Anora

Writer, director, and editor, Sean Baker, who gave us, "The Florida Project" and "Red Rocket," has a brilliant new film out, "Anora." In the wheelhouse of films like John Cassavetes's "The Killing of a Chinese Bookie," Elaine May's "Mikey & Nicky," or Benny and Josh Safdie's "Uncut Gems," "Anora" is the story of Ani, a.k.a Anora (Mikey Madison - I hope she is nominated for all the awards) who is an exotic dancer in a strip club. She meets a Russian boy, Ivan (Mark Eydelshteyn) who has extremely wealthy parents and seems to have an endless supply of money and appetite for drugs, alcohol, and Ani. He pays her for a private week (a kind of "Pretty Woman" scenario) and ends up in Vegas. Ivan's antics are discovered by his parents' keepers and what follows is a mob like intervention to detangle the relationship between Ivan and Ani. It's a long and often hilarious journey through bars, restaurants, candy stores, and strip clubs. It's a wild and messy ride, a broken vodka bottle soaked carpet and a double kick to the face. This is one of the best films of the year and it's now playing in theatres. 

Conclave

The Pope has died and Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is to run the conclave for selecting the next one. There are four main candidates vying for the position. John Lithgow plays a corrupt Cardinal. Stanley Tucci plays the left leaning, progressive voice. The far right is portraited by Sergio Castellitto. And there is a black Cardinal played by Lucian Msamati who quickly becomes disqualified by the dirty tricks of Lithgow's character. Days of voting go by, which looks like mostly white men in red robes folding pieces of paper, babbling out Latin, and going for smoke breaks in the courtyard. It does sound dull but it's rather exciting. This isn't edge of your seat stuff, however the film remains captivating throughout. There are some excellent little speeches about faith and doubt. Isabella Rossellini shows up looking pensive and slightly pissed off - yes, she plays a nun. I thought I figured out the end, and I did, but this one gives us an extra twist M. Night Shyamalan would be proud to own. Catch the holy moly in theatres now. Amen. 

The Promised Land

Fans of "The Man in the Iron Mask," "Tombstone," "The Count of Monte-Cristo," and this kind of historical period piece should check out co-writer and director, Nikolaj Arcel's film, "The Promised Land." This Danish film stars Mads Mikkelsen as Ludvig Kahlen, a 30-year, army-serving captain who wants to turn the vast wasteland of Jutland into a habitual farming community - in the name of the King! And Ludwig would like a noble title and some servants of his own in return. It's an underdog story. It's a story about class, racism, cruelty, and ego. It's about winning at the expense of those we love. Ludwig's neighbour, Frederik De Schinkel (Morten Hee Andersen) is a rich, spoiled drunk who wants Ludwig to fail at all costs. And the woman Frederik has his eye on for marriage, well she wants nothing to do with Fredrick and all to do with Ludwig. So there you have it. This film is a captivating drama and it's beautiful to look at. I'm not a huge fan of period pieces and I loved this one. Catch it on CRAVE or rent it from Movies 'N Stuff here in Ottawa. 

Smile 2

I loved the first one. I re-watched it and it was even better than I remembered. Something as good as "Smile" it's hard act to follow. If "Smile" is an A, then "Smile 2" is an A-, good enough for a proper entry here on the Marquee. The sequel picks up 6 days after the first film ends as Joel (Kyle Gallner) is trying to lose his inner demon. The demon ends up in global pop super-star, Skye Riley's (Naomi Scott) body as she is about to embark on her comeback tour. Skye is coming back from drugs and alcohol, and a car crash which has left her with a few large scars, not to mention some serious mental trauma. Naomi Scott's performance is utterly fantastic as the pop queen diva. Anyway, soon enough, fans are grinning at her in the most horrible way as Skye's inner demon grows inside her mind. Parker Finn is the writer and director of both films and understands what makes a good horror movie is the same as what makes a good movie: a strong central character - a fully living and breathing character with a back story. Finn has not only created a clever monster, he has now written two great female leads, robust and fully formed. Horror fans will grin. Film nerds should smile, twice. Catch this one now in theatres, just in time for Halloween. 

A Pure Formality

"Cinema Paradiso" is directed by Giuseppe Tornatore. It's probably my favourite film about film, the love of film. It came out in 1988 when I was eighteen. I never bothered to follow Tornatore's career or seek out his other work. I'm not sure why. Peter Thompson, owner and operator of my favourite video store Movies 'N Stuff recently told me I needed to watch, "A Pure Formality." Directed by Tonatore, it stars Gérard Depardieu and Roman Polanski. Depardieu plays a writer, lost in the rain in the French countryside, running away from what exactly, we don't know; a mystery. Polanski is a detective trying to solve a fresh homicide. This is a clever game of cat and mouse. It's a visual treat, a Hitchcockian thriller. For me, to watch a relatively young, Gérard Depardieu was also such a great joy. He was an actor who was a regular staple of my cinema watching (like Michael Caine or Gene Hackman) growing up. He is an unconventional leading man because of his hulking stature - it has always endeared me to him even more. Anyway, "A Pure Formality" is a cinephile's wet dream. The ending may be controversial - go see Peter at his store after you have watched it to talk about the ending. And you can thank me later. For rent at Movies 'N Stuff.  

The Deliverance

You might call it a black "Exorcist" film with the only white person hanging around being, Glenn Close. Close has been possessed by the demons of Russell Crowe and Nicolas Cage (viz. "The Pope's Exorcist" and "Renfield") in a performance which is brave, unflattering, and bananas. Close has never been shy to experiment with different roles and I applaud her choices. What's this film all about? It revolves around Ebony (Andra Day) and her three kids and her white mother, Alberta (Close) who have all moved into yet another new house. Ebony, a single mother, struggles with alcohol, anger, and regular check-ins from her social worker (Mo'Nique). Ebony is trying to keep it together. Her youngest, Andre (Anthony B. Jenkins) starts to uncharacteristically act out at school by doing some very unsavory things. We know how exorcism stories go, it's the house! GET OUT! Ha. Well, things go quickly from bad to worse and we get some pedestrian ghostly stuff. Here is the thing, this film would be great on its own without the added possession story, as a portrait of a family trying to survive in modern America. The Exorcist stuff doesn't bring it down - it's kind of like, the meal comes with dessert. So there you have it. Catch it now this Halloween season, streaming on Netflix. 

  

Saturday Night

Now into its 50th season, Saturday Night Live is a late night staple for North America and has been the birthplace of some of the most influential comedians: John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, Gilda Radner, Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock, Bill Murray, Adam Sandler, Tina Fey, Will Ferrell, Amy Poehler, Kristen Wiig, Jimmy Fallon, Bill Hader; and the list goes on and on. SNL, arguably one of the most important television shows ever, "Saturday Night" is the story of how Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) managed to get the first episode to air (or almost didn't). It's riveting stuff. Jason Reitman's camera zooms and jumps from scene to scene with the manic energy of cocaine and too much pot. Part of the fun is seeing the impressions of the young cast of John Belushi (Matt Wood), Dan Aykroyd (Dylan O'Brien), Chevy Chase (Cory Michael Smith), and Gilda Radner (Ella Hunt). Each actor did such a great job it felt like I was watching the real cast, an incredibly talented bunch of unknowns. How truly gifted these young people were. Reitman gives each of them time to shine while the tornado of the set swirls, the minute hand of the clock spinning towards 11:30, live showtime. Shout out to Nicholas Braun who plays both Andy Kaufman and Jim Henson - Braun is great. It's a nostalgic ride with a whip smart and punchy script.  Catch one of the best films of the year, now in theatres.