hamptons film festival recap: better late than never by karen g.

On Saturday, August 10th, my esteemed fellow film buff and social media guru, Twitter’s @ladivaflaca and I headed off to Easthampton for the annual Hamptons Film Festival. Grabbing our press passes at The Maidstone in East Hampton, we excitedly took in the world premiere of Harry Benson: Shoot First, a remarkably entertaining documentary about the prolific photographer who famously snapped the Beatles during their inaugural trip to the United States.

The film is a beautiful chronicle of famous moments captured by the incorrigible, wonderfully likeable and charming Benson, who photographed some of the most iconic people in modern history. From Muhammad Ali to Michael Jackson, Benson intimately befriended and photographed even the most reclusive celebrities.  Benson, at the Q&A following the film, shared that one of his most enjoyable photo shoots was with the mysterious Bobby Fischer.

The HIFF Award for Best Documentary Feature Film went to Missing People directed by David Shapiro. This riveting documentary chronicles Martina Batan’s investigation into her young brother’s unsolved murder. Batan is the director of a prominent art gallery in New York and researches and collects works from New Orleans artist, Roy Ferdinand. Ferdinand’s artworks are famous for their graphic content depicting African American culture in pre-Katrina New Orleans. The story is motivated by Martina’s need for closure and her deep obsession with Ferdinand’s work.

The honorable mention for a documentary feature was Ilinca Calugareanu’s Chuck Norris VS Communism. Calugareanu, a London-based Romanian director and editor, showcases a story about escapism during a deep cultural blackout. This captivating documentary sheds a light on Romania in the 1980s when Western films were smuggled into unlicensed “video nights”. Most of the films were dubbed by the same person, Irina Nistor, who became one of the most recognizable voices in pre-revolution Romania.  Calugareanu’s film shares a touching story on how the power of film created a cultural awakening to an suppressed nation.

Other HIFF 2015 winners include:

 

HIFF Award for Best Narrative Feature was Rams, Directed by: Grímur Hákonarson - a film about two brothers who live side by side but who have not spoken to each other for forty years. 

Honorable mention went to Embrace Of The Serpent, Directed by Ciro Guerra - story about an Amazonian shaman and his journey with an American and German scientist in the search of the yakruna, a sacred plant in the Amazon.

In the Narrative Short Film category, “Over” a mystery by Jörn Threlfall took the prize and Honorable mention went to Eva Riley’s “Patriot”, a story about an 11-year-old girl whose father runs a far right group in London.

 

For a full list of awards and categories at the festival, click HERE.

-Karen G.

 

wcw: the first lady - claire underwood by karen g.

I am unashamed about the fact that I spent my entire weekend indoors watching "House of Cards" - Season 3 on Netflix and binging on Trader Joes snacks. My wardrobe went from soft, comfy pajama pants to soft, comfy “lounge pants” from Uniqlo.

My shame only entered stage left when the immaculately polished Claire Underwood (Robin Wright) was on screen. She, without a doubt, stole the show this season and has never looked better.

Wright used her personal stylist, Kemal Harris to design the looks for the first lady this season and to showcase her evolution in the series.

Harris used classic, tailored lines on Wright’s immaculate physique with soft, liquid fabric drapes for her more formal events.

Harris researched Old Hollywood starlets and watched the movie Adam's Rib which tells the story of domestic and professional tensions between a husband and wife working as opposing lawyers in a murder trial. The court room scenes in this film added inspiration for Claire’s looks when she visits the United Nations.  Harris also collected a selection of vintage patterns from mid-40’s designers like Jacques Fath.

I am not really sure what’s next for me, now that I’ve greedily devoured the entire series in a matter of hours, but a pair of classic Louboutin Pigalle pumps might be the first thing on my “to-do” list.

-Karen G.

karen g. vs godzilla

A few weeks ago Justin Lockwood shared his thoughts on Godzilla.

This week Karen G. chimes in!

The opening credits quickly drew me into a “this could totally have happened” moment, and I certainly give kudos to movies that can make jaded ol’ me suspend disbelief, even for a short while. The flashes of newsreels, confidential documents being edited and peeks of a strange ocean “creature” were entertaining even before the film began.

In 1946, Godzilla is awakened by a Russian military accident. In the mid-50’s the US and Russian militaries use nuclear weapons in attempts to kill Godzilla and use the cover of atomic tests to keep his existence unknown. Godzilla, however, survives every attempt.

Many years later, in 1999, Dr. Ichiro Serizawa, played by Inception’s Ken Watanabe and his assistant Dr. Vivienne Graham, played by Blue Jasmine’s Sally Hawkins, are called to a mining site in the Philippines to inspect a fossil in an underground cage. A large “egg” is found near the fossil, already hatched and a trail is shown, leading to the surface and into the ocean, clearly marking that something has made its escape into the ocean. The other, still un-hatched egg is taking to Nevada and placed in a nuclear waste repository.

Days later, seismic activity is felt in Janjira, Japan where nuclear physicist, Joseph Brody, played by "Breaking Bad"’s Bryan Cranston and his wife, Sandra, played by Juliette Binoche head to the plant to investigate the activity. Joseph tells Sandra to assemble a team to perform a damage check at the power plant. The plant is soon breached by a massive explosion and radiation leak and Sandra dies in a heartbreaking sequence in the first few moments of the film. Joseph is left alone to fend for their son Ford in an area that is left in ruins and eventually abandoned and quarantined.

15 years later, Ford, played by a seriously buff and almost unrecognizable Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kick-Ass) is now an officer in the Navy, and is returning to San Francisco to his wife Elle (Elizabeth Olsen) and his son, Sam after a tour of duty. He barely spends a night with his family before getting a call that his father, Joe, has been arrested for trespassing in the quarantine zone in Janjira. Ford travels back to Japan to bail out his father. Their relationship is obviously strained by years of his father’s “conspiracy theories” about what actually happened in Janjira the day his mother died. Reluctantly, Ford follows his father into the quarantine zone, in an effort to prove his theories wrong, and starts to realize that Joe might be right about a government cover up. In a quick flash sequence, while in the quarantine zone in the Brody house we see a “fish tank” that would have been home to a child’s pets, most likely moths, because labeled at the bottom left of the tank is the word ‘MOTHRA’ - a gentle tip of the hat to the classic Toho Monster, that I certainly enjoyed. In the distance, Ford and Joe notice the power plant with its lights on and before they have much time, they are caught and arrested by security and taken to the plant.

A strange chrysalis, similar to the one discovered in the Philippines years before, is being studied at the plant. A heart-stopping and terrifying pulsing sequence being emitted from the chrysalis makes you realize that something’s is about to go very wrong. The pounding explodes into the creature awakening and wreaking havoc on the plant. During the chaos, Joe is critically wounded and before he can share his data with Dr. Serizawa and Dr. Graham, he dies. The monster flies off into the distance leaving Ford to accompany the doctors to try and piece together what his father knew, to try and save the world from further destruction.

Serizawa and Graham reveal to Ford that they are part of a secret organization called “Monarch” and Serizawa quickly confesses they’ve known of the creatures for years, and explains to Ford that the monster that attacked the plant, a M.U.T.O. (Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organism), feeds on radiation. Serizawa also speaks of Godzilla's and their numerous failed attempts to kill the creature. Ford tells Serizawa that his father believed the M.U.T.O. was communicating with something else, and fears that something even worse than they imagined might be at happening.



Ford heads to Honolulu to try and get back to his family in San Francisco. In Hawaii, a U.S. Navy Special Forces team finds the wrecked remains of a Russian nuclear submarine in a dense forest. The winged M.U.T.O. is soon seen ripping apart the submarine to feed on its reactor. The military tries to take down the M.U.T.O but it emits an electromagnetic pulse which shuts down all electronics within miles. And this is what awakens Godzilla! Enter stomping beast stage left (finally) by way of massive tsunami! There is a brief showdown with the M.U.T.O before it flies away, with Godzilla in hot pursuit. Serizawa understands that the signal has not only awakened Godzilla but actually hatched another M.U.T.O. in Nevada, a much larger species, and female. With the M.U.T.Os planning to mate (in San Francisco), Serizawa soon realizes that Godzilla is the only thing that can stop the M.U.T.O.s from destroying the planet.

Godzilla is a treat and delivers fun sequences, explosions, destruction and edge-of-your-seat entertainment. I didn’t really feel much connection to the characters except for Joe and Sandra in the beginning of the movie, but that didn’t take away from what I thought was a pretty fun film with quite a few nods to the original Godzilla films. I definitely felt that the movie could have been 20 minutes shorter, but I often feel that movies are way too long nowadays. And of course, when Godzilla breathed the atomic flame, I almost cheered. Being a fan of monster movies all my life, this certainly delivers the type of mindless entertainment we often long for in the day to day. Pure disconnect from reality and an absolute blast! If you don’t overanalyze - I think this movie is more fun than audiences have given it credit for.

Godzilla (2014) is the 31st movie in the franchise. For those of you who have not seen the original and subsequent movies, here is a list for you to peruse when you have nothing better to do on a rainy Saturday:

1. Gojira - 1954
2. Godzilla Raids Again - 1955
3. Godzilla, King of the Monsters! - 1956 (original Gojira released in America and spliced with footage of Raymon Burr)
4. King Kong vs Godzilla - 1963
5. Godzilla vs Mothra - 1964
6. Ghidorah, The Three-Headed Monster - 1964
7. Invasion of the Astro-Monster - 1965
8. Godzilla vs The Sea Monster - 1966
9. Son of Godzilla - 1967

10. Destroy All Monsters - 1968
11. All Mosters Attack (Godzilla's Revenge) - 1969
12. Godzilla vs Hedorah (The Smog Monster) - 1971
13. Godzilla vs Gigan - 1972
14. Godzilla vs Megalon - 1973
15. Godzilla vs Mecha-Godzilla - 1974
16. Terror of Mecha-Godzilla - 1975
17. Return of Godzilla (Godzilla 1985) - 1985
18. Godzilla vs Biollante - 1989
19. Godzilla vs King Ghidorah - 1991
20. Godzilla vs Mothra: Battle for Earth - 1992
21. Godzilla vs Mecha-Godzilla II - 1993
22. Godzilla vs Space Godzilla - 1994
23. Godzilla vs Destroyah - 1995
24. Godzilla (American version) - 1998
25. Godzilla 2000 - 1999
26. Godzilla vs Megaguirus - 2000
27. Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All Out Attack - 2001
28. Godzilla Against Mecha-Godzilla - 2002
29. Godzilla: Tokyo SOS - 2003
30. Godzilla: Final Wars 2004
31. Godzilla - 2014

-Karen G.

and the flood came, and destroyed them all by karen g.

Darren Aronofsky's films always portray tormented souls. Noah starring Russell Crowe, is no different. What was always a whimsical Sunday school story, turns out to be a dark, disturbing tale about human nature, survival and our darkest thoughts toward ourselves and the rest of mankind.

While the film is set in the time of Genesis in the bible, the movie is current in its depiction of an overpopulated, crime-ridden and sick world. Though inspired by the biblical story, Aronofsky’s adaptation has less to do with God’s wrath than it does with our desire to find peace in a less-than-perfect world. I’ve certainly felt dark thoughts creep into my heart while riding an overcrowded 6 train through the city. This movie, while portraying a bygone era is relevant in how we relate to each other as humans today. The “every man for himself” attitude is heavily played out in this story.

Noah is tormented by striking visions of great masses of water and eventually ponders what the “Creator” might be trying to tell him. Noah travels to visit his father, the wise Methuselah, played by Anthony Hopkins, to find the answers to his persistent nightmares.  He takes his family on an epic journey across the lands of the fallen angels, to find Methuselah. At his side is his reluctant, yet loyal wife Naameh, played by Jennifer Connelly and their two sons Ham, played by Logan Lerman of Perks of Being a Wallflower and Shem played by English actor, Douglas Booth.

There are moments where the movie made me feel like I was watching a cross between Transformers and The Neverending Story. The endless CGI sequences and the portrayal of the fallen angels known as "The Watchers" were more laughable than dark and moving to me. I felt, considering the subject matter, that "The Watchers" were a lost opportunity to really bring forth the crises we face as humans in just the smallest moments of our daily lives, when we struggle with what is right and wrong.

Methuselah’s character is quirky and comedic. Played against the gritty, serious Noah, the chemistry between Crowe and Hopkins just does not work. Methuselah ends up reminding me of a Star Wars type character, maybe even a Hopkins-like Yoda, with his hunched performance, skittish childlike banter and his endless search for "red berries."

Emma Watson in the role of Ila does not do a bad job of playing the young girl rescued by Noah and his family after her village was destroyed by pillagers. She grows to be loved by Shem but is barren due to an act of violence and is tormented by the fact that she will not be able to repopulate the earth. She begs Shem to find another wife, despite her love for him.  Ham, who is plagued by his need to find a wife and companion before the storm comes, is moody throughout the film. In the later scenes his resentment for his father leads him to a revengeful plot against him.

The scenes of the animals entering the ark and the epic storm sequences are all CGI, and they feel just as fake. I did not feel emotionally attached to any of the characters, except maybe the twins born to Ila (after a magical blessing from Methuselah in the forest).

I felt like the film tried to accomplish too much and so all we ended up with was another really long movie. I was exhausted by the trials and tribulations of Noah and his family, his growing resentment to his family and fellow man and his unshakable “calling” to serve the Lord - at any and all costs. I was even disappointed by Clint Mansell’s score that felt disconnected and unfaithful to the story and characters.

I will hand it to Aronofsky for always giving us the unconventional and the film certainly leaves you with a deep sense of discomfort, as all his past work does. The movie is definitely original in its structure and subject matter as it is thrown into a biblical setting, but we can definitely all relate to the feeling of being trapped. The ark is the perfect metaphor for our search for enlightenment and truth while sometimes feeling confined, and in the dark, even when we are surrounded by the ones we love.


-Karen G.

androgyny by karen g.

Karen G. offers some amazing androgynous moments





Tilda Swinton in W Magazine in 2011

Annie Lennox on the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine in 1983

Grace Jones’ Nightclubbing album cover 1981

David Bowie’s Aladdin Sane album cover art 1973

Andrej Pejić for Jean-Paul Gaultier – Men & Women’s Lines in 2011 and 2013

Marilyn Manson’s Mechanical Animals – 1998

Freddie Mercury in the “I Want To Break Free” video – 1984

Boy George in the “Karma Chameleon” video in 1983

Prince in Purple Rain,1984

Brian Molko – lead singer of Placebo – Spin Magazine, 1998

Ukranian Boy Band, KAZAKY dancing with Madonna in the “Girl Gone Wild” video - 2011

horror month!

My reviews:

Bay of Blood
Body Snatchers
Curse of Chucky
House of Frankenstein
The Mummy's Hand
Not of This Earth (1988)

My "Underrated" Horror Picks on Rupert Pupkin Speaks

Jerome Murphy's Selection of Retro Childhood Cover Art

Jerome Murphy's Teen Horror Cover Deathmatch between R.L. Stine & Christopher Pike

Justin Lockwood's List of Great Performances in Horror

Justin Lockwood's Review of Rob Zombie's Lords of Salem

Karen G.'s Small Screen Horror Gems

Nick Tassone's Minimal Art Stephen King Alternative Poster

small screen horror gems by karen g.

With Halloween in the air, I decided to make a list of some of my favorite “made-for-TV” horror movies.  I actually saw some of these titles for sale for around $3 a pop at an electronics store recently.  I warn you – you might be overpaying for some of these!  But if you have room in your heart for something cheesy, a little terrifying and fun – you may want to look into the following list of movies that never made it to the big screen.  There’s nothing like these grainy 70’s horrors on a rainy day in the fall.

Don’t be Afraid of the Dark (1973)

A couple inherits an old mansion that is inhabited by strange creatures who want to make the young wife one of their own.  (Do be afraid of the remake starring Katie Holmes – let’s just say I wasn’t a fan).

A Howling In the Woods (1971)

A woman on vacation in the woods is suddenly disturbed by her husband endlessly trying to convince her to return to their home.  All the while she hears a mysterious howling in the woods at night.  You’ll enjoy the Larry Hagman realness.

Bad Ronald (1974)

When a shy, bullied teenager accidentally kills a neighbor, his mother decides to hide him in a hidden room in their house.  But when mother goes for an operation and dies, the house is sold to new owners, except Ronald is still hidden in the house.

When Michael Calls (1974)

What would you do if you kept receiving phone calls from a child who claims to be your nephew who died 15 years ago?  Look out for a young Michael Douglas in this fun thriller.

Paper Man (1971)

It always starts with a harmless prank doesn’t it? A group of college students create a fictitious character so they can get a credit card.  Things go horribly wrong and quickly three of them are dead.  This one stars Dean Stockwell and his entire head of hair.

The Screaming Woman (1972)

While walking the grounds of her estate one day, a recovering mental patient suddenly hears the screams of a woman coming from beneath the ground.  Trying to prove her insane so they can inherit her fortune, her family refuses to believe her story and they endeavor to prove that she has snapped.  This one is for the Olivia de Havilland fans out there.

The Spell (1977)

Tired of being taunted by her schoolmates, a teenage girl uses her supernatural powers to take revenge.  Sound familiar?  This is pretty much Carrie without the budget, but it’s still fun to watch.

Salem’s Lot (1979)

Definitely one of the more popular “made-for-tv” titles - this one has its fair share of creepy moments and lots of camp.  From the mind of Stephen King, but brought to you by Tobe Hooper.

Someone’s Watching Me (1978)

A cat and mouse game ensues as a woman is tormented in her apartment by a stranger who constantly calls and seems to be watching her every move.  This one is by John Carpenter.

Something Evil (1972)

A young couple moves into a rural farmhouse and soon realizes an evil presence in the house is trying to take possession of the wife.  Fun fact – this is one of Steven Spielberg’s earlier films.

-Karen G.