Today I screened Wine Calling, a documentary about French wine producers who are committed to producing their wines with natural methods.
Even if you're not a wine snob, you can probably appreciate the elegance of a great glass of vino, made with care in one of the most beautiful regions in the world. If so, you may enjoy this casual journey to meet some of the passionate winemakers in the French Riviera, dedicated to leaving the unnatural "extras" out.
What I enjoyed: The people behind the wines who in many cases started from scratch and built up their brands with good, old-fashioned hard work. Hearing from the makers directly and realizing how down-to-earth they truly are resolves any perception of pretentiousness. They also make a great case for their reasoning behind natural wine production.
What I didn't enjoy: A lot of B-roll with dogs playing, kids frolicking, grassy hills, etc. set to music that didn't always match the vibe the narrative was creating. I'm not adverse to non-linear storytelling, but sometimes the jumping from one frame to another seemed unnecessary.
I did, however, want to drink an entire bottle of wine once the film concluded, so perhaps it was more effective than I'm giving it credit for delivering.
~~~
Wine Calling screened at the 45th Annual Seattle International Film Festival.
Showing posts with label SIFF. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SIFF. Show all posts
Sunday, June 02, 2019
Wednesday, May 29, 2019
Top End Wedding
On Sunday I screened Top End Wedding, starring Miranda Tapsell and Gwilym Lee.
Lauren (Tapsell) and Ned (Lee) are in love and planning a whirlwind ceremony for their nuptials in 10 days, hut there's a complication—Lauren's mother is missing. They must find her or their perfect Top End Wedding will not happen.
What starts as a plane trip becomes a road trip and a journey deep into family dynamics and secrets from the past emerge, as if on cue. It's all executed in a comedic, fun way, but the real themes that anchor the story keep the film grounded enough to have meaning.
It's also an exploration of the merging of cultures (the bride's mother comes from an indigenous Australian tribe) and the traditions that come along with being part of something so sacred.
I very much enjoyed the fast-paced vibe of this film set in gorgeous remote areas of Australia. The characters were likeable (even those who were specifically supposed to serve as the opposite) and
the scenery breathtaking.
A satisfying romp with genuine roots.
~~~
Top End Wedding screened at the 45th Annual Seattle International Film Festival.
Lauren (Tapsell) and Ned (Lee) are in love and planning a whirlwind ceremony for their nuptials in 10 days, hut there's a complication—Lauren's mother is missing. They must find her or their perfect Top End Wedding will not happen.
What starts as a plane trip becomes a road trip and a journey deep into family dynamics and secrets from the past emerge, as if on cue. It's all executed in a comedic, fun way, but the real themes that anchor the story keep the film grounded enough to have meaning.
It's also an exploration of the merging of cultures (the bride's mother comes from an indigenous Australian tribe) and the traditions that come along with being part of something so sacred.
I very much enjoyed the fast-paced vibe of this film set in gorgeous remote areas of Australia. The characters were likeable (even those who were specifically supposed to serve as the opposite) and
the scenery breathtaking.
A satisfying romp with genuine roots.
~~~
Top End Wedding screened at the 45th Annual Seattle International Film Festival.
Tuesday, May 28, 2019
Emma Peters
Tonight I screened Emma Peeters, starring Monia Chokri and Fabrice Adde.
Emma (Chokri) is a thirty-something actress who spends her days juggling auditions for parts she doesn't get with a dead-end job at an electronics store, where she miserably succeeds in becoming the top salesperson. She decides that life is no longer worth living and begins an elaborate plan to commit suicide on her birthday.
As preparations begin, she encounters an enthusiastic funeral director, Alex (Adde), who comments that she doesn't appear sick. One thing leads to another and they become close as her self-imposed deadline approaches.
Sounds pretty grim, right? Well, it could be, but here it's more of a morbid-black-comedy vibe than a sad one, no matter how depressing her progress becomes.
Throw in a persistent cat named Jim (after Morrison), clueless parents and selfish friends and you can sort of see why Emma is disillusioned. That said, the thought of suicide isn't pleasant and the closer she gets to going through with it, the more you pray as an audience member that the happy ending film formula will win out and save her life.
You'll have to see the film to learn how it turns out, but I personally could have done with less squirming along the way.
~~~
Emma Peeters screened at the 45th annual Seattle International Film Festival.
Emma (Chokri) is a thirty-something actress who spends her days juggling auditions for parts she doesn't get with a dead-end job at an electronics store, where she miserably succeeds in becoming the top salesperson. She decides that life is no longer worth living and begins an elaborate plan to commit suicide on her birthday.
As preparations begin, she encounters an enthusiastic funeral director, Alex (Adde), who comments that she doesn't appear sick. One thing leads to another and they become close as her self-imposed deadline approaches.
Sounds pretty grim, right? Well, it could be, but here it's more of a morbid-black-comedy vibe than a sad one, no matter how depressing her progress becomes.
Throw in a persistent cat named Jim (after Morrison), clueless parents and selfish friends and you can sort of see why Emma is disillusioned. That said, the thought of suicide isn't pleasant and the closer she gets to going through with it, the more you pray as an audience member that the happy ending film formula will win out and save her life.
You'll have to see the film to learn how it turns out, but I personally could have done with less squirming along the way.
~~~
Emma Peeters screened at the 45th annual Seattle International Film Festival.
Sunday, May 19, 2019
Banana Split
Today I screened Banana Split, starring Hannah Marks and Liana Liberato.
April (Marks) is devastated by her breakup with Nick (Dylan Sprouse). It's the summer after high school graduation and instead of focusing on her upcoming entrance to college across the country, she instead focuses on learning more about Nick's new flame, Clara (Liberato).
Determined to loathe her, April has friends spying on Clara's Instagram account and is displeased when they end up at the same party. Until she gets to know Clara. And likes her.
The two girls unexpectedly form a genuine friendship, but choose to keep their association from Nick. Throughout the summer they visit each other's homes, go out to eat, take trips and behave just as besties do. And really, it shouldn't be so surprising—they fell for the same boy, so it's not weird they enjoy the same types of things, right?
Right. Until said same boy gets in the way and things get complicated all of a sudden.
I won't spoil the ending, but it's realistic and satisfying in a way that many films are not. And that's my take on the entire movie: it's realistic and satisfying in a way that many films are not. It examines the complicated friendships women sometimes enter into coupled with the complicated feelings of young love. The characters speak the way real people speak and the story progresses like life.
Don't miss this one—especially if you have (or ever were) a teenage girl.
~~~
Banana Split screened at the 45th annual Seattle International Film Festival.
April (Marks) is devastated by her breakup with Nick (Dylan Sprouse). It's the summer after high school graduation and instead of focusing on her upcoming entrance to college across the country, she instead focuses on learning more about Nick's new flame, Clara (Liberato).
Determined to loathe her, April has friends spying on Clara's Instagram account and is displeased when they end up at the same party. Until she gets to know Clara. And likes her.
The two girls unexpectedly form a genuine friendship, but choose to keep their association from Nick. Throughout the summer they visit each other's homes, go out to eat, take trips and behave just as besties do. And really, it shouldn't be so surprising—they fell for the same boy, so it's not weird they enjoy the same types of things, right?
Right. Until said same boy gets in the way and things get complicated all of a sudden.
I won't spoil the ending, but it's realistic and satisfying in a way that many films are not. And that's my take on the entire movie: it's realistic and satisfying in a way that many films are not. It examines the complicated friendships women sometimes enter into coupled with the complicated feelings of young love. The characters speak the way real people speak and the story progresses like life.
Don't miss this one—especially if you have (or ever were) a teenage girl.
~~~
Banana Split screened at the 45th annual Seattle International Film Festival.
Sunday, May 27, 2018
Won't You Be My Neighbor?
Last night I saw Won't You Be My Neighbor?—a documentary about the career of Fred Rogers.
Through archival footage of the legendary Mister Rogers' Neighborhood program to old interviews with Rogers himself and current discussions with his family, friends and colleagues, Director Morgan Neville pieces together a triumphant public life.
It's not a biography in the sense that we see Mr. Rogers' life story, because we don't—in fact very little time is spent on his life before becoming the iconic children's show host—but that's okay. What we do see is so moving and sweet, it's well worth the price of admission. Aside from his television persona, we learn he behaved the same way (letting kindness be his guide) in real life and had a great sense of humor as well.
The Pittsburgh-based minister who had an uncommon (but perfectly respectable) affection for children broke through more barriers that my young self, an avid watcher of the show in the late '70s and early '80s, remembers. I don't recall the episode where he invited the black cop to join him in the pool shortly after an incident in real life where whites poured cleaning agents into a community pool to chase the black people out. I don't remember his acceptance of gay people or his hard discussions with kids about divorce.
But all of those episodes happened, and our world was better for it.
What I do remember was the calming voice of a man who felt like the grandfather I never knew; a man who was far more gentle than the men I grew up around. A place where puppets had lives, music was plentiful and cardigans were always in style.
This documentary couldn't have come at a more perfect time—our world is in desperate need of folks who demonstrate kindness as a way of life.
It should be required viewing in all schools, workplaces and houses of worship. We need the refresher course.
~~~
Through archival footage of the legendary Mister Rogers' Neighborhood program to old interviews with Rogers himself and current discussions with his family, friends and colleagues, Director Morgan Neville pieces together a triumphant public life.
It's not a biography in the sense that we see Mr. Rogers' life story, because we don't—in fact very little time is spent on his life before becoming the iconic children's show host—but that's okay. What we do see is so moving and sweet, it's well worth the price of admission. Aside from his television persona, we learn he behaved the same way (letting kindness be his guide) in real life and had a great sense of humor as well.
The Pittsburgh-based minister who had an uncommon (but perfectly respectable) affection for children broke through more barriers that my young self, an avid watcher of the show in the late '70s and early '80s, remembers. I don't recall the episode where he invited the black cop to join him in the pool shortly after an incident in real life where whites poured cleaning agents into a community pool to chase the black people out. I don't remember his acceptance of gay people or his hard discussions with kids about divorce.
But all of those episodes happened, and our world was better for it.
What I do remember was the calming voice of a man who felt like the grandfather I never knew; a man who was far more gentle than the men I grew up around. A place where puppets had lives, music was plentiful and cardigans were always in style.
This documentary couldn't have come at a more perfect time—our world is in desperate need of folks who demonstrate kindness as a way of life.
It should be required viewing in all schools, workplaces and houses of worship. We need the refresher course.
~~~
Sunday, June 04, 2017
SIFF Sighting: WINNIE (documentary; France)
Last night I screened Winnie, a documentary about South African leader Winnie Mandela.
Though I'd seen countless documentaries and films about her former husband Nelson, I'd never seen a film dedicated to Winnie's story alone, so it's good I began with this one.
Things I learned:
- She was much angrier than her husband, even at the time of his imprisonment.
- She was treated horribly, with repeated arrests and harassment throughout the saga.
- She makes no apologies for her actions, but admits the years of bloodshed should never have happened.
- She is blamed to this day for a murder by activists loyal to her (some claim she ordered it).
- She has no desire to slow her activism, though she is now over 80 years of age.
It was a solid film, though difficult to watch in many places because of the archival footage. I especially appreciated the candid insight from Mandela herself and her daughter.
~~~
Winnie screened at the 43rd annual Seattle International Film Festival.
Saturday, May 27, 2017
SIFF Sighting: ORIGINAL BLISS (Drama; Germany)
Tonight I screened Original Bliss, starring Martina Gedeck and Ulrich Tukur.
Helene (Gedeck) is suffering a crisis of faith. She's lost God, and as a result, she battles insomnia, which takes a toll on the rest of her life. She goes through the motions like a robot, every day watching her marriage fall apart even more.
When she hears the calming voice of a famous psychologist on the radio, she fakes a visit with her sister and embarks on a trip to Hamburg to meet him. There, they develop an unconventional friendship that could be the best thing that ever happened to her or her worst nightmare. You have to stay to the end to find out which.
In the meantime, there's graphic sex, domestic violence, death, humor and even a bit of twisted romance in this film. I can safely say I wasn't bored (though at times I questioned what the hell I was watching).
Fans of the phenomenal film The Lives of Others will remember the leads from that, and marvel at how great they're acting is, since they're playing such wildly different characters here.
Go see it. You won't be able to look away.
~~~
Original Bliss screened at the 43rd Annual Seattle International Film Festival.
SIFF Sighting: THE ODYSSEY (Drama; France)
Anyone who grew up in the 70s or 80s undoubtedly remembers the magical underwater expeditions of famed French explorer Jacques Cousteau. He was the first to take television cameras deep into the ocean and share a world only a fraction of the population would ever get to fully experience.
This film shows what the real man was like, how he treated his family and his crew.
Jacques (Wilson) did truly love his craft. He lived for the adventure and the thrill, and thrived on the fame his films and programs brought him. Unfortunately, much of that was at the expense of his wife, Simone (Audrey Tatou) who stayed by his side despite his serial infidelities, and his sons—one who shared his adrenaline-fueled passions and one who did not. At some point it became more about the money than anything else, and money sometimes brings out the worst in people.
The story here (as you may have guessed from the title) focuses mostly on the fractured relationship between him and his son Philippe (Niney), who became a key part of his productions yet resented his father for all of his faults along the way. Philippe operated with a code of integrity that his father didn't appreciate until much later in life.
The actors here portray their subjects in an intimate, authentic way and the screenplay—based on a book written by Cousteau's surviving son—helps guide their performance.
Aside from some pacing issues, this is worth a look; if not just for the family story, but for the gorgeous underwater scenery that is laced throughout.
This film shows what the real man was like, how he treated his family and his crew.
Jacques (Wilson) did truly love his craft. He lived for the adventure and the thrill, and thrived on the fame his films and programs brought him. Unfortunately, much of that was at the expense of his wife, Simone (Audrey Tatou) who stayed by his side despite his serial infidelities, and his sons—one who shared his adrenaline-fueled passions and one who did not. At some point it became more about the money than anything else, and money sometimes brings out the worst in people.
The story here (as you may have guessed from the title) focuses mostly on the fractured relationship between him and his son Philippe (Niney), who became a key part of his productions yet resented his father for all of his faults along the way. Philippe operated with a code of integrity that his father didn't appreciate until much later in life.
The actors here portray their subjects in an intimate, authentic way and the screenplay—based on a book written by Cousteau's surviving son—helps guide their performance.
Aside from some pacing issues, this is worth a look; if not just for the family story, but for the gorgeous underwater scenery that is laced throughout.
~~~
The Odyssey screened at the 43rd annual Seattle International Film Festival.
Sunday, May 21, 2017
SIFF Sighting: HELLO DESTROYER (Drama, Canada)
When an introverted hockey player, Tyson (Abrahamson), is pressured into playing the game violently, the consequences he suffers last long after the game is over.
In this quiet, dark film from Kevan Funk, it's evident that he went to art school instead of film school. The scenes following the violent event the movie centers around are intentionally devoid of color and claustrophobic; the time the camera spends meditating on angles is a bit much.
That said, the story is solid and the acting is good. Tyson is so emotionally scarred from what he's endured that he serves as a stain on the community, which quickly casts him aside and assumes no responsibility for his actions.
We're silent observers to his crescendo of pain, which builds like a disease for which there is no cure. Unfortunately, though the story is fictional, it's completely believable and similar situations probably happen more often than we realize.
The filmmaker mentioned in the Q&A following the screening that he wanted to emphasize institutionalized violence (choosing hockey as the metaphor because of his mostly Canadian audience).
I'd say he accomplished his mission.
~~~
Hello Destroyer screened at the 43rd annual Seattle International Film Festival.
SIFF Sighting: THE UNKNOWN GIRL (Thriller, Belgium)
When a woman becomes obsessed with a young girl's death, her preoccupation with the event gets her into trouble.
Their gift for capturing life as it is—getting interrupted while cooking, answering someone too quickly—is unparalleled and it shines here.
Don't let the slow pace discourage you from seeing it. The end is worth the wait.
~~
The Unknown Girl screened at the 43rd Annual Seattle International Film Festival.
Saturday, June 11, 2016
I Am Belfast
Tonight I saw I Am Belfast, a documentary about the Irish city.
Conceptually, I was on board. An elderly woman narrates a historical travelogue about Belfast, personifying herself as the city as we see the visual representation of what she's referencing.
Cool, huh?
Well, yes and no.
Visually, I have zero complaints. Cinematographer Christopher Doyle of In the Mood fame does a marvelous job capturing the beauty and the horrors of this famous location. Whether it's a bombed-out street corner or a landscape of breathtaking proportions, Doyle puts us there, not as viewers, but as visitors.
The issues come with the scripting. Though I love the idea of the star of the film—Belfast itself—having a voice in human form, the commentary had a few too many winks to avoid being cheesy. The pace in the beginning was brutal too. With landscapes that calming, I was nearly tempted to doze off.
Because the film was more like poetry than prose, I expected more of a definite rhythm but instead got lengthy flashbacks and abbreviated stories. All of the humor sat near the end, when really the beginning needed it most.
I applaud the inventive approach, but feel the sentiment suffered as a result.
~~~
Conceptually, I was on board. An elderly woman narrates a historical travelogue about Belfast, personifying herself as the city as we see the visual representation of what she's referencing.
Cool, huh?
Well, yes and no.
Visually, I have zero complaints. Cinematographer Christopher Doyle of In the Mood fame does a marvelous job capturing the beauty and the horrors of this famous location. Whether it's a bombed-out street corner or a landscape of breathtaking proportions, Doyle puts us there, not as viewers, but as visitors.
The issues come with the scripting. Though I love the idea of the star of the film—Belfast itself—having a voice in human form, the commentary had a few too many winks to avoid being cheesy. The pace in the beginning was brutal too. With landscapes that calming, I was nearly tempted to doze off.
Because the film was more like poetry than prose, I expected more of a definite rhythm but instead got lengthy flashbacks and abbreviated stories. All of the humor sat near the end, when really the beginning needed it most.
I applaud the inventive approach, but feel the sentiment suffered as a result.
~~~
Big Sonia
Last week I saw Big Sonia, a work-in-progress documentary about a spirited Holocaust survivor.
Since it's not an officially "complete" cut of the film, my review will be preliminary bullet points:
Since it's not an officially "complete" cut of the film, my review will be preliminary bullet points:
- Sonia is definitely a worthy subject of her own documentary.
- The pieces about the Holocaust, though strong, feel discombobulated in places.
- It feels as though many sections of Sonia's life are under-represented, while too much time is devoted to her career.
- It would have been great to see her interacting more with her kids/grandkids instead of the majority of the interviews being separate.
- The brief animations are great.
- I want a sequel to see what happens next in Ms. Sonia's colorful life.
~~~
Sunday, May 29, 2016
Beware the Slenderman
Today I saw Beware the Slenderman, a documentary about the stabbing of Petyon "Bella" Leutner.
Two years ago this week, Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier had a sleepover at Morgan's house with the victim. They woke up in the morning, had doughnuts and strawberries for breakfast, and asked Morgan's mother if they could go to the park. Without hesitation, she told them they could. Once there, they initiated a fake game of hide-and-seek (though Bella didn't want to play) and brutally stabbed her 19 times, missing a major artery by just a millimeter. They left her for dead, but she crawled her way to an area where a bicyclist discovered her and called for help. When questioned about why they did it, they both blamed a fictional boogie man named Slenderman.
Bella is alive today—physically recovered from her injuries, but continuing to battle the emotional scars left by the event. Morgan and Anissa are being held in separate locations (Morgan in a state hospital; Anissa in a juvenile jail) as they await word on a decision about their case.
This film explores what led each of the accused to commit such a heinous act, with frank, tragic conversations by both sets of parents. In Anissa's case, it's the classic problem of being bullied; not having a lot of friends; feeling an outcast. She wasn't inherently evil; just a 'follower' prone to frightening easily. In Morgan's case, she is mentally ill and the parents saw signs at a young age. Additionally, mental illness runs in their family, so they knew she had a genetic predisposition for it.
The story is both fascinating and disturbing—how seemingly normal kids with loving families can go so horribly wrong in the blink of an eye. Extensive footage is shown of each girl's interrogation with detectives and there's a shocking lack of remorse in both instances. Anissa asks how far she walked out of the woods because she was "never very athletic" and Morgan questions Bella's condition without so much as a tear. Not what you'd expect from two humans who committed a vicious act of brutality just hours earlier.
My main issue with the film is the lack of information and attention for the victim. Sure, we're all interested in understanding why such a crime happened, but I inadvertently found myself sympathizing with the parents and friends of the accused rather than thinking of Bella. Perhaps her family didn't choose to participate in the documentary (that would be perfectly understandable), but there were still ways the filmmakers could have represent her more prominently, even in the absence of interviews.
I also could have done less with the dramatic music in certain sequences. Really, the true story is awful enough to invoke horror.
~~~
Two years ago this week, Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier had a sleepover at Morgan's house with the victim. They woke up in the morning, had doughnuts and strawberries for breakfast, and asked Morgan's mother if they could go to the park. Without hesitation, she told them they could. Once there, they initiated a fake game of hide-and-seek (though Bella didn't want to play) and brutally stabbed her 19 times, missing a major artery by just a millimeter. They left her for dead, but she crawled her way to an area where a bicyclist discovered her and called for help. When questioned about why they did it, they both blamed a fictional boogie man named Slenderman.
Bella is alive today—physically recovered from her injuries, but continuing to battle the emotional scars left by the event. Morgan and Anissa are being held in separate locations (Morgan in a state hospital; Anissa in a juvenile jail) as they await word on a decision about their case.
This film explores what led each of the accused to commit such a heinous act, with frank, tragic conversations by both sets of parents. In Anissa's case, it's the classic problem of being bullied; not having a lot of friends; feeling an outcast. She wasn't inherently evil; just a 'follower' prone to frightening easily. In Morgan's case, she is mentally ill and the parents saw signs at a young age. Additionally, mental illness runs in their family, so they knew she had a genetic predisposition for it.
The story is both fascinating and disturbing—how seemingly normal kids with loving families can go so horribly wrong in the blink of an eye. Extensive footage is shown of each girl's interrogation with detectives and there's a shocking lack of remorse in both instances. Anissa asks how far she walked out of the woods because she was "never very athletic" and Morgan questions Bella's condition without so much as a tear. Not what you'd expect from two humans who committed a vicious act of brutality just hours earlier.
My main issue with the film is the lack of information and attention for the victim. Sure, we're all interested in understanding why such a crime happened, but I inadvertently found myself sympathizing with the parents and friends of the accused rather than thinking of Bella. Perhaps her family didn't choose to participate in the documentary (that would be perfectly understandable), but there were still ways the filmmakers could have represent her more prominently, even in the absence of interviews.
I also could have done less with the dramatic music in certain sequences. Really, the true story is awful enough to invoke horror.
~~~
Saturday, May 28, 2016
Summertime
Today I saw Summertime, starring Izïa Higelin and Cécile de France.
Delphine (Higelin) is a farmer's daughter in rural France who decides to move to Paris for financial and social independence. Once there, she embraces the spirit of the city, joining a feminist group and falling in love with Carole (de France), a straight girl who is transfixed by her new friend.
Everything is blissful until Carole leaves her boyfriend to pursue Delphine just as Delphine has tragedy strike back home. Will family duty get in the way of true love or will the couple find happiness?
This film gets a lot right: the chemistry between the two leads; the authenticity of the era; the sensual nature of erotic attraction—and of course—hate for the unknown.
Unfortunately, the pace of the story is very uneven. It speeds up and slows down almost as the rhythms of their relationship ebb and flow, and that makes the film feel a lot longer than it actually is. Plus, the scenes come dangerously close to being formulaic.
It gets points for its timely women's issues (despite the fact the film is set in the '70s) and superb acting. I just wish it could have condensed it's slower sequences to keep its viewers minds from wandering.
~~~
Delphine (Higelin) is a farmer's daughter in rural France who decides to move to Paris for financial and social independence. Once there, she embraces the spirit of the city, joining a feminist group and falling in love with Carole (de France), a straight girl who is transfixed by her new friend.
Everything is blissful until Carole leaves her boyfriend to pursue Delphine just as Delphine has tragedy strike back home. Will family duty get in the way of true love or will the couple find happiness?
This film gets a lot right: the chemistry between the two leads; the authenticity of the era; the sensual nature of erotic attraction—and of course—hate for the unknown.
Unfortunately, the pace of the story is very uneven. It speeds up and slows down almost as the rhythms of their relationship ebb and flow, and that makes the film feel a lot longer than it actually is. Plus, the scenes come dangerously close to being formulaic.
It gets points for its timely women's issues (despite the fact the film is set in the '70s) and superb acting. I just wish it could have condensed it's slower sequences to keep its viewers minds from wandering.
~~~
Saturday, June 06, 2015
Tig
Tonight I screened the documentary Tig.
I remember opening my email in October of 2012 and seeing one from Louis C.K. that started like this:
It begins with a chronicle of the horrible life events that Tig endured leading up to her cancer diagnosis (which is the news that led to the standup set that Louis C.K. mentioned in that email) and progresses almost to present day as she navigates reclaiming her career and building a family.
Sounds depressing, eh?
Don't think that for a minute. This was the most hilarious, life-affirming, just-what-anyone-going-through-anything-should-see documentary that I've ever witnessed. Throughout death and disappointment—and facing more death—Ms. Notaro sees the funny in everything and can't help but deliver it. That's the entire film. Whether she's in front of an audience or chatting with loved ones, she's making herself (and anyone exposed to her) laugh.
I enjoyed learning how she endured all of the tragedy, and was inspired by her strength throughout.
Though I did purchase her routine at the time, and knew of her previous struggles, I had no idea what she has faced since then and I was so (relieved and) thrilled to see her walk into our Q & A after the film, healthy and strong in good spirits.
The film is dangerously raw and heartbreaking .... so basically perfect.
~~~
Tig screened at the 41st annual Seattle International Film Festival. It will be released on Netflix July 17.
I remember opening my email in October of 2012 and seeing one from Louis C.K. that started like this:
Greetings to the people and parts of people that are reading this. Hi. This is Louis. I'm a comedian and you bought a thing from me. Well, I'm writing to tell You that there is a new thing you can buy on my website louisck.com. It's an audio standup set by not me but another comedian named Tig Notaro. Why am I selling someone else's comedy on my website?
This film answers that question and so many more. It begins with a chronicle of the horrible life events that Tig endured leading up to her cancer diagnosis (which is the news that led to the standup set that Louis C.K. mentioned in that email) and progresses almost to present day as she navigates reclaiming her career and building a family.
Sounds depressing, eh?
Don't think that for a minute. This was the most hilarious, life-affirming, just-what-anyone-going-through-anything-should-see documentary that I've ever witnessed. Throughout death and disappointment—and facing more death—Ms. Notaro sees the funny in everything and can't help but deliver it. That's the entire film. Whether she's in front of an audience or chatting with loved ones, she's making herself (and anyone exposed to her) laugh.
I enjoyed learning how she endured all of the tragedy, and was inspired by her strength throughout.
Though I did purchase her routine at the time, and knew of her previous struggles, I had no idea what she has faced since then and I was so (relieved and) thrilled to see her walk into our Q & A after the film, healthy and strong in good spirits.
The film is dangerously raw and heartbreaking .... so basically perfect.
~~~
Tig screened at the 41st annual Seattle International Film Festival. It will be released on Netflix July 17.
Tuesday, June 02, 2015
The Little Death
Tonight I screened The Little Death, starring Josh Lawson and Kate Box.
There are many ways to participate in and enjoy sex—the couples in this film give several methods a lighthearted spotlight in this story about relationships.
In a suburb of Sydney, a community seems to be plagued by various 'issues' in the bedroom. One pair has tried desperately for three years to conceive, making sex more routine than pleasurable; another sees a counselor for their lack of communication and begins role play as a homework assignment.
Perhaps less conventional, there's a man who wants his wife primarily while she's sleeping and another couple who promises to nurture the fetishes of the other only to discover one of them is horrific.
Add to that a deaf man who asks a sign language interpreter to translate phone sex and a cookie-baking sex offender who has just moved into the neighborhood and you have quite a tale to tell.
I laughed throughout, and so did the rest of the audience.
The way these men and women are portrayed is comical, but not too far-fetched to be real. From their difficulties come real challenges and the absurdity of how they're presented makes them accessible.
I hope to see more from director Josh Lawson (who also stars in the film) because he's found a refreshing new way to tell a story.
~~~
There are many ways to participate in and enjoy sex—the couples in this film give several methods a lighthearted spotlight in this story about relationships.
In a suburb of Sydney, a community seems to be plagued by various 'issues' in the bedroom. One pair has tried desperately for three years to conceive, making sex more routine than pleasurable; another sees a counselor for their lack of communication and begins role play as a homework assignment.
Perhaps less conventional, there's a man who wants his wife primarily while she's sleeping and another couple who promises to nurture the fetishes of the other only to discover one of them is horrific.
Add to that a deaf man who asks a sign language interpreter to translate phone sex and a cookie-baking sex offender who has just moved into the neighborhood and you have quite a tale to tell.
I laughed throughout, and so did the rest of the audience.
The way these men and women are portrayed is comical, but not too far-fetched to be real. From their difficulties come real challenges and the absurdity of how they're presented makes them accessible.
I hope to see more from director Josh Lawson (who also stars in the film) because he's found a refreshing new way to tell a story.
~~~
Sunday, May 31, 2015
Our Summer in Provence
Today I saw Our Summer in Provence, starring Jean Reno and Lukas Pelissier.
When Irene (Anna Galiena) takes in her daughter's children for the summer as she navigates a new world as a divorcee, her husband Paul (Reno) is furious. He has been estranged from their girl for 17 years and feels she's dumping her children upon them unfairly.
The children, Adrien (Hugo Dessioux), Léa (Chloé Jouannet) and Theo (Pelissier), are equally unexcited to be there, used to the fast Paris lifestyle. In their eyes, Provence is rural and boring and lacks a strong Internet signal. Plus, Theo is deaf, so only his brother and sister know how to properly communicate with him via sign language.
They all get off to a rough start with Léa's rebelling like her mother, and Adrian's typical teenage laziness acting as a catalyst for frustration from his grandfather. It seems for a while that Theo, who is proud to help with the olive trees on their estate, may be the only one willing to embrace the change.
As the summer continues, a problem Paul is battling comes front and center, and the family reaches a turning point. I can't say more than that without spoiling the film, but it's conventional, yet powerful.
In fact, that's a great way to sum up the whole film: conventional, yet powerful.
Where the main plot and characters are painfully formulaic, their story is redeemed my superb acting, gorgeous scenery and an abundance of scenes that don't take the dramatic too far.
The film made me think of my own family's dynamics and made me yearn for another European summer.
Our Summer in Provence screened at the 41st annual Seattle International Film Festival.
~~~
When Irene (Anna Galiena) takes in her daughter's children for the summer as she navigates a new world as a divorcee, her husband Paul (Reno) is furious. He has been estranged from their girl for 17 years and feels she's dumping her children upon them unfairly.
The children, Adrien (Hugo Dessioux), Léa (Chloé Jouannet) and Theo (Pelissier), are equally unexcited to be there, used to the fast Paris lifestyle. In their eyes, Provence is rural and boring and lacks a strong Internet signal. Plus, Theo is deaf, so only his brother and sister know how to properly communicate with him via sign language.
They all get off to a rough start with Léa's rebelling like her mother, and Adrian's typical teenage laziness acting as a catalyst for frustration from his grandfather. It seems for a while that Theo, who is proud to help with the olive trees on their estate, may be the only one willing to embrace the change.
As the summer continues, a problem Paul is battling comes front and center, and the family reaches a turning point. I can't say more than that without spoiling the film, but it's conventional, yet powerful.
In fact, that's a great way to sum up the whole film: conventional, yet powerful.
Where the main plot and characters are painfully formulaic, their story is redeemed my superb acting, gorgeous scenery and an abundance of scenes that don't take the dramatic too far.
The film made me think of my own family's dynamics and made me yearn for another European summer.
Our Summer in Provence screened at the 41st annual Seattle International Film Festival.
~~~
Saturday, May 30, 2015
All Things Must Pass
Tonight I screened the documentary All Things Must Pass.
Full disclosure: I was a financial backer of this film by way of a Kickstarter donation in 2011 and my name does actually appear in the credits (1st name, 3rd column if anyone's looking). Since I had absolutely no creative control, I don't think it's a conflict of interest to script a review. If you disagree, then feel free to leave this page.
Now that I got that out of the way, let me tell you how much I loved the film (and am relieved/excited my modest contribution went toward making something so great).
The first ten years of my life in Portland, Oregon, I lived directly across the street from a mall, and in the corner of that mall was Tower Records. There was no place more sacred than this store. Because it was open 365 days a year, my parents made a habit of buying Christmas gift certificates for my sister and me, so we would shuffle across the street and spend hours deciding how to use them. They were the only store open on Christmas and we couldn't have been happier. We also had their free calendar hanging on our bedroom door every year. And numerous album flats they would discard into the trash if we didn't claim them first (Millennials: an album flat was a cardboard image of an album cover used to promote new records; like a poster, only more legit).
In high school, on an extended stay in Washington, DC for a journalism workshop, my new friends and I spent afternoons in the Tower Records store that was near our dormitory at George Washington University—a common bond amongst teenagers from different backgrounds.
When I moved to Seattle at age 23, I spent a lot of time at the Queen Anne Tower Records, attending midnight release parties for U2 albums, etc. I wept when it closed a few years later.
This film isn't about just me, though, it's about the millions affected by the collapse of this eternally likeable brand. Director Colin Hanks gets testimonials from those closest to the company (its founder and executive team, who all came up as clerks) and many notable musicians (Springsteen, Dave Grohl) about what the stores meant to them and what its loss meant to the greater community.
It may sound silly to personify a brand so passionately, but Tower was so much more than a brand, it's fitting in this context.
From the joyful beginning that stemmed from the founder's father's drugstore to the international expansion and fame the company got from its celebrity shoppers (i.e. Elton John, who gives a sincere interview about his obsession with the store here), there really wasn't anything like it and because the way we consume music has changed so much there probably won't be again.
For those who remember Tower's glory, the film will serve as a sort of personal time capsule; for those who are too young to remember, it offers a glimpse of the golden years.
An entertaining final verse, sung with a lot of heart.
~~~
Full disclosure: I was a financial backer of this film by way of a Kickstarter donation in 2011 and my name does actually appear in the credits (1st name, 3rd column if anyone's looking). Since I had absolutely no creative control, I don't think it's a conflict of interest to script a review. If you disagree, then feel free to leave this page.
Now that I got that out of the way, let me tell you how much I loved the film (and am relieved/excited my modest contribution went toward making something so great).
The first ten years of my life in Portland, Oregon, I lived directly across the street from a mall, and in the corner of that mall was Tower Records. There was no place more sacred than this store. Because it was open 365 days a year, my parents made a habit of buying Christmas gift certificates for my sister and me, so we would shuffle across the street and spend hours deciding how to use them. They were the only store open on Christmas and we couldn't have been happier. We also had their free calendar hanging on our bedroom door every year. And numerous album flats they would discard into the trash if we didn't claim them first (Millennials: an album flat was a cardboard image of an album cover used to promote new records; like a poster, only more legit).
In high school, on an extended stay in Washington, DC for a journalism workshop, my new friends and I spent afternoons in the Tower Records store that was near our dormitory at George Washington University—a common bond amongst teenagers from different backgrounds.
When I moved to Seattle at age 23, I spent a lot of time at the Queen Anne Tower Records, attending midnight release parties for U2 albums, etc. I wept when it closed a few years later.
This film isn't about just me, though, it's about the millions affected by the collapse of this eternally likeable brand. Director Colin Hanks gets testimonials from those closest to the company (its founder and executive team, who all came up as clerks) and many notable musicians (Springsteen, Dave Grohl) about what the stores meant to them and what its loss meant to the greater community.
It may sound silly to personify a brand so passionately, but Tower was so much more than a brand, it's fitting in this context.
From the joyful beginning that stemmed from the founder's father's drugstore to the international expansion and fame the company got from its celebrity shoppers (i.e. Elton John, who gives a sincere interview about his obsession with the store here), there really wasn't anything like it and because the way we consume music has changed so much there probably won't be again.
For those who remember Tower's glory, the film will serve as a sort of personal time capsule; for those who are too young to remember, it offers a glimpse of the golden years.
An entertaining final verse, sung with a lot of heart.
~~~
Racing Extinction
Today I screened the documentary Racing Extinction.
There are lies, murder and an abundance of history lessons, but this isn't a war movie. It's a documentary about the war humans are declaring on our rapidly deteriorating earth.
Oscar-winning director Louie Psihoyos (famous for The Cove), teamed up with scientists, professors, photographers and technology innovators to deliver this gut punch of a wake up call, urging all of us to take action immediately.
So, what's the problem?
Well, there are a lot of them. Climate change. The market for 'exotic wildlife.' Methane generated by livestock. I could go on.
These are problems we hear about in abbreviated news mentions or headlines we see on articles we never get around to reading, but seldom do we submit to an emotional responsibility for them. Here, we do.
The photographer that is on a quest to take a picture of every species before it dies out especially got to me. Posing a petite frog for a close up or searching deep into the eyes of a tiger, we see the beings crying out for help in their own intimate way. Hearing a type of whale call out for a mate that no longer exists because their gender has been wiped out brought me to tears. Imagine being the last of your gender. Anywhere. Ever.
It's not all doom and gloom, though. We can slow some of these terrible things down if not prevent them completely. The film's official website invites you to take action, even if just one day at a time.
If we don't do something, the food we eat and the air we breathe will be a much different story in just a few decades.
Racing Extinction screened at the 41st annual Seattle International Film Festival.
~~~
There are lies, murder and an abundance of history lessons, but this isn't a war movie. It's a documentary about the war humans are declaring on our rapidly deteriorating earth.
Oscar-winning director Louie Psihoyos (famous for The Cove), teamed up with scientists, professors, photographers and technology innovators to deliver this gut punch of a wake up call, urging all of us to take action immediately.
So, what's the problem?
Well, there are a lot of them. Climate change. The market for 'exotic wildlife.' Methane generated by livestock. I could go on.
These are problems we hear about in abbreviated news mentions or headlines we see on articles we never get around to reading, but seldom do we submit to an emotional responsibility for them. Here, we do.
The photographer that is on a quest to take a picture of every species before it dies out especially got to me. Posing a petite frog for a close up or searching deep into the eyes of a tiger, we see the beings crying out for help in their own intimate way. Hearing a type of whale call out for a mate that no longer exists because their gender has been wiped out brought me to tears. Imagine being the last of your gender. Anywhere. Ever.
It's not all doom and gloom, though. We can slow some of these terrible things down if not prevent them completely. The film's official website invites you to take action, even if just one day at a time.
If we don't do something, the food we eat and the air we breathe will be a much different story in just a few decades.
Racing Extinction screened at the 41st annual Seattle International Film Festival.
~~~
Sunday, May 24, 2015
One Million Dubliners
Tonight I screened the documentary One Million Dubliners.
Our final resting place is something most of us try not to think about. At least not until later. When we're old.
But as the years go by, and more loved ones are lost, it's hard to avoid having the conversation about what the wishes we have in the event of the unthinkable.
For much of the residents of Dublin, Ireland, there's only one choice: Glasnevin Cemetery. Since 1828 everyone from the working class to the most famous of political activists have been buried there with the philosophy passed down from it's founder Daniel O'Connell, "To bury people of all religions and none."
Welcoming those of all faiths, as well as atheists and unborn/stillborn children, the cemetery has become such a cultural draw that it is now one of the most visited tourist attractions in Ireland. This film, narrated primarily by employees of the cemetery, tells the story of its history and how it cares so deeply for the dead.
Morbid, eh? Not really. With charismatic tour guide Shane MacThomais leading the charge, the tales told here are sometimes funny, or just merely fascinating. Some of the dead celebrities have "groupies" who visit regularly; some of the workers at Glasnevin have family members of their own there. None of it is boring.
As someone with a fair amount of Irish blood and an unabashed love for the country (and Dublin specifically), I'm ashamed to say I've never visited the site. Surely I have ancestors there—most people with Irish heritage do, because the dead in this cemetery outnumber the living population. After what I learned from this documentary, it will undoubtedly be a stop for me on my next trip to the Emerald Isle.
Anyone with a connection to Ireland should see it.
~~~
One Million Dubliners screened at the 41st annual Seattle International Film Festival.
Our final resting place is something most of us try not to think about. At least not until later. When we're old.
But as the years go by, and more loved ones are lost, it's hard to avoid having the conversation about what the wishes we have in the event of the unthinkable.
For much of the residents of Dublin, Ireland, there's only one choice: Glasnevin Cemetery. Since 1828 everyone from the working class to the most famous of political activists have been buried there with the philosophy passed down from it's founder Daniel O'Connell, "To bury people of all religions and none."
Welcoming those of all faiths, as well as atheists and unborn/stillborn children, the cemetery has become such a cultural draw that it is now one of the most visited tourist attractions in Ireland. This film, narrated primarily by employees of the cemetery, tells the story of its history and how it cares so deeply for the dead.
Morbid, eh? Not really. With charismatic tour guide Shane MacThomais leading the charge, the tales told here are sometimes funny, or just merely fascinating. Some of the dead celebrities have "groupies" who visit regularly; some of the workers at Glasnevin have family members of their own there. None of it is boring.
As someone with a fair amount of Irish blood and an unabashed love for the country (and Dublin specifically), I'm ashamed to say I've never visited the site. Surely I have ancestors there—most people with Irish heritage do, because the dead in this cemetery outnumber the living population. After what I learned from this documentary, it will undoubtedly be a stop for me on my next trip to the Emerald Isle.
Anyone with a connection to Ireland should see it.
~~~
One Million Dubliners screened at the 41st annual Seattle International Film Festival.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)