The Whistleblower (Canada) - A-
This gripping political thriller about human trafficking may very well become one of the must-see films of 2011. It kept up the intensity without being sensationalizing or exploitive; Rachel Weisz and a strong supporting cast carried the weight of the story with ease and finesse. I walked away with somewhat of a doomsday feeling, saddened by the level of cruelty and injustice that still run rampant in our world, and the extent to which most people - myself included - remain unfamiliar with such situations (even though so much can be found with an Internet search). Yet there is always hope for progress and small victories, even just the little bit of awareness raised by films like this one.
White Irish Drinkers (USA) - B
The story is boggled down with too many familiar elements, but strong directing and acting make this a worthwhile film. Lead actor Nick Thurston proves himself to be one to watch. The blue collar setting and the focus on family relationships (particularly the one between the two brothers) remind me of Ben Affleck's "The Town" - which, granted, is a much better film overall.
Late Autumn (South Korea/USA) - C+
There is a common phenomenon in Chinese (Asian?) cinema, where a female character remains stone-faced and expression-less for an extended period of time, while refusing to answer questions like a normal person. For me it's irksome; and "Late Autumn" seems all too willing to demonstrate this phenomenon for most of the film. I also didn't buy into the chemistry between the two main characters, or how their personalities shifted. Now back to the film itself... There are several clever and creative scenes that shine on their own, but in terms of story structure and character development, the film leaves much to be desired. It feels more like a series of film segments, instead of an organic whole. It's rare to see an Asian/Asian-American film set in Seattle, so it's quite a pity that "Late Autumn" fails to heat up the screen.
Surrogate Valentine (USA) - B
An ultra-low-budget, black-and-white, quasi-road-trip-movie about a singer/songwriter (Goh Nakamura playing a version of himself), a bad actor, and a dubious movie project. That sounds far from a sure bet, so it is a pleasant surprise that "Surrogate Valentine" turns out to be sweet, funny, endearing and enjoyable. The post-screening Q&A was one of the liveliest I've seen, thanks to an excited audience, a beer-influenced Goh Nakamura, and an audience member that downloaded the memorable ringtone from the film right on the spot.
Me with "Surrogate Valentine" director Dave Boyle and star Goh Nakamura
(thanks to Ramsey for taking the photo!)
No comments:
Post a Comment