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.

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.

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.

2010 Atlanta Film Festival: Day Seven

Only one of the films really stood out, but thankfully there were no misfires either. This is shaping up to be one of the best year's in festival history.

CUTUD: The Crossing (Scott Wurth) ***

Here is another festival documentary with a religious theme. It follows a group in the Philippines who re-enact the crucifixion of Christ. And it's not a magic show with a bunch of fancy tricks. These people actually get nailed to the cross. Wurth's intense and shocking film explores the individuals involved in these ceremonies, the commercialization of the event and the natural controversies that ensue.

The movie explores the history of the event and how the local government has had changing opinions about it. They discuss some of the rivalries, particularly over who gets to be on center cross. Some of the best parts involve the reasons certain individuals participate. For example, Ruben is a man who survived a fall from the third floor of a building and now feels he owes it to God for saving him. Another man is recovered from a drug habit and wants to prove to God that he is truly reformed.

The film builds to the climactic moments where we see the participants nailed to the cross. It is as disturbing and shocking as you'd expect it to be, but also a revealing testament to what people will do if they strongly believe in something. If there's a problem here, the film is too short. At only 42 minutes, the film doesn't have enough time to explore the many subplots and controversies it brings up. It certainly held my interest, but left me wanting more.

Handsome Harry (Bette Gordon) ***

Another Pink Peach selection, Handsome Harry is a surprisingly laid back film considering the nature of the plot. It's about a Vietnam vet named Harry (Jamey Sheridan) who gets a call from dying former war buddy Tom Kelly (Steve Buscemi). Tom wants to make amends for something they both did to a fellow soldier (Campbell Scott). It quickly becomes clear (especially since we know it's a Pink Peach film) that they beat this person up because he was gay.

The film follows the structure of a road trip movie as Harry travels to meet the other members of the unit that were involved in the beating, finding that they have all gone in wildly different direction and have varying opinions about the actions they took. The structure is just a little too neat. The story goes from A to B to C in a rather ordinary fashion and I wish they had dispensed with some ill-advised subplots, like Harry's dalliance with the wife of one of his former buddies.

The best thing about the film is the nuanced acting by both Jamey Sheridan and Campbell Scott. This movie doesn't to the grand melodrama that the backstory would seem to suggest. There are only a handful of scenes between the two characters, but they are all a fine example of exquisite acting. It's nice to see both a director and actors have enough confidence in the material that they don't need to overplay everything. They bring the film to a wonderfully bittersweet ending.

The Eyes of Me (Keith Maitland) ***

The Eyes of Me is a documentary that follows a year in the life of four high school students. that's certainly nothing new for a documentary, but the difference here is that all four students are blind and they are attending the Texas School for the Blind. Keith Maitland's film is an interesting exploration of how different people cope with this problem.

Certanly the student that will get the most attention is Chas, a Senior who lives in his own apartment and struggles both with schoolwork and paying his bills. He has a dream of being a rapper and is so dedicated that he will run a really long cord outside his apartment to steal electricity for his computer. He's a compelling figure that definitely has ups and downs during his senior year.

The two female students, Meghan and Denise, are also very interesting, providing a strong emotional arc to the film. The one student who doesn't come across well is Isaac, who is not very likeable as portrayed in the film. Whenever he was on screen, I was looking forward to the film switching back to one of the other kids. It's not a perfect documentary, but Maitland does a number of things right (including some incredibly well done animated interludes) that make this a winning documentary.

8: The Mormon Proposition (Reed Cowan) ***1/2

 

 

 

Last year's opening night film was a politically themed documentary based on the writings of Howard Zinn. Zinn narrated the film and had an ill-advised blunt opening sequence about modern politics that probably lost alot of the audience wasn't already on his side. Well, I'm glad to report that 8: The Mormon Proposition is a politically themed documentary that avoids this mistake by focusing on a more emotional appeal.

Reed Cowan's film is about the battle over Proposition 8 in the 2008 California election, where the state was voting on whether to ban same sex marriage. Going in, I expected the film to take a direct harsh attack on the Mormon church for its policies and there is certainly some of that, but what makes this film so good is the decision to focus on one gay couple and their emotional appeal to be accepted and allowed to marry.

By doing this, Cowan makes an argument that will be more successful in reaching out to those on the fence. The film opens with their marriage and shows just how important that is to them. It's hard for even the most cold hearted person to not be somewhat touched by their enthusiasm and love for one another. Their are several attacks against the Mormon church of course, some of them more successful than others, but this film finds its true power in the simple story of two memorable people in love fighting a society that says they shouldn't be.

The Square (Nash Edgerton) ***

Nash Edgerton's The Square is preceded by one of his earlier short films called Spider (which will also be the case in the theatrical release). which does a great job of getting the audience ready for his dark sense of humor. This is one of the chief pleasures of The Square, a film noir with some fairly standard elements that is elevated by Edgerton's artistry.

Raymond Yale (David Roberts) is a married man having an affair with Carla (Claire van der Boom), who is also married. Carla notices her husband has some money stashed in the attic and hatches a plan with Raymond to steal the money and have the house burned down so her husband will think the cash was lost in the fire. It doesn't go as smoothly as hoped and they must now deal with the consequences as their lives begin to spin out of control.

One of the pleasures of flms like this is watching the perfect plan foiled piece by piece. But Edgerton adds some really twisted humor in this film, especially during a scene where a dog is swimming to meet another dog. This makes it more interesting than your standard film noir. The only complaint here is that Edgerton lets come scene run too long and includes scenes that should have been excised altogether. The pacing is problematic at times, especially during the middle section. Still, it's a stylish, darkly funny movie that is a strong start for a filmmaker that seems to have a bright future.

2010 Atlanta Film Festival: Day Six

The festival had a slow start, but the past few days have been really strong and for the most part today continued that trend...

The Battle of Pussy Willow Creek (Wendy Jo Cohen) ***

The Battle of Pussy Willow Creek is one of the lost stories of the civil war. Six hundred union soldiers defended against a Confederate army of over three thousand. They were successful at preventing a planned invasion of Washington D.C. Unfortunately, this story was hushed up by both sides because they didn’t want it getting out that the union army was led by a gay colonel, an elderly Chinese immigrant, a one-armed prostitute, and a nerdy escaped slave.  Wendy Jo Cohen’s movie finally sheds light on this incredibly important battle.

Of course, this is all made up. It’s actually a mockumentary and it’s certainly a fun one at that. The story is played out like a Ken Burns documentary and the funniest part of the movie is that the director really nails the Ken Burns style. She uses a self serious narrator to take us through the events, supported by interview segments with various talking heads (historians, scholars, relatives) and utilizes voiceovers to read the letters written by the participants. When sticking to this general concept, the movie contains some really funny deadpan humor.

Unfortunately, the director felt the need to amp up the humor and the film gets increasingly silly in the second half. Some of the actors playing the historians start to act out instead of playing it straight. One of the interview segments is on a street corner with some prostitutes. And yet another interview segment shows a naked man in the background. The event itself is already silly and treating it seriously was what made it funny.  Adding silliness on top of that makes the film lose its balance. It’s still funny enough for me to consider it a good film, but it could have been so much more if the director had more confidence to see her vision through to the end.

The Things We Carry (Ian McCrudden) **1/2

The Things We Carry is such a well-intentioned film and feels so personal for the filmmakers that it pains me to say it is just not very good. It follows the story of a young woman who is returning home after her mother’s death. This forces her to reconnect with her estranged sister, who stayed in their hometown to look after their mother. The two work out their differences as they try to track down an item left for them by their mother’s junkie friend.

When focusing on the relationship between the two sisters, the movie does have some merit. The film was developed by two sisters (Alyssa Lobit is the writer and star, Athena Lobit is the producer) and they seem to understand how to authentically portray a sibling relationship. The acting between the two leads (Catherine Kresge plays the other sister) is good enough. It’s when focusing on other aspects of the story that the film falls apart.

The drug subplot is a real problem here. One of the junkie friends (played by Johnny Whitworth) seems to have importance at the beginning of the film, but gets almost completely cut out of the third act for seemingly no reason. The constant flashbacks to memories of their mother are also not handled well, trying to find a balance between how sweet she could be and how her drug addiction caused pain, but mostly just straining credibility. The plot device of having them bond while trying to find this mysterious box is a bit too transparent and creates an unnecessary “big moment” at the end, which seems completely out of place for this film. Less plot devices and more scenes of the two sisters trying to reconnect in a natural setting would have gone a long way toward making this a good movie.

American Jihadist (Mark Claywell) ***

Interesting documentary about Isa Abdullah Ali, an African-American Muslim who is strongly committed to his cause and not afraid of letting anyone know it. This film brings to mind last year’s festival selection American Fugitive: The Truth About Hassan. The major difference here is Ali is walking free, despite a history of taking up arms in defense of his religion.  American Jihadist talks about his life and the decisions that led him to where he is today.

Ali isn’t your typical Muslim extremist. He feels as if he is fighting for the downtrodden and will go to many places around the world to carry on that fight. The most interesting is when he moves to Bosnia because the government has taken action against Muslims. Claywell is able to get footage of Ali and his family in Bosnia, where they appear to be very happy and fit in perfectly. He gets candid with Ali and his family, no one seemingly worried about how their frank comments could get them in trouble.  

The drawback to the film is that it skips over some important aspects of the story. There’s footage of an interview with the US Secretary of Defense, who says that Ali will be arrested if found. Yet the movie mentions that Ali turns himself in at one point and is immediately released. There’s very little explanation for either why Ali decided to turn himself in or why the US let him go. But this is still an interesting look at the life of a man who passionately believes in something and is surprisingly content with his life.  

Documentary Shorts 2

 

Born Sweet (Cynthia Wade) ***1/2

This 28 minute short (pictured above) tells us about a poor Cambodian village where in the past aid groups dug wells for the citizens, not knowing that they were tapping into arsenic deposits. The result is a town fraught with arsenic poisoning. The film focuses on a specific person, 15 year old Vinh Voeurn, who dreams of being a karaoke star. In the midst of an extremely sad situation, this wonderful film finds hope with a winning conclusion.

No Excuses (Whitney Trower, Michele Richardson) ***

Kyle Maynard is a congenital amputee who owns a gym called No Excuses Athletics. This documentary is only three minutes long and seems mostly designed to shock the audience by showing Maynard’s private workout routine, including an amazing shot of him doing pull ups. He’s an inspirational person, but we barely learn anything about him. He’s certainly interesting enough to deserve more time devoted to him than this.

Pax (Sarah Harvey) ***1/2

This is such a sweet story that it almost feels too good to be true. Sgt. Bill Campbell is an Iraq war veteran on disability due to traumatic brain injury. Through a program called Puppies Behind Bars, he is given a trained dog (named Pax) to help him recover from the trauma. The film documents Bill’s visit to the prison where he meets Laurie, the woman who trained Pax. This is an incredibly moving film that would probably get too sappy if it was any longer, but is just right at 22 minutes.  

Woman Rebel (Kiran Deol) ***1/2

At 37 minutes this is one of the longer shorts at the festival and it tells a pretty remarkable story. Silu is a female soldier fighting as part of the revolutionary army in Nepal, a struggle which went on for more than 10 years. The movie shows what happens when the revolutionaries and the government come to the peace table. Silu ends up running for office and is elected to parliament. It’s a powerful testament to what can happen when people put guns down and seek peaceful solutions.

Cold Weather (Aaron Katz) ****

The day closes with one of the best films of this year's festival. Earlier I wrote about Kentucker Audley’s Open Five and how it fit into the mumblecore genre. Well, Aaron Katz has done something very interesting here by taking the style of mumblecore and infusing it with a mystery premise. The result is a startlingly original movie with a surprising amount of depth and is an outstanding example of independent filmmaking.

Doug (Cris Lankenau) recently dropped out of a forensic science program at college and moved back home to live with his sister Gail (Trieste Kelly Dunn). He gets a blue collar job where he makes friends with Carlos (Raul Castillo) over their shared enjoyment of Sherlock Holmes novels. When Doug’s ex-girlfriend Rachel (Robyn Rikoon) fails to show up for a date with Carlos, they begin to get worried and start to investigate her disappearance.

Director Aaron Katz creates some fantastic moments precisely because of what he chooses not to do. There is a sequence that revolves around the need to steal a briefcase in a diner, but Katz only shows us the perspective from outside as we see the getaway car waiting. But this is no ordinary suspense film. The mystery is just a backdrop to explore the relationships between the four leads and the wonderfully natural performances from the cast go a long way toward making this work. Katz has made a wonderful film filled with low-key humor, suspenseful moments, and complex relationships.

2010 Atlanta Film Festival: Day 5

The festival awards ceremony was held the night before. Films that were in competition were eligible for awards in different categories such as Narrative Feature, Documentary Feature, and various awards for shorts voted on by jury members specifically picked for those categories. Here are this year's winners...

Feature Length

Narrative Feature: Putty Hill (Matt Porterfield)
Documentary Feature: Family Affair (Chico Colvard)
Pink Peach Feature: 8: The Mormon Proposition (Reed Cowan)

Shorts

Narrative Short: Firstborn (Etienne Kallos)
Narrative Short Hon Mention: Ana's Playground (Eric D. Howell)
Documentary Short: Born Sweet (Cynthia Wade)
Documentary Short Hon Mention: Woman Rebel (Kiran Deol)
Animated Short: The Machine (Rob Shaw)
Animated Short Hon Mention: Prayers for Peace (Dustin Grella)
Pink Peach Short: Curious Thing (Alain Hain)

There will also be an audience award announced at the end of the festival. I'll also be handing out my awards when I write my festival wrap up. Now on to today's reviews...

Putty Hill (Matt Porterfield) ***1/2

The first film I see after the awards announcement happens to be the jury winner for Best Narrative Feature. It's easy to see what the jury liked about this movie. There is some really good filmmaking going on here. Putty Hill dissects the hopes and fears of people in a Baltimore neighborhood as they prepare for the funeral of a young man named Corey that was well known in the community. Director Matt Porterfield does a great job of creating a community of people and making the town they live in so recognizable that it feels like an extra character in the film.

Porterfield uses an interesting structure to the film. It's shot like a documentary and there is an off camera voice asking questions to the various characters and capturing various events. But you never get the sense that someone is actually filming a documentary. Even when uncomfortable questions are being asked, none of the characters seem to think they can just stop answering. This helps explain how he can capture certain private moments, like a discussion between Corey's sister and grandmother. It also makes it feel like the viewer is there, like you've traveled to Baltimore to attend the funeral of someone you knew.

Also working in the film's favor is the improvisational style employed. The movie was cast with untrained actors and they improvised most of the dialogue. It creates a real feeling of authenticity as you don't see anyone playing it up for the cameras or suddenly spouting some brilliant dialogue that feels written. The most wonderful moment is the memorial service itself, which takes place at a karaoke bar and the very real heartfelt performances given are quite moving. Putty Hill is a unique, memorable film and is among this year's best festival screenings.

Dear Lemon Lima (Suzi Yoonessi) ****

Adapted from a short film that played at the Atlanta Film Festival three years earlier comes this story of a 13 year old half-Eskimo girl named Vanessa who is recovering from summer heartbreak as she enters a private school. She immediately finds herself at the bottom of the social food chain and her efforts to win back the love of her life are seemingly hopeless. However, she gets a chance to prove herself when she is named captain during the school's Snowstorm Survivor competition, where she picks all the school's cast offs (known as FUBAR's) to be on her team.

This is a fantastic movie that finds a perfect balance of tone. Not one moment is too quirky, nor does it ever get too serious. And the chief reason for that is the wonderful performance of Savanah Wiltfong in the lead role. Knowing that her character already has quirky elements and there's already a sense of silliness to the proceedings, she does something rather remarkable for an actress of her age and actually underplays the character. There's very little showing off on her part. None of her line deliveries are obnoxiously offbeat. She never once makes bizarre facial expressions. Instead, she creates a winning lead character with a low key, nuanced performance.

The film has a wonderful visual style. The sets and costumes are populated with solid bright colors, creating a cheery, positive atmosphere. Writer-director Yoonessi also does a remarkable job creating fully fleshed out supporting characters, including a neighbor boy whose mom is very strict, a popular girl who has more heart than we initially suspect, and especially Vanessa's ex Philip who is certainly played as a stuck up jerk, but a realistic three dimensional jerk. All of this helps creating a wonderful world for her memorable lead character to inhabit. This is a charming, witty, tremendously entertaining film.

Open Five (Kentucker Audley) ***

The term mumblecore has received some controversy, mainly because many of those directors credited with making films in that genre despise the word. But whatever word you use, it is clear the style of mumblecore is here to stay as you can see it populating the film festival ciruit. And there's nothing wrong with that. It's a movement towards more low key, intimate filmmaking and away from the self-conscious overly cynical films that used to dominate the indie scene. As someone who prefers the former to the latter, I find films like Open Five rather refreshing.

The simple plot is befitting of the genre. Two girls from New York come down to Memphis to visit two guys, one of whom is a musician and the other a low budget filmmaker. They visit dive bars, BBQ restaurants, Graceland, energetic churches. They talk about their relationships and how they'll continue once the trip is over. For the most part, this is really solid stuff. The people involved are interesting, and the improvisational dialogue style really works.

The only major issue I had with the film was the awkward shooting angles used in many scenes. Many of them are shot with us looking at the back of a character's head. This awkward blocking is really distracting. Now I know the essence of mumblecore is to film on extremely small budgets and the improvisational style makes it hard to get coverage, but there had to be a better way to shoot these scenes. Otherwise it's a nice, relaxing film and a good example of the mumblecore genre.

Yellowbrickroad (Jesse Holland, Andy Mitton) ***1/2

Yellowbrickroad has a very interesting mystery premise. In 1940 the entire town of Friar, NH walked north on a trail into the woods. They never returned. Teddy Barnes (Michael Laurino) is someone who has always been obsessed with this story, and finally (after being stonewalled for years) has been given the information he needs to find the trail. He gathers a crew, including his wife, a psychiatrist, a local resident, a couple friends and they head north to find answers.

This is a really good example of the horror/suspense genre, and will certainly be enjooyed by fans of Lost and The Twilight Zone. Directors Jesse Holland and Andy Mitton make some really good choices throughout the film. Most notably, they use a minimalist sound design to create some really strong atmosphere. There is no score to speak of and that creates a sense of loneliness for the characters. Also, when sound is used it provides a strong contrast to the rest of the film and is actually quite frightening.

A problem that suspense films of this nature usually run into is that the premise is so intriguing that there is no way the eventual explanation can live up to that. But Yellowbrickroad avoids that problem by setting up the story where the answers are not the driving force, but moreso what certain characters are willing to do to get those answers. There is one particularly impressive shot where the filmmakers create a genuine scare with some smart editing techniques and their understanding that you don't need to linger on every big moment. Moments like this are what makes Yellowbrickroad a winning horror/suspense film.

Winter's Bone (Debra Granik) ***1/2

One of the most impressive things I've noticed at this year's festival is that several films have done a terrific job of creating a real sense of place and community. Films like Exit 117, Putty Hill, and The Mountain Thief have all been successful at accomplishing this. Sundance favorite Winter's Bone manages to do the same with a deeply observed portrait of people living in the Ozarks.

Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence) is a 17 year old girl who is raising her two younger siblings all by herself. Her mother is mentally ill and never speaks. Her father is a criminal who is out on bail and has put up the house as collateral. When he fails to show for his court date, Ree must go out and find him (or his body) or risk losing the only thing her family has left. Her journey takes us through many different parts of this community and gives us a sense of the sad, desperate lives that they lead.

This is a film filled with wonderfully rich characterizations. Most notable is John Hawkes performance as Ree's uncle Teardrop. What first appears to simply be nothing more than a dangerous villain turns out to be a fascinatingly complex individual. Hawkes is an actor I've noticed before (on Deadwood and in previous ATLFF closing night film Me and You and Everyone We Know), but this performance is his crowning achievement. Debra Granik's story does go in some unexpected directions and takes us on a dark, suspenseful journey through the Ozarks.

2010 Atlanta Film Festival: Day Four

A wildly uneven day with one of the best movies I've ever seen at the festival, and also one of the worst...

Exit 117 (Kevin James McMullin) ***1/2

Here's a nice little slice of life about a group of friends just graduated from high school that are trying to figure out what to do with their lives. Now that description sounds pretty generic. It's certainly a common premise for independent films and I was disappointed in last year's similarly themed The New Twenty. However, Exit 117's winning characters help make this one of the better examples of this genre.

It's quite an achievement for writer-director Kevin James McMullin that he's able to create characters that are so sharply drawn and multi-dimensional when he's dealing with so many of them. There are at least 7 central characters and many other supporting that are also well drawn. The decision to hire actors with no experience pays off because they give very natural performances that help create a sense of authenticity.

Also remarkable is that the film was made for only $850, yet McMullin was able to craft it so well that there were no technical issues hampering enjoyment of the film. In fact, there are several impressive shots throughout and the director is really able to create a nice sense of place in this seemingly dead end New Jersey town. The plot description mentions that it is meant to be an antidote to MTV's Jersey Shore and they've certainly accomplished that. This is a positive, uncynical look at real people with real hopes and fears.





 

The Myth of Time (Jaguar X) 1/2*

  

A surrealist film from director Jaguar X (whatever) based on the Mayan creation myth. This is one dreadful film and I pretty much hated every single second of it. It is overly pretentious filmmaking at its worst and possibly the worst film I have ever seen in 11 years of attending the Atlanta Film Festival.

I had to read the guide to get the plot because I barely understood anything that happened. Apparently, it's about "The Dark Eyed One ... and his experiences as a child solider,  first love, and ultimately The Revelation". That's great, but I shouldn't have to read the press kit to figure out what I just saw. Example: There's a tribal scene where a white man keeps repeatedly talking about what his "Negro mother" is going to do to the hero. I'm sure Mr. Jaguar X knows what that means, but I'm honestly not interested.

The film is also extremely unpleasant. It's filled with ugly violence (at one point, there's a series of shots showing kids being murdered) and disturbing sexual situations. I've seen worse in other movies, but without a narrative that makes sense it is just unpleasant and difficult to watch. As things got worse and worse, I started to pass the time by counting how many people walked out of the screening. My final number came to 18.

The Mountain Thief (Gerry Balasta) ****

There's perhaps no bigger contrast between two movies than The Mountain Thief and The Myth of Time. There's also perhaps no better way to illustrate my taste in film than the different approaches made by these two filmmakers. The Mountain Thief is a genuinely heartfelt story that is the very antithesis of pretentious filmmaking.

Director Gerry Balasta tells us a story about a poor family that lives in a Philippines garbage town, where trash has been dumped so often that it has actually created a mountain of garbage. The people in this community make their living by collecting trash and there seems to be very little hope of finding a way out, especially since it makes more financial sense for the family to have children helping than sending them to school. Julio and his blind child Ingo are barely getting by when tragedy strikes and threatens not only their place in the community, but more importantly their rights to collect garbage.

Instead of hiring professional actors, Balasta picked his cast from people that lived in the garbage town and conducted an acting workshop with them. The result is (much like Exit 117) natural acting that manages to be quite affecting. The film also looks beautiful, with many grand shots of the mountain, suggesting that despite the misery that these people live in, the mountain takes on an almost mythic quality and is seemingly revered by the characters. After all, it's all they've got. The end credits contain information on the real people involved, and what Balasta has helped do for them since the movie was made. If you don't find this moving, then you must have made a deal with the devil.

Who Saw Him? (Claudia Rorarius) **

From the Pink Peach program (films about LGBT issues) comes this strange German film from director Claudia Rorarius. It follows a gay man in his thirties as he attempts to find the father that he last saw 25 years earlier. This journey takes him to Italy where he tries to get on a family reunion show hosted by a transvestite.

The most odd thing about this movie is the bleak and flat tone. This is a very dry story that lacks any kind of emotional power, which is a serious detriment for a story that feels very personal. After all, the lead actor is playing himself and the story is based on events in his own life. Thus, it seems like a bizarre choice for the director to hold back so much in almost every single scene.

Gianni Meurer does a solid job playing himself in the lead role. There is one long monologue halfway through where the film seems to pick up some emotional momentum. But the director quickly puts a halt to that. It's also a rather unpleasant film to look at as the filmmaker overemphasizes darkness to set the mood. With little emotion and an awful visual scheme, the is an unpleasant film to watch.

Animation Extravaganza

This is always one of my favorite programs at the festival and I was actually disappointed that they reverted back to one program instead of the two they showed last year. (Note: some of these were pre-screened and the reviews are repeated here)...


The Adventures of Ledo and Ix (Emily Carmichael) ***

Animated short that follows two video game characters from an old fashioned Final Fantasy-style adventure game (see picture above) as they ponder their existence and wander into that black space past the edge of the map. It's a clever premise with funny and solid execution


The Anchorite (Matthew Maloney) ***

This one uses a haunting visual style to tell the story of a homeless artist struggling to complete a mural and to find a place for himself. Interesting story that is wonderful to look at.


The Fence Underneath Us (Steven Bednar) **1/2

A fox narrates about his life on a fox farm, discovering that there is a fence underneath preventing him from tunneling out. This one is only 3 minutes and too short to be memorable.


Goodbye Mr. Pink (Helen Piercy) ***1/2

A mixture of live action and stop motion animation is used tell this story about a rabbit that has just died and two kids discussing what the rabbit's afterlife will be like. They are unaware that their words have a direct effect on the rabbit's afterlife. This is a charming story with many hilarious moments.


Happy and Strictly in 'Fuzzy Business' (Robert Paraguassu, Layne Braunstein) ***

Two animated characters (kinda shaped like the ghosts in Pac Man) that appear to be street cleaners pass the time by dreaming about being so rich they can start their own Bearline (get it?). Amusing enough and impressive animation considering this was made in 48 hours.


Horn Dog (Bill Plympton) **1/2

The fourth in Bill Plympton's animated shorts series about an oddly shaped dog (kinda looks like a really fat bat) and his comic misadventures. Last year I enjoyed previous entry in the series Fire Dog. In this one, he takes a liking to an exquisite female show dog, but her owner isn't happy about it. This one has a couple funny moments, but the twist isn't very funny and the hero not quite as likeable this time around.


Ledo and Ix Go to Town (Emily Carmichael) ***1/2

Remember those old school RPG's when you finally found a new town but were constantly frustrated at all the NPC townsfolk that were absolutely useless? That's where our heroes Ledo and Ix find themselves in this hilarious sequel than surpasses its predecessor. Other hilarious bits involve Ix's obsessions with upgrading and equipping weapons and Ledo's struggle to take a chicken out of town.


The Lighthouse (Yelislava Gospodinova) ***1/2

A lighthouse keeper is horrified by the death of birds that are attracted to his lighthouse and keep crashing through the windows to their deaths. He comes up with a solution, but it could have tragic consequences. Eerie story that feels like an animated Twilight Zone episode. Black and white animation style adds alot to the atmosphere.


The Machine (Rob Shaw) ***

Second time seeing this one and I liked it alot more this time around. A machine powered by gears (and nickels) tells a story about a man that creates a robot and watches the robot destroy everything and everyone. Has an interesting animation style and haunting score, but the ending is still a bit predictable.


Prayers For Peace (Dustin Grella) ****

Incredibly moving story about a man dealing with the loss of his brother who was a soldier that died in Iraq. This was drawn using pastels on a chalkboard and we see each scene drawn from scratch. This helps create an intimate, emotional vibe. There's a shocking audio cue at the end that shows just how personal the film is for director Dustin Grella.



Spaceman on Earth (Shant Hamassian) ***

Another animated outing that combines animation and live action. This is a funny science fiction story set in the 50s about an astronaut hero who keeps accidentally annoying his alien neighbor to no end and eventually finds himself on the run as a suspected communist.


The Story of Scrivener and His Aislyn (Evan Curtis) ***

One of the more disappointing entries in this program. The idea is solid: a young boy finds a film canister in the ocean and falls in love with the power of movies. He goes about filming things with his old camera. I love the use of old film footage inserted into the animation, creating a nice constrast to get across the point of how powerful the cinema can be. The film just feels like it needed to be fleshed out a bit more to create the kind of magic it is looking for. 

2010 Atlanta Film Festival: Day Three

Today started off really well, but was a disappointment overall...

The Athlete (Davey Frankel, Rasselas Lakew) ***

We open the day with a film that sounds like your typical sports underdog story, but has an interesting structure and some unique qualities that help it rise above other examples of the genre. It follows the story of Abebe Bikila, an Ethiopian athlete who in 1960 became the first African to win an Olympic Gold Medal.

The film opens after your typical sports movie has ended. Bikila has already achieved his great success and has become a hero to the people in his hometown, which the film shows through real newsreels covering those events. He is now in training for the 1972 Olympics, despite many people telling him he will be too old by then. Tragically, a car accident takes that decision out of his hands.

Still, Bikila refuses to quit, and the film does a terrific job of capturing his tremendous competitive spirit. What really works is the decision by directors Davey Frankel and Rasselas Lakew to not litter the film with distracting subplots. Bikila mentions a family, but they are not seen. There is no romance, no big court case, and minor characters do not overstay their welcome. This is Bikila's story and it is a wonderful one.

Racing Dreams (Marshall Curry) ***

Another in the long line of festival documentaries about people taking part in unique competitions. This one follows three kids from ages 11 to 13 as they look to become the next World Karting Association's National Champion. If you're thinking the standard go karts you see at amusement parks, you're wrong. These vehicles exceed 70 MPH and there are many serious accidents throughout the film.

The success of documentaries in this genre depends heavily on whether the filmmakers have chosen interesting subjects to follow. and in these three kids, they've done a pretty good job. Brandon is a feisty troublemaker who often gets suspended from school and was disqualified last year for rough racing. Annabeth is passionate about racing, spending 48 weekends out of the year racing in various events across the country. All of them dream of one day driving in NASCAR, but financial difficulties make it hard to keep competing at their level.

The only person that doesn't garner much interest is Josh, in part because the filmmakers themselves don't seem too interested in him. they seem more interested in a burgeoning romance between Annabeth and Brandon, which is certainly cute (Annabeth borrows Brandon's trophy and writes her phone # on the bottom of it), but seems to have been pushed along by the filmmakers. The film also builds a bit of ample tension in the final race, as there is a fear one of the drivers will be disqualified. The film is a memorable look at kids chasing their dreams.

The Battle for Bunker Hill (Kevin Willmott) **1/2

What if a small town got cut off from the rest of the world? What if there were rumors that it had to do with a terrorist attack and some people took advantage of that situation to control the town by mob rule? What if you saw a television series called Jericho and then several years later an independent film popped up at a film festival with the exact same premise?

Now to be fair, there's nothing necessarily wrong with taking a familiar premise and putting a fresh spin on it. And at least the filmmakers seem to have attempted that. Unfortunately, director Kevin Willmott seems so concerned with making sure the audience understands the political argument he's making that he forgets to make sure it is deftly woven into the narrative. Nearly every scene has a comment on a modern political event. The villains are clearly meant to represent both teabaggers and the Bush administration ("You're with us or you're against us" shouted several times). The main character was recently in jail for insider trading. There are also attacks on racism, homophobia, and a mean-spirited clunky attack on organized religion. This gets to be a bit much.

The result is a movie that is not very entertaining. Everything that happens is so transparent that it's hard to care about what happens to any of the characters in it. I certainly agree with many of the political analogies that were made in the film, and certainly a great movie could be made from exploring them, but you still need a good story. You still need strongly developed characters. This film has neither of those and thus it falls completely apart.

Tierra Madre (Dylan Verrechia) **

Aidee Gonzalez (playing herself) is an exotic dancer in a Mexican border town. She's lived a rough life, with a worthless husband who is no longer in the picture. She has a dream for saving up money to buy a house for and her daughter. Told in an interesting mixture of documentary and narrative, this film is unfortunately derailed by bad acting and weak character development.

One of the major sins this movie commits is to skip past some important events by having the main character tell us about them in a voiceover. Some of the major personal things like her first kiss with her new girlfriend are just mentioned and not shown. In fact, we go straight through the beginning of that relationship to where they've already moved in. And the characterization of her girlfriend is so weak that there's little reason to care about the relationship.

Surprisingly, the best scenes come from Aidee's daughter and her best friend. Both deliver natural performances that are actually much better than any of the adult actors in the film. The two of them have honest, interesting discussions about her mother's life and their own futures that are far more interesting than anything else in the movie. While I sympathize with what Aidee has gone through in real life, it is simply not portrayed very well in this film.

NoNAMES (Kate Lindboe) **1/2

Kevin and his friends are stuck in a small Wisonsin town. Alcohol, drugs, and wild parties are pretty much their only escape. During one of these parties, Kevin's girlfriend CJ is raped by a childhood friend. She refuses to press charges and just wants to move on. NoNAMES is about how these events changed each of the characters and set them on a different path for the future.

This is one depressing film. Despite his efforts to change his life, the main character seems to have the worst possible luck in almost every single scene. The rapist keeps coming back and causing damage. And yet, it's Kevin that still gets treated like trash by local law enforcement and CJ's parents. That either could come to the conclusion that Kevin is at fault is frustrating and maddening.

To be fair, this is not a film without merit. Director Kate Lindboe has a really good sense of how to work with her actors, and with them she's created an authentic portrait of male friendship. I just wished she had used that in a better story. There is a nice, quiet moment late in the film that would have been a perfect ending. Unfortunately, the film runs on for several more minutes in an ending that seems needlessly prolonged. Chalk this one up as a missed opportunity.

Pushin' Up Daisies (Patrick Franklin) ***

Here's another midnight festival screening, and another strange film. However, this one is strange in all the good ways. I love the premise for this film. A struggling filmmaker returns to his hometown of Tokyo, Georgia to make a documentary about the connection between flowers and the various stages of human life. Unfortunately, the documentary gets interrupted by a zombie invasion of the town.

This isn't the first zombie comedy and it won't be the last. But this one is filled with some very funny ideas. For example, the central joke is that zombies aren't so scary. After all, they move very slowly and are pretty easy to get away from. So they attempt to continue the documentary by shooting around the zombies. This leads to hilarious situations, including memorial services for families whose relatives came back to life as zombies and had to be killed again.

When sticking to these ideas, the film works very well. It is a bit less successful later on when it seems to lose focus and make an attempt at pathos by discussing the main caracter's issues with his late parents. There's also a heroic speech given by one of the supporting characters that runs on way too long. It starts off funny, but soon becomes rather repetitive and annoying. But that's not enough to take away the many pleasures that this film brings. It's a fun example of original ultra-low budget filmmaking.

2010 Atlanta Film Festival: Day Two

Crossing in St. Augustine(CB Hackworth) ***

The civil rights theme of the festival continues with this documentary that takes a look at an often overlooked chapter in the civil rights movement. In 1964, Andrew Young was brutally beaten while trying to cross a street in St. Augustine. The film takes a look at what happened before and after this event, and how it had a profound impact on the passage of the 1964 civil rights bill and the city of St. Augustine.

The film is structured from Andrew Young's point of view. He narrates it from the perspective of returning to present day St. Augustine and going to the same exact spot where the beating took place. Despite this, it manages to avoid seeming like a self serving story because Young doesn't even see himself as a hero. In fact a key line in the film mentions how he was actually sent to St. Augustine to calm things down (King was worried that tensions would jeopardize negotiations in Washington), and he's glad that he completely failed. Also, the film gives most of the credit for the eventual success in St. Augustine to a man named Dr. Robert Hayling.

2010 Atlanta Film Festival Pre-Festival Coverage (Shorts)

Here are my reviews of some of the short films I was able to see before this year's festival. Most of them are part of a shorts program or paired up with a feature length film. I've included the specific program they're included in at the end of each review.

The Adventures of Ledo and Ix (Emily Carmichael) ***

Animated short that follows two video game characters from an old fashioned Final Fantasy-style adventure game as they ponder their existence and wander into that black space past the edge of the map. It's a clever premise with funny and solid execution. (Animated Shorts)


Ana's Playground (Eric D. Howell) ***1/2

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. (Drama Shorts)

2010 Atlanta Film Festival: Opening Night

Freedom Riders (Stanley Nelson) ***

The Atlanta Film Festival has really gone all out in previous years to make the Opening and Closing Nights into big events. Last year the fest opened with Howard Zinn film The People Speak and featured a bevy of stars in attendance for the Q&A (Josh Brolin, Eddie Vedder, Jasmine Guy). This year they open with another socially conscious film, Stanley Nelson's documentary about a landmark moment in the civil rights struggle. Once again, they've picked a good (if not great) film to get things started.

The Freedom Riders were a biracial group of civil rights activists who in May 1961 left Washington DC to travel through the south, in defiance of segregationist state and local laws. The first trip to Alabama ended with one bus being destroyed and the group on the other bus being beaten by a mob once they arrived. It seemed like the idea would die, but a group of college students took up the cause and departed on their own Freedom Rides. Brutality and jail time were in store for each group that made the trip, but they kept coming and coming and coming, until the federal government was finally forced to intervene.

2010 Atlanta Film Festival Pre-Festival Coverage (Narrative)

Here I will review documentaries that were made available to me before the festival. Instead of waiting to post all of the reviews after I see everything, I will continue to update this post with each film I see. This will allow me to post some recommendations in time for people to schedule screenings for the festival.

Love on the Rocks (Justin Edwards) **

Love on the Rocks is reminiscent of previous Atlanta Film Fest selection Make Out With Violence. Both films present a combination of stark violence and humor and showcase strong technical skill that promises a decent future for the filmmakers. Unfortunately, both films also have issues when it comes to storytelling, and Love on the Rocks specifically struggles with a shifting tone that just does not work.

After a shockingly violent opening, the story opens with Amber and Barry having just broken up. Both try to move on, but find themselves involved with very disturbed individuals. Amber begins dating a man that is a brutal serial killer, while Barry gets involved with a hypnotist that trains him to act like a dog. The film follows these two separate storylines until they intersect.

2010 Atlanta Film Festival Pre-Festival Coverage (Documentaries)

Here I will review documentaries that were made available to me before the festival. Instead of waiting to post all of the reviews after I see everything, I will continue to update this post with each film I see. This will allow me to post some recommendations in time for people to schedule screenings for the festival.

Souled Out Comedy (Jonathan Appel) **

This documentary has a pretty interesting premise. It follows a group of African-American comics who are trying to shed the stereotypical expectations that follow them. For the most part, they avoid vulgarity and raunchiness that is prevalent on the scene. The film is structured as a series of (oddly staged) interviews with each comic interspersed with shots of their routines.

The movie attempts to make a point about how the comedians struggle against these expectations (white audiences expect the worst and stay away, black audiences expect what they're used to and are disappointed). However, the film doesn't show any of these struggles. Not once are they booed off stage or shown performing in front of sparse crowds. The director also picks some bizarre ways to interview his subjects (they're either walking or driving and often seem distracted).

Atlanta Film Festival - Trailers

This page will be used to post trailers for any festival film I recommend...

9500 Liberty (Annabel Park, Eric Byler)

Screening Sunday, April 18 @ 5PM

Cropsey (Joshua Zeman, Barbara Brancaccio)

Screening Thursday, April 22 @ 940pm. 

Dumbstruck (Mark Goffman) 

Screening Sunday, April 18 @ 1200pm and Tuesday, April 20 @ 500pm 

The 2010 Atlanta Film Festival (April 15th-23rd)

I have been attending the Atlanta Film Festival for 11 years and have previously blogged about the 2007 and 2009 events. I have never been more excited than this year, because I have received press credentials for the event. Not only will I have access to all screenings, but I will have a chance to see many films before the festival starts. Like last year, I will provide reviews of all films I have seen, with some side stories on the atmosphere of the festival, and perhaps snag some interviews as well.

Last year's festival included some films that went on to indie success like (500) DAYS OF SUMMER and MOON, three short films that were nominated for Oscars, and some hidden gems like THAT EVENING SUN. Notable films that have screened at the festival in earlier years include RUN LOLA RUN, LOVELY & AMAZING, ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW, THE HEART OF THE GAME, KING OF KONG: A FISTFUL OF QUARTERS, and SPELLBOUND.

The festival will open on April 15th with the documentary FREEDOM RIDERS by Stanley Nelson, depicting an important moment in the civil rights movement and will close on April 23rd with THE SECRET TO A HAPPY ENDING, a documentary about local band Drive by Truckers. In between, there are a wide variety of films, including a behind the scenes documentary about Saturday Night Live, an alternate history Civil War mockumentary, and the always popular animated shorts program.

I have planned to see 59 films during the festival (not including the many shorts programs) and will provide reviews in between and after screenings. Below you will find a guide to my coverage, which will be turned into links as each section is written:

Trailers for Recommended Films
Pre Festival Coverage (Shorts)
Pre Festival Coverage (Narrative)
Pre Festival Coverage (Documentaries)
Opening Night (Freedom Riders)
Day Two (Crossing in St. Augustine, Family Affair, Animation Extravaganza, Slap Down)
Day Three (The Athlete, Racing Dreams, The Battle of Bunker Hill, Tierra Madre, NONAMES, Pushin Up Daisies)
Day Four (Exit 117, The Myth of Time, The Mountain Thief, Who Saw Him, The Good Heart)
Day Five (Putty Hill, Dear Lemon Lima, Open Five, Yellowbrickroad, Winter's Bone)
Day Six (The Battle of Pussy Willow Creek, The Things We Carry, American Jihadist, Documentary Shorts 2, Cold Weather)
Day Seven (Cutud the Crossing, Handsome Harry, The Eyes of Me, 8: The Mormon Proposition, The Square)
Day Eight (Lesbian Shorts, Comedy Shorts, Looking For Love Shorts, African-American Shorts, Drama Shorts)
Closing Night (The Secret to a Happy Ending)
Wrap Up (Awards, Final Comments)