Los Angeles Film Festival Wrap-Up

by Zac Sanford

In the town of big budget blockbusters, Film Independent presented its annual bash at the Regal Cinemas in downtown Los Angeles. As with past years, the festival seemed to be without a unifying theme among the films selected, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing.  Some fests may pride themselves by having some sort of identity, but the scattered selection of films perfectly fits its hometown venue, a mix of studio fare from their indie divisions, foreign films and truly independent pictures.  Here is a small selection of the fifteen films I watched over the ten day event:

 
An Oversimplification of Her Beauty - Terence Nance mines his previous short film How Would You Feel?, expanding on his subject matter and the love of his life, Namik Minter.   Beauty cuts back and forth between the short and the relationships Nance has been in since his love went unrequited.  The film mixes media, easily jumping from the old short film with the simplicity of an eject button, jumping into animated segments, and a battle of words between two narrators.  Everything Nance brings to the screen isn't simplified, but complex as the love that he seeks.  While not a perfect film, the feature debut from Nance brings a distinct voice to the C Generation and a beautiful piece of art.

It's a Disaster - At a weekly brunch populated by a bunch of friends, Tracy (Julia Stiles) introduces her latest beau, Glenn (David Cross).  Tempers quickly rise when the guys cannot watch the game on television, someone can't bid on a collector's item on eBay, and one couple is late as usual.  As the guests discover the reason for the lack of TV reception and internet access, news comes that one of the couples is ready to call it quits.  But the biggest problem of all isn't the end of their relationship but a terrorist attach unleashed downtown, and all within the fallout range will soon be dead.  The end of the world has never been so fun and hilarious.





 
Juan of the Dead - Zombie movies are a dime a dozen these days, but what makes Juan of the Dead different from all others is its choice of locale.  This is the first zombie movie to come out of Cuba.  When the outbreak first happens, the local news media isn't truthful about what is really going down, instead they blame the changes on the corrupt governments of other countries.  Juan doesn't bring anything new to the zombie genre, but the new locale, the wonderful mix of characters and the social commentary makes for a fun thrill ride.

 

Robot and Frank - Frank (Frank Langella in an award-worthy performance) suffers from a severe case of dementia, and his son Hunter's (James Marsden) only hope is a robot to help him with his daily tasks.  The old curmudgeon refuses the assistance, searching for an off button, but slowly relents when he finds out the robot's sole directive.  The film becomes a buddy flick of man and robot, as they work together to rob from the rich, as the old man has always had a sticky finger.  The two make a wonderful team, and as they get in too deep, you can only hope that they never get caught.  Though the Robot is far from human, the emotion and connection is deeper than most human interaction in the biggest blockbusters.  While the concept sounds a bit out there, the film is full of heart and soul.



 
A Band Called Death - Along with Marley and Last Days Here, A Band Called Death completes the trifecta of extraordinary music documentaries in 2012.  From deep within the motor city, a trio of brothers formed a band in hopes of fame, success and women.  They were far ahead of their time, playing punk before it was such a thing.  They toed on the edge of fame, almost signing with a major label, if they would only concede one thing... their name.  The name Death was always the drawback.  They couldn't get the airtime or find venues to book them, but the oldest of the siblings was always too proud and knew they would find a way to make it to the masses.  The film follows the highs and lows of the brothers, including the early passing of one, before their only seven-inch recording started to find its way into the underground music scene.  A wonderful film about passion and never giving up, A Band Called Death will hopefully never die.

As more films from the festival premiere, more reviews are set to come including Celeste and Jesse Forever, Sister, Red Flag and my favorite of the festival, Ruby Sparks.

Santa Barbara International Film Festival Wrap-up Part 1

This is the first of a multi-part series covering the 2012 Santa Barbara International Film Festival
by Zac Sanford

The Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best

Recently dumped by his girlfriend and his two-man band, Alex (writer/director Ryan O’Nan) meets Jim (Michael Weston), an eccentric musician that has the ultimate plan. Dump everything and head west in a beat up car, playing gigs along the way before landing at the Battle of the Bands in San Diego. Jim is an undiscovered musical prodigy and feels Alex is the ultimate band mate. On the way to their first gig they start writing songs together, instantly bonding and connecting on multiple levels. From the first gig, and for the remainder of the trip, road bumps will be felt along the way.

First time writer/director O’Nan keeps the mood light by never delving too deeply into the characters and their bigger issues at hand. Alex’s biggest problems are not expressed through expository dialogue, but instead through the lyrics of his songs. The characters the “Brothers” meet along the way are almost as eccentric as the band, which consists solely of Alex on an acoustic guitar and Jim playing an eclectic mix of childhood toy instruments. Ultimately The Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best is a light-hearted romp with a wonderful soundtrack.

Bullhead (Rundskop)

While Brooklyn Brothers may have been a light and fun experience, Bullhead lands on the opposite side of the coin. Dark, disturbing and downright uncomfortable to watch at times, it delves deep into the underbelly of the Belgian mafia and the hormone-fed beef industry. Jacky Vanmarsenille (Matthias Schoenaerts) is the Flemish man front-and-center of the film. He’s loaded up on testosterone and has a chip on his shoulder for a tragedy that was inflected upon him as a child. After the murder of a policeman investigating the underground hormone trade, Jacky finally must confront his past as everything starts to crash around him.

Another first time director, Michael R. Roskam has delivered one of the best foreign films of the last couple years. A crime thriller that is light on the crime and heavy on the drama, this film could have easily won the Best Foreign Language Oscar if it weren’t for A Separation also being in the mix.

Dirty Energy

In April of 2010 a drilling rig exploded off the coast of the Gulf of Mexico spilling millions of barrels of oil into the ocean as BP tried to fix the disaster. During the fiasco, lives were lost and many more were put into upheaval as the local fishing industry was impacted and still hasn’t fully recovered.

This documentary covers the lives of those affected by the disaster, the government cover-up and the long-term effects to the local environment on a more global level. While the film is completely one-sided, the filmmaker goes deep into his research to give a compelling argument to deliver his thesis.

The Giants (Les Geants)

With age comes knowledge, so when two brothers are forced to make life-altering decisions, they are apt to make one poor decision after one another. Danny and Zak are those two brothers, both left to survive on their own at their late grandfather’s house while their parents are abroad for the summer. When the cash supply runs short and there is no other adult to turn to, they rent out their house to the local drug dealer.

A bit juvenile at times, the performances of the three young actors carry the film more than anything else. As the stakes grow, you hope the tides will turn and send the kids back onto the right path. But will the kids learn from their past mistakes or continue going along the same path until someone older and wiser steps in to save the day?

The Rumble of the Stones (El Rumor de las Piedras)

After surviving a flood that killed her daughter, Delia now struggles to raise her two sons in the slums of Caracas, Venezuela. Years later, the eldest son has turned to a life of violence and gangs, sending Delia on a mission to save as much money to finally get her family out of the slums.

Heavy on the drama, the film slips into a heavy hand of melodrama and never lets go. When you think things can’t get any worse for Delia and her family, something else happens to make the matters worse. While there was a great story to be told about a mother’s struggle to save her family, The Rumble of the Stones feels too much like a movie destined for Lifetime.

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

When the British Prime Minister’s spokesperson (Kristin Scott Thomas) needs to find a good-will story to fight against the Middle East backlash, she helps orchestrate a Sheik’s plan to bring salmon fishing to Yemen. Fisheries expert Fred Jones (Ewan McGregor) laughs at the idea, spouting off facts on why the plan would never work, but since money is no object, he throws outlandish ideas and figures out to Harriet Chetwode-Talbot (Emily Blunt), the Sheik’s aide.

The Sheik believes anything is possible, as long as you have faith. He’s willing to spend big money to bring his passion to his home country as he feels it creates a bond between man and nature, ultimately benefiting the locals. Simon Beaufoy adapts the inspirational and uplifting story from the best-selling book by Paul Torday.

Vinyl

My review can be found here

Vinyl

Too Old for Rock n' Roll                     
by Zac Sanford

After failing to sign his band with his former label, an aging rock star concocts a plan to pull a fast one on the record industry. The problem? Well, the industry considers Johnny Jones and his former band mates in Weapons of Happiness well past their prime. Sure they may have made the record label mounds of cash in the early 80s, but times have changed. Now the industry prides itself on launching fresh, pre-packaged bands and pop groups.

Jones has never given up the dream, even if his former band mates have moved on with their lives. He’s living with his girlfriend of several years, who keeps pestering him to have a baby. But what man wants to bring a child into this world when he lives in a trailer?  One drunken night he reunites with the former members of the triple-platinum punk band, Weapons of Happiness. With alcohol flowing freely, they record a song, not on an 8-track like the old days, but on a swanky new iMac.

The thing is, this song is good. It’s catchy. And it’s a good thing the tune makes you want to dance in your seat because it is played over and over throughout the entire run of the flick. The problem is the new A&R exec, a young twenty-something who no longer respects musical talent. He’d rather find the youngest and hottest sensation that can grace the pages of any pop culture magazine.

So Johnny, in a bit of panic, drops the recording off with a DJ. But this isn’t the music of Weapons of Happiness. It's the music of Single Shot, a band he manages and has helped produce. Once the DJ spins the tune, Johnny must let his fellow musicians know that they cannot be the face of the music. The old-timers quickly hold auditions and teach a rag-tag group of teens to play the instruments and act the part. In time they’ll come clean and show the hypocrisy of the recording industry, if they can keep egos at bay.

Vinyl is based on the true life story of Welsh musician Mike Peters, who famously released a track under the name of “The Poppy Fields” in 2004. To prove that the music industry was biased, the older musician became hired a younger band to perform in the music video. The song ended up becoming a minor hit before the truth was disclosed.

The film keeps up a brisk pace with its punk-influenced soundtrack. Sara Sugarman, who has vastly improved as a director since her last outing (Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen), keeps the scenes light in the script she co-wrote with Jim Cooper. The performances by rock stars young and old are believable. Phil Daniels as the crotchety former star, Johnny Jones, is slightly overshadowed by the young Jamie Blackley, who plays Drainpipe, the front man of the fake band.

The film recently premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival and has encore performances on January 29^th at 8:05 a.m. and February 3^rd at 2:00 p.m. It does not currently have distribution, but hopefully this gem will find a home before its festival run concludes.

The Innkeepers

The Final Guest Checks Out
by Zac Sanford

It is the end of an era at the Yankee Pedlar Inn, a small town hotel that has been in business for over 100 years. And over those years the hotel has had its share of guests, including one that may still be roaming the halls, not as a live-in resident or staff member, but as an entity that refuses to leave after the suicide she committed many years ago.   

The fact that the hotel may be haunted has always intrigued Luke (Pat Healy), and to jump on the paranormal bandwagon that has taken over reality TV, he’s built a website where he recounts the legend of jilted bride-to-be, Madeline O’Malley. Since this is the last weekend the hotel is to be open, he’s enlisted co-worker Claire (Sara Paxton) to record any occurrences that may arise during the final three days. With the hotel all but empty, they both take turns working the front desk and recording while the other sleeps in one of the empty rooms. There isn’t time drive to and from work when there’s only a little time to find and exploit the spiritual medium.

Pat Healy and Sara Paxton

It isn’t until Leanne Rease-Jones (Kelly McGillis), a former actress-turned-spiritualist, checks in for a psychic convention nearby, that things start to stir in the night. The sweet-natured Claire is enamored by her as the most famous person she’s ever met, but Leanne is bitter and feels something isn’t right in this historic building. After her convention she has a heart-to-heart with Claire, warning her that sometimes things are best left alone. But Claire doesn’t head her warning and continues to try to make a connection.

The film doesn’t fall into the typical pratfall of jump scares every ten to fifteen minutes to keep the audience intrigued. Director/writer/editor Ti West (The House of the Devil) takes his time building up to his explosive third act. You actually get a chance to know spunky Claire and bitter Luke. They have such a wonderful rapport, partially in Luke’s infatuation for Claire that has a zero percent chance to be returned. They are two close friends that are able to spend the mundane hours of the flailing business just talking and still find a way to have a good time.   

And when the stuff starts to hit the fan, you’ll care. You want to see them succeed and survive to the final frame of the film when the credits roll. Sure they don’t know what the future will hold for them as they hit the unemployment line, but they may just be able to get through life… if they can only survive.

West has become a master at the slow-burn horror film, which will please some genre fans while infuriating others. His style is one that harkens back to the pre-torture porn era of the genre, letting the sensation of terror build, and finally grabbing you when he feels it is time to pull the plug. Those who are accustomed to the films where a kill must happen every ten to fifteen minutes may be bored by the first two-thirds, but hopefully will be around for the final climactic act. 

But West isn’t alone. Once again he re-teams with DP Eliot Rockett, who perfectly keeps his camera aimed not on what the characters see, but instead on the characters themselves. Sound Designer Graham Reznick balances the perfect mix of loud scares with pure silence to build tension, while Jeff Grace’s score pays homage to Bernard Herman’s days with Hitchcock.

The Innkeepers is currently available on VOD through most platforms and will have a limited theatrical release on February 03, 2012.