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Maniac (2013)
Guilt and redemption to the max in "Maniac"
In the 2000 short film "Havoc," director Ori Greenberg (1977-2001) staged a climactic armed confrontation in a Southern California convenience store to portray, as stated in the film's opening titles, how anarchy might intersect with chaos, resulting in the titular havoc that he teased in those same initial moments of the film. Now that Greenberg has passed, observers will never know if he was able to realize the visceral potential he showed with "Havoc," but Sam Borowski's thriller "Maniac" displays much of Greenberg's daring choices in a parallel venue albeit one decidedly shot on the East Coast. Treading similar tri-state territory as can be found in the feature films "The Wrestler" and "Big Fan," Borowski's choice of locations to bring forth his own version of chaos and anarchy in his characters' lives works as effectively as Greenberg's locales did for his own short film. A series of verité scenarios give "Maniac" another leading character of sorts to supplement the already rich cast. New York is certainly all over this film though it is the surrounding territories in favor of the city itself which provides "Maniac" with its memorable backdrop.
Carrying the film is lead Bill Sorvino of the notable Sorvino acting family. The former Bill is so convincingly heartbroken by his actions in the film, it begs the question why he hasn't been offered feature film work of a similar quality. Sorvino is a troubled soul deep to his core, and Borowski directs him with the subtle touch which has made for other great New York-area director-actor pairings in recent memory, certainly included but not limited to Martin Scorsese and Robert DeNiro, Spike Lee and Denzel Washington, and Brian DePalma and John Travolta.
Solidifying the New York-area theme for keen observers, David Harris from the 1979 surreal gang epic "The Warriors" makes a cameo that is both welcome and singular. Notable other cast members include Joey D'Onofrio, a Scorsese alumnus, as a despicable pimp who might recall Harvey Keitel's equally guttural character in "Taxi Driver." One scene where Sorvino confronts D'Onofrio face-to-face quotes "Taxi Driver" but offers its own spin on the title character's madness and sense of finding the redemption in his guilt over a separate act of violence. One of "Maniac's" themes might be that one cannot help who he or she is destined to be, and the undercurrent of this briskly told 23-minute film is that events which drive us to madness may also inspire unforeseen acts of kindness and vigilance in even the least among us. Nihad Shalabi's screenplay offers how just one such person might react in public given the most unpredictable of circumstances.
Shot by cinematographer William Schweikert in the stark winter, "Maniac" irrevocably suggests a cast and crew to watch in the very near future.
Rent (2005)
RENT is a must-see for all fans of the soundtrack and musical
RENT
Movie Review by Scott Essman
Directed by Chris Columbus; Written by Stephen Chbosky based on the Broadway musical (book, music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson); Rosario Dawson as Mimi Marquez; Taye Diggs as Benjamin "Benny" Coffin III; Wilson Jermaine Heredia as Angel Schunard; Jesse L. Martin as Thomas B. "Tom" Collins; Idina Menzel as Maureen Johnson; Adam Pascal as Roger Davis; Anthony Rapp as Mark Cohen; Tracie Thoms as Joanne Jefferson. 135 Minutes. From Sony Pictures Entertainment.
To any real "RentHead," a film version of the nine-year-old musical Rent was a no-win proposition. The late Jonathan Larson's Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award- winning Broadway rock opera - based on Puccini's classic La Boheme - is an unqualified phenomenon, where die-hard fans have been waiting nightly in lines to try to win free tickets to the show. Naturally, a film version has been ruminated on for many years now.
Telling the story of one year in the life of eight friends in the 1989-1990 era of the East Village in New York, Rent has become a classic in its own right - a tale of love, loss, and daily anguish among an eclectic backdrop of bohemian life.
To add to the difficulty of bringing Larson's minimalist staging to the screen, director Chris Columbus lobbied for the project, winning the assignment despite his staunchly mainstream track record. Columbus previous directorial outings include Home Alone, Mrs. Doubtfire, Nine Months, Bicentennial Man, and the first two Harry Potter films.
However, despite the surface obstacles, what Columbus, screenwriter Stephen Chbosky, and the key cast have realized with the film version is likely to please all but the most picky audiences - RentHeads and general fans alike.
In the first place, six of the eight original Broadway cast members have returned to reprise their roles. This piece of casting was quite astute on the part of Columbus and the producers, as the actors' necessary familiarity with their characters and songs help bring this film its requisite passion and intensity. Leads Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp are the perfect roommates Roger and Mark, and nine years has not diminished their youthful appearances and affinity for their parts. Meanwhile, Taye Diggs, Wilson Jermaine Heredia, Jesse L. Martin, and Idina Menzel all shine in their supporting roles.
The two new key cast members - nascent movie star Rosario Dawson as Mimi and TV star Tracie Thoms as Joanne - both fit comfortably into the ensemble despite being new additions. Interestingly, Daphne Rubin-Vega, who was transfixing as Mimi in the original Broadway production - and nominated for a Tony Award for her performance - was not selected for the film. Ditto for Fredi Walker, the powerful singer who played Joanne on stage. But their replacements are more than adequate. Dawson may not have the husky sexy vocal talents of Rubin-Vega, but she brings a spectacular physicality to Mimi. Thoms sings melodically and is always believable as the tightly-wound Joanne. The film also features some fine cameos, the best of which is Sarah Silverman as the TV show Buzzline's sleazy executive Alexi Darling.
In addition to hanging the movie on his wonderful cast, Columbus has opened up the show with carefully selected and dressed New York locations. The exteriors always speak honestly of George H.W. Bush-era New York, a time when urban decay had hit the East Village and true gentrification had yet to set in. Columbus' streets catch the vibe of New York and provide the film with its ninth key character.
Notably, many changes have been made from the stage presentation, with varying degrees of success. Most significantly, Columbus' characters speak their dialog, as opposed to Larson's original group who sang nearly every word. For any fans of the show - in addition to the many fans of the original Broadway cast recording - this is a change that takes acclimation as one expects to hear the marvelously sung interactions between Mark and Roger, the many comical phone messages, and especially the final scenes with Mimi's return to Roger. Instead, all of this material has been transformed into Chbosky dialog, which works well enough and often mirrors Larson's words.
Of course, Columbus has re-recorded all of the show's songs, and since the cast is _ the same as the original Broadway group, it's difficult not to compare them. Where some of the new numbers soar, including a mesmerizing opening rendition of "Seasons of Love," other sections do not come off as strongly as the stage version. "Over the Moon," Maureen's performance-art protest segment, is nicely staged, though Menzel's song on the soundtrack comes off more powerfully in several areas than the version in the film. "La Vie Boheme" is so lovingly executed in the film, it at least matches the album cut.
Columbus and Chbosky have changed and rearranged other material from the show, but it's best left for individual Rent fans to judge these modifications on their own. Needless to say, the movie often has energy, conviction, and emotion which honors Larson's show while cinematically expanding the canvas of the musical in respectful ways.
Certainly, many fanatical RentHeads will find fault with the film, but ultimately, Columbus' movie both pays homage to the show while chiseling its own sculpture of what Rent means in cinematic terms. With the source material and cast behind this version, any Rent fan and would-be future Rent fan is sure to delight in this tribute to love and life. Unexpectedly, Columbus and his team have done the musical and Larson proud.
Creature Feature: 50 Years of the Gill-Man (2004)
An Excellent Look Back at the Creature and His Films
In modern Hollywood, it's too often that the major media pays WAY too much attention to the newest film releases and contemporary celebrities without regard to how or why films have gotten to where they are at this point in time. As a result, documentaries which provide a point of reference and framework for the genesis of classic Hollywood characters are essential viewing for anyone who stops to think about the evolution of films in the 100+ years of cinema. All of which brings us to CREATURE FEATURE: 50 YEARS OF THE GILL-MAN. In this absorbing and entertaining documentary, Sam Borowski's deftly crafted script offers a historical context for the beloved Gill-Man from the original 1954 Universal classic, THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON, explaining how the character came into being, why he has persevere, and lays the groundwork for explaining both why and how the character has influenced so many screen monsters who have come after him.
Notably, films in the sci-fi, fantasy, and horror genre were profoundly affected by CREATURE and its two sequels, and the impact of these 1950s landmarks is still felt today. Borowski and Matt Crick's film provides the viewer with accurate anecdotes about the making of the films, their impact upon audiences (including a bevy of celebrities - some unexpected), and the extended fan base which has succeeded the films, now 50 years following them. Their documentary is vital for all fans of classic films, sci-fi or otherwise, and anyone curious as to the nature of staying power for legendary screen characters.
Expertly narrated by Keith David, featuring interviews with many of the participants, filled behind-the-scenes and archival photos, audiences are sure to get the full scope of the Gill-Man's proper place in history - both cinematic and American pop cultural to boot. A footnote to the CREATURE's legacy is that Universal curiously quoted from the documentary on the back cover of the new CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON DVD Legacy Collection box set that was released in October, 2004.