One thing those of you reading this blog will soon learn is that I'm a major awards/list geek. My coverage of this year's Atlanta Film Festival is no different. Below you'll find my list of awards in each of the official categories, followed by my top 10 overall Features and top 10 overall Shorts. I saw 40 feature length films and 44 short films this year, so it was really difficult to pick the best of the best.
Best Competition Feature: Dear Lemon Lima (Suzi Yoonessi)
Best Non-Competition Feature: The Mountain Thief (Gerry Balasta)
Best Competition Documentary: 8: The Mormon Proposition (Reed Cowan)
Best Non-Competition Documentary: 9500 Liberty (Annabel Park, Eric Byler)
Best Male Performance: John Hawkes, Winter's Bone
Best Female Performance: Savanah Wiltfong, Dear Lemon Lima
Best Live Action Short: Ana's Playground (Eric D. Howell)
Honorable Mention: Tell Me Who (David Lipson)
Best Animated Short: Prayers for Peace (Dustin Grella)
Honorable Mention: Ledo and Ix Go to Town (Emily Carmichael)
Best Documentary Short: Born Sweet (Cynthia Wade)
Honorable Mention: Cud (Joe York)
Best Pink Peach Feature: 8: The Mormon Proposition (Reed Cowan)
Best Pink Peach Short: One Night (Laura Jean Cronin)
Top 10 Feature Length Films:
1. Dear Lemon Lima (Suzi Yoonessi)
2. The Mountain Thief (Gerry Balasta)
3. Cold Weather (Aaron Katz)
4. Putty Hill (Matt Porterfield)
5. YellowBrickRoad (Jesse Holland, Andy Mitton)
6. 8: The Mormon Proposition (Reed Cowan)
7. Winter's Bone (Debra Granik)
8. 9500 Liberty (Annabel Park, Eric Byler)
9. Alley Pat: The Music is Recorded (Tom Roche)
10. The Secret to a Happy Ending (Barr Weisman)
Top 10 Short Films:
1. Prayers for Peace (Dustin Grella)
2. Ana's Playground (Eric D. Howell)
3. Tell Me Who (David Lipson)
4. Cigarette Candy (Lauren Wolkstein)
5. Born Sweet (Cynthia Wade)
6. Ledo and Ix Go to Town (Emily Carmichael)
7. The Lighthouse (Yelislava Gospodinova)
8. Life on Earth (Jeff Keith)
9. One Night (Laura Jean Cronin)
10. Yulia (Antoine Arditti)
Thanks for all those who have been reading! I had a terrific time at the festival and can't wait until next year.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
2010 Atlanta Film Festival: Closing Night
The Secret to a Happy Ending (Barr Weisman) ***1/2
In recent years, not only has the Atlanta Film Festival turned opening and closing night into big event films, but they've also strongly catered to local interest. Films like The Lena Baker Story and Last Days of Left Eye have opened the festival in recent years, and Freedom Riders was this year's opener. This year's closing night film was Barr Weisman's The Secret to a Happy Ending, a documentary about the Drive By Truckers, a southern rock band based in Athens, GA. It turns out to be a solidly entertaining rock documentary about a very engaging band.
The Drive by Truckers were formed in 1996 by musicians Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley. At first, they were a small band that released a couple of LP's and went on tour with a revolving door of musicians in the background. In 2001, they had finally set on a stable group and recorded their most ambitious album called Southern Rock Opera. They started to get alot of attention at this point with favorable reviews and a defining point for the band (and a major focus of the film) happened when guitarist Jason Isbell joined the group.
Isbell's narration opens the film fairly ominously as he notes that the idea for the band sounds like one that would never work, but that it did work and he hopes it still will in the future. This certainly promises that we will witness some tension over the next two hours. However, while the film does explore some of the tension, it is done in a more laid back fashion. Weisman is more interested in exploring their inspiration for the songs they write and the emotional impact that music has on both the band and their fans.
One of the most interesting songs is "The Southern Thing", which talks about duality in the south. The band is very proud of their southern roots, but also recognize much of the negative aspects in southern history. For example, witness these powerful lyrics, "You think I'm dumb, maybe not too bright/You wonder how I sleep at night/Proud of the glory, stare down the shame/Duality of the southern thing". The film also talks about the background of many of their other songs, included the song that inspired the film's title.
Last year's festival included a documentary called We Fun, which focused on the local Atlanta music scene. I really disliked the film because the music it chose to showcase was underwhelming and the bands documented came across as egotistical jerks or bizarre performance artists. Thus it was smart for Weisman to focus more on the music than on the interfighting. Two of the band mates were married and later got divorced, one of them (Isbell) eventually leaving the band. The film only briefly covers these topics, which may alienate some viewers, but fits in with the film's overall tone.
Unlike other rock documentaries, you're not going to find the visceral concert footage set in large venues. Weisman's film definitely has a rough edge to it, but that not only fits in with the dive bars and local playhouses that the band performs in, but also the 70s style rock sound that the band so memorably captures. The Secret to a Happy Ending is a documentary that features great music and winning personalities. It is a terrific choice for closing night and definitely a "Happy Ending" for the festival.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
2010 Atlanta Film Festival: Day Eight
I spent my final full day of the festival watching as many shorts programs as I could. The results were mixed, but there were some wonderful short films among this year's crop.
The Roe Effect (Kiel Scott) **1/2
Unpleasant and depressing story about two female high school students in a relationship, but an unwanted pregnancy threatens to destroy their relationship. This one has a really bad ending.
Simple Pleasures (Matthew Mendelson) **
I know it's a short film. but very little happens in this one. A woman tries to rekindle a romance with her co-worker, but finds someone else. Yawn. The director tries mixing up the narrative, but his attempt is not successful at making this film interesting.
Public Relations (Gianna Sobol) ***
The two lead actresses (Summer Bishil, Sienna Farall) are so appealing in this one and the film has such a bubbly spirit that I'm surprised it wasn't made as a feature. Supporting characters are annoying caricatures, but the ingratiating leads carry the day.
To Comfort You (Marc Saltarelli) ***
Moving story about a worried mother calling her sick daughter. The title has a double meaning as it becomes quickly clear as the phone is just as much about comforting the mother. Depressing story, but it contains some very good acting from both leads.
Yulia (Antoine Arditti) ***
Animated story of a single woman who gets electrocuted and finds herself in an empty room with no doors, but five levers labeled with different items (Chair, Hammer, Man, Cat, and a Heart). When the heart lever finally gets pulled, the result is much different than what she originally imagined. Unfortunately, I think it was a mistake to include this as part of the Lesbian Shorts program, since that telegraphs the ending. Still, it's a cute story with a memorable animation style.
One Night (Laura Jean Cronin) ***1/2
Utilizing a clever editing style, this short tells the story of a young woman who went to a lesbian bar the night before and got home bloody and bruised. The film intercuts between these two moments and unravels pieces to the story a bit at a time. The resolution is unexpected and emotionally gripping. Only drawback is one key scene that is poorly directed.
Winner: Best Short Film (Peter Meech) ***
Danny Caine is a filmmaker hot on the heels of winning Sundance with a short film that was 5 seconds long (including end credits and a blooper reel). Now he's at the home of a hollywood producer, trying to convince him that he's ready to direct a big budget feature. Intermittently amusung, but the funniest part comes at the end when they show the 5 second film.
The World of Film Festivals (Jim Jacob) ***1/2
Very simple film is just one guy talking about the ins and outs of film festivals. The actor (director Jacob himself) really knows how to sell deadpan humor. This was one of the funniest of the program.
Quality Time (Colin Marshall) **
Two brothers reunite due to their father's sickness and get into a series of spats and misadventures. Tries for a mixture of humor and pathos, but it is not very funny and the two leads are unlikeable jerks.
Follicle Frolic (Mark Potts) ***
3 minute short film about a strange man who is obsessed with his male roommate's long, flowing hair. The director utilizes voiceover to create some very funny moments and the ending is certainly unexpected.
The Apostles (Jeff Chan) ***
What if Jesus skipped out on the bill during The Last Supper and the apostles argued over how to handle it? Has enough funny moments to work, but doesn't quite live up to thwe premise's full potential.
The Ballad of Friday and June (Tate English) **1/2
Story of a lady and her talking puppet dog. I wrote a pretty scathing review of this one before the festival, but I actually liked it a bit better this time around. The puppet dog's final line is admittedly very funny and the attempts at pathos seemed to work better.
Helium Man (Nicholas Piper) ***
Funny story about a young man who overdoses on helium and now has the ability to float. He discusses with his friend how they can utilize this power to make him a superhero. This short takes a limited premise and infuses it with enough humor to make it work.
How to Ride a Train (Katie Dillon) ***
Taking inspiration from a book written for women in the 1920's, explaining how they should ride a train, director Katie Dillon delivers a very funny little short imaginging just how the idea for that book happened. It's a short, simply joke, but it's a good one.
Pet Peeves (Brooke Adams) *1/2
Sherry has just recently moved in with Jack, bringing along her dog OJ. Jack and OJ do not get along and he is frustrated by the way she pampers the dog. At 22 minutes, this is the longest film in this program, and there's really no reason for that. It's played too broadly and aims for a clever twist that is not funny at all.
Spleenectomy (Kirsten Smith) **
A couple big names headline this short, in which Anna Faris plays an actress who is turned down for a role as a doctor, because theater director Larry Miller doesn't find her convincing. An opportunity presents itself for her to prove him wrong. This is all played so broadly that I'm sure it will be a sitcom following Two and a Half Men next fall.
The Regular (Jamie Kirkpatrick) ***
A nice guy is striking out at a bar as all the chicks seem more interesting the psuedo suave ladies men. Things change when he takes the mic. Very simple idea with terrific execution, although the ending contains a twist that is unnecessary.
Mister Green (Greg Pak) *1/2
Set in a future where global warming has devastated the Earth, a government official has his eyes opened to the path for a better tomorrow. I really liked the visual style to the film, but man is this just a dreadfully preachy story. It sure takes alot of nerve to use a Gandhi quote at the end to drive home the point.
Further Lane (Mesh Flinders) ***
This story is told with a mysterious tone and follows the goings on at a beach house. Very interesting short that showcases some natural directing talent from Flinders. He composes shots very well and utilizes to a minimalist storytelling format to good effect.
Greased (Roxine Helberg) **
Story of a young couple involved in a radical political organization. One of them may know a secret. Will they tell or commit the ultimate betrayal? another short where the directors shows a nice visual sense, but doesn't have an interesting story at all.
Tell Me Who (David Lipson) ****
Clearly the class of this program and one of the best shorts of this year's festival, this story is about a young man who doesn't have much luck with females, but gets a surprise letter from a secret admirer who is leaving town the next day. He makes it a mission to track this woman down before she leaves. It's a wonderfully executed story. Director David Lipson excels at creating a natural rhythm for plot progression and does a great job of populating the background of his shots with nice details (most memorable is a shot of the hero leaving a photo store with the clerk watching him from inside). He's also willing to let the audience figure things out without beating them over the head, a rare commodity even amongst independent filmmakers these days.
The Tedious Existence of Terrell B. Howell (David Silverman) ***
Terrell B. Howell is a boring, strait laced man whose monotonous daily routine is upset when a young woman comes on to him at the gas station. Much of the style and tone is borrowed from Desperate Housewives and they go pretty far for the joke, but the lead performance by Steve Coulter is terrific. He nails every single line reading and almost singlehandedly makes this movie work.
Life on Earth (Jeff Keith) ***1/2
Memorable story about a very depressing situation. Lea is 18 years old and is about to age out of the foster system. A social worker has suggester to her and others in the same situation to look for careers in low leverl service jobs. Lea rebels against this idea, inspired by her experiences with plant life. This is an inspiring story about not giving up on your dreams, no matter the situation.
Jackson Parish (Edward McDonald) ***
A successful businessman returns home to the deep south to visit his estranged father. He gets mixed up in a dispute between his father and a mean-spirited white neighbor who is sitting on their land. Thoughtful story is a nice piece of character study with some really impressive acting.
I Own You (Gary Anthony Williams) **1/2
A married interracial couple find out that her ancestors owned his as slaves. What starts off as a joke begins to cause problems when he starts (with prompting from friends) interpreting innocent statements as being racist. Everything is played out in a broad sitcom style, which ruins alot of the humor. However, there are some undeniably funny moments.
Train (Darius Clark Monroe) ***1/2
A young man notices a woman being attacked on a train, but has a hard time getting up the courage to help her. Only 7 minutes long, but this packs a powerful punch and will certainly put you in the mind of the main character, making you wonder how you'd act in the same situation.
She Got Problems (Alison McDonald) ***
Alison McDonald both directed and stars in this very, very funny comedy about an African-American woman who is frustrated at her inability to find a man. McDonald does a great job of mixing different techniques, including documentary style interviews, musical numbers, and animation. And she also brings a winning screen presence to the film.
Asbury Park (Robert Anderson) *1/2
Melodramatic tale of a man returning home after a jail sentence. Director Robert Anderson showcases an eye for creating a sense of time and place, but the story is pretty weak and plays out like an After School special. The climactic contains some very bad overacting.
Metropolis Ferry (Juan Gautier) **1/2
Returning from Morocco, David and his brothers witness an incident at the Spanish border and decide to do something about it. The film is well made, but the story doesn't really go anywhere interesting. It is probably a bit too intricate for a short film and the director could use some more time to explore what he wants to do.
Cigarette Candy (Lauren Wolkstein) ***1/2
A marine returns home after serving in Iraq, but has difficulty playing the part of hero to his hometown family and friends because it doesn't fit with the horrible memories of what happened. This short film is extremely well written and the director and actors know how to play this dramatic story without going over the top. The final shot is outstanding.
Confession (Enrico Marcellino) ***
Extremely short film runs only 2 minutes. It's about a Catholic man who goes to confession and asks forgiveness for something he is about to do. Predictable, but still pretty shocking.
The Odds (Paloma Baeza) ***
Interesting choice for the Drama Shorts program, because this film is actually quite funny. A casino owner interrogates a man to find out how he cheated to win so many hands in a row. The discussion goes back and forth and the interrogater is amusingly made to look like a fool. The final twist was unfortunate, because I think the film worked much better without it.
Puppets of War (Corey Ellis, Francis McDonald) **
Take All Quiet on the Western Front, replace the live actors with puppets, and that's pretty much what you get here. The puppetry work is admittedly impressive, but the fact that it's puppets makes it difficult for the film to build dramatic tension.
Ana's Playground (Eric D. Howell) ****
Terrific short film with surprisingly strong production values. In an unnamed war torn country, a group of kids are playing soccer when the ball accidentally ends up in the middle of a sniper zone. A little girl decides to enter the area and try to retreive the ball, but must figure out how to dodge the sniper's shots. Really impressive story with a vivid backdrop. I wouldn't mind seeing this developed into a feature length film.
Lesbian Shorts
(Still from Yulia)
The Roe Effect (Kiel Scott) **1/2
Unpleasant and depressing story about two female high school students in a relationship, but an unwanted pregnancy threatens to destroy their relationship. This one has a really bad ending.
Simple Pleasures (Matthew Mendelson) **
I know it's a short film. but very little happens in this one. A woman tries to rekindle a romance with her co-worker, but finds someone else. Yawn. The director tries mixing up the narrative, but his attempt is not successful at making this film interesting.
Public Relations (Gianna Sobol) ***
The two lead actresses (Summer Bishil, Sienna Farall) are so appealing in this one and the film has such a bubbly spirit that I'm surprised it wasn't made as a feature. Supporting characters are annoying caricatures, but the ingratiating leads carry the day.
To Comfort You (Marc Saltarelli) ***
Moving story about a worried mother calling her sick daughter. The title has a double meaning as it becomes quickly clear as the phone is just as much about comforting the mother. Depressing story, but it contains some very good acting from both leads.
Yulia (Antoine Arditti) ***
Animated story of a single woman who gets electrocuted and finds herself in an empty room with no doors, but five levers labeled with different items (Chair, Hammer, Man, Cat, and a Heart). When the heart lever finally gets pulled, the result is much different than what she originally imagined. Unfortunately, I think it was a mistake to include this as part of the Lesbian Shorts program, since that telegraphs the ending. Still, it's a cute story with a memorable animation style.
One Night (Laura Jean Cronin) ***1/2
Utilizing a clever editing style, this short tells the story of a young woman who went to a lesbian bar the night before and got home bloody and bruised. The film intercuts between these two moments and unravels pieces to the story a bit at a time. The resolution is unexpected and emotionally gripping. Only drawback is one key scene that is poorly directed.
Comedy Shorts
(Still from Winner: Best Short Film)
Winner: Best Short Film (Peter Meech) ***
Danny Caine is a filmmaker hot on the heels of winning Sundance with a short film that was 5 seconds long (including end credits and a blooper reel). Now he's at the home of a hollywood producer, trying to convince him that he's ready to direct a big budget feature. Intermittently amusung, but the funniest part comes at the end when they show the 5 second film.
The World of Film Festivals (Jim Jacob) ***1/2
Very simple film is just one guy talking about the ins and outs of film festivals. The actor (director Jacob himself) really knows how to sell deadpan humor. This was one of the funniest of the program.
Quality Time (Colin Marshall) **
Two brothers reunite due to their father's sickness and get into a series of spats and misadventures. Tries for a mixture of humor and pathos, but it is not very funny and the two leads are unlikeable jerks.
Follicle Frolic (Mark Potts) ***
3 minute short film about a strange man who is obsessed with his male roommate's long, flowing hair. The director utilizes voiceover to create some very funny moments and the ending is certainly unexpected.
The Apostles (Jeff Chan) ***
What if Jesus skipped out on the bill during The Last Supper and the apostles argued over how to handle it? Has enough funny moments to work, but doesn't quite live up to thwe premise's full potential.
The Ballad of Friday and June (Tate English) **1/2
Story of a lady and her talking puppet dog. I wrote a pretty scathing review of this one before the festival, but I actually liked it a bit better this time around. The puppet dog's final line is admittedly very funny and the attempts at pathos seemed to work better.
Helium Man (Nicholas Piper) ***
Funny story about a young man who overdoses on helium and now has the ability to float. He discusses with his friend how they can utilize this power to make him a superhero. This short takes a limited premise and infuses it with enough humor to make it work.
How to Ride a Train (Katie Dillon) ***
Taking inspiration from a book written for women in the 1920's, explaining how they should ride a train, director Katie Dillon delivers a very funny little short imaginging just how the idea for that book happened. It's a short, simply joke, but it's a good one.
Pet Peeves (Brooke Adams) *1/2
Sherry has just recently moved in with Jack, bringing along her dog OJ. Jack and OJ do not get along and he is frustrated by the way she pampers the dog. At 22 minutes, this is the longest film in this program, and there's really no reason for that. It's played too broadly and aims for a clever twist that is not funny at all.
Spleenectomy (Kirsten Smith) **
A couple big names headline this short, in which Anna Faris plays an actress who is turned down for a role as a doctor, because theater director Larry Miller doesn't find her convincing. An opportunity presents itself for her to prove him wrong. This is all played so broadly that I'm sure it will be a sitcom following Two and a Half Men next fall.
Looking For Love Shorts
(Still from Tell Me Who)
The Regular (Jamie Kirkpatrick) ***
A nice guy is striking out at a bar as all the chicks seem more interesting the psuedo suave ladies men. Things change when he takes the mic. Very simple idea with terrific execution, although the ending contains a twist that is unnecessary.
Mister Green (Greg Pak) *1/2
Set in a future where global warming has devastated the Earth, a government official has his eyes opened to the path for a better tomorrow. I really liked the visual style to the film, but man is this just a dreadfully preachy story. It sure takes alot of nerve to use a Gandhi quote at the end to drive home the point.
Further Lane (Mesh Flinders) ***
This story is told with a mysterious tone and follows the goings on at a beach house. Very interesting short that showcases some natural directing talent from Flinders. He composes shots very well and utilizes to a minimalist storytelling format to good effect.
Greased (Roxine Helberg) **
Story of a young couple involved in a radical political organization. One of them may know a secret. Will they tell or commit the ultimate betrayal? another short where the directors shows a nice visual sense, but doesn't have an interesting story at all.
Tell Me Who (David Lipson) ****
Clearly the class of this program and one of the best shorts of this year's festival, this story is about a young man who doesn't have much luck with females, but gets a surprise letter from a secret admirer who is leaving town the next day. He makes it a mission to track this woman down before she leaves. It's a wonderfully executed story. Director David Lipson excels at creating a natural rhythm for plot progression and does a great job of populating the background of his shots with nice details (most memorable is a shot of the hero leaving a photo store with the clerk watching him from inside). He's also willing to let the audience figure things out without beating them over the head, a rare commodity even amongst independent filmmakers these days.
The Tedious Existence of Terrell B. Howell (David Silverman) ***
Terrell B. Howell is a boring, strait laced man whose monotonous daily routine is upset when a young woman comes on to him at the gas station. Much of the style and tone is borrowed from Desperate Housewives and they go pretty far for the joke, but the lead performance by Steve Coulter is terrific. He nails every single line reading and almost singlehandedly makes this movie work.
African-American Shorts
(Still from She Got Problems)
Life on Earth (Jeff Keith) ***1/2
Memorable story about a very depressing situation. Lea is 18 years old and is about to age out of the foster system. A social worker has suggester to her and others in the same situation to look for careers in low leverl service jobs. Lea rebels against this idea, inspired by her experiences with plant life. This is an inspiring story about not giving up on your dreams, no matter the situation.
Jackson Parish (Edward McDonald) ***
A successful businessman returns home to the deep south to visit his estranged father. He gets mixed up in a dispute between his father and a mean-spirited white neighbor who is sitting on their land. Thoughtful story is a nice piece of character study with some really impressive acting.
I Own You (Gary Anthony Williams) **1/2
A married interracial couple find out that her ancestors owned his as slaves. What starts off as a joke begins to cause problems when he starts (with prompting from friends) interpreting innocent statements as being racist. Everything is played out in a broad sitcom style, which ruins alot of the humor. However, there are some undeniably funny moments.
Train (Darius Clark Monroe) ***1/2
A young man notices a woman being attacked on a train, but has a hard time getting up the courage to help her. Only 7 minutes long, but this packs a powerful punch and will certainly put you in the mind of the main character, making you wonder how you'd act in the same situation.
She Got Problems (Alison McDonald) ***
Alison McDonald both directed and stars in this very, very funny comedy about an African-American woman who is frustrated at her inability to find a man. McDonald does a great job of mixing different techniques, including documentary style interviews, musical numbers, and animation. And she also brings a winning screen presence to the film.
Asbury Park (Robert Anderson) *1/2
Melodramatic tale of a man returning home after a jail sentence. Director Robert Anderson showcases an eye for creating a sense of time and place, but the story is pretty weak and plays out like an After School special. The climactic contains some very bad overacting.
Drama Shorts
(Still from Ana's Playground)
Metropolis Ferry (Juan Gautier) **1/2
Returning from Morocco, David and his brothers witness an incident at the Spanish border and decide to do something about it. The film is well made, but the story doesn't really go anywhere interesting. It is probably a bit too intricate for a short film and the director could use some more time to explore what he wants to do.
Cigarette Candy (Lauren Wolkstein) ***1/2
A marine returns home after serving in Iraq, but has difficulty playing the part of hero to his hometown family and friends because it doesn't fit with the horrible memories of what happened. This short film is extremely well written and the director and actors know how to play this dramatic story without going over the top. The final shot is outstanding.
Confession (Enrico Marcellino) ***
Extremely short film runs only 2 minutes. It's about a Catholic man who goes to confession and asks forgiveness for something he is about to do. Predictable, but still pretty shocking.
The Odds (Paloma Baeza) ***
Interesting choice for the Drama Shorts program, because this film is actually quite funny. A casino owner interrogates a man to find out how he cheated to win so many hands in a row. The discussion goes back and forth and the interrogater is amusingly made to look like a fool. The final twist was unfortunate, because I think the film worked much better without it.
Puppets of War (Corey Ellis, Francis McDonald) **
Take All Quiet on the Western Front, replace the live actors with puppets, and that's pretty much what you get here. The puppetry work is admittedly impressive, but the fact that it's puppets makes it difficult for the film to build dramatic tension.
Ana's Playground (Eric D. Howell) ****
Terrific short film with surprisingly strong production values. In an unnamed war torn country, a group of kids are playing soccer when the ball accidentally ends up in the middle of a sniper zone. A little girl decides to enter the area and try to retreive the ball, but must figure out how to dodge the sniper's shots. Really impressive story with a vivid backdrop. I wouldn't mind seeing this developed into a feature length film.
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