SIFF Sighting: WORDS AND PICTURES (Romance; USA)

Jack (Clive Owen) is a film cliché. He's an angry English teacher with a drinking problem and a troubled relationship with his son.

Dina (Juliette Binoche) is an artistic spitfire on a mission to ignite her students since her physical limitations prevent her from being what she used to be.

One would assume they're destined to be together, and one would probably be right.

The thing that saves this formulaic story from being too sugar-sweet predictable is the incredible appeal of the two lead actors. Owen, despite the drunkenness, has never been more charming (though I missed his British accent); Binoche is both delicate and demonic in equal measure. You simply can't help but root for them.

As a writer (and full disclosure: former English major), I appreciated the defense of words; as a sucker for teacher heroes, I relished in the inspirational classroom energy.

Go see this one to enjoy it and find forgiveness in your heart for its faults.

WORDS AND PICTURES will screen at the 40th Seattle International Film Festival on May 17. For tickets, go here.

~~~

SIFF Sighting: BLIND DATES (Comedy; Georgia)

A coach and a teacher (both male) are still single at 40, so they decide to take a risk, agreeing to blind dates with women who traveled from out of town to meet them.

Needless to say, the encounter is awkward.

The whole tone of the film is somewhat awkward in fact, but acts as a perfect metaphor for the navigation of love and romance "later" in life. In fact, the blind dates at the beginning merely set the stage for a series of unconventional events that are both sad and sweet, despite their irony.

Many of the scenes are dark; most are quiet, but they're sprinkled with enough surprises and twists to keep the audience intrigued as feelings develop and relationships blossom where you least expect them.

BLIND DATES will screen at the 40th Seattle International Film Festival on June 4 and June 8. For tickets, go here.

~~~

SIFF is Almost Here

The 40th Seattle International Film Festival begins two weeks from tonight.

Here's a sneak peek of some of the presentations I'm most excited about:

 

Richard Linklater's Boyhood, playing May 31

The One I Love, starring Elisabeth Moss and Mark Duplass, playing June 8

They Came Together, starring Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler, playing June 7 & 8

1,000 Times Goodnight, starring Juliette Binoche with Larry Mullen, Jr. of U2, playing May 23 & 25

Niall Heery's Gold, playing May 20

4-Minute Mile, playing June 5, FUN FACT: Tassoula is an extra in this film!

And of course, I have a whole host of documentaries I'm thrilled to get the opportunity to see, so stay tuned for my most-anticipated list from that genre.

Cinebanter #122 - BEFORE MIDNIGHT

The mp3 of this show is here.

In this episode, Michael and Tassoula are smitten with BEFORE MIDNIGHT, the third installment in their favorite trilogy of all time. In the Last Five®, Michael revisits a Paul Thomas Anderson hit, while Tassoula discovered a new European thriller. Tassoula also provides a wrap-up of her coverage of the 39th Annual Seattle International Film Festival. The breakdown is as follows:

• 00:00 Intro

• 00:32 Review of BEFORE MIDNIGHT, Part 1

• Break

• 20:02 Review of BEFORE MIDNIGHT, Part 2

• Break

• 46:49 To Sum It Up

• Break

• 47:25 The Last Five®

• Break

• 1:09:44 Tassoula's Top 3 from SIFF 2013

• Break

• 1:20:32 Credits

Michael's Last Five in this episode were: RUDY; THE EAST; STAR TREK: INTO DARKNESS; SPIRIT OF THE MARATHON 2; and THERE WILL BE BLOOD. Tassoula's Last Five were: THE WORLD ACCORDING TO DICK CHENEY; WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S ROMEO AND JULIET; BEING FLYNN; THE HANGOVER III and THE PREY.

Want to contribute to the show and help with production costs and server fees? Click on the "Make a Donation" button to the left of this blog.

Special thanks to Brad Daane and Mark Cummins for providing the original music in this episode.

Tassoula has reviews, musings and movie-related product links at Tassoula's Movie Review Blog.

Reviews and/or notes of movies Michael sees can be found at his MichaelVox website.

Feedback is always welcome - you may leave comments here or e-mail the hosts at cinebanter@gmail.com.

We hope you enjoy the show!

SIFF Sighting: LOVE IS IN THE AIR (romance; France)

Julie (Ludivine Sagnier) is a woman living in New York, headed home to France to marry her boyfriend, who is a respected lawyer.

Antoine (Nicolas Bedos) is a mess—traipsing through life with one woman after another, none satisfying him for more than two weeks.

As often happens in romantic comedies, our two stars here have a "meet cute," and this time it's on an airplane in the seats right next to one another.

They both discover (Julie in horror; Antoine in delight) who they're seated with and we quickly learn they were longtime loves before Antoine did something horrible to wreck it all.

Through glasses of champagne and an abundance of turbulence, they recount their relationship for those within earshot and remember why they parted.

As often happens, the memories recalled make the mood bittersweet and the two must contemplate if they'll go their separate ways once the plane lands, or try one more time to be a successful couple.

Sagnier's manner is reminiscent of early Meg Ryan performances; Bedos nails his role as a careless playboy effortlessly, but what stops this film from being as charming as it wants to be are the continued formulaic scenarios.

The ending also risks leaving a bad taste in the mouth. Anyone who has ever had another person sabotage them for selfish reasons may not appreciate the resolution here.

The classic French Kiss would probably be a better option for those seeking a happily ever after rom com.

LOVE IS IN THE AIR screened at the 39th Annual Seattle International Film Festival.

The Prey

It's easy to root for one of the "bad guys" in this smart thriller from Eric Valette.

Franck (Albert Dupontel) is serving time for a bank robbery when he finds himself rescuing a fellow prisoner from a brutal attack. He believes the man, Jean-Louis (Stéphane Debac), is innocent of the crimes for which he's accused. When Jean-Louis is released from prison, he offers to pay back Frank's kindness by helping him protect his family on the outside.

Fearing he may have made a terrible mistake in trusting Jean-Louis, Franck escapes from prison and lives on the run, desperately searching for his wife and child while at the same time hiding from law enforcement who believe he's a serial killer.

Each layer of discovery in this film represents a thrill ride for the audience—from the cops in pursuit of Franck to the sadistic nature of the real serial killer. There are foot chases, shoot-outs,  stake-outs, setups and an abundance of bloody results.

Thankfully, the lead actors do a brilliant job of convincing the audience that each act is feasible, which is enough to keep us hanging on through the twists and turns of the story to the very end.

Though there are undeniably formulaic elements to the script, the results are perfectly satisfying.

SIFF Sighting: THE HUNT (drama; Denmark)

Lucas (Madds Mikkelsen) is a likeable kindergarten teacher about to win custody of his teenage son, starting a relationship with a new girlfriend.

Klara (Annika Wedderkopp) is the daughter of his best friend, who lives next door. She attends his school, confuses her words and unknowingly accuses him of sexual abuse.

With Oscar-worthy performances, the film is a heart-wrenching exploration of what can happen when one is wrongly accused.

THE HUNT screens June 6 at the 39th Annual Seattle International Film Festival. For tickets, click here.

SIFF Sighting: CHILDREN OF SARAJEVO (drama; Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Rahima (Marija Pikic) is a young, hard-working cook in Sarajevo. She and her brother Nedim (Ismir Gagula) were orphaned during the war and now she is responsible for taking care of him. He doesn't make it easy on her.

Though there is evidence of him being bullied, Nedim doesn't handle matters well, frequently engaging in bloody fights and getting reprimanded at school.

He blames Rahima's recent need to wear a headscarf as the reason for his troubles; she has frequent flashbacks to the war, which he is too young to remember, that fuel her faith.

The documentary footage of the actual war, spliced in as her memories, are especially powerful contrasted with the sounds of celebratory fireworks, which remind her of the grenades and sounds of war. Though the city has recovered, there are scars that will never heal.

Though undeniably bleak, there is hope in this story. Hope that comes from the love of a dutiful sister; hope that comes from the kind neighbors who befriend them and in Rahima's fierce independence.

It's just one more film that forbids us from forgetting the past--and that's a good thing.

CHILDREN OF SARAJEVO screened at the 39th Annual Seattle International Film Festival.

SIFF Starts This Week

The 39th annual Seattle International Film Festival begins on Thursday, so be sure to watch our blog for Tassoula's reviews, which will be labeled "SIFF Sightings" in addition to her interviews and updates from the events.

In the June episode of Cinebanter, she'll also share her favorite festival highlights.

Cinebanter #118 - CLOUD ATLAS

The mp3 of this show is here.

In this episode, Michael and Tassoula are left empty by CLOUD ATLAS. In the Last Five®, both hosts spend time in indie theaters for some new hits. They also respond to a Listener Last Five. The breakdown is as follows:

• 00:00 Intro

• 00:32 Discussion of CLOUD ATLAS

• Break

• 18:14 To Sum It Up

• Break

• 18:51 The Last Five®

• Break

• 50:09 Listener Last Five (Craig in Queensland)

• 1:02:36 Credits 

Michael's Last Five in this episode were: ARGO; THE SESSIONS; LOOPER; ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST and WARRIOR. Tassoula's Last Five were: THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER; THE BAD SEED; SYBIL; FLIGHT and DEAD POET'S SOCIETY.

Want to contribute to the show and help with production costs and server fees? Click on the "Make a Donation" button to the left of this blog.

Special thanks to Brad Daane and Mark Cummins, and Vincent Do for providing the original music in this episode.

Tassoula has reviews, musings and movie-related product links at Tassoula's Movie Review Blog.

Reviews and/or notes of movies Michael sees can be found at his MichaelVox website.

Feedback is always welcome - you may leave comments here or e-mail the hosts at cinebanter@gmail.com.

We hope you enjoy the show!

SIFF Sighting: LIBERAL ARTS (Comedy, USA)

Jesse (Josh Radnor), 35, travels to his alma mater to speak at a retirement ceremony for one of his beloved professors and meets 19-year-old Zibby (Elizabeth Olsen). They develop a 'connection' and Jesse has to determine whether or not the risks of being with her outweigh the joy.

The all-star cast, featuring Richard Jenkins, Allison Janney and Zac Efron are all wonderful, as are the leads in this charming 'what if' about morality.


LIBERAL ARTS screened at the 38th Annual Seattle International Film Festival.

SIFF Sighting: 2 DAYS IN NEW YORK (Comedy, USA)

Julie Delpy brings her character Marion back as an older version of her neurotic self in this follow up to the witty 2 DAYS IN PARIS.

In this installment, Chris Rock plays her loving partner Mingus, who appears to be almost saint-like until his patience wears thin during a visit from Marion's obnoxious French family.

This ride through clashing cultures and true romance is a delightful romp, just as the first.


2 DAYS IN NEW YORK screened at the 38th annual Seattle International Film Festival.

SIFF Sighting: 6 Points About Emma (Drama, Spain)

Emma (Verónica Echegui) is a beautiful girl in her twenties, dying to become a mother. To achieve this, she sleeps with various men to try to get pregnant; not always telling them this is her goal. Emma claims she wants to love someone, but fears she is incapable of it since she does not become attached to her lovers.

Also, Emma is blind.

Germán (Alex Garcia) is the therapist that leads the group sessions she attends for persons of various disabilities. There are deaf lesbians, paralyzed women hungry for intimacy and mentally retarded men. It's a colorful bunch, and Emma emerges as the most confident and comfortable with the hand in which she's been dealt.

Soon, Emma adds Germán to her list of lovers and a series of events follows that makes her question her ability not to be hurt by her partners. It's just sex anyway, right? And she's using them too, right?

The thing I loved about this film was that the story, though focused on a disabled person, really had nothing to do with their disability.

Sure, we saw how much easier it was for Emma to be taken advantage of because of her blindness, but it wasn't the reason we were watching the film—and that's refreshing.

Verónica Echegui is delicate and strong all at once and reminded me of Natalie Portman throughout. Alex Garcia makes Germán someone you want to like despite his reprehensible actions.

If you're in the mood for an unconventional love story/dramedy, you shouldn't miss this film.

6 POINTS ABOUT EMMA will screen at the 38th Annual Seattle International Film Festival next month with director Roberto Pérez Toledo in attendance. For tickets, visit the SIFF website.

SIFF Sighting: PRICE CHECK (Comedy, USA)

I've always been a fan of Parker Posey and the types of films in which she stars, but her character in this drama-that-wants-to-be-a-comedy has to be an exception.

Pete (Eric Mabius) is an uptight, seemingly unhappy marketing expert that had to take a job with a grocery chain because the industry he really wants to be a part of (music) is failing.

Posey plays Susan, an obnoxious executive brought into Pete's regional office to save the day. She arrives guns blazing and at first we can't tell if she's calculated or just crazy. The further we travel through the story, we realize she is both.

Susan seems to crave an idyllic family life like the one Pete has, so she ingratiates herself into his—befriending his wife and showing up at their son's school parties. She rewards Pete with a generous raise and heaps of ego-boosting attention, which leads him to make some poor decisions in his personal life.

The problem is, the film leaves no one to root for. Susan is nuts; Pete is boring and apparently easily corrupted; his wife is money-hungry and the other folks in the office are borderline cartoonish.

It's a shame this misses the mark, as the premise was a good one.

PRICE CHECK will screen at the 38th Annual Seattle International Film Festival. For tickets, visit the SIFF website.

SIFF Sighting: FUTURE WEATHER (Drama, USA)

Like so many American kids, 13-year-old Lauduree (Perla Haney-Jardine) is basically raising herself. Her mother, Tanya (Marin Ireland), has problems with addiction and her father is gone.

Ree channels her energy into her science experiments and develops a bond with her compassionate teacher Ms. Markovi (Lili Taylor).

Life is manageable until Tanya decides to pursue her dream of becoming a celebrity makeup artist and moves to California. She does not take Lauduree with her.

Afraid her science experiments will be compromised if she is forced to move, Ree keeps her mother's departure a secret until she is caught shoplifting and her grandmother Greta (Amy Madigan) discovers the truth.

Depressed about moving in with Greta (her mom's trailer is behind in rent), she turns to science for comfort and becomes borderline paranoid about the state of the ecosystem.

Her grandmother recognizes that Ree needs professional help, but does not have the resources to make that happen. Ms. Markovi, though concerned, says she "isn't equipped to handle" Ree's issues.

What writer/director Jenny Deller so brilliantly achieves in this quiet, slice-of-life saga is the painful reality of being an unwanted child.

Sure, Ree's mother and grandmother love her, but they are not remotely able to care for her in a healthy way, and lack the intelligence to learn how.

Perla Haney-Jardine's performance is riveting—reminiscent of Jennifer Lawrence's work in WINTER'S BONE. Her ability to convey the covering-up of pain is spectacular, and should open the doors to more substantial roles in the future.

Amy Madigan and Lili Taylor also deliver flawless turns as Greta and Ms. Markovi. Both have appeared in so many other films, it's a testament to how good they are that they can disappear into these characters and make us forget their previous work.

I can't recommend this film enough.

FUTURE WEATHER will screen at the 38th Annual Seattle International Film Festival next month. For tickets, visit the SIFF website.

Cinebanter #111 - THE KID WITH A BIKE

The mp3 of this show is here.

In this episode, Michael and Tassoula hail a festival favorite, as they review THE KID WITH A BIKE. In the Last Five®, Tassoula dresses up like Lorraine Baines McFly, while Michael suddenly finds chess interesting. They also give their share their opinions on TITANIC in 3D. The breakdown is as follows:

• 00:00 Intro

• 00:32 Discussion of THE KID WITH A BIKE

• Break

• 19:22 To Sum It Up

• Break

• 20:06 The Last Five®

• Break

• 56:54 TITANIC in 3D Banter

• 1:17:28 Credits

Michael's Last Five in this episode were: TREE OF LIFE, BOBBY FISHER AGAINST THE WORLD, GAME CHANGE, BATTLE FOR BROOKLYN and LA STRADA. Tassoula's Last Five were: WE DON'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE, THE HUNGER GAMES, BACK TO THE FUTURE, THE LADY and SOPHIE'S CHOICE.

See Tassoula in the Seattle PI (she's in the costume contest photo, to the left of "Jennifer").

Want to contribute to the show and help with production costs and server fees? Click on the "Make a Donation" button to the left of this blog.

Special thanks to Brad Daane and Mark Cummins for providing the original music in this episode.

Tassoula has reviews, musings and movie-related product links at Tassoula's Movie Review Blog.

Reviews and/or notes of movies Michael sees can be found at his MichaelVox website.

Feedback is always welcome - you may leave comments here or e-mail the hosts at cinebanter@gmail.com.

We hope you enjoy the show!

SIFF Sighting: THE OFF HOURS (Drama; USA)

It seems there is always one film at the festival each year that has me debating whether to walk out or not. This year, that film was The Off Hours.

Set in a small town near Seattle, the main character Francine (Amy Seimetz), is directionless, unintelligent, loose and broke.

The men in her life are her roommate/former foster brother, a truck driver who visits the diner where she works, the boss at the diner (always sitting in a chair or coming out of the kitchen to tell people to get to work) and one female colleague who doesn't serve much of a purpose. Yeah, that about covers it.

It's one of those films that has you counting the 'independent' tags throughout instead of focusing on the (sad) script. Late night diner featuring old, half-full, glass coffee pot? Check! Depressed town with no hope of recovery? Check! Woman trying to 'find' herself? Check! Alcoholic, deadbeat Dad? Check!

The dismal part is that the main actress in this film can truly act. Though I cared nothing for Francine or her supporting cast of lifelong losers, I really did believe her, and that's a credit to Amy Seimetz, who brought her to life. I hope she continues on and gets a part in something more matched to her talent.

Unfortunately many will mistake this pretension for art, and that unfortunately, it is not.

~~~

Cinebanter #103 - CERTIFIED COPY

The mp3 of this show can be found here.

In this episode, Michael and Tassoula mimic old dialog, relationships and thoughts as they review CERTIFIED COPY. In the Last Five®, Michael has trouble making it to the end of a few films, while Tassoula continues her Scorsese viewings. They also answer Listener Feedback. The breakdown is as follows:

• 00:00 Intro

• 00:32 Discussion of CERTIFIED COPY

• Break

• 16:17 To Sum it Up

• Break

• 17:15 The Last Five®

• Break

• 44:30 Listener Feedback

• 1:03:25 Credits & Outtake

Michael's Last Five in this episode were: FISH TANK, GROWN UPS, THE WOMAN CHASER, 2012 and THE BEACH . Tassoula's Last Five were: THE LINCOLN LAWYER, ALL GOOD THINGS, ALICE DOESN'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE, IT'S KIND OF A FUNNY STORY and SCREAM.

Want to contribute to the show and help with production costs and server fees? Click on the "Make a Donation" button to the left of this blog.

Special thanks to Vincent Do, Brad Daane and Mark Cummins for providing the original music in this episode.

Tassoula has reviews, musings and movie-related product links at Tassoula's Movie Review Blog.

Reviews and/or notes of movies Michael sees can be found at his MichaelVox website.

Feedback is always welcome - you may leave comments here or e-mail the hosts at cinebanter@gmail.com.

We hope you enjoy the show!

Cinebanter #101 - BLUE VALENTINE

The mp3 of this show can be found here.

In this episode, Michael and Tassoula exhibit their differences of gender during their review of BLUE VALENTINE. In the Last Five®, Michael finds four quality films, while Tassoula is embarrassed by one of her choices. The hosts also announce the topic of their next episode. The breakdown is as follows:

• 00:00 Intro
• 00:32 Discussion of BLUE VALENTINE, Part 1
• Break
• 20:32 Discussion of BLUE VALENTINE, Part 2
• 42:47 To Sum it Up
• Break
• 43:32 The Last Five®
• 1:20:06 Credits & Outtake

Michael's Last Five in this episode were: NICE GUY JOHNNY, THE KING'S SPEECH, TRUE GRIT, CASINO JACK and BIUTIFUL . Tassoula's Last Five were: SPRING BREAKDOWN, THE ECLIPSE, WINNEBEGO MAN, A PRESIDENT TO REMEMBER: IN THE COMPANY OF JOHN F. KENNEDY and I NEED THAT RECORD!

Want to contribute to the show and help with production costs and server fees? Click on the "Make a Donation" button to the left of this blog.

Special thanks to Brad Daane, Mark Cummins and Vincent Do for providing the original music in this episode.

Tassoula has reviews, musings and movie-related product links at Tassoula's Movie Review Blog.

Reviews and/or notes of every movie Michael sees can be found at his MichaelVox website.

Feedback is always welcome - you may leave comments here or e-mail the hosts at cinebanter@gmail.com.

We hope you enjoy the show!

Cinebanter #93 - CYRUS

The mp3 of this show can be found here.

In this episode, Michael and Tassoula duke it out as they review the indie hit CYRUS. In the Last Five®, Michael praises a recent documentary, while Tassoula celebrates the anniversary of a beloved film. Plus, the hosts respond to two Listener Last Fives® from the Emerald City.

The breakdown is as follows:

• 00:00 Intro
• 00:32 Discussion of CYRUS
• Break
• 19:13 To Sum It Up
• Break
• 19:47 The Last Five®
• Break
• 48:50 Listener Last Five (Seattle Edition: Gary B. and Norm G.)
• 1:02:04 Credits & Outtake

Michael's Last Five in this episode were: KIDS, FUNNY PEOPLE, ANIMATRIX, THE SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP and RESTREPO. Tassoula's Last Five were: BEYOND HATRED, BACK TO THE FUTURE, PLEASE GIVE, NO ONE DIES IN LILY DALE and TO SIR, WITH LOVE.