Scene Creek

Review: Fast & Furious 6

Anthony Marcusa — Fri, 24 May 2013 05:00:26 +0000

Synopsis:
Agent Hobbs calls on Dominic Toretto, Brian O’Connor, and their band of misfits to help take down a similar though sinister and less charming group of thieves and carjackers. Property damage, wrecked cars, and explosions ensue. Oh, and O’Connor now has a son, and Han and Gisele really love each other. And Letty is somehow alive. Or is she?

Who’s in It?
Vin Diesel gives his greatest performance since Fast Five, and Dwayne Johnson is simply massive as Agent Hobbs (he must work out). Michelle Rodriguez returns despite dying in a previous installment, and Luke Evans is introduced as an accented evildoer. Paul Walker, Sung Kang, Gal Gadot, Ludacris, and Tyrese Gibson are all in it too, all of whom are pretty much only famous for having been in the Fast and Furious franchise.

Review:
Resist as you might, but it’s inevitable that a grin will cross your face at some point during the sixth installment of the juiced-up, ever-powerful street racing series. Even the hardest, most grumpiest of movie goers can’t help but to roll eyes and let out a laugh at some of the ridiculous, truly unbelievable action-sequences that this Vin Diesel-powered legacy has come to be known for.

Who cares that the stunts defy logic and physics? It doesn’t matter that the speeds of cars seem to change at random, depending on what each character needs to do, for example say jump from a bridge or a car or a plane, from one moving vehicle to another. And who cares that the stunning finale takes places on a runway that seems to be able 10 miles long?

It’s fun. Stupid, ridiculous, almost embarrassing fun. It’s the best kind of bad movie, one that has been honed over the last few installments and now enters some weird sublime-meta-action realm. The characters simply stare, gesticulate, and chatter idly in the same fashion each and every scene, making sure never to do too much or wait too long before running, shooting, or driving. They know their role, and they’re not winking as they go along, but deep down you know they are.

So, what does the sixth movie bring? There are these new hybrid formula one type racers, vehicles utilized by the bad guys to flip cars and create chaos. There are tanks too, and airplanes, and of course sometimes the only way to get from point A to point B is over a bridge. Gina Carano also joins the excitement, playing Hobbs badass assistant, who of course fights a lot.

While that’s entertaining, and loud enough to make you forget about just how insanely stupid the narrative actually is, there is still too much dialogue. Even spending the minimal amount of time as they do describing why they are about to do something so ridiculous is still too much time for the characters to chat; it allows you to realize again how absurd the movie really is (130 minutes is too long!).

There is also a completely superfluous diversion for Paul Walker’s character that pretty much serves to inform the team and the audience that the bad guy is in fact bad and unpredictable. Shocker. Fast Six is utterly predictable and silly, but the pair of lengthy set pieces in the second half serve to numb any memory of the times when it’s slow and boring. Not so much Furious, it’s Fast & Outrageous. And don’t worry, you better believe another is coming.

Should You See It?
Only in a packed theatre or in the company of friends as you make jokes and in unison the predictable lines that come your way.

Memorable Quote:
VROOOOM, VROOOOOM, VROOOOOOM, *explosion*

Interview: Jason Eisene discusses ‘The ABCs of Death’

Anthony Marcusa — Thu, 23 May 2013 17:01:07 +0000

You have to wait through decapitations, deadly flatulence, bugs, clones, and killer toilets, but eventually you will get to Jason Eisener’s insidiously creepy four-minute horror short about revenge.

The ABCs of Death, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2012 and makes it’s way back to Toronto and across Canada at least for one night – Thursday, May 23rd – is a collection of bloody, sinister, quirky, odd, and at times simply insane short films cataloguing death in all its variations. In 26 parts, by 26 directors around the world, the film proceeds alphabetically, and the only guarantee is that each short starts and ends on a red frame, and someone, somehow, will die.
Canadian filmmaker Jason Eisener is in the ‘Y’ position, meaning should you watch it in theatres, you have 24 cases of disturbing and weird deaths to experience beforehand. In at least one case (and probably, many, many more), a man did not make it all the way through.

“Some guy came bursting through the theatre doors looking for a garbage can, puking everywhere,” says Eisener of one screening he attended. “’I’m sorry,’ the guy said, ‘I can’t stick around for your part.’”

What the ill-at-ease gent missed out on, among other things, was Eisener’s 80’s music-infused story, sans dialogue, about a young boy seeking vengeance on a creepy older man. It is uncomfortable and sweaty and gross, and of course, bloody.
“It was, ‘what can we do that is different than everyone else has done,’” says Eisener from his home in Darmouth, Nova Scotia. “By the time you get there, the audience is going to be desensitized, so I wanted to do something to make people react.”
Initially, however, Eisener’s short was slated for the ‘N’ spot, positioned in the heart of the film. He was asked to switch letters, however, to facilitate other filmmakers. The switch though, did not lead to any changes in the film, despite the curious way in which the anthology is viewed, and how one film may inform the others that follow.

“Watching 26 shorts can be tough, so I wanted to do something to get people pumped up,” adds Eisener. “It has this music video vibe; I tried to do something cool, something that can play to all countries.”

Eisener also tells me of a different ‘n’ idea, a hysterical and bloody battle scene, but one that was too lofty to be realized yet, and one that I don’t want to spoil here should it ever come to fruition. All I’ll say for now is that ‘n’ was for nunchuk.
“I’m stoked where we ended up,” says Eisener, proud that his film is among the finale, number 25 of 26. “I thought it was going to be a tough watch, a hard slog, but it goes by fast, and it’s so much fun.”

His definition of ‘fun’ might be different than some, but the greatness and the curse of The ABCs of Death is that each short is a different vision. They will alternatively elicit shrieks, boredom, discomfort, laughter, and horror. Some hit, and some don’t.

Win double passes to a 3D screening of WORLD WAR Z in Toronto and Montreal!

Scene Creek — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:35:30 +0000

If you live in Toronto or Montreal you can win 1 of 10 double passes to see a screening of WORLD WAR Z courtesy of Paramount Pictures!

TORONTO
Monday, June 17th, 2013
Show Time: 7:00PM
Scotiabank

MONTREAL
Monday, June 17th, 2013
Show Time: 7:00PM
Scotiabank

To enter is simple. Fill out the form below and submit your info!

Bonus entries if you share this contest on Twitter or Facebook with a @SceneCreek mention!

Winners will be chosen at random and will be notified via e-mail. Contest deadline is June 11th at 12:00am. This contest is open to Canadian residents only. Good luck!

Synopsis:
Based on Max Brook’s novel of the same title, World War Z takes place during the beginning of an outbreak. United Nations employee Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt) is running out of time as he travels the world to stop a zombie pandemic.

Fighting to keep his family safe while navigating a brave new world, Lane must face up against the horrors of a zombie attack as well as the realities of living in a post-apocalyptic realm.

In Theatres: June 21st
Distributed by: Paramount Pictures

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Win passes to see an advance screening of THIS IS THE END in select cities!

Scene Creek — Wed, 22 May 2013 01:15:40 +0000

If you live in Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary or Vancouver you can win movie passes to see an advance screening of THIS IS THE END courtesy of Sony Pictures!

TORONTO
Monday, June 3rd, 2013
Show Time: 7:00 PM
Silvercity Yorkdale Cinemas

CALGARY
Monday, June 3rd, 2013
Show Time: 7:00 PM
Sunridge Spectrum Cinemas

EDMONTON
Thursday, June 6th, 2013
Show Time: 7:00 PM
Scotiabank West Mall

VANCOUVER
Monday, June 3rd, 2013
Show Time: 7:00 PM
Silvercity Metropolis

To enter is simple. LIKE OUR PAGE ON FACEBOOK then fill out the form below and submit your info!

Bonus entries if you share this contest on Twitter or Facebook with a @SceneCreek mention!

Winners will be chosen at random and will be notified via e-mail. Contest deadline is May 26th at 12:00am. This contest is open to Canadian residents only. Good luck!

Synopsis:
The comedy This Is The End follows six friends trapped in a house after a series of strange and catastrophic events devastate Los Angeles. As the world unravels outside, dwindling supplies and cabin fever threaten to tear apart the friendships inside. Eventually, they are forced to leave the house, facing their fate and the true meaning of friendship and redemption.

In Theatres: June 12th
Distributed by: Sony Pictures

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Win run-of-engagement passes to see MUD in theatres!

Scene Creek — Wed, 22 May 2013 01:05:07 +0000

If you live in Canada you can win run-of-engagement passes to see MUD in theatres courtesy of eOne Films!

To enter is simple. Fill out the form below and submit your info!

Bonus entries if you share this contest on Twitter or Facebook with a @SceneCreek mention!

Winners will be chosen at random and will be notified via e-mail. Contest deadline is May 26th at 12:00am. This contest is open to Canadian residents only. Good luck!

Synopsis:
Mud is an adventure about two boys, Ellis and his friend Neckbone, who find a man named Mud hiding out on an island in the Mississippi. Mud describes fantastic scenarios-he killed a man in Texas and vengeful bounty hunters are coming to get him. He says he is planning to meet and escape with the love of his life, Juniper, who is waiting for him in town. Skeptical but intrigued, Ellis and Neckbone agree to help him. It isn’t long until Mud’s visions come true and their small town is besieged by a beautiful girl with a line of bounty hunters in tow.

Now Playing!
Distributed by: eOne Films

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Win a NOW YOU SEE ME prize pack!

Scene Creek — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:38:55 +0000

If you live in Canada you can win a NOW YOU SEE ME prize pack courtesy of eOne Films! Prize pack includes a NOW YOU SEE ME T-Shirt and a special mug that changes when you pour hot water in it.

To enter is simple. Fill out the form below and submit your info!

Bonus entries if you share this contest on Twitter or Facebook with a @SceneCreek mention!

Winners will be chosen at random and will be notified via e-mail. Contest deadline is May 30th at 12:00am. This contest is open to Canadian residents only. Good luck!

Synopsis:
Starring an amazing cast including Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco, Michael Cain and Morgan Freeman, NOW YOU SEE ME pits an elite FBI squad in a game of cat and mouse against “The Four Horsemen”, a super-team of the world’s greatest illusionists. “The Four Horsemane” pull off a series of daring heists against corrupt business leaders during their performances, showering the stolen profits on their audiences while staying one step ahead of the law.

In Theatres: May 31st
Distributed by: eOne Films

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Win a double pass to an advance screening of THE ABCS OF DEATH in Toronto and Vancouver!

Scene Creek — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:14:56 +0000

If you live in Toronto or Vancouver you can win double passes to see an advance screening of THE ABCS OF DEATH playing as part of Cineplex’s Sinister Cinema series!

TORONTO
Thursday, May 23rd, 2013
Show Time: 9:30PM
Yonge and Dundas

VANCOUVER
Thursday, May 23rd, 2013
Show Time: 9:30PM
International Village

To enter is simple. Fill out the form below and submit your info!

Sorry. This form is no longer available.

Bonus entries if you share this contest on Twitter or Facebook with a @SceneCreek mention!

Winners will be chosen at random and will be notified via e-mail. Contest deadline is May 22nd at 11:59pm. This contest is open to Canadian residents only. Good luck!

Synopsis:
The ABC’s of Death is perhaps the most ambitious anthology film ever conceived, with productions spanning 15 countries and featuring segments directed by over two dozen of the world’s leading talents in contemporary genre film. Inspired by children’s educational books, the motion picture is comprised of 26 individual chapters; each helmed by a different director assigned a letter of the alphabet. The directors were then given free rein in choosing a word to create a story involving death. Provocative, shocking, funny and ultimately confrontational, The ABC’s of Death is the definitive vision of modern horror diversity.

Review: Mud

Anthony Marcusa — Fri, 17 May 2013 06:33:06 +0000

Synopsis:
A pair of boys crosses paths with a strange man hiding away on a small island down the river from their rural Arkansas town. A curious bond forms, and the kids agree to help the man known as Mud reunite with the girl he loves, while evading those who are looking for him.

Who’s in It?
Matthew McConaughey is superb (and eventually shirtless) as the titular enigmatic Mud. Youngsters Tye Sheridan and Jacob Lofland are both wonderful and authentic as best friends Ellis and Neckbone respectively. Reese Witherspoon is on point, while Michael Shannon is brilliant and hysterical each and every time he makes one of his few appearances as Neck’s odd uncle.

Review:
Writer and Director Jeff Nichols completes his Arkansas trilogy of sorts, which began with Shotgun Stories in 2007, continued with Take Shelter in 2011, and now concludes with Mud. They are not connected by way of characters or plot, but they are set against an atmospheric and almost eerie backdrop that is rural Arkansas. Born in Little Rock, Nichols here creates a character in the setting, as a river unites unlikely peoples, and there are distinct differences between those who live on its shores, and those who reside in town.

What’s more, Nichols presents us with Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer type characters in Ellis and Neckbone, savvy young explorers with proud, charming, and fragile. They are adventurers, imaginative yet sharp, naïve yet proud. They discover a wrecked boat on a small island, but they are not alone. There they meet the mysterious Mud, a grizzled and famished man who treats the boys as adults, and seeks their assistance.

Ellis is especially intrigued. He is more the leader of the two friends, more curious and thus more often getting in the way of harm. Ellis is also more in need of an escape. His parents fight, he struggles to talk to both of them, and his riverside home may be taken away. He too though is idealistic, and hopeful, and despite his quick mouth, quicker right hook, and tough exterior, he is still a boy.

His fascination grows with Mud, even as he slowly learns details of a past that may or may not be true. The film isn’t a mystery by any means, but from the viewpoint of Ellis, we’re not sure what can be trusted. Nichols puts us in the mind of the child, a boy looking for a stronger father figure (there’s a lot of that going on), and one who is given conflicting ideas on everything around him. He is told Mud is a criminal, but he sees him to be friendly and wise. Mud says he has a girlfriend, but this woman doesn’t appear to hold the same feelings. Ellis’s parents say they love him and each other, but why do they fight? A girl from school holds his hand, but are they dating?

These confusions blur the line between boyhood innocence and idealism with the harsher realities of adulthood. The drama that unfolds around Ellis, Neck, and Mud, while a bit extreme towards the finale, is all a means to explore the spirit of bright-eyed youth. It is beautiful, charming, masterful piece of cinema that immerses you in a world likely unfamiliar. Even though some moments may be a bit too convenient, your heart will race, melt, swell, and open up to these fascinating, real life characters.

Nichols triumphs, McConaughey is brilliant, evocative, and the two young leads rope you in immediately and carry you through this tense, emotional journey.

Should You See It?
Absolutely, post haste.

Memorable Quote:
“This way of life ain’t long for this world.”

Win passes to an advance screening of NOW YOU SEE ME across Canada!

Scene Creek — Fri, 17 May 2013 05:53:41 +0000

If you live in Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Ottawa, Vancouver or Winnipeg you can win movie passes to see an advance screening of NOW YOU SEE ME courtesy of eOne Films! A special red carpet screening will be taking place in Toronto with Jesse Eisenberg in attendance!

TORONTO
Wednesday, May 29th, 2013
Show Time: 7:00 PM
Scotiabank Theatre

*Jesse Eisenberg in attendance

CALGARY
Thursday, May 30th, 2013
Show Time: 7:30PM
Scotiabank Theatre

EDMONTON
Thursday, May 30th, 2013
Show Time: 7:00PM
Scotiabank Theatre

HALIFAX
Thursday, May 30th, 2013
Show Time: 7:00PM
Bayers Lake

OTTAWA
Thursday, May 30th, 2013
Show Time: 7:00PM
Cineplex Coliseum

VANCOUVER
Thursday, May 30th, 2013
Show Time: 7:00PM
Scotiabank

WINNIPEG
Thursday, May 30th, 2013
Show Time: 7:00PM
Empire Grant Park

To enter is simple. Fill out the form below and submit your info!

Bonus entries if you share this contest on Twitter or Facebook with a @SceneCreek mention!

Winners will be chosen at random and will be notified via e-mail. Contest deadline is May 25th at 12:00pm. This contest is open to Canadian residents only. Good luck!

In Theatres: May 31st
Distributed by: eOne Films

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Review: Iceman

Anthony Marcusa — Fri, 17 May 2013 03:33:59 +0000

Synopsis:
Based on a true story, Ariel Vromen (yes, that Ariel Vromen) presents his vision of the life (and death?) of Richard Kuklinski, an infamous assassin whose cold interior was matched only by the love he had for his family – three women from whom he tried to keep his murderous side secret.

Who’s in It?
Michael Shannon is brilliant as the titular Polish hitman, while Chris Evans later makes an appearance as an equally deranged psychotic named Mr. Freezy (for reasons that will become very apparent). Winona Ryder plays Shannon’s innocent wife, while Ray Liotta, wait for it, is a man involved with the mob. By the way, is that David Schwimmer and James Franco!?

Review:
It shouldn’t be at all surprising that a film titled The Iceman is dark and cold, but what isn’t necessarily a given is that it is done well. Vromen creates an uncertain and eerie atmosphere for the audience to explore, but it’s Shannon who keeps you rapt and scared as this crime drama progresses.

He inhabits the notorious killer, a man who initially seems to attract unwanted attention simply by his bad attitude and piercing stare. It really does seem he either can attack you at any moment, or is just thinking about doing so but then quickly realizes it’s not worth it. A moment as such is part of our first startling introduction to the man.

The reason Shannon triumphs, and ultimately carries the movie that at times feels too cold and lifeless, is that he shows another side that is more or less a polar opposite (let’s see how long we can keep this ‘ice’ theme going). What makes Kuklinski a compelling character is (was) his love for his family – a wife and two daughters – to whom he lied to protect and provide. You see the warmth in Shannon’s eyes towards his wife, from their first awkward and endearing date, through to struggles with marriage and raising children.

Evans’ character, a more outgoing sociopath, offers an interesting dynamic as well, but for the most part, the film proceeds along hitting all the standard points. Kuklinski reluctantly kills, he becomes talented, he gets cocky, he acts out, he risks everything, and then, well, you know the rest. It’s a journey that takes place over the 1960’s and 70’s in New Jersey (not so much cold as dank), so the pacing is hard to uphold, and the finale is less outrageous than a bit deflating.

Vromen does a fine job directing, but The Iceman sets itself apart from its acting, even if everyone is on a slightly different page. Evans is loud, erratic, Liotta is his typical funny, hysterical self, while Franco and Schwimmer, although making brief appearances, are funny but not only because it’s Franco and Schwimmer. All the while Shannon is captivating, haunting, and imposing screen presence with whom to reckon.

Should You See It?
Eventually, but no need to rush for the big screen.

Memorable Quote:
“I feel alone when I’m around other people.”