Christine.

Grim actuality.

I left the CAIM today again for the first time in probably a week. Terrified though I may have been, I needed to stock up on resources. I didn’t see anyone, but every piece of dirt that moved made my skin crawl. I’ve always battled with anxiety, but this time it is actually warranted. I could run into a group of people at any time. Toronto is after all one of the largest urban centres on the continent. You may wonder why I continue to fight to live considering all that has happened. After my wife passed away, I was certain that my life was over. I was actively looking to die. But when my life was actually threatened again, the urge to live kicked in, and I knew that I wasn’t ready to go. My work here at the CAIM has become much too important to give up now. I knew people that did choose their own way out. Instead of facing the horrors of life, instead of risking getting the disease, they simply wanted out. Humans are strong, but sometimes that’s not enough. The film that I watched tonight deals with mental illness, in a very realistic fashion. Those who do not deal well with the topic of mental health should steer well clear of this film.

Christine tells the true story of a news reporter in the 1970’s who struggled with depression. The story of Christine Chubbuck is well documented, but I will avoid going into spoilers as best I can. The film follows her journey at a local television news network, as the local interest reporter. She is immediately recognizable for her serious demeanour, antisocial behaviour and passion for her work. This is her story through and through, with other characters interjected only to further our understanding of her life and reasoning for her actions. She is a character that drives others away constantly, but through strong writing and an incredible performance from Rebecca Hall, we come to not only empathize with Christine, but also understand her actions.

This entire review could be turned into a character study, for this is someone that hasn’t been explored properly in film before. She is distinct, with character traits that set her apart from the many film protagonists seen today, and it only furthers our interest to know that this is a completely true story. I originally saw this film at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2016, and even though I knew the story, I found myself drawn into this tale, not expecting what was to come.

Christine is like any of us. She has a stable job, she has people that support her, and yet, she struggles to find intimacy or the success that she desires. The need for perfection consumes her, which she pours into her work. We are thrown into the deep end of her story, not going from the beginning of her career, but instead right into her deepest fears. The film is paced slowly, allowing us to get to know every aspect of her life. Whether it is supporting her mother on her meager salary, her obsession with her coworker, or her serious problem with accepting help from others, there is depth to this character that is rarely seen in other movies. I would not consider this an ensemble piece despite there being plenty of talent surrounding Rebecca Hall, including one of my favourites, Michael C. Hall. This is one woman’s story, the others just come in and out of the piece when needed.

The lead performance from Rebecca Hall is truly transformative. I found it impossible to recall her work in other films until I actually went and looked it up, because she completely changed the way that she spoke, with very distinct, careful diction. She takes us through the many challenges she faces, showing the slow unravelling of her character, but never descending into overemotional territory. This is also to the credit of the writer, Craig Shilowich, who gave her time to transition through the different periods in her career and points of mental being. Shilowich uses Christine’s time teaching the kids at the hospital to tell us Christine’s inner thoughts, where at other times he leaves it up to Hall to get them across with her actions.

This is not a piece that uses invisible direction. 2015’s Best Picture winner, Spotlight, was an incredible film, one which used simple camera work to allow the performances and story to take centre stage. Here, the director has opted for a much more hands-on approach, using the camera to tell us the story along with the work of the characters on screen. I actually prefer this approach to filmmaking, but here it works both in its favour and against it. Some of the shots, such as filming Christine while the interest of the scene is taking place elsewhere is expressive, giving us even more moments with her to understand just what she is thinking. While others, such as using an incredibly shallow depth of field transitioning between characters was distracting and didn’t seem to serve a purpose other than to add style. Antonio Campos did a great job overall working with his actors and creating a visually interesting film, but I was taken aback by some of his choices to the point of being pushed out of the moment. This may not be as distracting to others however.

So who would this film appeal to? This is a deep character portrait, one with a brilliant performance from its lead actress. It delves into her mental illness, leaving us breathless in the final act. The film earns its ending, something that can’t be said for a lot of films. That may seem like an odd comment to be making about a film based on a true story, but a lot of screenwriters would have struggled to make us emotionally invested enough to care beyond pure shock value. This film should be seen by anyone that enjoys a strong drama, but should be warned that it is a slow film, though one that is very powerful if the time is invested. I would not recommend it to anyone that has triggers related to depression. This is a very hard watch. If you can handle living in someone else’s life for two hours, one which deals with very dark themes, then this would be something that you should definitely watch. Christine is an excellent piece of filmmaking, one which could have been a much different movie in lesser hands, but here it is a strong work that teaches us something. Reality is more terrifying than fiction.

4 out of 5 stars.

CB

The Handmaiden.

Desire.

The Handmaiden is the latest in director Park Chan-wook’s long line of intensely unique films. His work can be recognized for its extreme violence, shocking twists and unhinged characters, and this film only furthers those elements. I remember seeing the film back at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2016 and hearing the director speak. He joked that this was his most longest and most dialogue heavy film. Those elements allowed him to play with his characters like never before, and amazingly never feeling like they are weighing the film down. Though there are many similarities to his other films, this also happens to be his funniest, creating an interesting blend of humour and unpredictability.

The Handmaiden takes place in 1930’s Korea and tells the story of a common street thief who has been employed by a scam artist to work as his latest target’s handmaiden. The film follows her struggles to carry out the plan that her boss laid for her, please her new mistress as she pretends to be a practiced handmaiden, and fight the feelings that she develops during her work. To say anything more would ruin the many turns that the film smartly lays out.

Thematically, this is a very interesting film. Everything revolves around the idea of desire. Whether that be the desire of riches, flesh or freedom, every character has different, and very clear intentions. The film plays out in a three act structure, but to play with the audiences expectations and to fully develop the perceptions we have of the characters, the first act runs for the majority of the screen time. This allows us, the audience, to come to understand, or at least seem to understand, the many wants of the characters presented to us. It is to the credit of Park Chan-wook and his fellow screenwriter Chung Seo-Kyung, that all of the little details that come to be relevant later in the film are recognizable, interesting and yet never obvious enough to draw our attention away from the main plot. By the end of the film, we have a complete understanding of what has taken place, despite the many diverging stories, the betrayals and deceit. Of course, for several minutes during the more challenging moments, we may be left stranded in an ocean of questions, but when all is revealed, we feel as though we have been given all of the pieces and only then put them together. There is not a singular reveal at the end that is impossible to see coming. The ending is earned, and if you pay close enough attention, you may even put it together before it reaches its conclusion.

The content of the film is very mature. There are large portions of the film dedicated to very stimulating sex scenes, some of which will make even the most experienced filmgoer blush. The violence is not toned down here either, despite the humorous nature of the film. What is shown is vivid, with excellent sound design creating properly cringe inducing moments. This is the first time that I can remember laughing out loud during Chan-wook’s films. They have often been funny in an ironic sense, or filled with dynamic characters that make one chuckle, but the dialogue in The Handmaiden takes a very funny, hard look at gender, society and violence itself. The lead character, Sook-Hee is especially interesting, as she develops over the film, we grow to care for her. Her portrayal by Kim Tae-ri is superb, showing a deep understanding of what makes her character tick, but also bold enough to tackle the very graphic moments in the film. The cast as a whole do a fantastic job bringing us into their world.

This film won’t be for everyone. It is very long, coming in at nearly two and a half hours. The majority of the film is purely dialogue, only occasionally dipping into thriller territory. What is there though will certainly carry you through the next portion of the film until the next stimulating jolt of electricity. The long first act will put off many, but if you can make it through the world building, you will be rewarded by a last hour that doesn’t let up. This isn’t for the feint of heart. Those who are squeamish should not approach this film, but if you enjoyed Oldboy then this will certainly be up your alley. It also won’t be for those who like to shut their brains off during a film. This is one that you need to actively be paying attention to, whether it is for the subtitles in both Japanese and Korean, or for the subtle character moments, it requires your full attention.

This is a unique film, one that I’m sure to watch again one day just to notice the many things I missed upon my first viewing. If you enjoy mysteries, thrillers or foreign comedies, this should be near the top of your list. This is certainly one of Park Chan-wook’s best.

4 out of 5 stars.

CB

The Stanford Prison Experiment.

Unchecked power.

I saw someone. At least, I think I did. It’s not often that I leave CAIM anymore, but now I’m not sure staying here is such a great idea. I mean, the goal is to one day have someone find this place and enjoy the luxuries that I have, but I’m not sure I’m ready for that just yet. I’ve been here for about two months and it is just starting to feel like home. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t terrified. I just saw the first person I’ve seen in more than four months. I don’t know if they saw me, but what if they followed me here? I’ve been meaning to set up security measures, but I’ve been so busy gathering supplies, going through the records, and frankly, taking time to relax that I haven’t gotten around to it. I’ve put a lock on the doors, but that’s as far as I’ve gotten. All it would take would be a pair of bolt cutters or a vehicle and they could be in here no problem.

I am lonely. There is no denying it. I would love for a companion, but since losing my wife, I can’t trust anyone. She was my everything. If this person I saw was just a single soul like me, I guess things wouldn’t be too bad, but most likely, they are part of a travelling group, and that’s when things get messy. You see, the world was thrown into chaos when the virus struck. Governments were toppled, families were divided and religions were abandoned. That didn’t last long though. Groups emerged with their own leaders. At first it seemed like these were to help those who had survived, but with unchecked power comes brutality. These weren’t elected officials, they were men and women who were taking advantage of the situation to grab influence and become the new authority. The stories that I heard in those early days when I was still in contact with others made my stomach churn. Leaders gone mad, killing those who uttered a word against them. New religious groups killing for their gods. Or in the case of those that I encountered, men driven to the edge, turning to their desires and feeding off of the flesh of other men.

I truly do hope to meet another person someday, but that day is not today. I’m not ready to put myself in the hands of someone else. Until order is restored by the will of the people, where we are held accountable for our actions, there will be no peace.

The Stanford Prison Experiment is a dramatic retelling of the 1971 experiment that took place at Stanford University. The experiment took 24 male students, divided them into guards and prisoners, and planned to watch their behaviour over the course of 14 days. Many will know the experiment, as it is a well documented piece of psychological history, one that has been recreated multiple times, but to watch it unfold before your eyes is an entirely different experience. This is a difficult piece to watch, but for all the right reasons.

At the centre of the story, you have the head professor, Dr. Philip Zimbardo, as played by Billy Crudup, a man who is so passionate about his work that he allows the results to become more important than the experiment itself. However, it is the cast of prisoners and guards that brings this film to life. Assembling some of the best young talents in Hollywood today, the film features the work of Ezra Miller, Tye Sheridan, Johnny Simmons, Ki Hong Lee, Thomas Mann, and many others, all of whom are used to great effect. I would go as far as to say that several of the actors turn in their best performances to date. The acting is uniformly superb. The dynamic between the guards and the prisoners is tense, bordering on unbearable. In particular, Ezra Miller as the rebellious Prisoner 8612, and the guard known as “John Wayne” portrayed by Michael Angarano, played off of each other to create scenes that were downright sadistic. Miller has a vulnerability that few other actors possess, causing us to feel his pain in every moment.

The film runs about two hours, meaning that there is plenty of time to explore each character that is presented to us. They are broken down, both literally and figuratively. Even the guards, who bully the prisoners physically and mentally are shown to be just boys who have been given every opportunity to become their worst selves. Right from the opening moments, this is an intense film. It opens with the interviews of the students who wish to be a part of the experiment. The tight editing provides few moments to let your mind wander, and the sparse score only highlights the already uneasy moments. This could have been a dull slog, or a preachy film condemning the actions of researchers, but smart choices with script keep it from veering into melodramatic territory. While it certainly doesn’t praise the actions of the researchers or the guards, the filmmakers allow us to come to our own conclusions, asking as many questions as possible about the experiment, its participants and the results. The writing is first-rate, taking actual moments from the experiment and replicating them onscreen, so as to keep the dialogue and actions as genuine as possible. The tension is always building. By the end of the first day it is hard to believe that it can get much worse, but by day five you genuinely wish that things would return to that time. My one major criticism of the film is that because the characters are so relatable, and they are always being tortured in one way or another, the film feels impossibly long. I could never take my eyes away from the screen, nor do I think many could, but it is exhausting. There are no moments of levity, leaving us with only drama, never allowing us as the audience to breathe. This is not a film that I plan to watch again, as it takes an emotional stamina that I’m not sure I have. It is an in depth look at the psyche of these characters, one that won’t leave me soon, but I’m not sure that I could bring myself to go through it again.

Before I leave off this review, it is also important to mention the talent behind the camera. Kyle Patrick Alvarez created a very physical experience, causing intense claustrophobic feelings for myself. At all times, the camera is capturing the emotions of the characters, the pain, the anguish. The script is tight, but without a director who could work with the actors to create such intense situations with believable performances, the film would be nothing. This is an excellent film, one which will have me thinking for a long time to come. If you enjoy a good drama, this should be near the top of your list. This is an important subject, one that should never be forgotten. It shows how deep we can go as humans. In such a short span of time, even though the participants knew they were all being watched, it is shocking to see what they resorted to.

Worst of all, it shows that even the best of us can become monsters if our power goes unchecked.

4.5 out of 5 stars.

CB