Movie Review: IFC Films' Certain Women

Certain Women
108 MIN / USA / ENGLISH / R
Running Time: 108 minutes
MPAA Rating: R

One of America’s foremost filmmakers, Kelly Reichardt (Wendy and Lucy, Meek’s Cutoff) directs a remarkable ensemble cast led by Michelle Williams, Kristen Stewart, and Laura Dern in this stirring look at three women striving to forge their own paths amidst the wide-open plains of the American Northwest: a lawyer (Dern) who finds herself contending with both office sexism and a hostage situation; a wife and mother (Williams) whose determination to build her dream home puts her at odds with the men in her life; and a young law student (Stewart) who forms an ambiguous bond with a lonely ranch hand (radiant newcomer Lily Gladstone). As their stories intersect in subtle but powerful ways, a portrait emerges of flawed, but strong-willed individuals in the process of defining themselves.

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This week, I ventured to an art house theater to view Certain Women. I went-in knowing not to expect guns blazing or car chases, but hoping for a meaningful theater experience, nonetheless. Certain Women was nothing that I hoped for.

Certain Woman is an anthology of very loosely tied-together stories of everyday women. The emphasis of the story is the "everyday" part of my previous thought. Think mundane.  The movie operates like an open window into the lives of these women doing the most ordinary of tasks. The plot included a stone purchase and a camping trip. There were also, what seemed like endless, repetitions of putting horses out to pasture.

I didn't get it. I don't understand why a cast, including Laura Dern and Michelle Williams, wasn't better utilized.  The title, Certain Women, conjures notions of certain special women, something that would be fitting in today's social climate. But that isn't what this cast delivers. The audience gets a whole lot of ordinary, and some depression.

The scenery was breathtaking. The cinematography was also well-done. It's almost impossible to badly capture the gorgeous country backdrop, so as majestic as the scenery looked, it didn't seem like a feat to accomplish. 

Certain Women must have been over my head.  There had to have been some message that I missed because I was bored out of my mind! It was painful. I would like to think that I have a diverse movie palette. All movies can't be romantic comedies or action blow-outs. But Certain Women didn't entertain, enlighten, educate, or stir me in the slightest.  I can't recommend it.  If you want to see Certain Women in theaters, you'll have to look for an art house theater playing it. It's in limited release now. 

Movie Review: Lionsgate's #AmericanUltra

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American Ultra

Release Day:  August 21, 2015
Director:  Nima Nourizadeh
Writer: Max Landis
Main Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Connie Britton, Topher Grace, John Leguizamo, Walton Goggins, Tony Hale.
MPAA Rating: R (for strong bloody violence, language throughout, drug use and some sexual content)
Genres: Action | Comedy | Adventure
Running Time: 1 hr. 39 min.

Official Sites: Web | Facebook | Twitter

American Ultra is a fast-paced action comedy about Mike (Eisenberg), a seemingly hapless and unmotivated stoner whose small-town life with his live-in girlfriend, Phoebe (Stewart), is suddenly turned upside down. Unbeknownst to him, Mike is actually a highly trained, lethal sleeper agent. In the blink of an eye, as his secret past comes back to haunt him, Mike is thrust into the middle of a deadly government operation and is forced to summon his inner action-hero in order to survive.

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Lionsgate brings to us an action-comedy that's packed with some sweet romance as well. Mike is your average stoner, with an average girlfriend - Phoebe. When CIA agents start to come after him, it's like he is trained to attack and will do anything in his power to save Phoebe and himself. 

It is usually difficult for me to take myself out of a critical point of view when watching films, I want to be an editor and I tend to become overly picky when watching films - unless that film is able to please me as a filmmaker, and make me forget that I am overly critical. And that is exactly what this film did. For the first 20 minutes I kept thinking "Wow! The camera angles they're using, the shots they're picking - it's all working for me!" There was nothing for me to get angry about as a filmmaker. And once I got past that I was able to enjoy the film, and boy did I enjoy it!

Jesse will win your heart over as Mike. He is adorable, and I swear I will watch him in anything. Every time I see a movie he's starring in I have my doubts, and each time he proves me wrong. His character in American Ultra is so different from what I'm use to from him. I was worried it would just be a repeat character as Adventureland but it wasn't. Sure they're both potheads, but Mike is adorable and slow but then turns around and kicks butt!

Kristen Stewart - seriously one of my all time favorites hands down. All those people who think she can't act? Why not watch this, see all the emotions she is capable of that you don't see. There are so many scenes with her and Eisenberg that will melt your heart, and there were a few times when I could feel my heart breaking just because of the performance she was giving. 

I went into this film having read some bad reviews on it - which then had me worried. I have been looking forward to this movie for so long; was it going to be worth it?

Yes...Yes it was! 

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Movie Review: American Ultra

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American Ultra

Release Day:  August 21, 2015
Director:  Nima Nourizadeh
Writer: Max Landis
Main Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Connie Britton, Topher Grace, John Leguizamo, Walton Goggins, Tony Hale.
MPAA Rating: R (for strong bloody violence, language throughout, drug use and some sexual content)
Genres: Action | Comedy | Adventure
Running Time: 1 hr. 39 min.

Official Sites: Web | Facebook | Twitter

American Ultra is a fast-paced action comedy about Mike (Eisenberg), a seemingly hapless and unmotivated stoner whose small-town life with his live-in girlfriend, Phoebe (Stewart), is suddenly turned upside down. Unbeknownst to him, Mike is actually a highly trained, lethal sleeper agent. In the blink of an eye, as his secret past comes back to haunt him, Mike is thrust into the middle of a deadly government operation and is forced to summon his inner action-hero in order to survive.

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American Ultra revolves around pothead Mike (Eisenberg) and his live-in girlfriend, Phoebe. Things start off with Mike having some sort of a panic attack at the airport thus ending the start to what was supposed to be an incredible vacation in Hawaii. Turning around and heading back to Liman, West Virginia just means he’s more messed up than he thought. Working at the convince store Mike entertains himself with fixing things on the shelves, change the sign out front and his ever amazing “Apollo Ape” comic he invented to entertain himself.

 Imagine his surprise when he’s about to start eating his soup that he see’s two very suspicious guys trying to do something to his car. Next thing you know these insanely well-trained killers are coming after him. Much to his own surprise his mind kicks in and armed only with a spoon and a cup of noodles things get out of hand very quickly. You see, things aren’t always what they look like. Before Mike was a stoner cashier he was actually a grade A assassin! It turns out to be that he was actually part of an old CIA program that generates the perfect assassin. They shut down the program, left him in Liman, erased his memories and gave him an extra dosage of anxiety and paranoia. Trying to leave brought up some red flags. Yates (Topher Grace) see's this as a problem hence why trained killers are now after him.   

 American Ultra is a laugh out loud stupid funny kind of movie with an extra ounce of blood, violence and action. I expected the laughs, but was pleasantly surprise with the latter. With a fantastic screenplay by Max Landis (Chronicle), director Nima Nourizadeh (Project X) keeps things moving effortlessly. You know Eisenberg and Stewart already had chemistry, but it unfolds ten times over in American Ultra. They connected so well and bouncing off of one another during their first encounter after Mike calls Phoebe to tell her he killed two people had everyone in the theater dying laughing. American Ultra would not have been the same without the well rounded supporting cast. From Connie Britton to the holy freaking psycho that is Walton Goggins. If you’re looking for some laughs with a side of action make sure you head to theaters this weekend to catch American Ultra.

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#AmericanUltra Movie Poster Giveaway + @AmericanUltra Screening Contest!

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Twitter is busy today for American Ultra fans! Not only did we announced a giveaway for 1 of 5 posters, but @AmericanUltra announced a contest for screening passes!

So if you want to win 1 of 5 of these movie posters, RT the tweet below:

RT for a chance to win 1 of 5 #AmericanUltra posters (in theaters 8/21) 5 US winners #KristenStewart @AmericanUltra pic.twitter.com/Z66tvtXb5E

— Once Upon a Twilight (@twilightsdance) August 15, 2015

Also, if you live in any of the cities mention on the picture below, you should enter this contest announced today via Twitter.

Want to see #AmericanUltra early? Follow us & tweet #SeeAmericanUltra + your city for a chance to WIN a pair of tix! pic.twitter.com/gVlx2iw1LR

— American Ultra (@AmericanUltra) August 15, 2015

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A stoner - who is in fact a government agent - is marked as a liability and targeted for extermination. But he's too well-trained and too high for them to handle.

RELEASE DATE:

August 21, 2015

RATING:

Not Yet Rated

OFFICIAL @AMERICANULTRA HANDLES:

https://twitter.com/americanultra

https://instagram.com/americanultra

https://www.facebook.com/AmericanUltra

#Miami Grab Passes to Screening 'American Ultra' @ AMC Sunset 8/19 #AmericanUltra

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A stoner - who is in fact a government agent - is marked as a liability and targeted for extermination. But he's too well-trained and too high for them to handle.

RELEASE DATE:

August 21, 2015

RATING:

Not Yet Rated

OFFICIAL @AMERICANULTRA HANDLES:

https://twitter.com/americanultra

https://instagram.com/americanultra

https://www.facebook.com/AmericanUltra

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As you know we debuted 2 photos from Kristen Stewart's upcoming action comedy AMERICAN ULTRA where she stars alongside Jesse Eisenberg.

Today, we are happy to share passes to the screening for our readers in South Florida!

Click the picture below to grab your passes!

DATE AND TIME:

August 19, 2015

Wednesday @7:30pm

(Have your pass ready to show at the door)

LOCATION:

AMC Sunset Place 24

5701 Sunset Dr.

South Miami, FL 33143

Fan Site Exclusive: Kristen Stewart in Upcoming Movie 'American Ultra'

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We are happy to debut 2 photos from Kristen Stewart's upcoming action comedy AMERICAN ULTRA where she stars alongside Jesse Eisenberg. The film is directed by Nima Nourizadeh and will release in theaters in this August.

Kristen Stewart alongside co-star Jesse Eisenberg:

Kristen Stewart kicking some butt:

American Ultra releases August 21st 2015

OFFICIAL @AMERICANULTRA HANDLES:

https://twitter.com/americanultra

https://instagram.com/americanultra

https://www.facebook.com/AmericanUltra

#AmericanUltra

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Movie Review: IFC Films' Clouds of Sils Maria

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Clouds of Sils Maria

Release Date: May 1st 2015 (Houston Opening)
Director: Olivier Assayas
Writer: Olivier Assayas
Main Cast: Juliette Binoche, Kristen Stewart, Chloë Grace Moretz
MPAA Rating: Rated R for language and brief graphic nudity
Genre: Drama
Running Time: 123 Minutes

Official Sites: Web | Facebook | Twitter | IMDb

At the peak of her international career, Maria Enders (Juliette Binoche) is asked to perform in a revival of the play that made her famous twenty years ago. But back then she played the role of Sigrid, an alluring young girl who disarms and eventually drives her boss Helena to suicide. Now she is being asked to step into the other role, that of the older Helena. She departs with her assistant (Kristen Stewart) to rehearse in Sils Maria; a remote region of the Alps. A young Hollywood starlet with a penchant for scandal (Chloë Grace Moretz) is to take on the role of Sigrid, and Maria finds herself on the other side of the mirror, face to face with an ambiguously charming woman who is, in essence, an unsettling reflection of herself.

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Clouds of Sils Maria is the new French/Swiss drama starring Juliette Binoche, Kristen Stewart and Chloe Grace Moretz. It’s a film about the entertainment industry. In this particular story, we are introduced to Maria (Binoche), a once fabulous, still well-respected, star of stage and screen. Maria has a personal assistant, Valentine (Stewart). Valentine seems to “know better” about things than Maria. She is young and level-headed. Maria is best known for a role that she played twenty years ago, the role that jump started her career. At the age of 18, Maria had played the role of Sigrid, a young temptress, in a play and movie by the same name, Maloja Snake. But this is 20 years later. Maria is facing family troubles, the death of her mentor and the fading of her fame.

In comes an up-and-coming director, who is eager to re-make the play that once made Maria famous, except this time he doesn’t want Maria to play the young temptress Sigrid, he wants her to play Helena, the older woman in the rocky love affair. The director wants Sigrid to be played by Jo-Ann Ellis (Moretz), the young buzz of Hollywood. This causes an internal conflict in Maria. She doesn’t want to be the older, sad, woman in an affair. She still wants to be the temptress.

This a technically great film. The scenery, mostly shot in Switzerland, is gorgeous. I found my gaze lost in the mountains of Sils Maria. Just the photography and cinematography together are worth the price of admission. Genuinely beautiful. The story makes sense and it’s relatable. It deals with the conflicts and challenges of aging, mortality and relevance. No one wants to be Helena, the older, sad, woman in an affair. By and large, people want to be Sigrid forever. And regardless of the battle to stay Sigrid, most wake-up one day to realize that they are Helena. That awakening can be shocking to the mind. The acting is great. Binoche comes across as sincerely vulnerable. Moretz is a sincerely jerky. I am not a fan of Moretz. I’m convinced she flares her nostrils when she acts. That’s all I see when she speaks, her nose. Stewart is the strongest of the actresses. And I never thought I would say that. She started really coming into her own for role in Still Alice. I don’t know which was filmed first, but Stewart plays Valentine as smart and grounded and quick. I liked her better than I ever have.

All that said, while I appreciated the film, I didn’t enjoy it. Did I lose you? It is just very heavy and morose. I can’t imagine being on a date and taking someone to see this. I can’t imagine being on a girls’ night out and wanting to see this. At times, the plot moves at a snail’s pace. I may have stared into the mountains because I was waiting for someone to say something. And the problems of Maria, while relevant, came across as trivial to this realist. She’s still beautiful and wealthy and beloved by her professional community, but she is conflicted because time didn’t stand still for her. Get over it, Maria. Life goes on. Also, there is a nude scene by Binoche that I can’t un-see. I wasn’t ready for it, and it is burned in my mind for all time.

Clouds of Sils Maria is like art, or the ballet, it's an acquired taste. You may not like this particular film, but you can appreciate the artistry with which it was created. Don’t ever take my word for it, see Clouds of Sils Maria for yourself starting on May 1st.

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Read an Excerpt from STILL ALICE, Now a Major Motion Picture!

Still Alice written by Lisa Genova

Now a major motion picture with Sony Pictures Classics starring Julianne Moore.

In Lisa Genova’s extraordinary New York Times bestselling novel, an accomplished professor diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease learns that her worth is comprised of more than her ability to remember. Now a major motion picture from Sony Pictures Classics starring Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin, Kate Bosworth, and Kristen Stewart.

Excerpt from Still Alice:

As she ran along the river, she became mindful of nothing but the sounds of her Nikes hitting the pavement in syncopated rhythm with the pace of her breath. She didn’t replay her argument with Lydia. She didn’t acknowledge her growling stomach. She didn’t think about John. She just ran.

As was her routine, she stopped running once she made it back to the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Park, a pocket of manicured lawns abutting Memorial Drive. Her head cleared, her body relaxed and rejuvenated, she began walking home. The JFK Park funneled into Harvard Square through a pleasant, bench-lined corridor between the Charles Hotel and the Kennedy School of Government.

At the other end of the corridor, she stood at the intersection of Eliot Street and Brattle, ready to cross, when a woman grabbed her forearm with startling force and said, “Have you thought about heaven today?”

The woman fixed Alice with a penetrating, unwavering stare. She had long hair the color and texture of a teased Brillo pad and wore a handmade placard hung over her chest that read AMERICA REPENT, TURN TO JESUS FROM SIN. There was always someone selling God in Harvard Square, but Alice had never been singled out so directly and intimately before.

“Sorry,” she said and, noticing a break in the flow of traffic, escaped to the other side of the street.

She wanted to continue walking but stood frozen instead. She didn’t know where she was. She looked back across the street. The Brillo-haired woman pursued another sinner down the corridor. The corridor, the hotel, the stores, the illogically meandering streets. She knew she was in Harvard Square, but she didn’t know which way was home.

She tried again, more specifi cally. The Harvard Square Hotel, Eastern Mountain Sports, Dickson Bros. Hardware, Mount Auburn Street. She knew all of these places—this square had been her stomping ground for over twenty-five years—but they somehow didn’t fi t into a mental map that

told her where she lived relative to them. A black-and-white circular “T” sign directly in front of her marked an entrance to the Red Line trains and buses underground, but there were three such entrances in Harvard Square, and she couldn’t piece together which one of the three this was.

Her heart began to race. She started sweating. She told herself that an accelerated heart rate and perspiration were part of an orchestrated and appropriate response to running. But as she stood on the sidewalk, it felt like panic.

She willed herself to walk another block and then another, her rubbery legs feeling like they might give way with each bewildered step. The Coop, Cardullo’s, the magazines on the corner, the Cambridge visitors’ center across the street, and Harvard Yard beyond that. She told herself she could still read and recognize. None of it helped. It all lacked a context.

People, cars, buses, and all kinds of unbearable noise rushed and wove around and past her. She closed her eyes. She listened to her own blood whoosh and pulse behind her ears.

“Please stop this,” she whispered.

She opened her eyes. Just as suddenly as it had left her, the landscape snapped snugly back into place.

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Still Alice is now in theaters!!!

Alice Howland, happily married with three grown children, is a renowned linguistics professor who starts to forget words. When she receives a devastating diagnosis, Alice and her family find their bonds tested.

Houston Movie Passes: Camp X-Ray @ Alamo Drafthouse Mason Park 11/14-11/17

CAMP X-RAY

A young woman joins the military to be part of something bigger than herself and her small town roots. But she ends up as a new guard at Guantanamo Bay instead, where her mission is far from black and white. Surrounded by hostile jihadists and aggressive squadmates, she strikes up an unusual friendship with one of the detainees. A story of two people, on opposite sides of a war, struggling to find their way through the ethical quagmire of Guantanamo Bay. And in the process, they form an unlikely bond that changes them both.

Director: Peter Sattler
Cast: Kristen Stewart, Payman Maadi, Lane Garrison, John Carroll Lynch and Tara Holt
Run Time: 118 Minutes
Rated: R

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We are excited to share this giveaway for Camp X-Ray movie passes. We have 3 pairs of Run of Engagement passes to award our Houston readers that love Twilight's Kristen Stewart. Camp X-Ray will only be playing in Houston at the Alamo Drafthouse Mason Park from November 14th through November 17th. The passes will be valid to use Mon- Thurs while the movie is in the theater.

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