My Brother Jack, written and directed by Stephen Dest, revolves around the lives of two brothers as they attempt to cope with a tragedy from their youth that continues to affect their present lives. If you’re a New Englander, and also happen to be a fan of the theatre, you may be familiar with Dest through his work in a variety of stage productions with roles varying from writer and director to stage actor. In My Brother Jack, Dest uses his gift as a storyteller to create a multi-layered narrative – one that embodies classic film drama intertwined with elements of mystery and the psychological thriller. The film won numerous…
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G-S-T Year In Review – Jessica's 2013 Wrap Up
Last year, my wrap up consisted only of Independent films, so in keeping with that tradition I’ve mostly limited my list of films for the 2013 Wrap Up to indie titles as well. 2013 was not only a good year for award worthy narrative features – 12 Years a Slave, American Hustle and Fruitvale Station, to name a few – but also for documentaries. This year was arguably one of the best for both the quality and quantity of docs that gained mainstream attention including Blackfish, The Act of Killing, and Stories We Tell. It should also probably be noted that 2013 was a great year for women in film, in part due to the increased…
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G-S-T Review…Tim's Vermeer
Contrary to what the title might suggest, Tim’s Vermeer, is not an art documentary, at least not in the traditional sense. Instead, it plays out like an epic tale of one man’s unusual and fascinating obsession, the promise of discovery it holds, and where this leads both him and the audience as they follow alongside him on this journey. It helps that the film’s subject is an enchanting, not to mention genius, character himself – a requisite for any good story – and it is Jenison’s passion and adamant enthusiasm that propels the film forward and with it, the audience. In desperate need of stimulating conversation and a break from the…
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G-S-T Review…What's In a Name
What’s in a Name, or Le Prénom in French – which actually translates as “The Given Name” – is a comedy of French farce about a dinner party that goes awry, directed by well-known screenwriters Matthieu Delaporte and Alexandre de la Patellière (Renaissance, The Prodigies). The duo adapted the screenplay from their original hit play, and with the exception of Charles Berling, the film stars all the original production’s cast members. From the opening scene there is a rhythmic structure to the story that hums along quite swimmingly with the help of sharp dialog, perfectly delivered by the theatrical cast, and subtle cinematic techniques employed by the film’s director of…
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G-S-T Review…All Is Lost
Margin Call director, J.C. Chandor takes quite a different direction with this second film, All Is Lost, starring Robert Redford as a nameless man who is lost at sea and fighting for survival. Where as Margin Call was heavy with dialog, All Is Lost experiments with other forms of communication, from the sounds of nature to the thoughts inside the man’s head that we do not hear, but that we can imagine from the facial and physical queues Redford uses to portray them. At first this description might seem to recall the role of Tom Hanks in cast away Castaway, except Chandor’s and his crew faced the added challenge of…
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G-S-T Review…Thanks for Sharing
One thing writer/director Stuart Blumberg (The Kids Are Alright) has going for him in his directorial debut, Thanks for Sharing, is that the subject matter on which the film is centered, sex addiction, is something seldom explored. Steve McQueen’s bold but brilliant film Shame – released last year with an NC-17 rating – dealt with it, but the approach and tone between the two are so different it wouldn’t really be fair to hold the two films in comparison. Thanks for Sharing is a romantic comedy based around three main characters and their lives dealing with sex addiction. The three men are all part of the same sex addicts anonymous group,…
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G-S-T Review…Populaire
French writer/director Régis Roinsard makes his feature length debut with Populaire, the story of a young girl searching for her identity and purpose in the world during the late 1950s, and the man who pushes her toward stardom. Rose Pamphyle (Déborah François) is a naïve girl living in Normandy, the town where she grew up. Raised by her widower father, a stubborn and conservative man set in his ways, Rose looks to start a new life in Paris. Her rapid typing skills – using only two fingers no less – land her a job with Louis Échard (Romain Duris), a handsome but smug insurance agent. It’s her quick hands that…
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G-S-T Review…Short Term 12
Winner of the Audience and Grand Jury Awards at SXSW in March, writer/director Destin Cretton’s Short Term 12 is a rare and beautiful film containing moments that will make you laugh, cry, render you speechless, take your breath away, and then leave you with a smile. The film’s title comes from the name of the group home that serves as the story’s central setting. The facility known as Short Term 12 serves as a foster home to troubled youth, victims of abuse, kids who have been forgotten, abandoned or otherwise left behind by their parents. On top of this many of the foster kids suffer from mental illness, making their behavior that more…
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G-S-T Review…Drinking Buddies
Drinking Buddies offers a refreshingly candid look at relationships from the perspective of the romantic comedy genre. While the film explores similar themes and questions around relationships and monogamy that we’ve seen from director Joe Swanberg’s films in the past, Drinking Buddies is something special. Arguably his best film yet, he accomplishes something rarely found in feature films today, that perfect mix of indie Art House feel and mass appeal. It’s not so obscure that it alienates the general audience, but it also avoids being formulaic. It’s the culmination of Swanberg’s mumblecore roots combined with a narrative structure (or lack there of) that works to create a story utterly authentic…
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G-S-T Review…Sparrows Dance
Sparrow’s Dance is an unexpected love story about an agoraphobic and former stage actress (Marin Ireland) who hasn’t left her apartment in over a year – nor has she had face-to-face contact with anyone from the outside world – and spends her days eating, sleeping and alternating between riding her exercise bike and watching television, until she is finally forced to face her fears when her toilet overflows. Ireland’s unnamed female protagonist first tries to acquire a plumber’s advice over the phone, but to no avail. When a plumber named Wes (Paul Sparks, “Boardwalk Empire”) does show up at her door, he’s a surprisingly handsome, endearing sort of guy, who…