DVD Review: Uranium Drive-In

Uranium Drive-In is an interesting and completely engaging documentary on the question of whether a poor town should embrace the opening of a uranium mill to help its economy. This documentary doesn’t rely on narration or too many title cards, but rather lets the area’s citizens be the voices on the issue. And because of that, we really feel for people on both sides. And we feel we get a more balanced viewpoint.

The film opens with a somewhat haunting song playing over some nice natural landscape shots, and for a moment I forget that I’m watching a documentary. Our first glimpse of the town’s people is at an outdoor community meeting at which they are addressed by a man from Energy Fuels, the company that is behind the uranium mill. The crowd applauds him. Interestingly, a quirky sense of humor is established for the area, when the towns of Naturita and Nucla are shown on the map of a T-shirt worn by one of the townspeople. This sense is also seen in the shot of the town’s sign, which reads, “Welcome to Nucla – Home of 1000 friendly people and one grouch.”

And then we get to know many of the folks who live in the area, like a married couple that’s been out of work for a while and hoping to secure jobs at the mill when it opens. We also meet members of the Sheep Mountain Alliance, an environmental group opposed to the mill. The film allows us to get quite close to these people, learning a lot about what led them to their various viewpoints on the issue. For example, Sheep Mountain Alliance member Jennifer has taken on the work of her father, who died at the age of forty-four to leukemia. And the mayor of Naturita takes the film crew on a driving tour of the town, pointing out how lots of homes and stores are now vacant because the area’s economy is failing.

The history of the area itself is also quite interesting, particularly the anecdotes regarding Uravan, the entire town of which was condemned due to the presence of radioactive materials in 1984. And yes, there was actually a drive-in theatre in the area called Uranium Drive-In.

What I love is that this is a film that is sympathetic to the human concerns on both sides. It allows, even encourages, the viewers to see the issue from several perspectives and perhaps form their own opinions. I highly recommend seeing it.

Special Features

The DVD contains five deleted scenes, each of them about specific residents of the area, including a former uranium miner and an organic farmer. These scenes total approximately nine minutes. There is also a biography of the film’s director.

Uranium Drive-In was directed by Suzan Beraza, and was released on DVD on October 21, 2014 through First Run Features.

DVD Review: The Grapes Of Death Special Edition

The 1970s were the best decade for cinema, and certainly the best decade for horror films. Jean Rollin’s The Grapes Of Death is one excellent example of what was done within the genre in that great decade. It was released in 1978, the same year as Halloween and Dawn Of The Dead. Sure, its title feels a bit like a joke, but the film is actually really good and quite frightening.

The Film

Two friends, Elizabeth and Brigitte, are traveling by train, but will be splitting up, as Elizabeth will be getting off soon at a small village, a vineyard. The train sequence is quite creepy without the use of scary music or any tricks. A man who is ill, his skin peeling, boards the train and goes right to their compartment. Elizabeth (Marie-Georges Pascal) becomes frightened and flees the room, only to be followed by the man. Does he want to hurt her, or is he seeking her help? Incredibly, it seems to be both. When she rushes off the train (without her luggage), he sits down on the rail, and though he likely killed her companion, you feel for him. What an extraordinary beginning.

And now Elizabeth is alone, without resources, in an unfamiliar territory – a perfect horror scenario. By the way, there are some gorgeous shots, including wide shots of her in this foreign land.

She enters a home, where a man immediately covers one hand with the other, apparently hiding a skin condition similar to that of the man on the train. He and his daughter stare at her, refusing her use of the phone and the car. It isn’t long before she witness the man kill his own daughter, and then she has to make the decision whether to kill someone herself. This film quickly and strongly establishes its world. Elizabeth is in an unfamiliar land, and can’t trust anyone, until she meets a blind girl who had fled some fighting in her village. And the film just gets better and better, more and more frightening, as Elizabeth becomes more immersed in this nightmare with each turn.

One thing I like is that Elizabeth is not a weak or stupid character by any means, which is refreshing. Also, this is a zombie-type film without actual zombies. These are people who are sick, who are sometimes aware of what they’re doing, the horrors they’re committing, but can’t help themselves. And that is much more frightening, and also sad, because a viewer is more able to place himself or herself in their position, something which is impossible in a straight zombie film.

The Special Features

·        Interview with Jean Rollin and Brigitte Lahaie (This feature is actually two separate interviews edited together, plus a bit of footage from a panel with both Jean Rollin and Brigitte Lahaie. There are also some brief scenes from Jean Rollin’s work. The interviews are conducted in English, and Jean Rollin talks about an early film-going experience, and also about images and imagination. This feature is approximately thirty-three minutes.)

·        Theatrical Trailers (There are two trailers.)

·        Jean Rollin biography

·        Jean Rollin filmography

·        Photo gallery

·        Insert with liner notes by Nigel J. Burrell

The Specs

·        Widescreen presentation (1.66:1 aspect ratio)

·        Original French language, with optional English subtitles

·        Time: 90 minutes

This special edition DVD of The Grapes Of Death was released in 2002 through Synapse Films.

DVD Review: My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks

Rainbow Rocks is the sequel to last year’s My Little Pony: Equestria Girls, a full-length animated feature film taking place mainly in the human world which has characters that are parallel to those familiar folks of Ponyville – Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, Apple Jack, and of course Pinkie Pie. This one begins in the human world, with three teenagers arguing in a diner. They are soon revealed to be sirens who were banished from Equestria. Suddenly they see a display of Equestrian magic (from the end of the previous film), and decide to use it to gain adoration from everyone in this world.

The students of Canterlot High School are planning a musical showcase to raise money to help fund after-school programs. The girls have a band, and sing about being friends. (Of course, Pinkie Pie is on drums. Go Pinkie!) Magic happens when they play; they gain some of the properties of their parallel pony selves. Rainbow Dash of course takes credit for starting the band.

The girls are now friends with Sunset Shimmer, though when Sunset Shimmer says, “The old me really was just awful, wasn’t she,” all the girls agree. And I especially love Pinkie Pie’s joyous, “Yup!” Have I mentioned that I love Pinkie Pie?

The three sirens want their true equestrian magic back, and they change the musical showcase to a battle of the bands, turning the event into a competition and breeding animosity among classmates, which then fuels their own power. They cast a spell on all the students and even the faculty of Canterlot High – with the exceptions of our heroes, who soon realize something is wrong. They contact Princess Twilight by writing a letter to her in their magic book (something the creators admit to ripping off from a fantasy novel in the DVD commentary track). When Twilight gets the message, the book there vibrates like a cell phone, which is a cute touch.

There are some really nice moments in this film. Pinkie Pie’s antics make me laugh, like when she explains Twilight’s idea of creating another portal to the human world. The girls realize they have to combat the sirens’ spell with a musical spell of their own, leading to a great moment when Pinkie Pie tries to get Twilight to play the theremin. (Have I mentioned how much I love Pinkie Pie?)

However, this film isn’t nearly as good as the best of the My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic episodes. The trap door in the stage floor is a little too convenient, and the climactic battle of the bands sequence goes on for a long time, and doesn’t have as much charm as the other scenes. (Also, it reminds of that awful battle of the bands sequence from Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World.)

Special Features

The DVD includes a commentary track by Michael Vogel (VP of development at Hasbro Studios), Brian Lenard (executive director at Hasbro Studios), Meghan McCarthy (screenwriter of Rainbow Rocks), Jayson Thiessen (supervising director of Rainbow Rocks) and Ishi Rudell (co-director of Rainbow Rocks). Surprisingly, one person makes a Dungeons & Dragons reference right off the bat (to the Bag of Holding, a magical item that would really help me clean my apartment). But overall this commentary track doesn’t offer a whole lot of information on the making of this film.

There are also eight shorts that act as prequels to the film. Three of them are seriously good. A Case For The Bass is a cute and funny short in which Apple Jack tries to get her bass back after Granny accidentally sells it to the owners of a second-hand shop. Hamstocalypse Now is probably my favorite. In this one, Rarity attempts to help Fluttershy with hamsters, and we all learn that hamsters like the tambourine. (Though it seems odd to give it a title that refers to a film that this DVD’s likely audience would never have heard of.) The third one that I really like is Pinkie On The One, in which Pinkie Pie helps Rainbow Dash find a drummer for the band. It’s absolutely adorable. Of the others, three are basically music videos.

The special features also include three sing-alongs, to the songs “Better Than Ever,” “Battle” and “Rainbooms Battle,” with the lyrics at the bottom of the screen.

Friendship Is Magic Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks is scheduled to be released on DVD and Blu-ray on October 28, 2014 through Shout! Factory.

DVD Review: Header

Header is a horror film about some hicks and the peculiar way they get their revenge on each other.

The Film

Federal agent Stewart Cummings (Jake Suffian) is dealing with increasing medical costs for his sick girlfriend by going on the take. He even says, “I’m a fed on the take.” He is supposed to be busting moonshiners (really?), but instead becomes interested in a series of murders happening in the area. The murders are committed by Travis Clyde Tuckton (Elliot V. Kotek), who just got out of jail and laments that nothing is going right for him. His grandfather teaches him the art of the header, which is drilling a hole in someone’s skull and then having one’s way with the hole. Travis quickly becomes an aficionado, and his grandfather enjoys watching and cheering him on (“Hump that head, boy, hump it!”). Supposedly, these murders are done in revenge, but the filmmakers neglected to really develop that angle.

The dialogue is awful. The acting is dubious, at best. All of the characters are despicable, and so you just don’t care what happens to any of them. Even Stewart’s sick girlfriend turns out to be a terrible person. This could have been a much creepier and scarier film. Oh well.

The Special Features

·        The Director (This is a six-minute interview with Archibald Flancranstin, conducted during production. He says his expectation for the film is “Notoriety,” but the goal is to “Wake up America.” Oh boy.)

·        The Author (This is a ten-minute interview with Edward Lee, who says the characters are just as he pictured them when writing the story. Toward the end of this feature, he rehearses the lines for his small role.)

·        The Guest (This is a twelve-minute interview with novelist Jack Ketchum, who performed a small role in the film. The guy who conducts the interviews must be in junior high, because he asks stupid questions like, “If you were a woman, would you suck your own nipples?” He asked that one to both Edward Lee and Jack Ketchum, so clearly he’s proud of that particular question.)

·        The Star (This is an eight-minute interview with Jake Suffian, which was conducted toward the end of production. He says it’s his first feature film.)

·        The Producer (This is a nine-minute interview with Michael Anthony.)

·        The Effects (This feature includes interviews with Alex Marthaller, David Plunkett, Brian Ray and Ryan Carroll, as well as some behind-the-scenes footage. It is approximately eleven minutes.)

·        Promotional Trailers (There are two trailers, each approximately a minute long.)

The Specs

·        Widescreen Presentation (1.78:1 aspect ratio)

·        Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo

·        Time: 89 minutes

·        Language: English

Header was released on DVD in 2009 through Synapse Films.

DVD Review: A Haunting At Preston Castle

Halloween is nearly here, so it’s the perfect time for some ghost stories. A Haunting At Preston Castle tells the tale of three college-age friends who decide to hang out in the supposedly haunted reform school known as Preston Castle (a real place located in Ione, California).

A title card at the beginning tells us, “On April 12, 1950, a young inmate was beaten to death in a California boys’ prison…The murder was never solved…or even reported.” Then a second title card adds, “…sometimes he comes back, for revenge.” I personally would have left off the “for revenge” bit, because it comes across as silly. Just “…sometimes he comes back” is creepier. The film opens with a series of black and white photographs to give a sense of history and reality of the place, before moving into the present, where a police officer looks through a vehicle. He radios in that he’s located the missing vehicle, and as the camera pulls back to a wonderful wide shot of the area we hear him say there is no sign of the missing girl. The camera continues to pull back farther and farther, showing us more of the area. It’s a nice opening.

Two days earlier, Liz (Mackenzie Firgens) is lamenting the demise of her latest relationship, when her friend Ashley (Heather Tocquigny) calls to tell her that her previous boyfriend is looking good and is going to meet them at the river the next day. As they drive to the river, we recognize the vehicle as the one the cop finds, so we know at least one of these two girls is in trouble.

Unfortunately, Liz has a video camera, which means we have to deal with some video footage of the events throughout the film. In fact, when Danny (Jake White) shows up at the river, Liz films him, asking if he has a girlfriend and so on. She seems a bit old for that sort of thing, but whatever (I know she’s supposed to be in college, but she appears to be in her thirties). The three get in Danny’s vehicle and drive to Preston Castle. On the way, they talk about the place, as a way to set up that it’s haunted. “Hey, when was the last death that happened there anyway?” one of the girls asks Danny. Danny has all the stories about the place, and tells the girls about two teenagers who sneaked in (and yes, we get a bit of a flashback). He says: “They found her blood-soaked body. It looked like it had been violently thrown up against a wall or something. They never really did figure out what happened.” Oh boy. So one of the girls says she doesn’t think they should go in there because “something bad might happen.” Yeah, it’s terrible dialogue.

Liz is clearly over her recent breakup, because she begins flirting with Danny and then kissing him. Ashley gives them some privacy by going off by herself. The shots where she wanders through the building alone are sufficiently creepy and tense. I like that the sequence is allowed to go on long enough to really build some tension.

I’m not a big fan of the device of a character having a video camera, but this film does put it to some good effect at certain moments. For example, early on, when Liz is filming the interior of Preston Castle, we hear Danny and Ashley talking, and their voices get quieter as Liz obviously is moving away from them. It’s a nice way of establishing the separation of characters at that point. But I could really do without the blinking red light constantly reminding us we’re looking through a video camera. It removes us from what’s happening. This is not a found footage film, so this video stuff isn’t constant, but it used a bit too much, not just by Liz with her camera, but by Ashley with her phone.

Ashley has some trouble finding her way back downstairs, and for some reason keeps filming herself with her phone, saying, “I just want get out of here.” Okay, then quit fucking around on your phone and get a move on! The film gets a bit irritating at this point. Finally the other two go looking for Ashley. And the rest of the movie is them wandering around in the dark, looking for Ashley and arguing.

These are not the world’s greatest actors, but a good deal of the problem is the script (or perhaps lack of one). The dialogue is so relentlessly bad and repetitive that it leaves me wondering if a large portion of it wasn’t improvised.

But it is certainly an excellent location. And there is some creepy imagery, and there are a few tense moments. I absolutely love the moment where Liz is crouched by some metal bed frames. It’s really well done and frightening. But there just aren’t enough scenes like that. This might be one of those movies where the fun is watching it with some friends and laughing at the ineptitude of the characters.

By the way, on the DVD cover it says “Inspired by true events.” But at the end of the closing credits it says: “This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in the film are fictional.” So as far as I can discover, the bit that’s apparently true is that a housekeeper named Anna Corbin was killed there in the 1950s. (In the story of this film, the boy was killed was the one responsible for murdering the housekeeper.)

A Haunting At Preston Castle was directed by Martin Rosenberg, and was released on DVD on October 7, 2014 through Inception Media Group. The DVD contains the film’s trailer.

DVD Review: Young & Beautiful

Young & Beautiful is a near-perfect film about a young woman who, seemingly without need or cause, lives a secret life as a prostitute. It stars Marine Vacth as Isabelle, the young woman, in an extraordinary performance.

The opening shot is of Isabelle in a bikini on a beach, and it is from a distance through binoculars that we see her. Our first vision of her is through the eyes of a voyeur, which are every filmgoer’s eyes, aren’t they? As she lies, topless on the beach, a hand’s shadow touches her skin, her breasts, her face. It turns out to be her younger brother, Victor, and so a bit of harmless fun. But by then we’ve already become accustomed to admiring her physical form, and perhaps simultaneously worrying about others doing so. It’s an interesting way to introduce the lead character to the audience, particularly in relation to what is to come. One might simultaneously desire her and desire to protect her.

It is summer, and Isabelle embodies that youthful attitude that we’ll always associate with the season. She is excited, uncertain, nervous, trying to act cooler than she is, uncertain even of her own beauty when talking to Felix, a boy she is interested in, on the beach. Then as she gets ready for a date with Felix, she asks Victor how she looks. “You look like a whore,” he tells her. “Really?” she asks, interested but not offended. And that night, on the eve of turning seventeen, she loses her virginity. It’s an interesting scene, where she becomes detached from her own first sexual experience. And is it that sense of detachment that leads her to do what she does?

Her family is then packing up, as it’s the end of summer. As they drive home, their car passes Felix on his bicycle. Isabelle says nothing, and it seems that experience is already in the past for her.

The film is divided into sections by season, and as we go into autumn, we see the blues of the metal and glass of the city, a contrast to the warmer tones of the beach, as Isabelle (calling herself Lea) goes to see a client. The man is much older than she’d been expecting, and admits to lying about his age. She too lies about her age, telling him she’s twenty. He asks if she’s a student. She says yes, and he says, as if understanding, that times are difficult. But we see from her expression, and we know from earlier scenes, that that is not her reason for doing this. Of course, this causes us to wonder just what her reasons are.

There’s an interesting moment when she sees that client while at the theater with her parents, and goes from at first sliding down in her seat to hide from him to then deliberately making eye contact with him in the lobby during intermission. Is it a test of her powers? It works. He sends her a message requesting another meeting. And you get the sense that she feels some pride in that, in her ability, in her charms.

This film is actually quite beautiful, especially considering the subject matter. There is a montage where Isabelle sees several clients, and it’s done with almost a warmth that is surprising. Also, I absolutely love the music in this movie.

Partway through it becomes more about how her mother deals with Isabelle, and how this experience affects Isabelle’s relationships with other people. It’s completely engrossing and fascinating, and features excellent performances all around, including that by Fantin Ravat as Isabelle’s younger brother. And I especially appreciate the appearance of Charlotte Rampling late in the film. There is something enchanting about that woman, and her presence always adds to a film.

Young & Beautiful was written and directed by Francois Ozon, who also directed 8 Women and Swimming Pool. It was released on DVD on August 26, 2014. The DVD contains the film’s trailer. The film is presented in French, with English subtitles.

DVD Review: The Soul Man: The Complete Second Season

The Soul Man is a situation comedy starring Cedric The Entertainer as Boyce Ballentine, a famous singer-turned-preacher. While the first season found Boyce trying to strike a balance between his past as a music star and his new life as a pastor, most of the second season is about family, particularly his relationship with his wife, Lolli (Niecy Nash) and with his brother, Stamps (Wesley Jonathan). Boyce’s daughter is away at boarding school for most of the season. Kim (Kellee Stewart), Lolli’s sister, plays a much bigger role in the second season.

This season also has story elements that are carried through more than one episode. For example, in the first episode we see Boyce preparing for his podcast, something that then comes into play in later episodes. And there is the running joke of Boyce’s father claiming to be a funny man, which always gets a laugh from me. In fact, that line is the first big laugh of the season. In the first episode, Barton (John Beasley) says: “It was a joke. I’m a funny man.” And he says it with such a great serious intensity. (I basically love it whenever John Beasley is on screen.)

That first episode has a few lame jokes (the “upside down light bulb”), but it has some wonderful lines as well (Lolli’s “You are going to the doctor, so I made a list of everything that’s wrong with you” is a perfect example). There are good lines in each of the episodes. For example, check out this line from “Daddy And Mommy Dearest”: “Boyce, I know it looks like me and Robin got it made, with the RV and the Asian kid.” And from that same episode: “You know, if you drain the baptismal pool and flush the upstairs toilet at the same time, not even Jesus would walk on that water.”

One of my favorite episodes is “My Brother’s Keeper.” Lyric, Boyce’s daughter, is away at boarding school, and Boyce and Lolli are happy to have the place to themselves. (There’s a cute moment regarding spare change early in the episode.) They have peace for about two minutes, and then Stamps moves in, after Barton kicks him out. Barton tells Boyce: “The good book says you are your brother’s keeper. Stamps is your brother. You’re keeping him.” This is a particularly funny episode. All four of the cast members shine in this one.

My absolute favorite episode, however, is “Boyce In The Hood.” In this one, Boyce uses his podcast to try to secure employment for some criminals as part of his second chances program. And Stamps wants to open a bakery/café. The thugs like what he’s baked. One of them says, “Yeah, I might stab a guy for these if I wasn’t trying to watch my weight.” Another says: “These are good, and I ain’t even high… All right, I’m a little high.” Those are hilarious lines in a truly funny scene. And there’s some more good pot humor later in the episode, with Cedric giving an excellent performance as someone who unintentionally got stoned. Check out his reading of “Man, I’m so mad at him right now.” Seriously, it couldn’t be better. (I do have to mention that Boyce mispronounces the word “forte,” giving it a second syllable, which a common mistake.)

The weakest episode is “Love Thy Neighbor,” which feels juvenile and somewhat beneath these characters. It’s about Boyce and Lolli wanting to be invited to their neighbors’ parties.

The episode “The Punching Preacher” has a glaring mistake. When Boyce punches a man in the bar, we see someone in the foreground recording the scene on a camera. But then the footage that’s leaked to the media is the same footage; that is, we see the camera in the foreground again, when of course it should be that camera’s perspective that we see. The problem is increased when Stamps puts together a music video from that footage, and the video includes the reverse shot, something he wouldn’t have access to. And later Lolli has some trouble pronouncing the word “ask.” But there are some really funny moments and lines in this episode. I particularly like the lines, “Byrd, with that kind of money, we can take the quotation marks off of ‘Fresh Fish’” and “I became the lord’s designated hitter.” And Cedric’s delivery of “Okay” after sipping a drink named after him is perfect.

One thing I loved from the first season which is sadly lacking in the second is the various songs playing over the closing credits. This time around, we just get the same instrumental tune to end each episode. Those other songs were some of the funniest things in the show during the first season.

Special Features

This two-disc set contains some bonus features, including Cedric And The After Party, a series of funny segments in which Cedric fields questions from members of the show’s audience after each taping. At one point John Beasley comes out, after a fan from Omaha mentions him. (These segments total approximately sixteen minutes.)

There is also a short interview with Niecy Nash, in which she talks about communication in relationships, and about etiquette in the salon. And there’s an even shorter interview with Wesley Jonathan about dating. These interviews total approximately three minutes.

The Soul Man: The Complete Second Season is scheduled to be released on October 21, 2014 through Shout! Factory.

DVD Review: Ida

Ida is an absolutely incredible film about a young nun who is about to take her vows, but is told she must first visit Wanda, her only living relative, a woman with information on the nun’s identity. The film takes place in 1962, and has the feel of a film from the period. It is presented in black and white, in the old square aspect ratio. This in no way feels like a gimmick, but feels absolutely germane and natural to the story being told.

It opens with several quiet shots. As a light snow falls, a group of nuns put up a religious statue, in a gorgeous yet stark and cold wide shot. We then see the daily routine of the nuns – prayer, eating meals in silence, and so on. After the setting and feel are established is the young novice told she must visit her aunt Wanda, a woman whom the orphanage had contacted but who had never come to claim the girl. And off she ventures into the world.

Wanda (Agata Kulesza) is not at first welcoming when Ida (Agata Trzebuchowska) shows up at her door, and she asks her, “Are you a Jewish nun?” Ida is confused, until Wanda tells her, “You’re a Jew,” and that her last name is Lebenstein. While Wanda reveals some other facts about Ida’s past, the camera stays on Ida, holding firmly on her as she stares up at Wanda. It’s an excellent shot. Much of this film is made of static shots, and so everything is told within the steady frame – by what’s included and what’s withheld. I love the shots where Wanda is small in the frame, and out of center. And partly due to the static shots, the film relies heavily on the two leads, both of whom give remarkable performances.

Ida expresses a desire to visit her parents’ graves. And so Wanda takes her to the home where her parents lived, in search of a man who will be able to shed light on how they died and where they’re buried. These provides for some wonderfully intense scenes. The shadows of World War II are still strong, but this is not a political film.

Ida walks between two worlds, in some ways belonging truly to neither. (There’s a harsh moment when she denies any connection to the Lebensteins to a priest who provides her with shelter for the night.) Wanda herself has an interesting past; she was a prosecutor in the 1950s, and so there is likely innocent blood on her hands. What I love is that the film doesn’t condemn anyone. These are human characters who have made choices and who continue to make choices. There are no clear lines of right and wrong here, and that is something that Ida seems to learn about the world outside of the convent. And when she returns to the convent, it is not in the same spirit or state with which she left it.

Ida is a film that I know is going to stay with me for a long time, and one that I plan on watching again soon. It is presented in Polish with optional subtitles in either English or French.

Special Features

This is a really nice DVD package, including a booklet, which most releases don’t seem to have anymore. Music Box clearly shows a lot of care and respect for the film, much in the same way that Criterion is known to do. The booklet contains two essays, several photos, and short biographies of the director and two main actors.

The DVD itself has several special features, including a Q&A with director Pawel Pawlikowski, which was recorded in October of 2013 at the BFI London Film Festival. It is approximately twenty-one minutes, and is conducted in English. Pawlikowski talks about how the idea of identity is important to him, and how Wanda was inspired by a person he once knew (that’s a very interesting anecdote). He also talks about the use of black and white, and of the framing, the aspect ratio. It’s surprising to learn that the woman who played Ida never acted before.

On The Set Of Ida is a short piece with interviews with several key people on the set, including Pawel Pawlikowski, producer Ewa Puszczynska, director of photography Lukasz Zal, and actors Dawid Ogrodnik and Joanna Kulig.

There is also a seven-minute interview with Pawl Pawlikowski, in which he talks about rewriting, and the way things change during the various stages of the film. The special features also include the film’s theatrical trailer.

Ida was released on DVD on September 23, 2014 through Music Box Films.

DVD Review: Floating Skyscrapers

Floating Skyscrapers is a drama about a man named Kuba who is torn between two loves and is unable to choose, and the effect this has on all three people. It is at times beautiful, at times intense, and ultimately a very moving love story.

Kuba (Mateusz Banasiuk) is shown early on as a bit of an outsider in his girlfriend’s world, not mingling at an art showing, but instead sneaking off outside for some air. It is there that he meets Michal (Bartosz Gelner), an incredibly attractive man, and the two share a joint. There’s a nice moment when his girlfriend, Sylwia (Marta Nieradkiewicz), goes out for a smoke, and we expect her to see Kuba straight away. After a moment she glances to her left. And the camera holds on her a while as she watches. The steady shot builds up tension until finally we see what she sees – Kuba and Michal talking, sharing a smoke just inside another door. From the look on her face, there might be more significance to this seemingly innocent act. But then she smiles, and when she goes to him, there are several other people there talking with them, so the tension is relieved, at least for the moment.

This film is actually excellent at building emotional tension through steady reaction shots. It’s not afraid to hold on a character for a significant amount of time. And it works in part because of the strong performances by the three leads. It also doesn’t hurt that all three are attractive, and that they’re able to express so much with simply a look.

Kuba and Michal begin spending time together, and Sylwia is often alone. It is interesting, because at first the film isn’t explicit about just what has or hasn’t happened between them; nor is it explicit about what Sylwia knows or doesn’t know. And so we begin to imagine perhaps more than what’s actually happened, and in doing so we come to identify with Sylwia, as she might be doing the same thing. There is a wonderful scene where the three of them are eating, with Michal and Sylwia seated opposite one another. At one point she just stares across at him. He must sense her eyes on him, but he doesn’t look up, doesn’t meet her gaze. And it’s then you begin to think more has happened than what we’ve seen. But what’s wonderful is that it’s the emotional bond between Kuba and Michal that we as the audience are sensing and responding to, not any sort of physical act. And it is the same thing that Sylwia is responding to.

I also like that this isn’t one of those films where a man one day meets another man and suddenly realizes he’s gay. Kuba’s passion is swimming, and there are early scenes with him and another man in the locker room by the pool. These are quick encounters that lack passion and love, but show that he is already trying to deal with conflicting feelings and drives. By the way, there are some nice underwater shots in the pool.

Kuba’s home situation strikes me as a bit odd. He still lives with his mother, and Sylwia has moved into his room with him. It is the relationship with his mother that seems unusual, particularly because of the scene where he is giving her a massage in the bathtub. Then interestingly we go more into Michal’s world, first learning of a strong relationship between him and his mother in a scene where she actually asks about Kuba. And we meet the rest of his family, including a father who has not been as understanding and supportive. The contrast between the two mothers in their reactions to the new relationship sheds a lot of light on how each of the men approaches the relationship.

The heart of this film really lies within the excellent performances by the three leads, particularly by Marta Nieradkiewicz as Sylwia. You feel for all three characters, but her pain seems the strongest. She’s aware of what she’s losing, and tries desperately to hold on. And I absolutely love the very ending of this film.

Floating Skyscrapers was written and directed by Tomasz Wasilewski, and was released on DVD on September 30, 2014 through TLA Releasing and Canteen Outlaws. It is presented in Polish with English subtitles. The DVD includes the film’s trailer.

DVD Review: My Little Pony: The Complete Series

A couple of decades before we all learned about the magic of friendship, there was another My Little Pony television program. This one features mostly different characters, with names like Surprise, Cupcake, Gusty, Rosedust, Honeysuckle and Baby Cuddles. There are also lots of other creatures in this series, such as the Bushwoolies and the Furbobs. Also, this show has some human characters interacting with the ponies. But there is one character who will be familiar to fans of Friendship Is Magic. Spike, the baby dragon, appears in this series, though with a slightly different look.

This show is more decidedly aimed at young children, and it doesn’t quite have the charm of the current series. Also, there is some annoying baby talk in many of the episodes, stuff like “Me try” (from “Little Pieces Of Magic”). But like Friendship Is Magic, this show includes musical numbers. And there are important messages for children included throughout the series, such as to not give up, to find the good in people, and to set aside personal differences to work together toward a common goal. And often the songs include the messages, as in the episode “Sweet Stuff And The Treasure Hunt,” which ends with a song about being glad you are who you are.

The voices for this series are done by different actors from those of Friendship Is Magic, but that doesn’t mean these voices will be unfamiliar to you. Nancy Cartwright is among those who provided voices for this series. Fans of The Simpsons will recognize her as the voice of Bart Simpson. Clive Revill also does some voice work on the series. Star Wars fans will recall he provided the voice of the emperor in The Empire Strikes Back. And there are a few guest voices in a couple of the episodes.

The episodes are not presented completely in the proper order. Two episodes from the fourth disc – “Rescue At Midnight Castle” and “Escape From Catrina” – should be at the beginning of the first disc, for it seems these ones actually precede the series.

Here are some episodes of note:

“The End Of Flutter Valley”

“The End Of Flutter Valley” is a ten-part story, in which a witch and her daughters decide to ruin the ponies’ celebration because they hate Flutter Valley. Things don’t go according to plan, and the mother laments her daughters’ failure to ruin the celebration: “I don’t understand it. I’ve done everything a mother could do to make you low and miserable and wretched.” This series does have some cute humor like that, which will appeal to adults as well as children. The witches don’t give up, and their new plan involves stealing the Sun Stone from the Flutter Ponies so that the valley will become dark and dreary. (A lot of time is spent with the witches and with giant bees, who also hate the Flutter Ponies – though it is unclear just why they do.) The bees steal the Sun Stone and then capture and enslave the flutter ponies. The witches sing a cute song about the joys of dark and dirty things. Morning Glory and a bee named Sting seek the help of a human girl named Megan to return the Sun Stone.

“The Ghost Of Paradise Estate”

“The Ghost Of Paradise Estate” is a four-part episode, in which a ghost frightens the baby ponies. Megan sings a song about how ghosts don’t exist, but later the ghost returns and Megan and Molly see it too. The ghost says it’s his house, and he wants everyone to leave and then sings one of the best songs of the series (if I can get a recording of it, I’ll add it to my Halloween play list). The ghost then reveals itself to be a magical creature named Pluma, capable of transforming its shape. Pluma is after a magical stone to give to an evil monster, who plans to flood the land so he can rule again.

“The Great Rainbow Caper”

This episode features another magical amulet, this one controlling a traveling rainbow. Monkeys are using monitors to spy on the kids and ponies. The monkeys kidnap Danny and Surprise, hoping to steal the amulet. One of the kids, Danny, compliments the monkeys by saying one of their gadgets is “radical.” That totally takes me back to the 1980s, for sure.

“Bright Lights”

“Bright Lights” is a strange four-part episode, which begins with Knight Shade putting on a pop concert for Megan, Molly and the ponies. Megan tells a dancing pony to “sit down and be quiet.” Not the typical young girl, Megan. By the way, Knight Shade sings “Do The Moonwalk.” Three young ponies run into Zeb, Knight Shade’s shady manager, who invites them to join the tour. Some magic green gas makes them tired and takes away their shadows. It seems the message is not to try to get backstage to meet your favorite bands.

In the second part of this one, Megan says: “Look at the sick children. They cast no shadows. That’s the reason they’re sick. Knight Shade must have stolen their shadows.” A pony responds: “That makes sense. No doubt they feel empty and incomplete, the loss of their shadows being an outward sign of some loss of substance.” Ha! This might be the most absurd storyline. Knight Shade tells the ponies that an evil wizard gives him orders through a mirror, forcing him to supply him with shadows. “If I don’t help him, he’ll steal my shadow, which would end my career,” Knight Shade says. Yeah, basically every line is silly. It’s best to be a bit stoned for this one, particularly during the third part, when the evil wizard and Zeb do a song and dance routine about tasty shadows.

At one point Zeb knocks the satchel of shadows out of Zeb’s hand, and it lands on the floor. Knight Shade tells Megan to grab it. Oddly, she and the ponies enter the castle and Megan says, “The satchel should be in one of these rooms.” No, it should be on the floor near the doorway where it landed. This episode ends with another concert scene, again with the song about the moonwalk, but this time with the audience all seated respectfully.

“The Magic Coins”

“The Magic Coins” is a four-part episode in which the ponies find a treasure chest full of coins that seem to grant wishes. When it rains, spoiling their fun, one pony wishes that it would never rain again. And that has disastrous consequences. Megan and the ponies seek help from the troll who once owned the coins, and Megan promises they’ll bring the troll something of equal worth to the coins if he promises to undo the wishes. The troll responds with a line that made me laugh: “Sounds fair, not that I care anything about being fair.” And the ponies sing a song about what they should get for the troll (“How about a nice big fur?” That would work for me). Well, the troll is no help. And then there is a fire to contend with. But guess what? Friendship is the key.

“Woe Is Me”

“Woe Is Me” is a two-part episode, and is one of my favorites. It opens with a dinosaur chasing a little guy named Woebegone into the ponies’ land. The dinosaur tells them, “He’s big trouble.” A rain cloud follows Woebegone, and bad things begin happening. Was the giant predator actually trying to help the ponies? The ponies are divided on whether Woebegone should stay or go. Woebegone tells the story about how his bad luck began. The first episode’s song, with the line, “Come back, little hobo, come back,” is really cute. And the second episode’s song is one of the best of the series. This episode doesn’t have Megan or Molly, and does have a message about believing in yourself.

“Baby, It’s Cold Outside”

At beginning of this two-part episode, an early snow has one of the ponies worried (though the others are playing). The penguin king’s icy stare is turning the world to a winter landscape. “All who are unworthy of living in such a lovely climate will be frozen, and I shall rule the whole world,” he boasts. Edgar, his son, isn’t happy with his father’s plans. This episode features a cool, slightly funky song (and the episode’s title comes from one of the best winter songs of all time). After Megan and the ponies are captured, Edgar helps them escape in a scene that owes a bit to the opening of Raiders Of The Lost Ark.

“The Revolt Of Paradise Estate”

In this two-part episode, Paradise Estate is falling into disrepair, and a mysterious stranger sells the ponies a can of magic paint, which brings inanimate objects to life. It isn’t long before the objects become demanding, and then want the ponies out of the way. The first line of the second part, “I say we go back in there and show that furniture who’s boss,” reminds me of my favorite line from Pink Flamingos: “The couch – it rejected you.”

“Rescue At Midnight Castle”

Though on the fourth disc, this seems to actually be the earliest episode, and it introduces the characters of Megan and Spike. Some ponies are kidnaped by dragons, and Spike is at the castle they are taken to. Firefly goes off seeking help and meets Megan, who exclaims, “Talking pony!” Megan owns a pony named TJ, the non-talking variety, whom we never see again. I suppose Megan loses interest in TJ when she learns about the more magical ponies. Poor TJ. This episode features Tony Randall as the voice of Mr. Moochick, which is just one of the many things that set this one apart. The sea ponies have an introductory musical number. And Applejack is in this episode (voiced by Sandy Duncan, who also provides the voice of Firefly). I would have loved this episode when I was a kid, for it has lots of D&D-type creatures.

“Spike’s Search”

There is one special Spike episode, “Spike’s Search,” in which Spike needs to learn how to control his fire-breath, and so goes on a quest to meet and learn from other dragons. Fans of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic might notice some similarities between this episode and “Dragon Quest,” an episode in that series.

“Escape From Catrina”

The two-part episode “Escape From Catrina” stars Tammy Grimes as Catrina, and Paul Williams as Rep, Catrina’s servant. This episode features the introduction of the Bushwoolies, who are first seen as Catrina’s slaves. After the Bushwoolies escape, Catrina decides to enslave the ponies. This is a really adorable episode.

My Little Pony: The Complete Series was released on September 30, 2014 through Shout! Factory. The four-disc DVD set contains no special features.

DVD Review: Behaving Badly

A comedy that opens with the line “I am so fucked” is jumping off to a good start. After all, don’t they say that comedy comes from pain? The voice over continues: “I make one stupid bet with a sociopathic Lithuanian kid, and now my best friend’s in jail, my dad is a fugitive, they found a dead body in my mom’s trunk, the love of my life thinks I’m the antichrist, and I have crabs.” When Rick finds his mother after a suicide attempt, he calls 911, and when he gives his address, the dispatcher says happily, “Oh, hi, Rick.” And on the garage door, his mother had painted, “While I’m dead, feed the dog” (the name, incidentally, of the book the film is based on). And this is all in the first two minutes of the quirky comedy Behaving Badly. At that point, you’re either on board or you’re not. Rick speaks directly to the camera; that is, directly to us. And he takes us back to two weeks earlier, when, as he says, he wasn’t fucked – “not even close.” And the movie gets underway.

The title of the film reminds me of the British series Men Behaving Badly, except in this film it’s everyone who is behaving badly. Or, nearly everyone. We meet the other characters in quick succession, and one way or another each of them is fucked. There is Nina, the girl he’s in love with (and whose parents are religious nuts); Lucy, his mother (who enjoys regular visits to rehab when not attempting suicide); Kristen, his sister (who works at a strip club); Joseph, his father (who is generally absent from the home); and Mrs. Bender (the mother of his best friend who comes onto Rick, leading to an obvious reference to The Graduate).

Rick gets suckered into making a bet regarding the girl he lusts after, and is visited by the patron saint of teenagers, who provides some help. When a teacher drops dead (one of several), Rick takes the opportunity to invite Nina on a date – to the teacher’s funeral. And thus begins his wooing of the girl of his dreams.

If this film sounds ridiculous, that’s because in some ways it is. But it’s also genuinely funny. And most of it works. Sure, there is some stuff that is just a bit too far into the realm of the unbelievable. Mainly, the stuff with the priest (played by Jason Lee) was what didn’t work for me. But I was surprised by how often I laughed out loud while watching this film.

This is partly due to its cast. Mary-Louise Parker is particularly wonderful in the dual roles of Rick’s mother and Rick’s fairy godmother, Saint Lola, the patron saint of teenagers. She is always fun to watch, and in this film has some of the best lines. “Where is your father anyway? I called to scream at him, he wasn’t there.” “Arriving at rehab sober is like showing up to a tennis lesson without a racket.” And her delivery is always perfect. Elisabeth Shue tackles her role as the best friend’s horny mother with such delightful abandon, which is what helps sell the character and make her believable. (Plus, who wouldn’t want to be seduced by someone who looks like Elisabeth Shue?) Heather Graham is also hilarious at moments, as when she says, “You know, when I was a kid I wished for big boobs, and then I got them.” And Dylan McDermott is great as Jimmy Leach, the owner of the strip club where Kristen works.

The movie does have heart as well, found mostly in the Nina character, and in Rick’s feelings toward her. Though I also appreciate Billy’s line to Nina, “You’re hot, you don’t have to help people.” There are some other little touches that I appreciate, such as the series of announcements over the school’s intercom listing various events being canceled.

It’s interesting, because the film feels both complicated and simple simultaneously, and that actually works well when you consider this is from a teenager’s perspective. Life does seem complicated and confusing and huge, and then also quite simple in other ways when you’re a teenager. For Rick, the whole world is a complicated mess, but his focus is simple – be with the pretty girl.

Special Feature

The DVD includes the film’s trailer, which actually, oddly shows what I consider some of the worst moments of the film. It’s a much better movie than the trailer makes it out to be.

Behaving Badly stars Nat Wolff, Selena Gomez, Mary-Louise Parker, Elisabeth Shue, Dylan McDermott, Heather Graham, Cary Elwes, Patrick Warburton and Gary Busey. It was directed by Tim Garrick, and is scheduled to be released on DVD on October 28, 2014 through Vertical Entertainment.

DVD Review: Basket Case 3: The Progeny

Basket Case was one of my favorite horror films growing up. Its first sequel, which came out eight years later, was a lot of fun, mixing humor with the horror. The third film, Basket Case 3: The Progeny, ventures further into the comedy realm, though of course a very twisted, gory version of comedy.

The Film

Basket Case 3 opens with the great sex scene from the end of the second film, and then shows us the rest of that ending. Then it’s months later, and Duane (Kevin Van Hentenryck) is locked up in a straightjacket in a padded cell in Ruth’s home. He and his brother are no longer attached. Ruth (Annie Ross) tells him his brother was removed and that Eve, his brother’s girlfriend, is pregnant. There is only one doctor that Ruth trusts to deliver the baby, and so all the freaks pile onto a school bus for a road trip to that doctor’s home.

This film, unlike the previous one, takes advantage of Annie Ross’ vocal talents (she is an accomplished jazz singer). There is a ridiculous and completely enjoyable scene where she leads the freaks in a rousing rendition of “Personality” on the bus. Also, this film firmly puts us on the side of the freaks. It is the freaks who are the victims here.

One thing I love about the film is that it shows that everyone is a bit of a weirdo. The doctor, Hal, is taking care of Little Hal, who creates lots of mechanical gadgets, including a complicated (and humorous) coffee machine. “It’s coffee!” The presence of Little Hal provides an explanation for why Ruth is out to help and protect the freaks, by the way. Even Opal, the sexy daughter of the local sheriff, turns out to be a bit of a freak (in a way that I very much appreciate).

The film also features some wonderfully humorous lines, like when Duane exclaims, “That’s not a pet, goddamnit, that’s my nephew!” Be sure to watch the closing credits, for there is a brief shot at the very end.

The DVD Features

This DVD contains the film’s theatrical trailer.

Basket Case 3: The Progeny was directed by Frank Henenlotter, who also directed the two previous Basket Case films. It is available on DVD through Synapse Films.

DVD Review: Basket Case 2

One of my favorite horror movies when I was a kid was Basket Case. My grandparents had a large collection of videocassettes, and my brother and I would spend weekends at their place, watching move after movie. Basket Case was one we watched many times. Yet for some reason I missed the sequels when they were released. So I decided to take advantage of the Halloween season this year to finally check out Basket Case 2, which was released on DVD by Synapse Films.

The Film

Basket Case 2 opens with the ending of the original film, in which Duane and his brother Belial seemingly fall to their deaths, and then picks up almost immediately thereafter, with news reports of the scene. There is a nice shot in the hospital where Duane wakes up and begins ripping the tubes out of his arms. This is shown in the background while in the foreground a man flirts with the nurse. And it’s not long before the killing begins.

This film has a good dose of humor as well, as in the scene where Duane and Belial manage to leave the hospital without anyone seeing. They are picked up by Ruth (played by Annie Ross – yes, the woman who was absolutely amazing in Short Cuts) and Susan (Heather Rattray), who take them back to their mansion, a sort of refuge for freaks. What’s great is that in some ways Ruth is actually creepier than Belial. (Another really funny moment is when she introduces the other freaks, including Lorenzo, who has a beautiful singing voice.)

Time passes, and a reporter named Marcie (Kathryn Meisle) is assigned to follow up on the story of the missing twins who are wanted for murder. There is a great sequence of a man who has a fake sideshow, pretending to have the skeleton of Belial. The man’s name, coincidentally, is Mr. Barker. There is also some wonderful humor when Ruth has Belial on the couch for a therapy session. She tells him, “I understand your pain, but ripping the faces off people may not be in your best interest.” Later Ruth takes on the airs of a religious cult leader, which is wonderful. “Our sanctuary here has been violated!” she shouts, seeming to relish her position as leader.

Duane wants to move on, and in fact wants to run away with Susan, Ruth’s granddaughter, and create a new life for himself. He laments to her, “I’m living in a house full of freaks on Staten Island” (another great line). Meanwhile, Belial is developing a love interest of his own.

This film also features a great, freaky ending.

The DVD Features

The DVD includes Beyond The Wicker: The Making Of Basket Case 2, which features some video and still photographs from the production, focusing on the making of Belial and the other creatures. And writer/director Frank Henenlotter gives his perspective on the film and on the MPAA. (By the way, there is also a bit about Frankenhooker as well.) This feature is approximately twenty-three minutes.

The second special feature is The Man In The Moon Mask, an interview with David Emge, who talks about how he got the job and about working in a mask. This feature is approximately six minutes.

Basket Case 2 was written and directed by Frank Henenlotter, who wrote and directed the original film as well.

DVD Review: In Search Of Ancient Mysteries

In Search Of Ancient Mysteries is a 1973 television documentary detailing possible physical evidence that Earth has had visitors from other planets. It’s narrated by Rod Serling, who is of course known for being the creator and narrator of The Twilight Zone. And perhaps because it’s difficult to separate his voice from our memories of that show, you might not take this documentary all that seriously. At least at first.

But the film does present a lot of intriguing questions. “The Incas knew nothing of the wheel, and yet their roads are still in use today. They had no alphabet, yet they developed an engineering technology that built structures such as this. Or did they? Were they creators or inheritors, descendants or beneficiaries of a civilization and culture transplanted to the Andes from somewhere else?” And I find this particularly interesting: “In the ancient world, there were no more accomplished astronomers than the Babylonians. Their cuneiform tablets marked the phases of Venus, the four moons of Jupiter and the satellites of Saturn. None of these bodies or events can be seen without a telescope, a device invented three thousand years after the tablets were carved.”

There is some material on the Bermuda Triangle, including the story of the five fighter planes that vanished in 1945 and the search plane that went after them (and also disappeared). The film mentions the idea that perhaps a homing beacon was planted under those waters which interferes with our navigational devices. And there is an interview with NASA engineer J.F. Blumrich, who develops the idea that Ezekiel in The Bible is actually describing spacecraft, which is interesting. And there is plenty of great footage, including a lot of aerial shots of various formations that could be clues to an alien origin.

The popularity of this documentary led to television series In Search Of… (which was narrated by Leonard Nimoy after Rod Serling died in 1975). In Search Of Ancient Mysteries was written and directed by Fred Warshofsky, and is scheduled to be released on October 28, 2014 through Film Chest Media Group. The DVD contains no special features.

DVD Review: A Woman In Flames

A Woman In Flames is a German film from 1983 about a woman who leaves her marriage and becomes a prostitute. It is now getting a DVD release through Film Chest Media Group. The opening shot is of Eva in the background setting a table, and her husband passing in the foreground, pestering her about this and that. He tries to dominate the screen, but the camera is understandably more interested in her, and it slowly pushes in on her as her husband demands to know what she did all day. Eva tells him: “I listened to records… I read… I phoned Marion… I thought about things.” And then she herself lists her faults, and it’s as if she’s speaking for him, because for once he’s quiet. It’s an excellent opening. Soon after that she decides to leave him, packing her bags and writing a note: “I don’t love you anymore. Kiss, Eva.”

Eva goes to see Yvonne about becoming a prostitute. Yvonne asks her if she needs money, and has a nice speech about that, but what’s interesting is that Eva never answers her, and you get the sense it’s something other than money that’s leading her into this life. Yvonne goes through what each activity costs, and the camera pushes in on Eva while she lists off various rules and prices. Because the camera pushes past Yvonne as she speaks, a slight parallel is drawn to Eva’s husband, perhaps giving you the thought that Eva might be heading into a situation where she will be controlled again.

But Eva asserts her independence early on, when she walks out on a man who exhibits a superior attitude toward her (perhaps reminding her of her husband). Afterwards, another prostitute tells her: “At first everybody’s choosy. Then you take them all. I only turn down the ones that don’t bathe.”

Outside of work, Eva meets a man named Chris, who seems interested in her. She goes to him and becomes intimate with him, but only the next morning, for that night he is unable to get aroused. And then interestingly we see another woman go to him, and he says the same things to her that he said to Eva when she first arrived. And that’s how we learn that Chris too is a prostitute.

There’s a really good scene where Eva’s husband confronts her on the street. She tells him, “I’ll be the best paid whore around because I offer the least.” I also love the scene where a married client dresses her in an apron and has her do his dishes. And the scene where Eva learns that Chris is also a whore is excellent and surprising. The way they both handle themselves in that scene is surprising in that revealing moment, and that leads to a greater and more unusual intimacy. This is a truly erotic film with some excellent performances. It’s a film that is able to do so much with silence, with looks between characters. And it has one of the best montages I’ve seen in any film.

I really loved this entire film, except for the ending, which is the only element that doesn’t feel believable or true. The film was laying the groundwork for a different sort of ending, and then suddenly ditches all it had carefully set up to go for a big dramatic moment. Only, the moment is absurd and false rather than shocking or moving. Still, this is a film that is worth watching and worth owning, especially for Gudrun Landgrebe’s performance as Eva. By the way, she is stunningly beautiful and sexy.

The film is presented in the full-screen aspect ratio, which is a shame. According to IMDB, the original aspect ratio is 1:66, so we’re not missing all that much. As I was watching the film, there was only one scene that stood out as losing something due to being cropped. There should have been three people in the frame, and it could only really get two in at any given moment. Aside from that one shot, I wasn’t aware of missing all that much. As for the transfer, it’s not perfect, but it’s good enough. It’s presented in its original German, with English subtitles.

A Woman In Flames was directed by Robert Van Ackeren, and is scheduled to be released on DVD on October 21, 2014 through Film Chest Media Group. The DVD contains no special features.

DVD Review: Play Hooky

I have mixed feelings about the so-called “found footage” sub-genre of horror. I absolutely hated The Blair Witch Project, and still feel the best of these found footage films is 1980’s Cannibal Holocaust (though I cannot watch that turtle scene ever again). That being said, interesting things are being done within this seemingly limited genre. Play Hooky is damn good example of what can be done within the limitations and restrictions imposed by the style.

Play Hooky is about five students who skip school to hang out and get stoned, and who end up in an abandoned building that isn’t quite entirely abandoned. It opens with Brad, one of the students, fitting the camera into his hat, and checking out his work in the mirror. As he walks outside, he is teased by his sister, “Hey, nice hat, you look stupid.” He is picked up by his cousin Lance, who tells him the plan is to get Rosie, Megan and Judith, and that Meg’s unattractive friend Claire will likely also have to tag along.

Claire is a little over-the-top awkward, announcing she has to pee almost immediately upon getting into the car, then later saying she has asthma, and then later still coming out of a bathroom with toilet paper stuck to her shoe. It’s a bit of overkill, and is one of the weaker elements of the film. But there are some truly good performances in this film, particularly by Becky Byers as Megan. (By the way, Megan and Claire go to an all-girls school, so Megan is wearing one of those little outfits, for those who are into that sort of thing. And who isn’t?)

Judith’s introduction is probably the best. We see her through the windshield and hear Lance say, “She’s going to start, I know it.” And then she makes an irritated face as she comes toward the car. She’s cute, but is angry because she thought the day’s adventure was going to be just her and Lance. It’s actually a nice, believable, honest moment. And the others end up leaving without her. This film has several honest moments, like after Megan’s mother arrives home unexpectedly and the group has to make a hasty retreat. Megan comes out just a bit later, and she is quiet and embarrassed. It’s due at least in part to her excellent performance, but the moment certainly has the ring of truth to it.

There are, of course, other moments that don’t quite ring true, as when they engage in a brief conversation about illegal immigrants and paying taxes. And you do get some jumpy camera work, and some shots where it’s difficult to get one’s bearings, as the characters run through halls and such. But that comes with the territory.

I like that this film doesn’t immediately go to the abandoned building. These five people have several other ideas of where to spend their day, but none of those quite works out. And I love the joy and excitement in Megan’s voice as she tells the others the rumors she’s heard about the abandoned hospital.

One thing that’s impressive about this film is that there are long takes, which of course fit in with the nature of the method of storytelling but which are difficult to do. Also, this film doesn’t seem to cheat at all. That is, the characters don’t do anything unbelievable in order to get the camera into a certain spot for a certain shot. It all feels quite natural. And there is at least one unexpected turn.

By the way, there is a whole other scene after the closing credits, so don’t turn off your DVD player prematurely. Although, it is one of those scenes that tries to give a backstory to a villain (like in Rob Zombie’s terrible remake of Halloween). And one other thing I should note: There is an insert in the DVD case. Do not read it before watching the movie, because it gives away what for me is the film’s most interesting surprise.

Special Features

Play Hooky is the first movie in the Pollygrind Presents series, and the DVD includes an introduction by Chad Freeman, who mentions that fact. The introduction also mentions that the movie is by a first-time director and was shot in seven days. Holy moly!

There are lots of other special features on the DVD, including a commentary track by director/co-writer Frank Petrilli, DP/co-writer Jason Chester, co-writer/actor Vincent Kulish, editor Peter Gould, actor Kim Kleemichen and Pollygrind’s Chad Freeman. They happily point out some mistakes and whatnot, including a crew member hiding behind a bush at one point. They also talk about how the dialogue was improvised, which is impressive. They say that the door which shut on its own in a shot actually did shut on its own, which I’m not sure I believe. And they claim to have found the tricycle at the location.

There are three bonus scenes, all of which are interviews with characters who appear briefly in the film – Claire’s piano teacher, Rosie’s friend, and Brad’s sister. There is also an alternate ending, which is quite a bit different, as well as a promo spot for the film.

The bonus material includes two short films. The first, The Bet, is an odd film directed by Michael Dunn. It has an interesting setup, but becomes a bit repetitive. And the amount the bet is for comes straight out of Trading Places. The second, Kuriosity Killz, is kind of a mess. The perspective of the movie suddenly switches without explanation, and then switches to a third perspective before switching back to the first. It’s a movie that seems proud of its choices of odd angles and shots, but the choices don’t seem to serve any purpose.

Play Hooky was directed by Frank S. Petrilli, and is scheduled to be released on DVD on October 21, 2014 through Wild Eye Releasing.

DVD Review: Wagner’s Jews

Wagner’s Jews is a truly interesting documentary about composer Richard Wagner’s anti-Semitism and his close associations with Jewish people, particularly in relation to his music in our post-World War II world. It addresses the question about the ability to separate the art from the artist. The film opens with Uri Chanoch (Deputy Chairman of The Central Organization of Holocaust Survivors in Israel) saying: “As long as I live and participate in public affairs, I will make sure that Wagner is not played in Israel.” Then we’re introduced to Jonathan Livny, founder of Israel Wagner Society, who planned a Wagner concert, which was then canceled due to letters from Holocaust survivors.

The film gives us some of the history of the relationship between Wagner and the Nazis, including a snippet from a 1940 Nazi propaganda film that quotes Wagner as saying, “The Jew is the shape-shifting demon behind mankind’s downfall.” And then the film begins to delve into another side of the issue, that being the history of Wagner’s close association with Jewish people. Zubin Mehta (Music Director, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra) tells us that during Wager’s lifetime “The Jews in Germany were some of the greatest admirers and backers of Wagner.”

Giacomo Meyerbeer was Wagner’s first Jewish patron, and he arranged for the premier of Wagner’s first opera, which was actually an homage to Meyerbeer’s own work. An interesting theory regarding Wagner’s anti-Semitism is that Wagner came to demonize Meyerbeer in order to separate himself from him. Wagner was also well aware of the fact that Jews supported him and made up a significant portion of his audience.

Leon Botstein (musicologist and conductor) makes an interesting point: “Since anti-Semitism was so commonplace, it’s very hard for us to understand the Jewish audience paid as little attention as possible to his anti-Semitism. We look back always at Jewish history through the lens of the Holocaust, as if everything led up to Auschwitz, and that’s a distortion.” Wagner in fact died before Hitler was born.

The film treats us to some of Wagner’s writing on Jews, as well as his correspondence, which is delivered as voice over. There is even a portion of his first wife’s letter to him on the subject of his anti-Semitism.

Bonus Features

The DVD contains lots of bonus material, including three extended interviews. The first is with Dina Porat, who has some interesting things to say about the relation of Wagner’s music to Hitler, and why Wagner’s music isn’t played in official channels in Israel. The second is with Zubin Mehta, who talks about musicians playing Wagner, and the third is with Israeli politician Yossi Beilin.

There is also a musical performance by Roman Rabinovich of Parsifal, arranged for piano by Joseph Rubinstein. And a deleted scene about Wagner’s time in Venice is included. The final special feature is portions of interviews with the filmmaker Hilan Warshaw, the first from a film festival in Tel Aviv in May of 2014, the second from a panel discussion of the film in September of 2013.

Wagner’s Jews was written and directed by Hilan Warshaw, and was released on DVD on October 7, 2014 through First Run Features.