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Reviews

Aline: Powerful Love in the Public Eye

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Beginning in rural Quebec, Aline is the “fictional” story of Aline Dieu (Valerie Lemercier), a young girl with a golden voice. As the youngest in a family of performers, Aline quickly begins to make a name for herself with a singing talent that far exceeds her years. After her family manages to garner the attention of a local agency, Dieu becomes the protégé of music producer Guy-Claude Kamar (Sylvain Marcel). Recognizing her undeniable charisma and talent, Kamar has big plans for his young star and the two begin to tour the world together. However, as Dieu becomes an adult, their professional relationship also begin to become something more. 

If the story sounds familiar at all, it should.

Written, directed and starring Valerie Lemercier, Aline is a strange but stunning unauthorized tribute to Canadian icon, Celine Dion. Opening with a reminder that this is a film which balances truth and fiction, Lemercier effectively crafts a film that feels like a fairy tale yet remains grounded in reality. What’s more, when in front of the camera, Lemercier also shines, showing off Celi… er… Aline‘s penchant for playfulness while still remaining able to command an auditorium full of devoted fans. Though the heart of the film emphasizes the tenderness of the relationship between the star and her future husband, Aline is at its best when standing back and allowing her to perform. With each performance, Lemercier wants the viewer to remain transfixed by the charisma of its lead. A great deal of study has clearly gone into Dion’s ability to command an audience and Lemercier does her best to recreate that magic onscreen. Thankfully, with each hand motion and arched back, she manages to channel the sheer force that makes Dion so memorable as a performer. (It should be noted that, while Lemercier is a singer herself, the songs were recorded by French singer Victoria Sio, who’s impersonation of Dion is utterly remarkable.) 

As a result, while the film may be unauthorized, there really is no reason why it should be. Unless the facts have been dramatically changed, this is an absolutely adoring portrait of the famous singer. (In fact, if there’s a criticism to be made of the film, it could be argued that it may remain almost too adoring of the Canadian icon.) Aline does not shy away from the fact that it’s based on Dion’s life, even going so far as to mistakenly refer the character as Celine in one particular moment. Charting the events of her life, Aline points to several well-known key moments in the power singer’s life, such as her initially controversial—but committed—relationship to produce Renee Angelil (here known as Guy-Claude), her success at the Oscars and her subsequent Las Vegas residency tour. In fact, while most of the songs are not Dion’s, there are a couple of notable exceptions to the rule, including My Heart Will Go On and several other staples from her career. From the first frames of the film, Lemercier ensures that Aline is a love-letter to the life of Canada’s performers yet still chooses to lean into the ‘unauthorized’ aspects of the biography.

Admittedly, one of the strangest aspects of the film is Lemercier’s choice to play Dieu as a young child. By placing Lemercier’s adult face on the body of a youth, the end result creates a look that is utterly bizarre to the eyes. (Seriously. You’ve never seen anything like it.) However, at the same time, I would also argue that the decision to do so works within the context to the film. Aline wants the viewer to understand immediately that there was a maturity within her, even in at a very young age. Yes, it does seem strange but it also speaks to the strength of her character by the film’s end. 

At it’s heart, Aline is a film which looks to address the challenges of living a life in the public eye. As Aline’s star rises higher and higher, so too must she fight to maintain a normal life. Anchored by a deep love of her husband and children, Aline believes that she is still that girl from rural Quebec. However, the tension between fame and family continues to pull her in two directions. Although she carries the burdens of her life on stage, all her audience sees are her growing parade of hits. To them, she represents a larger-than-life presence who possesses immeasurable talent. To them, she represents hope. (In fact, it is not a coincidence that her last name is Dieu, the French word for God. She is very much viewed as a Divine presence by her adoring fans.) 

However, Alene is so much more than that. Raised from humble beginnings, she carries that as part of her identity even as she achieved stardom. She rushes home from performances, hoping to see her son before bedtime. Though she has to take the stage, the news of her father’s death wears on her emotionally. Even so, her status as a world-renown celebrity somehow allows her adoring fans to feel like her public image is the totality of her identity.

Though she continuously offers a piece of herself, they wish to steal her soul.

Affectionate and powerful, there’s something remarkable about Aline. Backed by incredible performance by Lemercier, one can’t help but fall in love with the film and feel like there is something special about this film. While Dion may have not spoken publicly about the piece, it would be hard to imagine that she would feel anything but gratitude for Lemercier’s reverent take on the icon’s life.

To hear our conversation with Valerie Lemercier, click here (YouTube) or here (audio).

Aline is now playing in select theatres.

Hell-Bound Train – Will you ride?

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“The Hell-Bound Train is always on duty, and the devil is the engineer.”

Each year the Library of Congress selects 25 films to be added to the National Film Registry. The Registry includes a broad range of the diversity of American film—from blockbusters to home movies. One of the films included in the 2021 class is Hell-Bound Train, a 1930 film by two African-American evangelists, James and Eloyse Gist, for use in revivals.

The film doesn’t really have narrative or plot, but instead goes car by car to outline the various vices of the passengers on this train. We frequently see a horned devil in the cab of the train, or dancing joyously as people succumb to the temptations of drink, gambling, thievery and graft (including cheating in business), dancing, jazz music, and cruelty. Worst of all are the backsliders and hypocrites that were in the church but left. A frequent title card tells us “The devil rejoices.” And throughout the film we see the train barreling down the track, always headed to the fires that await.

As the film went car by car, it made me think of Dante’s descent circle by circle into his idea of Hell. However, Hell-Bound Train does not have the same kind of political commentary, and certainly isn’t as deep in its approach.

The Gists were not trained in filmmaking, and this is pretty rudimentary. Its value rests in part in the fact that these are African-American pioneers in film. This is a time when blackface was common in films, because most films would not allow black actors. It is also an early attempt by Christians to use the medium as a tool for evangelism.

There is also a certain historical significance to the film as we consider the religious message that this film represents. This is a Holiness understanding of salvation and damnation. It is also very much in line with the kind of tent-meeting revivalism of the day.  From my own theological perspective, I find it interesting the kinds of things that the Gists were preaching against—things that may seem laughable 90 years later, but were viewed as great immorality in the Gists’ world. It’s also interesting the sins that are missing. This is clearly from a time before the civil rights struggle later in the century—and continuing today. Would racial animus be worthy of a ticket for this train? How about injustice? How about silence in the face of injustice?

The inclusion of Hell-Bound Train in the National Film Registry is a recognition of the importance of such films in the history of cinema and as a part of our culture.

Hell-Bound Train is available on The Criterion Channel and is included in the multi-disc set “Pioneers of African-American Cinema” that may be available in local libraries.

Salt in the Soul: Living for the Moment

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Salt in My Soul introduces the world to Mallory Smith, a young woman with cystic fibrosis who remains resolute in her desire to live a full life. Diagnosed at the age of three, Mallory entered into her twenty-five-year battle with the disease with ferocity, managing to spark joy wherever she went. Based on Mallory’s posthumously-released bestselling memoir of the same name, Salt in My Soul is a testament to one young woman’s ability to breathe life into the world, regardless of what she’s faces.

Directed by Will Battersby, Salt in My Soul is both heart-wrenching and awe-inspiring. Fueled by honesty and heart, Soul never feels like it’s pulling its punches. In Mallory, Battersby has truly found a subject worth exploring and he allows her to express herself freely. Primarily telling the story through Mallory’s videos and writing, Battersby allows for an unfiltered look inside the mind of one young woman’s battle with her own failing body. Even so, Mallory’s sheer force of will and determination to lean into life feel like a direct shot into the darkness. With energy and enthusiasm, Mallory takes hold of her life and shows a ferocity to experience the types of things that her peers are able to do.

There’s a fascinating blend of joy and sadness within this film that catches you off-guard. This is a story where death feels inevitable yet doesn’t feel ominous. Although we have heard stories of illness and inspiration before, there’s something unique about Mallory’s journey that truly penetrates the soul. With honesty and enthusiasm, Mallory refuses to be known for her disease, despite the obvious limitations of it. While viewers may initially see her through the eyes of sadness, Mallory’s refusal to lean into anything but the power of life makes her something of a force of nature.

Though life may seem fleeting, she’s determined to live it.

As a result, Soul serves as a reminder of the impact that one person can have on the world. Although Mallory may not have directly instituted global change, the ripple effects of her life have reached many. Beyond the love that she shares with her friends and family, Mallory’s experiences have connected deeply with the hearts of those who are enduring the same struggles. With the release of her book, Mallory has posthumously become an example of what it means to push beyond her limitations simply by changing her perspective. That’s not to say that she isn’t forthright with her feelings. (In fact, it’s quite the opposite. There is absolutely no naivety within her about her own suffering and pending mortality.) However, her decision to live for the moment serves as a reminder that each minute of our lives has value, regardless of the situation.

For Mallory, every day consists of a series of decisions on how she is going to handle the challenges in front of her. Sometimes, they are absolutely deflating and frustrating. However, whenever possible, she looks to find ways to experience the joys of life that others are allowed to have. In doing so, this young woman steps beyond her circumstances without ever being blind to them, allowing her to see light within the proverbial tunnel as opposed to ‘at the end of it’. 

To her, hope is a choice.

Although the film speaks to the trauma of living with a difficult disease, it’s Mallory’s joy that becomes infectious. Whereas Salt in My Soul could have solely been a film honouring a young woman who lived with insurmountable challenges, instead Soul is an absolute celebration of life in the midst of those struggles. This is a film which fully understands the realities of pain and disease yet manages to highlight the emotionally-healing power of recognizing the value of the moment.

In other words, this is a film that’s good for the soul.

To hear our conversation with director Will Battersby and Mallory’s mother, Diane Shader Smith, click here (YouTube) or here (podcast)

Salt in My Soul is available in NY and LA on January 21st, 2022 with VOD releases on January 25th, 2022.

One Shot: Scott Adkins is an Island

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John Donne wrote that “no man is an island,” but no one told that to martial artist Scott Adkins, who miraculously dodges bullets and fights hand-to-hand with ease. His audience knows what Adkins is capable of based on his work in Ninja, The Expendables 2, and a host of action-heavy films. But, in One Shot, he’s in an action film dressed up as an art flick – James Nunn has directed his film to appear as one long, live-action take.

As Navy SEAL Jack Harris, he’s assigned to protect CIA analyst Zoe Anderson (Ashley Greene) to a “black site” where they’ll transport informant Amin Mansur (Waleed Elgadi) away. But the site manager, Ryan Philippe’s loud, rude Jack Yorke refuses to let them extract Mansur immediately, and soon terrorists swarm the CIA forces.

Of course, Adkins’ Harris is the only one with the brain, skills, and courage to save the day…

The film has little to say about black sites – although this is supposedly the last one left – or the ways that people of varying degrees of guilt are treated like war criminals. It’s solely setting up a spot where Nunn can film without interruption and Harris can kick, shoot, and punch without worrying about collateral damage.

As much as I’ve become a fan of Adkins’ periodic roles where he gets to fight and act, this film isn’t one of those, and Shooter (the television series) seems pretty far removed for Philippe, too. It’s pretty shaky in terms of plot and dialogue, but that matches the handheld cam feeling that the whole thing leans heavily into, a style that Paul Greengrass has done much better as well.

One Shot is available on VOD on January 25th, 2022.

Monster Mondays: Godzilla Raids Again (1955)

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By Ben Dower

With the success of Godzilla, Toho immediately began production on a sequel.  Rather than Tokyo, this time it would be Osaka that would face the wrath of the monsters – plural.

In Godzilla Raids Again (1955), Shoichi Tsukioka (Hiroshi Koizumi) is a pilot who spots tuna for an Osaka-based cannery until he runs into engine trouble.  He manages to safely land at a nearby island where his co-worker and friend, Koji Kobayashi (Minoru Chiaki,) comes to rescue him.  While they are there, they spot two giant monsters fighting.  The monsters eventually battle off a cliff and plunge into the ocean.

Dr. Kyohei Yamane (Takashi Shimura, reprising his role from the previous film) identifies one of the monsters as a second Godzilla.  At the end of Godzilla, he had warned the government that continued nuclear testing could bring about another Godzilla.  The other monster, which has a spiky back and is quadruped, is identified as an Anguirus, a dinosaur in the Ankylosaur family that has probably also been awakened through nuclear tests.

The monsters soon make their way to Osaka and continue their battle, devastating the city.  As the monsters square off next to Osaka Castle, Godzilla gains the upper hand.  The two monsters plow through the castle and Godzilla bites down on Anguirus’ neck, killing him.  Godzilla leaves a burning Osaka, the smoke rising up above the city like a mushroom cloud.

With the cannery destroyed, Tsukioka and Kobayashi are transferred to the company’s operation in Hokkaido. While there, they become involved in the hunt for Godzilla.  Godzilla is found at a small, snow-covered island.  Kobayashi’s plane crashes into a mountain on the island, sending an avalanche of ice onto the monster.  The military proceeds to bombard the mountains around Godzilla, burying him in ice.

Godzilla Raids Again was released on April 24, 1955, a little under six months after Godzilla, and the film does feel rushed.  While Godzilla was a deep metaphor for nuclear destruction and Japan’s experience of World War II, Godzilla Raids Again largely jettisons that metaphor in favour of a more upbeat and generic monster film.

That said, there are still hints of the themes of the first film sprinkled throughout, like the long shot of Osaka burning where the smoke resembles a mushroom cloud.  Osaka is an interesting choice for the monster attack.  Like Tokyo, it was heavily bombed during the war.  The last air raid by the United States on Osaka took place on August 14, 1945 as part of a 1,000 plane final raid on Japan, an operation that went ahead despite the fact Japan was moving to surrender.  Emperor Hirohito announced Japan’s surrender the following day, August 15, 1945.

Also carried over from the first film is the military feel, with planes flying low over the city and dropping flares to try to lure the monsters away.  Scenes of civilian evacuations also evoke wartime imagery, and shots of a smouldering Osaka the day after the monsters’ attack are reminiscent of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, much like the imagery of a charred Tokyo was in Godzilla.

Like Godzilla, Godzilla Raids Again was quickly purchased for U.S. distribution.  There were initially plans to film a whole new American story for the film called The Volcano Monsters.  Toho even shipped Anguirus and Godzilla suits to the United States for the American producers to use to create their own monster scenes.

Ultimately, the plans for The Volcano Monsters fell through and instead the film was dubbed and heavily edited for its North American release.  George Takei, who later found fame portraying Hikaru Sulu in Star Trek, lent his voical talents for the English dub.  While the plot of the film is largely the same, sound effects were altered, stock footage inserted, and music changed.  The film was also retitled Gigantis, the Fire Monster. As with Godzilla, this Americanized cut of the film was the only version released in North America for 50 years. In 2006, both edits of the film were released on a single DVD by Classic Media.  

Currently, Godzilla Raids Again (Japanese version only) is available from The Criterion Collection as part of their Godzilla: The Showa-Era Films, 1954-1975 Blu-ray set featuring the first 15 Godzilla movies.

Drive My Car – A Story of Stories

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“If we hope to truly see another person, we have to start by looking within ourselves.”

Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Drive My Car is built around the power of storytelling—imagined stories, dramatic stories, and personal stories. The film is based on short stories by Haruki Murakami, but also includes a good deal of Anton Chekhov’s play Uncle Vanya, with which the characters in the film have emotional parallels. Drive My Car, Japan’s official submission for Best International Feature Film, has been shortlisted for Oscar consideration.

The film opens with actor Yasuke Kafuku (Hidetoshi Nishijima) listening to his wife Oto (Reika Kirishima) tell an evolving story in their post-coital revery, a story that he will tell her in the morning when she has forgotten it. Theirs is a complex relationship, but is clearly built on love for each other. Kafuku does multi-language productions of plays, Oto makes tapes that he uses to run lines. One day when he returns home unexpectedly, he discovers a secret. It is one that he seems to be able to live with, but when Oto dies suddenly, it leaves that part of his life unresolved.

The film moves ahead two years. Kafuku travels to Hiroshima to direct Uncle Vanya. When he arrives, he discovers that because of legal reasons, he must have a driver. A young woman, Misaki Watari (Toko Miura), is assigned to him. He is reluctant to entrust her with is beloved bright red Saab 900, but gives in. He has an hour commute each day (at his request), he continues to use the tapes of his wife running lines for the play. Only occasionally do Kafuku and Watari interact at the beginning, but they slowly get to know one another and tell each other bits of their stories.

Much of the film is set in the rehearsals for the play, in which Kafuku has cast a young actor to play Vanya—an actor he suspects had an affair with Oto. His process for doing plays in several languages at once is challenging for the cast, but we watch as the play begins to come together.

Some may be put off by the three hour running time of the film, but whereas many films fill up time with special effects and amazing stunts, this is time that is filled with story. This is a film that peals the layers of story back like an onion. As Kafuku and Watari spend the hours in the car, they open themselves to speak of their traumas and sense of guilt and pain. Finally, they must undertake a road trip that will allow them each to see that life goes on in spite of suffering and sorrow. This is, in fact, the same conclusion that Uncle Vanya comes to. (And when we see the troupe perform the final scene from the play on stage, it is captivating and powerful in the way it is done.)

The sharing of stories, not just in the car, but among actors during and after rehearsals, is not small talk. They are the characters “looking within”, and in so doing discovering their own pain and the pain of others. That allows them to find healing.

It is interesting that filming had to be shut down for eight months. There is a coda to the film in which we see Watari in a supermarket in which everyone is masked. That scene continues to give us an ambiguous vision of how this story ends, but by setting that scene in the midst of the pandemic brings the film’s stories into our story. We too may find ourselves dealing with grief, pain, or guilt. But we too have life to live.

Drive My Car is in select theaters.

Photos courtesy of Janus Films.

Zeros and Ones: Ethan Hawke is Seeing Double

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In Zeros and Ones, a movie about a terrorist plot that the audience never quite catches up to, Ethan Hawke plays JJ, a soldier trying to stop said plot, and Justin, JJ’s twin brother who seems to be behind the plot. But in Abel Ferrara’s film, which he wrote and directed, the mood is more important than the details, and the journey is definitely supposed to be more important than the outcome.

Through a darkened, unsteady lens, the audience watches JJ explore Rome, visit a nearly deserted Vatican, and experience life in the midst of a pandemic (although COVID is not named). But the exploration of the terrorist plot isn’t linear. Somehow, JJ ends up with prostitutes who get … involved, and then he’s forced to have sex with a woman while held at gunpoint. (Do these things really happen? It seems like Ferrara is just aimed at ridiculous smuttiness.)

While I’ll openly admit that I’m not sure either where we went or where we ended up, it’s helpful to know that this is the first film where a star recorded a message to the audience before and after, admitting it’s confusing, praising the director, and genuinely seeming to ask the audience to like the film. I like Hawke’s films mostly, but not this one. Honestly, I’m still not sure what to think of it, other than to realize it was made with a blurring of reality in the middle of a pandemic.

Maybe it’s supposed to be funny, or insightful. Maybe that’s why JJ uses hand sanitizer but gets exposed to STDs. Maybe it’s not supposed to make any sense at all. But the end result seems more art house than entertaining, more private insider joke than an invitation to go along for a ride.

Either way, seeing two Hawkes on screen doesn’t mean it’s twice as good.

Zeros and Ones is now available on VOD.

How I Met Your Father: Back to Going Back in Time

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How I Met Your Father — “FOMO” – Episode 102 — Determined to try and live in the moment, Sophie and the gang head to an exclusive new club for a wild night out. Valentina has doubts about her relationship with Charlie. Sid pushes Jesse to be open to love. Ellen tries her luck with women at the club. Jesse (Chris Lowell), Sophie (Hilary Duff), Valentina (Francia Raisa), Charlie (Tom Ainsley), Sid (Suraj Sharma), and Ellen (Tien Tran), shown. (Photo by: Patrick Wymore/Hulu)

Spin-offs are hard to make work.

Still, that doesn’t stop us from trying. From That 80s Show to Joey and countless others, networks have tried for years to recapture the magic of their original series. In theory, it should work. Take an established setting and a character (or more) that’s already beloved, set them up with a few new pieces and let the series take off. Yet fondness for the characters and humour from the original often taints our willingness to accept new people in the world that we once loved. Either expectations are too high or it simply feels repetitive.

But then there’s How I Met Your Father.

Using the same devices as How I Met Your Mother, How I Met Your Father unashamedly leans into the IP established in the original. Nostalgic reminiscing as a storytelling device? Check. A diverse cast of quirky characters who try to navigate love in New York? Absolutely. (In fact, the premiere even sees the introduction of a very familiar apartment.) However, unlike many series who have failed before it, Father is an absolute joy, largely due to the strength of its cast.

How I Met Your Father — “Pilot” – Episode 101 — After a slew of let-down Tinder dates, Sophie meets the seemingly perfect guy. Meanwhile, her roommate, Valentina, returns home from London Fashion Week with a sexy souvenir. An Uber-related phone mishap leads them to an eclectic new group of friends. Charlie (Tom Ainsley), Sophie (Hilary Duff), and Valentina (Francia Raisa), shown. (Photo by: Patrick Wymore/Hulu)

Set in the near future, How I Met Your Father introduces us to Sophie (Kim Cattrell) as she decides to tell her adult son the story of how she and his father came together. From there, the series travels back to 2022 as the younger Sophie (Hilary Duff) attempts to navigate the New York dating scene. Plagued by bad Tinder dates, games of broken texts and other romantic misfires, Sophie and her group of friends try to figure out who they are and what they want out of life together.

With a solid cast, the series has absolutely scored with a modern mixture of characters and possibilities. Led by the charisma and sweetness of Duff, each cast member brings their own unique pop to their performances. Whether it’s Tien Tran’s frantic energy, Francia Rasa’s sly street-smarts, Christopher Lowell’s humility, Suraj Sharma’s integrity or Tom Ainsley’s innocence, each member of the group feels like they have something to offer from the outset. Having said that though, the anchors of the series truly are Duff and Raisa. As best friends Sophie and Valentina, the two women have solid onscreen presence and are genuinely fun to watch together.

How I Met Your Father — “FOMO” – Episode 102 — Determined to try and live in the moment, Sophie and the gang head to an exclusive new club for a wild night out. Valentina has doubts about her relationship with Charlie. Sid pushes Jesse to be open to love. Ellen tries her luck with women at the club. Sophie (Hilary Duff) and Valentina (Francia Raisa), shown. (Photo by: Patrick Wymore/Hulu)

However, it’s worth noting that the starkest difference within Father lies in its racial and gender inclusivity. Whereas the Mother primarily focused on the lives of five white adults, Father does a far better job of showcasing the diverse population of New York. In other words, although the framing of the narration is through Sophie’s eyes, the series does its best to balance the variety of voices and experiences that make up the city. (In fact, it’s worth noting that, whereas Mother focused the storytelling on the kids, Father only shows the older Sophie. In doing so, the narrator never gives away any clues to the ethnicity of the unknown father through the identity of their inevitable child together.)

As with the original, the charm of Father’s premise lies in the fact that the dramatic events of Sophie’s past often feel more significant in the moment than they do in the future. By narrating the story (technically) through flashback, Sophie is able to gain a new perspective on her life. In essence, while we know that, ultimately, Sophie is going to form a meaningful connection with the mysterious ‘father’, younger Sophie has no such assurances. Just like Sophie, the dating misfires and relationship problems of our youth may have taken on massive significance to us in the moment. However, when we look back on them, those moments often help lead to something much better. As such, through this format, the viewer automatically starts with a certain sense of hope. No matter what she goes through, we know that Sophie is going to be okay. Although she’s struggling, the events of her youth have not defined her in the present, no matter who the ‘father’ turns out to be.

How I Met Your Father — “Pilot” – Episode 101 — After a slew of let-down Tinder dates, Sophie meets the seemingly perfect guy. Meanwhile, her roommate, Valentina, returns home from London Fashion Week with a sexy souvenir. An Uber-related phone mishap leads them to an eclectic new group of friends. Valentina (Francia Raisa), Sophie (Hilary Duff), and Charlie (Tom Ainsley), shown. (Photo by: Patrick Wymore/Hulu)

There’s peace in that assurance.

So, even though How I Met Your Father may be going back to a familiar setting and style, it’s possible that this spin-off may just succeed where others have failed. Certainly, there’s enough charm amongst its cast to bring me back again for another trip into the past.

The first two episodes of How I Met Your Father stream on Hulu on Tuesday, January 18th, 2021, with new episodes arriving weekly.

Monster Mondays: Godzilla (1954)

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Note from the Editor: A longtime friend to SF Radio, Ben Dower knows a thing or two about monster movies. Starting this week, Ben will be penning a weekly review of classic monster mayhem and their historical importance.

By Ben Dower

As World War II approached its end, Japanese cities were heavily bombed by the United States.  In one night in March 1945, Tokyo was devastated in a brutal firebombing raid that killed over 90,000 people, mostly civilians.  On August 6th, 1945, the United States dropped the first nuclear bomb used in warfare on the city of Hiroshima, followed three days later by the second on Nagasaki.  

During the Occupation of Japan in the years following the war, occupation forces exorcised heavy censorship of the media to prevent criticism of the Allies.  When the Occupation of Japan ended in 1952, there was much more freedom for the media to begin discussing the topics that had been off-limits, including the atomic bombings.

In March 1954, the United States conducted the Castle Bravo H-bomb test on Bikini Atoll.  The test caused highly radioactive fallout to rain down on nearby inhabited islands, as well as the Japanese fishing vessel Daigo Fukuryū Maru.

It is from these events that Godzilla was born.  

While most American giant monster movies featured a beast that goes on a rampage before it’s eventually killed (ie.  King Kong or The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms), Godzilla took this formula and infused it with metaphor. The film starts with a fishing vessel plowing along the ocean, its crew relaxing on the deck in the sun.  Suddenly there is a flash of light, a roar, and the ship bursts into flames.  This is an obvious reference to the Daigo Fukuryū Maru, an event that had occurred just months prior and was fresh in the minds of the audience.

The film builds slowly, revealing first Godzilla’s leg as he tramples a village on Odo Island.  Paleontologist Dr. Kyohei Yamane (played by Takashi Shimura, an Akira Kurosawa staple) heads to Odo Island and it is discovered Godzilla’s footprints are radioactive with material consistent with a hydrogen bomb.  During the expedition to Odo Island, Godzilla appears on land again, his head rising over a hill and roaring menacingly at our protagonists in an incredible composite shot.

The Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF), which had only been founded in July of that year, drops depth charges on Godzilla and it is thought the monster is defeated.  As people celebrate Godzilla’s demise, the monster surfaces very much alive inside Tokyo Bay.

Godzilla soon comes ashore in Tokyo, trampling through a train station and picking up a train car in his mouth.  This sequence is the big reveal, featuring the first full shots of the monster.  It is an amazing special effects sequence, with the man-in-suit Godzilla composited behind real shots of Tokyo, the black-and-white film helping to conceal any imperfections.  The result is truly haunting as Godzilla moves like a spectre through the city, looming over the buildings and people below.  After a short rampage, Godzilla heads back into Tokyo Bay and disappears under the water.

The government quickly mobilizes the JSDF and constructs a barrier of high-tension wires along the shore to prevent Godzilla from entering the city again.  Civilians are evacuated, with scenes of soldiers loading children onto trucks and people carrying everything they can as they flee.  These scenes are very reminiscent of the war.

Sure enough, Godzilla rises from the sea again and heads to Tokyo.  He easily tears through the electrified barrier, clawing through the wires and melting the towers with his atomic breath.  Godzilla proceeds to blast away the JSDF and much of Tokyo, moving through the city silhouetted against the flames like a demon in hell.

It is in this rampage through Tokyo that we get our clearest wartime imagery.  The flames towering over Tokyo’s landmarks are no doubt meant to evoke the firebombing of March 1945.  Godzilla’s atomic breath, which is portrayed like a cloud fired out of his mouth, is an effort to visualize radiation on screen, vaporizing people like the atomic bombs did in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and leaving others in the vicinity with radiation sickness.  Added to this are the planes, tanks, cannons, and rescue forces, all of which would remind viewers of the war.

Watching the devastation on his TV at home is the young scientist Dr. Serizawa (played by Akihiko Hirata).  Dr. Serizawa has been conducting research on oxygen and has discovered a way to create a new super weapon, which he calls the Oxygen Destroyer.  Dr. Serizawa ultimately must make a horrible decision: reveal the weapon to kill Godzilla and risk the nations of the world adding it to their arsenals, or keep his weapon a secret and let Godzilla continue his reign of death.

Godzilla was released in Japan on November 3, 1954 and was an immediate hit.  The North American distribution rights were sold in 1955 and the film was heavily re-edited, toning down some of the more explicit anti-nuclear themes and inserting scenes of Raymond Burr as an American reporter witnessing the events as they unfold.  While generally considered inferior to the original version, the editing to insert Raymond Burr into the action is incredibly well done.  This version was released to North American theatres in 1956 as Godzilla, King of the Monsters! and was the only way the first Godzilla film was distributed in North America for 50 years.  In 2004, the original Japanese version got a limited theatrical release in North America by Rialto Pictures.  

Godzilla and Godzilla, King of the Monsters! are currently available from The Criterion Collection, both as a stand alone DVD or Blu-ray and as part of their Godzilla: The Showa-Era Films, 1954-1975 Blu-ray set featuring the first 15 Godzilla movies.

Cabin Connection: Real Love Amongst the Pines

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“We want real stories. Romance sells.” – Carmen, Cabin Connection

Holding up the phrases ‘real stories’ and ‘romance sells’ together in the same sentence has a certain ring of irony to it. After all, even the best romance films lean into the most fantastic (and fictional) of coincidences and circumstances. Even so, Cabin Connection manages to find a balance between fantasy and reality and uses its tropes to mine something more real.

Cabin Connection tells the story of Hannah Monroe (Katherine Barrell), a lifestyle writer and committed bachelorette who’s working on an article about the nature of love. However, when her grandmother leaves her a cabin in the woods in her will, she leaves so that she can take a look at the property. When she arrives, she discovers that the home needs some serious repair and she hires local handyman Cole (Cody Ray Thompson) to help prep the cabin for sale. But as Hannah and Cole spend more time together, the two strike up their own romantic connection that helps Hannah restore her faith in love and make her reconsider her own future.

Light-hearted and fun, Cabin Connection is a charming getaway for two hours in the cold nights of January. Though this style of film usually rises to prominence over the holiday season, Cabin Connection manages to create the same hopeful vibe without the necessity of Christmas decorations. (Still, is it weird that I missed the traditionally over-developed display of Christmas lights a little bit?) Even without the holiday cheer, Connection successfully leans into many of the same tropes that make this genre so much fun. A smart, young executive who needs to take a trip to the remote countryside? Check. A meet-cute with a handsome local? Yep. 

And, most importantly, the spark of romance between them that changes their lives.

While the tropes may sound cliché, that doesn’t mean that the films aren’t enjoyable. There’s a sweetness embedded within the familiarity of this genre that keeps viewers coming back for more. Admittedly, some of these films are better than others. Thankfully, Cabin Connection works well due largely to the strength of its leads. As is always the case, the romance between Hannah and Cole remains the centerpiece of the film. In fact, he chemistry between stars Barrell and Thompson sparks as they playfully get to know one another amongst the country pines. With an innocent charm, the couple work well together onscreen and have the type of affection that feels welcoming to the viewer. 

Although the characters within these films are always on the search for love, Connection does so a little differently than other entries. Instead of just ‘finding love’, Connection wants to find out what love is. With every interview, Hannah seems to discover a new aspect of what makes love lasts. From a couple married 40 years to a widower moving forward from a deep loss, every person that Hannah speaks to has their own ‘definition’ of love. Some believe in ‘love at first sight’ while others saw their affection develop over time. Some have never questioned their love for one another while other have to choose to do so every morning. There’s a wide variety of experiences that shape the lives of each couple that give

While the fairytale romance still remains the goal of the film, Hannah also begins to see that real love requires hard work. Yes, it may be easier for some than others. However, in every case, the relationships within the film require the commitment to work together in order to create something beautiful that truly lasts. While romance films make love look easy, Connection tries to remind us that it really isn’t.

(I mean, admittedly Connection also makes it look pretty easy too… but that’s beside the point.)

For fans of this style of romance, Cabin Connection offers everything that they’re looking for from the genre. However, the best part about the film isn’t the warm fireplace or the fascination with baking. Instead, what makes Connection unique is that it really seems interested in finding out what makes love work.

In this film, that’s the connection that really matters.

To hear our interview with stars Katherine Barrell and Cody Ray Thompson, click here (YouTube) or here (podcast).

Cabin Connection is available to stream on Super Channel, beginning Saturday, January 15th, 2022.