While we still don't really have theaters back up and running and the summer movie season seems to be pretty much a bust, we can at least look towards the future. One movie that I had been looking forward in seeing as soon as it was announced was the bio-pic on the legendary Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin who passed away in 2018.
And after a forty-four second preview had been dropped last December, we are given a slightly longer peek at "Respect" which stars Academy-Award winner, Jennifer Hudson who had been hand selected by the Queen herself following some less likely suggestions to play her (uh, Halle Berry?). This project has long been in development and it is finally ready to hit the big screen in December.
Directed by Liesl Tommy (the Tony Award winning theater director making his feature-film debut), the movie covers the life of Franklin from her childhood as the daughter of the Rev. C. L. Franklin (played by Forest Whitaker) to her achieving worldwide acclaim and success as one of the greatest voices in popular music. And the supporting cast is impressive with six-time Tony winner, Audra McDonald playing Franklin's mother, Barbara Siggers Franklin; another Tony winner, Heather Headley as gospel artist, Clara Ward who was a great inspiration for Franklin; Marlon Wayans as Ted White, Franklin's first husband and manager; Marc Maron as Jerry Wexler, the producer who helped turn Franklin's fledgling career around and Mary J. Blige as jazz vocalist, Dinah Washington who was another idol to Franklin.
"Respect" is due in U.S. theaters on December 25, 2020August 13, 2021
Joel Schumacher, the filmmaker behind the '80's cult classics, "St. Elmo's Fire" and "The Lost Boys" and the final two installments of the first Batman film franchise; "Batman Forever" and the notorious, "Batman and Robin", has passed away on June 22nd at the age of eighty. He had been battling cancer over the last year.
Born in New York City, Schumacher began his professional career in the fashion industry after attending Parsons and the Fashion Institute of Technology in the city. It wasn't long before he realized his passion was actually in cinema. He headed West and got in to the movie business first as a costume designer, working on a couple of early Woody Allen films, "Sleeper" and "Interiors". Schumacher's first major break was getting the original screenplay he co-wrote with Howard Rosenman produced in 1976. "Sparkle" was set in the '60's about three sisters in Harlem who become a singing group and the difficulties they encounter during their climb to success. The film was not big success but would go on to achieve cult status and was remade by Whitney Houston in 2012 which she had stated was one of her favorite films.
Schumacher went on to write the scripts for the comedy, "Car Wash" and the film adaption of the musical, "The Wiz" before he got the opportunity to direct with "The Incredible Shrinking Woman" in 1981 which starred Lily Tomlin. While the film was not a critical nor box-office success, Schumacher went on to have an extensive film career. In addition to a couple of Brat Pack films (a term he disliked and found unfair to the actors), he directed two adaptions of John Grisham's novels; "The Client" and "A Time To Kill" (which helped make a star of Matthew McConaughey), "Flatliners", "8MM", "Falling Down", "The Number 23" and the big screen version of the long-running Broadway musical, "The Phantom of the Opera". The last feature Schumacher directed was "Trespass" in 2011, a crime-thriller that starred Nicolas Cage and Nicole Kidman which was sadly met with some of the worse reviews of his career.
Another of Schumacher's great gifts was identifying potential new talent and gave early star-making roles to McConaughey, Kiefer Sutherland ("Flatliners", "The Lost Boys"), Julia Roberts ("Flatliners", "Dying Young"), Demi Moore ("St. Elmo's Fire") and Colin Farrell ("Tigerland", "Phone Booth").
I don't think the wildly diverse work of Joel Schumacher has been fully appreciated. It's clear he liked to challenge himself as he made a variety of different films in all genres of cinema. And while the outcome may not have always been entirely successful, his films still managed to be entertaining and worth watching. Joel Schumacher was an amazing talent who will be certainly be missed.
As Los Angeles begins to open back up after months of a shut-down, allowing some of life's pleasures to resume as we once knew, there seems to be one glaring omission. Movie theaters in the city have strangely still not been given an approval to reopen although department stores, gyms, day-care centers, summer camps, museums, restaurants and even film production all have been allowed to continue under strict guidelines. I guess I wasn't aware of how life-threatening going to the movies must be compared to sweating and breathing heavy in a gym.
Now there is a problem with movies resuming across the country. Nervous studios keep delaying their upcoming major releases which means that movie theaters don't have anything new to screen which means audiences have no incentive to return to the theaters. I'm sure this will be sorted out at some point and we will ultimately have something of a summer movie season. In the meantime, I'm still at home watching movies. I have purchased new films to stream a couple of times yet it's just not very satisfactory to me. Call me old-fashioned, that's perfectly fine but I know what I like. If I'm spending top dollar for a new release, I want a big screen and popcorn to complete the experience. Anyway, here are a couple of films I watched in honor of LGBTQ month:
"Victim" (1961)
When the British drama, "Victim" from director, Basil Dearden was released in 1961, it was met with emphatic calls for censorship from the British Film Board and the US Production Code refused to give the film it's seal of approval. The fuss over this movie was simply because it dealt directly with the issue of homosexuality (which the act was illegal in the United Kingdom until 1967) and many believed that the subject was far too distasteful for the average movie-goer. But "Victim" was ultimately released in both countries and while it was hardly a box-office smash, the film received some critical praise and found a receptive audience, helping (in a small way) towards changing attitudes on homosexuality, at least in Britain.
Dirk Bogarde plays Melville Farr, a successful barrister (a lawyer to the Yanks) who is on his way to being appointed as a judge. Happily married with a lovely wife, Laura (Sylvia Syms), life appears very good for Farr. But he has being carrying a deep, dark secret; Farr is attracted to men. Jack "Boy" Barrett (Peter McEnery), a young working class man who Farr had a close friendship, tries desperately to contact him, even calling him at his home. Farr refuses to speak to him, fearing Barrett wants to blackmail him about their affair. But it's Barnett who is actually being blackmailed over a suggestive photo of him with Farr. After being arrested for stealing from his employers to pay Sandy Youth (Derren Nesbitt), the leader of the blackmail ring, Barnett feels he no longer has anything to live for. When Farr discovers the truth, he goes to other victims of the blackmailers in order to encourage them to help him fight back against them.
By today's standards, "Victim" is far too routine and discreet. Yet in it's day, this was considered a daring political statement and highly explosive subject matter. Mr. Bogarde delivers a compelling performance as a coldly, reserved man who we watch visibly transform as he begins to accept and become more honest with himself. Many critics referred to Bogarde's appearance here as "courageous" and to be honest, it was brave for the popular British actor to take on this role as it certainly could have derailed his career during this time. Even though most of the Pride parades, festivals and parties have been cancelled this year, that doesn't mean we should not continue to celebrate the LGBTQ communities this month. "Victim" serves as a potent reminder of a time, not that long ago, when being gay was a criminal offense and how lives could easily be destroyed if this information went public. We have come very far yet, as hate crimes against gays and the senseless deaths of trans people continue to rise, we still have far to go.
"Sunday Bloody Sunday" (1971)
"Sunday Bloody Sunday", a drama from director, John Schlesinger, deals with a subject that has still been rarely tackled in cinema: bisexuality. Peter Finch plays Daniel Hirsh, a middle-aged, closeted gay doctor. Glenda Jackson is Alex Greville, a divorcee seeking some excitement. What they have in common is Bob Elkin (Murray Head), a carefree, young man who creates art instillations. And he is the lover of them both.
As Bob drifts between Daniel and Alex, unwilling to settle down, the idea of knowingly having to share for the affections of the mercurial young artist becomes far more difficult as each wants to spend more time with him. But since the story is set in Britain, this complicated love triangle remains very civilized with stiff upper lips, deeply suppressed emotions and voices rarely ever being raised. As we watch Bob going back and forth, loving and manipulating each partner, the film seems to point out that free love and open relationships tends to work out better in concept than execution.
Mr. Schlesinger, who had directed the only X-rated film to win a Best Picture Oscar with his previous film, "Midnight Cowboy", wanted to push the boundaries of what could be shown in film even further with this provocative story that features chaste yet still daring love scenes between the two men. What was also surprising (and very refreshing) was that neither Bob nor Daniel, although they are both discreet, never agonized over their sexuality or relationship.
The only character we see really suffering is Alex who is also having difficulties with her dead-end job in addition to the growing frustration about her love life. And Ms Jackson's performance is the true standout here. The actress commands every scene in which she appears, managing to make Alex's brooding and caustic wit utterly charming. I also realized that this is the first time I have seen a screen performance by the acclaimed, two-time Oscar-winning, now-eighty-four year old Jackson and I have been missing out. And be on the look-out for a fourteen year old Daniel Day-Lewis making his uncredited film debut as the future three-time Best Actor Oscar-winner appears very briefly as one of a group of children causally damaging cars with broken glass and coins.
June is LGBTQ month and usually a time for massive celebration. But with parades and parties cancelled over health concerns, watching cinema can be a nice back-up plan. There have been plenty of films over the years which told moving stories on the difficulties and struggles in coming-out to the world. However there is much more to the gay experience which sometimes can be complicated, messy and dangerous.
Richard Lawson of Vanity Fair has assembled ten movies that focuses on other moments that people in the LGBTQ communities may encounter in their lives. There is also included a listing of all of the sites that are currently streaming each of these titles.
If you were to run in to actress, Amy Ryan on the street, it's not likely you would recognize her. While the actress, who was nominated for an Oscar in 2007 for her credible turn as a a hardened welfare mother in "Gone Baby Gone", has consistently delivered nuanced yet impassioned performances throughout her lengthy career of playing varied working class women, Ryan appears to also physically transform with each role. With this remarkable ability, she is far less of a screen personality and more identifiable as a skilled character actor.
In "Lost Girls", the grim narrative film from award-winning documentarian, Liz Garbus, Ryan delivers another extraordinary performance playing a weary, hard-working, single mother who becomes the relentless catalyst in pushing the police to actively investigate the disappearance of her daughter, leading to the discovery of several unsolved murders of young women by a possible serial killer.
Overworked and underpaid, Mari Gilbert (Ryan) is part of the current American working-class having to work two jobs yet still barely getting by. With two teenage daughters, Sherre (Thomasin McKenzie) and Sarra (Oona Laurence) living with her in Long Island, she struggles with trying to be a good mother yet being away for long hours trying to provide for them. Mari has an older daughter, Shannan (Sarah Wisser), out on her own, also struggling to make a living but has made a different choice in line of work.
When she doesn't hear from Shannan, Mari begins asking her daughter's friends and acquaintances if they have seen her. As more time goes by, she becomes very concerned and contacts the police. But after realizing that a search for her daughter would hardly become a priority, especially after it's revealed that she's been involved as a sex worker, Mari takes matters in to her own hands, beginning her own investigation in finding Shannan. Without much to begin with beyond a 911 call from her daughter screaming for help after meeting a client, Mari tracks down many of the people who were with Shannan on that last night she was seen, aggressively questioning them.
Based on the best-selling, non-fiction account by Robert Kolker, "Lost Girls" examines the tragic injustice in how the police decides which individuals (with thousands ending up missing and most likely deceased in the U.S. alone) are considered worthy of taking extra investigative steps in the search for them. To be fair, some of this certainly is determined by necessity as there are only so many cops to do this overwhelming job. Yet still the poor, most people of color, the Trans community and working girls don't manage to rank high on their list.
Liz Garbus has had an extensive career making haunting sociopolitical documentaries which includes "The Farm: Angola, USA" about the notorious Louisiana State Penitentiary; "The Execution of Wanda Jean" which looks at the first African-American woman to be executed in the US since 1954; "The Nazi Officer's Wife" reveals the shocking story of Edith Hahn, a Jewish woman who married a member of the Nazi Party and the examination of the tumultuous life and career of musician, Nina Simone in "What Happened, Miss Simone?". This is the director's first narrative film and while she displays many of her formidable skills as a storyteller, "Lost Girls" does not feel as urgent and compelling as it should. This story does bring attention and dignity to these forgotten young women yet the film's beats are overly familiar, never rising much beyond a solid but average episode of "Law & Order".
But Ryan's performance certainly helps with elevating this drama. With a gruff, intense and highly volatile presence, Mari hardly comes across as sympathetic. Yet she still earns our respect, softening and becoming maternal during the times when it's really needed. Not willing to sit around waiting for the police to do their job, Mari plasters the station's bulletin board with homemade missing person posters, demanding attention. This aggressive action finally gets her some consideration from Richard Dormer (Gabriel Byrne), a weary police Commissioner who actually takes a personal interest in her case.
The missing poster is the only clear picture we get of Shannan with the only other opportunities are blurry images of her during the night of her disappearance. What we learn of Shannan is revealed through angry, confrontational conversations between Mari and her daughters and the few people who had came in to contact with her. But with so little information and backstory of Shannan, this makes it difficult to make an emotional connection and feel a deep sense of loss for this young woman.
"Lost Girls" is an uneven yet important work, putting in to sharp focus how these vulnerable, young women, who were someone's loving daughter, sister, mother or friend, did not deserve the tragic fate that would ultimately define their short lives. The failure that we continue not to address the conditions that leads to so many poor and powerless women feeling like they have few options but to undertake risky and degrading occupations is the true tragedy of this story.
With the country still reeling from effects of the coronavirus pandemic, the senseless murder of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis has unexpectedly triggered worldwide mass protests and finally brought serious attention to another even longer simmering pandemic facing America; systemic racism against African-Americans.
The challenging and difficult experiences of African-Americans in this country has been explored in cinema. To help educate and share these stories, many streaming channels will be offering free screenings of a variety of feature films and documentaries throughout the month of June. The Los Angeles Times has compiled a listing of the participating digital sites like TheCriterion Channel, Showtime and PBS. There will be films available to rent for free across many streaming platforms in the US and includes Ava DuVernay's 2014 film, "Selma" and "Just Mercy" from last year about the life work of civil-rights attorney, Bryan Stevenson who is played by Michael B. Jordan and also stars Oscar-winners, Brie Larson and Jamie Foxx.
Some of the chosen movies will play at other film festivals later this year (if they are able to go ahead) and a small number of films that were expected to screen at Cannes this year will wait to debut at next year's festival. It had been previously announced that director, Spike Lee was set to head the jury (which he will preside over next year) and his latest feature with Netflix, "Da 5 Bloods" would have played Out of Competition.
Here is the list of official selections from what would have been the 73rd Cannes Film Festival:
"The French Dispatch" by Wes Anderson (USA)
"ÉTÉ 85 (Summer '85)" by François Ozon (France)
"En Route Pour Le Milliard (The Billion Road)" by Dieudo Hamadi (Democratic Republic of Congo)
"The Truffle Hunters" by Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw (USA)
"9 Jours à Raqqa" by Xavier de Lauzanne (France)
"Aya To Majo (Earwig and the Witch)" by Gorô Miyazaki (Japan)
"Flee" by Jonas Poher Rasmussen (Denmark)
"Josep" by Aurel (France)
"Soul" by Pete Docter (USA)
