Archives for October 2025

The German Film Festival in Los Angeles ends today

October 21, 2025 by

“Two to One,” starring Sandra Hüller, played to a full house on Friday night at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica.

On Friday, we attended opening night of German Currents: the 19th Festival of German Film, thanks to our lovely friend Debra Levine of artsmeme.com. Held at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, the featured film was “Two to One,” a comedy-caper from writer-director Natja Brunckhorst, starring Sandra Hüller, Max Riemelt, and Ronald Zehrfeld. Hüller garnered international acclaim for “Anatomy of a Fall” and “The Zone of Interest” (both 2023; she got an Oscar nom for the former). The festival, which ends today, is a co-production of the Goethe Institut and the American Cinematheque.

In “Two to One,” we meet an East Berlin family who, after the fall of the Berlin Wall and before unification, sees a way to make a bundle by exchanging ostmarks for deutschemarks at the rate of two to one – but only if they act quickly.

The Aero was packed, even though the LA Dodgers were playing at home in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series (they won!). Following the show, Ronald Zehrfeld did a Q&A; then guests headed to the after party to nosh on schnitzel sliders and custard buns, and sip excellent Tupetz wine.

Alle hatten eine gute Zeit!

Filed Under: Noir Style, Out of the Shadows Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Meticulously made ‘Mastermind’ inspired by real-life robbery

October 16, 2025 by

Less than a week after seeing “Roofman” – starring Channing Tatum as an ingenious but goofy thief in a story “based on actual events and terrible decisions,” as per the movie’s tagline – I went to a screening of “The Mastermind.” It’s a heist film inspired by the 1972 robbery of the Worcester Art Museum in Massachusetts, in which two Gauguins, a Picasso, and a Rembrandt were stolen.

The movie opens with a young family wandering around the “Framingham Museum of Art” (a place invented for this flick). The mom Terri Mooney (Alana Haim) silently leads the boys Carl and Tommy (Sterling Thompson and Jasper Thompson) as Carl chatters about a guessing game. The dad James Blaine Mooney (Josh O’Connor) hangs back. They have the place mostly to themselves; the security guard is zoned out as he catches z’s. It’s the perfect moment to contemplate the paintings or, if you’re a feckless art-school grad who’s bent on rebellion, as James Blaine (JB) is, pull a key out of your pocket, open a display case, and help yourself to a carved figure.

JB’s initial pilfering is just a prelude to his carelessly thought-out plan of stealing four paintings, a feat he pulls off with the help of two accomplices (Cole Doman and Javion Allen), one of whom is armed with a gun. JB hides the artwork in a barn, hoping he’ll be able to sell it and rustle up a wad of cash. Presumably, he’ll add the money to his family’s finances, convincing his wife and parents (Hope Davis and Bill Camp) that he’s finally having success as an architect.

But his deeper motivation appears to be two-fold: railing against the confines and ennui of his middle-class existence, and in some way defying his father. The fact that his father is a local judge paradoxically figures into JB’s cover story when he is questioned by the police.

After JB leaves town and goes on the lam (rather haphazardly), his comfort, security, and entitlement slip away as he grows increasingly desperate, though not exactly downhearted. Watching “The Mastermind,” as it slowly unwinds, there is ample time to ponder JB, his relationships, what drives him, and what he’s lost.

Visually, the film is impeccable. Writer-director-editor Kelly Reichardt meticulously recreates the look and feel of early 1970s Massachusetts and the Midwest under overcast skies. Wardrobe, hair/makeup, art direction, production design, set decoration, lighting, and documentary-like camerawork all contribute to the precise rendering of each scene. Rob Mazurek’s scintillating jazz score provides a dynamic complement to the underplayed performances and spare dialogue.

However, as much as I typically enjoy a slow-burn film and as much as I tried to invest in JB’s fate, I ultimately disconnected with “The Mastermind.” While O’Connor does possess a breezy, everyman energy, he lacked the requisite charisma to make me care about this misguided man trapped somewhat by societal expectations but mainly by his own choices.

“The Mastermind” opens in theaters on Friday, Oct. 17.

Filed Under: Neo Noir Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

‘Roofman’ manages to climb into your heart and charm you

October 15, 2025 by

“Roofman” sneaks into the film noir genre like a clumsy cat burglar – and that’s fitting because the movie’s protagonist is real-life robber Jeffrey Manchester (played by Channing Tatum) – a US Army vet with a high IQ who’s bold, brilliant, and daring, but also a colossal screw-up. Indeed, the name of the film might just as easily be “Goofman.”

In an early scene, Jeffrey’s friend Steve (LaKeith Stanfield) – a fellow vet and a straight shooter – shakes his head at Jeff’s smart-dumb dynamic and his lack of a steady income, telling him to capitalize on his gift for noticing a myriad of details. Jeffrey heeds Steve’s advice in his own wily way by thinking outside the box to find a novel way of getting inside a box and plundering it. In other words, instead of breaking and entering through a door or window, he goes through the roof.

He starts by stealing cash from a local McDonald’s, gets away with it, and goes on to commit more than 40 robberies. For a while, it’s all good as far as he’s concerned and he’s able to provide a better life (and better birthday gifts) for his three kids and his ex-wife (Melonie Diaz).

Eventually, he’s arrested and sentenced to 45 years in jail. But he plots a clever escape and evades capture by holing up in a hidden space in a Toys “R” Us store. By day, he surreptitiously keeps tabs on the pompous store manager named Mitch (Peter Dinklage) and staffers Leigh (Kirsten Dunst), a recently divorced, hardworking, church-going mom of two girls, as well as meek and mild Otis (Emory Cohen).

At night, Jeffrey disables the security cameras and leaves his “room” to roam the aisles, nosh on candy, and purloin video games, which he will later sell for cash. After learning that Leigh is organizing a toy drive at her church, he grabs toys to donate. When he shows up at the church to drop them off, he introduces himself as John Zorin, from New York. Leigh is intrigued and later, at a church singles event, they hit it off and begin dating. To account for his mysterious comings-and-goings and vague backstory, “John” tells her he is an undercover government agent.

From there, “Roofman” becomes a tale of doomed love as we wait to see how long Jeffrey can keep the ruse going without Leigh suspecting or the police narrowing in. Jeffrey wins not only Leigh’s heart but also the affection of her daughters, sweet and adorable Dee (Kennedy Moyer) and Lindsay (Lily Collias), a moody teenager. We’re rooting for Jeffrey and Leigh’s crazy relationship to work out, though, as mentioned, this is a tale of doomed love …

As such, it’s surprisingly affecting and moving, thanks to sharp direction from Derek Cianfrance and first-rate acting, especially from Tatum, a great casting choice. Tatum’s performance, while very human, exudes more sweetness than menace, more sincerity than malice. And Dunst rings true as a harried mom who wants a second chance at love.

“Roofman” gives us entertaining moments, no doubt, but it’s not quite a dark comedy. Cianfrance – whose previous work includes “Blue Valentine” (2010), “The Place Beyond the Pines” (2012), and “The Light Between Oceans” (2016) – counters the playful, almost whimsical, mood with an undercurrent of sadness. Cianfrance co-wrote the script with Kirt Gunn.

Cinematographer Andrij Parekh uses 35mm to lend a sometimes-garish brightness and Christopher Bear’s subtle piano score reminds us that Jeffrey’s freedom is merely fleeting. “Roofman” manages to climb into your heart and charm you with a heavily flawed main character, full of head-scratching contradictions and unrealized potential.

“Roofman” opened in theaters on Friday, Oct. 10.

Filed Under: Neo Noir Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,