Jason Ritter

Film Review: Opportunity For Insight Wasted in ‘The East’

BrianTT — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 14:40:13 -0400

Rating: 2.5/5.0

CHICAGO – Brit Marling is an undeniably smart, forward-thinking writer/actress in that she refuses to succumb to gender stereotypes and tries to chart her own way through the independent film movement. If this is true, and I still believe it is, why did “The East,” in which she stars and which she co-wrote, end up so frustratingly melodramatic? Why was the opportunity for true commentary or even character development within this fascinating world discarded in favor of an awkwardly-staged and poorly-written love story laden with genre tropes? I so wanted to like “The East,” but it never pointed me in the direction where I could do so.

It’s a world rich for dramatic potential – the domestic terrorists who challenge big business through action and the people who try to think one step ahead of them to keep their companies thriving. It’s quite easy to believe that a mega-company like Monsanto, for example, not only has people willing to attack it in very physical protestation but that it hires a company to make sure those people don’t get past the planning stage.

Read Brian Tallerico’s full review of “The East” in our reviews section.

One person who works for such a company is Sarah (Marling), who is the underling for the somewhat-cartoonishly-evil Sharon (Patricia Clarkson), a woman who seems to enjoy her role as the keeper of the machine of Capitalism. She goes undercover in The East, a notorious group of protestors so deep underground that they’re spoken about in hushed tones and that one needs to essentially be kidnapped to speak to them. They’ve staged not just standard protests but crimes against major corporations in an attempt to shine lights on the way they’re damaging the economy, society, etc. Run by the charismatic Benji (Alexander Skarsgard) and headstrong Izzy (Ellen Page), they are a communal mini-society with a purpose.

As with most groups, even the most well-intentioned, there are cracks in the fabric of The East. Izzy sometimes wants to take things too far, willing to do anything for her cause. And when Benji and Sarah start getting flirtatious, it feels like it has the potential to tear the entire group down. Will Sarah become sympathetic to the cause of The East? Will she turn them in before they do real damage, including possibly getting someone killed? Will she fall in love with Benji?

Continue reading for Brian Tallerico’s full “The East” review.

“The East” stars Brit Marling, Alexander Skarsgard, Ellen Page, Toby Kebbell, Shiloh Fernandez, Aldis Hodge, Patricia Clarkson, Jason Ritter, and Julia Ormond. It was written by Marling & Zal Batmanglij and directed by Batmanglij. It opens in Chicago on June 7, 2013.

The East
Photo credit: Fox Searchlight

DVD Review: ‘The Perfect Family’ Takes Tender Look at Modern-Day Catholics

mattmovieman — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 10:00:11 -0400

CHICAGO – The opening moments of Anne Renton’s feature debut, “The Perfect Family,” paint a typically cheery portrait of suburbia, complete with a sign displaying the generic tagline, “An Enjoyable Town.” It’s the sort of neighborhood audiences have seen countless times before in indies aiming to depict the “dark side” of small town America, a la “Blue Velvet.”

When uptight Catholic server, Eileen (Kathleen Turner), accidentally spills a handful of communion wafers and secretly shoves them in her mouth with the exquisite clumsiness of Lucille Ball at the chocolate factory, I was fully prepared for this film to devolve into a caustic slice of familial dysfunction along the lines of “Another Happy Day,” populated with shrill stereotypes and Puritanical basket cases. “The Perfect Family” could’ve easily been that movie, but it isn’t. In fact, it’s a much more tender and thoughtful picture than one would expect.

DVD Rating: 3.0/5.0

With her gloriously raspy voice and killer deadpan timing, Turner is her generation’s answer to Tallulah Bankhead. Her skills as a comedian have been undervalued of late, a fact that I was reminded of throughout Renton’s film. Yet aside from a few pointedly funny lines, the film struck me as more of a warmhearted drama than a laugh-out-loud comedy. As a devout servant of God, Eileen has freely accepted the church’s moral doctrine without question. When she’s nominated for the rather absurd title of “Catholic Woman of the Year,” the model housewife struggles with the question of how to portray her family before the judgmental eyes of her righteous flock. Eileen’s husband, Frank (Michael McGrady) is a former alcoholic, a status that she’s determined to never let him forget. Her son, Frank Jr. (Jason Ritter), has escaped his crumbling marriage by delving into an affair with a local manicurist, while her daughter, Shannon (Emily Deschanel), has recently outed herself as a lesbian. Apparently everyone else in Shannon’s life was already aware of this fact, but the young woman couldn’t bring herself to inform her god-fearing mother of her sexuality. Shannon’s reluctance is understandable, but it’s admittedly unfair of her to give Eileen little time to digest this news mere days days before her wedding. It’s details like these that make Eileen’s predicament more relatable and sympathetic than it might’ve been otherwise.

The Perfect Family was released on DVD on June 26, 2012.
Photo credit: Virgil Films

The film’s plot is in the classic tradition of sitcom formulas, but the script by Paula Goldberg and Claire V. Riley doesn’t aim for easy punchlines. Instead of demonizing Catholicism, the film represents the church as a refreshing mixture of stern prudes and more progressive thinkers, such as a twinkly eyed monsignor played by Dr. Kildare himself, Richard Chamberlain. When the rigidity of church guidelines conflicts with one’s inherent humanity, the film argues that places of worship can indeed evolve with the times. Eileen represents a particular segment of the church population that instinctively avoids change for fear of getting singed with hellfire. This instinct results in well-meaning people of faith ceasing to think for themselves. The best exchange in the entire film emerges during a pivotal confrontation, as Eileen desperately attempts to tell Shannon that her lifestyle is sinful.

Shannon: “Who says?”

Eileen: “The Pope!”

Shannon: “What do you think?”

Eileen: “I don’t have to think! I’m a Catholic!”

Some viewers will undoubtedly interpret this line as a swipe against the church, but I took it as a satirical portrayal of certain churchgoers’ tendencies to favor ignorance over advancement. Eileen is not a monster nor is she a fanatic. She’s a natural-born caregiver so concerned with “doing the right thing” that she’s forgotten that the definition of “right” lies first and foremost within the human heart. The script nails Eileen’s specific worldview in many small and delightful nuances, such as when she spots Shannon attending a soccer game after a near miscarriage and shouts, “You shouldn’t be playing baseball!” Though the film isn’t as funny or insightful as one might’ve hoped, it presents an unconventional portrait of a modern Catholic family that is most welcome in light of America’s current cultural divisiveness. It may not be a flawless picture, but it does end on the perfect note.

“The Perfect Family” is presented in its 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio and accompanied by no subtitles (which, frankly, should be required on every disc). Extras include a photo gallery and a spare commentary track with Renton and Turner. The actress says she was attracted to the project because of the humanity of the script, the largely female crew and the chance to work with her former crush (Chamberlain). It goes without saying that Turner chose wisely. This is her most satisfying screen role since 1994’s “Serial Mom.”

‘The Perfect Family’ is released by Virgil Films and stars Kathleen Turner, Emily Deschanel, Jason Ritter, Michael McGrady, Elizabeth Peña and Richard Chamberlain. It was written by Claire V. Riley and Paula Goldberg and directed by Anne Renton. It was released on June 26, 2012. It is rated PG-13.

By MATT FAGERHOLM
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
matt@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Round-Up: ‘Wallander,’ ‘Metalocalypse,’ ‘Maniac,’ ‘The Dry Land’

BrianTT — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 12:18:55 -0400

CHICAGO – What on Earth do metal rock stars, a British detective, a 30-year-old slasher flick, and a movie starring a kid from “That ’70s Show” have in common? Nothing but release dates that shuffle them into the world-famous Round-Up, our feature that captures synopsis, cast & crew, tech details, and special features for discerning buyers. Pick your favorite.

“Wallander: Faceless Killers, The Man Who Smiled, and The Fifth Woman” was released on Blu-ray on October 19th, 2010.

“Maniac” was released on Blu-ray on October 26th, 2010.

“The Dry Land” and “Metalocalypse: Season Three” will be released on Blu-ray on November 9th, 2010.

“Maniac”

Photo credit: Blue Underground

Synopsis: “Frank Zito (a career performance by co-writer/co-executive producer Joe Spinell of Rocky and The Godfather fame) is a deeply disturbed man, haunted by the traumas of unspeakable childhood abuse. And when these horrific memories begin to scream inside his mind, Frank prowls the seedy streets of New York City to stalk and slaughter innocent young women. Now Frank has begun a relationship with a beautiful photographer (Caroline Munro of The Spy Who Loved Me), yet his vile compulsions remain. These are the atrocities of a human monster. This is the story of a Maniac.

Directed by William Lustig (Maniac Cop, Vigilante) and featuring landmark gore effects by Tom Savini (Dawn Of The Dead, Friday The 13th), this relentlessly shocking and disturbing film was originally censored all over the world due to its graphic violence. Blue Underground is now proud to present Maniac in a new 2K High Definition transfer from the original uncut and uncensored negative, loaded with hours of brand new extras! ”

“Maniac” stars Joe Spinell and Caroline Munro. It was written by C.A. Rosenberg and Joe Spinell and directed by William Lustig. It is not rated and runs 88 minutes. The film is presented in widescreen with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio and accompanied by an English 7.1 DTS-HD Audio track.

Special Features:
o Audio Commentary #1 with Co-Producer/Director William Lustig and Co-Producer Andrew W. Garroni
o Audio Commentary #2 with Co-Producer/Director William Lustig, Special Make-Up Effects Artist Tom Savini, Editor Lorenzo Marinelli, and Joe Spinell’s Assistant Luke Walter
o “Anna and the Killer” — Interview With Caroline Munro
o “The Death Dealer” — Interview With Make-Up Artist Tom Savini
o “Dark Notes” — Interview With Composer Jay Chattaway
o “Maniac Man” — Interview With Songwriters Michael Sembello And Dennis Matkosky
o Theatrical Trailers
o TV Spots
o Radio Spots
o “Mr. Robbie: Maniac 2” Promo Reel
o “The Joe Spinell Story”
o Maniac Publicity
o Maniac Controversy

“Wallander”

Photo credit: BBC Home Video

Synopsis: “In these three new feature length episodes the idyllic tranquility of Ystad in Southern Sweden is shattered by violence and murder. In Faceless Killers an elderly couple are attacked at an isolated farmhouse and the town witnesses an outbreak of racist violence. Wallander is contracted by an old acquaintance who is suspicious about his father’s death invThe Man Who Smiled. An elderly birdwatcher falls to his death in a meticulously planned and brutal murder in The Fifth Woman.”

“Wallander” stars Kenneth Branagh. It is not rated and runs 270 minutes. The film is presented in widescreen with a 16x9 aspect ratio and accompanied by an English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track.

Special Features:
o “Wallander Country”
o “Being Kurt Wallander”

“Metalocalypse: Season Three”

Photo credit: WB/Adult Swim

Synopsis: “Season 3 of Metalocalypse picks up directly after the violent attack on Mordhaus leaving the band in a precarious position without management. How will the biggest entertainment act in the universe deal with the BRUTALITY of a troubled music industry, declining economy, and their own unbridled narcissism? How will the band deal with getting too big and losing touch with their roots? By joining their own tribute band?”

“Metalocalypse” features voice work by Mark Hamill, Brendon Small, Tommy Blacha, and Victor Brandt. It was created by Small and Blacha. It is not rated and runs 214 minutes. The show is presented in widescreen with a 2.40:1 aspect ratio and is accompanied by an English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 audio track.

Special Features:
o Extremely Extended Scene of Nathan Explosion reading Othello
o Dethklok Tour Music Videos
o 2 Music Videos — I Tamper With the Evidence, The Gears
o Facebones Background Art Tour
o Skwisgaar and Nathan Ordering at the Drivethru
o Mordhaus Renovation Extended Scene
o Extended Ikea Shopping Scene
o Klokateer Recruitment Videos
o Murderface Calls an Escort
o Nathan Explosion Reading Othello
o Pickles Drunk at the Amusement Park
o Extended Scene of Toki in Charge of Snacks
o Two Swedish Dads Extended Scene

“The Dry Land”

Photo credit: Maya Entertainment

Synopsis: “A U.S. soldier (Ryan O’Nan) home from a traumatic tour of duty struggles to fall back into rhythm with the world he left in Texas. Suffering from severe memory loss, James, the troubled soldier, leaves a loving wife (America Ferrera), mother (Melissa Leo) and best friend (Jason Ritter) for a cross-country road trip with an Army buddy (Wilmer Valderrama). Together with another friend (Diego Klatenhoff), James is able to add up the missing pieces. The resurfaced memories prove too much for James, triggering a violent and emotional breakdown that threatens the home life he is fighting to rebuild.”

“The Dry Land” stars Ryan O’Nan, America Ferrera, Wilmer Valderrama, Jason Ritter, and Melissa Leo. It was written and directed by Ryan Piers Williams. “The Dry Land” is presented in widescreen with a Dolby English 5.1 audio track. It is rated R and runs 92 minutes.

Special Features:
o Commentary with Ryan Piers Williams and America Ferrera
o Theatrical Trailer
o Resources For Care

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

TV Review: NBC’s ‘The Event’ Lives Up to Mysterious Title

BrianTT — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 17:07:54 -0400

CHICAGO – Don’t tune in to the premiere of NBC’s “The Event” expecting answers to that oppressively-advertised question of what the title refers to, although the producers have made clear that it won’t be long before we know. Like a lot of sci-fi show premieres, the first episode of what NBC hopes will be a replacement for “Heroes” on Monday nights begins with more questions than answers.

Television Rating: 4.0/5.0

In fact, the majority of the pilot of “The Event” comes from the “WTF” school of storytelling in that you rarely have any idea what’s going on or why but you’re interested enough to not only stay tuned but instantly set your DVR for next week. The primary test for any pilot is whether or not it finishes in a way that makes you want to tune in for the second episode. It’s hard to believe anyone who watches the ridiculous climax of episode one won’t tune in to episode two to see where the chaos goes from here.

(l-r) Taylor Cole as Vicky Roberts, Zeljko Ivanek as Blake Sterling, Blair Underwood as Elias Martinez, Jason Ritter as Sean Walker, Sarah Roemer as Leila Buchanan, Laura Innes as Sophia McGuire, Ian Anthony Dale as Simon Lee
Photo credit: Patrick Ecclesine/NBC

The narrative structure of “The Event” involves enough chronological twists and turns that it can be difficult for the viewer to know “when” something is happening as opposed to what the hell is going on. In fact, the majority of the primary action of the pilot takes place in a short window of time with a series of flashbacks explaining just how we got there. I can’t imagine the entirety of the series will have such a crosscutting style but it’s effective for the first episode. While I generally feel that tricks with chronology are a crutch for weak writers, it has something of a mesmerizing effect in “The Event,” as each flashback allows a different angle on the action of the show.

Blair Underwood as President Elias Martinez, Lisa Vidal as Christina Martinez, Sayeed Shahidi as David Martinez
Photo credit: Justin Lubin/NBC

Jason Ritter stars as Sean Walker, a young man seemingly caught up in one of the most impressive international conspiracies in history. He’s on a lovely trip with his girlfriend (Sarah Roemer of “Disturbia”), one in which he plans to propose to her, when she completely disappears. There’s no record her having joined him on the trip at all and poor Sean seems caught in a Polanski-esque nightmare. She has simply vanished off the face of the Earth.

Flashbacks to Sean’s really bad trip are intercut with what looks like his attempt to hijack a plane in present day. As what appears to be a government agent (Ian Anthony) races to stop the plane from taking off, we also meet the newly-elected President (Blair Underwood), the leader (Laura Innes) of a mysterious group of detainees, and even Sean’s future father-in-law (Scott Patterson), who appears to have closer ties to the action than anyone first suspects.

Recapping the plot of “The Event” might give some the impression that I have a clear idea of what the hell is going on. The rapid-fire premiere is designed to leave viewers even more confused than when it begins. If you are easily frustrated with shows like “Lost” or “Heroes,” ones in which the narrative is purposefully muddled, than “The Event” is not for you. And there’s no denying that the program has echoes of “FlashForward,” “Threshold,” “Invasion,” or any number of other programs that began with intriguing questions that were unsatisfactorily answered.

Jason Ritter as Sean Walker
Photo credit: Patrick Ecclesine/NBC

What distinguishes “The Event” from other “Lost”-esque failures and why should we hold out hope that this will be the new high-concept hit? First, Ritter has a charismatic everyman quality that so many of these programs have been missing. We need someone to be our eyes through the chaos and the young actor seems up to the challenge. It also helps to have notable TV veterans in the ensemble including Innes (“ER”), Zeljko Ivanek (Emmy winner for “Damages”), Patterson (“Gilmore Girls”), and the ageless Underwood. Behind-the-scenes veterans of shows like “24,” “Friday Night Lights,” and “The 4400” add a sheen to the production values of the show that shouldn’t be understated.

The veteran-level quality of the cast and crew is essential in that there’s a confidence of storytelling required for a piece like “The Event” to be successful. We don’t want to feel like we’re being set up with questions that the creators of the show have yet to even answer, but TV viewers are willing to be led through the maze as long as we think there’s a way out. The presence of talent like Innes, Underwood, and Ivanek gives the viewer a confidence they might not otherwise have with all-new faces.

Will “The Event” be the next “Lost”? Competition in its time slot seems far-too-intense with “Monday Night Football,” “Lone Star,” and “Two and a Half Men” siphoning DVR space and NBC has struggled on the first night of the work week for some time now. It seems hard to believe that “The Event” will break out between the eternally-struggling “Chuck” and the mediocre “Chase.” It’s a shame but the one reason I might suggest that you NOT watch “The Event” is that it may not be on the air long enough for the fascinating questions set up by its accomplished pilot to be answered. Let’s hope that’s not the case. There are very few quality programs making their debut this week. “The Event” is one of the best.

‘The Event,’ which airs on NBC, stars Jason Ritter, Sarah Roemer, Laura Innes, Ian Anthony, Scott Patterson, Clifton Collins Jr., Zeljko Ivanek, and Blair Underwood. It premieres on Monday, September 20th, 2010 at 8PM CST.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

TV News: Demand a Sneak Screening of NBC’s ‘The Event’ Premiere in Your Hometown

HollywoodChicago.com — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 11:19:21 -0400

CHICAGO – “The Event,” which is one of the fall’s most highly anticipated TV shows, last week was named HollywoodChicago.com’s most promising new TV show of fall 2010 beating nine other worthy rivals.

Footage from the show was presented at last month’s Comic-Con in San Diego. People can now log onto http://www.eventful.com/theevent to demand a sneak screening of the premiere episode of “The Event” in your hometown! You can also do so by watching and clicking on the widget below.

In “The Event,” Laura Innes plays Sophia Gavras, Ian Anthony Dale is Simon Lee, Jason Ritter is Sean Walker, Bill Smitrovich is Winston Jarvis, Blair Underwood is President Martinez, Lisa Vidal is Christina Martinez and Zeljko Ivanek is Blake Sterling.

Image credit: NBC

“The Event” is an emotional, high-octane conspiracy thriller that follows Sean Walker (Jason Ritter, “The Class”). He’s an everyman who investigates the mysterious disappearance of his fiancée, Leila (Sarah Roemer, “Disturbia”), and unwittingly begins to expose the biggest cover-up in U.S. history.

Sean’s quest will send ripples through the lives of an eclectic band of strangers including newly elected U.S. President Martinez (Blair Underwood, “Dirty Sexy Money”); Sophia (Emmy Award nominee Laura Innes, “ER”), who is the leader of a mysterious group of detainees; and Sean’s shadowy father-in-law (Scott Patterson, “Gilmore Girls”). Their futures are on a collision course in a global conspiracy that could ultimately change the fate of mankind.

Ian Anthony Dale (“Daybreak”) and Emmy winner Željko Ivanek (“Damages”) also star in the ensemble drama. “The Event” is a production of Universal Media Studios and Steve Stark Productions. Stark (“Medium,” “Facing Kate”) serves as executive producer, Nick Wauters (“The 4400,” “Eureka”) is the creator and co-executive producer and Jeffrey Reiner (“Friday Night Lights,” “Trauma”) is the director and executive producer.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief/Publisher
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com