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Cartuna Day 7: BUNNY & THE BULL, DELIVER US FROM EVIL, YOUTH IN REVOLT, LIFE DURING WARTIME + more!
CARTUNA REPORTING - TIFF DAY SEVEN
Okay, kids...
Day Seven of TIFF has concluded.
It was a mostly great day, with some more awesome films.
Here they are:
LESLIE, MY NAME IS EVIL
directed by - Reginald Harkema
The short version:
Didn’t like this one at all. It wanted to be edgy, shocking, funny, but was none of these things. I wouldn’t recommend it.
The long version:
This is one that I went into with no real expectations. Which is good, I guess, because I doubt it would’ve met any.
The movie partly concerns itself with telling the story of Leslie Van Houten, and partly is about a dude who is picked to be on her jury during the Manson Family Trial. And partly, it’s about a bunch of 60s era documentary footage haphazardly jammed in between. But really, it doesn’t seem to be about much of anything at all. It seems to have no real opinion, except maybe that religious conservatives are mean.
This movie has aspirations to be over-the-top and edgy, but never does anything particularly surprising or revolutionary. The director made claims before the film about it being hyper-stylized and anti-realist. If anything it was slightly-stylized and false, and neither element felt like a conscious choice so much as the result of extreme laziness from people who just couldn’t be bothered to build complete sets or pay attention to historical accuracy.
It seems to want to try to ‘explain’ Leslie Van Houten, but isn’t willing to spend the time with her, and think beyond the shallow and obvious: her folks got divorced, her mom wouldn’t let her keep her unplanned pregnancy, Charlie was a surrogate father to her.
Then, abruptly, the film turns towards her juror. A man from a conservative family who has never been exposed to any 60s hippie ideals, and whose mind is ripe to be blown, if only he could get past his oppressive upbringing. In tone and intention, these storylines are utterly different and opposed. Rather than building on one another, they fight for attention, and as a result, the movie is fractured and aimless.
I’m sure there will be those who see this film, that are offended by it screwing around with the stories of real people and situations. It will be accused of exploitation, and that’s certainly a fair, if pointless, charge. But none of this would matter if the film had something greater to reveal by playing fast and loose with the facts. But it doesn’t.
The film has a kind of a nasty, mocking tone. And instead of forcing us to look more closely at the people and attitudes that it targets, it just comes off as childish and insulting. Like the screaming guy on the soapbox loses any chance of actually being heard, whatever commentary this film hoped to make is lost in its own snarky tone.
YOUTH IN REVOLT
directed by - Miguel Arteta
The short version:
Pretty funny. Not anything earth-shattering, but I wouldn’t have a problem with seeing it again.
The long version:
For those who do not like Michael Cera, this movie will be torture. He is center-screen from pretty much the full running-time, and for some of the film, he is onscreen in duplicate, so be forewarned. For those of us who like him, well... The same warning applies.
Michael Cera’s Nick has little hope of ever losing his virginity. His interests and pretensions are just not likely to ever match up with those of anyone of the opposite sex, a fact of which he is aware, if not quite accepting.
His life is uprooted, when his fractured family goes on the run from sailors, angry at being conned by Nick’s mom’s boyfriend. They end up living in a trailer park, where he meets Sheeni, the rare girl who he could really connect with, and a real doll, too. He falls head over heels immediately, and pursues and more or less wins her shortly after.
But what lengths will he need to go to in order to be with her, when her parents take a disliking to him? Well, pretty darn far, actually.
It’s a funny film, but not one that fully engaged me. Maybe the leads were just a bit too willfully pretentious, or the situations felt somewhat forced. I’m not sure. I certainly laughed a lot, I guess I just hoped for more of a connection to be made.
In order to win the girl, Nick must discover his darker side. This comes in the guise of Francois, Nick’s dark side, personified as a second Nick, with a pencil-thin moustache and CREEPY blue contacts. This actually allows Cera to venture beyond the standard fairly narrow territory where he usually plays, and I was a bit surprised by the result, which was distinctly different (if a bit one-dimensional by necessity). Based on this, I look forward to Cera taking on something more against-type in the future.
In embracing his inner bad-boy, Nick ends up pulling some pretty questionable shit, and it’s a testament to both the filmmaking and the appeal of Cera himself that we’re willing to to continue on with him beyond that point.
The supporting cast does fine work as well, with most given individual opportunities to shine. Though, between this, Big Love and City of Ember, Mary Kay Place is getting a bit typecast as Hollywood’s go-to religious fanatic matriarch. As Sheeni, Portia Doubleday is someone that you can well imagine falling head-over-heels for, even if she is a bit of a games-player.
Ultimately, I didn’t like this quite as much as last year’s Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist - this one had a bit more of an edge, and not quite as much sweetness. But nevertheless, there’s lots here to like, and I’m glad I got the chance to see it.
LIFE DURING WARTIME
directed by - Todd Solondz
The short version: Fantastic. A great and worthy sequel to Happiness.
The long version:
A convict child rapist is released from prison, just as his ex-wife has found a new love. As she embarks on this new relationship, her young son, who had always been told that his father was dead, learns the truth and struggles to understand what it means. Meanwhile, her sister is hounded by a ghost from her past, just as she separates from her own husband. Everyone is searching for a kind of happiness, but no one seems to find anything but misery.
Wow. I had no idea that this was actually a direct sequel to Happiness. From what I had heard beforehand, I was under the impression that it was a spiritual sequel which covered similar ground and had a few characters with the same names. But, no, unless I’m very much mistaken (which is entirely possible) this is an actual sequel picking up on many of the stories from the original film, with one strange distinction: it has been entirely recast!
I’m not sure what the thinking was behind this - whether it was purposeful from the start or a smart adaptation when some of the original cast was unavailable or not interested in returning, but it’s a smart choice, and allows this film to really stand on its own as a companion piece to Happiness, rather than just an extension.
And it really does stand on its own. It could easily be seen and enjoyed without any knowledge of the earlier film. The original was pretty much complete and self-contained, and as much as I liked it, I’d be surprised to hear that there were many people clamoring for a sequel. But, unlike most cash-grab second chapters, this one really does have something to say beyond the first. It builds on and elaborates as we catch up with some of the same folks ten years down the road.
It doesn’t have quite the same power as its predecessor, but that’s because the previous felt like a film of events, while this is more a film of repercussions.
It’s filled with all of the awkward and painful characters and situations that we’ve come to look forward to from Solondz, and above all, his honesty and humor. He’s a very specific type of filmmaker with a particular voice, and I think people can gauge from their reaction to any single example of his work how they will respond to all of it. If you don’t tend to dig his films, this one won’t change your mind. If you’re already a fan, then you’re in for a treat.
DELIVER US FROM EVIL
directed by - Ole Borndedal
The short version:
Awesome, with a sneaky left hook. A confident film of escalating tension. I’d highly recommend it.
The long version:
When a truck-driver covers up his accidental running-over of a beloved local woman, one bad deed leads to another, until society in the small town seems to be on the brink of utter anarchy.
Right from the start, this film is on the offensive. Even the introductions of its principle players come across almost like an attack. We’re pretty quickly thrown into the covering up of a murder, and the framing of an innocent outsider. But the main focus seems to be on pre-existing tensions in the town between the haves and have-nots, as exemplified by the shiftless dickhead truck-driver and the hardworking and much better-off brother whose life he envies to the point of vicious anger.
It doesn’t take much to upset the town’s delicate balance and send things spiraling into a Straw Dogs territory. And that’s when things really go to hell.
Everyone is fantastic in this film, but for me the stand-out is the husband of the dead woman. He starts the film as the town’s grand old man, who unknown to anyone, harbors an incredibly dark and tormented inner life, and whose capacity for evil has only ever been held in check by the love and kindness of his gentle wife. In her absence, his demons are free to take over, and they are more than happy to be let out of the bottle.
I was on the edge of my seat for most of this movie, and would be happy to see it again, though... maybe not right away.
BUNNY AND THE BULL
directed by - Paul King
The short version:
Funny, smart, inventive, dumb-in-a-good-way, and ultimately pretty touching. I’d recommend it.
The long version:
So’s you know, I come into this with zero familiarity with the Mighty Boosh.
Oddly, this is the second film I’ve seen this festival which is largely set in a single cramped apartment with an Agoraphobic protagonist who leads an imaginative inner life. Of the two, this is by far the one I prefer.
Stephen hasn’t left his flat in a year. At that point, something traumatic happened, with which he has never been fully able to cope. He’s now insulated himself in his apartment with a comfortable routine, and little-to-no contact with the outside world. It is only when mice get in, and eat up his food supplies that he is forced to consider going outside, and as a result, forced to face his trauma, and relive the events of a road-trip through Europe that he’d taken with his best friend, Bunny.
This film came as a nice little surprise. It felt like everyone making the film was really having fun, and wanted us to as well.
I’m not sure which actors from this film were previously part of the comedy troupe, (though applause on some of the entrances led me to believe that many were) but there is a real comfort at play between the castmembers, all of whom seem to have real rapport and great trust for one another.
Bunny, in particular, is a wonderful invention. Hilariously vulgar and obtuse, but a guy who you’d really do well to have on your side.
Visually, the film is gorgeous. All of the remembrances of times past are recreated in heightened style, through the compositing of characters into home-made crafty worlds filled with stop-motion and miniatures. This is a great idea, and works fantastically well. The film has a really unique (and appropriate) look-and-feel and just wouldn’t have felt the same without it.
A great and fun movie to end the day on, and one that I look forward to seeing again.
So, there we are.
But can it be possible? Is it really true? Are there only three more days to this year’s Festival? Can you call it a light at the end of the tunnel, when you really enjoy the tunnel itself?
Anyway, five more today. I’ll let you know about them tomorrow.
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but,really, I loved all the short versions .stick with that!
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I dont understand the appeal of it or how any one could find it anyway entertaining.
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Damn that really IS cool news.Goth Juice, the strongest hairspray known to man, it's made from the tears of Robert Smith.
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I mean seriously .its like a demonic version of an episode of trash Nip/Tuck. fucking kids wanking on a balcony, dog licking it up and then licking the kids mothers face?!? Sympathetic pedo rapists? Memorable? Sure, but so is getting raped and or beaten up. I fucking hate movies with gratuitous kiddie rape scenes. They wont make a decent Superman movie but they’ll green-light this rubbish? enjoy your sick movie, sickos!!
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...but it sure smells good!
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But directed by their director and with cameos from Noel and Julian.
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I like Boosh, but I always feel like it ought to be funnier. As british sit coms go, I really enjoy Peep Show - no one seems to know it in the states.
I think Cera really ought to take a break for awhile - he is headed for Rogen level backlash if he doesn't lay off. It wouldn't hurt him to take some roles outside of his patented awkward, soft spoken teen dork. It seems as though he is trying to do something along these lines with Youth in Revolt, but it still feels like too little too late. -
Peep Show is utter genius. The sixth series is starting tomorrow night at 10pm on Channel 4. You'll no doubt be able to torrent it soon after.
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...computer stuff bores me, is "torrent" like "stream"...but more and faster? Leak<Cataract?
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...should the progression be: Leak, Trickle, Stream, Spew, Torrent, Cataract?
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Why is everyone so excited for this film. And why does every critic want to tell me how this is Micheal Cera like YOU'VE NEVER SEEN HIM BEFORE! Ummm no its not, just because he's bad and says mean things doesn't mean he's all of the sudden a fucking character actor. It looks like the same Micheal Cera schtick. Hopefully Zombieland blows up huge because while the kid in that movie is annoying, he's like Micheal Cera lite. Also Micheal, you still owe me $10 for the free screening of Year One I went to. I will hold you to that.
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Matt Berry & Rich Fulcher, for those wondering.
Other than Mighty Boosh you can check out Snuff Box.
Berry is on It Crowd and in The Devils Chair and Garth Marenghi's Darkplace. -
Man can he play some mumbletypeg.
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Get all my viewing for the next season done in a week rather then waste my weekends.
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Torrents are a way of downloading shared files (usually illgally)like napster or limewire. you download a torrent program like bittorrent and install it. then you use your normal browser like internet explorer or firefox dosnt matter, google say "woverine origins torrent" and a bunch of sites like pirate bay or isohunt will have a tiny torrent file to download which usually automaticly opens your bitorrent program which grabs bits of the movie from the thousands of hard drives of every one else who currenty has the movie on there computer and is on the internet, depending on how many people have the particular movie/program/show your trying to get it can take a few minutes to a few hours to download. once you have it (usually in a dvd quality dvix file) you can eather watch it on your puter of what i do is hook mine to my lcd tv ,practically as good as dvds plus free free free (illegal but fuck it they cant take us all) freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
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Tim Pocock, who played the young Scott Summers/Cyclops in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, has revealed that he will reprise the role in 20th Century Fox's X-Men: First Class.
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And video streamers like WDTV are fairly inexpensive. DLD the file, toss it on flashdrive, watch it via HDMI.
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It must be awful! Nick and Nora and was painful and pretentious - that's a Michael Cera film from which I want 90 minutes of my life back! But I do want to see Youth in Revolt. Trailer looks good.
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but I FUCKING HATED Nick and Norahs infinite shitlist. I don't give a fuck how drunk you are, if you drop your gum in a toilet filled with vomit, you're not going to reach for it, and then put it back in your mouth. Fucking terrible movie. Life During Wartime looks great though.
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Boris Kodjoe, who stars in the upcoming Surrogates and was previously seen in Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion, has joined Milla Jovovich in Screen Gems' Resident Evil: Afterlife. He revealed the casting on his Twitter account:
In Toronto meeting with the director of my new movie 'Resident Evil: Afterlife' Very exciting!!! Lots of stunts, shooting guns, monsters...
That director is Paul W.S. Anderson (who is married to Jovovich). Anderson directed the first film in the franchise and wrote and produced the other two.
Resident Evil: Afterlife is scheduled to hit theaters on August 27, 2010. -
Much better than The Invention of Lying. That kind of sucked.
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Thanks man - I check out BBC every now and then to see when the 6th season is coming out. I've watched the first 5 a couple of times now. Mitchel and Webb are one of the best comedy teams ever, imo. It is a real shame that their one shot at a movie (Magicians) was real crap. I'll keep an eye out.
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Why are they making First Class? I'd really rather see some of the newer generations - haven't we seen enough of the original team? Are people really excited about this?
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I think its a bad idea also.original x-men iceman,and angel are out since they had to use them in the first trilogy? I really don`t know who they can use now.young jean gray,storm,beast ect will just be stupid. I would have loved a time travel story were bishop or cable comes back and makes it so that X3 never happens:) Cable is out since he was the son of jean and scott (both dead?) I hoped that Marvel would have gotten the franchise back on track,but that aint likely.Possibly a story involving magnetos kids (quicksilver and the scarlett witch) being in the team to start with? I don`t know.....Mutant high school musical staring miley cyrus and the jonas brothers? Wouldnt that just kill it all:)
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insisted on putting HAPPINESS in the comedy section
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is if he'd tie an anchor to his leg and jump out into The Pacific Ocean.
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That just looks ignorant.
Yes, Paul King directed seasons 2 and 3 of The Mighty Boosh. But every Boosh episode is written by Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt.
The Bunny and The Bull was WRITTEN AND DIRECTED by Paul King. This is his movie. Noel and Julian have small cameos in film because they are good friends of Paul. Richard Ayoade, who has appeard in a few episodes of The Mighty Boosh, also has a small part.
I don't mean to sound rude, but calling this film a Boosh project is taking away from how big an accomplishment it is for Paul King.
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