MD Reviews: Short Cuts 2015, Part 3

 

Once again, ShortsHD The Short Movie Channel (a.k.a. ShortsTV) has theatrically released this year's Academy Award nominated animated, live action and documentary short films. These special programs are usually the only way for most movie fans to see these otherwise illusive short film nominees that can make or break your office Oscar pool. In the last of three parts, Movie Dearest takes a look at this year's five nominees for Best Documentary Short.

Agent Orange, PTSD, "honor" killings, Ebola and (you guessed it) the Holocaust. This year's five Documentary Short nominees hardly lack for serious issues, perhaps even more so than their feature film counterparts.

As with their fellow nominees in the animated and live action short film categories, the doc short finalists come from all around the world. All but one of the filmmakers are first-time Oscar contenders, and three were produced by HBO Documentaries.  

Body Team 12, David Darg and Bryn Mooser (Liberia, 13 minutes).
Meet Garmai Sumo, the only female member of Body Team 12, a team of Red Cross agents who collect the remains of Ebola victims in Liberia during the 2014 outbreak. Unusually short (especially for an HBO documentary), Body Team 12 barely scratches the surface of this compelling story. Further exploration of the conflicts between the team and the families of the dead, who sometimes violently resist the removal and eventual cremation of the bodies, would have strengthened it.
Watch trailer.
MD Rating: B-

Chau, Beyond the Lines, Courtney Marsh and Jerry Franck (USA/Vietnam, 34 minutes).
In a Vietnamese care facility for children with birth defects caused by Agent Orange, we are introduced to Chau, an aspiring artist and clothing designer. Well-meaning, but it suffers from over familiarity due to the growing trend in this category of inspirational stories of disenfranchised youth in general (see previous winners Smile Pinki, Strangers No More) and those finding their voice through art in particular (see Music by Prudence, Inocente, also both winners).
Watch trailer, or watch the full short on Netflix.
MD Rating: B

Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah, Adam Benzine (USA/UK/Canada, 40 minutes).
Thirty years after the release of his epic nine hour-plus Holocaust documentary Shoah, director Claude Lanzmann recounts the grueling twelve(!) years it took to make what many call "a masterpiece". Lanzmann is described as a "megalomaniac" at the start of this HBO entry, yet one hardly gets confirmation on that by what follows, which frankly feels more like a DVD bonus feature than what should be singled out by Oscar. Perhaps the longer French television version plays better, but then, at 58 minutes, it would not be nominated in this category.
Watch trailer.
MD Rating: C+

A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy (Pakistan, 40 minutes).
In Palestine today, over 1,000 girls and women are murdered by their families in so-called "honor" killings. 18 year-old Saba, who eloped with a man deemed unworthy by her family, survived being shot in the face and dumped in a river by her own father and uncle. HBO's A Girl in the River is her story, and it is a shocking, maddening polemic against this barbaric practice. Obaid-Chinoy (a previous winner in this category for 2011's similar Saving Face) presents an expertly level-headed and, yes, balanced view, calmly ending with a glimmer of hope. This is the one to beat.
Watch trailer.
MD Rating: A

Last Day of Freedom, Dee Hibbert-Jones and Nomi Talisman (USA, 32 minutes).
When Bill Babbitt discovers that his brother Manny, suffering severely from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder following two tours in Vietnam, committed a terrible crime, he agonizes over turning him in to the police. Graphically told in stark black and white animation, Last Day of Freedom effectively conveys the conflicting emotions that surface when one realizes that they have the life of someone they love in their hands and what happens when they find that their trust in a just system is ultimately betrayed.
Watch trailer, or watch the full short on Netflix.
MD Rating: B+

Click here for part 1, the Animated Short Film nominees and click here for part 2, the Live Action Short Film nominees.

Reviews by Kirby Holt, creator and editor of Movie Dearest, The QuOD: A Who's Who of Who's Out and the Out Movie Guide.

MD Reviews: Short Cuts 2015, Part 2

 

Once again, ShortsHD The Short Movie Channel (a.k.a. ShortsTV) has theatrically released this year's Academy Award nominated animated, live action and documentary short films. These special programs are usually the only way for most movie fans to see these otherwise illusive short film nominees that can make our break your office Oscar pool. In the second of three parts, Movie Dearest takes a look at this year's five nominees for Best Live Action Short.

Let me start by saying that this year's five nominees for Live Action Short are arguably the best lineup out of all the categories this year and quite possibly the best slate of nominees this category has every seen. All five are extremely accomplished in telling a diverse set of stories and none suffer any of the symptoms of the dread "short film syndrome" that have often plagued their predecessors:

• None are too quirky for their own good.
• None abruptly end just as the story becomes interesting.
• None have a twist ending just for the sake of having a twist ending.
• None leave you scratching your head wondering what the heck was that all about.
• None leave you thinking "How was that nominated?".

Hailing from all over the globe from all first-time nominated filmmakers, this year's Live Action Shorts range from a modern day romance to harrowing tales of war. As with the Animated Shorts, I've matched each Live Action Short with a complimentary feature film nominee for your double feature pleasure.

Ava Maria, Basil Khalil and Eric Dupont (France/Germany/Palestine, 15 minutes).
"Jews have violated the Virgin!" When the car of an Israeli family has an accident outside a West Bank convent on the Sabbath they find themselves at the mercy of the nuns — who have taken a vow of silence — for help. A highly amusing yet respectful take on clashing religions, Ava Maria cleverly uses stereotypes (the frugal Jew, the stern Mother Superior) to relate its moral that we all, despite our ideological differences, can get along... if we have to.
Watch trailer.
MD Rating: B+
Pair it with: Embrace the absurdity and head to Sweden for a visit with The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared.

Day One, Henry Hughes (USA, 25 minutes).
An Afghan-American woman, a military interpreter on her first mission in Afghanistan, must bridge cultural and gender divides when the pregnant wife of the bomb-maker her unit has apprehended goes into labor. The urgent, "you are there" feel of Day One is authentic; Hughes based it on his own experiences in Afghanistan. As the interpreter, Layla Alizada gives an affecting performance, serving as the audience surrogate in this literally life and death story. Both she and Hughes are ones to watch.
Watch trailer.
MD Rating: A-
Pair it with: Sicario, for a "women in war" two-for-one.

Everything Will Be Okay (Alles Wird Gert), Patrick Vollrath (Germany/Austria, 30 minutes).
A divorced father takes drastic measures to be with his young daughter. Reminiscent of Just Before Losing Everything (a previous nominee in this category), Everything Will Be Okay slowly builds tension to its inevitable, devastating denouement. Simon Schwarz's powerful performance as the dad makes you empathize with him even though what he is doing is wrong, while Julia Pointner (in her first screen role) naturally conveys the confusion and fear of a daughter watching her father crumbling before her eyes.
Watch trailer.
MD Rating: A
Pair it with: Room, 2015's other story of a desperate parent fighting for their child.

Shok, Jamie Donoughue (UK/Kosovo, 21 minutes).
Two young boys' lives are forever changed by a bicycle during the Kosovo War. A shattering tale of friendship amidst inhumanity, Shok (Albanian for "friend") is the very first Academy Award nomination for a Kosovan film, feature length or otherwise. And very well-deserved; from the acting of the two leads (Andi Bajgora and Lum Veseli) to its stark cinematography, this is an expert production. In this embarrassment of riches of a category, this would be my pick for the winner.
Watch trailer.
MD Rating: A
Pair it with: Another look at a war-torn European country, Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom.

Stutterer, Benjamin Cleary and Serena Armitage (UK, 12 minutes).
A lonely man finds comfort in an online relationship that masks his speech impediment... but then she wants to meets him. In this age of dating apps and websites, love has found a new way to make connections, and the sweet yet not sappy Stutterer shows that technology can help those isolated by their own self-perceived drawbacks find their own "happily ever afters". It also shows that the man who doesn't want to speak may indeed have lots to say.
Watch trailer.
MD Rating: B+
Pair it with: The other old fashioned (not that there's anything wrong with that) British love story Brooklyn.

Click here for part 1, the Animated Short Film nominees.

Coming soon: Part 3 takes a look at the five Oscar nominees for Best Documentary Short Film.

Reviews by Kirby Holt, creator and editor of Movie Dearest, The QuOD: A Who's Who of Who's Out and the Out Movie Guide.

Reverend's Reviews: Oh. My. God.

 

Lent is underway and it has brought no less than God Almighty to the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles for an understandably limited engagement. To be more precise, God has adopted the body of Will & Grace star Sean Hayes temporarily to present ten new commandments via humorist David Javerbaum's An Act of God. The play is having its west coast premiere now through March 13th following a hugely successful run last year in New York, where God assumed the personage of The Big Bang Theory's Jim Parsons.

Presidential candidate Ted Cruz, who receives a rebuke here from the big guy, and other conservative (especially anti-gay) Christians are likely to be the only potential audience members who would be offended by this generally good natured romp. The only brief but genuinely uncomfortable moment opening night — which was, appropriately enough, Ash Wednesday — occurred when God professed his admiration of the classic musical Cabaret and took issue with Jews and others who question why God allowed the Holocaust to happen. "No Holocaust, no Cabaret," Hayes deadpanned to both gasps and stunned silence.

Javerbaum (who won an impressive 13 Emmys as head writer on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart) lobs grenades at expected targets such as right-wing politicians, biblical fundamentalists and Hollywood celebs, the latter of whom God/Hayes referred to as "my true chosen people" and were dutifully in abundance among the opening night audience. What surprised and impressed me though is how genuinely respectful An Act of God is toward legitimate (i.e. open minded) theological study as well as the towering scriptural duo of Abraham and Jesus. Hayes brings an unexpected sincerity and gravitas to God's genuine admiration of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his beloved son, Isaac, in obedience to God's test of faith. Likewise, Javerbaum and Hayes treat Jesus seriously in his desire to sacrifice himself on behalf of humankind, a notion that Jesus' father as depicted here didn't take kindly to initially.

Most of God's new ten commandments are humorous upon their revelation Jeopardy-style on a giant overhead tablet, but they end up making more than a little serious sense. Who can contest "Though shalt not kill others in my name" in our jihad-riddled world, or "Thou shalt not tell others whom to fornicate"? (Yes, God as played by the openly gay Hayes is decidedly pro-LGBT.) The most controversial of God's new commandments may be "Thou shalt not have a personal relationship with me," especially as he confesses he doesn't really like human beings with the exception of the aforementioned Abraham. Before he returns to Heaven, however, God can't help but lovingly profess humankind to be his greatest creation and affirm our ability to guide our own destiny.

Hayes is naturally delightful in the role, even if some of his initial schtick referencing Jack from Will & Grace is predictable and kind of dated. He hit his stride about 15 minutes in once he settled into the character of God, omnipotence, omniscience and all. David Josefsberg as the archangel Michael, humanity's defender, and James Gleason as the archangel Gabriel are the only other characters in what is essentially a 90-minute monologue. The best thing about Tony Award winner Joe Mantello's direction is that it lets Hayes do his thing. Most impressive is Scott Pask's scenic design, an apparent mashup of gleaming heavenly architecture and Hayes' own living room, frequently augmented by spectacular lighting and video effects. If you're in LA or San Francisco, where An Act of God will be moving next, don't miss this divine theatrical opportunity.

For Catholics and many other Christians, Lent is our annual, deadly-serious time to strive to atone for our sins. Most do so by "giving up" some kind of vice, at least temporarily, or sacrificing an everyday indulgence such as candy, coffee or alcohol. The woefully misguided priests featured in the new movie The Club (opening today at Landmark's Nuart Theatre in LA), on the other hand, have committed severe crimes for which they are offering seemingly endless penance.

Fathers Vidal, Ortega, Silva and Ramirez live together in a house of prayer on a secluded hill overlooking the Chilean coast. They are not allowed to be apart from one another for long periods or to venture into town unaccompanied except in the early morning or evening when the streets are largely deserted. The quartet is supervised by kindly but no-nonsense Sister Monica.

Their seemingly peaceful idyll is interrupted one day by a new arrival, Fr. Matias, who ends up killing himself once a former victim discovers him there. The Vatican subsequently sends a psychologist/spiritual director by the name of Fr. Garcia to assess the priests' mental condition as well as their moral development since being removed from ministry for a variety of offenses. Suffice to say things don't go quite the way Fr. Garcia or the Vatican intended.

The Club, directed and co-written by Pablo Larrain (who previously helmed 2012's acclaimed No), was one of this year's Golden Globe nominees for Best Foreign Language Film and won the 2015 Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at the Berlin Film Festival. It is a potent, topical movie, well acted and beautifully shot by Sergio Armstrong, that also makes a great companion piece to current Academy Award nominee Spotlight, about Boston's history of clerical sexual abuse. But The Club is even more uncomfortable to watch as its religious characters increasingly prove themselves unable to be liberated from a vicious circle of deception and, therefore, beyond redemption. God help them and the real-life ministers like them.

Reverend's Ratings:
An Act of God: B+
The Club: B-

Review by Rev. Chris Carpenter, resident film and stage critic of Movie Dearest and Rage Monthly Magazine.

MD Reviews: Short Cuts 2015, Part 1

 

Once again, ShortsHD The Short Movie Channel (a.k.a. ShortsTV) has theatrically released this year's Academy Award nominated animated, live action and documentary short films. These special programs are usually the only way for most movie fans to see these otherwise illusive short film nominees that can make our break your office Oscar pool. In the first of three parts, Movie Dearest takes a look at this year's five nominees for Best Animated Short.

2015's batch of Oscar nominated toons hail from four countries and range in theme from science fiction to comedy. Three are computer animated, with the other two go the traditional, hand-drawn route. As is increasingly more common in the category, all but one have little to no dialogue, relying heavily on the visuals to tell their stories.

In addition to my reviews and trailer links, I've suggested a similarly-themed Oscar nominated feature film to pair with each animated short nominee to create your own Academy-sanctioned double feature!

Bear Story, Gabriel Osorio and Pato Escala (Chile, 11 minutes).
Through the use of a handmade clockwork diorama, a papa bear tells the story of his abduction by a sinister circus and his daring escape to return to his family.With its intricate mechanical figures, Bear Story (original title: Historia de un oso) looks like stop motion animation but was actually created digitally. A melancholy fable that draws parallels to slavery and the even the Holocaust; so, yeah, a bit of a downer.
Watch trailer.
MD Rating: B
Pair it with: No, not The Revenant (with its infamous bear scene), but rather Mad Max: Fury Road. Both have a steam punk vibe and feature a wounded hero separated from his wife and child.

 
Prologue, Richard Williams and Imogen Sutton (UK, 6 minutes).
It's Spartans versus Athenians in a vicious battle to the death. The shortest and, with its brutal violence and full frontal male nudity, by far the last one you'd call a "cartoon". From three-time Oscar winner Williams (Who Framed Roger Rabbit), Prologue (also a BAFTA Award nominee) plays more like an exercise in form and movement than an actual story, but its imagery is nevertheless enthralling.
Watch trailer.
MD Rating: B-
Pair it with: Ultra-violence in a stark natural setting? Yeah, this is the one to go with The Revenant.

Sanjay's Super Team, Sanjay Patel and Nicole Grindle (USA, 7 minutes).
While his devout father performs his daily prayers, a bored young Indian boy makes things interesting for himself by imagining the Hindu gods as superheroes. A cute, original (and autobiographical) premise ends up being surprisingly unsurprising. Yes, it's better than Pixar's other 2015 short Lava, but that isn't saying much.
Watch trailer.
MD Rating: C
Pair it with: Originally screened with the non-nominated The Good Dinosaur, Sanjay's super team is actually more appropriately matched with Riley's super team (better known as her emotions) in Pixar's other 2015 nominee, Inside Out.

We Can't Live Without Cosmos, Konstantin Bronzit (Russia, 16 minutes).
A pair of cosmonauts, best friends since childhood, vigorously train for an important but dangerous space mission. This bittersweet tale of friendship and loyalty is made even more uplifting (no pun intended) if read as a gay love story (they're shown sharing a bed, for example). Bronzit was previously nominated in this category for Lavatory - Lovestory in 2008.
Watch trailer.
MD Rating: B+
Pair it with: These good-humored astronauts would certainly get along with Mark Watney, the quippy hero of The Martian.

World of Tomorrow, Don Hertzfeldt (USA, 17 minutes).
Adorable moppet Emily meets a mysterious visitor who takes her on a fantastic tour of the future. The least aesthetic and most talkative of the 2015 nominees is also, quite easily, the best. Hertzfeldt (a nominee fifteen years ago in this category for Rejected) uses black comedy to great effect in his tale of doomed humanity that somehow ends up on a hopeful note. Already an Annie Award winner and, hopefully, soon the Oscar winner.
Watch trailer, or watch the entire short at Netflix.
MD Rating: A
Pair it with: A feminine scientific creation are prominently featured in both this short and Ex Machina.

Coming soon: Part 2 takes a look at the five Oscar nominees for Best Live Action Short Film.

Reviews by Kirby Holt, creator and editor of Movie Dearest, The QuOD: A Who's Who of Who's Out and the Out Movie Guide.