Interview: Fede Alvarez

 Fede Alvarez: Making His Own Path

"It's always easier the second time around". This was advice that I was given by an experienced peer after I completely bombed my first interview with a filmmaker. And they were right, it was easier second time around because it couldn't have gone much worse than that first time out. I often think about this piece of advice when talking with filmmakers, especially when the discussion inevitable focuses on future projects.

Coming off a successful first film, many talented directors fall victim to the dreaded "sophomore slump". The second film in a director's catalog that builds so much hype, anticipation, and expectation that it's nearly impossible to find any sort of success.

Hype and expectation couldn't have been higher in 2013 when a relatively unknown director, with only a few short films under his belt, took the reins of the rebooted "Evil Dead" film. With Sam Raimi, Bruce Campbell, and Rob Tapert providing support, director Fede Alvarez crafted a stunning, gory, and terrifying film.

"Don't Breathe" is Mr. Alvarez's second feature film arriving in theaters August 26th. We had the opportunity to talk with Mr. Alvarez about his success, inspirations and influences, cinematic pairings, and guilty pleasures.

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THE CODA:

Congrats on all the success Fede. EVIL DEAD is one of my favorite reboots to date and DON’T BREATHE is fantastic. It had to have been both exciting and terrifying helming the new EVIL DEAD with people like Sam Raimi, Bruce Campbell, and Rob Tapert so involved in the process. Sam and Rob are back for your second film. What did the screening room feel like this time around for DON’T BREATHE when you showed them the film for the first time?

FEDE ALVAREZ:

So, Sam is there and basically I show him the movie and as soon as the movie is over, that's the moment when you’re a filmmaker and you just turn around and say "so?” And just waiting for the first, you know, real audience that has seen the film to express an opinion and the first thing he says is, "you have conquered the inevitable sophomore curse".

THE CODA:

I see some parallels to a film called WAIT UNTIL DARK with Audrey Hepburn. Where you familiar with this movie? What kind of influences shaped DON'T BREATHE?

FEDE ALVAREZ:

It wasn't even an inspiration on any level because I didn't really know about the film, I've probably heard the title but I haven't seen the film and I had no clue what it was about until I think I was done with the script and we were about to make the movie. I called my mom and she asked what the movie was about and I explained to her what it was and she said, "that's just like WAIT UNTIL DARK". And I was like "what is that?" and she said, "it's this wonderful Audrey Hepburn movie that she was nominated for an Oscar for". So I thought I should check it out and I did and there are obviously similarities that come out of the natural premise of having motivation and a blind person.

THE CODA:

We always talk about originality in horror. And what you did with the EVIL DEAD film is so fresh and innovative while also paying tribute to the original but not is a way that makes the new version a carbon copy of the old. I feel in many ways the same about DON'T BREATHE. You can feel influences from different places but you also make it so original and different from the mainstream. Was this a story that you had in mind for some time?

FEDE ALVAREZ:

Not for a while, we were basically promoting the EVIL DEAD Blu-ray coming out at Comicon and it wasn’t until that point that we realized people who really liked this EVIL DEAD. And we knew that it worked at the box office but a lot of people don’t follow or create a following after. You know sometimes movies are big and a lot of people watch them but maybe they don’t like it as much as they thought, they like it but they forget about it. We were at Comicon and I was talking to people and I found out that people actually loved EVIL DEAD and I was excited about that. And I felt like I needed to give those people another movie so that’s why I decided to kind of stay in the genre a little bit more and do something that wasn’t exactly straightforward a horror movie but was still something for what I felt was the audience for EVIL DEAD.

So on the drive from San Diego to Los Angeles I was with my cowriter just chatting and talking about what we were going do next, something that would be very suspenseful and we didn’t want to do something that was about the shock like EVIL DEAD was. Though this one gets pretty shocking at moments, we wanted something that was about the suspense and trying to make the most suspenseful film that you had ever seen, especially for the younger audience because they don’t make movies like this anymore. Usually movies have breaks and different scenes, even very scary horror movies have these moments in the middle to relax, to have some drama. But this one is different, a major set piece that once you start 50 minutes into the movie is hasn’t let go and won’t until it’s over. That aspect hasn’t been done in a while so we were excited about that and we always wanted to tell a story about robbers, we were fascinated by those characters and I thought it would be interesting to show the audience where they are and what they do, get them to decide who they like or not, and then put them against a worthy opponent.

We had to figure out a character that was bigger than life and could be very cinematic as well and that’s when we realized that he should be blind. After that the idea came together very quickly. The idea and how it clicks is the hard part, how you come up with that concept and once you have something.... it’s very fertile and all the scenes and everything you see in the movie comes together. And when you put a bunch a robbers in a house trying to steal money from a blind man you create situations that become interesting to the story.

THE CODA:

You create a great opponent for the robbers. They underestimate him and you accomplish some great scenes with real subtlety on the part of the blind man. He’s a war veteran, he has unsuspecting abilities and this brings so much tension at times because the viewer is seeing these small yet important things develop over the course of the film. That’s something that isn’t often thought of in horror films these days. Everything is so big and loud.

FEDE ALVAREZ:

Regarding the loud stuff, we weren't really looking for that. This movie has a few jump scares to keep you on the edge but, funny enough, most jump scares in movies are when the music hits and that's what scares you, the big slam of the music. Here, because we were trying to be really honest with the filmmaking, there is no music with the scares. It's the small things that scare you here, the sound of the dog hitting the window and the creak in the floor when the blind man comes out of the cellar right in front of her face, those are the things that I'm really proud of. We all know cheap scares and here we tried not to do that.

THE CODA:

Let's say you were going to program a double feature with DON'T BREATHE, what would be the film you program?

FEDE ALVAREZ:

I would do something simple and show them PSYCHO. They would be good together because they have some similarities; the way we set up the story because we have a robber trying to get away with some money and bad things come their way because of that. The big twist in the middle that really takes the story in a different direction, PSYCHO does that as well. It was a big inspiration but they are completely different movies.

THE CODA:

Final question. We all have guilty pleasure movies or television shows. What’s your guilty pleasure movie or show?

FEDE ALVAREZ:
I guess when I think about guilty pleasure films I have to think about bad films, but there must be a reason why I enjoy them so much. THE WICKER MAN is a movie I always enjoy a lot, it’s a bizarre one. But now that I think about it there are some similarities, with the twist and how nothing is what you think it is, the story starts in a place and goes to some very bizarre destinations, and were talking about the original Christopher Lee one and not the Nicolas Cage remake. They’re really helpless, they’re going onto someone else’s land. The rules aren’t the rules of the world, they are the rules of the owner of that land. It’s one of those classics, it’s very hard to understand and I’m not really sure why it’s so good, but I loved it.

Hands of Stone Review

Hands of Stone

Dir: Jonathan Jakubowicz

Starring: Edgar Ramirez, Robert DeNiro, Usher Raymond, Ruben Blades, Ana de Armas, John Turturro, and Ellen Barkin

Ask any true boxing fan to list their top ten greatest boxers of all time and it's a safe bet that Roberto Durán will end up on many of the lists. Roberto Durán Samaniego is Panamanian icon, a symbol at one point during his professional boxing career of freedom for the people. Mr. Durán is widely regarded as one of the best lightweight champions of all time, dominating the division for over seven years and moving up a weight class to defeat Sugar Ray Leonard in 1980. Mr. Durán was a brawler, a fighter’s fighter who talked loud and fought hard with very little flash or flair. Mr. Durán also faced a significant amount of backlash for an in-ring incident that changed his status in Panama from a hero to a coward. 

Director Jonathan Jakubowicz brings this biopic to life with the help of Edgar Ramirez, who plays Roberto Durán, and Robert DeNiro, who plays legendary boxing trainer Ray Arcel. Mr. Jakubowicz follows the linear rise and fall path for the story, combining a nice blend of boxing action, a rags-to-riches story of hard work and dedication, and also a political drama that displays the tensions with America during this time in the 1970’s. 

The film begins with a defining moment for a young Roberto Durán, watching tensions build and violence erupt between U.S. soldiers and Panamanian protestors and then being shot at for stealing mangos at the U.S. occupied Panama Canal. Durán is an arrogant adolescent who grows into an equally hardheaded man who is a naturally skilled fighter. Retired trainer Ray Arcel spots this talent at a boxing match, prompting him to come out of retirement to train the young fighter and lead him to a match against Olympic and welterweight champion Sugar Ray Leonard (Usher Raymond). 

The performances from all involved are great. Edgar Ramirez composes the many facets of Mr. Durán’s personality that both exalted him to iconic levels amongst his people but also ultimately lead to his self-destruction. Mr. Ramirez has a charisma that works for the character; it’s a charm that leads to people loving him but also assists in crafting menacing mind games he would use on his opponents. Robert DeNiro is the performance highlight of the film; it’s so nice to see Mr. DeNiro in this kind of role. He is reserved enough to assist his counterparts but also present enough to display a tenderness and compassion that helps him break through the tough exterior and ego that is Roberto Durán.

Unfortunately the narrative doesn’t do much to help the film reach the potential of the subject. The push to compose an encompassing biopic during this defining time in the fighter's life also leads to moments that drag the film down. Everything seen in the film can be easily found by watching one of the many documentaries done on Durán.

The fight scenes are nicely composed, a mix of the “Rocky” style of boxing photography along with pieces that emulate “Raging Bull”. However, neither really works well enough here to bring the kind of excitement one would have had watching the fighting style Durán was known for. 

“Hands of Stone”, a nickname The fighter developed early in his career, offers a tame boxing experience with some really good performances. While the film may not compare well to other boxing films, as a biopic about a great fighter it succeeds enough.

Monte’s Rating

3.00 out of 5.00

Don't Breathe Review

Don’t Breathe

Dir: Fede Alvarez

Starring: Stephen Lang, Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette, and Daniel Zovatto

The dreaded sophomore slump, a comment successful directors are trying to avoid with their second film. Director Fede Alvarez found his name at the top of the list for the tough task of rebooting the beloved 1981 horror film “The Evil Dead” after his short film “Panic Attack!” found YouTube success. The result for “Evil Dead” was a no-holds-barred gore show that was a fresh and terrifying tribute to the original film. Mr. Alvarez could have done anything he wanted at this point, he chose to stay within the genre and write an original screenplay. “Don’t Breathe” is an unexpected combination of a bunch of different genre inspirations, a film that is as familiar as it is unique.

Rocky (Jane Levy) is a thief. Her two friends Alex (Dylan Minnette) and Money (Daniel Zovatto) are also thieves. They break into houses, steal valuables, and sell them to a dealer who trades the goods for cash. A big score comes their way, a score that will allow all them to find a better life. However, it requires them to steal from a blind war veteran (Stephen Lang) living in an abandoned area of Detroit. The thieves decide that it’s worth the risk and they break into the blind man’s house. Unfortunately the thieves have chosen the wrong house and the wrong person to steal from. Their mistake reveals secrets that place the group into a deadly game of cat and mouse.

It’s a simple premise that twists and turns every last drop of potential from it. The home invasion angle and the wolf in sheep’s clothing angle play nicely against, and with, each other throughout the film. Some film fans will see influences from Terence Young’s “Wait Until Dark”, a scene reminiscent of Lewis Teague’s “Cujo”, and touches of recent films like Jeremy Saulnier’s “Green Room” and Dan Trachtenberg’s “10 Cloverfield Lane. While these are definite influences “Don’t Breathe” also feels very unique and confident of every move that it makes. 

Moments of terror and tension are peaked effectively through subtle combinations of sound design and camera movements. The creaking sound of an old wood floor builds one of the best nerve-racking moments of the film. The twists, however contrived, change the direction of the film and add additional layers of dread to the structure. Mr. Alvarez does an exceptional job of crafting these moments throughout the film. While some may categorize these scares as cheap, they are never lazy and often times are completely earned and compliment the moments that have come before it. At one point the thieves are placed in the world of the blind man and within this darkness restraint is held until an exact, perfectly timed moment. You don’t see horror films do this too often.

Stephen Lang is very good in the role of the blind man; he is a character that must display an unsuspecting demeanor that turns into a figure of intimidation and control. Mr. Lang efficiently does this all through subtle mannerisms, and simple positions of posture and movement. Jane Levy is also good, making an unlikable character change enough that the viewer can provide a small amount of hope for her escape. Mrs. Levy is tough and ambitious throughout, giving her character more value than what defines her early on in the film.

“Don’t Breathe” is not without some minor missteps. There are some inconsistencies in editing and the characters are very unlikable for long amounts of time during the film. While this creates a nice dynamic in some parts during the film it also makes the viewer somewhat uncaring of them as well.

Still, “Don’t Breathe” is better than many of the familiar, typical offerings of this kind. This is largely attributed to the talents of Mr. Alvarez who is proving to be a growing master of terror.

Monte’s Rating

4.00 out of 5.00

Ben-Hur (2016) Review

Ben-Hur

Dir: Timur Bekmambetov

Starring: Jack Huston, Toby Kebbell, Rodrigo Santoro, Nazanin Boniadi, Pilou Asbaek, and Morgan Freeman

124 Minutes

Paramount Pictures

“Ben-Hur” is a film that even the most casual filmgoer remembers. However, there are actually quite a few versions of "Ben-Hur" out, starting as early as a silent film in 1907, but the one everyone remembers is the 1959 Charlton Heston starring, William Wyler directed version. Reimagining this sword-and-sandals extravaganza seems more than just a daunting task, it seems like a foolish one. But in the current state of film nothing is sacred and there is nothing wrong with that. Today we have visionary directors who create amazing works of art, we have performers who bring stunning life to multifaceted characters, and we have technology that makes what used to take days easily happen at the push of the button. This logic makes a new, updated version of “Ben-Hur” seem completely reasonable; and with film icon Morgan Freeman and imaginative director Timur Bekmambetov, who made 2008’s “Wanted”, involved it would seem like “Ben-Hur” is in good hands.  It would seem.

Judah Ben-Hur (Jack Huston) is a Jewish prince living in a Roman-occupied Jerusalem. Judah is the much beloved son of his esteemed family, his adopted brother Messala (Toby Kebbell) however is looked down upon so he takes every opportunity to display his worth to the family. Messala leaves the family to become a soldier in the Roman army; Judah stays in Jerusalem and marries his beloved Esther (Nazanin Boniadi). Messala, becoming a hero, returns to Jerusalem to oversee Pontius Pilate’s (Pilou Asbaek) safe travels through the city. An incident occurs during the visit and Judah is accused of treason by Messala and banished into slavery. Judah waits years in slavery before returning to Jerusalem for revenge.

Mr. Bekmambetov knows his way around an action scene, dazzling and beautifully so throughout his catalog at times. The highlights of this film, and when it firmly stands on two feet, occur when the action takes over. The first-person perspective on board a sinking ship being rowed by whipped slaves is utter confusion and tension; it’s a grimy moment that introduces the journey towards revenge for Judah. The chariot race in the coliseum is frenzied mayhem, a dirt storm of trampled racers, stomping horses, and screaming onlookers. It’s the culminating moment for Judah, a moment that should be both exhilarating and emotional, a moment that should signify the changes that Judah has encountered throughout his journey. These moments serve mostly as effects-laden distractions but in minuscule flashes you can see what Mr. Bekmambetov was reaching for, simply and boldly a film about revenge and redemption.

While Mr. Bekmambetov can construct great action scenes he has always struggled with the human elements. These extravagant moments of spectacle are devoid of any kind of emotional drama that would display the anger, grief, and confusion that divided two brothers and placed them in an arena where death is seemingly inescapable. In many other instances you can feel the struggling script grasping for any kind of emotion, whether the lopsided romantic relationships, the heavy handed moments of misguided religious movements that lack any sort of resonance, or the divisions pushed along that connect conflicts of the powerful and the seemingly powerless. It all ends up being a disordered mix of incomplete ideas.

“Ben-Hur” tries to be a film that offers the characteristics associated with revenge films while also providing qualities associated with redemptive moral tales. In small ways the film succeeds in displaying a journey punctuated by an awakening through faith. It also ends up being an uneven mess of themes punctuated by moments of emotionless action. Still, in the reboot film world, there is always hope that the next version of “Ben-Hur” will be better.

Monte’s Rating

2.00 out of 5.00

Hell or High Water Review

Hell or High Water

Dir: David Mackenzie

Starring: Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Jeff Bridges, Dale Dickey, Katy Mixon, and Gil Birmingham

I have two younger brothers. From the outside one might watch the antics of three grown siblings insulting each other and describe the behavior as dysfunctional, and with the type of cringe inducing comments that we would make it would be very easy. However, and some of you who have brothers may completely understand, this behavior is normal. One minute you are ready to throw punches, or are already throwing punches, and the next you are laughing the kind of laugh that you’ll remember your entire life. No hurt feelings, no resentment, just the loyalty and love of brothers.

At the core of “Hell or High Water”, directed by David Mackenzie who last helmed the prison drama “Starred Up” and written by Taylor Sheridan who wrote the drug enforcement drama “Sicario”, is a character study about brothers and the complicated relationship that defines and motivates them. At the surface is a story about two bank-robbing brothers fighting to save the family farm from corporate corruption in West Texas. “Hell or High Water” is a shrewdly composed, wonderfully acted modern-day western.

Toby (Chris Pine) is a divorced dad who, out of desperation, organizes a plan with his ex-con brother Tanner (Ben Foster) to rob a string of West Texas banks. It’s a last ditch effort for the brothers to keep the bank from foreclosing on their family farm. It doesn’t take long for the robberies to find the attention of an almost retired Texas Ranger named Marcus (Jeff Bridges) and his partner Alberto (Gil Birmingham). As in any great western all roads eventually lead to a brutal, violent confrontation.

The structure of “Hell or High Water” has all the characteristics found in any form of a heist film, cloaked robbers with pistols on the run from lawmen with pistols. It’s an undeniable western motif, simply substitute a pick-up truck for a horse and many of the same qualities are easily found in this film. But it’s more than just that, there is so much stimulating detail involved in nearly every beautiful, portrait-worthy moment here. From the stunning landscapes corrupted with rotating oil pumps, the collapsing cities around otherwise pristine bank buildings, a touch of graffiti that tells as much a story as any line of dialog in the film, the world weary yet hard working people pushing along in the face of despair; the details are exquisitely composed offering a story that is more than just genre defining characteristics.

Adding to these visuals is a soundtrack by the enigmatic Nick Cave and Warren Ellis. For music fans think of Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, a group that consistently evolved and dissected themes of love, death, and violence with a polish of American blues and punk-rock features. The composition within this film is similar, expansive and surging without become overly elaborate. The music is a character all itself.

Included in this story are four of the best performances seen this year. Chris Pine does a great job with a very quiet role, adding subtly touches of a man with everything to gain and lose. Ben Foster does off-kilter consistently better than most actors; his no-holds-barred mentality adds a great contrast to the more restrained Mr. Pine. The dynamic between the actors playing brothers is fantastic, at a moment miles away from any kind of mutual understanding and the next completely connected and ready to sacrifice everything for each other. This relationship is reflected with two other characters, two Texan Rangers. Jeff Bridges has played this role before, a tough-as-nails cowboy stuck in a world that doesn’t need him anymore; Mr. Bridges is brilliant. Gil Birmingham plays the partner, a half-Comanche and half-Mexican, with compassion and respect. Whether the calm reactions to being racially ridiculed and completely disrespected or the appreciation and respect he has for his partner, Mr. Birmingham is the most admirable character in a world of less than admirable people. It’s another brotherly relationship, while not by blood but rather by occupational brotherhood. It’s a balance for the two characters that is played with ease.

“Hell or High Water” is at times starkly comedic, at times wholly visceral, and at other times a cutting commentary on the economic state. It’s a western, a heist film, a detective story, and a family drama. It has a little bit of everything that makes going to the movies such an amazing experience. 

Monte’s Rating

4.50 out of 5.00

Suicide Squad Review

Suicide Squad
Dir: David Ayers
Starring: Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jai Courtney, Viola Davis, Joel Kinnaman, Jay Hernandez, Cara Delevingne, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Karen Fukuhara, Adam Beach, and Jared Leto
Warner Bros. Pictures

123 Minutes

It’s fun to cheer for the bad guy. Don’t get me wrong watching Spider-Man swing into action to fight Doc Ock or reading about The Green Lantern meeting archenemy Sinestro always makes it fun to have a hero to cheer behind. But I couldn’t help but wonder what the comic book universe would look like if Doctor Doom or Kingpin got the best of the hero. In comic books it’s inevitable that these super villains would eventually have their day to shine in some incarnation of a long running print story but in film the superhero/comic book movie villain rarely finds the finish line first.

DC Comics looks to amend this by bringing their anti-hero covert-ops “Suicide Squad” into the mix. Directed by David Ayers, who helmed the 2014 war tank film “Fury” and the gritty 2012 cop drama “End of Watch”, “Suicide Squad” is unlike the typical comic book movie fair audiences are becoming wholly accustomed with throughout the year. No, it’s not a dark and solemn affair like DC’s last outing “Batman v. Superman” or is it a composition of responsibility and morals like “Captain America: Civil War”. This is a film that is trying very hard to have fun and be playful, it’s a film that is trying to make the viewer forget about the constraints levied upon heroes in these types of films. 

Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) is a conniving, unmerciful leader of a secret government agency tasked with protecting the world from new, powerful threats that have come in the wake of the emergence of people like Superman and Batman. This super villain task force, composed of the worst of the worst incarcerated criminals, is sent into action when the odds are the most insurmountable. Lead by a super soldier named Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) the group is composed of a deadly marksman named Deadshot (Will Smith), the Joker’s girlfriend Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), a fire wielding gangster named Diablo (Jay Hernandez), an wise-cracking Australian named Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney), a sewer dwelling monster known as Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), a samurai sword swinging woman named Katana (Karen Fukuhara), and an ancient witch known as Enchantress (Cara Delevingne). How will these villains fill the shoes of the heroes?

Mr. Ayer doesn’t waste much time making his impact known, the style of “Suicide Squad” is frantic from the opening moments and the design has an energetic neon grittiness. The villainous group is quickly introduced via a montage of capers gone wrong that result in their capture. Mr. Ayers does not pull any punches during these moments, providing a few surprises for the DC fan. 

While all of this spectacle and flair provides the film with an early, much needed breath of fresh air it unfortunately doesn’t last very long. Aside from some ingenious character introductions and the promise of a few good action sequences to come, the story lacks in any kind of structure or substance to make it interesting from scene to scene. Just as everything starts to get comfortable the pace changes, or simply restarts. Yes, everything remains quick and somewhat exciting but the fluidity is missing between the story and characters. For instance, Deadshot and Harley Quinn are introduced and then needlessly introduced again later in the film and at another point an action packed scene is basically redone with different characters, it all serves no other purpose than lazily leading the narrative from plot point to plot point. It’s hard to even distinguish a memorable action sequence, most of the memorable scenes happen in humorous or quiet moments between the characters.

The cast is a large group of recognizable faces. Some are really good, some are present, and some are completely overlooked. Will Smith is given a majority of the screen time, unfortunately he never completely sheds the heroic persona his characters are known for and this is no fault to Mr. Smith but rather the script that consistently portrays Deadshot, an assassin, with a significant amount of redeeming qualities. Margot Robbie is next in line for screen time and she provides a bubbly, demented character. Mrs. Robbie completely owns many of the scenes that she is in. Much talk was made of Jared Leto’s portrayal of the Joker, interesting would be a great description of the performance. Mr. Leto works his way into something unique with the character. Viola Davis is perfectly cast as the operator of this task force, stoically poised and on the verge of a killing spree she is the perfect complement to these characters.

It’s unfortunate that Mr. Ayers doesn’t allow the bad guys to simply be bad. There is a constant reminder that the viewer should see these characters differently, take for instance the hero music themes that play in the background during group shots. Why can’t bad guys just be bad guys?

“Suicide Squad” struggles to find a balance for its villains. While it has some very fun moments and some good performances, there is unfortunately few times where it succeeds in accomplishing the lofty mission of letting villains lead the charge. It can be fun to cheer for the bad guy, if you can find one.

Monte’s Rating
2.75 out of 5.00