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.


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.

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.