ferguson-6
Joined Jul 2000
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Greetings again from the darkness. Authors and filmmakers have long used forecasting the future as the basis for stories. Some have been lighthearted and humorous ("The Jetsons", BACK TO THE FUTURE) and others are more bleak and dystopian (BLADE RUNNER, THE ROAD). The first feature film from director Fleur Fortune (well known for music videos) has some common DNA with the excellent CHILDREN OF MEN (2006) from director Alfonso Cuaron. Written by Neil Garfath Cox, Dave Thomas, and John Donnelly, this story shows us a future where having a kid is a privilege that must be bestowed by the government, rather than free choice.
Mia (Elizabeth Olsen, MARTHA MAY MARLENE, 2011) and Aaryan (Himesh Patel, YESTERDAY, 2019) have built a life and marriage in a desolate area. Mia has a greenhouse where she grows food, and Aaryan has a Virtual Reality room where he experiments with realistic innovations. Both are aiming to improve life of others. They believe that a missing link in their life is a child, and agree to go through the 'assessment' process. When Virginia (Oscar winner Alicia Vikander, THE DANISH GIRL, 2015) arrives, she explains that, as the assessor, her decision is the final word. Mia and Aaryan express that they will be "good parents". Virginia smiles and relays that everyone says that.
The assessment is a seven-day process and calling it bizarre definitely undersells it. At times, Virginia kicks into childlike mode, testing the parental instincts of Mia and Aaryan. It's during these segments where the story gets a bit ridiculous, despite Virginia's explanation that she needs full access to their emotions and reactions (and intimate methods). During a strange dinner party - set up by Virginia - we get discussions of the "old world" existence and the rumors associated with it.
Analysis of the psychology of folks during such times can be quite enlightening, but despite the intriguing concept, the execution leaves us a bit frustrated with the holes and goofy moments. The third act is especially confounding, although we completely understand Mia's quest for answers. Everything circles back to early on when Mia and Aaryan first ask Virginia, "Are we good enough?". We feel their desperation, but once we learn their catchphrase exchange, "I love you. That's right.", we know this isn't headed to unicorns and rainbows.
Opens on March 21, 2025.
Mia (Elizabeth Olsen, MARTHA MAY MARLENE, 2011) and Aaryan (Himesh Patel, YESTERDAY, 2019) have built a life and marriage in a desolate area. Mia has a greenhouse where she grows food, and Aaryan has a Virtual Reality room where he experiments with realistic innovations. Both are aiming to improve life of others. They believe that a missing link in their life is a child, and agree to go through the 'assessment' process. When Virginia (Oscar winner Alicia Vikander, THE DANISH GIRL, 2015) arrives, she explains that, as the assessor, her decision is the final word. Mia and Aaryan express that they will be "good parents". Virginia smiles and relays that everyone says that.
The assessment is a seven-day process and calling it bizarre definitely undersells it. At times, Virginia kicks into childlike mode, testing the parental instincts of Mia and Aaryan. It's during these segments where the story gets a bit ridiculous, despite Virginia's explanation that she needs full access to their emotions and reactions (and intimate methods). During a strange dinner party - set up by Virginia - we get discussions of the "old world" existence and the rumors associated with it.
Analysis of the psychology of folks during such times can be quite enlightening, but despite the intriguing concept, the execution leaves us a bit frustrated with the holes and goofy moments. The third act is especially confounding, although we completely understand Mia's quest for answers. Everything circles back to early on when Mia and Aaryan first ask Virginia, "Are we good enough?". We feel their desperation, but once we learn their catchphrase exchange, "I love you. That's right.", we know this isn't headed to unicorns and rainbows.
Opens on March 21, 2025.
Greetings again from the darkness. Bob Trevino is the kind of father we all wish we had. He's the kind of father that would raise kids who would grow into good citizens, resulting in an improved society. Only that Bob Trevino is not Lily Trevino's dad. Her dad is a raging narcissist, or more accurately, a self-centered jerk. This feature film debut from writer-director Tracie Laymon is 'inspired' by her true-life story, albeit with enough elements changed to avoid a lawsuit from her dad. That part doesn't make for such a warm-fuzzy story, but the film she delivers wraps us in a coat of kindness and niceness and feel-goodness (not really a word, but it fits).
Lily Trevino (Barbie Ferreira, NOPE, 2022) is a twenty-something live-in aid for a woman who uses a wheelchair. Lily is the level of niceness where people notice immediately, including her therapist who ends their session by sobbing profusely after hearing Lily's story. We get a couple of doses of Lily interacting with her father, Bob Trevino (a perfectly obnoxious and venomous French Stewart), before their big blowup then ends with his telling her daughter he wants nothing else to do with her. As viewers, we believe she is better off, but Lily's niceness doesn't allow her to give up on her dream of having a good relationship with him.
In Lily's efforts to reconnect, she searches on Facebook for 'Bob Trevino' and somehow ends up with a Bob Trevino who aligns with her idea of the perfect dad. Bob #2 (a terrific John Leguizamo) quickly embraces the opportunity to be a friend ... and a father figure (despite having no kids of his own). His wife (Rachel Bay Jones) is obsessed with scrapbooking, and we have a difficult time deciphering their communication and unorthodox relationship. She doesn't seem to have the same concerns most wives would have if their husband started spending an inordinate amount of time with a young woman. Regardless, the friendship between Lily and this Bob evolves into something special. Beyond the friendship, he becomes the father figure she dreams of, and she becomes the daughter figure that he always hoped for.
Laymon's story includes dad jokes, a rage room (monetizing the OFFICE SPACE idea), health issues, and a creepy look at dating options in a senior citizen trailer park. Most importantly it makes the point that "chosen family" is often more important and impactful than blood family, and a supportive friend is invaluable. French Stewart and John Leguizamo have had long careers as dependable actors, and both are excellent here. The film has won a stream of festival awards (deservedly so) and Laymon chooses to include a dose of reality over the closing credits.
Opens on March 21, 2025.
Lily Trevino (Barbie Ferreira, NOPE, 2022) is a twenty-something live-in aid for a woman who uses a wheelchair. Lily is the level of niceness where people notice immediately, including her therapist who ends their session by sobbing profusely after hearing Lily's story. We get a couple of doses of Lily interacting with her father, Bob Trevino (a perfectly obnoxious and venomous French Stewart), before their big blowup then ends with his telling her daughter he wants nothing else to do with her. As viewers, we believe she is better off, but Lily's niceness doesn't allow her to give up on her dream of having a good relationship with him.
In Lily's efforts to reconnect, she searches on Facebook for 'Bob Trevino' and somehow ends up with a Bob Trevino who aligns with her idea of the perfect dad. Bob #2 (a terrific John Leguizamo) quickly embraces the opportunity to be a friend ... and a father figure (despite having no kids of his own). His wife (Rachel Bay Jones) is obsessed with scrapbooking, and we have a difficult time deciphering their communication and unorthodox relationship. She doesn't seem to have the same concerns most wives would have if their husband started spending an inordinate amount of time with a young woman. Regardless, the friendship between Lily and this Bob evolves into something special. Beyond the friendship, he becomes the father figure she dreams of, and she becomes the daughter figure that he always hoped for.
Laymon's story includes dad jokes, a rage room (monetizing the OFFICE SPACE idea), health issues, and a creepy look at dating options in a senior citizen trailer park. Most importantly it makes the point that "chosen family" is often more important and impactful than blood family, and a supportive friend is invaluable. French Stewart and John Leguizamo have had long careers as dependable actors, and both are excellent here. The film has won a stream of festival awards (deservedly so) and Laymon chooses to include a dose of reality over the closing credits.
Opens on March 21, 2025.
Greetings again from the darkness. St. Patrick's Day 2025 marks the 35th anniversary of the single largest unsolved property theft in the world. On that day, thieves made off with hundreds of millions of dollars of artwork from Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (including works by Vermeer, Rembrandt, Degas, and Manet). The reward offer of $10 million still stands. Writer-director Eric Aronson presents his feature film debut, inspired by the crime ... though he admits, "this is not what happened."
Steve Baker (Taylor Gray, SATURDAY NIGHT, 2024) works as an overnight security guard at the museum. He's what we used to call a 'doormat' - meaning he's a nice guy, but his friends (and pretty much everyone) takes advantage of him. Danny (Armando Rivera) is his roommate and bandmate, and hasn't paid rent in six months, and basically sabotages their band. Sara (Alexandra Templer) is Danny's girlfriend, and more importantly, Steve's unrequited and silent dream girl - though she also takes advantage of him. On top of everything, Steve owes $5000 to his drug dealer.
Nice guy Steve has mostly lost control of his life and sees no real path towards improvement. That's when Marty Lyons (Paul Guilfoyle) shows up. You'll surely recognize Mr. Guilfoyle from his many appearances in movies and TV shows, although it's terrific to see him in a rare lead role. Marty, a lover of poetry and art, maneuvers Steve into his criminal operation - including as a surprise character witness at Marty's parole hearing. Soon enough, Steve's life gets more complicated, not less. He finds himself juggling his role in Marty's art heist plan, the personal threats of a rival gangster (Thomas Kee), questioning from the FBI, and worries about his relationships with Danny and Sara.
This is the type of independent film that's a pleasure to embrace. We are even treated to Guilfoyle singing The Standells song, "Dirty Water" live at a bar. Every character here has 'a story' to tell. Some get to tell theirs, while we are left to fill in the gaps on others. This is not so much a heist film as one with a clear message ... breaking out of a rut for a new life can be difficult and challenging, but also worthwhile.
Opens on March 17, 2025.
Steve Baker (Taylor Gray, SATURDAY NIGHT, 2024) works as an overnight security guard at the museum. He's what we used to call a 'doormat' - meaning he's a nice guy, but his friends (and pretty much everyone) takes advantage of him. Danny (Armando Rivera) is his roommate and bandmate, and hasn't paid rent in six months, and basically sabotages their band. Sara (Alexandra Templer) is Danny's girlfriend, and more importantly, Steve's unrequited and silent dream girl - though she also takes advantage of him. On top of everything, Steve owes $5000 to his drug dealer.
Nice guy Steve has mostly lost control of his life and sees no real path towards improvement. That's when Marty Lyons (Paul Guilfoyle) shows up. You'll surely recognize Mr. Guilfoyle from his many appearances in movies and TV shows, although it's terrific to see him in a rare lead role. Marty, a lover of poetry and art, maneuvers Steve into his criminal operation - including as a surprise character witness at Marty's parole hearing. Soon enough, Steve's life gets more complicated, not less. He finds himself juggling his role in Marty's art heist plan, the personal threats of a rival gangster (Thomas Kee), questioning from the FBI, and worries about his relationships with Danny and Sara.
This is the type of independent film that's a pleasure to embrace. We are even treated to Guilfoyle singing The Standells song, "Dirty Water" live at a bar. Every character here has 'a story' to tell. Some get to tell theirs, while we are left to fill in the gaps on others. This is not so much a heist film as one with a clear message ... breaking out of a rut for a new life can be difficult and challenging, but also worthwhile.
Opens on March 17, 2025.