wcoleparks Reviews

Hell or High Water (II) (2016)

So entertaining!

[10/10 · 21 June 2016]

The American western seems to be slowly making a comeback in recent years. With films such as The Rover, Slow West and True Grit there have been some interesting and unique approaches to this old genre. Hell or High Water fits right in with these mentioned films by containing a lot of comedy, engaging characters, and no holds barred violence.

Chris Pine and Ben Foster as the bank-robbing brothers share great chemistry and draw sympathy from the audience with compelling performances. Jeff Bridges stands out however as the hardened cop tasked to track down the brothers. His racist slurs and aggravated man persona works perfectly with his gravely, yet genuine voice and he finds perfect timing in his comedic delivery.

The music, done by Nick Cave is also perfect. After crafting one of the greatest scores with Assassination of Jesse James, he gets pretty close to that here with very foreboding and meditative music. Especially right before the big showdown.

And when it all goes down, the film will have you on the edge of your seat. It doesn't hold anything back and people die out of nowhere. It's very realistic and is worth the tension filed build up.

Hell or High Water is a surprisingly great American western.

Hell or High Water (2016) Directed by: David Mackenzie Screenplay by: Taylor Sheridan Starring: Jeff Bridges, Chris Pine, Ben Foster Run Time: 1 hour 42 minutes

Hanna (2011)

Immerse yourselves in Wright's unique and captivating world

[9/10 · 21 June 2016]

Every once in a while a film comes along that completely immerses you into a new and intriguing world unlike any other. Such is the case with Hanna. Joe Wright takes a number of well-worn action tropes and reinvents them into a sort of twisted, kinetic fairytale.

As the film begins, we see Hanna (Saoirse Ronan), merely a teenager; killing a deer with precision and sureness that immediately makes us aware of the skillset we are sure to see more of. We soon find out that she lives in the remote wilderness with no contact to the outside world with her father, Erik Heller (Eric Bana). Hanna has known no one else apart from him but is comforted by her imagination. Music for example, a term she can recite the definition to at any time, distracts her thoughts as she wonders what it might actually sound like. However, as Hanna becomes increasingly curious about the outside world, her father realizes it is time to tell her the truth. He tells her of Marissa Wiegler (Cate Blanchett), the fact that she wants them dead, and that the second they leave from hiding, they will be hunted until they or Marissa Wiegler are dead. This is about all the backstory we are treated to and only bits and pieces get filled in as the story progresses. But just like any fairytale, it doesn't matter how or why there is a house made of candy out in the woods. It is fascinating nonetheless.

The incredible cast of characters in this film is almost too many to mention. Of course we have Saoirse Ronan as Hanna, who proved how talented she was well before this film in Atonement. Here she continues to mature and plays the innocent yet deadly character with ease. Eric Bana as her father is slightly underused but shines when he needs to. Especially in one long take where things become increasingly uneasy. Cate Blanchett plays a wicked stepmother type character with an intensity that clearly shows how much fun she is having in the role. She plays the role with a faux accent, which seems to come and go, but that hardly matters when her screen presence is so alluring. The other supporting characters also seem to take their roles and run with them. As much as they may be overacting in any other film, it almost seems appropriate in this fantasy-like world Hanna has found herself in. Cate Blanchett's minions especially immerse themselves in this twisted fairytale. The main henchman always has a tune to whistle. And what could be an annoying affectation becomes a great way to create palpable tension. A family Hanna ends up tagging along with for a large part of the film is also filled with quirky people. Although they could come across as an irresponsible "hippie" type family that becomes a disservice to the film, the characters are treated in such a way that they become just the opposite. Wright, along with the script, does a great job of showing them from an innocent and unassuming perspective just as Hanna views them. Though they made be weird, so is she, so who cares.

Joe Wright, coming off two beautiful period pieces with Pride and Prejudice and Atonement, as well as the forgettable The Soloist, makes a seriously impressive change here. Though he keeps many characteristics of his early work, he molds them in such a way that they perfectly fit this new genre he is working under. Most impressive are the action scenes. Wright never settles on one way to increase the intensity of a scene. He manages to keep changing his tactics as the film progresses to emphasize a scene's atmosphere. Two scenes in particular are filled with quick cuts and unique camera angles that portray the confusion and disorientation of each very well. It makes us feel as though the characters are trapped in a huge maze with only one way out. Another scene, which I mentioned earlier, is filmed with one long take. Starting above ground and going down into a subway station, the scene impressively builds suspension and doubt as people move awkwardly behind our character to avoid being spotted.

Apart from the impressive actions scenes, there are many quieter scenes in which Wright allows the characters to hold the attention of the audience. And with Hanna's many encounters with eclectic individuals, this is not a difficult task. However, some of these scenes feel a little awkward compared to the rest of the story. One scene in particular finds a flirty teenage boy who gets a little too close to Hanna and ends up on her bad side. What is played for comedic effect falls very flat. Another shows Hanna finally hearing the music she had dreamed about her whole life. What should be a touching moment where Hanna finds some comfort in the real world feels out of place and very insincere. Apart from these few scenes though, Wright's emphasis on characters creates a real bond to every person on screen, which makes it all the more impactful when characters die on screen or off. And keeping with Hanna's twisted fairytale world, every character is in danger of dying. Just like in the classic Brothers Grimm stories, characters, both good and bad, are never free from harm.

Although all these impressive action scenes and many of the quieter moments work so well on their own, the Chemical Brother's soundtrack really puts them over the top. It immediately heightens the intensity of the action while also maintaining the gravity of the situation when things on screen start to die down.

So what could be just another generic action film filled with plot holes becomes something else entirely. Despite having those exact problems, Joe Wright turns them into a wholly unique and fascinating world for the audience to get lost in. I was enraptured in this eccentric, oddly crafted fairytale.

Force of Destiny (2015)

So misguided it's painful to watch

[1/10 · 21 June 2016]

As a film lover, I have seen surprisingly few films I really don't like. I tend to choose films to watch that I think I will enjoy and for the most part that keeps me away from bad movies. Force of Destiny has now joined the top of the list of movies I hate. With a decent premise, it had some promising aspects on paper, but the final product is lacking charm, interesting characters, or any redeemable qualities.

The story revolves around a sculptor who is diagnosed with liver cancer and given six months to live. He has a troubled relationship with his ex wife and finds comfort in spending time with his daughter. He falls in love with a much younger Indian woman shortly after being diagnosed and has to deal with the fact that he has finally found a happy place while preparing to die. It is based on the life story of Paul Cox, who is also the writer/director, (spoiler, he doesn't die) and it was clear he thought he had a great story everyone should hear. The problem is, his story is not that interesting or unique and he definitely was not the person to tell it.

The problem with someone telling their own story is that they may not realize when they reference something the audience won't understand. For example the Indian woman keeps mentioning that she will have to leave soon, but it isn't explained where or why she is going until she ends up leaving. As the writer, Paul Cox didn't catch these moments because they already connected in his head. That is not the only problem with the script however.

The whole film has a voice-over that does not add anything to the film. It is more of the main character's stream of consciousness and does not add any depth to him. It consists mainly of his observations and frustrations he had during the day. It does contain a few moderately funny remarks about his frustrations, but that is it. It also goes away about halfway through the film and doesn't reappear until the end. Even more confounding than that, there was one scene with a voice-over by a random person who is never explained and I couldn't begin to guess whose voice it was.

The script also calls for the characters to have over the top and puzzling reactions. In one scene the daughter gets slightly upset with her mother in the car, so she slams on the brakes and then gets out of the car screaming. There was no build up to this moment; it was just a random burst of emotion.

Dream sequences fill the film and are entirely unnecessary and do not convey anything important. There must be over a dozen and they get seriously repetitive as the film drags on. They are not even well done and feel out of place in the film because they all look like old found footage with a sepia tone consisting of random imagery that doesn't apply to the film. These are utterly confounding and add nothing to the story other than more time.

A number of these dream sequences are even incorporated into the narrative of the film. For example a door will open up on its own with magical music playing in the back ground, but then out of nowhere the characters just walk through it like nothing happened and the scene will continue. My favorite though has to be when the main character looks into someone's telescope and the POV shot is an old grainy image of a bird flying around, but then cuts right back to him looking into the telescope. That must be a weird telescope!

There is also a scene where the characters walk into a room with weird sculptures and mosaics on the wall, but are only lit by one spotlight. It is as if someone is standing behind the cameraman shining a flashlight on the characters. At first I didn't even realize this was a dream sequence and it honestly may not have been, but after the film someone told me he thought it was.

Another puzzling aspect of the film that didn't fit into the tone was how graphic it was. Up to a certain point, it felt like a family friendly movie about coping with hardships, but then out of nowhere there is a terrifying dream sequence (though not actually effective) of his liver transplant. It was cheesy, ridiculous, and didn't fit in the film at all. Then when he actually goes through with the liver transplant, it shows actual footage from a surgery without holding back. On top of these scenes was one quick scene with nudity that was laughable at how awkward it felt.

All in all there is virtually nothing I can recommend in this film. The script, the acting, the random dream sequences, the voice-over, and everything else are all atrocious. I should have taken a tip from the rest of the audience members and taken a nice nap during the film as it dragged on, but unfortunately I was too busy actively hating everything on screen.

Force of Destiny (2016) Directed by: Paul Cox Screenplay by: Paul Cox Starring: David Wenham, Jacqueline McKenzie, Shahana Goswami Run Time: 1 hour 32 minutes

Graduation (2016)

Complex issues are handled with great care and compassion

[8/10 · 21 June 2016]

When a man's daughter is assaulted the night before her final exams, her future, which he has set up so well, is thrown into question. Graduation is all about the lengths a father is willing to go for his children. Whether motivated by selfish reasons or genuine desire, the father wants nothing more than to get his daughter out of the morally corrupt environment that permeates their town. To accomplish his plans however, he starts to cross lines and partake in the system he openly reproaches. Christian Mungiu tackles these sensitive topics with care and compassion. Using long takes and unobtrusive camera work, Mungiu emphasizes character above all else. Every character is redeemable in some manner, but no one is innocent. Though the ending brings in an unnecessary police investigation that seems to beat the point home, it is redeemed by the haunting final image that gives a lot of disastrous implications about generational connections. As favors and obligations start to stack up, the father becomes entangled in a web of questionable decisions. The question ultimately becomes, "do good reasons make up for bad decisions?"

Graduation (2016) Directed by: Cristian Mungiu Screenplay by: Cristian Mungiu Producers: Cristian Mungiu Starring: Rares Andrici, Valeriu Andriuta, and Eniko Benczo Run Time: 2 hours 36 minutes

The Handmaiden (2016)

Park Chan-wook crafts another masterpiece!

[9/10 · 21 June 2016]

When going into a movie by one of your favorite directors, it is easy to set high expectations. Rarely does the film fully meet those expectations, but when it does it is something special. Such is the case with Park Chan-wook's The Handmaiden (Mademoiselle). He has crafted an intricately woven tale of love and betrayal that highlights everything he can do so well from heightened sexual tension to gorgeous imagery.

The film, which is an adaptation of the novel The Fingersmith, revolves around a woman who is hired as a handmaiden to a Japanese heiress. This is the very basic summary to a film that has a lot of depth underneath the surface and requires the audience's attention throughout the film. And as the plot goes on we discover the newly hired handmaiden may have some ulterior motives along with many of the other characters. Nothing is revealed too quickly and the film is split into a three-part structure that slowly pieces things together through flashbacks. It also uses a storytelling device that is typically owned by Tarantino where the same scene is shown from multiple perspectives and each adds a new layer to the story. All of these devices are used to full effect and create surprising twists on par with Park Chan-wook's Oldboy.

What is immediately apparent from the start of the film is how well Park Chan-wook's aesthetic fits into the time period. His eye for gorgeous shots and camera angles makes the house in the film look like a work of art. The grounds around the house are also highlighted so well. Wide shots and lingering camera movements let you appreciate every little detail on screen and marvel at the beauty of it all.

The score also fits in perfectly with the time period. It is never bombastic and always subtle, and perfectly captures the mood and feeling of each scene. Whether an intimate moment between the two women or a heated exchange between characters it's hard to realize how great the score is because of how organic it feels.

Framing is also a very important addition to the story. Through the use of mirrors and reflections, Park Chan-wook suggests the double-sided nature of the characters. Also, he often obstructs part of the frame with an object and hides characters behind walls or glass to suggest we may not really see everything that is going on before us. This aspect of the film in particular I feel will only get better with subsequent viewing when you can understand all of characters motivations and desires.

One thing that Park Chan-wook did so well with Stoker was creating a palpable feeling of sexual tension without using nudity or anything overtly sexual. In this film he succeeds with that throughout the entire film. Every look and every glance the two woman share conveys a longing and desire that permeates the whole film. In this film however, he continues that passion past suggestion into full on sex. There are multiple scenes with extended nudity but they are all filmed so artfully and sympathetically it always feels warranted. The scenes never feel awkward or exploitative and always are tasteful and almost poetic. Somehow despite what I was watching I still found myself admiring the camera-work and beautiful cinematography.

One thing that surprised me in the film and I have not seen in Park Chan-wook's other work is the humor. It was never slapstick and usually more circumstantial, but the whole audience laughed out loud on numerous occasions. He showed a surprisingly great understanding of timing and every joke landed. One scene in particular dealt with suicide and could have come across as insensitive or callous. Due to the perfect timing, it was hilarious and even further developed the relationship between the characters.

During the last act of the film, it does get unusually violent. There is a torture scene that seems out of place with the rest of the film. Though effective in its own right and thoroughly thrilling, it didn't sit right with me due to how subtle the rest of the film had been.

This is a film that really stays with you and will take multiple viewing to really appreciate the complex story. The first film I have seen in a long time where I continued to think about it throughout the day and had multiple conversations about all aspects of the film. With The Handmaiden, Park Chan-wook has crafted a film that fully displays the craft and technical prowess he can show and it includes a story that that only gets better the more you think about it.

The Handmaiden (2016) Directed by: Park Chan-wook Screenplay by: Seo-Kyung Chung, Park Chan-wook Starring: Jung-woo Ha, Min-hee Kim, Jin-woong Jo, Tae Ri Kim Run Time: 2 hour 25 minutes

The Wailing (2016)

Beware The Wailing! This film will stick with you

[8/10 · 21 June 2016]

The Wailing opens with a quote from the bible. It is easy to forget this fact while watching most of the film, but at a certain point it becomes clear the purpose that quote served. It is almost like a warning: "if you are a religious person, this film will scare every part of you." This is where The Wailing works so well. As a religious parable, it overcomes its lengthy running time and tonal imbalance, to deliver an often funny but truly terrifying film.

When a mysterious stranger moves to a small village in South Korea, the village becomes plagued by sickness. The police think a wild mushroom is to blame, but police officer Jong-goo thinks it may have something to do with the stranger. He meets a woman who gives him some information about this mysterious man, and slowly begins to fall down a rabbit hole that consumes his life. When his daughter starts to show signs of the sickness, it gets personal and he must figure out who to trust and who to avoid.

The director, Hong-jin Na, struggles to find a good tonal balance. At times pitch perfect and at other times all over the place, the tone struggles to stay consistent. For the first third of the film, it is primarily a funny movie with briefs bursts of depravity and violence. The comedy works well and I found myself laughing a number of times. Then when the horrific imagery would come up it was sudden and effective. There was a good balance here that gets lost in the second act. The comedy becomes more slapstick and does not fit with the rest of the film. The characters also become over-the-top and act in exaggerated ways very different from how they were introduced. This middle section also has some moments of unintentional humor. One example sees a man struck by lightening and another has the caller ID for a shaman come up on the phone as "Shaman".

Fortunately it finds a good balance again in the third act, but smartly switches it up from the first act. It becomes intense and terrifying with a few moments of comedy to offset the horror. And what a terrifying last act it is. As everything starts to unfold, the audience gains a new appreciation of the rest of the film and starts to reinterpret certain scenes. The only problem is that a few of these scenes only made sense once the film ended. Rather than feeling natural and fitting in as the story progressed, they required the ending to actually make sense.

At 2 hours and 36 minutes, the film is just too long. The middle portion of the film is where this could have been resolved. The shaman had too much screen time performing various rituals that ended up not being very important. There was also a 'zombie' scene that felt awkward and didn't fit in with the rest of the movie. It seemed as though they wanted to put a zombie in the film just because of their growing popularity. This scene also brings in a number of random characters that serve no purpose in the rest of the film.

Despite a few scenes with the previously mentioned overacting, the acting generally speaking is fantastic. The father tasked with solving whatever is happening to his daughter, conveys the terror and hatred he is building up with an intense persona he carries throughout the film. A priest in training who comes in to give advice on what the father should do is equally effective. He brings a concerned and innocent quality to the terror that will ultimately happen. But it is the young daughter who gets sick, that really shines. Channeling her inner Linda Blair, she emphatically delivers horrible, dirty lines that no child should ever say. Her performance is truly terrifying as you watch the hatred in her eyes slowly take over.

As the film comes to an end, the religious overtones become clearer. Locusts attack an individual. White and black are used to suggest character's true nature. And it is in these scenes where the film truly shines. By slowly unveiling the real nature of certain characters, the last 45 minutes of the movie will change your perspective on the whole thing. Every few minutes you will switch sides when trying to determine whom to trust and only when the big reveal comes do you realize how detailed the setup to get there was. The reveal really puts a twist on everything that led up to it and the film ultimately becomes about the horrors of putting your faith in the wrong people.

The Wailing (2016) Directed by: Hong-jin Na Screenplay by: Hong-jin Na Starring: Woo-hee, Jeong-min Hwang, So-yeon Jang, and Do Won Kwak Run Time: 2 hours 36 minutes

Train to Busan (2016)

Great movie up to the last 30 minutes

[7/10 · 21 June 2016]

With such a high presence in both TV and film, zombies are becoming over used. Our fascination with them seems to quickly be coming to a close, so it takes something special to stand out. First time live action director, Sang-ho Yeon, has managed to craft a unique take on the undead by placing them on a train and adding a few things to their mythology. Despite underdeveloped characters and an overly sentimental final act, Train to Busan delivers a fresh take on the zombie movement that contains some extremely memorable set pieces.

The story revolves around a father who is taking his daughter to see his ex-wife. Yoo Gong plays the typical father who is more concerned with work than with family and does not always put people as his top priority. His daughter is the typical kid who knows how important other people are and always tries to do the right thing. This is where the film really falters. The characters fit perfectly into stereotypical roles and never feel like anything other than placeholders. There is the typical villain who never seems to die, the typical female characters who must rely on the men, and the group of people who blindly follow orders. There is one excretion however. During the train ride, the father and daughter encounter a couple with a child on the way. The man in this relationship is charismatic, charming, and above all, badass. When everything is about to go down, he is quick to suit up and prepare for a fight. This is the one character in the entire film that stands out and quickly becomes the reason you root for the characters to make it out.

There is also an incredibly emotional scene involving this character that really hits hard. The build up to the scene works well and because we are so attached to him, anytime he is at risk the stakes are raised. The scene is effective and almost brought tears to my eyes. This scene should have been the emotional climax of the film. Unfortunately the film goes on for about 30 more minutes and involves another emotional moment with the main character. This second scene however is not effective at all. Through flashbacks and an awkward script, the scene becomes cheesy and at a certain point comical. It didn't work and really took away from the previous emotional climax.

Typical of the zombie genre, the film does contain a social critique. Similar to Snowpiercer, the film uses its setting to comment on the class system and the social order we fall into. The businessman is ultimately the boss as he is superior in pedigree and it is up to everyone else to follow him or be cast aside. Additionally his character perfectly aligns with the dog eat dog world we live in today as he uses others for his own advantage. As he throws people to the wayside, literally to be devoured by those around them, it is clear the point that is being made.

Also borrowing from another film, the zombies here are fast. Just like in World War Z, they act like swarms of insects as they barrel through doorways and windows creating a sense of urgency slower zombies often fail to establish. They also look great. There are a few moments when they all swarm together, where it is clear CGI was used, but for the most part they used practical effects. The zombies move with disjointed, quick movements that make them very terrifying. It is almost painful to watch them contort their bodies as they converge on their victims.

The real unique characteristic though is that they cannot see well in the dark. This trait provides the basis for a number of intense set pieces as characters use sounds to mislead the zombies and navigate the claustrophobic setting from train car to train car.

Another great set piece involves the characters getting off the train. It appears as though they have reached a safe zone, but once they realize that they are mistaken, it becomes a race to get back on the train. Characters are killed, people are injured, and bonds are formed as people realize how much they need each other to survive. It is a nice diversion from what we have seen so far and gives the audience something different, yet equally intense, so the action doesn't get repetitive.

In the end however, the film does fail to keep us engaged. In the last 30 minutes, the film really starts to drag. The action is not as effective and then builds up to the disappointing emotional climax mentioned earlier. At this point, I just wanted our characters to reach safety, or die already. The very last scene however does work well. In a film filled with brutal action, it was nice to end on a heart-warming moment.

Train to Busan (2016) Directed by: Sang-ho Yeon Screenplay by: Sang-ho Yeon Starring: Yoo Gong, Dong-seok Ma, and Woo-sik Choi Run Time: 1 hour 58 minutes