THE FAULT IN OUR STARS (2014)

Written by Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber


Directed by Josh Boone


Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA. June 8, 2014 4:15PM



"The Fault In Our Stars" is the best-selling YA novel by John Green that tells the tender tale of two ailing teenagers who fall in love. It's no surprise that Hollywood wanted to get on board but would anyone beyond the rabid fans of this wildly popular novel really be willing to sit through this young romance under tragic circumstances? To be perfectly honest, I was resistant to the idea myself but "Stars", with a sensitive script by Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber, the team behind the delightful "(500)Days of Summer" and effective direction by Josh Boone, manages to blend the right amount of joy, humor and heartbreak. Despite some moments that fall heavy on the sappy side, overall the film works thanks in large part to a breath-taking, star-making performance by Shailene Woodley. I would be shocked if the twenty-two year old actress is not a serious contender for an Oscar. She's that good here.

Ms Woodley plays Hazel Grace Lancaster, a sixteen year old with thyroid cancer that has spread to her lungs. She's on medication to help slow the progression and has to carry an oxygen tank to aid in her breathing. Her loving but concerned parents (Laura Dern and Sam Trammell of "True Blood") are worried that Hazel doesn't have any friends and insist she try a support group to meet people. Highly resistant to the idea and ready to stop going after a few meetings, along comes the dreamy form of Augustus Waters (Ansel Elgort), a young cancer patient in remission who lost a leg to the disease. Once he locks eyes with Hazel Grace, he's completely smitten and finds her anti-social behavior quite endearing. Hazel tries to withstand his persistent pursuit but eventually he softens her tough exterior.

The two bond over Hazel's favorite book that happens to deal with a young girl's struggle with cancer but the obscure ending frustrates them both. Hazel would love to talk to the author, Peter Van Houten to find out the meaning but he has become a recluse living in Amsterdam. After making contact with the assistant to the writer, Augustus generously offers Hazel Grace the use of his charitable wish so they can fly to Sweden to get answers personally from Van Houten. Despite a health set-back for Hazel, they make the trip (with mom to chaperon) and meet the writer, played by Willem Dafoe. If you haven't read the book, I'll stop here. Not because anything particularly shocking or surprising happens but the inevitable tears that flow will feel better earned if you're caught somewhat off guard. With the specter of imminent doom always hanging over the young lovers, at least a few tears are most certainly unavoidable but surprisingly, you don't feel manipulated as the waterworks come from an organic place.

While Ms Woodley was able to bring a sense of naturalism to her role, Mr. Elgort is not nearly as fortunate. Even with those sweet, puppy dog eyes working overtime, the actor has no clue on how to convincingly sell these gooey lines of devotion he is given. The script also does him no favors by managing to make Augustus simultaneously a charming, slightly goofy, gentleman but also kind of creepy. His passion for Hazel Grace is so intense and relentless that, at times, makes you feel concerned for her safety.

"The Fault In Our Stars" plays like any other glossy romance although told from an unconventional fatalistic angle.The film largely succeeds as it takes a more truthful look at love and human connection on borrowed time at the moment when life should just be beginning. It's well known that there is no happy ending but you get to experience all of the elation and sorrow of first love expertly portrayed by a rising new talent.

2014 OUTFEST FILM FESTIVAL

It's almost that time again for the Outfest Film Festival. This celebration of cinema that explores the lives of the LGBT communities will begin on July 10th and continue on through July 20th. As ususal, there will be a fascinating slate of films from around the globe.

The opening night presentation will be "Life Partners", the debut feature from director, Susanna Fogel and will screen at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Los Angeles. This comedy tells the story of two close friends (Leighton Meester from TV's "Gossip Girl" and Gillian Jacobs from "Community") who realize that the longest relationship they have ever had is with each other. To remedy this situation, they both decide to explore internet dating with some interesting results. Adam Brody, Kate McKinnon from "SNL" and Gabourey Sidibe also star.



The closing night film at the Ford Amphitheatre is "Space Station 76", the first film written and directed by comic actor, Jack Plotnick ("Girls Will Be Girls"). This spoof of '70's sci-fi tells the story of the crew of a space station, lead by a closeted captain (Patrick Wilson), that is shaken-up by the arrival of a new female member (Liv Tyler) which sets off this wild and wacky romp.

In between, there are Centerpiece screenings with documentary ("My Prairie Home"), U.S. dramatic feature("Appropriate Behavior") and two international ("The Way He Looks", "Lilting") films being represented.






The festival also has a series entitled "Provocateurs" which is a collection of films that looks in to the lives of early pioneers who were fearless and outspoken with their desire to break the long-standing rules of society. These figures include filmmakers Bruce Labruce and Wakefield Poole, scholar, José Esteban Muñoz, performance artist, Kate Bornstein and feminist writer, Susan Sontag.







Tickets are on sale now. For the complete list of films and venues, please go to:

OUTFEST 2014

GODZILLA (2014)

Written by Max Borenstein


Directed by Gareth Edwards


Where & When:  CineStar at The Sony Center,  Berlin, Germany. May 20, 2014  2:00PM


Godzilla, the undisputed king of the monsters, first started its reign of terror on Japanese audiences back in 1956. This campfest became a box-office sensation there. Raymond Burr, a little-known actor at the time, was spliced in to an English-language version a few years later and an international star was born. Although this giant sea creature's appearance came across slightly more cuddly than frightening, by today's standards anyway, it worked well enough to scare and excite viewers to spawn countless sequels, spin-offs and rip-offs including a much reviled Hollywood remake in 1998. Another attempt to revive this creature is now out by director Gareth Edwards and his "Godzilla" remains faithful to the spirit of the original film. This behemoth is modern-looking yet recognizable and made even more impressive in 3D with some pretty spectacular action sequences to keep you on the edge of your seat. While all of the thrills and destruction are just right, what is lacking, however, is a compelling human element to keep you engaged despite a classy cast of actors displaying some first-rate panic on their faces.

Many years after the U.S.testing of a hydrogen bomb on a island in the Pacific, what appears to be a massive skeleton is discovered in a collapsed mine nearby in the Philippines. A scientist (Ken Wantanabe) has been called out to investigate and finds that a large egg seems to have recently hatched and whatever was inside has gone out in to the ocean.

Joe Brody (Bryan Cranston), is an American managing a nuclear plant in Japan. High-strung and focused mainly on his work, he even forgets the day is his birthday. Lucky for Joe he has a lovely wife, Sandra (Juliette Binoche) who also works at the plant and a sweet young son that remembered. A strange seismic disruption causes panic at the nuclear facility and Joe and Sandra race out to find answers. As Sandra and her group go down to the reactors to check their condition, a major explosion occurs which could release radiation in to the city unless the area they're in is shut off. Torn between saving thousands of lives or his wife, Joe makes the difficult and tragic decision.  Despite his personal sacrifice, the reactors are destroyed by some unknown force, which is officially blamed on an earthquake, and the city becomes uninhabitable.

Fifteen years later, Joe's son, Ford (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) is now a Marine and has just come home to San Francisco to be reunited with his lovely wife (Elizabeth Olsen) and his sweet young son. Not long after the family celebration, Ford receives a call informing him that his father had been arrested for trespassing in the contaminated city in Japan. Reluctantly, he heads out to bail out his old man who is obsessed about finding out what really caused the nuclear plant's destruction. While Godzilla doesn't make it's presence known until about half way through the film, a M.U.T.O. or Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organism emerges to terrorizes the city in the meantime. After another giant winged monster (this time female) appears looking for her mate and a convoluted explanation that all of these massive creatures are in search of nuclear energy to feed on, the human race is simply in the way as Godzilla and the monster couple battle for dominance.

The creation of Godzilla arose from the residue of the atomic bombing in WWII and the horrific aftermath which had left the Japanese shaken and uncertain of the future. The later films focused on other weighty topics such as the fear of alien invasion and threats to the environment. This Godzilla has pretty much steered clear of making any political statements with pure entertainment being the ultimate goal. However, the director Gareth Edwards, whose only previous film was the low-budget 2010 horror flick, "Monsters", has made a point of taking his version very seriously and with great respect. This is the first produced screenplay for Max Borenstein and while he's able to create some magic with setting up the impressive monster battles, his script fails to enlighten the flesh and blood characters. In fact, my biggest gripe with this film is the treatment of the cast.

The terrific actors used here are not the typical faces usually found in your average action-thriller yet they are spectacularly and shockingly wasted, particularly the glorious Ms Binoche. I don't even know why the Oscar-winning actress (who famously turned down the role that went to Laura Dern in "Jurassic Park") even agreed to be in this as she's given only maybe ten minutes of screen time that offers her no opportunity to properly utilize her gifts. Recent Oscar Nominee, Sally Hawkins, who was so brilliant in "Blue Jasmine" is equally underused here as an assistant to Mr. Wantanabe's nearly mute scientist. While Mr. Cranston has a slightly more substantial part but he's so ridiculously overheated that there are moments where his skull seemed ready to literally pop off.

With the aid of state-of-the-art CGI, this "Godzilla" becomes the monster of our times. This creature impressively smashes and thrashes to win the day but the overall feel is far too hollow and generic, making the film have as much depth as a video game.

WINNERS FROM THE 2014 CANNES FILM FESTIVAL

I know this is a bit of old news but I was on an European vacation for the last two weeks and I have to comment on this year's winners from the Cannes Film Festival. "Winter Sleep", the latest from Turkish director, Nuri Bilge Ceylan took home the top prize. This lengthy (196 minutes!) drama examines a wealthy former actor who has great influence in his small town but not much respect. I don't know how much commercial appeal this film will have but at this time, there is no distribution deal set for it to screen in America. I was thrilled that Julianne Moore took home the "Best Actress" Award for her performance in David Cronenberg's "Maps To The Stars". Ms Moore has been passed over far too many times in the past for such great work, so this is a long time in coming. I'm also happy that the amazing twenty-five year old film maker, Xavier Dolan won the Jury Prize for his new film, "Mommy" which, in a surprise, tied with eighty-three year old art-house legend, Jean-Luc Godard's "Goodbye To Language". Another pleasant surprise is the American director of the well received, "Foxcatcher", Bennett Miller went on to capture the directing award.

This year also marks the final appearance of Gilles Jacob, the long-time president of the festival who is retiring after thirty-five years. Some of the many innovative ideas he brought to help mold this in to a first-class celebration of world cinema include starting a market at Cannes to help independent films find distribution as well as securing investors for future productions, creating the Un Certain Regard competition for the more challenging works, the Camera d'Or prize for first-time directors and the Cinéfondation which offers support for new filmmakers. Mr Jacob received a warm standing ovation at the closing night ceremony.

Here is the list of winners from the 2014 Cannes Film Festival:

Palme d'Or: "Winter Sleep"


Grand Prix: "La Meraviglie" (The Wonders)

Prix de la Mise en Scene (Best Director): Bennett Miller, "Foxcatcher"

Prix d'interpretation masculine (Best Actor): Timothy Spall, "Mr. Turner"



Prix d'interpretation feminine (Best Actress): Julianne Moore, "Maps to the Stars"

Prix du Scenario (Best Screenplay): Andrey Zvyagintsev and Oleg Negin, "Leviathan"



Prix du Jury (Jury Prize): "Mommy" and "Goodbye to Language" (Tie)



Camera d’Or (Best First Feature): "Party Girl"

Un Certain Regard: "White God"

2014 SUMMER MOVIE PREVIEW

It seems so odd to me that summer keeps creeping up on the movie release calendar. It used to be that it started in June when school got out but then it moved to Memorial Day and now it seems to have started at the beginning of May. Weird. Anyway, summer is here once again and there seem to be hundreds of movies hitting theaters. I've narrowed down a small number of the films that really have captured my attention:

All dates are subject to change:

MALEFICENT

Release date: May 30, 2014

I don't know how many people were actually dying to know the back story of the evil fairy from the 1959 Disney animated film, "Sleeping Beauty" but it's now here. The live-action, "Maleficent" stars the perfectly cast Angelina Jolie as the title character and tells the tale of what events lead her to want to place a horrible curse on Princess Aurora (Elle Fanning), the daughter of her former friend, the King (Sharito Copley). I'm not quite sure how well this film will all turn out but it looks absolutely amazing.



A MILLION WAYS TO DIE IN THE WEST

Release date: May 30, 2014

After the big success of "Ted", Seth MacFarlane is back behind the director's chair with the comedy, "A Million Ways To Die In The West". Set during the wild west, MacFarlane stars as a meek sheep farmer who loses his lady love (Amanda Seyfried) to an aggressive suitor (Neil Patrick Harris). He meets a new lady (Charlize Theron) in which he has much more in common however she's married to a ruthless cowboy (Liam Neeson). Since the creator of "Family Guy" is behind this, expect plenty of raunch and tasteless humor.



OBVIOUS CHILD

Release date: June 6, 2014

Jenny Slate is best known for accidentally cursing on live television during her short run as a cast member of "SNL" but hopefully she will become better known as a film actress. In the indie romantic-comedy "Obvious Child", Slate stars as a struggling comedian who has a long history of making bad decisions. After a one-night stand with a cute guy (Jake Lacey), she finds herself in trouble and struggles to finally make some choices that will make her life better. A sensation at this year's Sundance Film Festival, writer/director Gillian Robespierre made this feature based on her 2009 short film.



JIMI: ALL IS BY MY SIDE
Release date: June 13, 2014

JERSEY BOYS
Release date: June 20, 2014

GET ON UP
Release date: August 1, 2014

These three films represent a long overdue look in to the lives of a few of the greatest entertainers in music. "Jimi: All Is By My Side" takes a look at Jimi Hendrix shortly before he became a rock guitar legend. Andre Benjamin of the hip-hop outfit, Outkast plays the musician during his life-changing time in London. John Ridley,  a recent Oscar-winner for Best Screenplay for "12 Years A Slave", directs.



The Tony-winning musical, "Jersey Boys" about the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons has finally been made in to a feature film. Clint Eastwood, (of all people) sits in the director's chair as we follow these teenage singers through the early struggles of trying to make it in the tough world of the music business before hitting the top of the charts.



Finally, James Brown, the Godfather of Soul is getting the biopic treatment he deserves in "Get On Up". Last seen on screen as Jackie Robinson, Chadwick Boseman is even more impressive as Brown as  the singer goes from his early childhood in poverty to eventually becoming one of the most electrifying performers ever. This is director, Tate Taylor's follow-up to his debut, "The Help" and his stars, Viola Davis and Oscar-winner, Octavia Spencer also make an appearance here.



BOYHOOD

Release date: July 11, 2014

Richard Linklater has managed to created a moment that really hasn't been seen before; an actor actually aging in real-time over the course of a fictional film. "Boyhood" follows Mason (Ellar Coltrane) from a six year old boy to a teenager in high school while he struggles through adolescence and his relationship with his divorced parents (Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette). The film was shot over the course of twelve years and manages to capture an experience that CGI could never properly do. Linklater won the Best Director prize at the Berlin Film Festival and I have a feeling that it's just the beginning of the accolades for this film maker.



DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

Release date: July 11, 2014

I didn't expect much from "Rise of The Planet of The Apes", especially after that horrible Mark Wahlberg/Tim Burton reboot but I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed it. The film was a box-office hit so, a sequel was inevitable."Dawn of The Planet of The Apes" takes us a number of years after the last one and mankind has been almost wiped out by a deadly virus but the apes have managed to thrive, lead by the highly intelligent, Caesar (played in a motion-captured performance by Andy Serkis). A small band of surviving humans (which includes Gary Oldman and Keri Russell) want a place on the planet but the apes have other ideas.



MOOD INDIGO

Release date: July 18, 2014

Michel Gondry, the director behind "The Science of Sleep" and "Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind", is back with his latest visual gem, "Mood Indigo". The film maker, who seems to me like the French equivalent of Wes Anderson, tells the whimsical, romantic tale of a wealthy man (Romain Duris) who falls in love with a sweet young lady (Audrey Tautou) but their relationship is threatened by a rare malady of a flower growing in her lungs. It may sound a little silly but I'm sure you can't help being swept away by the magical images.



MAGIC IN THE MOONLIGHT

Release date July 25, 2014

The annual Woody Allen film is entitled, "Magic In The Moonlight".and based upon the title, it's safe to say it's a romantic-comedy. Set in the French Rivera in the '20's, Colin Firth stars as an Englishmen out to prove that a fortune teller (Emma Stone) is a fraud. However, he winds up not foreseeing that she would captivate his heart. Marcia Gay Harden, Eileen Atkins and Jacki Weaver also star.



LUCY

Release date: August 8, 2014

"Lucy" is the latest action-thriller by Luc Besson ("La Femme Nikita", "The Fifth Element")  that features the busy Scarlet Johansson as the title character who is used to smuggle an experimental drug in her body. This narcotic leaks in to her, which alters Lucy's mind and body, giving her super-strength and allowing her to use the full capacity of her brain. This makes her a powerful and unstoppable force although that certainly won't make those responsible not attempt to try.



LOVE IS STRANGE

Release date: August 22, 2014

I really loved "Keep The Lights On" and the writer/director of that, Ira Sachs is back with another intriguing film. "Love Is Strange" stars Alfred Molina and John Lithgow as a long-time New York couple who get married as soon as it becomes legal in the state. However, this happy occasion causes several unexpected ripples in their lives which leads them to actually having to live apart. Cheyenne Jackson and Marisa Tomei also star.

ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE (2014)

Written & Directed by Jim Jarmusch



Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA. April 15, 2014  8:15PM



The idea of sitting through another movie about over-exposed vampires was enough to make me want to drive a long, wooden stake through my own heart. With "Only Lovers Left Alive", I was skeptical yet highly intrigued by the prospect of this film mainly because respected indie-filmmaker Jim Jarmusch was behind the camera. The addition of the ethereal Tilda Swinton as one of the the living dead made this simply irresistible. Thankfully, it's less about horror or blood-sucking and more about a loving but tense relationship between a centuries-old couple of hipster vamps who have difficulties living together yet are unable to remain apart. Without much of a plot to be found, this film relies heavily on the complex marriage of these fatigued and somber immortals to keep things interesting, with only moderate success.

Holed up in a ramshackle house in an abandoned Detroit neighborhood, Adam (Tom Hiddleston), a depressed recluse spends his waking evenings creating melancholy music that only he will hear. His only contact to the outside is Ian (Anton Yelchin), an unaware kid who Tom pays to bring hard-to-find music equipment. His wife, Eve (Swinton) has been living a low-key life in Morocco for a number of years. These vampires are discreet and no longer do something as uncouth as getting their blood directly from the source. Dressed as a surgeon ready to operate, Adam buys his plasma from a real doctor (Jeffrey Wright) while Eve gets her supply from fellow vampire, Christopher Marlowe (John Hurt) who just happens to be that English writer. They sip their blood in tiny cocktail glasses which leaves them in a state that's much like an euphoric high.

After video-chatting with Adam, Eve senses that her husband is not in a good mental state and decides to pay him a visit. When the couple are reunited, it's as if no time has past. They spend their nights together listening to music and cruising down the deserted streets of the Motor City. An unwelcome visitor arrives in the form of Ava (Mia Wasikowska), Eve's wild child sister. She had been seeking out her family through their dreams and finally tracked them down. Adam still hasn't forgiven Ava for an unmentioned previous indiscretion but Eve talks him in to letting her stay with them for a brief period. Big mistake. Ava manages to creates a messy situation that Adam and Eve are forced to sort out.

"Only Lovers Left Alive" is fairly light weight and although there are a few glimmers of a rebellious spirit, the film mostly plays it safe. You would have thought Jarmusch, who is one of the last of the cinematic indie-rebels from the '80's who never sold out for Hollywood glory, would have used this opportunity to create something far more edgy and challenging in this genre. All you have to do is look back on his admired, previous work ("Down By Law", "Stranger Than Paradise", "Ghost Dog" and "Broken Flowers" to name a few) to know he's capable of delivering so much more.

What makes this film even remotely come to life is Swinton and to a lesser degree, Hiddleston. All of the supporting actors have their shining moments but Ms Swinton is the true majestic light. With her pale, otherworldly features, she helps elevate this material much further through the sheer force of her screen presence. Mr Hiddleston, who first came on the radar through his work as the fiendish, Loki in the "Thor" films, is appealing here but not at his best playing such a shaggy brooding character. This feels to be such a waste to tap down the natural charisma of this puckish actor.

Although the stylish performances and the shadowy vibe might capture your attention for awhile but there's not nearly enough bite in "Only Lovers Left Alive" to make you feel fully engaged.

UNDER THE SKIN (2014)

Written by Walter Campbell and Jonathan Glazer


Directed by Jonathan Glazer


Where & When:  Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA  April 10, 2014  2:40PM



It's most certain far more people will check out Scarlett Johansson strutting her stuff in a skin-tight bodysuit as she kicks some serious ass in the latest installment of the super-hero adventure "Captain America: The Winter Solider" than her appearance in "Under The Skin", an offbeat art-house experience from director Jonathan Glazer. The actress is all these two films share in common as "Skin" is a confounding but highly mesmerizing sci-fi puzzle. The shapely figure of Ms Johansson is also on display here yet nothing is left to the imagination as she plays an alien being that uses it's quite appealing human form to lure lustful men in to an otherworldly trap. There isn't much of a clear explanation for the actual purpose of their capture although we do learn that the outcome ain't gonna be great. Based loosely on the novel by Michel Faber, Mr. Glazer, who impressed and challenged with his previous films "Sexy Beast" and "Birth", creates an eerie atmosphere with minimal dialogue as the story is seen mostly through the eyes of this sexy extraterrestrial.

A motorcycle-riding male accomplice delivers a recently deceased female body to the nude alien (Johansson) who promptly removes her clothes. Now prepared with a wild mane of raven hair, painted red lips and the name of "Laura", she scours the streets of Glasgow in a large van, searching only for men who are unattached and generally won't be missed. No real effort is required to get them back to her place since the implication that sex would be a sure thing. With eyes focused only on Laura, the men fail to notice the dark, empty surroundings .She slowly walks backwards, peeling away her clothing, waiting for them to do the same. Naked and aroused, the male moves forward before sinking in to a liquid-like prison, sealed to await their fate as Laura casually retrieves her clothes to find another victim.

After delivering a facially disfigured man to her lair, Laura catches a glance at her own outer image. This changes something in the visitor, setting her off to discover what it actually means to be a human. Distracted from her true mission, the alien attempts to comprehend the simple pleasures of life, like a slice a cake or tender intimacy with a man with the results ending to be far from rewarding.

Although "Under The Skin" comes across as an extreme warning of what can happen when you get in a car with strangers but maybe, in a vague way, the film is attempting to examine humanity from an outsider's perspective. Or since only men are selected and a female is the seductress/captor, perhaps it's a commentary on the age-old battle between the sexes? Who really knows as nothing is made apparent on what it all means with the heavy Scottish brogues hardly helping matters. Regardless, the film manages to draw you in with unsettling and haunting images that will equally fascinate and horrify. Ms Johansson gives a fully committed performance, revealing herself  emotionally as well as physically. Even before the alien goes rogue, the actress is able to connect with very few words or even a blank stare.

Guided by an effectively creepy score by Mica Levi, "Under The Skin" merges experimental film-making and visionary science-fiction along with a sense of hair-raising dread found in a horror flick. For viewers seeking the usual escapist entertainment, stick with the popular movie featuring the Stars and Stripes-wearing hero to witness Ms Johansson in action. But if you want an unexpected, unnerving and unclear cinematic adventure then "Under the Skin" is the perfect destination.