REVIEW: “Happy Happy Joy Joy – The Ren & Stimpy Story” (2020)

September 29, 2020 by Keith Garlington

I wasn’t long out of high school when a short-tempered sociopathic Chihuahua named Ren Höek and a kind-hearted but dense Manx cat named Stimpy made their debut on Nickelodeon. It was August of 1991 and it only took one episode for me to be hooked. During its run the darkly funny and sometimes surreal cartoon gave a much needed jolt to the stale state of animation, earning two Emmy nominations and gaining a passionate cult following.

The new documentary “Happy Happy Joy Joy – The Ren & Stimpy Story” eyes the creative side of the rowdy and sometimes controversial cartoon. More specifically it highlights the show’s creator John Kricfalusi, an immensely talented artist responsible for not only building the show but eventually tearing it down. Kricfalusi’s innovation and willingness to push boundaries made Ren & Stimpy household names. However it was his controlling nature and dictator-like leadership that eventually led to the show’s demise.

Photo Courtesy of Gravitas Ventures

“The Ren & Stimpy Show” broke the mold of the generic prepackaged cartoons that appeared more interested in selling toys and merchandise than being creative and entertaining. Kricfalusi wanted to push back against what he called “the decay of animation“. Along with partners Lynne Naylor, Bob Camp, and Jim Smith, Kricfalusi co-founded the animation studio Spümcø and began creating Ren & Stimpy for Nickelodeon. From its genesis Spümcø and in turn Ren & Stimpy were artist-centric. While the writing was wacky and off-the-rails, the animation embraced a classic style with artists not just drawing but also hand painting and hand inking.

Documentarians Kimo Easterwood and Ron Cicero give a brief intro to the Ren & Stimpy craze before diving into their biggest interest – the behind the scenes talent and turmoil at Spümcø. Interviews with key studio figures give good insight into the joyous but uncertain early days and their rise to fame once the cartoon seemed to take on a life all its own. While interesting and necessary, these scenes are a little drawn out (no pun intended) and left me eager to move on to the darker side of he story.

Photo Courtesy of Gravitas Ventures

That comes with the second season of “The Ren & Stimpy Show” as the pressures of success and expectation begin chewing away at the studio, specifically Kricfalusi. Through the words of his co-creators, Easterwood and Cicero reveal Kricfalusi’s tumble from demanding boss to abusive megalomaniac. An even darker turn comes when it’s revealed that Kricfalusi allegedly used his status to lure and groom underage girls, aspiring cartoonists, into sexual relationships. Easterwood and Cicero not only speak candidly with Kricfalusi about the accusations, but also one of his accusers Robyn Byrd. It’s disturbing stuff.

“Happy Happy Joy Joy” adds a bitter taste to what was one of my favorite cartoons featuring two of my favorite animated characters. After seeing this documentary some will have a hard time seeing Ren & Stimpy in the same light. At the same time the film shows there were many other artists and creators who were just as essential to the show’s success during and after Kricfalusi’s tumultuous reign. Still, the revelations hang a cloud over the show’s groundbreaking early days branding the once celebrated animated television series with a dark and troubling legacy.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

REVIEW: “A Call to Spy” (2020)

September 28, 2020 by Keith Garlington

In August of 1941 the German occupation of Europe was well underway. Northern France was next to fall leaving Great Britain alone and vulnerable. With Hitler poised to cross the English Channel a desperate Winston Churchill orders a section of his Special Operations Executive (SOE) to begin recruiting and training women as spies. Their goal would be to infiltrate and disrupt the occupying German forces in France while building a clandestine network of resistance.

This is the compelling premise of “A Call to Spy”, a mature character-driven historical drama that examines yet another shamefully untold true story from World War II. It may be a tad too ambitious when it comes to scope, but for a small budget indie it’s a remarkable accomplishment. More importantly the film never loses sight of its characters, their individual plights, and their dedication to service. Not only are their stories informative and inspirational, but they’re rich with lessons still relevant today. Better yet this is a female led movie that shines on both sides of the camera. Take note Hollywood.

Photo Courtesy of IFC Films

The film features an Oscar-nominated director in Lydia Dean Pilcher who ably covers a lot of ground while never allowing the dialogue-heavy story to bog down. That’s made easier by Sarah Megan Thomas who is the heart of the film both on screen and behind its production. Thomas stars, produces and writes the screenplay with passion, motivation and empathy. Extensive research and family interviews led her to make something far more intimate and illuminating than your typical genre period piece.

The story focuses on three woman, each with their own personal obstacles to overcome but joined in their determination and courage. The first is Vera Atkins (brilliantly portrayed by Stana Katic), Romanian by birth and positioned as the secretary to SOE section head Colonel Maurice Buckmaster (Linus Roache). In reality Vera was his head of intelligence, but due to constantly being declined British citizenship she was restricted from officially holding an officer’s position. Despite often being the smartest person in the room, Vera frequently comes face-or-face with the military’s longstanding patriarchy. And even Buckmaster’s unwavering trust can’t protect her from some of the quieter prejudices that surface later in the film.

Photo Courtesy of IFC Films

Vera is tasked with finding and vetting their initial batch of female recruits. “Women would be more inconspicuous.” They would be tested, trained and then sent off “to build resistance and set France ablaze“. Vera in instantly drawn to Virginia Hall (played by Thomas), an American eager to serve as a diplomat but repeatedly denied by her country because she’s a woman and due to her “condition”. She has a wooden leg which she affectionately calls Cuthbert, the result of a tragic hunting accident years prior. Intelligent and committed, Virginia instantly shows grit and leadership, both invaluable assets in the “ungentlemanly warfare” she would be facing.

Next is Noor Inayat Khan (Radhika Apte), a gentle, unassuming Indian pacifist and top-notch wireless operator. She’s immediately met with skepticism by many of the men who view her small stature and kind spirit as weaknesses. But Noor earns the confidence of Vera and Buckmaster and begins training for fieldwork. Meanwhile Virginia is sent to Lyon to establish a secret hub for the growing resistance. Once there we follow her as she makes connections and works to win the trust of the already embedded operatives. With England desperate for information and the German occupation intensifying, Noor soon joins Virginia despite not finishing her training.

Photo Courtesy of IFC Films

Thomas’ script nimbly moves back-and-forth between the stories of the three women. Each story thread is neatly connected to the others while still feeling very personal to the individual characters. For example Virginia quickly develops into a keen resistance leader, managing the many lives hinging on her decisions and making tough calls when need be. But her disability is a very real part of her story. Thomas doesn’t gloss over it, acutely showing it as both a strength and a struggle. She shows the same sensibility for Noor, a brave young woman out of her element, moving from place to place while narrowly avoiding capture. Same for Vera who follows her recruits from back home, parsing through messages and supporting their efforts while feeling the breath of sexist and anti-Semitic sentiment.

“A Call to Spy” is exactly the movie I hoped for. An eye-opening true story of uncommon valor, told through capable direction, a smart affecting script, and three central performances that vividly portray these heroes. And their heroism wasn’t just reserved for the arena of war. Whether in the trenches or the war room, these woman fought uphill showing their true mettle in the face of hardship. The film also works as a thoughtful World War II history piece with an immersive setting and ample reminders of what was at stake and the sacrifices made. “A Call to Spy” opens October 2nd in select theaters and on VOD.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS

REVIEW: “The Trial of the Chicago 7” (2020)

September 25, 2020 by Keith Garlington

In one way Aaron Sorkin is the perfect person to make a meaty courtroom drama about the notorious Chicago Seven. The accomplished wordsmith is more than capable of covering such a dense story and its numerous players. On the other hand Sorkin has never been shy about his firm political leanings, and this particular subject (especially in our current hyper-partisan climate) could offer temptations too tempting for him to pass up.

Sorkin’s new film “The Trial of the Chicago 7” proves to be a bit of both. It’s an enthralling, fast-moving and at times unexpectedly funny courtroom drama. At the same time you never doubt where Sorkin’s sympathies lie and history occasionally takes a backseat to the film’s obvious relevance-seeking predilections.

First slated as a Paramount Pictures big screen release before being sold to Netflix, “The Trial of the Chicago 7” follows a group (originally made up of eight and then eventually seven) of anti-Vietnam War and counterculture protesters who were arrested and charged with conspiracy and inciting riots (among other things) at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. They were considered leaders of various anti-establishment groups with diverse backgrounds and motivations – political activists, flower children, anarchists, and revolutionary socialists. Their reputations put them in the sites of the authorities and made them quick targets for the already defensive state and local governments.

Photo Courtesy of Netflix

Sorkin tells the story completely from the points-of-view of the eight men charged and their supporters. Outside of a brief table-setting opening montage and a handful of flashbacks, the entire film is set in and around the courtroom. Sorkin puts a strong spotlight on the gross mishandling of the proceedings by a biased Judge Julius Hoffman (Frank Langella) even throwing in some fictional demonizing as if history needed it. He also shows the sheer circus the trial became in large part due to Judge Hoffman’s unconstitutional antics, but equally due to the showmanship of the defendants, specifically from yippie leader Abbie Hoffman (Sacha Baron Cohen).

The story proper begins with Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Richard Schultz, a young, idealistic federal prosecutor handpicked by the Attorney General John Mitchell (John Doman) to get a conviction in the trial against the activists. Schultz is one of the only people outside the protesters circle with the slightest bit of nuance. He’s essentially a government pawn but he’s also the only one who sees the potential risks of prosecuting this particular case. “We are giving them exactly what they want” he warns his boss, “a stage and an audience.”

Across from him is defense attorney William Kunstler (Mark Rylance), a radical lawyer and activist who knows the law and quickly begins to realize the deck is stacked against him. He has the toughest job of any – defending in a trial ripe with corruption while trying to keep his motley band of clients on the same page. The wild card is Black Panther co-founder Bobby Seale (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II). He’s the eighth man with no real attachment to the other seven but connected by the government solely so the feds can target the Panthers. Stripped of his constitutional rights and dehumanized in the very courtroom that should stand for justice, Seale’s plight is the most tragic.

Photo Courtesy of Netflix

Rounding out the film’s plump star-studded cast: Eddie Redmayne is shaky in places but mostly solid playing disaffected leftist cage-rattler Tom Hayden. John Carroll Lynch is a nice fit playing non-violent socialist activist and family guy David Dellinger. Michael Keaton gets a small but welcomed role playing former Attorney General Ramsey Clark. The one flatline performance comes from the usually solid Jeremy Strong. He seems out of sync playing hippie counterculture radical Jerry Rubin. He both underplays and overplays several scenes and never quite feels comfortable with his approach to his character. Still, the biggest head-turners are Cohen and Langella. Oscar nominations wouldn’t be undeserved.

Sorkin’s snappy pacing and signature rapid-fire dialogue zips us through the story, giving us a good sense of the legal turmoil while providing plenty of memorable character moments. As you would expect from a Sorkin film, most of the dialogue is whip-smart and flows with an energetic rhythm that keeps you honed in on every exchange. But surprisingly there are instances where it can come across as stilted and self-conscious. Characters will drop lines that feel custom written for a movie scene rather than natural to the story. And then there’s the ending, a rushed “notice me Oscar” finish that lays on the melodrama complete with swelling orchestration. Considering everything the film does well, the ending resembles something packaged from an awards-conscious studio.

Unfortunately in an effort to venerate his protagonists Sorkin ends up robbing his film of its true-story complexities. The Chicago Seven weren’t without blemishes – Rubin’s affection for Charles Manson, Hoffman’s cocaine dealing, Kunstler’s rogues gallery of clients. And while Sorkin tosses in a ten-second clip of Rubin and Hoffman teaching followers how to make Molotov cocktails, there’s really nothing morally complex about them. Sorkin writes a very white hat/black hat tale that leaves practically nothing for us to wrestle with. Still, he’s a good enough writer to energize the many characters and tell a mesmerizing story even if it’s only a subjective CliffsNotes version.

VERDICT – 3 STARS

Great Images from Great Movies #18: “The Untouchables”

September 24, 2020 by Keith Garlington

Truly great movies can leave indelible marks. It may be through an emotional connection to the story. It may be through a remarkable performance or a signature scene. But it can also be through the brilliant imagery a film can carve into your mind. That’s what this feature is all about – highlighting great images from great movies. Today we look at Brian De Palma’s 1987 gem “The Untouchables”.

(All photos courtesy of Paramount Pictures)

So what are your thoughts on “The Untouchables”? Which of these great images stick with you the most? Please share your favorites in the comments section below.

First Glance: “Cadaver”

September 23, 2020 by Keith Garlington

Cadaver: (noun) a corpse. Not exactly the warmest or most inviting title for a movie but if the new trailer is any indication it’s crudely fitting. Netflix’s new film “Cadaver” is set to premiere on their streaming platform just in time for Halloween. Yesterday gave us our first look at this Norwegian psychological thriller and it makes for an enticing seasonal fit.

Written and directed by Jarand Herdal, “Cadaver” is set in the wake of a nuclear disaster. A couple and their young daughter are among survivors invited to a hotel to attend a charitable dinner theater. Once there the attendees are fed a meal and given a mask to distinguish them from the actors. Needless to say things take a rather wicked turn. “What makes us human in times like these. What separates us from the animals.” That’s a question Herdal seems ready to explore.

“Cadaver” premieres October 22nd on Netflix. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

REVIEW: “Rent-A-Pal” (2020)

September 22, 2020 by Keith Garlington

At first glance you might be tempted to consider David a punchline. He’s a forty-ish introvert who literally lives in his elderly mother’s basement. But not long into the new thriller “Rent-A-Pal” we see there is another side to David, a compassionate and dutiful side. He’s actually still at home because his mother has dementia and needs constant care. His father died 10 years prior leaving David as his mother’s primary caregiver. He fulfills the role diligently and honorably, shelving any ambitions for his own life to take care of his mother.

“Rent-A-Pal”, written, directed, and edited by Jon Stevenson, opens as a character study of a lonely single man entering middle-age with no meaningful connections to society. Brian Landis Folkins plays David with a sincerity and earnestness that instantly grabs our sympathies. David is more than a hapless sad sack. He has a big heart and he’s driven by a well-meaning compulsion to be there for his mother (Kathleen Brady). Of course we know the dangers of such self oppression so it’s no surprise once that pent-up bitterness begins to crack David’s otherwise benevolent surface.

Photo Courtesy of IFC Films

Stevenson wastes no time shifting from character study to slow-drip psychological thriller. I didn’t catch an actual setting, but his story feels plucked right out of the late 1980s, before there was an internet and when VHS was the hottest thing in home entertainment. As they were in the 80s, video tapes are everywhere in Stevenson’s film. From sweet moments with his mother watching their fuzzy copy of “His Girl Friday” to getting tapes of potential matches from a dodgy dating service called Video Rendezvous. It’s David’s connection to the latter that pulls on the loose thread of his psyche which slowly begins to unravel.

After months with no matches David visits the Video Rendezvous headquarters to update his profile. While there he comes across a bargain bin video tape called “Rent-A-Pal” which he promptly purchases. Through it he’s introduced to Andy (Whil Wheaton), a sweater vest-wearing interactive buddy in the gentle, unassuming Mister Rogers mold. In the video Andy simulates human conversation by asking scripted questions, pausing so the viewer can answer, and then feigning interest in the responses. At first David sees through Andy’s canned act even finding it “weird“. But as disappointments mount in the real world and his mental state erodes, David starts to play along with Andy and his skepticism turns to obsession. He forms an unsettling bond with his TV buddy believing he’s finally found a friend who listens and cares.

Photo Courtesy of IFC Films

The tipping point comes when David gets a surprise call from Video Rendezvous who have finally found him a match. They set him up on a date with the genuinely sweet and caring Lisa (Amy Rutledge). The two hit it off and immediately plan their next date. But back home Andy (now more of an on-screen projection from David’s mind) lashes out like a jilted lover. So on one side he has Lisa who has given him a taste of the happiness he’s longed for (and you could say is his door back to reality). On the other is Andy, an outlet for his loneliness and desperation which adds fuel to his darker, uncontrollable impulses.

Despite its wacky premise, “Rent-A-Pal” works because it doesn’t see its subject matter as a joke. There are certainly dark comedy elements (some of which are quite funny), but the film takes David and his issues seriously. It doesn’t always strike that tricky balance perfectly and there were moments when I couldn’t tell if the movie was laughing at him or not. Still I give Stevenson and Folkins credit. Together they give David depth, making him more than a one-dimensional caricature. Meanwhile Whil Wheaton gives one of the more chilling portrayals of the year. He alone makes this well worth watching. “Rent-A-Pal” is now streaming on VOD.