A collection of my idiosyncratic thoughts & film reviews. I find spending time sitting in the dark watching far too many films back to back a deeply relaxing experience. International, Indy, Hollywood, Vampires - I have very flexible tastes...
When the Pope passes all of the catholic churches cardinals gather within the
Vatican to choose their next spiritual leader. Vote after vote is taken until a
consensus emerges. The honored recipient being a far from obvious choice -
emerging as an out of nowhere compromise candidate. Which might have something
to do with all the other Cardinal's fervent prayers not to be elevated to the
papacy. The vote's conclusion signaled via coded smoke to the faithful massed
outside awaiting this reassuring message of continuity. With throngs of
reporters trying to get a scoop on what's going on - in a manner reminiscent of
a sporting event or Kardashian sighting. Around this process
lies fertile ground for comedy, both slapstick and ironic. There's a touch of
that (for example the lights going out and church members insisting nothing is
wrong, as well as a confused Vatican reporter). Though it's low grade compared
with the mostly sweetly handled existential crisis that the accidental Pope has
to deal with. I smiled throughout the film, but never really was engaged enough
to recommend the final result as must see cinema. Though it certainly has its
charms and likely will be a winner with segments of the viewing audience, who
are not me.
After his selection the new pope (Michel Piccoli) gets almost to the
balcony where he will address the crowd. An ear splitting scream suggests
something is wrong and there is. The new Pope won't go through with it. Church
officials hope a cooling off period, and then perhaps a psychologist might help.
Eventually Piccolo finds himself wandering through Rome revisiting either his
life that could have been or just experiencing life in the messy wonderful world
outside the Vatican walls. Either way he delivers a strong performance that's
believable in an unbelievable situation. I could talk in more detail, but the
best parts of the picture are experiencing the slowly paced ride and the
characters. So I won't delve any deeper.
I struggled to understand what I didn't love about the film. After a fair
amount of thinking I've decided that it just felt too mild. While there's a
sweetness and heartfelt nature to the exercise the punches are pulled and the
humor is low grade. At least it was for me. There is a pleasantly subversive
sense to everything. From a room full of cardinals begging God not to choose
them as pope to the hiring of a non-believer divorced psychiatrist whose not
allowed to ask the reluctant pontiff anything of significance. And of course
there's the paradox of the infallible leader of the church being told his
decision not to be pope is wrong. All in all a pleasant if personally under
whelming experiment. To which I cannot picture rushing out to see in a theater
given other more engaging options. But that's just me.
Several weeks back I posted the first of the SXSW 2012 pre-film bumpers to be released online. I noticed that quite a few more of these gems are available. You're welcome... ;-)
Badgers
Badger Fight
Q&A-hole
Panel Question
Mega Fan
Saving Seats (which is one I didn't actually see at the festival)
and "Theater Bum" which was the first released
There are definitely a few bumpers that haven't made it out yet - but I'm continuing to keep an eye out.
This morning was a fine morning indeed. Specifically it was the official 2012 Seattle International Film Festival press launch. Which meant an opportunity to mingle with many fine folks from the local press, SIFF employees and other friends of the festival. It also meant picking up my press badge, and receiving a list of what's going to be showing up starting in May. The official schedule release is May 3rd. So I'm being very careful only to disclose the information marked FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - if I'm misinterpreting that I figure I've got a pretty good excuse. After the jump below I've reproduced a bunch of awesome information market accordingly. :-)
The document out now is very premiere centric and as such leaves out tons of fantastic films that have already played US festivals but not gotten to Seattle yet. By my rough count I've seen about 18 films that will be part of SIFF this year. And all are worth seeing - OK, almost all. As soon as I'm clear the list is legit to discuss I'll have coverage on those eighteen. All of which I believe I've reviewed or made mention of previously. At least three of my favorites from SXSW are on that list, one from Fantastic Fest, and a can't miss flick from Palm Springs. All in all it looks like a promising year.
Before we received our passes and guidebook for covering the festival SIFF held an outdoor award presentation to T.J. Martin the local filmmaker who co-directed the Oscar winning documentary Undefeated. It was a nice moment and the closest I've ever stood to an actual Oscar statue. Then we all headed inside for a bit of brunch and socialization. I had to head back to work - but afterward there was a presentation from festival programmers and a screening of the opening night film. I'm jealous - but also appreciative of everyone who was so concerned I leave in time to make it back for a big meeting.
There are some more pictures of the event after the jump - as well as the full text of the kickoff press release - which has tons of film info to salivate over. Oh, and if you're in need of a very reasonably priced parking option near Seattle Center during the festival - here's a link to information on obtaining a Mercer Garage parking permit.
The 2012 Seattle International Film Festival is right around the corner. Within a week I believe the list of films should be in the wild and then we'll be down to the tough task of picking films to try, watching screeners, and writing recommendations. We're not quite there yet though the folks at SIFF have released the official festival trailer. It's not hard to discern that their buzzword for 2012 is SIFFTACULAR. I hope I won't get to the point where hearing people use that phrase non-ironically will give me an urge to punch someone in the face. For everyone's sake - let's hope not.
Anyways - the trailer is embedded below. Which the hardcore will see 80-100 times in the next 2 months. When you put it that way you might want to hold off on checking it out for a while. I say that, but I know all SIFF fans want to check it out as soon as possible. There may be more trailers. But as opposed to SXSW who have been going for many short and varied bumpers SIFF tends to stick with a single one the entire festival. Albeit occasionally re-cut for length. So hope you love it. Truth be told it hasn't really clicked for me yet. But I'll deal - especially if the benevolent SIFF overlords can heed my annual cry for mercy and pare down the pre-show show. When it clocks in at 10-15 minutes it seriously can cut into one's options throughout the festival. I know I'm not the only one on this.
So here's the SIFF 2012 festival screener. Which also may serve in some jurisdictions as probable cause for a drug search of the creator's home and workplace. You've been warned...
There's a lot chaos and innovation in the film exhibition space. With everyone watching to see how distribution evolves in a digital age where people often prefer watching a movie at home. With the cost of film production dropping due to lower cost equipment, CGI availability etc. the financial barriers to make a high quality motion picture have changed. But exhibiting your movie in a theater remains complex. As a unrepentant fan of theater going I find it sad that too many great movies I see each year go straight to video. Keeping others from watching with that communal experience. Now sure - sometimes I curse that group viewing too - with the ringing phones, flashing lights and people who won't shut the hell up. And I do watch an increasing numbers of film at home - the quality of current options is very high. But I believe in choice - and the current environment (not including SIFF's awseome multiple movies per day per theater goings on at the Uptown) are constrained. Leaving folks on the social media sites lamenting their must see film of the year isn't coming to ........
Enter Tugg.com a new business that allows folks to demonstrate demand up front for a film and in doing so guarantee a screening. I'm going to be writing a whole lot more about Tugg.com in the future. But right now I'm taking their service out for a ride - by helping bring the oddly named new film from Morgan Spurlock, Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope to Seattle on May 14th. It'll be showing at Pacific Place that evening. Tickets are $9 and can be reserved via the film's event page on Tugg.com. There's a certain minimum number needed to guarantee the screening happens, so if you'd like to attend please sign up as soon as possible. If that minimum is hit then the show goes on (and your credit card is charged). If it's not then you pay nothing and we all find something else to do on the night of May 14th. With SIFF just a few days past that think of this as your last chance to see a movie without waiting on line.
Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope was the closing night film at Fantastic Fest 2011 and follows a number of fans through their San Diego Comicon experience of 2010. I was at Fantastic Fest this year, and missed the film - only to later realize the one year I did attend Comicon was in 2010. I've heard generally good things so I'm super excited about this screening. For full disclosure the film is available today on VOD channels - but don't you think a film about community should be seen in a public space?
Hope readers will find it interesting - please share your experiences good or bad around Tugg.com - I'll be talking through the whole experience at some point in the future after the screening. On the surface I'm very excited about Tugg providing a (hopefully) scalable way for small film-makers to bring their film to any theater in America (or the world). Digital projection for all the controversy seems to be perfect to enable this particular activity. Eliminating the cost of transporting heavy film reels to setup a screening. Yeah, yeah - more on that later. Right now just go buy a ticket. ;-)
If you're in NYC right about now hopefully you're taking advantage of the Tribeca Film Festival which runs from April 18-29. But if you're no where near the east coast you can still participate. Tribeca has been a leader in exposing their festival to the internet. This year is no exception as they continue the tradition of the Tribeca Online Film Festival (TOFF).
I discovered that amongst their offerings they have included CatCam my favorite short of SXSW (followed closely by Tumbleweed!). It's completely free, though you do need to go through a brief registration process. But it's a documentary about an engineer who strapped a camera to his adopted outside cat to see what they got up to. It's fascinating, and beautiful. Follow this link before you change your mind. Seriously, DO IT!
OK, back? - great. As you've likely discovered by now Tribeca Online Film Festival has a number of this year's other shorts and even a few feature films (spaced over time) available to watch. They'll be adding films as the festival progresses making TOFF worthy of bookmarking.
In addition to the free material four of the 2012 festival's films are available through a variety of Video on Demand Channels. The pictures include (with links to Amazon Instant Video)
Yep, it's been a while - but I'm back to talk about SXSW some more. Today I'll get into the full length not documentaries I really, really enjoyed. I've limited myself to five.
Safety Not Guaranteed - A cryptic classified ad attracts the attention of a reporter at
Seattle Magazine:
"Wanted: Someone to go back in time with me. This is
not a joke. P.O. Box 91 Ocean View, WA 99393. You'll get paid after we
get back. Must bring your own weapons. I have only done this once
before. SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED."
Whether it's out of
genuine interest or desire for a weekend out of town to try and
hook up with an old flame he pitches an investigation into the classified listing. Before you know it Jeff (Jake M. Johnson) along with
interns Darius (Aubrey Plaza) and Arnau (Karan Soni) are down by the Washington shore staking out a post
office box to identify the time traveler in question. It doesn't take long for them to identify Kenneth (Mark Duplass)
as he's picking up mail. First Jeff attempts to make contact but things doesn't really
click. A more subtle approach by Darius does the trick and she begins
the process of becoming his confidant. As Jeff deals with the reality of time's impact on his lost love (who is shockingly no longer 18). More of each character
is revealed, we learn perhaps Kenneth's motivations and laugh
out hilarity ensues. Amongst some sweet and occasionally touching moments.
Over the course of the picture government agents are on Kenneth's tail, Jeff continues
to be on the make (at one point picking up two young women and some
goth dude) and the film barrels towards what you suspect may be its
inevitable end. And maybe it does. In that it's extremely
satisfying conclusion to a dynamite ride. Performances
balance well between sweet and laugh out loud funny giving what could be
caricatures adequate depth. Darius's pre-planned meet cute with Duplasss will leave you (as it did the SXSW audience) taken by her smooth can on a shelf arranging moves.
It's just that kind of film. There are serious issues in the mix about regrets, and the might have beens. That's done well - and it's an important thing to think on from time to time. Thankfully it never lets the film become a downer.
I think the only people who might not love Safety Not Guaranteed are the publishers of Seattle Weekly whose magazine gets made fun of at times. As a whole it's a dynamite film that's just a ton of fun. It's funny, it's sweet, and it makes you think about the things you'd want to go back and change. Suspect we've all got a few of those to wrestle with as we go to bed each night.
Oh, and it's about flippin' time travel .... (maybe)
Sleepwalk With Me - Comedian/director Mike Birbiglia takes us along for a thinly veiled autobiographical ride as he becomes an accomplished performer, plans his wedding, simultaneously contemplates whether he wants to get married and struggles with a remarkably dangerous sleepwalking problem. We're always hearing how great comedy comes from great personal pain. But it's rare for a film to demonstrate it so convincingly. This moving picture that has a lot of bits some of us may feel more than a little uncomfortable with due to self recognition. But it's hilarious and directly shows that process of turning real life trauma into hilarious stand-up.
Sleepwalk With Me opens as Birbiglia drives and talks to the camera. Asking the audience to restrain from talking by way of a personal example. Just the other day he was in a theater when a phone rang. Only to be answered with the phrase "who dis?" which insulted him even more than the average call would. For heaven's sake, he doesn't even care who's calling, this guy is going to pick it up during the film regardless. The open works well as a reminder that Birbiglia is freaking funny (I assure you, it works well onscreen). Something worth calling out as the beginning of the film has him struggling. Working as as a bartender while doing some pretty weak standup sets. Over time he hones his craft, while physically and emotionally getting more distant from his longtime girlfriend. A couple that clearly has mixed feelings about their long-term prospects even though there seems to be a lot of affection there. Most of the film is told in flashback. With the occasional re-entry of Birbiglia driving along and turning to face the camera and offer comment. "Remember ... you're on my side" he cautions before one admission that particularly might cast him in a less than flattering light. Birbiglia pull any punches creating one of the stronger films out there about how personal pain can be channeled into great comedy. As long as it's not your personal story I suppose.
There's a lot more to say about this film - but the main thing is to watch it at the first opportunity that presents itself.
The Raid - Redemption- Jakarta has a problem. One of their most infamous drug lords has set himself up at the top of an apartment building. Physically and in practice above the law. Many of the local cops are bought off. But even if they weren't his policy of renting rooms to the city's lowlifes guarantees an early warning system and armed/machete swinging response to any and all police incursions. That leaves him feeling pretty comfortable. Too comfortable for the SWAT team sent in to extract him. A team that includes the rookie who leaves home his pregnant wife at the picture's start. Ensuring that he's going to have to beat and shoot his way through many many people to get safely back to her. You can read my full review elsewhere on this site. Better yet, just go check it out in a theater ASAP. It's out in theaters nationwide now.
The Aggression Scale - The Aggression Scale
was exactly the sort of midnight film I was looking for at SXSW - fast
violent and satisfying. Well worth the sleep deprivation I dealt with
the day after seeing it. Two teens (with issues) go to war against a team of professional hit men
over a bundle of cash. An adrenaline fueled, morally questionable ride
with the impact of a shotgun blast to the chest. Which coincidentally is
literally how the film opens. Do you really need to know more?
If you're looking for a straight to the point midnight film experience I
believe it'll scratch that itch in a very satisfying way. Probably my
favorite of the midnighter films I saw at SXSW. Not gonna be an Oscar
nomination coming out of it for anyone. But these days I think they only
give those out for movies about movies anyways. I could probably say a
lot more. But I respect The Aggression Scale for being lean and to the point.
The Do-Deca Pentathalon - A story of brotherhood and growing older and a bunch of other things. But mainly one about brotherhood. Two siblings with a lifetime of issues compete in a custom built 25 event Olympics to determine who is the better brother. Or perhaps more accurately, re-compete as grown men in an event they had invented in their childhood. As the original running of the competition ended in controversy the Mark (Steve Zissis) and Jeremy (Mark Kelly) have been at odds for the twenty years since. Well, sure it's clear there are other things going on - but the only thing they'll explicitly talk about is the Do-Deca.
Mark travels back to his mother's house for a birthday celebration after being assured Jeremy won't be there. But as we're watching a movie we'll need Jeremy to crash the festivities. The pair agree to complete the Do-Deca, much to the chagrin of Mark's wife and their mom. Resulting in much of the incredibly complex competition being executed covertly. Or at least they think covertly. With events ranging from a race, to laser-tag and boxing this is one serious athletic endeavor. As well as an event that seems genuinely to have been crafted by two adolescent brothers. It's the be-all battle for brotherhood supremacy. Or perhaps the saving event of their relationship.
A film created by the Duplass Brothers back when they were still working micro-budget it feels real, and raw. It's surprisingly enjoyable given the seriousness of the film's second half. It totally worked for me - and I think it will for most people. At least most people who are adults and have a brother. Especially if you're pretty sure about having a brother but a little less confident in evaluating yourself as an adult, mentally speaking.
Much of the talk about The Cabin in the Woods online has been about "spoilers" - who in talking about the movie has ruined it and who has managed to paint a picture of it while leaving the fun intact. Having narrowly missed my chance to see it at the SXSW premiere due to travel timing I've carefully avoided reading anything about the film until after watching it, which I did Friday night. Now that I've seen it I can happily report that at the end ........
Nah - I don't want to go there. Even though I'm not so sure knowing more than you'd like really capsizes the fun. As opposed to someone pointing out that Jim Morrison dies at the end or the giant party boat full of people hits an iceberg and sinks. Where there's really no point in showing up. Unless one of those is in 3D of course. Cabin in the Woods is about the build up, the humor, the characters and being Whedon of course the dialog. Less so for me a single big and hard to imagine twist. Director co-writer Drew Goddard has worked with co-writer Joss Whedon to put something together fun, clever and good looking to watch.
Anyways...
See this movie if you like horror and suspense done well. Don't see this movie if you hate the sight of blood and scares. Actually, everyone not in the second camp probably should see it too. In all fairness to the spoiler arguments I do recommend not watching a trailer nor reading much more the picture. I don't fully buy the research/argument that knowing the end helps. Though if you've been accidentally exposed I truly still think it's worth going. And not just so you can join intelligently into an argument about whether or not the film falls apart at the end (answer: I don't think so myself).
I will now do my darnedest to talk about the film without giving away anything.
A group of five friends go off to a cabin in the wood. They're all recognizable spins on the familiar archetypes, jock, hot girl, brain, stoner, and equally hot but prone to wearing a hat woman (not really, but the concept still holds). Someone's cousin just bought the cabin and they're gonna head up for the weekend to have a great time. If they don't run into something creepy and deadly along the way. Folks, if you're heading up to the woods and you run across a creepy old yet spry guy spouting off about you all being whores that are going to die (along with references to the number of prior tenants of the cabin), maybe it's time for a trip to somewhere else instead. And if you do go, for heaven's sake, seriously stay the hell out the basement. Just saying... Of course such a warning is ignored - to dire consequences. Likely more dire than one would guess. At least certainly more involved - that's for sure
Not surprising given the source of the film I really enjoyed the dialog. As well as the relatively fully sketched - or at least likable characters. As opposed to most other horror films none of the subjects is the classic douchebag you won't miss. Everyone is solid, but stealing every scene is stoner friend Marty (Fran Kranz) whose insight is perhaps amplified by the copious herb he's constantly imbibing. Marty's way more aware of what's going on than one would guess and hella funny much of the time he opens his mouth. Plus he sports the most ingenious (and practical for the horror in the woods outing) bong I've ever seen onscreen. Certainly a valid corollary to Denis Leary's assertion that marijuana usage inevitably leads to carpentry.
Cabin in the Woods managed to keep me either laughing or on edge throughout the picture - sometimes both. Whedon has the tenancy to kill off major characters out of left field, and that dynamic means from the get go you can't count on who's going to make it out alive. The fusion of genre feels appears in numerous creative ways. The best example being a dare involving a stuffed wolf's head and a kiss that's simultaneously funny, borderline erotic and suspenseful as hell. You will feel strange afterward.
The parts no one wants to talk about first appear in the film's opening sequence involving a parallel set of characters in a sci-fi nerve-center. From minute one we know something more involved is afoot and there are a lot of bits to try and piece together as you watch. It also plays well as a homage to all films about things that go bump in the night. Occasionally making a comment or two about horror audiences and how they may appear from the outside to those who "just don't understand."
As the picture progresses towards the final reveal tension builds and buckets of blood are spilled. Personally I think the overall arc isn't that hard to anticipate early on. To their credit all the pieces are there to put together. The journey is the true point, a tribute to back-country horror, Lovecraftian evil, and literally everything else scary in the cinematic universe. It's not just did you/did you not guess the outcome thing. Whedon and Goddard keep the mind working and the viewer never really relaxed. Totally worth the random nightmare I had the night after viewing it. Not to mention how I'll never be able to look at a stuffed, mounted animal the same way again.
I've been wanting to see This Is Not a Film since hearing about it last year when it premiered at Cannes. So I was very glad to see it arriving at the Northwest Film Forum in Seattle this week.
Smuggled out of Iran on a USB key secreted within a cake it's sadly the last thing the world may see from director JafarPanahifor a long, long time. Sentenced to 6 years in jail and a 20 year ban on filmmaking the day in the life picture was shot by Jafar at his apartment as he struggles with the pain of waiting as his appeal is processed. The banality of life going on while his existence as an artist is crushed by that state is a staggeringly effective juxtaposition. For much of the film it's hard to imagine how Iran's government sees a major thread from this gentle man. Who on one level puttes around the house while occasionally being climbed upon by the family pet Igi. By the end though as you stand back and absorb Panahifor's ability with a professional camera (and occasionally an iphone) the threat he poses takes on true formidableness. Combining a slice of life in a distance land, great personalities, a workshop on filmmaking, and enough awesome iguana time to satisfy Herzog this is a lot of value for 75 minutes of your time. Even without the underlying political repression which one rarely gets to see in such a personal way onscreen. If you love Iranian film, film, or simply intellectual freedom This Is Not a Film is a worth a trip out to the theater this week.
The picture opens with a fixed camera focused on Jafar. He's eating breakfast and even his process of methodically putting jam on his toast is oddly engaging as each step appears well considered. This same man later conducts a mini master class on key shots from one of his earlier films while watching a DVD on his living room television. Proving the careful consideration demonstrated from the first moments extends well beyond a considered breakfast routine. While eating he takes a call from a friend and asks him to come and visit, but not to tell anyone. Waiting, he putters around occasionally stopping to set his camera down with a view of the room, or of another phone call. Over the next hours we follow Jafar throughout the apartment that is his prison. As far as jails go it's rather posh, certainly nicer than what awaits him if his sentence is upheld. A topic he discusses by phone with him less than optimistic lawyer. These conversations provide the framing that even with the more restrictive laws of Iran the charges against him are purely political. As such the attorney hopes that outside influence/pressure might sway the court. But she holds out little hope for a full reversal.
After a bit MojtabaMirtahmasb arrives and takes on the role of holding the camera, and act itself of great bravery under the circumstances. Jafar freed from the camera's static setting tries to act out a scene from his latest screenplay to be rejected by government censors. Arguing that telling a scene from a screenplay isn't filmmaking. Laying out a "set" with tape on the floor and painting a picture with words alone. Eventually he abandons the effort, itself about a young woman locked in a house for wanting to leave. Giving up with a statement that if reading a script like this worked then people wouldn't film them in the first place. Parts of the rest of his "day" are filmed, or at least cut together to present a seamless narrative. Mostly via a professional camera but with that camera sometimes observing him filming the world through his iPhone. "It's important that cameras are ON" - a sentiment that Mojtaba and Jafar agree together at the start of the piece's final act. And clearly one that is behind the problems that caused this cinematic protest. In the picture's final moments Jafar turns the camera outward, towards a young man who comes to collect the garbage. A university student that is helping out his sister, amongst a slew of other odd jobs the two ride the elevator together and reminisce about the day of Jafar's arrest and collect the building's garbage. At least until the reach the boundaries of the building beyond which cameras are unwelcome bringers of trouble.
The closing credits that follow are a sobering reminder of the status of free expression and association that still exists in much of the world. While the two principals are of course identified most of the remaining credits, thanks and so on are simply represented by anonymous dashed lines. And for good reason - clearer even more so now than when the film was conceived.
Taken as a whole it is a fascinating, sad and often charming affair. It may not sound like much, but the composition, manipulation of the apartment environment for the film's purposes, and firsthand view of Jafar's frustration makes for a uniquely watchable work. Call it a film, or a piece of non-violent protest. Either way it works remarkably well at demonstrating that in filmmaking creativity loves constraints. See it because it's a great piece of work. Though sadly one that I wish never should have had to have been made.
Wow, it feels like SXSW Film was ages ago. At the same time it feels like I just got back.I've been writing reviews of films in a sort of random order so far. But I wanted to be sure I at least pointed out my favorites all in one spot. That's what this post is all about. I separated faves into two basic categories, documentary and narrative feature. I watched 31 films that screened at SXSW Film 2012 and while I didn't fall in love with all of them looking back it's a pretty good collection of stuff. Even the things I liked the least should make for interesting posts in some way. So without further delay here are what I found to be the standout documentaries of the fest. As always these are basically unordered in terms of "favoriteness" - though the first one on each list is probably my personal favorite. But beyond that they're all equally good. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Of course there are great sounding documentaries I didn't get a chance to screen (such as Brooklyn Castle) - this list is just based on what I saw during the festival. If was picking an additional runner up to my set below that honor would go to Girl Modelwhich is a deeply unsettling story about the Siberian-Japan link for young models - that never really goes to as horrifying place as one fears, while still being extremely memorable in many ways.
I'll be following up with a separate post just focused on narrative features. And then likely a final one with some of notable film experiences (not all entirely positive) during the festival. Plus of course many more reviews still to be written.
Favorite Documentaries
Her Master's Voice- in a word, exceptional. Fascinating subject material that few know much about, a hilarious subject and all combined with a touching personal story - makes for one damn fine documentary. A film by the ventriloquist Nina Conti about the ventriloquist Nina Conti it tells the story of her taking significant trip with her deceased mentor Ken Cambell's puppets. With his passing dummies might have been silenced except that Conti lends them all a voice as she travels. Specifically to the Venthaven International Ventriloquist convention where one of the dolls will stay behind in a museum that pays homage both to the craft and the departed voices of it. Conti takes the trip questioning whether she should extend further her ten year foray into a career based on talking to a stuffed monkey, or call it quits. Accompanied by the eerily individualistic puppets that make up her collective she works through issues of life, love and loss while consistently being laugh out loud funny. There's perhaps an entire body of psychological work that could be (or has been perhaps) produced over the relationship of ventriloquists with their puppets, and their borderline multiple personality disorder amazing ability to project not just their voice, but separated aspects of their psyche into the different dolls. But as fascinating as that is, the magnetic personality of Nina Conti will take over and have you engaged and laughing. Tightly edited into a roughly hour long film this was one of my biggest positive surprises of SXSW.
The Central Park Effect- A film about birds in Central Park, and the people who watch them. It's transfixing in a deeply peaceful way. Standing out both for the incredible video footage of what must have been 100+ species of birds and the set of human stories/testimonials that accompany it. Especially those from a set of old school New Yorkers, who just happen to be birders. The film's title refers to the incredible concentration of migratory birds that stop off in Central Park. A distinctive path of green welcoming to birds as the move along the east coast from north to south. Even though the park itself is not truly natural (being an engineered creation) it makes for a fine habitat that these birds remember to return to each year. There's really not that much more to say other than to urge readers to look for it when it hits HBO in the future. Their documentary arm wisely snapped this guy up. For my fans in Brooklyn - stand tall. In the Q&A it was revealed that the film's dirty little secret is that Prospect Park may actually be better for bird watching.
Wonder Women!- Fascinating and important review of female heroines that remains positive as it points out obvious and unfortunate gaps in female role models in pop culture. Most of the focus is on the Wonder Woman character. But there's a lot more mixed in ranging from other heroines to the Riot Grrl movement. Not to mention a good section on the incredible media program from Seattle's own Reelgrrls. Oh, and just a bit about the fascinating originator of Wonder Woman and why she always seems to be tied up in early editions of the comics. Worth seeing by comic fans .... and everyone else. It's funny, it's insightful, it'll make you want to twirl around to see if you become a superhero. Not that I ever tried that as a kid...
Bad Brains: A Band in DC - Well ... I've written a lot about this film. So overall it probably just makes sense to read my main review. But in short it's an overview of one of the most important punk bands ever, told effectively. The entire history of the band is covered, from pre-inception through the present day. Rather than linearly drag us along this path the filmmakers wisely intercut bits of history throughout. We meet the band on a recent latest tour, where some clear tension has arisen (there's yelling about being a sellout from what I recall). Not really surprising, I'm not sure there's any group whose members have a perfectly smooth relationship after 25 plus years together. Nevertheless those early scenes may feel familiar to anyone who's watched a recent (or any) doc about aging rockers who've grown up together. They still want to play, they're perhaps not as intense as they once were, and there's always at least one member of the band who seems to be less than a healthy member of the ecosystem. Typically for whatever reason it's their front-man. All of that is on display from the opening scene. Thankfully, we're drawn back in time quickly to better understand the origins of the boys who became the legends. With great access to the spaces and people that were around at the start of their DC based career the basics are fleshed out (how they met, the inspiration for the band's name, where they played) while rewarding fans with lots of nuggets that are new (at least to me).
Willem Dafoe is a professional hunter. Not of men, though it doesn't seem like it'd be a stretch. But of animals. You need it killed he's your man. Employed by a shadowy biotech who needs samples from a believed to be extinct tiger he heads to Tasmania. A loner by nature he shrugs off the offer of assistance the company tries to force on him in a Paris airport. There's a bad vibe about that call and things begin feel vaguely familiar at that point. But then he arrives at his in Tasmania and checks into his lodging and the movie pattern recognition goes up a notch. Specifically as he meets the family he'll be staying with is when serious moviegoers may will begin to think they know where this is all going. Two kids run around in a quirky and unkempt house while the mother lies in bed appearing comatose. Dad has gone missing on a trip into the wilderness, mom self-sedated into submission, kids adorable but needing of support. Will the Dad have been involved in something related to the reason Dafoe is there?, will he develop a relationship with the woman as he revitalizes their lives and they bring out the long dormant humanity in him? Well ... let's just say that for the most part the biggest surprise of The Hunter is that the producers sprung for the cash to license Springsteen doing I'm on Fire for one of the scenes.
Dafoe's quarry is the believed to be extinct Tasmanian Tiger which the pharmaceutical company needs dead and dismembered. He sets out into the wilderness to find it, and his time alone hunting in the open wilderness forms the best parts of the picture. The locals don't seem to much like him and he suffers indignities ranging from some abuse to the feeling people are always stalking him. I'll skip over the parts where people push him to do things by acting in paranoid ways that I'm not sure really make any sense in the universe of the film (as opposed perhaps to the book on which this endeavor is based). Over time he goes through the expected personal transition that's telegraphed from the start. That feeling of prior knowledge of the plot comes less from the film explicitly foreshadowing a lot, more because that's the way this sort of film goes. There is a diversion from the super obvious, and it's a bit harsh and possibly shocking. But that's mainly because it's easy to mis-read exactly what type of vaguely predictable movie The Hunter is. In the end it's not at all bad, and parts are definitely holding of attention. Though with the exception of the hunting, alone in nature parts which are mostly impressive there's not much that I expect will stand out for me over time. Much as I wanted to like it more.
I definitely recommend checking out Once Upon a Time in Anatolia. It's long, slow, cryptic to the point of confusing and stuffed to the brim with symbolism and an array of characters suffering opaque yet significant life regrets. Oh, and it's in Turkish. Hey wait, come back! It's also really really good. Filled with beyond beautiful visuals, humor and insight (even if you argue the theme of "whenever there's trouble look for a woman" dialog). Sure... maybe I've not yet 100% worked out everything that was going on over the course of the film. But I want to understand it. To the point where I'm likely going to watch it through again this week when it makes its Seattle appearance at the Northwest Film Forum. A film that captures my attention and makes me want to be a wiser viewer deserves to be seen. The burnt copper/sepia palette combined with breathtaking held closeups of the story's murderer alone make for a super memorable watch. Just maybe don't check it out when you're tired. The Bourne Identity for ADD suffers it's not. Some folks may hate me later for this recommendation, but I think this is the real deal.
The film opens with a group of three cars filled with men looking to find a corpse. In tow are the confessed murderer, the local prosecutor and police, gendarmes, and a doctor. It's late at night and the killer's memory is shaky as to where the victim has been left. Due to a combination of the undifferentiated countryside and a fair amount of alcohol. We're given zero context as the group troop from one location to another. That the film takes its time with this part is a severe understatement as the men pass the time with a mix of frustration, humor, and discussion of a surprisingly wide range of topics. It may be 90 minutes before you feel like something has happened. But it's still engaging, even if the mind naturally starts to wonder where this is all going.
None of these characters are young and it's clear from each face that all house life regrets. Who they are, what they're doing and how it impacts the choices they make are gradually revealed by their actions. It's a crime story, but at the same time it's both less and more than that. Little is spelled out, and it's easy to forget you're watching a movie at times, the dark, dark fairytale grip of the environment can be so strong. Even dialog was completely muted (which would be a crime itself) the visuals would fascinate. Combining fixed camera wide shots with intrusively staring closeups the cinematography is part of the tale. In a night-scape illuminated by the moon and vehicle headlights we're forced to see the Anatolia landscape as a character itself. Whether you spend your time analyzing recurrent visual themes of bright spots in the night or not it's hard not to be gripped by the striking look that's achieved onscreen.
Before this I'd only seen director Nuri Bilge Ceylan last film, the bleak, similarly colored Three Monkeys. There are echoes of that here but I appreciated Once Upon a Time in Anatolia much more, both visually and story wise. Especially in the spoken (and unspoken) interplay between the host of men, none of whom we may fully know by film's end. Not that I entirely disliked the earlier effort. It just feels in so many ways that he's playing at a whole other level now. I'll certainly look forward to future films from Ceylan and in particular anything else shot by his cinematographer Gökhan Tiryaki.
Yeah, so I almost never post press releases I receive. But for this piece of fantastic news I'll make an exception. Just learned that Sundance Cinemas (the physical theater arm of Redford's Sundance empire) will be opening up in Seattle. Continuing the trend of awesomeness that started with last year's announcement of the SIFF Uptown Cinema screens. Hope you're watching this and feeling seriously left out Drafthouse Cinema people. There's still time to get in on the action here...
The Sundance folks will be taking over the Landmark Metro in the U-district as of May 1st. They'll be renovating it in place over several months. I'm hoping to learn more about the chain, not having been to one myself. But a quick look at their website certainly has me jazzed for more independent/foreign film showing screens in Seattle within an updated viewing environment.
So to summarize, Yay!!! I'll keep folks posted as more info becomes available.
To quote from the press release
"Sundance Cinemas is pleased to announce it will be taking over the operation at the Metro 10 Cinema in the U-District on May 1, 2012. Sundance will operate the theatre for several months “as is” while it plans for an extensive remodel and prepares for the grand re-opening. The theatre will be rechristened Sundance Cinemas Seattle.
There are currently four theatres in the growing circuit. They are located in Madison, Wisconsin, San Francisco, California, Houston, Texas and the newest theatre, currently under construction in West Hollywood, California. A new location was recently announced for an 8 screen theatre in Dobbs Ferry, Westchester County, New York set to open in 2014.
Sundance Cinemas offers specialized film programming, playing the finest movies for a discerning audience culled from film festivals and the best in general release. At all Sundance Cinemas, guests enjoy drinking and dining choices, and the theatres feature all reserved seating, digital stereo sound and presentation, filmmaker events and screenings, exclusive events, plus no annoying on screen television commercials to detract from the movie going experience."
