Matt at the Movies: “Furiosa” Reviewed, the Independent Picture House Expands, and more!
Matt at the Movies: “Furiosa” Reviewed, the Independent Picture House Expands, and more!
Witness Matt! as he reviews the latest entry in the “Mad Max” saga (Highly Recommend - 8.5) and talks to the Davidson Film Club.
Expansion at Independent Picture House
Before we get to our film review, we have some breaking local news. Sound the foghorn and ring the cowbells for our favorite local cinema!
Yes, the Independent Picture House is expanding, and Y’all Weekly was on site for their special announcement and to get an inside scoop on the exciting new plans.
On Wednesday, May 22, a cheerful crowd gathered in the space adjacent to IPH and was greeted with fantastic news for the coming months. Some of the highlights include:
Expansion of a 145 seat theater into the current Charlotte Art League space. The new addition will have removable seating and can be used not only for films but also larger presentations, comedy shows, music, and other options to create a flex space.
An event lobby space for lectures, talks or other educational activities.
Construction is to start in July with a potential completion by prime movie season (Thanksgiving or Christmas).
The overall cost of the expansion will be around $725,000, with 60% funds are already secured through donors. IPH/Charlotte Film Society is a non-profit organization so any dollar spent will make this vision become a reality. For more information on the expansion and ways to donate check this official link!
As IPH executive director Brad Ritter made his opening statements to the crowd, he mentioned their mission is to “Educate, engage, and enable.” In the eighteen months since first opening their doors, IPH has successfully kept to that mantra. They cover local issues with talks from professionals and screen films that have covered topics such as maternal health, homelessness, and immigration.
Brad also praised their new community outreach. “Indie on Wheels” serves underrepresented areas with films that impact lives. He was elated to prop up his amazing staff who are like a family, his creative director Jay Morong for creating such a unique viewing experience of films slated at IPH, the board for their hard work making their vision come to fruition, and cinephiles for coming out to theater in support of the IPH.
Tony Kuhn of the Flywheel Group was instrumental in designing the original IPH space on Raleigh Street and he talked for a few minutes about the changing area itself. He noted the area north of NoDa along Sugar Creek will be going through a major transformation in the next three to five years, with upwards of 5,000 new residents calling it home. He was excited for the idea of a ten-minute neighborhood popping up around the theater and hopes it will create a cultural extension of NoDa for the city in the coming future.
IPH board chair Tom Eiselt gave remarks on the vision of the theater and highlighted many of the triumphs over the past two years, giving special thanks to the many donors who made the theater’s success possible. He praised Brad and his team for taking the economic discipline to run the non-profit as efficiently as possible to allow them to have the opportunity for expansion.
Mayor Pro Tem Danté Anderson, Charlotte city council member and self-proclaimed cinephile, was elated by the news and what it will bring to her district. She mentioned access to the arts was key for all people and the city, and IPH’s work in that field has been exemplary in reaching out into the community.
Claire Lechtenberg, the director of development and marketing for IPH, concluded the presentation by making a hard ask for contributions. She laid out a timeline for construction, gave an overview of the expansion’s costs and talked about current film series happening at IPH including the Summer of ‘84 series featuring Beverly Hills Cop (starting this Friday).
Talking to Brad afterwards, I had only one question: “What’s next?”
Brad stated, “I’m excited to keep pushing forward with our education component. The ‘Indie on Wheels’ events had their biggest crowd recently and it’s very exciting to see people respond to it.”
Big things are on the horizon for the Independent Picture House. Y’all Weekly and Matt at the Movies will keep you updated with more news and events throughout the summer.
Thanks to everyone at IPH for taking the time to host the event (great charcuterie board Ivana!) and spread the word about their next steps as the cinematic center of Charlotte.
A night out with the Davidson Film Club
I sold off my Charlotte FC tickets for one match (a 0-0 draw against the LA Galaxy) and trekked up to the Armour Street Theatre in Davidson to spend a night with the Davidson Film Club.
We screened the 2005 adaption of John le Carré’s The Constant Gardener, and I was honored to lead a lively discussion afterwards. The group focuses on critically acclaimed films from all around the world, many from underrepresented areas in cinema today.
Shoutout to Davidson College Professor Emeritus Alan Singerman and his crew of extremely kind volunteers who routinely pack up the house of roughly eighty-four seats.
The Academy Award-winning film features themes of love, mystery, and a thrilling conclusion that dives into how the government and big pharma can prey on people in underdeveloped nations.
Filmed in the Kibera slums outside Nairobi, Kenya, shady backdoor deals look to push a new TB drug through the testing phase to corner the world market, all while making record profits. Rachel Weisz won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance alongside Ralph Fiennes' steadfast leading presence.
Did You Know: Prior to her acting breakthrough, Lupita Nyong'o worked as a production assistant on “The Constant Gardener.”
As the film concluded, we jumped into our discussion of the themes, focusing on the director’s stylistic choices in advancing the plot, as well as the relationship of the two main characters. The conversation was amazing as the crowd seemed incredibly invested in both lead characters and their motives.
The half hour discussion was such a nice break from the movie echo chamber of news articles and podcasts that it really cleansed my pictorial palette. Thanks again to Alan Singerman and the Davidson Film Club crew for inviting me to spend a night with you all.
The Fast and the “Furiosa”
Seventy-nine-year-old director George Miller is back with his fifth installment in the post-apocalyptic wasteland series from Mad Max lore.
These films have stretched over forty years, with Mad Max debuting in 1979 starring Mel Gibson. When Miller wasn’t directing another film in the series, he was adding to his eclectic filmography with comedies (The Witches of Eastwick), dramas (Lorenzo’s Oil), and even children’s films (Babe & Happy Feet) that demonstrate his range in the director’s chair.
With each passing Mad Max film, we seem to dive deeper into the chaotic breakdown of society and its scarcity of resources. As we further descend into the madness of the desert, prepare for more action set pieces than plot. That’s not a criticism, as Fury Road is as frenetic as it is masterful, earning six Oscars in the technical categories.
The worldbuilding and mythology he created is best reflected by the character Immortan Joe speaking to his War Boys: “You shall ride eternal.” When you’ve created and expanded your own successful niche like Miller, there’s no shame in dipping back into the well if you have new stories to share.
If this was his last entry in the series, it was a fine exclamation point!
“Furiosa” In a Nutshell
The film is a prequel to the events of Mad Max: Fury Road, and we see the future Imperator Furiosa (originated by Charlize Theron, portrayed here by Anya Taylor-Joy) as a young girl growing up in a tucked away Elysium-style river valley deep in the heart of the Australian Outback. The hamlet seems like the last bastion of humanity in this post-apocalyptic society.
She is stolen by bandits and brought to live with the warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth) along with his roving motorcycle horde of mayhem. Dementus tries to break into the fortresses of Gastown, Bullet Farm, and the Citadel, headed by Immortan Joe, the main antagonist of Fury Road. The three strongholds trade gasoline, ammunition, and food grown atop the Citadel mesas in a symbiotic alliance of survival.
Furiosa is traded off to Immortan Joe in exchange for Dementus’s control of Gastown, and she escapes the fate of being one of his harem of breeder wives by disguising herself as one of his War Boys. She grows up to work one of the War Rigs that transport supplies along the dangerous Fury Road under the tutelage of Praetorian Jack (Tom Burke). She hones her skills to be both ruthless and a survivor.
From here, we see the frenetic chase and action scenes that viewers have come to not only expect but love from the Mad Max franchise (remember the Doof Warrior and his guitar?).
Dementus pushes to take over the Citadel at any cost and Furiosa is on a campaign of revenge against him. Over this two and half hour epic we are treated to fire, blood, gore, motorcycles, impossible vehicle creations, and a deeper dive into how this fragile society is kept afloat amongst a sea of desert.
Time is money, why should I go?
This movie is not Fury Road, and that’s O.K.
The adrenaline and pace of that film can’t be replicated, nor should it be. This story, however, gives us a look at how humanity survived the great wars through the lens of Furiosa’s upbringing. We get hints back to past films and several answers to mysteries from Fury Road.
We haven’t really seen a villain like Hemsworth’s Dementus in the series, as he is both hammy and merciless. I never imagined I would be interested in wasteland survivor politics, but it was quite intriguing to see how the sausage is made.
Lastly, no action compares to the bandits surrounding and fighting massive War Rig semi-trailers to the death. These scenes are the apex of action and worth seeing on the largest and loudest screens possible.
Spill the Tea
As Tom Hardy or Charlize Theron will attest, filming such a bleak and sun-stricken story can be incredibly taxing on your mind, body, and soul. This was no different for lead actress Anya Taylor-Joy.
Taylor-Joy broke onto the scene at age 18 as the main character in Robert Egger’s horror film The Witch and has been on the fast track to the upper echelon of Hollywood actors. Her performance in Netflix’s limited series The Queen’s Gambit drew worldwide praise and an Emmy nomination. She plays “quirky and intelligent” with a touch of “loner” very well, but has the chops to headline films like The Menu or Last Night in SoHo. She has striking physical features that stand out and add to her aura as an actor, but still tried voice acting as Princess Peach in the 2023 box office smash The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
Furiosa pushed Taylor-Joy’s boundaries. Furiosa is not about dramatic acting, but having a physical presence that is both believable and intense. Needing to channel her inner rage and reach her physical peak was important as the shooting was incredibly taxing on her body.
In a recent interview with GQ Magazine, the British born Taylor-Joy talks about her mental transformation:
“For all my championing of female rage, I’ve never been an angry person,” she says. “For a long time the only time I ever got angry was on other people’s behalfs. I’ve always internalised this thing of ‘I’ve done something wrong. If you treat me badly, it’s because I am the problem.’ And I’m so grateful for Furiosa, because there was a real moment where I started getting angry for myself. My husband was like ‘I’ve never heard you be like this.’ I was like, ‘I’m glad! I’m glad that I’m angry!’ If someone steps on me now I’m like, ‘Hey, fuck you!’ That makes me feel good.”
She has no more than thirty lines of dialogue in the film but still comes off as total badass. Taylor-Joy found that challenge difficult as the actions of her character reigned supreme over her normal traditional acting chops. Her character is bent on vengeance and smoldering throughout the film as Chris Hemsworth’s Dementus uses his charisma to steal almost every scene he’s in. The two play well off each other to create a balance inside the desolate end of the world wasteland.
Star of the Show
Native Australian Chris Hemsworth is magnificent as the hulking and psychotic warlord Dementus. His massive build fits right in to the Mad Max villain canon while being one of the more sociopathic charmers I’ve seen on screen. He uses his wit and blue collar everyman sensibilities to control his army while always seeking a way to grab more power. Unlike Immortan Joe or the other leaders of the fortress cities, he has zero moral scruples to keep him from burning the whole thing to the ground.
Hemsworth, along with his prosthetic nose, has never quite had a role like this before, and it suits his talents well. He is the catalyst for the story and when he’s gone for stretches feels sorely missed. I hope he dives into the more off the wall roles in the future and outside of his Marvel persona.
Don’t Sleep On
My beloved War Boys, as their commitment to Immortan Joe and riding eternal to Valhalla is vital to embracing the insanity of the wasteland. They are a steadying presence in both of the two newest films, and set the tone as to how humanity has morphed into this post-nuclear half-life existence.
“We live. We die. We live again!” Stay true to yourself, War Boys.
Best Ten Minute Stretch
There is an incredible chase scene where the War Rig is taking a shipment back to the Citadel. A faction of Dementus’s army has gone rogue and they attack the tanker, driven by Praetorian Jack, while Furiosa works on repairing the engine in the vehicle’s underbelly.
The bandits use bombs, grappling hooks, parachutes, and even paraplanes to hijack the vehicle. Not only is the action amazing, but we see Furiosa transform from a feeble War Boy mechanic into a stone cold killer. I thought that nothing could compare with the fighting in Fury Road, but this scene may end up as the single best scene of the series after a few more viewings.
Could Have Used More …
Editing to keep a similar pace to Fury Road. The story is laid over a series of chapters that spans close to twenty years. With certain scenes sped up with either cutscenes or quick flashbacks we probably could have been given a tighter movie in terms of story flow. We may spend too much time with Furiosa as a child but it also gives Hemsworth’s Dementus character room to shine as he is the real highlight of the film.
MatM Score
Highly Recommend - 8.5 (Not quite Fury Road, but the action is the juice)
BONUS: Matt at the Movies’ Top 5 Mad Max Villains
#5 - Master Blaster (Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome)
A double entry of characters as Master is the brains and Blaster the brawn. They, along with Aunty Entity (Tina Turner), run Bartertown and need each other to not only survive but thrive in the desolate landscape. This was a great prototype for Krang to any of our Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle fans.
#4 - Toecutter (Mad Max)
Hugh Keays-Byrne gets his first of two entries onto the list as the main heel in the original Mad Max. Toecutter is an evil psychopath who creates havoc for Max with his group of bandits on the open road. His bedlam is singular and looming over every encounter with the main character.
#3 - Immortan Joe (Mad Max: Fury Road & Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga)
Back-to-back appearances for Hugh Keays-Byrne, the god-like emperor of the Citadel Immortan Joe. He rules the land with an iron fist along with his family. His goal (besides controlling the water and food supplies) is to create a full-blood heir to take over his dynasty, keeping a harem of wives whose sole purpose is procreation. His look and determination serve as the crux for Furiosa to jump ship starting off the events of Fury Road.
#2 - Dementus (Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga)
Powerful, psychotic, and with more dialogue than any other baddie in the series, Dementus is a truly realized villain in the latest film. Chris Hemsworth’s character personifies the despair of the wasteland but is well-rounded enough to be Furiosa’s adversary.
#1 - Lord Humungus (Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior)
Lord Humungus is the perfect blend of post civilization weirdness and raw power that personify the Mad Max series. He is a straightforward lunatic murderer and delivers some of the best villain lines in the franchise. He is the warrior of the wasteland and the Ayatollah of rock and rolla. Long live Lord Humungus and bring on the war dogs!