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Spencer

Kristen Stewart shines in Pablo Larraín’s latest drama Spencer. Told over the time span of Christmas and Boxing Day in 1991, the story follows Princess Diana (Stewart) as she has a mental breakdown due to Prince Charles’ infidelity, public scrutiny and the unwavering pressures that come with being a member of the royal family. Princess Diana is someone the audience will already be protective of and Stewart does a fantastic job portraying her not as a victim but of a free spirit trapped in a outdated lifestyle that prevents her from being her true authentic self. This is a story of a woman who just wanted to be loved. 

This is a great role for Stewart. And although I couldn’t help but watch her performance and feel like this is an actress pretending to be Princess Diana, she did do a fantastic job getting the mannerisms and portraying Di’s loneliness and despair. It’s a tough watch especially for those of us who hold the memory of Di close to our hearts. Timothy Spall is incredible as Major Alistair Gregory as is Sally Hawkins as Princess Di’s closest confidante Maggie.

Spencer is distributed by Neon. It’s currently playing in select theaters and available to rent on demand.

Posted 1 Comment on The Power of the Dog Female Filmmakers

The Power of the Dog

Director Jane Campion is a force to be reckoned with. Her latest film, the sweeping Western The Power of the Dog, is simply put a masterpiece.

Set in 1920s Montana, the film stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Phil Burbank, a troubled  rancher with a domineering streak. He runs a cattle drive with his brother George (Jesse Plemons) who is the polar opposite of him; a much more subdued and gentle soul. When George falls in love with widow Rose (Kirsten Dunst), Phil’s world seems to be turned upside down. He despises George’s new wife and her slender and effeminate teenage son Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee).  Rose turns to alcohol to deal with the turbulent situation with Phil and Peter develops a strange bond with Phil that is ultimately volatile.

Stunningly shot, almost every frame of The Power of the Dog seems like it could be framed and hung up in a museum. There is a brutality to the setting that adds a sense of cruelty to the story and the characters. The landscape is unforgiving and so are the people who exist on it. I love how objects hold power in the story: a cowhide, a paper flower, a  memorial plate, a stack of magazines, etc. This film begs to be watched more than once. 

The characters are fascinating. Phil and Peter’s sexuality is explored in such a subtle yet powerful way.  I particularly enjoyed the performances by Benedict Cumberbatch who gives his role a natural intensity it deserves and Dunst whom we follow so anxiously as her character wallows in despair.

Jane Campion is one of my favorite directors. The Portrait of a Lady (1996), although not considered one of her best, is a personal favorite.  The Power of the Dog is a triumph and I hope we see more from her very soon.

The Power of the Dog is currently streaming on Netflix.

Posted Film Reviews

The Dry

Based on the bestselling novel by Jane Harper and directed by Robert Connolly, The Dry follows Aaron Falk (Eric Bana), a federal agent who returns to his hometown to investigate a gruesome homicide. What looks to be a murder-suicide, leaving a father, mother and son dead and an infant child an orphan, is slowly unraveling to be something quite different. Falk is no stranger to the community but is ultimately unwelcome given his connection to the mysterious death of a teenage girl some 20 years ago. The story alternates between the two mysteries as Falk finds himself trying to solve both.

An enthralling drama, perfectly paced, the mystery unfolds so methodically that it keeps its viewer enthralled. Eric Bana carries this movie beautifully.  A must-see for any true crime fanatic.

The Dry is distributed by IFC Films.

Posted Documentaries

Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck in Time

“I have written again and again about ordinary people who have tried to behave decently in an indecent society.”

Kurt Vonnegut

One of the greatest writers of the 20th century, Kurt Vonnegut (1922-2007), is the subject of a new documentary by filmmaker Robert Weide and co-directed by Don Argott. Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck in Time is a comprehensive look at the life and work of a brilliant mind through the eyes of a close friend. This documentary has been a long time in the making. Weide had first approached Vonnegut back in 1989 and started filming in 1994. Audiences sees lots of now archival footage of Vonnegut out and about, launching his last novel Timequake, interviews with Vonnegut’s children and nephews and extensive footage of Vonnegut and Weide’s close friendship.

The film explores Vonnegut’s childhood in Indiana, the trauma that drove his creativity after serving in WWII, his family life, his fruitful career as a magazine writer, the publication of Slaughterhouse-Five and much more. Because the filmmaker was a close friend of Vonnegut’s this biography already comes with some bias. I don’t feel like this hurt the film because it watches as a love letter from a friend to a cultural icon than perhaps a straightforward documentary. That adds a layer that fans of Vonnegut will appreciate. It reminded a bit of Martin Scorsese’s documentary A Letter to Elia (2010).

“Vonnegut took huge social, philosophical, existential, and religious issues and filtered them through this great sense of humor, this sort of grounded, simple, Midwestern sensibility. He was a humorist in the same vein as Mark Twain.”

Robert Weide

Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck in Time is distributed by IFC Films and available to rent on demand.

Posted Film Reviews

Monday

Mickey (Sebastian Stan) and Chloe (Denise Gough) are two thirty-something American expats living abroad in Athens, Greece. On one alcohol-fueled night, they meet at a party and their attraction is instant. After waking up naked on the beach the next day, Mickey and Chloe are inseparable. Chloe decides to stay behind with Mickey and they give a romantic relationship ago. The story follows them on a series of Fridays all leading up to an important Monday when Mickey will be able to resume shared custody of his son.

Directed by Argyris Papadimitropoulos, Monday meanders, which matches its beach-side vibe but does not necessarily make for an engaging plot. Chloe and Mickey are complex characters which makes them interesting but they require a particular type of viewer to sympathize with them and their journey. With that said, Denise Gough is a fantastic actress and adds gravitas to an otherwise breezy story. Worth watching for her performance.

Monday is distributed by IFC Films. 

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