Sundance 2022: "Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul!" Review

It’s in the title. Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul! is a satire that takes aim at megachurch culture. There’s no denying that Writer/director Adamma Ebo nails this southern baptist story. It’s the type of comedy that may make some church folk uncomfortable because of how much bitter truth it tells via the medicine of humor. It’s a scathing dissection from a personal, intimate, inside view of this church denomination that will make you think and is worthy of conversation.

The film starts by introducing us to Trinitie Childs (Regina Hall) and Pastor Lee Curtis Childs (Sterling K. Brown) within Wander To Greater Paths church sanctuary. They are gearing up for their reopening of the church since scandal shut it down. In anticipation of the Easter Sunday return, they have hired a documentary film crew to capture their day to day preparations and show them in a positive light.

We’re slowly pulled into the lifestyle of the Childs. Pastor Lee wears designer clothes. His obliviousness to how conceited he is is matched only by how much he dims his wife’s light in order to shine. It’s obvious he has insecurities and we slowly discovery some of the demons plaguing him. We also get a glimpse of the crushing weight of religious culture, patriarchy and ego gone wrong with Trinitie bearing that load. 

Three 6 Mafia’s “Popping My Collar” sets the tone for the film. Not only does the song kick the film off, but throughout it we hear strings and chords from the song that stitch parts of the film together. It’s a song about dressing fresh and pimping for money. It’s a subtle acknowledgement of how this film’s pastor does the same thing to his first lady and congregation in the past. By dressing the part and pimping Trinitie for her ideas, he has created his winning persona. In fact, throughout the film music tells a part of this story in ways that the writing doesn’t. With an unforgettable “Knuck If You Buck” scene, we see the dual nature of the Childs. The pastor and first lady should not be singing the unedited version of the song, but they hit every word. It’s actually an analysis of the dual nature of any human being. We all have good and bad inside. The pressure to appear sinless while being human is what the scene touches on.

Regina Hall is absolutely fantastic as the First Lady. She plays a wife who is holding everything in and portraying a public image of happiness while bitterness, hurt and resentment lay just under the surface. The nuance Hall displays in moving between fragility and strength is noteworthy. In a heartbreaking scene she wears praise makeup (white face with black lips and eyebrows) to try to get people passing by to honk for Jesus. 

Sterling K. Brown’s Lee Curtis feels bi-polar as he pushes forward hitting highs and lows from scene to scene. He’s an emotionally abusive husband, masquerading as a man of God. He believes his own lies and forces those closest to him to stroke his narcissism. At first glance, Brown seems to have an easy role but his choices ground the character that may have been less complex on the page.

I didn’t grow up Southern Baptist, but I understand what growing up in a church community looks like. The truth is, a church is a group of imperfect people striving to do the right thing according to the Bible. Ebo’s world has a familiarity that comes from having grown up in a Southern Baptist church and questioning what was seen, both good and bad. The scandal of the film is ripped from the headlines, but the deeper questions being asked come from a personal place. So while this may be a satire, it’s also a manifestation of the artist’s wrestling with their upbringing that we can all benefit from in Honk being a jumping point for further conversation!

Rating: B+

Sundance 2022: "Master" Review

Writer/director Mariama Diallo takes a look at systems, racism, and the haunting of assimilation in Master. Billed as a horror film, it’s not the typical horror in terms of jump scares but rather the real horror of the affects of racism. Master has plot holes riddled throughout it, but its themes are worth exploring.

Gail Bishop (Regina Hall) is the new Master at a predominately white college in New England. As she is settling into her role, college freshman Jasmine Moore (Zoe Renee) is settling into hers. The campus has a lot to offer: parties, new friends, education, and hope for the future. As Zoe first steps on to campus with big, beautiful curls in her naturally curly hair. As she acclimates to the new environment, we see her hair straighten and look change. 

Simultaneously, Bishop is trying to get acclimated to her new home as a Master, but strange things start to happen. Maggots appear in odd places; mini statuettes representing a Mammy, slave and other racist emblems seem to be hidden within the house. It doesn’t help that rumors of the occult and a witch are a part of campus lore. In fact, Jasmine’s room belonged to a black girl who died under mysterious circumstances and something seems to be coming after Jasmine.

As a mystery starts to unravel, the link between past trauma, how black people deal with it and assimilation becomes more clear. Hall shines as an allegory for black people who “make it” and have to uphold an image of perfection while being human. Or do they? This is the question that Diallo puts before us. Do we still have to put up a front to be accepted while slowly killing ourselves on the inside by not showing up authentically?

The cinematography in the film uses muted earth tones. The brown skin of the main characters fade in to wooden tables, desks and chairs in different scenes. While in comparison, their white counterparts pop out of the environment. This smart decision by Diallo and cinematographer, Charlotte Hornsby, is one of the most subtle but brilliant choices in the film. This need to fit in to the point where the main characters fade into their surroundings is a move that the audience may not notice at first glance but feel subconsciously. 

The film is a little off kilter in its handling of its characters. One particular storyline drops off abruptly without questions being answered. Another storyline concludes in such a way that will cause reflection. There is something that Diallo is trying to say and in this case perhaps the mixing of genre throws it off or at a script level some beats could be fleshed out. However, this is a good conversation piece for after the lights come up in a theater or at home.

Rating: B-

American Black Film Fesitval 2021: "Liam White" Review

Harold Jackson III’s latest film Liam White: The Forgettable Life of Liam White explores the life of a dying man as he tries to tackle what his life means to others and himself. It’s an exploration of death, life, and the people who shape us in between.  

Liam White (Shaun Woodland) is a writer whose glory days may be in the not too distant rear view. He’s trying to write his next big thing when he finds out he has terminal cancer. Trying to get his house in order, while internally wrestling with this news, Liam goes on a journey to talk with family and friends. Adrianna (Sasha Wakefield), Liam’s seemingly long time partner with no real commitment, walks in step beside him through this journey.

The opening sequences of the film stumbles around with glimpses of Liam’s day to day activities. It mirrors the character’s internal battle as a struggling writer. Throughout the story audio between the scenes is handled similarly. L cuts (when the audio from the preceding scene continues to play over footage from the following scene) and j cuts (when the audio from the next scene plays in the preceding) are used throughout the film to support this stumbling storyline and vibe. It’s important to note this because the film doesn’t play out in the standard format of editing but rather capriciously moves through time and space.

Making his third collaboration with Jackson, Woodland’s performance reeks of preparation. He plays Liam subdued in such a way that you can almost see the cloud over Liam’s head. His internal thoughts are rushing as he tries to come to grips with an expiration date on his life, which manifests in a disconnect in his eyes while interacting with people and going through the motions of what’s left of his life. He’s the center of gravity within a hypnotic film and his performance is an anchor.

Perhaps like our own lives, most of the actors in this film feel like character actors fulfilling a scene not only in the movie but for Liam’s life. It’s truly an ensemble film in which each performance builds the supporting cast around him. Seasoned actors Jasmine Guy and Terrence “TC” Carson give strong performances as Liam’s parents. While their on screen time isn’t extremely long, their presence is felt, allowing their eyes and physicality to do the work of expressing years of bitterness, anger, resentment and regret. We also get a who’s who of DMV actors like Chad Eric Smith, Rick Kain, Tamieka Chavis, and Michael J. Patterson filling in bit parts like the pros they are. If you know you know! 

Jackson gives special attention to the world around Liam. Specifically, he looks at the environment of DC that seems to be passing by Liam. Or is it Liam who glides through the District? Usually precise with his camerawork, Jackson breaks the 180 degree rule in a scene right after Liam finds out he’s terminally ill. While it could have been the confines of spacing on set, I have to believe this is done purposefully to subtly throw off the cinematic world much like Liam’s has been. While life doesn’t cut together in a montage like film our memories do. Some memories we can relive precisely and others are a quick glimpse of what was and we are led down that path visually throughout the film. Any of Jackson’s work has something to be aware of from a technical aspect and it’s the editing and visual/audio montages in this one that is important to the storytelling.

Liam White is perhaps Jackson’s most “artsy” piece to date. Most of his films have a direct address of a subject matter through dialogue. Here, sometimes what’s not spoken is important. This film is more of a mosaic that collectively speaks. You have to see the forest for the trees or this movie may be a self titled, self fulfilling prophecy in being forgettable. However, if you let the hour and twenty six minute run time tell you a bigger picture of life from a birds eye view, you just might pause long enough to reflect on your own! Perhaps that’s the point.

Rating: B

Sundance 2021: "CODA" Review

I was lucky to catch “CODA” on the last day of Sundance. By the time I did, it had already broken records as the highest selling film at the festival at a whopping $25 million. So for me, it was like sipping an expensive pour of bourbon; I had to see what $25 million tasted like! While I ingested it with other senses, the film that focuses on the bond of a deaf family had my eyes pouring out tears and belly full of laughs. In short, the film is worth the hype.

The film is a remake of the 2014 French dramedy “La Famille Bélier”. “CODA” stands for Child of Deaf Adults. Within the film, Ruby (Emilia Jones) is the only hearing member of her family. The Rossis are a hardworking, tight knit fishing family living near the coast of Massachusetts. Ruby works on the boat with her father Frank (Troy Kotsur) and brother Leo (Daniel Durant). She acts as interpreter and intermediary between worlds for her family. Her mother Jackie (Marlee Matlin) is a former model and her father’s passion for his beautiful wife is never not on display, even if it humiliates Ruby.

While Ruby works early morning hours with her father and brother, she attends high school with other teens her age. She decides to take a chance and audition for the school choir, led by Bernardo Villalobos (Eugenio Derbez). Bernardo is a character, stating that you can save yourself the embarrassment and call him Mr. V if you can’t roll your R’s. He’s the exact influence that Ruby needs to motivate her to audition for Berklee College of Music. 

The clash of Ruby’s desire to go to college and her family’s need for a no cost interpreter to keep their business running is the center of the conflict in the film. However, it’s the layers of issues within that conflict that makes the film so moving. Each family member wrestles with issues of inadequacy. Leo feels as though he isn’t appreciated enough as the older brother who seems to be looked over by his parents. Ruby feels like an outsider as the one in four who can hear. Her parents depend and lean too much on Ruby for assistance, missing or refusing to see that she needs to breathe and be independent. 

The film is full of beautiful, moving, and laugh out loud moments. It spotlights relationships within the family and the family bond as a whole. The ensemble cast is absolutely stellar, boasting of Academy Award worthy performance for all the right reasons. The Rossi family use American Sign Language to communicate throughout the film and thus the physical and subtle nuances of their performances are even more powerful. Director Sian Heder captures the importance of communication within her cinematic family and what communication means for the deaf community through framing and sound. 

You’ll have to judge for yourself if this film should be valued at $25 million. Much like bourbon, your taste may be different but there are certain films that universally strike a chord and resonate. “CODA” certainly is a winner that deserves the buzz and accolades it will receive!

Rating: A

Sundance 2021: "Searchers" Review

I have no idea what online dating is like. I’ve been married for twelve years and missed online dating when I was single. In a world ravaged by the COVID-19 virus, the exposure of our need for human connection is even more abundantly clear. Director Pacho Velez documents what searching for someone to date is like for a diverse group of New Yorkers across age, gender, and sexual orientation. It’s a fascinating look at human nature that uses dating as a cover to explore what makes us tick.

Velez uses a rig in which his subjects look into the camera while scrolling through dating apps. The glass in front of the camera lens reflects the computer screen for the subject to see. Think of it like a teleprompter that shows the computer screen instead of a script. As his subjects scroll, center punched in the frame, they talk about who they see, what they’re interested in or why they make the decisions they make. 

This technique is fascinating because it’s as though his subjects are looking at you at times, but our voyeurism as an audience member and connection to the people in front of us is made even stronger. It’s like looking through a one way mirror as someone gives their private thoughts and opinions on what they’re seeing. How each person judges the profiles in front of them is unique to them while universally familiar. In fact, we judge the judgers in front of us on the screen as audience members creating a connected loop. None of this is imposed by the filmmaker, but naturally occurs due to film technique and human nature.

Throughout the film, Velez occasionally cuts to side conversations with his interviewees. These interviews explore the culture behind online dating, various apps and personal desires. These moments of vulnerability and sincere explanation are what makes the documentary charming and captivating. He also captures moments of public displays of affection, engagements, and wedding photos being taken in the midst of this pandemic. These slices of life pin a moment in time within the frame. It’s a moment of someone’s happiness that we can swoon over, the happiness we aspire to attain, this moment of isolation and masks, and a bit of the dream we all may concoct in our heads as to what love is.

Our common desire and need for relationship is on full display throughout the documentary. How we meet new people and how our past relationships effect those interactions is what makes the tapestry of our lives. “Searchers” is a special film that will have you search your own thoughts, relationships and interdependence with others. 

Rating: A 

Sundance 2021: "White Wedding" Review

Great films expect you to catch up to it and writer/director Melody C. Roscher understands that. “White Wedding” is a short film that throws you into it and asks you fill in the blanks as it moves along. It starts with the mother of the groom (Mary McMillan) realizing she made a huge mistake. She rushes to tell her daughter, Kelly (Emily Davis), that she made a mistake in hiring the band. It seems the bass player, Bower (Curtiss Cook, “Counselor”), is the bride’s estranged father.

The instant conflict is there. On what should be Bella’s (Nabiyah Be) happiest day, it could instantly be a bittersweet one, marred by her father’s presence. As not to spoil the short, the rest of the film is pushes us toward an inevitable meeting, proving the power of short filmmaking.

Roscher understands the premise of her short, the characters within, and how to deliver the story to the audience. She fills the frame with wedding guests and things you’d expect to see at a wedding. The claustrophobic look at times adds to the tension building in the story. Cinematographer David Paul Jacobson channels a Fincher-esque color palette with lightly desaturated warm colors. A huge tilt of that hat goes to the Art Department on the look of the setting. You’re thrust into the midst of a wedding in progress and you’re quickly invested.

This is an example of a filmmaking team firing on all cylinders to create a cohesive and enjoyable story. The film works as a short and could be a part of a bigger film. Either way, the transition from longtime producer to writer/director for Roscher seems like a smart move and I look forward to seeing more from her!

Rating: A

Sundance 2021: "Marvelous and The Black Hole" Review

We all have to deal with pain and grief at some point in our lives. While there may be books and manuals that address how we cope with grief, it effects us all differently. “Marvelous and The Black Hole” is a funny, poignant look at how one young woman deals with loss, while gaining lifelong wisdom along the way.

Sammy (Miya Cech) is a teenage delinquent by definition. She has a chip on her shoulder after losing her mother. It doesn’t help that her father has a new love interest, Marianne (Paulina Lule) who happens to have her toothbrush and clothes lying around the house. Her older sister is entrenched in gaming. So everywhere Sammy looks within her family, she feels like her mother is being forgotten. To try and turn his daughter’s attitude around after she gets into some trouble, Angus (Leonardo Nam) gives her an alternative of taking college courses or going to a camp for troubled youth. It’s like Bill and Ted consequences, except Sammy is a one woman show with enough personality to cover both.

While ditching the Intro To Small Business summer course to tattoo herself in the bathroom stall (her form of cutting), Sammy bumps into Margot (Rhea Perlman). Margot is a magician with a soft spot for Sammy; she sees herself in her. She can see through her angry exterior and soon a relationship emerges. In part, it is forced upon Sammy as her instructor says she must learn from Margot as a business mentor. As time moves forward, a clear appreciation for one another and the wonder that magic creates shines through.

Margot tells Sammy that “Magic is about making an audience feel something.” Even though we’ve seen this story before, writer/director Kate Tsang certainly makes her audience feel something as she slowly melts Sammy’s heart over the course of the film, which in turn melts ours. The quote is representative of so much within the movie and in life as Sammy tries to bury her feelings to not feel the pain of loss, but simultaneously tattoos herself to feel alive. Wisely, like the magicians in her film, Tsang unpacks all the anger Sammy harbors through a certain sleight of hand by telling a universal story, using comedy and giving us endearing characters.

Miya Cech delivers a sincere performance as Sammy. She displays Sammy’s inner turmoil without falling into the angsty teen stereotype. Rhea Perlman reminds us that a veteran actor can bring a certain magical touch to a character that infuses said magic throughout the film as a whole. The overall ensemble is solid, but Cech and Perlman are certainly the heart of the film. 

On one hand you could simply say that “Marvelous and The Black Hole” is the story of a young girl who gets the Madea treatment- if Madea was a magician and the script and characterization was way better. Tsang gives us a heartfelt examination of mentorship, grief, and the bond of family you’re born into and the family you make. It’s a great reminder and a fun watch!

Rating: B+

Tribeca 2019: "East of The River" Review

Not every life is a fairy tale, but every life has moments of levity, beauty, and love that can be found in them. East of The River is a day in the life film about a young girl who doesn’t seem to have the best life, but she’s making the best of it. Teonna (Ayiana T. Davis) is unexpectedly suspended from school. After trying to find out why and getting no answer, the only question she has is if she can still get breakfast. Suspended and forced to hit the streets, Teonna links up with her friend Malik (Malachi Mack) who seems to ditch school often. They find Sara (Steloni Mason), who has given up school completely for money opportunities in the streets.

Sara takes Teonna and Malik on an adventure through Washington, DC and east of the Anacostia River.  Teonna’s admiration of the older, seemingly more sophisticated Sara is seen through lingering shots of Teonna’s eyeline gazing up at her. Director Hannah Peterson has certainly picked up a few things after serving as a production assistant for Shawn Baker’s The Florida Project. Her use of first time actors to tell this story makes it soaked with authenticity. Peterson’s constraint in allowing a scene to breathe and take shape permits the audience to live in the moment with this group of teenagers. They may not make the most ethical decisions, they’re the kids you wish would be quiet and sit down on the metro, but this is life for them. These are the cards they’ve been dealt and this is how they deal with it.

East of The River is a short that could very well be turned into a feature down the line. Its characters are fully developed and interesting to watch. If nothing else, it’s a good reminder that you can find beauty in the little things of life, and sometimes that gratitude can overcome your surroundings.

"Family" Review: Family Over Everything?

Family is one of those movies where you take a despicable person, give them a small redeeming quality, and put them in a position or on an adventure that changes their lives positively, somewhat. So why watch a movie about a person you probably wouldn’t like in real life? Well with writer/director Laura Steinel at the helms and laugh out loud performances from Taylor Schilling and Kate McKinnon it’s definitely for the laughs and quirk.

Kate Stone (Schilling)  is a career-focused woman who is oblivious to everything outside of working hard and climbing the corporate ladder. That includes her co-workers feelings, what comes out of her mouth and spending time with her estranged family. So when her brother (Eric Edelstein) calls her to come watch her niece, Maddie (Bryn Vale), it’s not a surprise that she’s reluctant. 

The fish out of water aunt quickly learns Maddie’s habits, like going into the karate dojo led by Pete (Brian Tyree Henry) after ballet. Kate’s not good at babysitting. Laser focused on work, she leaves Maddie at a gas station where she meets a young juggalo (think Dead Head but Insane Clown Posse) who shows an interest in her. Kate also let’s her eat all the chicken parmesan she wants at night. Yet, the longer she hangs out with Maddie, she sees the part of herself that went cold after being ridiculed in her youth. It’s the ability to save her niece’s spirit that helps her heart grow three sizes.

This film is all about comedic timing. Schilling shows a comedic range that Orange Is The New Black fans may not have seen before. McKinnon makes brilliant choices that only she could as the nosy, fit mom next door. While Brian Tyree Henry’s awareness and ability to respond in a scene is so fun to watch. Steinel’s preparedness to get all the cast on the same page in setting a tone for the film is admirable. 

Family is an indie, film festival lover’s film. You have to be willing to stay on board throughout the decrescendos in plot to move to the next funny moment. The life lesson and heart of the story has been done before, but it’s still an enjoyable retelling of it. A reminder to celebrate our eccentricities, and have your family’s back regardless is always welcomed.

Rating: B-

Sundance 2019: "Sweetheart" Review

One of the hidden gems to come out of Sundance this year is Sweetheart. Shipwrecked on an island, a young woman must not only survive the elements but fend off a malevolent creature that comes out of the ocean at night. On the surface, that description may not sound very appealing, but the execution is delicious!

Jenn (Kiersey Clemons) has just washed up on the shore of an island that she learns is deserted. Along with her, Brad (Andrew Crawford) has hit the sand, but the large piece of coral in his side spells doom. Before she can grab Brad some coconut water (literally), he’s gone. Alone on the island, Jenn quickly assesses what she has at her disposal for survival. The life jackets she and Brad wore, a flair gun, and a suitcase won’t get the job done, but it will do. 

After exploring the island a bit, she finds the remains of what seems to be a family that landed on the island as well (both skeletal and their material belongings). As night falls, she buries her friend, only to find blood soaked sand and palm tree leaves where he was in the morning. As the film moves forward she finds that she’s not alone and you may be able to guess what happens, but it’s not as predictable as you may think in getting to the end. 

Writer/director J.D. Dillard has written a smart, female heroine in Jenn. She is able to survive on the island by fishing, cooking, and eventually finding ways to analyze what she’s up against in this nocturnal monster. As an audience, all we know about Jenn is what we see from the shipwreck, but Dillard also brings in more characters to give us some backstory on Jenn and why she may be the survivor she is. 

Sweetheart would be a here today gone tomorrow monster tale if not for its creative screenplay. All jump scares are earned here, and the monster is scary in appearance and sound. In fact, Dillard understands that less is more and therefore creates an environment that audiences can be invested in because our imagination fills in the gaps of things we don’t see. Clemons gives a standout performance as most of the movie is on her shoulders. Sweetheart is a survive the night(s) camp horror/thriller that belongs in and bolsters the genre.

Rating: B+

Sundance 2019: "Luce" Review

Luce explores the delicate line between the perceptions that people have of other people versus the truth of who they are. While our individual experience is on a spectrum, human nature and history has  placed its construction of race in boxes in order to “understand” each other. This film allows its main character to work within the constraints of those boxes to exploit the system in a powerful way that puts some of those ideals on trial.

Luce Edgar (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) was adopted from war-torn Eritrea by his white parents, Amy (Naomi Watts) and Peter (Tim Roth) at the age of ten. His parents helped him get through years of therapy to heal wounds from being a child soldier, and sacrifice to provide him the best life possible. Now a senior in high school, he’s fully acclimated to America and in fact, is a stellar student! He’s a beacon of light for his fellow students, especially the black population, and the weight of that is heavy on his shoulders.  

The film’s inciting incident occurs when Luce’s teacher, Harriet Wilson (Octavia Spencer), calls Amy in to talk about a discovery she’s made. After tasking the class with an assignment to write a paper in the voice of a historical figure, Luce chose the radical Frantz Fanon, who believed in hurting others for a cause. On top of that, Ms. Wilson searched Luce’s locker and found illegal fireworks that pack the same punch as a shotgun. Ms. Wilson’s motive for bringing Amy in before letting anyone else make the discovery is to protect Luce’s reputation and make sure he succeeds.  

With this information and the materials in her possession, Amy talks to her husband as soon as she gets home. This initial conversation is where both Amy and Peter start making judgements on Luce’s character, and we as audience members must make our own conclusions on the situation as well. As the story moves forward, little by little, we find out more of the big picture of what’s happening at school and see how characters in this world make judgement calls based off of pre-conceived and personal thoughts. 

Situations like Stephanie Kim’s (Andrea Bang) possible rape during a party, and Luce’s ex-teammate Deshaun (Astro) getting caught with weed in his locker are all brought to the forefront of conversation in the film. What does it mean for Luce’s reputation if he participated in either of these activities? Why does Luce get special treatment over his friends? What does it feel like to be the person that everyone looks at for hope and expects to be virtually perfect?

While the film does interrogate these questions and the American dream on a large scale, screenwriters J.C. Lee and Julius Onah nail what being black, talented, and on a pedestal in America feels like. The ideal of tokenism (the one black person in a room/organization/team/etc.) and pressure to be on is something that Luce feels constantly, and is spot on. They find a sweet spot in making their point without hammering it home, which is hard to do.

Ultimately, this play turned screenplay is brought to life by its stellar cast. Kelvin Harris Jr. is undoubtedly an actor to watch! He commands the screen and authentically connects with the ability to perform in different spaces with uncanny finesse. The scenes where Octavia Spencer and Harris Jr. face off are electric and the things award nominations are made of. Tim Roth and Naomi Watts embody the sacrifice parents make for their children, and the individual struggles of giving blind trust versus questioning your child. Even the supporting cast members like Andrea Bang and Marsha Stephanie Blake (who brilliantly plays Rosemary Wilson, Ms. Wilson’s mentally ill sister) are exhilarating to watch. Their characters are real, dimensional people that you can connect with. 

The music by Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury swell with tension and put you on edge. It supplements the story that unfolds before your eyes in a way that hits on all cylinders. Luce is a film that you want to watch again to not only to catch what you may have missed in a scene, but also the ideals explored that you may want to ponder over more. It’s a must see!

Rating: A-

Sundance 2019: "Untitled Amazing Johnathan Documentary" Review

The Untitled Amazing Jonathan Documentary is the story of two desperate men; one is trying to leave a legacy and the other is trying to create a legacy through his art. Its an extremely meta film that’s also self-aware and downright hilarious. Writer/director Benjamin Berman takes us on what eventually becomes a personal journey of how far one would go to leave a mark in the world.

The doc starts out as a portrait of comedian/magician John Edward Szeles who goes by the stage name The Amazing Johnathan. Stock footage shows his zany comedic style of performing magic and illusions and rising to the top of his industry. In 2014, Szeles is hit with devastating news that he only has a year to live, but three years later he’s still alive. Enter Benjamin Berman who reaches out to him to document his life and is granted access. Szeles decides that he wants to do a farewell tour as The Amazing Johnathan. Things run smoothly, until suddenly Berman and his team are made aware that another film crew will be shooting the same event to document The Amazing Johnathan. Things continue to spiral out of control from there as Berman learns there are even more documentary crews covering the person he’s dedicated so much time and effort towards.

The film merges into somewhat of a hunt to solve a mystery as Berman worries about the outcome of his documentary and whether he should continue. It doesn’t help that Szeles is extremely apathetic about it all. As Ben dives deeper into trying to salvage his documentary, he also begins to unravel; he takes questionable steps to make sure that it is created and even questions the truth of the ultimate prankster’s death sentence. 

The editing in the film is remarkable and your hat has to be tipped to editor Scott Evans. From the opening scene in the documentary you can tell that you’ll be on a self-aware joyride. Nothing is off-limits for sewing the film together to tell its story. From the typography to the sound effects to the quick hit jingles and cuts, this is a story being told from all angles. In fact, this approach in levity to tell the story is what makes the ability to handle this complex story easier.

There are plenty of twists and turns in the movie, but it’s death that looms in the background of both Szeles and Berman’s mind that informs their decisions subconsciously and eventually makes its way into the documentary. The Untitled Amazing Johnathan Documentary is transparent, original and personal in its attempt at making it to the big screen. Berman’s ability to adapt and use his resources create a once in a lifetime moment in a documentary that, otherwise, may not have been made. 

Rating: B+

Sundance 2019: "Photograph" Review

Photograph is a good example of how some stories in cinema are universal. It is a slow burn romance about a struggling street photographer named Rafi (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) in Mumbai who is feeling the heat from his grandmother to get married. He doesn’t just catch it from his grandmother, but his entire community seems to know how dire the situation is and they constantly remind him of it. After a chance encounter with prospective customer Miloni (Sanya Malhotra), whom he retains her photograph, Rafi does what any stubborn person would do in that situation; he makes it seem as though Miloni is his new boo.

For people of a certain age, the pressure from family and friends to get married is prevalent, and even more so in certain cultures. Both Rafi and Miloni seem to be stuck somewhere in between wanting companionship but wanting it on their own terms. After persuading Miloni to go along with the ruse, the two meet daily with Rafi’s grandmother Dadi (Farrukh Jaffar). As the film continues, little by little, the ruse seems to turn in to something real.

Farrukh Jaffar is absolutely stellar as Rafi’s grandmother! She’s too old to care how loud she is when she’s talking to you and her “mother’s heart”, as she calls it, doesn’t want to die without seeing Rafi married off. Every moment she’s on screen feels more like a documentary than a narrative film because she’s so authentic. Siddiqui and Malhotra give very reserved, internal performances as the main characters. Their eyes are the only way into their feelings.

While the film soars in building the budding love, writer/director Ritesh Batra asks his audience to take a journey that seems to start, stop, reverse and move forward. There  are multiple scenes that are shown and then shown again down the line with more details revealed in such a way that doesn’t continue pushing the story forward but rather makes you question why it wasn’t revealed before. As Rafi makes a major attempt at winning Miloni over, we’re left wanting. With an almost two hour run time watching this romance bloom, one could ask if the ruse is on the viewer? 

Rating: C+

Sundance 2019: "Troop Zero" Review

Troop Zero is much like it’s main character, Christmas (McKenna Grace),it’s sweet, it’s heart is in the right place, but something is just a bit off. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as the movie centers around standing your ground and being your oddball self even if the world doesn’t understand you. It’s saccharin, it’s formulaic, but sometimes a little sugar is good for the soul.

The world is a big place and space is even more vast, and Christmas dreams of exploring it. The only issue is she’s living in rural Wiggly, Georgia in 1977. She’s the kid in town that the older folks may say “bless her heart” as she runs by in oversized boots, and one leg that’s shorter than the other. She’s used to getting picked on, but somehow keeps a smile on her face. Which is why when she has the opportunity to have her voice projected into space by NASA through the Birdie (think Girl Scouts) Jamboree, she assembles a ragtag group of misfits from the neighborhood.

Christmas’s quickly enlists the help of her father Ramsey’s (Jim Gaffigan) secretary, Rayleen (Viola Davis) as troop mother. The newly minted group named Troop Zero includes: Hell-No (Milan Ray) the bully who wants the burn the world down because she doesn’t believe she’ll ever have anything beautiful, Smash (Johanna Colon) Hell-No’s muscle, the “girl/boy” Joseph (Charlie Shotwell), and the devout Christian, Anne-Claire (Bella Higginbotham). It’s no surprise that in a film like this, Troop Zero has to overcome challenges in the form of getting badges, and then go against the reigning champions in their town led by Miss Massey (Allison Janney) to win the contest.

This is one of those films where you know what it’s trying to do with your emotions as the kids’ chemistry on camera shines whether they’re facing challenges or triumphantly standing up for one another. The soundtrack of the film rocks, with songs like “Rocket Man”, “Little Green Bag” and more. Screenwriter Lucy Alibar keeps bumping the record player though with repetitive reminders throughout the film that Troop Zero should “find that life gets easier if you don’t want so much”. This film would have been much better if the viewers were allowed to catch the message without it being hammered home.

In the end, Troop Zero has some very touching moments that you may want a tissue nearby while burning some calories laughing in the next moment. McKenna Grace carries the film as Christmas. Her goofy smirk, giggle, and character choices feel so authentic that it’s obvious she’s a child actor who is gifted beyond her years. However, all of the sweetness in this movie can’t mask the fact that you want to yell “we get it!” just as the misfits yell “we’re here!” to the stars. 

Rating: C+

Maryland Film Festival '18: "Charm City" Review

When you hear names like Freddie Gray and Michael Brown you immediately think of their respective cities: Baltimore, Maryland and Ferguson, Missouri. The lives of its community members are usually depicted via news footage, twitter images, or Facebook streams during the cities’ peaceful protests or outbreaks of violence. But what do these cities look like from day to day? Charm City aims to show two sides to the same story of how Baltimore deals with its’ violence in a heart-wrenching look at a city in crisis.

Baltimore filmmaker and award winning director Marilyn Ness spent three years in the Rose Street area of East Baltimore. The opening scene of the documentary sets the tone and pace for the rest of the film. As one of the doc’s main characters, Mr. C., a former corrections officer, talks with residents about the latest act of violence that has brought the police to their block in the middle of the night. Ness’s camera rests in the scene and editor Don Bernier gives us long takes of shots that won’t move on to the next like our brain wants it to. The result, is a feeling of actually being there. This is what a late night/early morning looks like for these residents. It’s reality, and reality isn’t roses.

Mr. C leads the Rose Street Community Center. He is the heart of the community, hosting morning meetings that begin with a strong “good morning” that he expects to hear returned in the same way. He gives direction to the residents who participate in the Safe Streets initiative in which they clean the alleys and streets of Baltimore. Mr. C gives bus fare, acts as a male mentor, and distributes job opportunity information to those who need it. This is the way he combats the violence in the streets.

In the same way, we’re embedded in the police department with a variety of officers. We ride with officer Eric Winston as he answers calls. Again, the editing of these calls is sublime as we see Officer Winston respond to a call as humorously simple as an older woman trying to figure out how to block a woman that her husband of 27 years has been communicating with on Facebook, to a serious shooting that interrupts a stop he’s in the midst of that we hear on camera. The viewer feels embedded in a way that’s not like the old Cops TV show we used to watch. That show gave us wide shots during many scenes in order to “not miss anything”. Here, cameramen Andre Lambertson and John Benam direct our eyes to universal moments. Officer Winston’s hand riding the air out of an open window, the unnatural look of a face hit by flashing police lights, or the glimpse of an old man on the street as the police car moves past. By being integrated in such a way that can feel mundane at times, we get a real sense of the stress that officers feel as they try to protect and serve the nearly 620,000 people of Baltimore.

If you’re looking for a formal three act story, you won’t find it in this film. Instead it builds by giving us the day to day look at those involved. We attend a funeral of a young man, in a small church. His father gives an impassioned speech near his deceased son claiming “we ain’t afraid to die, we afraid to live!” It’s this statement and other’s like “there’s too much policing but not enough justice” from Alex Long, one of the Safe Streets leaders, that give us the feeling of life as a resident in this area of Baltimore. Charm City gives us the faces of wariness, hopelessness, and despair from violence. Yet, somewhere in it’s run time a resilient hope continues to pop up on both sides of city officials and residents. 

If the film meanders without a predictable structure, it wraps with a moment that keen film lovers may have seen foreshadowed, as the painful sting of life on Rose Street hits home. It’s in this moment that the film gives another glimmer of hope in a difficult world. It gives the viewer tremendous respect for the subjects of the film, because as I watched the movie, I kept asking myself questions like “why do some people have it so hard?”, “why am I still watching this depressing film?”, “why can’t officials help the people?” and more. Charm City answers simply: whether you want to close your eyes and shut your ears to what you’ve seen and heard or not, this is life for us, we make the most of it and we’re going to do our best to beat the odds with or without you.

Rating: B+

Tribeca Film Festival '17: "Dear Basketball" Review

Photo courtesy of Tribeca Film Festival

Some stories can’t be filmed and told as artistically as an animation can. “Dear Basketball” is a top notch example of that. The recently retired, world famous, Kobe Bryant pours out his heart to the game in this short animated film. Within six minutes, the film encapsulates a life time of achievement on an intimate level that a documentary might not have captured in the same way.

Glen Keane’s visually stunning animations swirl and dance on the screen. They take us from the little boy who shot hoops in his room as a child using his father’s rolled up socks as a ball, to the phenom on NBA courts. Add to that, the music of the legendary John Williams to score the short and you have something magical.

Take away the glitz and glamour of who the main character is and even the moving score, and you’re still left with a universal story. We all start out as a kid with a dream. That’s the story of “Dear Basketball”, and a beautiful reminder that with hard work and opportunity you can achieve your dream too!

Make sure you catch it: https://tribecafilm.com/filmguide/dear-basketball-2017

AFI Docs '16: "Life, Animated" Review

One of the many nightmares that a parent can have in regard to their child, is for them to disappear. At 3 years old, Owen Suskind did just that. He wasn’t kidnapped. Autism took control of his life and garbled the way he interpreted the world around him. Life, Animated tells the story of the Suskind family and how they used Disney animated movies to make sense of the world and communicate with each other.

After a year of silence, Owen’s father Ron, realized that Owen was saying lines from the Disney film Beauty and The Beast. It became clear that Owen was using the movies that he’d seen to make sense of the world around him. The family began to communicate with Owen using the movies, which never changed, to help Owen understand the ever changing world around him.

Switching between home videos and present day, we’re able to see Owen and his family grow older. We’re entrenched with the family as the recall coping and dealing with Owen’s regressive Autism through the years in moving stories that have animations to go along with them. At the present time, Owen is about to graduate from a program that will help him live independently. We’re able to witness Owen deal with his first big heartbreak and living on his own.

Throughout the film, independent studio Mac Guff beautifully animates commentary from the family and even Owen’s story that he created. The animation both illustrates their words and gives us a glimpse into Owen’s mind and cast of characters. Pete Horner does an excellent job of mixing the audio in the film as well. The cacophony of sound that clashes in Owen’s ears is demonstrated with the sound bed of the film and helps to draw us into Owen’s world even more.

One issue I had with the film is that while it seeks to help us understand Owen’s world with Autism, it misses on a big opportunity to educate the viewer on the Autistic world asa whole. The microscopic viewpoint of one family with an amazing connection to Disney animated films makes for an interesting hook in a documentary, but what about other families that aren’t as fortunate? It’s pretty obvious that the Suskind family is a tight knit clan filled with love, the awesome ability to put Owen in a special school when he was younger, and a program when we meet him presently in the film. Yet, my mind went to the families of other children with Autism that may not have the same opportunity. 

Life, Animated is a solid documentary about the love of a family and perseverance of a young man with Autism. While some scenes seem stretched out for time, the feels are all throughout this film. Using Disney movies is not only a way to communicate amongst the Suskind family, but it’s just as easy to adapt and understand as a viewer of the film due to our own fondness of the animated classics. 

Rating: B

"Daddy Don't Go" Review

Film is a universal language, but before film was created, humans had love. It’s the original universal language. You automatically know it when you see it. When you combine the two, you can create a film like Daddy Don’t Go. It’s a movie that strives to address the urgent social issue of the link between fatherless homes, child poverty and incarceration, while saluting men who do their best to step up to the plate.

The film follows four fathers- Alex, Nelson, Roy and Omar- as they try to be present in their children’s lives despite certain socioeconomic hardships. Nelson is from the Bronx, and is a former Latin Kings gang member. He has a child with his girlfriend, Rebecca, and also serves as father to her other two children. Omar lives in the North Bronx and his severe learning disabilities affect his ability to find consistent work. The oldest of his three children, Milagros, is dealing with serious mental health issues that may stem genetically from Omar. Roy is an ex-con who lives with his parents in Long Island, raising his son amidst the on again off again presence of his son’s mother. Alex has sole custody of his 2-year-old son, Alex Jr. He’s trying to pass an automotive-training course to put himself in a position to earn more money, but a past assault charge has him in and out of court.

Producer/director Emily Abt takes viewers on an honest walk along in these four men’s shoes. It’s a fly on the wall look at these fathers in their situations with no handholding. When Roy can’t find work, we see what that means for him and his son. When Nelson loves Rebecca’s biological children like his own, we see what that looks like. When Alex goes to court, we see the judge come down on him (deservedly so) and how that affects him and his son. When Omar’s elementary aged daughter, Milagros, says “I want to kill myself”, we can’t help but feel distraught by the situation. Yet through all of it, we see each man’s love for his child(ren) rise to the occasion.

There in lies the beauty of this film. Even in spite of hardships, a father’s love can rise above it all. These fathers are in it to win with their children, and that is unmistakable. It can’t be denied, and it can’t be faked. Despite the difficulties, it’s a beautiful thing to see.

The editing and camerawork on this film is worth mentioning. While both categories have too many names to mention, their work is what helps the film soar. We slide in and out of each story smoothly, while never losing a sense of what’s happening. The camera always captures those moments that can only be displayed cinematically and told in cinematic language. Whether it’s a close up of handholding, or a mid-shot of an embrace; the film turns these everyday moments that we wish lasted a little longer into a wonderful, visual display of love.

Daddy Don’t Go will release nationwide this Father’s Day, June 19, 2016 on Vimeo. It’s certainly worth viewing! The statistics on the growing negative results of fatherless homes is alarming. The love generated from these men is certainly admirable!

Rating: B+

Tribeca Film Festival '16: "Live Cargo" Review

Out of the films I saw at Tribeca this year, one that sticks with me is Live Cargo. It could be the beautiful black and white cinematography. It could be the unconventional storytelling. Or maybe it was the moving performances and skilled direction. Out of the number of reasons that the movie still haunts my film nerd dreams, the number one reason is because I left it feeling like I partook in a refreshing cinematic experience that was as pure and passionate as something from a graduate thesis film but technically proficient enough to study and dissect in the same class!

In the film, we find Nadine (Dree Hemingway) and Lewis (Keith Stanfield) at one of the lowest points of their married life. They’re sitting in a hospital room, noticeably apart, while Nadine holds her newborn baby’s corpse in her arms. The black and white film emphasizes the moment even more, stripped of its color, just like the couple’s world has been. In order to escape and heal, they go to the Bahamas. It’s where Nadine grew up vacationing and learned to dive with Roy (Robert Wisdom), the guy that knows everyone and is the self-described policeman of the island.

Upon arriving they meet Myron (Sam Dillon) who is on the boat helping Roy for the day. Myron is a young man who was abandoned on the island by his parents. He knows the island, he knows how to survive, and he knows he wants Nadine. He survives by working for the major boatmen of the island, Roy and Doughboy (Leonard Earl Howze).

As the film moves forward we witness Nadine and Lewis as they deal with their loss. They’re like similar ends of magnets; attempts at coming back together are thwarted by the ordeal. Yet a slowly brewing turf war on the island just might be what they need to bring them together.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Cinematographer Daniella Nowitz captures gorgeous frames worthy of a print ad at times, while using the black and white to simultaneously catch tones and textures we wouldn’t usually notice. The sweat seeping through a shirt, or glistening off of someone’s forehead stresses the heat of the island and the work of the islanders. The lack of color itself, in a place where we would expect to see stunning hues, forces your focus on the story while enhancing the way you take it in.

Director Logan Wyatt allows the images to speak more than his actors at times (and their performances are wonderful). How do you put loss into words? What’s the cost of a life? Wyatt explores these questions by letting his actors be in the moment and cutting the film together in such a way that his audience can contemplate and draw conclusions. Having grown up partially in the Bahamas, his intimate knowledge of island life shines through by acknowledging the beauty of it while not exploiting it like a Sandals commercial.

The cast has the right blend of magic. Veteran Robert Wisdom is a driving force as the patriarch of the island, while Howze brings an underlying jaded ambition to his character. Hemingway, Stanfield, and Dillon give natural, nuanced performances that make for an intense triangle with tension slowly building beneath every interaction.

There is no question that Live Cargo may not appeal to some, because of its unique narrative and shooting style. It’s a mood piece that works visually and aurally to evoke emotion while telling its story. If you go with it, there’s no doubt in my mind that it will stand out in yours as well!

Rating: A 

Check out my interviews with the cast and crew:

Annapolis Film Festival '16: (T)ERROR Review

In a world where terrorists make the news weekly, someone has to be on the lookout for people who want to harm others. But what’s the price of that security? Who watches the watcher? What does it take to catch the bad guy? Saeed "Shariff" Torres, the main subject in (T)ERROR, is a documentarian’s golden goose. After two years of knowing the filmmakers, he confessed to being an FBI informant, and then proceeded to ask them to document his next assignment. What the viewer is presented with, is an astonishing, albeit limited look, at surveillance and the human impact of it.

We’re first introduced to Saeed as he complains about being on camera.  It’s interesting because we find out that he wanted to be documented. Shortly after, he’s calm and enjoying a basketball game. He explains that he became an informant in exchange for a reduced prison sentence for a New York City robbery he committed. We find him getting ready to go to another assignment in Pittsburgh. He needs the money, and he doesn’t have any love for muslims who malign the teaching of the Quran. He only has an obvious love for his son. 

As Saeed begins to settle in the safe house in Pittsburgh we see a map that he pins photos on. He explains that he has a POI (person of interest) that he is going to befriend at the local mosque. He makes it clear that he has his own way of gaining their trust, and that if he did things the way the FBI wanted he would never get any of the busts he’s gotten. His arrogance is somewhat off putting, but the espionage drama pulls you in closer.

When we’re first introduced to Khalifa, Saeed’s POI, we see him in black and white surveillance photos. We see a picture of him with an automatic weapon. Probably most importantly, we see his appearance in muslim garb. So it’s easy to side with the FBI and Saeed. What directors Lyric R. Cabral and David Felix Sutcliffe do next is stunning as they interview Khalifa himself behind Saeed’s back.

As the viewer, you’re instantly hypnotized at watching a documentary being made without the FBI’s awareness with their paid informant Saeed; at the same time you get to see and hear the extremely intelligent, other side of the story through Khalifa’s own account of what he believes is happening. You’re able to put the truth together yourself seeing all sides “straight from the horse’s mouth” as they say.

(T)ERROR successfully leads us down a path of preconceptions and shocks us by providing truths that disturbs them. Perhaps the most disturbing realization is the questionable entrapment schemes set up by the FBI as shown in the documentary. Yes, it is limited in scope. No, paid informants aren’t new. But the questionable ethics of counter-terrorism as displayed is worth analyzing.

Rating: B+