[Video Interview] Kim Shaw, David Dastmalchian, and Collin Schiffli (ANIMALS)
[Ruby Hornet will be covering SXSW from March 7th to March 16th. Follow along as we bring you exclusive film reviews, photos, daily features, and interviews with filmmakers, actors, and musicians!]
ANIMALS holds a special place in my heart. The dark drama details the story of a couple, Bobbie (Kim Shaw) and Jude (David Dastmalchian), addled with opiate addiction while living in Jude's car in Chicago. During this year's SXSW, I had the chance to talk to Shaw, Dastmalchian (who also served as the film's writer), and ANIMALS director Collin Schiffli about the film, any semblance to real life events, and how important of a role Chicago played, both as a setting, but also as a narrative piece. ANIMALS won SXSW accolades for Special Jury Recognition for Courage in Storytelling for Dastmalchian's writing, so it's not just my personal bias speaking out about how amazing this film is.
You can watch the video interview below and expect a full review of the film super soon.
[Review] ANIMALS
[This review was originally posted as part of our SXSW 2014 coverage. It is being reposted to coincide with the film's wide release.]
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ANIMALS
Director: Collin Schiffli
Rating: N/A
Release Date: March 9, 2014 (SXSW), May 15, 2015 (Theaters/VOD)
There have been many films about addictions in the past. For most, the first that comes to mind is Darren Aronofsky's Requiem for a Dream, a dark, sometimes satirical look at the consequences of various forms of addiction. In a way, what helped make Reqiuem such a great film was how digestible the film was due to some of its outlandish, sometimes satirical tone. Sure, it was a dark and gruesome film, but it was somewhat sensationalized and over-exaggerated at times that helped hide or shield some of the more serious moments.
In ANIMALS, addictions are once again front and center, but they shape and characterize the love story between the film's two leads, Jude (David Dastmalchian) and Bobbie (Kim Shaw). The couple is homeless, living out of a car parked right outside of Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo, as they spend their days running elaborate cons to fuel their opiate addictions. As their options for low risk cons begin to run dry, Jude and Bobbie must turn to shadier jobs to supplement their growing addictions that cause friction in the couple's relationship.
Throughout the film, there's a foreboding sense of despair swirling around Jude and Bobbie, as is often the case within films similar to ANIMALS. However, the manner in which it manifests isn't something inherently dark, unlike the fall in the aforementioned Requiem for a Dream, but something that fits within the context of the film. That's not to say the drama or suspense is suspended; rather, it's understated and kept grounded in a way that makes it feel more realistic and natural.
ANIMALS is loosely based on Dastmalchian's personal struggle with opiate addiction years ago, so the intimacy and reality of the situation is derived from an honest place that doesn't sensationalize any aspect of addiction, something I feel most other drug films do. ANIMALS might not find wide distribution, so if you get the chance to catch it at an indie or small run theater, I highly recommend catching it.
[Video Interview] Ryan Moore (Manny)
[This interview was part of our SXSW 2014 coverage. It is being reposted to coincide with Manny's wide release.]
Manny Pacquiao is one of those sports icons that transcends the sport that he comes from. As a Filipino, he carries The Philippines on his shoulders every time he steps into the ring for a match. For those familiar with Pacquiao, you all know that the country literally shuts down to watch Pacquiao box, from government officials to guerrilla rebels to everyday citizens. To say Pacquiao has become a true Filipino icon is an understatement. Away from the ring, away from Congress, away from the spotlight and the cameras, Manny Pacquiao is still just a man.
In Ryan Moore's documentary, Manny, the goal was not to just highlight Pacquiao's rags to riches story, but to also highlight the man he truly is away from the spectacle of his iconic status. Over the span of three years and more than 1,200 hours of footage, Moore's documentary sheds light on Pacquiao's life in a way that has never been seen or covered before.
In our SXSW interview with Moore, we discuss how he first approached Pacquiao about the documentary, any personal pressure or worries he faced in capturing and sharing Pacquiao's story, and much more. Watch the full video interview below!
[Video Interview] Lenny Mesina (Manny)
[This interview was part of our SXSW 2014 coverage. It is being reposted to coincide with Manny's wide release.]
Manny Pacquiao is one of those sports icons that transcends the sport that he comes from. As a Filipino, he carries The Philippines on his shoulders every time he steps into the ring for a match. For those familiar with Pacquiao, you all know that the country literally shuts down to watch Pacquiao box, from government officials to guerrilla rebels to everyday citizens. To say Pacquiao has become a true Filipino icon is an understatement. Away from the ring, away from Congress, away from the spotlight and the cameras, Manny Pacquiao is still just a man.
In Ryan Moore's documentary, Manny, it was up to amazing film editor Lenny Mesina, known to most as the editor behind Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest, to help craft a cohesive narrative that not only traces Pacquiao's rise as an undersized boxer into the pound-for-pound best boxer in the sport, but also to illuminate Pacquiao's humanity beyond the ring.
Watch the SXSXW interview above in which we talked with Mesina about how he joined the crew for the documentary, the production process, any difficulties editing all of the footage together, and his own personal feelings about Pacquiao. Enjoy!
[Review] Manny
[This review was originally published during our SXSW 2014 coverage. It is being reposted to coincide with the documentary's wide release.]
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Manny
Directors: Ryan Moore and Leon Gast
Rating: N/A
Release Date: March 8, 2014 (SXSW)
Manny Pacquiao is one of those figures that can transcend from their initial platform and find success in multiple ways outside of what they're known for. And, for better or worse, Manny Pacquiao has become not just a boxer, but a singer, an actor, a politician, and a missionary of sorts. Diehard Pacquiao and boxing fans have seen the effects of overexertion in a handful of his fights, and I always wondered how Pacquiao himself viewed his journey. In Manny, not only is the question of Pacquiao's identity explored, it delves deeper into the boxer's history to paint a better, more detailed picture of who Manny is outside of the ring and away from the spotlight.
As a half-Filipino man, I have to say that I'm very familiar with Pacquiao's story. As a young boy growing in poverty in the Philippines, Pacquiao turned to boxing to support himself and his family. After finding success, it wasn't until he was paired with famed trainer and former boxer Freddie Roach that Pacquiao's star began to rise in which he has (so far) captured eight different titles at eight different weight classes. All of this is retreaded ground for anybody familiar with either boxing or Pacquiao, and the background information on Pacquiao is necessary for audiences that may not be familiar with Manny. However, what I loved most about the documentary is that not only does it create a running narrative of Pacquiao's "rags to riches" story, it pairs it well with amazing cinematography, editing, and a mix of both on-location shots and archival footage to properly tell Pacquiao's real story, with both good and bad sides given equal focus.
The big question I asked myself (and both director Ryan Moore and editor Lenny Mesina) was the nature of the documentary's intent: Is it meant to appeal to pre-existing Pacquiao fans, or is it meant to bring in those that may not be familiar with Pacquiao? I believe that Manny appeals to both groups, but pre-existing fans will find something extra to enjoy about the documentary. I won't even lie, I found myself getting teary-eyed, not only because of my admiration for Pacquiao as a boxing fan, but for everything he represents as a cultural icon for The Philippines.
Again, I'm biased when it comes to Manny, and I felt a stronger connection to this documentary than everything else I viewed at SXSW. However, with my bias set aside, I truly believe that Manny will find success in both pro-Pacquiao circles and general documentary/cinephile circles. When it comes to sports documentaries, fans will always have a connection they will turn to to better understand the recipient of their cheers and pride; however, I think the real magic is when a well-crafted documentary can turn viewers into a fan of the subject, and I believe Manny is capable of doing that.
[Review] Neighbors
[This review was originally published as part of our SXSW 2014 coverage. It is being re-posted to coincide with Neighbors' theatrical release.]
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Neighbors
Director: Nicholas Stoller
Rating: R
Release Date: March 8, 2014 (SXSW)
Nicholas Stoller has been making a name for himself in the comedy scene for years, writing and directing some decent comedies (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, The Five-Year Engagement). Neighbors, his most recent feature, takes some of the best parts of any Judd Apatow-related film, but adds in Stoller's own style that makes it one of 2014's best comedies of the year thus far.
Mac (Seth Rogen) and Kelly (Rose Byrne) are two young parents that move into a brand new neighborhood after putting their life savings into a house. Everything seems well and idyllic until a fraternity moves into the building right next door. Wanting to get on their good side, Mac and Kelly introduce themselves to the fraternity's two leads, Teddy (Zac Efron) and Pete (Dave Franco). After hitting things off well, the relationship between them quickly sours after Mac and Kelly call in a noise complaint. Feeling betrayed, the fraternity declare a war of pranks and shenanigans on the couple, creating chaos in an already chaotic life. With no real options left to them, Mac and Kelly must fight fire with fire to ensure they aren't displaced from their own neighborhood.
Neighbors takes a simple premise and runs with it to great comedic effect. What could have been nothing but a raunchy, lightweight comedy ended up being one of the year's early comedy hits. Considering the nature of the premise (fraternity vs. developmentally-arrested young parents), the raunch level was always going to be present. However, it's used in good taste and contextually well within the frameworks of the film. For example, most college-themed films like to include as many topless girls as possible to give off the "college" feeling. Neighbors, however, keeps the breasts to a bare minimum, only turning to them when appropriate or for a well-placed joke, essentially empowering the importance of bare breasts to great effect.
One major slight against Neighbors is a pacing problem. While the film starts off with some great jokes and keeps the momentum going, there's a noticeable section of the film where the jokes and setups are halted for an extended period of time. Within the context of the film, this was all meant to lead into the otherwise hilarious third act, which is understandable, but unfortunately too much of a lapse to easily brush aside. When the jokes are on, though, they're on, whether it's extended "Who's the real Batman?" exchange, dildo molding, or a long breast milk gag.
Everybody in the cast brought their A-game to Neighbors. Zac Efron's been on this high trajectory, and I was happy to see him get the chance to work alongside both Stoller and Rogen. Franco, too, needs more roles like his in Neighbors, not only because of his comedic prowess, but to also show what he can offer outside of older brother James' shadow. Of course, Byrne stole the show with her jokes. It just be the accent, but Byrne was on it for Neighbors, perhaps building off of the great chemistry she and Rogen shared.
Neighbors won't be out in domestic theaters until May 9th, and indeed, the SXSW cut of the film still was an unfinished one, needing some extra polish, sound mixing, and overall post-editing. Hopefully, the edits they make can help the aforementioned lull in pacing towards the end of the film, plus cutting a few jokes or two wouldn't be a bad idea (including a gruesomely unnecessary Obama joke that didn't land at all). However, despite the extra work that'll be made on the film, I still stand my ground by labeling Neighbors one of 2014's best comedy offerings.
[Review] Chef
[This review was originally published as part of our SXSW 2014 coverage. It is being re-posted to coincide with Chef's theatrical release.]
Chef
Director: Jon Favreau
Rating: N/A
Release Date: March 7, 2014 (SXSW)
Over the past few years, director Jon Favreau has been known for his big budget sci-fi films (Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Cowboys & Aliens). However, his career began with earnest in low budget indie darling films, most notably Swingers alongside Vince Vaughn. Since then, Favreau's trajectory has skyrocketed, culminating with the aforementioned Iron Man films, which themselves helped establish Marvel's dominance in the film industry. However, wanting to create something personal on a smaller scale, Favreau brought Chef to this year's SXSW in which he directed, wrote, and starred. Would all of the years spent working on big budget Hollywood films affect his ability to create films that were driven more by personal stories than grandiose concepts? Read on and find out.
Early in his career, chef Carl Casper (Favreau) was named one of the most exciting chefs in the restaurant business. After establishing a residency at a Los Angeles restaurant for many years, Casper's creativity began to suffer. In an attempt to reinvigorate both himself and his cooking staff, he set out to create a special menu to accommodate LA's most notorious food critic. However, the owner of the restaurant (Dustin Hoffman) prevents Casper from deviating from the established menu, resulting in a domino effect of events that lead to a scathing review of Casper's talents and his own ouster from the restaurant. With his future prospects out the window, Casper sets out to Miami to start a food truck business with his best friend and former line cook (John Leguizamo). Also along for the ride is Casper's son, Percy (Emjay Anthony) who had been inadvertently ignored due to Casper's busy schedule and the divorce between he and his ex-wife (Sofia Vergara).
Chef is split by its two halves. The first half of the film focuses on Casper and his professional fall and rise. The conflict is driven not just by the obvious man vs. man conflict, but also man vs. self as Casper has to re-adapt his life and find what's been missing inn his personal and professional careers. The second half focuses more on Percy and his reconnection with Casper. The transition from the light comedy/drama of the first half to the road trip/buddy film in the second half was a bit rough, but welcome at the same time.
In a way, Chef is simple, and that's okay. Much like Favreau's Casper went on a journey to find the spark he once lost, Chef could be Favreau's proverbial food truck. It won't be for everybody, and some might expect more from the writer/director/actor, especially with the film being his first feature since the Hollywood film predecessors. The drama's light and nothing too expository, but the true heart of the film is in the comedy. Favreau's writing is pointed and direct in its nature, relative to both the restaurant industry and the Latino flavor of the film. Complementing the Latin tone of the film is the spectacular soundtrack that features covers of notable songs from Merengue to Salsa to Bachata and everything in between.
Chef is a light, good-hearted film that definitely benefited from being SXSW's opening film. It's charming, has jokes that are actually funny, and is supported by a great cast. If you're looking for a laid-back night out, Chef will be the perfect complement to a nice, candlelit dinner.
[Interview] Ike Barinholtz (Neighbors)
[This interview was originally published as part of our SXSW 2014 coverage. It is being re-posted to coincide with Neighbors' theatrical release.]
Despite being an early, unfinished cut specifically for SXSW, Neighbors is one of the early comedy successes of 2014. Granted, we’re just a quarter of the way in, and the film technically doesn’t come to theaters until May, so it’s a bit unfair for me to proclaim its high graces. Nevertheless, heed my SXSW review of the film as early warning to you comedy fans: Neighbors is absolutely hilarious.
During SXSW 2014, I sat with Neighbors actor Ike Barinholtz to discuss not just his role in the film, but his Chicago roots, working on The Mindy Project, and I even got him to pitch us a movie idea. Ruby Hornet has already put a copyright on the idea, so you better think twice about stealing it from us. Check out the full interview over the next few pages, and remember: Neighbors will be in theaters on May 9th.