Rooney Mara

TIFF 2016 – Day #9 – Wrapping Up This Year’s Fest

September 17, 2016 By Jonathan McNeal

Hello Everyone,

My first film of my final day of screenings was PLANETARIUM – directed by Rebecca Zlotwoski and starring Natalie Portman and Lily-Rose Depp. This is the story of two sisters who are mediums living in France and their relationship with a film producer. Though the concept is intriguing (“sometimes you have to turn off the lights to see something” was an early quote that had promise) and I liked moments of the film, this was the biggest mess I saw at TIFF. I don’t know what happened, but about an hour in, I felt like there were several films happening at once – and not in a good way. There were also a couple moments where Portman let out laughs that seemed like she was becoming completely unhinged…not her character, but Portman herself. Attempts at “kinda sexy/kinda creepy” were in full swing – but the results were mostly just on the creepy end of the spectrum, and I eventually couldn’t wait for it to end. Here’s a trailer…but you’ll have no idea what’s in store.

THE SECRET SCRIPTURE, directed by Jim Sheridan, was my second film of the day. It was also Rooney Mara’s third film in this year’s festival. Though Rooney was the star of the film, it was Vanessa Redgrave who shined. This is the story of an older woman in a mental institution who has keep a journal in between the lines and in the margins of her Bible. One of the first quotes we get from her journal is “I did not kill my child.” Through a series of flashbacks, we see her as a younger woman in the 1940’s. A true beauty, she turns heads everywhere she goes, and people in the town are quick to call her a whore…including the town’s priest who is clearly infatuated with her. Though I felt the story got a little muddled, it’s ultimately beautifully told and will easily find fans. The Q&A with Jim Sheridan was a treat. With Irish accent seemed to forgive all of his foul-mouthed responses, and the stories of working with actors (Vanessa Redgrave and the children from IN AMERICA in particular) were fantastic and full of insight. There’s no trailer for this film yet, but here’s a still.

My last film of the fest was THE LIMEHOUSE GOLEM, directed by Juan Carlos Medina and starring Bill Nighy & Olivia Cooke (ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL). In Victorian-era London, a detective has been given his first murder case – a case that has the city on edge as a serial killer is performing more and more heinous acts. This beautifully styled period piece is a far cry from what you’d expect given the costumes and set-pieces. With lots of blood and gory details of the crimes, it’s at times unsettling but ultimately rather predictable. There are some moments that should be big…but the materials isn’t there…so the decision was to over-score them – which actually ends up detracting from the scenes in question. I wanted to like this film more, but I came out feeling it was really quite average. There’s no trailer for this film yet, so here’s a still. (Upon looking for images from the film, I found out that Alan Rickman was originally supposed to play the part of the detective – which would have added a different level of eeriness.)

And so my screenings have come to an end.

I saw 30 films (not counting the two I walked out of), I met several great folks in the industry, I saw numerous big stars and directors, and I ate a lot of poutine. In all, it was an incredible trip.

So here’s the wrap-up. (All categories have films listed in the order in which I saw them.) My 3 favorites were: MOONLIGHT, NOCTURNAL ANIMALS and LA LA LAND. Close behind were JULIETA, LOVING and SOUVENIR (BIRTH OF A NATION would be on this list, but I actually saw it several weeks ago and not at TIFF). Some really good films that are 100% worth viewing but didn’t make it to the very top of my list are MANCHESTER BY THE SEA, FRANTZ, LION, A UNITED KINGDOM, THEIR FINEST, MAUDIE, PATERSON, JACKIE, and UNKNOWN GIRL. For the other 15 films and how I felt about them, you’ll have to back-track through my blog.

Thanks so much for reading, and I appreciate your continued interest in THE NEON.

All the best,

Jonathan

TIFF 2016 – Day #7

September 15, 2016 By Jonathan McNeal

Hello Everyone,

Thanks for coming back! Today was my last day during this trip when I have to wake up before 6am! I saw three more films (which takes me to 24 total), and I had a nice dinner. Though there was an invitation to meet up for late drinks, I had to turn it down. I’m simply too tired and getting more than 4 hours of sleep sounds much better.

My first film of the day was PATERSON, by Jim Jarmusch – who has a cult-like following. This film stars Adam Driver as “a working-class poet in a small New Jersey town who practices his craft amidst the quiet magic of everyday life.” (TIFF on-line catalog) As always, Jarmusch finds both humor and pathos in the idiosyncrasies and mundane routines of his characters. That said, I think this film is his most accessible. And though not a lot “happens,” I was engaged and liked peeking in on these rather charming characters. (There is not trailer available, but here’s a clip.)

JACKIE, the new film about Jackie O’ starring Natalie Portman, was next on my list. Directed by Pablo Larrain (who also has a film about Pablo Neruda at the festival), this film takes a look at the assassination of JFK through the point of view of Jackie. The film opens with Jackie greeting a journalist just a few days after the assassination. As she answers questions, we get her version of the story – both anecdotes about the making of the TV special when she led press through the White House as well as her account of what happened in Texas and preparing for the funeral. She is very candid, but she also makes quite clear that she’ll have the final edit on the piece that is written. When the journalist says that he just wants the truth, it is finally said that “I will settle for a story that’s believable.” That sentiment is the film in a nutshell. It took me a little while to buy Portman as Jackie, but eventually she won me over. Fox Searchlight picked up this film within the last 48 hours, and they plan to have it released in time for Oscar season.

My final film of the day was UNA – a new film based on the play BLACKBIRD, directed by Benedict Andrews and starring Rooney Mara & Ben Mendelsohn. This is the story of a young woman in her mid-20’s confronting a middle-aged man at his place of work. It’s been 12 years since they’ve seen each other…and that was when she was 13 and he sexually abused her. It’s my understanding that the play is just two characters…and adapting it for the screen seemed a bit forced to me. From ducking behind boxes and into bathroom stalls to hide from other workers, it seemed a bit of a stretch to buy the actions of the characters. I ultimately had really mixed feelings. The material is intriguing and bold, but I didn’t buy the set-up (trouble with the man’s position at work is a tangent that seems oddly tacked on). In addition, I feel like the material didn’t ring with honesty. SPOILER ALERT…don’t read more if you don’t want to know too much! The director spoke of each character having “unfinished desire” for one another. I’d be anxious to hear a true feminist read of this material/adaptation. By the end, I didn’t hate it, but I also can’t recommend it. There is no trailer for this film, but here’s a clip:

I’ve got three films tomorrow and I get to sleep in until 7:30! I also plan to meet an old friend for dinner – someone I met in line for Almodovar’s TALK TO HER back at the festival in 2002.

Thanks for reading,

Jonathan

CAROL Soars at THE NEON! PEGGY GUGGENHEIM Doc & Return of SPOTLIGHT Start Friday!

January 12, 2016 By Jonathan McNeal

Hello Everyone,

What a fantastic weekend! Many thanks to everyone who came out for CAROL at THE NEON! This stunning film surpassed the national average for us and has already reached “hit status” in our books. Don’t forget that your ticket stub to CAROL gets you 50% off admission to America’s Packard Museum – just a few blocks away.

We’re holding everything we’ve got (CAROL, THE DANISH GIRL and TRUMBO), and we’re adding a couple more films to the line-up. First off, we’re bringing a documentary that has received several requests – but it will only play for a handful of screenings – PEGGY GUGGENHEIM: ART ADDICT. In addition, we will bring SPOTLIGHT back into the mix…we’re pretty certain it will receive numerous Oscar nominations on Thursday.

Speaking of Oscars, I’m happy to announce that our friends at ThinkTV have once again agreed to help us get a signal for our annual Oscar Party. Save the date for Sunday, February 28. More details coming soon!

Synopsis for PEGGY GUGGENHEIM: ART ADDICT: “Lisa Immordino Vreeland follows up her acclaimed debut DIANA VREELAND: THE EYE HAS TO TRAVEL with PEGGY GUGGENHEIM: ART ADDICT. A colorful character who was not only ahead of her time but helped to define it, Peggy Guggenheim was an heiress to her family fortune who became a central figure in the modern art movement. As she moved through the cultural upheaval of the 20th century, she collected not only art, but artists. Her colorful personal history included such figures as Samuel Beckett, Max Ernst, Jackson Pollock, Alexander Calder, Marcel Duchamp as well as countless others. While fighting through personal tragedy, she maintained her vision to build one of the most important collections of modern art, now enshrined in her Venetian palazzo.” (Submarine Deluxe) Click this LINK to visit the film’s official website.

Garry Harrington is bringing a cycling film to town on Wednesday, February 3 at 7:30. Sponsored by Five Rivers MetroParks, “INSPIRED TO RIDE is the followup film from the creators of the wildly popular and award-winning film RIDE THE DIVIDE, as well as their second film, REVEAL THE PATH. On June 7, 2014, forty-five cyclists from around the world set out on the inaugural TransAm Bike Race, a 4,233-mile cross-country, self-supported race from Astoria, OR, to Yorktown, VA. The route roughly follows the TransAmerica Trail as created by the Adventure Cycling Association, traversing through ten states in a transcontinental adventure of epic proportions…These athletes will endure agonizing climbs in the Rockies, driving winds in the Great Plains and sawtooth switchbacks in the Appalachians all for a pat on the back, potential bragging rights and a cold beer when it’s over. Some are out to make history and set records, while others are simply trying to finish.” Advanced tickets are $12 each and are only available at this LINK. Same day tickets (if available) will be $15 at our box office one hour before the screening.

We hope to see you soon!
Thanks for your continued support!
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Tuesday, Jan. 12 – Thursday, Jan. 21:

THE DANISH GIRL (R) 2 Hrs
Tuesday – Thursday (Jan 12-14): 2:40, 7:45
Fri, Sat, Sun (Jan 15-17): 7:15
Monday (Jan 18): 5:45
Tuesday – Thursday (Jan 19-21): 5:15

TRUMBO (R) 2 Hrs 4 Min
Tuesday – Thursday (Jan 12-14): 5:15
Fri, Sat, Sun (Jan 15-17): 4:45
Monday (Jan 18): 3:20
Tuesday – Thursday (Jan 19-21): 2:40

CAROL (R) 1 Hr 58 Min
Tuesday – Thursday (Jan 12-14): 2:50, 5:20, 7:50
Friday & Saturday (Jan 15 & 16): 11:45, 2:15, 4:45, 7:20, 9:50
Sunday (Jan 17): 11:45, 2:15, 4:45, 7:20
Monday (Jan 18): 3:15, 5:40, 8:00
Tuesday – Thursday (Jan 19-21): 2:50, 5:20, 7:50

PEGGY GUGGENHEIM: ART ADDICT (NR) 1 Hr 39 Min
ONLY 4 SCREENINGS OF THIS FILM!
Fri, Sat, Sun (Jan 15-17): Noon
Wednesday (Jan 20): 7:45

SPOTLIGHT (R) 2 Hrs 8 Min
Friday & Saturday (Jan 15 & 16): 2:10, 9:45
Sunday (Jan 17): 2:10
Monday (Jan 18): 8:10
Tuesday (Jan 19): 7:45
Wednesday (Jan 20): No Screening
Thursday (Jan 21): 7:45

COMING SOON:
(All Dates Are Tentative. Dates Often Move And Sometimes Disappear.)
Jan. 22 – ANOMALISA (Charlie Kaufman’s new film)
Jan. 22 – YOUTH (starring Michael Caine & Harvey Keitel)
Feb. 12 – WHERE TO INVADE NEXT (Michael Moore’s new film)
TBD – OSCAR NOMINATED SHORTS
Feb. 19 – LADY IN THE VAN (Maggie Smith – need we say more?)
TBD – SON OF SAUL (almost certain to get an Oscar nomination)
TBD – 45 YEARS (Big Oscar Push for Charlotte Rampling)

Introducing McCoy on Movies: Review of CAROL

January 5, 2016 By Tabari McCoy

A movie blog written by someone smart enough to know his opinions may not match yours.

“There you go … Relax those shoulders … And if this were the 1990s, I’d probably put on a little R. Kelly for how I’m about to get my groove on!”

Cate Blanchett stars as the titular character as she gets close with Therese Belivet (Rooney Mara), a shy department store clerk who may become something more in a scene from director Todd Haynes’ take on Patricia Highsmith’s novel The Price of Salt, CAROL.

WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Sarah Paulson, Kyle Chandler, Jake Lacy, Cory Michael Smith and Carrie Brownstein

WRITER(S): Phyllis Nagy (screenplay); Patricia Highsmith (novel The Price of Salt on which the film is based)

DIRECTOR(S): Todd Haynes

WEB SITE: http://carolfilm.com/

60 SECOND PLOT SUMMARY (OR AS CLOSE TO THAT TIME AS ONE CAN MAKE IT): An adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s 1952 novel The Price of Salt, Carol stars Rooney Mara as Therese Belivet, a rather quiet, introverted clerk working at a New York City department store. Then she meets Carol (Cate Blanchett), a woman that is seemingly everything she isn’t in terms of being confident and glamorous, save for one commonality between them: Attraction. The men in their lives, however – be it Carol’s head-over-heels but oblivious boyfriend (Jake Lacy) or Carol’s controlling, moral-thumping husband (Kyle Chandler) – are none too keen of the situation once they become aware something is going on between their would-be other halves.

But for Carol and Therese, an attraction as strong as the one they share is going to be hard to quell, the wishes of men or society be damned …

WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? Ohioans who worked on or know people in the film; LGBT community members and supporters; Cate Blanchett fans; people who enjoy watching portrayals of understudied segments of mid-20th century America; fans of Patricia Highsmith’s work

WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN’T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? Anyone upset about Cincinnati’s decision to be the first city in the nation to ban homosexual conversion therapy; people who feel a disconnect to the story because of their own personal beliefs and/or not being a member of the LGBT community, thus not having the same emotional connection to the story as others; people who believe homosexual relationships are directly related to the dissolution of the American family … And pretty much anyone else you can think of who hears the word “lesbian” or “gay” and chuckles or goes into a rage

SO, IS IT GOOD, BAD OR ABSOLUTELY AWFUL? Carol is a film about which some people will have plenty to say and others, very little. For on one hand, some could easily dismiss the film as a very nice looking tale of a May-December (or more like May–October) romance between two women that doesn’t go far enough in exploring its affects on its main characters outside of one speech in a lawyer’s office and conversation between its female protagonists. Those same people may then look to quickly say something to the effect of Blanchett is commanding of the camera as Carol, a woman who in one breath is as confident and alluring and then, in the next, vulnerable as one can be when awaiting someone to whom you want to give your heart and not knowing they will return the favor.

Likewise, Mara – who is so adept at playing introverted or mysterious that she’s even talked about it on national television – is great at bringing at, on the surface, is a rather mundane character to life even if she seemingly spends most of the time reacting to things happening around her until she is placed into the role to make a very important decision … Even if she is guided inadvertently to that decision by Carol’s hand.

On the other hand, there is a LOT one could say about Carol one could discuss at length, from the depiction of men in the film to its status as a romantic drama vs. being a “lesbian romance” film – Salon.com already took the liberty of doing that if you want to examine those issues – to less hot-button topics such as its pacing, the transformation of Cincinnati into 1950s New York City and the like. Other might lament the film not going deeper into exploring the outside forces on Carol and Therese’s relationship or explaining exactly what happened between Carol and her best gal pal Abby (Sarah Paulson).

Then again, an infinite number of essays could be written about these topics, what the true realities of being in a lesbian relationship during this time in American history were, the ways in which different aspects of society reacted to them and others that the film does not have the time to explore in detail because – as should be evident – a significant number of them exist. Instead, Carol seeks to simply tell a story of two people who find something in each other that they have not found in the people they are already paired up with and – instead of going for something salacious or titillating, looks to present it in a more organic, simple and (perhaps most importantly) natural fashion, which may be its biggest achievement of all. As a film, however, Carol features performances that – which occasionally almost veer into “this is my big moment” territory early on before the actors find their collective grooves – seem well-fitting to the time period it depicts with settings that gorgeously reflect them.

Thus, if you know the subject matter is not of interest to you because you have an issue with it for whatever reason, Carol will do nothing – other than trying to show you women who simply fall for one another, why and how much richer they make each other’s existence – to change your mind. That is why the film might be so successful in that task, however, with those who are not steadfast and dogmatic in their thinking as it present their relationship as nothing more than a normal relationship, which may in turn say more about such relationships are usually portrayed in media than not – and perhaps that is a sign of the progress the LGBT has been clamoring for for years in making a movie that ISN’T about being “gay,” “lesbian” or the like, but simply a love story.

OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):