DIFF FILM REVIEWS: Page: 1, 2
Carried Away (see interview)
Writer/Director: Tom Huckabee
Showing in the Texas competition this year was Carried Away. One of the best things about this film was they had a publicist on hand with screener copies which has gone into my movie treasure pile. Director Tom Huckabee (Ft. Worth natvie) spent years (at least 10) waiting to make this semi-autobiographical baby. Good thing because that time allowed him to run into Gabriel Horn who fit in oh so perfectly in his role as the grandma loving grandson Ed Franklin. Framed by one of the most best looking casts I have ever seen this film is a must see. And don't worry if you can't get to the nearest film festival to view it. Tom will be selling copies on his website! Please buy a copy, the man mortgaged his home to make this thing. How indie is that?!
In a nutshell this is about a dysfunctional family and Granny (Julie Erickson) who after suffering a stroke is condemned to live in a nursing home (jail as she calls it) by her Ed's father Sunny (Mark Walters) and develops a mild case of dementia that comes and goes. The “N-Word” loving Granny is broken out of the old-folks home by her loving grandson Ed (Gabriel Horn) who can’t stand to see her stuck in a place she spends most of her time trying to run away from. The relationship between these two actors is nothing short of heart grabbing.
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Lovers of Hate
Director/Screenwriter: Bryan Poyser
Ahhh how we love twisted tales of familial love and hate a dynamic that satisifies to the fullest in this film. Directed by Bryan Poyser, the film opens and gives us the gist of things within the first 5-6 minutes as we follow Rudy (Chris Doubek) who lives in his car and has to search for a place to shower and dress before he goest to work.
Rudy is a failure by his brother Paul's (Alex Karpovsky) ruler. Paul, a best-selling author stops into town for a book tour and sees through all of Rudy's attempts at normalcy and offers to put him up in a fancy hotel in hopes that Rudy will seize the chance to get back on his feet. But, nuh huh...Rudy has a better idea. He secretly follows his brother to his next destination and stumbles upon his brother and a woman (can't tell you who the woman is now, you'll have to catch the film). What happens next is shit in the toilet suspensful. Literally.
Sounds like a potential disaster right? Well, it isn't. It's actually filmed and cut in such a way that the three character, two location movie is complex and thrilling in all the right places.
Earthling
Director: Clay Liford
What would it be like to wake up one day and realize you're really an alien? In most movies you would discover the truth alongside a mob on fearful humans and then be forced to resort to running for your life or worse killing a slew of people whilst running. Thankfully, Dallas director Clay Liford doesn't take us down that road.
Instead he takes us down a visually beautiful, introspective route. "Small in scope but big in ideas'" he stated at the festival. The newly self-realizing aliens now have to decide if they want to stay or go back home. Decisions decisions.
If you're looking for non-stop action...STOP...this is not the film to see. A bit slow in pacing at times this is an introspective piece that would have absolutely been the bomb if it had a bigger budget.
Winter's Bone
Director: Debra Granik
What would you do if you were a 17 year old girl and your drug making dad went missing and placed your family’s house and land up for his bond? Oh and let me add…your mom has lost her mind and you have two your siblings both depending on you for their very survival. You would go look for him just like 17 year old Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence) does throughout this film.
During the course of this beautifully written, filmed tragedy you will see the rugged Missouri landscape through the esctatic lens of cinematographer (Michael McDonough ). You will also hear some great backwoods music performed by Marideth Sisco . Most importantly you will be wowed by the performance of Jennifer Lawrence who plays the rough and tumble Ree with a stoic resolve that binds the audience to her character. By the end of the film, you would do anything in the world to help this girl save her home.
And we also see a beautiful character arch in her uncle Teardrop (John Hawkes) who you don’t like in the beginning but do like in the end…even though he really doesn’t change at all. Interesting how that happened.
We Are the Sea
Director: Neil Truglio
It’s amazing how many good films have shown up at this festival and We Are The Sea is one of them. Actually good is an understatement. Director (Neil Truglio) did some things with this film that had the audience on the edge of our seats and drove us crazy (in a good way). We had to start the film twice because the first time the color was not showing up on the screen correctly.
This film is about an emotionally absent father and english teacher named Sean (Jeff Childress) who spends most of the film regretting how his life turned out and missing out on the beauty around him and in his life. I don’t want to give things away but I will say that as Sean learned to forgive himself for his mistakes he starts to come out of his funk. Childress played Sean in such an awkward and closed in way it was truly an emotional release for me when he started to live his life. I cried when he started to expand.
The film was written and based of of Sub Pop group Iron & Wine's music. The music provided the necessary background and truly captured the bleak depression of the character. The perfect soundtrack. So perfect in fact, it helped drag me down into Sean depressed mind state. I felt like Atreyu trying to fight the nothing. I couldn't...so I cried. Which suprised Tuglio.
Truglio has made a film that sticks with you after you leave the theater (in a good way).
Skateland
Director: Anthony Burns
Screenwriters: Anthony Burns, Brandon Freeman, Heath Freeman
I didn’t love it. The highlight of this film was the costuming, photography and set design. The script was un-inspiring but well acted if that makes any sense. I kept asking myself that one question that lets you know the film ain’t doin it for you…”when is this going to be over”? It was frustrating because it was very well made. I think I know where the director wanted to go but the script did not give us a chance to invest in the characters.
Supposedly the main character Ritchie Wheeler (Shiloh Fernandez) is a writer at heart who loves his craft but is having a hard time deciding which way in life he wants to go after high-school. I did not see his passion for writing at all in this film. The skating rink “Skateland” had a minimal role in the film other than the fact it was the place he worked and it was closing down. Skateland’s closing was supposed to be the kick in the boots to get on with his life and do something but in the end his getting out had nothing to do with his own efforts.
The cast was strong in the film right down to the two stoner characters Vance (Kent Jude Bernard) and Lee (Cameron Pierce) but without strong character development this film fell flat. You can only look at the old cassette tapes and album covers in amazement for so long wondering how they found that old stuff before it dawns on you that the props and hairstyles are becoming the most interesting part of the piece.
On a positive note. The cinematoghrapy was flawless thanks to Peter Simonite, the production design was top notch thanks to production designer Chris Stull and costume desinger Kari Perkins knocked it out of the park with the clothes and hair.
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