Author: Georg

Black Rock is a movie that could have been better.  The core creative ideas behind it are sound and genre appropriate; the problem is that at the end of the day the suspense, tension and fear under-deliver.  Set on a remote island off the coast of Maine, it is a story of three women as they find themselves having to fight for survival, after they encounter three hunters and cause a tremendous tragedy.  The problem is that the hunt does not deliver on both sides: after the females decide to “stalk” the hunters, the film directly proceeds to a final confrontation. The males who vow to kill each and every one of the ladies fail to even come close to finding the ladies’ hiding place.

Written largely on Mark Duplass’ 18-hour layover to Los Angeles, the end product feels like it is missing a couple beats throughout the 2nd act.  Perhaps limited by its budget, this is a film that has a weak pay-out after starting off with a very strong beginning.  After the press screening, people hung outside for half an hour, discussing what could have been added to make the film great – there were many awesome ideas, unfortunately none of these were in the film.  

Katie Aselton centered a lot of aspects of the film on herself.  She conceived of the story, she directed the feature, and she acted in the main part.  Perhaps because she did ‘live with these characters so long in her head’, as she has said about the movie, she failed to see as a director that the switch, especially in her character from being hunted to wanting to be the hunter, was not sufficiently developed.  She stresses that she hoped for an air of realism from begging to end.  For a person to decide to become an aggressor and take someone’s life, is a nuanced decision and warranted a few extra beats of discussion or expression.  There is no real exploration of ‘how does one become ruthless’, and this is a great missed opportunity.  The men were also not that scary, only the situation was.  They did not need to be more physically intimidating, but rather the story could have made them scarier.

Aselton had never done a film in this genre, and inspired by Delivarance decided to make one.  This film has nowhere the same plot richness as Deliverance, and perhaps even a little bit more familiarity with the genre would have made the film significantly better.

On the good side, the music complemented the story nicely, and there was nice camera work in the beautiful Maine forest.  Though in their decision to showcase the trees, there are quite a few slightly distracting shots with an out of focus foreground.  The quick bout of nudity is well done and well placed, as the ladies are trying to prevent hypothermia.  Kate Bosworth does a great job, and demands attention on screen, but she is not given enough screen time.

The film did sell, LD Distribution bought it for more than $1 million and plans a national theatrical release.  However, do save yourself the $10-$14 for a ticket, and if you really, really want to see it, wait for it on DVD or VOD.

Simon Killer is a twisted film. Variety’s review refers to it as a property that will land between critical acclaim and “pervy VOD fare.”  Yes, there is lots of sex. And as someone who was recently working in Paris, the film is true to the shadier parts of the city of lights. Take a walk in the “Quartier Pigalle” neighborhood and you will see for your self.  The film also touches upon something deeper, the distress of today’s college graduates who can’t start their lives even after receiving an awesome education.  Having seen this frustration in friends and friends of friends, that is what I find relevant to us Geekscapists.

Sean Burkin, plays Simon, the recent college grad who is recovering from a nasty break-up with his girlfriend of 5 years.  Simon studied Neuroscience in college and published a paper about an effect of peripheral vision that ultimately very few people will read.  He takes off to Paris to embark on a trip through Europe in order to forget about his girlfriend.  He does neither.  In fact, he starts writing his ex emails and never leaves Paris to see the rest of Europe as he begins falling in love for a prostitute. And then the situation gets very messy.

Simon wants to be an adult, but as the viewer learns the details of his break-up and watches him create chaos in Paris, we realize he is a spoiled brat who should have spent 4 years learning more about life rather than how one’s brain interprets what their eyes see.  As the German philosopher Johann Wolfgang von Goethe once said, “The hardest thing to see is what is in front of your eyes.” Even with all his training, Simon just doesn’t have a clue. Personally, I would like to have seen more about Simon’s back-story and how it affects the violent character that becomes.  The latter half of the film is filled with uncomfortable violence and its origins are vague.

While the film is nicely shot and has an awesome soundtrack, I do not know if the visual close connection with Simon on his adventure is enough.  Personally, I had trouble connecting to the character of Simon on an emotional level.  My mind did not want to empathize for a kid with some money who can’t overcome his own boredom and self-importance to start living his life.  It is difficult to make yourself care what actually happens to him.

The performances are strong and the transitions between French and English dialogue are well played.  Worth a watch, but be prepared for some dark, dark, dark stuff.

As a graduate of a business school, any movies about Wall Street immediately catch my eye.  However, Arbitrage is not really about Wall-Street, but rather about a privileged family whose patriarch happens to be a big Wall Street money man.  Importantly, Arbitrage is simply a very good thriller.

I spent the majority of the film on the edge of my seat trying to think of a way for the lead character, Richard Miller (beautifully played by Richard Gere), to get out of the hot seat and I couldn’t.  That’s what I loved about it – I found my heart racing, sitting at a movie called Arbitrage, that didn’t involve terrorists, tits, torpedos or tec-9 automatics.  Plus, watching guys running around in suits is always refreshing since most L.A. locals dress like they are about to go wash their car – thus, 103 or so minutes of nice Brioni suits was a delight.  The movie is gracefully shot with stunning visuals and includes solid performances by Brit Marling (Sundance alum with two movies here last year, incidentally a former employee of Goldman Sachs), Susan Sarandon, Nate Parker, and Tim Roth as a fiery pit bull of an NYPD detective.  Based on his performance here, Roth may very likely book the next “bad lieutenant” style movie Hollywood produces.  Nate Parker was also a standout, playing Jimmy, a part that took a long time to cast.  He too, should be appearing in more films in the future based on his performance here (and is in fact in Red Tails, out in theaters now).

The film, lensed in just 31 days, revolves around Gere’s character (Miller) at a critical intersection as his career, family, and personal life begin to unravel.  Miller runs a large investment firm and is a “market maker,” looking for discrepancies and opportunities in the markets and then exploiting and/or seizing and/or conquering them for profit and/or loss.  At 60, Miller is at the height of his career but is looking to get out, while the past and present simultaneously catch up to him.  In part as writer and first time director Nicholas Jarecki put it, “Miller is alone, and in a way he’s always been alone.  That’s a little bit of his personal tragedy.”  Gere’s character is shaped by “Money, Power, Sucess, and Sex,” pretty much in that order.  

This film captures a man trapped and the critical, final, and brutal choices he is forced to make.  His choice is not between right and wrong, but is rather in that gray area of “which is the lesser evil” and he has roughly 72 hours to deal with it, before the proverbial shit hits the fan.  I really enjoyed Jarecki’s strong filmmaking (and he is only 25 years old!) combined with meaningful character portrayals.  Jarecki is a graduate of NYU film school and has directed several music videos and commercials, none the less, it is surprising even to himself that he was trusted as a first time director by these established stars.  What is important is that he did not steer them wrong.  

Interestingly, in the Q& A, Jarecki explained that his script was inspired by the articles about Wall Street, published in Vanity Fair and commissioned by VF Editor Graydon Carter.  What’s very cool is that Carter was cast in the film as Gere’s rival, and their big negotiation scene was indeed phenomenal.

I do not recall a traditional thriller coming out of Hollywood in a long time, and it’s refreshing to have just seen a great one.

One could argue that this should be a Geekscape movie just on the basis that the end credits include: Man in Hall #1-#21, Man in Lobby #1-#12, Man in Apartment #1-#8 …  and they all die in a bevy of martial arts and bullets.  And almost each and every death is unique and cinematic.  Plus there is a character named “Mad Dog”!  The visuals are in part beautiful first-person-shooter, mixed with elements of SWAT and Enter the Dragon.

The film is set on a single day, in a two-hour window of time.  This is in fact an Indonesian movie, but you do not have to worry about reading the sub-tiles.  Much of the movie, or maybe you could say even all of it is filled with action – shooting, fighting, and the martial arts in the style of Indonesian traditional Pencak Silat.  From start to finish it never slows down.  Camera movements are awesome – the timing is done perfectly and the camera always makes the right choice on following the action and mixing it up.  The film conveys so well the severity, danger and urgency of the specific situation that each character finds themselves in.  As it turns out, the budget did not allow for a fancy slow-mo camera, and the slow motion moments had to be cheated by actors slowing down their movements: and it worked!  Here, smart decisions, masterful choreography and a 1.2 million dollar budget was enough to capture the right look and feel for the story (this includes the soundtrack, which adds to the overall experience).

The film starts just before a group of Indonesian Swat Police Officers enters a completely run down 15 story building filled with men loyal to the King Pin, Tama. We learn that there had been many unsuccessful attempts by Police to apprehend Tama in the past, but now, this team really think that they have a plan in place to get to the most evil man in the city:  secure one floor at a time, and get to him quickly, and unseen.  This turns out to be very hard, given that the entire building is filled with Tama’s loyal tenants, almost all of them are murderous hoodlums.  While Tama only has two men working under his direct employ, they are basically all his employees.  With video cameras and listening ears on all floors, the SWAT team quickly runs into huge problems – but so do the tenants, as the fighting techniques are rather equally matched on both sides, which provides for an all-out gruesome war.  The “good guys” (though that may be a loose definition), now have to get out the same way they got in – one floor at a time. 

Iko Uwais, does an incredible job in his “good guy” part.  He is a stellar martial artist and was one of the two choreographers on the film.

The story is not without a few plot twists, and the handful of characters that survive this “Raid” do so for very particular reasons.  Otherwise, nearly everyone dies or is severely maimed: by our count nearly 200 ppl!!!  Of course, at times the laughter at the sheer body count is inevitable, but admittedly, the well-executed premise keeps you at the edge of your seat the entire time.  This has already been recognized, as the film in fact, has already been bought by Sony Pictures Classics back in 2011.  You will be seeing it in theaters very soon!

Tidbit of exclusive news:  Geekscape.net has learned at last night’s Grey Goose sponsored Sundance Premiere party for The Raid, that there is indeed already a sequel in the works with several returning cast members!

Geekscape at Sundance 2011

The Troll Hunter

Trolljegeren (pronounced troll-YAY-geren)

Director/Screenwriter:  Andre Ovredal

Norway, 2010, 103min, color

Norwegian with English subtitltes

Principal Cast:  Otto Jespersen, Glenn Erland Tosterud, Hans Morten Hansen, Johanna Morch, Thomas Alf Larsen

Awesome, entertaining, & very fun to watch, The Toll Hunter plays off a “Blair Witch”-esque, found footage feel (Cloverfield was also an inspiration) to deliver an enjoyable trek to discover Norway’s biggest kept (and most fantastic) secret.  The story is presented from the point of view of a small group of Volda College journalism students, tracking a recent rampage on communities near vast areas of forests and mountains.  The havoc is something that the government sanctioned TSS (Troll Security Service) is trying to cover up by blaming it on the bears.  Meanwhile, the Volda crew suspects a silent poacher in unsanctioned bear killings.  Through their sheer persistence, our youngsters win over this lonely Indiana Jones-like suspected poacher, Hans (played by famous Norwegian comedian Otto Jespersen), who reluctantly opens their eyes to the truth.  Jespersen’s character plays homage to Indiana Jones right down to the hat.  But this is not distracting; he is a more reserved, serious, no-nonsense version.  As a strong spirited man who is not easily fazed, he does, as you would imagine, have his own eccentricities after decades of hunting trolls – he must sleep under a tanning bed, he cannot fall asleep in the dark. 

As the film starts we are informed that the editors received 238 hours of footage from an anonymous source, which they proceeded to edit into the 103 minutes we are about to see.  Hard cuts, as if the footage was really pasted together, keep the film constantly moving forward.  Though the film has a documentary feel, unlike Blair Witch, the movie watches like a proper motion picture.  It was the intention of the director, Andre Ovredal, to bring a sense of realism by using this documentary approach, while capturing the beautiful scenery and giving it a big budget feel.  Another tool used to move the film forward and to set-up what goes on visually is the dialogue.  Yes, the dialogue is in Norwegian, but the humor translates well and the subtitles are not difficult to follow. 

You may not know that The Troll Hunter roots are quite deep in original Norwegian folklore.  When he was a child, Overdal’s grandparents would read him an 1850’s book, titled The Fairy Tales of Asbjornen and Moe.  Many of the stories were related to trolls, and not all of these trolls were “those cute, little gnome-like things” with wide eyes.  The book was filled with drawings (by Theodor Kittelsen) of terrifying monster-like trolls – “some even more terrifying that in [the] film”, as Overdal says.  According to these tales, there has been a rift between mankind and trolls, starting between the Viking time and 1 A.D.  This desire to stay true to the Norwegian origins of the troll legends drove Ovredal to make this movie, and it is the infusion of these details that makes the story so captivating.

The Norwegian landscape plays a great visual part as well.  In fact, one thing that I really appreciated about this film is that it does not try to accomplish everything at night; there is plenty of beautiful day footage too.  I should mention that – yes, you will see the trolls!!!  And the visual effects are very well done.  

The film does not try to take itself too seriously; it is funny, sometimes outright, sometimes like a dark comedy.  With bits of humor infused here and there, one example being the “Slayed Troll Form” that Hans has to fill in after each successful kill.  It is because of the dry, matter-of-fact approach that the comedy really works.

I know that at one point the Troll Hunter was considered for purchase for a U.S. remake (editor: Universal currently holds the rights).  But I would argue that it is particularly the Norwegian folklore, dialogue and landscape that make this film special.  So I am happy to take it at face value and say unequivocally that I was very entertained.  Of course, as with many films of this genre, you just have to relax your critical eye a bit, and just enjoy the ride!

An interesting tid-bit of information:  

It was of course, the director of photography (DP) who was running around with the camera, and not Thomas Alf Larsen – portraying cameraman Kalle.  However, it was important to simulate that experience, so Kalle would appear panting and tired as if he was lugging around the camera.  During the Q&A the actors described the comical scene they would see daily: the DP running with a camera, and Larsen running right behind him, almost touching, with a huge rock on his shoulder. 

Geekscape at Sundance 2011

Another Earth

Director: Mike Cahill

Screenwriters:  Mike Cahill, Brit Marling

U.S.A., 2011, 90min, Color

Principal Cast:  William Mapother, Brit Marling, Jordan Baker, Robin Lord Taylor, Flint Beverage

Unlike what the title suggests, Another Earth is not first and foremost a sci-fi flick. It is really a story of what the director, Mike Cahill, refers to as the ‘human condition,” peppered with bits of sci-fi. Written by Cahill and Brit Marling (who plays Rhoda Williams), this project was in their complete control.  Cahill also directed, produced, shot, and edited the film. Marling, Cahill and one of the producers, Nicholas Shumaker, previously collaborated on an award-winning documentary shot in Cuba:  “Boxers and Ballerinas”. I would venture to guess that Another Earth is not their last collaboration, and they are each likely to have individual careers (Marling is in “Sound of My Voice”, also at Sundance this year).

Marling does a good job in her starring role. It is clear that having co-written the script, she has an uncanny understanding of the character. William Mapother plays John Burroughs, a college professor whose life is brutally changed when Rhoda Williams, a brilliant MIT student, slams into his car, killing his pregnant wife, and toddler son. The reason Williams takes her eyes off the road has less to do with the party, which she had just attended, and more with the newly discovered Earth 2. A planet suddenly discovered due to changed cosmic conditions, which appears to mirror our Earth almost exactly.

We pick back up when Williams gets out of prison, trying to or perhaps delaying putting her shattered life together. As she re-connects with the professor whose life she destroyed, under less than admirable, though understandable pretenses, the two manage to bring each other “back to life.” All throughout, Williams contemplates the possibility of another Earth, a better life, where perhaps a better version of “her” could exist. Does it? Does it matter if it does? And could she ever meet herself?

In his director’s statement, Cahill describes how in a quest for verité realism, he deliberately chose not to use the 35mm prime lens kit in his arsenal.  Going for a low-fi look to contrast with the CGI Earths – he wanted to achieve that feeling you get, when while watching a home video, you ‘catch a glimpse of something extraordinary.’

The premise is novel and clever  The storyline and finished product have clearly been labored on intently. The film brings up interesting philosophical issues about fate and our general ability to change the course of our lives. I found that the fresh storyline held my attention, I was constantly thinking: what will happen next?  

That being said, there are points when film is slow, and some of the things that at times remain unsaid between characters do make you uncomfortable.  Overall, I don’t think that this film is a must-see, but you are likely to get some personal takeaways if you do.

Geekscape at Sundance 2011

Hobo with a Shotgun

Category:  Park City at Midnight