Friday Flicks: ‘Isle of Dogs’, ‘Unsane’, ‘Ismael’s Ghosts’
Happy Friday, folks – out of the storm and into the warm. We’re finally hitting that wondrous time of the year when the cold weather is over. The same goes for awards season, and instead we’ve got lots of film fests to look forward to, including Tribeca 2018 – check out the ten indie flicks not to miss, here.
In the box office this week, there’s a storm a-brewin’ – while the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Black Panther continues to dominate the first spot (shock), the sci-fi fantasy Pacific Rim: Uprising is forecasted to dethrone the superhero flick this weekend, ending Panther’s five-week streak as #1. Watch out, Black Panther – Pacific Rim: Uprising is gearing up to strike.
Over to the indie corner, and today is the release date of Wes Anderson’s stop-motion fantasy Isle of Dogs. Although it’s only the first day, already the film has run into controversy, with many sources accusing the writer & director of cultural appropriation. Los Angeles Times reviewer Justin Chang criticized Anderson's “weakness for racial stereotyping”, asking, “Does this white American filmmaker's highly selective, idiosyncratic rendering of an East Asian society constitute a sincere act of homage, or a clueless failure of sensitivity?” Yeowch!
Aside from the stir, the movie has received warm reviews from various other publications, which is one of the reasons we’ve added it to our list of top films to see this weekend. Read on for FD’s picks for the best movies to catch this weekend.
Isle of Dogs (Fox Searchlight)
on limited theatrical release now
Isle of Dogs tells the heartwarming story of 12-year-old Atari Kobayashi. When all the canine pets of Megasaki City in Japan are exiled to a vast garbage dump called Trash Island, Atari sets off alone in a miniature Junior-Turbo Prop and flies across the river in search of his bodyguard dog, Spots. With the assistance of a pack of newly-found mongrel friends, he begins an epic journey that will decide the fate and future of the entire prefecture. Dog & Anderson fans, unite! Features the vocal talents of Koyu Rankin (Juken), Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad), Edward Norton (American History X), Bill Murray (Lost in Translation), Jeff Goldblum (Thor: Ragnarok), Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird), and Frances McDormand (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri).
Unsane (Bleecker Street)
on wide theatrical release now
There aren’t enough words to explain our admiration for filmmaker and innovator Steven Soderbergh (Sex, Lies, and Videotape). In his latest film – shot on an iPhone no less – he manages to create a story filled with fear and tension, following a young woman who is involuntarily committed to a mental institution where she is confronted by her greatest fear – but is it real or is it a product of her delusion? Stars Claire Foy (The Crown), Joshua Leonard (The Blair Witch Project), and Jay Pharoah (Ride Along).
Final Portrait (Sony Pictures Classics)
on limited theatrical release now
Starring Geoffrey Rush (Shakespeare in Love) & Armie Hammer (Call Me by Your Name), Final Portrait is the story of a touching friendship between writer James Lord & Alberto Giacometti, as seen through Lord’s eyes. Set in 1964 while on a short trip to Paris, Giacometti asks his new friend to sit for a portrait. While Giacometti promises the process will take only a few days, Lord agrees, ultimately wondering – “How much longer can it go on like this?”
Getting Grace (Hannover House)
on limited theatrical release now
In a heartwarming and eye-opening drama, Grace – a teenage girl dying of cancer – crashes a funeral home to find out what will happen to her after she dies. In the ultimate curveball, she ends up teaching the awkward funeral director, Bill Jankowski, how to celebrate life. Stars Daniel Roebuck (Final Destination), Madelyn Dundon, Marsha Dietlein (Little Children), and Dana Ashbrook (Twin Peaks).
Ismael’s Ghosts (Magnolia Pictures)
on limited theatrical release now
In this French drama directed by Arnaud Desplechin (My Golden Days), filmmaker Ismaël Vuillard is caught in the middle of making a movie. However, his life is sent into a tailspin by the return of a former lover just as he is about to embark on the shoot of the new film. Stars Mathieu Amalric (The Grand Budapest Hotel), Marion Cotillard (Inception), Charlotte Gainsbourg (Antichrist), and Louis Garrel (The Dreamers).
Summer in the Forest (Abramorama Films)
on limited theatrical release now
Philippe, Michel, Andre, and Patrick were locked away in asylums until the 60s when philosopher Jean Vanier secured their release. Together, the group – who have intellectual disabilities – created L'Arche, a commune at the edge of a beautiful forest near Paris. Amid the ancient trees, Philippe, Patrick, Jean, and the others invite the audience into their lives. If there are rules to break, they will be broken and if there is a truth to be told, they will tell it. Michel reveals his war torn past, Andre is desperate for a date, and young David will prove himself a hero in the fight against the forces of evil.
The Workshop (Strand Releasing)
on limited theatrical release now
In this smart thriller that blurs the line between fact & fiction, a young man named Antoine attends a summer writing workshop in which a few young people have been selected to write a crime thriller with the help of Olivia, a famous novelist. The creative process recalls the town’s industrial past and – concerned with the fears of the modern world – Antoine soon clashes with the group and Olivia, who seems at the same time alarmed and captivated by his violence.
