In the tradition of Best in Show and A Mighty Wind, and inspired by today’s obsession with reality TV and social media stars, writer-director Steven Jay Bernheim’s clever mockumentary fixes on a Paris Hilton-esque heiress named “London” (newcomer Julia Faye West) who is struggling to regain fame after being pushed out of the limelight by three Kardashian-type sisters named “The Kims.” London’s life is a self-indulgent maelstrom of product endorsements, talent managers, pet psychics, private jets, fashion shows, yachts, and a celebrity posse. Despite her wackiness, she ultimately makes it back to the top of the heap. This parody of America’s infatuation with fame raises the question: are these celebs-for-no-reason marketing geniuses, or are they just the accidental beneficiaries of the American public’s stupidity?
This tongue in cheek look at reality celebrity is hilarious. I mean, laugh out loud funny. The cast is incredible. A mockumentary in full effect, it’s like one long Comedy Central episode. They take aim at everyone: The Kardashians, boy bands, Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, their eccentric entourages, and all the people who exploit them. But in truth, Reality Queen exposes just how highly produced “reality” shows and stars are. Does watching “reality” television make us feel better about ourselves? Probably. Do we follow these people because we idolize their ability to make money when they have exactly zero real skills? I don’t know if I can answer that. Reality Queen certainly lets us feel like we’re above it all, even if we are guilty of clicking a hair gummies ad or betting on who will receive the final rose.
Denise Richards plays an Angelina Jolie lookalike and she is everything. Julia Faye West as our main subject, London Logo, is a giant bobblehead. The commitment to this over the top caricature is awesome. Kate Orsini plays BBS journalist Diana Smelt-Marlin. She is the best part of this film. She gives us permission to laugh and roll our eyes at a worldwide culture that is pretty gross but definitely entertaining. I would watch an entire series that she hosts. From Twitter battles to terrible celebrity products, Reality Queen would be even greater as a series. There is so much fodder to explore.
50) Shoplifters (2018) dir. by Hirokazu Koreeda
25) Carol (2015) dir. by Todd Haynes
I’ve been watching Shia LaBeouf since he made his Disney Channel debut on Even Stevens. A kid so talented he was scooped up by Hollywood and exploited like many a young child star. We’ve seen him shine and fall from grace and make some of the wildest career moves. But remove that veneer and you have a genuine artist.
Honey Boy is LaBeouf’s screenplay. It tackles his tumultuous upbringing without a real sugarcoating. The verbal and emotional abuse he had to endure must have been astronomical. It all makes sense when you see the scenes between him and Noah Jupe. Their on-screen dynamic is effortless. Lucas Hedges, who I have had my eye on since Zero Theorem, is phenomenal as the 2005 version of Otis. His combative attitude seems like second nature and I can easily see LaBeouf saying and doing the exact same things. Hedges makes you feel like he did one hell of a character study of his creator. Noah Jupe as young Otis is a breath of fresh air. He is something special. He exudes innocence. LaBeouf is playing his father. He is vulnerable, scary, aggressive, and heartbreaking. You can never say this man isn’t spectacularly talented.
Director Alma Har’el has created one of the most satisfying films of the year. The way she handles LaBeouf’s material is beautiful, quirky, fun, and heartfelt. This script is catharsis on film. The juxtaposition of scenes in 1995 and 2005, with stunning lighting and cinematography, is wonderful. LaBeouf has opened every wound and laid it all out. It’s gorgeous misery and you’ll want to remain present for it. Honey Boy is a triumph.
Naomi Watts gives a powerful performance that is so raw, it will get under your skin for long after the credits have rolled. This stylistic film hits a nerve for the viewer instantly. Its claustrophobia consumes you as much as Watts’ character June. Clearly suffering PTSD exacerbated by the current overwhelming outside forces that play out keep June locked in her house 24hrs day for God knows how many years at the point we meet her. Her desperation is palpable. The colors and sound editing combined with brilliant slow-burn pacing make The Wolf Hour hypnotizing. It feels post-apocalyptic. It feels far too relevant. Watts is like a ticking timebomb. Her performance is one of the year’s best. This could have been a stage play based upon its singular location but I’m not sure you could have captured the heaviness of the air and environment in the same way. In film form, The Wolf Hour digs its nails into you in the fiercest way.
The craziest thing is that to say much more about the plot is to do it a disservice. It’s almost indescribable. Love Is Blind challenges the notion of being an to heal inside and out. It’s about human connection.
Ethan Hawke is someone I can easily describe as versatile and earnest. The man works so often I think we really take him for granted. His resume is profoundly eclectic. His latest work in Adopt A Highway is no exception.
The most surprising is that Adopt A Highway is produced by Jason Blum. This is not a film I would have expected to be in Blum’s wheelhouse as I have become so accustomed to his brilliant horror fare. I am very glad he took a chance on this. The cinematography has an intimacy that feels childlike and joyful. It is reflective of both rediscovery and the harsh realities of re-entering society. The pacing is wonderful. The script is much more nuanced than at first glance. It is ultimately about love. Adopt A Highway is a well acted, thoughtfully crafted debut film. It deserves your attention.
The uneasy dread comes into the script immediately. An old colonial home in the middle of nowhere is a great place for fear to live. Add a locked door? Yup. I wanna open it knowing full well that’s a terrible idea because obviously bad things hide behind it. But don’t we always want what we can’t have?
Performances are incredibly natural. The chemistry between Simone Policano and Jeff Ayars is magic. The sound editing brings This Is Our Home into another terrifying realm. Brooklyn Horror Film Festival goers must have had an extra visceral experience in a theater. I will fully admit that I covered my eyes and got chills more than once. I had no idea what would be coming next and it scared the shit out of me. There are some truly startling scenarios that will keep you hanging on, every single second with your heart pounding. Beautifully framed and stunningly scored, This Is Our Home proves that if we’re not very careful, grief can consume us permanently.
East Coast Premiere
Awesomely jarring nightmares, a killer soundtrack, combined with insanely good performances by the entire cast makes for a fantastic indie horror. There is more than face value to The Shed. Yes, there is a sick monster and buckets of blood, but all that aside the film speaks to much bigger issues. Our lead Stan has all the makings of a kid that’s about to lose it on society. He lost his parents, he’s in the custody of an abusive grandfather, he gets bullied at school. Stan and best friend Dommer are just trying to survive high school.
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