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2023 at Tribeca

Tribeca

The 21st Tribeca Film Festival kicked off on June 7th. The New York City cinema gathering spools a mixture of indie and mainstream titles. What I like about this festival is the slick production values of entries or debut directors can have well-known performers.

I do not review Marvel films because Superhero works are review proof and I have nothing to add to the conversation. With that in mind, I was hesitant about viewing David Gelb’s STAN LEE is an extremely pleasant documentary on the visionary comic book creator of Spiderman, Hulk, Thor, Ironman, to name a few. Just to go to a local movie theater, certainly one of his creatures is playing on the big screen.

Putting the hero worshiping aside, the dark side of the film shows a man naive when it came to the business of intellectual property. Secondly, sharing creative credit with colleagues Jack Kirby and Steve Kirby placed a cloud on his some creations. What is the expression, “Success has many Fathers”. Lee’s other talent was his uncanny way of self branding to all the super human characters. Even up to his death in 2018 at 95, Stan made numerous cameos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Shifting to a more series tone, RATHER, or the film on the life of journalist Dan Rather. To a generation, Rather was the epitome of journalism and news. From his stories covering Civil Rights, embedded in Vietnam, White House chief correspondent during the Nixon Years, 60 Minutes and the CBS evening news anchor, the Texas native had embraceable credentials becoming a voice of reference for two generations.

Tribeca Rather

Frank Marshall getting to the root of what makes a great journalist, shaped by many of 20th centuries biggest events. What resonates today is the level of past professional competence along with assurance missing in today’s 24-hour branded news cycle or YouTube commentators.

I have watched other films dealing with climate change and its affects on the impoverished. Utamar from Bolivia and Pepples from India told stories of environmental desperation. This year, BETWEEN THE RAINS from Kenya caught me off guard. I wasn’t looking for but thankfully found this documentary.

Tribeca Between the Rains

Directors Andrew H. Brown and Moses Thuranira document the life of a young sheep shepherd facing deadly conflicts in a world of either prey and predator. Kolei dreams of another life, but is trapped by one of encroaching violence because of a lasting drought. The striking landscape shot by Brown doesn’t disguise a sense of growing unease for the principal characters or the viewers.

Stay tuned for more coverage

Tribeca Film Festival runs until June 18th.

For interviews and news on entertainment check out Chat Cinema Podcast

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When Mail Was FUN!

ALL MAN-International Male The Film

Before Amazon and shopping online, mail order catalogs dominated the long distanced retail landscape. Buyers browsed pages for merchandise before purchasing. Specialty catalogs rose from the advent of targeting certain customers. International Male was one such catalog. The menswear label from INTERNATIONAL MALE launched in 1976 from a beach shack in San Diego. Founder Gene Buckard’s homoerotic masculinity vision of fashion became an instant success. An aspirational fantasy of gorgeous men with a six packs covered the pages.

International Male-The Film
International Male-The Film

Writer Peter Jones and directors Byran Darling and Jesse Reed document the story of the rise and fall of a once trend setting catalog. ALL MAN-THE INTERNATIONAL MALE STORY is fun to watch for the nostalgic feeling of getting a fun piece of mail.

ALL MAN-THE INTERNATIONAL MALE STORY was screened at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival. From Giant Pictures. Running time is 83 mins. Available on digital platforms June 6th.

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Personal Favs From The Berlinale

Berlinale

After the announcements of the main awards of this year’s Berlinale, other films also deserve recognition. In the Encounters section, The Klezmer Project was directed by Leandro Koch and Paloma Schachmann. Although it did not win (Here, by Bas Devos, took the prize), The duo’s work deserves stand-alone appraisal. Leandro, a frustrated Jewish wedding cameraman in Argentina meets and falls in love with a clarinetist. To spend time with her he contrives a documentary project commission for television. This project will take him across the remotest parts of Eastern Europe.

The Klezmer Project is original in that it adds a linear fictional narrative onto what is otherwise a documentary. It also manages to do this very seamlessly to provide double interest and entertainment. The quest to find the lost klezmer melodies that have been safeguarded by the Romani people both educates and fascinates. The film was recognized by winning the GWFF society Best First Feature Award. The prize of 50,000 € guarantees the safeguarding of Film and TV rights. A Special Mention from the GWFF was also given to The Bride, directed by Myriam U. Birara and in the Forum Competition section.

Berlinale
The Klezmer Project-From Encounters Section

Tótem, directed by Lila Aviles, played in the Competition section failed to win any of the main awards. However, this Spanish take on melodrama both charmed and delighted. A family celebrates the birthday of a young father, also a painter. Sadly, he is also facing his impending mortality. The child protagonist, played by newcomer Naíma Senties, could easily have won the Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance. The award went to another child protagonist Sofía Otero for 20,000 Species of Bees. Tótem, however, won the prize of the Ecumenical Jury. The well received work finished ahead of Golden Bear winner On the Adamant, awarded Special Mention at the festival.

One film in the Competition which surprisingly failed to win a prize was Limbo, directed by Ivan Sen. A detective called Travis Hurley arrives in a small Australian outback town. Staying at the Hotel Limbo, he has come to investigate a 20-year-old unsolved homicide of an Aboriginal woman. The only evidence he has is a number of tape recordings. Meanwhile, the victim’s family is reluctant to give much information, particularly to a white cop.

Berlinale
Limbo-From Competition Section

With patience, Travis will uncover some unpleasant truths, highlighting the injustice faced by Aboriginal Australians. Indigenous Australian film director Ivan Sen had previously won the Premiere First Movie Award at the Berlinale in 2002 for his first film Beneath Clouds. In Limbo he has created a hypnotic “desert noir” that makes excellent use of the landscapes. The choice of black and white further enhances the backdrop and static progress of narrative resolution.

A personal nod also goes to the following films: Blackberry, The Shadowless Tower (Main Competition); Boom! Boom! The World vs. Boris Becker, Kiss the Future (Berlinale Special – Out of Competition); Calls from Moscow, Notes from Eremocene, Cidade Rabat (Forum Section).

By Steve Yates

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Cinema

Benetonville Fest Highlights

Film News

For its eighth annual edition, the Bentonville Film Festival once again purported to be all-inclusive. Its tagline reads: ‘Championing Women and Diverse Voices’. Academy Award winner Geena Davis chairs this festival in Arkansas State. Physical events took place from June 22nd-26th, with virtual events running to July 3rd.  

Unknown Country at Benttonville Film Festival

The Competition Narrative entry The Unknown Country was directed by Morrisa Maltz. This road movie’s documentary-style premise seamlessly morphs into its fictional narrative. A grieving young woman called Tana (Lily Gladstone) is invited to reconnect with her estranged family. Sparse dialogue and compelling atmosphere exemplify this surreal journey from the Midwest to the Texas-Mexico border. The radio sound collages in the car serve as alternative episodic sequences. The overall effect sums up the contemporary psychological state of America. 

Also in competition, Straighten Up and Fly Right directed by Kristen Abate and Steven Tanenbaum. The directors were also the co-writers, producers and lead characters. Kristen is a 20-something New Yorker suffering from a severe case of ankylosing spondylitis (AS).  This inflammatory disease of the spine causes Kristen chronic pain and reduced mobility. A very personal film, co-director Steven Tanenbaum also suffers from ankylosing spondylitis. Despite its bleak scenario, the film is courageous and avoids sentiment. 

Some well-chosen shorts entries featured in the Competition Documentary section. The Weight of It concerns Maria, a breast-cancer survivor. Readjusting to her new life after a mastectomy and breast implant, we witness her strength and resolve. The US entry Seasick is a coming-of-age LGBTQ story set on a ferry. Sadie is an adolescent who is not yet ready to come out. She also has a crush on her shift captain, Jess. Director Lindsey Ryan handles the sensitive subject matter with charm and humor. 

The Tale of 2 Music Cities
The Tale of 2 Music Cities

The Competition Episodic section blurs the lines between short documentary and essay film. Tiffani Alexander’s The Tale of 2 Music Cities shows us Nashville’s overlooked musical heritage. The Tennessee town is more famous for its Country and Western music scene. However, the roots of the city’s musical lineage underlines the contribution of Black music. Otherwise, Shadow Work is the film debut of Kary Collier Jr. An intense caustic analysis, it focuses on a PhD graduate who confronts his alter ego.

Two of the Animated Shorts were the work of Canadian production company ACE Film. Pivot analyses the rites of passage and identity through a mother and daughter relationship. The Butterfly Affect is social commentary, looking at the self-worth of a young cashier. 

At the awards, actor Fin Argus won Rising Star for the feature Every Day in Kaimuki. His producer Effie Brown took the Rising to the Challenge Award. Gretchen Stoeltje’s Shouting Down Midnight won the jury award for Best Documentary Feature. Georgia, by Jayil Pak, was selected for Best Short Film and Carlos Cardona’s Chiqui won for Best Episodic.

By Steven Yates

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IFFR 2022 Impressions

IFFR

A bit of mixed year for the International Film Festival Rotterdam. I have not been WOWED by the selections this year, perhaps the lock downs along with production chain problems have affected entries. Still, I managed to find some nice surprises.

Stay tuned for a more complete rundown. The IFFR runs until February 6th.

IFFR 2022
Daryn’s Gym
IFFR 2022
Nazarbazi
IFFR 2022
Phantom Project
Ida Lupino
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Cinema

The Compellingly Divine

A seemingly straightforward two-hour documentary of Pope Francis, Francesco otherwise manages to compel. Directed by Evgeny Afineevsky, the film is noteworthy for mostly competent direction and production values.

Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1936. He is the first Pope to be born outside Europe since Gregory III (731–741). As the new Pope he took the name of Francis. His untimely succession to Pope Benedict XVI was the result of the former’s ill health. Francis was also following a conservative Pope with outspoken and often controversial values.

A Pope Who Questions the Institutional Status Quo

Francesco follows Fernando Meirelles’s dramatization The Two Popes (2019). Jonathan Pryce played Pope Francis, and Anthony Hopkins was Pope Benedict XVI. The Two Popes imagined a bromance of sorts between the outgoing conservative and incoming liberal. There was also Wim Wenders’ documentary Pope Francis: A Man of His Word (2018). This film lauded Francis’ concerns with issues such as the climate crisis, refugees and inequality. Likewise, Francesco shows he is an outspoken critic of unbridled capitalism and free market economics, consumerism, and over development. Since 2018, he has also been an opponent of populism. At the same time, he has welcomed tolerance for the LGBT community in the Church.

On the global stage, Pope Francis has helped to restore full diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba. He also supported the cause of refugees during the European and Central American migrant crises. Furthermore, he has tackled child abuse, particularly a case in Santiago, Chile. Juan Carlos Cruz wrote to the Pope detailing his abuse from Father Fernando Karadima. After initially dismissing this claim, Francis eventually defrocked Karadima and apologized to Cruz.

Francesco also remains respectably (or, perhaps, forcibly) distanced. At times it raises the question of how much the director had direct access to his subject. For example, included is some footage of Francis talking to someone off-camera. There are also excessive drone shots, and Francis only seemingly gives interviews to friends and colleagues.

On the whole, Francesco is a worthwhile and at times enigmatic portrait of Pope Francis. Despite occasional editing flaws and questionable one-sidedness, it opens a window on the head of the Catholic Church.

By Steve Yates

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Cinema

Is This Indie Flick Worth The Trip?

Pooling for Paradise

Pooling to Paradise

Indie Road Flick Pooling to Paradise is an engaging and often fun critique on contemporary living. Married mum and step-mother Jenny (Lynn Chen) plans to travel to Las Vegas for a professional Blogger conference. Involuntarily she chooses the Car Pool option on her app. This means she will subsequently miss her flight. Joining her in the car are Kara (Dreama Walker), Sean (Jonathan Lipnicki), and driver Marc (Jordan Carlos).

Such an inclined space demands our attention. It’s also interesting to see how characters play off one another. Here are four strangers at different stages in their lives. We have already learned that Jenny is a highly-strung mother. The younger Kara is a struggling and deluded actor. The even younger Sean wants to kill himself after breaking up with his girlfriend, Dawn (Taryn Manning). Meanwhile, driver Marc is a casualty of activist parents. He now drifts through life with the help of numerous narcotics.

During the trip they inevitably get to know each other better. At one point Sean pulls out a gun. However, he reassures everyone it’s to kill himself, despite not being loaded. Kara tries to convince everyone she’s on her way to stardom. Jenny constantly talks domesticity like everyone would somehow be interested. Marc, having undoubtedly been in this situation before, goes with the flow. 

An increasingly distraught Sean offers to pay Marc to drive him to Dawn’s home in Paradise, Nevada. With Paradise being near Vegas, and that she’s already missed her flight, Jenny agrees to Sean’s plan. Kara, with nothing better to do, also agrees to this to help Sean. 

Pooling to Paradise is worthwhile but does not contain an abundance of laughs. It is more of a light drama with funny moments that continually raises the bar. The fun is in getting to know these characters better. There are also regular respites as they leave the car at different points in the journey.

The denouement has Jenny speaking at a conference. This somewhat feel-good sentimental ending is out of synch with the tone of the film. However, this minor flaw aside, it’s worth staying along for the ride. Writer Caytha Jentis shows good pacing and sympathetic characterization, while the dialogue rarely feels scripted.

~ By Steven Yates

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Cinema

Bentonville 2021 Picks

Bentonville

I have been covering the Bentonville Film Festival this year, virtual of course. Not being familiar with the event, perspective or type of works to expect, my expectations were toned down Celebrating Diversity, underrepresented storytellers is the Arkansas based fests theme. 75% of the films selected were made by women. 

The 2021Winners:

Narrative Film Award: 7 Bigs, Director: Roshan Sethi

Documentary Film Award: Kili Big, Director: Ida Joglar

Short Film Narrative Award: Americanised, Director: Erica Eng

Episodic Award: Now With Norma Director: Fiona Dawson

The films I liked:

Wakiki,Special Mention, by director: Christopher Kahunahana, The first time I saw a film exploring the darker side of paradise. When we think of Hawaii images of beaches and surfing comes to mind, not violence and cultural repression.  Mr. Kahunahan takes chances in the story telling department.

The Daphne Project,by Zora Iman Crews and Alec Tibaldi. How to endure social justice, cancel culture, entitlement and ambition with complete self awareness with unlikeable characters? A rockumentary on some not so pleasant people producing a play. 

The Zeitgeist Movement in the wrong hands.

I’ll Be Fine, by Kelley Kali and Angelique Molina tells the story of trying to faking normal while being homeless in LA. Timely and poignant portrayal of life in avacuumof uncertainty. 

Stairs, a short film from Mongolia, deserves attention. I ended up feeling good at the end of the piece.

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Cinema

Crossing Genres With Mixed Results

At the Tribeca Film Festival this year there were the obligatory premieres. Despite the natural anticipation some program choices were questionable. Take for example the Wyatt Rockefeller directed Settlers. For its world premiere at Tribeca, expectations were good. After all, it is a Sci-Fi Western film from a debut director with an interesting cast. 

“Johnny Lee-Miller was seemingly performing a Masterclass in non-acting.”

Settlers

The Storyline in a Nutshell

As the narrative limps forward, a group of bandits fail in their attack on the family outpost. However, one bandit called Jerry survives and kills Reza. Showing no remorse, he attempts to integrate into the family, attempting to prove himself. Although Ilsa somewhat warms to him, after thirty days she tries to shoot him. Jerry will then kill her in the ensuing struggle.

After losing her parents, the film becomes the survival story of Remy. We watch her do this in the face of predatory men. She learns this was the dark secret her parents kept from her. Remmy resents Jerry’s presence and grows up sullen and rebellious. Her only true friend is the loyal but mute robot, called Steve, found in a storage unit.     

Settlers is a seemingly ambitious film. Setting it on Mars is high concept. The problem is that this Mars looks exactly like a studio. Perhaps that’s the point: A seemingly fascinating distant world does disappoint. It is a wasteland, a primitive but bland year zero. 

The only commendable points of Settlers is that it does have its own unique atmosphere. Brooklynn Prince then later Nell Tiger Free (as the older Remmy) also give stand-out performances. It’s also interesting to see her grow from child to young woman. These positive aspects could have made Settlers a quietly impressive piece of work. However, the other actor’s hammy performances let the film down. 

Settlers premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on 18th June. It was released on 30th July on digital platforms.

~ By Steven Yates

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Cinema

Bentonville Fest

Our first Bentonville Film Festival. The Arkansas event started in 2015 continues it’s tradition of championing diversity and inclusion in the cinema field.

Keep checking back here for news and reviews.