 

The writing style and format of this book makes it a light and breezy read, while still having quite a bit of substance. Malahy's tone is warm, causal and inviting. Yet at the same time he offers some great critical insight and historical background for these films that causes us to look at movies we have seen before in a new way. 

A nostalgia-soaked introduction by Film Historian and Critic Leonard Maltin only adds to the great fun of this book. 

Movie Review: Hot Milk

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

An engrossing art film. 

In this film a young woman is watching after her ill and wheelchair ridden mother and falls in love with another young woman who has a boyfriend. 

As this movie starts it feels like nice summertime fluff. Little seems to be happening, there is absolutely beautiful location shooting (in Greece), a clam and leisurely pace and a charming and beautiful young actress as the lead (Emma Mackey). As this kind of fluff, these early scenes are very charming and effective. However, as the film goes on the layers peel back and what was at first charming and relaxing is now darker and more complex. Director/Writer Rebecca Lenkiewicz (this marks her feature length directorial debut though she has worked as a screenwriter (including on the Academy Award winning Polish film, Ida (2013)) and playwright) is not afraid to make audiences uncomfortable. There are quite a few scenes here which create a real unease. She is also not afraid to take the story in unexpected directions or make the audience do much of the work themselves (both of these are on display in the film's powerful ending). The relationship between the mother and daughter remains the heart of this film and it is quite complex and well written.

My complaint about this film though is that the romance scenes often lack the depth and complexity of the mother and daughter scenes. This is due to some pretentious dialogue and the main character's love interest being quite bland and underdeveloped.   

Despite some flaws, this is a very well-made art film. 

TCM Imports: Timeless Favorites and Hidden Gems of World Cinema (2025)

 

One problem I often have with a lot of American writings about international cinema is that often these writings are too academic and aimed at intellectuals or film scholars. Though these writings can often be very well written and insightful, they unfortunately perpetuate the idea that these films can only be enjoyed by intellectuals and are not accessible to the average movie goer. This is a fully false perception as international cinema is just as accessible to those who loved modern Hollywood blockbusters and can be enjoyed by anyone who likes movies.

 TCM host, Alicia Malone's new book takes an unpretentious and wholly accessible look at films from all over the world. This book would be a perfect introduction to anyone who has never seen a foreign film. Here she selects 52 movies including well established classics and little-known gems that even well versed cinephiles have never seen. While it is impossible to ever make a list of the 52 greatest international films, this is a very well-made list that includes many wonderful films that every movie fan should experience. It is also a very well-rounded list that is sure to have something to please any movie fan. The movies included range from the silent era to just a few years ago, from art films to fun genre flicks and from a wide variety of countries. 

I have never read Alicia Malone's previous books and am most familiar with her as a TCM host. As such I was very impressed by her writing style. Her writing style is a lot of fun to read, while being quite insightful at the same time. The way she writes about each movie here will make you automatically want to watch it as her joy and love of movies can easily be felt. At the same time, she provides a very insightful look at each of these films. She provides background information about the filmmakers and how these movies came to be. She also often puts the film into their context in film history and their roles in various film movements. Yet she does so in a way that never alienates newcomers. As such she creates a book that it a lot of fun for those unfamiliar with international cinema, while also being a great read for cinephiles. 

Movie Review: The Shrouds

 

Michael's Movie Grade: C+

An art film, whose ideas are more interesting than the movie itself. 

The main character of this film finds himself obsessed with his dead wife's body. For his cemetery (that owns) he has invented a way to look in at the inside of the coffins and looks closely at his dead wife's body every day. This is creepy and disturbing but in a way that is fascinating. The movie is at its best when it truly digs into his twisted mind and what could possibly lead someone into being this obsessed with something so morbid. This creepy exploration of loss, voyeurism, grief, obsession, guilt and necrophilia is endlessly fascinating, and I wish that this could have been the main focus of David Cronenberg's (who is best known for his horror films (particularly of the body horror variety)). Though dark and twisted with this main character he digs into something deeply personal in a way that few filmmakers would feel comfortable with. However, all these fascinating and personal ideas are drowned in a bland and uninteresting mystery. It is simply hard to truly care about who destroyed the graves. This mystery is at the same time needlessly complicated and too simple. When you get past the wealth of twists and characters, there is little about this mystery to actually latch on to. This mystery can take what should be a fascinating character study and personal statement from the filmmaker and instead make it into something too conventional and unremarkable. 

Though there is some brilliant ideas behind this film, it simply comes off as a missed opportunity. 

-Michael J. Ruhland 

Movie Review: On Becoming a Guinea Fowl

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

A powerful movie from Zambia. 

This film begins with a young woman driving home from a party and finds her uncle lying dead on street. What unfolds from here is a powerful meditation on death, hypocrisy, family and cultural traditions, prejudice and sexual assault. Though the story is steeped in the culture and traditions of Zambia, what it has to say about these themes are truly universal. No matter what country you live in you, this film is equally as timely and important. This may not be an easy movie to watch at times and often it will make you feel uncomfortable and angry but that is exactly what makes this it so powerful. By the end of this movie, I felt myself having been shaken straight down to my core. As well as emotionally effective this is also an extremely smart movie and will leave you with much food for thought after it is done. Luckily the seriousness of what this film is balanced out by some excellent dark humor, that offers you brief relief, while never playing down the seriousness of what this movie has to say. The movie also benefits from very complex characters, that we learn more about as the film goes on as well as an incredible lead performance from Susan Chardy. 

I am keeping this review short because it is better to go into this film knowing as little as possible. However just know that this is a true must see. 

Movie Review: There's Still Tomorrow (C'è ancora domani)

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

A wonderful dramedy from Italy.

This movie not only takes place in post-World War 2 Italy but is very much inspired by Italian films from that time period. There's Still Tomorrow obviously took much inspiration from the classic Italian neo-realist films such as those by Vittorio De Sica, Roberto Rossellini, Giuseppe De Santis and the early films of Fredrico Fellini. This is not only shown by the film being in black and white but also from how the shots are framed, the set designs and the focus on the smaller moments. This works perfectly for the smaller slice of life story being told. At times it feels like we are watching a documentary about real people rather than a fictional movie. For a movie set in a real time and place, this film makes us feel like we are truly looking at Italy of 1946. This sense of authenticity makes its messages about domestic abuse and feminism seem all the more urgent and real to us. The social commentary here is also incredibly well written. The filmmakers do not show characters doing horrible things simply because they are evil but rather because they are products of a society that taught them that this is the way they should act. This movie's main and most important message is that every generation should strive and work towards making life better for the generation after them. This is a beautiful message and setting the film in the time and place of a country going through great changes, helps drive home the point perfectly. Yet this film tells this important story in an entertaining way by having some truly funny comedic moments throughout. Some of these comedic moments even caused the filmmakers to briefly leave the neo-realism style of filmmaking for a more fantasy based one. The sudden and abrupt change makes these comedic moments all the funnier and spontaneous. Yet, at the same time these moments also help tell the story instead of interrupting it.    

One of the most important factors for this film is the wonderful lead performance by Paola Cortellesi (who also directed this movie in her directorial debut). Cortellesi has made her name in her home country as a comedic actress, but she is just as great here in the dramatic scenes, bringing a real sense of humanity to this character. Yet with this being a dramedy, she does get some time to show her comedic chops, and she is just as wonderful there. 

A pure cinematic delight. 

-Michael J. Ruhland

Movie Review: Parthenope

 

Michael's Movie Grade: C

A stylish but hollow art film from Italy. 

If you are expecting a movie that is on par with director Paolo Sorrentino's previous films (The Great Beauty (2013), The Hand of God (2021)), you are bound to be disappointed. This is not to say this movie is without its good qualities though. This is a very beautiful looking film and that is not just because actress Celeste Dalla Porta is so incredibly beautiful. The cinematography is absolutely lovely here and the location shooting in Naples and Capri are a wonder to behold. With how beautiful these shots are, it is easy to feel like you have been transported to these amazing places. There is not much of a story to this film as we simply follow a beautiful young woman through a few different years of her life. Luckily our main character is quite likable, and it is pleasant to spend some time with her. She may not be as complex as the script wants us to believe she is, but we do care about her and enjoy her company. The entire cast is great, but Celeste Dalla Porta really shines in the title role. 

The main problem with this film is that it so desperately wants to be insightful and profound but actually says nothing. There is a lot of dialogue here that comes off as very self-important. In fact, though it is simply meandering and meaningless. The writing here comes off as if the filmmakers are unsure of just what they are trying to say. There are a few times this movie leans more than a little into surrealism. Not only is this surrealism completely pointless and adds nothing to the story, but it also feels out of place. These scenes simply feel like they belong in a completely different movie. At 2 hours and 17 minutes, this movie is also much longer than it needs to be and can very much drag at points. 

While it has its good points, this film can't help but feel like a letdown after Paolo Sorrentino's previous work. 

-Michael J. Ruhland

Movie Review: Love Me

 

Michael's Movie Grade: F

A pretentious and pointless art film.

This is a high concept movie with an idea that it is hard to say has been done before. This film centers around a love affair between a buoy and satellite after humanity's extinction.  

With this strange story this movie tries to answer questions like "what does it mean to be alive," "how do you define love," "why are we here" and "how do we define ourselves." In its attempts to answer these questions, it answers none of them. All this movie offers us is pointless pseudo-philosophical ramblings that amount to the equivalent of a middle schooler trying to sound profound. The filmmakers obviously think they have something profound to tell us with this story. However, whatever they are trying to say is clear to no one else but them. There are many scenes that make you think, "this is supposed to be thought-provoking," but leave you unsure of how. 

Even as a romantic film, this movie fails. The characters feel almost like outlines for characters rather than real people. You simply cannot connect to or relate to either of them. Also, for a romantic story, we never feel like these characters care for each other at all. They say they do but it never shows in their interactions with each other. Not only do they not feel like a couple, but they also don't even feel like friends. Kristen Stewart and Steven Yuen try their best with these roles, but it is simply not possible to make us care about these characters. 

This movie is only about an hour and a half. However, there were many times watch this that I was wondering, if the runtime I read before watching was correct. It feels much longer than an hour and a half and there are many movies that are over two hours that much shorter than this. 

This film is a waste of time that works neither as art nor entertainment. Avoid at all costs. 

Movie Review: The Room Next Door (La habitación de al lado)

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A+

An absolutely lovely film. 

 Pedro Almodóvar is one of my favorite filmmakers and his first feature length English language movie (though he has directed some short films in English) does not disappoint. Almodóvar is known for always bringing out the best in his actresses as well as working with the best actresses in movies. Here he works with two incredible great actresses Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton. Needless to say, these two give wonderful performances here. Not only are both of them at the top of their game here but they also play off each other perfectly. You completely believe the friendship between these two and feel a deep connection whenever they share the screen. This makes it so that you grow deeply attached to both these characters as well and your heart breaks with them and you feel both their sadness and joy. Yet this movie is not simply made of big dramatic moments. It is in fact the quieter and less eventful moments that really make the film work. Almodóvar understands that when you have great actresses like these, sometimes you just want to stop and spend time with them. This is helped by smart dialogue (for a filmmaker who doesn't work much in English, the dialogue is often perfect here) that the actresses handle like the pros they are. This dialogue often takes a deep meditative look at death, while celebrating life at the same time. This manages to be a film about death that is not only heartbreaking but uplifting at the same time. The result is something incredible touching, intelligent and poetic. 

The music by Alberto Iglesias (who also did music for such Almodóvar films, The Flower of My Secret (1995), Live Flesh (1997), All About My Mother (1999), Talk to Her (2002), Bad Education (2004), Volver (2006), Broken Embraces (2009) and The Skin I Live In (2011)) is also really beautiful and captures the film's meditative feel. 

A real must watch. 

Movie Review: Megalopolis

 

Michael’s Movie Grade: F

A near unwatchable pretentious mess. 

Often times when a film is a passion project, it either winds up as a masterpiece or a complete mess. Sadly, Megalopolis is the latter. One of cinema’s most acclaimed filmmakers, Francis Ford Coppola had this project in mind for decades before it finally reached the screen. Perhaps his passion blinded him to the excess and hollowness that plagues this film. Megalopolis is nothing if not ambitious with its larger-than-life visuals and often avant-garde filmmaking. However, beneath all this the movie is completely hollow. There are some interesting concepts here with how the movie compares modern day America to ancient Rome. Unfortunately, these concepts get buried under all the visual excess and subplots. Because of this they go mostly unexplored, and the film ends up not saying much of anything. The imagery in this movie is larger than life and very impressive. However, it is truly too much of a good thing. There is so much thrown at us constantly that it soon loses any sense of awe and wonder. It does not take long for us to grow tired of this imagery. What should be a great visual spectacle is instead simply monotonous. As for the story, there are so many subplots that none of them are given the time to be fleshed out. The same can be said for the characters. The dialogue is ridiculously pretentious. The narration is unintentionally funny, and the constant literary references make all the characters sound like self-proclaimed intellectuals trying too hard to prove that they are smart. 

This movie is a sad giant misstep in the career of a great filmmaker. Francis Ford Coppola financed and produced this film himself. So, if there is one thing to take away from this film it is that even the director of The Godfather needs someone to tell him that he is going too far sometimes, 

Video Link: The MOST BEAUTIFUL SHOTS of PARK CHAN WOOK Movies - Adyfilk

Movie Review: Dandelion

 

Michael’s Movie Grade: A-

A simply beautiful indie film, 

Don’t let this movie’s seemingly simply storyline about two struggling musicians falling in love fool you. This is actually a very complex and beautiful meditation on music, love and passion. As this film takes a deep dive into the main characters’ passion for both music and each other the two seem to blend together. Perhaps the same passion is powering both or perhaps the two passions are so intertwined that they become indistinguishable. Unlike in a romantic comedy where the point of the film is to see the two get together, this movie is about the passion and drive they bring out in each other. In one fantastic scene the two are writing a song together. The visuals on the screen cut back between the two writing the song and the two having sex. Rather than coming off as gratuitous like many movie sex scenes can, it instead shows how the two writing this song together becomes more than just two writers calibrating. It shows that this is an intimate exchanging and blending of passions. The two are fully and completely giving themselves to each other without holding back. There are many such great scenes throughout this film, where director/writer Nicole Riegel brilliantly juxtaposes various visuals over lines of dialogue or songs that help bring new meaning to something that may be simple on the surface. 

Of course, for a movie about music, the music is incredibly important to whether or not it works. Luckily for us, the music is fantastic here. Much of this is due to KiKi Layne as the title character. Not only does she give a great acting performance, but her music performance is just as phenomenal. It also helps that the songs are great as well. Aaron and Bryce Dessner truly give us some incredible songs that are fantastic both musically and lyrically. I especially love how well the lyrics tie into the movie's story but would still be great songs outside of the film. 

This is a true gem.  

Movie Review: Janet Planet

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B+

A beautiful and moving portrait of a daughter and mother. 

This is a film where not much actually happens. There is no larger overarching story, rather we are simply observing these two characters live their lives. Yet this film is so passionate about these characters that despite this and its slow pacing, it becomes completely engrossing. It is obvious that director/writer Annie Baker (making her first feature film (though she has done extensive work as a playwright)) is drawing from her own life here. There is a strong authenticity throughout, and it is clear that she completely understands these characters and the world they inhabit. Yet despite so many specifics from her own life, this is a movie that we can all see ourselves in. It definitely full captures being lonely as a kid. We watch 11-year-old Lacey going through a lonely summer. She has no real friends and spends most of the movie as the only kid on screen. We know she feels deeply for her mom, yet at the same time we see how much she longs from a friend her own age. The one scene where she is able to spend time with a potential friend her own age is appropriately the film's most joyous moment. This scene is a true delight and puts a smile on your face. When it is over you truly feel the absence of this childhood companionship. Anyone who has ever been the only child in a world of adults will find themselves remembering exactly what that feels like. We especially feel this during the coldness of the scenes involving her mom's boyfriends. Her mom goes through multiple boyfriends through this film and none of them are able to connect with Lacey. Yet the relationship between her and her mom is incredibly touching. Though the two don't always understand each other, their love can be felt constantly. Both are broken people, yet they both make each other more whole. At the same time as this movie gets its main characters, it understands its setting just as well. This movie full transports us to a rural Massachusetts town in the 1990's and perfectly captures what a summer in a rural area truly feels like. 

I do have a major complaint with this movie though. That is as well as we get to know our main characters, we don't get to know anything about the supporting characters. These characters feel more like plot points than real people. For a film that focuses mostly on making its characters and setting feel completely real, this can take away from capturing this even better. 

Despite this major flaw, this is an incredibly moving and relatable movie that truly makes us feel we are right there with these characters.

Movie Review:Kinds of Kindness

 Michael’s Movie Grade: B+

This is the type of art film that will captivate some, while completely alienating others. However for most of it, I found my eyes glued to the screen. 

After  Yorgos Lanthimos‘s major mainstream success with last year’s Poor Things, he finds himself going back to his roots by making a movie that is made to polarize audiences. This film will at times puzzle, confound, disgust, entertain, engage and disengage, anyone watching. Sometimes there will be scenes that make you completely unsure how to feel about what you just watched. This was purposely made not to appeal to everyone. And depending on the person their mileage may vary with the arty weirdness.

Rather than telling one story this is an anthology film with three separate story segments connected only by a theme. I admit that I found myself fairly disengaged with the first story. I found the idea behind it to be often too simple and much of the dialogue to be too on the nose. Yet despite this I absolutely loved the second and third segments. The second segment was easily my favorite, this dark and complex segment takes a familiar horror movie trope (someone you love being replaced by someone who looks like them) and takes it in a whole other direction. This segment had me always guessing just what would happen next and constantly surprised me with each twist. It made me feel uncomfortable all the way through but in a way that was completely engaging. The third segment, while having a few pacing problems, was also incredibly engaging and complex. 

These segments are tied together by an exploration and deconstruction of the very idea of kindness. As this film deconstructs this very familiar concept, we often see the absolute worst of humanity (especially in the third segment), perhaps implying that a human's capacity for kindness and for cruelty are not as far removed as we like to think. 

Of course, all three segments benefit from an incredible cast that includes Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, Jesse Plemons, Margaret Qualley and Hong Chau. They appear as various characters over the course of this movie and are perfect in each of their roles. Once again Yorgos Lanthimos brings out the best in Emma Stone showing that she is a much more diverse actress than often given credit for. I hope these two continue working together for a long time. 

This film is definitely not for everyone. However, for two of the three segments, I found myself completely absorbed and fascinated by this great work of art. While I wish that the first segment was better the other two are completely brilliant and more than make up for this. 

Movie Review: Daddio

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B+

A really interesting experiment that pays off very well. 

Nearly this entire movie takes place in a Taxicab with only two characters. There is no big storyline here but instead we just listen to a conversation between these two characters. A movie with this type of premise could have easily become incredibly boring. Yet watching this film my attention-span never wandered off once. Have you ever simply listened to two people talk and their conversation becomes so interesting that you just keep listening without needing to say a word yourself? This film is almost the cinematic equivalent of that. However, the reason, we become so invested in this conversation is not just what is being said. We become invested in these characters themselves. We may think we fully know who these characters are as the movie starts but the truth is we don't. Little by little we see their layers be stripped away until their real selves completely show. They end up being much more complex than we first took them for. This is the main ingredient that makes this film work. This movie is not about its gimmick or its experimentation. Rather this is simply a film about real people having real human emotions. Of course, with a film like this one of the most important aspects is who is cast in the lead. Luckily this movie stars Sean Penn and Dakoata Johnson, both of whom are simply wonderful here. These are two great actors at the top of their game. Not only this but the chemistry between them is fantastic. 

My only real problem with this movie is that it attempts to say something deep about sex and relationships but really doesn't. Everything this film has to say has been said by multiple films before and just as well if not better. I also felt the text conversations she was having with her boyfriend, were very poorly written and awkward. Luckily those are too brief to be a major problem. 

This marks writer/director Christy Hall's feature film debut. I always respect when a filmmaker is willing to do something truly bold for their first movie. I have even more respect when this bold move works as well as it does in Daddio.  

Movie Review: Tuesday

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A+

A mature and intelligent contemplation on death. 

This film marks the feature length directorial debut for director/writer Daina O. Pusić. She could not have started her movie career with a more ambitious project.

Here she pictures death as a magical bird that can grow or shrink in size. At first this bird seems to do his job with little emotion, as he speaks not a word and simply sends both those who are ready to die and those who are afraid of death to their deaths simply like a force of nature. However, all this changes when we meet our main human characters. He goes to visit a 15-year-old girl, who is very ill. Yet the two end up becoming friends. Because of this she convinces Death to wait until she can talk to her mom. The bird patiently spends time with her until her mom comes home. What happens after is something I dare not spoil here. 

This type of story could have easily gone wrong in one of two ways. Either the fantasy elements could make it so it would be hard to take the serious themes seriously or the film could simply be too depressing for anyone to want to sit through. Somehow this first-time director/writer found a way to not fall into either of these traps. As I left the theater, I was profoundly moved by what I saw but never in a way that I wasn't completely grateful for having watched it. Rather than distracting from the seriousness of the story, the fantasy elements instead communicated these complex themes in a way that seems perfectly approachable and even more profound. As for the serious themes, they are explored in a highly intelligent thought-provoking manner. This film does not give any easy answers for death, but rather it explores all the ways it is both necessary and hard to deal with. This movie is full of scenes that emotionally hit you right in the gut, but there is also something inspiring and even kind of uplifting even in the film's darkest scenes. Watching this film, you will be taken to some dark places but the light will never be fully taken away as there is something beautiful even in these dark places. It is rare to see a film that leaves you with so many complex emotions that are hard to explain but this movie does that just perfectly. 

Also making this movie even more powerful are the performances by Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Lola Petticrew. Both of them give perfect performances here. Petticrew may be a young actress, but she plays this role with an incredible amount of maturity and insight. Julia Louis-Dreyfus is of course best known for her over the top comedy roles (especially in the infamous sitcom, Seinfeld). However here she is given what is perhaps the most serious role of her career and she plays it perfectly. She brings such emotion to her performance that it is hard not to be swept up in it.  

This is simply a must-see.