Sundance Review: “Lucy and Desi” (2022)

January 31, 2022 by Keith Garlington

(CLICK HERE for my full review in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)

On its surface, “Lucy and Desi” looks like a fairly by-the-books documentary. There’s little to its style or approach that sets it apart from countless other docs. But don’t be misled. In addition to its compelling subjects, the feature is energized by director Amy Poehler who isn’t just throwing out facts and old footage. Instead she frames her film as the love story of two beloved entertainers who forever changed television and our culture.

That warm and sincere focus is what makes Poehler’s film such a delight. As you might expect, the movie will resonate most with those familiar with the wild and improbable success story of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. But Poehler’s approach results in something that’s both endearing and insightful which should open the documentary up to anyone regardless of their history (or lack of) which the iconic couple.

“Lucy and Desi” is full of entertainment history but it’s also intimate and personal. One of my favorite touches is in how much is told in the couple’s own words and through their own voices. Clips from a number television and radio interviews give us their true perspectives on the ups and down of their incredible journey together. Meanwhile interviews with their son, Desi Arnez Jr. and daughter, Luci Arnez Luckin shed even more light but from yet another personal angle.

And of course, we also hear from entertainers who not only knew them but were inspired by their work – Carol Burnett, Charo, Bette Midler, among others highlight the impact Lucy and Desi had on generations of performers. Words like “fearless”, “effortless” and “extraordinary” often were used especially in describing Lucy. She had a natural talent for comedy, but she was also a fiery straight-shooter which proved invaluable in an industry ran predominantly by men.

Poehler rightly gives time to the couple’s years prior to meeting. As Lucy left New York City for Hollywood, Desi was escaping Cuba for Miami. Only a short time later, the two met for the first time in the commissary at RKO Pictures and were married six months later. From there the couple’s personal and professional lives took off in large part thanks to the massive success of “I Love Lucy”.

Poehler takes time to stress the importance of “I Love Lucy” and the impact it made on the television industry, both on screen and behind the camera. We hear about how each show was performed in front of 400 studio audience members and with no retakes. About how they once did 41 shows in 41 weeks. And how “I Love Lucy” would help establish the rerun model that would be used forever after. And of course there was the relationships with their co-stars Vivian Vance and William Frawley.

Their business partnership extended beyond “I Love Lucy”. The film covers the formation and success of their own studio, Desilu Productions which would produce such shows as “The Untouchables”, “Mission: Impossible”, and “Star Trek”. The couple would grow Desilu into the second-largest independent television production company in the United States. And of course there was their later purchase of RKO Studios.

But in “Lucy and Desi” it always comes back to the personal – in this case the relationship between the two stars. The stress and demands of fame hurt their marriage leading to an eventual split. But as Poehler shows us, there remained a deep connection between them even as they were miles apart and with new spouses. The two loved each other as much as the country loved them. By stressing that truth, Poehler’s film, though very much a documentary, comes from a place closer to the heart. And that’s a choice which makes “Lucy and Desi” stand out.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

Sundance Review: “Speak No Evil” (2022)

January 30, 2022 by Keith Garlington

One of the more intriguing ‘horror’ films in this year’s Sundance program comes from Danish filmmaker Christian Tafdrup. It’s “Speak No Evil”, a smart but unsettling chiller but not in the traditional sense. In fact, the film didn’t start out as a horror movie. It was originally conceived as a psychological drama centered around a fairly simple idea. But as that idea grew, the movie took a new shape and Tafdrup begin utilizing horror elements in some shrewdly original ways.

Co-written by Taldrup and his brother Mads, “Speak No Evil” starts tame before festering into something unthinkably savage and deeply disturbing. But it’s the cinematic space in between that makes the film more than just a genre exercise in audience cruelty. With a surgical cunning, Taldrup cuts into themes of human nature, manhood, and social norms. But it’s the film’s bigger more ambiguous meaning that ultimately makes this such a terrifying experience.

The film opens with a first-person view of a car driving down a dirt road at night. The drone of composer Sune Kolst’s haunting orchestral score soaks the scene in dread. But in a flash the camera suddenly switches to a sun-soaked swimming pool where the sounds of happy chatter, splashing water, and kid’s laughter fills the air. It’s not the only time Tafdrup will lay eerie ominous music over a seemingly innocuous scene.

The pool we learn is at a resort in Tuscany which is where we meet a vacationing Danish family, Bjorn (Morten Burian), his wife Louise (Sidsel Siem Koch), and their young daughter Agnes (Liva Forsberg). While there, they hit it off with a Dutch family – an outgoing doctor named Patrick (Fedja van Huet), his good-natured wife Karin (Karina Smulders), and their unusually quiet son Abel (Marius Damslev). The two families have lunch where we hear that familiar throwaway line from Karin, “Well you should come visit us sometimes.”

The story jumps ahead in time with Bjorn and his family back home in Denmark. One evening they’re surprised by a letter from Patrick and Karin inviting them to come to Holland for the weekend. After some lighthearted debate, Bjorn and Louise decide to go, with Louise even uttering those ill-fated words “What’s the worst that can happen?”

The trio leaves Denmark and heads for the Dutch countryside. When they finally arrive at the address they don’t find the kind of house you would expect a doctor to live it. Instead it’s a dated two-story wood-framed place in the middle of nowhere. And there you have the first warning sign out of many to come. While things feel a little weird at first, the two families begin reconnecting much like they did in Tuscany. But over time Peter and Karin’s behavior gets stranger and more uncomfortable. Soon the nice weekend getaway with “friends” turns into a horrifying nightmare.

I’ll leave the rest for you to discover but be warned, “Speak No Evil” takes some shockingly depraved turns, and the final 30 minutes are as unsettling as anything you’ll see on screen this year. And by that I don’t mean that’s it’s gory and gross. I’m talking about the kind of brutal unpleasantness that you might find in certain Michael Haneke films. It will rattle you to your core.

Following its recent premiere at Sundance, “Speak No Evil” was quickly gobbled up by Shudder for distribution. So those of you who are interested (and gutsy enough), won’t have long to wait. To be honest, it’s not a movie I’m completely comfortable with recommending. Not because of poor quality (Tafdrup proves to be much too good of a filmmaker for that). But many will find it to be genuinely troublesome. Be that as it may, the sheer craft and control Tafdrup shows is top-notch, and I was glued to the screen throughout. I was thoroughly invested in the plight of this Danish family who were seduced by evil’s charms and then walked right into its trap.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

Sundance Review: “God’s Country” (2022)

January 29, 2022 by Keith Garlington

Grief is such a popular subject in movies and for a number of reasons. It’s a subject that strikes a chord in some way with most every viewer. There are many facets of it that can be explored through cinema. And when done well, its depiction in movies can be a cathartic release both for the filmmaker and the audience. Needless to say, there is no shortage of movies that deal with this powerful emotion.

Grief is the central theme for first-time director Julian Higgins in his new film “God’s Country”. This diverting yet overly ambitious thriller hands the too often overlooked Thandiwe Newton a well-deserved and long overdue meaty leading role. She plays a grieving college professor at odds with a couple of backwoods brothers. And while Higgins does a great job building tension between his lead character and two antagonists, it’s often undermined by his attempts to squeeze in every hot-button issue under the sun.

To no surprise Newton is wonderful as Sandra Guidry, a New Orleans transplant now teaching public speaking at a nearby unnamed university. After school, she retreats to her home in a remote snowy canyon outside of town where she sorts through the things of her recently deceased mother. The beautiful rugged isolation is a good place for peace, quiet, and coping with her grief. But she also learns it’s not the safest place to be, especially for a single woman.

One evening Sandra comes home to a red Ford pickup truck parked on her property. There’s no signs of its owner so she leaves a note asking them not to park on her land. Later that evening she finds the truck gone and her crumpled note laying on the ground.

The next day while chopping wood she notices the same red pickup coming up her driveway. It parks again and out steps the Cody brothers, the older Nathan (Joris Jarsky) and the loose cannon younger Samuel (Yellowstone’s Jefferson White). Sandra approaches the two and asks them to leave much to their chagrin. Later, after she discovers their truck parked a third time, she has had enough.

Sandra meets with the acting sheriff Gus Wolf (Jeremy Bobb), the only law enforcement officer in a 300-mile jurisdiction. He’s reluctant to get involved saying most disputes are handled between the parties (that’s helpful). He does meet with the brothers and tells them to stay off Sandra’s property. But as you can probably guess, this does little to ease the tensions between the two sides, and soon Sandra is forced to take matters into her own hands.

Again, all of that makes for a good setup, and Higgins utilizes everything from the performances to his setting to build a tense and at times chilling central conflict. There’s also the undercurrent of grief which both Higgins and Newton navigate with true genuine feeling. The problem comes when the movie wanders from those two narrative strengths.

Rather than exploring these angles deeper, Higgins (who penned the script with Shaye Ogbonna) stuffs the story with a bevy of political issues. Patriarchy, policing, race, gender inequality in the workplace, Hurricane Katrina, animal rights – they all find their way into the narrative, yet none are given the time they need to feel meaningful. They’re meant to be contributing factors to Sandra’s growing frustration and deteriorating state of mind. But their superficial treatment leaves them feeling tacked on rather than important to the story.

Several other things bring the movie down. The revelation of Sandra’s past work in New Orleans gives us one of Newton’s very best scenes. But it also provides us with an amusing convenience that I never fully bought into. Also, there are some out-of-the-blue supporting character pairings in the last act that are both weird and woefully underdeveloped. These knocks are annoying mainly because they drag down an otherwise gripping thriller. And while grief still gets a reflective and thoughtful treatment, even it feels subverted by too many unnecessary detours.

VERDICT – 3 STARS

Sundance Review: “After Yang” (2022)

January 28, 2022 by Keith Garlington

(CLICK HERE for my review in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)

One of my favorite directorial debuts in recent years came from the South Korean-born American filmmaker Kogonada. His artful and quietly stirring “Columbus” from 2017 really left its mark on me. It was a movie full of longing and soul-searching. It also showed off Kogonada’s moving contemplative style. One he honed while working as a video essayist, spotlighting legendary auteurs from cinema’s rich history.

His latest film “After Yang” has a similar emotional depth and texture as “Columbus”. Set in the not-to-distant future, the story hits me in one of my soft spots – daddy/daughter relationships. In this case, it’s a father looking for a way to repair his little girl’s beloved android companion named Yang. The science-fiction twist may give pause to fans of Kogonada’s previous work. But rest assured, “After Yang” features the same mix of emotion and craft that made “Columbus” such a joy.

Already nabbed for distribution by A24, “After Yang” has rightfully received mostly positive reviews following its North American premiere at Sundance. Much like “Columbus”, this is far from a mainstream film and those unable to get in tune with its quiet patient rhythm and introspective gaze may find themselves checking out. But without question, it’s completely worth your effort.

What Kogonada has given us is essentially a reflection of humanity, full of thoughtful meditations on life, loss, the meaning of family, and finding our place in the world. He takes his fairly simple premise and adorns it in sci-fi dressing. But at its heart, the movie seeks to engage your mind, heart, and senses. But for that to work, we have to be immersed in its world. Kogonada does that by using some of his favorite ingredients – nature, architecture, rich colors, the soothing piano chords and aching strings of the score. These familiar creative strokes help give Kogonada’s films their identity.

Jake Flemming (Colin Farrell), his wife Kyra (Jodie Turner-Smith), their adopted daughter Mika (Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja), and their android Yang (Justin H. Min) make for a sweet and happy family. Jake owns a tea shop where he spends much of his time exploring new recipes. Kyra is a businesswoman whose job requires her to work long hours. That leaves Mika with Yang, a “certified refurbished” big brother figure, purchased by Jake and Kyra to help their daughter connect with her Chinese heritage. The two become inseparable to the point where Yang knows Mika better than her parents do.

But then one evening Yang shuts down and won’t restart. Jake sets out to have him repaired, begrudgingly at first but urged on by his daughter’s heartbreak. He quickly learns that buying an android (called “techno-sapiens”) secondhand was a mistake. Yang should still be under warranty, but finding the dealer to honor it proves impossible. He tries an uncertified repairman (Ritchie Coster), but all he gets are half-baked conspiracy theories about techno-surveillance and secret android spyware.

Meanwhile Yang’s absence has a ripple effect across the household with each member feeling the weight of their loss. While he was chosen and bought specifically with Mika in mind, Yang was a sweet, compassionate and supportive presence for the entire family. Kyra and especially Jake quickly begin to understand the power of their attachment to Yang and the sense of loss that comes with his absence.

Running out of options, Jake seeks out an A.I. museum curator named Cleo (Sarita Choudhury) who helps him connect to a database of recorded memories stored inside of Yang. As Jake begins perusing these short video clips (one for every day of Yang’s ‘life’), he’s taken on a bittersweet journey of self-discovery. He finds himself deeply affected by Yang’s warmly poetic way of looking at the world. It moves him to take stock of himself and reflect on the life he’s been living. Like George Bailey in a much lower key, he has a wonderful life and it takes him seeing it through an android’s eyes for him to open his own.

But there are also secrets buried deep within Yang‘s memories. A mysterious young woman (Haley Lu-Richardson) who Jake has never seen before pops up in several of Yang’s memory clips. It’s forms the heart of a sweet and subtle mystery that Kogonada delicately unpacks to reveal something unimaginably beautiful yet in its own way even more heartbreaking.

Kogonada’s goal is to engage you emotionally and a key means of accomplishing it is through the visuals. There are subtle yet undeniably artful choices with things like color and aspect rations that help convey the film’s solemn and soulful mood. Take the distinctions between Jake’s world and Yang’s memories. Jake is routinely surrounded by dim gloomy shadows accented by the dull glow of orange and blue neon – a perfect way to convey his feelings of sorrow and detachment. Contrast that with Yang’s memories where the colors grow richer and brighter and even the framing of shots lends to the sensation of innocence and wonder.

If there is one gripe I have, it’s that I wish we were given a few more scenes with Yang prior to his malfunction – scenes that would let us develop our own connections to him. Instead, we’re solely dependent on pieces of memory from his family. It’s enough, but I can only imagine the punch it would pack if we had been given more time to nurture our own feelings. But ultimately that’s a small gripe and one that I barely struggle with.

Despite its compelling sci-fi elements, “After Yang” is very much an intensely human drama, quietly profound and gracefully subdued. Loosely adapting an Alexander Weinstein short story, Kogonada uses his camera just as much as his script to pull us into his world and tell this metaphor-rich story. There’s so much detail, from the East Asian influence guiding Alexandra Schaller’s production design and Arjun Bhasin’s costumes to the meticulously conceived compositions. But there’s also the performances, so grounded and rooted truth. Ultimately all of its pieces prove vital to the experience. And what an experience it is!

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS

Sundance Review: “Resurrection” (2022)

January 27, 2022 by Keith Garlington

In “Resurrection”, the new film from writer-director Andrew Semans, Rebecca Hall plays a seemingly all-together single mother named Margaret. She’s a confident, poised, and successful businesswoman who is all about control. Whether its in the advice she gives to a struggling young intern or in the affair she’s having with a married co-worker. It’s most evident at home which drives her brash and headstrong 17-year-old daughter Abbie (Grace Kaufman) crazy.

But when a terrifying face from her past comes back to haunt her, this self-assured working mom begins to unravel. It starts at a seminar where she gets a glimpse of a man that sends her running out of the building in a panic, sprinting all the way home to check on her daughter. A couple days later she sees him again, this time in a department store while shopping with Abbie. And then again while sitting in the park. Her dread-filled panic attacks and horrific nightmares intensify with each new sighting.

We learn the man’s name is David (Tim Roth). Margaret hasn’t seen him in 22 years, but the wounds from their past relationship are still painfully fresh. While the details of that relationship are better left unshared, just know that its sinister underpinning leads to some downright disturbing revelations.

Semans does a great job growing the tension between each encounter Margaret has with David. While Roth is disgustingly great, everything in the film rides on the back of Hall who is next-level good. Every facet of her performance works, from her early scenes of seemingly shatterproof confidence to the later scenes where she desperately tries to hold it together. And we get even another side of her once she shifts from prey to predator.

Rebecca Hall playing solitary women on the brink of breakdown is nothing new. Think back to movies like the criminally underseen “Christine” and last year’s terrific “The Night House”. But she’s such a good actress that none of these performances feel one and the same. Here it’s no different. The Margaret she portrays is a complex and layered woman. Strong and determined yet carrying so much buried guilt and self-blame. The best scene in the movie captures all of these traits. It’s a seven-minute-long uncut take where the camera sits on her as she explains her unsettling history with David to a friend. It’s riveting stuff and an absolute acting masterclass.

The one place where “Resurrection” slips is in its finish. Or does it? I’m genuinely conflicted. In one sense the grisly and ghoulish final 15 minutes is devilishly unexpected, and I found myself relishing the gruesome and gory depths Semans was willing to go. On the other hand, the ambiguity-tinged final moments lead to some shaky interpretations. I’m still not certain whether I’m satisfied with the ending or frustrated by its vagueness.

Adapted from a short story by Alexander Weinstein, “Resurrection” is a bold and mostly gripping psychological thriller with an anxiety-inducing allure and a deliciously weird (yet kinda funky) finish. Andrew Semans’ expert handling of tension and pacing keeps the unnerving energy steadily growing, right up to its gonzo finish. The film also gives us yet another stellar Rebecca Hall performance, one that (once again) cements her as one the best actresses working today.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

Movie Poster Spotlight: “The Batman”

January 26, 2022 by Keith Garlington

Easily one of my most anticipated movies of 2022 (barring another frustrating delay) is Matt Reeves’ “The Batman”. Warner Brothers has already dropped several top-notch trailers. Now they’ve released the film’s new poster and it’s pretty amazing. Though it uses a very familiar movie poster template, I love the design. It fits exactly what I’m expecting this movie will be. Check it out and tell me what you think.

DIRECTOR – Matt Reeves

WRITER – Matt Reeves, Peter Craig

STARRING – Robert Pattinson, Paul Dano, Zoe Kravitz, Jeffrey Wright, John Turturro, Colin Farrell, Andy Serkis, Peter Sarsgaard

RELEASE – March 4, 2022