Saturday, March 29, 2014

The Last Elvis

This film surprised me (positively) with its sympathetic character, although as the film went on, I kind of expected how it would end.

The movie is from Argentina and is about an Elvis impersonator Carlos, although he insists on being addressed as Elvis at all times, even by friends and family. His "career" of playing weddings and similar events is pretty dependent on how popular his alter ego of Elvis is with the public. He pretty much lives his life as Elvis, eating peanut butter and banana sandwiches, manicuring his sideburns, rewatching old concerts on videotape. But we see he is living paycheck to paycheck as the agency/union that sets up gigs for various impersonators owes him for several performances. Elvis' persona is realized for us by his mantra that "I invented rock and roll"--implying that the Beatles or whomever may come and go, but Elvis is forever.

Elvis is divorced with a young daughter he has named Lisa Marie. His dayjob is at a factory assembly line. His ex-wife, whom he addresses as Priscilla although that is not her name, is fed up with his absent and impractical parenting and intends to take full custody of Lisa. But she gets into an auto accident and their daughter has to spend a few days with Elvis. Lisa is not very enamored of her father but during the visit he manages to win her over in small ways. She even gifts him an Elvis bobble head doll. We see that although he is usually absent, he is also caring and loving with her.

We also see Elvis seems to be planning for a trip and some kind of final performance. He sells his belongings, quits his dayjob, visits his mother for the last time, leaves a nest egg for Lisa, and trashes the agency office when they refuse to pay him what he is owed. He then spiffs himself up and travels to Graceland, where he celebrates his 42nd birthday alone and makes his final, true-to-life performance as Elvis.


Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Past seven days

Heading toward the end of the European Union Film Festival...onto the Chicago Latino Film Festival!

A Bag of Flour
The Chiney Shop
Class Enemy
Come Out and Play
Exhibition
Half: The Story of A Chinese-Jamaican Son
High Tech, Low Life
Immortality aka Wisdom of the Crocodiles
Lawless Heart
Operation E
Summer Storm
Unit 7
Wadjda

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Past seven days

A little bit of this, a little bit of that. Mostly the European Union Film Festival!

Aglaya
Divergent
Dual
Free Fall
Love is Blind
One Shot
Veronica Mars
We Are the Best

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Stranger by the Lake

This French film takes place entirely at a lakeside and nearby woods.

The lakeside here is a bit secluded and a small community of gay men have come here to sunbathe in the nude and cruise for sex with each other, without making any emotional commitments. The protagonist is young, handsome, gay Francke. Like many of the others, he is here for sex. As any visitor enters the beach he is ogled by the others, hoping to be chosen for a sexual encounter in the woods.

Francke sees another handsome but slightly older man, Michel. So far Michel hasn't given him any indication of desiring Francke. A bit further down the beach sits the middle-aged and portly Henri, who says he is straight and sits apart from the others. He says he only is here to enjoy the sun. Francke sits with Henri, passing time with conversation until he can make a connection with Michel, and he and Henri start a casual friendship. Henri observes the men, noting the dynamics of these temporary relationships but still considering himself separate from them, at least he says so. One night after the others leave, Francke observes Michel and another man swimming in the lake. At first playful, Michel suddenly drowns his lover, and Francke cowers in the woods hoping not to be seen.

During the next few days, Francke does not give any indication of having seen anything, although he gets close to Michel and makes oblique comments. Henri sees how Francke wants to pursue Michel, and at times warn him to be safe as Francke seems to think he and Michel have a budding "real" relationship. The missing man is not noticed as people here don't ask much about each other. Michel begins to suspect Francke knows something. Things get more tense when an investigator starts hanging around the area, questioning the men about the missing man.

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Past seven day

I guess I am sneaking in a past fourteen days instead!  At least I averaged over one movie a day this time, with the help of a local Wes Anderson Anthology film fest.  Upcoming is the European Union Film Festival and then the Chicago Latino Film Festival, both of which I am looking forward to.

12 Years a Slave
Bad Words
Casablana
Darjeeling Limited
Fantastic Mr. Fox
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Great Muppet Caper
Leonie
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
Moonrise Kingdom
Nada +
Parker
The Royal Tenenbaums
Rushmore
Silent Light
A Single Shot
Stranger by the Lake
Sweetwater