2023 Seattle International Film Festival Capsule Reviews

Posted on by Aaron White.

Each year the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) screens hundreds of feature films, documentaries, short films, and more from all around the world. This year the largest and most highly attended festival in the United States will run from May 11-21 in the Seattle area with select streaming encore screenings online from May 22-28. This year’s festival features 264 films from 74 countries/regions around the globe: 92 features, 45 documentaries, 125 short films, and 2 secret films. 23 of these films are world premieres, 30 are North American premieres, and 13 are U.S. premieres. 52% of films are directed by female identifying or nonbinary filmmakers, 69% are from first- or second-time filmmakers, and 73% don’t currently have U.S. distribution. The festival will screen several highly anticipated films such as “Past Lives”, “Theater Camp”, “I Like Movies”, and “Year of the Fox”. Suffice it to say, all 264 films won’t be covered here, but in addition to our podcast coverage of the festival you will find capsule reviews of a wide variety of films across many genres (some of which are re-purposed from previous viewing at earlier film festivals). Check back often for new capsule reviews as we cover the 49th Annual Seattle International Film Festival. (Reviews are in order of film’s earliest showing.)

Must See: THE EIGHT MOUNTAINS, PAST LIVES, THEATER CAMP, STEPHEN CURRY: UNDERRATED, 20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL

Highly Recommended: THE GRAB, PASSAGES, I LIKE MOVIES

Worth Watching: SCRAPPER, PUNDERNEATH IT ALL, MY ANIMAL

Skip: JAMOJAYA, YEAR OF THE FOX

PAST LIVES (dir. Celine Song)

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This is an achingly emotional Korean relationship drama about fate, pursuing dreams, regrets, and finding happiness where you are. The story follows Na Young (Greta Lee) who we meet as a young girl on the verge of immigrating with her parents to America in support of her father’s career in filmmaking. She has a crush on local boy Hae Sung (Yoo Teo) and they manage to spend some meaningful time together before she’s gone. From there, the story jumps forward two different times – once 12 years later where Na, now using the name Nora Moon, and Hae Sung reconnect via Skype and social media, and the other another 12 years down the road when Nora is now married to fellow artist Arthur (John Magero). The delicate handling of Nora’s relationships with (and feelings for) the two men, as well as theirs towards hers and Arthur’s toward Hae Sung, allows for the audience to really sink into this challenging dynamic. It’s a stunning debut from director/writer Celine Song that may be slow and quiet but is deeply complex, with three exceptionally patient and nuanced performances from Lee, Teo, and Magaro. (Screened in January 2023 during Sundance Film Festival)

Showtimes: May 11 (Paramount Theater) – Opening Night Gala

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THE EIGHT MOUNTAINS (dir. Felix van Groeningen and Charlotte Vandermeersch)


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Pietro and Bruno, two 12 year-old boys who meet merely by chance. Bruno lives in the Alpine village of Grana and is the only child left after most of its inhabitants (including Bruno’s father) abandoned the mountain life for more lucrative work near larger towns. Pietro is on a summer getaway with his mother from their usual lives in the bustling city. Perhaps out of necessity, perhaps because they are truly two souls meant to discover one another, the two young boys instantly connect and set off on adventures together. They grow closer and closer as summer visits pass, but eventually things change.

Over the course of 2.5 hours, directors Felix van Groeningen and Charlotte Vandermeersch, accompanied by one of the most perfectly fitting soundtracks that I’ve ever heard from Daniel Norgren, tell us the moving story of these two men. Of their individual struggles with their fathers and legacy, of their romantic relationships, of their dreams, of their success and failures, of the bigness and smallness of their lives, and most of all of how their worlds remain inseparable ever since that initial summer meeting. Being set in the mountains makes this instantly a visually stunning feature, too, with some of the most beautiful photography you’ll ever see in a narrative film. The valleys, the lakes, the waterfalls, and of course the snowy peaks – the immensity of it all mixed with the simplicity and peace it can bring are explored to both heartbreaking and heartwarming effect.

It’s rare that I watch such a lengthy drama and come away feeling like I could have spent longer in its world, but such was the case with THE EIGHT MOUNTAINS. The characters are so rich, the environments so soothing and awe-inspiring… I didn’t want it to end. I’m not sure if those without a love for the outdoors will come away quite as spellbound as those of us mesmerized by what some of the earth’s highest places have to offer, but I find it difficult to think that anyone could get to know Bruno and Pietro as deeply as we do and not find themselves responding emotionally to this tender yet painful true story of a loving male friendship. (Screened in January 2023 during Sundance Film Festival)

Showtimes: May 12 (Shoreline Community College, May 13 (SIFF Cinema Egyptian)

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20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL (dir. Mstyslav Chernov)


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War is hell, especially when you didn’t ask for it and it comes not on a battlefield but directly into your city. The crisp, no frills, day-to-day accounting here of Russian atrocities committed against Ukraine is so gut-wrenching. Journalism is vitally important and I’m grateful we live in a time when brave reporters like those here can provide proof of historical events so that they may not be rewritten by those who would wish to twist the truth. The exhausted and heartbroken tone of the narration really got me, too. I cannot imagine witnessing such massive agony and devastation first-hand. (Screened in January 2023 during Sundance Film Festival)

Showtimes: May 12 (SIFF Cinema Uptown), May 19 (Ark Lodge Cinemas), May 22-28 (SIFF Streaming)

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SCRAPPER (dir. Charlotte Regan)


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Lovely relationship and performances between Lola Campbell and Harris Dickinson. As a Dad-girl, I can’t help but be drawn to stories about fathers and daughters. I could have done completely without the directorial visual touches, honestly. The drama was plenty for me. It’s a simple bittersweet story told beautifully and often quite funny. Quite a charmer. (Screened in January 2023 during Sundance Film Festival)

Showtimes: May 12 (Ark Lodge Cinemas), May 15 (SIFF Cinema Uptown)

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STEPHEN CURRY: UNDERRATED (dir. Peter Nicks)

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It had to be awfully tempting for director Peter Nicks to just go the traditional sports biography route of making an extended highlight reel, cutting frequently to well-known basketball talent who would wax poetic about Steph’s incredible skill, backed by montages of endless difficult three-pointers and layups. His subject is arguably the greatest shooter in the history of the sport, after all. But Nicks wisely avoids that route, and with some brilliant editing choices by J.D. Marlow, he and his filmmaking team crafted a heartfelt, honest journey beginning with Steph’s unlikely rise despite his physical attributes and going through his playing career (thus far) and his decision to fulfill a promise he made to his mother about finishing his college degree, pointing out the triumphs and challenges of all three.

Of course, it is full of outstanding archival footage that shows his immense talent, but there’s quite a bit of unflattering plays shown as well, reminding us that you don’t achieve the level of success that Curry has without a lot of work, support, and determination. Two things that have always mattered most to Steph, family and team, are centered, and we see frequently how important they are in making him the man and player he is today. It’s not just about him, though – he truly believes in showering those around him with the credit, too.

In what is probably one of the best aspects of the documentary, the final act parallels the amazing Curry-led Elite Eight run by Davidson in 2008 and Curry’s fourth world title with the Golden State Warriors in 2022. It’s exceptionally well-crafted and riveting, even when you know the results already, and it further shows how much Steph has overcome being overlooked and doubted for his entire life. This is an earnest, energetic, crisply shot, expertly edited, scored, and directed character piece that is one of the better sports documentaries I’ve ever seen. (Screened in January 2023 during Sundance Film Festival)

Showtimes: May 13 (SIFF Cinema Uptown), May 14 (Shoreline Community College)

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MY ANIMAL (dir. Jacqueline Castel)

Rating:

I didn’t mind that MY ANIMAL keeps its horror light and uses the werewolf staging less as an ongoing threat and more of a unique personal circumstance to be navigated for an already extreme outsider. I loved the slow-burn vibe and how it always felt like we were building to the point when Heather would inevitably snap. The dark, snowy isolation of its setting adds to the judgment and hatred that someone like Heather must deal with for being different, too. Castel’s confident, dreamy debut prefers to highlight its queer romance drama (including some sexy chemistry between the two women) and rely on the exceptional ambiance created by McCashin’s intoxicating camerawork and Miller’s synth score. Less bloody, but Carpenter-esque. (Screened in January 2023 during Sundance Film Festival)

Showtimes: May 13 (Ark Lodge Cinemas), May 17 (SIFF Cinema Egyptian)

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YEAR OF THE FOX (dir. Megan Griffiths)

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A weirdly dark coming-of-age story about a teenage biracial adopted girl who is dealing with the divorce of her parents. Mom is going to Seattle to start anew while rich cheater Dad continues to live it up in Colorado. Ivy is caught between these two worlds, trying to figure out who she wants to be and what she wants out of her life. It starts off as a poor man’s version of a John Green YA novel adaptation and then takes a wild pivot into an EYES WIDE SHUT sort of situation where the Aspen elite are into all kinds of unruly behavior. The story handles this “shocking” transition so poorly and the entire film has constant insufferable narration from Ivy, explaining every single possible thought in her head in the most melodramatic way possible. There’s no enjoyable soundtrack throughout or filmmaker flourish, and all of the performances are somewhere between terrible and serviceable at best. I hate to be this hard on a Seattle-area director debuting her film at the local fest, but this is one of the most frustratingly aimless, bland, and unaffecting movies that I have ever seen in this genre and I’m very disappointed.

Showtimes: May 13 (SIFF Cinema Egyptian), May 14 (SIFF Cinema Uptown)

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PASSAGES (dir. Ira Sachs)

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As character pieces about messy shitheads go, this is one of the more slight examples that I can remember. Franz Rogowski gives a tremendous performance as someone so completely selfish and blind to what love actually is. I was actively rooting against him and hoping that his toxic behavior would eventually be shunned by his former husband played by a very, very sad Ben Whishaw and the stunning goddess of a school teacher next door Adèle Exarchopoulos. There’s actually not a lot of sex and of the two major scenes they aren’t particularly explicit as far as nudity goes, but they are steamy and to their credit feel about as natural and un-Hollywood as you’ll see. What I do wish we got more of, though, was an understanding of who these people were outside of the relationship back and forth drama. There are bits and pieces that define them, but the story is so hyper-focused on the main plot – i.e. who will Tomas settle down with – that the other characters at times feel like just pawns. I guess thinking about it as I type, that’s pretty accurate to how he treats them, it just didn’t make for quite as connective of an experience as I might have had. Really loved the ending, too. Made a lot of the frustrating character actions we sit through feel worth it. Oh and the cinematography is lovely btw! (Screened in January 2023 during Sundance Film Festival)

Showtimes: May 14 (SIFF Cinema Egyptian), May 18 (SIFF Cinema Egyptian)

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PUNDERNEATH IT ALL (dir. Abby Hagan)

Rating:

Quite a delightful look at an eclectic and charming community of people who bond through pun contests and a shared love of wordplay. Highly focused on a Seattle-based host and her experience in bringing this to the local area, but travels around showing how various pun events have different rules structures and unique crowds in a few other cities. Even at a brisk 76 minutes, it gets repetitive and probably would’ve worked better as a tightly edited short film. I did enjoy the independent filmmaking smallness of the production, however. Anything more fancy wouldn’t have felt nearly as authentic or had the same appreciation for the subject matter.

Showtimes: May 16 (AMC Pacific Place), May 17 (Ark Lodge Cinemas), May 22-28 (SIFF Streaming)

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JAMOJAYA (dir. Justin Chon)

Rating:

There’s a strong and touching father/son drama about grieving a shared loss and naturally growing apart inside of JAMOJAYA, but Justin Chon inserts awkward dream sequences and escalates his story into supremely ridiculous melodrama to the point that it loses its emotional impact. Yayu A.W. Unru is wonderful as the father until his character becomes a parody. It’s such a shame because I was feeling very much on the film’s wavelength at first and if it had just stayed a little more traditional and not tried to get artistically fancy, it could have been offered something special. (Screened in January 2023 during Sundance Film Festival)

Showtimes: May 14 (SIFF Cinema Egyptian), May 18 (SIFF Cinema Egyptian)

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THE GRAB (dir. Gabriela Cowperthwaite)

Rating:

An enraging, wild investigative journalism documentary that shows how land grabs should give us cause to worry about food and water security globally. So that’s awesome! But not really – when private investors and countries are secretly buying up (and stealing) land around the world to control supply and using mercenaries to do so at times, it’s actually really depressing and scary for future generations.

We should never under-appreciate the risk people like Nathan Halverson and his team put themselves in to expose truth to the public. This begins with someone asking a single question and then following the trail of information to bigger and bigger mind-blowing discoveries. It feels extremely authentic and sometimes even plays like a thriller where you truly are worried for the journalists at work. Gets a bit repetitive at one point when the “wow” reveals stop coming, but that’s the biggest complaint I’ve got and it doesn’t lessen the importance of this one bit.

Showtimes: May 19 (Shoreline Community College), May 20 (AMC Pacific Place)

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THEATER CAMP (dir. Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman)

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Experiencing something made by people in a specific industry, with so much joy for its subject matter, especially when it is something you share, is wonderful. The film is a mockumentary love letter to theater performers and musical fans with almost pitch-perfect comedy and plenty of famous songs to briefly sing-along with. The story kicks off when beloved low-cost theater camp owner Joan (Amy Sedaris) falls into a coma during a rousing performance of “Honestly Sincere” from BYE BYE BIRDIE, and I was instantly hooked. From there, her very much *not* a theater kid son Troy (Jimmy Tatro) must run the camp over the summer and stave off a hostile takeover from a neighboring rich kids’ camp while Amos (Ben Platt) and Rebecca-Diane (Molly Gordon) write and compose a musical to teach the diverse group of talented kids. The pacing is breezy and it touches on (a.k.a. makes fun of) most elements of production and the array of personality types you typically find among artists. It’s also an easy Best Ensemble contender with Molly Gordon’s hilariously touching performance being a standout and Noah Galvin absolutely knocking my socks off. The finale performance is INCREDIBLE and had me happy-crying throughout. As rewatchable as a film can be, I’ve seen it three times and am anxious to do so again. Musicals rule! (Screened in January 2023 during Sundance Film Festival)

Showtimes: May 20 (SIFF Cinema Uptown)

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I LIKE MOVIES (dir. Chandler Levack)

Rating:

<i>“It moved me, emotionally. Which I think is the highest compliment you can give to any filmmaker.”</i>

Director/Writer Chandler Levack’s debut feature film is a nostalgic blast to the past for nerdy cinephiles who grew up in the late 90s/early 00s. Following PTA super-fan and wannabe filmmaker Lawrence, we watch a boy struggle with maturation, having responsibility, and handling rejection, all while he lives out one dream of working in a local video store and chases another of attending NYU film school. The era details are pitch-perfect from the music references to lunch at Subway to obsession with SNL and more. Lawrence isn’t always a likable character, but like any good coming-of-age story the joy is in watching a young person go through this critical process of change that we can all relate to. An aces cast working with a wonderfully witty and touching script delivers Levack’s outpouring of passion for the time period and cinema. For those that love movies, I LIKE MOVIES is for you.

Showtimes: May 21 (SIFF Cinema Egyptian) – Closing Night Film

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Aaron White is a Seattle-based film critic and co-creator/co-host of the Feelin’ Film Podcast. He is also a member of the Seattle Film Critics Society. He reviews with a focus on the emotional experience he has with a film. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter to be notified when new content is posted.

 

MOVIE REVIEW: Made in Italy

Posted on by Aaron White.

Rating: R / Runtime: 1 hour and 33 minutes

The story in James D’Arcy’s directorial debut is a familiar one. A character estranged from someone they love learns the truth about why their relationship has fractured and finds reconciliation while spending time together away from their normal lives with a focus on reminiscing about the past. In this particular telling, Jack (Micheál Richardson) is facing an impending divorce and seeks his father’s help to fix up their old house in Tuscany, Italy in order to sell it so that Jack can purchase a London art gallery from his soon to be ex-wife’s family. The villa is in rough shape, requiring much more effort than Jack was expecting, thus increasing the amount of time he and his bohemian artist father Robert (played by Richardson’s real-life Dad, Liam Neeson) must spend together. They argue often about the prospects of selling the family home and a general air of frustration looms due to the inability of the two men to discuss the circumstances of Jack’s dead mother, who died in Italy while he was a young boy, and why his father has been so removed from his life since then. While in Italy, Jack also meets beautiful local chef, restaurant owner, and single mother Natalia (Valeria Bilello), who further complicates his feelings about the future.

With very little imagination, you can likely figure out where this story goes. It is predictable in the most obvious of ways, despite the occasional surprise reveal about Robert and Jack’s past. And yet, the emotional journey “Made in Italy” takes the viewer on goes through so many feelings. It’s got a fair share of sadness and anger but plenty of happiness and hope, as well. Though the characters aren’t deeply developed, Neeson and Richardson (a first-time leading man) pair well together on screen and deliver an extremely believable portrait of these two men and their strained, yet clearly loving, relationship. The film’s mostly a drama with some hilarious natural comedy, but its romantic subplots are also genuinely sweet, handled with respect, and don’t overwhelm the narrative.
Visually, “Made in Italy” is a lovely film to look at. Mike Eley’s cinematography is effective in close-ups of characters and interior locations but really shines when capturing the beauty of the Italian landscape. There is, however, a lack of magic that many associate with Tuscany. Despite showing a few local meals and one particularly wonderful scene where the town comes together to watch an outdoor movie, it felt oddly like a side character when the setting should have been a star. Alex Belcher’s score is one other highlight to note, bringing in just the right soothing sounds to match the emotional beats of the film, and complemented well by a solid soundtrack.

“Made in Italy” is unlikely to be a film that turns heads as it does nothing flashy at all, but it is the kind of movie we simply don’t see much of anymore. There is no sex, there are no drugs, there is no violence, and its characters deal with their very realistic and human problems with maturity, kindness, and understanding, leading to a sweet depiction of relationship restoration that parallels the restoring of the house. I unexpectedly found myself swept up in its uplifting charm and find it to be some good hearty medicine during a difficult time in world history.

Rating:

Aaron White is a Seattle-based film critic and co-creator/co-host of the Feelin’ Film Podcast. He is also a member of the Seattle Film Critics Society. He writes reviews with a focus on the emotional experience he has with a film. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter to be notified when new content is posted.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Rental

Posted on by Caless Davis.

Rating: R / Runtime: 1 hour and 28 minutes

The shift in technology has made the world more connected but has rendered the concept of privacy obsolete. There is no place on Earth that can remain hidden from the all-seeing eye of a camera, cell phone, drone, or other tools of video surveillance. Forgive the paranoia afflicted prose of these opening sentences but it would be a lie to sugarcoat the truth. Outside of birthday party recollections and vacation memories, the idea of recording can carry a dark undercurrent of sadism when left in the hands of unsavory characters. “Somebody’s Watching Me” is not just a slice of 80s pop music cheese; it’s the spine chilling predicament of four friends embarking on a mini weekend getaway in sunny California. 

Dave Franco’s directorial debut, “The Rental,” sticks a flag in the ever-increasing field of thrillers dealing with the negatives of technology gone awry. What was supposed to be a vacation in the space of a luxurious beachfront house filled with smiles, drug experimentation, and couples bonding closer gets turned sour into a game of survival. Survival not consisting of just life or death but also the ability to keep secrets and deception from reaching the surface. Charlie (Dan Stevens), Michelle (Allison Brie), Mina (Shelia Vand), and Josh (Jeremy White) represent our group under the watchful eye of a mysterious peeping tom who stalks and lurks unknowingly. Unfortunately, only one character (Josh) out of the four subjects has their own personality, fears, and desires fleshed out while the others are simply empty vessels.

Notwithstanding the lack of interesting characters, the story plays out like a kid not knowing their limitations when it comes to eating candy. Franco has a road ahead of him that could lead to a competent career behind the camera but he has some lessons to learn. His handling of the narrative elements is to carry different subplots that could all work as one film on their own; instead, they are jumbled together leading to an illogical cinematic clutter. One subplot provides the stakes of keeping a love affair hidden while the other wrinkle follows the predicament of the homeowner himself that feels untrustworthy. One of these plots could have carried all the way home but this is a case of doing too much when simple would work better. 

Good can be found in the short 88-minute runtime, specifically when the characters are forced out of their cocoon of comfort having to match wits with the unseen villain in new major twists. The main thing that decreases the level of enjoyment is found with character flaws that reek of a lack of common sense. There is nothing worse in a horror film than being treated to a lack of character intelligence. People still not realizing that they can’t commit perfect murders or solve uncomfortable dilemmas by calling for help is laughable in the bad sense of the word. By the end, it is not a shocking conclusion that lies waiting for the characters.

“The Rental” is a horror/thriller mashup that carries the ethos of a decent film but exits the room with a mark of incompletion. 

Rating:

Caless Davis is a Seattle-based film critic and contributor to the Feelin’ Film Podcast. He loves any discussion of film and meeting new people to engage in film discussions on any subject. You can follow him on Twitter and Instagram.

MOVIE REVIEW: Greyhound

Posted on by Aaron White.

Rating: PG-13 / Runtime: 1 hour and 31 minutes

“Greyhound” is a fictional wartime Naval drama set over a 5-day period early in 1942 during the Battle of the Atlantic and is based on the 1955 novel The Good Shepherd by C. S. Forester. Like the novel it is adapted from, director Aaron Schneider’s film tells the story of Commander Ernest Krause (Tom Hanks) as he experiences his first wartime action while leading an international convoy of 35+ merchant ships and Naval vessels across a dangerous section of the Atlantic dubbed the “Black Pit”, where ships were out of range and unable to rely on tactical air support. Schneider chooses to drop us directly into the action almost immediately and the film’s runtime of barely over 90 minutes is a gripping, intense sequence of cat and mouse played by the Navy destroyer and handful of dangerous German U-boats hunting the convoy. Unlike many wartime epics that rely on dramatic backstory and character building of the crew and enemy, “Greyhound” instead is experienced entirely from Krause’s point of view as he battles fatigue, self-doubt due to his own inexperience, and depression in addition to tumultuous weather, shortcomings of sonar and radar systems, and the enemy submarines themselves. In fact, there is nary a single named German individual met – the threat is the wolfpack of U-boats themselves and they are plenty deadly without knowing anything about the people who run them. The resulting picture is an engrossing one that thoroughly captures the oftentimes split-second chaotic decision-making that must take place in times of direct Naval conflict. Through the chaos and fear, Hanks carefully portrays Krause as a man who makes smart, quick decisions, and as a man of faith and respected leader whose fellow Officers and crew genuinely believe in and trust despite his own insecurities.

Hanks’ performance carries the emotional load and pairs perfectly with the incredibly well-shot Naval action by cinematographer Shelly Johnson. While some viewers may find the constant dark and stormy blue-gray color palette unappealing, I can tell you from personal experience that it is an accurate representation of how cold and miserable life out at sea in this area can be. Aerial shots of battle maneuvers were particularly awesome to watch, and throughout the film, Johnson is able to show us clearly the precision Naval tactics needed to succeed against such a harrowing threat, no small feat when the majority of camerawork is from the viewpoint of the ship’s bridge. A constantly pulse-pounding score by composer Blake Neely and exceptional sound design (the depth charge explosions, torpedoes, and 5-inch guns are loud and powerful just as they should be) help to round out some of the most immersive cinematic Naval warfare ever.

Hanks also penned the screenplay for the film and between the dialogue and his performance you can see that he has a passion for telling this story. His dedication to using correct Navy jargon was admirable and greatly enhanced the experience for this former Navy sailor. I found myself frequently noticing how accurate commands being given and life aboard the ship were. This is definitely a difficult choice for a writer to make because it means that some of the terms will not be understood by the audience, but I feel that Schneider took care to show enough visually that viewers will be able to follow what is taking place aboard the ship at all times.

“Greyhound” surprised me with its hyper-focused and claustrophobic storytelling and non-stop intensity, and it thrilled me with its tactical realism, but also managed to affect me emotionally as I considered how many lives were lost to battles like this one and what kind of stress civilian and military sailors must have faced during every crossing. Hanks is fantastic as the subdued Captain of the USS Keeling (call sign “Greyhound”) and has this ship sailing into 2020 claiming its place as one of the most historically accurate and best films centered around Navy combat to ever be made.

Rating:

Aaron White is a Seattle-based film critic and co-creator/co-host of the Feelin’ Film Podcast. He is also a member of the Seattle Film Critics Society. He writes reviews with a focus on the emotional experience he has with a film. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter to be notified when new content is posted.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Hunt

Posted on by Aaron White.

Rating: R / Runtime: 1 hour and 29 minutes

Political satire, when done correctly, can be very effective in showing the volatile and idiotic manner of government, serving as a form of humor that calls attention to itself but does the duty of sparking compelling thoughts in your mind about the state of democracy. Humor is a subjective phenomenon just as the opinions floating in your brain are; the same joke can cause different reactions based on how it vibes with the person’s idea of what’s funny and what’s not. If “The Hunt” is an exercise of satire, then it’s better off labeling itself a spoof film because it plays down its impact with self-referential humor akin to the “Scary Movie” series of the 2000s. Adding nothing to the current political discord between Democrats and Republicans, the blood and guts raining down from the mayhem-infused violence do nothing to cover up the woeful writing and flimsy cheapness of its execution. The fierce performance of Betty Gilpin doesn’t carry the imposing muscles needed to carry this feature out of the dungeons of disappointment,

Damon Lindelof and Nick Cuse, the two men who lit up last year with the greatness of HBO’s “Watchmen”, stand as the architects of this new thriller. A group of Republican loyalists find themselves fighting for their lives in a location filled with secluded woods and Democrats with an itch for hunting down so-called “Deplorables”. This sadistic game takes a sudden turn when a woman named Crystal (Betty Gilpin) becomes the predator instead of the prey. Laying down a can of you know what, Crystal fights back against the dire onslaught of progressives while uncovering the blueprint for this event labeled as “Manorgate” which has been widely circulated as a theory on online forums and social media accounts. The twisted discourse of favoritism politics wears its mask loud and proud but yet doesn’t do anything noteworthy to warrant all of its controversy.

From the onset, this story immediately comes off as anything other than the butt of its own joke. Some moments engage with dialogue that feels lifted from a comment section underneath the tweet of any political figure or pundit. Terms such as “snowflakes”, “rednecks”, “crisis actors” and disposable monologues are used and represent a lack of cleverness and reek of a style reminiscent of a tone-deaf social media user that wants to sound smart but comes off painfully lacking in awareness. Was the research of this film done by siphoning from the wide and jumbled world of social media apps? The narrative doesn’t know what direction it wants to go, opting for a misshaped “equal opportunity” offender angle that aims to disarm any harsh labels this film may receive from either side of the political arena. Does the film want to make fun of the vast conspiracy theories and stereotypes the parties lob at each other or the right’s fear of a scenario involving the left attacking them draped in some legitimacy? Maybe “The Hunt ” wants to make fun of both sides trying to be the high and mighty winner of an unwinnable dispute, but the film makes it very hard to figure out what the purpose entails. For a misguided and clunky screenplay to come from Lindelof is the most shocking piece to take away from this trainwreck.

Violence is as vicious and full-frontal as the MPAA allows it to be with limbs, guts, heads, and eyeballs being taken down or disintegrated with bullets, blunt objects, and any weapon that can be found usable. On par with a Jason Vorhees gorefest, this is the primal center of human conflict with a slapstick comic book aesthetic. Some of the CGI can be iffy but these passages of mainstream action aspirations do add some jolt and curiosity. Director Craig Zobel’s manner of using so many quick cuts and erroneous angles that leave the audience missing out on the impact of hits and final fatalities is a bummer to watch on the big screen. If there was one thing that could conjure me to give this film a watch recommendation, it would have been the selling point of action sequences. Sadly, that is far from the final results.

Shock and disbelief serve as my final words for this fail of a satire. All of the anticipation and excitement has been for naught because the resulting film is a frustrating disappointment that is baffling by the fact of having writers and actors with trustworthy track records behind the helm. “The Hunt ” will be forgettable once the uproar about its subject matter cools down and what will stand in my memory is how much of a farce it makes of itself trying to lend an opinion to the American political climate.

Rating:

Caless Davis is a Seattle-based film critic and contributor to the Feelin’ Film Podcast. He loves any discussion of film and meeting new people to engage in film discussions on any subject. You can follow him on Twitter and Instagram.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Way Back

Posted on by Aaron White.

Rating: R / Runtime: 1 hour and 48 minutes

Director Gavin O’Connor is a master of the sports drama, previously hitting home runs with films about both MMA and ice hockey. Like in those films, his newest is a story that uses the backdrop of athletic competition for a character study. Jack Cunningham (Ben Affleck) is a blue-collar worker and alcoholic, separated from his wife, and drinking his way through life one beer at a time. One day, Jack receives a call from his alma mater, a Catholic High School where Jack was once a basketball star destined for collegiate glory, asking him to come in for a chat. It’s then that Jack is offered the head basketball coaching position for the rest of the season, where he will take over while the current coach recovers from illness. Jack, who has never coached before, reluctantly accepts and must find a way to connect with and teach the young undisciplined and under-talented players of the team, all the while still struggling with his addiction and a haunting past. 

In “The Way Back”, Jack’s alcohol use is front and center much more so than basketball. He always has a beer or a fifth of vodka in his hand, to the point where it might almost seem indulgent on the filmmaker’s part. But what Gavin O’Connor does is never let us forget that alcohol is a part of Jack’s life at all times. Jack is seemingly a good person, not one of the usual physically violent alcoholics we are used to seeing in the movies. His addiction is shown for what it is, a disease that can’t be controlled without intentional steps and help. A disease that finds a person drinking on the job, drinking on the drive to the bar after work, and then carrying a beer can into the shower because having a drink in hand has literally become a physical part of who the person is. Jack, like all alcoholics, drinks for a reason. Jack is angry about his past, something he can’t escape, and like so many who struggle with alcoholism, it has him in a dangerous downward spiral that is ruining his life.

Most films in this genre drive toward a final “big game” in which the sports team or individual must compete at the highest level, overcoming whatever obstacles were in their path to get there and earning redemption along the way. “The Way Back” is slightly different, instead alternating more often than expected between the excitement of Jack’s coaching up his team during the basketball season and the dramatic revelations about pieces of his past that have come to define him and lead to his current relationship with alcohol. O’Connor certainly still gives us time with the team. We get to know the various kids, their strengths and challenges, and a few of them are developed in meaningful (though fairly cliche) ways. But their stories are never the focus of the film. It’s always about Jack, and his life mirrors that of a real one, with ups and downs, wins and losses, belief that things have gotten better and devastating mistakes. It’s a relatable and smooth-transitioning narrative, one that never stopped being compelling.

Affleck’s performance is right there with the best he’s ever given. It’s an emotionally affecting, and clearly very personal, one that rarely goes over-the-top but has power in its subtlety. Coach Cunningham’s journey with the team is inspiring, even as we see his character flaws gradually revealed. It’s easy to have empathy for and root for his redemption, something I craved even more than seeing the team have success. Credit should also go to O’Connor and cinematographer Eduard Grau, whose outstanding use of beautiful close-ups really draws the viewer into some very vulnerable moments, both on Affleck alone and in deeply affecting scenes between him and his estranged wife Angie (Janina Gavankar). The film’s score by Rob Simonsen is absolutely gorgeous and almost ever-present, strings and piano keys nudging our hearts in various directions as Jack’s journey is made.

“The Way Back” is not without its typical sports cliches in the personalities and stories of the basketball team players, but it is also a film that completely subverts them when it comes to its overall primary character arc and ending. It’s an addiction drama about how we cannot change the past, but how we can affect the future, one step at a time, and of the impactful part relationships and passions play in that process. It is simultaneously a feel-good basketball story with a dose of exciting in-game action, some hearty laughs, and plenty of sincere feels.

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Aaron White is a Seattle-based film critic and co-creator/co-host of the Feelin’ Film Podcast. He is also a member of the Seattle Film Critics Society. He writes reviews with a focus on the emotional experience he has with a film. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter to be notified when new content is posted.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Invisible Man (2020)

Posted on by Aaron White.

Rating: R / Runtime: 1 hour and 50 minutes

Going back to its original roots as a novel by H.G. Wells and one of the original Universal Pictures Classic Monster Movies, the story of “The Invisible Man” involved a man whose experiments make him unseeable and eventually lead to a descent into madness and violence. For this modern reboot of the film franchise, writer/director Leigh Whannell brings the character crashing into the #MeToo era by centering this story on not The Invisible Man himself, but rather his primary victim. Whereas previous entries have been all about how a person deals with the effects of a strange new ability, Whannell’s film focuses on the perspective of those who suffer from a maniac’s abuse of power and control.

The film opens with an absolutely stunning night-time sequence of Cecilia Kass (Elisabeth Moss) suspensefully escaping the gorgeous, isolated home she shares with her brilliant, extremely wealthy, Optics scientist partner Adrien (Oliver Jackson-Cohen). Right from the start, Whannell lays out the kind of experience this film is meant to be, relying on skillful precision in cinematography by Stefan Duscio and a powerful, terrifying score by Benjamin Wallfisch to always keep the audience intensely on edge. Cecilia is a woman who we immediately understand is the victim of awful and frequent abuses. She is clearly terrified and we hold our breath while silently praying she gets away from a man we literally know nothing about yet. And this is merely the beginning.

After living in fear for a few weeks, Cecilia learns that her ex has committed suicide, and she is free to begin healing from the horrible domestic and sexual abuse we learn he committed. But she doesn’t really believe it, and it isn’t long before mysterious things begin happening, signaling to her that someone, or something, is stalking her from outside her view. It should come as no surprise to anyone that’s seen much of Moss’ filmography that the actress is as good as they come, and her performance here ranks among the best she’s ever given. For most of the film, she is in a growing state of panic, slowly losing her sanity, and displaying every emotion one could possibly imagine a victim of these evil crimes might experience. Her ability to convey fear, distrust, and deep deep pain via facial expressions and voice inflection is incredibly impressive and also extremely difficult to watch. 

Despite support and assistance from loved ones like her sister, a childhood friend who is conveniently now a police officer, and his teenage daughter, Cecilia struggles mightily when no one believes her claims that an invisible man is out to get her. The terror he eventually begins to reign on her is some of the best supernatural horror you’ll see. It’s minimalistic for so long in a way that makes the special effects extremely impactful when they do happen, and the same can be said for the film’s reserved use of physical violence. For most of the film, it’s emotional and psychological abuse that Cecilia faces the most, but you can always feel the intensity building to something. Eventually, there are a few spots where brief outbursts of bloody action occurs, often in rather shocking fashion. The film is never too gory, though, so viewers fearing an all-out slasher flick need not worry much. 

I can’t express enough just how wound tight “The Invisible Man” is from start to finish. This is a pressure cooker of a thriller where your body is constantly clinched as you are made to feel as if you know where this hidden assailant is at all times, just waiting for the moment when something extreme is going to happen. Sure, it’s got its share of jump scares, but most are effective and play very well with an excited audience, as does the action choreography, a continuation of the great work Whannell did in 2018’s “Upgrade”. Fight sequences with The Invisible Man are especially wonderfully crafted and very memorable.

“The Invisible Man” puts a new spin on a classic horror property with a sci-fi twist, plenty of surprises, and an all-too-real story from the perspective of someone who is tormented by her long-time domestic abuser. It is not always easy to watch, and trigger warnings definitely apply, but for those who can stomach the painful brilliance of Moss’ exceptional traumatic performance, catharsis and a genuinely unnerving but entertaining experience is to be had. Universal has finally figured out what a new line of monster movies can look like, with truly evil and unredeemable villainous fiends and social metaphors delivering a contemporary vision all their own. Let’s hope this is the start of a great franchise and not just a splendid flash in the pan.

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Aaron White is a Seattle-based film critic and co-creator/co-host of the Feelin’ Film Podcast. He is also a member of the Seattle Film Critics Society. He writes reviews with a focus on the emotional experience he has with a film. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter to be notified when new content is posted.

MOVIE REVIEW: Onward

Posted on by Aaron White.

Rating: PG / Runtime: 1 hour and 54 minutes

Coming hot on the heels of Pixar’s Best Animated Picture Oscar victory for 2019’s unwanted yet somehow still exceptional “Toy Story 4″, “Onward” is the first of two original stories by the revered studio to hit the big screen in 2020. With fairly light marketing going in, many will find themselves entering a theater in the same position that I was – unexpectedly unexcited. But fear ye not, good peoples of Earth, because that Pixar magic is alive and well (literally in fact, because ya know this story is about wizards and stuff).

“Onward” is a beautifully colorful film set in the fictional city of New Mushroomton, part of a world full of fantasy creatures like centaurs and sprites, that despite once being filled with magic and champions on heroic quests is now taken over by scientific and technological advancement. Mastering magic was “too hard” and innovation for convenience won the day. The story centers around two elf brothers, Barley (Chris Pratt) and Ian (Tom Holland) Lightfoot, who on Ian’s 16th birthday are given a present from their deceased father. This gift is a magical item that if used correctly will allow the boys to spend one last day with their Dad, which both of them desperately desire. Because he passed away from illness while they were young, Barley barely remembers their time together and Ian has no memories of his own at all. It’s something that both haunts and drives him, as he continually makes lists of things to accomplish in life hoping to make his father proud. In the old days, an epic quest was a staple of someone’s 16th birthday and after Ian’s attempt to use the item goes terribly wrong, the brothers set off to retrieve a mythical stone so that they can try again. Before the sun sets, of course. Every good quest needs a time limit.

To reveal any twists and surprises of the story would be completely unfair because the emotional journey Pixar takes viewers on is a truly wonderful one. Pratt and Holland have perfect chemistry as the brothers, who in lieu of a true antagonist for the film have a relationship that is both loving and also filled with many differences of opinion that lead to some exciting situations. Barley is a walking mishap who drives a van named Gwynevere, spends his time in role-playing games or protesting the destruction of historical sites, and generally reminds everyone he comes in contact with about how magic used to rule the land and they’ve gotten away from their true nature. Ian, by contrast, is smart but timid, socially awkward, and thinks his brother’s obsession is mostly lunacy. It makes for a ton of great banter throughout the film as the two embark on a daring quest that features all of the elements you might expect, including but not limited to finding a quest giver to get a map, solving tricky puzzles, and overcoming dangerous beasts with legendary weapons of power.

Yes, “Onward” is basically Dungeons and Dragons or World of Warcraft with a heartfelt and deeply poignant story of brotherhood and parental loss layered into that world, and it’s incredible just how powerful the emotions it evokes are! Make no mistake, at multiple points during the fun adventurous quest full of monsters, spells, and swords, the tears will flow and the heart will pound. This dramatic quest for family grieving is non-stop clever and charming along the way, and with “Onward” Pixar has a truly magical start to 2020 with a film that families (and especially fantasy fans who will enjoy the film’s many references) are going to find themselves enchanted by.

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Aaron White is a Seattle-based film critic and co-creator/co-host of the Feelin’ Film Podcast. He is also a member of the Seattle Film Critics Society. He writes reviews with a focus on the emotional experience he has with a film. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter to be notified when new content is posted.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Call Of The Wild

Posted on by Caless Davis.

Rating: PG / Runtime: 1 hour and 40 minutes

“The Call Of The Wild” is the rugged frontiersman cousin that wants to liken itself to the live-action remake of “The Lion King” but without the capability to throw down plenty of coin on photorealistic visuals. Disney’s influence being stitched into the fabric of this film is no surprise given that our director Chris Sanders was the writer behind some of the more widely known Disney cinematic treasures. It is very understandable that most of the production budget went to retaining the services of Harrison Ford but plenty of resources were needed to make this CGI something more than unfinished. Each of the animals shown in the film has the glossy finish of a new car which makes it very distracting to see given they are traversing over many lands filled with snow, dirt, and other environmental elements. The dramatic element of this film is lost and never takes off due to how cartoonishly the animals look and move around. The funny irony is that without this lackluster VFX, this film would be a plain dreadful experience cinematically. This adaption tale leans into family-friendly aspirations, trucking down a distant highway from Jack London’s original adventure novel in more ways than one.

Buck, our leading canine, is taken from the relatively easy-going lifestyle he enjoys in California under the graces of a loving family and thrown into the harsh circumstances of being a sled dog stationed in the Alaskan Yukon during the last vestige of the 19th century. After some time, he gets used to the high-paced activity of mail passage and starts to find a place for himself in this untamed world that celebrates grit and strength. Buck feels crafted from the hands of Zeus given all the superheroic qualities he possesses; they include the ability to jump like Mario the Plumber, the strength of a T-800, capacity to not feel pain, running like the speed of sound, and the wondrous flexibility of an Olympic gymnast. If you are going to have your animals depicted like a Looney Tunes cartoon or reminiscent of Scooby-Doo, then take the animation route and be comfortable in that space.

The story drips itself into so many occasions of forceful and cringe-inducing “tugging at your heartstrings” moments that it’s very easy to smell the cheese emanating from the silver screen. Human characters spend so much time talking to the animals that I was waiting for the moment when one of them would start talking back. One scene involves a lead conductor from the sled team telling Buck that they not only carry mail but also memories, stories, and lives, then you get a slow-motion montage of Buck roaming through a town seeing different people from different walks of life looking at envelopes. It is very formulaic in the different narrative beats that it presents and easily foreseeable how it will resolve itself.

Harrison Ford is an undisputed all-time great having delivered some of the more memorable performances and moments we have seen in cinematic history. As a fan, even I was able to tell that he settled for crumbs taking this role. Never during the whole journey do we understand his characterization or inner pain that lead him to exile himself in a cabin out in the middle of nowhere. We get that he lost his son and that the pain put too much of a strain on his marriage, but that’s it as far as development. He is only good enough to be a narrator, an exposition factoid spewing machine, or to pop up out of nowhere to serve as a deus ex machina for Buck when he deals with mistreatment. The draw of this film will be for people (most likely little children) who want to see weirdly designed and unstoppable forces of animals, but coming on the promise of a Hollywood star like Ford is an unfulfilling and hollow expenditure. As a matter of fact, most of the human characters are just window dressing which works horribly for a live-action but would be more welcomed in the animation realm.

If you want to be a good parent and you can stomach a 100-minute draggy and generic piece of fantasy adventure, then take your children because they will have a ball with these dogs and the excitement of certain action sequences. Otherwise, “The Call Of The Wild” puts all of its cards on the table and draws nothing but blanks in the game of film relevancy.

Caless Davis is a Seattle-based film critic and contributor to the Feelin’ Film Podcast. He loves any discussion of film and meeting new people to engage in film discussions on any subject. You can follow him on Twitter and Instagram.

MOVIE REVIEW: A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon

Posted on by Aaron White.

Rating: G / Runtime: 1 hour and 26 minutes

There is something I find sincerely appealing about stop-motion animation, be it in the style of Laika or Aardman, who utilizes a beautiful and detailed claymation technique. Both styles of animating take significantly longer than CGI or even hand-drawn technique and is a big reason why these studios can’t pump out new films at the rate Disney and Pixar do. The first “Shaun the Sheep” film came out over four years ago and grossed over $100 million at the box office. This sequel was inevitable, but crafting it took time. 

“Farmageddon” is, in a nutshell, a remake of Spielberg’s “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial”, with a much cuter alien and an overwhelming amount of references to other famous science fiction films and television sprinkled throughout. The extra-terrestrial, in this case, is Lu-la, a small light blue and pink alien with telekinesis and a powerfully loud/forceful belch. Her space ship lands in a forest and while she’s out exploring, it’s not long before the government sends Agent Red and a team to examine the landing and seek out answers.

Back on the farm, Shaun and his sheep family are living their normal everyday lives, being trouble-makers and fighting with Bitzer the farmer’s sheepdog. When Lu-la stumbles across Shaun and the group, they embark on an adventure of discovery with the goal of ultimately hoping to find Lu-la’s ship so that she can return home. There’s not a lot more to be said about the plot, although Agent Red does have some backstory that provides a reason for why she is so driven. It culminates in one of the sweeter moments of the film and is a welcome character development choice to take her beyond just the typical cookie-cutter governmental baddie. 

Those concerned about the silent nature of Shaun the Sheep films should honestly not be worried at all. I remember being incredibly surprised at how much I loved “Shaun the Sheep” back in 2015 despite the lack of dialogue and in “Farmageddon” I didn’t even miss it. The soundtrack and score show up perfectly, and sound effects are used to greatly enhance the already incredibly expressiveness of the claymation. Because this film is playing so heavily off of sci-fi films of the past, there are frequent musical cues that callback to famous themes, and it was a joy hearing one each and every time. Additionally, the aforementioned soundtrack does a wonderful job of occasionally letting the lyrics being sung help tell the story of what is happening on-screen at that moment. This tactic is used sparingly, but with great success.

References to favorite sci-fi properties are plentiful, and though the story of “Farmageddon” is tender, easy to follow, and full of hilarious goofy action, picking out these moments will be great for major fans of the genre. For one thing, there is the required mention of Area 51. Then the “Alien” tie-is done in a brilliant way that makes it kid-friendly. There are also “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”, “Signs”, “2001: A Space Odyssey”, “Dr. Who” references and more. Agent Red even has a sidekick robot named Muggins that looks like a combination of Wall*E and Johnny 5 and serves as equal parts investigative partner and filing cabinet. This robot will quickly win kids over and is easily one of the film’s highlights. 

“Farmageddon” may not possess the deepest of storylines but that makes it accessible for everyone. With plenty for older geeks to enjoy along the way, this is a rare G film that parents and kids can sit through and enjoy equally together. It moves at a breezy pace and the cute factor is off the charts. This cosmic adventure is all-ages entertainment at its best. Pull up Netflix, hit play, and enjoy.

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Aaron White is a Seattle-based film critic and co-creator/co-host of the Feelin’ Film Podcast. He is also a member of the Seattle Film Critics Society. He writes reviews with a focus on the emotional experience he has with a film. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter to be notified when new content is posted.