Reviews

In literature, there is a term called the "Hemingway Hero," which is essentially a set of noble traits and honorable qualities that the reader should aspire to, much like any character in an Ernest Hemingway novel. Every writer attempting to create this attribute will find that the qualities that make up a hero today compared to that of Hemingway's day are consistent and timeless. This idea of what makes a man a man, and living a life of "honor, courage and endurance in a world that is sometimes chaotic, often stressful, and always painful" will forever ring true to those in search of a deeper meaning of life. The Bob Yari-directed film Papa: Hemingway in Cuba, tells the true story of one man's relationship with the legendary writer Ernest Hemingway, and essentially starting his journey to find his own, literal, "Hemingway Hero".

"What do you say to the man who changed your life, and never even knew you?" Ed Myers (Giovanni Ribisi), a journalist at the Miami Herald in the 1950s, asks this question while struggling to find the words for a letter he plans to send to his idol, Ernest Hemingway (Adrian Sparks). Growing up an orphan during the depression, Myers' voice-over explanation reveals that he had always wanted to be a writer and an adventurer. His lack of family ties created a longing for someone to look up to, someone to be a father figure. He writes all of this and more in his letter, spilling his soul onto the page. Then, one day, Myers gets a life-changing phone call from the man himself, telling him how much he appreciated the letter and then asking him to travel to Cuba to spend time with him.

While the first third of the film tends to drag a bit slowly, it really comes alive when we follow Myers to Cuba and get to meet Hemingway. The atmosphere of the city and live music are electrifying, a juxtaposition to the man Hemingway had become by that point in his life. Myers quickly develops a closeness to Hemingway and his wife Mary (Joely Richardson), considering them the family he never had. However, their blissful life erupts into chaos as they immediately find themselves in the middle of the Cuban revolution.

The fact that this is a true story alone is worth watching, but probably the biggest selling point is that this is the first Hollywood film to be shot in Cuba in over 50 years. The authenticity of being able to shoot in the original locations including the bar El Floridito and Hemingway's actually home in Finca Vigia, which is now preserved as a national museum, is a fascinating thing to see. Possibly the coolest memento of all, though, is that the typewriter used in the film is Hemingway's original one.

Personally, a big fan of Hemingway myself, (I did name my dog Ernest after all), seeing this time period in his life is difficult as we all know the outcome of his losing battle with depression. It is a hard pill to swallow watching him stick a revolver in his mouth and beat his wife. For as beautiful the worlds he created in his books, the man we see on screen is a tortured artist that is struggling to see the purpose of his own life. Adrian Sparks captures both Hemingway's brilliance and demons in his performance, truly giving justice and respect to the late author.

As much as you become absorbed in Sparks' performance, there are moments that can take you out of the film. At times Ribisi comes off somewhat flat, for example, getting that initial call from his idol, Hemingway himself, he barely seems to muster up any excitement. Instead, it feels as if that scene may have been rehearsed one too many times and, by that take, he was just going through the motions. Another head scratching moment is how quickly the film jumps into some scenes without much setup. One moment, Myers is on the beach in Cuba, the next he's on the beach in Florida telling his girlfriend (Minka Kelly) about his trip to Cuba. It feels rushed, but at this point, we've become invested in these characters that we're along for the ride so we don't really care where we're going or how we get there.

Papa: Hemingway in Cuba is a stunning portrait of one of the greatest authors and storytellers of the 20th century. Bob Yari takes the biopic and breathes life into the genre just by the sheer amount of authentic details (like the shooting locations alone), plus this inspiring and true story of one man's search for the meaning of life is something we can all relate to. Bonus- Keep an eye out for a quick cameo from Ernest's granddaughter Mariel Hemingway.

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Sometimes, the end of the world comes about in two ways. There's the scenario in which the actual apocalypse strikes, bringing about the general destruction of planet Earth and its beings. And then there is the time when one loses a parent.

In her first and now second back-to-back feature films, writer/director Lorene Scafaria has explored both end-of-days events, as well as the common theme of having her characters forced to find levity and comedy in, and finding the will to carry on amidst, the face of such devastating events – but only taking real-life experience from the latter.

In Scafaria's follow-up to her directorial debut, 2012's 'Seeking a Friend for the End of the World', the 'Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist' scribe offers an altogether joyful and uplifting tale of human life realism that, though still tinged with some mournful and heartbreaking tone, explores with such heart what happens after someone's world ends, the new reality that must then be accepted and the snags in life that come with it.

In Scafaria's own tale of personal devastation, the writer and director learned of her father's passing when in the middle of shooting 'Seeking a Friend'. Shocked, distraught, and altogether dazed, her mother proceeded to fly out to comfort and support her daughter through the production and finishing of the movie, and subsequently, becoming a new part of her daughter's crazed world.

'The Meddler' is exactly that story, a loving tribute of a film from Scafaria to and about her mother, and how the pair were faced with figuring out how the other fits into their lives. Marnie (Susan Sarandon), a spirited, life-affirming, if only slightly overbearing woman, so well- intentioned and good-hearted that she sees no boundaries or personal space between her and the people whose lives she stumbles into, and inadvertently helps in such genuine and caring ways. Her sunny and eager-to-assist disposition are great for everyone around her, including her daughter's new bride-to-be friend Jillian (Cecily Strong) and retired officer of the law "Zipper" (J.K. Simmons), who also manages to catch her eye – everyone, that is, except for her recently single and anxiety-ridden daughter Lori (Rose Byrne).

Scafaria shows Sarandon's wholesome meddling, but in such a loving way that Marnie's entire character is one that can't help but be looked at as endearing, sentimental, and caring in that classic, overly-attentive "mom" kind of way (a running joke shows Marnie leaving voicemail upon voicemail to a Lori, only asking her daughter to text her to make sure she's OK). Sarandon here is a true joy – this movie is a vehicle around the star, and she doesn't disappoint when on screen (in the beauty department as well), even when the story lacks in urgency or real development.

As a movie, 'The Meddler' is pretty much just a series of situationally-comedic events – she buys an iPad for a baby shower present, accidentally gets stoned when trying to get rid of a younger friend's bag of pot, and walks onto a movie set and becomes an "extra." The winning factor is that Sarandon herself shows so much life, still so comedically and dramatically deft and sharp, which should tickle the middle-aged-mom crowd out there.

'The Meddler', if not the most challenging or complex look at familial loss beyond being a good time, is a highly personal film. Scafaria's near-autobiographical film, that seeks to win over audiences with its funny look at a tragic life, feels tonally reminiscent of writer/director Maya Forbes' 2014 dramedy 'Infinitely Polar Bear', in which Mark Ruffalo stars as Forbes' manic- depressive father, telling a story of morose nature but with light-hearted and optimistic fever. And like that film, 'The Meddler' wins audiences over by its message of how important it is to continue to smile – to live – in the face of grief. Because the end of one world also means the beginning of a new one.

Writer/Director Nitzan Gilady's charming film Wedding Doll won audiences over at the Jerusalem Film Festival and the Ophir Awards (Israeli Oscars), taking home the top honors of 'Best Actress' and 'Best Film', respectively, among others. Today, the festival favorite will hit screens stateside and is sure to attract American audiences with rising star Moran Rosenblatt's phenomenal performance of a mildly handicapped woman who wants to fall in love.

25-year-old Hagit (Rosenblatt) dreams of her wedding day, anticipating the moment she will put on the iconic white dress that she's become obsessed with- magazine cutouts of gowns and brides cover her bedroom walls like boy band posters from the 90's. However, Hagit doesn't realize her fairy tale romance may never come to fruition because of her mild mental handicap, making her dependent on her mother's help for many everyday tasks. When she is not under constant supervision of her mother Sara (Assi Levy), Hagit works in a small factory manufacturing and assembling toilet paper packages and makes little wedding dolls out of toilet paper to pass the time. She has become infatuated with her boss's son Omri (Roy Assaf), who happens to be the only other person working at the factory. They strike up a friendship, but she perceives it is much more. When the factory realizes it needs to shut it's doors for good, Hagit's desire for independence and quest to find true love is pushed further than she may be capable of understanding.

Rosenblatt embodies Hagit with such detail, nailing every quirky trait no matter how small. Her reactions to being called 'weirdo' and 'goofy' are understated, but we see the sharp pangs of pain etched on her face. But this isn't just Hagit's story, it is as much that of her mother, Sara, as we see her struggle to keep a job as a hotel housekeeper, as well as the relentless responsibility of being Hagit's sole parental guardian while trying to also have a love life. Sara attempts to do all three, but as a result of biting off more than she can chew, does none of them well. Assi Levy plays Sara with the necessary confidence to allow audiences to trust her choices, yet with a strain of vulnerability that evokes sympathy for her.

Not only does Wedding Doll nail the performances, the cinematography is just as engaging. Set in the desert on the outskirts of the city, the aesthetic is rich in color and incorporates various textures as well; the abundance of stone, tile, water, and paper make for a pallet any artist would envy.

Wedding Doll runs at a swift 80 minutes and thankfully, never feels rushed. Every scene is engaging and there is purpose and value in every moment. Gilady has managed to trim the fat and delivers a sleek and concise coming-of-age love story that is far more unique than others of recent production.

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Inspired by true events, Colonia is a Hollywood-style thriller about a couple who finds themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time- the torture prison of a religious cult under the influence of the Chilean secret police in 1974. At a time when Chilean youth began revolutionizing in the streets, one man's involvement with the movement along with his girlfriend's association in his anti-government views causes the couple to put their relationship and love for each other to the test. Directed by Academy Award winner Florian Gallenberger (Shadows of War), Colonia opens in theaters Friday, April 15th. Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine" accompanies archival footage of protesters rioting in the streets while the film itself is saturated in prime colors- magenta and royal blue. This juxtaposition of violence and R&B gives an artistic edge to the film's opening scenes, but unfortunately, this visual isn't sustained throughout the film. We meet our protagonist Daniel (Daniel Brühl), up on stage pumping up the masses of people, when, out of nowhere, he spots a bright yellow flight attendant's outfit (like a ray of Mr. Withers' sunshine) from the muted colors of the crowd. The woman is Lena (Emma Watson) and they immediately embrace. Their relationship isn't made entirely clear, but she only has four days in town and they plan on spending it together.

While enjoying their time together, Daniel receives a phone call that shifts the political tide and changes everything. This results in chaos erupting in the streets, leading to their capture by the Chilean soldiers. Daniel gets abducted and taken to a hidden cult in a rural area called Colonia Dignidad, run by ex-Nazi Paul Schäfer (Michael Nyqvist). Left with no other choice, Lena willfully joins the Colonia as a desperate, last-ditch effort to find her boyfriend, risking her own life to bring him home as she discovers that those who enter the cult never leave.

Emma Watson and Daniel Brühl play Lena and Daniel with an innocence about them that has you rooting for their success. Watson is unquestionably beautiful and smart, her outspokenness gets her into trouble. Brühl takes a more unconventional risk with his character by playing the role of a mentally challenged person in an effort to trick his captors into thinking he is not a threat. Watson and Brühl are crucial to the film's success, but individually speaking, these roles won't likely result in a significant boost to their careers.

Colonia can't escape the comparisons to Eli Roth's The Sacrament or the documentary Kidnapped for Christ (if you haven't seen it, it's available to stream on Netflix, and is a MUST- watch), which may hurt Colonia's overall success because it is not as riveting by comparison. Audiences know what they are getting with an Eli Roth film, and a documentary has its own sense of wonderment, but Colonia tends to jump from the political thriller to love story to religious brainwashing in a patchwork way that feels a bit all over the place, and it is this "clumpy" genre blending that may be the film's weakest point. Plus, Daniel and Lena's relationship is never fully established in the beginning of the film, so we are left to wonder why she would risk her life to save this person.

At its core, Colonia is an interesting story, but not a very memorable film. It doesn't provide enough tension to overshadow The Sacrament, nor does it have the foundation to be a solid romance. The fact that it is based on a true story is what keeps the film afloat and the inclusion the smuggled archival photos of the real Colonia Dignidad at the end is a much-needed gem. Yet, even with cinema-savvy actors Emma Watson and Daniel Brühl, Colonia can't quite seem to gain the traction needed to be a standout film.

For more, visit: www.cinemacy.com

Director Joachim Trier makes his English-language debut with the drama Louder Than Bombs, an intimate portrayal of one family's relationship and the struggles they must overcome in the face of death. The film made its debut at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival and, coupled with Trier's reputation as an acclaimed filmmaker and visionary, is sure to make waves in the indie/art house film scene.

Isabelle Reed (Isabelle Huppert) a famed photographer who felt most comfortable in war and conflict-ridden areas, was the center of her husband Gene (Gabriel Byrne) and two sons', Jonah (Jesse Eisenberg) and teenager Conrad (Devin Druid), world. No one could have predicted that she would leave behind a familial conflict of her own doing after her untimely and suspicious death. Three years after the accident, Isabelle's works are being thrust into the spotlight when a museum in New York City asks to use her photographs for a retrospective gallery installation. Her husband accepts, as he is slowly moving on with his life and sees this as a great opportunity to honor her. However, he discovers that an accompanying New York Times article speculating Isabelle's actual cause of death is set to run simultaneously with the gallery opening, and threatens to expose the devastating truth that Gene was intent on hiding from his youngest son in order to protect him. He has no choice but to enlist his oldest son Jonah to help him get through another painful confrontation.

Louder Than Bombs is an unwavering, head-on look at the human desire for connection and the need to be understood. It's obvious in Conrad's behavior by acting out and alienating himself from his father's attempt to reconnect, as well as in his brother Jonah's promiscuity, even when he has a wife and newborn baby at home. Gene's attempt to bond with his two sons is affected by his own flaws. This humanistic condition for connection is at the forefront of the film and engages the audience into contemplating how and why we act the way we do, focusing on the relationships within our own family.

What sets Louder Than Bombs apart from other films of recent memory are the surreal moments Trier infuses within the story. Disregarding the traditional method of linear storytelling by shifting between the past and the present, these added moments put visuals to feelings that have a hard time being expressed otherwise. They are not the character's dreams, rather, they are daydreams- or what one wonders about without limitations. These moments are hauntingly beautiful and stand out as works of art on their own.

On the acting front, the assembled cast could not have been better. Jesse Eisenberg is fantastic in the role of Jonah, his trademark quick-witted clamor is controlled and even understated, serving as the voice of reason in the film. Gabriel Byrne plays the widowed Gene with sensitivity as a conflicted father trying to navigate his own direction in life, who is not without his own flaws. Devin Druid embodies the angsty, brooding teenager Conrad to such a believable degree while still holding onto the innocence of being a misunderstood child. These, plus the stellar performances from Isabella Huppert, David Strathairn, and Amy Ryan, truly give the film it's footing.

The title- Louder Than Bombs– suggests an epic, grandiose drama, but instead, what Trier creates is a meditative and restrained film that is not at all loud or brash. It is a psychological trip that leads back to the celebration of one's own uniqueness coming together to fulfill the family dynamic. There is no doubt that Joachim Trier took a risk with Louder Than Bombs, but I believe his creative vision has the potential to pay off tenfold.

For more, visit: www.cinemacy.com

On Wednesday, February 24th, scientists detected the origin point of a space radio signal 6 billion light-years away and managed to find the universe's missing matter as a result. This incredible discovery is a strong reminder of how far we've come since 1969, the moment when Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong declared the first successful mission to the Moon as One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. Since Armstrong, twelve men in total have walked on the moon during the Apollo missions from 1969-1972. Of these 12, Eugene "Gene" Cernan was the last, and the documentary The Last Man on the Moon is his story.

Cernan's story is a unique one; a former Navy captain, his journey towards becoming a NASA astronaut started with a simple phone call. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy set the bar high for U.S. space exploration, putting pressure on the space program to be the first country to land on the moon. This public assignment given to NASA resulted in an increased demand for anyone willing to participate in the program, which lead to more opportunities for people like Gene to join. Getting his foot in the door was the easy part, he realizes in hindsight. The intense training that each of the aspiring young men endured, including desert survival, water survival, and jungle survival just to name a few, was the hard part. The best thing to come from that experience, Gene remarks, was the strong bonds he made with the other men.

His close friendships with his co-workers also made the tough times almost unbearable. Two deadly events, the unexpected crash of Gemini 9 which claimed the lives of the two pilots in his crew as well as the emotional Apollo 1 fire of 1967, when his neighbor and good friend Roger Chaffee and two other men died as a result of a flash cabin fire in the shuttle, shook up Cernan's world. At the time, he was married with a young daughter and the thought of never seeing his family again was extremely hard on him. However, when he was selected to be a part of the Apollo 17 crew, NASA's last mission to the moon, Cernan couldn't say no.

Cernan spent three days on the moon. Right before he was about to leave, and knowing that man may not be back on the moon again for years, he left his footprints and wrote his daughter's initials in the lunar dust. He describes this moment with such intimacy and detail that it's truly humbling to listen to him.

It does not feel like a traditional "documentary-style" film, thanks to the stylized approach from director Mark Craig as he strikes the perfect balance between the portrayal of Gene's personal and work life. He cuts between Gene in the present day with archival footage of his time at NASA, which, photographically, feels like a subtle effort to relive his experience. The B-roll of various space missions really does make The Martian look like a comedy. The Last Man on the Moon is a top notch documentary that feels like a perfect fit on the HBO or Showtime roster. It is humbling, poignant, hard-hitting, and emotionally charged, on top of being aesthetically rich and visually beautiful. Without giving too much away, I can say that the last shot will take your breath away as it did mine.

The Last Man on the Moon is not all happy endings. This is a deeply personal film for Cernan which is why it took until now, 40 years since his return to earth, to share his story. Now living on a ranch in Texas, Gene still works to this day, as his friends and family admit that "retirement" is not in his vocabulary. This film and its message is so important and will leave the viewer feeling inspired from both Gene's words and actions. Lightheartedly joking that he can't live forever, he wants to share his knowledge and experience now because he feels an obligation to inform the younger generations about man's potential and inspire hope for the future. "I walked on the moon," he says at the end of the film, "what can't you do?"

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Around the halfway mark of the Coen Brothers' newest film, Hail, Caesar!, an audience member was heard voicing his thought that, this was the weirdest movie he had ever seen–and this reviewer wouldn't say his evaluation was all that far off.

Yet it's exactly this sort of "weird-ness" that defines any Coen Brothers' movie, where colorful but mentally clouded characters are typically confronted with cosmically coincidental events, leading to a type of larger, dead-pan comedy, that's dripping in drop-dead seriousness that forces them to question the meaning of life and their place in the universe.

The universe at large in Hail, Caesar! is the 1950s back lot of the fictional Capitol Pictures, an MGM-like Hollywood studio whose theatrical world offers such wonderfully wacky tangents as bumbling cowboy movie stars lassoing with their spaghetti, as well as looming scares of Communism and learning of the first Hydrogen bombs.

At the center of this world, the ringleader of the Circus, is Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin), a Hollywood fixer whose job it is to keep the studio's stars in line, but whose own personal certainties are less assured. As if trying to quit a light smoking habit wasn't the biggest hiccup in his day (the film covers a twenty-seven-hour day), Mannix learns of the kidnapping and ransom demand of the studio's biggest star, Baird Whitlock (George Clooney), during the shooting of his lead role in the grandly epic big-picture event, titled, 'Hail, Caesar!'

Mannix proceeds to bop around from one looney tuned character to the next, including the Dixie-whistling cowboy turned bumbling big screen star Hobie Doyle (Alden Ehrenreich), twice- divorced movie star DeeAnna Moran (Scarlett Johansson), twin sister newspaper journalists Thora and Thessaly Thacker (Tilda Swinton), and tap-dancing Gene Kelly inspired Burt Gurney (Channing Tatum), who all amount to being an embarrassment of riches in Coen-land.

The Hollywood send-up may be much more divisive than the directors' other films, and likely because it's packaged as a mainstream movie with the likes of George Clooney and Channing Tatum cartooning around as old-timey Hollywood movie stars. But the Coens' only take the shell of old Hollywood and collapse the facade, exploring stories of kidnapping and hijinks, as well as much larger, universal themes of exploration and questioning, such as Politics, Religion, and other head-scratching questions akin to, What Does It All Mean? This search for meaning in a world so ridiculous, that it allows its audience to see the coded philosophic themes and lessons that its harebrained characters can't, makes this another winning outing for the Coen's.

The Coen's continue to eschew conventions of narrative structure, allowing their incredible style to drive the film here. Audiences expecting a more classic kidnap comedy will most likely be disappointed by the odd tangential story lines, but should know that the minds of this machine are operating on a top-tier level of intelligence that makes a minute long scene, of Hobie Doyle fumbling the phonetics of a sophisticated line like, "Would that it were so simple," give resonance to the entirety of the story–if only life were so simple.

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Considering how many festival attendees arrive from Los Angeles, it is rare to find a movie in the competition that is entirely based there, in large part due to the emphasis on finding new voices of cinema from elsewhere. And yet, there are so many untold stories to be discovered in L.A.: here is one of them.

'Spa Night' is billed as being a movie about a Korean teenager discovering his sexuality at the titular Koreatown spas, but it is actually a broader story of being a first-generation Korean- American and the trials that come with it. Joe Seo plays David, an only child to two Korean immigrants who are struggling to make ends meet as he prepares to apply to college and live up to his parents wishes. The film is much more about the unique and loving relationship David has with his parents, which is why the film flourishes. The truth is David's sense of insecurity and strong desire to live up to his parents is relatable to anyone, so this movie encapsulates what director Ang Lee calls "Universality in the culturally specific."

'Spa Night' director Andrew Ahn aims for ultimate authenticity and hits his mark. His characters and situations feel painfully accurate all throughout the movie, and I would imagine even more so for Korean-Americans. The film's alternation between social situations with the protagonists and private moments with the family allow for the audience to see the numerous ways these characters interact and portray themselves. As an insight into this world, this is a very eye- opening film.

The strength of authenticity also proves to be a weakness. Forgoing a musical score and shooting at a more muted pace means that at times it doesn't feel like it's moving forward at all. That isn't to say individual scenes aren't engaging, but based on the initial premise, it is expected that movement may happen faster than it does. Perhaps knowing that this film remains at a simmer for the duration will help viewers more thoroughly enjoy the artistic work.

Overall, 'Spa Night' is a success and an artistic breakthrough, despite the fact that its pacing and restrained style may hinder it from general viewer interest. The city of Los Angeles has so many movies in production yet so few try to tell stories that are new discoveries, so for this alone 'Spa Night' deserves recognition. Its attention to characters, environment, and reality are top-tier for a directorial debut, and my hope is that Andrew Ahn's next work can elevate the overall story elements that are not as strong as the individual scenes.

For more, visit: www.cinemacy.com

Director Roger Ross Williams shed light on the African evangelical invasion in 'God Loves Uganda'. Openly admitting he needed to do something a little more light-hearted for his next film, his latest documentary, 'Life, Animated', is an entirely different project.

At the age of 3, Owen Suskind completely shut off from the world and became unable to communicate. His parents soon discovered that he had autism and may never be able to speak again, heartbroken at the thought of how the relationship with their son they had dreamed of may never fully exist. After trying many tactics with professional help, suddenly Owen became able to communicate through Disney animated movies. The exaggerated character movements and expressions became a tool for Owen to learn his language skills and be able to communicate his emotions. Through the trials of growing up, Owen used scenes and moments from Disney movies, such as 'Aladdin', 'The Jungle Book', and 'The Little Mermaid' to gain an understanding of how to express himself in situations he will experience. It's a touching and at times comedic success story.

Now at the age of 23, Owen is an incredible human being and a banner example of someone who has gone far beyond what people expect from a person with a severe disability. While the film does take a little long to get the momentum going, Owen's story quickly becomes extremely compelling. What makes his story so interesting is that as a 23-year-old he is going through a lot of the same situations that anyone experiences: finishing school, moving away from home, relationships, etc. How he goes about it is entirely different, and takes a few more steps, but the general trajectory is entirely universal.

The Disney element of the story serves as a gateway for us to gain a better understanding of autism and those affected by it, similar to how Disney has helped Owen to understand the rest of the world. The filmmakers follow Owen through numerous obstacles he faces in life which serve as the primary source of drama. Fortunately, he is such an engaging and charismatic protagonist that his life events are heart-warming and at times hilarious as well. The film successfully widens the understanding of an often mysterious mental state that so many people are affected by. Occasionally, top-tier documentaries can forgo the need to deliver a major message or inspire societal change in exchange for telling us a great human story, and giving us a broader understanding of the human condition: 'Life, Animated' is such a film.

For more, visit: www.cinemacy.com

Usually, fart jokes are associated with bad raunchy comedies in the likes of Adam Sandler's recent career, or really uncreative family movies. Insert, 'Swiss Army Man' – the Sundance title that's generated the most vocal reaction amongst festival goers for it's ridiculous, now infamous, farting dead body played by Daniel Radcliffe. This is only how the film begins, and let's just say it toots even louder from there.

Paul Dano plays Hank, a man lost on an island. Right when he's about to give up on life, he discovers the aforementioned farting body and finds an unexpected answer to why his life is worth living. He discovers that many elements of this body can help him survive and find a way back home, and keeps himself sane (or perhaps insane) by talking to it.

The writer/director duo Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, collectively known as "the Daniels", have a reputation for ridiculous and highly entertaining short films and music videos, and this feature represents a conglomerate of numerous ideas that sound bad yet somehow all work. As Hank develops a relationship with the dead body (one that starts out similar to Wilson in Cast Away), the intriguing absurdity keeps you engaged for the rest of the film. This is the type of film best seen with little information beyond the initial premise, as it is full of mystery boxes waiting to be unraveled. Thanks to the great use of locations and production design, the world- building is fantastic and the wackiness becomes downright fun.

On top of being a silly movie that doesn't pretend to take itself seriously, 'Swiss Army Man' sneaks in themes of societal behavior and what is considered weird vs. what is normal. It's rare to find a movie that is so unpredictable in an engaging way, and because the movie begins with something so ridiculous and only goes deeper from there, it allows for limitless ideas on what is going to happen next and continues to be fun to watch. The reason the film may be polarizing is because of how silly it all is, but going in knowing it will be this way is all you need to jump in and enjoy the show. There is little more to say without giving too much away – essentially, if you can accept absurdity and be along for the ride, this movie may just sneak up and treat you to a great time overall.

For more, visit: www.cinemacy.com

While the film is Ireland's official Oscar submission due to director Paddy Breathnach's home country (and source of financing), 'Viva' is a film set entirely in Havana, Cuba, and serves as a window into the unique world of Cuban drag performers at a local nightclub.

Our protagonist, Jesus (Héctor Medina), barely survives off meager wages and temporary work, but dreams of being a drag star like his mentor Mama (Luis Alberto García). His road to local stardom starts out extremely well as he has plenty of potential, but hits a major hurdle when his father, a convict, comes home unexpectedly from prison. As a former boxer, it isn't surprising to hear that his father does not care for his son's chosen career path (or his sexuality). The resulting drama is about being true to yourself and following your passions while keeping relationships in your life.

Every character is so distinctly different from the others, and this colorful group gives 'Viva' the necessary stakes to be fully invested in, and truly sell, the movie. Jesus's father, Angel (Jorge Perugorría), starts out as a one-dimensional brute, but it quickly becomes clear he is much more than that. The machismo culture that is present in this world in direct contrast to its flamboyant opposition in drag queens is a compelling world to occupy.

While the film meanders at times, it thankfully finds enough of a storyline to finish extremely strong and leave the audience emotionally moved. Each of the drag performances is spellbinding thanks to a fantastic soundtrack and outstanding emotional vulnerability from the various entertainers. These performances will be the film's calling card and what makes it so memorable. As a father-son drama, and as an introduction into a world foreign to many of us (especially here in the U.S., where Cuba just recently opened its doors to tourism), 'Viva' is a success all around. The title stems from the protagonist's stage name, which is a perfect message for a movie about living life the way you want to against all odds, and stepping out of your comfort zone in pursuit of success.

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While I haven't seen previous work from Belgian/Dutch filmmaker Felix van Groeningen, whose last film, 'The Broken Circle Breakdown', received an Oscar nomination, there is rich enough texture in his new film, 'Belgica', to truly marvel at the craft and storytelling. A festival programmer introduced this film, one of Sundance's opening night selections, with the following statement: "For the last few years, we have been trying to get the World Dramatic category as top-tier as our US Dramatic. This year, thanks in part to this film, I think we finally reached that."

The title comes from the bar in which the film takes place. Two brothers come together to expand what was previously a hole-in-the-wall bar into a full-on destination with a massive remodel. As their dream version of Belgica comes to fruition, so do added layers of conflict that arise with the massive growth: trouble with the new crowds, women, drugs, and differences in opinion on the bar's future. The standout is the photography, which utilizes a broad variety of motifs and themes to display the strife that the two brothers are experiencing. At the beginning when the bar is small, the film carries a red hue with intimacy and fun themes, and as the bar expands beyond their control the color schemes shift toward a harsh and cold blue. That may be the largest visual shift but throughout there are numerous deliberate lighting decisions made to subtly enhance the viewer's understanding of these characters. At the beginning working at Belgica seems like the best thing in the world, and as we go on we see that it comes with a lot of baggage and pain, paralleling a heavy night of partying and drinking.

The film feels a bit long at two hours, especially as the experiences get less jovial. A few of the side stories don't entirely pay off, and most of the bar characters don't have enough time to get fully realized. At the end of the day, this story is about two brothers in different stages of life figuring out how to handle it in the face of their own personal troubles. a very watchable story in that they are each so compelling and realized. No matter how frustrating some of their choices are, we want them to succeed and find what's best. It's this type of character development that lets the film fly.

The characters in Belgica are each so compelling and realized that no matter how frustrating some of their choices are, we want them to succeed. It's this type of character development that lets the film fly. As someone who loves locations as characters, the titular Belgica is, of course, a prominent character of its own- morphing and developing as the plot progresses just like any of the actor's characters. For the experience of vicariously owning and living at a bar, which includes both raging fun and slamming comedowns, 'Belgica' is a compelling piece that visually stands above the crowd.

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Classic characters from perhaps the greatest literary work of American literature, Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer have hit the big screen, in a re-imagining that takes their mischievously- intentioned, hero-of-the-story selves, keeps a driving plot about finding a mythic treasure, and leaves the rest behind – and to good-spirited, well-earned fun in the new film, 'Band of Robbers'.

It should be stated early, there's not a whole lot that 'Robbers' truly, truly, lifts from Mark Twain's classic novel or characters other than using the characters' likeliness and winning charms to drop them into this new culture mash-up. It's really just the story of a version of a Huck Finn (Kyle Gallner) and a Tom Sawyer (Adam Nee), where Huck is a recent prison release looking to make clean and Tom is a wily cop whose adventure-seeking ways leads to his character's charming but still law-skirting flirtations, and through this all, they still remain the best of friends, along with a band of other self-affirmed misfit pirate pals.

The faces and talents enlisted here are truly where the comedy shines. It has the taste of 21 Jump Street comic-firing and timing of every-line-a-joke (and mostly bulls eye's at that), uses some familiar faces and some not-so, in playing a winning hand. Kyle Gallner as Huck is a Jeremy Renner and Rick Grimes a la The Walking Dead, where Adam Nee is as much as stand- out in a role that he knows so well. The geek-beloved Matthew Gray Gubler as Joe Harper, along with Hannibal Burress as Ben Rogers add a deep bench to the effort, with Burress (and "Greg…Knife" nailing every one of his scenes). Melissa Benoist and Eric Christian Olsen also star as little-used Becky Thatcher, Tom's new partner on the day of the planned heist (mention heist) and Sid Sawyer, beloved detective who plays it maybe a bit too straight.

Written and directed by brother filmmaking team Aaron and Adam Nee, 'Robbers' went through many years of development (including an idea of it being a TV show) before finally having its world premiere at the LA Film Festival. One wonders what following that version of Huck, Tom, and company may have been like, and what many adventures they may have spun in and out of in sit-com fashion. But its final format of a ninety-five-minute feature film feels like the best use of its talent, sparing any over-indulgence in what could have flopped as a gimmick and succeeds as a send-up that breathes fresh life into an American classic.

It looks like a scene from a Coachella weekend; thousands of people camping in cars, sleeping in tents in empty parking lots and enjoying general tailgating activities. While on the outside this looks like a fun event, it's actually a look at a tough reality. Directors Jeff Reichert and Farihah Zaman capture the story of a health care crisis that hits close to home for too many people in the documentary Remote Area Medical- not being able to afford a doctor and resorting to charity outreach as a primary source of health care. In this eye-opening film, we get an intimate look at a Tennessee clinic's operation for three days and experience first hand the hardships that many Americans encounter to receive basic medical care.

It is not a glamorous situation, and Remote Area Medical doesn't try to convince us otherwise. The flaws in the organization are acknowledged, and then passed over. Politics or statistics are not mentioned, this is not a propaganda type film. It is very people-driven whose story on it's own is enough to want to evoke a change and find out more about this organization.

http://cinemacy.com/remote-area-medical/

Girl power comes from French cinema in this classic coming-of-age story; female centric and empowerment driven, Girlhood is centered around 16 year old Marieme and her struggles with peer pressure and self discovery. While the tale may be repetitive, director Céline Sciamma gives fresh visuals and dramatic flare to the film, which is captivating from the very start. Set in the lower class suburbs of France, Girlhood is as much an emotional journey as it is a visual one, and a satisfying film from beginning to end.

Girlhood, which, by the way, is not a female answer to Richard Linklater's Boyhood, is very performance driven and an actor's dream. Karidja Touré carries the film on her small shoulders, projecting various emotional moments with strength. One scene in particular is very special to the film; the four girls rent a hotel room and get all dressed up in formal wear to just hang out with each other and drink alcohol. Eventually, they play Rihanna's "Diamonds" and begin dancing away their problems from the outside world. This moment in the film is captured so beautifully, it could have (and should have) been Rihanna's official music video. The blueish tones of the room, the general feeling of sisterhood, and the miming of the lyrics while dancing around in beautiful dresses show the girls' dreams of a better life, but making the most of what they have in that moment. It's a very powerful scene, which ultimately gives Girlhood its authenticity as the perfect portrait of the undeniable complexity of adolescent life.