Cut Print Review » Amy Killin http://cutprintreview.com Australian Movie Reviews, Film News & Competitions Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:56:59 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 The Beaver (Review) http://cutprintreview.com/reviews/4-stars/the-beaver-review/ http://cutprintreview.com/reviews/4-stars/the-beaver-review/#comments Fri, 05 Aug 2011 07:10:57 +0000 Amy Killin http://cutprintreview.com/?p=18188 Lately it seems as though Mel Gibson, the actor, has been replaced by Mel Gibson, the publicly drunken and anti-Semitic nutjob. One would suspect that’s why Jodie Foster’s The Beaver has been collect dust on the shelf for the last year, waiting until all the hullaballoo has died down and audiences start to rediscover Mel Gibson, the actor, once more.

The irony here, however, is that it’s because of Gibson’s personal [...]]]> Lately it seems as though Mel Gibson, the actor, has been replaced by Mel Gibson, the publicly drunken and anti-Semitic nutjob. One would suspect that’s why Jodie Foster’s The Beaver has been collect dust on the shelf for the last year, waiting until all the hullaballoo has died down and audiences start to rediscover Mel Gibson, the actor, once more.

The irony here, however, is that it’s because of Gibson’s personal woes that his starring role in The Beaver is so desperate, poignant and strangely comical. Gibson embodies Walter Black, a man on the verge of losing himself completely to the abyss of depression. Interestingly, Walter’s vegetative existence is not a result of his life lacking anything – he is, or was, a well-to-do toy exec with a healthy family — but rather an inexplicable, seemingly inescapable numbness that one day drew the curtains and refused to reopen them. His broken-hearted wife Meridith (Foster) wants nothing more than to see  her once-loving husband return, but in a bid to prevent his self-implosion from scarring their two sons, teenager Porter (Anton Yelchin) and youngster Henry (Riley Thomas Stewart), she holds back her tears long enough to kick Walter out of the house.

A slapstick attempt at suicide awakens Walter to a new desire to ‘fix’ himself, placing him at the mercy of a self-prescribed hand puppet that prefers to be addressed simply as The Beaver. Ventriloquising with a deep cockney accent, Walter begins to live his life exclusively through The Beaver, personifying the puppet with the kind of gusto and gall he presumably possessed before his depression left him a crumpled sack in a fancy suit. Naturally, the Black family and those around them — audience included — search for answers: Is this a joke? Has Walter completely lost his mind?

jodie foster anton yelchin the beaver movie image 21 e1312528112144 The Beaver (Review)

Guided by the natural eye of Jodie Foster, The Beaver sidesteps any idiotic characteristics that would be expected from a movie about a guy who talks to a puppet for ninety minutes. Instead, Foster delivers a carefully directed, quietly comedic story that perfectly integrates the puppet into its execution, making a seamless transition between the characters of Walter and The Beaver. Without a fault to pinpoint, traditional shot-reverse-shot dialogue is filmed to integrate the actions and heavily opinionated reactions of The Beaver. An intriguing matriarch emerges from within Meredith when the Black’s need to rely on their husband and father the most.

As with most films that deal with characters at their breaking points, there is no turning back for Walter. Comparisons with Craig Gillespe’s Lars and The Real Girl and Sam Mendes’ heavily decorated American Beauty will be inevitable, and this film possesses all the qualities of a golden trophy contender for both Foster and Gibson – if, of course, his troubled public profile doesn’t hold the film back.

For a man with such severe mental illness, there is no single moment of awakening — a testament to the careful craftsmanship of screenwriter Kyle Killen in in his debut feature. When Walter and the Beaver finally go head to head, his family, his career and his life are on the line, as they always were. But it’s only now that Walter realises just how much they’re worth fighting for.

Verdict:

A return to form for Mel Gibson and an example of Jodie Foster’s great eye for directing, The Beaver makes for a creative portrayal of mental illness, and of family life around those who live in the dark, reaching a fine balance of drama and comedy.

]]> http://cutprintreview.com/reviews/4-stars/the-beaver-review/feed/ 2 Pixar’s BRAVE features a fairytale, a female lead AND a female director! http://cutprintreview.com/features/opinion/pixars-brave-features-a-fairytale-a-female-lead-and-a-female-director/ http://cutprintreview.com/features/opinion/pixars-brave-features-a-fairytale-a-female-lead-and-a-female-director/#comments Tue, 26 Apr 2011 21:18:51 +0000 Amy Killin http://cutprintreview.com/?p=17152 After twelve incredible feature films, the movies of Pixar are beloved the world over for their dazzling animation, heart-warming stories and their perseverant heroes; not once, however, has Pixar told a story with a female lead character or called upon the talents of a female director to call the shots…until now. Upon the release of promotional screenshots, all eyes have been captured by Pixar once again, this [...]]]> After twelve incredible feature films, the movies of Pixar are beloved the world over for their dazzling animation, heart-warming stories and their perseverant heroes; not once, however, has Pixar told a story with a female lead character or called upon the talents of a female director to call the shots…until now. Upon the release of promotional screenshots, all eyes have been captured by Pixar once again, this time by a promising young heroine with a mop of fiery red hair, Princess Merida, and the work of talented co-director Brenda Chapman (The Prince of Egypt).

In Brave, Merida is a sassy Scottish lass with a penchant for Archery and a habit of breaking all the rules, which ultimately leads her to defy a sacred custom of the land, nearly destroy her kingdom and thus, set out on an adventure to restore order and save the day. There has also been no current mention of a sidetracking Prince so for once, it appears, a princess finally becomes a heroine based on her own wits and baddassery.

Whilst the animation will no doubt be impeccable, the reported cast list is another major drawcard; Boardwalk Empire’s Kelly MacDonald is Princess Merida, Emma Thompson and Billy Connelly as her regal parents, Julie Walters as the Wise-Old Woman and even Robby Coltrane is along for the ride as one of three Lords of the Kingdom.

The filmmaking masterminds at Pixar have made our cinematic seasons memorable time and time again by telling stories with action, drama and plenty of humour, unearthed from the most unimaginable sources of storytelling in the universe: From adventurous bugs and afraid monsters to talking toys, cars and fish, from a culinary rat to an emotive robot, Pixar has ensured entertainment for the entire (superhero) family.

After proving again with Up that adventure and entertainment is for people of all ages and not just the young, fans from all backgrounds, ages and mindsets have been eagerly anticipating confirmation and details of Brave. The princess may be a tomboy and whole-heartedly not blonde, and the entire bevy of Scottish characters may never have even heard of America, but quite clearly, Brave is shaping up to be the next thoughtful ground-breaker from a studio already decorated with Academy Awards, Golden Globes and Grammy accolades.

Here at last, Pixar is gift-wrapping us a fairytale that departs from traditional Disney cliché, offers a strong female lead and will showcase the creativity of a female co-director…

Or, is this too much expectation to place on a film that is, for the most part, targeting its audience in 3-12 year-olds?

]]> http://cutprintreview.com/features/opinion/pixars-brave-features-a-fairytale-a-female-lead-and-a-female-director/feed/ 2 Hop (Review) http://cutprintreview.com/reviews/2-12-stars/hop-review/ http://cutprintreview.com/reviews/2-12-stars/hop-review/#comments Tue, 12 Apr 2011 23:38:59 +0000 Amy Killin http://cutprintreview.com/?p=17059 With his distinct, unmistakable English accent and his new found ability to be cast in anything, the rise and rise of British funnyman Russell Brand (Get Him to the Greek) has forced even the most cynical film fans to take notice. As the voice of Hop’s protagonist, E.B, Brand combines his high-pitched Briticisms with kid-friendly gags, bringing life to a character that embodies some of the world’s finest animation blended seamlessly [...]]]> With his distinct, unmistakable English accent and his new found ability to be cast in anything, the rise and rise of British funnyman Russell Brand (Get Him to the Greek) has forced even the most cynical film fans to take notice. As the voice of Hop’s protagonist, E.B, Brand combines his high-pitched Briticisms with kid-friendly gags, bringing life to a character that embodies some of the world’s finest animation blended seamlessly into a backdrop of middling live-action film.

Initially, the novelty of such effects catches audiences off guard with their unnerving excellence; it’s impressive to see how far the technology has come since its beginnings with Who Killed Roger Rabbit? and Space Jam. But while the effects are first class, the story is rote. Weirdly, the ending is also given away within the first few minutes, leaving the remaining 90-odd little choice but to underwhelm.

The sugar-coated smorgasbord presented by screenwriters Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio (Despicable Me), serves a menu of bad plaid shirts, cheap rebellion and mutual daddy issues, shared between the equally obnoxious and hopeless Easter-Bunny-in-Waiting, E.B and his eventual human collaborator Fred O’Hare (James Marsden; Cats & Dogs 2). When jobless loser Fred hits a runaway E.B with his car, the furry critter tricks the just as unshaven human into catering to his every whim, specifically by ferrying him to and from auditions for a David Hasselhoff American Idol inspired talent show. Unfortunately, both of these characters remain largely detestable for most of the film, even when they come together to save the day.

The film’s finest contribution comes from the voice work of Hank Azaria (Year One) as Carlos, a fluffy yellow Easter chicken who psychotically dreams of delivering the eggs on Easter morning himself. When this fluffy (Cuban?) Signor is repeatedly belittled back into place by Bunny Senior, Carlos begins a Chè Guevara inspired revolution, leading the factory chicks to riot against their oppressive bunnies. He’s a great example of racial stereotyping and Hollywood’s penchant for tokenism, too.

hop 041 e1302650971211 600x285 Hop (Review)

Like the ghosts of Christmas movies past, Hop commercialises Easter in the extreme way that is usually reserved for Xmas or Halloween. Director Tim Hill (Garfield 2, Alvin and the Chipmunks) overemphasises all the things that kids love about this time of year: lollies, chocolate and the Easter Bunny myth. (Of course, there’s no inclination that a chap named Jesus has anything to do with the holiday). Whilst Hop has the cheekiness to entertain the kids, parents will have to learn the hard way the reason why a bunny who poops jellybeans and leaves a trail around the house isn’t the best role model for their youngsters.

Verdict: After the abomination that was Alvin and the Chipmunks, this could be Tim Hill’s kid-friendly resurrection. I just wish he had read the script before the numbers on the paycheck.

]]> http://cutprintreview.com/reviews/2-12-stars/hop-review/feed/ 7 Oscar Noms: Some Thrive, Others Are Buried… http://cutprintreview.com/features/opinion/oscar-noms-some-thrive-others-are-buried/ http://cutprintreview.com/features/opinion/oscar-noms-some-thrive-others-are-buried/#comments Thu, 27 Jan 2011 11:12:59 +0000 Amy Killin http://cutprintreview.com/?p=15293 Nice and early yesterday morning, the movie world welcomed the official release of the 52nd Oscar nominations, but not everyone has been left to thank the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

As the nominations reflect the work of this past year’s films and filmmakers, Oscar buzz has certainly left a sour lump in the back of Buried Screenwriter Chris Sparling’s throat. Unfortunately for Sparling, [...]]]> Nice and early yesterday morning, the movie world welcomed the official release of the 52nd Oscar nominations, but not everyone has been left to thank the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

As the nominations reflect the work of this past year’s films and filmmakers, Oscar buzz has certainly left a sour lump in the back of Buried Screenwriter Chris Sparling’s throat. Unfortunately for Sparling, no one passed along the memo that said shameless self-promotion to those with voting power is against Academy rules, or at least they didn’t before he sent an email to each of the members asking for their vote. As a result, one of last year’s best original screenplays was effectively rendered disqualified from the trophy race. And while The King’s Speech was rightly awarded twelve nominations and the Coen Brothers’ True Grit gathered an exceptional ten, Buried was left with its head in the sand. Bad luck, if you’re Spanish director Rodrigo Cortez and Buried was to be the film to break it into Hollywood. Quite entrapping, if you’re Ryan Reynolds and gave the performance of your career. And simply disappointing, if you’re a movie lover who recognises a great film when you see one — a thriller of such ingenuity and depth,  it’s on par with Hitchcock’s best.

Anyone like Sparling with the patience to write a feature length screenplay that depicts one on-screen character, in only one location, with little to no hope of a happy ending, does deserve a little bit of credit. Despite no chance at taking a little golden man home, Sparling can take heed from the fact that the press took note of Buried’s “disqualification”, which hopefully will be enough to see an influx of intrigued and/or equally outraged viewers to catch the film when it lands on DVD in Australia on Feb 23rd.

At the end of the day, it’s important to remember the Oscars are not the be all and end all; Cortez, Sparling and Reynolds should be proud with what their little film has already achieved, from an impressive 85% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, to the 2010 Melies d’Or Award for best film at the European Fantastic Film Festival. And let’s be perfectly honest, Buried was never going to win an Oscar when competing against films backed by million dollar campaigns, such as The Social Network and The King’s Speech. Still, the thought does count.

Let’s get chatting: do you agree with the disqualification of Buried from the Oscar nominations? And of those successfully nominated, who do you think will walk away with the Oscar?

]]> http://cutprintreview.com/features/opinion/oscar-noms-some-thrive-others-are-buried/feed/ 4 Anne Hathaway is Catwoman in ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ http://cutprintreview.com/news/anne-hathaway-is-catwoman-in-the-dark-knight-rises/ http://cutprintreview.com/news/anne-hathaway-is-catwoman-in-the-dark-knight-rises/#comments Thu, 20 Jan 2011 13:40:28 +0000 Amy Killin http://cutprintreview.com/?p=15156 Here’s some interesting casting news from the pre-production offices of Christopher Nolan’s upcoming batman movie, The Dark Knight Rises; crowd-pleaser Anne Hathaway, recently seen baring it all across from Jake Gyllenhaal in the sex comedy Love & Other Drugs, has  signed on to take on the role of a revamped Catwoman, alongside Inception‘s Tom Hardy as muscly super villain Bane and the [...]]]> Here’s some interesting casting news from the pre-production offices of Christopher Nolan’s upcoming batman movie, The Dark Knight Rises; crowd-pleaser Anne Hathaway, recently seen baring it all across from Jake Gyllenhaal in the sex comedy Love & Other Drugs, has  signed on to take on the role of a revamped Catwoman, alongside Inception‘s Tom Hardy as muscly super villain Bane and the Bat himself, Christian Bale.

In the flick to finish off Nolan’s legendary bat-trilogy, Hathaway will don the black leather that sets every geek’s heart aflutter and hopefully perfect a ‘purrrrr’ that brings dignity back to the character. Especially after the murderous ravaging in 2004’s critically-panned feature Catwoman, which at the hands of French director Pitof, will forever be remembered for securing Halle Berry a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress.

So what do you think; will Hathaway portray a hammed-up flirty feline or will she slink amongst shadows to keep the Dark Knight wishing it were he with nine lives?

We can speculate for now, but it won’t be until July 19, 2012 that we’ll know for sure.

]]> http://cutprintreview.com/news/anne-hathaway-is-catwoman-in-the-dark-knight-rises/feed/ 1 Are Teen Readers Granted More Blood, Guts and Sex than Moviegoers? http://cutprintreview.com/features/opinion/readers-granted-blood-guts-sex-moviegoers/ http://cutprintreview.com/features/opinion/readers-granted-blood-guts-sex-moviegoers/#comments Wed, 12 Jan 2011 03:03:46 +0000 Amy Killin http://cutprintreview.com/?p=14983 A weekend or school holiday trip to the movies has long been a staple occurrence to the coming of age of millions of teenagers the world over. Catching a flick without Mummy or Daddy for the first time is a monumental right of passage: more-so if you’re daring enough to let them buy you a ticket to something they want you to see and then sneak into a [...]]]> A weekend or school holiday trip to the movies has long been a staple occurrence to the coming of age of millions of teenagers the world over. Catching a flick without Mummy or Daddy for the first time is a monumental right of passage: more-so if you’re daring enough to let them buy you a ticket to something they want you to see and then sneak into a movie they would be horrified to know you have seen. When you’re fourteen-and-a-half and really, really want to see Not Another Teen Movie because all those in your class who are just old enough highly recommend it, the reality of that little MA15+ rating can feel like such a biaaaatch. Encouraged by the folks at the Aussie Classifications Board and exercised by the pimply kids usually also too young to buy a ticket to the films they are selling, the right to refuse younger teenagers access to certain movies has always let parents feel in control. In hindsight, keeping underage kids out of MA15+ movies exists for a reason and I can see why my folks still think it is a bad idea to watch Not Another Teen Movie, regardless of age.

On the other hand, when a kid drags their folks into a bookstore and heads for the teenage fiction section, no warning labels discourage the parents with their cash at the ready: “Thank God, after so many years of school, Little Johnny knows how to read!”. And while literature classification most certainly does exist, many teenage fiction novels appear to get away with a lot more when it comes to heavy themes such as sex and violence.

As Katey Rich writes for Cinema Blend, the highly anticipated teenage fiction trilogy The Hunger Games is set to tone down the violence when it is adapted into film by director Garry Ross later this year. Violent depictions of a world where teenagers are forced to fight each other to death, as ordered by an over-zealous government intent on distracting the masses with life-and-death reality entertainment, are to be edited to keep the movie within the grasp of its 14-21 readership demographic. Funny thing is, fans of the books in this demographic have already been exposed to such explicit content, so what’s the big deal?

Are words on a page any less impacting than combinations of sight and sound?

The issue here lies in that if these kids have already read books depicting such scenes, why should they be denied a cinematic translation? Is this a double standard lost in the translation of two different mediums of entertainment or is there validity in supporting what can be read but not what can be seen and heard?

On the other hand, Ramascreen reports Twilight fans are salivating at the thought of a faithful Breaking Dawn adaptation: “Vampire-Human Sex” …”Mixed Marriage Spawn”…

In reality, does anyone really want to see that?

]]> http://cutprintreview.com/features/opinion/readers-granted-blood-guts-sex-moviegoers/feed/ 3 WTF: ‘The Fast and the Furious’ Set to Outlive Religion… http://cutprintreview.com/features/opinion/wtf-the-fast-furious-set-outlive-religion%e2%80%a6/ http://cutprintreview.com/features/opinion/wtf-the-fast-furious-set-outlive-religion%e2%80%a6/#comments Wed, 05 Jan 2011 03:37:32 +0000 Amy Killin http://cutprintreview.com/?p=14866 Welcome to 2011… this year, the Gods of cinema have a gift they’re sure you’ll love, but nevertheless cannot exchange or refund! In the wake of franchise returns for Meet the Parents: Little Fockers, The Chronicles of Narnia: the Voyage of the Dawn Treader and Pirates of the Caribbean: [...]]]> Welcome to 2011… this year, the Gods of cinema have a gift they’re sure you’ll love, but nevertheless cannot exchange or refund! In the wake of franchise returns for Meet the Parents: Little Fockers, The Chronicles of Narnia: the Voyage of the Dawn Treader and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Hollywood has wrapped up a few surprises in the forthcoming releases: Another stint for Martin Lawrence in a fat suit in Big Mommas: Like Father, like son and because high performance petrol fumes have clearly affected too many brains,  Paul Walker and Vin Diesel are back with the Fifth flick to spawn from 2001’s The Fast and The Furious, lazily entitled Fast Five.

Initial cognition recognises that this title could have been penned by Enid Blyton, leaving Fast Five solely reliant on a few racy promo shots of fancy cars and the release of a cast list that includes nearly every recognisable actor from the previous four films. In terms of story it seems we have already seen Vin and Paul outrun a drug lord and an unrelenting cop, only this time around they race through the streets of Rio de Janeiro instead of Mexico. Another movie, another venture further south to avoid American jurisdiction.

Undoubtedly, every remotely car crazy person out there will be thrashing their Excel from suburbia to the Cinema… just try not to crash into the Neanderthal dialogue or Dwayne ‘Tooth Fairy‘ Johnson himself. Distraction by Jordana Brewster a definite plus.

You know what they say, same sh*t, different label… it just so happens that these labels keep raking in the cash. Evidently, if they love anything more than a remake in Hollywood, it has to be a re-hash of stale characters and lucky-dip storylines we’re sure we’ve seen before.

After the green lights were flashed at productions for Big Mommas: Like Father, like Son and Fast Five, is it possible to consider any franchise returns that could be worse? Are there any worthy candidates? Let your imagination run wild.

My money is on Roland Emmerich getting around to a 2012 sequel. Once the year has passed, naturally.

]]> http://cutprintreview.com/features/opinion/wtf-the-fast-furious-set-outlive-religion%e2%80%a6/feed/ 2 Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (Review) http://cutprintreview.com/reviews/3-12-stars/rare-exports-a-christmas-tale-review/ http://cutprintreview.com/reviews/3-12-stars/rare-exports-a-christmas-tale-review/#comments Thu, 16 Dec 2010 03:43:44 +0000 Amy Killin http://cutprintreview.com/?p=14545 Whilst Christmas-celebrating people at this time of year are making their lists and checking them twice, the sanctuary of the cinema usually becomes a safe house and the films within provide the perfect hide-out from fairy lights, excessive shopping and dreaded family gatherings. This year, however, Finnish writer/director Jalmari Helander has made it his seasonal duty to give us a very special, if not creepy, Christmas gift. Rare [...]]]> Whilst Christmas-celebrating people at this time of year are making their lists and checking them twice, the sanctuary of the cinema usually becomes a safe house and the films within provide the perfect hide-out from fairy lights, excessive shopping and dreaded family gatherings. This year, however, Finnish writer/director Jalmari Helander has made it his seasonal duty to give us a very special, if not creepy, Christmas gift. Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale unwraps a quirky tale of the “real” Santa, and this year old St. Nick is not feeling particularly giving or jolly…

Departing from Christmas tradition and turning to the traditions of the horror genre instead, Helander sets his story along the Fin-Russian border, at the base of the Korvatunturi Mountains. As Christmas approaches, excavators halt their drills and evacuate themselves from atop the mountain in reaction to a strange, ancient discovery packed in ice some 486 meters deep: enter inquisitive child protagonist Pietari (Onni Tommila) and his need to live up to his father’s expectations and prove himself as a man. This motherless boy, no more than twelve years old, possesses a look so far from the conventional Hollywood boy that his indigenous Sami-Nordic features and D.I.Y mullet haircut heighten the eerie atmosphere and compliment the dark, cold cinematography of Mika Orasmaa. There is a similar feel to the look of this film that was a talking point for Tomas Alfredson’s 2008 vampire chiller Let the Right One In.

2010 rare exports a christmas tale 0061 600x255 Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (Review)

As Pietari’s curiosity gets the better of him, he feels responsible for the mishappenings that are sabotaging the Christmas season for those around him – particularly the loss of an entire reindeer herd, $80,000 worth of lost meat, which stands to economically ruin the slaughterhouse men of the area, including Pietari’s dad, Rauno (Jorma Tommila). As the young kids of Pietari’s town also start to go missing, the adults are forced to take notice to the pieces of the puzzle that our hero has put together… and prepare themselves for what is approaching, come the eve of December 25th.

Rare Exports is an inventive take on the origins of Santa, and poses to eclipse the likes of A Christmas Carol, The Santa Claus Trilogy and Miracle on 31st Street as a very different kind of family favourite for the season. The way that Pietari and his father turn their problems into profits is hilariously funny, and their rare exports are a truly unique enterprise. Unfortunately, Jalmari Helander sidesteps a true visual revelation of the monster we wait all movie to see, and this feels like a real disappointment given the excellent tension he builds. The second downfall of this film lies in reverting to third-rate special effects in the climax, which drastically lowers the production values that would otherwise be considered world class.

On an up beat, the thrilling tale intertwines perfectly with Pietari’s simple coming of age story and, overall, the film is a great feature length tribute to the short films that made Jalmari Helander a Youtube sensation.

Verdict:

An enjoyable Christmas/coming of age tale that will make adults re-think any desire to sell the Santa Claus story to their kiddies… and all without a bible-bashing sub-plot in sight.

]]> http://cutprintreview.com/reviews/3-12-stars/rare-exports-a-christmas-tale-review/feed/ 0 Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould (Review) http://cutprintreview.com/reviews/4-12-stars/genius-within-the-inner-life-of-glenn-gould-review/ http://cutprintreview.com/reviews/4-12-stars/genius-within-the-inner-life-of-glenn-gould-review/#comments Thu, 25 Nov 2010 00:32:14 +0000 Amy Killin http://cutprintreview.com/?p=14037 Compelling cinema in the form of a documentary can be hard to come by when it’s not arguing a provocative social or political issue currently in vogue.  Typically, biopics are rarely reserved for anything more than a midday movie time-slot with the sole intent of selling rags-to-riches story to bored housewives. Thankfully, first-time documentarians Michèle Hozer and Peter Raymont have crafted an insight into the life of musical [...]]]> Compelling cinema in the form of a documentary can be hard to come by when it’s not arguing a provocative social or political issue currently in vogue.  Typically, biopics are rarely reserved for anything more than a midday movie time-slot with the sole intent of selling rags-to-riches story to bored housewives. Thankfully, first-time documentarians Michèle Hozer and Peter Raymont have crafted an insight into the life of musical virtuoso Glenn Gould with Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould that is intriguing, intelligent and inspiring. Without any real musical knowledge or any interest in the world of classical music and its players, I was surprisingly drawn to the eccentric humanism, obsessive compulsiveness and independent spirit of Gould’s genius within.

For those who knew of Gould’s musical brilliance and personal eccentricities, he was more than a virtuoso and more than a little difficult to personally understand. Born in Toronto in 1932, Gould established himself as musically gifted from an early age and went on to stun the classical world with his otherworldly skill. While the beat generation of the 1950s and 1960s were tearing conventional philosophies of art, theory and life apart with ideas of revolt, experimentation and free love, Gould developed his own riot in the classical world with his unconventional but undeniably brilliant renditions of Bach. Gould was to the classical music world what Dylan was to acoustic, or what Cassady and Kerouac were to literature.GlennGould1 Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould (Review)

As they say, there is method in madness: Gould’s enigma is beautifully captured in archive footage from as way back as his 1930s childhood. Cameras followed Gould throughout the entirety of his whole life and captured his music – performances and recordings – alongside personal ventures of intimate detail. Interviews with those who surrounded the man professionally and personally, add to verify his one-of-a-kind persona and recall his rock star rise to classical music fame. Tastefully, overlay footage is kept to a bare minimum, notably in fictional shots of a man stalking cold Toronto streets wearing his identifiable long coat, scarf and cap.  The film also explores Gould’s inability to understand fame, his rejection of professional performance by the age of thirty-one and his turn to working on radio documentaries. While we don’t get to know Gould’s inner-self as the title promises, Hozer and Raymont do introduce us to Gould on a personal level, documenting his passionate friendships, his scandelous romantic entanglements and the hypochondriac anxiety that followed his hype. Although it is not suggested in this film, many Gould scholars suggest that he falls somewhere along the autism spectrum and cite his alternative methods and genius to undiagnosed Asperger’s syndrome.

 

Whilst notoriety in the realm of classical music sounds as adventurous as a vegemite sandwich at the Queen’s tea party, Gould’s eccentric needs propel a captivating narrative that highlights his ambition and love for music in contrast to his obsessive ritualistic behaviour in writing, recording and performing. After last week’s documentary shortlist for the Academy Awards was released, the running for the golden Oscar looks sharp – Genius Within holds itself in strong contention to Banksy’s Exit Through the Gift Shop and Josh Fox’s GasLand. It’s in with a genuine chance.

VERDICT:
Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould depicts the experience of a man who was a gem of his time. A documentary at the forefront of the genre and a real contender come awards time.

]]> http://cutprintreview.com/reviews/4-12-stars/genius-within-the-inner-life-of-glenn-gould-review/feed/ 2 WTF: Angelina gives Brad directions? http://cutprintreview.com/features/opinion/wtf-angelina-gives-brad-directions/ http://cutprintreview.com/features/opinion/wtf-angelina-gives-brad-directions/#comments Wed, 24 Nov 2010 23:51:39 +0000 Amy Killin http://cutprintreview.com/?p=14081 This week, Angelina Jolie became blog fodder once again when pictures from the set of her unnamed directorial debut surfaced, but were eclipsed by speculation that her Hollywood husband Brad Pitt has an acting part in the politically-charged Bosnian love story.

Given Jolie’s infatuation with politics and humanitarianism beyond the bright lights of Hollywood, her directorial debut has potential to produce an intelligent drama with [...]]]> This week, Angelina Jolie became blog fodder once again when pictures from the set of her unnamed directorial debut surfaced, but were eclipsed by speculation that her Hollywood husband Brad Pitt has an acting part in the politically-charged Bosnian love story.

Given Jolie’s infatuation with politics and humanitarianism beyond the bright lights of Hollywood, her directorial debut has potential to produce an intelligent drama with real emotion, possibly similar to her role in 2007’s A Mighty Heart or her work for Eastwood’s 2008 film Changeling and hopefully as confident as this year’s SALT . On the other hand, we still remember the last time Brangelina burned up the big screen together in 2005 and subjected us all to the “mediocre-but-tolerable” Mr.&Mrs. Smith…

If you have been to the movies in the last ten years, chances are you’ve seen an Angelina Jolie film: she is the spawn of actor John Voight who out-cheesed Nicholas Cage in Gone in 60 Seconds, who really married-then-divorced Bad Santa himself, and who then went on to become both the best AND worst female character adapted-to-film-from-a-video-game with Tomb Raider and Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, respectively…imagine the ride we might take given Jolie in the director’s chair. WTF?!

So I’ll just put it out there, is Angelina Jolie ready for a directorial debut? And, do we even care if Brad Pitt is in her movie or not?

]]> http://cutprintreview.com/features/opinion/wtf-angelina-gives-brad-directions/feed/ 2 WTF: Is Voldemort Harry Potter’s tamest villain? http://cutprintreview.com/features/opinion/wtf-is-voldemort-harry-potters-tamest-villain/ http://cutprintreview.com/features/opinion/wtf-is-voldemort-harry-potters-tamest-villain/#comments Thu, 18 Nov 2010 09:09:47 +0000 Amy Killin http://cutprintreview.com/?p=13799 As the latest Harry Potter instalment hits Aussie cinemas today, I’ll keep this week’s WTF short and simple so y’all can rush out to see it. As you would imagine, we here at CPR enjoy talking about HP season profusely every time it comes around again, so check out or latest review and commentary.

With the series drawing nearer and nearer to a close, and with the [...]]]> As the latest Harry Potter instalment hits Aussie cinemas today, I’ll keep this week’s WTF short and simple so y’all can rush out to see it. As you would imagine, we here at CPR enjoy talking about HP season profusely every time it comes around again, so check out or latest review and commentary.

With the series drawing nearer and nearer to a close, and with the ending already written in ink, turning deeper into the source material and the cinematic translations they have produced is the only way we fans – like junkies afraid of losing the high – can make the most out of knowing what is coming. Now despite the love, there are also many things from The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 which could be deemed WTF worthy: the lack of Snape, the cliff-hanger that wasn’t and geeky Rupert Grint’s  weirdly muscular man-shoulders.

But the one thing that really caught me off guard, and has provoked an great list from Mack Rawden over at Cinema Blend, is the startling realisation that LORD VOLDEMORT – yeah, I said his name; yelled it even – is not the scariest dude in the movie. Sure, he murdered Harry’s parents and stole his childhood, psychotically craves the power to rule the wizarding world and condemns all oblivious muggles to the next life, but Voldey is overshadowed by a number of other J.K Rowling creations. Looking back, this isn’t a phenomenon restricted to the latest release either…

So I ask: who from the HP movies gives you the biggest creeps?
Let us know in the comments section below.

I know for me I’d rather eat slugs and face a stinging charm while riding a giant beneath the Whomping Willow than spend a minute alone with that crazy lady in pink, Dolores Umbridge…

]]> http://cutprintreview.com/features/opinion/wtf-is-voldemort-harry-potters-tamest-villain/feed/ 1 Machete (Review) http://cutprintreview.com/reviews/4-12-stars/machete-review/ http://cutprintreview.com/reviews/4-12-stars/machete-review/#comments Fri, 12 Nov 2010 04:27:29 +0000 Amy Killin http://cutprintreview.com/?p=13609 Robert Rodriguez sparked a mass of internet buzz in 2007 with a faux trailer for a B-movie called Machete – more buzz, you might say, than the Grindhouse double-feature Death Proof and Planet Terror that accompanied it. While I personally loved watching stunt-woman Zoe Bell  kick the crap out of Kurt Russell in Death Proof and witnessing Black Eyed Peas’ front-woman Fergie get mauled by zombies in Planet Terror, Grindhouse fell flat at [...]]]> Robert Rodriguez sparked a mass of internet buzz in 2007 with a faux trailer for a B-movie called Machete – more buzz, you might say, than the Grindhouse double-feature Death Proof and Planet Terror that accompanied it. While I personally loved watching stunt-woman Zoe Bell  kick the crap out of Kurt Russell in Death Proof and witnessing Black Eyed Peas’ front-woman Fergie get mauled by zombies in Planet Terror, Grindhouse fell flat at the US box office and didn’t even receive a theatrical release here in Australia. But it wasn’t a complete loss for the penultimate filmmaking bromance that is Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez; inspired by the popularity of the faux trailer, Rodriguez has ingeniously turned Machete it into a full-blown feature film starring the walking man of muscle, sixty-three year old Danny Trejo. As Machete, Trejo’s anti-hero slices and dices his way through one ridiculously over-the-top vengeance plot that belongs to one of the funniest and most socially aware screenplays of the year.

Machete, an ex-federale trying to forget the past and start anew, illegally crosses the border from Mexico into Texas looking for casual work. But violence and vengeance compliment him like salt and lemon to tequila: when Machete is double-crossed and framed for something he didn’t do, he must follow through with his bloodied blade and sharpened wit to prove his innocence. “Machete – he gets the women and he kills the bad guy.”

Unlike Planet Terror, Machete has a real sense of humour, specifically in the bad accent that comes with casting a white guy with an Asian fetish as a Mexican drug lord: Steven Seagal (Under Siege, Half Past Dead) hits the caricature of bad-ass gangster Rogelio Torres spot on (although there is room to wonder whether the ex-action man is entirely in on the joke). The casting is uniformly great: Robert De Niro (Taxi Driver, What Just Happened) plays a Bush-inspired Senator who is tough on immigration, while Lindsay Lohan (Mean Girls, Herbie: Fully Loaded) pokes fun at her public image as an oversexed and overdosing spoilt brat. Jessica Alba (Fantastic Four, The Killer Inside Me) rocks a gun, an ‘Immigration and Customs’ officer’s badge and a deadly pair of black heels as she tries to restore order. Michelle Rodriguez (Avatar, Fast & Furious) ignites as the revolution-inspiring Shè, a bikini clad freedom fighter complete with an eye patch. The tale of one man’s revenge quickly borderlines a racial war, with Machete the man transcending into something much more powerful: Machete the myth.

Robert Rodriguez and Ethan Maniquis share directing duties, adding extra spice to their politically-fuelled story with an onslaught of original action sequences that showcase their flair for over-the-top violence – Machete does not discriminate, decommissioning the likes of gangsters, corrupt politicians and trigger-happy border patrol officers without hesitation. Alvaro Rodriguez, Robert’s cousin, contributed to the screenplay and, always a highlight of all Rodriguez films, the score is once again by Rodriguez’s band Chigon, who get better with every film they contribute to. Touching back on the B-Movie exploitation style of the 1970s, there is enough firepower and nudity in equal measure that even blaxploitation star Pam Grier would blush, while the grainy, colour-washed cinematography is used in all the right places.

Excessively violent and gleefully ridiculous, Machete knows exactly how to be exploitative. But it’s not without a point; the film doubles as biting political satire, blatantly critiquing the new immigration laws recently passed in some US border states. As a result, Machete has more brains than most movies out this year, even if a good portion of them are splattered across the pavement.

]]> http://cutprintreview.com/reviews/4-12-stars/machete-review/feed/ 7 WTF: ‘Jesuit’ Christ! http://cutprintreview.com/features/opinion/wtf-jesuit-christ/ http://cutprintreview.com/features/opinion/wtf-jesuit-christ/#comments Wed, 10 Nov 2010 11:11:37 +0000 Amy Killin http://cutprintreview.com/?p=13618 This week, WTF is doing a double take:  merely three days ago, I caught Michelle Rodriguez supporting Danny Trejo’s ex-federale-turned-political-assassin-turned-hyper-exploitation-style-revenge-ass-kicker in Robert Rodriguez’s Machete (review coming soon). Today, I learn that Rodriguez has signed on to support yet another ex-badass-in-Texas who is out to avenge his murdered family in Paul Schrader’s The Jesuit, which is also set to star Willem Dafoe, Paz Vega and Manolo Cardona. You might [...]]]> This week, WTF is doing a double take:  merely three days ago, I caught Michelle Rodriguez supporting Danny Trejo’s ex-federale-turned-political-assassin-turned-hyper-exploitation-style-revenge-ass-kicker in Robert Rodriguez’s Machete (review coming soon). Today, I learn that Rodriguez has signed on to support yet another ex-badass-in-Texas who is out to avenge his murdered family in Paul Schrader’s The Jesuit, which is also set to star Willem Dafoe, Paz Vega and Manolo Cardona. You might remember Paul Schrader as the man who directed American Gigolo and penned Robert De Niro classics Raging Bull and Taxi Driver, but now he’s filling both screenwriter AND director roles. With The Jesuit backed by Latino production house Maya Entertainment, I’ll bet you five Hail-Machete’s that there will be more Texas-Mexican flavour packed into The Jesuit than a ten-foot tall taco. With Maya intent on a March 2011 release, that leaves very little time to get down to serious business.

The synopsis certainly sounds unflattering enough:

“In The Jesuit, a man comes out of prison in South Texas: “Neto” wants only a new life, far removed from his violent past.  Just when it seems he might regain his wife and ten-year old son, she is brutally murdered and the boy kidnapped. Neto must abandon his dream of happiness in an explosive return to methods that made him the most feared man in Texas, and earned him the nickname…the Jesuit.”

In the name of all things Cinematic and Holy, it sure sounds to me like Schrader is set to be making a movie that is more-or-less a dramatic take on Machete. Let me say that again…A DRAMATIC MACHETE. Or, it could end up more like this.

Bloggers are on fire making jokes about possible “fatally unhygienic holy water” that we can only imagine to be The Jesuit’s version of, well, Machete’s machete. We can only pray that Schrader’s experience with hard-assed drama will get this film over the line to produce a good flick. Not only for his sake as writer/director, but because Michelle Rodriguez could certainly do without another Bloodrayne. Or another DUI, but that’ a different story entirely…

So this week, loyal WTFians, answer this:

Is “The Jesuit” and Michelle Rodirquez a good mix? Does the world really need a dramatic Machete?

I reckon it’s time for some Tequila…

]]> http://cutprintreview.com/features/opinion/wtf-jesuit-christ/feed/ 3 WTF: If It Ain’t Broke… Spiderman and Superman Reboots http://cutprintreview.com/features/opinion/wtf-if-it-ain%e2%80%99t-broke%e2%80%a6spiderman-and-superman-reboots/ http://cutprintreview.com/features/opinion/wtf-if-it-ain%e2%80%99t-broke%e2%80%a6spiderman-and-superman-reboots/#comments Wed, 03 Nov 2010 01:43:37 +0000 Amy Killin http://cutprintreview.com/?p=13404 I can’t even say anything before I say this…WTF is with Hollywood’s sudden need to reboot a whole bunch of iconic movie franchises even when most are still less than a decade old? I see the point in a new Tron, a new Texas Chainsaw Massacre and maybe even the bomb that was Russel Crowe’s Robin Hood remake. But recent blockbusters like [...]]]> I can’t even say anything before I say this…WTF is with Hollywood’s sudden need to reboot a whole bunch of iconic movie franchises even when most are still less than a decade old? I see the point in a new Tron, a new Texas Chainsaw Massacre and maybe even the bomb that was Russel Crowe’s Robin Hood remake. But recent blockbusters like Spidey? Superman? AGH? Please tell me I’m not THAT old already.

The Spiderman franchise produced an average crop of three movies, entertaining kids in 2002, 2004 and 2007. The trilogy was by no means perfect, leaving the exciting aspects of plot and character deep in the shadows of overpowering special effects. Despite these common flaws that are usually prominent in comic book adaptations anyway, the Spidey movies were successful popcorn movies – the first being the highest grossing film for 2002 in North America. Rotten Tomatoes even gives the first movie an 89% fresh rating…not an easy feat. With the success of this trilogy still in the minds of many and with series exposure still lining the shelves in department stores everywhere, why would people pay to see a movie they’re going to feel like they’ve already seen? With casting news placing The Social Network’s Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker, are we going to have to believe once again that a 27 year-old man is still a high school kid? And if this is the case, why can’t we have Toby Maguire back? Surely there is more to this reboot than a dire need to capitalise on the “next generation” of kids who will like it. Reboot rant aside, news that Emma Stone will take the role as Gwen Stacy will probably be enough to lure me into the web…

In defence of a proposed Superman reboot, I have to admit I am a little bit excited about the prospect of Watchmen‘s Zack Snyder breathing a bit of life into ole Clark Kent. Many times I have tried to sit through Superman Returns and have failed – I always fall asleep. Kevin spacey was great, but Brandon Routh was just a little too squeaky clean.  Whereas, I’m positive Snyder will put a quirky spin on the classic and unearth a darker pathos.

This week I need to know, is there any point to rebooting Spiderman and Superman? Are you ready for another bout of Spidey/Man of Steel hysteria, so soon? Geek out.

One thing is for sure, 2012 is set to be an interesting year for the box office. Unless Roland Emmerich was right…

]]> http://cutprintreview.com/features/opinion/wtf-if-it-ain%e2%80%99t-broke%e2%80%a6spiderman-and-superman-reboots/feed/ 2 WTF: ‘The Human Centipede’ vs. Roger Ebert http://cutprintreview.com/features/opinion/wtf-the-human-centipede-vs-roger-ebert/ http://cutprintreview.com/features/opinion/wtf-the-human-centipede-vs-roger-ebert/#comments Wed, 27 Oct 2010 20:26:01 +0000 Amy Killin http://cutprintreview.com/?p=13267 Controversial gossip about upcoming films can either make or break a new release. More often than not, any talk – good or bad – is better for a new release than none. As you have all probably heard by now, Tom Six’s new shock-horror movie The Human Centipede has had tongues wagging for awhile – but a flick about a mad doctor who kidnaps, imprisons and then stitches [...]]]> Controversial gossip about upcoming films can either make or break a new release. More often than not, any talk – good or bad – is better for a new release than none. As you have all probably heard by now, Tom Six’s new shock-horror movie The Human Centipede has had tongues wagging for awhile – but a flick about a mad doctor who kidnaps, imprisons and then stitches his victims together from ass to mouth, in homage of the elongated metameric structure of the creepy crawly, is guaranteed to do that…

From a perspective grounded in genre, horror is supposed to be a culmination of shock, gore and thought-provoking fear. From a humanist view, every single one of us would undoubtedly be disturbed by the thought of finding oneself in the predicament of Dr.Heier’s victims. In this respect, The Human Centipede should be a horror film success or at least, a cult classic. This film appears eager to push the boundaries of what is acceptable – even for a horror film – and is unapologetic about it. The campy emphasis on the dynamic of a crazy German Surgeon and his one Japanese and two American victims is a poke at a WWII subtext, but that’s as deep as this story goes – the whole purpose lies in taking gross-out to a whole new level.

Questionable mental stability, of filmmaker and antagonist Dr. Heier aside, talk surrounding the movie has reached a new level of late with respected movie critic Roger Ebert refusing to bestow a star-rating for the film. Instead of giving the film zero stars out of four, the critic argued this film was undeserving entirely because the very nature of the film “occupies a world where the stars don’t shine”. WTF

Read Ebert’s review here.

Now in Question…Is Ebert right in snubbing The Human Centipede with a turn of his cheek?  Or does this film deserve a star rating just like many controversial films before it?

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