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UW Film Club Podcast #91: Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

“You are down to your last life. My prescription, no more podcasts for you. You need to retire.”

For today’s podcast, we look over Joel Crawford’s latest 2022 animated film Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, and how its stunning word-of-mouth talk by fans has helped it to be one of the most surprising hits of the last year. In this episode, we go over its breathtaking visual style, amazing storytelling, complex character design, the fact we are getting a Shrek 5, and how the film has helped capture tender moments that can appeal to all ages. All that’s left to ask is, do you like gazpacho? Find out here on the UW Film Club’s 91st podcast episode!

On this episode: Drew Favors, Luke Wilhelm

You can find us on Facebook at /UWFilmClub, and on Twitter and Instagram @FilmClubUW. Make sure to rate, comment, and subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify, and Google Play, and tune in every week for a new episode of the UW Film Club Podcast!

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The Student Guide To SIFF 2021

The 2021 Seattle International Film Festival kicks off today and with 221 features from 69 countries, it can be daunting to say the least, especially for first time attendees. That’s why we made a handy-dandy guide to help navigate the festival. This is the first year the festival is virtual, which means that films will be accessible online only. Below you’ll find some information on how to watch films at SIFF!

Tickets & Events

Due to the pandemic, most films will be available to watch beginning midnight PST April 8th until the festival ends at 11:59pm PST, April 18th. While most films are available to watch anywhere in the US, some films are restricted to Washington state. There are also a handful of live events, including free Q&As, Roundtables, and forums. These will be held over zoom, and the dates, times, and links can be found here. Double check that your devices support Zoom and streaming by verifying they fit the requirements here. The full SIFF 2021 program can be found here.

There are two ways you can watch films at SIFF. You can either purchase a pass, which gives you access to all regularly priced film screenings, or you can by individual tickets to films you’re interested in seeing. As students, it can be difficult to make time to watch films during school, so take a look at your syllabuses and determine which option is most cost effective for you. You can purchase passes and six-pack tickets here, and individual tickets for specific films can be purchased under your respective film in SIFF’s Film Guide. Unlike previous years, there will be no standby status for tickets; when tickets are sold out, they’re sold out. To see which films have sold out or are selling out, you can check out SIFF’s Selling Quickly page.

After you have your pass or tickets, just go to watch.siff.net and log in or redeem your tickets to watch your film! SIFF films are also available to watch on the SIFF Channel App.

Memberships

SIFF memberships are a great way to get access to a plethora of perks that’ll help with the festival. SIFF tickets are usually $14, but with a membership you get $2 off every time. Additionally, you’ll also get a slew of year round perks with SIFF like discounted tickets, access to special screenings, and early access to presale of next year’s festival tickets. Memberships are $60 at the base level, but students can get discounted memberships for $40. If you’re a movie aficionado, the membership will pay for itself, plus the early festival access (for next year) will ensure you get tickets before they go on standby.

SIFF Picks

Like we mentioned, there are over 200 feature films at the festival this year and most of them don’t have any readily available reviews. If you look at the festival guide, you’ll only get a short blurb about the synopsis and nothing else. It’s a blessing because you’ll often find yourself surprised when you find a hidden gem, but it’s also a curse because you don’t know what you’re getting yourself into. The following selections are films that we’ve seen or heard good things about, and think will suit the tastes of students the best. To see a comprehensive list of all the films we’ve seen with their ratings, you can check out our Capsule Review Page.

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Mogul Mowgli:

Fresh off his Best Actor Oscar nomination, Riz Ahmed stars as a British-Pakistani rapper, Zed in Mogul Mowgli. After he is forced to return home following a medical diagnosis, he must reckon his career path with the traditional expectations of his family. What ensues is a challenging and colorful exploration of what it feels like to be pulled between two cultures and identities. This film is a dynamic and bold answer to a question many immigrants ask themselves: Where do I belong?  

Censor:

Censor follows its main character, Enid, as she slowly begins to lose herself in her job censoring 80’s horror films. Enid’s state of mind begins to spiral out of control when she views a film with eerie similarities to her sister’s disappearance. As she tries to figure out what is happening around her, film and real life as well as memory and dreams begin to blur in an unsettling and bloody tale full of twists and turns.  

Charter:

Director Amanda Kernell won the SIFF Grand Jury Prize in 2017 with her film, Sami Blood. She’s back again this yeah with her latest film, Charter. The film follows a desperate single mom, Alice, in Kernell’s native Sweden, when she kidnaps her estranged children, fearing that she will lose them following the custody battle with her ex-husband. As Alice and her children trek across the tundra of Scandinavia Alice’s ideas of what is best for her children are challenged time and time again in a story of integrity, grit, and love.  

Ma Belle, My Beauty:

Ma Belle, My Beauty details the lives of two newlywed musicians, Bertie and Fred, as they settle down in their life in France. While Fred easily fits in to her native France, Bertie, an American struggles with their new life. In a surprising turn of events, Bertie invites Lane, Bertie and Fred’s past third in their polyamorous relationship, to stay with them in France. What follows is a sexually charge and tumultuous story as the three women figure out who they are and how they feel about each other.  

Waikiki:

Waikiki follows the plight of Kea, a Hawaiian woman who is living in her van after losing her home. When she accidentally hits a homeless man, Wo, with her van, they form an unlikely team. Together, the must navigate the streets and and reckon with their own identities in a paradise that has become increasingly exploited. Waikiki sheds light on the modern social and economic issues that many native Hawaiians face today in a beautiful yet surreal film.

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Retrospective: ‘The Phantom of The Opera’ Is Shamelessly Over The Top

The first time I watched Phantom of the Opera (2004) was in seventh grade choir class, the week before summer vacation. I couldn’t hear a word of it over everyone’s conversations, but it looked so beautiful. The candle-lit hidden passages, the soft and snowy cemetery, and the grand masquerade hall were all so wonderful above another dreary day of junior high. The theme would crescendo every once in a while and I’d change seats to try and get closer to the board and hear more of it. I got out of school a week later and the film buried itself into my subconscious. Continue reading “Retrospective: ‘The Phantom of The Opera’ Is Shamelessly Over The Top” →

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UW Film Club Podcast #69 – A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

“You know, death is something many of us are uncomfortable speaking about on a podcast.”

There’s only one full week left in the 2020 Winter Quarter, and in this time of studying and stressing, it’s important to wind down and remind ourselves of the love in our lives that still remains in times of tension. For that reason, we’ve decided to cover the Marielle Heller directed, not-so-Fred Rogers-biopic, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood! In this episode, special guest Sam Koekoek talks about why it’s his favorite film of 2019, as well as what the film is telling us about being upfront with our emotions. As Fred Rogers himself upholds, “there is no normal life that is free from pain.” Be kind, love thy neighbor, forgive, and please listen to the wholesome 69th episode of the UW Film Club Podcast!

On this episode: Jim Saunders and Sam Koekoek

You can find us on Facebook at /UWFilmClub, and on Twitter and Instagram @FilmClubUW. Make sure to rate, comment, and subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify, and Google Play, and tune in every Monday for a new episode of the UW Film Club Podcast!

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UW Film Club Podcast #68 – The Star Wars Saga

With The Rise of Skywalker, the last chapter in the Skywalker saga is now a couple months beyond the horizon, so we’ve decided to tackle the formidable task of covering the entire Star Wars cinematic output! For the sake of this podcast, we’ve decided to cover episodes 1-9, Rogue One, and Solo: A Star Wars Story, while talking about the series’ impact on pop culture and on our lives. While we don’t talk much about extraneous Star Wars material, there’s still ample content to chew on in the 68th episode of the UW Film Club Podcast. Feel the force in this spoiler-filled retrospective of the entire Star Wars cinematic saga! Listen now!

On this episode: Jim Saunders, Levi Bond, and Ajay Rawat

You can find us on Facebook at /UWFilmClub, and on Twitter and Instagram @FilmClubUW. Make sure to rate, comment, and subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify, and Google Play, and tune in every Monday for a new episode of the UW Film Club Podcast!

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Review: ‘The Rhythm Section’ is a boring ‘Atomic Blonde’

It took me weeks to see this film, as by its second week it was only playing in fifty-odd theaters nationwide (the third-worst theater drop in cinema history). The film was bombing at the box office and I wondered what could be so bad. The problem here is not of poor quality so much as it is lack of imagination. In short, this movie has been made already a thousand times. The comparison to Atomic Blonde is the aptest I could think of out of any other film, as it does everything it does, but worse.

Directed by Reed Morano and produced by the team behind the 007 franchise, The Rhythm Section stars Blake Lively, Jude Law, and Sterling K. Brown on an international tale of revenge. Unfortunately, it fails to capture the magic of its spy thriller brothers and sisters, depriving it of any real interesting elements to distinguish it in the annals of movie history. From Bond to Bourne, the key factor of a thriller’s successes is unsurprisingly its thrills, and this film has a distinct lack of them. Despite strong performances from most of the cast, the movie never feels as if it hits its stride, almost like it was one long first act, building to something just out of reach. What actually is the whole first act is a boring slog through London where we get to see what would happen to Blake Lively if her acting career went horribly wrong. Not only was it boring, but it was also downright depressing to watch, seeing screen time wasted on what I can only describe as Requiem for a Dream lite. Lively certainly sells the depravity of her character, for the most part carrying the film with a compelling performance in an otherwise uninspiring story.

It isn’t until its second act that things start to pick up, and pick up is perhaps too strong a phrase here, with the introduction of Jude Law’s character, ‘B’. This portion of the movie is fun enough, driven by the good performances and cinematography, but limited by the poor screenwriting and inexperienced direction. It is true, there are some truly stunning shots on display here, but they are few and far between and don’t make up for the mediocrity they’re supporting. Right when I thought The Rhythm Section was getting good, a passable B movie up until this point became laughably bad. Something must’ve happened to the writing team because the third act degrades into a really bad episode of network television. Silly lines plague the dialogue while the story backs itself into a corner and resolves in the most obvious and unsatisfying way.

The action is passable, but lacks any enthusiasm and is severely muted by direction. Instead of being quick and punchy, it feels slowed by awkward angles and poor camera placement. This movie’s biggest problem is that it was greenlit, even if based on a novel, that novel was already a derivative of ten other similar stories. This project just did not need to exist and you can feel the lack of passion on screen. Like too many films in today’s crowded market, it brings nothing new to the table and is really only worth watching if it happens to be on and you have nothing else to do.

2/5 STARS

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Review: ‘Fantasy Island’ Proves (Again) That Intellectual Property Reboots Are Cheap Gimmicks

What cursed fantasy did Blumhouse wish for so that Fantasy Island could be made? It’s something humanity probably does not want to know because this film is terrible; it does not work in any aspect. As a horror film, it’s not scary. As a fantasy film, it does not coherently tell its stories. Even the drama and comedy are bound to bore the most interested moviegoer. For context, Blumhouse adapted this idea from a beloved fictional television series from the 70s in which guests would arrive at an island to have their deepest dreams come true. However, every week, viewers would learn that dreams sometimes don’t play out the way they want. Dreams would turn into nightmares as, for instance, being a king of a castle would mean the guest would have to manage an army going to war.

It seems to be an interesting premise. Given Blumhouse’s previous record with movies like Get Out and Whiplash, there seemed to be a hint of hope that Fantasy Island would contain interesting social commentary layered with scares that would entertain most moviegoers. This is not the case. Every choice that the filmmakers made completely ruined this potential. For instance, examine the dialogue in the film. Towards the end, the characters are forced to explain every aspect of the plot in a Q&A format that feels so artificial that it prevents the audience from making any connection with the characters. Part of the reason, though, that the writing team made this decision, was the vast amount of background information each character had. The complexity of this does not do the narrative any justice; and, indeed, there are a number of plot twists that are unintentionally hilarious. The humor does not last long though as the film takes itself way too seriously.

Suppose that the writing was good. Fantasy Island was marketed as a horror movie, but unfortunately, it failed in this respect too. It relies too heavily on the common horror tactics used to scare audiences. Have you ever seen scary figures walking across the background behind the protagonist? Has the sound gone silent only to release a loud jolt when the camera pans to a “scary” image? There are minimal to no unique camera movements or shot compositions that would intrigue audiences or put them in a state of suspense. Even the performances were subpar compared to the talent on screen. Maggie Q, Lucy Hale, Michael Rooker, and Michael Peña have all been fantastic in different movies. However, none of them give a compelling performance here.

Overall, this is another attempt by the Hollywood studios to reboot past intellectual property for a new generation. This is the complaint many cinephiles and critics have alike; Hollywood needs to do a better job of identifying original voices who have original stories to tell. Without that, we will continue to see failures like Fantasy Island.

1/5 STARS

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Review: ‘Birds of Prey’ is the John Wick of DC

The month of February is best known for movies that probably are a hit or miss depending on how good they delivered during the end of the winter season. Well, this year started out with the Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of Harley Quinn). Cathy Yen’s Birds of Prey might prove to be Harley Quinn’s redemption from her recent portrayal in the disastrous Suicide Squad. Birds of Prey is directed by Cathy Yen and stars Margot Robbie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Rosie Perez, and Ewan McGregor. The plot centers around Harley Quinn (Robbie), who after splitting up with the Joker, must bring a priceless diamond to Roman Sionis (McGregor) from a thieving little girl, Cassandra Cain (Ella Jay Basco). Her attempt to bring the diamond back involves a lethal assassin, a singer/driver, and a detective as they clash in their attempts to collect the fortune.

Though everyone in this film had stellar character performances, Margot Robbie goes above and beyond. Harley Quinn’s character as a crazed but deadly protagonist never misses a beat as she pulls a combination of comedy and storytelling throughout the film. Even though that Harley Quinn’s character is limited in Suicide Squad, this film took almost four years to perfect the character of Harley Quinn, from everything including the way her dialogue switches between first and third-person perspective to her interactions with every other character on screen.

The most satisfying part of this film is its action choreography. Harley Quinn’s weapon tactics and maneuvers are on par with other action films from this past decade, like the John Wick movies. Each action scene is unique with alternating slow-motion and rapid-fire sequences that leave the audience in amusement and excitement. Each scene features a face-to-face confrontation that reveals a perfectly timed and well-executed action scene filled with dialogue and great cinematography.

However, this film has one major issue that keeps it from being a great DC film: the main antagonist, Roman Sionis (aka Black Mask). His character introduction is too rushed, especially considering that he’s supposed to be the main threat to Harley Quinn. His Black Mask persona doesn’t have any defining personality traits besides getting what he wants and kidnapping the Cassandra Cain (Ella Jay Basco). In contrast, when compared to his other appearances in Batman: Under the Red Hood, Batman: Bad Blood, and Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay, the character of Black Mask is a ruthless crime lord in Gotham City whose character is well developed.

Overall, Cathy Yen does a good job of directing Birds of Prey, since DC films are typically poorly received. The directing and writing are on par with films like John Wick and Deadpool. The multiple genres are pulled off surprisingly well and are well balanced. The actors deliver superior performances and all in all, and as a whole, this film definitely tops David Ayer’s Suicide Squad.

3/5 STARS

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UW Film Club Podcast #67 – American Graffiti

“This is the most beautiful, exciting podcast I’ve ever heard in my life and I don’t know anything about it.”

If you’re anything like us, you’re probably still reeling from the monumental 2020 Oscars, where club favorite film Parasite took home 4 awards, including Best Picture (being the first foreign language film to do so). So in honor of Parasite etching its name into the legendary monolith of film history, we’ve decided to cover a film all about paving ones own path and legacy: American Graffiti! On this episode, we talk about the film’s setting/historical context, its themes of nostalgia and moving on from the past, and George Lucas’ storied yet stormy film legacy. Where were you in ’62? If you’re reading this, you likely weren’t alive, but you should still check out the 67th episode of the UW Film Club Podcast now!

On this episode: Jim Saunders and Joey Franklin

You can find us on Facebook at /UWFilmClub, and on Twitter and Instagram @FilmClubUW. Make sure to rate, comment, and subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify, and Google Play, and tune in every Monday for a new episode of the UW Film Club Podcast

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UW Film Club Podcast #66 – Top 10 Films of 2019: Part 2

This week on the podcast, we’re concluding our conversation about our favorite films of 2019, this time recounting each of our top 5s! If you haven’t already listened to part 1, please do so prior, and then come back to listen to the second and final chapter in our year-end review saga!

On this week’s episode: Jim Saunders, Cynthia Li, Stephanie Chuang, Joel Garcia, Maddie McDougall, and Ryan Circelli

You can find us on Facebook at /UWFilmClub, and on Twitter and Instagram @FilmClubUW. Make sure to rate, comment, and subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify, and Google Play, and tune in every Monday for a new episode of the UW Film Club Podcast!