August 16, 2024

Welcome to TFCA Friday, a weekly round-up of film reviews and articles by TFCA members.

In Release this Week

Alien: Romulus (dir. Fede Álvarez)

“Álvarez’s reverent mimicry reflects a man who never saw a horror classic he didn’t want to make his own. He wrote and directed a remake of Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead and wrote and produced a redo of Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre,” notes Peter Howell at the Toronto Star. “The highly derivative Alien: Romulus is nevertheless a worthy addition to the xenomorph canon, especially if you think of it less as a sequel or prequel and more as a stand-alone story with a younger cast.”

“It’s gory and creepy rather than flat-out terrifying (which is fine by me as I was never one for jump-scares anyway), and while there’s clearly a healthy dose of computer-generated trickery, there are also some seemingly practical effects, as when a cut-in-half robot is perched atop a table, just where you’d expect him to be if a human were playing him and had to hide their legs,” says Chris Knight at the National Post. “Geektastic as all that may be, you don’t need to be an Alien completist to enjoy this latest frightfest, which leans heavily on the characters of Rain and Andy, and their relationship.”

“Álvarez delivers even though it’s easy to see where he plucks his inspiration. Here, again, is a motley crew of blue-collar hard-asses, crab-like face-huggers, exploding thoracic cavities, synthetic life forms, plus the return of a character from Ridley Scott’s original Alien (1979). Hint: it’s not the Alien,” writes Thom Ernst at Original Cin. “But whatever Alien: Romulus lacks in originality, it gains by honouring the mythology of its predecessors—something David Fincher’s Alien 3 (1992) overshot by killing off most of the survivors from the previous storyline. Unlike Fincher, Álvarez is not obligated to pick up where the last film left off. Romulus works as a stand-alone sequel, the way Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) works as a stand-alone in the Star Wars universe.”

“Alien: Romulus should satisfy its Alien fans and win more over because director Alvarez plays it safe, as the film contains many elements seen and made popular by other Alien films,” writes Gilbert Seah at Afro Toronto. “Much of what is expected is delivered like gooey births of aliens sprouting from a human being’s chest like an overgrown parasite. Again there are close-ups of the monster’s face right up close to the female protagonist, the alien’s mouth dripping with drool and other disgusting fluids.”

“Álvarez’s professionalism and few new tricks keep the story from crashing down to Earth, including a zero-gravity sequence in which our heroes must float around the xenomorphs’ corrosive blood, as if engaging in an especially dangerous version of synchronized swimming,” says Barry Hertz at The Globe and Mail. “Spaeny and Jonsson are also wonderful, with the latter especially impressive as he reveals new layers of vulnerability not previously showcased in the 2023 romcom Rye Lane and HBO’s Industry.” Plus, Hertz ranks the films in the ACU and tells why Aliens remains the best in the franchise: “Scott’s original might be the franchise’s standard-bearer – and certainly seems to have influenced Romulus the most out of the bunch – but it is James Cameron’s follow-up that takes the entire concept of man vs. the unknown to spectacularly violent new heights. As much a sci-fi thriller as it is an all-out war movie, Aliens has inspired so many imitators that its touchstones have looped back to influence Cameron himself.”

At Exclaim!, Rachel Ho chats with Fede Álvarez and learns where Romulus sits in the Alien universe and how he approached the visuals anew. “‘I’m assuming you’ve never seen anything. That’s the way it should be made,’ he explains, describing it as unfair ‘and not really enjoyable’ to require audiences to watch all six previous films in the franchise to be able to understand his latest film… ‘We have the long chunks of this movie where there’s not a word being spoken. Toward the end, there’s a massive stretch of 20-something minutes where maybe there’s two or three lines being spoken. It gets really intense.’”

“A nice mash-up of the slow burn terror Scott achieved with the original and the elaborate, bombastic action-horror hybrid Cameron delivered, Alien: Romulus proves the franchise can still deliver great sequels as long as they strike a perfect balance between trying new things and sticking to the elements of the story that worked best in the first place,” says Andrew Parker at The Gate. “The fact that Álvarez has also delivered one of the scariest movies of the year is just as welcome a surprise as the franchise’s overall return to form here.”

Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story

(dir. Michael Mabbott, Lucah Rosenberg-Lee 🇨🇦)

“Beyond the social and cultural struggles Shane encountered, Mabbott and Rosenberg-Lee’s film highlights what a supreme talent she was. Shane’s music is scattered throughout the film, showing off the range and artistry she possessed,” writes Rachel Ho at Exclaim!. “The film breaks down some of her music, including the track that inspired the film’s title, ‘Any Other Way,’ gleaning the coded language Shane used in her lyrics to undermine the heteronormative ideas of the day, especially around gender and sexuality.”

Caligula: The Ultimate Cut (dir. Tinto Bass)

“Would any review of this painstaking film re-build be complete without a detailed comparison to the 45 year old version? Let’s hope so, because having seen the new version your humble correspondent is not going to sit through the original three hour release. Even Roger Ebert, as he confessed in his 1980 review, could not make it past the two hour mark at the first Caligula; what he saw before walking out he described as vile, sickening trash,” writes Liz Braun at Original Cin. “This ultimate cut version of Caligula follows the emperor’s journey from eager young man, madly in love with his sister, to barking mad head of the Roman Empire. Along the way there are sumptuous costumes and fabulous sets and umpteen orgy scenes, all surprisingly dull. This is a bit of a slog.”

“It’s shocking at first and must have shot people out of their seats back in 78, but it isn’t erotic in any way,” notes Anne Brodie at What She Said. “We are distracted by the cruel games Caligula plays to amuse himself, stabbing Senators, chopping off the heads of those he dislikes in spectacularly original ways, and having sex with his sister. He has a special lady Caesonia, played by a brunette Mirren described as the most promiscuous woman in Rome.  This reboot is instructive for those who didn’t catch it back in the day but don’t expect a knockout. What was shocking then isn’t now and the theme of ruined, hateful men seeking power is too painfully familiar in 2024.”

Close to You (dir. Dominic Savage 🇨🇦)

“Elliot Page wrote the story and stars in Close to You the screenplay adapted by Dominic Savage, who co-wrote the story. And then the actors improvised. It concerns a Toronto woman who, like Page, transitions to male.  Sam decides to visit his family, a prospect he put off but is now ready to face; it’s been four years since he saw them, and it will be the first time since his transition,” writes Anne Brodie at What She Said. “Page is phenomenal, with solid performances in this personal story that may present truths that may be playing out in your neighbours’ homes and across Canada.”

“For those who have read Page’s memoir, Pageboy, many moments in the movie will be familiar — and, coincidentally or not, Close to You is the perfect companion piece to the book,” says Rachel Ho at Exclaim!. “Through Pageboy, Page went back, expressed and explained the journey he went on. While not a perfect movie, Close to You signals a step forward in Page’s life and career — and hopefully in our culture, too.”

“The one problem with films where a dysfunctional family meets of some occasion is that all the skeletons in the closet come out, which though might be different from different films, still feel clichéd and forced into the script,” writes Gilbert Seah at Afro Toronto. “The treatment of Sam’s family towards her and her transition all come out during the short gathering soon which is of course, too much for any person to take in. The rekindled romance between Sam and her high school friend now currently married does not really work either.”

The Deliverance (dir. Lee Daniels)

“It stars the power ensemble of Andra Day, Glenn Close, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor and Mo’Nique; each is so good they may figure at awards shows next year,” raves Anne Brodie at What She Said. “The subject matter is taken seriously, as a human occurrence and so it becomes much more than exploitative thrills. It becomes a study of unknown threats, the worst kind. Day is Ebony, a single mother of three who struggles; she’s an addict, tough, loving, and broke, saddled with this new reality. A camped-up Glenn Close – she’s phenomenal – tries to get her to find Jesus.”

The Good Half (dir. Robert Schwartzman; Aug. 18)

“Robert Schwartzman’s The Good Half is a soulful look at grief and memory as a family that’s not particularly close gathers to say goodbye to their mother. Nick Jonas, who is terrific in an understated and memorable performance, is Renn, a writer in LA who flies home to Cleveland for the funeral; it’s been a long time since he was there,” notes Anne Brodie at What She Said. “In his sadness, he meets Zoey (Dee Beasnael) and exchange numbers. Once home, memories of his beloved mother Lily (Elizabeth Shue) flood him; he’d not liked her two recent husbands (David Arquette and Matt Walsh) and didn’t get along with his sister Leigh (Brittany Snow) so had kept his distance. Each storyline between Jonas and his co-stars is lifted by intense realism, within well-defined perimeters of each character. Most of all it is disciplined.”

Good One (dir. India Donaldson)

“It is easy to compare Good One to Leave No Trace, another father-daughter relationship drama set in the woods,” observes Rachel West at That Shelf. “Though the themes are different, both films evoke a similar vibe. Beautifully shot by cinematographer Wilson Cameron, the woods are a character themselves. Feeling both comforting and oppressive over the course of the film, Cameron frames this small cast in new and interesting ways. Combined with the soundscape of nature, Good One is never boring to the eye.”

“Matt and Chris bicker a lot; they’ve known each other a long while, and gradually, it gets harsh.  Matt makes a strange remark to Sam and the tone of the trip changes; before long they turn on her,” says Anne Brodie at What She Said. “It’s slow and subtle, the writing, direction, story and performances, especially Coilias who anchors the film. Sam is constantly weighing information and the men’s signals over her own needs to “fit in” to their universe and try again and again to cheer them up. Wow.  Hats off to Donaldson. Hits hard.”

“This is intelligent filmmaking of the highest order for both adults and teenagers alike; an achingly poignant and unflinching narrative that never speaks falsely or down towards the messiness of simply being alive and present in the world,” adds Andrew Parker at The Gate.

“The movie plays with our perceptions and our expectations, of films and of life. When our trio happens upon a group of much younger all-male hikers who decide to set up their tents nearby, we’re primed for Something Bad to Happen,” says Chris Knight at Original Cin. “Leaning into this fear, the trailer for Good One is cut and edited like it’s a horror flick. It isn’t, at least not in the traditional genre sense. The other campers turn out to be merely obsessed with hiking, and far more accomplished at it than Chris, who aggressively tries to one-up them, only to have them innocently, unselfconsciously trump his every outdoorsy boast.”

Jackpot! (dir. Paul Feig)

“Never finding a balance between the darkness at the core of its story and the T-H-I-C-K layer of goofiness that surrounds it all, Jackpot! betrays a good concept, leaves a solid director looking like this was a work for hire gig all the way, and strands several fine actors in a high concept story that’s faltering around them,” sighs Andrew Parker at The Gate.

“Cena and Awkwafina make a good pairing but a one joke movie can only go so far,” admits Gilbert Seah at Afro Toronto. “Also the action comedy genre has been more than overdone this year with films like The Fall Guy and the recent Deadpool vs. Wolverine.”

My Penguin Friend (dir. David Schurmann)

“Viewers already know the type of tale this is going to be from the start, but it has all the proper elements needed to make the strongest version of this story possible,” writes Andrew Parker at The Gate. “It’s mostly familiar territory, but just different enough to remain engaging and inspirational.”

“There is no doubt that the intention behind the film My Penguin Friend was to make an uplifting all-ages movie about the redeeming power of nature on the human spirit, mixed with a bit of a lesson on the lifecycle of this species of penguins,” says Karen Gordon at Original Cin. “But in creating a storyline, the filmmakers have also created dramatic turns that don’t always track. And that is where the film falters. Clumsy storytelling, and what feels like an attempt to ‘Disney-fy’ the story, ends up in a film that – while it is heartwarming and has its charm – ends up being an underwhelming mish-mash.”

“Good intentions aside, My Penguin Friend is too implausibly made to be believed even though the film claims that a true story inspires it.  Only young kids will believe what they see and perhaps that would be the target audience of this impossible film,” notes Gilbert Seah at Afro Toronto.

“We find legendary French leading man Jean Reno in a Brazilian seaside village in My Penguin Friend, the true story of an unlikely bond between fisherman João and an Antarctic penguin.  It begins with a family dependent on the Atlantic,” says Anne Brodie at What She Said. “And then a life-changing moment, an exhausted, emaciated penguin separated from his migrating pod comes ashore and enchants him. In time, they become fast friends and ‘DimDim’ moves in, migrating back to Antarctica each year and returning the next…João’s years-long adventure with DimDim changes him entirely – his faith in life, his joy and optimism are restored, and he becomes a real part of the community.  This sweet fact-based story offers a little non-taxing entertainment for all ages. Whoever plays DimDim does a great job!”

The Union (dir. Julian Farino)

“Unfortunately, neither director Farino, Halle Berry nor Mark Wahlberg is able to bring any fresh excitement to this well-worked romantic action comedy genre, the likes of which have seen better days in the recent The Fall Guy or even Fly Me to the Moon,” writes Gilbert Seah at Afro Toronto. “The film contains at most decent action, mostly missing in the first half of its running time. There is also little comedy, unless one likes small talk, not to mention the lack of Chemistry between the two stars. No one really cares if their mission is successful.”

A Festival of Festival Coverage: TIFF Announces Even More Movies!

At The Globe and Mail, Barry Hertz runs down all the movies coming to TIFF in the latest wave of announcements: “Also coming to TIFF after much industry speculation is Pedro Almodóvar’s drama The Room Next Door, starring [Julianne] Moore and Tilda Swinton. The film marks the Spanish director’s feature-length English-language debut, and its North American premiere in Toronto will set the stage for TIFF’s newly announced Lightbox retrospective of Almodóvar’s career, which will run in November.”

At The Globe and Mail, Barry Hertz speaks with the team at the Atlantic Film Festival and learns why cinephiles might want to grab a lobster roll and try the slimmed down fest. “It had gotten to the point where it was comparable to Vancouver’s film festival, which is quite a larger city than Halifax. Audiences were being pulled too thin,” [Lisa] Haller [director of programming] said. “It’s on the smaller side, which comes with its own challenges in terms of curation, but we’re picking out the most exciting things for our audiences and giving them multiple opportunities to see them.”

TV Talk/Series Stuff: Page and Primates

At Exclaim!, Rachel Ho chats with Umbrella Academy star Elliot Page about his character’s journey ahead of the fourth season: “Ultimately, it’s a genre show, but it really found this balance of [being] very emotional, full of depth and nuance,” Page says. “I think people can individually relate to different characters in different ways, because we’ve all dealt with those more difficult moments of our past or seen how they’re popping up in our present. What are we looking for, externally versus internally, that could make us whole? That, to me, is so inherently universal.”

At The Gate, Andrew Parker goes ape for Bad Monkey: “An off-beat, elaborately constructed dark comedy about a disgraced, but duty bound cop determined to take down a group of Florida scammers, Bad Monkey is the kind of series where the plot is so bonkers that even its most overstuffed and tangential moments are wholly captivating, and the characters burst with life, no matter how big or small. As a star vehicle for Vaughn, Bad Monkey is perfection. As an ensemble piece, it’s even better. And for Lawrence (Scrubs, Ted Lasso), it’s another winner.”

“Profound it isn’t,” agrees Liam Lacey at Original Cin on Bad Monkey. “But there’s something to be said for the trick of turning murder, greed, and psychopathy into a breezy, little bit sleazy, summer entertainment… By the time the various wacky characters and plot strands more or less converge, one is left with the feeling of being at a kooky party that has gone on a while too long. The 10 hours of Bad Monkey are best not binged but treated like strong medicine: taking no more than two episodes at a time to avoid a bellyful of bloat.”

For more primates, Anne Brodie What She Said recommends Chimp Crazy: “You’ll feel disgust and pity for Haddix, who is her own worst enemy and see examples of primates turning on their ‘owners’ in the most horrific fashion.  This is real-life drama on steroids and you can’t look away. The heartbreaking situation of exotic animals bought and sold is disgusting. And US laws regarding wild animals in private homes are not enforced.  Extremely powerful.” And for Bad Monkey, she agrees: “well worth a watch for its jolts-per-second commentary on development, corruption, voodoo, villainy and animal welfare.”