Now is Good

Now is Good

By: Kara Maltby

“Our life is a series of moments.” Now is Good ends with this haunting quote, reflecting the film’s theme. In this film, Ol Parker tackles a story of a young girl with cancer by focusing on her remaining weeks as a series of moments that make her last days some of the best and most difficult of her life. The result is a stunningly emotional and heartbreaking, yet heartwarming, story that haunted me for days. In fact, just writing this makes me tear up all over again.

Tessa (Dakota Fanning) is a seventeen year-old girl with an agenda and a very serious case of leukemia. She knows her days are numbered and she knows exactly how she wants to spend them. She makes a list of all the things she wants to do before she dies, with the help of her best friend (Kaya Scodelario), who is probably not the best role model. Sex, drugs, burglary. You name it. Her father (Paddy Considine), who studies possible remedies for her illness night and day, has a different plan in mind.

Tessa, however, is set on escaping her overprotective father and absent mother (Olivia Williams) in any way possible. When she meets her attractive young neighbor, Adam (Jeremy Irvine), she begins running off with him every chance she gets. They fall for each other almost immediately and he makes her every moment exactly what she wants and needs up until she takes her last breath. Along with Adam making dying a much easier process for Tessa are her father and brother constantly by her side. Even her mother makes a point of being there for Tessa despite her past lack of presence in her daughter’s life.

Every character reacted to Tessa’s situation in a completely different, heart-wrenching way. As soon as Tessa was diagnosed with leukemia, her father researched as much as possible about her disease and tried everything he could to save her. He just couldn’t let her go. He even vocalizes this to her at one point in the film when he finally breaks down and tells her not to leave him. I don’t think I’ve ever cried so much in a movie. He was the strongest one when it came to dealing with Tessa’s nearing death and to see him so weak and vulnerable broke my heart.

Her mother took a very different approach. She was completely helpless when it came to helping Tessa. She knew nothing about how to take care of her and didn’t do much to try. By the end of the film, however, she is there for Tessa more than she ever has been. Tessa’s brother, thank goodness, gives the audience some comic relief with his light-hearted attitude. He even asks if he can have Tessa’s room when she dies and Tessa’s only reaction is to laugh. Although Tessa has a struggled relationship with her family, the only moment she cries in the film is when she knows she is going to die soon and while watching her family enjoying their time together, realizes she won’t be a part of this much longer. Another point in the film where I completely lost it.

Last but not least is Tessa’s relationship with Adam. It was incredibly sweet and loving and even led me to hope that she would make it in the end and live happily ever after with this boy of her dreams, although I knew that wouldn’t happen. Every moment she spends with him gives her more life than she’s ever experienced. He finally makes her completely happy for once. Many shots of them are extreme close-ups that erase everything but the closeness and intimacy of these two characters and pull you in, forgetting about their surroundings completely.

The one part of the film that didn’t work for me was the opening sequence. It was comic book-like animation that seemed completely out of place. The rest of the film was so focused on the beauty of the world and life, even when facing death, so I would have much preferred something reflective of that rather than something that seemed to strip the life from Tessa.

Overall, the film really got to me and once I start thinking about it, I can’t stop. Although I’ve seen many films about people dealing with death, Parker crafted this story in a way that is so different from any other film I’ve seen before. It was incredibly refreshing to see a character with so much bravery and strength when facing the very near reality of death, even when surrounded by people who can’t even face the reality themselves.

Directed by Ol Parker; written by Jenny Downham and Ol Parker; produced by Goldcrest Pictures, BBC Films, Blueprint Pictures, Lipsync Productions, and UK Film Council

Running Time: 1 hour 39 minutes

WITH: Dakota Fanning, Jeremy Irvine, Olivia Williams, and Kaya Scodelario

Bachelorette

By: Kara Maltby

The night before their friend’s wedding, Regan (Kirsten Dunst), Katie (Isla Fischer), and Gena (Lizzy Caplan) run into an unfortunate chain of events beginning with accidentally destroying the bride’s (Rebel Wilson) wedding dress. From that moment up until the start of the wedding, the three ladies, if I even dare call them that, attempt to save the dress and learn a lot about themselves, and love, along the way. Take Bridesmaids and The Hangover, but with three girls instead of three guys, then take the humor down a notch, and you get this movie. Although it has its funny moments, there aren’t enough to save this film and the characters lack any kind of depth to make it anything more than a comedy.

Directed by Leslye Headland; written by Leslye Headland; produced by Gary Sanchez Productions and BCDF Pictures

Running time: 1 hour 31 minutes

WITH: Kirsten Dunst, Isla Fischer, James Marsden, Rebel Wilson, Adam Scott

Electrick Children

By: Kara Maltby

“Electrick Children” ( minutes): A young Mormon girl named Rachel (Julia Garner) listens to a tape of a rock and roll song and experiences an immaculate conception that, she claims, is from the music. She and her brother, Mr. Will (Liam Aiken), run off to find the man singing the song (Bill Sage) so she can marry him. He is not, however, who she expects and she finds “love” from a very unexpected boy (Rory Culkin) instead. Quirky and incredibly entertaining, this film is surprisingly one of my favorites so far this year. It has impeccable comedic timing and in all of its weird glory, wins you over with its charm and wit.

Mud

 By: Kara Maltby

From Take Shelter to Mud, Jeff Nichols is starting to prove himself as a director. From the reactions of the audience once the end credits began rolling, others are noticing his natural talent as well for both writing and directing. He is a natural-born storyteller.

Two fourteen year-old boys, Ellis (Tye Sheridan) and Neckbone (Jacob Lofland), who are very mature for their age and have less-than-perfect home lives, live on the river and find an old abandoned boat in a tree on an island not too far from their homes on the riverside. When they discover that a man named Mud (Matthew McConaughey) is temporarily living in this stranded boat, their lives take an exciting and dangerous turn.

They learn that Mud is in love with a beautiful blonde woman named Juniper (Reese Witherspoon) and is trying to run away with her but needs their help. He is running from the cops because he shot and killed a man who did Juniper wrong and needs to reconstruct the boat in order to have a chance at escaping.

From delivering notes to Juniper in secrecy to stealing parts for the boat, the boys take on the challenge of saving Mud and ensuring he and Juniper’s safe escape. After talking to a man who has known Mud and Juniper for a long time, Tom Blankenship (Sam Shepard), however, the boys soon discover not everyone is who they think they are. They must decide who to trust while learning about the hardships of love lost from those around them.

From still shots of the beautiful scenery by the river to shots of Mud’s grungy life in the woods, the film is visually stunning and truly captures every emotion of the characters in the film while keeping your attention on the screen. It made me want to move to the river and live a life similar to these young boys after seeing each shot and hearing how much they each loved their lives on the riverside.

Each performance was also impeccable and so fun to watch. I never once was aware of the fact that they were acting because their were so natural and convincing in their roles. Each emotion and line seemed effortless and pulled me into the film that much more. I was so pleasantly surprised to see Matthew McConaughey play a much more serious role as well. He truly proved himself in this film as a talented actor and as so much more than the attractive, shirtless eye-candy. In fact, the film constantly reminds you of the importance of his shirt. The two young boys were also amazing. It seemed as if they had really grown up in this town their whole lives and weren’t just acting, like the two young children in Winter’s Bone.

Not only was the acting flawless, but the story was incredible as well. It was heartfelt without being over-the-top and never lost my attention. It is one of those few movies that I never once looked down at my watch. In fact, when it ended, I wasn’t ready for it to be over. I wanted more.

I loved watching Ellis learn about Mud and was so encouraged by his faith in love, even when it seems everyone around him is giving up. When his father told him that he and his mother were considering a divorce and he responded with, “But you’re married. Aren’t you supposed to love each other?,” my heart went out to him. When he gave so much to help Mud and Juniper and she asked why, he responded, “Because you love each other.” When May Pearl rejected him, he responded, “But I love you.” I was constantly surprised and encouraged by the endless faith and hope in this young boy’s heart. 

The story also did a great job of character development and redeeming your trust in characters just when you’re about to give up on them. When Ellis yells at Mud for lying to him and using him to deliver messages to Juniper because Mud was too scared to face her himself, I found myself so emotionally attached to Ellis that I was wanting to yell at Mud along with him. This didn’t last long, however, because Mud completely redeems himself by risking his life in more ways than one to save Ellis and begins to face his own problems.

I will admit that I did not find May Pearl’s (Bonnie Sturdivant) character necessary at first. It was not until Ellis punched May Pearl’s new boyfriend that I understood her character’s significance. She was a vessel for showing how Mud was influencing Ellis and just how much Ellis looked up to him. Ellis did exactly what Mud would have done in this situation. It was also sweet to see this vulnerable and sweet side of the tough boy when he cries over losing this girl that he only knew for a short time.

This film has now become one of my favorites and is one that I believe I will watch again and again and be just as effected by it each and every time. Based on how well the audience received Mud, I think Jeff Nichols has a very bright career ahead.

Written and directed by Jeff Nichols; produced by Everest Entertainment and FilmNation Entertainment

Running Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

WITH: Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, and Michael Shannon

Eden

The Prison of Eden

By: Kara Maltby

When I entered the theater to see Eden, I was expecting the worst. By “the worst” I mean violent, gruesome, tear-jerking, and horrific. I was preparing myself to walk out of the theater at any moment for fear of not being able to handle what was on the screen. Human trafficking and sex slavery is such difficult subject matter to capture in all of its brutality without going too far. Because this film was based on a true story, I was expecting it to go too far and, in my opinion, a film such as this should make the viewer aware of the validity of its claims without subjecting them to completely obtrusive images.

Once the film began, however, I was completely enthralled and the thought of leaving didn’t enter my mind again. Megan Griffiths directed this film in such a way that it captured the essence of Chong Kim’s sad and terrifying story while keeping its focus on her bravery and strength in such circumstances. Chong Kim also came and watched the film with us, making it that much more real and emotional.

A young Korean-American girl (Jamie Chung) who is living in a seemingly strict household escapes to a bar with a friend. She meets Jesse (Scott Mechlowicz) who appears very interested in her and ends up leaving with him. What she thought was an escape from the confines of her home and parents turns into an imprisonment in a world of prostitution and domestic human trafficking.

At first, she is very resistant and tries everything to escape the grasps of her captors. Unsuccessful, she resorts to partnering with the terrible man who takes them to each job, Vaughan (Matt O’Leary). She becomes an expert at organizing this crime and is finally presented with an opportunity to help shut down the whole operation and shows true courage in doing so.

At the end of the film, I wanted to do two things: hug Chong Kim and join the cause to end sex trafficking. I think Megan Griffiths accomplished what she set out to do with this film and I commend her on a job well done. The film not only tugged at your heart and spoke volumes about Chong Kim’s story, but it was visually beautiful as well.

The bleak colors displayed the dismal setting that these abducted girls were forced into.  Many handheld shots made the film seem more real and jarring and kept the audience on the edge of their seat. The music also contributed to the film in a big way. It was often very fast-paced but what really stood out to me was how overbearing it was at times. Whenever Eden was becoming overwhelmed by her situation, the music would become very loud and daunting. This would normally bother me as it detracts from the characters and the dialogue. In this case, however, it was very representative of Eden’s mind becoming crowded and overwhelmed with thoughts as a result of everything that was happening to her. The violence was also shown in a very implied and Hitchcockian fashion, which I appreciated because not every moment of a true story such as this needs to be shown in great detail.

If the audio and visual aspects of the film don’t capture your attention, Jamie Chung’s performance will. She was remarkable and played a completely different character than she has in the past (Sorority Row, The Hangover II, Sucker Punch, etc.) and did it with ease. From her expressions to her body language, she truly embodied the fear, hope, and courage that Chong Kim had to have felt in her position. While some may view her willingness to throw others under the bus to ensure her own safety as a character flaw, I saw it as another honest representation of how Chong Kim must have felt.

The film was not perfect, however, as most aren’t. I  thought Beau Bridges was miscast. He overacted the part and took the criminal out of his character, a US Marshall involved in the sex trafficking ring in a big way. I also thought the film should have provided the audience with a follow-up about what happened to Chong Kim after she escapes rather than abruptly cutting when her mom answers her call.

Despite these few flaws, I thought the film was a great representation of a harsh reality that some viewers may not be aware of. Jamie Chung and Matt O’Leary show great performances and are very convincing in their roles while the music and aesthetic aspects add to the film’s overall success of giving some insight to a very real and very dark story of a young girl who is brave enough to stand up for herself in a life-or-death situation.

Written by Megan Griffiths, Chong Kim, and Richard B. Phillips; directed by Megan Griffiths; produced by Trent Boin, Mark Hoinacki, Mischa Jakupcak, Jacob Mosler, Colin Harper Plank.

Running Time: 1 hour 38 minutes

WITH: Jamie Chung (Eden), Scott Mechlowicz (Jesse), Beau Bridges (Bob Gault), Matt O’Leary (Vaughan)

No Tell Motel

By: Kara Maltby

“No Tell Motel:” (92 minutes). When five friends (Angel McCord, Johnny Hawkes, Chalie Howes, Andrew MacFarlane, and Chelsey Reist) are abandoned at an old, run-down motel, they are forced to face not only their own secrets, but also the ghosts of the past lurking in the building. The name of the film alone should have kept me from seeing it but I gave it a chance. I shouldn’t have. The acting was some of the worst I have ever seen, the plot was completely predictable and full of horror genre cliches, and the characters are entirely one-dimensional and unrealistic. Don’t waste your time on this one.

Love and Honor

By: Kara Maltby

“Love and Honor:” (96 minutes). Danny Mooney’s film is the story of two young American soldiers, Peter (Chris Lowell) and Mickey (Liam Hensworth), who return to the United States in order to chase down Peter’s girlfriend during their R&R in Vietnam. They end up in a tiny house filled with a surprisingly large number of hippies and end up having to decide whether to fight for their country or fight for love. With the only good aspect of the film being Liam Hensworth’s piercing blue eyes, it is a sad excuse for a romantic comedy filled with terrible acting, a lousy script, and an entirely predictable plot.