Movie Review - Dear White People

Dear White People (2014)

Starring Tessa Thompson, Tyler James Williams, Brandon P Bell, Teyonah Parris, Kyle Gallner, and Dennis Haysbert

Directed by Justin Simien

While not quite as laugh-out-loud funny as I had thought it would be, Dear White People is a film that doesn't shy away from some uncomfortable racial humor in order to detail race relations on college campuses.  Set at the fictional Ivy League Winchester University, screenwriter-director Justin Simien's debut film shows that the sometimes "on edge" feeling between whites and blacks isn't the fault of either culture, but rather due to the fact that post-racial America has created a society where political correctness actually makes it much more difficult to unite as both sides feel they are being talked down to or coined racist for expressing an opinion that simply may not toe the "correct" line.

The film opens with a news report stating that a group of white students held a "black face" party on Halloween setting the campus community into an uproar and starting a small riot.  We then flashback a few weeks to see the lead-up to this event, focusing mainly on the black student population as headstrong radio DJ Sam (Tessa Thompson) whose radio show skewers the white student body of Winchester goes up against seemingly by-the-books Troy (Brandon Bell) whose father (Dennis Haysbert) is the Dean of Students to be the head of the traditionally black Armstrong/Parker House.

This battle is the basis of all conflicts in Dear White People as Simien explores not only white-black race relations, but also rifts within the African American culture itself.  (Note:  In a rather funny line, the film states that utilizing the term "African American" is inherently racist itself in that white culture uses the words because they're "afraid" to simply use the term black thanks to current societal norms.)  Unfortunately, Simien's film seems a little disjointed and it feels a bit obvious while watching that we're witnessing a debut film.

While the direction may have felt a little sitcom-ish at times, the cast more than makes up for the flick's faults.  The aforementioned Tessa Thompson is a compelling lead and Tyler James Williams as a newspaper reporter covering the racial issues on campus is also humorously enjoyable.  Teyonah Parris also succeeds in a rather difficult role as Coco, a stuck-up black student who feels more motivated by white culture than her own.

Rather interestingly, Coco's story is really at the heart of what Dear White People is trying to espouse.  While there's importance in understanding one's own culture, is there really anything wrong with finding an appeal in another way of life?  Perhaps there is, or maybe there isn't.  Your interpretation of what the film has to say may vary, but Simien does a good job at skewering all sides of the argument.  In the hands of a slightly more capable director, Dear White People would've really shined, but as it stands now, it's still an interesting film that's worth a watch and a nice start for a new voice on the film landscape.

The RyMickey Rating:  B-

Movie Review - Beautiful Boy

Beautiful Boy (2011)

Starring Maria Bello, Michael Sheen, Alan Tudyk, Moon Bloodgood, and Kyle Gallner

Directed by Shawn Ku

***This film is currently streaming on Netflix***

I was speaking just the other day with someone about the dearth of indie movies in 2011 that resonated with me.  There were a few here and there, but my top list of movies features a lot more mainstream wide-release movies than in years past.  Thankfully, Beautiful Boy, a little seen flick from last year, helps pick the slack in that 2011 independent movie market.  With two stunning performances and a story that just emotionally hits you at the core, the debut from director and co-screenwriter Shawn Ku is a welcome surprise.

Maria Bello and Michael Sheen are Kate and Bill, a married couple who are in the process of separating.  Their son, Sammy (Kyle Gallner), is off at his first semester in college, and the empty house is making their relationship even more difficult to bear.  The two could never be prepared for the news they receive early one morning when police officers show up on their doorstep and tell the couple that Sammy went on a shooting spree at his college, killing over fifteen people before turning the gun on himself.  

With this huge news occurring in the film's first ten minutes, the remainder of Beautiful Boy rather effortlessly focuses solely on the emotional impact of this horrific event on the parents of the murderer.  We never leave the side of either Kate or Bill and their grief and sorrow is gut-wrenching.  Their crumbling relationship is pushed to the limits -- for they've gone through something so devastating that few can relate to them -- and the script provides a resolution for the couple that is completely believable and wholly satisfying.

Maria Bello is simply wonderful.  Harboring a tremendous amount of guilt -- Kate was the last one to speak with Sammy the night before he went on his rampage -- Bello allows Kate to run the gamut of emotions from tearful grief to harsh anger, wondering whether she or her husband are also responsible for their son's actions.  Michael Sheen is also riveting, beginning the movie as the calmer of the two, but finally breaking down and unleashing his emotions as the film progresses. 

Together, the two are part of one of the best scenes I've seen in a 2011 film as a rather tender, lovely moment in a hotel room gradually shifts into a raw and hate-filled screaming match showcasing both Bello and Sheen's talent and proving that the film has allowed the audience to become so incredibly invested in these characters and their emotions.  As the scene unfurled, I both didn't want it to end, but couldn't wait for it to be over.  It was so uncomfortable, but so revealing and truth-filled.  The barriers had come down for the coupl (thanks to the introduction of alcohol) and it was positively riveting.

There were a few moments here and there that screamed "low budget indie" in terms of the camera work and editing which admittedly took a little bit away from the overall experience.  And, in the end, you kind of want to know what turned young Sammy down this painful road (although, on the other hand, the ambivalence makes us fully understand the disbelief Kate and Bill are feeling post-shooting spree).  Still, those are minor gripes in a film that moved me quite a bit and featured two fantastic performances.

The RyMickey Rating:  A-

Movie Review - Red State

Red State (2011)

Starring Michael Parks, Michael Angarano, Melissa Leo, Kyle Gallner, Kelly Bishé, and John Goodman

Directed by Kevin Smith

***This film is currently streaming on Netflix***

Rather amusingly, the end credits of Red State -- Kevin Smith's horror movie that he distributed on his own after a "fake" attempt at creating a bidding war earlier this year -- separate the cast into three categories -- Sex, Religion, and Politics.  Certainly those are three subjects that are ripe for controversy and debate, and while Smith undoubtedly takes a side on those topics and does so in a not-too-subtle manner, I couldn't help but enjoy myself thoroughly while watching this.  Thanks to some great performances and a running time that moves everything along at an incredibly brisk rate coupled with solid direction and clever (but not his typical raunchy) writing from Mr. Smith, Red State is a surprising winner.

When three high school boys come across a Craig's List-style online ad for an older woman who agrees to sleep with all three of them at once, the licentious trio wants to jump on the opportunity.  Little do they know that they're walking into a trap set up by a David Koresh-like cult leader Abin Cooper (Michael Parks), a man whose group at the beginning of the film is seen picketing a gay teenager's funeral.  (While that is a reprehensible act, I was a tad worried that this "obvious" "He's EVIL" stance was going to prove to be a little too blatant throughout the movie...fortunately, Smith curbed this as the movie progressed.)  The three teens are drugged and awaken in Cooper's church where he spreads (his version of) God's word to his family members who are the only members of his congregation.  In the midst of a rousing sermon, it soon becomes obvious that Cooper has warped the Bible into something decidedly crackpot and all hell is about to break loose.

For reasons I won't divulge in order to try and stay as spoiler-free as possible, the government soon becomes involved in this whole affair and sends out agents to try and take over Cooper's compound.  Headed by Agent Keenan (John Goodman), orders are soon given by his supervisors to do whatever is necessary to bring Cooper and his terroristic organization down.

If one were to step back and look at the grand idea that Smith is trying to convey here, his attacks on religion and our society post-9/11 don't necessarily hold water.  While both are certainly topics that can be critiqued in a film landscape, he doesn't dig deep enough to incite change or cause the viewer to even think about their opinion on the subject.

But if we overlook that (and I choose to because the rest of the film is good enough to do so), Red State is a very suspenseful horror film.  No one is safe and there was many a moment when I was shocked by what was unfolding onscreen.  Yes, there are moments of Smith's trademark humor (including a clever though mildly stupid "twist" towards the end), but the film works because the director has a solid grasp on editing his flick to maximize tension.  

Helping achieve this sense of unease are some wonderful performances.  Michael Angarano and Kyle Gallner as two of the sexually charged teens provide the "Kevin Smith wit" prevalent in his other flicks.  Nice work also comes from John Goodman as the agent who takes a rather moralistic stance against his superiors.  Melissa Leo as one of Cooper's daughters is utterly creepy and Kelly Bishé (with whom I'm completely unfamiliar) is beautiful to look at and does quite a good job as a wavering, questioning member of Cooper's clan.

The star here, though, is Michael Parks as the seemingly pleasant smooth-talking Abin Cooper.  At the beginning of the film, Cooper is given a lengthy monologue that, while could have easily been removed or shortened, brilliantly reveals the true character behind this country preacher.  He's outwardly pleasant yet so incredibly evil and Mr. Parks plays him without ever stooping to cheap tricks.  Cooper is a nut and Parks' evenhanded portrayal of him makes him even more terrifying.

Red State isn't going to be for everyone.  It is quite violent and it's not exactly a pleasant watch (although it's not nearly as graphic as the torture porn horror shlock that was so pervasive in the early aughts).  But it did it's job to keep me on the edge of my seat and that's all I can ask from a movie like this. 

The RyMickey Rating:  B+

Movie Review - The Haunting in Connecticut (2009)

Starring Virginia Madsen, Elias Koteas, and Kyle Gallner
Written by Adam Simon and Tim Metcalfe
Directed by Peter Cornwell

The Campbell family is facing some tough times. Oldest son Matt (Gallner) is battling cancer and his treatments are expensive and far from home. In order to save on travel, Mom (Madsen) decides to rent a large house without telling her hubby. This just makes the already strained marriage become even more tense. But, let's be honest here, the parents' issues are an unnecessary, pointless subplot. Jumping back to the cancer-stricken son, Matt begins to see visions of horrific ghosts in the old house which, come to find out, used to be a funeral home at which the owner did some awful things to the dead bodies that would come across his path.

Honestly, the story itself was moderately entertaining and very unlike the typical modern "teen" horror flick in that it wasn't incredibly bloody and actually had somewhat of an intriguing premise -- ghost stories always interest me more than slasher flicks, and this was a decent ghost story. The fact that they throw the "based on a true story" into the mix, if anything, makes this more unbelievable than were it just a regular old horror flick. Still, an interesting premise, to be sure.

I just wish they done away with the mom/dad issues and I wish they had cast a better actress than Virginia Madsen in the mom role. I didn't like her in Sideways (for which she was nominated for an Oscar) and I don't think I've liked her in much of anything. She just always strikes me as one-note and whenever she tries to break out of the "one-note-ness," it always seems fake. The guy who played the father wasn't much better either. The kid who plays Matt, Kyle Gallner, fares much better. He hasn't appeared in many movies, but he was actually quite good.

While not perfect, The Haunting in Connecticut was one of the better horror flicks I've seen recently and may be worth your while if you're into this particular genre.

The RyMickey Rating: C