On January 19th, Adios Vaya Con Dios was released by Chicago studio Ave Fenix Pictures, an Official Selection at the Bel-Air Film Festival. The movie was hailed a first of its kind, capturing a movie with real gangs and real street artists. The movie is an artistic gratification and revitalizing to watch, a distinctive spin on the gangster genre. Founder of Ave Fenix Pictures, Executive Producer Monica Esmeralda Leon, has reassembled her team of producers, Marius Iliescu and Joseph Mennella to bring yet another highly unique and grippingly controversial independent film When my Eyes go Dark to audiences. The film is based on early events of Lazaro Ruben Torres ‘the man who died five times,’ observing all of Lazaro’s close encounters with death.
In 2015 forensics connected the DNA of Lazaro on the clothes of Mark Costello, strangled to death inside a pew at Detroit’s St Agnes Cathedral eight years ago. Three years after his brother, Aaron Costello, met a similar outcome coincidently beside Lazaro. The U.S. called for the extradition of Lazaro late last year, now residing in Mexico, although his location is unknown. The movie When my Eyes go Dark pieces out this exact scenario and investigates the events that led up to the homicides. The movie is strikingly controversial because the movie plays into the paranormal allegory of Lazaro. Detroit neighborhoods fabled Lazaro ‘the man who died five times,’ requesting psychic sessions based on the abilities he brought back with him from the dead. The story becomes even more abnormal when in 2010 after completing seven months in rehabilitation at the Detroit Medical Center for several attempted suicides; Lazaro began working for the Archdiocese of Detroit as an Exorcist. When my Eyes go Dark uses the actual voice-recordings from Lazaro’s exorcisms, spreading them throughout the film. Needless-to-say, we were eager to speak with Ave Fenix Pictures about the upcoming movie.
Lazaro and his young daughter were randomly shot in 2005, his daughter killed and himself barley clinging onto life. Allegedly, Lazaro came back with extrasensory abilities and sought the killers, now believed to be the Costello brothers. Ave Fenix Pictures once again utilizes the gifted Zachary Laoutides from Adios Vaya Con Dios as screenplay writer and lead actor.
You’ve been busy the last year and half finishing Adios Vaya Con Dios and now writing and playing Lazaro in When my Eyes go Dark. What drew you to this controversial story?
(ZL): Executive Producer Monica Leon is from a town in Mexico rooted in witchcraft and the supernatural; you’ll actually find the same thing in Hispanic neighborhoods that I’m familiar with in Chicago. Stumbling on this story was simple. It’s terribly interesting when you start asking questions and looking deep into the story. Once I began writing I couldn’t stop.
How do you even prepare yourself for a role like Lazaro? You also play him younger and older.
(ZL): It was a distrubia you need to put yourself in and put yourself through. It wasn’t really hard to change my look; that was kinda fun. Lazaro has several different emotions manifesting inside of him, he’s mourning his daughter’s death, he’s black mailed, he’s suicidal and he’s hunting down the killer… The challenge is to hold onto to that place you create for yourself for months. It was a release when I was able to stop playing him.
In the film you seem to show what police didn’t know; forensics just now are beginning to piece everything together. Was that artistic interpretation on your part or did you know something we didn’t?
(ZL): It’s a bit of both. There’s only so much we can cover, you can easily write a series on Lazaro. I understood what we could show, what we couldn’t show and what we were able to achieve with our budget. We can always come back and show more in a different film. The material exists to go beyond what we did.
Likewise, we spoke with director Timothy J. Aguado, coming off of his successful directorial hand in Adios Vaya Con Dios, about blurring the lines between the paranormal and what society may soon be calling the hard facts.
Adios Vaya Con Dios had a very distinct organic feel. Are you going for the same art house approach?
(TA): Not the same, but similar. This is very much still a film that could be happening in any neighborhood. It has a real feel, so similar, but an entirely different genre style and vastly different emotional draws for each of the characters.
It seems that in the movie you are filling-in the gaps of time that have on going criminal investigations. Do you believe When my Eyes go Dark can be controversial to audiences?
(TA): It can be, despite its universal theme. As a storyteller, I do ask the audience to question their view of reality in order to connect with the character.
The demonic voices you have on tape and place throughout the film are disturbing to say the least. The U.S. has called for the extradition of Lazaro, linking him to murder. Do you believe in Lazaro’s paranormal capabilities or is he delusional?
(TA): This one I leave to the audience to choose whether Lazaro’s abilities are really happening or if it we are seeing the world that exists only in his head.
Actor Samuel Younan plays Mark Costello, strangled to death inside a cathedral pew. Currently, forensics believes it has solved the murder linking the DNA of Lazaro on the clothes of Mark Costello.
You played in arguably the most disturbing scene in the film opposite of Laoutides. Many are saying the performances you both give remind them of No Country for Old Men (2007), comparable to Javier Bardem’s character Anton Chigurh. Was it one take or numerous takes to bring that horrific scene to life?
(SY): Preparing for this scene was a bit difficult, I just tried to prepare by creating a similar environment and keeping a high intensity. I think we did two takes if I’m not mistaken, so you can say the first was a warm up (laughs). We tried to keep it as natural as we could.
Lazaro was stabbed in 2009 inside a restaurant alongside Aaron Costello, Mark Costello’s younger brother. Aaron was pronounced dead at the scene with Lazaro claiming two people walked inside the restaurant to settle a debt with him where both were attacked. Actor Emmanuel Isaac steps into the unfortunate shoes of the victim.
It’s a mystery what really happened that day. Do you believe you and Laoutides through your reenactment actually reveal what happened?
(EI): The entire scene felt very real. After we finished filming, we both looked at one another and were speechless. We then looked at our director Timothy Aguado and immediately knew we nailed the scene. But is this the real truth…? Do we really feel like this is exactly what happened? We’ll honestly never know. Only ‘they’ know what really happened. It was our job to make it as real as possible and put ourselves in the position that day and I think we did a terrific job doing that.
Closing our conversation we asked director Timothy J. Aguado his personal ambition with When my Eyes go Dark, a movie resounding with such debate, dark mysticism, and once again perhaps a movie that is first of its kind, blending existent demonic voices against the backdrop up of an on going criminal investigation. His answer humbling and something we didn’t expect.
I notice there is some different force of storytelling with Ave Fenix Pictures that is groundbreaking in the projects you are picking. What do you hope to achieve with this film?
(TA): To get people thinking about the idea of forgiveness. We don’t have nearly enough of it in the world. So I show how revenge is a dark obsession and how it constantly eats at you. It truly distracts you from everything else that life has to offer. The act of revenge is detrimental to the human psyche. I wish to show just how freeing forgiveness can be.
When my Eyes Go Dark is due out in 2017. For more information:
Studio: www.avefenixpictures.com
Facebook fanpage: www.facebook.com/whenmyeyesgodark
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/131153242
Directed by: Kishore Kumar Pardasani
Written by: Siva
Studio: North Star Entertainment
Runtime: 149 minutes
Genre: Action, Drama
Cast:
Pawan Kalyan as Katamarayudu
Shruti Haasan as Avanthika
Siva Balaji as Katamarayudu’s younger brother
Ajay, Kamal Kamaraju, Chaitanya Krishna in supporting roles
Katamarayudu is a Telugu-language remake of the Tamil film Veeram. This movie blends family drama with high-octane action sequences, delivering a narrative that is quintessentially rooted in southern Indian cinema’s flair for heroism and larger-than-life characters.
The story revolves around Katamarayudu, a righteous and fiercely protective elder brother who has dedicated his life to looking after his younger siblings. Known for his aversion to marriage, his life takes a turn when Avanthika, a poised and graceful woman, enters his life. The movie skillfully combines lighthearted romance, brotherly camaraderie, and intense action sequences, creating an engaging watch for the masses.
Kishore Kumar Pardasani delivers a visually grand spectacle while staying true to the essence of its Tamil original. While the screenplay lacks novelty, it compensates with fast-paced action and emotional beats. The dialogues, although simple, hit the right chords when it comes to showcasing family bonds and love.
Pawan Kalyan is the heart of the film. His screen presence and charismatic portrayal of Katamarayudu dominate every frame. Shruti Haasan offers a refreshing on-screen presence, and her chemistry with Pawan Kalyan adds charm to the narrative. The supporting cast, especially the actors playing the brothers, do justice to their roles, adding depth to the storyline.
The film boasts meticulously choreographed fight scenes, which are a visual treat for action lovers. Anup Rubens’ background score and songs elevate the emotional and action-packed moments. His mass appeal and command over action and emotion anchor the movie effectively.
The film adheres to a conventional template, leaving little room for surprises. At 149 minutes, the film feels stretched, especially in the second half.
Katamarayudu is a feast for fans of Pawan Kalyan and action-packed family dramas. It carries the essence of mass entertainment but doesn’t break new ground. While it caters to the sensibilities of Telugu cinema audiences, others might find its predictability a drawback.
Rating: 8/10 Fans of Pawan Kalyan and high-energy action films will undoubtedly enjoy this one, but those looking for a novel story might find it wanting.
“Do you want to watch a film with me? It’s called Marcel the Shell with Shoes On”
“What?”
“It’s about a little shell named Marcel who wears shoes.”
“…”
And that about sums it up! It’s the blob of a week between Christmas and New Year so it was the optimum time to watch a very surreal film recently added to UK Netflix.
Released in 2021 (a blob of a year) Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is about a one-inch-tall shell called Marcel who lives with his grandmother, Connie, in an Airbnb. Marcel usually stays out the way of the house’s various guests as he utilizes his only means of fast transportation (a tennis ball) and walks his pet lint on a string (Alan). This is until a documentary filmmaker named Dean, who is staying at the Airbnb, discovers Marcel and his unique lifestyle.
As filmmakers are wont to do Dean begins to film interviews with Marcel, consequently we get an insight into Marcel’s world both inside and out. Yes, Marcel is a stop-motion hermit crab shell with surprisingly expressive googly eyes but he feels very human. I was unsure about Marcel’s age and gender because he sounds a lot like Lisa Simpson, I did even check that Marcel wasn’t voiced by Yeardly Smith. But Marcel is voiced superbly by Jenny Slate. Marcel comes off as quite childlike with his wide-eyed optimism and naivety (he is a shell I suppose). Yet, like many children, Marcel will utter something so profound he will seem more of a fossil than a shell. When Dean uploads Marcel’s interviews onto YouTube Marcel of course becomes a viral sensation. Marcel reads the comments on his videos, using his tiny shoes to activate the laptop touchpad, which is just adorable! Despite his obvious popularity, Marcel remarks; “It’s an audience. It’s not a community.” Which just drives a stake into the heart of social media.
No, Marcel does not become a teeny-tiny-TikToker, he in fact uses the internet to find his lost community. The house used to be full of anthropomorphic objects including Marcel’s own shell family. They had been living in the house for generations, Connie herself came from the garage travelling by coat pocket to the main house; it’s why she has an accent. Among the community there are anthropomorphic pieces of cereal and because the internet notices this stuff; a tampon! An unfortunate event occurred and the community were accidentally removed from their home one tragic night, leaving Marcel and Connie on their own.
Being an A24 film I knew it would get deep. Marcel’s journey gives the audience a unique perspective of life, death, and community. In a modern world where we are more connected than ever but loneliness has been recognized as a universal health crisis. We could all learn something from this talented little shell and his grandmother. Be like Marcel and don’t get sanded down by life, stay connected to your community and know you are not just rattling around on your own!
It’s a beautifully poignant and quirky film. Despite its metaphysical and existential content, the film doesn’t take itself too seriously. Whether it’s Marcel making rope by winding together the pubic hairs he finds in the drain (he calls them ‘hardy hairs’) or sleeping on slices of bread referring to them as his ‘breadroom’. The film is painstakingly detailed and you can see its roots in a short film. It’s a delightful adventure that has something far bigger to say than its minuscule protagonist.
Five stars.
As an anime enthusiast and entertainment journalist, I’ve curated a list of the top five must-see anime series of 2024. These selections showcase the diversity and creativity that define the medium, offering compelling narratives and stunning animation.
Delicious in Dungeon
This series combines culinary arts with fantasy adventure, following a group of dungeon explorers who cook and eat the monsters they defeat. The unique premise and mouth-watering depictions of fantasy cuisine make it a standout this year. Kaiju No. 8
Set in a world plagued by kaiju attacks, the story centers on a protagonist who gains the ability to transform into a kaiju himself. The series offers a fresh take on the kaiju genre, blending action with deep character development.
Kaiju No. 8
Set in a world plagued by kaiju attacks, the story centers on a protagonist who gains the ability to transform into a kaiju himself. The series offers a fresh take on the kaiju genre, blending action with deep character development. Solo Leveling
Adapted from the popular web novel, this anime follows a weak hunter who becomes the world’s strongest after a mysterious system grants him unique abilities. Its dynamic animation and gripping storyline have captivated audiences worldwide.
Solo Leveling
Adapted from the popular web novel, this anime follows a weak hunter who becomes the world’s strongest after a mysterious system grants him unique abilities. Its dynamic animation and gripping storyline have captivated audiences worldwide. The Elusive Samurai
Set in feudal Japan, this historical series follows a young samurai who uses his agility and wit to survive in a turbulent era. The anime’s blend of historical context and engaging action sequences has garnered critical acclaim.
The Elusive Samurai
Set in feudal Japan, this historical series follows a young samurai who uses his agility and wit to survive in a turbulent era. The anime’s blend of historical context and engaging action sequences has garnered critical acclaim. Dragon Ball Daima
The latest installment in the iconic Dragon Ball franchise, this series introduces new transformations and challenges for Goku and his friends. Its high-octane battles and nostalgic elements appeal to both longtime fans and newcomers.
Dragon Ball Daima
The latest installment in the iconic Dragon Ball franchise, this series introduces new transformations and challenges for Goku and his friends. Its high-octane battles and nostalgic elements appeal to both longtime fans and newcomers. These anime series exemplify the innovation and storytelling prowess that continue to drive the medium’s global popularity. Whether you’re a seasoned otaku or new to anime, these titles are essential viewing for 2024.
Movie Review: Katamarayudu
You Are Not Ready for ‘Marcel the Shell with Shoes On’
Top Five anime in 2024
Mechanic Rocky
Nosferatu
Did JD from Scrubs Have a Dark Past?
You Are Not Ready for ‘Marcel the Shell with Shoes On’
‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ Will Leave You Breathless
Is ‘Kraven the Hunter’ a Total Letdown?
Nosferatu
Comic-Con 2024: Arthur C Clarke’s Venus Prime TV series
Comic-Con 2024: Max Collins’s TRUE NOIR
Comic-Con 2024: Will Wight’s Cradle
Interview With Heroes & Villains Creative Director Doug Johnson
Thatsmye Interviews: Les Weiler on Henchin’: the Series
