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Film reviews

The Devils Review

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For the first time in ages, a film with an NC-17 rating is getting a decent amount of distribution in numerous cinemas. It is probably because it is being distributed under Warner Bros. Seeing a film that is NC-17 feels historic because it only happens once every few years. Each NC-17 film I have seen has had this rating primarily due to sexual scenarios. The NC-17 films I have seen in a cinema range from Blue is the Warmest Color to Killer Joe to Lust & Caution to Blonde. The Devilsopened back in 1971, and I am not surprised that it took this film just over five decades to get any release. Be ready for a sexualized ride filled with issues of betrayal and religion. Do not expect it to calm down as the vividness abounds in strange ways in The Devils.

The film gathered much controversy over the years, both before and after the release. Warner Bros was reluctant to release it on DVD due to all of the negative buzz. However, an online petition managed to get the British Film Institute (BFI) to release the 1971 X-rated cut of the movie in DVD format. The stories of conflicts and problems related to the release continue. 

However, I must get to the plot, so my readers understand what kind of ride they are in for. I recommend true cinema enthusiasts go see this movie to experience its audacity. However, go with an open mind, because you may be mortified in an amazing or disturbing way. It all depends on how your brain processes The Devils.

The year is 1634 in France. The era is during the aftermath of the Huguenot rebellions, and the French Catholic Statesman, Cardinal Richelieu (Christopher Logue) encourages King Louis XIII (Graham Armitage) to gain more control. The country and government are in shambles. There are lots of political tides and escapades. Then there is Loudon, France. Chaos is more intense there and the government has lost complete control. The one who oversees that city is Father Urban Grandier (Oliver Reed). He is a popular priest, but engages in an affair. He utilizes his religious practice to help him not feel as guilty about his wrongdoings. While he is dismissive of his choices, there is a lady in trouble. She is Sister Jeanne des Anges (Vanessa Redgrave), and she is sexually obsessed with Grandier. Grandier continues to have inappropriate relationships while still being a priest and his choices lead to destruction.

Sister Jeanne des Anges accuses Father Urban Grandier of witchcraft. That is when the movie begins to erupt with chaos. It gets erotic, violent, and chaotic. There are scenes showing a trial yet Father Urban Grandier is determined to never lose his power. The rebelliousness shown in his battle to save his reputation makes The Devils haunting. 

The film is one that is daring given the era and setting. During this time, scandalous choices were viewed as massive sins. The punishments are brutal in The Devils. At the same time, the film is artfully presented in a way that makes it unforgettable. I did not love The Devils, but I found it poetic in the way it handles the subjects of religion and faith. The sexual component, in my opinion, is way over the top. Three out of four stars for The Devils.

Film reviews

Clayface Review

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The setting is Gotham in this film where a DC comic/character villain is actually the good guy. It’s usually Batman territory, only difference is that this time Batman is not the focus, as Matt Hagen aka Clayface takes center stage. Directed by James Watkins, he centers solely on a character that the world knows to be a villain in the Batman universe. With a generous amount of misdirection there is a lot of vengeance that swirls in circles with Clayface. He suffers a mutation that gains him a reason forrevenge. The film is jumpy and fun, but not so much of a masterpiece.

 

Matt Hagen/Clayface is played by Tom Rhys Harries. Matt is a rising movie star with a lot going for him. Big projects are coming his way, and his name is all over the press. All of this changes though, when a mob member named Markos Szabo carves into his face with a blade. With so much going on for Matt, he is determined to get his face back. He hires a surgeon for skin treatment named Caitlyn Corr to help him. Caitlyn is played by Naomi Ackie. They work together to get Matt’s face back, and there is lots of trial and error, with the result being thathis face can mutate into practically anything.

 

Everything Matt touches begins to become a power for him. He can transform into other people, and his skin is irreversible and literally magnetic. He utilizes all of it in full-throttle mode. With losing his Hollywood golden moments, his mission now is vengeance. The question though, is one of revenge being the right thing.

 

The film spends too much time on watching melted skin through the first half—very disgusting. It took away eighty percent of the enjoyment throughout the beginning of the film for me. I was thinking that I am here to watch a movie about vengeance, not to truly keep seeing a face melt or get more destroyed. The pay off comes around eventually. I just felt that it dragged with too many special effects moments of a melting face while waiting to get to the actual crux of the picture. 

 

The name Clayface comes around because of how Matt’s face is literally made of clay—it goes in and out of all different forms. A small spoiler… when he gets angry his skin gets tighter and he looks much like normal again. This is not always the case though. The question is, can he get his life back? Can he star in Hollywood movies again? Can he track down his nemesis, Markos? He sure can. Even though the character is an enemy in the comic book series, he is truly the protagonist who is forced to be the antagonist by events that were out of his control. The film is interesting and, yes, even captivating at times. It is almost amazing, but with a bit too much quirkiness to take seriously.Two-and-a-half out of four stars for Clayface.

 

Film reviews

Digger Review

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There is that full-throttle mode that everyone expects from Tom Cruise. The tycoon characteristics, the buffoonery, and all the money in the world. Those elements are all present in Digger, but this time his character is not jumping out of airplanes and buildings like he does in the Mission Impossible franchise. He is still frantic with power, only now he is oblivious to his disasters. Of course, in true Cruise style, there are party-going ways and political views in his characterization. Digger delves into political mode in a mixed way.

From the director of Amores Perros, Babel, and The Revenant, this is Digger, another project in which Alejandro G. Inarritu goes deep with his characters. The film is very focused and chock full of disasters. At times the approach seems like Babel, but in this film audiences can laugh at particular moments whereas Babel was a surreal rollercoaster ride of vivid sadness.

Inarritu always does well with one-point perception because of the way he hones in on the kings or the enemies with his camera angles. I appreciated this in both Babel and The Revenant. This element is utilized at times in Digger, though there are more crazy transitions between various actions. Much of the film is dominated by the repeated wild takes of Cruise and his ego modality. I find it surprising that Inarritu and Cruise were able to work together on Digger.

Before going into the plot, it is important to outline the key characters in the film. Tom Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, a wealthy oil tycoon. Riz Ahmed plays Ganish, a scientist and an assistant to the U.S. President. John Goodman plays President Compson, the dictatorial President of the United States. Sandra Huller plays Emma Rockwell, Digger’s half-sister and business partner. Michael Stuhlbarg plays the Vice President. Finally, Jesse Plemmons plays Kenny. Each of the characters play a vital role in fueling the dynamics with  Digger. Even though the film is uneven in the way it evolves, audiences can expect to have their minds twisted by the array of  surprises in Digger.

Digger controls oil fields throughout the world, and he is given news that a disaster has sparked attention. Apparently, there is a pending disaster where an iceberg could hit Europe and put many lives at risk. Digger is free-spirited and believes his ways are always how it goes. Ganish is the one with the scientific facts. President Compson and Digger have some commonalities—both are hierarchical and confident that they have the answers. While Tom Cruise looks old and gray in this film, he still rules like a hungry emperor. His character puts jobs on the line. No matter the consequences, shifts caused by global warming are at the epicenter of the film.

Even though the film is creative and has mind-boggling characterization, there is a twist to it. The film breaks the fourth wall in a dimension that is unexpected. Still, it was not enough to make this a spectacular movie. Yes, there are a lot of interesting issues related to science, politics, and egos. The twist, however, comes from a hidden element beneath the surface. In the end, I rate Digger two out of four stars.