Tag Archives: movie review

Maybe Baby: “Broker” delivers a quirky story and food for thought

December 29, 2022 | by Sammi Leigh Melville

Photo courtesy of NEON.

It all begins with a baby box, a pregnant prostitute, two men who sell babies on the black market, and two detectives trying to make an arrest.

The baby box depicted in Hirokazu Kore-eda’s “Broker” is not an uncommon phenomenon. Many hospitals and churches long have provided a place to leave an unwanted baby to ensure that they will be cared for, also known as a baby bin or baby hatch—and the idea is spreading like wildfire across the world.

In South Korea alone, baby boxes receive hundreds of drop-offs per year. For Kore-eda, the extent that mothers use the baby box in South Korea was enough for him to make the film in a language he didn’t even speak (“Broker” is his second non-Japanese language film, the first being the French film, “The Truth”).

The plot sounds like it would be a thriller. So-young (Ji-eun Lee) drops her baby off at the baby box with a note that says she will come back for him, while Detective Lee (Lee Joo-young) and Soo-jin (Bae Doona) stake out their new, unwitting bait nearby. Sang-hyeon (Song Kang-ho) and Dong-soo (Dong-won Gang), who work at the church where the baby box is located, collect the new baby and decide to sell him—to find him a home with actual parents instead of waiting it out in an overcrowded orphanage.

Dong-soo grew up in such an orphanage waiting for his mother to return, so he has no sympathy for So-young’s situation. But, the next day, So-young returns. She wants to split the profit 50/50 from the sale of her baby, and the men admit that having the mother there will make the sale easier. And so they begin their journey, trying to get a buyer for So-young’s baby, with detectives hot on their trail.

It all sounds a bit heartless. But, as we watch the events unfold and we get to know the characters, we find the complete opposite to be true. Sang-hyeon and Dong-soo’s goal (or at least main goal) is not to make a profit—their goal is to give the child a better life. While individual characters have their opinions ready to attack So-young’s choices, the nature of the story is extremely empathetic, and the brokers slowly transform into a bizarre little family of misfits. Kore-eda is no stranger to this kind of story. Several of his previous features (“Shoplifters,” “Like Father, Like Son”) are all about misfit families and the importance of family.

U.S. audiences might view the film at a bit of an angle, as the conversation here has definitely shifted the focus towards abortion as of late, rather than baby abandonment. But the film still has a universal purpose—it aims to combat the prejudice that society has against mothers. It is not a conversation about what the mother does, but why, and how the mother is not the only factor contributing to a baby’s wellbeing. For So-young, abandonment is the best choice she can think of to help her son. If it takes a village to raise a child, but the village is failing to step up, what should be done?

If there is one thing that Kore-eda should never cease to get credit for, it is that he makes his audiences think. While the film does toe the line of a fairy tale ending, attempting to give its characters a hopeful future instead of the more probable, grittier outlook, the journey makes up for the destination in this circumstance. The film is beautiful, with a strong cast and powerful storytelling.

Don’t miss your chance to see “Broker” at Midtown Cinema this January.

Midtown Cinema is located at 250 Reily St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.midtowncinema.com.

January Events At Midtown Cinema

First Run film opening

“Corsage”
Friday, Jan. 6

FraserFest presents

“George of the Jungle” (1997)

Friday, Jan. 6, 9:30 p.m.

“Encino Man” (1992)

Sunday, Jan. 8, 7:30 p.m.

National Theatre Live presents
“Jack Absolute Flies Again”

Sunday, Jan. 8, 5 p.m.

First Run film opening
“Broker” (South Korea)
Friday, Jan. 13

Down in Front! riffs on

“Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985)

Friday, Jan. 13, 9:30 p.m.

3rd in the Burg Movie Night

“The Mummy” (1999)
Friday, Jan. 20, 9:30 p.m.

National Theatre Live presents

“Book of Dust”

Sunday, Jan. 22/23, 5 p.m.

If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

Standing His Ground: “The Inspection” adds a modern twist to the military boot camp story

November 30, 2022 | by Sammi Leigh Melville

Image courtesy of A24.

We’ve seen military dramas aplenty, but there’s never been a film like this—and a film based on a true story, to boot.

Writer/director Elegance Bratton tells a powerful story with his debut fictional feature, “The Inspection,” based on his own experience of queer Black masculinity. It’s a boot camp story, one in which a young man tries to take hold of his future and win back his family, with harrowing consequences.

Ellis French (played by Jeremy Pope) was thrown out of his home when he was 16 by his homophobic mother Inez (Gabrielle Union). After nearly a decade of homelessness, French is determined to break the cycle and give himself opportunities—and maybe also to get back on his mother’s good side. He chooses to do this by joining the Marines. Little does he know that boot camp is fraught with even more discrimination, hate and fear.

At first, French tries to mimic the behavior of his fellow recruits. He even tells everyone his phone call home is to “his girl,” in a “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” attempt to lay low. But quite quickly, his fellow recruits find him out, and French becomes the target of cruel and, often, dangerous hazing. And he’s not the only one targeted for being themselves. Fellow recruit Ismail (Eman Esfandi) is targeted for being Muslim.

Unit commander Laws (Bokeem Woodbine) is the main driver of discrimination. While some of the recruits push each other around and try to put others down to lift themselves up, this abuse, coming from a commander, is downright terrifying—more than you would expect at even a military boot camp. On the other end of the scale, drill Sgt. Rosales (Raúl Castillo) works to build the recruits up, focusing particularly on French. Strangely enough, both officers claim that their actions are to fine-tune the recruits to be the best Marines they can be.

The added layers of discrimination make it even more difficult to watch the usual abuse seen in boot camp stories, but the character arcs do start coming around. We slowly watch the team of recruits start to look out for each other and become a team.

Pope gives a spectacular, nuanced performance, as do Woodbine and Castillo. Each character leaps past the boundaries of two-dimensional stereotypes. And Union’s performance is a sight to behold. She does a stunning job of portraying a character with too much to hold onto but so little ground to stand on. And Bratton’s autobiographical touch to the film makes the story that much more vibrant, making “The Inspection” stand out not only from the films of its genre, but from any film across the board.

Don’t miss “The Inspection,” playing at Midtown Cinema this December.

Midtown Cinema is located at 250 Reily St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.midtowncinema.com.

December Events At Midtown Cinema

Saturday Morning Cartoons
Saturday, Dec. 3 at 10 a.m.

National Theatre Live presents

“Much Ado About Nothing”

Sunday, Dec. 4 at 5 p.m.

Down in Front! riffs on

“Santa Claus Conquers the Martians” (1964)

Friday, Dec. 9 at 9:30 p.m.

3rd in the Burg Movie Night presents

“National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” (1989)

Friday, Dec. 16 at 9:30 p.m.

Special Holiday Screenings

“Home Alone” (1990)

Saturday, Dec. 17 at 1 p.m. & 9 p.m.

“White Christmas” (1954)
Sunday, Dec. 18 at 6 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 21, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 23 at 7:30 p.m.

“Elf” (2003)

Sunday, Dec. 18 at 6 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 22 at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 24 at 7:30 p.m.

If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

A Light on the Past: “Aftersun” glows with the beauty of memory

October 31, 2022 | by Sammi Leigh Melville

Photo courtesy of A24

“When you were 11, what did you think you would be doing now?”

This is the question that 11-year-old Sophie asks her father in the opening of “Aftersun,” Charlotte Wells’ devastatingly beautiful depiction of a father-daughter holiday. The pause from Sophie’s father after she poses the question speaks volumes about the story that follows.

The film weaves together memories that Sophie (Frankie Corio) has of the event—relaxing at the resort, playing pool, going on day tours—with camcorder footage of the trip, viewed by Sophie as an adult (Celia Rowlson-Hall).

Sophie doesn’t normally get the chance to hang out with her father Calum (Paul Mescal) in such long stretches of time as this, and he takes full advantage of their time together, trying to fill in the gaps of fatherhood that he’s missed. He wants to teach her things; he wants her to be good at things; he wants to make sure she can protect herself; and he wants her to have fun. Or at least, what he considers to be fun.

The relationship is heartbreaking and complex. It is clear that they are a loving pair, but the desires that Calum has for his daughter are idealistic and nearing perfectionist—a glimpse, perhaps, of what he wanted for himself and was never able to achieve. But while most fathers want the best for their daughters, Calum might be taking it a tad too far. It is clear that his ideals for Sophie are selfish and not remotely based on what she wants herself.

The two characters play a dance that many parent/child pairs know well. And the fact that we are able to see the camcorder footage alongside Sophie’s memory is brilliant, putting the complexity of the relationship on full display. Both Corio and Mescal have a subtle magic to their performance, and “Aftersun” is worth the watch for their onscreen chemistry. Don’t miss this poignant piece, playing at Midtown Cinema in November.

Midtown Cinema is located at 250 Reily St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.midtowncinema.com.

November Events At Midtown Cinema

Saturday Morning Cartoons
Saturday, Nov. 5 at 10 a.m.

National Theatre Live
“Prima Facie”
Sunday, Nov. 6 at 5 p.m.

King Fest
“Carrie” (1976)
Wednesday, Nov. 9 at 7:19 p.m.

Down in Front! Presents
“Maximum Overdrive”
Friday, Nov. 11 at 9:30 p.m.

National Theatre Live
“Jack Absolute Flies Again”
Sunday, Nov. 13 at 5 p.m.

“Twilight” Saga Marathon
Sunday, Nov. 13

King Fest
“Misery” (1990)
Wednesday, Nov. 16 at 7:19 p.m.

3rd in the Burg Movie Night Presents
“Weird Science” (1985)
Friday, Nov. 18 at 9:30 p.m.

Double Feature with Greg Sestero
“Miracle Valley” and “The Room”
Sunday, Nov. 20 at 5 p.m.

National Theatre Live
“Straight Line Crazy”
Sunday, Nov. 20 at 5 p.m.

King Fest
“Stand By Me” (1986)
Sunday, Nov. 20 at 7:19 p.m.

“The Room”
With Greg Sestero
Monday, Nov. 21 at 7:30 p.m.

King Fest
“The Shining” (1980)
Wednesday, Nov. 30 at 7:19 p.m.

If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

Art Imitates Life: Current events make “Call Jane” especially relevant

September 29, 2022 | by Sammi Leigh Melville

Photo by Wilson Webb. Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.

Phyllis Nagy’s “Call Jane” is fatefully relevant, and almost painfully so. Not because the film is bad… but more because the timing is either terrible or brilliant, and I can’t decide which.

Joy (Elizabeth Banks) is having another baby. She and her husband, Will (Chris Messina), and teenage daughter, Charlotte (Grace Edwards), couldn’t be happier about this, although Joy’s dizzy spells seem to be a distant concern—until she faints and they discover the problem is much more serious. The doctor tells her that her pregnancy is affecting her health, and she has a 50% chance of surviving labor. The best solution to this problem, he says, is to not be pregnant. But, unfortunately, the board at the hospital will not let her have an emergency abortion.

So, Joy decides to take matters into her own hands. She tries to convince doctors to help her, and even the receptionist suggests taking a tumble down some stairs. But, finally, Joy discovers a flier on the street that says, “Pregnant? Anxious? Get help! Call Jane.” And she does.

And so we are introduced to the Jane Collective, the real-life organization that existed from 1969 to 1973, until Roe v. Wade made their services unnecessary. Jane is an underground organization of women who help others get abortions. And Joy’s journey throughout the film is a rough estimate of what the actual Jane Collective did. The story is fascinating, and there are already countless films about it—documentary and dramatized. So what makes “Call Jane” stand out? It certainly has more big names, with Elizabeth Banks and Sigourney Weaver heading the bill. But a star-studded cast isn’t the driving factor, somehow, in a film like this.

There aren’t too many twists and turns in the story of the Jane Collective. The women manage to do exactly what they set out to do. But here’s the strange thing about this film: since its premiere at Sundance in January, the context has completely changed. In the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, one has to wonder what the cinematic experience would have been like without the resulting dread of this development as context.

Honestly, it probably would have faded into the background more than it does now. The end of the film almost feels too on the nose, with everyone clapping for a victory made, but then how else would a film about the Jane Collective end? With today’s context, however, the ending feels much more emotional, with a sad twist of irony. And that was just the complexity a film like this needed.

“Call Jane” is worth the watch, and maybe it will do some good in putting our own times into context. The film will play this October at Midtown Cinema.

Midtown Cinema is located at 250 Reily St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.midtowncinema.com.

October Events At Midtown Cinema

Saturday Morning Cartoons
Saturday, Oct. 1, 10 a.m.

Down in Front Presents
“A Night to Dismember”
Friday, Oct. 14, 9:30 p.m.(ish)

National Theatre Live
“Frankenstein”
Sunday, Oct. 16, 5 p.m.

3rd in the Burg Movie Night
“Hocus Pocus” (1993)
Friday, Oct. 21, 9:30 p.m.

Vidjam of Horror
Sunday, Oct. 23

Moviate Presents
Sunday, Oct. 30

Special Halloween Screenings

“A Nightmare on Elm Street” (1984)
Friday, Oct. 7, 9:30 p.m.

“Friday the 13th” (1980)
Saturday, Oct. 8, 9:30 p.m.

“Halloween” (1979)
Sunday, Oct. 9, 7:30 p.m.

“Psycho”
Saturday, Oct. 15, 1 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

“Evil Dead” Triple Feature
Sunday, Oct. 16

“The Evil Dead,” 3 p.m.
“Evil Dead II,” 5:15 p.m.
“Army of Darkness,” 7:30 p.m.

“Hocus Pocus” (1993)
Saturday, Oct. 22, 11 a.m.

“A Nightmare on Elm Street” (1984)
Saturday, Oct. 22, 9:30 p.m.

“Halloween” (1979)
Sunday, Oct. 23, 7:30 p.m.

“Friday the 13th” (1980)
Friday, Oct. 28, 9:30 p.m.

“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” (1975)
Saturday, Oct. 29, 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.

“Scream” Marathon
All five “Scream” films
Sunday, Oct. 30, beginning at 12 p.m.

“A Nightmare on Elm Street” (1984)
Monday, Oct. 31, 7 p.m.

“Friday the 13th” (1980)
Monday, Oct. 31, 7:15 p.m.

“Halloween” (1979)
Monday, Oct. 31, 7:30 p.m.

If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

Musical Mind: A new film explores the character, the work of musician Courtney Barnett

July 29, 2022 | by Sammi Leigh Melville

Courtney Barnett. Image Courtesy of Oscilloscope.

It’s hard to put a finger on what exactly makes Australian musician Courtney Barnett so compelling.

She has effortlessly stormed the alternative rock scene with powerful lyrics and tunes, but there’s also a quiet kind of power stemming from her personal life and her incredible willingness to reach into the depths of emotion and human connection.

In director Danny Cohen’s “The Anonymous Club,” following Barnett’s “Tell Me How You Really Feel” tour and beyond, we begin to see this side of Barnett.

Her music dives deep into such topics as depression and anxiety, and even the tone of her music relays a certain amount of candid reality. Shot on 16mm, the film takes you into the corners of Barnett’s mind, not only drifting into why she writes music, but also the nature of connection and how an artist wants to interact with her audience. Cohen followed Barnett for three years, on and off tour, catching a level of emotional intimacy that is hard to find in rockumentaries.

Cohen took some really cool measures to make the film vibrantly real and vulnerable. For one thing, he set Barnett up with an audio diary, so she could open up on her own terms and not just when Cohen was pointing a camera at her.

“She’d use it as often as she wanted, whether it was in a hotel room, backstage, etc.—just wherever/whenever she felt comfortable,” Cohen told TheBurg.

The result is breathtaking. We get the chance to hear incredibly vulnerable snippets of Barnett’s thought process, such as how she views performance in vastly different ways day to day, depending on her mood.

“Liberating, electric, alive and another day it can feel rigid, full of fear, so far away,” she says.

On her anxiety about interviews, after a fan wrote to her saying her interviews were horrendous, she says, “I get angry at myself. It’s like, why can’t you just be a strong, powerful communicator?”

Cohen also became more than just an observer in the film. Cue one brilliantly gorgeous moment, in which Barnett worries about going out on stage and not being what the audience wanted—and from off-screen, we hear Cohen arguing against her, bringing logic to the table and telling her to just have fun and be herself.

Both Barnett and Cohen profess a hope that audiences will relate to this journey.

“I hope it can provide audiences with comfort, knowing that mental health is universal,” Cohen said. “It’s important to not just look after yourself but to look out for others, too.”

Don’t miss this beautiful film when it plays at Midtown Cinema in August. “The Anonymous Club” will carry on with you past the theater.

Midtown Cinema is located at 250 Reily St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.midtowncinema.com.

August Events At Midtown Cinema

National Theatre Live
“Henry V”
Sunday, Aug. 7 at 5 p.m.

Sing Along
“Monty Python and the Holy Grail”
Sunday, Aug. 7 at 7 p.m.

Down in Front! Presents
“Attack of the Crab Monsters!”
Friday, Aug. 12 at 9:30 p.m.

Free Summer Outdoor Film
“Avengers Endgame”
Saturday, Aug.13 at dusk

National Theatre Live
“Prima Facie”
Sunday, Aug. 14 at 5 p.m.

3rd in the Burg Movie Night
“Drop Dead Gorgeous”
Friday, Aug. 19 at 9:30 p.m.

Free Summer Outdoor Film
“Up”
Saturday, Aug. 27 at dusk

Live Music on the Patio
Thursdays at 6 p.m.

If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

Art Becomes Reality: Twists, insights, laughs from “Official Competition”

June 30, 2022 | by Sammi Leigh Melville

Photo courtesy of Media Pro.

From directors Mariano Cohn and Gastón Duprat comes “Official Competition”—a film within a film and an act that turns into reality.

Humberto Suárez (José Luis Gómez) is a wealthy businessman who wants to leave an imprint, not by donating to a children’s center or funding medical research, but by funding a hit film. He pays an egregious amount of money to buy the adaptation rights to the book, “Rivalry,” which he has not read, and hires Lola Cuevas (Penelope Cruz), an eccentric director who takes uncharted paths when it comes to finding the heart of the scene.

Two actors are hired to play rivaling brothers: Félix Rivero (Antonio Banderas), a blockbuster actor, and Iván Torres (Oscar Martinez), an esteemed theater actor/acting professor. Lola’s hope is that they will butt heads naturally and be able to appropriately capture the headspace of the roles they play. She puts the two actors through a series of unconventional exercises that she is certain will get them to where they need to be. But her methods may push things a little too far as the actors find themselves gliding into their roles, even outside the contexts of the film.

The film toes the line between silly and uncomfortable in a beautiful orchestration of pride, ambition and art becoming reality, portraying a side of humanity that we always hope to ignore. Banderas’ and Martinez’s tense chemistry and Cruz’s surprising idiosyncrasies will leave you laughing throughout the whole movie, and the story holds plenty of emotional twists and turns. What a bizarre film to sink your teeth into this summer.

“Official Competition” will play at Midtown Cinema this July.

Midtown Cinema is located at 250 Reily St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.midtowncinema.com.

July Events At Midtown Cinema

3rd in The Burg Movie Night
“Flash Gordon”
Friday, July 15 at 9:30 p.m.

Free Outdoors Film Series
“Raiders of the Lost Ark”
Saturday, July 16 at 7:30 p.m.

National Theatre Live
“Henry V”

Sunday, July 17 at 5 p.m.

eSports Demo Day
With SNDBX Gaming
Monday, July 18

Down in Front! Presents
“Mac and Me”
Friday, July 22 at 9:30 p.m.

Free Outdoors Film Series
“The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert”
Thursday, July 28 at 7:30 p.m.

Down in Front!
Pride Edition presents
“Mommie Dearest”
Friday, July 29 at 9:30 p.m.

If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

Still-Life Lives: “Petit Maman” quietly captures a family’s story

April 29, 2022 | by Sammi Leigh Melville

“Petit Maman.” Image courtesy of NEON.

Director Céline Sciamma, who gave us “Girlhood” and “Portrait of a Lady on Fire,” is back with “Petite Maman,” a soft, assuring look at the strange family bond that crosses the borders of time.

Eight-year-old Nelly (Joséphine Sanz) has just lost her grandmother. She and her parents take a trip to clean out her mother’s childhood home—the memories of which prove overwhelming to Nelly’s mother (Nina Meurisse), who suddenly leaves for a few days while the family continues cleaning. The day that she leaves, Nelly goes exploring in the woods near the house and finds a girl who shares her mother’s name (Marion, played by Gabrielle Sanz) building a tree fort in her mother’s old romping grounds. The two quickly bond, and Nelly discovers a time-bending opportunity to be her mother’s friend.

“Petite Maman” is the antithesis of plot-heavy. The story avoids complexity, which is a breath of fresh air in terms of most time travel stories, focusing more on the relationship than the science. It is also a fantastically mature depiction of childhood, as there are only a handful of times in which the two children laugh. The film is sober and quiet, which reflects the topics the kids broach with each other (death, illness, the future, the past), but the tone does take a moment to swallow, especially with how young the two kids are.

Sciamma does a beautiful job of painting this still life, though still adding enough movement to be engaging. The Sanz twins, playing mother and daughter in their youngest forms, bring an obvious chemistry to the table, and the fact that the actors are twins makes it all the more perfect. For that is what the film is about, really—mother and daughter get a chance to feel sisterhood with each other. It’s a beautiful piece with a beautiful concept at its core. Don’t miss “Petite Maman,” playing at Midtown Cinema in May.

Midtown Cinema is located at 250 Reily St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.midtowncinema.com.

May Events At Midtown Cinema

Film Openings
“Petit Maman”
Friday, May 6

“Happening”
Friday, May 13

“Emergency” and “Downton Abbey: A New Era”
Friday, May 20

Down in Front!
Riffs on “Future War” (1997)
Friday, May 6, 9:30ish

“Friday the 13th” (1980)
Friday, May 13, 9:30 p.m.

23rd Annual Moviate Underground Film Festival
May 13-15

Sneak Peek
“Downton Abbey: A New Era”
Wednesday, May 18

3rd in the Burg Movie Night
“Spirited Away” (2001)
Friday, May 20, 9:30 p.m.

“Feeling Asian American”
Documentary premiere w/filmmakers
Saturday, May 21

“Spirited Away” (2001)
Saturday, May 21, 3:30 p.m.

The 2022 Edward S. Finkelstein Harrisburg Jewish Film Festival
May 19 to June 1, online and in-person
Full schedule at hbgjff.com

Saturday, May 21
8:45 p.m. “Love and Mazel Tov”

Sunday, May 22
9 a.m.: “Gentleman’s Agreement”
2 p.m.: “Unheard Voices” and “Marry Me However”
4:45 p.m.: “A Lullaby for the Valley”
7 p.m.: “Image of Victory”

If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

Beauty, Depth: ”The Worst Person in the World” is actually quite good

January 28, 2022 | by Sammi Leigh Melville

Julie went to school for medicine. And then, for psychology. And then, she dropped out of school and began a career as a photographer. And then, she got a job at a bookstore. And then—

Julie’s path may sound similar to the path of many reading this review, and it gives us a perfect snapshot of the protagonist of “The Worst Person In The World,” Joachim Trier’s latest film. Julie, played by Renate Reinsve, is the everyman—or everywoman—allowing her youth to dictate her level of restlessness and dissatisfaction in her life path.

The film spans four years of her life in Oslo, Norway, not only in her career but also in her relationship with a man twice her age named Aksel (Anders Danielsen), and her subsequent relationship with Eivind (Herbery Nordrum), who also found dissatisfaction in his previous relationship. The film revolves around her slow-to-bloom realization of what she wants in life, even as that seems to transform before her very eyes.

Reinsve’s expressive performance is easily the best part about this film. While the story meanders a lot before hitting its stride, her on-screen vulnerability is with us right from the start. For a title like “The Worst Person In The World,” you expect to hate the protagonist more than you do. But maybe that is key in appreciating this film. Relating to this character is what drives the film forward.

Danielsen and Nordrum are perfect supporting additions to the cast and equally provide a sense of relatability. Their performances, coupled with Trier’s careful crafting of the beautiful Norwegian scenery and thoughtful tone of the film, add a depth that will draw you in.

Melancholic and full of truth, this is a film that you won’t want to miss. “The Worst Person In The World” opens at Midtown Cinema in February.

Midtown Cinema is located at 250 Reily St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.midtowncinema.com.

February Events at Midtown Cinema

National Theatre Live presents
“Cyrano De Bergerac”
with James McAvoy
Sunday, Feb. 6, 5 p.m.

Down in Front! presents
“Space Mutiny” (1988)
Friday, Feb. 11, 9:30 p.m.

3rd in the Burg Movie Night presents
“The Goonies” (1985)
Friday, Feb. 18, 9:30 p.m.

National Theatre Live presents
“War Horse”
Sunday, Feb. 20, 5 p.m.

Support quality local journalism. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

Vulnerability on View: Open yourself up to ”C’mon C’mon”

November 30, 2021 | by Sammi Leigh Melville

Image courtesy of A24 Films

There are some films that make you want to talk, and then there are some films that make you want to be around people with whom you can talk.

That is the type of film that Mike Mills’ “C’mon C’mon” is—an introspective film about a man and his nephew that makes you want to connect, no matter what the connection is. With its black and white color scheme, moody glimpses of a typically showy Los Angeles, and a handful of characters who are just barely hanging on to a semblance of “fine,” the story takes you on a journey through the allure of introspection and vulnerability.

The story follows Johnny (Joaquin Phoenix), whose seemingly perfect gig is traveling around the country, interviewing children for a radio program. The questions are tough, and the answers, important—and insightful, convincing Johnny that these kids are just like adults, when you boil it all down. But Johnny has two problems. One, he is lonely. He keeps holing up in hotels on the way to the next batch of interviews, clearly grasping at something that he can’t quite get a hold of. And, two, which he takes much longer to realize—Johnny doesn’t really know his subject. He has never actually experienced day-to-day interaction with a kid (or “young person” as he keeps referring to them during initial recordings).

When Johnny’s sister, Viv (Gaby Hoffman) asks him to take care of her son, Jesse (Woody Norman) while she helps Jesse’s father (Scoot McNairy) get his mental health back on track, Johnny jumps at the opportunity. Maybe he thinks it will be a change of pace; maybe he wants the company. And he knows kids—this will be a piece of cake. But as the days stretch and Viv keeps extending Johnny’s responsibilities, Johnny finds that Jesse is a lot more complex than he originally thought.

This isn’t a “Mr. Mom” scenario by any means. Johnny doesn’t struggle to keep up with Jesse’s demands physically but emotionally. He doesn’t understand why he likes pretending so much, and some of Jesse’s reactions seem to come from left field. And he especially doesn’t understand why Jesse keeps digging at Johnny’s past, trying to understand him. This creates a very thoughtful and, at times, tense environment that is beautifully explored by Phoenix and Norman.

If the black and white color scheme and slow, brooding music don’t immediately provide an acknowledgement of Johnny’s headspace, Mills does an artful job of revealing his discomfort bit by bit through various conversations throughout the film. As Jesse reveals himself to Johnny, he also slowly pulls Johnny’s story out of him.

There are a couple of moments early on that seem forced and expository, but as the film continues, expect to get lost in the tenderness of Johnny and Jesse’s relationship. And this review would be amiss if it didn’t mention the wonderfully candid relationship that Phoenix and Hoffman present as brother and sister in a broken but loving family.

“C’mon C’mon” comes to Midtown Cinema this December. Don’t miss this beautiful exploration of vulnerability.

Midtown Cinema is located at 250 Reily St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.midtowncinema.com.

DECEMBER EVENTS AT MIDTOWN CINEMA

“Gremlins” (1984)

Friday, Dec. 3, 9:30 p.m.

“Scrooged!” (1988)

Sunday, Dec. 5, 7:30 p.m.

Down in Front!
Comedy improv panel riffs on a Santa double feature

“Santa Claus” (1959)

Friday, Dec. 10, 8 p.m.

“Santa Claus Conquers the Martians” (1964)

Friday, Dec. 10, 9:30 p.m.

“Home Alone” (1990)

Sunday, Dec. 12, 7:30 p.m.

3rd in the Burg Movie Night

“National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” (1989)

Friday, Dec. 17, 9:30 p.m.

“The Muppet Christmas Carol” (1992)

Saturday, Dec. 18, 11 a.m.

“White Christmas” (1954)

Sunday, Dec. 19, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 23, 7:30 p.m.

“It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946)

Wednesday, Dec. 22, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 24, 7:30 p.m.

If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

Lost and Found? The art world loses perspective in “The Lost Leonardo”

August 31, 2021 | by Sammi Leigh Melville

Photo courtesy of Sony Classics

What makes art valuable? Is it the artist who painted it? Is it the subject or the style it is painted in? Or is it the consumer who makes it valuable?

Director Andreas Koefoed’s “The Lost Leonardo” sets out to prove the latter in a dramatic account so full of twists and turns that it is almost comical, of the uncovering of the “Salvator Mundi”—or at least the version of it that surfaced in 2005.

It all begins when Alexander Parish and Robert Simon, two art dealers, purchase a damaged, painted-over “Salvator Mundi” for $1,200 at an art auction. While there are many copies of this famous painting by Leonardo DaVinci’s followers, the original DaVinci piece has been lost to the world since the early 1900s. So, naturally, any version of the “Salvator Mundi” has just a twinge of hope attached to it.

Parish and Simon take their severely damaged painting and bring it to Dianne Dwyer Modestini, an art restorer and conservation professor at the NYU Institute of Fine Arts, and she begins to clean the painting. By the end of this process, she is certain that it is DaVinci’s work. She claims the way the shading of the lip is painted could not be done by anyone other than DaVinci himself, noting the similarities between it and the “Mona Lisa.”

And so the spark is ignited. Modestini’s involvement in this scenario is a bit controversial, as many believe she had financial interest in the piece—she denies anything other than being paid generously for her restoration work. But Parish and Simon bring the painting to several other art critics to get their opinion, and, pretty soon, word begins to spread that they may just have a DaVinci original.

“Everyone wanted it to be a Leonardo,” one art critic says.

There are, however, plenty of critics who blatantly disagree. Many believe that the only parts of the painting that look like Leonardo’s work are the parts that were painted over by Modestini. Others believe that there are too many flaws in the painting for it to be the work of such a great artist—uneven eyes, no background distortion behind the orb and painted on wood, allowing for the grain to interfere with the work.

But the undecided origin of the painting does not prevent it from making waves in the art consumer world. This is where this documentary really shines, showing the painting’s rapid progression through auctions and various transactions, gleaning more and more financial value as it goes, much to the chagrin of many art critics. But art takes on the value we give it. Even sometimes up to $450.3 million.

We see billionaires, Saudi Arabian princes, French presidents and the Louvre all losing their collective minds over a painting with origins that are still uncertain. Just when you think the painting’s power has reached its peak, the stakes get raised every time. It is a fantastical tale, and Koefoed tells it in such an engaging way, weaving the power of financial gain in the art world into the modern history of this potential last work of Leonardo.

Nearly everyone who plays a part in this story, right down to the handful of art critics who studied the piece in its early stages of presentation, was interviewed to add to the perspective of the film, creating a very “he said, she said” atmosphere, while simultaneously keeping its dramatic, edgy tone. What results is an easily accessible glimpse into the art world and an easily enjoyable film for those who may not have known any of the goings-on that the documentary addresses.

“The Lost Leonardo” will reach the big screen at Midtown Cinema in September. Don’t miss this wild journey of a film.

Midtown Cinema is located at 250 Reily St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.midtowncinema.com.

Special Events

At Midtown Cinema

Down in Front! presents

“Troll 2” (1990)

Friday, Sept. 10, 9:30 p.m.

3rd in the Burg

“Monty Python and the Holy Grail” (1975)

Friday, Sept. 17, 9:30 p.m.

If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

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