All posts by Tarek Fayoumi…The Paterson of his Craft!

I am someone who strives to become a professional critic. I watch and review many movies. I view the eyes of movies as something as an art form. I have followed many critics over the years, but once I was thirteen I knew writing film reviews was going to be my passion. I learned from watching multiple episodes of Ebert And Roeper in my teen years, and then in middle school I began writing film reviews for a newspaper club. I am also an avid fan of the arts of Chicago including Theatre, Comedy, and music. Films, however, are my primary focus.
Film reviews

The Woman King Review

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Viola Davis is fierce and spectacular in a historical and epic tail in The Woman King. Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, and written by Maria Bello, and Dana Stevens. Both writers have a strong screenplay to create Davis’s character to be ferocious and brave and have strong dignity and leadership. The Woman King is one where Davis’s performance is also Oscar-Worthy. She has the heroic voice, the heroic backstory, and inspires young warriors for growth to accomplishments towards defeating their enemies. I love The Woman King because of its continuity of trial and error, and when the errors come around, Davis is the one who inspires her warriors to not let their guard down.

This historical tail being based on actual events contains many historical aspects. They include slavery, authority, and different classes among women warriors. With the 1800s setting, there is a great deal of historical weaponry, and historical training. The Woman King knows its direction to take being a true tail from the 1800s. It knows how to find its importance and its authenticity. I felt the events going forward was real, as was the fact that the women in the film are destined to be warriors.

Davis plays General Nanisca. The one who oversees the all-female warriors that are called the Agojie. Their purpose is to protect the African Kingdom of Dahomey. The King is King Ghezo and he is played by John Boyega. He questions what Nanisca’s purpose is with the lady warriors she recruits. With the many young lady warriors ranging from Amenza (played by Sheila Atim), Esi (played by Shaina West), and many others, Nanisca makes it her goal and her job to strengthen their mindsets and their combat skills to prove to their king they can be warriors. The Woman King is audacious of many achievements among the story and the performances, and it is truly a beautiful film. The scenery around South Africa is beautiful too. With many historical aspects and clear imagery, The Woman King is a treat for many.

I am someone that is fond of films that does what it can to have its history and century have realism and symbolism. The Woman King has realism in which it is a true story, and it has symbolism towards women. The symbolism is to make them bound to be warriors. Going forward, the hope and aspirations are in this ride of adventure, love, and above all leadership. As I said before, Davis is the leader of the Agojie, and a king both in the film and as an actress.

The storyline is paces itself. It lays out the foundations of the purpose of the film’s setting, Davis’s performance, and the values of the many means of women being fierce. I love The Woman King, and I love Davis, and I love The Woman King. I hope it receives Oscar buzz. Four stars for The Woman King.

Film reviews

Clerks III review

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In 1994 Kevin Smith directed a movie with a few of his friends called Clerks. The gang reunited again in 2006 for Clerks II. And finally, the time has arrived. The gang of misfits, bizarre humor and clever pop culture jokes is finally back. That’s right, Clerks III is here. The film is a monumental achievement of comedy that pushes the envelope in the obscenest, yet funniest ways. The laughs and gags continue, but even more so than ever before in the franchise.

Some may find the humor in this and the previous Clerks films over the top, but that is what makes it genius. And no film in the franchise is more genius than Clerks III. There are tons of one-liners, and many topics that I could relate to and recall as they revisit many portions of the previous Clerksfilms through satirical conversations and discussions on a variety of gag topics.

In Clerks III the characters we all love are back, including Dante (played by Brian O’Halloran), Randal (played by Jeff Anderson), Elias (played by Trevor Fehrman), Jay (played by Jason Mewes), and Silent Bob (played) by Kevin Smith. They all bring giggles and laughs with gags that are memorable and pure genius. Even Silent Bob shows his funniness through his facial expressions. My mind was rambling with laughter from the very start and there is a punch line around every corner in Clerks III.

This is how the fun continues in Clerks III. After sixteen years Dante and Randal have departed from the Mooby’s fast-food restaurant and are back working at the Quick Stop. Jay and Silent Bob are still doing their usual loitering and Elias is still around. So the normal from the original Clerks has returned, but everything changes when Randal has a heart attack. Randal recovers and he decides to make a movie based on his life from Clerks and Clerks II. Randal is determined, and he even says, “I worked in a video store for twenty years, and I watched movies all day long—I went to my own film school!” I have not laughed so hard with a film by Smith in a long while.

Mewes and Smith have kept the franchise strong as Jay and Silent Bob. In Clerks III, they are the center of much of the revisited scenarios from Clerks and Clerks II, and they bring in lots of the perspective, as they bring their humor to the table with the wittiest attitudes and gnarly adventures. Clerks IIIwould certainly not be the same without Jay and Silent Bob. Despite their crazy disagreements with Dante and Randal, they are all a knockout of joy.

Although Clerks III is, again, incredibly funny, it does not take a formulaic approach to its humor. And I love how none of what is important from the previous films is forgotten. In one scene they are all talking about the process of moviemaking, and Jay shows everyone a videotape. But he does not actually have a VHS player, so they attempt to watch the film by holding it up to the light. It’s bizarre and stupid, but it’s also a clever reference back to the VHS days and to the first Clerks, when Randal worked in a video store. Randal still argues movie franchises with Elias. Jay and Silent Bob still loiter to a ridiculous extent. Dante is still just Dante, making crazy decisions but ultimately being Randal’s best friend. All of these guys were born to be in the Clerks films, in a franchise that is spectacularly funny. Can Randal make his movie? Catch Clerks III and find out. But be prepared for sore lungs from laughter. Four stars for Clerks III.

Film essays, Film reviews

Cache Revisited in 35 MM Projection

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Cache is a film that demonstrates artistic filmmaking at its finest. It also makes me appreciate the vision of Director Michael Haneke. I revisited Cache in the 50/50 Film Series that is held at the Gene Siskel Film center in downtown Chicago. The presentation in 35 MM projection is how the film should be experienced because of the layers of realism it creates for its diverse audience. Cache is a thriller filled with tension that is thought-provoking and intriguing.

The movie was released in 2005 and takes place in France. The film centers on Georges (played by Daniel Auteuil) and his wife, Anne (played by Juliette Binoche). Georges is a TV Literary reviewer and Ann is a publisher. They seem to be a couple with a normal life and successful careers, along with one young son. However, their life sees a shift in patterns as they begin to receive videotapes at their doorstep. The tapes contain footage of themselves, and this means there is a stalker out there surveilling them somewhere. As the situation begins to heighten the family’s anxiety, and with authorities being of no help, Georges decides he must address the problem. He feels he must take risks to piece together why someone is surveilling them.There are reasons but the reasons are hidden, hence the title Cache.

If fans know Haneke’s background, they will better understand his approach to creating tension in his films.  Haneke is faithful to testing the waters of characterization and playing out situations that seem life-threatening. Cache is scary in part because Haneke knows how to add layers which contribute to understanding the stalking behavior that Georges and Anna are encountering. During the film, my mind kept wondering who has secrets to hide since even the secrets are Cache.

As the more hidden gems of footage cause increased anxiety and  paranoia becomes the central theme of the film. Georges loses his cool with work, and Anne has her own moments as well. Their young son starts to feel like he is not important to his parents due to their distractions. The challenge is to figure out who is watching them, but can they still be a strong family? Even the element of a happy family is Cache.

The trail of questions that Cache leaves viewers with is mind-boggling. Along the way, there are more shocking discoveriesand issues at hand with the careers of Georges and Anne. Haneke is filling a bucket of harsh waters and waiting for it to spill in Cache. I kept wondering when the resolution would finally come.

Despite the tension, Cache is a representation of brilliant directing. The actors do an excellent job portraying their characters as they make their discoveries. During the film, the audience gets a clear picture of what it would be like to deal with threats that seem real and unavoidable. Haneke knows how to find the realism and make his audience keep asking what they would do if faced with the situations explored in his film. The authenticity in 35 MM was purely and visually audacious. Four stars.