"A Separation" is Outstanding

Four Stars

This is a film about good people who get caught in a bad situation and try to live within the moral compass of their lives, their problems and their religion. Asghar Farhadi’s “A Separation”, is a film that tells us a complicated story that seems like it could happen right here. I didn’t feel after this film that these people were so different from you and me. The film opens up on Nader (Peyman Moadi) and Simin (Leila Hatami), who are separating because Nader wants to stay in Iran and take care of his father (Ali-Asghar Shahbazi) who has Alzheimer’s. Simin wants to leave with her daughter Termeh (Sarina Farhadi) from Iran. This couple doesn’t hate each other but can’t seem to agree on their future. Nader loves his father and wants to take care of him. Simin doesn’t want to have her child stay in Iran. Both of them have emotional reasons for wanting to stay and wanting to go. When Simin moves out, she hires Razieh (Sareh Byat) to take care of Simin’s father. Rezieh keeps the job a secret from her husband Hodjat (Shahab Hosseini), who is a strict Muslim. One day, Nader finds his father has fallen out of the bed. He believes that Temeh is responsible. She locked the door and went out to do her errands. He pushes her out of his apartment in anger. He later finds that she might have been pregnant and thus his push might have caused a miscarriage.

This causes an unfortunate series of events that bring the families together. Both sides of the conflict have emotional weight. The screenplay by director Asghar Farhadi is fair handed to everyone involved. There are no real villains in this story. Only people and they are like us. These people in this film are regular people who are trying to live the best life they can. This film is complicated at times, and never quite puts the puzzle all together. However, all the characters are emphatic, and that is a remarkable accomplishment of the script. Termeh and Somayeh, the younger daughter of the other family, remain kind to each other. Termeh doesn’t know who to believe in this picture, as she loves both her mother and father and her grandfather. However, she does ask her father if he knew the women was pregnant . She doesn’t quite get an answer.

The characters in this film are great and so are the actors. The piercing stare of Termeh is both innocent and serious at the same time. She is only eleven but shows an intelligence and awareness of what is going on around her. Each side of the conflict has a point, which also makes it interesting because it gives a double meaning to the title of the film. It’s more than one separation. It’s not only the separation of a marriage, it’s the separation of doubts and the separation of a child from her parent. It’s a remarkable script, which considers each of his characters worthy of empathy. The puzzle, unlike an American mystery, doesn’t quite come together. Instead, it’s realistic. Termeh’s safety is feared for by her family, which only adds to the desire to leave. However, this brings up an important point about foreign films.

Foreign films are important because they remind us there are other people in the world. People in Iran would take this film as a straight drama, but  here in the United States, it gives us as chance to see people in Iran as regular people going about their lives. I felt for every character in this film, whether they were a strict Muslim or simply just a person who happens to live in Iran.  In Iran, this might be viewed as just another film. However, in America, we can view this as a window to a world much like ours. It’s not the Iran we see in the newspapers. The events in this film could happen anywhere. To see a film from Iran about people we could identify with is important.

One of the functions of film is to teach us. This is such a good film; I hate to bring politics into this review, because this film is simply so good on its own. However, as Americans, we hear about Iran but we don’t get to see it's human side. This film shows us Iran as people who live there and deal with the same problems we do. That’s important for an American audience, and thus why foreign films should be distributed more. “A Separation” is a mystery, a family drama and a story about everyday people who just happen to live in Iran. One would be hard pressed to say that these people are that different from you or I. And it highlights a universal truth. Whether American law or Iranian law, laws aren’t always built to deal with our emotions. And if anything, it’s the emotions we all have in common. There are no heroes or villains in this film. Just people trying to live and survive and that is perhaps this film’s greatest accomplishment. They are just like us, after all. This is a remarkable piece of work, and the best film of the year.

"The Lorax" is Harmless

Three Stars

“The Lorax” isn’t the best animated movie out there. There’s the beautiful Japanese cartoon “The Secret World of Arrietty” out in theaters now. That’s worth taking your kids to, though this isn’t a bad choice either. However, I am going to endorse this film because it has a message I do agree with. A lot of people have been whining that “The Lorax” has a political message, trying to brainwash children into caring about the environment. When did that become a bad thing? Yes, the Pixar film “Wall-E” does a better job with the same message, but this film doesn’t do too badly of a job either. The film opens up with the town of Thneed-Ville, a walled in city where the townspeople happily breath artificial air and have never seen an tree before. Ted Wiggins (Zac Efron), a 12 year old who is named after Dr. Suess’s real name Theodor, wants to impress the local high school girl named Audrey (Taylor Swift).  She is named after Dr. Suess’s widow.

She dreams of seeing a tree for the first time. With the encouragement of his grandmother (Betty White), Ted sets out from Thneed Ville to find the Once-ler (Ed Helms), a man who regrets creating a product that ended up chopping down all the trees. The most powerful man in town, the mayor (Rob Riggle), gets adrift of this and tries to stop him from succeeding.  Ted returns each day on his electric bike to hear the Once-ler tell him the story of how he didn’t listen to the Lorax (Danny DeVito) who keeps warning him that he shouldn’t chop down the forests and that he speaks for the trees.  

There’s some musical numbers in here that work fine. The jokes are hit and miss. Some of the pop culture references seem a little misplaced in this film. However, the animals are cute and the Lorax speaks for both them and the trees. The film doesn’t run too long at 94 minutes. There are some jokes that seem a little too political for a kid’s film, but things quickly resolve themselves. Any decent person wants the Lorax to succeed. I mean, a lot of film critics on the right have complained that this film is liberal propaganda. But I wanted this kid to succeed, with his crazy idea that trees should be protected. They even mention the word “photosynthesis” in this.

However, without sounding like an evil liberal, teaching your kids to respect and care about the environment isn’t a bad thing. The villain is an evil businessman who sells air, and once again, conservatives have complained that it is somehow liberal. A lot of movies have evil businessman as their villains. The book was originally published in 1971, and it makes sense that Dr. Seuss would base the theme around environmentalism. Those who know Dr. Seuss’s history know he was a political cartoonist before he wrote children’s books. The whole enterprise is ultimately harmless and cute. The 3-D works just fine and hey, maybe your kids can finally get excited over a camping trip, and nature instead of the newest video game coming out. There’s nothing wrong with that. So, I’ll just throw my hands up and give the film three stars. It’s not really worth going on a rant about. And to everyone trying to find a message beyond a cute story about protecting the environment, I say give a hoot, don’t pollute.

"The Women in Black" is an Old Fashion Horror Flick

Three Stars


Daniel Radcliffe takes a train ride that isn’t headed towards Hogwarts, in the new horror picture “The Women in Black”. “The Women in Black” is traditional to a fault. An old fashioned, horror picture that takes place in a haunted house, Daniel Radcliff plays Arthur, a lawyer who is devastated after his wife dies in childbirth. Having to go through a client’s processions because of her death, he arrives at a big house outside of a spooky town, where children seem to die mysteriously. The townspeople blame the ghost who lives in the house for forcing the children to kill themselves. While in the mysterious town, he befriends a landowner named Sam (Ciaran Hinds), who’s himself had a child who died. His wife has episodes sometimes and thinks that the child is talking through her.

The movie’s haunted house is a very good piece of production design, and Radcliffe goes through the movie without much dialogue. He looks through the house, with many glances of curiosity and fear. Some scenes have the ghost appear behind him, but then it disappears. He hears noises, but it ends up being just an old rocking chair. However, it’s rocking a bit hard back and forth harder than usual, but maybe it’s just the wind. There are many setups but a lot of the stuff just turns out to be stuff in the house blowing in the wind. Arthur and his friend, Sam want to believe it's not real but over time come to the conclusion there is something haunted about that house.

The ghost has some creepy back story about how she lost her child. Based on the novel by the British horror novelist Susan Hill, “The Women in Black” is a very traditional horror movie. Not that that’s really a bad thing. It doesn’t go for the gross out factor like many of the horror movies do today. Arthur must succeed, because his job depends on it, and he has a four year old kid. The film is Daniel Radcliffe’s first film since “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2”, and he doesn’t do a bad job in this film. The film requires him to mostly be spooked, and he does a good job of that. I get the feeling that Radcliffe, after the mega success of “Harry Potter” wanted to do something different and on a smaller scale and “The Women in Black” is that.

I wasn’t too terrified by the film, but there were a couple times I was spooked. There are a lot of dark hallways in this movie, and angry townspeople who believe in the spirit of the house. If you’re going to take your kid to see their first horror movie, this isn’t a bad choice, as it isn’t as intense as say, Saw or that kind of torture porn. It’s an old fashioned haunted house flick. The film is effective, and the director James Wakins does a good job of keeping the old fashioned kind of suspense going. The film depends mostly on the production design, glances, and mysterious deaths. I guess you don’t want to go to a haunted mansion with a ghost who is intent on killing children. Should have listened to the townspeople, but characters in horror movies never do.

The Secret is Out

Four Stars

Just when you thought you couldn’t stand another 3-D, talking animal fest or more super heroes, here comes Studio Ghibli with another beautifully done film about kids in an magical situation both adults and kids can enjoy. This is the biggest U.S. release a Studio Ghibli film has received. Based on the classic children’s novel "The Borrowers" by Mary Norton, “The Secret World of Arrietty,” is the story of a tween girl named Arrietty (Bridget Mendler) who happens to be a borrower. Borrowers, as she explains, are small people who take things from humans that they won’t miss. On her first trip with her father to borrow things with her father Pod (Will Arnett) she is seen by the new boy in the house Shawn (David Henry). Shawn is enchanted by the little people who live in the house and remembers the stories his mother told him. She blushes the first time she sees him, and her father warns her not to be seen by him again. Her mother (Amy Pohler) constantly worries about the humans and the cat that might eat them. They live under the floorboards of the house, and try to be as quiet as possible.

In the world of Studio Ghibli, little people living under the floorboards seem almost normal. However, they live in a secret world, with stuff they’ve collected. Arrietty is fourteen and can be a bit moody. However, one of the charms of Studio Ghibili, is that their characters are often two things. One is that they are realistic kids. The other is the hero’s of Studio Ghibili are often heroines. Girls rule in Miyazaki’s world, and they aren’t princesses. Arrietty, like many of the girls before her in Miyazaki films like “Spirited Away”, “Kiki’s Delivery Service” and “Ponyo” is a strong female. Pixar was perhaps influenced by Studio Ghibli because they are releasing their first female character driven movie this year titled “Brave”. Girls in the world of Studio Ghibli are brave or learn to be brave.

With so little borrowers left, she discovers she needs to be strong for her family. She also needs to be strong for her friend Shawn. Shawn is going for a heart operation. That’s why he is at this house in the country so he can have some peace and quiet as to not excite him. There is some talk of death in this film, but it’s done in a way that allows you to talk to your kids about the issues this film raises.

No 3-D for Studio Ghibli. The film is rendered in beautiful 2-D animation, much of it hand-drawn. The film was directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi, a fellow animator at Studio Ghibli. The script was written by Hayao Miyazaki based on the beloved children’s novel by Mary Nortion. A lot of people I suggest anime to often say to me they could do without it fearing that’s all flashy robots and Pokemon. What they fail to understand is that anime can be great art. The films of Studio Ghibli, and often anime series as well, are beautiful art that are well written and have great character development. Anime is often the animation adults can connect to because it does take time to be quiet and have scenes where characters just talk to each other in a thoughtful manner. The scene where Arrietty and Shawn talk about death is a perfect example.

Shawn lies in the grass, in a beautifully animated landscape with lush colors, which is unsurprising to those who know Miyazaki’s work. He is often reading a book or looking up into the sky. However, we also see the pain he is in. Scenes where Shawn is running, he puts his hand on his chest because of his bad heart. The relationship between Shawn and Arrietty is charming, and they like each other quite a bit. Like real kids their age. Miyazaki’s work often captures both the gentle world of childhood and the fears children honestly have like abandonment, death, romance, growing up and the unknown. Kids often have to grow up in Miyazaki’s world, whether they are of magical origin or just get caught up in a magical situation. However, Miyazaki balances both the magic and the reality of growing up in his films beautifully. You could take your kids to see “Journey 2”, “Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace”, or some 3-D visual fest. However, if you have young kids, take them to see this instead. Heck, if you have older kids take them to see this too. Chances are your family will be enchanted by simplicity and magic.

A note to the paying parent: 3-D glasses costs extra. Save yourself some money. The film is rated G and runs only 95 minutes. This choice will save you time and money. With the void left by Harry Potter, families need some kind of magic at the theaters they can enjoy together. This movie will fit the bill.

Where It All Began

Three Stars

He’s a boy who’s the chosen one. No, it’s not Harry Potter. Both of these stories happen to travel around in nerd circles. However, before magicial kids saving the universe were the entire craze, it was all about young Jedi’s. It’s Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd). Young and cute, Anakin is a slave on a planet that’s off the main course of the space ship being piloted by Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) . He’s discovered by Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor). There’s something about this kid. The force seems to be with him. Of course, you already know this because this film came out in 1999. However, I am meeting more and more kids who happen to be born around 1996. It’s scary but true. These kids were born in a galaxy far, far away from me. So, if your kid hasn’t had the legend of Star Wars passed down to them, this is a good place to start. It is episode one, after all. The 3-D re-release of “Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace” just opened in theaters, and I made a few observations as I entered the theater. First of all, these aren’t any 3-D glasses. These are collectable 3-D glasses. The glasses are really cool.

If you remember way back in 1999, most of the fans thought “Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace” was bad. Just like Harry Potter fans argue over if their movies are any good. Kids, in my day, we argued over Star Wars at our local comic book stores and comic book conventions. Let me get back to the movie. Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi discover young Anakin as a slave on a desert planet. There’s much political stuff going on back on their home planet, mostly having to do with a trade agreement. The queen (Natalie Portland) is worried about this, and sees an impending attack coming. Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi bet everything on the boy. They make a gamble on him winning a race, and they win his freedom from slavery. He’s a mysterious kid. Even his mother mentions she has no idea who the father was. One day, she just woke up pregnant and carried him. That being said, we all know who his father is. Anyone who knows “Star Wars” knows.

George Lucas mostly keeps the story moving along in the way he usually does. With a lot of dialogue about the politics of the galaxy, light sabers fights, and fast cuts to different scenes, Lucas keeps his universe afloat. Roger Ebert, in his 1999 review, is pretty much right. Lucas knows how to tell a good story and its good stories, like “Star Wars,” that keep us coming back for more. I was also thinking about how we love the heroes’ journey in a film. That’s another thing that keeps us coming back to “Star Wars.” This kid is the chosen one. There’s something about him that sets him apart, and maybe will make him the hero of the story. What nerdy kid doesn’t like to think he’s the chosen one? It’s funny that “Star Wars” was doing that before the whole craze about magical kids saving the world became popular literary culture.

So, yes, fans to this day complain that Lucas isn’t trying, or that the later movies were bad. However, you got to admit there is something about “Star Wars” that keeps us coming back. So, yes, I would suggest you bring your kids and yourself to see the re-release of “Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace” because it’s not a bad story and “Star Wars” is something you might want to pass down to your kids. It’s one of the great movie series of our time. The special effects are cool. The 3-D is pretty good. However, considering most of the scenes are kind of dialogue filled scenes about the politics of the galaxy and stuff, I think this film could have been just re-released as a regular film. People would have gone to see it anyway. That being said, 3-D can be fun. At the end of the day, it’s “Star Wars” and it’s one of the great stories and institutions of film and American pop culture. It’s the famous franchise, and anyone who goes in knows what they are getting into. The force was with you as a kid; don’t you want it to be with them too?

Important Message

I was reading an article on Amanda Hocking, a woman who published her novels online and made two million dollars. That’s a rather cool story, but for the rest of us, we all struggle to get our stuff out there. So, let’s help each other out. No, I can’t get you to a publisher or big time movie studio but I can give you a little bit of press on my blog. It’s not the New York Times, but I feel that it’s worth showcasing stuff. Need an un-biased opinion on your latest film or book? I will be able to provide that. Only books and films I feel deserve a positive review will be posted on my site. This is because I don’t want you to go through the trouble of sending me a film or book and then having a bad review published online. If I don’t give your work a good review, I will send you the review privately if you request it. That being said, I do not bite. I will try to give you good criticism, instead of malice. I would love to see your films and writing. I also would be able to give advice to people seeking to start their own writing blogs. Not all films or books will be able to be reviewed, and will not be able to be returned.

Send your videos, DVD’s and books to
Typewriter Riot,
P.O. Box 47

Elizaville, New York 12523.

Thank you, and happy trails
Alec

'We Bought A Zoo' is Harmless

Two and a half stars

When it comes to family movies, I try to tone it down a bit unless it really deserves a bad review. “We Bought A Zoo” doesn’t really deserve a bad review. Film critics tend to take themselves a tad too seriously when it comes to certain films, and I’m trying to avoid that in some cases. I don’t like critics who come off as snobs when it comes to pictures that don’t deserve that kind of malice.

One of the displeasures of film critcism is criticizing a film that’s really harmless. The name of the film is “We Bought A Zoo”, and it’s directed by Cameron Crowe. Cameron Cowe has made some wonderful films like “Almost Famous” and “Jerry MaGuire”. “We Bought A Zoo”is a pure family picture. It’s harmless, and not bad, yet it’s also predicatable and a tad bit uninteresting.

The story is about a journalist named Benjamin Mae (Matt Damon).He has a 14 year old son named Dylan (Colin Ford), who gets expelled from school after trying to steal money. He has a cute seven year old daughter named Rosie (Maggie Elizabeth Jones), who is still trying to understand the death of their mother. He decides they need a new start and goes searching for a new house. After searching, he decides on a house. The real estate agent tells him that it’s a bit complicated. What’s so complicated about this place he asks. It’s a zoo, the real estate agent says . Being an adventurer, and an journalist, he decides that it’s worth the chance. In fact, when Kelly (Scarlette Johansson), the young zoo keeper who runs the place, asks him why he would take a chance doing something he knows nothing about, he smiles and answers “Why not?”

I guess there’s something to be said for the guy’s sense of adventure. He wants a new adventure for his family and says that throughout the movie. So he arrives at the zoo and meets the crew. The crew has a guy with a long beard and one character who has a monkey on his shoulder. That’s about how interesting the crew is. When there, his son meets Lily (Elle Fanning), who’s thirteen. Dylan and Lily automatically click, and we know the plot requires they will kiss. Also, we know the plot requires that Benjamin and Kelly will get together. For the zoo aspect, the
film has some nice animals in it. Although, the real plot of the film is Benjamin and his family trying to get over the death of his wife. The film is pretty predictable.

So, as they are trying to get over their mother, the zoo is faced with the problem of the upcoming inspection. The inspector (John Michael Higgins) is a bit of a jerk and the zoo tries to pull together to get approved. I understand this is really a kid’s movie, and I suspect the kids will like it. There’s some scenes in the movie of Dylan and his dad fighting. Yes, his son is a pain, but I guess you have to understand they are going through a tough time. There’s really not that much interesting plot. I mean, I can see people finding this film charming but it’s really nothing I haven’t seen before in another film. So, basically, take your 12 year old. It’s fine. Grab yourself a big bag of pop corn. If you and your family want a film that’s not going to offend, and basically be fine, than this should be O.K. I mean, afterall, this film is titled “We Bought A Zoo”.