Recent Reviews

Shrink
Dir: Jonas Pate
Shrink is laden with modern day LA stereotypes: the troubled therapist, the teenager wiser than her years, the hyperactive agent. But as they’ve all got their problems, they’re somewhat endearing — or is it just a case of schadenfreude? The performances are good, especially Kevin Spacey, Keke Palmer, and Dallas Roberts as, respectively, the three characters above, along with Saffron Burrows as a troubled actress and Mark Webber as a troubled screenwriter (sensing a theme here?). Which is why, though the film drags at times and I’m rather tired of these stories where everyone Learns and Grows, it was nonetheless enjoyable to watch. Bonus: Gore Vidal in a cameo!

A French Gigolo
Dir: Josiane Balasko
This is the kind of film that would never be made in America. Then again, it almost didn’t get made in France; apparently writer/director Josiane Balasko tried to get a film deal only to be told the story was too shocking (for the French?). So she wrote a novel, it became a success, then she managed to score a film deal. Whew. The story: Judith is 50-(Nathalie Baye) is 50-something, has a good job in TV, and foregoes relationships in favor of studs-for-hire. Gigolo Marco (Eric Caravaca), plies his trade for purely economic reasons, though it still barely manages to cover expenses. There’s absolutely no sense of shame or regret involved; for both parties, it’s a purely practical decision. Complications arise when server and client develop a stronger attachment than they expected (it’s not exactly “falling in love”), coupled with the strain Marco deals with having to conceal his side profession from his wife. It’s a very adult film, well acted, though I found the male characters somewhat one dimensional.

Chef’s Special
Dir: Nacho G. Velilla
This comedy centers around a manic gay chef, Maxi (Javier Camara), whose life is thrown into sudden disarray, by the unexpected arrival of his children, and a hunky football player next door. Funny and fast-paced, but very much on the light side, and the frenzied action is sometimes just this short of grating.

The Cove
Dir: Louie Psihoyos
This documentary cracks the secret of a cove in Taiji, Japan; the “lucky” dolphins captured there get sent off to prison (SeaWorld), the rest are horribly butchered. Naturally, this view is off limits to the public, so the documentary team infiltrates the site to capture some truly shocking footage. One could say the dolphins have the last laugh, in that the dolphin meat then sold to the public contains toxic levels of mercury — a fact the Japanese government lies about. Adding a poignant twist to the proceedings is the involvement of Richard O’Barry, who once captured and trained dolphins for the TV show Flipper, and is now a fulltime dolphin activist. This film opens in August in Seattle; the director says he doesn’t want to just tell a story, he wants to start a movement, and you can bet this film will kick up quite a reaction.

Pop Star On Ice
Dir: David Barba, James Pellerito
This is an in-depth look at champion ice skater Johnny Weir, who delights the media with his provocative statements. But he has yet to live up to his full potential; he made it to the 2006 Winter Olympics, for example, but came in a disappointing fifth. The filmmakers had remarkable access to their subject, and it also offers a good insight into the world of competitive figure skating. Weir comes off as a bit of a spoiled brat, frankly, but by the end he seems to have decided to dedicate himself more seriously to his chosen sport. Whether that’s a lasting change remains to be seen.