THE SUMMER THAT WAS
Matt Damon tries to beat death escaping from a devastated and over populated futuristic Earth in the excellent “Elysum”, while Ashton Kutcher incorporates the technology genius “Jobs”, but doesn’t convince in the performance, and the film is too dragging. Sebastian Silva gathered Michael Cera and Gabby Hoffman as American lunatics, excited for drugs and self discovery in “Crystal Fairy”, a good example of the director’s authenticity and psychedelic philosophy. Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy reprise their romantic duo in “Before Midnight”, the best American film of 2013 so far, celebrating life, the pleasures of living and sharing, and the struggles of love connections.
Richard Linklater’s trilogy ends magnificently as a powerful examination on the greatest feeling of all. Meanwhile, I completely disagree on “Museum Hours” being one of the best. Its content of ‘love for art’ is appeciated, but it seemed like paying a visit to a museum with a sensible guide. It is sophisticated, but it could’ve been better if sold as a documentary. Gorgeous cinematography and intense performances, enhance “Fill The Void” as the most inspiring films of the hot season, about a family of an orthodox Jewish community, dealing with the turbulences of modern society, tragedy, values and traditions. It is also a movie that brings the audience closer to a meditation on luminous messages from God. Sofia Coppola finally gets back on track, proving she’s definitely better when exploring the feminine universe, with the teen heist film “The Bling Ring”, based on the true story of a group of teenagers who made the news stealing houses of Hollywood’s Celebrities. “Kings of Summer” follows another group of teens, but this time they are just hanging around a house they built in the woods to escape the responsibilities of growing up, but “Way Way Back” is the coming of age film to see, filled up with good and witty humor. In “The East” it’s the grown-ups turn to protest and avenge the big corporations responsible for disasters and diseases. It’s a well-paced thriller, full of adrenaline. While “Superman” looks lazy and disappoints, “Wolverine” is a better hero beating up some greedy Japanese. “Stories We Tell” is the exceptional personal story of talented filmmaker Sarah Polley in search of answers for her family’s secrets, through her investigation on the real identity of her father. It deserves to be called the Best Documentary, period. European treats “The Hunt” and “Hijacking” deal with moral and modern issues, such as hypocrisy, capitalism, power and greed, to reveal human’s worse nightmares: sexual abuse and terrorism. And Sundance sensation “Fruitvale Station” is a must-see drama about the last day in the life of a man gunned down by police in what is called a racial crime. Let the golden season start.
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