Just Mercy (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): Conventional but timely anyway

Posted on June 14, 2020 by kaist455

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“Just Mercy” is a conventional but timely drama film based on one infuriating real-life case of legal injustice. Although it occasionally feels too mild and colorless in terms of story and characters, it is still engaging mainly thanks to several good moments, and its calm but passionate arguments on race and the American legal system certainly come closer to us, considering the ongoing political movement shaking the American society at present.

The prologue scene of the movie shows us how the world was suddenly turned upside down for Walter “Johnny D” McMillian (Jamie Foxx) in 1987. Not long after he went through another usual working day around Monroeville, Alabama, this average African American guy was arrested by the local police just because he happened to be targeted as the main suspect of the murder of an 18-year old girl. Though there was no concrete evidence to prove his involvement in the murder, he was swiftly thrust into a trial, where he received a death sentence.

The story of the movie is mainly told via the viewpoint of Bryan Stevenson (Michael B. Jordan), an African American lad who, after one prison experience he will never forget, chose to pursue justice and civil rights before eventually graduating from the Harvard Law School. When he moves to Alabama for starting a non-profit organization for providing poor people proper legal representation, his mother is understandably quite concerned, but she does not stop her son because she understands her son’s idealistic hope and ambition, and we get a little sentimental moment as she and her son have a little heart-to-heart conversation in private.

As soon as he arrives in Alabama, Stevenson comes to see more of how he and his non-profit organization are not welcomed much there. Because there is not anyone willing to provide a workplace for them, Stevenson and his colleague Eva Ansley (Brie Larson) have no choice but to work at Ansley’s residence for a while. When he arrives at a local prison to meet several death row inmates, he is forced to go through a humiliating search process, and that certainly reminds him (and us) of how hard and difficult it is for an African American person in the South.

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One of the death row inmates Stevenson meets is none other than McMillian, but he is not particularly interested in whatever Stevenson offers to him. He and his dear family tried really hard during last 4 years, but there was not any progress for him, and Stevenson merely looks to him like another lawyer to disappoint him in the end.

Nevertheless, Stevenson slowly comes to gain McMillian’s trust. He visits McMillian’s family members and neighbors still hoping for McMillian’s release, and he becomes more determined to pursue justice after looking into how McMillian became the main suspect of that murder case and then was promptly prosecuted. The prosecution only depended on two rather unreliable testimonies without any other evidence, but that seemed more than enough for the judge and the jury members at the trial, and the local legal system has kept refusing the re-examination of McMillian’s case just because it does not want to admit its serious failure in public.

In addition, many people in Monroeville are not so amused to see Stevenson’s attempt to free McMillian, and, not so surprisingly, there soon come a series of moments of exasperation and frustration for Stevenson. The district attorney and the sheriff of Monroeville are ready to block Stevenson by any means necessary, and there is a chilling scene where Stevenson is suddenly approached by two local police officers on a road during one late evening. Although Monroeville has been touted as the hometown of Harper Lee and the main background of her classic novel “To Kill a Mockingbird”, racism is still alive and well there just like many other places in the South, and Stevenson knows too well that he must be careful with the police just like any other African American persons in US.

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The movie comes to lose its narrative momentum during its third act, but director/co-writer Destin Daniel Cretton, who adapted Stevenson’s 2014 book “Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption” along with Andrew Lanham, did a competent job on the whole. Michael B. Jordan, who also participated in the production of the film, holds the movie well as demanded although the movie does not explore his character that much except his clean-cut idealism and persistence. On the opposite, Jamie Foxx, who has been less prominent since he won an Oscar for “Ray” (2004), demonstrates here that he has not lost any of his talent at all, and he and Jordan overcome a number of clichéd moments in the movie to some degree.

In case of the other main cast members in the film, some of them shine while others are stuck in thankless roles. While Brie Larson, who previously collaborated with Cretton in “Short Term 12” (2013) and “The Glass Castle” (2017), and Rape Spall are unfortunately wasted due to their functional characters, Tim Black Nelson is effective as a conflicted key witness, and the special mention goes to Rob Morgan, who is devastating as one of McMillian’s death row inmates and gives us the sobering dramatic highpoint of the movie.

While not entirely without weak aspects, “Just Mercy” is a fairly good movie which earnestly presents its social messages via its predictable but watchable drama. Sure, it could delve deeper into its human subjects instead of safely staying in its genre conventions, and it surely feels more relevant at this point, so I recommend it despite some reservation.

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Innocence (2020) ☆☆☆(3/4): A daughter who returns to her shady hometown

Posted on June 12, 2020 by kaist455

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South Korean movie “Innocence” is a compelling mix of detached courtroom mystery drama and heated family melodrama. Although the mystery at the heart of the film is a bit too easily solved, the movie still holds our attention as its smart and unflappable heroine tries hard to prove the innocence of one of her estranged family members, and it is often entertaining to watch how she fights against many daunting obstacles via her will and intelligence.

The movie starts with a seemingly plain but increasingly tense long-take sequence set inside a shabby house located in some rural area of South Korea. The house belongs to an old woman named Hwa-ja (Bae Jong-ok) and her recently diseased husband, and many town people including Mayor Choo (Heo Joon-ho) visit as Hwa-ja and her mentally disabled son Jeong-soo (Hong Kyung) are holding a funeral at their house. As Mayor Choo and several other guys drink and talk together for a while, we come to sense something fishy among them, but then they all suddenly become very ill.

Shortly after they are hurriedly taken to a local hospital, it turns out that somebody put a herbicide the rice wine they drank. The local police subsequently arrest Hwa-ja, and the news of her arrest on TV happens to catch the attention of her daughter Jeong-in (Shin Hye-sun), who left the town and her family many years ago and is now a successful lawyer working in a prestigious law firm in Seoul. Although she has never contacted her family since she left the town, she instantly goes down to her hometown without any hesitation, and then she embarks on examining her mother’s case as a lawyer specializing in criminal law.

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At first, the case looks like a simple case of poisoning, but Jeong-in soon comes to notice the numerous suspicious aspects of the case. A local detective assigned to the case and his men are pretty sloppy in their casual handling of the crime scene, and they are already ready to close the case after somehow getting the confession from Jeong-in’s mother. Although it is revealed that Jeong-in’s mother has had a serious case of dementia, that does not change their view on the case at all, and the same thing can be said about a local lawyer hired by Jeong-in’s aunt, who does not try that much for his client on the first day of the trial.

Naturally becoming quite exasperated about what is going on around her mother, Jeong-in eventually decides to handle the matter for herself, and we see what a good lawyer she is. While often emphasizing her mother’s deteriorating mental condition, she also skillfully nullifies a number of key evidences and testimonies one by one, and it looks like her mother will be free at least during the rest of the trial.

However, this is not much of a spoiler at all because it is already revealed in the trailer of the movie, there are a bunch of people who are not so pleased with Jeong-in’s involvement in the case, and the movie enters the territory of country noir as Jeong-in’s tenacious investigation leads her to the dark sides of her hometown. It is apparent from the beginning that Mayor Choo wants to close the case as soon as possible for covering up something, and it looks like a recent shady backdoor dealing of his is simply the tip of whatever he and his associates are trying to hide.

Not so surprisingly, Mayor Choo has some strings to pull for blocking Jeong-in by any means necessary. The prosecutor assigned to the case has already been in his pocket, and this obnoxious dude is willing to do anything because of what he may benefit from a rising local politician like Mayor Choo. In addition, there are also goons ready to do some dirty works for Mayor Choo, and they surely show Jeong-in that she may lose her life at any chance if she keeps meddling with the case.

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Nevertheless, Jeong-in does not step back at all for doing what should be done for her mother. While often reminded of her deeply unhappy past with her family, she comes to realize that she still cares about her mother a lot despite many years of estrangement between them, and we accordingly get a tearful melodramatic moment later in the story when she is devastated to see how foggy her mother’s mind has become.

What is eventually revealed and then resolved during its last act may not surprise you a lot, the movie keeps engaging us as driven by the strong performance from Shin Hye-sun, who is very good as a strong-willed and resourceful professional who is not easily daunted by her opponents. While never softening her character’s tough and abrasive sides, Shin steadily carries the film, and she is particularly wonderful especially during a brief but crucial scene where her character becomes conflicted for a while before making an important decision on the case.

The supporting performers around Shin are also effective on the whole. While Bae Jong-ok is utterly heartbreaking during several key moments of hers in the film, Heo Joon-ho is seedy and despicable as the main villain of the story, and Hong Kyung, Tae Hang-ho, Ko Chang-seok provide some comic relief while functioning as a few decent characters in the story.

In conclusion, “Innocence”, which is the debut feature film of director/writer Park Sang-hyun, is a well-made genre product packed with enough interest and suspense, and it is certainly worthwhile to watch for Shin’s performance. The movie indeed gives her a big chance to shine, and I sincerely hope this may lead her to more good things to come in the future.

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The High Note (2020) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Her First Superstar

Posted on June 12, 2020 by kaist455

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“The High Note”, which was recently released in South Korean theaters as “My First Superstar”, is a mildly entertaining comedy film about an aspiring young woman who wants to break into music industry. Although you will not be surprised much due to its rather predictable handling of story and characters, you will get some laugh and entertainment mainly thanks to the likable performance from its talented lead performer, and you may forgive its several notable shortcomings.

Dakota Johnson, who has shown a lot more of her talent and presence since her big break via “Fifty Shades of Grey” (2015), plays Maggie Sherwoode, a smart and resource lass who has wished to become a music producer someday. Although her dream still seems to be out of reach at present, Maggie has gladly worked as a personal assistant for Grace Davis (Tracee Ellis Ross), who has been one of the most famous and successful singers in US for many years. Since she was young, Maggie has been a big fan of Davis, and her private wish is producing a new album for her boss someday.

However, the situation does not look that good for Maggie. While she has worked for 3 years under Grace, Maggie is usually overlooked and underestimated by Grace and others around her, and Grace’s manager Jack (Ice Cube) is not so amused when Maggie attempts to show Jack and Grace what she has been working on behind her back. Mainly because Grace’s career has been going nowhere without any new recent song, he believes that Grace should accept a lucrative offer from a big hotel in Las Vegas, and Grace seems to be also tempted because, as revealed later in the story, her life and career really seem to reach to a dead end.

As watching Grace’s growing conflict on her life and career, Maggie comes to step forward a bit more for her boss, and Grace, who is surely your average fastidious superstar but is also actually a kind and generous woman, comes to appreciate more of Maggie’s sincere and diligent efforts during last 3 years. While Maggie is certainly pleased to see her boss becoming more like a friend to her, Grace is happy to have another person talk with besides Jack and Gail (June Dian Raphael), who has depended a lot on Grace in many ways while being her best friend.

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Meanwhile, Grace happens to come across David Cliff (Kelvin Harris Jr.), a young unknown singer with whom she instantly clicks right from their first encounter at a local supermarket. With some encouragement from her roommate/best friend Katie (Zoë Chao), Maggie gets closer to David, and she is soon impressed by his considerable talent and potential. Once she sees that he has been looking for a big break, she volunteers to be the producer for his first demo album, and, not so surprisingly, it does not take much time for them to realize that there is something more between them besides their shared passion and enthusiasm toward music.

As her business/romantic relationship with David is gradually developed, Maggie becomes more hopeful about her future, but, of course, things soon become quite messy and complicated as she tries to balance her life and career between David and Grace. It is not so much of a spoiler to tell you that there eventually comes a moment when she comes to let down both of them, and that is naturally followed by an obligatory montage coupled with music while Maggie quickly returns to her sunny seaside hometown where her father Max (Bill Pullman) warmly welcomes her.

Of course, our heroine subsequently comes to bounce from the bottom, and the screenplay by Flora Greeson still does not give us much surprise except an unexpected moment of revelation, which incidentally drew some chuckles from the audiences around me when I watched it yesterday at a local multiplex theater. Sure, it feels rather contrived, but, at least, it mostly works because of the sweet and humorous mood generated among the main performers.

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As the main center of the movie, Johnson demonstrates well another side of her talent here. Effortlessly exuding charm and spirit as required, she instantly makes us root for her character a lot, and she is also complemented well by Tracee Ellis Ross, who did a good job of imbuing her character with humanity and star quality as demanded in addition to functioning well as a counterpoint to Johnson.

In case of some other main cast members in the film, they hold well each own position around Johnson and Ross. While Ice Cube has several juicy comic moments, Zoë Chao and June Diane Raphael have a little fun with their respective colorful supporting characters, and Bill Pullman and Eddie Izzard are also solid in their small but substantial supporting parts. Although his character is more or less than a colorless plot element, Kelvin Harrison Jr., a promising newcomer who has steadily advanced since “It Comes at Night” (2017), shows here the milder side of his talent compared to his recent intense performances in “Luce” (2019) and “Waves” (2019), and it surely helps that he and Johnson have a nice low-key chemistry during their scenes.

Like director Nisha Ganatra’s previous film “Late Night” (2019), “The High Note” depends much on the charm and charisma of its two different female lead performers, and I enjoyed it to some degree, but I also think it is relatively less fresh and successful than “Late Night”. Considering that I gave “Late Night” 3 stars, I guess I should give “The High Note” 2.5 stars, but you may give it a chance if you happen to be left with time to kill.

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Spelling the Dream (2020) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Breaking the Bee

Posted on June 10, 2020 by kaist455

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Netflix documentary “Spelling the Dream”, which is also known as “Breaking the Bee”, examines one interesting current ethnic trend of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, but it only comes to scratch the surface in the end. Although it is fairly entertaining thanks to the undeniable spirit and personality of several young contestants on whom it happens to observe, the documentary often feels unfocused and scattershot as busily juggling its human subjects during its short running time (82 minutes). It inevitably comes to depend a lot on the expected suspense around who will be the winner at the end of the competition, and that is a mild disappointment in my humble opinion.

It is a bit shame that director/co-writer/co-producer Sam Rega and his crew members could not look closely on the extraordinary outcome of the 2019 Scripps National Spring Bee. No less than 8 competitors became the champions together after going through so many rounds together without any misspelling, and that was certainly a sight as uplifting as the climactic scene of “Akeelah and the Bee” (2006), a little overlooked drama film about a young bright African American girl who comes to discover her exceptional talent for spelling bee competition.

Anyway, many people were amazed or amused to see that seven of these eight special champions were Indian American kids, and, as the documentary soon points out, that is no surprise at all considering that Indian American competitors have constantly swept the Scripps National Spring Bee during last 10 years. Since the competition had the first Indian American winner in the 1980s, lots of Indian American kids have gone all the way for winning at the Scripps National Spring Bee, and the amazing winning records from them are simply the culmination of the efforts of many years from them and their families and communities.

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During its early part, the documentary delves a bit into how this exceptional achievement is possible for these Indian American kids. First of all, they grew up under highly educated parents, many of whom were easily permitted to emigrate to US because of their educational and professional backgrounds. They are usually engineers or doctors, and they are certainly well aware of the importance of education, while hoping to provide the best opportunities for their children who will grow up as Americans.

Of course, learning how to speak, read, and write English comes first above all else for their children, and that usually leads their children to spelling bee competitions. After all, for showing your exemplary cultural assimilation into the American society, what can be possibly more awesome than demonstrating the sheer mastery of English vocabulary in front of many others?

Once there came a breakthrough thanks to the aforementioned Indian American winner at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in the 1980s, more Indian American kids have been encouraged to enter the competition during next three decades, and we hear about how their local communities have fully supported and nurtured this growing trend. Having already gone through rigorous processes of training and competing within their local communities, many of Indian American spelling bee competitors are usually quite prepared from the start, and they accordingly come to show more excellence compared to others.

As cheerfully revolving around four different Indian American kids, the documentary shows us how much they enjoy their preparation process even though they feel pressured more and more as the upcoming Scripps National Spelling Bee approaches closer day by day. All of them are bright and plucky in each own way, and each of them has each own method to memorize the spelling of thousands of many different tricky words such as ‘zwitterion’ or ‘xanthochroid’.

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Of course, they cannot possibly memorize every English word in the world, and they surely hope that they will not come across an unfamiliar word in the middle of the competition. When Shourav, who is supposed to be the most confident one in the bunch, is asked to spell a word which is short but may cause his exit, the level of tension is certainly high as his family members brace for themselves along with other audiences, and everyone is relieved when he spells that word right in the end.

Although there is always some crushing bitterness whenever a competitor comes to exit due to a wrong spelling, the documentary keeps the mood light and cheery as if it were afraid of making us feel bad. In case of those deplorable racist reactions hurled at the Indian American competitors of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, the documentary simply laughs at these stinking online comments a little. At least, I will not deny that I was amused a bit by one of them, whose misspelling takes me back to the photo of an idiotic racist who did not even know how to spell ‘moron’.

On the whole, “Spelling the Dream” may satisfy and enlighten you if you are not particularly familiar with spelling bee competitions. I cannot easily recommend it because it does not go beyond what I learned from “Akeelah and the Bee” and other notable spelling bee competition movies such as “Bee Season” (2005) and “Bad Words” (2013), which incidentally has a little plucky Indian American kid as one of its main characters. To be frank with you, I would love to hear the opinions and thoughts on that mean-spirited black comedy film from these four kids and their family members in the documentary.

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Jazzy Misfits (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): Mother, daughter, and some other colorful misfits

Posted on June 4, 2020 by kaist455

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South Korean film “Jazzy Misfits” bounces here and there in one colorful neighborhood area of Seoul along with its two very different main characters. Although we can clearly see its eventual destination from the very beginning, the movie diligently amuses and entertains us mainly thanks to the strong acting from its two lead performers, and it surely earns its rather sentimental finale in the end.

At the beginning, we are introduced to a middle-aged woman who turns out to be the mother of a struggling young singer. When she was a young teenager girl, Soon-deok (Cheetah) decided to leave her mother after frequently clashing with her mother due to her stubborn aspiration to be a singer someday, so she is not so pleased when her mother, played by Jo Min-soo, comes to her residence located somewhere in the Itaewon-dong of Seoul, but then Soon-deok’s mother notifies her that Soon-deok’s younger sister, who has been living with Soon-deok’s mother, is suddenly disappeared without any word on where she goes.

At first, Soon-deok is not particularly upset about her younger sister’s disappearance, but then, after learning that her younger sister stole some money from their mother before her disappearance, she belatedly discovers that her younger sister also took away some cash from her, and that certainly makes her as determined to find her younger sister as her mother. She and her mother instantly go to a local police station for reporting her younger sister’s missing, but then they decide that they should track down her younger sister for themselves, and that is the beginning of their bumpy journey.

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When they go to the local police station, Soon-deok and her mother happen to encounter the chief of the local police station, who turns out to have a relationship with Soon-deok’s mother a long time ago. As gradually revealed along the story, Soon-deok’s mother was one of those poor women who had to earn their living in the bars and nightclubs of Itaewon-dong, and it goes without saying that Soon-deok had a pretty difficult time during her childhood years as her mother was usually busy with her nighttime jobs or numerous men in her life.

Not so surprisingly, it is subsequently revealed that Soon-deok’s younger sister did not tell much about her family to teachers and schoolmates in her middle school. While she has been a fairly good model student, she lied about her family, and that certainly embarrasses Soon-deok and her mother a lot while they talk with the classroom teacher of Soon-deok’s younger sister, who has no idea about who Soon-deok actually is.

At least, Soon-deok and her mother find a few clues after talking with two of her younger sister’s schoolmates and then visiting a local tattoo shop where her younger sister worked. Convinced that her younger daughter is hiding somewhere along with some lad who seems to her younger daughter’s boyfriend, Soon-deok’s mother is ready to go all the way, and Soon-deok happens to know someone who may be able to assist their ongoing search.

That person in question is a young black Korean dude named Jeong-bok (Terris Brown), and he is just one of many interesting and colorful misfit characters popping here and there in Soon-deok and her mother’s journey around Itaewon-dong, which, for many years, has been a home for various minority social members. There is a sweet and poignant moment when Soon-deok’s mother comes to bond with a young single mother employee at the local tattoo shop who reminds her a lot of her younger self in the past, and we are also served with an amusing chase scene where Soon-deok and her mother suddenly get an unexpected help from a young foreign guy who seems to be a parkour expert.

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And there is also a subplot involved with Soon-deok’s struggling music career. At one point, Soon-deok, who has been known as “Blue” in her profession, is requested to perform along with her band in front of some rich jerk and his girlfriend, and it goes without saying that his very rude behavior during her performance angers her mother within a few minutes. When Soon-deok later drops by a small recording studio, she demonstrates to her mother that she is indeed a good singer who may succeed more, and her mother responds to that with sincere enthusiasm and support.

What is eventually revealed during its third act feels anti-climactic, but the screenplay by Kang Hyeong-joo still does not lose its focus on the complicated relationship between Soon-deok and her mother, and the movie is supported well by Jo Min-soo and Cheetah, who wonderfully complement each other throughout the film. Although her character is often abrasive and volatile to say the least, Jo’s brash and spirited performance, which is quite different from her harrowing turn in “Pieta” (2012), is always brimming with life and personality, and Cheetah, who has been mainly known for her rap music career, is equally good as her co-performer’s calmer counterpart. In case of the supporting cast members in the film, Terris Brown, who is actually an American, steals the show with his likable performance, and Jung Man-sik, a reliable South Korean veteran actor whom I have always remembered for his avuncular supporting turn in “Breathless” (2008), is also fine in his small but crucial role.

“Jazzy Misfits” is the second feature film by director Nam Yeon-woo, who previously drew the attention of South Korean audiences and critics with his interesting debut feature film “Lost to Shame” (2016). While it is less intense than “Lost to Shame” in comparison, the movie is buoyed a lot by its palpable mood and spirit on the screen instead, and it confirms to us that Nam is indeed a good filmmaker with considerable  potentials. It is a shame that the movie is released in local movie theaters in the middle of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but I sincerely hope this will be another stepping stone for Nam’s promising filmmaker career.

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The Vast of Night (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): One night in a small town of New Mexico

Posted on June 1, 2020 by kaist455

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“The Vast of Night”, which was released on Amazon Prime in last week, is a little but compelling science fiction film which evokes those fun and scary episodes of old TV series “The Twilight Zone” and “The Outer Limits” while doing its own interesting things. Although it often looks plain and modest as a low-budget film, the movie is confident and commendable in terms of mood, performance, and storytelling, and I was much more impressed than expected as enthralled by several skillful moments in the film.

After the prologue part which introduces the story as one episode of an old fictional TV series named “Paradox Theater”, the movie takes us to a small fictional town of New Mexico during one night in the 1950s. It is the night for a big basketball game between the town team and the visiting team from some other town, and the movie observes almost everyone in the town arriving at the town gym with lots of excitement and enthusiasm.

However, Everett (Jake Horowitz), a lad who works as the local radio DJ of the town, is not particularly enthusiastic compared to many others around him. He comes there just because he was notified that someone is looking for him, but it soon turns out that there was some misunderstanding, and he is ready to go back to his radio station when he comes across Fay (Sierra McCormick), a girl who works as a local switchboard operator during night. Because she happens to bring a recording device, Fay tests it along with Everett for a while, and we come to sense the mutual feelings between them as they interview a few passersby just for their little fun.

Anyway, they eventually walk away from the town gym because of their respective jobs to do, and the movie tickles us a bit as patiently following their discussion on what Everett recently read from a science magazine. It was an article about the technologies of the future to come, and their lively conversation on those imaginary future technologies took me back to old science books on what may be possible in the future. Many things described in those books looked too fantastic to me at that time, but some of them were actually developed during last 30 years, and I could not help but feel amused when Fay and Everett talked about a device not so far from smartphone.

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When they subsequently begin to work at their respective workplaces, things look fine as usual, but then they gradually come to discern that something strange is happening around them right now. Shortly after Fay receives a rather disturbing call from someone outside the town, the phone lines in the town do not work that well to her bafflement, and there is also an inexplicable audio frequency heard during the ongoing radio show hosted by Everett.

After learning of this weird happening, Everett decides to delve into it more along with Fay, and that is the point where the movie becomes more interesting while occasionally serving us what we can expect from its familiar genre. For example, there is a mysterious guy who willingly tells lots of things to our two main characters on the phone, and then there comes another caller who also has her own strange story to tell.

As our two main characters keep digging more into this odd circumstance, director/co-producer Andrew Patterson and his crew members throw a number of impressive visual moments to be savored and appreciated. While a terrific sequence where cinematographer M.I. Littin-Menz’s camera smoothly glides from one spot to another during one long, unbroken shot is definitely the highlight moment of the film, I also like the scene where the camera patiently focuses on Fay’s reactions to what she hears from the radio and the phone lines, and that surely exemplifies well the power of suggestion and imagination. Although we have a pretty good idea on what is really going on, we become more absorbed into her growing fear and concern nonetheless, and we come to care a lot about what may happen to her and Everett at the inevitable finale waiting for them from the start.

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While constantly maintaining some distance from its story and character via its framing narrative structure, the movie keeps engaging us with its solid mood and details. Although this is a low-budget film, Patterson and his crew members did a good job of establishing the authentic period atmosphere along with the palpable sense of suspense and dread, and they also pay a modest but nice homage to a certain famous film by Steven Spielberg around the end of the film.

Two lead performers in the movie are convincing in their earnest acting. While Jake Horowitz does not stay away from his character’s rather abrasive side, Sierra McCormick is particularly good when the movie depends a lot on whatever she is demanded to convey via her expressive face, and they ably hold the movie together when it rushes itself a bit too fast during its third act. As the two substantial supporting characters in the film, Gail Cronauer and Bruce Davis are equally effective, and Cronauer has a quiet but undeniably gripping scene where her character phlegmatically reveals a longtime secret of hers to Fay and Everett.

Overall, “The Vast of Night” succeeds as much as intended within its boundaries, and it certainly shows us that Patterson, who made a debut here with this film, is a good filmmaker with considerable talent and potential. I think it is one of the notable debut works of this year, and it will be interesting to see what may come next from him.

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Misbehaviour (2020) ☆☆☆(3/4): Women’s liberation Vs. Miss World

Posted on May 30, 2020 by kaist455

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“Misbehaviour”, which went straight to video on demand (VOD) in UK after its premiere in this March but was released in South Korean theaters in this week, is a feel-good movie about one significant moment in the history of Women’s liberation movement. While cheerfully rolling its many different characters together to an expected climax, the movie makes some sharp points on gender issues which still feel relevant even at present, and it will surely remind you of how much the world has been changed for women during last 50 years – and why the world still needs to be changed more for true gender equality.

Set in London, 1970, the story of the movie, which is inspired by a real-life story associated with the 1970 Miss World competition, is mainly told through the viewpoint of Sally Alexander (Keira Knightley), a young divorced mother determined to make a fresh start for her life. As sincerely supported by her caring boyfriend who usually takes care of their home and her daughter instead, Alexander applies for the enrollment in one of the prominent colleges in London, but it is goes without saying that she is not regarded that highly by a bunch of guys who are going to determine whether she can study there or not. She is eventually allowed to start her education course there, but she often finds herself underestimated and disregarded by not only male students but also her professor, and that certainly frustrates her a lot.

Meanwhile, Alexander voluntarily joins an association for the ongoing Women’s liberation movement, and that is when she comes across Jo Robinson (Jessie Buckley), a spirited and rebellious activist who is quite forthright in her attitude and behavior. While their first encounter is not that pleasant, Alexander and Robinson subsequently come to hang around with each other more after Robinson’s another act of defiance in public, and Alexander soon finds herself helping Robinson and her fellow activists a lot more than expected.

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For spreading their feminist ideas and messages more widely in public, they need to commit something big and sensational enough to draw the attention of the media and the public, and the upcoming Miss World competition looks like an ideal target. After all, the event in question represents many things they abhor including the male objectification of female body, and, above all, the whole world is going to watch it via live TV broadcast.

While Alexander, Robinson, and other fellow activists prepare on what they are going to do at the Miss World competition, the movie also focuses on several other main characters who happen to be on the opposite position. As the founder of the Miss World competition, Eric Morley (Rhys Ifans) is not so pleased with the growing protests from female rights activists, and he has another headache as being criticized a lot for allowing South Africa to participate in the competition despite its ongoing apartheid policy. He eventually makes an exception as having South Africa send one Caucasian competitor as well as one African competitor, but the situation still does not get better to his dismay.

We also get know some of those beautiful young women who happen to compete with each other for becoming the next Miss World. Although it seems she does not have much chance due to her race and nationality, Jennifer Hosten (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) is still quite determined to do as much as possible nonetheless, and she also comes to bond with some of other competitors including that African competitor from South Africa, who is delighted with many things she experiences for the first time but also often feels pressured by the limits forced upon her by the South African government.

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And there is Bob Hope (Greg Kinnear), a famous American comedian who agrees to host the Miss World competition again despite the objection from his wife Dolores (Lesley Manville). Casually wielding his misogynistic words in front of others, Hope is eager to be surrounded by sexy and beautiful women on the stage again, and Dolores becomes silently exasperated as being bitterly reminded of what happened shortly after when her husband hosted the competition 10 years ago.

While balancing itself well between several different plot lines, the screenplay by Gaby Chiappe and Rebecca Frayn, which is based on Frayn’s story, diligently accumulates its narrative momentum, and then there eventually comes a dramatic moment unfolded in the middle of the competition. Believe or not, Hope did say such nasty and deplorable things at that time, and I must say that this prick richly deserved what happened next.

Under director Philippa Lowthorpe’s competent direction, the main cast members fill their respective spots without overshadowing each other. While Keira Knightley dutifully holds the ground, Jessie Buckley and Gugu Mbatha-Raw, who have been two of the most interesting British actresses during recent years, are commendable in their more colorful roles, and the other notable cast members including Rhys Ifans, Lesley Manville, and Greg Kinnear are fine in their substantial supporting roles.

Although it feels a bit too plain and earnest from time to time, “Misbehaviour” is fairly entertaining and enlightening in addition to accomplishing its missions well on the whole. In my humble opinion, we still need a lot more female films considering that gender bias and prejudice are still prevalent in movie industry, and I am glad to see another good female drama movie which deserves some appreciation for its good qualities.

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Underwater (2020) ☆☆☆(3/4): Deep down in a trench

Posted on May 30, 2020 by kaist455

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“Underwater” digs into its genre territory as much as intended, and I was entertained enough during my viewing even while recognizing its weak elements. Although it stumbles a bit during the last act which may feel rather preposterous to you for good reasons, the overall result is tense and efficient at least, and it surely deserves to be compared with other notable underwater SF horror flicks such as, say, “Leviathan” (1989).

At the beginning, the movie opens with a series of ominous articles and reports about a questionable underwater drilling operation at the bottom of the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean. Although this drilling operation does not look that profitable (Is it really worthwhile to drill there just because of getting more oil?), some big and powerful Chinese corporation has funded it nonetheless, and the brooding score by Marco Beltrami and Brandon Roberts directly signals to us that there is something very fishy about this drilling operation.

After swooping down to a giant underwater drilling facility at the bottom of the trench, the movie promptly thrusts its story and characters into a sudden unexpected emergency. When she wakes up earlier than many other co-workers in the facility and then is about to begin another usual workday, Norah (Kristen Stewart) senses something strange and alarming, and that turns out to be the mere prelude for a huge catastrophe, which, within a few minutes, not only destroys most of the facility but also kills most of guys working and living there.

Fortunately, Norah manages to survive along with two colleagues of hers, and they subsequently join three other survivors including the captain of the facility, but the situation turns out to be worse than they thought. Because the facility is getting crumbled further, they must get out from there as soon as possible, but, alas, there is not any escape pod for them, and their only possible option for now is going to a nearby facility for themselves.

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Of course, this option is not so easy to say the least. First, they have to wear those big suits engineered for underwater operations, and then they must walk around one mile (1.6-km) as constantly threatened by that dark and harsh underwater environment of the trench. While they surely need to pay attention to the amount of oxygen available to them, there are many other risky factors in front of them, and we later get a grisly moment involved with the matter of pressure.

Anyway, Norah and others come to take risks because they have no choice from the start, and the movie steadily maintains the level of suspense as they struggle to move from one risky spot to another. While they have some moment of respite after succeeding in getting out of the facility, the grim possibility of death still hovers around them, and their fear and desperation become more palpable as their chance of survival keeps getting decreased minute by minute.

And then, this is not much of a spoiler to you if you are accustomed to its genre, Norah and other survivors come to realize that there is something unknown and dangerous in the water, which is probably responsible for what happened to their facility. They accordingly become more careful in their advance across the bottom of the trench, but it seems that they are stuck in a circumstance way beyond their heads, and we come to brace ourselves more as fearing what may suddenly appear out of the darkness surrounding them.

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The movie eventually comes to lose its sense of mystery as showing more and more of whatever is menacing its main characters, and you can easily guess how some of them will get killed along the story, but director William Eubank keeps us engaged via a series of intense moments of horror and suspense. For instance, I enjoyed how he competently dials up and down the level of anxiety during a sequence unfolded inside a long underground tunnel, and I was also sort of amused by what is revealed around the finale, which makes the film cheerfully outrageous in addition to evoking the works of a certain well-known master of American horror literature.

I must point out that the screenplay by Brian Duffield and Adam Cozad often feels thin and mechanical in terms of characterization, but that does not matter much as the movie is effectively driven by the increasing sense of urgency and dread on the screen, and a small group of performers assembled together for the film convey well to us the mentally and physically pressured status of their characters. While Kristen Stewart strongly holds the center as the main star of the movie, she is also supported well by the other main cast members including Vincent Cassel, John Gallagher Jr., and T.J. Miller, who occasionally feels strained as the main comic relief character in the film but is mostly adequate at least.

In conclusion, “Underwater” is a well-made genre piece equipped with sufficient amount of underwater terror to hold our attention, and, to be frank with you, it made me a bit nostalgic about when I watched “Leviathan” on TV at one night many years ago. Like that film did at that time, the movie intrigued me and then terrified me, and I was glad to watch in one of the big screening rooms of a local movie theater during this morning. Yes, it does not break any new ground at all, but it did its job better than I expected, so I will not complain for now.

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The Lovebirds (2020) ☆☆☆(3/4): I’ve seen it before – but it’s okay anyway

Posted on May 25, 2020 by kaist455

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“The Lovebirds” is so predictable and familiar to the bone that my mind kept experiencing moments of déjà vu when I watched it at last night. Right from the very beginning, I clearly discerned what I was going to get, and I was not so surprised much during the rest of the running time, but I frequently laughed as also appreciating the undeniable comic chemistry between its two talented lead performers.

The movie opens with the start of the romantic relationship between its two main characters. Although they initially met each other just for one night stand, Jibran (Kumail Nanjiani) and Leliani (Issa Rae) find themselves attracted more to each other when they come to have a breakfast together outside in the next morning, and it surely looks like the beginning of a long relationship to both of them.

However, after four years, Jibran and Leliani are not as happy as they were at that time. Although they are soon going to attend together an evening party held at their mutual friend’s house, they constantly bicker with each other even when they are going there by their car, and then there eventually comes an inevitable moment when they face the possible end of their relationship as wondering how they have become so bitter and estranged to each other.

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And then, as already shown in the trailer of the movie, something quite unexpected happens to Jibran and Leliani. Their car happens to hit a guy on his bicycle, and, to their bafflement, the guy runs away from the spot once he manages to stand up. Shortly after that, another guy appears, and Jibran and Leliani let this guy drive their car just because he claims to be a cop, but then, of course, that turns out to be a big mistake, and Jibran and Leliani soon find themselves on the run as the police subsequently search for them.

While it seems that there is no way out for them, Jibran and Leliani decide to take care of their messy situation for themselves, and that is the beginning of their bumpy and perilous journey around the city. Mainly thanks to a few things left by that unlucky bicycle guy, they get closer to what the hell is really going on, but, not so surprisingly, they also have to deal with a number of dangerous moments. At one point, they are forced to choose between hot, sizzling bacon oil and a hidden option of punishment which may be far worse than that, and all I can tell you is that this hilarious twisted scene will not disappoint you for a good reason.

I must point out that the movie automatically reminds me of many other similar comedy movies ranging from “Date Night” (2010) and “Game Night” (2018), but the screenplay by Aaron Abram and Brendan Gall, which is developed from the story written by them and their co-writer Martin Gero, keeps things rolling at least, and director Michael Showalter, who previously directed “The Big Sick” (2017), deftly balances the story and characters well between thriller and comedy. While the mood becomes tense and serious from time to time, the movie never loses its sense of fun and humor, and it is willing to be quite outrageous as shown from a sequence which is evidently influenced by, surprise, Stanley Kubrick’s “Eyes Wide Shut” (1999).

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And it surely helps that the movie is constantly elevated by its two lead performers. Kumail Nanjiani, who was alternatively funny and touching in “The Big Sick”, and Issa Rae, who is mostly known for her HBO TV series “Insecure”, click well with each other, and it is really fun to watch their incessant verbal clashes throughout the film. Yes, they sometimes go a little too far in their neurotic comic interactions, but Nanjiani and Rae also bring some gravitas and intelligence to their characters, and we come to root for their characters even as rolling our eyes due to their characters’ numerous silly moments such as when they clumsily attempt to break into a certain place for another clue.

The major weakness of the film comes from its rather flat supporting characters, who are more or less than plot tools to be used and then discarded. While Paul Sparks is menacing as required as the main villain of the film, he is mostly limited by his colorless functional role, and I was also disappointed that the movie under-utilizes two nasty supporting characters played by Anna Camp and Kyle Bornheimer, who definitely have a ball during their standout scene but do not have many things to do besides that.

Although it is one or two steps below “Date Night” and “Game Night”, “The Lovebirds” engaged and amused me enough during its 87-minute running time at least, and I think that is enough for recommendation. As many of you know, the movie was initially supposed to have its world premiere at the South by Southwest Film Festival in this March and then be released in US by Paramount Pictures in the next month, but, unfortunately, both its world premiere and theatrical release in US were canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and that was how it happened to be released by Netflix instead a few days ago. Yes, you might say that there are indeed many better things to watch on Netflix and other streaming services, but I will not deny that I had a fair share of chuckles during my viewing, and now I have some expectation on whatever Nanjiani and Rae will show us next in the future.

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Bori (2018) ☆☆☆(3/4): She wants to be deaf…

Posted on May 25, 2020 by kaist455

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South Korean independent film “Bori” is a sensitive and intimate coming-of-age tale about one girl who wants to be deaf just like her dear family. This surely sounds weird to many of you at first, but the movie gradually lets us understand and emphasize with her as slowly rolling from one engaging moment to another, and we come to observe her little drama during one summer with more care and attention.

During its first half, the movie establishes a little happy world surrounding its young heroine. Because she is the only one capable of hearing in her family, Bo-ri (Kim Ah-song) has often functioned as a translator between her parents and the outside world, and she has also been someone to lean on for her younger brother Jeong-woo (Lee Rin-ha). When Jeong-woo suddenly wants to eat some cheap Chinese dishes at one point, his parents do not object at all, and Bo-ri is certainly ready to order them on the phone.

Whenever she goes to a local elementary school in the morning, Bo-ri drops by a small religious place and then prays for something, and we soon come to learn of her little private wish when her best friend Eun-jeong (Hwang Yoo-rim) asks about that later. As a child of deaf adults (CODA), Bo-ri has felt a growing gap between her and her family especially since she began to attend her elementary school, so she has wished to be deaf just like her family for more connection between her and her family.

This wish of hers becomes more desperate especially after one frightening incident during a local summer festival. Although she is supposed to be the one who looks after her parents and younger brother as enjoying the festival along with them, Bo-ri inadvertently gets herself separated from her family, and that surely throws her into panic and dread, though she eventually reunites with her family at a local police station.

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And then there comes a rather silly idea. On a TV program Bo-ri happens to watch along with her family during one evening, an old female diver says that she has lost most of her hearing due as frequently diving into water, and, to our little amusement, Bo-ri subsequently tries to become deaf via putting her head into water for a few minutes. After this amusing attempt turns out to be not so successful, she decides to do something a little more drastic, and that naturally leads to an ‘accident’ which surely scares her family a lot.

Anyway, Bo-ri is taken to a local hospital shortly after this incident, and that is when she seizes an opportunity without any hesitation. When she wakes up and then gets examined by a doctor, she pretends that she has lost her hearing completely, and her parents are understandably upset about their dear daughter’s sudden loss of hearing.

As her family becomes more accustomed to her newly acquired disability during next several days, Bo-ri is pleased because she feels like getting closer to her family. She and her family interact with each other more than before, and there is a little touching moment when her father tells her about how he met his wife and then fell in love with her right from the beginning.

In the meantime, Bo-ri finds herself in a tricky circumstance as continuing her innocent masquerade. While often facing unpleasant moments of bias and prejudice from others around her, she comes to wonder whether it is really worthwhile to pretend to be deaf for the rest of her life, and then she becomes more conflicted when her parents shows willingness to pay a lot for a certain special surgery for her and her younger brother.

bori02As its heroine’s inner conflict grows along the story, some dramatic tension is naturally accumulated on the screen, but the movie steadily maintains its gentle tone on the whole, and director/writer Kim Jinyu, whose screenplay is based a lot on his childhood experiences with his deaf family, continues to dole out small but sincere moments to be appreciated while also showing considerable thoughtfulness for his audiences. Like Oscar-nominated German film “Beyond Silence” (1996), the movie has the subtitle for deaf audiences, and this significant gesture of inclusion is quite considerate to say the least.

Kim also draws the good natural acting from the main cast members of the film. As the center of the movie, young performer Kim Ah-song gives a likable lead performance which ably anchors the whole movie, and she is also supported well by the other main cast members. While Kwak Jin-seok and Heo Ji-na are effective as Bo-ri’s loving parents, Lee Rin-ha is delightful as Bo-ri’s plucky younger brother, and Hwang Yoo-rim is also fine in her small but substantial supporting role.

Overall, “Bori”, which is incidentally Kim’s first feature film, is another notable South Korean independent movie of this year after “Lucky Chan-sil” (2019), and it is a shame that the movie happens to be released in local theaters during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea. In my inconsequential opinion, it is too good to be released and then forgotten quickly, so I recommend you to check it out someday.

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