August of wind passed, and it's September. Wake me up when September ends - are you Filipino? Merry Christmas! - posts - September, be good to me, that's another one - are, or more recently, have had been to our scrolling attention on our Facebook NewsFeed.
Here. Wake up! Russovoir has left behind movies back in August, and you must forgive him. He had already long decided to do this, life just has a funny way of switching the lanes of his train of thought. And probably because Russovoir celebrated his 25th (chuckles).
5. Final Girl
Light and shadows. Tyler Shields' Final Girl is curiously attractive because of his exorbitant, almost rebellious display of shadows. We say rebellious because, manipulation of light and shadows should complement (not to be confused with compliment) the world in which the characters live in. Too bright, too dark, or among cinematographers' jargon, overexposed and underexposed, are a big no-no because it throws the audience off, making it seem therefore 'conscious camera', a fourth wall, rather a subsidiary, occurrence where the audience is aware of the camera, tricks and trade encompassing. Obviously it was a directorial choice to shine a light excessively (picture below), remove and add light unusually, creating these hard and ominous shadows, angelic and flattering close ups, that to a keen eye, one cannot help ask where the light is coming from, especially as we assume these scenes are 'realistically' set.
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| Abigail Breslin as Veronica |
This 'cinemantic' (cinema + antics), should we say, primarily stirred Russovoir's attention, agitatedly to the prevention of the crystallization of boredom. Speaking on behalf of director Tyler Shields, this stylistic approach, newfangled and playful, worked effectively into the story he's trying to tell, a group of preppy, high school senior boys on a blonde girl killing sport, until secret agent Veronica dyes her hair. Cast, including but not limited to the aptly charismatic display of Alexander Ludwig (The Hunger Games, 2012), significantly added weight to the investment of this 90-minute film. Don't tell Russovoir these still images don't speak to you:
4. When Animals Dream
Midnight Son (2011) is one of Russovoir's personal favorite vampire films. Reminiscent thereof, Scandinavian film When Animals Dream tapped into the same concept, but with an execution differently.
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| Sonia Suhl as Marie |
What works here is love; how established it is between a husband and [catatonic] wife, how fast it developed and how strong it could become. It's formulaic: she turns into an animal, and those who wronged her will taste her wrath. Overall, the film makes you vulnerably human (unless you're an animal), even going so far as fantasizing of a similar fate (right, animals can dream).
3. Cop Car
There are movies that are fast-paced, the action happens right away, exciting and exhilarating. On the other hand, there are films that require patience. Over time, Russovoir's patience has had slowly lain out like a roll of film. And clever enough - thank you! - his patience stops as the film ends. Cop Car, actually, isn't the first nor the only one. Coincidentally enough, as it happens, Robert Pattinson is fun to watch post-Twilight - talented actor, Remember Me (2010) and The Rover (2014) had a slow pacing, but just like the seed that grows into a tree, it takes time. After which, in fact, these slow-paced stories are effective, especially when they can uproot one's bearings.
Two unattended kids found a cop car, and drove it. Guess they wanted a little danger in their boring summer, before school starts. Then there was an awesome cut, sly even, taking us back in time to introduce a fork in the road, so to speak. Kevin Bacon enters, tense as though being held at gunpoint, which soon we come to realize he could've had been, after all what is a police officer's day's work. Why go through all the trouble to get the car? What's to become for the two troublemakers? Exoneration or execution? Good cop, or bad cop? Original story writing, Cop Car is an effectively slow-paced film.
2. The Gift
Russovoir must say, it was a difficult decision, especially because The Gift and American Ultra are both original stories*
Disturbing, and yet satisfying, The Gift is, simply put, a different anti-bullying film. Different as the operative, yet simple description. Normally, in anti-bullying films, the victim(s) is/are portrayed as soft and frail, a helpless and eternal loser. The story bypassed all of that, hoping to achieve that there shouldn't be a mold a victim fills into to fit the label. The worst thing is to give a bully a composite. They aren't going to be always soft, frail, helpless or a loser for long. That's when bullies watch out for.
Once a bully, always a bully, Jason Bateman champions being a bully. A performance whose deception was a charming face until the mask came off. On the other hand, Joel Edgerton champions being a doormat. Gestures of goodwill, and at one point still had cowered under his bully's fist, are a deception to the final gesture of revenge.
1. American Ultra (Movie of the Month - personally)
Screenwriter Max Landis was generous of his time enough to visit the movie house at the premiere night of his second, most anticipated film, American Ultra; the 30-year old has the sleeper success Chronicle (2012) under his belt. Having had a glass too many champagnes, understandably because he must've had already received raves of his film since that morning so he had been merrymaking, Russovoir will never forget what he said to us, as they say, drunk words are sober thoughts, "[This] film is the first film of the weekend of this month that isn't an adaptation."
The audience roared in applause.
Which is true. The film industry, particularly Hollywood has dedicated its time to adaptations, and sequels, and based on a true story stories, which is fine, Russovoir doesn't mind getting to know the life story of Bobby Fischer in Pawn Sacrifice (September 16), but there is little to no room for imagination in those aforementioned. What Landis is trying to convey here is that the art of movies is in the (he)art of storytelling. Stylistic approach and visual effects can follow (and just as important). But of course, American Ultra didn't lack visual effects; it embodied it, with which its screenplay is the skeletal component, Eisenberg and Stewart as its beating heart.
The character arc is familiar, think Jason Bourne, where stoned and hipster boyfriend Mike Howell (Eisenberg) doesn't know he possesses a special set of skills of combat. And where else one could possibly acquire such advanced pseudo-superhuman training? Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). That, or the Russian counterpart KGB. Almost always, like the premise of I Am Number Four (2011), someone wants him dead because he's becoming, or already is a threat. Funny how Stewart and Teresa Palmer look alike. Russovoir himself confused them one time.
Why does this even matter? This matters because this brings us back to the asterisk placed. This top 5 films are original stories. As original as it can get. Meaning, while they're reminiscent of and/or of similar concept, what we always, always look for is the uniqueness of execution. American Ultra wins as an original film because, influentially by dialogue, onscreen chemistry was a gun to the holster. Also, such names are big both indie and mainstream, for which already marketed the film itself. And lastly, American Ultra wins original movie of the month because at least a person we now know is 'first line of defense', one film at a time, for fresh storytelling.
2. The Gift
Russovoir must say, it was a difficult decision, especially because The Gift and American Ultra are both original stories*
 |
| Joel Edgerton as Gordo |
Disturbing, and yet satisfying, The Gift is, simply put, a different anti-bullying film. Different as the operative, yet simple description. Normally, in anti-bullying films, the victim(s) is/are portrayed as soft and frail, a helpless and eternal loser. The story bypassed all of that, hoping to achieve that there shouldn't be a mold a victim fills into to fit the label. The worst thing is to give a bully a composite. They aren't going to be always soft, frail, helpless or a loser for long. That's when bullies watch out for.
 |
| Jason Bateman as Simon |
Once a bully, always a bully, Jason Bateman champions being a bully. A performance whose deception was a charming face until the mask came off. On the other hand, Joel Edgerton champions being a doormat. Gestures of goodwill, and at one point still had cowered under his bully's fist, are a deception to the final gesture of revenge.
"Revenge is a deed best served conceived." - RUSSOVOIR.
1. American Ultra (Movie of the Month - personally)
Screenwriter Max Landis was generous of his time enough to visit the movie house at the premiere night of his second, most anticipated film, American Ultra; the 30-year old has the sleeper success Chronicle (2012) under his belt. Having had a glass too many champagnes, understandably because he must've had already received raves of his film since that morning so he had been merrymaking, Russovoir will never forget what he said to us, as they say, drunk words are sober thoughts, "[This] film is the first film of the weekend of this month that isn't an adaptation."
The audience roared in applause.
 |
| Max Landis |
Which is true. The film industry, particularly Hollywood has dedicated its time to adaptations, and sequels, and based on a true story stories, which is fine, Russovoir doesn't mind getting to know the life story of Bobby Fischer in Pawn Sacrifice (September 16), but there is little to no room for imagination in those aforementioned. What Landis is trying to convey here is that the art of movies is in the (he)art of storytelling. Stylistic approach and visual effects can follow (and just as important). But of course, American Ultra didn't lack visual effects; it embodied it, with which its screenplay is the skeletal component, Eisenberg and Stewart as its beating heart.
 |
| "Mike, I'm the tree, you've been the car." |
The character arc is familiar, think Jason Bourne, where stoned and hipster boyfriend Mike Howell (Eisenberg) doesn't know he possesses a special set of skills of combat. And where else one could possibly acquire such advanced pseudo-superhuman training? Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). That, or the Russian counterpart KGB. Almost always, like the premise of I Am Number Four (2011), someone wants him dead because he's becoming, or already is a threat. Funny how Stewart and Teresa Palmer look alike. Russovoir himself confused them one time.
Why does this even matter? This matters because this brings us back to the asterisk placed. This top 5 films are original stories. As original as it can get. Meaning, while they're reminiscent of and/or of similar concept, what we always, always look for is the uniqueness of execution. American Ultra wins as an original film because, influentially by dialogue, onscreen chemistry was a gun to the holster. Also, such names are big both indie and mainstream, for which already marketed the film itself. And lastly, American Ultra wins original movie of the month because at least a person we now know is 'first line of defense', one film at a time, for fresh storytelling.
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