The Foxy Film Fan

Embers (2015) Taking place in a post apocalyptic world in which a disease which makes creating and maintaining memories impossible, Embers  offers a glimpse into the lives of several different people who have their own ways of grappling with the harsh world in which they have no way of knowing who the people around them are. Interspersed between these glimpses into the lives of those too poor to afford a way to escape the disease, we are offered a look at the empty life of a young woman who lives in a shelter with her father, untouched by the disease but horribly bored with nothing to do but test her memory time and time again. With its fascinating premise, beautiful and meticulous camera shots, and slow atmospheric soundtrack, I really wanted to like Embers . Unfortunately, Embers  failed to hold my attention throughout the course of the film, as it wavered awkwardly from scenario to scenario and fell into the trap of repetition as married couples forget one another an...

Starry Eyes (2014) The subject of fame is one often tackled in cinema, partially due to the fact that filmmakers and screenwriters are encouraged to write about subjects which they feel they have a decent understanding of. This leads to a wide variety of films all tackling the subject of fame in some way, but rarely do they aim to do so in a horror setting. Typically, audiences are rooting for someone's quest for fame in a comedy, romance, or drama. In the case of Starry Eyes, audience members are left conflicted as our protagonist goes to increasingly dangerous and drastic lengths as the promise of stardom is dangled in front of her face, forever pushing her to go further and further beyond her moral limits in some vain effort at achieving her dreams. Its a premise we've seen time and time again, typically under the guise of romantic comedies or a heart wrenching drama. Unfortunately for our protagonist, she's not in a comedy where she'll meet up with her future ...

Patriots Day (2016) Patriots Day  is a new release starring Mark Wahlberg, J.K. Simmons, John Goodman, and Kevin Bacon. It centers around the bombing of the Boston Marathon in 2013, and frankly, it's a film which I will be avoiding this year. Before you roll your eyes and accuse me of censoring art or of being too sensitive, allow me to elaborate on why I won't be viewing Patriots Day  and why I avoid other similar films. While there are certain disaster films which explore tragedies in human history from a historical standpoint (such as the abundance of fantastic films centering around the holocaust), these films often focus on the light at the end of the tunnel, they make themselves about the heroes who helped and about the victory over those who caused such horrendous events. Films about events such as September 11th on the other hand seem to do nothing but monetize off of a horrible event without attempting to offer much else in terms of content. They expect people...

Fences (2016) Featuring phenomenal performances from Viola Davis and Denzel Washington, Fences  is a beautiful and oftentimes frighteningly realistic depiction of a man forever unhappy with himself. Through the poignant and deep script, adapted from the play of the same name written by August Wilson, Fences  shows how the selfish and cruel actions of one man can tear apart his life as well as the lives of those around him, including those who he claims to love. Admittedly, Fences  is not an easy film to watch, there is almost no music at all and its dialogue driven nature can sometimes make one feel as though they have been forced to sit in silence and watch a family tear itself apart from the inside out - all because of the emotionally and psychologically abusive head of the household. The writing of the film is phenomenal, effectively transferring the fantastic dialogue of the play to the big screen, however dialogue is mostly all that the film has to offer. In...

Nightcrawler (2014) I've always held true to the belief that Jake Gyllenhaal is one of the best actors of our generation, and after witnessing his performance in Nightcrawler  I knew that I was right to think so. The heartthrob thinned back his hair, bugged out his eyes, and took on some unsettling yet subtle twitchy mannerisms in his portrayal of Louis Bloom, a freelance cameraman who speeds through Los Angeles in search of grisly footage to capture and sell to news stations for a price. This film is perhaps the most realistic portrayal of a sociopath I have ever seen, and it is absolutely phenomenal in its pacing, tone, bizarrely upbeat soundtrack, and the performances delivered by every actor in its cast. Sociopaths in films, particularly in darker genres such as this, have the tendency to be depicted as serial killers or outright monsters. Nightcrawler  opts for something more realistic, instead deciding to show the sort of sociopaths who you might live right next d...

Loving (2016) Set in the state of Virginia in 1958, Loving , explores the relationship (and subsequent court case) of interracial couple Richard and Mildred Loving. The film depicts their love for one another with simplicity, and frequently lapses into showing rather than telling as a method of communicating the passage of time and the sequence of events throughout its narrative. The historical accuracy, emotion behind the court case as they fight to legalize their love, and simple yet effective use of music all help propel this film as something to be viewed as a poignant and important piece of art which simultaneously serves as a reminder for America's darkest moments of racism. The relationship of Richard and Mildred Loving is not one introduced with swooning strings and slow zooms as they realize the depth of their fantastically deep feelings for one another, but rather humbly with quiet and shy glances as crickets chirp in the background. The introductory scene alone ...

Nocturnal Animals (2016) Despite Nocturnal Animals  only being fashion designer Tom Ford's second film, it shows a deep understanding of film language and depth that few experienced directors grasp. With great caution and a significant use of color, Ford builds a universe entirely unique to this film, layered and deep while still managing to avoid confusing the audience. The depth of the film is assisted by the simplicity of its plot. Susan Morrow (Amy Adams) leads a life of luxury and excess, surrounding herself in art, fine food, and beautiful clothes, all in an effort to avoid the guilt and deep depression which gnaws at her from within. Suddenly, without warning, she receives a novel from her ex husband in the mail, and it's devoted to her. From that point on, the film smoothly transitions from her former husband's book to the empty sadness in Susan's life. As the film unravels the novel of Susan's ex husband it is also unraveling the reasons why her ma...