Crisp Criticism - "The Unspeakable Act", "Call Me Kuchu", "Riddick", "Grown-Ups 2", "The Grandmaster"

by

Julien Faddoul

 

The Unspeakable Act ***

A distressed 17-year-old deals with her sexual desires toward her brother.

A small, intimate, superb film with a voice so clear and strong; it hits its target with total precision.

wd – Dan Sallitt

ph – Duraid Munajim

pd – Bridget Rafferty

ed – Dan Sallitt

p – Shari Berman, Jaime Christley, Ania Trzebiatowska

Cast: Tallie Medel, Sky Hirschkron, Aundrea Fares, Kati Schwartz, Caroline Luft

Call Me Kuchu ***

In Uganda, activists work to defeat the legislation of a new law that makes homosexuality punishable by death.

Exceptional, fascinating and deeply affecting documentary on the current Ugandan legislative wars on legally banning homosexuality and the murder of activist David Kato. The filmmakers allow the subjects, both hero and villain, to state their cases with such delicacy and unobtrusiveness that both the beauty and the horror explains itself.

d – Malika Zouhali-Worrall, Katherine Fairfax Wright

ph – Katherine Fairfax Wright

m – Jonathan Mandabach

ed – Katherine Fairfax Wright

p – Malika Zouhali-Worrall

Riddick

Left for dead on a sun-scorched planet, Riddick finds himself up against an alien race of predators.

More of a reboot than a sequel, with nothing new to offer. Dull and kitschy.

wd – David Twohy   (Based on the Characters Created by Jim Wheat, Ken Wheat)

ph – David Eggby

pd – Joseph C. Nemec

m – Graeme Revell

ed – Tracy Adams

cos – Simonetta Mariano

p – Vin Diesel, Ted Field, Samantha Vincent

Cast: Vin Diesel, Jordi Molla, Matt Nable, Katee Sackhoff, Dave Bautista, Bokeem Woodbine, Rauol Trujillo, Conrad Pla

Grown-Ups 2

Another summer of antics.

A movie that begins with a deer urinating on Sandler's face. Enter at your own peril.

d – Dennis Dugan

w – Fred Wolf, Adam Sandler, Tim Herlihy   (Based on the Characters Created by Fred Wolf, Adam Sandler)

ph – Theo van de Sande

pd – Aaron Osborne

m – Rupert Gregson-Williams

ed – Tom Costain

cos – Ellen Lutter

p – Jack Giarraputo, Adam Sandler

Cast: Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade, Salma Hayek, Maya Rudolph, Maria Bello, Nick Swardson, Steve Buscemi, Colin Quinn, Tim Meadows, Jon Lovitz, Shaquille O’Neal, Taylor Lautner

The Grandmaster **

Biopic on martial-arts master Ip Man.

Although it doesn’t rank with its director's best, this is an impeccably made Wuxia film with thrilling fights and excellent performances.

d - Wong Kar-Wai

w - Wong Kar-Wai, Jingzhi Zou, Haofeng Xu

ph - Philippe Le Sourd

pd - William Chang

m - Nathaniel Méchaly, Shigeru Umebayashi

ed - William Chang

cos - William Chang

p - Jacky Pang Yee Wah, Wong Kar-Wai

Cast: Tony Leung, Zhang Ziyi, Song Hye-kyo, Chang Chen, Zhao Benshani, Wang Qingxiang, Zhang Jin