Venice Film Festival: Equals (2015) – United States

Reviewed by: Andrew Chan

Directed by: Drake Doremus
Produced by: Michael Pruss, Chip Diggins, Ann Ruark, Michael Schaefer, Ridley Scott, Jay Stern
Written by: Nathan Parker
Cinematography: John Guleserian
Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Kristen Stewart, Guy Pearce, Jacki Weaver

Reviewed at the 72nd Venice International Film Festival

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“Equals” is a film that comes with a lot of reference to other great films or novels of our era, namely “Brave New World”, “Blade Runner”, “1984”, “Gattaca” and the list goes on. However, as the saying goes, “one man utopia is another dystopia” and while the film is certainly well meaning, director Drake Doremus lacks a script that makes the story convincing or containing characters interesting enough for us not to fall asleep during the proceedings. We can labour through the films tougher and stale moments, but by the end of it, we are given no indication where the film is trying to head or say. Yes, we understand that human emotions or interactions are being control and “thou shall not love”, but the point of the film remains murky and the core is non-existent.

Kristen Stewart have been trying hard to shed off her “Twilight” epidemic with decent turns in “Finding Alice” and “On the Road” and here she challenges herself in a role that requires her to conform as a robot where her inferno of emotions as an outcast is waiting to be unfolded. Stewart does well with the limited material she been given to play with and manages to have adequate chemistry with heartthrob Nicholas Hoult. Hoult on the other hand lack the right level of charisma to headline the film. There are plenty of moments where the audience are simply questioning where the character or film is heading. Australian actor Guy Pierce is almost diluted into the background.

All in all, “Equals”, produced by Ridley Scott, tries hard to say something about future society, the human condition and the frightening reality that will eventually come to us. However, it lacks execution, conviction and any sort of empathy for the audience to link and feel for any of the happenings. It is almost an insult to say the least that this film is deemed worthy to be premiered at Venice and while the intentions of director Doremus is honest and well meaning; “Equal” is neither entertaining, informative nor watchable. Venice, Scott and Doremus have seen much better days.
(Reviewed at 72nd Venice International Film Festival 2015, September)

Not Recommended film by HK Neo Reviews.

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Venice Film Festival: Spotlight (2015) – United States

Reviewed by: Andrew Chan

Directed by: Tom McCarthy
Produced by: Steve Golin, Michael Sugar, Nicole Rocklin, Blye Faust
Written by: Josh Singer, Tom McCarthy
Cinematography: Masanobu Takayanagi
Starring: Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber

Reviewed at the 72nd Venice International Film Festival

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“Spotlight” is an intriguing, gritty and controversial film about the cover-ups of the Catholic institution in child abuse and harassment by priests. What is wonderful about this film is that it stays true to its one principle to pursue the truth in investigative journalism and showing the hardship, difficulties, and the odds that journalists face throughout this journey. Director Tom McCarthy have managed to weave a magic and life onto a story that is likely to offend half of the religious western world, but instead the audience are mixed in an inferno of sadness and out crying emotions for in search of justice for these often neglected and helpless children. The victims in this case are startlingly real as it could well be the person next to you, your own child or even yourself. One of the best lines in the film comes in the form of Mark Ruffalo, who used to think that he will one day go back to church, not because it was good for him, but for the sake of hanging on to some sort of hope in this world. He simply breaks down when he realise how this false sense of hope, no longer exists and the reality of the church is almost unimaginable.

Michael Keaton gives one of his best display in recent years as the head of “Spotlight” department at Boston Globe. His steady head, restrain and mixed emotions on this case juxtapose perfectly with the rash, real, emotions outpouring of Mark Ruffalo. Ruffalo is given the most juicy role and the scene where he simply let it all out, is one of a masterpiece and sensationally done. Liev Schreiber plays the new Jewish boss of the paper and as they say sometimes, it takes someone from the outside to see things differently. Rachel McAdams is wonderful as usual in her persistent for the truth.

All in all, “Spotlight” simply works because it doesn’t try to show too much apart from the reality and facts. The film focus on the difficulty of the task on hand and the characters being thrown into the situation, in turn allowing “Spotlight” to strike a neat cord with the audience. We feel for the children, the victims and indeed this is something far bigger than the church itself. It is about the basic respect between humanity, the breach of trust for something in authority and power, which goes back to the cliché; “with greater power lies greater responsibility.” It is a sad reality that this can happen in the modern world and the fact that it is not just a few bad apples within a grand scale of things, but rather an institutional matter of concern. Debuting at Venice, this is a brave and controversial film for the country of the Roman Catholic. However, as far as the Oscar radar is concern, this is another one to look out for.
(Reviewed at 72nd Venice International Film Festival 2015, September)

Recommended film and endorsed by HK Neo Reviews.

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