Hot Docs 2012 - Beware of Mr. Baker (Bulger, 2012) ****

Rolling Stone journalist-turned-documentarian Jay Bulger's Beware of Mr. Baker is a tough, hilarious ride through the life of Ginger Baker, one of the most infamous musicians-among-musicians of the 20th century. Famous for his stint as the drummer for the legendary 1960s rock band Cream, Bulger plunges us into the dark, dangerous, consistently self-destructive exploits of a damaged man whose musical ability was forged from the flames of World War II, a fatherless family and the violence of the schoolyard. But where your cookie-cutter doc about a musician would focus on the point of view of the subject and those he influenced, Bulger takes a kitchen sink approach that includes animated sequences, incredibly rare archival footage and interviews with famous drummers, adding up to a doc that is at times revelatory, sometimes disturbing, but always refreshing.  

For over 18 years of my life, I have been a drummer and percussionist, so I have a lot of theories about rhythm and it's place in human history: how is it used as a tool for freedom and release, what is it about the feeling of hands or sticks on skins that elicits a feeling of power and survival? Bulger's doc asks these same questions. As we're taken through Baker's life, we see his some of his most important moments captured as animated sequences in the style of (as Bulger revealed in a post-screening Q&A) German expressionist art. We see him as as a teenager, listening to the sounds of his idol, jazz drummer Max Roach, watching his mentor simultaneously shoot heroin and introduce him to African music, his violent screaming matches with Cream bassist Jack Bruce (and Eric Clapton watching in the background, horrified) and a recurring sequence that renders Baker beating a large drum on a slave ship, keeping the boat above water with every stroke of the mallet, but enslaving all those who have to man an oar to survive. These sequences add a thematic depth to the idea hinted at by all the subjects in the film, that without the drum, Baker will completely self-destruct; an idea that lingers in the subconscious of many a drummer, but sumptuously visualized by Bulger. 

This is a music documentary that will mostly appeal to those interested in the dark, transgressive side of artistry and is not for the faint of heart, despite the relatively comedic tone Bulger's doc takes sometimes, bringing to mind a segment where Baker travels to Italy and lives in a decrepid house with an 18-year-old, on top of a mountain. Ginger Baker is twice divorced and has three children, one of which, who is a drummer himself, says Baker "should not have had children." He is described by many, as a "cunt", "complicated" and of course,"self-destructive". When asked if Mr. Baker had seen the film, Bulger says that Baker's reply was "it's my fucking life, I did it. Why do I need to fucking watch it?"

Review - The Cabin in the Woods (Goddard, 2010) ****

A veteran scribe of the J.J Abrams cabal of forward thinking creatives, Drew Goddard's first feature film "The Cabin in the Woods", co-written and produced along with fantasy/sci-fi master Joss Whedon, is a roundhouse kick to the balls to the modern "horror" film. The word "horror" in this case deserves such puncutation because this is not a horror film. Well, on the surface, in terms of actual plot, style and thematic substance, this is a horror film, but on it's most base operating level, it is not. Rather, "The Cabin in the Woods" is one of the most subversive genre pictures ever made precisely because it is specifically about genre and the stigmatic pratfalls of falling into what one might call a "genre."

To give away any plot details of this film, other than to say that it is about five co-eds that have embarked on a weekend getaway to a cabin in a remote part of the woods, so remote that it does not even register on GPS, would be a crime. But I guess I can also tell you that what happens at this cabin will ultimately result in a frightening, gory mess since I revealed that this is a "horror" film. The five leads, of which the most noteworthy is Chris Hemsworth, whom we are familiar with from "Star Trek" and last summer's "Thor", are impressive in their portrayals of what some might call the typical "horror" film archetypes. Bradley Whitford and Richard Jenkins are also in this film and they're both perfect for their roles, but I cannot reveal more than that. What I can reveal is that Goddard has a knack for getting the right pitch and tone from his actors; this is a very funny, I would argue hilarious, "horror" film.

The comedy in this film is fascinating. It amused me the same way that other subversive horror films like Peter Jackson's "Braindead" and Edgar Wright's "Shaun of the Dead" did; those films ultimately sticking to their respective genres. But this is a film that breaks loose from genre, while actually creating its own metaphysical genre of comedic horror film, which is ironic. But it is this irony that propels the comedy and creates a substantial amount of mystery surrounding not just the actual plot of the movie, but the purpose for the movie even existing at all. Why make a "horror" film if all you want to do is shoot horror films in the face with a 12-gauge shotgun? Or stab them in the face with akimbo pick-axes? Or perhaps you might want to rip the hearts out of their chest cavities and then feed them to a pack of hungry mutant Zebras? You need to watch this film if you want to find out why the hell I just wrote all that.

I could spend pages unpacking the philosophical and even sociological implications of this film; it's that fresh and intelligent. This is a kitchen-sink style "horror" film that on one level isn't afraid to satiate your thirst for blood, humor, destruction and just a plain old fun-ass time at the movies. But on another, tougher level, if you're willing to look further (and it is really up to you if you want to go there), it will force you to question the popularity of horror films and why they quench the most transgressive of thoughts that go on in the back of our sick, depraved skulls. In the end, both thematically and philosophically, this is a film about sacrifice. What are we willing to give up for the greater good? What are we willing to suppress in order to function as civilized beings in an ultimately primitive world?

I could end this "review" of this "horror" film with a quote or some sort of pithy remark about the state of the modern horror film and how "The Cabin in the Woods" has irrevocably changed the way I define "genre." Oh wait, I just did.


"The Cabin in the Woods" has had an interesting distribution history. It was put on the shelf for two years after MGM, the studio that made the film, went bankrupt. In 2011, following legal deliberations, MGM decided to sell the distribution rights. After what director Goddard said was a heated bidding war, Lionsgate picked up the film and has slated it for release on Friday, April 13th. If you do not know why that is awesome, don't see this movie.

Corey A. Caplan's Top 10 Films of 2011

 10. The Descendants

I think it’s great the way that director Alexander Payne’s films always seem to sneak up on us with an unexpected wealth of comedy, then drama, then pathos, and ultimately beauty. In his latest take on his favorite subject, the modern middle-aged male, Payne paints with ugly humanistic tendencies set against a lush Hawaiian backdrop. His leading man, the always delightful Mr. George Clooney, is a perfect guide as the conflicted heir to an untouched swath of land who is dealing with a dying wife and her infidelities.

9. Project Nim

You cannot deny this: films about Monkeys have consistently entertained audiences since the dawn of the 20th century. What you might want to deny, are the tears that you will shed by the end of this emotional roller coaster ride of a documentary by James Marsh (“Man on Wire”). A thorough examination of the life of Nim Chimpsky, a Chimpanzee with remarkable communicative abilities, Marsh pulls heart strings from the human stories of those he imprinted on, while stoking anger against opportunists and corrupt scientists. Thought provoking and memorable.

8. Beats, Rhymes and Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest

A Tribe Called Quest is my favorite hip-hop group of all time. Their best tunes are intense, funky and full of life. Thankfully director Michael Rapaport, best known for his work as a Hollywood actor, has made a film that is entirely reflective of ATCQ’s music. A colourful, smoothly edited, infectious documentary, Rapaport manages to wring raw feeling and a welcomed exhilaration out of the story of true musicians. They are creative, intelligent men once broken up by massive egos, but irrevocably united by the funkiness of their music.

7. 50/50

Sentimental without being sappy, Jonathan Levine’s follow up to the highly enjoyable “The Wackness” is a finely acted, funny and sincere piece of understated filmmaking. Starring the consistently wonderful Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Adam, a 28-year-old radio producer dealing with an extremely rare case of spinal cancer, “50/50” surprised everyone with its emotionally affecting approach to coming to terms with youthful mortality. Seth Rogen and Anna Kendrick shine in supporting roles.

6. The Interrupters

Arguably the most “important” documentary of the year, director Steve James comes full circle with similar themes revolving around the black experience in America with his latest about a team of ex-gang members in Chicago; “violence interrupters” who specifically target at-risk youth, eliminating violent behavior at the street level. James, known for injecting his personal history and experience into his films, takes a step back here and lets his compelling subjects tell their stories. A scene involving an ex-thief confronting his victims months after a stick-up at a barber shop packs an emotional wallop because James, who filmed and directed, is unflinching in letting ugly, cathartic moments play out. Exceptional and raw documentary filmmaking.

5. Attack the Block

Joe Cornish’s first feature is a British Hoodlum-Action-Comedy-Horror film with a science fiction twist. And although on paper it seems like another overstuffed debut, it is impressive just how much of it works, with emotional power to spare. Following the tale of a gang of project-dwelling troublemakers as they inadvertently spark an interplanetary struggle against, in the memorable but perfect words of one character “gorilla-wolf looking motherf**ers”, Cornish executes one white-knuckled action sequence after another and finds time to flesh out his characters and the harsh socioeconomic realities that define them. Throw in some very memorable monster SFX and naturalistic performances by many first-time actors and you have one of the most surprisingly original films in recent memory.

4. Drive

A taut, intense and at times gorgeous piece of action-arthouse cinema, Nicolas Winding Refn’s latest isn’t merely a vehicle for Ryan Gosling’s simultaneously brooding and vulnerable lead character, but an exquisitely directed and realized meditation on identity and survival in a dog-eat-dog world. Meticulously photographed and edited, Drive is at times ultra-violent, hyper-stylized and thought-provoking. Gosling plays the “driver”, a mysterious, stoic figure with almost superhuman-like abilities behind the wheel of a car, mixed up in a violent mob-war involving an innocent mother played by an angelic Carey Mulligan, her son and (in an Oscar worthy role) Albert Brooks as a murderous kingpin. As with previous Refn outings, lots of blood is spilled and the atmospheric tension is amped up to 11, but what propels this film into the upper echelons of violent car-chase cinema, is its ability to thematically resonate while providing the requisite thrills. A film I was not able to shake from my conscience for a long time.

3. Beauty Day

A kitchen sink of a documentary, first-timer Jay Cheel’s “Beauty Day” is an uproarious, tender and poignant look at a dude who lives life to the limit. It is the story of the unbelievable life of St. Catherines, Ontario native Ralph Zavadil a.k.a Cap’n Video, whose popular cable access show in the early 90’s featured the Cap’n doing Jackass-like stunts ages before Jackass was even a nugget of an idea. What elevates Cheel’s film from what could have been a silly glorification of Zavadil’s admittedly hilariously dangerous television show is a willingness to get to the human core of the story; we see Zavadil literally break his neck trying to jump off a ladder propped up against a tree into his pool (an infamous stunt that landed him his 15 minutes of global notoriety) contrasted with harsh, emotionally sincere reactions from his mother and close friends. It’s also a beautifully shot and edited documentary with an evocative soundtrack and style to spare. This is the kind of seemingly effortless production that has made Canada one of the world leaders in energetic modern documentary filmmaking.

2. Cafe De Flore

The best Canadian film of the year, “Cafe De Flore”, Jean-Marc Vallee’s return back to his Quebecois roots after the big budget “The Young Victoria”, is a treat for the eyes, ears, mind and most importantly, the heart. A time-shifting, kinetic kaleidoscope of a film, “Cafe De Flore” asks more scathingly open questions about empathy, destiny and humanistic connection than any indie drama in recent memory. The film follows the parallel stories of Antoine (Kevin Parent), a DJ in modern day Montreal with a seemingly perfect life and a voluptuous new fiancee (Evelyne Brochu) experiencing a crisis of sudden guilt and remorse; and Jacqueline (the fantastic Vanessa Paradis) a single mother in 1960s Paris struggling for the love of her son, a child with Down syndrome, after a new girl enters his life. Vallee keeps both stories moving at a brisk pace, and like his previous Quebecois feature “C.R.A.Z.Y”, punctuates every scene with a heavy dose of Pink Floyd and other popular tunes from years past. But the use of music here is innovative in the way it questions the idea of the “shared experience” of a vinyl record: As the stories begin to interweave (revealing just how that happens would be a crime) and musical themes blend together, a philosophical magic trick is played on the audience, and if you’ve managed to fully engage with the story, what you’re left with is an extravagant, almost mystical realization about the timelessness of tragic romanticism and the power of love that binds us all. Yeah, it’s that deep.

1. The Tree of Life

“Feeling” and “emotion” are adjectives really thrown around a lot in the discussion and writing of film. The truth is that there is a dearth of films that really can be evocative enough to deserve such descriptors. Director Terrence Malick has spent his entire 40+ year career searching for these words and injecting them into every possible orifice of each of his five films. With “The Tree of LIfe”, he has achieved the fullest expression of his craft. Every single colour, expression and cut in this film pulses with a life and a fervor that is just so rare in modern filmmaking.

Keeping in form with most of Malick’s works, Tree of Life is an abstract poem, relying mostly on the lush power of his images in tandem with a delicate but grandiose soundtrack to tell his story, which centers on Jack (Sean Penn), an architect experiencing a melancholic relapse of the trauma brought on by the death of his younger brother in decades past. As Jack looks back in time to revisit his childhood, growing up in 60’s suburban Texas under the strict, demeaning rule of his father (Brad Pitt) and his delicate but idealistic mother (Jessica Chastain), Malick literally takes to the beginning of his world - the actual beginning of the world. What follows is a hypnotic and operatic “creation” sequence that transitions into the beautiful innocence of Jack's childhood, to the frustrating, dark revelations that accompany his adolescence, and eventually towards a sort of "afterlife" sequence.

It’s hard not to talk about Tree of Life without being unreasonably abstract and long-winded, but that’s because the film operates in the same way. For those that have completely connected with the film, they know that this is not a criticism. Malick paints his canvas with the precision of Monet and the wild volatility of Jackson Pollock, conveying both the messiness and confusion of human existence and the unifying, inspirational rhythms inherent in the universe. But that is life at its core though, isn’t it? A constant push and pull between the darkness of chaos and the affirmation of singularity. This is the kind of film is not afraid to leap with its eyes closed into the deepest, most human philosophical dillemas. For any serious movie fan, it’s worth taking the plunge.

TIFF 2011 Review - The Raid (Evans, 2011) *****

Just over half way through Welch director Gareth Evans' Indonesian action opus The Raid, a small, wiry tough guy proclaims: "I don't like pulling a trigger on a gun, it's like ordering takeout." This, probably one of the most bad ass lines ever uttered in any movie, is indicative of the inventive brutality of one of the strongest straight-up genre action films made in the last decade. Premiering at Colin Geddes' Midnight Madness programme at TIFF 2011, The Raid is an unbelievable achievement of bone-crunching choreography, editing, camera work, bloodily satisfying special effects and a proper introduction to action star Iko Uwais.

Every good action flick has a simple, but effective plot structure to fix around set-pieces, and The Raid is no different: Uwais stars as Rama, a rookie member of an Elite SWAT team tasked with bringing down Tama, the most powerful drug lord in Jakarta who resides in an apartment block-slash-fortress containing what seems to be all the most dangerous junkies, killers and straight up criminal lowlifes in the city. Eventually their cover is blown, Tama puts a price on the heads of the team, and learn that the most senior member of the squad has sabotaged any hope of reinforcements. This is in the first 10 minutes of the film. The next 80 minutes is pretty much a non-stop bloodbath of over-the-top action set pieces as Rama tries to fight his way out of the building.

The Raid reminded me a lot of action/siege films like Die Hard and The Rock, but done with action choreography that maintains an efficiency and brutality that I haven't seen attempted in years. Here, Evans shows off an amazing ability to maintain a level of gut-wrenching suspense, while consistently thrilling and shocking the audience. We always feel that Uwais, while showcasing his unbelievable martial-arts intensity and agility, is fighting for his life in every one-versus-twenty man brawl (there's several). This is due to an unflinching bloodiness (with excellent make-up effects depicting some of the most brutal gunshots to the skull, throat stabbings, spine-crackings and neck breaks I've seen in a film in quite sometime, and there is a hell of a lot of them) working in tandem with camerawork that stays fluid and avoids the close-up shakiness seen in many a crappy action flick, and precise, visceral editing that stays noninvasive.

An instant cult classic, "The Raid" will eventually make it over to North American audiences (where it will be re-scored *gulp* by Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park) that will absolutely devour it. This is an example of world class action cinema; a lethal concoction of exciting, bloody, shocking violence, efficient technical filmmaking, and a showcase for a new martial arts superstar in the form of Iko Uwais. Subtitles might be a drawback for some, but that never stopped the films of Jackie Chan, Jet Li or Tony Jaa from being successful. This is the kind of film that sets your adrenaline racing so fast that it takes a couple days just to get it out of your system.

INTERNATIONAL TRAILER

Review - Midnight In Paris (Allen, 2011) ***

Sometimes I wish I lived through the 1970s, in New York or Chicago, or even Detroit. I wish I could be there in the golden age of Funk and Soul music. A time when it took real musicianship and a real sense of substance to really make it big. But this kind of naivete really never takes me anywhere but back to my own sense of romanticism for that period in music. Such is the paradox in the great Woody Allen's latest film "Midnight In Paris", a charming and satisfying comedy with beautiful photography, a crisply written, tightly plotted script, boasting the finest Owen Wilson performance in a really long time and a thematic eloquence to boot.

Wilson plays Gil Pender, a successful Hollywood screenwriter of many funny, but forgettable films, vacationing in Paris with his fiancee Inez (Rachel McAdams, who is absolutely stunning here, but in one-note role) and her vapid right-wing parents. Gil is absolutely smitten with Paris, and is immediately taken with the idea of throwing his cushy Beverly Hills life away in exchange for spending the rest of his days walking in the rain through Paris and writing novels. After a wine-drenched evening with Inez's pretentious, overly flirty friend Paul (Michael Sheen, donning a shockingly good American accent) and his wife, Gil finds himself inexplicably transported back in time to 1920s Paris, where he meets F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, among others that I won't reveal as to spoil the fun.

Devotees of Woody like to separate his films into a number of classes, including minor Woody, funny Woody and classic Woody. What's interesting about this film is that it is a mix of all three. He keeps a nice, steady pace to the proceedings here, lingering enough on character, theme and dashes of his trademark humor to keep things light and fairly engaging. I liked that the plot device of time travel exists not as a gimmicky bludgeon, but more as an extension of Gil's internal struggles as a hopeless romantic torn between the prospects of the seduction and nostalgia of the past and the constant uncertainty of the present. Each character is allowed a moment of memorable poignancy too, as seen in a surprisingly intense monologue about life, death and sex by Woody's version of Ernest Hemingway (played by Television vet Corey Stoll, who absolutely sinks his teeth in here.

Woody's better films of the past two decades (Match Point, Vicky Cristina Barcelona) are at their best when his leads are accompanied by strongly written, directed and acted supporting characters (see Penelope Cruz's Oscar for VCB as proof in the pudding). Here, we have the always ravishing Marion Cotillard as Adriana, Wilson's love interest who, like his character, longs for the beauty of an earlier era. Cotillard, always sumptuous, is radiant here. And like many of Woody's great female roles, Adriana's beauty and scars of the past are the direct cause of her tragic endgame (don't worry, it's not so bad).

In the end though, the film draws to a relatively light, but satisfying conclusion; it's a lesson of embracing the uncertainties rather than living inside a disguise of predictability. The subject matter here is certainly not as dark or cynical or relentlessly depressing as heavy Woody, but leaves a rather positive, uplifting aftertaste. It's nice to know that a filmmaker who has been around as long as Woody (he's 75) can still make films this poignant. "Midnight In Paris" is a short, memorable, romantic lark that has given me the opportunity to coin a new term: Just-plain Woody.

Review - Bridesmaids (Feig, 2011) ***

In an age of dime-a-dozen chick flicks that are completely superficial in their creative and commercial aspirations, director Paul Feig's "Bridesmaids" is refreshingly honest and hilarious, reminding us again of the power of the funny female and the enormous cinematic potential of star Kristen Wiig.

Sporting a terrific script from Wiig and Annie Mumomo, "Bridesmaids" takes us into the life of Annie (Wiig), a broke thirty-something who gets booty called on the regular by a rich asshole (another great Jon Hamm cameo), is about to get thrown out of her apartment by her half-witted British roommates and works a miserable job at a retail jewelery store.

When best friend Lillian (Maya Rudolph) gets engaged, Annie decides to take up the reins of Maid of Honor and meets Lillian's bridesmaids: Becca, the too innocent for her own good newlywed (Ellie Kemper); perpetually boozy and jaded housewife Rita (Wendi-McLendon Covey); plus-sized party animal Megan (Melissa McCarthy, in the definition of a scene-stealing role); and of course Helen (Rose Byrne) the control-freak trophy wife of Lillian's fiancee's boss and ultimately the film's semi-antagonist, thwarting Annie's every endeavor with a transparent tinge of condescension.

Strung together by a loose, episodic structure similar to "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" (another Apatow production), the film maintains dramatic escalation by means of letting all of Annie's failures, missteps and awkwardness inform her inability to perform as Lillian's Maid of Honor; Wiig gives Annie a spectacular display of drunkenness on a flight to Vegas that is absolutely uproarious. We root for Annie because she's a smart, attractive woman and we know that her incompetence at this stage of her life is due to previous heartbreak.

Director Feig gets most of the credit for the film's substantive feel. He allows his female stars the ability to stay improvisational inside the bodies of these fleshed out, honest characters, and we love them all the more because of their natural reactions and attitudes. But this is also the film's weakest trait; some scenes are very fatty with dialogue and gags such as an engagement party one-up-a-thon between Wiig and Byrne get dragged out to an unnecessary length.

"Bridesmaids" is a blast and a great reminder that the female condition is a lot funnier and more nuanced than most (both gals and dudes) would like to believe. This is truly a breakout vehicle for Kristen Wiig and a solid entry in the realm of Apatow-style character driven comedies.

HOT DOCS 2011 - REVIEWS FROM TWITTER

Will I one day hopefully write long-form reviews of some of these? Probably. I'll have to see BEAUTY DAY one more time to confirm its greatness.

And now without further ado, by rating:

Beauty Day (Cheel, 2011) ***** A big, real story about a dude who lives life to the limit. Uproarious, tender and perfectly shot.

Black Power Mixtape (Olsson, 2011) **** Forgotten Swedish footage of black militant leaders is powerful, rousing & inspirational.

Project Nim (Marsh, 2011) **** Well paced, epic tale about an intelligent Chimp & tragic human flaws. An emotional rollercoaster.

Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest (Rapaport, 2011) **** Plays out like a great Tribe track: intense, funky and full of life.

Hell and Back Again (Dennis, 2011) **** Engrossing, brutal doc captures claustrophobic effects of war at home and on frontlines.

Kumare (Ghandi, 2011) *** - Inspiring Borat-like doc with solid yogic philosophy linked into plot and character. Funny & gorgeous.

Magic Trip (Gibney & Elwood, 2011) *** Impressively edited look at Merry Prankster's trip across US with a memorable LSD sequence.

A Simple Rhythm (Girard, 2011) ** Intelligent thesis hampered by wavy pacing. Neglects opportunity for more kinetic storytelling.

The Castle (D'Anolfi & Parenti, 2011) * Mind-numbingly slow & indulgent behind the scenes look at Milan airport misses the mark.