Trinity,Film Review

Film Review: The Handmaiden In 1930s Korea, a young Korean girl, Sook-Hee, is sent to work as the handmaiden to a Japanese heiress, Lady Hideko, who lives in a secluded mansion with her Uncle Kouzuki. We soon find out that all is not as it seems because Sook-Hee turns out to be a skilled pick pocket aiding a con man, Count Fujiwara, in courting Lady Hideko in order to gain control of her fortune. It also is revealed that the uncle runs a lucrative series of readings and auctions of rare fiction, which he is actually forging. Count Fujiwara intends to wed Lady Hideko and then have her committed to an asylum in order to control her wealth, but when Sook-Hee and lady Hideko become closer, events become more complicated. Chan-wook Park has long been considered a master filmmaker and The Handmaiden is no exception. The story is dense with layers and character, which gets both more intriguing and shocking as the story unfolds. The three lead actors are all fantastic while Tae-ri Kim and Min-hee Kim as Sook-hee and Lady Hideko respectively stand out, especially when in a scene together. And these scenes look amazing due to cinematographer Chung-hoon Chung, who has worked with Park many times before; he photographs The Handmaiden in a manner that is both lush and lurid while maintaining a fantastic sense of classical frame composition. The Handmaiden is a fantastic piece of cinema that is worth seeing theatrically as it was truly crafted for that experience. Chan-wook Park has made many great films and can add this period piece, love story, thriller to the list of future classics. The Handmaiden opens at the Cable Car Cinema on Friday November 18. The Handmaiden (2016); Director: Chan-wook Park; Starring: Tae-ri Kim, Min-hee Kim, and Jung-woo Ha Bleed for This Is a Knock-Out On November 18, Bleed for This will open on 2,500 screens nationwide. In anticipation, Open Road (the distributor) and Verdi Productions (the production company) staged a press screening/RI premiere on November 10. Stars of the film from both sides of the camera were in attendance, including Miles Teller (Vinny Paz); Aaron Eckhart (Paz trainer Kevin Rooney); writer/ director Ben Younger; RI actress Amanda Clayton (Paz’s sister Doreen Pazienza); producers Chad A. Verdi, Joshua Sason, Michele Verdi, Pamela Thur and Bruce Cohen; and the inspiration himself, Vinny Paz. There was a special magic in watching the film in a theater packed with Rhode Islanders. If you’ve been in the state long enough, you’ve either met or heard of the boxer and his legendary career. Certainly, everyone in the theater knew the story and was eager to see it come to life. And the two-hour film inspired numerous laughs, as well as moans and gasps of empathy during the part of the story that focused on Vinny’s accident and early recovery. This film is distinctly Rhode Island. I don’t just mean the accents – which are delightfully authentic – or the fact that everything was shot in RI, often in the actual locations where they happened over 20 years ago. But the spirit of the film shows its Rhode Island nature over and over. In one early scene, a rival boxer trash talks Vinny, threatening to “Beat your pizza-faced, Liberacedressing son back to Boston.” Vinny’s father, Angelo Pazienza, replies, insulted, “We’re from Providence!!” The story, referred to by producers as the greatest comeback in sports history, is touching and inspiring. Younger described his fascination with a character who could say, “I don’t care if I can walk again, if I can’t box,” and that spirit is captured on the screen. The writing is crisp and often witty – a tone reminiscent of Younger’s cult hit Boiler Room. The overall tone is gritty and real. We don’t go into nasty salacious territory, but Paz’s appreciation for strip clubs and gambling is duly represented. Without apologies, it becomes another lovable eccentricity of a larger-than-life character. The cinematography and editing work well together, innovative and effective without taking you out of the movie. But what really stands out are the performances. Every performer rises to the challenge, turning in performances that portray often over-thetop characters without ever seeming unrealistic or cartoonish. Miles Teller turns in a command performance, creating a devil-may-care Vinny Paz whose bombastic nature can also yield to thoughtful and introspective moments. Teller can hold the camera enthralled with a single, intense gaze from within his neck-bracing halo apparatus. Eckhart brings a vulnerability to “ready for pasture” trainer Kevin Rooney, also a dramatic and successful departure from his other work. I was worried that Paz’s story could veer into melodrama. It gets intense, but it never over indulges, often opting for expressive acting over dialog. Both actors manage to completely inhabit their roles without seeming artificial. Teller prepared by listening to countless hours of Vinny interviews on YouTube and imitating the voice and attitude. “He still comes out once in a while,” Teller, who did all his own fight scenes without a double, told Motif. “Vinny is still in there.” When he asked Vinny how he did it – enduring the halo non-stop for months. Teller was told, “Suck it up, twatcakes.” His other advice from Paz: a note before shooting a scene in which Paz is in his underwear. The note said, “Miles, stuff a banana in your undies if you have to make it look bigger. You have to protect my reputation. Seriously. Much love, Paz.” “You are a warrior,” Teller told Paz on stage. “I feel like I could do anything after playing you.” It’s a little grueling watching Vinny begin to recover from his accident, and subsequently wage an internal war between depression, denial and hope. But the film manages to be touching without losing momentum. The medical scenes are particularly effective, producing a mix of wincing fascination. It will be interesting to see what the rest of the country makes of this distinctly Rhode Island story. “Rhode Island is such a character in this movie,” Eckhart acknowledges, “And such a part of Vinny’s life. I don’t think this movie could have been made anywhere else,” said Younger at the post-screening Q & A, “and I don’t know if this story could have happened anywhere else. The RI fans and crowds and the personality of the Rhode Island community really supported Vinny.” Younger visited RI and hung out here while working on the script. When asked what it was like to see his story unfold, Vinny said, “I can’t imagine a better cast or script. These actors did such an amazing job. My only regret is that my ma and pop aren’t around to see it. They would have loved this.” So if you want to relive the ’80s; if you want a solid boxing film; if you want a story about persistence, courage and the bonds formed by boxing; or if you just want to immerse yourself in a retelling of the Vinny Paz story, Bleed for This will deliver. Other articles on this topic: http://motifri.com/paz-mans-latest-comeback/ http://motifri.com/vinnypaz/ http://motifri.com/chadverdiinterview/ http://motifri.com/pjnovii16/ http://motifri.com/christineevangelista/ http://motifri.com/scene-and-heard-chad-verdi-ﬂy-low-soar-high/ The Smart Studios Story Screens at The Greenwich Odeum on November 11 When you delve into music history, you’ll find that a majority of the most important and influential music ever created was only recorded at a few places. Places like Sun Studio in Memphis, Electrical Audio in Chicago, Electric Lady Studios in New York City and FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, are sacred ground. It’s where landmark albums came to be, legendary musicians stepped foot and brilliance shined. Another place was Smart Studios in Madison, Wisconsin, owned by acclaimed producers Butch Vig and Steve Marker who are also part of the alternative rock act Garbage. At the Greenwich Odeum in East Greenwich on Friday, November 11, there will be a screening of the documentary on the recording studio titled The Smart Studios Story. Parts of Nirvana’s masterpiece Nevermind, The Smashing Pumpkins’ debut Gish, The Con by Teagan and Sara, L7’s Bricks Are Heavy and a plethora of spectacular albums were recorded and produced at Smart Studios. It was a place for independent and underground rock acts to get recordings made from the studio’s infancy in the ‘80s right up to its closing in 2010. The documentary, directed by Wendy Schneider, examines the studio’s existence and origin. The film also features interviews with Vig, Marker, Laura Jane Grace from Against Me!, Dave Grohl from Nirvana and the Foo Fighters, Garbage frontwoman Shirley Manson, Jimmy Chamberlin and Billy Corgan from The Smashing Pumpkins and many others. It promises to provide an in-depth look at an historic space located within a building mistaken for being a crack house in the place known as Mad City. After the screening there will be a Q&A with Schneider and it’ll be the only time and place in Rhode Island The Smart Studios Story will be shown. The Odeum is a wonderful venue to see any kind of performance either live on stage or on the big screen. At the time of this writing, it’s not sold out yet,, so grab a ticket and enjoy a bit of music history on Friday.

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