Lots of new animated features this week, even one from Netflix. And MEMOIRE OF A SNAIL which opened a few weeks back, he best of the lot is still playing.
FILM REVIEWS:
FLOW (Belgium/France/:Latvia 2024) ****
Directed by Gints Zilbalodis
FLOW begins with a creature with no name but is a common animal which is a cat. Cat is shown in all its curiosity, initially stealing a fish caught by a dog before the pack gives chase which she barely escapes.
But can Cat escape a flood that overruns the land?
The world seems to be coming to an end, teeming with the vestiges of a human presence. Cat is a solitary animal, but as its home is devastated by a great flood, he (assuming Cat is a male) finds refuge on a boat populated by various species and will have to team up with them despite their differences. In the lonesome boat sailing through mystical overflowed landscapes, they navigate the challenges and dangers of adapting to this new world.
A black cat wanders through a forest when a pack of dogs arrives by the river to catch fish. When two of the dogs fight over a fish, the cat takes the fish and is immediately chased by the dogs. The cat loses the dogs but notices a deer stampede before it is caught by a massive tidal wave. The cat and the dogs manage to survive the flood by reaching higher ground. A yellow Labrador Retriever follows the cat to an abandoned house decorated with wooden cat sculptures before they both notice the water level rising rapidly and the Labrador joins the other dogs on a boat. With the house consumed by the flood, the cat climbs atop a giant cat statue until the waters reach the top of the statue's head. Before the statue is completely submerged, the cat jumps into an approaching sailboat with a capybara aboard.
The next morning, as the boat sails across a forest filled with stone pillars, the cat goes overboard while trying to avoid a white secretarybird, but it begins to sink underwater. A whale saves it from drowning, but the secretarybird grabs the cat before it frees itself and lands back on the boat. As the water level continues to rise, the capybara invites a ring-tailed lemur to hop aboard with its basket of junk. Later that day, the three animals land on shore and are joined by the Labrador. They encounter a flock of secretarybirds that show hostility towards them, causing the cat to run away before the flock corners it. The secretarybird that first encountered the cat pleads with the leader to spare its life, only to lose in a duel and have its wing broken before the flock abandons it. Having lost its ability to fly, the secretarybird joins the other animals aboard the boat.
The animation is nothing short of amazing. In the past animating water was almost impossible. Disney’s FANTASIA featuring Mickey Mouse as THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE did wonders with the animation of water and FLOW (the low of water) makes THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE look amateurish. Though the film may remind one of Disney from the drawing of the animal characters, the film does well to do away with playing with too much cuteness of the creatures, unlike the ICE AGE franchise which makes those films look like a copycats. The creatures are adorable though,
There is not much narrative and hardly any dialogue in FLOW, which makes the film universal to any English or non-English-speaking country, But the lack of a strong narrative and story does have a toll on this otherwise, magnificent animated feature. FLOW has to rely completely on the animation to tell its story of CAT and his antics.
FLOW though would appeal more to adults, especially to those who appreciate good solid animation.
Trailer:
HEAVIER TRIP (Finland/Germany/Norway/Lithuania 2024) **
Directed by Jukka Vidgren & Juuso Laatio
The film features a heavy metal band that calls itself Impaled Rectum. What does the name mean? (Don’t even go there.) Apparently HEAVIER TRIP is the sequel to their first 2018 film. Impaled Rectum is a Finnish band and the film plays like and suffers from the same problems as Aki’s Kaurimaki’s Finnish band films LENINGRAD COWBOYS GO AMERICA and its sequel LENINGRAD COWBOYS MEET MOSES. It is one one joke movie, that outplays its welcome. While Kaurimaki’s LENINGRAD COWBOYS GO AMERICA was really dead-pan funny and the concept worked the sequel turned out to be a bore. The Leningrad Cowboys are a talented band and can play anything including polka and it is entertaining listening to them while watching their hilarious antics. Unfortunately, HEAVIER TRIP’s heavy metal will have fewer followers. Their punk rock could be entertaining if one likes that sort of thing.
The first film HEAVY TRIP follows Turo who is stuck in a small village and the best thing in his life is being the lead vocalist for the amateur metal band Impaled Rektum. He and his bandmates have practiced for 12 years without playing a single gig. The guys get a surprise visitor from Norway -- the promoter for a huge heavy metal music festival -- and decide it's now or never. They steal a van, a corpse, and even a new drummer to make their dreams a reality. The original had more plot and as stronger narrative.
HEAVIER METAL opens with the band Impaled Rectum in a prison. The reason they got there is not really explained. Shackled by fate and locked up in a Norwegian prison, the band discovers their lead guitarist’s family's reindeer slaughterhouse faces a financial storm. The four members, Turo, Lotvonen, Xytraxm and Oula hatch a daring escape plan to help. Desperate for the money, and the chance to perform at the ultimate battleground for metal warriors, Impaled Rektum takes a journey through northern Europe to the legendary Wacken music festival. But hot on their trail is a vengeful prison guard, a female one who appears to love dressing in uniform and using torture tools, thirsting for revenge, and a sketchy record label executive, weaving lies that could shatter their dreams and worse, compromise the integrity of the band. Amidst the chaos, the band must forge a bond stronger than the darkest riffs - forging alliances with the most unexpected compatriots, including an epic cameo from the Japanese Kawaii-metal band, Baby Metal. Only the raw power of metal can determine their fate!
The film aims at being a relentless odyssey of sound, fury, and the unbreakable spirit of true heavy metal in this sequel to cult classic HEAVY TRIP. But the film is an acquired taste. To others, the film, which is no Aki Kaurimaki’s LENINGRAD COWBOYS GO AMERICA is a boring one-joke film that fails to impress or entertain, while managing just a few laughs.
HEAVIER TRIP opens in theatres and on VOD on November 29th, 2024.
Trailer:
MOANA 2 (USA 2024) ***
Directed by David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand and Dana Ledoux Miller
The story of MOANA 2, the sequel is simpler and much more straight forwards than the first MOANA made in 2016. It features the voices of the two leads again - Chloe Auliʻi Cravalho as Moana and Dwayne Johnson as Maui.
Three years after the events of the first film, Moana receives an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors and forms her own crew, reuniting with her friend, the demigod Maui. As they journey to the far seas of Oceania to break the god Nalo's curse on the hidden island of Motufetu, which once connected the people of the ocean, they confront old and new foes, including the Kakamora and underworld goddess Matangi.
The animation of MOANA 2 is astounding especially in the animation of the water and wind. Animation has come a long way and it is hard to beat. MOANA 2 will be in competition with the European animated feature FLOW also due to open that matches its animation techniques.
MOANA 2 has a few uplifting songs, the feature being part musical, like the original. Mark Mancina and Opetaia Foa'i, the composers and co-songwriters of the first film, returns to score and write the songs, while Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear replace Lin-Manuel Miranda as additional songwriters. The soundtrack is also available for sale.
MOANA 2 is totally formulaic as are most of the Disney movies, not that it is a bad thing as it serves no purpose of changing a formula that makes money. But there is nothing really fresh or exciting in this feature though MOANA 2 is entertaining enough *good voice characterizations, excellent animation, a few catchy songs and a fairly tale-like mystical story) that it should not disappoint families that go for Disney entertainment.
Stay for the last of the closing credits as there is a surprise uncredited voice characterization. No spoiler in this review, but the voice is immediately recognizable.
MOANA 2 opens Wednesday, November 27th for the American Thanksgiving holidays.
Trailer:
MONONOKE THE MOVIE: PHANTOM IN THE RAIN (Japan 2024) ***
Directed by Kenji Nakamura
MONONOKE THE MOVIE: PHANTOM IN THE RAIN, is the first part of a trilogy of a 2024 Japanese animated supernatural psychological horror film directed by Kenji Nakamura based on the Mononoke anime television series (2007). The film stars Hiroshi Kamiya as the voice of the Medicine Seller, alongside Tomoyo Kurosawa, Aoi Yūki, Mami Koyama, Kana Hanazawa, Haruka Tomatsu, Yoko Hikasa, Yūko Kaida, Yukana, Yuki Kaji, Jun Fukuyama, Daisuke Hosomi, Miyu Irino and Kenjiro Tsuda. Phantom in the Rain was released in Japan on July 26, 2024.
MONONOKE THE MOVIE: PHANTOM IN THE RAIN is an excellent Japanese animation, a mix of animated manga and what would be seen in the Ghibli Studio films. The word ‘kaleidoscope’ would be the best one to be used to describe the experience from the film’s animation. There are whirling colours that blend in and out, totally suited to the freaky psychedelic atmosphere of the period fantasy. Though the story is a little plain, there is enough mystery to keep the audience satisfied.
Mononoke are vengeful spirits (onryō), dead spirits (shiryō), live spirits (ikiryō), or spirits in Japanese classical literature and folk religion that were said to do things like possess individuals and make them suffer, cause disease, or even cause death. It is also a word sometimes used to refer to yōkai or henge ("changed beings").
The film has a strong female slant with two female protagonists, both set up to serve female royalty. A girl named Asa is trying to advance her career, while another named Kame is seeking her dream to participate in the carnal workings of the Inner Chambers. The Inner Chambers are where the esteemed and selected female servants reside and serve the Japanese royalty. But there is trouble in paradise. As the elderly Utayama does her best to conceal its secrets, the mysterious Medicine Seller arrives and begins to unravel the horrifying and painful truth at the heart of the Inner Chambers.
MONONOKE THE MOVIE: PHANTOM IN THE RAIN is an original Netflix feature that opens for streaming this week and premieres in Canada. . Netflix bought the rights to the movie that already opened earlier this year in Japan.
Trailer:
OUR LITTLE SECRET (USA 2024) ***
Directed by Stephen Harek
Lindsay Lohan (Disney star and star of MEAN GIRLS) is back for her second Netflix Christmas (her third Netflix) movie with this entry the actress plays Avery, who is over at her boyfriend’s house for the holidays, but she didn’t count on her ex being there. Avery wishes to keep their past relationship secret from the family, especially from her ex’s mother, Erica. Why rock the boat during Christmas? It does not take a genius to guess that Avery will get back with her ex at the end of the film. This is a Christmas rom-com with Lohan, and is actually not bad, despite how it sounds. Of course, Lohan’s bar is quite low and not difficult to beat.
Lohan became a fixture in the tabloid press for her frequent legal issues, court appearances, and stints in rehabilitation facilities. This period saw her lose several roles, adversely affecting her career and public image. She is surely but slowly making her comeback in terms of acting and in her reputation.(Ian Harding playing g Logan)
Lohan has had drug problems in the past. She is brave enough to parody her drug use with her character Erica’s chocolate cookies, which she blames on the dog to quite hilarious results.
To the script’s credit, the comedy works as there are quite a few hilarious comedic set pieces. One is the dog’s supposedly eating the chocolate cookies and the pet is rushed to the vet to have the pet’s stomach pumped. Avery bribes the vet. Also very funny is the future mother-in-law’s character, Erica. Erica, the film’s funniest character is played by Kristin Chenoweth who us is an American stage, screen and television actress, though, depending on who you ask. Chenoweth fans may disagree on what her most famous roles are. Since Chenoweth began her career, she has been credited with roles in musicals and plays on and off-Broadway, on various television shows and can be seen in movies on television and the big screen. She has also lent her recognizable voice numerous times to animated features. Erica in the film, is always looking young in all her photos hung in the house a running joke in the film, much to the consternation to Avery. Erica is like a demon to Avery, glaring at her with her good looks from all the hung portraits in the house. She is also quite the bitch to Avery always making snide remarks about Avery - from her clothes and behaviour.
A movie is often as funny as the film director’s sense of humour. A funny film demands good timing in the film, provided by the director in the comedic setups. Director Stephen Harek proves his mettle in comedy here, he already proving himself in the 2019 BILL AND TED’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE. Credit also should be given to scriptwriter Hailey DeDominicis.
At the end of the movie Avery’s ex, now her new beau remakes nohow incredible a woman Avery had become. In real life, the once troublesome Lindsay Lohan has also turned over a new leaf, becoming quite the rom-com queen, perhaps a slightly naughtier version of Doris Day.
OUR LITTLE SECRET opens for streaming on Netflix this week.
Trailer:
REINAS (QUEENS) (Peru/Switzerland/Spain 2024) ***½
Directed by Klaudia Reynicke
The film opens with an announcement of the increase in the prices of essential items such as the baguette which would more than double its price the next day. The county faces runaway inflation. Directed by Klaudia Reynicke from a screenplay she co-wrote with Diego Vegas, REINAS is a coming-of-age story among other stories set during Peru’s tumultuous political times of the 1990s.
There are three stories in the script. The first is the coming-of-age story of the elder daughter. The second is the story of the absent father who is trying to make good with his daughters, who he calls queens and thirdly it is the story of the mother who wants a better life for herself and two daughters, regardless of what the daughter wants. She wants to move her daughters away from Peru for a better life. She needs the signature of the father for the travel documents but the elder daughter does not want to leave Peru and her friends.
The film is set during the reign of Alberto Kenya Fujimori Inomoto. A Peruvian politician, professor, and engineer he served as the 54th president of Peru from 1990 to 2000. His government was characterized by its use of propaganda, widespread political corruption, and human rights violations. There are lots of protests shown in the film, which explains the family in the film, a separated mother and her two daughters wishing to leave Peru for good. However, the daughters need a signature from their absent father for the travel visa in order to leave.
The two sisters are about to leave their country when they unexpectedly reconnect with an absent father. This relationship will both amplify and ease their pain of change. The father, Carlos wishes very much for his daughters, who he refers to as ‘reinas’ or queens, to love him. But Carlos is a loser, which explains the reason his wife left him. Carlos is poor, and drives a ramshackle car as a taxi and deals the occasional drugs, which in one scene is shown to be payment for a friend's fish dinner with his two daughters at the beach.
Complications ensue when the elder sister Aurora is late in her period indicating a pregnancy. She tells the younger one the secret. They take a sister's oath. “Better to die than to betray a Peruvian.”
Besides the trouble in Peru, director Klaudia Reynicke shows a fondness for her country. In one scene the girls (Aurora’s friends) discuss how boring it would be to leave Peru. The segment where Carlos brings his two daughters to the beach shows the beauty of the local countryside. A drive follows the segment in a car on the dunes, the largest here in Peru in South America. The dunes look grander than Europe’s largest dunes of Pilar, near Bordeaux in France.
REINAS is a culture rich film with three intermingled stories wonderfully told within the country’s political unrest.
REINAS is the Swiss entry for this year’s Academy Awards for Best International Feature. The film opens at the TIFF Lightbox on November 29th.
Trailer:
THE SNOW SISTER (Snøsøsteren)(Norway/USA 2024) ***
Directed by Cecilie A. Mosli
Everyone loves a good tear-jerker once in a while. Somehow humans feel good when they have a good cry, The new Norwegian Christmas movie THE SNOW SISTER based on a best-selling novel, belongs to that genre of film. It has all the elements of an endearing, sad and depressing film while also with uplifting moments - a Christmas joyous setting with a lot of sentimental music, love and loss and family values. Christmas classics like IT’S A WONDErFUL LIFE, MIRACLE AT 34TH STREET and A CHRISTMAS CAROL arrive on Christmas television without fail every year.
In the SNOW SISTER, Christmas is cancelled for young Julian.
Christmas Eve is approaching. It is also the day Julian turns eleven years old. Usually, it is the best day of the year, filled with the fantastic aroma of gingersnaps and tangerines, the sound of a crackling fire, the decorated Christmas tree, and the flickering candlelight. All the things that make up Christmas. But this year nothing is as usual. Julian and his family have a sadness over them, and Christian feels that Christmas has just been canceled. Then, one day, Julian meets the happy and Christmas-loving Hedvig and begins to believe that there will be Christmas after all. But there's something strange about Hedvig's house, and who is the old man who is lurking around the house all the time?
THE SNOW SISTER (Snøsøsteren) is an original Netflix Norwegian film that opens for streaming this week.
Trailer:
