"August" is a drama about the dot.com bust. Josh Hartnett stars as Tom, the CEO of Landshark. He's the "guy who knows money" behind the business, while his brother Joshua is the technical brains. The movie takes place in August of 2001. Landshark is presented as having an immensely successful IPO, even though the IPO is in early 2001, after the dot.com bubble burst in late 2000. By August, though things have gone sour, and Tom is desperately trying to get the company through their lock up period, so he and his brother can be more than millionaires on paper.
"August" clicks nicely on a couple of levels. The script is fast paced, and features a driving soundtrack that really conveys Tom's desperation as he furiously tries to find some way to keep control of his quickly disintegrating situation. Hartnett (who I've never really been a fan of) is also surprisingly good in this role. At first, it's easy to dismiss Tom as all flash and no substance, but as the movie progresses, you slowly start to see his hidden depths.
Unfortunately, I felt the rest of the cast was fairly uninspiring, and the script had two subplots that were poorly executed. The movie spends a little time exploring Tom's relationship with his parents and his attempt to win an ex-girlfriend back. In both cases, it felt like the movie should have just completely dropped those subplots, or spent more time with them so they could be properly explored.
I'm sure I enjoyed "August" partially because I always see a little bit of my experience at Wizards of the Coast when I see a movie or article about the dot.com craze. If the dot.com bust is a topic that interest you, I think you'll enjoy "August," but if that's not your cup of tea, I'd recommend you skip this one.
Final Grade: B
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
With a Wink and a Smile (2008) (SIFF) - A
"With a Wink and a Smile" is a documentary about the Seattle burlesque scene. The main story arc of the movie follows ten students taking Burlesque 101, taught by Miss Indigo Blue, one of the foremost Seattle burlesque performers. You get to know the students quite well, understanding their fears and hopes about taking the class, and watching quite a few crises in confidence. It's great fun to see the students slowly develop their performances (the class builds up to a graduation recital where all the students perform a show that is open to the public, not just friends and family.) Interspersed through the various interviews and scenes from the class are clips of burlesque performances by notable Seattle burlesque artists, with Miss Indigo Blue giving commentary about what makes each performance notable artistically and from a historical stand point.
Before I continue with the review, I should disclose two factors that probably bias me in favor of the film. First, as part of Jenny Tynes's bachelorette party, I took a short burlesque class with Miss Indigo Blue, so I have a personal connection with the subject. In addition, the screening I attended was the world premiere of the film, and a lot of people in the audience were involved in Seattle's burlesque scene, which meant that the crowd was raucously enthusiastic about the movie.
That being said, I think almost everyone would enjoy this film. Miss Indigo Blue really makes the film. She's a fount of knowledge about the history of burlesque, especially in Seattle, and her commentary on the experiences of her students and the performances of other artists are filled with insight. Also, I'm frankly amazed how well you get to know the students in this film. The class is really diverse in composition, featuring all types of body types, as well as a wide range of ages (early 20's to early 50's). Each one has come to the class for different reasons, but they all share a common desire for empowerment and expression. I felt awed by how open these women were willing to be about issues as personal as sexuality, body image, and family.
Final Grade: A
Before I continue with the review, I should disclose two factors that probably bias me in favor of the film. First, as part of Jenny Tynes's bachelorette party, I took a short burlesque class with Miss Indigo Blue, so I have a personal connection with the subject. In addition, the screening I attended was the world premiere of the film, and a lot of people in the audience were involved in Seattle's burlesque scene, which meant that the crowd was raucously enthusiastic about the movie.
That being said, I think almost everyone would enjoy this film. Miss Indigo Blue really makes the film. She's a fount of knowledge about the history of burlesque, especially in Seattle, and her commentary on the experiences of her students and the performances of other artists are filled with insight. Also, I'm frankly amazed how well you get to know the students in this film. The class is really diverse in composition, featuring all types of body types, as well as a wide range of ages (early 20's to early 50's). Each one has come to the class for different reasons, but they all share a common desire for empowerment and expression. I felt awed by how open these women were willing to be about issues as personal as sexuality, body image, and family.
Final Grade: A
They Killed Sister Dorothy (2008) (SIFF) - A
"The Killed Sister Dorothy" is a documentary about the murder of Sister Dorothy Stang, an American nun who spent 37 years working as a missionary in Brazil, helping poor families and promoting sustainable farming. She was one of the chief advocates for the Project for Sustainable Development (PDS) which granted poor families land if they would use the land for sustainable farming. Unfortunately, loggers and ranchers also coveted that land, and there has been an ongoing battle for the land, with numerous murders of poor farmers, and a lot of illegal logging and ranching taking place on land promised to poor families.
"They Killed Sister Dorothy" follows the trial of Sister Dorothy's killers. The big question on everyone's mind is whether or not the ranchers that ordered her killing would be put on trial, or only the actual gunmen. For reasons I can't fathom, the defense team gave the filmmakers immense access to their pretrial efforts. This allows the documentary to paint a clear picture of just how corrupt the Brazilian judicial and penal system is, as well as make it clear that these ranchers are used to being above the law.
The movie ends on a fairly hopeful note. Unfortunately, at the Q&A with the director after the SIFF screening, it was revealed that since the movie wrapped, things have taken a dramatic turn for the worse. One of the men convicted in her death was just freed in early May, and after a couple years where the rate of destruction of the rain forest went down, it has started to go up again in 2008.
I found "They Killed Sister Dorothy" to be highly informative and entertaining. I'd recommend it to anyone with even a remote interest in the subject.
Final Grade: A
"They Killed Sister Dorothy" follows the trial of Sister Dorothy's killers. The big question on everyone's mind is whether or not the ranchers that ordered her killing would be put on trial, or only the actual gunmen. For reasons I can't fathom, the defense team gave the filmmakers immense access to their pretrial efforts. This allows the documentary to paint a clear picture of just how corrupt the Brazilian judicial and penal system is, as well as make it clear that these ranchers are used to being above the law.
The movie ends on a fairly hopeful note. Unfortunately, at the Q&A with the director after the SIFF screening, it was revealed that since the movie wrapped, things have taken a dramatic turn for the worse. One of the men convicted in her death was just freed in early May, and after a couple years where the rate of destruction of the rain forest went down, it has started to go up again in 2008.
I found "They Killed Sister Dorothy" to be highly informative and entertaining. I'd recommend it to anyone with even a remote interest in the subject.
Final Grade: A
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