Lucky Seven: Review of The Magnificent Seven

The Magnificent Seven

Director: Antoine Fuqua

By Alex Watson

The odds were stacked against Antoine Fuqua almost from day one when he announced his remake of The Magnificent Seven. Though there are sporadic moments of entertainment, this remake fails to even touch upon the cool or classy nature of either of the two originals. At points, Fuqua does manage to conjure a gold ol' western gunfire in the vein of Sam Peckinpah, but this remake runs out shells pretty fast.

The town of Rose Creek has been constantly bullied and robbed by rich businessman Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard). After the death of her husband (Matt Bomer), widow Emma Cullen (Haley Bennett) convinces bounty Sam Chisholm (Denzel Washington) to help defend their town. Faced with a monumentally difficult task, Chisholm seeks out Civil War hero Goodnight Robicheaux (Ethan Hawke), tracker Jack Horne (Vincent D'onofrio) and drunken gunslinger Josh Faraday (Chris Pratt) alongside three more killers to keep the villains at bay.

While it has a slick delivery and an impressive cast, The Magnificent Seven is not a movie that will break any real boundaries. It is a fun experience, but there is little in the way of gritty or memorable in this desert. Starting with a gutsy entrance by Bogue who corners the village's population in a church and then burns the building to the ground, we at least get a nasty villain for the seven to play off against. Peter Sarsgaard is wonderfully nasty at this part but never gets to fully expose this evil at its fullest. Fuqua seems in a hurry to get the gang together and we never really get to learn anything of our heroes. Goodnight Robicheaux gets the deepest backstory as a Civil War sharpshooter nicknamed 'The Angel of Death' for his 23 kills. Suffering from PTSD, Robicheaux is a man who has become a toothless bear in the heat of battle.

The Seven each have their merits, Chisholm is a man looking for justice for something close to home, Faraday is cheeky chappie with a penchant for magic tricks, Horne is a gentle yet brutal tracker that looks like Santa Claus went rural. Red Harvest (Martin Sensmeier), Vasquez (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) and Billy Rocks (Byung-hun Lee) are just good at killing stuff. There are the obligatory montage sequences as the men train the town to defend itself while picking off the corrupt lawmen that have allowed Bogue to run riot. Being denied a chance to really know or understand these characters leaves a flat aftertaste and they seem like seven guys are just doing this deed because they have nothing better to do. While both John Sturges and Akira Kurosawa dedicated more time to allow their audience to know their heroes, this remake feels worst off without it.

When the big showdown hits, Fuqua does raise the film's thrill levels and as the body count stacks up. Sadly we have no heroes we are really rooting for and our interest in who lives or dies is long gone by this stage. Wanting to reenact grizzly finales like The Wild Bunch, Fuqua is left with a more family friend scenario and what could have been a gutsy display of iron will is just dull and uninteresting. Missing the presence of men like Yul Brenner and Steve McQueen, this seven bonds well together on screen but we never sense there is much comradery among them. Fuqua did a good job resurrecting The Equalizer with Washington, but lightning fails to strike twice.

Denzel Washington is cool as Sam Chisholm but his character depth is barely a foot deep. We know he has his own motives for going after Bogue, but we never really feel the heat or anger coming off them. A frequent collaborator with Fuqua, this movie will not go down as one of his more memorable efforts. Chris Pratt is also stranded in what is essentially a one-note role as Josh Faraday. Given little to do other than giving the same kind of lovable guy persona we've seen in all his recent movies, Pratt feels wasted in what could have been a good redoing of Steve McQueen's Vin. Ethan Hawke has some fine moments as Goodnight and is perhaps the one character that truly stands out, mainly because we actually know more about him.

The Magnificent Seven is another Hollywood classic given an inferior remake, all film fans can do is wonder what this could have been in better hands. Seven Samurai fans beware of future remake attempts.

Never Back Down: Review of Bleed For This

TIFF EXCLUSIVE 

Bleed For This 

Director: Ben Younger 

By Alex Watson

The story of Vinny Paz's comeback is one that is pretty damn incredible and although this picture will likely be closely compared with pictures such as David O Russell's The Fighter, Bleed For This is a movie that just about stands up. Although there is an element of miscasting, overall we have a talented core cast to bring this story to life. Miles Teller has gotten a bad rap in the last couple of years but as Paz, he shows that his talent in Whiplash was no fluke. 

Vinny Paz (Miles Teller) is a junior middleweight boxer who has recently claimed his second world title. While out celebrating his involved in a serious car accident which leaves him with a severely damaged neck. Refusing to under fusion treatment and intent on defending his title, Paz leaves his life hanging in the balance. With the encouragement of his alcoholic coach Kevin Rooney (Aaron Eckhart) Vinny begins a monumental comeback. 

Starting with Paz's tremendous beating at the hands of Roger Mayweather, Bleed For This has a high energy from the first frame. Mother Louise (Katey Sagal) cowers in the next room clutching a rosary due to her desire not see her son take a beating. Paz is a fighter that few will touch anymore and his trainer Lou Duva (Ted Levine) openly disowns him on live TV. Vinny is a man who doesn't know the meaning of the word stop and although he has a tendency to shoot his mouth off, his tenacity is what draws us to him. Desperate to make the weight for the Mayweather fight, the opening scene sees him covered in Saran Wrap on an exercise bike desperate to make weight. Kevin Rooney is a drunken, pot-bellied man on the downswing after being fired by Mike Tyson and him and Vinny are the only two who can possibly work together. The first bold step Rooney implements is making him go up two weight classes to fight at his natural weight at Junior Middleweight as fighting a Light Welterweight has proven too risky for his health. 

Younger smartly pulls the rug under us when we feel most secure and after witnessing Vinny soundly beating feared middleweight Gilbert Dele, his life-altering car accident is truly horrific. Driving to Foxwood's resort with a friend, another vehicle drives into the same lane. Vinny can only cry in horror as the collision occurs. His refusal to give in both is both nerve-racking and gutsy and witnessing the painful installation of his spinal Halo makes us squirm. Every little bump on the head or move he makes could lead to his spinal cord being severed. People's attitude towards him changes and many seem to talk to him as if he were no longer living. When his spine heals, no fighter will touch him as they don't want to be the man who could possibly put him in a wheelchair.  Younger saves the worst for last when Vinny has his Halo removed without anesthetic. Each screw removed is like torture to our eyes. 

While for the most part Bleed For This is a movie that has its own merits, the depiction of Paz and family never quite rings true. His father Angelo (Ciaran Hinds) is reduced to doing nothing other than talking loudly with a heavy Rhode Island accent. Sister Doreen (Amanda Clayton) is given little more to do than go on foul mouth tirades at her fiancee who loves making elephant statues. Living at home with the clan, they seem to be the stereotypical loud Italian family who frequently eats dinner together. This element gives a hollow ring to what is otherwise is a fast paced and energetic piece. Vinny's comeback fight against Roberto 'Hands of Stone' Duran (coincidentally who had his own biopic piece this year) is a suspenseful affair. Known for his fast and powerful hands, sending Vinny against him sounds like a death sentence. His own personal fight to get there makes him a champion before he even steps in the ring. 

After several career missteps including his involvement in the awful Fantastic Four reboot, Miles Teller is starting to claw his way back. As Vinny Paz is a terrific presence and is very much the muscle that movie needs. It is the portrayal of Paz's stubbornness during his time healing that really makes the difference, we feel the pain and suffering but also we sense his fighting spirit will not die out quickly. Aaron Eckhart provides fine support for Teller and as Kevin Rooney, he shows a man who is also attempting fight his way back to the top. A world renowned trainer turned drunk down and out, Eckhart gives the backbone and encouragement the film sorely needs. Sadly wonderful Irish actor Ciaran Hinds is stranded in a miscast role as loud father Angelo. 

Bleed For This is a movie that while lacking the punching power of movies like Raging Bull is still a movie that is both exciting and gutsy. Vinny Paz's comeback was exceptional and Ben Younger at the very least has made us see how his pain was worth the journey back. 

Song & Dance: Review of La La Land

TIFF EXCLUSIVE

La La Land

Director: Damien Chazelle

By Alex Watson

Winner of the Viewers Choice at the 2016 Toronto Film Festival, La La Land is a delightful and spellbinding musical romance. Boosted by Oscar-worthy turns by charming stars Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, Damien Chazzelle's follow up to Whiplash is one that is immensely cute and sweet. At the centre is a heart-grabbing story of love and following your dreams and the things that sometimes get in the way. Currently, this picture is a deserved front runner for awards glory. 

Set over four seasons, both Mia (Emma Stone) and Seb (Ryan Gosling) are a pair who are both chasing their dreams. Drawn together by their passion and commitment to achieving glory, the pair starts a relationship that seems written in the stars. As time goes by, they find little things beginning to form a wedge between them. To fully realize their goals, they have to consider what role each of them plays in this relationship? 

Start with a glorious and peppy musical sequence about dreams set on the LA highway, La La Land's charm factor is made apparent early on. It will take a while for audiences to really get to grips with the feel of the picture because it feels like an homage to musicals, things are very different from what they seem. Meeting Mia and Seb has the cute factor dialed up to 11, she sits distracted reading a script in a traffic jam while he honks at her from behind. Speeding past her, she flips him the bird and sees him as a merely another jerk she has to deal with. Fate seems to bring them together throughout as Seb's beautiful piano playing draws Mia into a random bar, she then finds him struggling to make ends meet by playing keyboard in an 80's cover band, where he takes offense her requesting A Flock of Seagulls song, 'I Ran' as he is a 'serious musician' 

Their difference in life are excellently defined by Chazzelle, Mia is a girl seeking big screen glory and having to go through a humiliating series of auditions. Each one seems to be more disheartening as casting assistants interrupt her in the middle of lines and some merely dismiss her as soon as she walks in. Seb is faring little better and is a man who by his own admission is playing rope-a-dope with his future. Fired from his job at a restaurant due to the manager (J.K Simmons) being angered at him playing freestyle jazz rather bland Christmas jingles on his piano. Out of the two Seb is the harder to warm to due to his perfectionist tendencies and his steadfast love to the purity of jazz. He's a disillusioned and at times unpleasant soul trying to understand the reason he was put on this earth. The middle section from Spring to Summer is where hearts will soar the most as the pair embarks on a whirlwind romance. One dance number set in Los Angeles's iconic Griffith Observatory is so hypnotic it will having you dancing you home. 

Finally their dreams are set to take flight as Seb begins to realize his dreams of owning a jazz seem possible and Mia opens her one-woman play. As much as it pains us, obvious gaps in this relationship begin to form as Seb takes a paying gig in a successful band run by his old friend Keith (John Legend). Their frustrations come to fruition during a well-staged scene where Seb surprises her with a surprise pot roast dinner, only for it to descend into an angry and bitter argument where all their fears, doubts, and regrets are laid bare. Committing to their dreams is the very thing that could potentially rip them apart. Chazelle never once assures us things will end happily and as Seb seems content in selling himself out, Mia's one woman show is very a Hail Mary pass that could either sink or swim her. Touching and emotional throughout, this pair is one that ultimately wants to do good, but the realization of what dreams involve is heartbreaking. 

Gosling and Stone's magnetic chemistry is what really makes this picture tick and their third outing together is their strongest yet. Stone, in particular, is wonderful and her big expressive eyes speak volumes about the characters emotions. Possessing a wonderful singing voice, Stone is not the first name that comes to mind when you think of musical pictures, but nonetheless, she carries off Mia well and is very much the sweet center of this picture. Gosling is also a revelation as Seb and his sarcastic wit shines brightly throughout. What perhaps the strongest element of his game is how Gosling handles Seb's inability to fully express his emotions and when faced with having confront his real emotions he simply gives off an insulting remark. Together the pair light up the screen and are perhaps the best double act we will have the pleasure of viewing this award season. 

La La Land is a picture that is in all honestly a really beautiful thing. Some may find this type of work too cutesy and annoying while for some it will make their spirits fly like an eagle. One thing is for sure, Damien Chazelle has made something special. 

Broadcast News: Review of Christine

TIFF EXCLUSIVE 

Christine 

Director: Antonio Campos 

By Alex Watson 

Chances are if you look up a list of the most shocking moments in live TV history, the 1974 on-air suicide of Christine Chubbuck will most definitely feature. Antonio Campos's biopic Christine finally gives British actress Rebecca Hall the role that finally demonstrates her ability. Channelling her frustration and disillusion of working in the male-dominated world of journalism. A fundamental honest character study, the result is a harrowing and affecting tale. 

Christine Chubbuck (Rebecca Hall) is a 29-year-old journalist working for the small TV station, WRZB Sarasota in Florida. Convinced she is on the way up, her journalistic style doesn't go down well with her chauvinistic boss Michael (Tracy Letts). Unable to connect with her colleagues and unhappy about the continually boring stories she is saddled with, Christine will soon take a drastic step to make viewers sit up and pay attention. 

Opening with Chubbuck practicing filming herself doing an imaginary interview with Richard Nixon, Christine immediately cuts to her perfectionism and the strain this causes. Moments before her story is broadcast on air she demands they cut a few seconds to the anger of Michael. Campos also makes it abundantly clear just how much camera appeal Christine lacks. Coming across as bored and uncaring, she struggles to put any enthusiasm into any of the vanilla stories she is set to cover. While interviewing a fruit stall owner she fails to even look remotely interested. Set in the blood and guts era of 70's journalism, "If it bleeds, it leads" is very much the motto. 

Her inability to connect and find meaningful relationships is another key element to Campos' picture. The only real confidante she has is her mother Peg (J.Smith-Cameron) whom she fiercely depends on. When her mother announces she has met a new man, Chubbuck's reaction is like that of a spoiled child. Things with her co-workers fare little better, she pines after handsome news anchor George Ryan (Michael C Hall) but when the attraction is return she goes cold. Jean Reed (Maria Dizzia) is the one team member who attempts to reach out to her, but as a woman on the verge, Christine simply bypasses this. Campos highlights that her introverted and somewhat unapproachable nature may have lead to her icy and uncaring appearance on camera. 

Peg is concerned throughout about her daughter's worsening mental health. There are whispers about an incident while she lived in Boston. Michael's continually bad attitude towards her also begins to make her spiral, desperate for more air time she agrees to give her boss more bold and controversial stories, but like always with this man what she delivers just doesn't impress. Christine is essentially a build up to the moment that Chubbuck pulls the trigger live on air. Campos smartly doesn't just draw out the mileage and instead gives a marvellous and empathetic portrayal of a woman who just wants to be noticed but is unable to confront the feels that she has for people. When the moment hits, the result is still as shocking as it was back in 1974. Christine will achieve her on air notoriety and this breaks our hearts. 

After years of languishing in supporting parts in big films such as Iron Man 3, Vicky Cristina Barcelona and The Prestige, Rebecca Hall is finally given the role she was born to play. Wonderfully portraying the inner struggles that Christine Chubbuck suffered, Hall's monotone like delivery gives us a big window into the inferiority that she feels. Audiences should be prepared for a real whirlwind performance and in Christine's more reflective moments, Hall is simply electric. One scene sees her finally given a glimmer of hope by snagging a date with George, what follows is a slow decay of happiness which is completed by being forced to play the game "Yes, But" Hall in the sequence shows her meltdown has about to reach full circle. 

Christine is one of those movies that will fly under the radar at TIFF this year, but I think we all hope that Hall's name alone will feature on awards lists. Campos has given us a powerful story, I highly recommend audiences seek this out on general release. 

Flying Colours: Review of Sully

Sully

Director: Clint Eastwood

By Alex Watson

Flight 1549 surviving the impossible odds in the Hudson River makes for an engrossing experience and Clint Eastwood's Sully is a fascinating look at what it means to be a hero. Tom Hanks' look at the fated Chesley Sullenberger is one of great moral conflict and doubt and Eastwood makes this man out to think of himself as anything but a saviour to the lives of the 155 people he saved. It does also intriguing questions about whether Sully landing the plane in the river was the right move?

Taking off from New York's LaGuardia Airport, U.S Airways flight 11549 hits trouble less than three minutes after taking off when both engines fail after being hit by a flock of birds. Certain they are unable to make either of the nearby airports, Captain Chesley Sullenberger takes the bold move of landing in the Hudson River. Hailed as a hero after saving the lives of all 155 passengers, the investigation of his crash by the NTSB seems determined to prove he was at fault.

In Sully Eastwood is keen to pay homage to the real genius in flying that took and this sequence is breathlessly executed, there is no frantic screaming or panicking in the cockpit, just a pair of experienced flyers keeping a very cool head. His actions may have love letters being written in the press, but Sully is a deeply conflicted man. Throughout he experiences recurring nightmares of fiery deaths that could have occurred. The NTSB seem determined to railroad this man along with his equally heroic co-pilot Jeff Skiles (Aaron Eckhart) and are convinced that the plane's left engine was still operating and they could have safely landed. Smartly Eastwood delays the full reveal of the events of that cold morning on January 15, 2009, and everything we learn we soon begin to distrust. Sully remains convinced this was the right action, but everyone bar Jeff seems to doubt him.

Overwhelmed by both the attention and the possible threat of losing his wings, Sullenberger's explanations and steadfast theories about his crash landing are quickly dismissed. The committee seems to overlook the fact they lost both engines at less than 2800 feet has never happened before "Everything is unprecedented until it happens for the first time!" he dryly explains to his accusers. 40 years flight experience seems to count for nothing here, Sully doesn't want the celebrity which has gone with his selfless act, he simply wants to be proven right. His second-guessing of his actions gives the film a great shadow of doubt and Eastwood puts the judgement firmly at this audience. Was this a brilliant showcase of flying or did he merely luck out? Life at home has become firmly strained and his wife Lorraine (Laura Linney) is beginning to creak under the intense press scrutiny.

Perfectly paced throughout, Sully is a picture that makes you stand up and pay attention. Refreshingly Eastwood stays true to this characters modesty and there are no big or heroic speeches nor is there any huge dramas in between. His final review with the NTSB stubbornly refuses to release big fireworks and prefers the images on the screen to tell it like it really is.  His knowledge of his craft is what really pays the difference and through a meticulous and determined plea, he is able to swing things in his favour. This movie is a wonderful character study of what can come from doing what is right. Saving the lives of people still comes at a price and both Eastwood and Hanks never once overly glorify this character. This piece is also a tribute to the combined fast response times of New York's finest which just shows that coming together can sometimes mean everything.

Tom Hanks is very much the glowing heart of the picture through his well measured and understated turn he holds the screen with vigour. Effortlessly playing the everyman turned possible pariah, Hanks' channelling of his inner conflict is magnificent to watch. Sullenberger is a man who is beginning to wilt under the spotlight and badly wants his actions to be justified. His refusal to simply given and admit fault gives his character a wonderful determination and makes us want him all the more to be cleared. Aaron Eckhart also holds up well as Jeff Skiles and provides a strong presence alongside Hanks and is very much the one positive voice he hears. During the crash scenes, Eckhart shines brightly as he lets Skiles experience speak for itself and would very much be the man you wish have next to you in the cockpit.

Sully is a picture that deserves awards consideration if only for Hanks alone and this is one of the more enticing character studies during this awards season. Also by the time Clint has finished, you will know exactly how to crash land a plane.

Long March To Freedom: Review of The Birth of a Nation

TIFF EXCLUSIVE

The Birth of a Nation

Director: Nate Parker

By Alex Watson

With all the recent controversy surrounding Nate Parker's past indiscretions, it is easy to forget what a tremendous piece of cinema The Birth of a Nation really is. Winner of the big prize at this year's Sundance Film Festival, Parker shows in unflinching detail the brutality and ignorance of America's slave past. Nat Turner's slave rebellion was one which changed the tide, but refreshingly Parker doesn't seek to glorify his actions, but merely state what change was needed.

Groomed from a young age to be a preacher to his fellow slaves, Nat Turner (Nate Parker) is at first contented to spread the word of the lord. As he begins to tour other plantations with his master Samuel Turner (Armie Hammer), his eyes begin to open to the harsh treatment bestowed upon other black slaves. Soon his inner restlessness will see him leading what will become a defining chapter of American history.

Equally beautiful and horrifying, The Birth of a Nation is a movie that refuses to hold itself back. Starting in flashback, Nat is a boy prophesized to be a great leader by a tribe and plays free with young Samuel and is treated lovingly by Elizabeth Turner (Penelope Ann Miller). This innocence is quickly shattered when his father is caught stealing by racist Raymond Cobb (Jackie Earle Haley). Having become useful picking cotton, Nat soon convinces Samuel to buy his future wife Cherry (Aja Naomi King) which saves her from probable sexual abuse from other owners. With his farm in despair, Samuel is given a way to gain money to save it when corrupt and racist Rev.Walthall (Mark Boone Junior) by getting Nat to preach to fellow slaves to remind them of their place. During these visits, he views the deplorable conditions many slaves find themselves. At first, he nervously preaches from his brothers to accept and obey their masters, but before long his speeches become fiery and vengeful.

Parker refuses to apologize for the anger and oppression he feels telling this tale and all throughout Nat sees the cruel treatment whites bestow upon him. Actions as simple as addressing a white lady lead to her husband beating him. Another sequence sees Cherry horrifically assaulted by Cobb and his cronies simply because they can. The imagery we see interspersed through this is very mind jarring, such potent images as a corn cob become seep with blood foreshadows the violence to come. The straw that breaks the camels back is when Nat is forced to endure seeing a slave being brutally force-fed by the master knocking his teeth out. Samuel is at first a benevolent and protective master, but as a man forced to keep up appearances his kindness only extends so far. Wrestling with his faith and wanting to understand the path God has laid out for him, his increasingly bad treatment by Samuel pushes him over the edge.

When Nat executes his wrath on his oppressors, we see some of the boldest filmmaking of 2016. The Birth of a Nation neither praises nor condemns Turner's actions as he descends into mass murder to free his people. There is an element of heavy-handedness to Parker's direction as we see him murder one member before a cross like stained glass window and another slave cut the head off his hated master. The waters are stirring in the lands of Southampton County, VA and Turner's actions spark off a sea of white hatred. One disturbing yet hypnotic sequence set to Nina Simone's 'Strange Fruit' sees slaves being mass killed. Historically the accuracy of this story will be long debated, as will its depiction of Turner as an almost Jesus-like figure during its climax. The sheer power of Parker's script gives a powerful voice to the ghosts of the slaves who have been consigned to the past.

Alongside writing and directing this piece, Nate Parker also proves to be a captivating leading man. A capable star in the movie Beyond The Lights, Parker gives his Nat Turner such presence that he fully owns every moment on-screen. Many will focus on the controversy surrounding his past rape allegations, but Parker still emerges as one of the most exciting triple threats to hit the screens this year. His passion in bringing this story to screen makes his audience feel every inch of pain, suffering, and levity that Turner experiences. Armie Hammer also matches his director and co-star in an impressive supporting role as Samuel Turner. Appearing to be a courteous and well-meaning master, Samuel, in the beginning, seems to be a man who fights for his own. As the movie progresses, Hammer makes his agenda perfectly clear and convincingly portrays a man whose hospitality comes at a price.

Brutal, honest and unflinching, The Birth of a Nation is a picture that will both delight and spark controversy in equal measure. However, you will not see a bolder picture in 2016.

Life Or Something Like It: Review of Things To Come

TIFF EXCLUSIVE

Things To Come

Director: Mia Hanson- Love

By Alex Watson

Mia Hanson-Love through her pictures Father of My Children, Goodbye First Love and Eden has emerged as one of the prominent talents of European cinema. Her new film Things To Come continues this trend as through a wonderful turn, Isabelle Huppert combined with Hanson-Love are able to effective portray a woman at the crossroads of life. Winner of Silver Bear for Best Director at this year's Berlin Film Festival, this confirms Hanson-Love's rising status.

Nathalie (Isabelle Huppert) is a respected philosophy lecturer who has been married to her husband Heinz (Andre Marcon) for over 25 years. This summer will bring about big changes as Heinz leaves her for a younger woman and her mentally ill mother Yvette (Edith Scob) shows signs of deterioration. Unsure what lies before her, Nathalie finds herself crossing paths with her former student Fabien (Roman Kolinka who represents all that Nathalie has long left behind.

From the outset of Things To Come, Hanson-Love is able to demonstrate Nathalie's frustrations with having to contend with the world which is becoming younger and has more ideals. This character has an air of superiority which has begun to strain her marriage- when Heinz announces he is leaving her reaction is one that is more irritated than devastated. A respected figure in her field, she is perturbed when the young marketing whiz's at her publishing house want to give her long-running textbook a new redesign to appeal to a younger generation, the colour design instantly has her disdain "It looks like an ad for M&M's" she says. The text remains untouched, but even the slightest alteration is like an assault on her beloved text. Her needy mother has also become a constant thorn in her back and almost daily there is a drama and they have to resort to calling the fire department when she yet again claims her life is in danger.

The arrival of Fabien shows the vulnerability and perhaps hidden love of Nathalie. Her favourite former student, this man is passionate about the ideals that his teacher bestowed upon him and she admires him greatly. He has now begun experimenting with anarchism, but when he grows bored of living the life he decamps to a farm in mountains. Her husband and children are not so convinced of this man "the audience is left to wonder exactly who genuine his commitment to ideas are? Nathalie seems to adore him because he is living the life she abandoned decades ago. Some potentially risky red herrings appear during the film's third act when Nathalie finds copies of such texts as 'The Unabomber's Manifesto' leading to some serious question about his character?

How to reinvent herself is the big question present in Things To Come, Hanson-Love shows Nathalie as a woman whose persona has become outdated and she must now contend with her hard questions. One scene sees her fending off a creepy pervert during a Juliette Binoche film. At times the film does become wayward, in particular, the overly long subplot about what to do her with her mother's plump cat Pandora?  Though overall this is a realistic depiction of what happens when we must pick up the pieces in life? How do you contend with having everything slip away and avoid being disillusioned? One very accurate summation comes from when Nathalie meets with a priest who advises her that doubt and questioning have become her life. The audience's own assessment will depend on what they see.

Isabelle Huppert is the perfect star to anchor this picture and through a composed yet passionate turn, she is electric on screen. A proud woman, Nathalie is a woman now struggling to tread water in her new situation and she doesn't know which way to turn? A real legend of French cinema, Huppert perfectly embodies each of this character's flaws. Roman Kolinka is also strong as the idealistic Fabien and wonderfully gives his an air of ambiguity. Does he really believe all the various teaching he continually speaks of or does he just like believing his smart than your average? During the film's third act Kolinka himself excellently convey's Fabien's growing struggle for his own identity.

Things To Come is one of the stronger pieces of French cinema we will see during 2016 and Mia Hanson-Love is now one of strongest directors emerging from Europe.

The Saint: Review of Gleason

Gleason

Director: J.Clay Twill

By Alex Watson

Emotional and uplifting, Clay Twill documentary Gleason is one of those rare documentaries that fully captures your heart. Documenting the struggles former NFL player Steve Gleason as he learns to cope with his ALS diagnosis, Twill captures the true fighting spirit of the human soul. This documentary goes far beyond just showing a man's suffering, his whole family are having to deal with life-altering altering changes and on this determination alone, one of the films of 2016 is born.

Steve Gleason was a former player for the New Orleans Saints who at only 34 years old was diagnosed with ALS. As his body begins to deteriorate, Sean and his family refuse to give in and decide to form Team Gleason, a foundation that helps others with ALS. This documentary deals with his hopes and fears of not only living with the disease but whether he can still be a father to his newly born son.

Gleason is a movie that could have just been a glorified motivational video for Team Gleason, Twill goes under the hood and shows us Steve at his most vulnerable and most highest points. A cult hero to his former Saints fans, Steve achieved hero status when in the Saints first game back at the Superdome in 2005 after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, he blocked an opposing punt that would lead to the rebirth of the franchise. His ALS diagnosis is shown as a one-two punch because alongside that his wife Michel Varisco Gleason also became pregnant. Determined to leave behind some memories for son, Gleason throughout records video entries where he speaks to his child and gives updates on his health. This footage is among the rawest that cinema has to offer and theme of father and son is a prominent one throughout.

As his body begins to fail him, Steve is faced with no longer being able to have the typical father-son relationship. Learning to cope with the possibility of his death leads to some very heart rendering but also very humorous moments. One sequence sees Steve suffering after Stem Cell therapy and a jovial nurse called in to assist with his bowel problems "Am I the best-looking guy you've ever ass fingered?" he smiles to her. Steve's spirit it what keeps him running and his desire to give his son as much of his life as possible is what sets the tears in motion. His relationship with his own father Mike has its own issues as he is still struggling to cope with the likely hood of his son's death. The most emotional scene of the picture comes from Steve asking Pearl Jam front man Eddie Vedder about not knowing his deceased father. Watching his tears flow will melt the even hardest of hearts.

The real success of Gleason is how Twill is able to draw his viewers in and make us feel as we are sharing this journey with Steve and Michel. This movie is not just Steve's story as the dealing with his illness takes a toll on Michel as well, who is upfront about how also raising a toddler alongside the constant care that Steve requires has gradually washed away the sunnier side of her. While Steve becomes a hero in a whole new form, Michel is the one who has the deal with things behind the scenes, some moments they are reduced to near silent conversations. This picture is made to crush hearts and not for one second do you pity this family in any way because although his health will never recover, Steve is always able to smile and the birth of his son Rivers has given him a reason to fight on. There are sheer lows and moments where he questions going on, but Twill and the Gleason's refuse to extinguish the light of hope.

Possibly the best documentary you will see in 2016, Gleason is a movie which will make you unafraid to cry, feel and embrace this wonderful story.