FILM REVIEW: AUSTENLAND

A scene from Austenland.

So bore-joy-see

By Don Simpson

The first film I ever saw at the Sundance Film Festival, director and co-writer Jerusha Hess' Austenland might purport to be about becoming so immersed in the world of fiction that we no longer see reality, but in fact it is about making fun of people’s fantasies. The fatefully named Jane (Keri Russell) is a diehard fan of Jane Austen’s. This is supposed to be showcased by the decor of her apartment which resembles that of a 10-year-old girl with an unhealthy fetish for bric-a-brac from 18th century England; instead, it feels like the production design team threw a ton of nonsensical clutter into Jane’s apartment in the guise of being Austen-esque. We are also informed that Jane’s unhealthy obsession with Austen has hindered her relationships. Her dream man, Mr. Darcy, does not actually exist, so Jane will always be disappointed in whomever she dates.

Rather than accepting reality, Jane runs off to vacation at Austenland, a hyper-dramatized recreation of Austen’s literary universe, complete with actors who are charged with the task making the female guests’ Austen-esque romantic fantasies come to orgasmic fruition. Jane is joined in the Austen motherland by two other women from the former colonies — Miss Charming (Jennifer Coolidge) and Lady Heartright (Georgia King) — who are embarrassing caricatures of American tourists in England and whose motives seem much less innocent than Jane’s.

The three women are expected to compete for the attention of two men, Mr. Nobley (JJ Feild) and Colonel Andrews (James Callis) yet Jane’s attention quickly turns to a man of a much lower class, Martin (Bret McKenzie). This is where things get confusing for Jane — and us — because she also develops a rocky, love-hate relationship with Mr. Nobley; and so the entire third act of Austenland is committed to keeping everyone confused about Jane’s true feelings.

There might be a great movie idea somewhere deep inside of Austenland, but it is totally smothered by so much over-baked cheesiness. Parts of Austenland are just too ridiculous for me to stomach. Ludicrousness is confused with comedy, and plot is eschewed in favor of nonsense. Austenlandturns into an embarrassing mockery of all things Austen, when instead it could have learned a lot from Austen’s toned down approach to romance and melodrama.

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SF INDIEFEST 2013: THE INTERNATIONAL SIGN OF CHOKING

A scene from The International Sign of Choking.

The Other opportunities

 

By Don Simpson

 

While Josh (Zach Weintraub) has presumably traveled to Buenos Aires to shoot an undefined video project, he seems much more interested in tracking down a woman named Martina. From what we can piece together, Josh has been to Buenos Aires at least once before and Martina is a woman with whom he enjoyed a fling or a crush or something. Then again, the past does not matter nearly as much as the present, which is essentially a collection of Josh’s failed attempts at tracking down Martina.

 

Enter Anna (Sophia Takal), another United States citizen who is staying in the same boarding house as Josh. Anna is not nearly as fluent in Spanish as Josh, thus establishing him as her a de facto translator. They begin to hang out more and more, but then Josh gets weird and pushes Anna away. It is incredibly fascinating to observe Josh’s on-again-off-again feelings towards Anna and how his wishy-washy, nonchalant attitude and overall indifference visibly makes Anna frustrated and upset. And who could blame her? Josh seems to be purposefully torturing Anna (as a consequence of his inability to track down Martina?), using her to quench his loneliness with sex one minute and pushing her away the next.

 

As a film that is essentially about the disassociation and loneliness of traveling alone to a foreign country, Weintraub’s The International Sign for Choking shows the passing-like-ships-in-the-night relationships that seem to go hand-in-hand with solo international treks. Foreign travel is often romanticized as an opportunity to enjoy love without attachment, but what happens when one is prone to becoming attached? We have no idea what Josh and Martina’s relationship was like, or how long ago it occurred, but it is fairly likely that it was similar to his relationship with Anna. Maybe Josh did not realize he liked Martina until after he left Buenos Aires, and by then it was too late? In which case, will he feel the same way about Anna in a few months (or years)? Will Anna be yet another missed opportunity, another woman whom Josh let slip through his fingers?

 

Weintraub creates two protagonists who are not typical American tourists — the kind that locals probably disdain (Josh and Anna meet some of those very types of tourists one night in a bar); instead, Josh and Anna strive to immerse themselves in Argentine culture, closely observing Argentine habits and idiosyncrasies. So, on one level, Josh might be an ideal tourist but, as far as relationships go, his inability to establish lasting connections is far from idealized.

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SUNDANCE 2013: THE NECESSARY DEATH OF CHARLIE COUNTRYMAN

Charlie (Shia Lebeouf) and Gabi (Evan Rachel Wood) in The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman.

Romance in Romania

By John Esther

Drugged and melancholic, Charlie Countryman (Shia LeBeouf), receives advice from his recently departed mother (Melissa Leo) that he should leave Chicago and go and visit Bucharest (she meant Budapest).

 

Upon arrival in Romania's capital, Charlie is thrust into a romantic adventure in a foreign land. Charlie meets the love of his life, Gabi (Evan Rachel Wood).  In mourning, the cellist in the local symphony happens to be fluent in English, and would be perfect, except her estranged husband, Nigel (Mads Mikkelsen), a ruthless mobster, still wants her. Nigel also wants a highly incriminating tape floating around.

Directed by Frederik Bond, written by Matt Drake, narrated by John Hurt and consisting of a score composed by Moby, The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman has its moments, but essentially it is a sheepishly Hollywood film in indie clothing.

The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman builds itself up as some edgy, gritty love story where our hero, we are told, will die. Charlie keeps getting pummelled, chased by both cops and mobsters, before being shot at point blank range yet love conquers all. If Charlie had actually died for love that would have been made the film slightly subversive, but that is not, necessarily, the case. In fact, the film sets itself for a sequel as one very bad villain remains alive.  LeBeouf in another franchise?

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FILM REVIEW: RUST AND BONE

Stéfanie (Marion Cotillard) in Rust and Bone.

Beds, buddies and bodies

By John Esther

By hook, crook and "booking it," Ali (Matthias Schoenaerts) and his five-year-old son, Sam (Armand Verdure), have made it to Antibes to live with his sister, Anna (Corinne Masiero), who he has not seen in five years. Anna gives her brother and nephew a couple of beds and shares her small refrigerator filled with the outdated food she brings home from her work, organized by the expiration date.

A husky man with emotional disabilities, Ali takes on many jobs throughout director/co-writer Jacques Audiard's Rust and Bone (De rouille et d'os). The first one is as a bouncer at a nightclub called Annex (the name of the club gets some legroom as the film goes on). A fight breaks out between two men with Stéfanie (Marion Cotillard) getting injured in the process.

Ali gives Stéfanie a ride home, making his share of machismo remarks along the way. Stéfanie is not really going for him but she lets Ali in the house where her significant other, Simon (Yannick Choirat), is waiting. Ready to play the tough guy, Simon cowers before Ali. Stéfanie likes that.

However, Stéfanie will not be too happy for long. During a show at Marineland Stéfanie suffers a horrific accident at the mouth of a killer whale. Thankfully, without all the gore.

Physically disabled, Stéfanie and the emotionally crippled Ali forge a meaningful relationship. He takes her to the beach, she supports his illegal fighting matches, and they occasionally have sex. Yet, Ali continues to screw up.

There is a lot going for Rust and Bone. Featuring quite a few scenes of great direction -- the accident scene is a tour-de-force; the digital composition is flawless -- Stéfanie, Ali and the others, are also some of of the best written characters this year. They are extremely flawed, barely likable people at times, yet they are genuine. One does not have to like Ali and Stéfanie to understand them. (It is no wonder France did not submit this film as its Oscar submission; Ali and Stéfanie are not heroic enough for the reactionary Academy.)

Along those lines the film offers an honest portrayal of working class struggles, where everybody scrapes by, often working two or more jobs just to live.

The acting is superb, too.

Moreover, it takes great strengths and lengths to show the value of friendship during life. Audiard and cinematrographer, Stéphane Fontaine repectfully guide the camera across the people who make up the lives of the film's two primary protagonists. Stéfanie's friend and co-worker, Louise (Celine Sallette), has a relatively small part, but she is memorable for just being there for Stéfanie. Anna is an interesting, sympathetic charcater in her own right. She deserves her own film.The depth of humanity here is worthy of the filmmaker Akira Kurosawa (High and Low; Red Beard; Ikuru).

And though it is one of the better films of the year, Rust and Bone has its faults. Based on Rust and Bone a collection of short stories of Canadian writer Craig Davidson, the film is rife with hyper dramatic scenes: near-deaths; fights; numerous confrontations. It is also way too conservative with the sex scenes. Considering Ali's strength and Stéfanie's size, the sex is uneventful.

Yet despite its dramatic hyper realization and sexual reservation, there are few films this year are as humane, human, complex and sophisticated as Rust and Bone.


 

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LALIFF 2011: CHICO & RITA

A scene from Chico Y Rita.

True-ba-loney

By Ed Rampell 

Chico & Rita is another Cuban-music themed film, although it is actually an animated feature, not a doc, co-directed/co-written by Spanish filmmaker Fernando Trueba (director of 1992’s Belle Epoque starring Penelope Cruz).

Chico & Rita's animation is stellar, vividly bringing to life the Havana, Manhattan, Paris and Las Vegas of the 1940s/1950s. The music, too, makes this film worth seeing. However, the script leaves much to be desired. The Havana of bygone days looks glamorous, especially in comparison to today’s Cuban capital, which looks drab and shabby. Well, half a century of embargo may or may not do that to you, but the film's Havana of yesterday is largely devoid of that grinding poverty that inspired, oh you know, that little thing we call “revolution.” It wasn’t all mambo and showgirls under Cuban dictator and U.S. puppet Fulgencio Batista, don’tchaknow?

The love story between a pianist and singer is also remarkably stupid and senseless, full of celluloid stereotypes and completely absent of the sense of the ongoing bond a romantic relationship can generate between two people. The movie’s notion of love is, well, cartoonish; there’s a big difference between true, lasting love and obsession, don’tchaknow? 

But again, having said this, if you can overlook these points Chico & Rita is a fiesta for the eyes and ears, with some of the most compelling cartoon, animated erotic imagery since R. Crumb and Ralph Bakshi’s 1972 Fritz the Cat.  

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