Foxcatcher

Film: Foxcatcher

Starring: Channing Tatum (Magic Mike), Steve Carell (Crazy Stupid Love) and Mark Ruffalo (The Avengers)

Director: Bennett Miller (Moneyball)

U.S. Release: November 14th, 2014 (Limited - Rated R)

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 134 minutes


The sound of a single gunshot shook the city of Philadelphia this past Monday evening. While local residents sat safely in their homes, a packed house at the Prince Music Theater held their collective breath completely enamored with Bennett Miller's latest achievement, Foxcatcher. Miller's impeccable credentials speak for themselves. With two feature films under his belt, and both earning Best Picture nominations from the Academy Awards, Miller's Foxcatcher has all of the necessary ingredients for making it three in a row.

Channing Tatum takes center stage as Mark Schultz, a 1984 Olympic Gold Medalists in the sport of wrestling and someone who still manages to get lost in his older brother Dave's (Mark Ruffalo) shadow. But when a multi-millionaire named John E. du Pont (Steve Carell) invites Mark to move into his estate and lead a group of world-competitive wrestlers at his private Foxcatcher facility, Schultz graciously accepts and begins to branch out and form his own legacy. However, du Pont's powerful manipulation and stranglehold over Mark begins to escalate to the point where even peacemaker Dave Schultz can't stop an unfortunate tragedy from occurring.

Foxcatcher's cinematic prowess is evident on nearly every level imaginable. Bennett Miller's finely tuned and nuanced storytelling is a lost art in modern filmmaking. Subtlety is key, and the director carefully places every tiny detail in its necessary place in order to shape this spine-chilling tale of obsession and madness. Channing Tatum gives the performance of a lifetime in a role he seems destined to play. Standing toe-to-toe with his presumably Oscar-destined counterpart, Steve Carell, Tatum reveals a beautifully complex character. A physical beast with a burning desire for another Olympic Gold Medal and a young man determined to pave his own path in life, Mark Schultz is the last person you'd expect to be emotionally frail. Yet, Tatum captures this multi-dimensional character perfectly and, as a result, helps heighten an intentionally unbalanced and disturbing performance by Carell in a rare villainous role. Predatory and shrewd in nature, Carell's transformational role establishes du Pont's eerily reprehensible essence and, in many ways, carries Foxcatcher by itself.

In addition to a well-crafted story and a pair of superb leading performances, Foxcatcher rhythmically mounts an enormous amount of tension that builds like a symphony. Gradual and meticulous in its approach, what some may view as a slow-paced character study can also be described as a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. And when it finally does, your heart will burst out of your chest in one single instance. Similar in vibe to another slow-building and agonizing journey of impending doom with 2012's We Need to Talk About Kevin, Foxcatcher cloaks its rapacious themes with illusions of patriotism and grandeur. Everyone is in need of something, but as you sometimes come to discover in a real-life tragedy such as this, you must be careful what you wish for.

Foxcatcher is by no means a feel good story or a film you should seek out to enjoy, but rather a deeply insightful and provocative examination into one of our country's most perplexing crimes. Anyone fascinated by this national story is guaranteed to be utterly consumed from opening to closing credits. With Foxcatcher, Bennett Miller paints a perfect portrait of all his characters, an epic accomplishment that will undoubtedly stand as one of 2014's most prestigious films.


Stars: 4 stars out of 4

Grade: A+

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A Most Violent Year (NEW) and Chappie Trailers

All Is Lost director J.C. Chandor returns in 2014 with the highly anticipated Oscar hopeful, A Most Violent Year. The film follows an immigrant business owner (Oscar Isaac) who is forced to fight for his family and business during one of the most violent years in New York City history. Expanding on the release of its previous teaser trailer, A Most Violent Year appears to have all the makings of a viable Oscar contender.





2009's District 9 was an out of nowhere sci-fi masterpiece that really impressed me. Director Neill Blomkamp returns in March of 2015 with the science fiction dramedy Chappie. Dev Patel stars as an engineer of sorts who brings the most advanced robot ever seen into the world, Chappie. With the gift of an adapting understanding of the world and the ability to feel, Chappie looks to capture the hearts of us all. Comprised of equal parts Wall-E and Short Circuit's Johnny 5, the film looks both interesting and inspiring to say the least.

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The Theory of Everything

Film: The Theory of Everything

Starring: Eddie Redmayne (Les Miserables) and Felicity Jones (The Invisible Woman)

Director: James Marsh (Man on Wire)

U.S. Release: November 7th, 2014 (Rated PG-13)

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 123 minutes


Academy Award winning filmmaker James Marsh, best known for his popular documentaries Man on Wire and Project Nim, debuted his new biopic, The Theory of Everything, at the Toronto International Film Festival in early-September. The result was a shake-up in nearly all of the major Oscar races thanks to beloved performances from a pair of young up-and-comers, Les Miserables' Eddie Redmayne and the adorable Felicity Jones. And although I wasn't nearly as enamored with the overall final product as those in Toronto, the fact remains that The Theory of Everything has the staying power of a late-year Best Picture contender.

As a remarkably gifted doctoral student at the University of Cambridge in 1963, a young aspiring physicist named Stephen Hawking (played by Redmayne) discovers that he's suffering from a motor neuron disease (ALS) and is given only two years to live. Deeply depressed and feeling utterly hopeless, only the loyalty and devotion of a recent love interest named Jane Wilde (Jones) can keep Stephen motivated enough to continue his scientific pursuit of understanding the origins of the universe. Yet, many years after the two young lovers marry, Stephen's deteriorating physical abilities and Jane's tireless efforts at caring for their family prove to be the ultimate match for the couple.

Building a flourishing career upon the foundation of documentary filmmaking, it appears that very little changes with James Marsh's approach in The Theory of Everything. The director takes the audience through a realistically shaped journey with both of its lead characters who are brilliantly portrayed by superstars in the making, Eddie Redmayne and Felcity Jones. Redmayne, who was highlighted in my Top Rising Stars write-up back in May, accepts the daunting task of transforming the virtually paralyzed genius, Stephen Hawking, to the big screen, and he does so with remarkable ease. But don't be fooled, The Theory of Everything isn't just Stephen's story. The film also forces the viewer to relive the physicist's escalating physical limitations through the eyes of his wife, Jane. Hence, Felicity Jones' powerful turn as the rock of the Hawking household and a woman who valiantly stares down any obstacle even tends overshadow Redmayne's work by the closing credits. Make no mistake about it, though, both performances are equally deserving of all their praises.

While top notch portrayals clearly highlight this biopic, where the movie fails is in its pacing and lack of depth to Hawking's ideas and achievements in the science community. Rather than exploring the brain inside of this living genius who has soared past unspeakable odds, The Theory of Everything takes the safe systematic approach by following the presumed biopic template. Thankfully, Marsh receives exemplary performances that almost single-handedly support his relationship-driven narrative. While it's true that very few couples can admit to facing life-altering hardships comparable to those that Stephen and Jane had to endure, the couple's complicated marriage and unfathomable circumstances are vastly outstretched and inundated with glossed-over milestones. A more earnest approach would have been to examine the daily grind associated with a loved one suffering from ALS. Instead, The Theory of Everything stumbles along from checkpoint to checkpoint giving it a somewhat artificial feel.

The talent surrounding James Marsh's The Theory of Everything is magnificent, and the film is almost certainly going to stand out as the feature that elevated both Redmayne and Jones' careers to new heights. However, the true mark of a great film is to counterbalance transcending performances with an equally effective story, which doesn't happen here. For people with any knowledge of Hawking's personal life, The Theory of Everything will open very few doors into the unknown of the man at its center. And for someone as groundbreaking and exceptional as Stephen Hawking, that just doesn't feel acceptable.


Stars: 2 and a half stars out of 4

Grade: B-

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Ranking the Halloween Series

Happy Halloween everyone! This is always the best time of the year. World Series baseball is wrapping up, the NFL season is in full swing and horror movies are running rampant. Oh how I wish October would never end. Scary movies were my introduction to film. At an early age I developed an obsession with feeling frightened thanks to classics like A Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th. However, nothing quite left its mark like Michael Myers and the Halloween franchise. As a loyal fan and someone who has seen each film of the series, through the good times and the bad, I've decided to devote October's Movie List of the Month to ranking each Halloween film from best to worst (click here for September's List). I hope you enjoy.

#10. Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)

Following an unforgettable hospital scene at the conclusion of the original Halloween II where Dr. Loomis blows the building to smithereens, the powers that be hoped to take the franchise in a new Michael Myers-less direction. The result was a horrendous tale of a Halloween mask-making company with evil plans of killing as many people as possible during the holiday. I mean seriously, what's a Halloween movie without Michael Myers?

#9. Halloween II (2009)

I was as upset as anyone at news that Rob Zombie was planning on re-inventing my beloved horror franchise. But in all fairness, I didn't hate his first installment (I did have my issues with it, though). However, when Zombie released his sequel in 2009, the finished product was absolutely terrible. Michael returns to Haddonfield to find his sister and the deadly slashing continues, but what was with all the imagery  and that white horse? Absolutely ridiculous and unforgivable on Rob Zombie's part.

#8. Halloween: Resurrection (2002)

After decades of chasing his baby sister, Laurie Strode, in 2002's Halloween: Resurrection Michael Myers finally kills her off and then puts down his knife to return home for a peaceful retirement. Yet, upon his arrival back to Haddonfield he finds a reality television crew taping a haunted online episode in his home. Michael isn't too happy with this and once again goes on a murderous killing spree in the house he knows best. This 8th installment to the franchise ignored Myers' previously revealed curse and goes in its own direction, making it one of the weaker films in the series.

#7. Halloween 5 (1989)

Taking place only one year after the fourth film, Halloween 5 features Michael Myers quickly returning home to take care of his niece Jamie Lloyd (Laurie Strode's daughter who was later adopted) once and for all. Unlike any other movies in the franchise, Halloween 5 attempts to implement a small amount of comedy with its dopey police officer characters, like many other horror movies of the late 80s, but to no avail. The story takes a wild path with almost a telepathic connection between niece and murderous uncle, but Halloween 5 is still a decent watch.

#6. Halloween (2007)

In 2007 Rob Zombie completed a lifelong dream of bringing his own re-imagining of the beloved horror franchise to life. Zombie's goal was to show Michael Myers from a young age being the "perfect storm" of sorts, growing up with both internal and external forces that drive him to murdering his sister on Halloween night. While the film as a whole was solid and terrifying, Rob Zombie's Halloween was a huge deviation from John Carpenter's originally crafted tale. I never liked how Zombie felt the need to generate reasons for Michael's villainous origins. Sometimes it's just scarier to think that people are capable of such actions without any explanation at all.

#5. Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995)

Although you may have never known this, the 6th installment of the franchise starred a young Paul Rudd in one of his first feature films ever. Six years has passed since Halloween 5's cliffhanger conclusion that left audiences and fanboys scrambling to make sense of the finale. All those questions were answered in Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers where the franchise labeled Michael Myers' desire to murder his family members as an ancient curse of Thorn marked by the symbol on his wrist. Despite a semi-ludicrous storyline, the film delivered enough legitimate scares and murder sequences to appease its loyal audiences.

#4. Halloween H20 (1998)

Paying homage to the franchise's origin and making some beaucoup bucks in the process, a 20 year anniversary film pitted Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode against her murderer brother once again. Halloween H20 also included performances from many young stars including Michelle Williams, Josh Hartnett and Joseph Gordon-Levitt (in a brief death scene). While Halloween: Resurrection was a laughable continuation with how it altered this film's intended ending, at the time H20 was a very strong addition to this classic horror franchise.

#3. Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)

After a disappointing 3rd installment that alienated fans of the series. 1988 re-introduced the "Boogeyman" to audiences. As one of the strongest features in the franchise Halloween 4 watched Michael Myers return to Haddonfield to kill his niece, Jamie Lloyd. Unaware of the serial killer's presence in their small town, Myers disposes of almost the entire police department and forces the sheriff to safely board up Jamie and a bunch of others in his house. With just about no way in or out of the home, their safety is compromised since they unknowingly locked Michael inside with them. Overlooking a head-scratching finale that was initially intended to redirect the franchise yet again, Halloween 4 proves to be a fantastic scare-fest.

#2. Halloween II (1981)

Part of me feels that it's unfair to make a distinction between the two initial Halloween films. Being born in 1983 the first two features always felt like one long combined story. Seeing that the take place on the exact same night, Halloween II watches as its villain hunts Laurie Strode all the way to the hospital where she is being treated for her wounds. SPOILER ALERT: It's also this film where the audience finally discovers that Laurie is Michael's sister, a huge revelation to the story that ultimately sets up the entire franchise. Halloween II is a non-stop slasher pursuit bombarded with amazing kill scenes and an equally eerie tone as the original. 

#1. Halloween (1978)

Greatness can almost always be traced back to its origins, and the same logic applies to this iconic series of film. John Carpenter's Halloween set the slasher-movie bar and still remains as one of the most profitable features ever released ($300,000 budget and $47 million box office). We witness the transformation of a young six year-old boy into a murderer after brutally stabbing his sister to death with a kitchen knife. Then, after 15 years institutionalized by the courts, a 21 year-old Michael Myers returns to Haddonfield and terrorizes a local babysitting on Halloween night. Halloween changed the landscape of horror films and remains as a classic piece of cinema to this day. If you want to experience a spine-chilling birth of evil, than look no further than John Carpenter's Halloween. 

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Nightcrawler

Film: Nightcrawler

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal (Prisoners) and Rene Russo (Thor)

Director: Dan Gilroy

U.S. Release: October 31st, 2014 (Rated R)

Genre: Thriller

Runtime: 117 minutes

*** Guest Review by Greg Rouleau

There’s something remarkably intriguing about Los Angeles at night.  From the beautiful skyscrapers of the downtown area, the Hollywood hills overlooking a sea of illumination, the vastness of the valley and the Pacific coast - cinematically, the “City of Angels” is a perfect backdrop for the genre of crime-thrillers.  As seen in Michael Mann’s Heat and Collateral, to the recent indie Drive, there’s a pulse from the urban setting that is unmistakable.  There’s no doubt that long-time writer, Dan Gilroy, with his first foray into the directing chair, was inspired by this locale for his new film, Nightcrawler.  Gilroy’s directorial debut is a wildly entertaining thrill ride that takes its time building up to a fantastic climax in the streets of downtown LA, but the payoff is worth the price of admission alone.

Louis Bloom is a drifter trying to earn a few bucks by pawning some stolen fencing and manhole covers during a late night excursion.  During his night out he stumbles upon a freeway accident where a couple of brave cops are attempting to rescue a woman from a burning car.  Like most of us would, he can’t turn away from the gruesome scene and investigates further, but what ultimately fascinates him is the guerrilla videographer who shows up at the right time to grab some footage to sell to the morning news.  “If it bleeds – it leads”, says the journalist, played with the perfect combination of charisma and sleaze by Bill Paxton.  From that moment, Bloom becomes a dedicated “nightcrawler”, purchasing a video camera and learning the tricks of the trade as he goes, it then becomes a question of how far is he willing to go in order to get a jump on his competition? 

Jake Gyllenhaal plays Lou Bloom, and it’s not hyperbole to say that even with an already impressive résumé, Nightcrawler is his best performance to date.  Credit Gilroy, too, for crafting such a character on the page.  A role like this in the wrong hands can easily become clichéd.  There’s an eerie calm to the way Lou operates, and conviction behind his every word.  He’s so convincing that you can imagine trusting him one moment, and the next, fearing that he may be criminally deranged.  Gyllenhaal is entering a period in his career where he could’ve succumbed to leading roles in more mainstream films, but it’s characters like this that seem to catch his eye and we’re all the better for it.

Gyllenhaal isn’t alone in the captivating performances, however, Rene Russo – wife of Gilroy - who has largely been absent for a decade now, aside from a small role in the Thor franchise – is outstanding as Nina, the editor who desperately needs a boost to her station’s ratings, and builds a relationship with the enigmatic Bloom.  Then there’s Riz Ahmed, who is a breath of fresh air and delivers an outstanding turn as Rick, Bloom’s intern.  The scenes between Gyllenhaal and Ahmed are often the film’s lightest moments.

Surprisingly, with a title like Nightcrawler and a premise that deals with underground crime journalism, there are quite a few laughs throughout.  Even if it’s all very tongue-in-cheek, humor seems to find its way into many scenes.  Although the occasional laugh is welcome, you wonder if Gilroy could’ve pushed the envelope a little more when it came to the disturbing subject matter.  Without spoiling anything, there’s a pivotal scene late in the film that you have to wonder if it was altered because it may have been a little too unsettling for some.  Then there’s light media satire that presents itself, when Nina pushes the ethics of her staff to show footage that flirts with breaking the law.

Despite Dan Gilroy not being a household name, there’s plenty of impressive direction on display here.  The performances across the board are impressive and his ability to build tension throughout is quite admirable.  He also handles the few action sequences with grace.  You can color me intrigued as to what his next project may be.  It’s that time of the year when movies helmed by prestigious filmmakers start making their way into theaters to generate Oscar buzz, but it’s also a period where moviegoers are in search of some thrills because of the Halloween season.  While Nightcrawlermay be flying under the radar for some, it’s absolutely the perfect marriage of the two thanks to some dazzling direction and a steady stream of thrills.


Stars: 3 and a half stars out of 4

Grade: A-

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2014 Philadelphia Film Festival Recap Part 2

Yesterday kicked off my first of a two-part series recapping each and every film I managed to catch at this year's Philadelphia Film Festival (click here for Part 1). Here's a look at the final eight titles that I ended up viewing.

Imperial Dreams

2 and a half stars out of 4 - B-

Malik Vitthal's Imperial Dreams stood out as one of the most powerful dramas of the festival. Leading actor John Boyega gives a towering performance as Bambi, a young aspiring writer recently released from prison who's set on taking care of him son and making it out of the dangerous projects in Watts, Los Angeles. Imperial Dreams does a remarkable job of capturing the turmoil that people endure while living in poverty and trying to branch out from a criminal lifestyle. 

Teacher of the Year

2 and a half stars out of 4 - B-

Matt Letscher and Keegan-Michael Key star in the laugh-filled mockumentary, Teacher of the Year. After beloved teacher Mitch Carter (Letscher) wins the California Teacher of the Year award, he's immediately confronted with a lucrative offer that could pry him away from his one true passion. The film chronicles Carter and the rest of his wacky, off-beat faculty members who offer an interesting and hilarious perspective on the current state of public education.

Wild Canaries

2 and a half stars out of 4 - B-

As both the director and leading actor, Lawrence Michael Levine's caper comedy, Wild Canaries, proved to be a fun little affair. Despite a periodically irritating lead role from Sophia Takal, the film delivers laughs and intrigue. I previously enjoyed Levine's work in an old Philadelphia Film Festival selection, Detonator, and the multi-talented performer shows he can handle comedy with ease. After their elderly neighbor ends up dying mysteriously, Barri (Takal) and Noah (Levine) begin to suspect foul play and put their inexperienced detective skills to work.

The Guest

2 and a half stars out of 4 - B-

In the vein of absurd and off-the-wall 80s B-movies, the team behind the horror sensation You're Next returns with The Guest. If you can look past its plot holes and head-scratching story, the film is actually quite a fun thrill ride. Dan Stevens stars as David, a former soldier who ends up on the doorstep of one his fallen friend's family. Still grieving from their son's passing, the family welcomes David into their home as the mysterious stranger's back-story slowly begins to unfold.

The Last 5 Years

2 and a half stars out of 4 - B-

Anna Kendrick continues to show off her pipes in the upcoming off-broadway musical adaptation from Richard LaGravenese, The Last 5 Years. The film examines all of the details surrounding the deteriorated relationship between a blossoming writer named Jamie (played by Jeremy Jordan) and his struggling actress wife, Catchy (Kendrick), in a unique fashion. Almost told entirely through song, this non-chronological story features Cathy's perspective from the end of the relationship towards the beginning, and Jamie's interpretation from the start of their romance to the conclusion, where the interweaving meets in the middle to a bitter revelation.

It Follows

2 stars out of 4 - C+

As a huge fan of scary movies (especially this time of year), I was really looking forward to the originaly premised horror tale, It Follows. The film follows a 19 year old young woman named Jay (played by Maika Monroe) who engages in an innocent sexual encounter that delivers fatal consequences. After the seemingly romantic incident, Jay awakens tied up by her captor and he reveals the shocking details that he's passed a haunting presence onto her. This presence is a slow-walking apparition that will never stop following her until she sleeps with someone else and passes it on to them. The idea is completely terrifying and translates well to the big screen, but I just wish It Follows would have taken the story to a more expansive level.

Glass Chin

1 and a half stars out of 4 - C-

Noah Buschel's non-traditional boxing tale, Glass Chin, stars Corey Stoll as a former rising boxing star named Bud Gordon whose life has been whittled done to the bare minimum. Desperate for a way back into the New York limelight, Bud takes a job with a ruthless schemer (played by Billy Crudup) who quickly turns the tables on the former boxer. Unraveling at a crawling pace and insufficiently supported by a paper-thin story, Glass Chin can't even be saved by eerily effective supporting turns from Yul Vazquez and Billy Crudup.

Big Significant Things

1 star out of 4 - D

Although the praises had been high for the self-discovery comedy, Big Significant Things, albeit from a limited number of sources, I found Bryan Reisberg's debut feature to be a hollow story with only sporadic laughs. I have no criticisms of Harry Lloyd's performance as Craig, a man who lies to his girlfriend and takes a solo road trip down south while she's on the west coast scouting out homes for their upcoming cross-country move. However, Lloyd isn't given much substance to work with and despite his grandest efforts, Big Significant Things trudges along towards a pointless conclusion to a boring story.

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2014 Philadelphia Film Festival Recap Part 1

After outlining my Best of the Festival Picks yesterday, I thought I'd give a brief recap of all the films I had a chance to enjoy over the past 2 weeks of movie watching. First, I already reviewed a few festival selections like Laggies, Birdman, St. Vincent, The Imitation Game, Wild, Escobar: Paradise Lost and The Good Lie. Here's a look at some other films I caught at the Philadelphia Film Festival:

The Mule

3 stars out of 4 - B

One of the most bizarre and incredible stories at this year's festival comes from the Aussie film, The Mule. Terrific performances from Angus Sampson (who also co-directs) and Hugo Weaving anchor a captivating movie experience. The Mule follows Ray Jenkins, a shy television repairman who agrees to help a friend smuggle heroin into Australia from Thailand. However, after acting suspicious at the airport, Ray is taken into police custody where he can be held for seven days. In a battle of wits and bodily control, Ray tries to refrain from having a bowel movement so he can avoid going to jail.

'71

3 stars out of 4 - B

Unwavering intensity could be found at this year's festival with Yann Demange's '71. Jack O'Connell continues his breakout year with another dominating turn as a soldier trapped beyond enemy lines. O'Connell captured the attention of moviegoers with the summer indie release, Starred Up, and many are forecasting him as a Best Actor contender as the star in Angelina Jolie's Christmas release, Unbroken. However, in this latest film O'Connell plays a British soldier left to fend for himself on the violent streets of Belfast in 1971. The tension is constant and the thrills are plentiful in a fine example of action-packed filmmaking.

Faults

3 stars out of 4 - B

One of the pleasant surprises was the debut feature from filmmaker Riley Stearns entitled Faults. Stearns tells a carefully crafted story about Ansel (played convincingly by character actor Leland Orser), a down on his luck self-labeled "expert on cults". But after Leland is approached by a set of parents who claim their daughter Claire is being brainwashed by a cult, his financial predicaments force him to accept the job of deprogramming the young woman. Equal parts dark comedy and intense thriller, Mary Elizabeth Winstead carries Faults to a beautifully executed finale. While the story unravels in a quasi-predictable fashion, nothing can prepare you for the tension-filled third act that Stearns is able to capture on screen. 

Clouds of Sils Maria

3 stars out of 4 - B

More so than ever before, this year's Philadelphia Film Festival delivered an inordinate amount of female-centered films. And while I was awfully skeptical of the aging-woman drama, Clouds of Sils Maria, I can say in all honesty that I was rather impressed by wonderful performances and a strong screenplay. Juliette Binoche stars as famed actress, Maria Enders, who is asked to perform in a modern-day revival of the play that ultimately sparked her career. Yet, as 20 years have passed since then, Maria is expected to take the role of the older and more vulnerable female character. Kristen Stewart gives a career best performance alongside the always talented Juliette Binoche in an extremely honest story. 

Gabriel

3 stars out of 4 - B

My movie-watching concluded on Saturday October 25th with Rory Culkin's exceptional performance in the unsettling drama, Gabriel (but don't call him that). Culkin stars in the title role as a recently-released mental illness patient desperate to reconnect with his first love. The audience is forced to sit idly by as the main character gradually drifts further and further from reality. Gabriel is an uneasy and fantastic examination of mental illness and its ability to control individuals.

Love, Rosie

2 and a half stars out of 4 - B-

One obvious crowd-pleaser from this year's festival was the romantic comedy, Love, Rosie. Lily Collins proves an adorable lead in the occasionally irritating story of lifelong best friends, Rosie and Alex, who have never acted on their impulses to take their relationship to the next level. While the story is delivered in a comical and charming way, Love, Rosie is a worthwhile rom-com that thankfully calls it quits before the audience decides to turn on the film.

Creep

2 and a half stars out of 4 - B-

As a huge fan of Mark Duplass as both an actor and filmmaker, I was very excited to catch his new horror comedy at the festival. Representing one of the finer found-footage horror stories I've seen, Creep revolves around a videographer named Aaron (played by director Patrick Brice) and the client who recruits him through a craigslist ad (Duplass). As the skin-crawling events unfold and the client's unorthodox behavior becomes unbearable, Creep begins to escalate to a whole other level. Duplass is spectacular and the finale is simply unforgettable. 

*** Stay Tuned for Part 2 Tomorrow

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The Best of the Philadelphia Film Festival 2014

Now that the 23rd annual Philadelphia Film Festival has come and gone, I've decided to reflect on the 21 new films I watched (I saw Lynn Shelton's Laggies for a second time) and break down the best movies and performances that I experienced. Sadly, this was my first festival that didn't produce an "A" movie. However, that doesn't mean the lineup they assembled was awful because there was really only one "clunker" in all of the 21 new films I witnessed. So here they are, my selections for the Best of the Fest (not including Laggies, which ranks on my Best of Sundance list):

Best Supporting Actress

Honorable Mention: Kristen Stewart (Clouds of Sils Maria) and Naomi Watts (Birdman)

#3. Keira Knightley (The Imitation Game)

#2. Laura Dern (Wild)

and the winner is ...

Emma Stone (Birdman)

Best Supporting Actor

Honorable Mention: Yul Vazquez (Glass Chin), Karl T. Wright (Teacher of the Year) and Mark Duplass (Creep)

#3. Hugo Weaving (The Mule)

#2. Benicio Del Toro (Escobar: Paradise Lost)

and the winner is ...

Edward Norton (Birdman)

Best Actress

Honorable Mention: Lily Collins (Love, Rosie) and Anna Kendrick (The Last 5 Years)

#3. Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Faults)

#2. Juliette Binoche (Clouds of Sils Maria)

and the winner is ...

Reese Witherspoon (Wild)

Best Actor

Honorable Mention: Rory Culkin (Gabriel), John Boyega (Imperial Dreams) and Angus Sampson (The Mule)

#3. Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game)

#2. Bill Murray (St. Vincent)

and the winner is ...

Michael Keaton (Birdman)

Best Director

Honorable Mention: Yann Demange ('71), Theodore Melfi (St. Vincent) and Tony Mahony & Angus Sampson (The Mule)

#3. Morten Tyldum (The Imitation Game)

#2. Jean-Marc Vallee (Wild)

and the winner is ...

Alejandro G. Inarritu (Birdman)

Best Picture

Honorable Mention: Wild, Escobar: Paradise Lost, Clouds of Sils Maria, '71 and Faults

#3. The Mule

#2. The Imitation Game

and the winner is ...

St. Vincent

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