Archive for the ‘Audio Free’ Category
Ken and Robin Consume Media: Oppenheimer, Marple, and the Editing of Star Wars
October 3rd, 2023 | Robin
Ken and Robin Consume Media is brought to you by the discriminating and good-looking backers of the Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff Patreon. Each week we provide capsule reviews of the books, movies, TV seasons and more we cram into our hyper-analytical sensoriums. Join the Patreon to help pick the items we’ll talk about in greater depth on a little podcast segment we like to call Tell Me More.
The Pinnacle
Oppenheimer (Film, US, Christopher Nolan, 2023) Chosen despite his left-wing associations as unlikely head of the Manhattan Project, Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy), races to build an atom bomb, and later confronts an effort to use those associations against him. Nolan breaks and reassembles the biopic into a series of propulsive, interlocking puzzles, with mesmerizing, all-cylinders results that can only be described as Nolanesque.—RDL
Recommended
The Classified File (Film, South Korea, Kyung-taek Kwak, 2015) Frozen out by both the local and national halves of a task force assigned to a child kidnapping, an impolitic cop (Kim Yoon-seok) forms an uneasy alliance with a Taoist fortune teller (Yoo Hae-jin) who makes eerily accurate predictions about the case. Tense true crime police procedural reprises the common South Korean theme of official malpractice.—RDL
A Long Time Ago in a Cutting Room Far, Far Away: My Fifty Years Editing Hollywood Hits—Star Wars, Carrie, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Mission: Impossible, and More (Nonfiction, Paul Hirsch, 2020) Career retrospective autobiography follows the author’s career from cutting early de Palma titles on film to acting as seasoned hand to young directors in the digital era. Highly readable insider account examines the diplomatic challenges of creative collaboration, and also reminds us that the credit we often give to tight, unconventionally structured screenplays ought to go to a desperate editor making a radical fix.—RDL
Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories (Fiction, Agatha Christie, 1985) In 20 short stories (13 published in 1932, the others doled out between 1939 and 1957) Miss Marple listens to (or very occasionally notices) a mystery and solves it with her vast knowledge of human nature. Christie’s combination of Dupin and Father Brown doesn’t quite reach the heights of either but reliably presents solid puzzles well played, which is nothing to sneeze at. Christie also limns character more carefully in these than in much of her other work. —KH
A Shaman’s Story (Film, South Korea, Ha Won Choi, 1972) Fading village shaman’s joy at the return of her son turns to crisis when he falls in love with her successor, and worse, reveals his conversion to Christianity. Rampant sexuality bubbles through this character study of changing spiritual mores.—RDL
Good
Smile (Film, US, Parker Finn, 2022) Therapist Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon) witnesses a smiling suicide, transferring a demonic entity’s attention to her, attention that manifests in unnatural smiles. This movie suffered from having one of the all-time great trailers, and doesn’t live up to that. Occasional eerie menace, a great high concept, and generally good performances likewise can’t fix a predictable script or really stick the landing. —KH
Okay
Polite Society (Film, UK, Nida Mansoor, 2023) Aspiring teen stunt person (Priya Kansara) decides to halt the rushed marriage of her beloved sister (Rita Aryu) to a biotech entrepreneur with a controlling mother. Blend of teen comedy and martial arts with an Anglo-Pakistani cast of characters substitutes exaggeration for jokes and funny situations.—RDL
Ken and Robin Consume Media: Indian Ultra-Action, Korean Supersoldier Teens, and JFK Redux
September 26th, 2023 | Robin
Ken and Robin Consume Media is brought to you by the discriminating and good-looking backers of the Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff Patreon. Each week we provide capsule reviews of the books, movies, TV seasons and more we cram into our hyper-analytical sensoriums. Join the Patreon to help pick the items we’ll talk about in greater depth on a little podcast segment we like to call Tell Me More.
Recommended
Charles, Dead or Alive (Film, Switzerland, Alain Tanner, 1969) After decades of suppressed discontent, the aging head of a family watchmaking firm drops out to live with a bearish sign painter and his girlfriend. Politics and philosophy hang out and smoke together in the kitchen in a personal-scaled observational drama that presages Jarmusch and the 80s American indie movement.—RDL
JFK: Director’s Cut (Film, US, Oliver Stone, 1991) New Orleans DA Jim Garrison (Kevin Costner) obsessively investigates JFK’s assassination, culminating in the conspiracy trial of Clay Shaw (Tommy Lee Jones). An absolute masterpiece of editing and a stacked cast of greats propels Stone’s best film to dizzying heights of manic sham history (shamanic history?). The director’s cut adds 17 minutes of typical Stone over-egging and one terrific set piece in an airport that perfectly, alchemically combines the paranoia and homophobia driving the film. –KH
Thunivu (Film, India, H. Vinoth, 2023) Badass outlaw Dark Devil (Ajith Kumar) hijacks a bank heist in progress, but discovers a deeper chicanery. Impossibly high-octane action shifts to economic message pic (with some high-octane action) in the third act, but it’s a sign of how much fun I was having that I still wanted a longer final payoff after two and a half hours. Without the Tamil film lover’s investment in Ajith Kumar’s stardom, one could also pick nits about the relentless focus on Dark Devil leaving his foils, foes, and allies a little one-dimensional. –KH
The Witch Part 1: The Subversion (Film, South Korea, Park Hoon-jung, 2018) Unassuming rural teen (Kim Da-Mi) overcomes her shyness to enter a competitive pop star reality TV show, attracting the attention of the sinister conspiracy that raised her as a psychokinetic supersoldier. Effective SF/horror pursuit thriller with hard-hitting, gory super fights.—RDL
Good
Hallowe’en Party (Fiction, Agatha Christie, 1969) When an odious young girl is drowned in the apple-bobbing bucket at a tween Hallowe’en party, mystery writer Ariadne Oliver brings in her friend Hercule Poirot to investigate. A fairly sharp mystery lurks beneath a constant croaking refrain on the topic of “sex-crazed mental patients wandering the streets these days” (in fairness, Dame Agatha was 79 when she wrote it) but once more Christie’s disinterest in human behavior tells against the novel. [The extremely loose basis for the new Branagh Poirot film.] –KH
Safe In Hell (Film, US, William A. Wellman, 1931) A fallen woman (Dorothy Mackaill) vows to be true to her sailor fiancee after fleeing a manslaughter charge to a Caribbean island favored by unsavory fugitives. Scabrous Pre-Code melodrama hews to a twisted morality while reveling in the lurid.—RDL
Okay
Fierce Cop (Film, Hong Kong, Tai-Lee Chan, 2020) In an unnamed, not-Chinese country, a hard-charging cop (Richie Jen) searches for the retaliating gangsters who have kidnapped his young son. Routine police thriller features brutal, energetic fights staged by action director Kenji Tanigaki.—RDL
Not Recommended
Batwoman (Film, Mexico, René Cardona, 1968) Wealthy philanthropist slash masked vigilante slash wrestler (Maura Monti) investigates an evil scientist who has been killing athletes for the pineal glands he needs to repopulate the world with marauding fish-men. Our heroine wrestles in a very familiar gray costume and bat mask, but when crime-fighting opts for cape, cowl, and bikini. To live up to the synopsis this kitsch thriller would have to be a little bit better made and several notches less sexist.—RDL
Capsule Review Roundup for the 2023 Robin and Valerie International Film Festival
September 19th, 2023 | Robin
A Ken and Robin Consume Media Special Feature
For the second year in a row, my wife Valerie and I filled the spot in our hearts and schedules previously reserved for the Toronto International Film Festival with our own at-home selection of international, indie, and art house titles available on streaming. Programming to mimic what we remember as the golden age of TIFF, I picked films available on VOD and subscription platforms. Most of these should be available to you, although this varies by territory. Check justwatch.com for your location to see where you can find them. I’m in Canada and used Crave, The Criterion Channel, Kanopy, Mubi, Netflix, Prime, and rented from Amazon, Apple, and Google.
As I used to do with my TIFF capsules, I’ve listed these in rough order of preference. As I gave most of them a Recommended rating there’s not really much difference between them and I’d probably list them in a different order a month from now.—RDL
The Pinnacle
Return to Seoul [France, Davy Chou, 2022] Young French woman (Park Ji-min) initiates years of inner turmoil when, during an unexpected trip to Korea she ambivalently seeks her birth parents. Incisive writing and emotion-packed visuals brought into stunning focus by a searing, lucid lead performance from Park. And it’s her first movie role!
Recommended
Broker [South Korea, Hirokazu Koreeda, 2022] An unlikely temporary family forms when a dry cleaner (Kang Song-ho) and his accomplice (Gang Dong-won) attempt to sell a young woman’s (Ji-eun Lee) baby, with a tough minded cop (Boona Dae) on their trail. Koreeda’s deft touch with emotion illuminates material that in lesser hands would easily slop over into manipulative sentimentality.
Cairo Conspiracy [Sweden/France/Finland/Denmark, Tarik Saleh, 2022] When the Sunni Grand Imam dies, an unworldly new student at Al-Azhar University becomes a pawn in the covert political struggle to choose his successor. Masterfully told political thriller with fresh mosque-and-state twists and turns.
Alcarràs [Spain, Carla Simón, 2022] Family of peach farmers face an uncertain future when their orchard, which they own only by an old verbal contract, is slated for replacement by a solar panel installation. Naturalistic ensemble drama portrays the 21st century version of the agrarian struggle, with a truthful look at familial conflicts.
The Real Thing [Japan, Kôji Fukada, 2020] Noncommittal toy salesman enmeshes himself in a troubled woman’s complicated life after preventing her stalled car from being hit by a train. Epic-length dissection of dysfunctional romance puts the co- In codependency.
Both Sides of the Blade [France, Claire Denis, 2022] Trouble returns to the apparently blissful lives of a radio journalist (Juliette Binoche) and an ex-con (Vincent Lindon) when his old associate (Grégoire Colin), also her ex-lover, resurfaces. Lacerating love triangle drama about people wedded to their lies and evasions.
The Kings of the World [Colombia, Laura Mora Ortega, 2022] Receiving notice that he has won legal title to a small restituted property, a Medellin street kid sets out with his buddies on a dangerous journey into the rural highlands. An immersive quest as unnerving as it is visually poetic, in a style that traces its descent from Terence Malick.
Master Gardener [US, Paul Schrader, 2023] Ordered by his exacting employer (Sigourney Weaver) to offer an apprenticeship to her prodigal grand-niece (Quintessa Swindell), a rigorous gardener (Joel Edgerton) steps onto a path that will reveal his former self. Taut character study as obsessively controlled as its protagonist, but I said Paul Schrader already.
By the Grace of God [France, François Ozon, 2019] When they discover years after their childhood abuse that the priest responsible is still in contact with children, a group of men in Lyon launch what becomes a multi-pronged process to seek justice and reform of the Catholic church. Ozon adopts a matter-of-fact docudrama style that embraces the literal and emotional complexities of an infuriating and all too familiar real story, here with the victims at its center.
Girlfriends and Girlfriends [Spain, Zaida Carmona, 2022] Aspiring filmmaker on the rebound (Zaida Carmona) triggers drama and partner-shifting in Barcelona’s lesbian culturati community. References to Rohmer go beyond stylistic reference to form a key story point in this kicky indie character comedy.
Stars at Noon [France, Claire Denis, 2022] Trapped and on the skids in COVID-era Nicaragua, a flailing journalist (Margaret Qualley) involves herself with a British businessman (Joe Alwyn) who turns out to be in worse trouble than she is. Denis reconfigures the international intrigue genre to her moody, elliptical style, with a sexual frankness no American director would dare attempt. Qualley burns the screen with a nervy, livewire portrayal of a woman in distress in a world without rescuers.
Hit the Road [Iran, Panah Panahi, 2021] Irritable father, worried mother, pensive college age son and his irrepressible brat brother drive from Tehran into the country on a mission of initially undisclosed purpose. Comic interplay adds vibrant humanity to a beautifully shot, naturalistic family drama with subtle political undertones.
The Exiles [US, Kent Mackenzie, 1961] Native American residents of L.A.’s Bunker Hill neighborhood blow off steam as the pregnant wife of one partier waits and frets. Early slice-of-life indie drama presents a frank, sympathetic portrait of a community, and incidentally provides a time capsule of a now demolished neighborhood.
The Balcony Movie [Poland, Pawel Lozinski, 2021] Over the course of a year, a documentarian conducts interviews with passersby from his apartment balcony, coaxing them to reveal their lives and worldviews. Simple premise yields a rich portrait of humanity.
We Are Little Zombies [Japan, 2019, Makato Nagahisa] Emotionally numbed 13 year old orphans form a punk band. Surreal journey of dissociation told through an arsenal of surreal technical events, many drawing on 8 bit video games.
The Five Devils [France, Léa Mysius, 2022] Uncanny powers awaken in an observant 8 year old (Sally Dramé) when the release of her father’s sister (Swala Emati) from psychiatric confinement upsets her beloved mom (Adèle Exarchopoulos.) Creates an absorbing union of opposites by presenting Stephen King-esque subject matter in an assured French art cinema style.
The Artifice Girl [US, Franklin Ritch, 2022] Law enforcement officials discover that a withdrawn computer scientist has developed a lifelike AI to entrap child predators—or is the revelation her idea? Taut dramatic SF thinkpiece structured as a three-act play.
Tori and Lokita [France, Jean-Pierre Dardenne & Luc Dardenne, 2022] A teen girl and a younger boy, African migrants who have adopted each other as siblings, survive in Belgium by taking part in the drug trade. Nail-biting social realist gut punch.
I Like Movies [Canada, Chandler Levack, 2022] High school senior and aspiring filmmaker who masks his mental health issues with insufferable arrogance gets a shot of reality when he takes a job at a video store. Observational dramedy regards its protagonist with a rueful sympathy that cuts through the usual phony nostalgia of the coming-of-age genre.
The Novelist’s Film [South Korea, Hong Sang-soo, 2022] A day of mostly chance encounters with past acquaintances leads an acclaimed novelist (Lee Hye-yeong) to try her hand at filmmaking. A strong entry in the prolific director’s career-long exploration of social awkwardness, metatextuality, and the revelatory permission granted by alcohol—in this case, makgeolli.
The Eternal Daughter [UK, Joanna Hogg, 2022] Filmmaker (Tilda Swinton) takes her mother (Tilda Swinton) to an imposing Victorian inn hoping her recollections of the place will trigger material for a screenplay. Playful gothic imagery frames an intimate chamber drama of memory and loss, with a pair of touching, observant performances from Swinton.
You Won’t Be Alone [Australia/UK/Serbia, Goran Stolevski, 2022] in 19th century Macedonia, a girl doomed to a fate as a blood-drinking hag called a Wolf-Eateress assumes the forms of her victims in an attempt to live among mortals. Lyrical shakycam folk horror tone poem.
Masquerade [France, Nicolas Bedos, 2022] Kept man (Pierre Niney) of a wealthy actress (Isabelle Adjani) falls for a gold digger (Marine Vacth) and helps her snare her next target. Con artist drama of love, money and jealousy, shot with sumptuous old school glamor on the Riviera.
Thunivu [India, H. Vinoth, 2023] A sardonic ultra-badass mastermind (Ahith Kumar) takes over a bank robbery already in progress. Outlandish action paced at the speed of Adderall-laced Mountain Dew shifts into an anti-corruption message, with dance numbers to keep the exposition lively.
The Crime Is Mine [France, François Ozon, 2023] As a career move. a struggling actress (Nadia Tereszkiewicz) connives with her lawyer roommate (Rebecca Marder) to confess to a murder she didn’t commit. Frothy homage to fast-talking 30s murder comedies creates a clever dilemma for the characters and gives Isabelle Huppert a broad role to hilariously chew on.
Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes [Japan, Junta Yamaguchi, 2020] A coffee shop owner and his pals look for ways to capitalize on the fact that TV monitors in the cafe and his apartment upstairs are connected on a two minute time delay. Fun, fast-moving micro-budget time travel comedy shot on a phone in a single take.
Outrage Coda [Japan, Takeshi Kitano, 2017] A murder committed by a dimwitted mid-level yakuza on Jeju Island Korea brings the dangerous gangster Otomo (Beat Takeshi) back to Japan to unleash a final eruption of violent reprisal. After the nihilistic contempt of the first two installments, Kitano lets some of the elegiac wryness of his earlier crime films creep back into the trilogy’s conclusion.
Arab Blues [France/Tunisia, Manele Labidi, 2019] Parisian psychoanalyst (Golshifteh Farahani) moves back to her childhood home in Tunis to open a practice, finding surprising demand for treatment and resistance from family and a handsome but rule-bound police officer. Comic drama takes on the clash between secular and Islamic worldviews with the subversive weapon of charm.
Flux Gourmet [UK, Peter Strickland, 2022] Internal tensions come to a head for a sonic-culinary performance art group when they accept a residency at a strange institute run by a demanding benefactor (Gwendoline Christie.) Surreal, horror-inflected black comedy of digestive anxiety might be Strickland’s most fully developed look at the destructive power of art.
How to Blow Up a Pipeline [US, Daniel Goldhaber, 2023] Young radical environmentalists come together to perform the titular act of oil industry sabotage. Tense political thriller draws on the reliable cinematic power of showing people executing complicated practical tasks under pressure.
I’m Your Man [Germany, Maria Schrader, 2021] Cuneiformist from the Pergamon museum (Maren Eggert) agrees to test a lifelike robot (Dan Stevens) calibrated to be her perfect life partner. Engagingly acted dramedy eschews the catastrophes typical of AI movies for a grounded, ambiguous look at emotional consequences.
The Braves [France, Anaïs Volpé, 2021] Struggling actress is cast as understudy to her best friend, who has been hiding her cancer diagnosis. Drama of friendship and loss handles inherently melodramatic material in an imagistic, naturalistic way.
Piggy [Spain, Carlota Pereda, 2022] Fat teen conceals what she’s seen when classmates who torment her over her weight are taken by a serial killer. Slasher horror builds wrenching identification with its protagonist as it centers themes of bullying and body shame.
Hatching [Finland, Hanna Bergholm, 2022] Preteen gymnast with perfectionist influencer mother finds an egg that hatches a strange creature which acts on her sublimated desires. Satirical horror with standout production design probes the gooey depths of girl rage.
Hal [US, Amy Scott, 2018] Documentary profiles Hal Ashby, the combative, instinct-driven director of seminal American New Wave films including Harold and Maude, The Last Detail, Coming Home and Shampoo. Moving portrait of an uncompromising artist who fought the system when it was weak enough to sometimes lose.
The Good Boss [Spain, Fernando León de Aranoa, 2021] Paternalistic factory owner (Javier Bardem) over-involves himself in the lives of his employees. Bardem alternately schemes and squirms in this droll, progressively acidic workplace satire.
The Gasoline Thieves [Mexico, Edgar Nito, 2019] Naive rural middle schooler joins a gang of fuel thieves. Unflinching social realist crime drama reveals an unexpected and deadly illicit trade.
Inspector Ike [US, Graham Mason, 2020] Perennial understudy (Matt Barats) enacts a clever scheme to knock off the lead in an avant garde theater company, not reckoning on the detecting powers of Inspector Ike (Ikechukwu Ufomadu), who solves a case every week and supplies a recipe to boot. Indie-scaled parody of the seventies NBC Mystery Movie keeps the deadpan jokes flowing.
Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday [UK, George Kirby & Harry Kirby, 2022] Assassin Mike Fallon (Scott Adkins) suffers a role reversal when he must protect a useless mafia failson from the world’s top killers. Skillfully staged martial arts sequel is funnier, faster, better looking and weirder than the original.
Leonor Will Never Die [Philippines, Martika Ramirez Escobar, 2022] After being hit on the head by a falling TV, a retired film director discovers that she is trapped in her unfinished screenplay for a violent action film. Metatexual fantasy about the eternal struggle between art and reality.
Project Wolf Hunting [South Korea, Hongsun Kim, 2022] Extradited criminals staging a hyper-violent takeover of their transport ship discover that something on board is even more dangerous than they are. Extreme action horror reconfigures an underutilized classic monster.
Good
Swan Song [US, Todd Stephens, 2021] Retired hairdresser (Udo Kier) departs his care home for a journey to downtown Sandusky OH to tend to his former best client (Linda Evans) at her funeral. Generous indie dramedy celebrates gay elders and the iconic stature of its lead actor.
Monster Seafood Wars [Japan, Minoru Kawasaki, 2020] Rivalries between young task force members complicate the battle against gigantic—yet enticingly delicious—squid, octopus and crab monsters. Goofy quasi-mockumentary features suitably ridiculous people-in-suits style kaiju.
Not Recommended
Once Upon a Time In Ukraine [Ukraine, Roman Perfilyev, 2020] Trained in the art of the sword by a Ukrainian samurai, the nationalist poet Taras Shevchenko fights to rescue his love from a brutal landowner and his ninja allies. Tongue-in-cheek action film fitfully fulfills its premise. A gratuitous element of sexual sadism compounds its tonal problems.
Ken and Robin Consume Media: New Tim Powers, Justified: City Primeval, and Narnia
September 19th, 2023 | Robin
Ken and Robin Consume Media is brought to you by the discriminating and good-looking backers of the Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff Patreon. Each week we provide capsule reviews of the books, movies, TV seasons and more we cram into our hyper-analytical sensoriums. Join the Patreon to help pick the items we’ll talk about in greater depth on a little podcast segment we like to call Tell Me More.
Recommended
City Primeval: High Noon in Detroit (Fiction, Elmore Leonard, 1980) Detroit homicide cop Raymond Cruz finds his cool detachment tested by the Oklahoma Wildman, Clement Mansell, in Detroit for a more dangerous version of the normal Elmore Leonard “idiot criminal over his head” spree. Leonard tries writing an Elmore Leonard Western set in an Elmore Leonard crime novel while deconstructing them both, which gets him points for ambition. —KH
Companion to Narnia, Revised Edition (Nonfiction, Paul F. Ford, 2005) Celebratory yet incisive essays surround an A-to-Z of every entity, location, and concept in C.S. Lewis’ beloved children’s series, with handy Biblical parallels in an appendix. Over and above its Narnian usefulness, this is what a reference book should look like in the age of Wikipedia: analytical and complete entries, informative essays, and launching pads for further research. Bump it up to the Pinnacle if you’re still a big old Aslanist. –KH
My Brother’s Keeper (Fiction, Tim Powers, 2023) When Emily Brontë meets a dark, wounded stranger on the moors, she discovers the secret history of lycanthropy that haunts her family. Powers returns to his classic form in this fantasy of secret history that delivers solidly on its promise. The only thing missing is the usual Afterword in which Powers tells you which bits are historical fact (hint: almost all of them) but a little research never hurt anyone, I guess. —KH
Good
Batman: Last Knight on Earth (Comics, DC, Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo, 2019) Bruce Wayne wakes up in Arkham Asylum to discover he’s never been Batman, and also the world is ending in a super-apocalypse. With only the head of the Joker in a jar for company, he sets out on a pilgrimage to save the world. Superb art holds the book together through some wild swings and misses that becomes its own sort of magnificent ruin among the towers of some unforgettably cool ideas. –KH
Okay
Justified: City Primeval Season 1 (Television, US, FX, Dave Andron and Michael Dinner, 2023) After a chance contretemps lands him in Detroit, Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) gets drafted into the pursuit of the Oklahoma Wildman, Clement Mansell (Boyd Holbrook). A few promising ideas about Raylan in a city full of Raylans go nowhere, dragged down by a visibly padded script. Olyphant tries gamely, but lacks chemistry with almost everyone except Holbrook – sadly including his own daughter, playing Raylan’s daughter in a tacked-on storyline. Oh well, this isn’t the first disappointing sequel to a best series on TV. –KH
RVIFF Reviews: A Master Detective, Trapped in a Screenplay, and Delicious Delicious Kaiju
September 18th, 2023 | Robin
A Ken and Robin Consume Media Special Feature
For the second year running, my wife Valerie and I are attending our own at-home film festival. It takes the place in our hearts and vacation plans formerly reserved by the Toronto International Film Festival. The Robin and Valerie International Film Festival is the cinema event you can play along with at home, with a roster of streaming service and SVOD titles. Its roster includes the foreign, independent and cult titles we used to love to see at TIFF, but cheaper, hassle-free, and on the comfort of our own couch. Daily capsule reviews roll out throughout the festival, with a complete list in order of preference dropping a day or two afterwards. Review ratings are out of 5.
I devoted RVIFF’s final day to films on the fun side that could still play a film festival. In tribute to the years when TIFF ended with a Gamera movie, I even found some kaiju to stomp it all flat at the end.
Inspector Ike [US, Graham Mason, 2020, 4] Perennial understudy (Matt Barats) enacts a clever scheme to knock off the lead in an avant garde theater company, not reckoning on the detecting powers of Inspector Ike (Ikechukwu Ufomadu), who solves a case every week and supplies a recipe to boot. Indie-scaled parody of the seventies NBC Mystery Movie keeps the deadpan jokes flowing.
Spoiler: Keep your recipe card handy. This week it’s chili!
Leonor Will Never Die [Philippines, Martika Ramirez Escobar, 2022, 4] After being hit on the head by a falling TV, a retired film director discovers that she is trapped in her unfinished screenplay for a violent action film. Metatexual fantasy about the eternal struggle between art and reality.
Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday [UK, George Kirby & Harry Kirby, 2022, 4] Assassin Mike Fallon (Scott Adkins) suffers a role reversal when he must protect a useless mafia failson from the world’s top killers. Skillfully staged martial arts sequel is funnier, faster, better looking and weirder than the original.
Monster Seafood Wars [Japan, Minoru Kawasaki, 2020, 3.5] Rivalries between young task force members complicate the battle against gigantic—yet enticingly delicious—squid, octopus and crab monsters. Goofy quasi-mockumentary features suitably ridiculous people-in-suits style kaiju.
Tomorrow I’ll post my roundup of all the capsule reviews in rough order of preference.
Due to moderate demand, the RVIFF shirts I made for the two of us are available in the Ken and Robin merch store.
If you enjoy this special text feature of the Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff podcast and don’t already support our Patreon, consider tossing a few bucks in the tip jar. Or check out my book on action films and their roleplaying applications, Blowing Up the Movies. Or the roleplaying game inspired by the Hong Kong films I first encountered at TIFF, Feng Shui 2.
RVIFF Reviews: 30s Murder Comedy, Kid Punks, and the Harsh World of Gasoline Theft
September 17th, 2023 | Robin
A Ken and Robin Consume Media Special Feature
For the second year running, my wife Valerie and I are attending our own at-home film festival. It takes the place in our hearts and vacation plans formerly reserved by the Toronto International Film Festival. The Robin and Valerie International Film Festival is the cinema event you can play along with at home, with a roster of streaming service and SVOD titles. Its roster includes the foreign, independent and cult titles we used to love to see at TIFF, but cheaper, hassle-free, and on the comfort of our own couch. Daily capsule reviews roll out throughout the festival, with a complete list in order of preference dropping a day or two afterwards. Review ratings are out of 5.
The Gasoline Thieves [Mexico, Edgar Nito, 2019, 4] Naive rural middle schooler joins a gang of fuel thieves. Unflinching social realist crime drama reveals an unexpected and deadly illicit trade.
The Braves [France, Anaïs Volpé, 2021, 4] Struggling actress is cast as understudy to her best friend, who has been hiding her cancer diagnosis. Drama of friendship and loss handles inherently melodramatic material in an imagistic, naturalistic way.
The Crime Is Mine [France, François Ozon, 2023, 4] As a career move. a struggling actress (Nadia Tereszkiewicz) connives with her lawyer roommate (Rebecca Marder) to confess to a murder she didn’t commit. Frothy homage to fast-talking 30s murder comedies creates a clever dilemma for the characters and gives Isabelle Huppert a broad role to hilariously chew on.
We bailed on Taiwan’s Marry My Dead Body after about half an hour and instead substituted…
We Are Little Zombies [Japan, 2019, Makato Nagahisa, 4] Emotionally numbed 13 year old orphans form a punk band. Surreal journey of dissociation told through an arsenal of surreal technical events, many drawing on 8 bit video games.
Due to moderate demand, the RVIFF shirts I made for the two of us are available in the Ken and Robin merch store.
If you enjoy this special text feature of the Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff podcast and don’t already support our Patreon, consider tossing a few bucks in the tip jar. Or check out my book on action films and their roleplaying applications, Blowing Up the Movies. Or the roleplaying game inspired by the Hong Kong films I first encountered at TIFF, Feng Shui 2.
RVIFF Reviews: Riviera Betrayal, AI Autonomy, and a Classic Monster With Added Ultra-Violence
September 16th, 2023 | Robin
A Ken and Robin Consume Media Special Feature
For the second year running, my wife Valerie and I are attending our own at-home film festival. It takes the place in our hearts and vacation plans formerly reserved by the Toronto International Film Festival. The Robin and Valerie International Film Festival is the cinema event you can play along with at home, with a roster of streaming service and SVOD titles. Its roster includes the foreign, independent and cult titles we used to love to see at TIFF, but cheaper, hassle-free, and on the comfort of our own couch. Daily capsule reviews roll out throughout the festival, with a complete list in order of preference dropping a day or two afterwards. Review ratings are out of 5.
Hit the Road [Iran, Panah Panahi, 2021, 4] Irritable father, worried mother, pensive college age son and his irrepressible brat brother drive from Tehran into the country on a mission of initially undisclosed purpose. Comic interplay adds vibrant humanity to a beautifully shot, naturalistic family drama with subtle political undertones.
The Artifice Girl [US, Franklin Ritch, 2022, 4] Law enforcement officials discover that a withdrawn computer scientist has developed a lifelike AI to entrap child predators—or is the revelation her idea? Taut dramatic SF thinkpiece structured as a three-act play.
Masquerade [France, Nicolas Bedos, 2022, 4] Kept man (Pierre Niney) of a wealthy actress (Isabelle Adjani) falls for a gold digger (Marine Vacth) and helps her snare her next target. Con artist drama of love, money and jealousy, shot with sumptuous old school glamour on the Riviera.
Project Wolf Hunting [South Korea, Hongsun Kim, 2022, 4] Extradited criminals staging a hyper-violent takeover of their transport ship discover that something on board is even more dangerous than they are. Extreme action horror reconfigures an underutilized classic monster.
Due to moderate demand, the RVIFF shirts I made for the two of us are available in the Ken and Robin merch store.
If you enjoy this special text feature of the Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff podcast and don’t already support our Patreon, consider tossing a few bucks in the tip jar. Or check out my book on action films and their roleplaying applications, Blowing Up the Movies. Or the roleplaying game inspired by the Hong Kong films I first encountered at TIFF, Feng Shui 2.
RVIFF Reviews: Outlandish Indian Action, French Infidelity, and Two Tilda Swintons
September 15th, 2023 | Robin
A Ken and Robin Consume Media Special Feature
For the second year running, my wife Valerie and I are attending our own at-home film festival. It takes the place in our hearts and vacation plans formerly reserved by the Toronto International Film Festival. The Robin and Valerie International Film Festival is the cinema event you can play along with at home, with a roster of streaming service and SVOD titles. Its roster includes the foreign, independent and cult titles we used to love to see at TIFF, but cheaper, hassle-free, and on the comfort of our own couch. Daily capsule reviews roll out throughout the festival, with a complete list in order of preference dropping a day or two afterwards. Review ratings are out of 5.
I’m Your Man [Germany, Maria Schrader, 2021, 4] Cuneiformist from the Pergamon museum (Maren Eggert) agrees to test a lifelike robot (Dan Stevens) calibrated to be her perfect life partner. Engagingly acted dramedy eschews the catastrophes typical of AI movies for a grounded, ambiguous look at emotional consequences.
Weirdly attentive readers will note that the above is a substitution for another title. At the last minute I noticed that despite its high Rotten Tomatoes number the previously scheduled film had a low IMDB rating—not a great sign. So I found another German film to drop in instead. This is the RVIFF equivalent of hearing in a line-up that a film you have a ticket for isn’t great and heading to the box office to make a last minute swap. Except you generally can’t pick another film from the exact same country.
Both Sides of the Blade [France, Claire Denis, 2022, 4] Trouble returns to the apparently blissful lives of a radio journalist (Juliette Binoche) and an ex-con (Vincent Lindon) when his old associate (Grégoire Colin), also her ex-lover, resurfaces. Lacerating love triangle drama about people wedded to their lies and evasions.
The Eternal Daughter [UK, Joanna Hogg, 2022, 4] Filmmaker (Tilda Swinton) takes her mother (Tilda Swinton) to an imposing Victorian inn hoping her recollections of the place will trigger material for a screenplay. Playful gothic imagery frames an intimate chamber drama of memory and loss, with a pair of touching, observant performances from Swinton.
This is one of those minimalist gems that is maybe best seen in a festival context, even if it’s one you make for yourself on your couch.
The VOD description tags it as horror, a dirty trick I hope has not caused unsuspecting genre fans too much perplexity and anger.
Thunivu [India, H. Vinoth, 2023, 4] A sardonic ultra-badass mastermind (Ahith Kumar) takes over a bank robbery already in progress. Outlandish action paced at the speed of Adderall-laced Mountain Dew shifts into an anti-corruption message, with dance numbers to keep the exposition lively.
As the lyrics say, our hero crushes the bones of those who break his heart.
The seasoned Toronto fest goer knows not to risk a commercial Indian film, as the producers often cancel repeat screenings due to piracy concerns. Not a concern at RVIFF!
Due to moderate demand, the RVIFF shirts I made for the two of us are available in the Ken and Robin merch store.
If you enjoy this special text feature of the Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff podcast and don’t already support our Patreon, consider tossing a few bucks in the tip jar. Or check out my book on action films and their roleplaying applications, Blowing Up the Movies. Or the roleplaying game inspired by the Hong Kong films I first encountered at TIFF, Feng Shui 2.
RVIFF Reviews: A Political Thriller at Al-Azhar, Body Shame Horror, and Early Indigenous Indie Cinema
September 14th, 2023 | Robin
A Ken and Robin Consume Media Special Feature
For the second year running, my wife Valerie and I are attending our own at-home film festival. It takes the place in our hearts and vacation plans formerly reserved by the Toronto International Film Festival. The Robin and Valerie International Film Festival is the cinema event you can play along with at home, with a roster of streaming service and SVOD titles. Its roster includes the foreign, independent and cult titles we used to love to see at TIFF, but cheaper, hassle-free, and on the comfort of our own couch. Daily capsule reviews roll out throughout the festival, with a complete list in order of preference dropping a day or two afterwards. Review ratings are out of 5.
The Exiles [US, Kent Mackenzie, 1961, 4] Native American residents of L.A.’s Bunker Hill neighborhood blow off steam as the pregnant wife of one partier waits and frets. Early slice-of-life indie drama presents a frank, sympathetic portrait of a community, and incidentally provides a time capsule of a now demolished neighborhood.
I programmed this to emulate a fondly remembered program from the classic TIFF years, Open Vault, dedicated to restored prints and archival rarities.
Master Gardener [US, Paul Schrader, 2023, 4] Ordered by his exacting employer (Sigourney Weaver) to offer an apprenticeship to her prodigal grand-niece (Quintessa Swindell), a rigorous gardener (Joel Edgerton) steps onto a path that will reveal his former self. Taut character study as obsessively controlled as its protagonist, but I said Paul Schrader already.
Cairo Conspiracy [Sweden/France/Finland/Denmark, Tarik Saleh, 2022, 4] When the Sunni Grand Imam dies, an unworldly new student at Al-Azhar University becomes a pawn in the covert political struggle to choose his successor. Masterfully told political thriller with fresh mosque-and-state twists and turns.
Piggy [Spain, Carlota Pereda, 2022, 4] Fat teen conceals what she’s seen when classmates who torment her over her weight are taken by a serial killer. Slasher horror builds wrenching identification with its protagonist as it centers themes of bullying and body shame.
Due to moderate demand, the RVIFF shirts I made for the two of us are available in the Ken and Robin merch store.
If you enjoy this special text feature of the Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff podcast and don’t already support our Patreon, consider tossing a few bucks in the tip jar. Or check out my book on action films and their roleplaying applications, Blowing Up the Movies. Or the roleplaying game inspired by the Hong Kong films I first encountered at TIFF, Feng Shui 2.
RVIFF Reviews: Lyrical Folk Horror in Macedonia, and Udo Kier Showcase, and the Romantic Advantages of Rohmer Fandom
September 13th, 2023 | Robin
A Ken and Robin Consume Media Special Feature
For the second year running, my wife Valerie and I are attending our own at-home film festival. It takes the place in our hearts and vacation plans formerly reserved by the Toronto International Film Festival. The Robin and Valerie International Film Festival is the cinema event you can play along with at home, with a roster of streaming service and SVOD titles. Its roster includes the foreign, independent and cult titles we used to love to see at TIFF, but cheaper, hassle-free, and on the comfort of our own couch. Daily capsule reviews roll out throughout the festival, with a complete list in order of preference dropping a day or two afterwards. Review ratings are out of 5.
Girlfriends and Girlfriends [Spain, Zaida Carmona, 2022, 4] Aspiring filmmaker on the rebound (Zaida Carmona) triggers drama and partner-shifting in Barcelona’s lesbian culturati community. References to Rohmer go beyond stylistic reference to form a key story point in this kicky indie character comedy.
You Won’t Be Alone [Australia/UK/Serbia, Goran Stolevski, 2022, 4] in 19th century Macedonia, a girl doomed to a fate as a blood-drinking hag called a Wolf-Eateress assumes the forms of her victims in an attempt to live among mortals. Lyrical shakycam folk horror tone poem.
Noomi Rapace briefly appears as one of the protagonist’s victims/guises.
Swan Song [US, Todd Stephens, 2021, 3.5] Retired hairdresser (Udo Kier) departs his care home for a journey to downtown Sandusky OH to tend to his former best client (Linda Evans) at her funeral. Generous indie dramedy celebrates gay elders and the iconic stature of its lead actor.
Based on the life of a real person and full of affectionate local flavor.
Tori and Lokita [France, Jean-Pierre Dardenne & Luc Dardenne, 2022, 4] A teen girl and a younger boy, African migrants who have adopted each other as siblings, survive in Belgium by taking part in the drug trade. Nail-biting social realist gut punch.
Once Upon a Time In Ukraine [Ukraine, Roman Perfilyev, 2020, 2] Trained in the art of the sword by a Ukrainian samurai, the nationalist poet Taras Shevchenko fights to rescue his love from a brutal landowner and his ninja allies. Tongue-in-cheek action film fitfully fulfills its premise. A gratuitous element of sexual sadism compounds its tonal issues.
Due to moderate demand, the RVIFF shirts I made for the two of us are available in the Ken and Robin merch store.
If you enjoy this special text feature of the Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff podcast and don’t already support our Patreon, consider tossing a few bucks in the tip jar. Or check out my book on action films and their roleplaying applications, Blowing Up the Movies. Or the roleplaying game inspired by the Hong Kong films I first encountered at TIFF, Feng Shui 2.
