ScreenFish

where faith and film are intertwined

Film

7.17 Culture and Carnage in GODZILLA VS. KONG

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Welcome to tonight’s main event! After many delays and teases, Godzilla vs. Kong FINALLY pits these massive titans against one another in an epic onscreen battle of monster mayhem. For most of a century, these characters have lived on as cultural icons that are simply too big to ignore. But why do these particular creatures hold such a special place in our hearts? This week, Dave Voigt (InTheSeats.ca, host of In The Seats With…) and monster maven Ben Dower drop by to chat about what defines these cultural icons and how they’ve changed over the year.

You can stream the episode on podomatic, Alexa (via Stitcher), Spotify or Amazon Podcasts! Or, you can download the ep on Apple Podcasts!

Want to continue to conversation at home?  Click the link below to download ‘Fishing for More’ — some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

7.17 Godzilla vs. KongDownload

Held: Stuck in a Marriage You Can’t Get Out Of

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In Held, Emma (Jill Awbrey) and Henry (Bart Johnson) are a couple whose marriage is struggling. With their anniversary approaching, the couple decide to book a romantic week away in a secluded home in an effort to kick-start their relationship. Surrounded by trees, this property is state-of-the-art, featuring a pool, high-tech gadgets and, at random, a rotary dial phone. When the phone rings, Emma becomes frightened when a voice demands that she ‘obey them’. The strange (and outdated) demands force them to conform to domestic stereotypes but any attempt at escape has consequences.

Directed by Chris Lofing and Travis Cluft, Held handles itself sleekly and effectively in its style but somehow falls short of its goal. As a home invasion thriller, the film has a unique premise that sets it apart from more recent entries into the genre. Shot almost entirely in the one home, Lofing and Cluft make good use of their surroundings to create a claustrophic atmosphere. By keeping the captor (mostly) hidden from view, Held is able to give the enemy an omniscient power that leans into the creepy atmosphere as well. What’s more, Aubry and Johnson do a fairly solid job as a couple whose relationship is torn apart yet are forced to work together to escape their captors. To its credit, the film remains (mostly) focused on what it wants to accomplish and pursues it with enthusiasm. 

Embedded with social commentary, Held is very interested in exploring the nature of control, especially as it pertains to women and, for the most part, it does so quite well. Written by Awbrey, this is very much a film about the oppressive nature of traditional marriage or, more specifically, the control that can take place within it. Without giving any spoilers, the film’s ultimate goal seems to be (rightly) the celebration of freedom from an environment of toxicity. Forced to act ‘the way married couples should’, Emma and Henry’s struggles are highlighted by their captors. (What’s more, the film also makes direct ties to the abusive nature of churches who argue anything other than equality within the home.) 

Constantly reminded that they must ‘obey’, the couple are forced to comply with their mysterious captor’s demands in order to mimic behaviours that are ‘supposed’ to take place within the home. Simple acts such as praising the meal prepared by the wife or the husband opening the door for her take on a terrifying tone when done so forcefully, emptying them of any love or compassion. In this way, the film does a good job of demonstrating the crushing nature of control that can take place within masculine-dominated marriages.

Ultimately though, the problem with Held lies not in it message but in its execution. Despite its suffocating atmosphere, the script almost works against the film’s effectiveness. Though the theme is kept well in view, the film never really creates the type of tension that one wants from this type of film. With outrageous circumstances and a wild twist at their disposal, somehow the air feels gets let out of the balloon. Sadly, scenes of intensity often fall flat. (To be honest, a mysterious voice demanding that Henry ‘compliment his wife’s cooking’ comes across as more humorous than frightening.) 

Furthermore, Held seems to push further towards the perils of marriage itself. While Held could have focused on the harmfulness within the relationship between its two leads, it instead spins into the broader context of marriage, even suggesting that it may be an outdated institution that creates toxic environments. Instead of providing any healthy alternatives to the issues of domination, Held‘s finale (again, no spoilers) points to the institution itself as oppressive. In other words, rather than focus on toxicity within marriage, the film seems to point to the toxicity of marriage. 

While the film is armed with a solid premise (and even some interesting commentary), Held unfortunately fails to deliver. While the performances work, the script simply doesn’t build the tension the way that one would hope from this particular genre. So, if you’re thinking about bringing Held into your home, you may want to let that idea go.

Held is available now in select theatres and VOD.

My True Fairytale – With Superpowers?

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“I can fix you.”

My True Fairy opens with a voice over spoken by Angie Goodwin (Emma Kennedy) in which she tells of her childhood dream of becoming a superhero with the ability to be fly and to be invisible. She would then save the world. As a teen, she still holds on to that dream.

When the action of the film begins, Angie is driving with two friends much too fast on a country road. After an awful accident, the two friends are in the hospital, but Angie is nowhere to be found. Angie is being raised by her grandparents. Her father Dean (Darri Ingolfsson) is off in L.A. following his dreams of being a composer. He comes back to his parents’ home, but when Angie continues to be missing, he returns to L.A. where he finds her in his apartment. She sets out to get her father’s life straightened out. Meanwhile the other teens involved have their own struggles. Is she involved in those lives as well?

The recurring theme in the story is the estrangement between parents and their children. It is not only the teens and their parents, but also involves Dean and his mother. The conflicts are over the usual familial issues: lack of trust, parents who spend all their energies on jobs, emotional abandonment. It should be noted that it seems that all the issues stem from the parents rather than the teens. At times the story becomes a bit soapy, especially as Dean tries to deal with his own life.

Director D. Mitry wrote the film after his daughter’s death in an auto accident. It served as a way for him to continue to feel connected to her. The film is a bit obvious. I knew the twist almost from the beginning. It has something of a Hallmark Channel feel with its feel-good solving of all the characters’ problems.

The film uses butterflies in various ways throughout the film to point to regeneration. But the concept of love finding ways into our lives is strongly put forward so that each conflict metamorphizes into new life. It’s overall concept is that love is transformative—and can even be so when it seems impossible. The true superpower that is discovered in the film is not invisibility or flying, but to feel the touch of love.

My True Fairytale is available in theaters and VOD.

Photos courtesy of Gravitas Ventures.

The Last Right – Acts of Grace

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“It’s the first right thing I do for him, and it’s the last.”

Doing the right thing is central to Aoife Crehan’s premier feature film The Last Right. But right for whom? And how do we judge the right among multiple values that all have a claim as right?

Daniel Murphy (Michael Huisman) is a New York tax attorney heading back to Ireland for his mother’s funeral. Next to him on the plane is Padraig Murphy (no relation), who is taking his estranged brother’s body back to Ireland after 30 years with no contact. He says that at least they can be together in death even if not in life. When just before landing Padraig is found to have died, it’s discovered that he has listed Daniel as his next of kin.

When Daniel gets home for the funeral, we discover he has a brother, Louis (Samuel Bottonley), with autism. Daniel’s plan is to take Louis back to the US and place him in a special school. But when the authorities seek Daniel’s help dealing with Padraig’s body, a series of unlikely occurrences leads to Daniel and Louis driving the family Volvo the length of Ireland with the coffin strapped to the top of the car so that he can be buried along with his brother. Also along for the ride is a women they have just met, Mary (Niamh Algar).

At the same time, the authorities have decided to hold on to Padraig’s body. The Garda is after them for bodysnatching. When the story becomes national news, many people see what Daniel is doing as a kind sacrifice. By the time he gets to the church, just ahead of the Garda, many have turned out for the funeral of these two lonely brothers.

Along the way there are revelations (including a major one about the relationship between Louis and Daniel) and a budding romance with Daniel and Mary. All of which must turn into conflicts before the right thing to do is finally achieved.

The film is about 50% road movie, 40% romantic comedy, and 10% Rainman. The romcom aspects are the least compelling part of the film, especially when you consider that this trip and the resulting relationship happens in two days.

This is a film that shows how grace can come from unexpected sources. Daniel, although under duress, acts as a grace giver in hauling Padraig’s coffin to be joined with his brother, just as Padraig acted with grace to bring his brother’s remains home. But Daniel also is the recipient of grace in many ways along the way. And it is important to remember that grace is by definition unmerited. Daniel, who essentially operates from selfish motives, finds his life open up in new ways as he comes to know and appreciate Louis. It allows Daniel, who finds grace so frequently in the film to become a gracious person who can set aside his own selfish ways to welcome others into his life.

The Last Right is available in theaters and on demand.

Running Naked – Days of Vain Life

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“Benjamin Taylor is leaving living today.”

Sometimes it takes the specter of death to bring light into life. Running Naked, from director Victor Buhler, is a feel-good dramedy that helps us see the beauty in life, even if we know that life is finite. Perhaps that finitude helps us see the meaning of it all.

As teenagers, Mark and Ben (Samuel Bottomley and James Senneck) were roommates in a cancer ward as they underwent treatment. The two would push against the confines of their situation. They plotted an escape from the hospital, only to discover there was nothing to do after they succeeded. Their highlight was a one lap race around the hospital floor au naturel.

Sixteen years later, Mark (Mathew McNulty) is an oncologist trying to bring hope and happiness to the teenage patients who are going through their own treatments. Ben (Andrew Gower) has become a reclusive, nervous nerd. Ben is plagued by OCD and a phobia of hospitals. He has a job in a basement that most people in the company don’t even know is there. Yet, through the years Ben and Mark have gotten together every Wednesday night.

When tests show a return of the cancer for one of them, Mark sets out to give Ben the life he has been missing all these years. With only a bit of time, the two reinvent their lives to discover the richness of life all around them, and finding joy and love that give meaning to days whether short or long. It also tests their friendship when they have to come to terms with changes in perspectives.

While not a outwardly religious story, there are places along the journey that allow us to reflect briefly on spiritual issues. For example, when the two men go to a dog track (where they won £50 as kids), Ben, at the last minute, chooses to put their money on a long shot, Hope Eternal. Later, we see the two, both as teens and as adults, sitting in the hospital chapel contemplating the words on the wall, “I will never forget you. I have written your name on the palms of my hands.” (Isaiah 49:16)

Although the Book of Ecclesiastes is never mentioned or quoted, the film is firmly rooted in the wisdom found there. The book’s key theme, stated in Ecc. 1:2, is “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity!” It moves from a view of the world that is meaningless and repetitious (as Ben has been living) but through a search for wisdom, the writer discovered that the meaning of life is to “Enjoy life . . . all the days of your vain life that are given you under the sun, for that is your portion in life.” (9:9)

The film serves as a reminder that we too often get bogged down in the vanities of life when we are meant to be seeking the beauty and joy that surrounds us—even in seemingly dark times.

Running Naked is available on VOD.

Photos courtesy of Trinity Creative Partnership.

Hurt by Paradise – Life in the Tone of Melancholy

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Life is often about chasing after dreams. But is the chase itself enough to make for a complete life? In Greta Bellamacina’s Hurt by Paradise, we watch two women who are chasing after dreams that are probably beyond their grasps. Should we see this as a celebration or with pity—or both?

Celeste Blackwood (played by director Bellamacina) is a single mother of a toddler. She is striving to find acceptance as a poet. She writes long, maudlin verses about a father she doesn’t know. She is working her way through all the Blackwoods in the phone book trying to connect with that missing part of her life. She describes him as not having left them, but taking a break. Publishers vary in their treatment of her and her poetry. One tells her poetry just doesn’t sell, she should try fiction. Another is more truthful and blunt: her poetry just isn’t good.

Celeste’s neighbor and best friend Stella Mansell (Sadie Brown, who co-wrote with Bellamacina) sees herself as a actress, although her acting ability is of about the same caliber as Celeste’s poetry. She has been in a one-year texting relationship with a man she has never met, but has fallen in love with. When Stella heads off to the seaside to meet her beloved, Celeste follows to rescue her from what seems a sure disaster. In the process the women discover a common bond that shows them what they have been searching for is not a cure for their troubles.

The invitation I received from a publicist about this film called it “the British Francis Ha”. It certainly has that feel as we watch these women trying to define themselves by their own self-understanding rather than by the way the world sees them. It also is a similar blend of their search for happiness, and the melancholy of their reality. Although for me, the melancholy is dominant.

I think the film’s value is found in the questions we might ask ourselves about our reactions to the women. There is a certain pain in knowing they will not achieve their life goals—especially since they both seem oblivious to that fact. But could it be enough that they find happiness in their striving, even if it seems doomed to failure? Does success have to be defined by meeting society’s expectations? How we feel about the film could be a reflection on our own attitudes about what makes a fulfilling life.

Hurt by Paradise is available on VOD.

Photos courtesy of Moviehouse Entertainment.

Senior Moment: Driving Forward

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Senior Moment tells the story of Victor Martin (William Shatner), a retired NASA test pilot who constantly wants to relive the glory days. Wheeling around his vintage convertible and pursuing (much) younger women, Victor lives to for the admiration of his friends. However, after drag racing his vehicle leaves him without a licence, Victor is forced to take public transportation and re-evaluate his priorities. Then, when he meets local restaurant owner Caroline (Jean Smart), Victor is instantly taken with her and believes he has found the one thing that has continued to elude him… love.

Directed by Giorgio Serafini, Senior Moment is a surprising amount of fun. Whereas the ‘boys never age’ genre can be hit (the goofy charm of Last Vegas) and miss (the utterly embarrassing Stand Up Guys), Senior Moment manages to find its groove due to the sheer joy of its two leads. Though he recently turned 90 (!), Shatner still carries a boyish humour and charm that makes him endearing. Playing a character almost 20 years younger than his actual age, he still bounds around the screen with an incredible amount of energy. (Admittedly, it’s a little off-putting to see his character pursuing women over 60 years younger than himself yet, because of the nature of the character’s emotional arc, it still somewhat works.) 

Anchoring the film though is Smart who continues to bring a sense of authenticity to her performances. Smart always manages to bring a maturity to her roles yet she also seems to be really having fun here playing opposite Shatner.  Though the script often lacks in consistency, the two of them have such great chemistry that Senior Moment manages to stay a fun ride throughout.

Like the other aforementioned examples of the genre, Senior is about trying to hold onto a past long gone. Devoted to his sports car, Victor believes he can keep up with the youth of today but attempts to do so mostly as bravado for his friends. For Victor, it is more important to be perceived as young by others than to actually keep up. (“I’m still trying to figure out what I’m going to do when I grow up,” he points out.) Looking for the approval of his peers, he will do anything to cling to his youth, whether he’s pursuing (much) younger women or racing his classic car. 

To him, life is about the show.

However, when his driver’s licence is taken from him, he must accept reality (and responsibility) for his age. Forced to take the bus, Victor feels like a piece of himself has been taken away and he yearns to regain his life-blood. (Incidentally, while one wishes they would have taken this more seriously, Senior actually does a fairly good job of showing the impact that losing this form of independence can have on the emotional psyche of the elderly.) Moments like these help Victor to recognize that what’s truly important has been lacking from his life. As he becomes closer with  Caroline, Victor experiences love for the first time and matures as a result. Though he never loses his youthfulness (as evidenced by his trip around the race track), he also begins to let go of his false perceptions about growing older.

Whereas his life once yearned to hold onto the past, Victor now grabs tightly to his future.

Filled with joy and vitality, Senior Moment sparks with enough fun to make it memorable. Buoyed by Shatner and Smart, the film overcomes its weaknesses with a surprising amount of enthusiasm and energy that gives the film life. As a result, though cliché in its approach, there’s still enough charisma embedded within Senior Moment to take it for a test drive.

Senior Moment is available in theatres on Tuesday, April 6th, 2021.

7.16 Freeing and FRAMING BRITNEY SPEARS

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They’ve called her Crazy and said that her life is a Circus. Now, the new documentary Framing Britney Spears attempts to unravel the mystery behind Spears’ mental health and the controversial conservatorship surrounding her estate. Is she being Overprotected because she’s Not a Girl, Not yet a Woman? Or is she Stronger than they say and stuck in a Toxic environment? This week, Judith McCartney and Kate Parkes (Elevation Pictures) drop by to chat about what we feel we’re owed by celebrities, the perils of trust and the separation of the image and the soul.

You can stream the episode on podomatic, Alexa (via Stitcher), Spotify or Amazon Podcasts! Or, you can download the ep on Apple Podcasts!

Want to continue to conversation at home?  Click the link below to download ‘Fishing for More’ — some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

7.16 Framing Britney SpearsDownload

WeWork: Fake it Until You Make it

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Everybody wants to believe in unicorns. 

These fabled creatures are majestic to see on paper. With every image, they inspire dreams and hopes of the Fantastic. But, no matter how hard you look, it’s clear to see that they never existed in the first place.

Based on this description, unicorns also exist in the business world—although the end result is the same. Directed by Jed Rothstein, WeWork: or the Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn follows the unbelievable rise and fall of one of the largest corporate flameouts in recent memory. Led by their magnetic hippie leader Adam Neumann, WeWork began with a simple vision: to give young businesses a place where they could work together and support one another as they launch. Growing at an explosive rate, their community-centric ideal sent waves through Wall Street, amassing global interest. However, if something looks too good to be true, it probably is and, eventually, dreams must face the hard truth of reality.

Compelling from start to finish, WeWork is an amazing cautionary tale that speaks to the power of vision but the toxicity of arrogance. In WeWork, Rothstein has a fascinating subject that highlights the unique state of the business world. Coming at a time where YouTube millionaires have become commonplace, Neumann’s story almost sounds familiar. Loaded with a dream of creating space to support small businesses, this young man and his team built a business that seems worth admiring. (Does it get any more mythic than the tale of a dreamer empowering other dreamers?) However, at the same time, it quickly becomes clear that WeWork is not going ToWork financially, until ‘creative bookkeeping’ keeps them in the game. Filled with interviews from those who participated in (and bought into) Neumann’s ideal world, Rothstein does an excellent job of presenting a well-rounded portrait of WeWork’s culture from the inside. While never endorsing Neumann, neither does he fully demonize him either, allowing the viewer to decide the true value of his vision.

With this in mind, the most polarizing aspect of WeWork is Neumann himself. Part guru, part Zuckerberg, there’s a lot to admire about the young dreamer. His charisma and charm are infectious, especially at WeWork’s initial launch. However,WeWork also recognizes that these attributes, while attractive to follow, do not necessarily make a quality leader. With a mantra and expectations dependant on employees buying into their corporate culture, Neumann’s personality seems to border on cult leader at times. Preaching the benefits of community and, at times, world domination, he speaks as a spiritual guru and works (seemingly) with little accountability. (As one person says, ‘If you tell a 30-something male that he’s Jesus Christ, he’s inclined to believe you.’) Then, as things begin to spiral out of control, Neumann’s commitment to the vision makes him both sympathetic and terrifying as he attempts to scramble to preserve what’s left of his dream. 

What’s amazing is that WeWork’s premise that start-ups could work together in an open space actually appears to have merit. Neumann’s vision to bring people together to achieve their dreams is a surprisingly powerful model for businesses moving forward, especially for young Millennials who truly believe that they can change the world. (What’s more, the fact that this took place immediately before a global pandemic is not lost on WeWork, as former employees yearn for the type of community that was pitched to them when they first hopped on board.) Led by a simple vision, WeWork gave young people the opportunity to work in a Facebook or Google-esque environment while still creating their own vision. This was an environment where people could feel supported by one another as they attempt to carve out their niche together… and it was working. While there will be some that question their expansion into the world of housing and education, there is much to be said about the value of their intent. To Neumann and his wife, the true value of WeWork as a company began not out of financial value but in its (supposedly) spiritual emphasis on connectivity.

The one thing lacking from this film is the voice of the enigmatic creator, himself. Though its completely understandable why he would not want to participate, one wishes that Neumann would have agreed to appear in the doc so that we could hear his perspective. His belief that the workplace—and the world—could be transformed by collaborating and celebrating the achievements of others is a noble goal and seems achieveable. To change the face of Wall Street while doing it though truly does seem too good to be true.

Most unicorns do.

WeWork is available on Hulu on Friday, April 2nd, 2021.

Shiva Baby: The Lies We Live

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Life is complicated.

That may seem like the understatement of the year, but hey, when it’s true, it’s true. And we don’t exactly live in a world that embraces us for all the flaws and struggles we have. So we create alternative narratives. We dance around questions like job and relationship status (whether or not they are all appropriate to be asked in the first place is another conversation). We dodge the questioning looks and find a distraction to keep ourselves from having to remember which story goes with which person. We plan escape routes – both mentally and physically – for a variety of situations. And it’s exhausting.

For Danielle (Rachel Sennot) in Shiva Baby, this dance finally gets the best of her during the post-funeral shiva, where she is surrounded and interrogated by nosey distant relatives, and pushed into action by her determined mother Debbie (Polly Draper) and flighty father Joel (Fred Melamed). The stories of her life swirl around: she’s a babysitter working to pay the bills (not so, as she is getting paid for sex). She’s studying for finals (she’s not, as her college status is questionable), she’s preparing for multiple job interviews (she’s not, as she has little idea about her future).

So when ex-love Maya (Molly Gordon, whom I love) walks in, followed by the very (unbeknownst to her) married man she was just with that morning, Max (Danny Deferrari), Danielle is forced to keep up a charade that has been eating away her sense of self and value. The endlessly crying baby that is brought by Max’s wife Kim (Dianna Agron) rings in her ears, pushing her even further into a breakdown.

It is a somewhat overwhelming film that takes place in the span of this one event, with its nonstop conversation and tense atmosphere. The constant angst and raised voices wore at me, but perhaps that was the point. For a film that explores the internal and external battles we face in our families, our jobs, our sexuality, and our past and present relationships, it now makes sense that I felt just as worked up as Danielle. Even the relief we see on her face at the very end was something I shared.

If you’re looking for a film that takes an authentic look into the many ways we strive to meet everyone’s expectations, even to the point of faking it, then Shiva Baby will do just that.

Shiva Baby is available Friday, April 2nd on VOD and Virtual Cinema across Canada.