Review of film: “THE HOUSEMAID” [ = Report # 17 re 46th CIFF ]

2010, 10-04:

Review of film: “THE HOUSEMAID”  [ = Report # 17 re 46^th CIFF ]

         REPORT # 17 on the 46^th CHICAGO INT’L FILM FESTIVAL =     

This Korean “erotic thriller” film (known as “Hanyo”) is a “re-imagining” of a “classic” movie first done in 1960:

…  The movie starts out with a suicide attempt by a woman in a busy area of street vendors…  Shortly, we are introduced to a simple young girl named Eun-yi (DO-YEON JEON) who applies for a job as a nanny in the home of a super-wealthy young pianist named Hoon Goh (JUNG-JAE LEE)...

...  She’s let in by stern housekeeper Mrs. Cho Byung-sik (YEO-JONG YUN), & soon introduced to Hoon’s young wife Haera (SEO WOO) who is pregnant with twin boys, and also to their young daughter Nami (SEO-HYEON AHN)…

… Eun-yi is very sweet, but also naïve & apparently also a bit simple-minded (or, as one person describes it, “childlike”).  She seems to be responsible and good with kids, so she is hired as a live-in employee...

...  The house is ultra-modern and elegant, with striking furnishings and layout.  She’s expected to help as a servant (bringing fancily-prepared food to people, cleaning the bathroom, etc.) besides being a nanny…  The housekeeper believes in eating leftover food, rather than just throwing it out…

 …  Hoon is handsome, comes from a rich family, happily revels in wine every chance he gets, & expects everyone (including his wife) to CATER to his every whim…  Eun-yi is expected to help the wife with her pregnancy exercises, assist Mrs. Cho, and so on… 

...  The wife says she wants to have 4-5 children eventually…  Child Nami remarks that “Papa said, treat people POLITELY—”, & she does just that…

…  Bit-by-bit, Hoon makes clear to Eun-yi that he also expects her to cater to his SEXUAL wishes…  Mrs. Cho sees what is going on (seemingly have seen such things before), & eventually learns that Eun-yi has gotten PREGNANT...

...  The mother of Hoon’s wife eventually learns the news, & cold-heartedly works to “REMOVE” Eun-yi from being a “threat” in the household (being very protective of her daughter’s “position” with Hoon)…

…  Housekeeper Mrs. Cho tries to “clue-in” Eun-yi to things (such as how the wife & her family will do what’s “CONVENIENT for them”), but is limited in what she can “accomplish” in urging her to leave…  The wife’s mother becomes more devious in trying to bribe & then physically get rid of Eun-yi and any possible child she might have…

…  Child Nami speaks up about what she saw her grandmother do to Eun-yi, but her words are “brushed-off”…  Hoon has his assistants try to force Eun-yi to do things the way he wants.  Eun-yi commiserates with a lady friend she has, & eventually vows, “I’m going to get REVENGE!” for what’s been done to her…  Mrs. Cho tries  to counsel her, but is again restricted in what she can achieve… 

…  Things become more & more “involved” & sinister between Eun-yi & Hoon’s family.  As Mrs. Cho comments, “I’m scared something might happen—”, & indeed it does.  Things come to a shocking & frightening conclusion involving Eun-yi, the whole extended Hoon family group, and even Mrs. Cho…

…  After what seems to be the blazing “finish” to the story, the movie adds a strange “postscript” at the very end.  It may have been meant to be “symbolic” & “ironic” in some form, but it seemed so strangely “OUT-OF-PLACE” & inherently meaningless, it caused me to REDUCE my overall rating on the well-acted film to 7.25 stars out of 10…

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Review of film: “MY GOOD ENEMY” [ = Report # 10 re 46th CIFF ]

2010, 09-29 =

Review of film:  “MY GOOD ENEMY”  [ = Report # 10 re 46^th CIFF ]

             REPORT # 10 on the 46^th CHICAGO INT’L FILM FESTIVAL =     

Earlier this year, it was reported on TV (including a segment on Oprah’s show) that people in DENMARK were judged to be the HAPPIEST / most content on Earth (due to their quality of life, etc.)...

...  It thus comes as somewhat of a surprise that this film from that nation (originally titled “Min Bedste Fjende”) concerns people who are so very FAR from being happy:

…  You might be reminded of the play “Billy Elliott” from the fact that the “hero” of this film, a “sensitive” 12-year-old boy named Alf (NIKOLAJ STØVRING HANSEN), takes BALLET lessons with a bunch of girls, and is “looked-down” upon for it by his schoolmates…

…  In fact, he’s made FUN of in class & later BULLIED by a bigger kid named Mathias (DAMON ANTHONY PHILLIPS JERICHOW) & his “assistant” bully Johannes (BENJAMIN MOLSING) and “underling” bully Alexander (JONAS EILSKOV JENSEN)…  

…  Please understand, it’s not ballet per-se that the persecuters care about--  they are “EQUAL OPPORTUNITY” bullies, picking on a bunch of OTHER kids such as boy Toke (RASMUS LIND RUBIN) for being fat, girl Tilde (CLARA BRUUN SANDBYE) for wearing braces, etc…. 

...  Some of the girls, such as Anemone (IDA KORTBEK), also pick on other kids in class…  It’s a sadly POISONOUS atmosphere in the school…

…  The tormenting doesn’t really let-up--  the bullies go out of their way to later BEAT Alf and to purposely damage his TOES so he can’t dance ballet.  Alf tries to keep what happened “secret” from his family members & the teachers, & Toke tends to do the same when HE is physically attacked by them…

…  In time, Alf gets the idea of JOINING FORCES with Toke.  He’s “encouraged” by some ideas in a series of graphic “Comic Books” concerning the exploits of a “warrior” named “Niccolo”, and Alf encourages Toke to join him in some plans at getting “BACK” at the various bullies…

...  But, their initial plans quickly start to “BACKFIRE”, & the bullies grow ever more VICIOUS in what they do…

…  Eventually, Toke gets the idea of recruiting MORE kids into their “army” to fight the bullies, such as Frits (JONAS HERUP) & Frans --  & most recruits are sadly willing to do almost anything to join & “FIT-IN” with the newly-formed “clique”… 

…  Could it be that the bullied will THEMSELVES become bullies in how they behave (as has happened in some famous stories in the past of kids becoming violent when they themselves are put in “CHARGE”)?...  Will real PROGRESS be made in making the kids’ lives really BETTER?... 

…  This film covers a subject that seems to be getting increased attention nowadays, namely, BULLYING by young people…  But, while I think that added awareness is admirable, I’m somewhat concerned with certain ways of HOW it was handled in this film:

….  Overall, I found this to be a DISTURBING story.  It appropriately shows the DANGER of tormenters & in not taking suitable actions to STOP them--  but so often, the efforts made by “victims” in the movie are NOT at all “proper” & those wrong paths keep ESCALATING the maltreatment, sometimes in frightening ways…

… In how the overall story was handled, I found the end very UNSATISFYING, incomplete & left things so “up-in-the-air” without a clear “CONCLUSION” for the “hero”, that you’re left almost expecting that there will be still MORE problems & likely brutal actions up “ahead”…

…  Is this the “message” the filmmakers actually WANTED to leave the public with?  I honestly don’t know.  I was left feeling like they sort of “threw in” a purposely “CHEERFUL” (“hopeful”) scene with usually-passive Alf almost as a “SOP” for the poisonous violence directly preceding it-- without any clear vision of how it could or “should” effectively CONCLUDE (for him in the movie & thus for the audience)…

…  Thus, we’re left with needing to “contemplate” just what is likely to happen in the “near future” for Alf & his compatriots, & I found it to be an overly VAGUE & very DISCOMFORTING “position” to be “left” in… 

...  Is that possibly what the filmmakers WANTED people to feel?...  In any case, I’d rate the movie a 7.25 out of 10 stars…

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Review of film: “THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER”

Review of film:  

“THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: 

THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER”

Well, the kids are “at” it again in this 3^rd “NARNIA” film …  Susan Pevensie (ANNA POPPLEWELL) & her brother Peter (WILLIAM MOSELEY) are seen just in “passing” (probably because they’ve aged a lot for the story-telling).  Lucy (GEORGIE HENLEY) seems almost obsessed with her sister, & Edmund (SKANDAR KEYNES) is the only character regularly emitting sort of “common-sense” thru much of the movie…

…  The “new” main person in the group is their cousin Eustace Scrubb (WILL POULTER) --  an obnoxious sort of “hater” who denies the existence of Narnia, regularly “puts down” Georgie & Skandar, & is a deceptive lying troublemaker thru much of the film…

…  In looking at a painting of the “Dawn Treader” Narnian ship, the three cousins are transported back to the world of Narnia, and rescued from the ocean by a scruffy-ish Prince Caspian (BEN BARNES) who was traveling on the boat they’d been looking at…

…  The talking mouse Reepicheep (voiced by SIMON PEGG) works to try to teach valuable lessons to Will…  In time, the ship ends up at what appears to be a deserted island--  but the inhabitants are really being held under the control of a series of SLAVERS who are selling people into bondage.  Georgie, Skandar, Will & Ben are captured by the evil-doers, & need to be rescued by their shipmates… 

…  That starts a “quest” by the Treaders to find where Narnian Lords have been taken by the “baddies”, involving the questers having to gather a series of seven special SWORDS to effect control over “dark” elements that are causing problems in the area…

…  The “Treader” group deals with Drinian (GARY SWEET) & Coriakin (BILLE BROWN), & meet various bizarre characters that have 1 leg, or fly thru the air as dragons or live in the sea (as an evil serpent), & those interactions (& clashes) cause the main characters to eventually “GROW” as people…

…  Naturally, there will be appearances by lion Aslan (voiced by LIAM NEESON) and the seductive evil White Witch (TILDA SWINTON) as temptations “roar” & “fly” over the group…

…  Will the kids be able to triumph over the “baddies”?...  Will they succeed in gathering the necessary swords?...  Will one or more of them go off with Aslan?...  Who will be set-up to be left OFF as major characters in the potential “next” Narnia film, & who will be set-up as the likely “main” character in it?...

…  It’s an “involved” story--  but the “Treader” movie sadly comes across as sort of a “RE-Tread” of the previous two.  There are some very good SPECIAL EFFECTS (even in “2-D”, which is the version I saw); but the story & script are weak, with a bunch of “wasted” scenes & certain boring stretches… 

…  Kids may enjoy the “fantastical” nature of the story, but I doubt if they’ll be very “excited” by the final product.  It’s sort of an “Ehh—” (nothing-“special”) movie, & thus I’m rating it as just 7.25 stars out of 10…

Review of film: "SKYLINE" ( a sci-fi about unfriendly aliens who attack the Earth )

Review of film:  “SKYLINE”

One of the best companies doing SPECIAL EFFECTS is HYDRAULX, run by the Brothers Colin & Gregor STRAUSE.  They’ve worked on films such as “BENJAMIN BUTTON”, “2012”, “IRON MAN 2” & “AVATAR”, & decided to make their OWN movie (using their expertise & some of their personal money), & the result is “SKYLINE”…

…  As the film starts, graphic artist / photographer Jarrod (ERIC BALFOUR) takes his girlfriend Elaine (SCOTTIE THOMPSON) to visit an old now-well-to-do friend Terry (DONALD FAISON) who was to celebrate his birthday at his expensive penthouse condo in the Los Angeles area…

…  At the party, they meet a bunch of Donald’s friends, such as Candice (BRITTANY DANIEL), Denise (CRYSTAL REED), Ray (NEIL HOPKINS), & a neighbor Oliver (DAVID ZAYAS) who complains about all the noise from the celebration…

…  As Eric & Scottie try to sleep after the festivities, they are awakened by loud rumblings, a shaking building and a city which is bathed in strange blue LIGHTS that seem to be falling down from the sky.  Neil (& others) are attracted by the bizarre lights-- & seem to suddenly disappear “INTO” those lights…

…  Those rays also cause people like Eric to develop disconcerting DEFECTS on their bodies, which grow worse as they’re hit by the light and better as they get away from the beams.  Clearly, things are “NOT RIGHT” in L.A. -- & the cause isn’t the usual “gossip-mongering”!...

…  Eric & gun-toting Donald decide to INVESTIGATE what’s going on.  The more they check into things around the building & view surrounding areas, the WORSE things look.  The illuminations quickly show themselves to be linked with a series of peculiar organic TENTACLED creatures that fly thru the air & stomp around as they work to ATTACK & GOBBLE-UP any people they see (& we aren’t talking a THANKSGIVING celebration here!)…

…  Seeing that the attacks of the “Blue Light” special Creatures are very widespread & increasingly violent, Eric & Donald & others try to determine a way to ESCAPE from the building area.  Things do NOT go well in their plans, & the group (often led by David) grows ever more distressed…

…  Will getting away to the nearby OCEAN provide a safe area for the group (as they hypothesize)?...  Will the gang actually be ABLE to escape to there (or anywhere)?...  Since the creatures at times appear able to RE-ANIMATE themselves even when they seem to be “killed” by military actions against them, will that prove to be disastrous to our Band of “Others”?...

…  An associate of mine said, the fact that the advance screening was being held at 11 PM on the day before the planned release of the film gave the impression that was being done to AVOID having critics who’d “slam” the film beforehand, a sign to him that it was likely to be a LOUSY film…

…  I did NOT find the film to be rotten:  as I’d forecast, it had some EXCELLENT SPECIAL-EFFECTS (more than 800 of them!).  Yes, the dialogue was not very well-done, but that’s true of loads of films nowadays, & thus it didn’t particularly “stand-out” in that regard.  And, I didn’t care that most of the cast was made up of “unknowns” (since their acting was OK given the story line)…

…  Another friend complained that the film had no definitive “END” to it.  But, as I pointed out, the actions just before the conclusion did NOT take the “easy way out” of a sappy “HAPPY” end--  & it all came across to me as a clear “SET-UP” for a possible SEQUEL based on what Eric’s character was “moving” towards at the finish (akin to some of the ideas in the “BORG” world of “STAR TREK” scenarios)…

…  The movie is certainly not “magnificent” in any way (outside of the CGI effects).  It was often overly-REPETITIVE in some of the scenes (with slight “variations” on what “happened” with the creatures)… 

…  But, looking for the “good elements”, I ENJOYED certain essentials of the sci-fi creativity inherent in it, & thus I’m rating it at 7.25 out of 10 stars…