2015 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL COVERAGE: THE BEST OF FEST AND ALL THE REST

First and foremost, Segel is a revelation here. There are moments of humor, yes but Segel digs deep capturing the depth, intricacies, and sweet soul of this complicated, quirky, and very private man. I’ve always enjoyed Segel’s movies (most notably “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”) but I never thought he was capable of delivering a performance of this caliber. Likewise, Jesse Eisenberg turns in terrific work as an ambitious, driven, somewhat assholish young writer who desperately wants Wallace the man to measure up to the mythological status of Wallace the author.

Together, Segel and Eisenberg play off of each other like seasoned pros, but not once during this film did I feel like these talented individuals were acting. Their somewhat brief but complex bonding rings completely true, and by the end of the movie, I really felt like I had a true understanding of what made both of these intellectuals tick.

So many memorable moments to speak of in this picture, perhaps none more so than one in which Wallace takes in a screening of John Woo’s “Broken Arrow” and watches on with a Cheshire cat grin on his face. Even a brilliant novelist can see the artistry in what others might write off as a brainless action movie.”The End of the Tour” has seen its fair share of attacks from the likes of Wallace supporters who are convinced that the author himself never would have supported this project. While we’ll never know if that is truly the case, having seen “The End of the Tour”, I whole heartedly  believe Wallace would have endorsed the final product. This film really spoke to me. It’s eloquent, honest, and refreshingly non-judgmental.  If I had to pick my very favorite title at Sundance 2015, “The End of the Tour”  would be it.

“FINDERS KEEPERS”

During the first weekend of Sundance, I suggested that the James Franco/Jonah Hill thriller, “True Story”, was solid proof that truth is stranger than fiction. The new documentary, “Finders Keepers”, is an even stronger example of this theory.

“Finders Keepers” weaves its tale around Shannon Whisnant–a colorful southerner who gets the surprise of his life after purchasing a barbecue smoker at a storage unit auction. While cleaning the smoker out, Shannon is shocked to discover an amputated leg inside. Unaware of how the leg got there, the entrepreneur in Shannon quickly realizes there is money to be made from this disturbing discovery.  Trouble arises however, when a man named John Wood  comes forward claiming the mysterious body part is his and that he lost it in a plane crash.

It is downright impossible to watch this movie and not laugh at the sheer absurdity of what’s going on, but about 20 minutes in, something strange happens. Layers are peeled away and we begin to see these men for who they really are. And the impact that these colorful, real life characters inadvertently have on each other is really what drives this fantastic documentary from Bryan Carberry and J. Clay Tweel.

For a doc about a legal battle involving a severed leg, it doesn’t get any more poignant than “Finders Keepers”. As this bizarre story continues to unfold, it becomes perfectly clear that this leg represents a great deal to both men for wildly different reasons.

Best of all, “Finders Keepers” is immensely entertaining. It offers up a little bit of everything.  It’s fascinating, disturbing, funny, sweet, sad, heartwarming, inspirational,  and endlessly weird.  In short, “Finders Keepers”  is the best documentary I saw at Sundance 2015 . A must-see!

“ME, EARL, AND THE DYING GIRL”

“Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl” has elements that might remind one of “The Fault in Our Stars”, “(500) Days of Summer”, and the works of John Hughes, but it still manages to carve out an identity all its own. Furthermore, as was the case with Jonathan Levine’s excellent “50/50”, “Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl” is able to ring humor out of a very unfunny topic. It comes as no surprise that this film won both the Audience Choice Award and the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance 2015.

I didn’t get a chance to see this movie until the final day of the festival and it says a lot about the overall  emotional power at the core of “Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl” that it still lived up to the hype. Oddly enough, the synopsis in the Sundance catalog made the plot sound fairly generic. It just goes to show you that strong, honest performances, sincerity, and delicate direction can transcend the conventional.

In “Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl”, awkward teen Greg Gaines  (played by a wonderfully offbeat Thomas Mann) is all but forced by his overbearing mom to visit with a neighborhood high school student (played by a lovely Olivia Cooke) who has just been diagnosed with cancer. After endless prodding at the hands of his meddling mother, Greg agrees to meet with Rachel, and shortly thereafter, this twosome bond famously. But, as the film sets up from the very start, their story isn’t a love story and that in of itself, is a refreshing change of pace . The “Earl” in the title of the movie refers to Greg’s best friend (played by a stellar RJ Cyler), a fellow high school student who shares Greg’s pure love of cinema. In fact, this duo have such a passion for film that they spend much of their free time “sueding” their favorite movies and creatively tweaking the titles ever so slightly. At one point, Greg and Earl set out to shoot a project for an extremely depressed Rachel. It’s a very sweet gesture and it’s that sense of sweetness that brings a little light to a film that’s dark around the edges.

“Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl” is difficult to resist. It does try awfully hard to be clever and meaningful, but for the most part,  I’ll be damned if it isn’t clever and meaningful. Heartfelt too. By the end of the picture, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.  I suspect “Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl” is going to light up the box-office when it hits theaters later this year.

“PERVERT PARK”

When I read the synopsis for “Pervert Park”, I wasn’t very interested in seeing it. The idea of watching a documentary that shows pedophiles in a sympathetic light simply didn’t appeal to me. Ultimately though, I did end up seeing the movie because another screening  fell through, and in the end, I’m glad I did because this was a challenging (and enlightening)  experience.

I have children and if any of them were ever attacked by one of the individuals in this doc, I don’t know that I’d be able to forgive. The thing is, “Pervert Park” doesn’t ask viewers to forgive these subjects for their crimes. If anything, the subjects here completely take responsibility for their heinous actions. “Pervert Park” does ask us to look at a broken system though.

The film’s focal point is  a trailer park in Florida that houses 120 registered sex offenders who hope to one day reintegrate into society. A handful of these residents are very candid about the nature of their crimes and this openness is vital to their potential rehabilitation.

Again, “Pervert Park” never condones the actions of its subjects but it does remind viewers that this is learned behavior and in the case of many of these individuals, this is all part of a vicious cycle. Simply throwing them into the prison system, offering virtually no psychological aid, and then letting them back out seems counterproductive. I’m not going to lie. Listening to some of these stories made me incredibly uncomfortable, but to get to the root of a problem, the problem has to be discussed.

“Pervert Park” is raw, heartbreaking, and in many cases, shocking, but it’s also profoundly important in the way that it confronts our inability to properly deal with mental sickness in this country.

“THE RUSSIAN WOODPECKER”

There were some extraordinary docs at this year’s festival and this winner of the Grand Jury Prize for Best World Documentary was certainly one of the finest. Film can be a transcendent form of expression and as “The Russian Woodpecker” proves, it can also be a dangerous form of expression.

This stunning film follows a Ukrainian victim of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster as he sets out to prove that this tragic incident was no accident and that a single individual might have been responsible for the reactor explosion back in 1986. The title refers to a pecking noise emitted by a radio transmitter that was allegedly designed to interfere with Western government communications.

As the colorful and offbeat documentary subject,  Fedor Alexandrovich,  continues to dig deeper and deeper into theories regarding Chernobyl, shocking truths are revealed and at one point, this artist with an axe to grind informs  director Chad Gracia that he can no longer participate in the making of the film for fear that his child might be murdered as a result of his knowledge.

As is the case with “Chuck Norris Vs. Communism”, “The Russian Woodpecker” reveals a world in which movies can potentially save lives. In one terrifying, dramatic moment, a life is literally saved when a production camera operator avoids certain death after his own camera serves as a shield against a bullet fired upon him by a Russian officer. “The Russian Woodpecker” is an eye opening, endlessly intriguing look at a political conflict as seen through the eyes of an endearing (and brilliant) Ukrainian artist seeking justice. Powerful stuff.

“THE STANFORD PRISON EXPERIMENT”

Kyle Patrick Alvarez follows up well crafted indie efforts  “Easier With Practice” and “C.O.G.” with a much heavier “The Stanford Prison Experiment”– a claustrophobic,  effectively discomforting  reenactment of an early 70’s behavioral experiment that would find  respected psychologist  Philip Zimbardo  (played by Billy Crudup) recruiting a handful of young adults and having them assume the roles of guards and prisoners at a mock prison constructed in the basement of Stanford over the course of a two week period. Why? To study the effects of abuse  from the point of view of both the abusers and those taking the abuse.

As the film opens,  Zimbardo and his team screen potential test subjects and they decide who will be guards and who will be prisoners not by way of a psychological profile, but by a mere flip of a coin. What follows is an unnerving  descent into hell as these test subjects appear to lose sight of their surroundings after a very short period of time.

“The Stanford Prison Experiment” is a solid dramatization of a real life event. When I read about this film, I found it hard to believe that these test subjects would be so quick to lose themselves in the experiment, but Alvarez and his expert cast (most notably Tye Sheridan, Ezra Miller, and Michael Angarano) were able to convince me otherwise in a movie that plays like a simulated version of “Lord of the Flies”.  I really got sucked into the horror and chaos of it all.  “The Stanford Prison Experiment” is a hard hitting expose on the abuse of power and an intimate look at the fragility of the human brain.

“THE WITCH”

“The Witch” is this year’s “The Babadook”.  Don’t misconstrue what I’m saying. Story wise, these two films couldn’t be any more different. So where’s the connection? Subtext. Both films have an outer horror shell, but at their essence, they are really stories about families that have been torn apart by tragedy. Granted, “The Witch” probably lives more in the realm of the horror genre than “The Babadook” does and when you see it, you’ll understand why.

“The Witch” opens in New England, 1630  and centers around an excommunicated Christian family who struggle to survive after relocating to a farm in the middle of the harsh wilderness.  With very little money and very few possessions to call their own, all this family really has is each other and even their love is put to the test after an infant goes missing while under the supervision of  Thomasin (played by Ana Taylor-Joy.) Katherine (played by Kate Dickie) harbors resentment towards her teenage daughter after the disappearance of her youngest child while patriarch William (played by Ralph Ineson), believes there has to be a rational explanation. Meanwhile, pre-teen Caleb (played by Harvey Scrimshaw) is eager to help provide for his family while precocious (bordering on obnoxious) young twins Jonas (Lucas Dawson) and Mercy (Ellie Grainger)are convinced that Thomasin is a witch.

“The Witch” is methodically paced but appropriately so. This movie really gets under your skin and writer/director Robert Eggers  does a tremendous job building an ominous sense of dread. “The Witch” is beautifully crafted. From the pitch perfect performances, to the authentic dialects, to the expertly crafted sets, to the atmospheric score, to the profoundly unsettling images, to the creepy as hell ending.

Admittedly, there are moments that are hard to wrap your head around. On one level, “The Witch” is a story about a man desperately trying (and in many cases, failing) to provide for his family, but on another level, there are clearly things of a more sinister nature going on. Eggers  opts to take the ambiguous route with certain aspects of the “The Witch” and it all makes for a horror show that will probably polarize some viewers, but for me personally, this is a movie I wont soon forget.

 “Z FOR ZACHARIAH”

Craig Zobel’s “Z For Zachariah” is a beautifully acted three character piece that finds a love triangle at the center of a post apocalyptic world. Only this isn’t the sort of post apocalyptic world you’d find at the heart of a “Mad Max” movie. No, this is something entirely different.

“Z For Zachariah” takes place in a gorgeous, lush valley that, for whatever reason, seems impervious to the phenomenon that has all but taken out most of civilization as we know it. Living alone in this valley is lovely Ann (Margot Robbie), a sweet natured, God fearing  farmer whose lonely existence is vanquished  when stranger  Loomis (Chiwetel Ejiofor) comes to town. After exposing himself to a radiated water supply, Loomis becomes deathly ill, but Ann eventually  nurses him back to health. Shortly thereafter,  Ann and Loomis  become inseparably close but their unshakable bond is ultimately breached by Caleb  (Chris Pine), a handsome drifter who seemingly pops up out of nowhere.

This is the set up for what is an essentially a subtle, quietly effective sci-fi fable with spiritual undertones. While minimalistic in approach, “Z For Zachariah” remains provocative in its look at human nature. Themes of love, jealously, religion, and the competitive nature of man flow throughout this film. Robbie is convincing and understated  as a woman who simply wants to be loved. Ejiofor and Pine are stellar as the men fighting, in the only way they know how, for Ann’s affection. The question is, can the complications that come with their unique situation be put aside so that Eden might prosper?

Some will argue that “Z For Zachariah” ends on an anti-climactic note. Others will find the final moments frustrating and even ambiguous in nature, but for me, it’s completely clear what transpired. In short, I was incredibly moved by this gorgeous, thought-provoking movie.

“99 HOMES”

99 HOMES is to home foreclosure what WALL STREET is to the stock market. This drama features Andrew Garfield as a man who loses his home and quickly finds himself working for the same greedy (and unethical) real estate broker (played by Michael Shannon) who put he and his family out on the street. It’s a morality play of sorts and finds Garfield bowing to the almighty dollar, no matter what the cost. 99 HOMES is a timely movie and there are some truly heartbreaking moments in this picture. Having said that, I wish I could say this film stuck the landing. Sadly, the final moments of the picture are a little bit on the heavy handed side. Still, Garfield and Shannon give terrific performances as does Laura Dern as a mother who desperately wants her son back.

“THE BRONZE”

THE BRONZE had the dubious honor of being my least favorite film at the festival this year. It’s a raunchy, mean-spirited comedy which would be perfectly fine if it were consistently funny. I think I laughed three times. This film follows the life of obnoxious Hope (played by Melissa Rauch)– a shrill, entitled Bronze medal winning gymnast  who can’t see to live up to her former glory. Hope stands to gain a sizable inheritance from her past trainer but only if she agrees to train Melissa (played by Haley Lu Richardson)– a talented but all too naïve up and comer who also resides in Hope’s sleepy home town. The film’s two leads resemble Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan which is fitting because quite frankly, I wanted to take a bat to both of their knee caps by the end of this picture. I’ll give THE BRONZE this; It does offer up a hilarious sex scene, one that would be perfectly at home in TEAM AMERICA: WORLD POLICE or THE NAKED GUN. Furthermore, I thought supporting player Thomas Middleditch brought a nice touch to the film as a sweet natured individual who, for whatever reason, is able to see beyond the hardened exterior of a wickedly cruel Hope. Beyond that though, there isn’t much about THE BRONZE that’s worth recommending.  The hit to miss laugh ratio here leans heavily on the miss side.

“THE D-TRAIN”

Jack Black and James Marsden engage in an epic bromance in this comedy about a man whose eagerness for acceptance finds him doing whatever he can to elevate a high school reunion to mythical status. THE D-TRAIN certainly has its issues but Black is fantastic as  a lively character whose primary goal in life is to be liked.  As the pretty boy actor who befriends Black in a time of need, Marsden is entertaining if a tad unlikable and ultimately,  I wish there were more layers to his character. As a team, Black and Marsden prove to have strong comical chemistry and it’s that chemistry that drives this movie. It should  be noted that THE D-TRAIN offers up a twist that turns the proceedings completely upside down by the halfway mark. It’s a twist that will probably rub some viewers the wrong way but it is this particular plot point that elevates this typical bromance comedy above the norm.

“THE DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL”

Sundance has never been one to shy away from films that are controversial in nature and THE DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL certainly fits into that mold. Don’t let the unassuming title fool you. This is not DIARY OF A WIMPY KID. Far from it. In fact, this movie probably has more sexual content in it than BASIC INSTICT. At the heart of this film is a star  making turn by a fearless Bel Powley giving it her uninhibited  all as a 15 year old girl going through a sexual awakening in the early 70’s. For the record, yes, Powley  is of age (at the time of the shoot, she was in her early 20’s), but it is disconcerting watching her play 15 because of the frank nature of the subject matter and because Powley is so convincing.   There were plenty of parts in this film that made me very uncomfortable and even more parts that made me want to reach into the screen and offer some of these dysfunctional but compelling characters a little guidance. Still there’s no doubting that  Marielle Heller’s direction  is outstanding and the performances (including Kristen Wiig and Alexander Skarsgard) are first rate.

“DON VERDEAN”

Director Jared Hess (NAPOLEON DYNAMITE) returns to Sundance with DON VERDEAN. This dry, quirky comedy stars Sam Rockwell as the title character– An unassuming archeologist who is hired to locate  priceless biblical relics in the heart of Egypt. It all sort of plays out like a dry-witted, offbeat Indiana Jones. There are laughs here but they are scattershot. Furthermore, a usually dependable Rockwell is greatly upstaged by supporting players Jermaine Clement, Danny McBride, Will Forte, Leslie Bibb, and Amy Ryan. DON VERDEAN  isn’t a bad movie but I certainly hoped for the film to offer up laughs in a more rapid fire manner. Having said that, given that I reside in the state of Utah, it was fun seeing all the beautiful St. George, Kanab, and SLC locales up there on the big screen. And seeing familiar local faces in the background (I’m looking at you Sheldon Demke, Dan Fowlks, and Brett Pendleton) was quite a hoot too.

“GRANDMA”

I suspect those who are anti-abortion are going to positively hate GRANDMA because this latest effort from AMERICAN PIE helmer Paul Weitz does absolutely nothing to explore both sides of this hot button issue. What it does offer up though, is a charismatic Lily Tomlin commanding the screen as a cantankerous, tough as nails grandma who spends a day trying to raise enough money to get her  precious grandaughter out of an unfortunate jam. GRANDMA has quite the mean streak which would be fine had it been funnier and more well rounded. Still, Tomlin is great and Sam Elliot is fantastic in an all to brief scene as Tomlin’s ex-flame.  I can’t say that I dug GRANDMA as a whole it’s almost worth watching for Tomlin and Elliot alone.

“THE HALLOW”

This atmospheric horror flick started off really strong, but what begins as an intriguing take on a creepy Irish folktale about strange monsters who live in the darkness of a countryside forest, slowly begins to lose its luster in the second half.  A shame too because the lead performances by Bojana Novakovic and Joseph Mawle are strong and any time a genre flick has the balls to put a baby’s life in peril, it’s certain to get a rise out of me. Babies in peril completely put me on edge. Again though, despite some intense moments, THE HALLOW loses focus in the second half. I found myself questioning what exactly it was that these creatures wanted and furthermore, I didn’t entirely buy into the lead male protagonists’ inner conflict. In the end, I look forward to seeing what writer/director Corin Hardy does next. I loved the tone of this flick and overall, it sure beats the shit out of 2014’s awful LEPRECHAUN: ORIGINS.

“IT FOLLOWS”

John Carpenter is, perhaps, the greatest horror director of all time. In fact, he’s one of our best film-makers, period! It’s clear that IT FOLLOWS writer/director David Robert Mitchell agrees, because this moody horror flick recalls the stylistic bravado of HALLOWEEN. This creepy tale essentially revolves around a sexually transmitted supernatural force. Once you sleep with someone who has “it”, you’re targeted and the only way to get rid of “it” is to sleep with someone else and pass “it” along. That’s the set up. What’s interesting is the way sex is dealt with in this picture. Lovely lead ead Maika Monroe  (last seen in 2014’s action horror gem, THE GUEST) grapples with the moral ramifications of her current predicament and the decisions made in this movie are more interesting than one might expect. IT FOLLOWS is a lean, atmospheric thriller punctuated by a very effective  score, but there were times when it did feel like the film strayed a bit from its own rules. Still, this is an entertaining movie and it’s sure to scare the living daylights out of audiences looking for a good thrill.

“KNOCK KNOCK”

Eli Roth follows up his still unreleased cannibal thriller, “The Green Inferno” with the Keanu Reeves headlined “Knock Knock’. CLICK HERE for a look at the review.

“LISTEN TO ME MARLON”

This fascinating documentary delves into the mind of iconic and somewhat eccentric actor Marlon Brando, a man whose life was every bit as reclusive as it was legendary. By way of unheard interviews, stock footage, and rare photos, director Stevan Riley is able to grant us access in  to the head space of this very private man. LISTEN TO ME MARLON is easily the most comprehensive look at Brando’s life ever committed to film and covers his early years as the definitive actor of his generation, but it also delves into darker times including a contentious relationship with his father and  a murder trial involving his own troubled son.  This poetic cinematic tapestry is a must-see for Brando fans.

“MISERY LOVES COMEDY”

I adore Kevin Pollack but his stand-up comic documentary MISERY LOVES COMEDY is dullsville. Many of our most beloved stand-up comics draw inspiration from the darker aspects of their own lives to make us laugh but this intriguing conceit was explored too much stronger effect in David Seltzer’s PUNCHLINE over 25 years ago. The number of stand-up comics Pollack was able to interview for this picture is staggering but MISERY LOVES COMEDY as a film is sloppy and bordering on uninteresting partially because it’s simply a talking heads movie. I understand that Pollack wants his subjects to speak for themselves, but this film would have been more entertaining had Pollack  taken clips of comics talking about their routine inspiration and intercutting them with bits from their live acts. Unfortunately, that’s not what transpires here. It’s also very telling, that the most intriguing and probing testimonials in this doc come from Freddie Prinze Jr. and he’s not even a comic.  The portions of the picture featuring Prinze Jr. opening up about his  father, CHICO AND THE MAN star Freddie Prinze, are far and away the most personal moments in MISERY LOVES COMEDY. Yes, there are laughs here, and yes, it’s cool getting to see some of these comics simply be themselves, but the fact is, Pollack doesn’t dig deep enough into the lives of his subjects, and as an end result, the title of this documentary doesn’t really ring true.

“NASTY BABY”

Writer/director Sebastian Silva made a big splash at Sundance back in 2009 with his award-winning effort, THE MAID. He followed that up with the one two experimental indie punch of THE CRYSTAL FAIRY and MAGIC MAGIC. Now, he’s back with NASTY BABY, an offbeat but sweet character driven dramedy about a gay couple (Silva and Tundeimpe) who enlist the aid of their best friend (Kristen Wiig) to have a baby. First and foremost, the cast here is fantastic. Silva, Tundeimpe, and Wiig are funny, charming, and sincere in an honest portrayal of love and friendship. Where the movie really falters is in an abrasive final act.  A scenario enters the equation that, for me, disrupts the tone of the movie. I understand why it’s there. Clearly, Sebastian is suggesting that these characters love each other so much that they’re willing to do anything for one another. The thing is, this tonal switch didn’t need to occur for me to understand that their love is real. I adore the first three quarters of NASTY BABY enough to forgive it for a contentious final scenario that simply didn’t work for me.

“THE NIGHTMARE”

ROOM 237 director Rodney Ascher returns to Sundance with this documentary about sleep paralysis. The film follows  eight individuals and digs into how this terrifying disorder affects their daily lives. The movie is made up of interviews and paralysis recreations designed to put us in the mindset of these unfortunate victims.  Word coming out of the festival early on was that this one was incredibly scary. For me? Not so much. Yes, there are a couple of moments that border on creepy, but overall, I don’t know that I entirely bought into the authenticity of this one. I’m not suggesting that Ascher made this stuff up. Sleep paralysis is very much a real condition but there were moments throughout this picture when I got the distinct impression that some of the subjects might have been exaggerating for dramatic effect. One subject in particular suggests that her faith in God served as a cure for her paralysis. I’m certainly not denouncing the existence of God, but as played in the film, it felt like  this particular individual had an agenda from the get go. There are a lot of things here that I found interesting. Ascher draws an intriguing parallel between sleep paralysis episodes and visions by those who claim to have been abducted by aliens. There’s also an entertaining segment dedicated to Wes Craven’s A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET. Overall though, I would say that THE NIGHTMARE is more fascinating and bizarre than all out scary.

“SEOUL SERACHING”

This 80’s throwback from writer/director Benson Lee plays like a John Hughes buffet. SEOUL SEARCHING weaves its teen angst tale around several Korean Americans who attend a summer camp in the motherland so that they might learn about their own heritage. While there, they learn quite a bit  about each other too. And in typical 80’s movie fashion, there are plenty of love connections made. The truth is, we’ve seen a lot of this stuff before. What really sets SEOUL SEARCHING apart though, is the cast. Benson has put together an interesting roster of non actors and professional actors of different cultural backgrounds. The entire cast is Korean yes, but one is from Germany, one is from Spain (a scene stealing Esteban Ahn), and a handful are from America making for a unique blend of flavors. SEOUL SEARCHING is a bit overstuffed. Some  subplots fall flat while others, including a scenario in which a young woman attempts to re-connect with her birth mother in Korea, are surprisingly effective. Through it all, it’s clear that Lee’s heart is always in the right place. SEOUL SEARCHING isn’t in the same league as the movies that inspired it, but it’s  harmless and heartfelt, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t dig the 80’s tunes that make up the lively soundtrack.

“SLOW WEST”

SLOW WEST was the winner of the Grand Jury World Cinema Prize this year and while I enjoyed it, I wouldn’t say I was overwhelmed by it. Big time props to whoever came up with the title though, because it appropriately sums up the pacing of this old school western . At the heart of SLOW WEST is Kodi Smit-McPhee’s Jay Cavendish– a young man who yearns to be reunited with the woman he loves. During his travels, Jay comes face to face with mysterious drifter Silas (played by Michael Fassbender) and together, they make their way across a 19th century American frontier.  Perhaps the most surprising aspect of this picture is that is was actually shot in New Zealand. There are picturesque landscapes to be sure, but the foreign locales only add to the surreal nature of this slightly offbeat movie. Fassbender plays the charismatic gunslinger role to strong effect while McPhee brings vulnerability, innocence, and determination in equal measure. I wish SLOW WEST moved at a quicker clip but this film still manages to pack a strong emotional punch in the final act.

“TANGERINE”

This comedy about a day in the life of a pair of transgender prostitutes (played by Kiki Katana Rodriguez and Mya Taylor) during a hectic holiday season has energy to spare, there’s no doubt about that. Unfortunately though, I found it troubling that there was no one really worth rooting for in this film. I suppose  aspiring singer Alexandra (Taylor) comes close but ultimately,  even she comes across as a cheater and a home wrecker. I guess it could be argued that many of the characters in TANGERINE are victims of circumstance, but that feels like such a cop out. Still, by the end of the picture, I did warm up a bit to the friendship between lead characters Sin-Dee  and Alexandra, and that’s a testament to the spirited performances by Rodriquez and Taylor.  From a stylistic stand point, this low budget indie beautifully captures the sights, sounds, and cultural diversity of L.A., and I was quite surprised to learn that the entire film was shot on  iPhone 5’s. That is, perhaps, TANGERINE’s most notable achievement.

“THE TRIBE”

This unsettling movie about Ukrainian hoods features all deaf characters and what’s more, the film offers no subtitles. CLICK HERE for the review.

“TRUE STORY”

Jonah Hill and James Franco deliver strong performances in this “true story”. CLICK HERE for the review.

“TURBO KID”

In a post apocalyptic future, a young man (Munro Chambers) armed with a turbo firing glove teams with quirky Apple (Laurence Leboeuf) and cowboy Frederic  (Aaron Jeffery)  in an effort to protect the wasteland from  sadistic baddie  Zeus (played by Michael Ironside). Firstly, it should be noted that TURBO KID is not a kids movie.  This flick offers up a vibe akin to 80’s cheese fests like PRAYER OF THE ROLLER BOYS and SOLARBABIES, but with a Paul Verhoeven flair for violence. The gore here is of the cartoonish nature, but it’s still far too extreme for a younger crowd. Secondly, TURBO KID is designed as a B-movie and that should come as no surprise as  HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN writer/director Jason Eisener serves as one of the executive producers. TURBO KID isn’t without its fun moments–every time Michael Ironside is on screen the film is a scream–but the mid section drags a bit and the relationship between the Kid and Apple grows tiresome. TURBO KID is no MAD MAX or NIGHT OF THE COMET but it’s still worth a look for the blood soaked final act, and if you’re a Michael Ironside fan, then you’re pretty much obligated to see it.

“WHAT HAPPENED, MISS SIMONE?”

An observant look into the life of a jazz/blues legend. CLICK HERE for the review.

“WILD TALES”

This anthology film from Argentina was just nominated for a Best Foreign Film Oscar. It’s comprised of six short stories that deal with coincidence, revenge, rage, politics, capitalism, and that funny thing called love. WILD TALES plays as a dark comedy and of the lot, my favorite stories are one involving a bad case of road rage and another revolving around a man who takes on the system after his vehicle is unlawfully towed.  WILD TALES is a fun TWILIGHT ZONE-inspired ride but I’d be lying if I said it lived up to the hype. It’s well shot, acted, and directed, but a couple of the tales here don’t quite measure up to the best of the lot. On the other hand, the great thing about an anthology movie is, if you’re not feeling it during one of the segments, you can take solace in knowing that the next WILD TALE is just a couple of minutes away.

“THE WOLFPACK”

THE WOLFPACK is an intriguing but not fully realized documentary about the Angulo brothers– a brood of film loving siblings who have been confined to a New York apartment for the majority of their lives. Since they’ve been sheltered from the outside world by their stern, government despising father, The Wolfpack, as they’ve been nicknamed, spend most of their days living vicariously through their massive film collection. In fact, they have such a love for movies, that they meticulously reenact many of their favorite titles with the aid of handcrafted props. Life for the Angulo brothers drastically changes when the eldest sibling decides to sneak out of the apartment so that he might have a look at the real world. What he finds is quite a bit different from the movies. The reenactment scenes in this picture are amazing and quite frankly, I’d love to see a movie that is comprised of all of the Angulos’ creative remakes. As for THE WOLFPACK as a whole, I found it interesting and sad but clearly, there’s something amiss. Director Crystal Moselle only scratches the surface here and when this picture was over, I couldn’t help but feel like there was a lot more going on with the patriarch of this family than the film was willing to delve into.

CLICK HERE link for a look at the 2015 Sundance Award Winners.