[Review: IN THEATRES] THE GRANDMASTER (7/10)

Wong Kar Wai’s The Grandmaster is less a straightforward marshal arts film and more a Wong Kar-Wai film. Including many of his hallmarks, above all the film is about love and loss – an art house movie that is curiously playing at the wrong mall (Walden Galleria and not Eastern Hills). That shouldn’t stop you: the film first opens in the past with a great action sequence in the rain (it’s prominently featured in the trailers).

The structure is dense: much has been made of the “American cut” – 30 minutes shorter than the Chinese Cut, I’m not sure what’s been altered but I imagine the American cut includes archival footage which plugs in a few holes a western audience may have (trust me, the more clues here, the better). Ip Man (Tony Leung) of the south is threatened by the arrival of Gong Yutian from the North. There is a conflict that leads into a signature Wong Kar-Wai romance between Gong Er (who can kick some ass) and Ip Man, leading to correspondence and heartbreak. These emotions are a the core of Wai’s film: this is essentially In The Mood for Love with the occasional action sequence.

The Grandmaster is a glorious experience, one that’s quite hard to describe. Even as I was disoriented I was intrigued: the film is a little puzzle, often putting beautiful images ahead of their context which can be a little frustrating (in fact I witnessed four walk-outs) but is neither the less quite rewarding.

Screening: Regal Walden Galleria, Regal Transit, Dipson Flix

[Local Trailers] GIVE & TAKE

Local comedy Give & Take, directed by Scott Andrew Kurchak, and produced by Arlington Place Pictures, ND Studios and Dramatic Solutions is set to bow tomorrow evening (Saturday, September 7th at 7PM at the Dipson Amherst Theater). Per the filmmakers tomorrow's screening is still a test run, last month they tested the film at the Cinefamily in LA - and I'd encourage you all to check it out. Films need an audience - and filmmakers need open minded audiences to find their way through the dark of post-production - this is triple-true for comedy!

Locally produced last summer, Give & Take has released its first trailer - on first glance the performances look a tad theatrical, an interesting choice: the story is about the world of theater. My experience is theatre folks, so trained in their craft have a hard time turning it off in reality - I hope the film has fun with that. The cast includes a virtual whose who in the Buffalo theater scene including local legend Vincent O'Neill. Bonnie Jean Taylor plays Elle - and looks at home in the role, as a young married women who agrees to move back to Buffalo (the Give & Take of the title I assume) and Kevin Craig as Mitchell, her husband. Seeking out the theatre scene she finds herself making new friends - written by Gail Golden, if anything is evident from this trailer is that film knows Buffalo's theatre scene well - I'm looking forward to an insider's perspective (although I hope its not too inside-jokey).

Here's the trailer:

From the film's Facebook page:

Ellie is an idealistic, young actress living in The City. She’s a very giving person, so when her husband, Mitchell, gets a job offer back home in Buffalo, Ellie reluctantly agrees to the move.

Mitchell loves Buffalo, so Ellie looks for happiness there, too. She joins GLOBE--Gladys’ Lackawanna Off Broadway Entertainment. The producer, Gladys, is a diva who emits lesbian vibes. Although Gladys flirts with Ellie, Ellie winds up emotionally involved with the charming African American director, James. Ellie just keeps on giving and others keep on taking! 

James casts Ellie in a theme park show and tells her it will be lots of fun, and she’ll get to do it eight times a day! He neglects to mention the grueling physical challenges involved. The show finally put Ellie over the edge and, at last, she learns to take care of herself. She returns to Mitchell but on her own terms this time.

Tickets for tomorrow's screening are available in advance, online (at DipsonTheaters.com) or in person. 

OPENING THIS WEEK: 9/6/2013

Not everyone has the time to head up to the Toronto Film Festival - sadly those that can't are being punished (at least in Buffalo this weekend) with only one new movie in wide release and one "new" to Buffalo movie, Instructions Not Included - a Spanish-language smash hit which cracked the top 5 last weekend in limited release. It bows at Regal Elmwood - along with a new Bollywood comedy. This summer's This is The End returns as well - I enjoyed it, but if you've seen it once....

The Amherst is also running two special screenings - Evocateur: The Morton Downey Jr. Movie (on Friday night and Saturday afternoon) and Give & Take - a locally produced comedy (showing Saturday at 7PM). Jean Renoir's Grand Illusion (which had a brief run at Eastern Hills two years ago) returns as this week's selection at Bruce Jackson and Diane Christian's Buffalo Film Seminars. Here's the official rundown....

@ The Multiplex

Riddick - Vin Diesel is back, reprising his role from Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick, I feel as if this is another sequel no one has asked for. 

Screening: Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker Crossing, Regal Transit, AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Market Arcade, Dipson Flix

Instructions Not Included - Expanding from 347 theaters to Regal Elmwood, this Spanish-language hit had an amazing opening ($10 Million+ - cracking the top five). Guillermo Rios plays an aspiring actor who has a kid dropped off on his doorstep, six years later his baby-moms comes knocking. It looks like it's a sitcom like mix of emotions, but its got us interested....

Screening: Regal Elmwood

Bollywood in Buffawood

Random Desi Romance - This sounds like a bland name for a Bollywood film - maybe too honest since very few lately have been memorable (when a Bollywood film works, it works, when it doesn't - - you're stuck for 3 hours). This title gives me a little hope, however....

Screening: Regal Elmwood

in the Cheap Seats

Red 2 (7/10)

Monsters University (7/10)

The Heat (4/10)

White House Down (7/10)

Continuing

Lee Daniel's The Butler (8/10)

Blue Jasmine (8/10)

Despicable Me 2 (7/10)

The Conjuring (7/10)

Elysium (7/10)

Fruitvale Station (7/10)

Paranoia (6/10)

We're The Millers (6/10)

Kick-Ass 2 (4/10)

The Way Way Back (8/10)

The World's End (7/10)
The Spectacular Now (8/10)

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[Review: IN THEATRES] THE GREAT CHICKEN WING HUNT (8/10)

Arriving just in time for this year’s National Buffalo Wing Contest (and screening at Market Arcade – just down the street) – Matt Reynolds’ The Great Chicken Wing Hunt is a brief – but satisfying documentary. With more ambition than a Food Network program, it wastes no time, running just over an hour a film

The concept is simple: Reynolds – a Rochester-area native born and raised in the “chicken wing belt” has move to Slovakia – where Buffalo Wild Wings has yet to open a franchise. Reynolds introduces his friends and neighbors to the wing, and even takes a few on his quest to search for the best wing in his beloved “Wing Belt”. Starting in New York, the group devises a judging system including a bucket of gross control wings from the local deli (they decide those are a 3 – the film doesn’t mention if any of the establishments they stopped in along the way scored lower). In 10-days they travel 2,627 miles, sampling 284 varieties of wings with a periodic break before hitting the birthplace of the wing, the Anchor Bar.

A project originating online – Reynolds enlists an interesting group of wing lovers including The Mighty Thor, a competitive eater (who looses at the National Buffalo Wing Contest to the famed Black Widdow), Ric Kealoha, a chief from Hawaii, Al Caster, a musician from Syracuse, and a small crew that includes Reynolds’ girlfriend Lucie. The behind the scenes stuff works while exploring the lives of those that live in Buffalo/Rochester – including those that have hit hard times (in one sequence we see the demolition of a building at Kodak park – where Ron Wieszczyk another judge works). Likable the film is a both a love letter and a bold statement on upstate and Western New York – especially Buffalo-Rochester. This is a rare film that I think gets it.

 

The trip is full of enjoyable moments including as all good road movies should – after all this is about the journey, not the destination. As a food critic interviewed suggests the chicken wing is a food meant to be eaten by buddies: here mostly strangers unite to unpack the past, present and future of the wing and to crown a progressive champion. The definition of what makes for a good wing changes and evolves ultimate leading to a kind of bake off to determine who is the champion – coming down to a join that makes their own hot sauce and another restaurant who turns the formula on its head (causing controversy, even if they all agree it’s one damn good wing).

The comradery amongst the group gives the story an informal edge, making this material personal, approachable and likable. We learn a little about the history including a fantastic interview with the (then) last remaining person alive who was present at the Anchor Bar that day Theresa Bellissimo invented the Buffalo wing in 1964. Legend has it that a box of wings (commonly discarded) were accidently dropped off at the Anchor Bar and Bellissimo experimented with spicy ingredients they had in the kitchen, creating the spicy, crunchy chicken wing. The wings were so cheap they originally were a free bar snack (like popcorn or pretzel bites) – until they became too popular and were promoted to the main menu.

 

I’m glad this group of experts saved me this time, but I have to wonder, is there another gem out there they missed. The group-prequalified restaurants based on online suggestions. I imagine a lone ranger (for some reason I picture Guy Fieri in his convertible) roaming around the North America looking for the ideal wing. Then again, as the group becomes deadlocked later – that definition is variable. In Philly you’re either a Pats or Gino’s guy/gal - - and in Buffalo you’re either a Duffs or Anchor Bar guy/gal. But, as you’ll be shocked to discover (and later in the film Reynolds laments)  - sometimes it takes evolution to be the best.

Screening: Dipson Market Arcade (Director Matt Reynolds will be in attendance to for the 7:30PM show on Saturday and the 1:30PM show on Sunday).

OPENING THIS WEEK: 8/28/2013 + 8/30/2013

It's a shame that its such a light Labor Day weekend (with crappy weather on the horizon). Still a lot of great movies continue (including the expansion of the spectacular, The Spectacular Now - to Regal Walden Galleria, right where it ought to be). Here's what's gracing our screens this weekend - including two documentaries and two thrillers....

@ the Art House

The Great Chicken Wing Hunt - Matt Reynolds' documentary takes a group of unlikely tasters around the country on the hunt for the best chicken wing. Opening just a few blocks from Anchor Bar (I know - you're either a Duffs or an Anchor Bar person....or if you're a transplant, Buffalo Wild Wings) at the Market Arcade - this looks like one tasty doc.

Screening: Dipson Market Arcade

Closed Circuit (Opens August 28th) - Opening on Wednesday at the Dipson art houses (and Regal Quaker), Closed Circuit is a thriller exploring a high level terrorism trial. Eric Bana and Rebecca Hall play strange bedfellows (ex-lovers working on the defense team), with a supporting cast including Jim Broadbent, Juila Styles, Ciaran Hinds and Riz Ahmed. Directed by John Crowley (of two excellent films - the ensemble Irish crime comedy Intermission and the trouble young man drama Boy A) and written by Steven Knight (Eastern Promises and Dirty Pretty Things) - this looks like a top notch thriller...

Screening: Dipson Amherst, Dipson Eastern Hills, Regal Quaker Crossing 18

@ the Multiplex

Getaway - Courtney Solomon (who has yet to make a good movie) returns with Getaway - staring Ethan Hawk as a race-car driver whose wife is taken (uh...kidnapped) and somehow Selena Gomez gets involved (maybe as a carjacker....so that's what happened when she left her friends behind in Spring Breakers). Jon Voight co-stars - in this film, which looks like it was shot with a few Go-Pro cameras...

Screening: Regal Walden Galleria, Regal Transit, AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Flix, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker Crossing, Regal Hollywood, Transit Drive-In

One Direction: This is Us - I've always though One Direction was the kind of band that had been forced on us by the corporate music industry, they never felt organic. I hadn't heard of them until I saw a poster advertising (1D) - and even then I was confused. I have nothing against them - or the film's director Morgan Spurlock (who seems like the kind of guy you'd want to grab a beer with - a "public citizen"). This looks like a straight forward 3D concert film like Justin Beiber: Never Say Never (Spurlock isn't going test the effects of listening to their music for a month straight, or take the boys on a hunt to find Osama Bin Ladin - thanks to the heros at SEAL Team 6!) - but his involvement suggests this might just be more insightful than expected (fingers crossed).....

Screening: Regal Walden Galleria, Regal Transit, AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Flix, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker Crossing, Regal Hollywood

in the Cheap Seats

Red 2 (7/10)

Monsters University (7/10)

The Heat (4/10)

White House Down (7/10)

Continuing

Lee Daniel's The Butler (8/10)

Blue Jasmine (8/10)

Despicable Me 2 (7/10)

The Conjuring (7/10)

Elysium (7/10)

Fruitvale Station (7/10)

Paranoia (6/10)

We're The Millers (6/10)

Kick-Ass 2 (4/10)

The Way Way Back (8/10)

You're Next (7/10)
The World's End (7/10)
The Spectacular Now (8/10)

[Review: IN THEATRES] THE WORLD'S END (7/10)

The World’s End, the conclusion of the “Blood and Ice Cream Trilogy” (I didn’t see quite that connection between Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz - until news of the The World’s End surfaced - but okay) is a fitting end to a great run. Like the last slacker/stoner comedy This Is The End – what do you do next once the world ends? Like for another movie? Is this a preemptive strike against jumping the shark? (I wondered that after Love Actually as well – a movie that was pretty much everything you could ever want including Hugh Grant as the Prime Minister).

Edgar Wright is an excellent director in any genre – aggressive – he knows when and how to move his camera. While he’s primarily worked in genre filmmaking, I’m excited to see what he does as he constantly challenges himself. Back are Simon Pegg and Nick Frost from their last adventure (involving a loveable alien in highly enjoyable Paul – directed by Greg Mottola). Pegg plays Gary “the King” King – a troublemaker who doesn’t evolve like his pals do: fresh out of rehab he assembles the old gang (including Frost, Paddy Considine and Martin Freeman) and the return to their old stomping grounds Newton Haven (think Ithaca with less hippies).

They attempt to conquer “the golden mile” – a 12-pub crawl, although finding challenges along the way (the first two are terribly hegemonic corporate replicas). Proving you can’t go home – or go back to school – Newton Haven has become a very different place, even if Gary King is still Gary King. The first half of the film is a glorious dark comedy – wonderful without the sci-fi stuff. When the sci-fi elements and alien invasion kick in, I must say Edgar Wright keeps the action coherent: treating the film with a gravity a lesser director just wouldn’t care about.

As far as comedies go – Wright integrates his comedy into the film’s frenetic visual style – you won’t find him slacking off for one frame. The film keeps up with the comic genus on screen including the great Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. The film I’m happy to announce works – even if takes a turn I wish it hadn’t.

Like another excellent movie out this week – The Spectacular Now, the film is grapples with the effects of alcoholism: fitting as we move into the summer hang- over that is the fall. Strangely, this is even darker than that film, with an unexpected, original twist that I only hated because I loved the film’s first 25 minutes so much. Not as successful as Pixar (or the very best of Bollywood) at evoking a wide range of emotions, you must give Edgar Wright credit for trying: one he will make a film that’s mind-blowingly brilliant and it will be dangerous.

Screening: AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Flix, Regal Transit Center, Regal Quaker Crossing, Regal Hollywood 12, Regal Elmwood Center