Schizophrenia explored in Thor Freudenthal & Nick Naveda's adaptation of Julia Walton's WORDS ON BATHROOM WALLS

Who knew that Schizophrenia could be quite so entertaining, moving, funny, and even feel-good as this severe and very problematic mental disorder proves to be in the new film WORDS ON BATHROOM WALLS. Directed by TV- and movie-maker Thor Freudenthal, with a screenplay adapted by Nick Naveda from the popular novel by Julia Walton, the film boasts an excellent cast and very fine performances -- especially from its two leads, Charlie Plummer and Taylor Russell, and virtually all of the terrific supporting actors -- and our immediate, immersive involvement via the screenplay and direction, as we enter the world of its schizophrenic hero, Adam, played by Mr. Plummer.

Mr. Freudenthal, shown at right, along with his editor Peter McNulty, gives the film good pacing, never dawdling too long over things we already know. We meet Adam (above, right, and below, left) and quickly learn about his "problem," via the clever introduction of the enablers that his schizophrenia has created (two photos down; left to right, Lobo Sebastian, AnnaSophia Robb and Devon Bostick) who help him act out some of his worst instincts.

When Adam allows these three to guide his actions, major trouble ensues, despite the best efforts of his very caring mom (Molly Parker), his maybe not-so-awful-as-we-imagine stepdad (Waylon Goggins) along with his soon-to-be girlfriend (the lovely Ms Russell, shown in photo at bottom).

There is also one of those marvelously empathetic and wise Catholic priests (played quite nicely by Andy Garcia, below, right), the sort that, if there were more of which, all that child molestation might not be forever be in the news, as well as the not-so-sympathetic head (Beth Grant) of the Catholic high school Adam has had to transfer into, who does not make his life quite as pleasant as she might.

All these characters and the events they (and Adam) help create make the film's 111-minute running time pass quickly and entertainingly enough until the film closes with what only can be called a happy and feel-good ending. 

I came away from Words on Bathroom Walls perfectly content to have seen and enjoyed the film. Yet a nagging sense lingered that Schizophrenia itself had been ill-served in the process. Not that those who suffer from it cannot somehow manage some kind of relatively (not normal maybe but) manageable life. And I suspect that Walton's novel and this adaptation are both working toward that purpose. But as served up here, things all work out just a little too easily.

From LD Entertainment and Roadside Attractions, the movie opens theatrically (where allowed; click here to find theaters that might be near you) tomorrow, Friday, August 21. 

Photo credit: Jacob Yacob

New winners from NQV Media, SUR LE DÉPART and THE MALE GAZE: STRIKERS & DEFENDERS

About as "French" a film as you could ever hope for, HERE AND THERE (SUR LE DÉPART) favors that penchant Français for philosophy and chat over action and momentum. But because the conversation and characters are vital and unusual enough, fans of this sort of film should easily get their fill. Beginning with a quintet of musicians -- identified only as Piano, Violin, Clarinet, etc. -- giving an outdoor concert of a lovely modern composition, this not-quite-hour-long movie quickly focuses on two of the five, Piano and Clarinet, 17-year-old friends and lovers who are about to experience major change. Clarinet is off to Paris from their small town of Mont-de-Marson to study at the conservatory, and the film is comprised of short chapters detailing the years and conversations (you really can't call them events) as the two grow and change until they reach the age of 30.

For English-speaking audiences, the film has been re-titled Here and There, rather than the more closely translated On the Go, which is a better title all around, as Clarinet is constantly going back and forth yet never seems to get anywhere. As co-written (with Christophe Pellet) by Michaël Dacheux (shown at left), these conversations explore the ideas and feelings of the two young men in the kind of detail that TrustMovies thinks of as quintessentially French. Granted, it's healthy to explore and determine why you are feeling what you feel, thinking what you think and doing what you do. But -- and here's the humor and irony of this particular situation -- it is also quite possible to overdo this sort of philosophical exploration, right?

Well, you decide, as you view the very good performances by these two handsome and wafer-thin young actors, Adrien Dantou (at right on poster, top) as Clarinet and César Domboy (above) as Piano. Although made back in 2011, this very interesting, quiet little film is only now getting its proper release here in the USA and elsewhere, thanks to NQV Media. You can find out how to view the 54-minute movie by clicking here.

Also new from NQV MEDIA is another of its fine compilations of short GLBT films, this one entitled THE MALE GAZE: STRIKERS & DEFENDERS, which offers the subject of soccer (or football, depending on where you're from) as the organizing theme around which this quartet of short films is based.

Within this sports framework, however, a number of more important themes are explored -- from identity and bullying (both singular and via group) to the ways in which various kinds of male-to-male attraction can be expressed and the sometimes difficult route family members have of accepting one of their own who is gay.

In ISLANDS (Inseln), a boy's vengeance leads to another's expression of love, as a coach and his student exchange quiet words and feelings. Lovely, subtle and beautifully acted, this 20-minute German film is written and directed by Ron Jäger. 

Another coach and his student have an exchange that proves a lot nastier in PLAY IT LIKE A MAN (Un été viril), a 22-minute French film written and directed by Laurent Lunetta. Here questions are raised about raging hormones, sexual attraction and anger, and the answers are very French: tentative but fascinating.

COLOURS is all about the male attitude toward girls, guys and gays, and if coincidence plays a little too large a part in the tale, well, there would be no tale without it. A UK production written and directed by Peter Lee Scott and running 25 minutes, the movie will get your own anger and arousal issues going, while assuaging them only partially.

Gorgeous locations in the mountain county of France and the usual excellent performances that come via NQV films highlight THROUGH THE FIELDS (Passer les champs), the story of two brothers -- the older straight, the younger gay -- and the latter's first sexual experience, even as the former's need to lead his own life comes into conflict with his mother's wishes. In French, running 30 minutes and written and directed by Camille Melvil and Fabien Cavacas, this engaging and rich little movie cries out for full-length treatment.

Once again NQV has come up with a splendid array of GLBT short cinema -- it runs in total 95 minutes -- comprised of absolute quality material, with not a single ringer in the bunch. Click here to watch The Male Gaze: Strikers & Defenders in its entirety.

Visionaries, both the filmmaker and his subject, grace Michael Almereyda's TESLA

 

If you're already a fan, as I am, of filmmaker Michael Almereyda (Hamlet, Happy Here and Now, Marjorie Prime), wild horses couldn't keep you from viewing his latest movie, TESLA, about (no, not the embarrassing car company) old Nikola himself. And if the movie is not Almereyda's best (that defaults to Experimenter, his film about Stanley Milgram), it's certainly up there with his better work. The writer/ director again uses Ethan Hawke as his star (as he earlier did in Hamlet), and the actor comes through with another under-stated (and likely to be under-rated) but utterly specific and believable performance in the role of this visionary inventor.

Almereyda (shown at right) again, as in Experimenter, draws from a multitude of sources, historical to present-day. He even has his narrator, Anne Morgan (John. Pierpont's daughter) offer comparisons between the amount of current Google searches devoted to Tesla, George Westinghouse and Thomas Edison (the latter two also appear as characters in the film). 

Tesla also traces the race for supremacy of either direct or alternating electrical current, while combining history, philosophy, fantasy and even maybe a little wish-fulfillment (Mr. Hawke's lovely rendition, late in the movie and shown in the photo at bottom of this post, of that great song, Everybody Wants to Rule the World) to create a very personal look at this oddball-by-almost-any-standard character. 

And Mr. Hawke (shown on poster, top, and above) beautifully captures the mystery, hesitancy and complexity of this man to an absolute T.  Almereyda does a nice job with period detail, even if much of these are to be found via some very obvious photograph-inserted backdrops (the budget here may be big for an Almereyda project, for not, shall we say, for most studio productions).

Still, the costuming is lovely and on-target (that's Eve Hewson as Anne Morgan, above, right), and the rest of the technical aspects are generally first-rate, as well. And Almereyda's subjective mix of personal, philosophical and occasionally obliquely political is always welcome. (That's Jim Gaffigan, below, right, playing George Westinghouse.)

Interestingly enough, what holds the movie back from achieving full impact is simply that much of what the filmmaker covers here has already been done -- and better -- in a movie from three years ago entitled The Current War (or as we saw it on Blu-ray, The Current War: Director's Cut), which proved to be one of the best films of the past several years. The earlier film portions its time and content toward Edison and Westinghouse, with Tesla in a more supporting role. But the battle between alternating and direct current is made just as momentous and vital. Thanks mostly to the behavior of Harvey Weinstein, this better film nearly disappeared completely from view, but I suggest you seek it out. And then watch Tesla as a kind of complementary and unusual "take" on it all.

From IFC Films and running 102 minutes (The Current War: Director's Cut runs exactly the same length, to the minute!), Tesla opens in select theaters and via digital and cable VOD this coming Friday, August 21. 

Another fashion film hits: Reiner Holzemer's MARTIN MARGIELA IN HIS OWN WORDS

Who? might well be the response of many -- particularly those who do not follow the fashion world religiously -- to the name Martin Margiela. After viewing the new documentary, MARTIN MARGIELA IN HIS OWN WORDS, however, you'll probably more easily remember this unusual guy. His aversion to publicity for himself, especially of his face (no photographs, please!), is something rare in this field. These days, in just about any field. 

Early on in this oddball documentary, written and directed by German filmmaker Reiner Holzemer (shown below), Margiela notes how important for him is a certain kind of anonymity: "I wanted to have my name linked to the product I created, not to the face I have." And so we never see that face during then entire documentary, and one begins to wonder how many other people have actually seen it, ever.

We do see his arms and hands, and a very attractive pair of each he has -- if these are even his own (for all we know he may have insisted on using a body double). We also see a good deal of his fashion concepts. Initially, to TrustMovies at least, these looked like the designer was having us on, maybe in the manner of Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, thumbing his nose at everything and everyone, including the fashion industry and himself.

Yet as the film proceeds, you realize that fashion, as this fellow sees it, is very important. Whatever you think of his work (I found much of it downright ugly, though I also thought that his designs for Hermès were as beautiful, classy and elegant as any I've seen), you will probably come away from this doc with respect for the man and at least some of his ideas. 

The film's title tells us that we're getting Margiela's own words, and to a large extent we do. We also get the usual fashion doc format of talking heads -- journalists, critics and other fashion folk -- who go on and on about the brilliance of the subject at hand. In this case, because what we're told makes a certain amount of sense and is kept within the bounds of appreciation rather than idolization, it tends to register as real. And while comparison is made between Margiela's oeuvre and that of Andy Warhol, I'd call what Margiela gives us one hell of a lot more intelligent, thoughtful and creative than that of the overblown Warhol.

Just as we get no photos of Margiela, we don't get a whole lot of personal info about him, either. A little childhood history is tossed in (the Barbie dolls he played with and dressed), as are the importance of his mother, his admiration for Brigitte Bardot, and his time spent with mentor Jean Paul Gaultier. (How he and his pals got into Gaultier's fashion show makes an especially charming anecdote.)

Buyouts, money, branding and so much else that passes for necessity in our current times seem to have led to what you might think of as Margiela's "fall." Really, though, this is more like simply "moving on." I should think we'll be hearing from the guy again. If he wants us to, that is. (That's one of his specially designed women's shoes, above.)

From Oscilloscope Films and running 95 minutes, Martin Margiela in His Own Words opened in virtual theaters this past week  and is "now playing" all across the country. Click here then scroll down to see the venues from which you can choose.

A fundamentalist cult gets its comeuppance in Daniel Tucker's NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD

The film begins with a sermon, in which the preacher seem awfully certain -- as so many of  them are -- that he knows exactly what god wants. We then meet a hard-drinking, horny reporter covering a "new church in town" called Emeth, which one particularly unpleasant character informs us means truth in Greek.
And, yes, that church -- which has a reputation for burning down the homes of gays and making life miserable for the unmarried-but-cohabiting -- happens to be where our know-it-all preacher preaches.

Easy, if not outright absurd, coincidence abounds in the new mini-budget indie movie, NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD, written and directed by a young man named Daniel Tucker (shown at right), and so do some incredibly awful actions that seem to have no logical consequences at all. "Where the fuck is law enforcement?" may become your instant-then-constant mantra over the course of this film, which lasts a long, winding and very silly 90 minutes.

The fact that a lawbreaking church with a reputation this this dreadful seems to raise no eyebrows save that of our heroine's (the reporter) and our hero's (her soon-to-be boyfriend who's been a part of that church since childhood) sets the suspension-of-disbelief bar so high that few, if any, viewers will bother with an attempt to reach it.


Mr. Tucker and his movie tell us, over and over, things we already know, and his film is chock full of characters who alternate nasty name-calling with bromide offerings. The conception and execution of Nothing But the Blood is so poor that one cannot blame the actors involved, each of whom does what s/he can with the mediocre dialog and silly situations given them.

Chief among these are Rachel Hudson (at left, two photos above) and Jordan O'Neal (just above but barely recognizable through all that titular blood) as the movie's very odd couple, Les Best (below) as the hypocrite preacher, and Nick Triola (at right, two photos above) as the church's second-in-command. Were it not for the would-be timely theme and the heavy-duty violence throughout, TrustMovies can't imagine that this appallingly bad film would ever have found release. Still, here we are in the middle of the worst, most stupid and worthless U.S. Presidency (and its concurrent administration) in our country's history, and at least one-third of America approves. So, hey, why not?

From Gravitas Ventures (but impossible to find on the company's web site), Nothing But the Blood arrived on Blu-ray, DVD and VOD last week and is available for purchase and/or rental right now. Your move.

What's new from Jeremiah Kipp? Three little videos in the midst of our Covid pandemic.

TrustMovies tries to follow the work of (mostly) experimental filmmaker Jeremiah Kipp (shown at right) from time to time and is usually happy to have seen whatever Mr. Kipp is giving us. This is true once again, as the filmmaker produces three new videos designed for our current Covid-19 times. 

It appears that Kipp has not directed this time out, as each of these little videos have been filmed by the participants themselves during the lockdown -- though I would suspect Kipp has given all his casts some tips for fast and fundamental filmmaking.

In any case, the results are very worth watching -- particularly two of the three. Two videos are filmed poetry; one works beautifully, the other not so much. 

The first six-minute outing offers 14 actors -- some very good, a couple not so -- tackling Edgar Allan Poe's The Bells, which turns out to make quite a fine symbol and example of what we're all currently going through. Further, Poe's sonorous, repetitive, often quite beautiful words prove fine fodder for these actors, each of whom brings her or his own special voice and ability to the poem. If you've forgotten about Mr. Poe and his often in-critical-favor-then-out-of-favor work, this will remind you again how lovely and moving -- hell, even timely -- he can be.

The second poem (and three-minute film) is Sonnet XVII by Pablo Neruda, a poet I much admire but whose work -- based on what we see here, at least -- I would rather read on my own. While Poe really lends himself to actors and acting, Neruda, I think, does not, and the result actually breaks up the poetry, along with its meaning and its beauty.

The third and longest (eight minutes) movie is called JUMPER and it's something of a lulu. Written by Susannah Nolan, it describes the time of a birth of a baby and the few days that follow, as the babe's mother, father, relatives and friends all join in to recall this fraught period. A slow-burn horror told and acted exceedingly well by all involved and expertly edited by Jessica Green, Jumper's a strange and memorable little trip.

You can view all three of these films at their Vimeo link (no password required) by clicking on each title below: 

The Bells 

Jumper

Neruda's Sonnet XVII 

Blu-ray debut for Phil Goldstone and Frances Hyland's pre-code trailblazer, THE SIN OF NORA MORAN

You have to try to put yourself back in time close to 90 years in order, I think, to fully appreciate how unusual THE SIN OF NORA MORAN must have seemed to audiences of the time. Everything this odd little movie (it lasts but 65 minutes) does has now been done a thousand times over. But in 1933, the style, cinematography, editing and just about all else (aside from the somewhat soap-opera plotting) was quite new to cinema. As was (and actually still is) the tale's conclusion -- which I'll leave you to learn on your own. In any case, the film is certainly worth viewing, particularly for fans of old/classic cinema and/or its mildly famous star, Zita Johann (below, who also starred in the original Mummy movie from 1932).

The most iconic thing about the movie, actually, is its original poster -- the artwork and lettering of which is shown at top -- designed by the famous Alberto Vargas, creator of those hot-to-trot Vargas Girls for the purpose of getting most of the men aroused and most of the women envious or annoyed. Most ironically, the poster has absolutely nothing to do with the movie at hand. The luscious and ample body of that blond with long, curly hair looks nothing at all like the brunette and petite Ms Johann, or like anyone at all in the film, and there is no scene in this movie that remotely resembles what's shown here. But, hey, that's one red-hot momma whose submissive stance and scantily-clad, feel-me-up body is iconic, all right!

The Sin of Nora Moran tells the tale of a young woman on death row who could but won't defend herself and so is certain to be electrocuted soon. Nora's story is slowly revealed to us via flashback (nothing unusual there) but also by using everything from fantasy and dreams to memories and various film techniques not only not seen so often at this time but used here sometimes near simultaneously so that we are placed more firmly than expected into the fraying mind of our heroine, as well as that of her love interest, a would-be governor played by Paul Cavanagh (below).

The new limited edition Blu-ray transfer is from an excellent 4K restoration from the original 35mm camera negative, and while there is but a single Bonus Feature on the new disc, it's a very interesting one: An appreciation of the film and Ms Johann and her career by producer and film historian Samuel M. Sherman, who was a big fan of both the film and Johann. In fact, he got to know the actress in later years and even used her in a movie he was making at the time. 

You can't quite call this film feminist, as far too many of the usual male attitudes toward women are present here. And if too much sentimentality overpowers the film's message of true morality and doing-the-right-thing-out-of-genuine-love, that message remains worthwhile and one we hear just about never anymore -- where politics, Presidents, or personal relationships are concerned.

From The Film Detective, with the DVD in Dolby Stereo and the Blu-ray in DTS, with an aspect ratio of 1:37 pillar boxed, this is by far the best overall transfer I've yet seen from this particular distributor. Both DVD and Blu-ray hit the street this past July 29 -- for purchase (and I hope somewhere for rental, too).

The glorious Brian Cox brings János Edelényi's THE CARER to pulsating and delightful life

A love letter from Hungarian film to British actors, acting and Shakespeare himself (whoever the hell he actually was), THE CARER is also the second film I've seen in as many weeks to star that great actor Brian Cox in yet another role of a dying old man.

Again, as in The Etruscan Smile, Cox is a treasure, and the movie itself, even as it proves filled with many of the usual dying-senior-citizen tropes, is so specifically designed around Cox and his (along with director and co-writer János Edelényi's) love of acting, in particular the Shakespearean variety, that this movie immediately becomes a gift and a treat for anyone who shares these affections.

Hungarian filmmaker Edelényi (shown at right), along with his co-writers Gilbert Adair and Tom Kinninmont, tells the story of a once hugely popular (if not hugely loved) stage and screen actor Sir Michael Gifford (played by Cox, above and below), now suffering from Parkinson's disease, mostly reclusive, and given to firing one caregiver after another, to the frustration of his daughter (Emilia Fox), his driver-and-ex-dresser (Andor Lukáts), and his nurse and ex-lover (Anna Chancellor). Into this unhappy little hothouse comes a possible new caregiver (played sweetly/feistily by an alliterative newcomer named Coco König), a pretty young woman who brings along her own agenda.

How all these characters bounce around and off each other -- in ways that often go differently than you'll expect -- helps make the movie a lot more enjoyable that it might initially seem. And the acting ensemble, led by Cox, is both ultra-talented and eminently watchable.

Additionally, the script, direction and performances do not play fast and loose with senior years or end-of-life situations, so there is a certain verisimilitude to the proceedings that makes whatever feel-good you take away from the film unsaddled with guilt.

Shakespeare lovers will revel in both how much of the Bard they'll enjoy during the course of the film, and Mr. Cox does such a fine job with it all that you'll wonder why he has not been tapped to play all these roles already.

The Carer is one of those well-made, old-fashioned films that should resonate both with older audiences (for obvious reasons) and younger ones willing to take an interest in what maybe lies ahead. As for the lovely, intelligent and deeply felt speech that Sir Michael makes at the film's conclusion, if you are not already aboard this very special slice of entertainment, this should fully wrap you in its wonders.

From Corinth Films and running a just-right 89 minutes, The Carer hit home video last month -- for purchase and rental. Amazon Prime members can view it now free of charge it as part of their membership.