Category Archives: Film Festival

Tribeca Film Festival 2019 Review: ‘Aamis’ serves up a shocking treat.

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AAMIS (RAVENING)

Food and romance seem to go hand in hand. Think about the traditional date. It usually revolves around dinner or coffee. Food is the ultimate form of aphrodisiac. Though, both food and love can spoil quickly. In Aamis, Tribeca’s only Indian feature film this year,  married doctor Niri meets Sumon, a Ph.D. student studying regional meat-eating traditions in India. As their relationship moves swiftly past friendship, the idea of experiencing “forbidden” meat cuisine progresses into an infatuation beyond imagination. Set in the colorful backdrop of North Eastern India, the natural scenery combined with the rich prepared dishes gives the film a gorgeous visual pop. The actual act of eating in scenes is very sensual. No surprise seeing as how the senses are sparked when tasting something delicious and when falling in love. Food and sense memories are created throughout our lives. I can still remember meals based on specific dates with my husband, spanning the 14 years we’ve been together. Not to mention we actually lived in Southern India for a year in the very early years of our relationship. Experiencing new flavors and adventures with someone you care deeply for is invigorating. All that being said, this film takes it to an entirely new level; an intimacy that will either intrigue or distress you. The performances from our two leads are fantastic. It’s a tricky dynamic to navigate given the circumstances but their chemistry is very grounded and reads completely natural. The age difference is another added bit of fire. Aamis, the first film for Tribeca to feature the Assamese language, is an outstanding representation of emerging Indian cinema outside the realm of your typical Bollywood fare. It is bold and dark. I may go as far as to call it a tasty, genre-bending surprise. The things we do for love.
Married Niri (Lima Das) shares a forbidden passion with Sumon (Arghadeep Baruah), who introduces her to a world of fresh, wild, meat-based delicacies. But as their unconsummated desire mounts, the two are pushed inexorably towards transgression and taboo. A daring, intense drama that veers into very dark territory, Aamis is Tribeca 2019’s only Indian film, and the festival’s first-ever Assamese language film.

Tribeca Film Festival 2019 Review: ‘The Gasoline Thieves’

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THE GASOLINE THIEVES

Poverty and puberty are a dangerous mix for young Lalo. Feeling overwhelming monetary pressure from family and ultimately to impress a girl at school, our young lead dives head first into the deadly game of gas siphoning for cash. Among the chaos of gas price protests and violence, Lalo has no idea the kind of shady dealings surround what he’s signed up for. This is a coming of age story set against extreme poverty and soaked in cartel-like chaos and vengeance. The handheld camera work is sheer perfection that heightens the intensity of Lalito’s plight. You can feel the pit of your stomach wrenching as the story progresses. Edgar Nito‘s direction is phenomenal, performances (especially Eduardo Banda) outstanding, and the film is amplified by its great soundtrack. The Gasoline Thieves does not pull any punches. It’s a solid piece of filmmaking and a captivating story.

THE GASOLINE THIEVES

Living with his mother and working as a farmhand in his hometown, fourteen-year-old Lalo (Eduardo Banda) sees buying a smartphone for his high-school crush the only surefire way into her heart. When his mother is forced to use his savings in order to pay for medical bills, Lalo decides to approach the local huachicoleros for help, who quickly enlist his aid in their business of illegally siphoning gas in order to take advantage of the country’s shortage and re-sell on the black market. As Lalo naively becomes more involved with the huachicoleros’ work, an uneasy air of violence begins to overtake the world around him, while investigators narrow their search for those responsible.

FILM INFO

 

Tribeca Film Festival 2019 Review: ‘Come To Daddy’ is everything you’d want an Ant Timpson film to be.

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COME TO DADDY

Elijah Wood plays an emotionally overwhelmed uber hipster attempting to reconnect with his estranged father. Summoned to a secluded home via a mysterious letter from his dad, he finds himself in an unexpected situation. Wood, as always, is vulnerable and funny. I’ll buy anything he’s selling. His body of work is so eclectic and wonderfully bizarre, what’s not to love? Now let’s talk about Ant Timpson‘s amazing directing. As a producer, The ABC’s Of Death is off the wall fun and don’t even get me started on the insanity that is The Greasy Strangler. Come To Daddy, Timpson’s directorial debut is a genre-bending funhouse. Tribeca’s Midnight section is the perfect slot for Timpson’s work and I do mean that as a compliment. This film takes a sharp turn at 30 minutes in, then hurtles from mysterious to funny, unsettling to WTF, and it is a delight. The camera work is top-notch. There is mayhem for days. Wonderfully timed plot treats fall into our laps like a busted piñata. I simply cannot express how damn fun this film is. You will not have any clue where this is going.

COME TO DADDY

Norval’s (Elijah Wood) life has been, to put it lightly, difficult. Currently living home with his mother, the troubled young man is coming off alcohol-related struggles. So when he receives an unexpected letter from his estranged father requesting a visit, Norval catches a bus up to his dad’s secluded and scenic waterfront home. Maybe reconnecting with his father will give Norval the emotional fulfillment he’s been lacking. Before long, though, he notices something off about his dad, an uneasy feeling triggered by inappropriate comments and a possible over-dependence on booze. Norval quickly realizes that his hope of father/son bonding is doomed. Instead of a family reunion, he finds himself in waking nightmare.
FILM INFO

8 movies from 2018 Tribeca Film Festival Available on Netflix, hulu, HBO or Showtime

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Just 1 year later, there are so many movies that are now available to stream from last year’s Tribeca Film Festival. There’s something for everyone in here whether it be the young women who dreamed up Frankenstein or a desperate man stopping at nothing to save his child.

All About Nina (2018)
Nina Geld’s passion and talent have made her a rising star in the comedy scene, but she’s an emotional mess offstage. When a new professional opportunity coincides with a romantic one, she is forced to reckon with the intersection of her life and her art
[Streaming: Netflix] [Rent or Buy]

Cargo (2018)
In the aftermath of a global pandemic, Andy (Martin Freeman) is focused on keeping his wife and their infant daughter alive as they travel across the Australian Outback. A terrible accident, however, forces him to set off on foot: A zombie bite has given Andy a mere 48 hours before he, too, is undead. Andy struggles to both find a refuge for his child and stave off the disease as the clock runs out on his humanity. On his journey, Andy crosses paths with an indigenous youngster, Thoomi (Simone Landers), who brings him into her Aboriginal community and offers a much-needed bit of hope: Her people may have a cure for the sickness.

Filmmakers Ben Howling and Yolanda Ramke defy genre fans’ zombie-based expectations with their co-directing debut. Cargo pulls no punches in its intensity, yet the duo’s thoughtful film offers a deep, emotional meditation on intimate issues, like a parent’s love, as well as larger themes, like environmental protection and cultural strife. Injecting fresh life into zombie cinema’s often cold bloodstream, Cargo is tailor-made for sophisticated horror fans.–Matt Barone

[Streaming: Netflix]
Review by: Melissa Hanson

Duck Butter (2018)
When Naima (Alia Shawkat) and Sergio (Laia Costa) meet at a club, they hit it off instantly, connecting over their disdain for the dishonesty they have experienced in their respective romantic relationships. High on their fast chemistry, the two women concoct a romantic experiment: They plan to spend the next 24 hours together, having sex on the hour. Above all, they commit to perfect honesty with each other, a theoretical remedy to the deceit they believe to be an element of modern relationships. But their relationship in a vacuum doesn’t go as planned, and soon the weight of their commitment begins to close in, threatening the ideals of the daylong experiment and their chances for a romantic future tomorrow.

The latest film from Miguel Arteta, the director behind Beatriz at Dinner and The Good Girl, Duck Butter is a blistering look at intimacy in a pressure cooker. Co-written by Shawkat and executive produced by the Duplass Brothers, the film offers a searing interrogation of modern romance, with all its dizzying highs and heartbreaking betrayals, all packed into an intense 24 hours.—Cara Cusumano

[Streaming: Netflix] [Rent or Buy]
TFF Award: Best Actress, Alia Shawkat

In a Relationship (2018)
Long-term couple Owen and Hallie are breaking up—or maybe not?—and just as their relationship reaches a turning point, Matt and Willa embark on a romance of their own. A funny and deeply felt chronicle of one summer in the lives of two couples in Los Angeles.
[Streaming: hulu, hoopla] [Rent or Buy]

Mapplethorpe (2018)
In the late 1960s, art-school dropout Robert Mapplethorpe moves into the Chelsea Hotel with dreams of stardom. He quickly becomes the enfant terrible of the photography world as the downtown counterculture of 1970s New York reaches its zenith.
[Streaming: HBO, kanopy] [Rent or Buy]
TFF Award: Narrative Second Place

Mary Shelley (2018)
Raised by her kindly bookseller father and tormented by a villainous stepmother, young Mary Wollstonecraft (Elle Fanning) longs for a life bigger than her sheltered upbringing. As she embarks on a whirlwind romance with the charismatic but mercurial poet Percy Bysshe Shelley (Douglas Booth), Mary’s dreams of a sophisticated life among the intellectual elite seem to be within her grasp at last—but this fantasy quickly dissipates when she realizes the harsh reality of her new husband’s moody and dissolute ways. That is, until one stormy night, when a friendly challenge among a rained-in cadre of Romantic writers leads her to invent one of the most iconic horror stories of all time, before she’s even 20 years old.

Saudi female filmmaker Haifaa al-Mansour (Wadjda) returns to Tribeca with this lush portrait of the author of one of Gothic literature’s most influential stories. Frankenstein, Mary Shelley’s enduring work, has remained a seminal story of creation and destruction, but al-Mansour’s film goes deeper, to depict the fraught tale of a teenage girl’s shattered romantic dreams that brought a monster to life. —Liza Domnitz

[Streaming: Showtime] [Rent or Buy]

O.G. (2018)
An inmate entering the final weeks of a twenty-plus-year sentence must navigate between old loyalties and a new protégé, while he also grapples with the looming uncertainty of his return to life outside bars.
[Streaming: HBO]
TFF Award: Best Actor, Jeffrey Wright

The Party’s Just Beginning (2018)
Lucy is a sharp-witted, foul-mouthed, heavy-drinking twenty-something who is still reeling from a recent loss. This surreal coming-of-age tale is a love letter to Gillan’s hometown in the Scottish Highlands.

It’s dark, it’s tragic. It’s fantastic.
[Streaming: hulu] [Rent or Buy]

12 Tribeca Film Festival movies already picked up

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The apollo

HBO has already snagged two documentaries: The Apollo (Opening Night), about the legendary Harlem theater, and At the Heart of Gold: Inside the USA Gymnastics Scandal, which is pretty much self-explanatory. Introducing younger audiences to the delightful Dr. Ruth Westheimer will be Ask Dr. Ruth acquired by hulu. At 90 years old, she’s still leaving her mark on the world. IFC Films will release Charlie Says from director, Mary Harron. I’m just glad they waited to make a movie until after his death. Same goes for the Ted Bundy story starring Zac Efron, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, which Netflix picked up at Sundance.

After premiering at the Berlin Film Festival, Goldie looks to be a promising tale of the pursuit of happiness. The latest Halston documentary seems to be less talking heads than Ultrasuede: In Search of Halston, which played at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival. Dan Krauss won best documentary at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2013 for The Kill Team and has now made a narrative of the same with Nat Wolff and Alexander Skarsgård from A24.

In the documentary, Leftover Women, the story surrounds the effects of the gender imbalance of the “one child” policy in China. A24’s second release is the summertime drama, Low Tide. The documentary acquired by Sony Pictures Classics, Maiden, tells of an all-female crew in 1989 who competed in a prestigious yacht race. And last but not least, is The Quiet One from Sundance Selects, telling the story of Bill Wyman a founding member of The Rolling Stones that walked away from it all to be his own legend.

  1. The Apollo (HBO)
  2. Ask Dr Ruth (hulu)
  3. At the Heart of Gold: Inside the USA Gymnastics Scandal (HBO)
  4. Charlie Says (IFC Films)
  5. Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (Netflix)
  6. Goldie (Vice Media, Fox)
  7. Halston (The Orchard, CNN Films)
  8. The Kill Team (A24)
  9. Leftover Women (MetFilm Sales)
  10. Low Tide (A24)
  11. Maiden (Sony Pictures Classics)
  12. The Quiet One (Sundance Selects)

Review: ‘American Relapse’ -The profitability of addiction.

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Best Feature Documentary, Rhode Island International Film Festival

Best Feature Documentary, Alexandria Film Fest

MINT Spirit Award (Top Festival Prize), Montana International Film Festival

Best Feature Documentary, Laughlin International Film Festival

Best Feature Documentary, Mammoth Film Festival

Best Feature Documentary, Other Venice Film Festival

Social Awareness Award, Orlando Film Festival

Recovering addicts Frankie and Allie spend their lives helping other addicts, but can they stay clean themselves?

The profitability of the addicted. American Relapse is a creatively composed documentary about how it’s better business to keep addicts addicted than to help them. The film follows two former addicts turned advocates over a weekend in their lives and jobs. They fight their own urges while helping others in South Florida. The film explores how the system fails Americans. It’s a lovely balance of hope and despair with interviews from former and current victims. How does rehab help, if at all. Allie and Frankie do their research because they have been there. The editing, and this will sound strange, is super sexy. With infographics intercut with one hell of a soundtrack, it makes the film visually very appealing. The reality of where we are in terms of curing people is bleak. There is a 90% relapse rate in South Florida and that’s how the industry likes it. What is a Junkie Hunter? You’ll find out. The sicker people remain, the more money everyone earns… except the addicted individual. American Relapse is not sugar-coated and that’s the point.

AMERICAN RELAPSE tells the story of two people fighting to make a difference against the devastating heroin epidemic that’s spawning a billion-dollar treatment industry.  Against the odds, in an “Us vs. the World” mentality, two recovering addicts spend their lives pulling needles out of the arms of addicts and assist in placing them in reputable treatment facilities.  The film features Frankie and Allie who live and work in Delray Beach, Florida, the Rehab Capital of America, now referred to by some as the Relapse Capital of America. They allowed the film crew all access for one weekend. What transpires over 72 hours is not only captivating and raw, but a heartbreaking rollercoaster ride.

Frankie is 38 and has relapsed multiple times but continues to operate his F*ck Heroin Foundation with his mother. Allie is 28 and has been clean and sober for 10 years. While they are at different points on the recovery spectrum, they both share a deep belief in the 12th step: helping others. These unlikely and imperfect heroes opened their lives for the world to see, hoping to shine a light anywhere and any way they can. In the process, they show viewers and addicts alike that despite seemingly impossible odds and devastating damage, empathy and hope can restore a little bit of humanity to those who struggle and can sometimes save their lives.

AMERICAN RELAPSE is directed by Pat McGee and Adam Linkenhelt, and is produced by Pat McGee Pictures in association with Sorted Pictures and Next Up Productions.  Executive producers include Pat McGee and Stacy McPeak for Pat McGee Pictures, Ian and Jaime Manheimer of Next Up Productions and producers Terry Hahin and Adam Linkenhelt for sorted Pictures.  The film has a running time of 105 minutes and will not be rated by the MPAA.

Pat McGee Pictures will release the film in Los Angeles and New York exclusively for one week beginning March 29.  The film will screen at the Laemmle Monica Film Center in Los Angeles and Cinema Village in New York City.

Gravitas Ventures will distribute the film on VOD beginning April 2nd. Among the many platforms include iTunes, Google Play, Vimeo, and Amazon. https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/american-relapse/id1451031005

For more information, go to: www.americanrelapse.com

 

Love is in the air with the announcement of Rom Com Fest! Taking film submissions beginning Valentine’s Day!

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Rom Com Fest announces Call for Entries for 1st edition

of film festival celebrating the romantic comedy

(June 20-23)

Make a date for the first annual Rom Com Fest! You, too, can be a loud and proud romantic comedy lover and be surrounded by like-minded fans and filmmakers come June. To know more checkout how2txther review and learn how to text the right person for you now. This fun-filled and unique festival will not only have the usual moderated Q&As with filmmakers, panel discussions, red carpet, and additional networking events, but it will also include speed dating, craft night, and a pajama party! You had me at, “Hello”, Rom Com Fest! It aims to celebrate womanhood, love and life through visual medium including film, film art, music videos, and screenplays – anything with a romantic comedy theme. The film festival will also have a dedicated focus toward female filmmakers and strong female characters. I was lucky enough to pick the brain of Founder and Executive Director Miraya Berke about the upcoming event. Here is our interview and information about how you can submit your film for the Rom Com Fest‘s debut year. Of course, we’ll be bringing you all the updates and coverage as the details unfold. See you in June, Movie Lovers!

What was your personal inspiration in creating Rom Com Fest? 

I am an experienced designer with a background of planning community events and festivals and always am thinking of new ways to experience events. I personally love romantic comedies and feel they don’t get the recognition they deserve. Recently with the success of CRAZY RICH ASIANS and TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE, I’ve noticed a new excitement around the genre and was inspired to create an experience to celebrate rom coms through programming of films (new + classics) and experiences to connect the community. 2.5 years ago I launched Dessert Goals in NY and since have planned 7 dessert festivals bringing together over 20,000 dessert lovers to celebrate all things sweet – my goal is to create a similarly beautiful and joyful experience for rom coms! 

 The rom com industry usually pulls in a fair bit of the market. Last year, CRAZY RICH ASIANS blew away the competition globally. Why do you think they are often dismissed as fluff and how do you think filmmakers can attract a wider audience?

I think CRAZY RICH ASIANS served as a reminder to studios and production companies of the natural widespread appeal of a great romantic comedy in the marketplace. There are so many iconic rom coms over 20-years-old that have been our longstanding classics. Because romantic comedies are focused (obviously) on the pursuit of love and happiness in relationships, they can be dismissed as frivolous entertainment. And yet, the desire to find one’s true love or make those kinds of connections is something that pretty much unites us all, right? I see an opportunity now for more films in the genre to emerge and in order for them to succeed I think they need to be inclusive, representative and relatable, still with a satisfying ending. 

 What can we expect to see from the fest in terms of classics?

We plan on programming a few classic films but, we are far from solidifying our schedule. I can say, though, that we hope we can showcase anniversaries some of the classics. 

 Will we see any familiar faces on guests’ panels?

We’ll see. Oftentimes, the ability to have appearances by filmmakers and actors are dependent on a lot of things. While, we are thinking about what we can program in terms of panels to talk about the art of romantic comedies, and of course, have filmmakers here to participate in Q&As following our screenings, there is still much that has to be determined yet when it comes to our programming.

 What are your favorite genre films? 

My all-time favorite rom coms are 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU and 500 DAYS OF SUMMER. I’m a big JGL (Joseph Gordan-Levitt) fan!

 To take a page straight out of the WHEN HARRY MET SALLY playbook (and at my husband’s request), do you think men and women can just be friends? That really is the burning question in so many of these films. The “will they, won’t they?” of it all. 

I do think men and women can just be friends and hope to see new films that can show a realistic and relatable storyline with friendships. To be a rom com though there does need to be the romantic element, so the guy friend who would a part of the story but there should still be a happy ending. 

 Music is a huge part of romantic comedies. Some of the most iconic soundtracks come from our favorites. What are three that you still play?

I adore the music of rom coms! Some of the songs on my regular playlists include I Want You To Want Me (10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU), I Say A Little Prayer (MY BEST FRIEND’S WEDDING), and I’ve Had the Time of My Life (DIRTY DANCING).

 Some perhaps less familiar French titles that (as a film critic) I’ve been exposed to are LET THE SUN SHINE IN, AMÈLIE, ROMANTICS ANONYMOUS, and, A FAITHFUL MAN. Will there be any international selections this year?

We’ll see. The idea of romance has no language boundaries, right? Of course, we are still accepting submissions and scouting at other film festivals so our program isn’t set yet. I do hope we’ll get some international submissions and be able to program an international selection. 

 What do you think is the rom com’s enduring appeal? 

I think we all crave a feel-good ending and an opportunity to escape from the stress of reality, and rom coms provide the perfect treat. 

Los Angeles-based film festival will shine spotlight on the genre as well as those rethinking the form and embracing it on new media platforms. In addition to screenings, highlights will include speed dating, craft night, and a pajama party.

Los Angeles, CA (January 9, 2019) – Rom Com Fest today announced a Call for
Entries for the inaugural edition of a brand new film festival focused on and celebrating
the romantic comedy, which will take place at Downtown Independent in Los Angeles
(251 S. Main Street) on June 20-23.

Led by Founder and Executive Director Miraya Berke, Rom Com Fest will screen a mix
of new and classic romantic comedies, as well as hosting filmmaker panels, parties, and
other events to celebrate the genre and offer a touchstone on the West Coast for film
fans and filmmakers that love and create romantic comedy films and film art. Highlights
will include speed dating, craft night, and a pajama party, as well as the expected
moderated Q&A’s with filmmakers, panel discussions, red carpet, and additional
networking events.

Berke said, “We’re looking for empowered and uplifting stories that have us re-thinking
the romantic comedy genre. We will showcase all types of film (feature film, foreign,
shorts, music videos, web and television series), and even include a screenplay
component. If you’re doing something different, we will take a look. Turn in interesting art about love. Rom Com Fest is designed to both celebrate romance and the romantic
comedy, as well as examine the form, explore its future, and give it the respect and yes
– the love, we feel it deserves. You could say we take our romantic comedies seriously
at Rom Com Fest.”

Berke is a female entrepreneur – founder of Pop Productions event boutique studio and
co-founder of Dessert Goals, the popular dessert festival in New York and Los Angeles.
With a background in events and partnership and a personal love of romantic comedies,
she is passionate about the romantic comedy genre and its legitimization in the eyes of
film fans, filmmakers, and critics, in addition to the pure enjoyment of the films
themselves.

Berke added, “There’s a film festival for everything it seems – even in this city (Los
Angeles), but what about the romantic comedy? Especially nowadays, we all need
something uplifting to escape to. Routinely dismissed by film critics as a lesser genre
artistically, romantic comedies aren’t simply traditionally beloved, but also a true art form
which has produced some of the most classic and enduring films we know today. These
films should receive the recognition they deserve along with an experience to bring
together a community of film fans that flock to them. Thus, we created Rom Com Fest.”

All films submitted must have a romantic comedy theme. Films can vary in length from
two minutes to two hours. Categories will include feature film, foreign, shorts, music
videos, web/TV series, screenplay, etc..

Rom Com Fest will look to showcase female filmmakers and strong female characters.
While open to all genders, the film festival will lean towards stories that are directed
and/or written by women or have female-driven plots with dynamic female leads.

Submission Deadlines
• Early Bird: February 14, 2019
• Regular: March 10, 2016
• Late: March 30, 2019
• Extended: April 20, 2019

For more info and to submit via Film Freeway, please go to: romcomfest.com. For questions related to submissions, please email: m@romcomfest.com.

ABOUT ROM COM FEST

Rom Com Fest celebrates womanhood, love and life through visual medium including film, film art, music videos, and screenplays – anything with a romantic comedy theme. The film festival also has a dedicated focus toward female filmmakers and strong female characters. For more information about Rom Com Fest, visit romcomfest.com.

Get your tickets early for the FREE Tribeca Drive-In Dinner and a Movie!

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Free and open to the public, the film screening series will take place between February 21-24 within Lower Manhattan’s magnificent Oculus 

For the third consecutive year, Westfield World Trade Center will roll out the red carpet for the Tribeca Drive-In: Dinner and a Movie film screening series, organized in partnership with the team behind the Tribeca Film Festival, and taking place from Thursday, February 21st to Sunday, February 24th – just in time for this year’s major awards season!

During the four-day series, visitors to Westfield World Trade Center’s magnificent Oculus in Lower Manhattan will be able to enjoy free movie screenings of past Oscar®-nominated and Oscar®-winning fan favorite films.

Come early for live music performances presented by Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI); relax in custom-designed seating lounges; explore special fashion and accessories vitrines curated by local influencer and personal shopper Samantha Brown;  take advantage of one-of-a-kind, Hollywood-inspired photo ops; and partake of exclusive food and beverage service provided by some of Westfield World Trade Center’s tastiest restaurants and eateries, including: Epicerie Boulud,  Eataly NYC Downtown, Nunu Chocolates, and Sugarfina.

THE LINE UP

Thursday, February 21: As Good as it Gets

Doors open: 5:30pm / Film begins: 7pm

Friday, February 22: Field of Dreams

Doors open: 5:30pm / Film begins: 7pm

Saturday, February 23: Hugo

Doors open: 11am / Film begins 12pm

Saturday, February 23: E.T.

Doors open: 5:30pm / Film begins 7pm

Sunday, February 24: Finding Neverland

Doors open: 11am / Film begins 12pm

Review: Mads Mikkelsen gives warmth to ‘Arctic’

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An official selection of the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, Arctic is an agonizing tale, set in the blistering cold, and is beautiful yet terrifying. First time writer and director, Joe Penna, purposely kept dialogue to a minimum to capture his audience and it really works. 

Penna has a popular YouTube Channel, MysteryGuitarMan, where he realized that he could reach a wider audience by focusing on the visuals rather than dialogue. He researched and spoke with practiced Arctic pilots as well as other experts. He co-wrote the script with Ryan Morrison.

Arctic does not give the audience an easy way out, as you really need to pay attention to everything you see on the screen. There is very little context and that makes for an enjoyable viewing experience where you really get into the mind of Overgård (Mads Mikkelsen) who has adapted to his predicament with a resourcefulness that’s quite impressive.

The result is an evenly paced yet riveting drama where the viewer is left with a feeling of hope in humanity.

Check here to see if it’s playing near you: https://bleeckerstreetmedia.com/editorial/arctic-movie-theater-showtimes

Slamdance Film Festival Review: ‘A Great Lamp’ shines bright.

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SYNOPSIS

Set in a small riverside town in North Carolina, two sad vandals and an unemployed loner long await for a fabled rocket launch.

A Great Lamp isn’t about what you think it’s about. Although, I’m not sure what I really thought it was about until the final 30 minutes. This film is like no other. Shot in black and white, at intrusive angles, with rudimentary line animation scattered over narratives, it’s whacky and wonderful and slightly reminiscent of MTV’s Liquid Television. Three men, each unique and yet totally suited to be friends await a mysterious rocket launch. But, as I said, that’s not really what the film is about. Underneath the twisty dialogue that may or may not be completely ad-libbed, there is a dark sadness. Each man has lost a parental figure, whether literally or emotionally. Dealing with depression and emptiness among surrounding quirkiness is just another aspect that makes A Great Lamp so intriguing. It is perfect for festival goers and cinephiles alike seeking something off the beaten path.

Showings – select to order tickets:
Fri, Jan 25th, 3:00 PM @ Ballroom
  • Runtime:
    77 minutes
  • Language:
    English
  • Country:
    USA
  • Premiere:
    World Premiere
  • Director:
    Saad Qureshi
  • Screenwriter:
    Saad Qureshi, Donald R. Monroe, Max Wilde, Spencer Bang, Steven Maier
  • Producer:
    Saad Qureshi, Donald R. Monroe, Alison Donohue
  • Cast:
    Max Wilde, Spencer Bang, Steven Maier, Julian Semilian, Laura Ingram Semilian, Netta Green, Connie Stewart, Smokey, Spaz
  • Cinematographer:
    Donald R. Monroe
  • Editor:
    Max Wilde

Review: ‘EGG’ one of our Top 5 from Tribeca 2018 (hatches) in theaters today.

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In provocateur Marianna Palka’s sharp and unflinching satire, two couples and a surrogate lay bare the complications, contradictions, heartbreak, and absurdities implicit in how we think about motherhood.

Mariana Palka’s follow-up to last year’s Bitch, is just as powerful in delving into “the phases of a woman’s life”, to use a phrase directly from EGG. With an incredibly theatrical feel, as if it could play in an Off-Broadway theater with a unit set, EGG confronts art, politics, and the patriarchal structure that surround the idea of having a baby. The entire ensemble cast is phenomenal, each playing their role in a game of vapid versus broken. The writing is good, honest, and brave. There are no filters on these characters making them completely loathsome and fantastic all at once.

Egg
Feature Narrative
Country: USA
Director: Marianna Palka
Writer: Risa Mickenberg
Starring: Gbenga Akinnagbe, David Alan Basche, Alysia Reiner, Anna Camp, Christina Hendricks

Review: ‘OUT On Stage’ is first LGBTQ stand-up comedy series.

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OUT on Stage: The Series
Hosted by Zach Noe Towers
Premieres – Jan 17, 2018

OUT on Stage: The Series is full of laughs and genuinely funny comics. You will laugh out loud at every episode. The comics are eclectic and wonderful. You’ll recognize a few faces right off the bat. If you are a part of the LGBTQ community or an ally, this is a show for you just as much as this blog post about all pride flags and names. But let’s be real for a second, if you are a prude, hate funny people, or generally have a stick up your butt, well we don’t need your sass or your judgypants. It can be incredibley raunchy and unexpectedly poignant. We need more of this brand of comedy (and storytelling) in the limelight. This should the new norm.  OUT on Stage: The Series is a brilliant show about opportunity and inclusion and we should all be here for that.

HOST: Zach Noe Towers
Zach Noe Towers is an LA-based comedian, actor, and writer who was recently named one of Time Out Magazine’s “2018 Comedians to Watch.” Zach was recently the host of the “The Elite Daily Show” on Verizon’s Go90 network for Seasons 1-4, and will be hosting and starring “Out on Stage”. Zach’s recent short film “Killer Friends” (which he directed, wrote, and starred in) was screened at many film festivals both domestically and internationally, and won the overall audience award at Dances With Films.
FEATURING: Jonathan Rowell, Brendan Scannell, Casey Ley, Julian Michael, Irene Tu, Jared
Goldstein, Raneir Pollard, Kyle Shire, Jordan Pease, Chris Bryant, Eric Hahn, Daniel
Webb, Joe Dosch, Gloria Bigelow, Anthony Desamito, Janine Brito, A.B. Cassidy and
Zach Noe Towers
PRODUCTION COMPANIES: Comedy Dynamics & Dekkoo
EPISODES PER SEASON: 6
TRT: 30 min. (per episode)

ABOUT COMEDY DYNAMICS

Comedy Dynamics, a Nacelle company, is one of the largest independent comedy production and distribution companies, producing Kevin Hart’s Guide to Black History, Animal Planet’s Animal Nation with Anthony Anderson, the new scripted comedy on Hulu, There’s… Johnny!, History’s Join Or Die with Craig Ferguson, MTV2’s Wild ’N On Tour, and Hulu’s Coming To The Stage. In 2018, Comedy Dynamics began releasing original films in theaters starting with the acclaimed documentary, Poop Talk. The company has worked with a wide range of established and emerging comedic talent including Tiffany Haddish, Kevin Hart, Aziz Ansari, Jim Gaffigan, Katt Williams and many more. In total, 12 of Comedy Dynamics’ releases have been Grammy-nominated, with 2 wins

ABOUT DEKKOO

Dekkoo (pronounced “DECK-koo”) is the premiere subscription-based streaming service dedicated to gay men, providing the largest streaming collection of gay-centric entertainment available, boasting a larger selection than Here TV, Netflix or Amazon.  Dekkoo is available internationally via iTunes, Google Play, AppleTV and Roku.  In the U.S. and U.K., Dekkoo is also available via the Amazon Dekkoo Channel.  Dekkoo original series include “Feral,” “Love is Blind” and “I’m Fine.”  www.dekkoo.com

Review: ‘ADULT LIFE SKILLS’ finds humor in overwhelming darkness.

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ADULT LIFE SKILLS 

**Winner of 2016 Tribeca Film Festival’s Nora Ephron Prize**

Anna (Jodie Whittaker) is comfortable living in her mom’s garden shed making funny videos all day, but as she approaches 30, she starts feeling the pressure to move on and “grow up” without compromising her youthful spirit.

There is something whimsical about Adult Life Skills that takes hold of your heart. Jodie Whittaker plays Anna, a woman on the brink of turning thirty living in the backyard shed of her family’s home. Attempting to hold on tight to her childhood, she pushes back on growth as she is still reeling from the death of her twin brother. Reliving her relationship through the wonderfully absurd movies they created together for their website, Anna reluctantly takes a lonely neighbor boy (whose mother is dying of what we presume to be cancer) under her wing. Through his growing attachment, she learns to assess her emotional journey and come to terms with her reality. Whittaker is charming and honest. Each beat has depth and humor under the very real sadness. The surrounding ensemble of female family and friends pushes Adult Life Skills to the next level of indie darling. It’s a creative film version of depression. It delves into the mind of sadness with a visually interesting and fully uniquely fleshed out storyline The soundtrack is catchy and haunting as hell. On the whole, Adult Life Skills is simply lovely.

In Theaters and On Demand January 18, 2019 

Starring: Jodie Whittaker (“Doctor Who”) and Edward Hogg (“Harlots,” “Misfits”)

Written & Directed by: Rachel Tunnard

Where to Watch Obama’s 2018 Movie List – Netflix, Hulu, Showtime, EPIX, Rent/Buy

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Artist: Joe Burdick

All the movies on Obama’s list are the best of the best. From the Best Foreign Film Entry from South Korea, Burning to the female badasses of Annliation, there’s guaranteed you’ll find one of these movies worth your time. As I looked at Obama’s favorite movies of 2018, I’ve only seen 7, and I wondered where I could see the rest of them. As of this posting, I discovered that 12 of the 15 can be seen online right now! Two of them are on Netflix: Black Panther & Roma (also in select theaters). Minding the Gap can be seen on Hulu, The Death of Stalin on Showtime and The Rider. Three are only available in theaters: Burning, Shoplifters and If Beale Street Could Talk.

Here’s a quick recap of where you can watch each.

  • Annihilation – EPIX, Rent, Buy 4K – SCI-FI  DRAMA
  • Black Panther – Netflix, Rent, Buy 4K ACTION SCI-FI
  • BlacKkKlansman – Buy 4K, Rent 4K DRAMA  ACTION
  • Blindspotting – Select Theaters, Buy 4K, Rent 4K DRAMA  COMEDY
  • Burning – Select Theaters DRAMA
  • The Death of Stalin – Showtime, Rent, Buy COMEDY
  • Eighth Grade – Buy 4K, Rent 4K DRAMA
  • If Beale Street Could Talk – Select Theaters DRAMA
  • Leave No Trace – Rent, Buy DRAMA
  • Minding the Gap – Hulu DOCUMENTARY
  • The Rider – Starz, Rent, Buy DRAMA
  • Roma – Select Theaters, Netflix 4K DRAMA
  • Shoplifters – Select Theaters DRAMA
  • Support the Girls – Rent, Buy COMEDY DRAMA
  • Won’t You Be My Neighbor – Rent, Buy DOCUMENTARY

Four of these movies are on AFI’s Top Ten list of 2018: Black Panther, BlacKkKlansman, Eighth Grade, If Beale Street Could Talk.

Burning is the Best Foreign Film Entry for South Korea.

Ten of the movies have been nominated for a Film Independent Spirit Award. BlacKkKlansman, Blindspotting, Eighth Grade, Leave No Trace, Minding the Gap, The Rider, Roma, Shoplifters, Support the Girls, Won’t You Be My Neighbor

As for festivals, 11 of the 15 we either in Cannes, Sundance, New York Film Festival or Toronto International Film Festival.

Check out the table below to discover more about Obama’s list of movies.

Free Screening of ‘Black Panther’ at Art House Theaters – Live Q&A with Ryan Coogler – Tuesday, November 27th

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PRESS RELEASE Black Panther returns to the big screen with free screenings at nonprofit art house theaters nationwide on Tuesday, November 27 at 4:00pm PT/7:00pm ET. Presented by Film Comment, a publication of the Film Society of Lincoln Center, and supported by the Art House Convergence, the event will feature a post-screening Q&A with director Ryan Coogler, taking place at the Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center in San Rafael, CA, streamed live to participating theaters. A full list of theaters can be found below. Check local theater listings for more details.
 
The one-night-only event offers audiences an opportunity to experience the acclaimed film on the big screen once again with their local communities. Leading up to and during the Q&A, attendees are invited to submit their questions to Ryan Coogler on Twitter with the hashtag #AskBlackPanther. All attendees will receive a free one-year digital subscription to Film Comment magazine. Coogler, director and co-writer of Black Panther, was featured on the cover of Film Comment‘s March-April 2018 issue with a story by Devika Girish. Nicolas Rapold, the magazine’s editor-in-chief, will moderate the discussion.
 
Black Panther is director Ryan Coogler’s take on a modern African hero and a utopian vision of what an uncolonized Africa might look like. The film explores the conflict between two powerful men, one African and one African-American, who are mirror images of each other, each grappling with his own history, home, and very identity.  When Prince T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) becomes king of the hidden, technologically advanced kingdom Wakanda, he is forced to defend his throne against rogue mercenary Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan). Wakanda is also alive with strong, intelligent women-from Wakanda’s elite all-female security force, led by Okoye (Danai Gurira), to the international spy Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), to T’Challa’s tech-savvy sister (Letitia Wright) and mother (Angela Bassett)-who are portrayed as equals to the men they protect and advise. 
 
Film Comment is for everyone, art houses are for everyone, and Black Panther is for everyone.
 
Film Comment presents Black Panther 
with support from the Art House Convergence
Tuesday, November 27
4:00pm PST/7:00pm EST
 
PARTICIPATING THEATERS
 
Austin, TX – AFS Cinema (Austin Film Society)
6259 Middle Fiskville Rd, Austin, TX 78752
 
Boston, MA – Brattle Theatre
40 Brattle St, Cambridge, MA 02138
 
Denver, CO – Sie FilmCenter (Denver Film Society)
2510 East Colfax Ave., Denver, CO 80206
 
Detroit, MI – Michigan Theater
603 E Liberty St. Ann Arbor, MI 48104
 
Los Angeles, CA – DGA Theater
7920 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90046
 
Miami, FL – O Cinema Wynwood
90 NW 29th St, Miami, FL 33127
 
New York, NY – Film Society of Lincoln Center
144 W. 65th Street, New York, NY 10023
 
Princeton, NJ – Garden Theater in Princeton
7006, 160 Nassau St, Princeton, NJ 08542
 
Philadelphia, PA – Ambler Theater
108 E Butler Ave, Ambler, PA 19002
 
San Diego, CA – Digital Gym Cinema
2921 El Cajon Blvd, San Diego, CA 92104
 
San Francisco, CA – Roxie Theater
3117 16th St, San Francisco, CA 94103
 
San Rafael, CA – Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center
1118 4th St, San Rafael, CA 94901
 
Seattle, WA – NorthWest Film Forum
1515 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
 
FILM COMMENT
Published since 1962, Film Comment magazine features in-depth reviews, critical analysis, and feature coverage of mainstream, art-house, and avant-garde filmmaking from around the world. Today a bimonthly print magazine and a website, the magazine was founded under the editorship of Gordon Hitchens, who was followed by Richard Corliss, Harlan Jacobson, Richard Jameson, Gavin Smith, and Nicolas Rapold. Past and present contributing critics include Paul Arthur, David Bordwell, Richard Combs, Manohla Dargis, Raymond Durgnat, Roger Ebert, Manny Farber, Howard Hampton, Molly Haskell, J. Hoberman, Richard Jameson, Kent Jones, Dave Kehr, Nathan Lee, Todd McCarthy, Jonathan Rosenbaum, Tony Rayns, Frank Rich, Andrew Sarris, Richard Schickel, Elliott Stein, Amy Taubin, David Thomson, Richard Thompson, Amos Vogel, Robin Wood, and many more.
 
ART HOUSE CONVERGENCE
The idea of the Art House Convergence was born when a group of exhibitors were brought together at the Sundance Film Festival as part of the Sundance Institute’s Art House Project. For two years, this small group of exhibitors met at the Sundance Film Festival to discuss independent film and independent film exhibition. In 2008, the group expanded and hosted the first Art House Convergence conference with 25 attendees. In 2018, over 640 exhibitors, film festivals, and allied organizations joined for a sold-out Annual Conference in Midway, UT.
 
The Art House Convergence, having grown into a year-round organization, relies on several staff members and a passionate group of volunteers to help coordinate all of its events and programs, always striving to reflect its core intention, community-based, mission-driven. The upcoming 2019 Annual Conference will be held January 21-24 in Midway, UT before the start of the Sundance Film Festival.

New York Film Festival Reviews: ‘A Faithful Man’ & ‘Ash Is The Purest White’

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25Two very different films about loyalty played at NYFF this year. A Faithful Man is quintessential French romcom and Ash Is The Purest White is the best of director Jia Zhangke.

A Faithful Man is about a couple of lovers torn apart by a pregnancy and brought back together by death. The jokes are witty and performances are stellar. I have adored every NYFF selection starring Louis Garrel, so it’s not surprising that one written, directed and starring him would entertain. He is charming alongside costars Laetitia Casta and Lily-Rose Depp. The chemistry between the three is electric and the story is fun and unexpected. If you like flirty french cinema, A Faithful Man will be up your alley.

Ash Is The Purest White, selected to compete for the Palme d’Or at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, is a much more complex look at the relationship of a man vying for power and the woman who takes the fall for his criminal actions. This is a story about pride and love. It spans three different time periods in Zhao Tao and Liao Fan’s characters lives. It transforms into a fascinating journey of a woman reclaiming her life and a patriarchal takedown. Bravo to the makeup departments for the seamlessly addressing a huge span of time in a realistic way. Tao and Fan walk a delicate balance of adoration and loathing.

New York Film Festival Review: ‘Private Life’ – Now on Netflix!

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There is an age-old dilemma in Manhattan in respect to career and family. When I was a preschool teacher 10 years ago, the average age of the parents in my class when they gave birth was 40. My own mother had me at 22. This was the “normal” I understood. But, after I got married at 31 and moved back to Manhattan after years of traveling the world, I realized that I was faced with the same dilemma. My husband had not just hinted but boldly stated that he was ready for kids. I had just gotten deep into film criticism and similar projects, there was no way I was about to slow down now. Then, once I was ready it took a grueling 8 months to get pregnant. I know, some people will say that’s not a very long time, it takes years for some women to get pregnant. But that feeling of disappointment and fear month after month is palpable still. Those visceral memories are what made Tamara Jenkins new film Private Life so engrossing for me.

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Kathryn Hahn and Paul Giamatti play a couple that put arts careers first and family second. Then the reality of the situation slams into them head-on. With adoption, fertility treatments, and surrogacy all on the table, this couple cannot seem to catch a break. The brilliance of this film is the fact that it’s rooted in reality. The emotional rollercoaster that is trying to be parents is all emotions at once. The comedy is as pure as the heartbreak. Giamatti is always fantastic. There is a beautiful juxtaposition in a performance from Molly Shannon. On the surface, it may appear to be an uncomplicated foil for Katherine’s character, but it is anything but. Private Life‘s essence lies in Hahn’s performance. Her soul-baring work will most certainly catch you off guard. It’s the quietest moments that crush you. Her specificity is award-worthy stuff, no doubt. Private Life is not just about having a kid, it’s about marriage. It’s about the delicate balance of love and hate and resentment between two people who promise to be together forever. Hands down, in my top three films from the festival this year. You can catch Private Life right now on Netflix. I highly recommend you do.

New York Film Festival Review: ‘Non-Fiction’

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Juliette Binoche is literally in a New York Film Festival feature every year. This year (and it’s not the first) she appears in two. Non-Fiction is a brilliant and sardonic piece of writing about the state of literature, media, politics, and intimate relationships. Centering around a writer a publisher, an actress, and a campaign manager, the film intertwines affairs and humor. If Aaron Sorkin wrote French romcoms, Non Fiction would pour from his fingertips. The witty repartee keeps you in your toes as does the relevant subject matter. At times an intellectual war if words.ans ideas from different generations, quite literally. The idea of printed booked versus ebooks and Twitter, the idea of classical consumption and attention span, and of course the implications this all has had and will have on capitalism. Non Fiction is not shy about poking fun at itself or at the world’s state of affairs. Perhaps it played well for a room filled with critics because of its plot but I would hope the love it garnered would spread to a much wider and wiser audience of all ages. The conversations it may provoke are why we still go to the cinema, after all.

Directed by: Olivier Assayas 2018 France 106 minutes

Sundance Selects release.

New York Film Festival 56 Review: ‘In My Room’

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While the idea of the last man on Earth isn’t revolutionary, Ulrich Köhler’s film In My Room approaches the idea from a long-game perspective. The opening of the film is visually jarring. In hindsight, this is a fantastic set up for our leading man and a plot in which the world’s population vanishes overnight. This introduction is subtle at first. If you were to go into the film unaware of the plot, you may miss the first signs. The film’s emotional journey is all over the place. Panic sets in, and then, very quickly, it transitions to a “fuck it” attitude. Hans Löw‘s physical transformation, from beginning to end, is startling. As is his intellectual prowess. Without an electronic grid, one would have to adapt quickly to survive. In My Room pushes you to think about the effects of a cataclysmic event. In the film, Armin has a system. It is one he strives to improve upon daily, without losing his mind. I’d love to report an uplifting ending, alas I cannot. Without going into detail, you’re left to root for a man that could easily be you. In My Room goes to dark places and sits there. Then makes you sit there. In doing so, it is an incredibly effective film.

Directed by: Ulrich Köhler
Germany / 2018 / 119 minutes / NR

Grasshopper Film

New York Film Festival Review: ‘Long Day’s Journey Into Night’

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Long Day’s Journey Into Night is why we go to film festivals. It’s one of those films that people will be talking about for years to come because the audience will either love it or loathe it. There is no denying it’s a visually striking and stylistically over-indulgent noir that goes nowhere and everywhere all at once. Confused? You’re not alone. I’m not sure anyone walked out of the theater thinking, “Yup, I can totally relate!” That would actually be pretty weird on multiple levels, but with all that being said, wow, it is one hell of a cinematic experience. The hyper-saturation of the sets, costumes, and the unusual use of neon give it a Blade Runner feel in style. You’re also working with two timelines. And then, wait for it, a 1 hour, single-take, dream sequence… in 3D! Yes. Reoccurring images, long natural cadence in the dialogue, superb music, and sound editing add the wild magic and peculiarity that is Long Day’s. It’s a film I may never see again unless I wanted to discuss it in some University setting, which, admittedly, I am not opposed to. So, I suppose in summation, Long Day’s Journey Into Night is as cool as it is confounding.

Theatrical release in 2019. Distributed by Kino Lorber. Scheduled at Lincoln Center for April 12, 2019.