Movie with Abe: Furious 7

Furious 7
Directed by James Wan
Released April 3, 2015

My affinity for the Fast and Furious franchise contradicts most of my other movie tastes. Yet there’s something about the first film and its fourth, fifth, and sixth installments that just create an incomparable excitement and thrill. The fact that I didn’t see the seventh film until three weeks after it was released should say nothing about my enthusiasm for it but merely that I had no time to get to the movies to see it earlier. Though I was ready to be blown away, it’s a shame to admit that this latest installment just doesn’t hold a candle to the three that came before it.

It used to be that this was all about car racing and hijacking cars. Understandably, the last two films have expanded the parameters considerably, utilizing planes, tanks, and other devices as part of the greater plot. As our team has grown in size, their caseload has also been promoted to a larger scale, as they’ve taken on major criminals with more than just petty automotive crimes on their record. The directive in movie number seven seems to be that everything has to be bigger, bolder, and more impossibly absurd. If it had anything to do with cars, that would be fine, but they’ve become almost a subplot at this point.

This is, more than anything, a revenge movie, as a rogue black-ops spy, Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham), targets Dom and his crew after they crippled his brother Owen in an earlier film. As soon as Deckard starts killing and set his sights on Dom, they are permanently locked in a drawn-out duel to the death that doesn’t seem to involve anyone else and only gets increasingly more preposterous as it goes on. A somewhat convoluted road leads the crew to Azerbaijan and then Saudi Arabia, working with a shadowy government team led by Kurt Russell to acquire an all-seeing location device. It’s a decent setup for a brainless blockbuster, but that’s not what these movies are supposed to be about.

“Furious 7” gets bogged down with dialogue and plot, two things that were purposely sparing in previous films and now take center stage. The unbelievable antics that made the fifth and sixth film so fun are regarded in a less fantastic way, and the payoff that existed in those films doesn’t exist here. I firmly believe that this franchise can go on and that it can continue to deliver what it’s best at, and being past this revenge plotline should help. This film was a “last ride” for Paul Walker, and it’s clear that he’s putting his all into it, an example that his cast members can hope to follow in future more solid installments.

C+

Sunday Signature Song: Captain America: The First Avenger

Welcome to a new weekly feature here at Movies with Abe. Original songs in films certainly add to the overall experience of going to or watching a movie, whether they play over the end credits or during a particular scene during the movie. There is an Oscar category to recognize the Best Original Song of each year, and this feature will aim to spotlight one terrific song that defined a movie but didn’t end up getting nominated. Submissions are welcome – offer your thoughts on this song and others like it in the comments below!

Song: Star Spangled Man
Artist: Alan Menken and David Zippel
Film: Captain America: The First Avenger
Year: 2011

This isn’t some incredible musical composition that you can really get into singing and appreciate the melody and lyrics. Instead, it’s the perfect way of describing and addressing Captain America, a hero who works well in comic books but, before this 2011 film, didn’t even translate positively to the big or small screen. What this song does is help to acknowledge the cheesiness of his costume and his overarching purpose, to represent America to other countries. It’s also a positive way to bridge the gap between Captain America, described in his film’s subtitle as the first Avenger, and the rest of his team who exist in the modern day. The 2011 film that started what is already a very successful franchise was set back in the 1940s, and this song, which looks and sounds like a USO tribute show, does its job perfectly, building up Captain America as a nationalist symbol, one who couldn’t possibly be seen as anything but a rallying force for freedom and justice worldwide. Its performance in the film finds Chris Evans’s masked Steve Rogers reading his lines off the back of his shield and marching around triumphantly, reenacting his many auspicious feats. It’s designed to be corny and enthusiastically represented as such, complete with a knockout punch for an actor playing Hitler as the final scene of the stage act. Who wouldn’t love Captain America after hearing this?

Saturday Night Movie Recommendations with Abe

Welcome back to a weekly feature here at Movies With Abe. I'm going to be providing a handy guide to a few choice movies currently playing in theatres as well as several films newly released on DVD. I invite you to add in your thoughts on any films I haven’t seen in the comments below. Understandably, some weeks will have considerably fewer releases to address than others.

Now Playing in Theatres

Because I Was a Painter (recommended): This documentary features artwork created in concentration camps during the Holocaust along with interviews with the survivors who created them. Its strongest asset is its theoretical exploration of finding beauty in something truly hideous. Now playing at Lincoln Plaza. Read my capsule review from yesterday.

24 Days (mixed bag): This harrowing dramatization of the kidnapping and murder of a Jewish man in Paris in 2006 has an important and relevant point to make about the resurgence of anti-Semitism in modern-day society, but this film doesn’t offer much that a documentary about the subject wouldn’t have. Now playing at Quad Cinemas. Read my review from yesterday.

New to DVD

Cake (mixed bag): All the buzz for this film has been about Jennifer Aniston getting snubbed for an Oscar nomination after looking like a pretty good sure thing. Truth be told, she’s the best reason to see the film, delivering a mature and hardened performance that demonstrates considerable range for the actress usually known for comedies. The film isn’t nearly as strong, unfortunately.

Movie with Abe: Because I Was a Painter (Capsule Review)

Because I Was a Painter
Directed by Christophe Cognet
Released April 24, 2015

It is a complicated thing to find beauty in something truly awful. That is a major theme in this French documentary which looks at works of art created secretly during the Holocaust in concentration camps. Painters are interviewed in a multitude of languages – a sign of the diverse directions in which survivors have gone in the decades since the Holocaust – about the origins and motivations of their work, how they turned horrifying sights of dead bodies and true agony into something for the world to see, though they could not know at that time that they would survive and that others would in fact be able to view their work. This is a film that pairs silence with images to magnify the intensity of what viewers are looking at, an effective tool to drive home the horrific nature of what was seen and how it has been transformed into something permanent and artistic.

B+

Movie with Abe: 24 Days

24 Days
Directed by Alexandre Arcady
Released April 24, 2015

Movies about true events can be made for a number of reasons. Some are designed to expose an event deemed to be important and necessary to be seen by the world, while others are merely to dramatize what happened to create a compelling story. “24 Days” is a blend of both, though the way its plot is introduced by Ruth Halimi (Zabou Breitman), designed as a cautionary tale about the evils of the modern world, suggests that this is something that was deemed crucial to be recreated on film so that it could be told to a large audience.

Ruth begins by telling the audience that she cannot believe that this happened to her, and details are gradually added to explain what it is that has so shocked and astonished her. It becomes imminently and devastatingly clear that her son Ilan (Syrus Shahidi) has been kidnapped when a ransom note and accompanying gruesome photo are received. As his abductors repeatedly contact Ruth and her ex-husband Didier (Pascal Elbé), little progress is made as the police advise the two of them not to give in to any of their demands and to treat their frequent and abrasive conversations as part of a negotiation.

There is a sense of dread that pervades the entire film, not because Ilan’s fate is uncertain – that seems all too determined by the opening scene – but because Ilan was abducted purely because he was Jewish. Initially written off as an obvious choice because his kidnappers presumed that a Jew would come from money, it is not difficult to realize that their brutal treatment of him – most of which is fortunately not shown but very much conveyed – is because of his religious background. Treating the case as a simple ransom abduction and not a larger hate crime represents a serious misevaluation of the situation.

It is hard to get past the extremely disturbing subject of this film. It is not one that merits or even asks for recognition of its acting since all the actors play either grieving family members or vicious kidnappers preying on them or taunting them into complying with their demands. Its non-narrative storytelling style works to a degree, filling in pieces of the sequence of events as it goes on, but this ultimately doesn’t serve as an extraordinarily effective piece worthwhile in its own right separate from the story it depicts.

B-

Talking Tribeca: Democrats

I’ve had the pleasure this year of screening a number of selections from this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, which takes place April 15th-26th.

Democrats
Directed by Camilla Nielsson
Festival Screenings

A great documentary captures two sides of a story without appearing to have any bias. It can be difficult for a film to remain completely neutral, but knowing that it comes from a certain vantage point and that it still represents both sides fairly is even more impressive. This cleverly titled documentary follows Paul Mangwana and Douglas Mwonzora, the representatives of the president’s party and the opposition, respectively, in Zimbabwe, who were selected following the 2008 presidential election to begin work on a constitution for the country. Mangwana toes the party line and gleefully expresses his intent to keep his president in power while Mwonzora protests what seems like an inability to move forward, and both men publicly champion what they believe without holding anything back. It’s a marvelous and eye-opening look at a country not known for its democratic nature, and a fascinating exposé that serves as a fair, balanced, and extremely strong nonfiction film.

See it or skip it? See it. It’s both well-assembled and very educational.

Talking Tribeca: The Survivalist

I’ve had the pleasure this year of screening a number of selections from this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, which takes place April 15th-26th.

The Survivalist
Directed by Stephen Fingleton
Festival Screenings

One of the defining and almost required elements of any dystopian story about survival is that it must feature few characters, sparse dialogue, and a barren landscape. This film does the first two very well and only modifies the third by having its protagonist do his own growing of food, planting and harvesting to ensure his livelihood. Someone who lives a solitary life needs to make important adjustments when strangers arrive, and one might expect a bit of dynamic transformation. Those are high hopes in this mild-mannered, unenthusiastic film, which sees its unnamed central character adjusting to a nervous life with a wandering woman, Kathryn, and her daughter Milja. Stark shots and quiet time to think only achieve so much, and this film never manages to march forward in a mesmerizing way and get off the ground.

See it or skip it? If you’re really craving a depressing post-apocalyptic trip, go for it.

Talking Tribeca: Jackrabbit

I’ve had the pleasure this year of screening a number of selections from this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, which takes place April 15th-26th.

Jackrabbit
Directed by Carleton Ranney
Festival Screenings

There’s a certain air of exciting technological mystery that deal with futuristic hackers in an old-fashioned landscape. This Tribeca entry from debut director Carleton Ranney is far from “The Matrix,” unfortunately, weaving a complex story together with many unknown pieces but not ending up anywhere nearly as interesting as it initially seems that it could. The concept of a large event that forced the world to reboot technologically is interesting, but it’s not too easy to jump aboard the gritty quest undertaken by a hacker and a computer genius to figure out what’s really going on in this post-modern world. This film’s mix of grungy scenery and a faded, dated look doesn’t achieve the effects that it wants to, and this film, which starts off at a compelling point, doesn’t manage to get back there over the course of the film.

See it or skip it? Unless it’s a particularly appealing topic, it shouldn’t be at the top of your list.

Talking Tribeca: Wednesday 04:45

I’ve had the pleasure this year of screening a number of selections from this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, which takes place April 15th-26th.

Wednesday 04:45
Directed by Alexis Alexiou
Festival Screenings

Naming a film after a day and time suggest that said moment is central to its plot, and that’s true here, though in this case it’s all about the buildup. Stelios (Stelios Mainas) owns a jazz club in Athens and is struggling to keep it afloat. The timing of his initial investor demanding full payment of the many debts he has incurred couldn’t be worse, and what starts as a drama turns into an action-packed thriller as Stelios takes steps to survive as best as he can. There is a certain feel to this film that helps suspend and extend its mood throughout, making its story invigorating and exciting. This is a constantly evolving film that ends in a much different place and much different style than it begins, making an admittedly violent journey towards an inevitable ticking clock enticing and worthwhile.

See it or skipt it? See it if you’re up for a brooding thriller with more blood than you might expect given its premise.

Talking Tribeca: Being 14

I’ve had the pleasure this year of screening a number of selections from this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, which takes place April 15th-26th.

Being 14
Directed by Hélène Zimmer
Festival Screenings

This film is best des cribbed as a French version of “Mean Girls.” It’s not a comedy, except for the way in which it portrays such absurd cruelty and insecurities on the part of its main characters. Sarah is a particularly volatile creature, citing physical discrimination when she gets blamed for one of the few ruckuses for which she is not responsible in class and matching the disdainful smirk on her face with a ferocious and unforgiving attitude. The film manages to show what it is like to be fourteen but goes far beyond any simple portrayal of school life, adding the dimension of divorced parents and difficult home situations. The feature film debut of 25-year-old director Hélène Zimmer is an incredibly engaging and unique look at growing up that is very much unlike anything about the subject being produced domestically.

See it or skip it? See it if you’re up for a vicious but worthwhile French film.

Talking Tribeca: Bridgend

I’ve had the pleasure this year of screening a number of selections from this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, which takes place April 15th-26th.

Bridgend
Directed by Jeppe Ronde
Festival Screenings

Some films aren’t meant to be optimistic, and this is definitely one of them. A police investigator, Dave (Steven Waddington), brings his teenage daughter Sara (Hannah Murray) with him to the small Welsh town of Bridgend, which is notable for its alarmingly high suicide rate among its young people. The town’s teenage population functions as a cult of sorts, honoring its members who commit suicide on a troublingly regular basis. Dave looks at it from an analytical vantage point, seeking to stop the trend but also to figure out whether parents are to blame, while Sara becomes immersed in it, befriending those who we know well won’t be around for long. Murray is reminiscent of Adele Exarchopoulos, capable of conveying plenty with one lingering look. This is a dark, disturbing picture of an unsettling group mentality, and it’s even scarier to learn that its setting is based on true events. It’s certainly haunting and hard to shake, framing a difficult story in an intense and effective way.

See it or skip it? See it if you can handle something harsh and dark.

Saturday Night Movie Recommendations with Abe

Welcome back to a weekly feature here at Movies With Abe. I'm going to be providing a handy guide to a few choice movies currently playing in theatres as well as several films newly released on DVD. I invite you to add in your thoughts on any films I haven’t seen in the comments below. Understandably, some weeks will have considerably fewer releases to address than others.

Now Playing in Theatres

Closer to the Moon (anti-recommended): This dramatization of a real life heist by Jewish Romanian resistance fighters staged to look like it was a movie being filmed takes what could have been an interesting story and incorporates none of its involving elements into its execution, resulting in a bland and uninviting disappointment of a film. Now playing at IFC Center. Read my review from yesterday.

Felix and Meira (recommended): Hadas Yaron, who starred in “Fill the Void,” plays a different kind of Hasidic woman in this story of a religious woman and a secular man who find an unexpected comfort in each other’s arms. The performances from Yaron and Martin Dubreuil enhance a film that starts off from an intriguing vantage point and isn’t entirely sure where it’s headed. Now playing at Lincoln Plaza. Read my review from the New York Jewish Film Festival.

Tangerines (highly recommended): The last of this year’s Oscar nominees for Best Foreign Film is also one of the best of that slate. Estonia’s first nominated film is a powerful and worthwhile account of a tangerine farmer who saves two men on different sides of a war, with strong performances, an engaging story, and a stirring score. Now playing at Lincoln Plaza. Read my review from yesterday.

True Story (mixed bag): James Franco stars as a man on trial for murdering his family and Jonah Hill plays the journalist he wants to tell his story to. It’s a decent premise, based on a true story, but nothing about the film makes it come alive or feel necessary. Now playing all over New York City. Read my review from Sundance.

New to DVD

Antarctica: A Year on Ice (recommended): This documentary looks at what it’s like to spend the whole year in Antarctica. It’s a marvelous collection of stunning imagery and informative and entertaining interviews with those precious few who can call themselves residents of this legendary continent.

Beside Still Waters (mixed bag): Actor Chris Lowell’s directorial debut is an interesting and entertaining film about childhood friends reuniting at a lake house, but it’s not a groundbreaking or particularly compelling story in its own right.

Big Eyes (mixed bag): Tim Burton directs this strange tale of a female painter in the 1950s whose husband took credit for all her work. Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz aren’t challenged all that much, and this film manages to be even more peculiar than its story dictates to mixed effect.

Kidnapping Mr. Heineken (mixed bag): The story of the 1980s abduction of beer magnate Freddy Heineken by a group of criminals is an inherently fascinating tale, but it doesn’t translate to gripping cinema that way that it should despite a strong cast including Jim Sturgess, Sam Worthinton, Ryan Kwanten, and Anthony Hopkins.

Movie with Abe: Tangerines

Tangerines
Directed by Zaza Urushadze
Released April 17, 2015

War affects many people, both those on the front lines and those whose countries, towns, and homes are involved in some way in the conflict. When a war spans multiple countries, it’s often those caught in the middle in a disputed region that end up being placed most in harm’s way. “Tangerines,” an Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Film this past year, is a marvelous and moving account of a tangerine farmer in rural Georgian territory who ends up with two soldiers from different sides forced to recover and live side by side in his home.

Ivo (Lembit Ulfsak) is a kindly older man in Abkhazia in 1990 who lives a quiet life, harvesting tangerines with his neighbor Margus (Elmo Nuganen). His calm is disrupted when two Chechen mercenaries arrive at his door. Though their visit is pleasant enough, their departure is marked by a short battle that leaves many of their Georgian opponents and one of them dead. Ivo takes in Ahmed (Giorgi Nakashidze), but also discovers another wounded man - Niko (Mikheil Meskhi) – who is Georgian. Ivo makes them both promise that they will not kill each other in his house, but that does not stop them from threatening to chop off each other’s heads the moment either steps outside for even a second.

“Tangerines” is a deliberate, carefully-paced film that feels anything but slow. Its original music, from composer Niaz Diasamidze, introduces the impact of its story from the beginning before anything happens, and emphatically underscores the rhythm of living a peaceful existence surrounded by such violence and hate. The tangerine garden serves as a symbol of a small remnant of beauty and sunshine, and Margus in particular is devastated by the prospects of not being able to pick all the tangerines, meaning that the harvest will go to waste. Ivo has a more accepting attitude, but he too clearly relishes the quieter sweetness of life to the angry conflict.

This film relies heavily on its small cast of four main actors to convey a region deeply plagued by ethnic disputes. Both Ahmed and Niko are strong, resilient people, with a heavily wounded Ahmed trying to sneak out of his bed to kill his Georgian enemy and Niko egging his Chechen rival on at every opportunity, insulting his intelligence and his way of life. Mediated by Ivo, they make a magnificent pair. The cast is uniformly excellent in Estonia’s first Oscar-nominated film, a stirring and well-constructed picture of specific representations of broader ideals.

B+

Movie with Abe: Closer to the Moon

Closer to the Moon
Directed by Nae Caranfil
Released March 27, 2015

Movie summaries can be deceptive. I actually try to read as little as possible about a film before I see it, but I happen to have read the short synopsis on IMDB before watching this film. The story of Jewish resistance fighters in Romania from World War II staging a heist under the guise of a filming a movie made this film seem like a more dated European version of “Argo.” What that event does in fact take place during the film, it’s hardly the film’s centerpiece, which turns out to be a far less energizing and worthwhile tale.

“Closer to the Moon,” which is based on a true story, focuses much more heavily on the aftermath of the robbery, as the crime’s Jewish conspirators are held in a Romanian prison and forced to act in a propaganda production that dramatizes their efforts and the ultimate victory of the Communist state. Starry-eyed photographer Virgil (Harry Lloyd) is selected to film it, and he takes it all in with a sense of wonder and energy, augmented by the fact that he was present at the scene of the actual crime.

What Virgil witnesses is a farce of sorts, as these imprisoned criminals, knowing full well that they have been caught and are likely to face execution for their deed, soak up the opportunity to reenact their crime. They make a mockery of the situation by looking at the making of a propaganda film as serious cinema, determined to deliver their best performances. As the film progresses and some of their backstory is revealed, it becomes clearer that they are under no illusions that this freedom from their cells is merely temporary and impermanent. While it’s an intriguing concept, the film’s focus does not gravitate towards its most fascinating or compelling parts.

Lloyd may be known but certainly won’t be recognized from his stint as Viserys Targaryen on “Game of Thrones,” and here he plays the default role of the curious youngster without much self-defining personality who has to weigh his conscience against his duty to the party. The ragtag band of criminals include three prominent actors – Mark Strong, Vera Farmiga, and Christian McKay – all having a good time but not being used to their full potential. This film might have looked good in the history books and on paper, but as realized cinematically, it just doesn’t click.

C

Tuesday’s Top Trailer: Terminator: Genisys

Welcome back to a weekly feature here at Movies with Abe, Tuesday's Top Trailer. One of my favorite parts about going to see movies is the series of trailers that airs beforehand and, more often than not, the trailer is far better than the actual film. Each week, I'll be sharing a trailer I've recently seen. Please chime in with comments on what you think of the trailer and how you think the movie is going to be.

Terminator: Genisys – Opening July 1, 2015

I was nearly positive that I had already written about this trailer in a previous edition of this feature. It seems that I hadn’t, and I definitely have a lot to say about the trailer, particularly the newest one which fills in one major important detail about the film’s plot. If there’s one thing I love more than time travel, it’s alternate realities, and the notion that so many Terminator films have produced so many different timelines is absolutely terrific. This trailer makes a purposeful revision of a scene we all know – “Come with me if you want to live” – but changes the speaker so that it’s Sarah Connor welcoming a confused Kyle Reese to a place very much unlike the past he thought he was being sent back to change. His governating days are over, and so now Arnold Schwarzenegger is back full-time to acting in the role that made him famous, and he’s cut his work cut out for him here, playing a range of different characters, including the young Terminator he debuted in 1984 and a gray-haired version who is bad-ass enough to jump out of a helicopter to save the day. What I didn’t realize in the first trailer is that John Connor plays a big part in this film, and that’s because he’s been modified so that he too is a Terminator of sorts. I like the casting of two unrelated Clarkes, both not actually American, familiar for their TV work above all else. Emilia Clarke is Daenerys on “Game of Thrones,” and this kind of action role may be good for her. I’m more excited about Jason Clarke, from “Brotherhood” and “The Chicago Code,” playing John. More than anything, this should be a fun blockbuster that may not be as mindless as many expect it to.

Saturday Night Movie Recommendations with Abe

Welcome back to a weekly feature here at Movies With Abe. I'm going to be providing a handy guide to a few choice movies currently playing in theatres as well as several films newly released on DVD. I invite you to add in your thoughts on any films I haven’t seen in the comments below. Understandably, some weeks will have considerably fewer releases to address than others.

Now Playing in Theatres

Cheatin’ (recommended): This 76-minute animated film is mostly silent and uses detailed evocative images to tell its story of romance and infidelity. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea but it is a captivating wonder to behold for those with an interest in imaginative animation. Read my review from last week.

Clouds of Sils Maria (highly recommended): Juliette Binoche stars in this complicated, fascinating tale of stardom and an esteemed actress returning to her first project in a markedly different role. Binoche, Chloe Grace Moretz, and Kristen Stewart in particular are terrific as personalities in celebrity culture. Now playing at IFC Center and Lincoln Plaza. Read my review from Wednesday.

Effie Gray (mixed bag): Dakota Fanning stars in this dramatization of the life of the long-suffering wife of an art critic. The overarching story might be interesting, but the way it plans out certainly isn’t, and Fanning is not the right choice to take on the role in question. Now playing at Regal E-Walk, Bow Tie Cinemas Chelsea, and City Cinemas Beekman Theatre. Read my review from last week.

Kill Me Three Times (recommended): Entertainment is paramount in this Australian comedy-thriller with enjoyable performances from Simon Pegg, Teresa Palmer, Alice Braga, Luke Hemsworth, and a handful of others. Now playing at Landmark Sunshine. Read my review from Thursday.

New to DVD

The Imitation Game (recommended): This World War II thriller stars the terrific Benedict Cumberbatch as the leader of a British intelligence unit tasked with breaking the German enigma code. It’s a cool concept that makes for an enthralling if not entirely memorable film.

Intersterllar (highly recommended): Christopher Nolan’s latest film is a grand odyssey into space, one with enduring intensity and marvelous framing. It didn’t get a warm reception from critics and audiences, but aside from one questionable plot point, this is one of his greatest achievements yet.

A Most Violent Year (highly recommended): Oscar Isaac is excellent in J.C. Chandor’s marvelous and entrancing portrait of 1980s New York City and one businessman’s struggle to overcome unknown threats and come out on top. All elements work together to make this a terrific film, and it’s a shame that an expectedly good Jessica Chastain is the only one who got any credit.

Wild (highly recommended): Reese Witherspoon delivers her best performance in years at the center of this emotional drama about a woman who sets out on a 1000-mile hike to redeem herself. Witherspoon is the reason to see this strong and worthwhile film.

Now on Netflix Instant Streaming

Life Partners (recommended): TV stars Leighton Meester and Gillian Jacobs star as best friends, one gay and one straight, who navigate through young adulthood together in this unexpectedly entertaining delight.

Movie with Abe: Kill Me Three Times

Kill Me Three Times
Directed by Kriv Stenders
Released April 10, 2015

The simplest way to tell a story is chronologically, from beginning to end. But there’s something that gets added by using a creative narrative structure, inserting new details into an apparent account of an event as they are revealed in fresh iterations and examinations that bring important information to light. This device works well for “Kill Me Three Times,” the tale of a hitman trying hard to take out his mark, the specifics of which become clearer and clearer as this offbeat comedy fills in the blank about exactly whose fate is in the crosshairs.

We meet a number of characters throughout each of the three sections of the film whose relationships are revealed as it progresses. Charlie Wolfe (Simon Pegg) is a hitman first seen casually pursuing his prey in the desert, interrupting his kill shot to take a phone call. Alice (Alice Braga), who is stuck in a bad relationship with Jack (Callan Mulvey), needs to go to the dentist to get a tooth injury looked at, where it just so happens that Dr. Nathan Webb (Sullivan Stapleton) is planning something malicious with his wife and secretary Lucy (Teresa Palmer). Also in the mix are dirty cop Bruce (Bryan Brown) and kindhearted Dylan (Luke Hemsworth).

It’s not always apparent what is going on in this film, but what’s paramount is its entertainment factor. All of the characters are well-defined and immensely watchable, and their interactions, however puzzling they may be at the start and even at the finish, are pretty fantastic. Assembling the pieces isn’t too difficult, but the film drops its important revelations at just the right moments to further compound the plot and add more backstory to its plot. Sometimes, it feels like a James Bond parody, and at others just an eccentric comedic thriller with an Australian spin.

Pegg is an actor known for films that might seem serious but certainly aren’t meant to be taken as such, and that makes him a good fit for what should be considered the lead role here, even if he doesn’t deliver the strongest performance of the bunch. Braga and Palmer are both terrific as women fighting for their livelihood under very different circumstances, and Brown and Hemsworth enhance their selected supporting scenes. This film above all else is fun, not intent on making sense the entire time but one of the most enjoyable and enthralling experiences of the year so far to watch.

B

Movie with Abe: Clouds of Sils Maria

Clouds of Sils Maria
Directed by Oliver Assayas
Released April 10, 2015

There’s a reason there are so many movies made about making movies: it’s a fascinating process that almost always sees echoes of what’s happening in real life play out on screen. Making such a duality dynamic requires a careful balance of showing the filmmaking process and chronicling those involved in its creation as they interact off screen. “Clouds of Sils Maria” is an ambitious epic tale that follows an aging actress who is forced to look back on her career from a new vantage point as she revisits the project that made her famous in a decidedly different capacity.

Before we meet Maria Enders (Juliette Binoche), we are introduced to her hardworking assistant, Valentine (Kristen Stewart), aboard a train to Zurich. Valentine speaks confidently for her employer, negotiating aggressively on the phone with those who seek to take advantage of her and even behaving boldly enough as to interrupt her boss with a written message while she is on the phone. Maria’s trip to a gala honoring the filmmaker whose classic work served as the launching point of her career is turned devastating by his sudden death, framing the experience in an altogether different light and forcing her to consider whether she should take on the role of the seduced older woman in a restaging of the play in which she, twenty years earlier, played the young seductress.

There is much going on in “Clouds of Sils Maria,” particularly a transformation of Maria as she contemplates where her life and her work have taken her. Aboard the train, she appears buttoned-up and like a diva, and as the film progresses and we see her later in the process of preparing for the role, she has a new haircut and a different attitude, more humbled and less certain about her future and her talents. Her relationship with Valentine is fascinating, and it serves as an excellent and complex mirror of the written dynamic of the play. The Hollywood starlet chosen to take on the role played by a young Maria, Jo-Ann Ellis (Chloe Grace Moretz), adds a new element to the mix, further contemplating Maria’s self-perception.

“Clouds of Sils Maria” has a lot to say about performance, celebrity, age, relevance, and much more. It’s a layered story that transforms considerably over the course of its two-hour runtime, using the haunting backdrop of the Maloja snake, a natural winding cloud phenomenon in Sils Maria, to further emphasize its themes. The casting is crucial and extremely effective, taking three extremely different actresses and giving them fitting parts. Binoche is the seasoned Oscar winner well-equipped to play a venerated actress with her own personal demons and doubts, and Moretz is an up-and-coming young star who, at age eighteen, has demonstrated herself to be very capable of choosing respectable and challenging parts. It’s Stewart, however, who truly impresses, proving herself more than up to the task of getting serious and portraying a relatable, human, and mature character who may just be the most self-aware person in this film. This is the kind of sophisticated, thought-out movie that explores a lot during its runtime and leaves so many lingering questions after its credits roll.

B+

Movie with Abe: The Last Time You Had Fun

The Last Time You Had Fun
Directed by Mo Perkins
Released April 7, 2015 on VOD

A night on the town can be both extremely eventful and extremely therapeutic. This film’s title suggests that its characters have forgotten what it is like to truly have a good time, and that any even partial recreation of “the good old days” would be extremely welcome. A chance encounter at a bar leads to a wild and entertaining night for four very different people, all of whom could use the opportunity to remember what it feels like to be young and alive in this entertaining and enjoyable comedy.

This story begins in two places as it prepares to bring its four protagonists together. Ida (Eliza Coupe) shows up unexpectedly at the home of her sister Alison (Mary Elizabeth Ellis), devastated about the latest development in her destructive marriage. Ida pressures Alison to come out with her and escape from her boring life, a task that requires Alison to bribe her husband with sexual favors. Will (Demetri Matrin) has set up a depraved night for his friend Clark (Kyle Bornheimer) as he begins the single life following a divorce, and Clark comes with him on the condition that he need not change out of his sweatpants. Shortly after that, the two sets of buddies meet at a wine bar when Clark makes the mistake of trying to buy Ida and Alison a drink.

It’s not difficult to predict where the story goes from there, as all four people are very much in need of a thoughtless night where they can separate themselves from their lives. Only Clark is actually single, but there is plenty of debate and conversation from other parties, particularly Ida, who has documented proof that her husband Jake (Jimmi Simpson) regularly engages with other women, a fact confirmed again by Clark and Will when they stop by Ida’s apartment to procure some drugs. Will’s rental of a party limo provides the perfect vehicle, both literal and metaphorical, for an impactful and transformative journey for these four misfits.

All four of these actors should be recognizable from their TV work, though Martin actually got his start with a lead role in “Taking Woodstock” before recently wrapping a season-long recurring gig on “House of Lies.” Coupe will be familiar to “Happy Endings” devotees and also just starred on a short-lived USA series, “Benched.” Bornheimer has starred in four different shows that all got axed over the last decade, and one, “Perfect Couples,” also featured Ellis, who has appeared as Caroline on “New Girl.” These four performers are perfect for this film, a boisterous but subdued look at loneliness and letting inhibitions go. It’s not an extraordinary comedy, but it’s certainly fun and worth a watch on demand.

B

Movie with Abe: Cheatin’ (Capsule Review)

Cheatin’
Directed by Bill Plympton
Released April 3, 2015

There are many ways to tell a story, film being one of them. After that, there are gradual levels of creativity possible, and animation is another layer. Some films use different types of animation to distinguish themselves and be imaginative. Bill Plympton’s “Cheatin’” employs hand-drawn animation that in itself is quite striking to watch, and lets his art do all the talking in a film that has plenty of sounds but no dialogue. As a result, his film’s story has an added poignancy because of its stark and mesmerizing visual presentation, complemented by a purposely discomforting lack of aural support.

Following even the broader plot of “Cheatin’” requires attention to detail, but its title offers a helpful clue. Much of the events in the film can be described as occurring at a whirlwind pace, from the bumper car collision that first introduces the film’s two protagonists to the infidelity that later threatens to tear the couple apart. Its impact is felt in the way in which it visually plays out on screen, with exaggerated figures emphasizing the meaning of each moment. Plympton’s use of colored pencils to create the backdrops is particularly effective, enabling a haunting and captivating tale to come to life. Not all will enjoy 76 minutes of near-silence, but those with an interest in allowing animation to guide a film should certainly check it out.

B+

Movie with Abe: Effie Gray

Effie Gray
Directed by Richard Laxton
Released April 3, 2015

Not all marriages are fated to work. Even the best of friends aren’t guaranteed a happy life together once things turn romantic and a certain sense of permanence sets in. Whether it’s good, bad, or neutral, there is certainly a difference in a relationship once a marriage has happened. In unfortunate cases, however, a blissful engagement period can turn into a truly sour life together for two previously happy people. Sometimes, that transition is a violent and destructive one, and sometimes it is a subtler transformation marked by one spouse’s inability to pay the other any attention.

In this film based on the true story of Effie Gray (Dakota Fanning), a young Scottish woman who is wed to famed art critic John Ruskin (Greg Wise), bliss and joy precede their highly anticipated nuptials. The aftermath, however, is nothing like Effie might have imagined. John is immersed in his work and his preoccupation with art, and sees no room for Effie in anything he does. His promises to take her to exciting places come true to an extent, but John is never a part of them, retreating to a solitary space to work the moment he arrives and putting Effie completely out of his mind for the duration of the visit.

Effie’s yearning for adventure contrasts sharply with John’s serious attitude towards his work, but it goes far beyond that. As portrayed in the film, John ignores Effie at every turn, and shuts her down when it seems that she is happy about something, dismissing its importance or relevance, refusing even to converse about a subject he deems trivial. It’s no surprise that Effie sinks deep into depression as her husband refuses to look at or touch her, leading to the somewhat surprising and historic conclusion that should not be spoiled here since it at least represents a moderately interesting part of the film.

The subject matter here might be of interest to filmgoers, but this film follows a tradition of many period dramas focused on mistreated women failing to capture the true mood or meaning of a given situation, allying themselves with the protagonist but not making her journey come alive. Casting Fanning, who impressed at an early age in “I Am Sam” and other films, as Effie is not a strong choice, since she is not capable of carrying this film with her own energy. Saoirse Ronan and Keira Knightley have played similar parts in the past and been much more effective. The film as a whole remains lonely and depressing, never truly becoming energizing or powerful enough to be impactful.

C

Wednesday Oscar Retrospective: The Big Snub of 2014

Welcome to a returning weekly feature here at Movies with Abe, Wednesday Oscar Retrospective. The Big Snub was the second in a series of projects looking back at the past eight years of the Oscars, dating back to the first ceremony I watched and closely followed. With the 2014 Oscar season wrapped, it’s time to take a look back at the past year.

Each year, the Oscar nominations announcement presents several notable omissions. This series is devoted to analyzing the biggest and most shocking snub of all (in any category). It has nothing to do with personal opinion but rather with what seemed likely at the time and what most people were predicting. Once again, this is a film/director/actor who didn’t even earn a nomination.

The Big Snub of 2014

The Lego Movie for Best Animated Feature
Why it was all set to happen: Forget “Selma,” its director, or its star. There were indicators that many people didn’t see that film and that it might be left out. This film, on the other hand, was a resounding success right off the bat. It was the first out of the gate with an early February release. By the time awards season got started, it was splitting votes with “Big Hero 6” and “How to Train Your Dragon 2” for industry prizes, but there’s no denying the originality and cleverness of its format and plot.

Why it probably didn’t: This comes down to the same thing that got 2012’s Big Snub, director Ben Affleck, omitted from the race: everyone presumed that someone else was voting for the obvious choice. The Best Animated Feature category has included more diversity in recent years in terms of international films, and both the foreign contenders, “Song of the Sea” and “The Tale of the Princess Kaguya,” managed to break through, leaving this film out in the cold.

Who took his place: Those two were joined by this film’s top competition, “Big Hero 6,” the eventual winner, and “How to Train Your Dragon 2.” The fifth slot went to “The Boxtrolls,” which bested its fellow Golden Globe nominee “The Book of Life.”

Consolation prize: The film’s signature tune, “Everything is Awesome,” which was snubbed by Golden Globe voters, did earn a nomination and made for one of the most memorable performances of the evening.

Come back next week for a look at our next feature: The Surprise Inclusion of 2014. If you have a prediction or a suggestion, please leave it in the comments. There a few contenders for this one, so chime in if you have a pick!