Category: Movie Reviews

LFM Reviews Hide and Seek; Now on DVD

By Joe Bendel. For the Occupy crowd and their allies in Congress, “I like it, I’ll forcibly take it” is an economic policy. In South Korea, it is the stuff of horror movies, or at least one very dark thriller. Violent and intrusive squatting has tormented the residents of a shabby tenement, but the terror is about to move on up George Jefferson-style in Huh Jung’s Hide and Seek, which just released on DVD from RAM Releasing, Film Movement’s relatively new genre division.

Baek Sung-soo has a lovely wife, two small children, and a mild case of germ-o-phobia. He also has an older brother Sung-chul, who has apparently gone missing. They were never very close, particularly after Baek inherited their parents’ entire estate, even though he was the adopted one. Of course, there is a good reason for that.

Visiting his brother’s dilapidated building, Baek learns that the tenants have been terrified by a peeping tom, who has a knack for invasive snooping. We also know from the prologue that at least one murder has been committed there. Brother clearly suspects brother, as Baek Sung-chul’s backstory is revealed, but whoever that motorcycle helmet wearing freak might be, he has followed the Baek family home to their tony Seoul high-rise condo.

Granted, most of the second act business is pretty straight forward woman-and-children-in-jeopardy stuff and the big third act revelation stretches credibility to the breaking point. However, it is Huh’s attention to creepy details that really elevates Hide. Shrewdly, he never overplays Baek’s OCD, using it for character development rather than as a major plot device. He also fully establishes the two very different housing complexes as distinct, physical locations, while steadily cranking up the sense of paranoia.

From "Hide and Seek."

Son Hyun-joo’s Baek always looks appropriately haggard, as if he were constantly in desperate need of an aspirin—even if he does just sort of plod along grimly. Although his wife Min-ji initially comes across as a sort of ice queen-trophy accessory, Jeon Mi-sun brings out the mother’s fierce protectiveness quite powerfully. Yet, perhaps the most effective performance comes from young Kim Ji-young, as little Pyeong-hwa, a neighbor of Sung-chul, who always turns up during especially dramatic and dangerous times.

Frankly, anyone down with the so-called “Occupy” movement has no grounds to protest the villainy afoot in Hide and Seek, beyond the aesthetic (“kill less and smile more, because it looks better”). It is a tense and unsettling depiction of a family’s sudden vulnerability to a predator, ironically cloaked by its fringe outsider status. It also gives us a vivid idea of what follows when bourgeoisie principles of property rights and the sanctity of life are thrown by the wayside. Recommended for fans of dark psychological thrillers and k-horror, Hide and Seek is now available on DVD from RAM releasing.

LFM GRADE: B+

Posted on June 12th, 2014 at 6:12pm.

Branagh Storms the Armory: LFM Reviews Macbeth

By Joe Bendel. Much to the regret of cineastes and Shakespeare connoisseurs, we can only speculate about what Olivier’s aborted Macbeth film could have been. At least we have auteurist adaptations from Orson Welles, Roman Polankski, and (sort of) Akira Kurosawa. Sir Kenneth Branagh (who picked up his fifth Oscar nod playing Olivier in My Week with Marilyn) has not yet helmed a big screen version of the Scottish Play, but patrons attending his new staging at the Park Avenue Armory will feel like they have seen it anyway, in widescreen 3D. An extremely cinematic Macbeth directed by Rob Ashford & Branagh officially opened last Thursday night, thoroughly dominating the cavernous Wade Thompson Drill Hall.

When transplanting their critically acclaimed Manchester International Festival production to the Armory, Ashford and Branagh decided to go large—really, really large. Seriously, we are talking big here. It is hard to describe the initial awe experienced walking to one’s seat through a recreation of Scotland’s moors, illuminated by hooded torchbearers, under the shadow of an enormous druid stone circle. That essentially covers the price of your ticket right there.

The druid stones are at one end of the stage and a massive candle-lit altar stands at the other. In between is a dirt battlefield, where Scotland’s thanes will get muddy, bloody, and dead. Two tiers of risers define the sides of the performance space, but despite their imposing size, it still feels like a surprisingly intimate viewing experience.

It is difficult to overstate the importance of set and costume designer Christopher Oram’s work. Yet, the show starts even before patrons enter, when they are assigned a clan and assemble with their kinsmen in one of the Armory’s historic chambers. There is no audience participation, per se, but it puts you on notice—this will not be a typical night at the theater.

Branagh brings it right from the start, with a full-scale battle sequence that brings to mind the melee of his classic Henry V. As you really ought to know, Macbeth is initially a heroic supporter of the king. Then three witches enter. They offer up a series of cryptic prophecies and soon Macbeth is up to his neck in murder most foul. Even with all the jaw-dropping spectacle on display, Branagh and company have to get down to business at some point, but fortunately he comes to make a statement.

As an old theater pro, Branagh could project to the back row with his head wrapped in gauze. While not a huge man, his Macbeth bristles with power, suggesting a sociopathic Medieval Napoleon. Frankly, most audience members are coming to give him a standing ovation, but he truly earns it. At times, Alex Kingston’s Lady Macbeth might be a bit too quiet for the staging, but her one-on-one scenes with Branagh have a raw physicality that is almost shocking. (Still, probably no one will ever match the sheer force of Roseanne Ma’s psychotic breakdown in the Pan Asian Rep’s Shogun Macbeth.)

From Kenneth Branagh's "Macbeth."

Unfortunately, several of the major thanes are rather overwhelmed by the staging, but Richard Coyle is the standout exception as Macduff. He was quite winning in Grabbers and impressively intense in Pusher, but he takes it to another level here, holding his own with Branagh. Just so we do not forget this is a Branagh show, Jimmy Yuill once again rejoins his frequent comrade as an unusually crusty and battle-hardened Banquo.

You really have to see the Armory Macbeth to fully get its full scope and impact. Ashford & Branagh have mounted what might well be the most ambitious staging of Macbeth, perhaps ever. Yet, they do not neglect the dramatic essentials. There is no need to tip toe around, referring to it as the Scottish Play sotto voce. This is Macbeth and it means business. Highly recommended for anyone who can possibly get to the Upper Eastside, Ashford & Branagh’s Macbeth ends its limited engagement on June 22nd at the Park Avenue Armory.

Posted on June 12th, 2014 at 12:59pm.

LFM Reviews Edge of Tomorrow

By Joe Bendel. You have to feel for the publishers of Hiroshi Sakurazaka’s light novel and manga, All You Need is Kill. They had a recognizable property with one of the coolest titles ever, but the studio changed the title of their live action adaptation to something sounding like a soap opera or an Edgar Cayce tract—and then they wonder why their tracking is soft. It is a shame, because the eternally recurring battle against alien invaders is rather snappily executed in Doug Liman’s Edge of Tomorrow, which opened Friday nationwide.

The so-called “Mimics” (because they are so blasted adaptable in battle) have overrun continental Europe, but somehow mankind held them off at Verdun. Victory was partly attributed to the development of their Iron Man-like exo-war “jackets” and partly to the leadership of warrior-extraordinaire Rita Vrataski, the “Angel of Verdun” (or “Full Metal Bitch” in the source novel). Embolden by humanity’s first battlefield success, General Brigham is poised to launch a D-Day-like counter-invasion of France. It will not go well, as soon to be ex-Major William Cage (formerly green recruit Keiji Kiriya) experiences over and over again.

Deservedly busted down to private for his incredibly stupid comments to Gen. Brigham, the military PR officer is now amongst the first wave of ground troops set to hit the beaches. Unfortunately, the Mimics know they are coming. Cage is indeed killed in rather short order, as are most of his new comrades, but not before he takes out an unusually large “Alpha” Mimic. Eventually, he learns he has been contaminated by their time altering power through its blood. Each time he dies, his incredibly un-fun day starts afresh. It has to be a clean death though. A transfusion will wash out his Mimic connection, whereas incapacitation would be the worst possible scenario.

Even though it is easy to recognize plenty of familiar military science fiction elements, Liman cobbles them together quite sure-handedly, adding the Groundhog Day twist. The action sequences are intense and brutally honest to the realities of any war. Frankly, there are a handful of moments of 3D shock and awe, but it is mostly unnecessary (as you probably already guessed). The battery of screenwriters also convey as decent sense of the soldier’s perspective and attitude. Yet, the film is relatively circumspect drawing D-Day parallels, notwithstanding the June 6th release date.

From "Edge of Tomorrow."

Younger readers might be interested to know Tom Cruise was once one of the biggest box office stars in the world, before he started handing out flowers at the airport, or whatever. This is the sort of role that used to be his bread-and-butter in the 1980s: the callow hotshot forced to mature thanks to the help of a more experienced woman. It might be a familiar arc for him, but he does not slack on the energy level. Yet, it is Emily Blunt who really delivers the grit and action cred as Vrataski. Science fiction fans will also enjoy watching Bill Paxton play with and against his Aliens persona as the hard-charging Master Sergeant Farrell Bartolome.

There are a handful of moments in Edge that will make the hair on the back of your neck stand on end. Unfortunately, the ending feels like a tacked on exercise in Hollywood gooeyness, almost undoing the in-your-face integrity of everything that came before. Nevertheless, there is more than enough amped-up genre action and time paradox-tripping to satisfy high concept, big budget science fiction fans. Recommended accordingly, Edge of Tomorrow opened Friday across the country, including the AMC Empire in New York.

LFM GRADE: B

Posted on June 12th, 2014 at 12:54pm.

King Hu at BAM: LFM Reviews Painted Skin

From "Painted Skin."

By Joe Bendel. Somehow, they are both based on Pu Songling’s short stories, but you would be hard pressed to find many similarities between King Hu’s final film and the smash hit Chinese cinema and television franchise of the same name. At least the casting made sense when Zhou Xun succeeded Joey Wong as the supernatural femme fatale with the detachable face. A foolish scholar will get more than he bargained for when he takes in a mystery woman in King Hu’s Painted Skin, which screened during BAM Cinématek’s retrospective, All Hail the King: the Films of King Hu.

Wang Hsi-tzu realizes he might have stayed out too late drinking when he starts seeing strange spectral visions on his way home. Nevertheless, he gets a sudden dose of courage when he encounters You Feng. Moved by claims she was badly abused by her husband’s first wife, Wang takes her into his household, much to the annoyance of his own wife. He may have yet to pass an imperial exam, but even Wang quickly realizes there is something a little off about You.

When confronted by a charm provided by two Taoist priests, You admits she is a ghost, trapped between worlds and held in thrall to the King of Yin and Yang. Half ghost, half man, the evil king commands a death cult of similarly in-between spirits. To escape his power, You will need more help than Wang can provide, she sets off in the company of the two priests, to find a legendary high priest, living a hermit like existence tending peach trees.

Without question, the first third of Painted is by far the most effective. Hu defty creates an eerie nocturnal atmosphere and a metaphysically scary villain. In contrast, the subsequent fantasy quest sequences feel more conventional, even though he nicely conveys the notion that the conflict is joined on both physical and spiritual levels. Still, the conclusion is quite redemptive, in every sense.

From "Painted Skin."

Granted, Wong does not have the strongest reputation as a thesp, but when it comes to looking like a doe-eyed lost little girl, she was tough to beat. Likewise, Wang is a great role for Adam Cheng, giving him license to ham it up in two directions. Even though his scenes do not have as much pop, there is no denying Sammo Hung has the appropriate heft, so to speak, for the high priest.

Painted Skin is a relatively minor entry in Hu’s filmography, but it is still a consistently entertaining supernatural wuxia fusion. Indeed, many of his prestigious filmmaker colleagues have ended their careers on weaker codas. Recommended as a ghostly outing in its own right and indispensible for BAM’s retrospective, Painted Skin screened this week in Brooklyn, as part of the perfectly named All Hail the King film series.

LFM GRADE: B

Posted on June 12th, 2014 at 12:46pm.

LFM Reviews Come Drink with Me @ BAM Cinématek

By Joe Bendel. With the release of ScarJo’s Lucy looming, we can expect the publicity campaign to wax rhapsodic about the significance of a female action hero. Of course, Michelle Yeoh has been kicking butt and carrying action films for decades. So has Angela Mao. Cheng Pei-pei also did it before Johansson and did it far better in King Hu’s Shaw Brothers classic, Come Drink with Me, which screens during BAM Cinématek’s retrospective, All Hail the King: the Films of King Hu.

Drink would be Hu’s definitive film for legendary producer Run Run Shaw, but also his last. Furthermore, it introduces the first of Hu’s many strong woman protagonists: Golden Swallow, the daughter of the scrupulously just provincial governor. A gang of outlaws has abducted her brother, expecting to exchange her for a colleague due to be executed for his crimes. Instead, the old man dispatches Golden Swallow to recover her brother and dispense some justice.

Kind of-sort of disguised as a man, Golden Swallow marches into the bandit’s favorite tavern, looking for trouble. They try to oblige, but she far outclasses mere henchmen. Needless to say, they vow to return, with their boss, Jade-Faced Tiger to continue the “negotiations.” To make things fairer, she will make a secret ally in Drunken Cat, the local lush, who is considerably more dangerous than his easygoing façade would suggest.

Come Drink is hardly the most complex wuxia story ever filmed, but it delivers several striking action sequences. Indeed, the fight scenes are vintage Hu, as deeply influenced by ballet as martial arts. It is not hard to gather why Golden Swallow’s exploits are often identified as a forerunner to Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. It is also easy to see how it launched Cheng Pei-pei to overnight superstardom. She has poise, presence, and all kind of moves. (It is hard to fathom mistaking her for a man, but that is a genre convention we just have to go along with.) Even though he sings and clowns as Drunken Cat, Yueh Hua more than holds up his end, bringing to mind Donnie Yen with his earnestly likable badassery.

In fact, there is something appealing about Golden Sparrow being her family’s designated action figure. She is impressive, but not super-heroic. Both she and Drunken Cat have their physical and emotional vulnerabilities, but they demonstrate humanist virtues as well.

Thanks to Hu’s mystical trappings and striking backdrops, Come Drink With Me easily ranks amongst the higher end of Shaw Brothers productions. Nor can anyone argue with Cheng’s iconic work as Golden Swallow. A briskly paced tale of good versus the corrupt, Come Drink With Me is a film all wuxia connoisseurs should catch up with eventually. Highly recommended, it screens this today (6/8) at BAM as part of their King Hu retrospective.

LFM GRADE: A-

Posted on June 8th, 2014 at 12:08pm.

LFM Reviews The Cabining @ The 2014 Dances With Films

By Joe Bendel. They are not exactly the Garson Kanin & Ruth Gordon of horror movies. Frankly, the one thing two would-be screenwriting partners lack more than talent is inspiration. However, a quick stay at an artists’ resort will provide the latter, in the worst way possible. The bodies pile up, as well they should, in Steve Kopera’s slasher-spoof The Cabining which screened during the seventeenth Dances With Films.

Bruce is the hopelessly irresponsible one, while Todd is the earnest sad sack. Neither can crank out a halfway watchable scene, even by slasher movie standards. On the plus side, they have a tentative investor lined up for their first film, but if they cannot produce anything reasonably filmable, Todd’s uncle will put his money in a cousin’s heavy metal recording instead. After having their egos handed to them by their writing group, Todd reluctantly agrees to Bruce’s plan, regrouping for a few days at the Shangri-La retreat.

Right, so Shangri-La is a luxury cabin deep in the woods. You know what happens next, except for the surprisingly spirited courtship between Todd and the sarcastic Mindy, a real literary-grade writer also staying at the retreat. Meanwhile, guests act suspicious and/or dead, while Bruce recklessly pursues the disinterested but not completely unwilling Celeste.

From "The Cabining."

There is no getting around the fact Cabining is a meathead movie, but it is an oddly ambitious one. Kopera and co-writer David Silverman get a lot of mileage out of approaching the brink of shopworn horror clichés, but doing a 180º at the last moment. As a result, there is quite a respectable balance of smart and dumb laughs.

Kopera’s brother and co-producer Mike demonstrates solid timing and an easy likability as Todd. He also develops some appealing chemistry with the scene-stealing Angela Relucio’s Mindy. The film really hums when they are bantering. Conversely, Bo Keister’s Bruce is all about clumsy shtick, but Richard Riehle brings some on-target lunacy as Todd’s uncle, Sarge.

Admittedly, Cabining is no Blythe Spirit, but if you have seen your share of crap-goes-down-in-the-woods movies than you will find it consistently entertaining. It’s a scruffy indie, but it’s funny. Recommended for midnight movie patrons, The Cabining screened Friday night as part of this year’s Dances With Films, in Hollywood, CA.

LFM GRADE: B

Posted on June 8th, 2014 at 12:02pm.