Through Television, There’s a Neighborhood Where Everyone’s Welcome

Fred Rogers in "Won't You Be My Neighbor?"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

Between the late 1960s and early 2000s, Fred Rogers graced the nation with his children’s television show, “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.”  With this program, he found many ways to show his viewers his ability to find the goodness in everyone and unite them as he encouraged the universal importance of being kind.

Fifteen years after Fred Rogers’ passing, his lessons and legacy prove to be as important as ever.  In Morgan Neville’s new documentary, “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”, be provides an endearing and detailed view of the influence that Mister Rogers had on generations of Americans.

Right at the beginning of the film as the opening theme to “Mister Roger’s Neighborhood” (“Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”) plays over the opening credits, you’ll become misty-eyed because you know that this sequence is setting you up for something special, emotional, and joyous.  This song was used to welcome us to spend an afternoon with Mr. Rogers, and this film now uses it as a greeting for us to learn about his life.  

Through the interviews with Mister Rogers' family and colleagues, we learn about how Mister Rogers impacted those around him and how he was a person with a sense of compassion that we should all aspire to emulate.  We hear from Joanne Rogers (Fred’s wife), James and John Rogers (his sons), cellist Yo-Yo Ma, Joe Negri (who played “Handyman Negri” on “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood”), Margy Whitmer (a producer on the show), François Scarborough Clemmons (who played Officer Clemmons on the show), and several others.  Although we know that Mister Rogers was an individual with one of the world’s biggest hearts (that’s as clear as can be), it’s still a delight to listen to these interviews that reaffirm this.

One of the most-important things Mister Rogers did was teach children their value and to cherish what made them different amongst each other.  This is exemplified in a heartwarming scene when Mister Rogers meets with 10-year-old Jeffrey Erlanger, who became a quadriplegic after a surgery for a spinal tumor.  It’s here where we see an example of Rogers’ ability to see children for who they are beyond their outward appearance.  And, when they sing “It’s You I Like,” you should have your tissues ready, if they aren't in your hand already.

Mister Rogers' understanding of children is shown in the first scene of the movie, where we see him at a piano and talking about modulations between keys.  He goes on to describe how some changes between keys are easier to make than others, just how there are easy and difficult changes that children may face in their lives.  Rather than just discuss this matter, Rogers uses an art form to enrich what he's teaching, showing us the beautiful way in which he viewed the world.

Mister Rogers also focused on national issues, such as the racial tensions that plagued America during the twentieth century.  In one of the film’s most-touching moments, we see footage of an episode where Mister Rogers and Officer Clemmons bathed their feet in a small pool as a way to show unity in a time of segregation.  This shows how “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” had as much of a social impact as it did a cultural one.

Neville also exhibits how Mister Rogers acted as a source of comfort in our lives during times of uncertainty, such as the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, the “Challenger” explosion, and September 11.  Through these tragedies, we see how Mister Rogers possessed a gift for helping us make sense out of what was happening in our world and was a guiding voice to help us navigate the grief that was felt. 

Through Neville's extensive research about his subject, "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" is a shining tribute to a man whose unconditional love was always there to get us through the day.  We weren't just lucky to be his neighbor, but also, a dear friend.

Final grade: A

Bored with Their Lives, Four College Boys Seek the Extraordinary

From left: Jared Abrahamson, Evan Peters, Blake Jenner, and
Barry Keoghan in "American Animals"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

At some point in our lives, we may think about breaking our routine and doing something that we’d never thought we’d do, something outrageous to give us a certain enjoyment that we might not receive from anything else.  Although we might not act upon these thoughts, there are times where you can’t resist pondering such a notion.  However, about 14 years ago, there was a group of boys who put their thrill-seeking dream into action.

Writer-director Bart Layton tackles one such scenario in his crime drama, “American Animals.”  It’s based on a true story that you wouldn’t expect to be so, and Layton offers a fascinating insight of an unusual crime and its culprits, showing us how and why this quartet of average college students set out to put their futures on a radical course.

In 2004, childhood friends and college students Warren Lipka (Evan Peters) and Spencer Reinhard (Barry Keoghan) are looking for something to shake up their average lifestyles.  With the help of two other students, Chas Allen (Blake Jenner) and Eric Borsuk (Jared Abrahamson), they plan to steal a collection of rare books from the library of Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky.

Although the four main characters all give terrific performances, this film belongs to Keoghan and Peters.  Peters exemplifies the frustration of living an unexciting life, holding a burning in his eyes to do something that could take him in a much different direction than he ever expected.  You know that what he’s planning is wrong, but because of his character’s passion to break out of his rut, you can’t help but feel caught up in his lawless awakening. With his character’s dedication to the heist, Peters manages to make the prospect of the mission seem thrilling, even though it shouldn’t be done.  And, even though we already know the outcome of the events, Peters is still able to create a character where you wish for him to stop and think about what he’s doing, but also want to see him go for it.

Keoghan offers the film’s most-complex performance as someone who’s not sure what he wants in this situation, as he’s an introverted individual who’s thrown out of his element when he joins Wayne’s plan.  Spencer, who’s aspiring to make a career out of his drawing abilities, is looking for that life-changing experience that is artistic idols have had.  He believes that one such event will inspire his work, but he’s worried about the consequences of the heist.  Keoghan does well in portraying a character whose moral compass is always switching directions, and this makes for a compelling display of Spencer’s inner conflict as he tries to decide whether or not he should risk everything for his art.  

Layton’s screenplay cuts between the events of the film and interview segments with the four main characters’ real-life counterparts as they’re given an opportunity to explain how the heist came to be.  They all have different recollections of what happened, and having multiple points-of-view is something that also worked to superb effect in Steven Rogers’ screenplay for Craig Gillespie’s film, “I, Tonya,” and this brings up the question as to if the real-life participants are only remembering what they want to remember, as a way to assuage their guilt.  

This is a true story of which I’ve never heard until I saw the trailer, so having the real-life Wayne, Spencer, Chas, and Eric appear in the film to provide their testimonials adds to the movie in such a way that makes this more than another “based on a true story” film, but rather takes this too-crazy-to-be-believed occurrence and reaffirms its authenticity by having the four men appear throughout the film.  Having them in this movie gives you a better understanding of what was going on in their minds before, during, and after the heist.

In the film, the four main characters have much to lose, and the narrative gives you a view of each of their lives so you know the stakes that are at play.  Even though you know that they're going to go through with the heist, that doesn't make the film any less suspenseful because you're given an opportunity to learn about and care for these characters, so that by the time that the heist comes around, you begin to feel anxious as you see them put their plan into action.

Thanks to the editing from Nick Fenton, Chris Gill, Luke Dunkley, and Julian Dart and cinematography from Ole Bratt Birkeland, Layton gives us a climactic heist sequence that may be one of the best cinematic thrills of 2018 so far.  In this scene, Layton’s able to take a quiet place like a library and make it into a powder keg of tension where anything could go wrong.  

Aside from Layton’s notable work in crafting the heist, his focus on the characters provides plenty of compelling drama throughout the film.  This is because enough time’s spent on building their personas and looking into their lives, so as the film goes on, we’re able to feel the weight of the decision that the four friends think about making.  

For the quartet of main characters, the concept of thrill-seeking is irresistible.  For moviegoers, “American Animals” will prove to be the same.

Final grade: A

Falling into Obsession: A Revival Review for “Vertigo”

Kim Novak and James Stewart in "Vertigo"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

Alfred Hitchcock doesn’t need any introduction, but it’s so much fun to discuss him nonetheless.  He was a filmmaker who exhibited a remarkable carefulness in constructing his films, and it’s this approach that draws me to his work.  I saw several of his films in a Hitchcock class during my senior year of college, but I always craved a chance to see one of his movies on a big screen.  

Well, I was given that chance last week with “Vertigo,” a psychological thriller that brings you through a labyrinthine plot and leads to some troubling places.

When San Francisco police detective John “Scottie” Ferguson (James Stewart) develops acrophobia (a fear of heights) following a tragic incident when on duty, he goes into an early retirement.  Soon after, he’s hired by an acquaintance, Gavin Elster (Tom Helmore), to follow his wife, Madeline (Kim Novak), whom he says has been acting strangely.

Stewart does well in bringing across the tortured persona of a man who experiences a crippling phobia and a fixation on the woman whom he’s following.  Some of his best moments come when he’s stricken with episodes of acrophobia because he’s able to display in his eyes the intense fear that he’s experiencing, presenting a detective who has something major to try to overcome.  As the film goes on, we see his mentality begin to unravel as he tumbles more and more into his central obsession, and this causes us to care about his well-being because he can’t seem to tear himself away from what he’s chasing.  All of this helps in creating one of Hitchcock’s most-captivating protagonists to date.

Throughout Novak’s first couple of scenes, she doesn’t have any dialogue.  This is when Scottie’s following her, and as he’s watching her, we’re in his position where we have to decipher what’s going on with Madeline.  During these sequences, Novak has to rely on her facial expressions in order to allow us into her character’s mind.  As her arc continues and she’s given dialogue, we can hear the panic and anguish within her as she tries to convince Scottie of what she believes is happening to her (I won’t give that “what” away), and it’s a performance that grips you with its enigmatic qualities.

The cinematography by Robert Burks (who worked on several of Hitchcock’s films, including “The Birds,” “Rear Window,” and “Strangers on a Train”) makes superb use of a dolly zoom, an in-camera effect that creates a feeling of Scottie’s acrophobia.  We feel the effect of his fear when this dolly zoom is used, which leads to point-of-view shots of Scottie looking down from a high area.  All of this provides us with a dizzying sensation as we’re placed in a situation to experience the same fear that Scottie has to face. 

I’d be remiss not to mention the colorful and disturbing opening-credits sequence by graphic designer Saul Bass (who also provided the opening-credits sequences for “Psycho” and “North by Northwest”) that’s paired with Bernard Herrmann’s haunting score.  And, just like Bass, Herrmann would go on to lend his talents to Hitchcock’s “Psycho” and “North by Northwest.”  It’s a sequence that makes you feel as though you’re entering a twisted dream, and it sets you up for the psychological wringer that you’re about to experience.

The screenplay by Alec Coppel and Samuel Taylor, which is based on Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac’s 1954 crime novel, “D’entre les morts (“Among the Dead”) offers a probing study of how Scottie’s obsession effects his psyche and presents one of the best examples of Hitchcock’s trope of an ordinary person who’s pulled into a dangerous situation.  What seems to be a simple investigation into Madeline’s behavior soon turns into something more where we’re not sure what or who to believe, all of which immerses the viewer into the narrative as they work alongside Scottie to figure out what’s happening.

One of the best aspects of the film is how we’re given a couple of sequences within the first hour where there isn’t any dialogue, only music, and this allows us to just be absorbed in the images and the story that they’re trying to tell.  In these scenes, where Scottie’s following Madeline, Hitchcock and Burks use many point-of-view shots for Scottie, putting the viewer in his position and making us eager to figure out what’s going on with Madeline.

For the duration of the movie, you can see the level of dedication that Hitchcock put into the details of “Vertigo,” with everything looking as though it had been selected in a careful manner to bring each scene to life.  He was someone who let the technical aspects tell the story as much as the characters and dialogue, knowing that every component of filmmaking is essential with moving the narrative forward.  In this movie, scenes play out for as long they have to, letting the audience take in as much as they can from shot to shot as they try to piece together the film’s mystery.

Sixty years later, “Vertigo” still endures as one of American cinema’s finest psychological thrillers.  The classic performances from Stewart and Novak and the always-brilliant direction from Hitchcock make this a film that clutches you in its deep, dark journey and keeps you in its grasp until the final Hitchcockian shock.  Like many of the films from “the Master of Suspense,” this is one that shouldn’t be missed.

Final grade: A

*From June 6-28, the Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville, New York, will be holding a film series called, “Back on the Big Screen: Hollywood Highlights 1952-1982,” which is part of their ongoing “Retro Revival” series, in which they present classic films.  “Vertigo” screened during the series on June 14.

A Death in the Family Reveals Disturbing Secrets

Toni Collette in "Hereditary"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

After spending most of your life with your family, you think that you know everything about them.  However, there could just as much that’s being kept from you.  This raises the question, how well do you know your family?

This is something that’s asked in writer-director Ari Astor’s supernatural-horror film, “Hereditary,” a feature-filmmaking debut that presents a moviegoing experience that’s artful and terrifying.   

The story follows Annie and Steve Graham (Toni Collette and Gabriel Byrne) and their two children, Peter and Charlie (Alex Wolff and Milly Shapiro), as Annie discovers unsettling family secrets after the death of her mother.

Collette delivers a shattering performance that’s destined to become a highlight of her career.  The amount of power that she puts into her work here is staggering, and she throws herself into this role and refuses to hold anything back.  It’s impossible to pick out which of her scenes is the best because each one shows the work of a master, whether it be a monologue that she delivers at a grief-counseling session, the horror at certain familial revelations, or a tense dinner scene with her family.  Collette’s performance almost makes you not want to watch the movie again because of how grueling her scenes can become as she expresses how her character feels.

Throughout the film, Annie works on miniature sets that she’s preparing for an art gallery, and the cinematography by Pawel Pogorzelski frames the interior and exterior of the house in such a way to make it look like one of those sets.  While inside, he uses many shots where we see the entirety of a room within the frame, and the way that the image is staged accomplishes that look.  On the outside, there are a couple of shots where the house looks like an actual miniature set.

Besides Pogorzelski’s expert camerawork of the house, he also creates several bone-chilling shots.  There’s one point in the film where the camera lingers on a shot for about a minute, and depending on where you’re looking on the screen, it might take you a few seconds to catch what’s there.  But, once you see it, you can’t take your eyes off of it because you’re left sitting still to see what happens.  It’s a quiet scene that’s not ruined by any jump-scare music stings, but instead relies on the atmosphere and framing of the image to scare you.

Thanks to the production design by Grace Yun and art direction by Richard T. Olson, the film’s concept of isolation is reflected in the layout of the house.  The house has considerable space to it, and because it’s only being occupied by four people, there’s a lot of emptiness within that space, resulting in the vastness of the isolated indoor space reflecting the vastness of the isolated outdoor space.

The screenplay by Astor takes a set-up that we’ve seen before, but constructs his own story around it.  He explores the negative things that we may inherit from our family, how families handle tragedies, and the impacts that previous generations within a family can have on the newer ones, all of which create a heartbreaking, fascinating, and devastating examination of a family who’s experiencing unspeakable horrors, both real-life and supernatural, and intertwines them to hard-hitting effect.  As with other horror films from A24, this is a movie that presents several ideas and explores them in a such a way that prompts deep discussions after the movie’s over.

Going back to the theme of isolation in regard to the screenplay, it seems to be a common concept throughout many of A24’s horror films, where they use a small cast of characters and explore the impact that they have on each other, all while being confined to one location for most of the movie.  We’ve seen this in “It Comes at Night,” “The Blackcoat’s Daughter,” “The Monster,” “The Witch,” and even their sci-fi thriller “Ex Machina,” which itself has a some horror elements.

As a director, Astor does all that he can to get the fullest feeling of dread throughout the movie.  Although the film is frightening as a whole, the last 10 minutes rendered me immobile and numb, and it might have even taken me a few seconds to regain the feeling in my legs when I stood up from my seat after the movie was over; I’m not sure if a horror movie has ever had that effect on me.  Astor uses every technical aspect of the movie to create one of the most-memorable horror experiences in recent years, and when it’s mixed with the rawness of the acting that he extracts from Collette, it makes for two hours of complete terror that you can’t miss. 

A24 continues their impressive track record when it comes to horror movies because they know how to scare and challenge you at the same, and Astor’s achievement isn’t any different.  I guess you can say that, between this and A24’s other accomplished films in the horror genre, that trait is hereditary.  

Final grade: A-

From Note to Note, a Father and Daughter Bond by Making Music

Kiersey Clemons and Nick Offerman in "Hearts Beat Loud"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

Over the years, cinema has given us many stories about aspiring musicians and singers searching for greatness, and these films continue to fascinate.  Recently, we’ve been given Joel and Ethan Brothers’ “Inside Llewyn Davis,” John Carney’s “Sing Street,” “Begin Again,” and “Once,” and Damien Chazelle’s “La La Land,” “Whiplash,” and “Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench.”  While all of these films have a common story, they all have their differences that keep this traditional chase-your-dream narrative compelling.

This is the case with writer-director Brett Haley’s comedy-drama, “Hearts Beat Loud.”  Despite a familiar narrative, the movie treats you to a poignant father-daughter story that’s filled with fine performances and a blazing soundtrack, all of which make this film deserving of being the breakout hit of the year.

Frank Fisher (Nick Offerman) is a single father who owns a record store in Red Hook, Brooklyn.  His daughter, Sam (Kiersey Clemons), is preparing to head to the west coast to study pre-med.  After they record a song during a jam session, Frank uploads it online, and it soon goes viral.  Thinking that they have the potential to make it big, Frank tries to convince Sam to stay in New York for a while to see where their musical talents may take them.  

Offerman needs to have more leading roles in film, as he’s proven himself here and in a diverse group of supporting performances in movies like “The Hero” (which Haley released last year), “The Founder,” and the “21 Jump Street” films.  While Offerman gave us many laughs as gruff woodworker Ron Swanson on the hit sitcom, “Parks and Recreation,” he carries this film with a proven dexterity of being able to juggle both comedic and poignant aspects within his performance.  Offerman has a chance to be funny, but his character also provides him with an opportunity to do something dramatic because of the engaging parent-child bond that his character gets to build with his daughter when they share the screen.

Clemons provides an emotional performance of a young woman who’s experiencing what her future can offer.  With superb work, Clemons displays the happiness of finding love, the ache she holds over the passing of her mother, the indecision of which path to pursue in life, and much more.  And, aside from her considerable acting abilities, Clemons has a dynamite singing voice.  Just like when you see her character tapping into a talent she almost wants to put aside, you see Clemons exhibit a talent that you can’t believe you’re not seeing until now (she broke onto the scene with Rick Famuyiwa’s 2015 comedy-drama, “Dope”), and it’s in the scenes where she sings that you find a new side to Clemons as she displays an ability to make the screen her own.

The film has several memorable supporting characters throughout, such as Ted Danson, who plays a wise bartender and Frank’s friend; and Toni Collette, who plays Frank’s caring landlady.  However, the best of the supporting performances comes from relative newcomer Sasha Lane (she landed her first movie role as the lead in Andrea Arnold’s 2017 road film, “American Honey”), who plays Sam’s new girlfriend.  All of Lane’s scenes are with Clemons, which helps to strengthen the connection between the two characters, and Lane’s performance shows that she doesn't have anything less than a long career ahead of her.

Thanks to music by Keegan DeWitt, who worked with Haley on his last two films (2017’s “The Hero” and 2015’s “I’ll See You in My Dreams”), Haley’s latest includes original songs that you'll want to download right away, such as “Hearts Beat Loud,” “Everything Must Go,” and “Blink (One Million Miles).”  These songs go deep into what the characters are feeling, and you can sense the emotion that they pour into each lyric.  This may be the movie soundtrack to beat in 2018.

The screenplay by Haley and Mark Basch, the latter of whom collaborated with Haley on “The Hero” and “I'll See You in My Dreams,” takes the kind of story that we’ve seen before, but shows an affectionate depiction of family, grief, music, pursuing what you love, and letting go.  We learn about these aspects of Frank and Sam’s lives through dialogue, but we also learn just as much about them through the songs that they create.  All of this serves as an emotional way for them to communicate because their music is something over which they connect, and this helps to strengthen their relationship and show how much music means to them. 

Through every scene, Haley’s able to capture the realism of the characters’ lives as he constructs endearing scenes that immerse the audience in the loving father-daughter relationship at the center of the film and the problems that they face.  Similar to other directors who’ve helmed coming-of-age films, Haley’s able to strike a superb balance between the humor and drama of the story, resulting in a narrative that feels genuine from beginning to end.

Just like a beloved song to which you like to listen on repeat, you'll want to experience “Hearts Beat Loud” again as soon as it’s over.

Final grade: A-

From Silence to Sound: A Revival Review for “Singin’ in the Rain”

Gene Kelly in "Singin' in the Rain"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

Despite being a prevalent genre throughout mid-20th-century Hollywood, the movie musical still endures today.  With such box-office hits like “The Greatest Showman,” “La La Land,” “Into the Woods,” and many others, it’s evident that audiences still love to come out for a song-and-dance spectacle.  However, these films wouldn’t be possible today were it not for the iconic musicals that set the stage all of those years ago.  

In 1952, Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen gifted the world with “Singin’ in the Rain,” a musical that became essential viewing with its talented cast, memorable songs, and masterfully choreographed dances.  In short, it’s a film that’s loaded with the kind of talent that you can’t replicate today.

The story revolves around a trio of stars, Don Lockwood (Kelly), Cosmo Brown (Donald O’Connor), and Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds), who experience the whirlwind of change in the movie industry when Hollywood transitions from silent films to “talkies.”

Kelly radiates that classic movie-star aura that brightens up the screen like a million stage lights.  As a star of silent films, Kelly gives his character a playful, rascal demeanor that’s hard to resist, such as the scene where Ron meets Kathy.  Kelly displays the type of persona that proves that the big screen was his home and that he had too much talent to not be immortalized in this visual medium.  As you see him singing, dancing, and splashing through puddles in the celebrated “Singin’ in the Rain” sequence, he looks as though he’s having the time of his life and exhibits a happiness that seems like it can’t ever be taken away.

Donald O’Connor gives one of the most physically demanding performances ever put to screen because of how much he contorts his face in certain scenes for comedic effect, as well as the abundance of movement he does for his show-stopping solo “Make ‘Em Laugh.”  In this scene, he moves around the screen with such animation that it’s amazing how a viewer is able to keep up with him.  Some of the things he’s able to do leaves you wondering how he pulled any of it off, making this sequence one of the great joys in a film that has countless of them.

Reynolds, in her breakout role, more than holds her own when sharing the screen with Kelly and O’Connor.  Whenever you see Reynolds, you know that a star was born with her performance.  Throughout the film, there’s a sweetness and toughness to Kathy, and Reynolds brings out both sides in superb fashion with a character whose dreams take on bigger prospects than she ever expected.

Jean Hagen presents strong competition with O’Connor for getting the most laughs.  As Lina Lamont, a ditzy actress with an eardrum-shattering voice and inflated ego, Hagen provides a hilarious performance and runs away with each of her scenes, with the highlight being a sequence when her character can’t seem to figure out how to use a microphone on a movie set.

The screenplay by Betty Comden and Adolph Green (suggested from the song, “Singin’ in the Rain,” which is from the musical comedy, “The Hollywood Revue of 1929”), is, of course, loaded with scenes of cinematic perfection, such as Kelly’s “Singin’ in the Rain” sequence, O’Connor’s performance of “Make ‘Em Laugh,” and the trio’s exuberant “Good Morning” number.  However, in between all of the song-and-dance portions, the story also offers a wonderful look at Hollywood’s transition from silent films to those with sound, showing the humorous effects that are experienced by the studio bigwigs and their stars.

While the singing is fantastic, the dancing almost takes on a mythical quality because of how outstanding it is, and this is all thanks to Kelly and Donen’s choreography.  The way in which the actors accomplish their dancing gives you a sense of how much of a challenge it must have been to learn and perfect all of the steps, while also seeming as if it didn’t need any practice at all because of their flawless work.  

It’s impossible not to grin for the duration of “Singin’ in the Rain,” and watching this on a big screen is an experience that everyone should have because it doesn’t just sweep you away into the grandness of its production, but also into the grandness of classic Hollywood.

Final grade: A

*From June 6-28, the Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville, New York, will be holding a film series called, “Back on the Big Screen: Hollywood Highlights 1952-1982,” which is part of their ongoing “Retro Revival” series, in which they present classic films.  “Singin’ in the Rain” opened the series on June 6.  It was my first time seeing it, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way than on a big screen at one of the Hudson Valley’s finest movie theaters.