4.0
-- SEE YOU
TOMORROW, EVERYONE, Yoshihiro
Nakamura
[reviewed
by Nancy Snipper]
The time is 1981. The place is the housing projects in Furoku,
Japan. Satoru Watarai is about to graduate from primary
school, but he is incapable of furthering his education,
for that would mean leaving the projects, for which he is
the self-appointed guardian of its tenants. The truth is
Satoru has grave anxiety issues about going down the stairs
of the project's main outside entrance that gives way to
city life. He witnessed in his classroom a killing of his
best friend when a small boy and that has left him on the
borderline of being mentally disabled. Still, this tenacious
little warrior has not a lazy bone in his body, and he spends
his time helping others, learning to be a pastry chef where
he works with the shop owner, and most importantly, builds
up his physical strength learning karate in order to defend
any tenant in need of dire help. We follow this wonderful
boy into his teens and as we do, we discover his devotion
to people and the two girls he loves. But within a decade,
almost everyone leaves the projects to continue their education
and careers. Only Satoru and his mom are left, along with
a family run by a violent man. In the end, Satoru must face
his demons, and happily he succeeds. This is a film gem
classic. Gaku Hamada was beyond brilliant as he completely
embraced the character of Satoru. I left the film almost
in tears despite many hilarious moments I savoured. I had
to pinch myself into realizing this was just a movie with
actors. It was based on the novel (same title) by Takehiko
Kubodera. This movie should not be missed!
2.5
-- PLUS
ONE , Dennis Iliadis
[reviewed
by Daniel Charchuk]
The ever-popular subgenre of ‘one crazy night’ party movies
gets a sci-fi twist in this latest offering from Greek director
Iliadis, best known for his surprisingly effective and well-crafted
remake of Wes Craven’s "The Last House on the Left"
in 2009. Centering on the requisite group of outsiders at
a massive house party – including David, played by Rhys
Wakefield (recently seen in "The Purge"), who
has just been dumped by his long-time girlfriend – and featuring
the (in)appropriate amount of boobs, booze and other teenage
interests, things veer sharply into the realm of scientific
fantasy when a meteorite crashes into the ground nearby,
altering temporal reality and causing doubles of the party
guests to appear approximately 45 minutes behind their original
selves. Unfortunately, Iliadis and first-time screenwriter
Bill Gullo take this spaced-out concept and dumb it down
for a teenage audience, turning it into a heavy-handed commentary
about second chances and growing up – just as every other
movie of its ilk, from "American Graffiti" to
"Can’t Hardly Wait," has already done. It’s too
bad, as the idea has potential, but it’s simply not executed
as well as it could be.
3.3
-- YOU’RE
NEXT, Adam Wingard
[reviewed
by Daniel Charchuk]
A darkly comic riff on home invasions horror flicks like
"The Strangers" and "The Purge," director
Wingard and writer Simon Barrett – Fantasia staples and
contributors to both V/H/S films – inject some much-needed
life into this tired and stale subgenre. Nearly everything
in the movie – from the invaders wearing animal masks to
the unlikely hero that saves the day – is both a twist on
the staid formula and comes with a wicked sense of black
humour. Though the film does fall back on cliché too often,
and lacks the meta-cinematic brilliance that elevated similarly
subversive horrors like Wes Craven’s "Scream"
and Michael Haneke’s" Funny Games," it’s still
a refreshing bit of gore-filled entertainment amidst increasingly
dour and depressing post-9/11 horror films-as-social commentary.
That’s not to say that a certain amount of cynicism in the
horror genre isn’t often needed, but it’s still nice to
have fun every now and then.
3.8
-- THE
WORLD’S END, Edgar Wright
[reviewed
by Daniel Charchuk]
Director Wright and co-writer & star Simon Pegg finally
complete their comedic Cornetto trilogy (following the rom-zom-com
"Shaun of the Dead" and the buddy-cop homage "Hot
Fuzz") with this sci-fi flick focusing on a group of
middle-aged friends who return to their hometown 23 years
after graduating high school in an attempt to complete an
epic twelve-bar pub crawl; upon returning home, however,
they immediately realize something is amiss, and soon find
themselves attempting to stop an "Invasion of the Body
Snatchers"-style alien invasion. Wright and Pegg haven’t
lost their touch for hilarious, impeccably layered scripts
and superb comic timing, but this final installment adds
something new – fluid, exquisitely choreographed fight scenes
that combine realistic movements with fantastical elements,
all in (nearly) one-take shots. It’s just further proof
of the maturation of these filmmakers, and their overall
message in this work – about the nature of humanity itself
– is a final testament to this.
1.2
-- RITUAL;
A PSYCHOMAGIC STORY, Guilia
Brazzale & Luca Immesi
[reviewed
by Nancy Snipper]
Lia is contolled by her live-in boyfriend Viktor. He loves
her but babies her. He is also gruff with her and has sex
with her whenever he wants. She gets pregnant, but Viktor
assures, It is taken care of." Lia sinks into a grave depression
and tries to commit suicide. Viktor finds her in the bathtub,
but saves her. Lia goes to visit her aunt in the countryside.
She practices all kinds of magic to improve people's health.
Viktor pays Lia a visit and discovers the aunt is nuts.
Meanwhile the aunt is doing some kind of ritual on Lia to
get her pregnant. Viktor hears her screams, but all that
the aunt has done is put a big apple on Lia's stomach. The
next stage in the ritual is the burial of the apple in a
box. Viktor finds the box and brings it back up to the bedroom.
Lia is horrified and stabs Viktor. Lia now has a baby on
her lap as Viktor lies dying.
4.0
-- LIBRARY
WARS, Shinsuke Sato
[reviewed
by Nancy Snipper]
Brilliant, funny and poignant! The premise for the fighting
in this film is most original. The Media Betterment Committee
is burning books, killing people and raiding book stores
to get rid of material that they deem politically and sexually
provocative. To further justify their censorship terror
campaign, they claim the recent spate of murders by a young
teen is due to such vial publications. To combat this insidious
widespread movement, the Library Defense Force is formed,
but when they are about to be attacked as they defend their
libraries -- d one in particular that stores all Japan's
history -- they are never allowed to first the first shot.
Set in this mad situation are two heroes with a love interest
that never really gets off the ground. During an early attack,
one young woman's book is grabbed by one of the soldiers
in a book store, but she won't let him have it. She falls
back into the arms of a man whose face she never sees. He
saves the day and hands the book to her, but her back is
to him. He then pats her hair. Years later, this same girl
joins the Library defense Force. Her trainer is actually
this man who salvaged her book from the incident, but she
doesn't know. Still, she falls for her gruff leader. She
wanted to join the Force to find her prince and emulate
his noble acts. It's a darling story full of subtle humour
set against a dangerous series of action that threatens
freedom and everyone's future to express themselves through
the written word. The fighting scenes were as powerful as
any clip from a WW1 film. It was thrilling to see muscular
might and intellectual diametrically opposed convictions
set against one another in in such a spectacular way within
the broad story context.
3.5
-- HOW TO
USE GUYS WITH SECRET TIPS, Wonsuk
Lee
[reviewed by Nancy Snipper] An adorable Korean comedy which puts a homely assistant AD face to
face with the sexy arrogant star in the commercials she
works on. Suddenly she meets a man at night who sells her
videos on how to use men and get what you want in life.
She watches these videos and soon she is being wooed by
the star. But he finds out she’s been watching the videos
and feels used. Eventually, she ends up in an important
position as a director of ads, buthates her position. There
is no creative input at all. Finally, the two protagonists
end up finding each other, admitting they love one another.
It seems the videos worked! This film has some hilarious
scenes that all of us can relate to when we feel like goofs
in love or invisible to those we wish could see us. The
lead actor, Si-Young Lee, is gorgeous and as funny as they
come -- cute like Jackie Chan. His comedic timing does not
take a back seat to his serious side either -- both of which
are illustrated in this delightfully refreshing romantic
and wildly whacky comedy.
3.8
-- A COMPANY
MAN, Lim Sang-yoon
[reviewed by Nancy Snipper] Ji Hyeong-do works in a rigidly run company. This enterprise looks
like it has ordinary offices, but employees are hired –
not to do book work, but to kill. The entireplace is rotten,
and Ji plays a vital role in cold killing. Then he meets
the mother of the temp he hires to do a killing job. But
the temp takes the elevator, and is filmed on camera. Ji
is summoned by the big boss to answer for the blunder. He
is ordered to kill the teen, but hides him instead. That’s
when he meets the mother to tell her her son is away on
a company assignment. He falls for her, but their attraction
ends when she takes a bullet. The shoot-out finale is remarkable.
This film is thrilling in action and revealing of character,
and is a persuasive indictment of Korean company culture
that demands people die for their company. Lots of violence
and martial arts segments work effectively.
2.8
-- TIGER
MASK, Ken Ochiai
[reviewed
by Nancy Snipper]
An
orphaned boy named Naoto Date is put in another dimension
to train in the Tiger Lair Pit as a fighter along with two
other boys: Dan, a friendly best friend to Naoto, and Joe,
a bad seed. Mister X is their cruel trainer who uses some
kind of electric stun gun to instill discipline. As the
boys grow up, each is allotted a different coloured tiger
mask and matching iron-made body garb. Each mask imbues
each boy with super powers, but these powers do not last
long in a fight. The boys fight so that Mister X can earn
money; the boys get some of the take when they win a fight.
As can be expected, his friendly pal Dan is defeated most
unfairly in a fight against bad-ass Joe. Mister X then finishes
him off with his lethal gizmo. Naoto runs away and escapes
once more to the orphanage where Ruriko, the owner's daughter
-- now grown up -- has taken over running it since her father
died. Her father was exceptionally kind to little Naoto.
Joe finds Naoto and burns down the orphanage. A fight to
the finish ensues when Naoto goes back to kill both Mister
X and Joe -- tiger mask on of course. He is a master fighter
and will keep on fighting and protecting Ruriko. What is
interesting is the fact that in 2010, a child-care facility
in Tokyo received and anonymous Christmas donation which
led to more donations -- all in the name of Naoto Date.
Called the Tiger Mask Movement, these good deeds reignited
the 1968 Tiger Mask character which was originally created
by manga writer/artist Naoki Tsuji. The comic's great popularity
led to an anime series in 1971 which gave rise to a feature
film and TV series. This film however was made in 2013,
and it is unique and sincere in feel. The intensity and
child aspect featured in this film adds richness to what
could have been just another Japanese sci-fi martial arts
film.
3.5
-- ZERO
CHARISMA, Katie Graham
& Andrew Matthews
[reviewed
by Nancy Snipper]
Scott
is obese, obsessed and totally hostile to just about everyone,
except his pals who show up almost every night to play another
round in the continuing saga of Scott's self-designed D&D-styled
tabletop RPG of which he is the game master. One of his
pals has to pull out after three years of playing the game
because his wife is separating from him, and he needs to
tend to his marred marriage. By chance, Scott pulls in Miles,
an intelligent and successful game player to take his pal's
place. Soon, Scott's friends are so impressed with him,
they start going to his house to play, especially when Scott's
mom shows up and wants to sell the house and put granny
with whom Scott lives in an old folks' home. The climax
occures whenMiles and Scott get into a real-life fight,
and Scott is sent packing. This witty film is full of caustic
repartee, and it's entertaining even as the plot shows how
gamers can lose it if they are not controlling everything
-- not just in the game, but in real life. It's a weird
and whacky comedy, but its message strikes a nerve. Sam
Eidso as Scott is brilliant; he is equally matched by his
buddies who complete the film's ensemble with excellent
acting. "The Big Bang Theory" comes to mind in
this movie, but the latter ups the game big-time.
2.2
-- NEW NEIGHBOR,
Norman England
[reviewed
by Nancy Snipper]
A
Japanese woman in her twenties is surrounded by sex-obsessed
males: in the transit system, men are leering at her while
reading porn mags, billboards, flaunt sexual promiscuity,
and at work, her boss feels up all the female employees.
Home is no respite for her -- not only because her mom constantly
calls her and tells her it's time to trap a husband; she
offers all kinds of vulgar tips that embarrass her daughter.
Most importantly, a new neighbour moves in -- a prostitute
who keeps the prudish pretty young woman up at nights. There
is an extremely loud thumping sound heard through the adjoining
wall. It blatantly makes a mockery out of tender love-making.
Finally, she has had enough and as she approaches the door
of her sex-crazed neighbour, she finds it's open. She enters
and ends up in a den of iniquity where sex toys of all kinds
in all colours, in all sizes, and strange masochistic contraptions
fill the seedy dark room. A cage closes in on her. The prostitute
hurls lewd comments to her, telling her she really needs
and wants sex, but she just won't admit it. What ensues
is a fight where ildos act as swords (the prostitute has
a huge one; the prude a tiny one). Finally, the fight ends,
and the teen virgin gets to kiss goodbye her past and purity.
In the end, she is killed by her own hand in the most sordid
manner possible. The film is most macabre, and treats sex
like a weapon of power whose fatal blow is not one even
the weirdest of perverts would want.
1.5
-- ACROSS
THE RIVER, Lorenzo Bianchini
[reviewed
by Nancy Snipper]
An Italian wildlife botanist is tracking animals in the
forest near Slovenia. He's equipped with sound gadgets,
cameras, a gun and tranquilizers to tag the animals he catches
in cages which he has set up. On one rainy bleak day, he
takes his camper across the river and ends up in an abandoned
village full of old stone houses. Soon, odd noises, butchered
animals and macabre visions begin to appear. Two young girls
in particular keep reappearing. We find out from an old
couple living in a village that two sisters disappeared
and that they were considered possessed by the devil. The
couple hears screams while they sleep almost every night.
The biologist meanwhile is trapped in this maze of houses,
as the river has become impassable. Things go very badly
for him, and he eventually disappears. A search team is
sent out after him. It is reported in the news that he is
found dead. The movie starts out well, and we are intrigued
and beguiled by the forest, but the action drags and the
suspense becomes one long yawn. There comes a time in a
film where things must happen beyond real time or else nothing
grabs us -- such as in the case of this disappointing film.
3.8
-- THE GARDEN
OF WORDS, Makoto Shinkai
[reviewed
by Nancy Snipper]
An
enchanting animation film about a young student who designs
shoes, and a teacher who has suffered from an inability
to walk properly. She only can taste beer and chocolate
and is very quirky. Her character is most interesting. She
has also been shunned by the school where she teaches because
a student had fallen in love with her. Most of the film
takes place with the two of them sitting in a gazebo in
a park during the rain. Both skip their responsibilities
when it rains. This becomes a love story where neither actually
gets together. The restraint and hypnotic details in this
cinematic wonder transport you to a world where manners,
respect, sadness and love create a world of haunting beauty.
This is a garden where the poetry in the story and the setting
transcend into endlessly lush blooms of cinematic wonder.
The udience was transfixed -- unusually quiet for this festival
because of the film's greatness.
2.3
-- MISSIONARY,
Anthony Diblasi
[reviewed
by Nancy Snipper]
Catherine,
who works in a car scrap yard, is trying to get her life
on track along with her marriage. She is parenting her young
son, and feeling despair when her supposed saviour from
the Church of Latter Day Saints appears just like that.
His name is Brock. He endears himself to the boy, but when
he and Catherine become lovers he is determined to make
sure the husband won't enter the picture. Trouble is, he
already has. Brock kills him and shows his insanity by insisting
Catherine and her son will become a celestial family either
on earth or in heaven -- if she does not cooperate. It's
a low budget film that is about as thrilling as ttending
a church service run be a bunch of bible thumping fanatics.
Still, the acting was good and the movie gave a different
slant on obsessive love -- made more intense when its within
a religious context. I wasn't bored, but it did get predictable.
2.0
-- I'LL
FOLLOW YOU DOWN, Richie
Mehta
[reviewed
by Nancy Snipper]
Don't'
bother following anyone down -- in the case of the film
-- the father, a physicist professor who bids his loving
wife and son goodbye at the airport. He is supposed to return
in 3 days. His Princeton conference is where he disappears
-- down into the dank dungeons where he has this time machine
contraption that takes him back to 1948 to visit Einstein.
Twelve years pass, and the wife commits suicide, the son's
girlfriend loses her baby and he hope of finding Gabriel
is refueled by the wife's father -- also professor. Together,
with Gabriel's son -- Erol, they find the way to retrieve
Gabriel. The son goes back to bring his dad back but not
before lecturing him about having abandoned his family.
He says goodbye to his research and chooses family over
science. Haley Joel Osment was lovely as Erol -- still as
winsome as he was when he played a young boy in "The Sixth
Sense." However, this film made no sense at all.
2.9
-- SHIELD
OF STRAW, Takashi Mike
[reviewed
by Nancy Snipper]
The body of a 7-year-old girl has been found murdered. Her
grandfather, a wealthy businessman, offers a billion yen
to anyone who kills the perpetrator, Künihide Kiyomaru.
His DNA was found on the body, and he has killed before.
The film makes it very clear he is the scum of the earth.
In fact, all of Japan is on the manhunt for him, and everyone
wants his head. A small group of policemen are in charge
of tracking him down and bringing him to Tokyo where he
is to stand trail. But, the murderer turns himself into
the local cops; his hiding place is no longer a safe haven,
as the man who hides him tries to kill him. Everyone wants
those yens. Transporting Kiyomaru becomes the most difficult
task taken on by the small group of star policeman, for
no matter where they move him -- from car to bus to train
to train, he is found out. Someone is leaking information
as to his whereabouts. The film is about honour and justice
versus personal vengeance. It has many twists that center
around the protectors trying to preserve their own lives
while trying to safeguard the murdering psychopath -- brilliantly
played by Japanese star, Tatsuya Fujiwara. The film is unique
but needs more editing. Two hours -- short a minute -- is
just too long.
2.4
-- THE DEER
(CHEVREUIL), Rémi St-Michel
[reviewed
by Nancy Snipper]
This quirky 14-minute slice of fun that comes from Université
de Québec de Montréal offers a black humour premise. Marc,
who likes to toke up in his bedroom is being pressed to
leave by his brother, mother and other family members as
they knock on his bedroom door. He is supposed to drive
his brother's car -- a hearse -- to the funeral home, but
as usual, he bungles things up. He barely gets there. On
the way through the road cut through forest, he hits a deer.
The coffin escapes from the car, rolls down a steep cliff
and that is the end of his father. He's nowhere to be found
as the coffin is now empty. Marc does what any decent son
would do: he puts the deer in the coffin. At the funeral
parlour, everyone thinks they are weeping for the father
until . . .
![Canadian Tire Repair Scam [2211 boul Roland-Therrien, Longueuil] = documents-proofs](../2010_v9_n5/./images/mapleleaf.jpg)
