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Miami Film Festival: Capsule Reviews of ‘Auction,’ ‘Close Your Eyes,’ and ‘Queen of Bones

InSession Film Staff
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Miami Film Festival: Capsule Reviews of ‘Auction,’ ‘Close Your Eyes,’ and ‘Queen of Bones

At the 41st annual Miami Film Festival, Thelma starring June Squibb, the late Richard Roundtree, and Parker Posey kicked off the weeklong party. While it is not a major festival for the studio films, it does open itself to a number of independent and foreign films that do not reach the major film festival market. Of course, it is a very Miami festival with local films and documentaries, but opening itself to more notable films in the past, including The Good Boss, Crip Camp, Dogville, Black Book, and Wild Tales makes it more attractive for a North American debut. Here are three capsule reviews from the festival this year.ย 

Auction (France)

Working for a world famous auction house in Paris, Andre (Alex Lutz) is given the honor to sell off a rare painting considered lost but now found. When the painting appears in the hands of a young French factory worker (Arcadi Radeff) and is found to be authentic, it stirs off a battle for the upper hand in attaining the painting through deceptive methods. Andreโ€™s intern (Louise Chevillote) has her own mysterious past and isnโ€™t sure if she can be trusted while his co-worker (Nora Hamzawi) is also his ex-wife. With ramifications everywhere, he  must control the deal by staking his whole reputation and not letting a once-in-a-lifetime artwork fall through their grasp. 

Writer/director Pascal Bonizer (co-writer of Paul Verhoevenโ€™s Benedetta) puts out the politics of art with not enough intrigue to carry the story through to the end, even though Lutz and company give solid performances. While art dealing is a highly profitable business that symbolizes status and power, Bonizer fails to really put up on his own canvas the variables that move the chess pieces on claiming history. It is too weak as it is for a story which couldโ€™ve gone on longer with a stronger backbone and clearcut views from all who have a hand in the loot made from paint.

Grade: C

Close Your Eyes (Spain)

Actor Julio Arenas (Jose Coronado) suddenly disappears from a film set virtually without a trace and is now presumed dead. Twenty years later, his friend and the filmโ€™s director, Miguel, (Manolo Solo) gets invited to a program series looking into the story and sets off on his own search. Contacting Julioโ€™s daughter, his ex-lover, and the filmโ€™s editor, Miguel struggles to trace Julioโ€™s possible whereabouts until an unexpected tip from an unlikely place changes everything.

Fifty years after his sensational debut, The Spirit Of The Beehive, director Victor Erice makes his return thirty years after his last full-length feature. It may have debuted last year at Cannes (and was shortlisted to be Spainโ€™s representative for the Oscar but lost to Society Of The Snow), but Ericeโ€™s return is worth the wait. It is a slowburner, building up the past moments with Miguelโ€™s current state until his sudden discovery, allowing him to finish the movie he started all those years ago. Solo, Coronado, and company each give a piece of their memory in their characters leading up to an emotional conclusion within the power of a single gaze printed on film.

Grade: A-

Queen Of Bones (Canada/USA)

In Depression-era Oregon, a widowed, religious father (Martin Freeman) and his two teenage children (Julia Butters and Jacob Tremblay) live in isolation in the woods. When the children find a book about witchcraft belonging to their dead mother, they start to have questions about her death, who allegedly died after giving birth to them. The two begin to look into it themselves, following the clues and dangerously getting close to the truth while trying to avoid the wrath of their father. It is the family secret that seeks to come out.  

Director Robert Burdeau (Stockholm) taps into the folk horror genre with carefulness, not trying to overdo the supernatural nature of it all. But, it feels too safe and does push for a more terrifying mood and to go in depth with the story. It is two-dimensional when this Gothic story of foreign folklore should easily have been more developed and more connected to the main source within the story to make it even more creepier. The quality reminded me of the 90s Nickelodeon show, Are You Afraid Of The Dark? It just felt somewhat juvenile, not willing to take risks and push those boundaries. 

Grade: C

Op-Ed: ‘Locke’ 10 Years Later

JD Duran
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Op-Ed: ‘Locke’ 10 Years Later

Lockeย is celebrating its 10-year anniversary this year. It’s one of A24’s most underrated movies and features a Tom Hardy that should have been in the Oscar conversation more in 2014. It’s a film that deeply resonated with me at the time, and arguably holds even more power today. There’s something about its simplicity that allows for its writing and central performance to keenly emulate an ideal that almost feels superhero-esque in the modern landscape.ย 

In a world that is deeply divided, Ivan Locke feels like an alien. He’s the poster child of a bygone era, especially in the film world. We so often encounter despicable characters doing despicable things because their outlandishness is cinematic. Looking at you Jordan Belfort. If not despicable, characters that have prickly qualities or a brazen personality. And look, I get it. Who wants to see the simple man who calmly lives his life and seemingly has it put together? Well, not many. Unless you’re Wim Wenders (Perfect Daysย is a masterpiece).ย 

Of course, Ivan doesn’t have it all put together. He isn’t despicable. He’s a far cry from the Jordan Belfort’s of the world. He doesn’t have prickly qualities. No brazen personality. There really isn’t much to him that screams cinematic. He’s a concrete foreman who is highly respected by everyone around him. He’s married with two kids. Everyone seems to be fond of Ivan. On its face, he’s a normal guy with a normal life and a good job. So why are we trapped in this car with him? 

Film doesn’t have to be a barometer of morals and ethics. It’s not there to reflect your politics and fundamental ethos. It’s why characters like Belfort, Henry Hill, Michael Corleone, Amy Dunne and (literally) countless others are still heralded as incredible figures of cinema. We don’t agree with their choices. Our moral compass isn’t aligned. Art doesn’t pander to righteousness. At least, not all of the time. The best characters are infused with great complexity that sways our allegiances with them. But that’s exactly why Ivan Locke stands out.ย 

Instead of lingering in the gray areas, Ivan is an affable person that you probably would love and respect, which is why Hardy’s performance is crucial in the film. He needs to give that credence, and he does so with incredible rigor. Because there comes a point when we learn that Ivan’s life is at a crossroads. On one hand, it’s vividly clear that he loves his family. The conversations he has with his sons are very endearing. But on the other hand, he’s made a mistake. A mistake that many would likely try to run from. An idea that looms heavily given that he’s in the car and driving away as if he’s avoiding something.ย 

However, it becomes clear that Ivan isn’t running away. He’s not hiding or avoiding consequence. In fact, it’s the opposite. He’s running toward the problem. He’s embracing the ramifications of his choices. There are several, rather potent, soliloquies throughout the film where we learn that Ivan’s childhood wasn’t ideal. His father had abandonedย him. Something that clearly shaped his paternal foundations. We see in the car that it still affects him, but for Ivan, his father’s choices are not going to define him as a father, himself. He made a massive error in judgment that put him in this position, but he’s not going to make the same mistake as his father. He is completely and thoroughly owning his mistake. Imagine watching Jordan Belfort or Henry Hill just turn themselves in to the authorities. Bonnie and Clyde taking a detour to the police station and admitting they messed up. Yeah, that just doesn’t happen. In cinema or in real life. But that’s exactly what Ivan does.ย 

It sounds simple. It doesn’t make for the most captivating drama. Yet, there’s something about Ivan risking his job and family to do the right thing, all while helping his co-workers complete a pivotal job (despite being ultimatelyย fired), that feels like an aberration outside of superhero movies. It’s just a movie about a man owning up to his (admittedlyย significant) mistake. And there are consequences. The moments when he tells his family the truth hit with like a sledgehammer. They’re very moving. And look, don’t get me wrong, I’m all for seeing Jake Gyllenhaal rob a bank and steal an ambulance as he runs from cops across LA. It’s just rare; very, very rare, to see the other side of that coin. And personally, I find that extremely refreshing.ย 

10 years later and Locke still carries a potency that I deeply love. It’s one of Hardy’s best to date. It might not have the intense drama of a Martin Scorsese or Steven Spielberg film, but it has the same level of conviction. That, to me, goes a very long way. 

Podcast Review: Rebel Moon

JD Duran
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Podcast Review: Rebel Moon

On this episode, JD and Brendan discuss Zack Snyder’s latest sci-fi spectacle in Rebel Moon! We review both A Child of Fire and The Scaregiver in this conversation. Netflix’s approach to Rebel Moon is severely frustrating for reasons we talk about, especially when you can see seeds of a good movie in there somewhere.

Review: Rebel Moon (4:00)
Director: Zack Snyder
Writers: Zack Snyder, Kurt Johnstad, Shay Hatten
Stars: Sofia Boutella, Djimon Hounsou, Ed Skrein, Michiel Huisman, Doona Bae

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InSession Film Podcast – Rebel Moon

Chasing The Gold: Best Picture Outlook

Zach Youngs
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Chasing The Gold: Best Picture Outlook

Unlike in many other years, 2024 starts with a slate of films that were in Best Picture conversations last year. Films that had solid release dates and critical anticipation were removed from the schedule due to the ongoing strikes of both the Writer’s Guild of America and the Screen Actor’s Guild. That could be to those film’s benefit, though. Production shut down for roughly four months when writers and actors were on strike and many of the films that may have been contenders later this year have had to readjust and may not be ready in time. The late season buzz may have to wait until we can see who makes it to post-production before the year is out. That’s good news for early 2024 releases like Problemista, Challengers, and Dune: Part 2, all of which were considered as part of a possible 2023 slate of nominees. 

It’s tough to say what will survive in the hearts and minds of voters until they cast their ballots at the end of this year. It’s likely that the only one to survive will be the one that can spread itself into a host of other categories. The easiest pick there would be Dune: Part 2, a special effects juggernaut that will likely be competitive in every technical award imaginable. Though, Dune: Part 2 might suffer the same fate as The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.

With the Lord of the Rings trilogy, voters knew that there was going to be a sequel. They knew that the sequel would be made by the same people who made the previous films. They knew that with a capper on a tremendous work that made millions of dollars for their friends, they could award the third film with all the laurels as a sort of, “thanks for the money,” these count for all three movies, type of award. Thus, Dune: Part 2 may be hampered by the fact that there will be a Dune Messiah. It’s unlikely, though, that the Dune franchise has a real endpoint as there were six books in Frank Herbert’s original series, but with his son Brian’s and author Kevin J. Anderson’s additions, there are twenty-three Dune books so far. Eventually that cash cow will dry up, with or without a series capper.

A sequel, even a sequel in a series, or a reboot, reimagining, or spinoff, isn’t what it used to be when it comes to awards voting bodies anymore. In fact we shouldn’t be surprised if either or both Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and Joker: Folie ร  Deux join Dune: Part 2 on the ballot. Both are franchise films that have major pedigrees from their predecessors. They are also films that, love them or hate them, will do major box office and garner conversations about their craft. More on those as they release.

And what a release Civil War has had. As the dust settles and the think pieces become more biting, we’ll see if A24’s pivot toward higher budget filmmaking can be the indie darling studio’s major contender this year. Civil War, though, does have several historical strikes against it. The first is that awards bodies more often than not like their speculative films to have a dark comedy edge, see Don’t Look Up and The Triangle of Sadness. American awards bodies especially may nominate, but they don’t appreciate, an outsider attempting to expose the raw nerve of American Exceptionalism, see Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri. The last strike is that A24 will likely toss much more of their marketing muscle toward their tender prison drama, Sing Sing, which will likely play far better amongst voting bodies.

We’ll now look to Cannes to see what the international set has to offer as they have become far more of a presence in each successive award season since ten Best Picture nominees became the norm. Last year, Anatomy of a Fall went a very long way after its Cannes laurels. There may be something we can’t stop talking about just on the horizon.

Movie Review: ‘Abigail’ is a Bloody, But Delayed Crowdpleaser

Will Bjarnar
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Movie Review: ‘Abigail’ is a Bloody, But Delayed Crowdpleaser

Directors: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gilletti
Writers: Stephen Shields, Guy Busick
Stars: Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens, Alisha Weir

Synopsis: After a group of criminals kidnap the ballerina daughter of a powerful underworld figure, they retreat to an isolated mansion, unaware that they’re locked inside with no normal little girl.

Along with its three free reservations per week, waived online booking fees, rewards system, and snack discounts, an AMC Stubs A List membership also promises a con amidst its many pros: Youโ€™ll have to see the same trailers over and over again. Despite there being plenty of titles to be excited about โ€” especially as we inch closer to a summer season that, while noticeably strike-impacted, remains populated with buzzy must-sees โ€” one can only watch the trailer for A Quiet Place: Day One so many times. Audiences around the world could be heard collectively groaning late last year every time previews for Argylle, Madame Web, and Bob Marley: One Love played in excruciating succession; perhaps itโ€™s no coincidence that those three films are among the worst this year has offered.

Thankfully, the trailer for the third entry in the A Quiet Place saga is relatively wordless, much like its predecessors, so its preview doesnโ€™t reveal too much beyond the Day Oneโ€™s basic prequel setup. The same canโ€™t be said for most horror trailers, partially because itโ€™s hard to get mainstream audiences to buy in on an original genre film without massive stars, and also because the hook for most horror films is the twist. That doesnโ€™t make it any less frustrating when the trailer for Universalโ€™s Speak No Evil, an upcoming remake of a Danish hit from 2022, includes a number of the originalโ€™s most unsettling revelations in its ostensible โ€œpreviewโ€ for a movie filled with twists. Itโ€™s not something youโ€™d clock if you havenโ€™t seen the new filmโ€™s source text, but it may become a cause for irritation once youโ€™ve purchased a ticket.

Such is a common grievance when it comes to Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillettโ€™s Abigail, though Iโ€™m not sure the same sort of criticisms apply. Letโ€™s just get it out of the way: Abigail (Alisha Weir) is a vampire. That โ€œwrinkleโ€ revealed in the filmโ€™s trailer, a terrifying stumper for the band of would-be crooks who thought theyโ€™d merely abducted a 12-year-old ballerina with an uber rich father from whom theyโ€™d demand millions in ransom money. No, this motley crew of criminals, given Rat Pack-inspired nicknames by their boss for the night, Lambert (Giancarlo Esposito), has seemingly been tasked with a chore that is much more ominous than meets the eye. Not only must they keep this preteen alive for 24 hours until her billionaire daddyโ€™s check clears, but they, too, must survive. Not quite the smash-and-grab job they all had in mind.

Sure, the idea of Joey (Melissa Barrera), Frank (Dan Stevens), Sammy (Kathryn Newton), Peter (Kevin Durand), Rickles (Will Catlett), and Dean (the late Angus Cloud) kidnapping a little girl and drinking their way through an evening that will result in the swelling of each of their bank accounts isnโ€™t much of a sell. But there are a few back channels I wish Abigailโ€™s promotional campaign would have considered taking. For one, the soft-if-unsurprising tease that the members of this crew do, indeed, mysteriously killed off, one by one, โ€œmysteriouslyโ€ being the operative word. Sure, an amateur detective likely could have deduced that the titular kidnapee might have something to do with it, but the โ€œhowโ€ doesnโ€™t need to be unveiled so easily. Itโ€™s worth noting that the movieโ€™s big, vampirical reveal doesnโ€™t arrive until itโ€™s one-third of the way over, a choice that undoubtedly works on those unfamiliar with the filmโ€™s ads, but leaves AMCโ€™s most dutiful soldiers wondering, โ€œHey, whenโ€™s this kid gonna bare her fangs?โ€

Part of the problem with this extended prologue is its overly general build-up, one that is frustratingly summarized in a blink-and-youโ€™ll-miss-it monologue from Joey, who pins down the defining characteristics of her fellow conspirators with startling immediacy (Not that the script Barrera is working with does her any favors in this department). Joey ascertains that Frank is a former cop turned corrupt criminal; Sammy is a hacker, but a teenage runaway first and foremost; Peter is all muscle, but his bulk hides an emotionally-stunted interior; Rickles is ex-military, the soulful type; and Dean is a driver, but heโ€™s hardly a pro. Frank does his part by reading Joey like a book, spotting a candy affectation that screams โ€œex-junkie,โ€ and her matronly ways with Abigail, the sign of a mother itching to get the child she abandoned back. We spend so much time on exposition that its feather-light delivery โ€” and its contrived callbacks later in the film โ€” make it all feel a bit wasteful.ย 

Thankfully, the fun is right around the corner, handcuffed in the other room. Once Abigail makes her intentions (and abilities) clear, Abigail delivers on the comedically-gory promises that Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett have been cashing in on ever since 2019โ€™s Ready or Not launched them into this overdone genre hybridโ€™s pantheon. Though the duo, known professionally as โ€œRadio Silenceโ€, started out by contributing to the original V/H/S anthology in 2012, it was Ready or Not that branded them with the reputation for mastering the blend between humor and horror without relying too heavily on either element. Now, for better or for worse, theyโ€™re saddled with it, and while Abigail occasionally seems to be hell-bent on recreating the laughs and scares of Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillettโ€™s 2019 hit โ€” not to mention its hide-and-seek elements โ€” it does just enough to pave a way of its own.

Much of that is due to how game its central players are to take part in its hijinks, even if the schtick inches its way towards being tiresome after a while. Barrera and Stevens, top-billed and thus getting the most time to cook here, are perfectly fine foils for one another; Joeyโ€™s earnest, level temperament contrasts nicely with the brash, albeit grating style of Frankโ€™s alpha mentality. Plus, in addition to their trademark genre-fusion, Abigailโ€™s directing partners have a knack for infusing their heroines with an offscreen arc that narrowly escapes universality, Joeyโ€™s being her aforementioned hopes to rebuild a relationship with her son. Newton and Durand take on their roles in an โ€œOdd Coupleโ€ pairing that goes down with a refreshing zest; imagine Jerry remaining a mouse while Tom took the form of a lion. But itโ€™s Weirโ€™s show, a performance asโ€ฆ well, as campy as mainstream horror tends to offer these days, as if M3GANโ€™s titular robot spent her whole movie twirling around in that hallway.

That a portion of this review turned its attention to the filmโ€™s mismarketing โ€” er, its over-marketing โ€” is no fault of Radio Silence, nor their collaborators. What they have with Abigail is a crowd-pleaser coated in blood and guts, overflowing with likable misfits, and carrying enough emotional weight to interest those less interested in seeing heads roll. What I wish their studio had trusted them to do is another story, similar to the one Bettinelli-Olpin, Gillett, and co. are telling here: Gathering a group of strangers in a dark place with one common goal, only to watch them discover, one by one, and to their surprise, that something sinister is afoot. What a concept.

Grade: C+

Movie Review: ‘Nowhere Special’ is a Masterpiece of Compassion

Nadine Whitney
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Movie Review: ‘Nowhere Special’ is a Masterpiece of Compassion

Director: Uberto Pasolini
Writer: Uberto Pasolini
Stars: James Norton, Daniel Lamont, Carol Moore

Synopsis: When John, a thirty-five-year-old window cleaner, is given only a few months to live, he attempts to find a new, perfect family for his three-year-old son, determined to shield him from the terrible reality of the situation.

Uberto Pasoliniโ€™s Nowhere Special could have fallen into many โ€œpoverty tourismโ€ traps. Yet through sheer sincerity, boundless love, and the strength of community which surrounds John (James Norton) and his precious son Michael (Daniel Lamont), the film makes every tear shed a diamond.

John is a window washer and single father. His life is looking into worlds he has no access to. Apartments he could never afford. Shops filled with goods which are beyond his financial reach. Most significantly, a kind of life he is trying to imagine for his four-year-old son. John is only thirty-four, but he is dying of an aggressive brain stem cancer. A child of foster homes himself and without family, he is Michaelโ€™s entire world. And soon he will be gone.

Photo Credit: Cohen Media Group

Nowhere Special takes place over the space of approximately eight weeks. Johnโ€™s sudden diagnosis and circumstances pushed him to the front of the line with social services and the foster and adoption system in Belfast. He needs to find Michael a home โ€” a forever home, ideally with two parents. John wants what he didnโ€™t have, an opportunity for a better life. While that is essentially what many parents wish for their children, they donโ€™t have a clock ticking forcing them to make what they perceive as life altering decisions for their child.

The focus is on Johnโ€™s relationship with Michael โ€” played with a naturalism which proves that James Norton and Daniel Lamont formed a bond during filming which carries over onto the screen. Never for a moment does the audience doubt that the pair are father and son. John is tender, emotionally present, and filled with pride for his boy. He is also getting increasingly weak and although he is trying to hide his illness from Michael, he is aware that the sensitive youngster is acting out because he knows something isnโ€™t right.

Over a series of meetings in which social worker Shona (Eileen O’Higgins) acts as a quiet intermediary, John introduces Michael to potential adoptive parents. From a well-to-do couple who could provide Michael with a grand house and private education, to working class people who feel they have room in their hearts and homes for a child. John is dragging his feet on making a decision because he believed he would be able to distinguish almost immediately who the right people would be. Is it the blended family with a raucous household filled with other adopted and fostered children? Or is it a single woman, Ella (Valerie O’Connor) who was forced to give up her own baby at the age of sixteen and due to complications with that pregnancy was unable to have another child?

As much as John feels he is carrying the sole  burden of choice for Michael, he is not left alone to emotionally deal with what his impending death means. His elderly friend Rosemary (Stella McCusker) speaks of her own grief in losing her husband of fifty years. Her wisdom about how we are never truly without the ones we love when they are gone gives John the vocabulary to speak to Michael about what is happening. 

Photo Credit: Cohen Media Group

Trying to balance the toughness of his upbringing with the tenderness he feels for Michael, John believes that when he breaks down with exhaustion, grief, and frustration he has failed. Rosemary reminds him, โ€œThatโ€™s not weakness, my angel, itโ€™s love.โ€

When anyone asks John what he would like Michael to remember of him he baulks at the question. His answers range from โ€œIโ€™m just a window cleaner,โ€ to โ€œI created him but robbed him of a family.โ€ Michaelโ€™s birth mother left to return to Russia months after he was born leaving no forwarding address. In Johnโ€™s mind, he doesnโ€™t want Michael to remember him at all. To do so would mean Michael would have to confront the kind of continual abandonment John felt through his life. 

Uberto Pasoliniโ€™s screenplay and direction eschews cheap and manipulative sentiment. John and Michaelโ€™s small house is already a shrine to their love for each other. On almost every wall Michaelโ€™s art takes pride of place. Michael mirrors his father. Drawing texta tattoos on his skin to be like Dad. Bedtime reading, discussions of puppies, a birthday party just for two, cutting grapes so they will be exactly right, a temper tantrum about the wrong pajamas, a child quietly and instinctively nursing his father. Laughter and adoration create a halo of warmth.

James Norton is an under-the-radar talent, and Nowhere Special proves his versatility and commitment to imbuing the right role with exactly what is required to make the character unforgettable. Every time the camera moves to Johnโ€™s point of view, the audience experiences his own grief. John is angry he is dying because he will not be there to watch his son grow. Every family he sees, often through windows, has time โ€” the one commodity no one can buy nor bank. 

Daniel Lamont as Michael is a revelation. Films about the relationship between child and parent often live or die on the performance of the child in question. Danielโ€™s rapport with James is perfect. Danielโ€™s eyes searching for answers but also hiding from them are once again windows into an infinite world โ€” that of what a small boy knows.

Ably supported by Oโ€™Higgins, McCusker, and Oโ€™Connor; Norton and Lamont are placed inside a drama which doesnโ€™t shy from just how arbitrary and unfair life can be. Despite the melancholy of the situation, Nowhere Special is celebrating the people whose contributions to a life, or lives, are filled with kindness. There are people who leave little behind but blurred and sometimes bad memories โ€” but there are also those who continue to exist in the air, the water, the sun which warms you, or an evocative sense memory.

Nowhere Special is a masterpiece. Pasolini along with his cast and crew earn every moment of investment in John and Michaelโ€™s story. A profoundly compassionate film which is both heartbreaking and hopeful.

Grade: A+

Episode 582: Blockbusters That Still Hold Up

JD Duran
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Episode 582: Blockbusters That Still Hold Up

This weekโ€™s episode is brought to you by Libsyn. Get two months for free with the code: ISF

This week on the InSession Film Podcast, we talk about the blockbuster movies that still hold up extremely well after all these years! We also give our thoughts on the trailers for Trap and Hit Man. And finally, we have a new Movie Series to announce!

Check out this weekโ€™s show and let us know what you think in the comment section. Thanks for listening and for supporting the InSession Film Podcast!

– Movie Series Announcement / A24 Draft Results (12:00)
After some fun discussion about Zack Snyder, 300 and some recent Twitter debate, we begin the show with a fun announcement as we’ve finally decided on our new Movie Series that we will begin next week. It’s going to be a long ride, but we are very excited to dive into it and talk about some great movies. In this segment, we also reveal the results of our A24 Draft from last week, which was a lot of fun.

– Trap / Hit Man Trailers (28:18)
M. Night Shyamalan has had one of the most fascinating careers in modern filmmaking. With three distinct phases, his current work has been utterly fascinating. So, yeah, we we’re very excited to see the trailer for Trap and it did not disappoint. We are here for the both the M. Night and Josh Hartnett Renaissance. We are also big fans of Richard Linklater and Glen Powell, so of course we also had to dive into the trailer (and poster) for their latest collaboration in Hit Man.

RELATED: Listen to Episode 516 of the InSession Film Podcast where we discussed our Top 10 Movies of 2023!

– Blockbusters (57:41)
Recently we talked about Michael Bay and why his films resonate more these days than when they first came out, and with the re-release of The Mummy coming to theaters, we figured it would be fun to look back at the history of the blockbuster and discuss which films still hold up extremely well. We didn’t have time to talk about everything we wanted to, but it was a really fun conversation (thus you’ll have to forgive the length of the show).ย 

– Music
Pirates Theme – Klaus Badelt
Spider-Man – Danny Elfman

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InSession Film Podcast – Episode 582

Next week on the show:

Best Picture Movie Series: Rebecca

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Chasing the Gold: Will Dev Patel Carve his Best Actor nomination in Blood?

Jaylan Salah
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Chasing the Gold: Will Dev Patel Carve his Best Actor nomination in Blood?

I still remember the first day I watched Kickboxer. I was 10, back from a day on the beach with my family after unbearable cramps and unpredictable Alexandria weather. That night, Kickboxer was on TV, my motherโ€™s all-time favorite. I sat through the whole thing, mesmerized, heart pounding, body shaking with hunger and intense (childish) desire as Van Damme kicked Thai Pads and banana trees with his shins, doing a deep split to a full extent. Having coconuts dropped on his stomach, sticks swung at his face, and praying in the temple, finding his spirit animal. When it was time for the final in-ring fight, my feelings heightened as the fiery fight scenes reached a culmination, and thenโ€ฆboom! Van Damme won and I got my first period. Talk about a rite of passage.

As a film critic always searching for that feeling, wanting to capture and relive it again for the first time, itโ€™s always difficult to find it in todayโ€™s elusive filmmaking scene. With Van Damme on screen, fighting and flexing his muscles, moving his limbs underwater, and raising his pain tolerance, it didnโ€™t feel like I enjoyed Van Dammeโ€™s performance or had a crush on him, I wanted to be him. I wanted to have that body that you could use to crush your enemies or get hit by a blunt object, then emerge unharmed, whole, and powerful.

It wasnโ€™t until I watched Monkey Man directed and starring a bloody-knuckled, grimy, and angry Dev Patel, that I realized, โ€œThatโ€™s Kickboxer on steroids because, unlike JCVD, Dev Patel is a great actor.โ€

Monkey Man is an action-packed, bloody, revenge tale; a man takes matters into his own hands, exerting punishment on the elites of the city. Itโ€™s The Punisher meets Kickboxer, with a touch of that Slumdog Millionaire vibe that must have influenced Patel subconsciously at some point. Instead of glamorizing and romanticizing the fight, Patel brings viewers to the gritty, sloppy, dirty, and messy background of the violence in the ring. Fightersโ€™ hands shake and they spit their teeth. Their bodies, though glistening with sweat, are also covered in sand and grossness. But Dev Patelโ€™s eyes are feral. Thereโ€™s not a hint of docility or warmth in them. As his eyes are accentuated by black kohl, his body revels in the grease and bruises of the fight. Then, magic happens and I am immediately transported to that time when I was watching Kickboxer for the first time.

As the movie progresses, I want more. I am cheering on Patel to receive and inflict pain, to be flushed and drenched in it, and soothed by the gravity of its intensity. No modern action film has brought me to the chaotic, somewhat flawed intensity of the heydays of โ€˜90s action movies like this one. Patel is both potent in the monkey mask and without it. Since heโ€™s the director as well, he knows exactly the keys to his performance, how detailed it is, and how he can pull all the threads to bring out the best in Kid, the main character. As if the god of vengeance transcends the power to him and he yields it to his benefit in every possible way.

Patel took me on a thrill ride of wanting to be Kid/Bobby the Bleach master. I wanted to be Monkey Man, getting beat up but also crushing enemies and plotting to sabotage their empires built on blood and corruption. Steering the wheel himself as director of the film, Patel allows himself the creative liberty to exist in every form of a man tormented by poverty, trauma, and ambition. He has become his own Bruce Lee and his version is layered with multiple acting chops and influences thrown around.

Will Patelโ€™s performance garner award nominations? It would be too early to judge although his performance is no less deserving than many other actors who have garnered more attention whether in this lukewarm season or earlier award seasons.

What stands in the way of Patelโ€™s nomination are two things: first, he is not White, and there is no argument that White performers are granted better exposure and better award recognition, even if lately things have been more optimistic and inclusive. Second, this is an action movie, even if it is more of a bloody, revenge drama, but it is still an action movie and the prestigious award institutes and entities have been less than kind to action films in the acting categories. Action stars or even serious -and I use that term loosely- dramatic actors who venture into action film territory are rarely rewarded for their performances, even deserving ones. 

But that doesnโ€™t take away from the greatness and the depth of his performance. If it were for me in a somewhat sleeper-hit season, Dev Patel would be my first Best Lead Actor award contender.

Movie Review: ‘The Old Oak’ Stands Strong and Provides Hope

Nadine Whitney
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Movie Review: ‘The Old Oak’ Stands Strong and Provides Hope

Director: Ken Loach
Writer: Paul Laverty
Stars: Dave Turner, Elba Mari, Claire Rodgerson

Synopsis: The future for the last remaining pub, The Old Oak, in a village of Northeast England, where people are leaving the land as the mines are closed. Houses are cheap and available, thus making it an ideal location for Syrian refugees.

Ken Loach is the United Kingdomโ€™s most steadfast social realist. He is, at his core, the master of documenting the working class. He understands their contradictions, their fear, and their material and psychological oppression. His position has always been that being poor is not a moral failure but being cruel is. The Old Oak is a distillation of his decades-long themes. 

Set in a Durham mining town which has suffered years of neglect from the powers that be, the film explores blue-collar xenophobia. A Brexit Tory driven divided kingdom where people donโ€™t know where to direct their resentment, disappointment, and social disenfranchisement.

When a group of Syrian refugees are housed in the town it creates a schism between the โ€œlocalsโ€ and the newcomers. The site of the battleground is TJ Ballantyneโ€™s (Dave Turner) pub โ€“ The Old Oak and itโ€™s also social media. Ken Loach and his regular collaborator Paul Laverty send out an ardent plea for empathy and openness.

It is 2016 and already the country is divided by the upcoming referendum. The film begins with angry voices โ€“ and via Robbie Ryanโ€™s incredible cinematography, photographs of the people who are yelling. They are pounding at the windows of a bus wherein a group of traumatized and exhausted refugees are being dropped off to their new homes. The photographs are being taken by Yara (Ebla Mari) who, with her mother and three siblings, has made it out of the camps and has finally been granted asylum in the United Kingdom.

The rabble are shouting โ€œYou ragheads, you shot my mate in Iraq.โ€ For the Durham locals the Middle East is a monoculture. Syria supported Iran at the time which tangentially made them allies to Britain. Their knowledge of the oppression faced by people under Bashar al-Assad is limited. For a mining town that has been perpetually screwed over by the Tories, and where many people live below the poverty line, solidarity is less important than when they will be able to buy a steak.

The Old Oak is the last public house. In many ways it is the final remnant of a dying community. Due to unscrupulous overseas investment conglomerates buying up the houses, the generational families are trapped in their terraces. There is little to no work and people canโ€™t sell up and leave. They are victims of economic and social neglect. People who have known each other all their lives are fighting each other for scraps โ€“ and no one is winning. What they worked for so they would be secure has become a prison.

TJ is at heart a good man, but he is defeated and no longer brave. He has made mistakes, mostly stemming from increased depression and emotional absence. He lost his father to an offshore accident. His mother is gone. His wife and son are gone and although he loves his lad, he is hated by him. Friends have left. The only thing that keeps him going is the routine of caring for his beloved dog who rescued him in a time of desperation.

When Yara enters his life with her clear eyes and silent pain, he sees a kindred soul. Her camera was broken that first day by a hooligan and she needs to get it fixed. Not replaced but fixed. TJ realizes it has a particular meaning to her. It is the last thing she has of her father who was swept up by the secret police. He allows her into the closed off back room of the pub which was once the social and political hub for the miners and their families but has since fallen into disrepair.

Inside, there are pictures covering the history of the community. From the Easington Colliery tragedy to the 1984-1985 minerโ€™s strike where everyone rallied together to ensure they could down tools and survive with no income. โ€œWhen you eat together, you stick togetherโ€ is a motto on the wall written by TJโ€™s mum. The principles died as the mine closed. Yara and TJ tentatively share their own โ€œwar stories.โ€ TJ realizes that, along with his friend Laura (Claire Rodgerson) and his bartender Maggie (Jen Patterson), the pair can bring people together under the auspices of โ€œSolidarity, not charity.โ€

However, in doing so TJ will risk estranging his regulars. If he loses the pub, he has nothing. TJ sees the grace that the Syrian community bring and their generosity considering they have nothing beyond a few cobbled together items they were able to keep while in the camps and charity donations he helps Laura deliver. Adversity taught them to share. Adversity has taught TJ to say โ€œnowt.โ€

Little by little, members of the community embrace Yara with her honest concern for others. She helps Linda (Ruby Bratton), a pre-teen who is at risk of delinquency. Linda is mouthy and putting up a good front, but her home life is a shambles. When Linda passes out from hunger Yara takes her to her house. She is shocked to see that there is nothing in the cupboard and Lindaโ€™s diet is packets of crisps and cheap candy. 

There are stalwarts who refuse to interact with Yara and the refugees. They are the drunken and nasty Vic (Chris McGlade), Eddy, Garry, and Charlie (Trevor Fox) โ€“ his friend since childhood. Charlie and TJ were โ€œmarraโ€ (the mining term for the one who will forever have your back and ensure your safety). TJ has become the butt of jokes from Vic and the others, and he is watching Charlie airing his legitimate concerns about his future and that of his sick wife turn into group-think hatred. 

When TJ decides to not open the back room for them to hold a community meeting about how they feel their town has become a dumping ground for what the toffs in Chelsea donโ€™t want to look at โ€“ he makes a mistake. In their minds, he has turned traitor.

The fatal mauling of his little scrappy mutt, unexpectedly named Marra, reopens up his deep well of grief. Yara and Fatima (Anna Al Ali) bring him food. โ€œSometimes there is no need for words. Only food.โ€ He feels ashamed. โ€œThere is no shame in loss, Mr. Ballantyne. We understand loss.โ€

Everyone in the film understands loss of some kind. A loss of confidence, connection, culture, and dignity. The people of the forgotten town have become beggars in their own country. When the spark of alliance reignites through a blending of the two communities via sustenance it is snuffed out by antipathy.

TJ takes Yara to Durham Cathedral โ€“ a wonder of Norman architecture and a farrago of evolving styles. The hymns of William Byrd and Thomas Tallis echo โ€“ and TJ explains just a small part of the history of the cathedral, a history which was created by the hands of stonemasons. Yara talks about the loss of her countryโ€™s history to ceaseless wars and occupations. Syria is nestled in the ancient cradle of civilization โ€“ โ€œBuilt by the Romans, destroyed by the regime. When I see a place like this, I feel hope. When the world does nothing, that’s when the regime wins. It takes strength to hope. It takes faith to hope. I have a friend who calls hope obscene. Maybe sheโ€™s right. But if I stop hoping my heart will stop beating.โ€

Yaraโ€™s hope is her photographs. She documents the people of the village and shows that they are worthy of being seen. She shows images of Syria accompanied by music written and performed by Saied Silback. It is a moment of cinematic reflection from Loach whose films have seen him politically blacklisted in certain places or winning Palme Dโ€™ors and career honorariums.

 

Loach is a proletarian filmmaker who chooses non-professional actors to populate many of his films. He gets to street level in his contemporary work. By filming in real locations he has created an archive where the unseen are seen.

The Syrians honor  their new neighbors by creating an intricate Minerโ€™s Banner combining their heritages โ€“ the town is healing until a betrayal brings it tumbling down. TJ feels he has let people down by making promises he couldnโ€™t keep. But it wasnโ€™t him that broke the trust. A conversation TJ has with Charlie gets straight to the point. โ€œWhenever our life goes to shit, we never look up, we only look down. Blame the poor bastards beneath us. Itโ€™s always their fault. That makes it easier to stamp on the poor bastardsโ€™ faces, doesnโ€™t it?โ€

Yet, The Old Oak chooses not to judge the people but the system. Despite the misinformation and hatred being amplified in online echo chambers, there is offline shared humanity. There is camaraderie born out of looking into the eyes of people who are targets of mistrust and hatred and changing the point of view. Molly (Michelle Bell) goes from chasing Yara out of her home, to introducing her to women at a hair salon where she photographs the clients. Bashir (Yazan Al Sheteiwi), who was cruelly beaten at school where Max (Alex White) was a bystander, ensures the penitent lad has food from the Old Oak dining room. 

At eighty-seven The Old Oak is expected to be Loachโ€™s last film and completes a loose trilogy containing I, Daniel Blake and Sorry We Missed You. The Old Oak uses dialogue and stories given to Laverty and Loach and showcases a version of the Durham Miners Gala where the insults that opened the film convert into pride filled cheers. 


The final signatures on Loachโ€™s long petition for betterment are bold. Hope is not obscene. Hope is what will keep the heart of the United Kingdom beating. Shukran, comrade Loach. The Old Oak is an acorn seeding united growth.

Grade: A

Chasing the Gold: Tribeca 2024 Lineup Announcement

Alex Papaioannou
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Chasing the Gold: Tribeca 2024 Lineup Announcement

The 2024 Tribeca Festival is nearly upon us, but before that glorious week where cinema takes over lower Manhattan, the festival has released their exciting Film lineup. Running from June 5โ€“16, the lineup this year offers a wide variety of films from 48 countries, 30 first-time filmmakers, and 86 world premieres. Part of what makes Tribeca Festivalโ€™s Film lineup so enticing for me is the palpable hunger you can feel come off the screen with every new filmmaker. With so many debut films, walking into each screening feels like thereโ€™s potential to discover the next great up-and-coming writer/director/actor/etc. But of course, thereโ€™s also plenty of legends that attend the festival as well.

Thereโ€™s names like Elsie Fisher, Julio Torres, and Sarah Sherman attached to animated feature Boys Go to Jupiter or Michael Cera, Michael Angarano, Maya Erskine and Kristen Stewart in Sacramento. Even the legendary power-couple of Amal and George Clooney will be attending in celebration of the documentary, The Cranes Call. From there, the names just keep on going: Oscar-nominated Lily Gladstone (Jazzy), Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn (Daddio), Neil Patrick Harris, Mike Birbiglia, and Tig Notaro (Group Therapy), Demi Moore, Ally Sheedy, Rob Lowe, Molly Ringwald, and Lea Thompson (BRATS), and so much more. And to kick things off, the world premiere of Diane von Furstenberg: Woman in Charge features appearances from Oprah Winfrey, Marc Jacobs, Hillary Rodham Clinton, and countless fashion icons. When discussing the lineup, Tribeca Festival Director and SVP of Programming Cara Cusumano stated โ€œour incredible filmmaking community delivered again with some of the most surprising, inspiring, hilarious, galvanizing, boundary-breaking, and downright entertaining work weโ€™ve had the privilege to feature at the festival.โ€ In short, this is a lineup of 103 films to absolutely keep your eyes on as the festival rapidly approaches. And to make it easier for our readers, you can see the full lineup below. All synopses have been provided by the festival.

U.S. NARRATIVE COMPETITION

Discover breakout independent voices from around the country as these extraordinary world premieres compete for honors in Tribeca’s U.S. Narrative Competition.

Adult Best Friends (United States) – World Premiere. Inseparable since childhood, levelheaded Katie takes her codependent best friend Delaney on a girlsโ€™ trip to break the news that she is getting married. Things do not go as planned. Directed by Delaney Buffett. Written by Katie Corwin, Delaney Buffett. Produced by Marie Nikolova, Delaney Buffett. With Katie Corwin, Delaney Buffett, Zachary Quinto, Cazzie David.

Bitterroot, (United States) – World Premiere. Reeling from a failed marriage and in need of comfort and a new perspective, a middle aged man returns home to take care of his aging mother within the deceptively tranquil landscape of rural Montana. Directed and written by Vera Brunner-Sung. Produced by Ki Jin Kim, Kazua Melissa Vang, Yeej. With Wa Yang, Qu Kue, April Charlo, Gia Vang.

The French Italian, (United States) – World Premiere. A prank on an annoying neighbor escalates to ridiculous heights in this quietly absurd comedy set in the dog-eat-dog world of New York City apartment politics. Directed and written by Rachel Wolther. Produced by Miranda Kahn. With Catherine Cohen, Aristotle Athari, Chloe Cherry, Ruby McCollister.

Griffin in Summer, (United States) – World Premiere. In this coming-of-age comedy, a fourteen-year-old wannabe playwright becomes enamored with a local handyman over the course of summer vacation. Directed and written by Nicholas Colia. Produced by Juliet Berman, Camila Mendes, Rachel Matthews. With Everett Blunck, Melanie Lynskey, Owen Teague, Kathryn Newton.

Jazzy, (United States) – World Premiere. In the follow up to her award-winning film The Unknown Country, filmmaker Morrisa Maltz captures the joys and heartbreaks of childhood friendship as young Jazzy navigates the challenges of growing up on the Oglala Lakota reservation in South Dakota. โ€‹โ€‹Directed by Morrisa Maltz. Written by Morrisa Maltz, Vanara Taing, Lainey Bearkiller Shangreaux, Andrew Hajek. Produced by Miranda Bailey, John Way, Natalie Whalen. With Jasmine Bearkiller Shangreaux, Syriah Fool Head Means, Raymond Lee, Lily Gladstone.

The Knife, (United States) – World Premiere. After the mysterious appearance of a stranger in their home, a young Black family must deal with the fallout of their choices, big and small, as a steadfast detective tries to crack the case over the course of one fateful night. โ€‹โ€‹Directed by Nnamdi Asomugha. Written by Nnamdi Asomugha, Mark Duplass. Produced by Nnamdi Asomugha, Mark Duplass, Jonathan Baker. With Nnamdi Asomugha, Melissa Leo, Aja Naomi King, Manny Jacinto.

The Other, Gold, (United States) – World Premiere. At the end of the day, sometimes an old friend and a bowl of ramen are as good as gold. For one Black TV writer, this is just the beginning as she battles grief and โ€˜pandemicโ€™ isolation in Little Tokyo while seeking to rekindle her bond with a former BFF. โ€‹โ€‹Directed by Sharaรฉ Nikai, David Lassiter. Written and produced by Sharaรฉ Nikai. With Sharaรฉ Nikai, Krista Marie Yu, Amin Joseph, Crystal Lee Brown.

Rent Free, (United States) – World Premiere. This freewheeling comedy follows down-on-their-luck Gen Z best friends Ben and Jordan as they mooch off of their friendsโ€™ and acquaintancesโ€™ hospitality, all while grappling with love, heartbreak and awkward flings. The filmโ€™s effortless humor brings forth a fresh exploration on queer male friendship. Directed by Fernando Andrรฉs. Written by Fernando Andrรฉs, Tyler Rugh. Produced by Fernando Andrรฉs, Jacob Roberts, Temple Baker. With Jacob Roberts, David Treviรฑo, Molly Edelman, Neal Mulani.

Sacramento, (United States) – World Premiere. When free-spirited Ricky suddenly reappears in father-to-be Glennโ€™s life, the two former best friends embark on a spontaneous road trip from LA to Sacramento in Michael Angaranoโ€™s original take on the buddy comedy. Directed by Michael Angarano. Written and produced by Chris Smith, Michael Angarano. Produced by Stephen Braun, Chris Abernathy, Eric Fleischman. With Michael Cera, Michael Angarano, Maya Erskine, Kristen Stewart.

Vulcanizadora, (United States) – World Premiere. In this intense tale from provocateur Joel Potrykus, two friends embark on a disturbing mission in the Michigan woods. When their plan unravels, one must face the surreal and unsettling consequences back home. Directed and written by Joel Potrykus. Produced by Ashley Potrykus, Hannah Dweck, Matt Grady. With Joshua Burge, Joel Potrykus, Bill Vincent, Solo Potrykus.

DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION

Experience the cinema of reality with these remarkable non-fiction premieres sure to make waves in the coming year.

Antidote (UK) – World Premiere. With extraordinary access and urgent storytelling, Antidote anchors its timely narrative on whistleblowers and activists who have worked to uncover Vladimir Putinโ€™s deadly regime โ€” and are now facing dangerous and fatal consequences for their courageous actions. โ€‹โ€‹Directed and produced by James Jones.

Bad Actor: A Hollywood Ponzi Scheme (United States) – World Premiere. Wannabe actor Zachary Horwitz was desperate to make it big as a movie star. The only thing stopping him was talent. Bad Actor: A Hollywood Ponzi Scheme is a juicy true story about deception, denial, and the seductive promise of fame and fortune. Directed by Joslyn Jensen. Produced by Ted Speaker, Dan O’Meara, Matthew Cherchio.

Checkpoint Zoo (Ukraine, United States) – World Premiere. After the Russian invasion, thousands of animals were trapped behind enemy lines at the zoo in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Running out of food and water while facing constant peril from Russian bombs, a heroic team of zookeepers and volunteers undertake a daring rescue. Directed and produced by Joshua Zeman. Produced by Zachary Mortensen, Ian Davies, Torquil Jones.

The Debutantes (United States) – World Premiere. Focusing on the first group of Black debutantes in Canton, Ohio in over a decade, this documentary follows the young women as they unpack the ballโ€™s troubled legacy and chart their path forward, both for tradition and themselves. Directed and produced by Contessa Gayles. Produced by Alyse Shorland, Jannat Gargi, Molly Oโ€™Brien.

DRIVER (United States) – World Premiere. DRIVER is a soulful exploration of resolute female long-haul truck drivers pursuing validation for their hard-earned work as they navigate the oppressive forces in their industry. Employing an intimate lens, Nesa Azimiโ€™s first feature brings the audience into a community of solidarity and self-determination. Directed by Nesa Azimi. Produced by Nesa Azimi, Ines Hofmann Kanna, Nicolas Borel.

Hacking Hate (Sweden, Denmark, Norway) – World Premiere. Simon Kloseโ€™s kinetic and socially-pressing documentary follows award-winning Swedish journalist My Vingren as she goes undercover online as a white supremacist in order to expose a network of neo-Nazis and far-right organizations that are viciously fostering hate speech and extremism on a global scale. Directed by Simon Klose. Produced by Elin Kamlert.

Made in Ethiopia (United States, Ethiopia, Denmark, UK, Canada, South Korea) – World Premiere. Made in Ethiopia examines Chinaโ€™s increasing impact on Africa through the story of charismatic businesswomen Motto, who is tasked with launching the biggest Chinese industrial zone in Ethiopia. Directed by Xinyan Yu, Max Duncan. Produced by Tamara Dawit, Max Duncan, Xinyan Yu.

New Wave (United States) – World Premiere. With depth and emotional resonance, Elizabeth Aiโ€™s lively first feature is both an endearingly nostalgic exploration of the defiant Vietnamese new wave music scene, as well as a vulnerable and personal look at the filmmaker and her communityโ€™s revisiting of their unexamined past. Directed by Elizabeth Ai. Produced by Elizabeth Ai, Rachel Sine.

Pirรณpolis (Chile) – World Premiere. Nicolรกs Molinaโ€™s visually astounding Pirรณpolis drops the viewer in the fiery port city of Valparaรญso, Chile and observes a pack of determined volunteer firefighters as they band together to combat turbulent wildfires ravaging the city. Directed by Nicolรกs Molina. Produced by Josรฉphine Schroeder, Francisca Barraza.

Quad Gods (United States) – World Premiere. As the worldโ€™s first all quadriplegic esports gaming team, the Quad Gods are fierce competitors in this captivating story that challenges assumptions about disability, and spotlights the restorative power of resilience, passion and found community. Directed by Jess Jacklin. Produced by Johnny Fego, Jess Jacklin.

Sabbath Queen (United States) – World Premiere. Sabbath Queen is a remarkable 20 year journey in the life of Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie, a 39th generation Orthodox rabbi โ€” and drag queen. Directed and produced by Sandi DuBowski.

Shelf Life (United States) – World Premiere. Quirky and contemplative, this delectable documentary takes us on a surprising global odyssey into the world of cheese, drawing unexpected parallels between the aging of cheese and the human experience of growing old. Directed by Ian Cheney. Produced by Robyn Metcalfe.

INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE COMPETITION

The New-York based Festival breaks its geographical boundaries with the International Narrative Competition, welcoming filmmakers from abroad to join a global platform for contemporary world cinema.

Bikechess (Kazakhstan) – World Premiere. As Dina, a Kazakh journalist, finds herself disenchanted with reporting inane government initiatives, she balances supporting her activist lesbian sister while navigating a relationship with her married cameraman. Directed and written by Assel Aushakimova. Produced by Antoine Simkine, Almagul Tleukhanova, Christian Fredrik Martin. With Saltanat Nauruz, Assel Abdimavlenova, Shyngys Beibituly, Duisenbek Sydykbekov.

The Dog Thief (Bolivia, Chile, Mexico, Ecuador, France, Italy) – World Premiere. Martรญn, an orphan who works as a shoeshine boy, decides to steal the dog of his best client, a lonely tailor he has begun to imagine is his father. Directed and written by Vinko Tomiฤiฤ‡ Salinas. Produced by รlvaro Manzano Zambrana. With Alfredo Castro, Franklin Aro, Teresa Ruiz, Marรญa Luque.

Donโ€™t You Let Me Go (Uruguay) – World Premiere. Adela has just lost her best friend, Elena, so she boards a magic bus back in time to spend one last beautiful weekend with Elena in a house by the beach. Directed and written by Ana Guevara, Leticia Jorge. Produced by Agustina Chiarino. With Chiara Hourcade, Victoria Jorge, Eva Dans.

Eternal Playground  (France) – World Premiere. Itโ€™s the last day of school in Paris and most of first-year music teacher Gaspardโ€™s colleagues are thinking about vacation. But, Gaspard is surreptitiously planning a weekend sleepover in the school with his childhood crew to honor his recently departed twin sister. Directed and written by Pablo Cotten, Joseph Rozรฉ. Produced by Antoine Playoust, Martin Playoust, Nicolas Tzipine. With Andranic Manet, Alassane Diong, Carla Audebaud, Alba-Gaรฏa Bellugi.

Family Therapy (Slovenia, Italy, Norway, Croatia, Serbia) – World Premiere. A nouveau riche family finds their life of detached superiority upended when the patriarchโ€™s son from another relationship arrives at the family home, revealing cracks in their staid faรงade. Directed and written by Sonja Prosenc. Produced by Rok Seฤen. With Mila Bezjak, Aliocha Schneider, Marko Mandiฤ‡, Katarina Stegnar.

Hunters on a White Field (Sweden) – International Premiere. Three men go on a hunting trip deep in the Swedish forest. Things start well, but one day all the animals vanish and the forest turns eerily quiet, leaving the men alone as they insist the hunt must continue. Directed and written by Sarah Gyllenstierna. Produced by Maria Larsson Guerpillon, Charlotte Most. With Ardalan Esmaili, Magnus Krepper, Jens Hultรฉn.

Samia (Germany) – World Premiere. Raised in a Somalia torn asunder by civil war and extremists increasingly gaining a foothold, Samia Yusuf Omar, an assertive, independent young woman, fights to realize her dream of becoming an Olympic athlete. Directed by Yasemin ลžamdereli. Written by Yasemin ลžamdereli, Nesrin ลžamdereli, Giuseppe Catozzella. Produced by Simone Catania, Dietmar Gรผntsche, Anja Karina Richter. With llham Mohamed Osman, Fathia Mohamed Absie, Fatah Ghedi, Elmi Rashid Elmi.

Some Rain Must Fall (Singapore) – North American Premiere. Mother and housewife Cai thought having a family was everything, but when she inadvertently injures the grandmother of one of her daughterโ€™s less privileged teammates, her supposedly perfect life descends into chaos. Directed and written by Qiu Yang. Produced by Edmond Yang. With Yu Aier, Di Shike, Wei Yibo, Xu Tianyi.

Swimming Home (UK, Greece, Netherlands, Brazil) – North American Premiere. The presence of a mysterious houseguest exposes subtle fractures in the marriage between a poet and a war correspondent in this sexy, languid drama set on the stunning, sun-baked Mediterranean coast. Directed and written by Justin Anderson. Produced by Emily Morgan, Andy Starke, Giorgos Karnavas. With Christopher Abbott, Mackenzie Davis, Ariane Labed, Nadine Labaki.

Under the Grey Sky  (Poland) – North American Premiere. Based on true events, a Belarusian journalist is arrested after covertly livestreaming brutal government crackdowns on peaceful demonstrators following rigged elections. Her husband, refusing to leave her, also faces recriminations from a regime determined to break them both. Directed and written by Mara Tamkovich. Produced by Katarzyna Ocioszynska. With Aliaksandra Vaitsekhovich, Valentin Novopolskij.

SPOTLIGHT+

Tribeca’s unique Spotlight+ events bring the film experience off the screen with live events, performances, and conversations after each screening.

Bam Bam: The Sister Nancy Story (Canada) – World Premiere. For decades the iconic track โ€œBam Bamโ€ has been a sampled darling within the music industry, creating many new stars along the way. But what do we know of its legendary creator? From Kingston to the world, witness the transcendent stylings and legacy of Sister Nancy. Directed by Alison Duke. Produced by Alison Duke, Ngardy Conteh George.

After the Movie: Special performance by Sister Nancy with DJ Gravy.

BRATS (United States) – World Premiere. Actor/director/writer Andrew McCarthy crisscrosses the country reconnecting with fellow Brat-Packers like Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, Ally Sheedy, Emilio Estevez, and more to reflect on what it meant to be in the Brat Pack and how the label impacted their lives, personally and professionally. Directed by Andrew McCarthy. Produced by Adrian Buitenhuis, Derik Murray. An ABC News Studios Release.

After the Movie: Panel to follow featuring director Andrew McCarthy, other members of the cast, and surprise guests.

Desire: The Carl Craig Story  (Switzerland, UK) – World Premiere. At once a portrait of techno producer Carl Craig and a love letter to his city of Detroit, Desire: The Carl Craig Story lays out the vast backdrop of artists and venues who played a part in the rise of Craigโ€™s massive, genre-defying career. Directed by Jean-Cosme Delaloye. Produced by Dan Wechsler, Andreas Roald.

After the Movie: Post premiere musical selection by Carl Craig.

Following Harry  (United States) – World Premiere. Featuring Harry Belafonte, Aja Monet, Aloe Blacc, and Jesse Williams, Following Harry explores the life and legacy of cultural and civil rights icon Harry Belafonte through the stories of those artists and activists carrying on his lifeโ€™s work dedicated to social justice. Directed by Susanne Rostock. Produced by Frankie Nasso, Edward Zeng, Susanne Rostock.

After the Movie: The presentation of the Harry Belafonte Voices for Social Justice Award with special guests.

Group Therapy (United States) – World Premiere. Neil Berkeleyโ€™s latest is a thoughtful and humorous navigation of personal conversations on mental health. Produced by Kevin Hart, this unique documentary takes the form of a group therapy session led by some of todayโ€™s funniest comedians and comic performers. Directed by Neil Berkeley. Produced by Kevin Healey, Luke Kelly-Clyne, Bryan Smiley.

After the Movie: A conversation with film subjects Tig Notaro, Neil Patrick Harris, Mike Birbiglia, London Hughes, Gary Gulman and Atsuko Okatsuka.

Linda Perry: Let It Die Here (United States) – World Premiere. Award-winning filmmaker Don Hardy explores the life of pioneering songwriter and producer Linda Perry in this intimate and revealing journey. Itโ€™s a story of the strength and resilience of a gifted artist, daughter and mother who is finally able to embark on a search to find her own voice. Directed by Don Hardy. Produced by Don Hardy, Shawn Dailey.

After the Movie: Special performance by Linda Perry.

Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution (United States) – World Premiere. This rapturous documentary steps into the dynamic world of queer stand-up and examines the powerful cultural influence it has had on social change in America. The film combines rare archival materials, stand up performances, and interviews with a show-stopping lineup including Lily Tomlin, Fortune Feimster, Eddie Izzard, and Rosie Oโ€™Donnell, to present a definitive history of queer comedy. Directed by Page Hurwitz. Produced by Katherine LeBlond, Page Hurwitz, Wanda Sykes. A Netflix Release.

Before the Movie: A standup performance featuring stars of the film.

Rebel Country (UK, United States) – World Premiere. Country music is changing โ€” or maybe itโ€™s returning to its roots. This musical documentary traces the troubled history and inclusive future of the genre with performances from todayโ€™s most talented iconoclasts, including Blanco Brown, Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson, and BRELAND. Directed and produced by Francis Whately.

After the Movie: A special appearance by platinum selling country music artist BRELAND.

Satisfied (United States) – World Premiere. An intimate look at the actress Renรฉe Elise Goldsberry; a womanโ€™s struggle to have a family and balance a career, against the backdrop of the hit musical Hamilton. Directed by Chris Bolan, Melissa Haizlip. Produced by Steven Cantor, Jamie Schutz, Chris Bolan.

After the Movie: A performance by Renรฉe Elise Goldsberry and special guests.

State of Silence  (Mexico) – World Premiere. A compelling look at the dangerous, continuing risks committed journalists face in Mexico, where reporting on their countryโ€™s corruption and โ€œnarco politicsโ€ has led to the silencing and killing of some of their peers. Directed by Santiago Maza. Produced by Joris Debeij, Abril Lรณpez Carrillo.

After the Movie: A conversation with Mexican journalists Marcos Vizcarra and Maria de Jesus Peters, director Santiago Maza and executive producers Diego Luna and Gael Garcรญa Bernal.

SPOTLIGHT NARRATIVE

A launching pad for the most buzzworthy new films, Tribecaโ€™s Spotlight section brings audiences anticipated premieres from acclaimed filmmakers and star performers.

All That We Love (United States) – World Premiere. After losing her beloved dog, Emma Gwon embarks on a heartwarming journey of self-discovery and reconnection with loved ones in Yen Tan’s touching dramedy that celebrates second chances and the power of family bonds. Directed by Yen Tan. Written by Yen Tan, Clay Liford. Produced by Kelly Williams, Rebecca Green, Theresa Steele Page. With Margaret Cho, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Kenneth Choi, Alice Lee.

Bad Shabbos  (United States) – World Premiere. Over the course of one night during an anything-but-typical New York City shabbos, a family get-together takes a turn for the worse in Daniel Robbinsโ€™ unique take on the dinner party farce. Directed by Daniel Robbins. Written by Zack Weiner, Daniel Robbins. Produced by Adam Mitchell. With Jon Bass, Kyra Sedgwick, Method Man, Milana Vayntrub.

Bang Bang (United States) – World Premiere. Tim Blake Nelson stars as “Bang Bang” Rozyski, an eccentric retired pugilist obsessed with rectifying the sins of his past. Directed by Vincent Grashaw. Written by Will Janowitz. Produced by Ran Namerode, Angelia Adzic, Cole Payne. With Tim Blake Nelson, Glenn Plummer, Kevin Corrigan, Andrew Liner.

Between the Temples (United States) – New York Premiere. Ben, a young widower and cantor at the local synagogue, finds a sense of purpose and unexpected connection when Carla, his septuagenarian elementary school music teacher who yearns to become a bat mitzvah, re-enters his life. โ€‹โ€‹Directed by Nathan Silver. Written by Nathan Silver, C. Mason Wells. Produced by Tim Headington, Theresa Steele Page, Nate Kamiya. With Jason Schwartzman, Carol Kane, Dolly De Leon, Madeline Weinstein. A Sony Pictures Classics Release.

Crossing (Sweden, Denmark, Georgia, Turkey, France) – North American Premiere. Lia, a retired teacher, has promised to find her long-lost niece, Tekla. Her search takes her to Istanbul where she meets Evrim, a lawyer fighting for trans rights and becomes embraced in the local trans community. Directed and written by Levan Akin. Produced by Mathilde Dedye. With Mzia Arabuli, Lucas Kankava, Deniz Dumanli. A MUBI Release.

Daddio (United States) – New York Premiere. New York City. JFK airport. A young woman jumps into the backseat of a yellow taxi toward Manhattan. The cabbie strikes up a conversation, resulting in an epic and remarkable journey. Directed and written by Christy Hall. Produced by Dakota Johnson, Ro Donnelly, Emma Tillinger Koskoff. With Dakota Johnson, Sean Penn. A Sony Pictures Classics Release.

The Damned (UK, Iceland, Ireland, Belgium) – World Premiere. When a ship sinks near her isolated fishing post, Eva must choose: rescue the shipwrecked or survive winter. Guilt ridden, the fishermen believe they are being punished for their choices. Directed by Thordur Palsson. Written by Jamie Hannigan. Produced by Emilie Jouffroy, Kamilla Kristiane Hodรธl, John Keville. With Odessa Young, Joe Cole, Rory McCann, Siobhan Finneran.

The Everything Pot (United States) – World Premiere. A comedy of errors unfolds upon the delivery of The Everything Pot, a wedding gift that inadvertently becomes a Pandoraโ€™s box, forcing two couples to reevaluate their respective relationships. Directed, produced and written by Sherise Dorf. Produced by Callie Bloem, Christopher J. Ewing, Sean Patrick Kelly. With Lisa Edelstein, Erik Griffin, James Wolk, Delaney Rowe.

Firebrand (UK, United States) – North American Premiere. In Tudor England, where court intrigue and the king’s paranoia threaten her survival, Katherine Parr navigates a perilous marriage to the volatile Henry VIII. Directed by Karim Aรฏnouz. Written by Henrietta Ashworth, Jessica Ashworth. Produced by Gabrielle Tana, Carolyn Marks Blackwood. With Alicia Vikander, Jude Law, Eddie Marsan, Sam Riley. A Roadside Attractions Release.

In the Summers (United States) – New York Premiere. In this poignant debut film, embark on a journey with two sisters as they grapple with their relationship to their well-meaning but troubled father during their childhood summers. Directed and written by Alessandra Lacorazza Samudio. Produced by Alexander Dinelaris, Rob Quadrino, Nando Vila. With Rene Perez Joglar, Sasha Calle, Lio Mehiel, Leslie Grace.

Kneecap  (Ireland) – New York Premiere. The band themselves, Kneecap, star in this raucous, sly award-winning musical set in post-Troubles Belfast when the rap trio erupted as a defiant champion of the Irish language and potent symbol of Irelandโ€™s disenfranchised youth. Directed and written by Rich Peppiatt. Produced by Trevor Birney, Jack Tarling. With Naoise ร“ Caireallรกin, Liam ร“g ร“ Hannaidh, Jj ร“ Dochartaigh, Michael Fassbender. A Sony Pictures Classics Release.

Lake George (United States) – World Premiere. A pair of misfit oddballs strike a deal too big to pass up โ€” and maybe too good to be true โ€” as they set out on a road trip and redemption story in this dark comedy neo-noir. Directed and written by Jeffrey Reiner. Produced by Jeffrey Reiner, Joey Oglesby, Cleta Ellington. With Shea Whigham, Carrie Coon, Glenn Fleshler, Max Casella.

McVeigh (United States) – World Premiere. After the Waco siege, an unthinkable plan brews in the mind of army veteran Timothy McVeigh. A psychological thriller based on the harrowing real life events of the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history. Directed by Mike Ott. Written by Mike Ott, Alex Gioulakis. Produced by Miles Alva, Nicolaas Bertelsen, Monte Zajicek. With Alfie Allen, Brett Gelman, Ashley Benson, Anthony Carrigan.

Memes & Nightmares  (United States) – World Premiere. If one of the most popular memes goes missing from Twitter, would anyone notice? Executive Produced by LeBron James and Maverick Carter, NBA Twitter King Josiah Johnson seeks an answer, where his journey explores our relationship with ephemeral media, and each other in the digital age. Directed by Charles Todd, Matt Mitchener. Written by Matt Mitchener. Produced by Sheira Rees-Davies, Brock Williams, Benjamin Wiessner. With Josiah Johnson, Jamel Johnson, Mero, Darius Miles.

A Mistake (New Zealand) – World Premiere. Dr. Beth Taylor is a surgeon at the top of her field, where split-second decisions and millimeter movements can mean the difference between life and death. Christine Jeffsโ€™ edge-of-your-seat medical thriller unpacks the perilous aftermath of a single human error. Directed and written by Christine Jeffs. Produced by Matthew Metcalfe, Christine Jeffs. With Elizabeth Banks, Simon McBurney, Mickey Sumner, Rena Owen.

The Shallow Tale of a Writer Who Decided to Write About a Serial Killer (United States) – World Premiere. In this darkly comedic tale, a struggling writer’s life turns bizarre when he befriends a retired serial killer who becomes his unlikely marriage counselor and muse. Directed and written by Tolga Karacelik. Produced by Scott Aharoni, Sinan Eczasibasi, Wren Arthur. With Steve Buscemi, John Magaro, Britt Lower.

Treasure (Germany, France) – International Premiere. Ruth, a neurotic businesswoman from New York, takes her charmingly stubborn Holocaust survivor father on a journey to Poland to make sense of their family’s past. Directed by Julia von Heinz. Written by Julia von Heinz, John Quester. Produced by Fabian Gasmia, Julia Von Heinz, Lena Dunham. With Lena Dunham, Stephen Fry, Zbigniew Zamachowski. A FilmNation Entertainment and Bleecker Street Release.

The Wasp (UK) – World Premiere. In this tense, twist-filled psychological thriller, Naomie Harris and Natalie Dormer deliver captivating performances as two estranged friends who reunite over tea, only to unveil a dangerous and deceptive plot that will irrevocably alter their lives. Directed by Guillem Morales. Written by Morgan Lloyd Malcolm. Produced by Maxime Cottray, Nate Bolotin, Sean Sorensen. With Naomie Harris, Natalie Dormer, Dominic Allburn. A Shout! Studios Release.

Winter Spring Summer or Fall (United States) – World Premiere. Jenna Ortega and Percy Hynes White star in this sweet teen love story about a Harvard-bound girl genius and a laid-back guy who find each other in their final year of high school. Directed by Tiffany Paulsen. Written by Dan Schoffer. Produced by Brad Krevoy, Josh Shader, David Wulf. With Jenna Ortega, Percy Hynes-White, Marisol Nichols, Adam Rodriguez.

SPOTLIGHT DOCUMENTARY

Both onscreen and behind the camera, Spotlight Documentary films represent the most noteworthy names in nonfiction premiering high profile new work.

1-800-ON-HER-OWN (United States) – World Premiere. Ani DiFranco was an unmistakable talent that shook the โ€˜90s alternative music scene. In this vulnerable look at her life today, she struggles to balance artistry with the demands of family. Directed by Dana Flor. Produced by Amy Hobby.

Americaโ€™s Burning (United States) – World Premiere. Narrated by Michael Douglas, Americaโ€™s Burning calls on a remarkable range of expert perspectives from James Carville to Leon Panetta to Amy Chua as macroeconomist David Smick embarks on a searing dive into the precarious state of Americaโ€™s seemingly unbridgeable economic divide โ€” with a surprisingly optimistic outlook on its future. Directed by David Smick. Produced by Ian Michaels.

Avicii – Iโ€™m Tim (Sweden, United States) – World Premiere. Before there was Avicii, there was just Tim. For the first time through his own words, witness the journey of a shy but prodigious musical talent who would soon become one of the defining artists of his generation. โ€‹โ€‹Directed by Henrik Burman. Produced by Bjรถrn Tjรคrnberg.

Black Table (United States) – World Premiere. In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to abolish affirmative action, this film thoughtfully looks back at the largest class of Black students at Yale in the 1990s, the dining table that bonded them, and how their story informs our future. Directed by John Antonio James, Bill Mack. Produced by Katie Taber, John Antonio James, Bill Mack.

The Cranes Call (France, Germany, Netherlands, UK, Ukraine, United States) – World Premiere. Working with their team at the Clooney Foundation for Justice, Anya Neistat, a brilliant war crimes investigator, joins forces with Solomiia Stasiv, a young Ukrainian woman just entering the field. Together they document atrocities in the fight to bring Russian generals to trial and justice to the Ukrainian people. Directed by Laura Warner. Produced by Evan Williams.

Emergent City (United States) – World Premiere. When global developers purchase Industry City โ€” a series of connected industrial buildings within a primarily immigrant, working class community in Brooklyn โ€” conflicting views draw battlelines between residents, city officials and master planners as the fate of the city and contemporary urban development hangs in the balance. Directed by Kelly Anderson, Jay Arthur Sterrenberg. Produced by Kelly Anderson, Brenda Avila-Hanna.

Iโ€™m Your Venus (United States) – World Premiere. A moving and timely documentary following the unsolved murder of Venus Xtravaganza, star of the legendary Paris Is Burning as Venusโ€™ two families โ€” biological and ballroom โ€” come together to seek answers and celebrate her legacy. Directed by Kimberly Reed. Produced by Jamie Schutz, Steven Cantor, Mike Stafford.

It Was All a Dream (United States) – World Premiere. From the personal archives of journalist and filmmaker dream hampton, this visual ode to the golden era of hip-hop provides intimate access to some of rapโ€™s greatest minds, including dream herself. Directed by dream hampton. Produced by Josh Begley, Morgan Willis, Emir Lewis.

Jago: Into the White (Italy) – World Premiere. A portrait of the artist as a young man โ€” Jago, a sculptor in Naples, works through the days and nights chipping away at his next marble masterpiece: a recreation of one of Michelangeloโ€™s iconic subjects. Directed by Luigi Pingitore. Produced by Stefano Cardillo.

LIZA: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story (United States) – World Premiere. Rich with archival gems and Liza Minnelliโ€™s own point of view, Bruce David Klein’s luminous documentary celebrates a young entertainer full of boundless raw talent and the deep, creative relationships with her mentors and influences. Directed by Bruce David Klein. Produced by Bruce David Klein, Alexander J. Goldstein, Robert Rich.

Luther: Never Too Much (United States) – New York Premiere. Dawn Porter offers an in-depth look into the life and career of Luther Vandross as he overcomes personal and professional challenges to become one of the greatest vocalists of all time. Directed by Dawn Porter.

Made in England: The Films of Powell & Pressburger (UK) – New York Premiere. Martin Scorsese’s personal journey through the films of Powell and Pressburger, the visionary British filmmakers behind classics like The Red Shoes and Black Narcissus, offers a captivating exploration of their genius and enduring influence on cinema. Directed by David Hinton. Produced by Nick Varley, Matt Wells. A Cohen Media Group Release.

Pandoraโ€™s Code (United States) – World Premiere. Kyle Vorbach’s documentary, based on his latest novel, delves into the mesmerizing ascent of artificial intelligence, balancing its remarkable capabilities and dark ethical concerns, making for an engaging, thought-provoking exploration of AI’s double-edged sword. Directed and produced by Kyle Vorbach.

Rebel Nun (United States, UK) – World Premiere. Rebel Nun follows the story of Catholic nun and leading death penalty abolitionist Sister Helen Prejean, whose story was first captured in the 1995 film Dead Man Walking. Now, almost 30 years later, filmmaker Dominic Sivyer takes a look at six decades of the life and work of Sister Helen as she continues to be an inspirational force for justice. Directed and produced by Dominic Sivyer. A Universal Pictures Content Group Release.

Untitled Casa Bonita Documentary (United States) – World Premiere. South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone launch a hands-on attempt to restore the iconic Colorado โ€œeatertainmentโ€ mecca Casa Bonita to its former glory. Directed by Arthur Bradford. Produced by Jennifer Ollman.

S/He Is Still Her/e – The Official Genesis P-Orridge Doc (United States) – World Premiere. An introduction, conversation and perhaps goodbye to Genesis P-Orridge, who left an astounding and provocative legacy on the worlds of music, art, performance, religion and the occult. A larger-than-life personality that must be experienced to be grasped, Genesis opens up portals to a way of living that transforms and transcends. Directed by David Charles Rodrigues. Produced by David Charles Rodrigues, Bud Johnston.

Skywalkers: A Love Story (China, Hong Kong, France, Malaysia, Russia, Thailand) – New York Premiere. Battling a global pandemic and a fraying relationship, rooftopping sensations Angela Nikolau and Vanya Beerkus face the ultimate test of their love when scaling the worldโ€™s newest super-skyscraper in this visually stunning testament to facing fear and letting go. Directed and produced by Jeff Zimbalist. Produced by Maria Bukhonina, Tamir Ardon, Chris Smith. A Netflix Release.

Slave Play. Not a Movie. A Play. (United States) – World Premiere. A playful and illuminating self-portrait of writer Jeremy O. Harris as he workshops and mines Slave Play, the provocative play that thrust him into the spotlight, with a new cast of young actors from New Yorkโ€™s William Esper Studio. Directed by Jeremy O. Harris. Produced by Chris Moukarbel. An HBO Documentary Films Release.

Stevie Van Zandt: Disciple (United States) – World Premiere. Stevie Van Zandt: Disciple traces Van Zandtโ€™s career as a musician, activist and actor from the clubs of Asbury Park, NJ, to stadiums around the world, to the Bada Bing Club. Directed by Bill Teck. Produced by David Fisher, Robert Cotto, Bill Teck. An HBO Documentary Films Release.

They All Came Out to Montreux (UK) – World Premiere. Utilizing a wealth of archival footage featuring Prince, Aretha Franklin, Miles Davis and more, They All Came Out to Montreux is an affectionate story about how Claude Nobs turned his Swiss town into the home for one of the worldโ€™s biggest jazz festivals. Directed by Oliver Murray. Produced by Bill Lord.

The Thinking Game (United States) – World Premiere. The Thinking Game chronicles the extraordinary life of visionary scientist Demis Hassabis and his relentless quest to solve the enigma of artificial general intelligence. Directed by Greg Kohs. Produced by Gary Krieg.

VIEWPOINTS

Tribecaโ€™s home for distinct points of view and bold directorial visions, Viewpoints discovers the most boundary-pushing, rule-breaking new voices in independent film. For the first time, Viewpoints selections will be presented in competition.

Alien Weaponry: Kua Tupu Te Ara (New Zealand) – World Premiere. Meet Alien Weaponry, a thrash metal band that sings in the Maori language, as they figure out how to navigate the music industry, culture, family, tour, and each other. Directed by Kent Belcher. Produced by Nigel McCulloch.

Arzรฉ (Lebanon, Egypt, Saudi Arabia) – North American Premiere. When the scooter that struggling mother Arzรฉ buys for her son to deliver her homemade pies is stolen, the two take a desperate, kaleidoscopic journey through Beirut in pursuit of the purloined moped. Directed by Mira Shaib. Written by Louay Khraish, Faissal Sam Shaib. Produced by Louay Khraish, Faissal Sam Shaib, Ali Elarabi. With Diamand Abou Abboud, Betty Taoutel, Bilal Al Hamwi.

Boys Go to Jupiter (United States) – World Premiere. Suburban Florida is transformed into a 3D animated wonderland in this charming deadpan musical comedy from the creator of Art Sqool, featuring a voice cast of alt-comedy all stars. Directed and written by Julian Glander. Produced by Peisin Yang Lazo. With Jack Corbett, Elsie Fisher, Tavi Gevinson, Julio Torres.

Champions of the Golden Valley (United States, Afghanistan, Germany) – World Premiere. Former Afghan Olympic hopeful Alishah Farhang establishes Afghanistanโ€™s first ever ski club and the annual Afghan Ski Challenge competition in the ancient mountain town of Bamyan, bringing people together in an unlikely but joyful pastime. Directed by Ben Sturgulewski. Produced by Katie Stjernholm, Baktash Ahadi.

Color Book (United States) – World Premiere. Following the passing of his wife, a devoted father is learning to raise his son with Down Syndrome as a single parent. While adjusting to their new reality, the two embark on a journey through Metro Atlanta to attend their first baseball game. Directed and written by David Fortune. Produced by Kristen Uno, Kiah Clingman, Autumn Bailey-Ford. With William Catlett, Brandee Evans, Terri J. Vaughn, Jeremiah Daniels.

Darkest Miriam (Canada) – World Premiere. The fog of grief shrouding Miriam, a branch librarian, begins to lift when she starts a love affair with cab driver Janko. But whatโ€™s the deal with the vaguely threatening letters she keeps finding? Directed and written by Naomi Jaye. Produced by Julie Baldassi, Brian Robertson. With Britt Lower, Tom Mercier, Sook-Yin Lee, Jean Yoon.

Era Oculta – Hidden Era (Mozambique, Germany, Colombia) – World Premiere. In the vibrant city of Maputo, Mozambique, Rastafari artist Phambi works to support his young sonโ€™s education while resiliently navigating the complexities of living an artistic life in a dynamic city. Directed and produced by Carlos Vargas. Written by Carlos Vargas, Franziska Ruess. With Paula Matlombe, Ednora Matlombe, Isac Tivane “Phambi”, Ixon Tivane.

Restless (UK) – World Premiere. The banal life of a middle-aged empty nester is violently shaken in the blink of an eye when hard-partying โ€” and potentially dangerous โ€” new neighbors move in next door. Directed and written by Jed Hart. Produced by Benedict Turnbull, Iain Simpson, Jens Nielsen. With Lyndsey Marshal, Aston McAuley, Barry Ward, Kate Robbins.

Searching for Amani (Kenya, United States) – World Premiere. A 13-year-old aspiring journalist investigates his fatherโ€™s mysterious murder within the boundaries of one of Kenyaโ€™s largest wildlife conservancies. As a ravaging drought encroaches, his quest to find the killer shifts as the collateral damage of a warming world is revealed. Directed by Nicole Gormley, Debra Aroko. Produced by Peter Goetz, Mungai Kiroga, Nicole Gormley.

Theyโ€™re Here (United States) – World Premiere. The playful and inventive Theyโ€™re Here places the viewer within a community of New Yorkers who have had close encounters with UFOs and reexamined their lifestyles as a result. Directed and produced by Daniel Claridge, Pacho Velez.

Witches (UK) – World Premiere. Elizabeth Sankeyโ€™s deeply personal documentary examines the relationship between the cinematic portrayals of witches and the all-too-real experiences of postpartum depression by utilizing footage that spans the entirety of film history alongside heartrending personal testimony. Directed by Elizabeth Sankey. Produced by Manon Ardisson, Chiara Ventura, Jeremy Warmsley.

MIDNIGHT

Surprising, shocking, frightening, and thrilling, Tribeca Midnight is the destination for the best in horror and more for late night audiences.

The A-Frame (United States) – World Premiere. A quantum physicist’s machine opens a portal to a subatomic universe, accidentally discovering a radical cancer treatment. As human trials begin, the stakes rise in this Cronenbergian sci-fi comedy. Directed and written by Calvin Lee Reeder. Produced by Ran Namerode, Angelia Adzic, Cole Payne. With Johnny Whitworth, Dana Namerode, Nik Dodani, Laketa Caston.

Beacon (United States) – World Premiere. After an ambitious solo trip leaves her shipwrecked on a remote island, a young sailor is rescued by its lone inhabitant: a lighthouse keeper. As the walls of reality begin to vanish and the trust between them unravels, survival becomes a test of grueling proportions. Directed by Roxy Shih. Written by Julio Rojas. Produced by Neil Elman. With Demiรกn Bichir, Julia Goldani Telles.

A Desert (United States) – World Premiere. While on a road trip, a photographer befriends a young couple whose reckless ways turn his world upside down and into a nightmare in this unpredictable and horror-tinged neo-noir knockout. Directed by Joshua Erkman. Written by Joshua Erkman, Bossi Baker. Produced by Hugues Barbier, Joshua Erkman. With David Yow, Kai Lennox, Sarah Lind, Zachary Ray Sherman.

The Devilโ€™s Bath (Austria, Germany) – International Premiere. In 18th century Austria, an executed woman has been displayed for all to see. Deeply religious, newlywed Agnes looks upon the woman with pity, but also longing, as her own evil thoughts have begun to arise. Directed and written by Severin Fiala, Veronika Franz. Produced by Georg Aschauer, Ulrich Seidl. With Anja Plaschg, Maria Hofstรคtter, David Scheid. A Shudder Release.

Mars (United States) – World Premiere. In this outrageous animated comedy, a ragtag group of misfits embark on a wild space adventure to Mars, only to discover they’ve been bamboozled by a billionaire. Directed and produced by Sevan Najarian. Written and produced by Timmy Williams, Zach Cregger, Sam Brown. Produced by Kara Welker, James Bristow, Darren Trumeter. With Trevor Moore, Zach Cregger, Sam Brown, Darren Trumeter.

The Weekend (Nigeria) – World Premiere. This gripping Nigerian thriller will keep you guessing until the very last moment with its unique take on the age-old question: whatโ€™s wrong with the in-laws? Directed by Daniel Emeke Oriahi. Written by Egbemawei Dimiyei Sammy, Vanessa Kanu, Freddie O. Anyaegbunam Jr. Produced by Uche Okocha. With Uzoamaka Aniunoh, Bucci Franklin, Meg Otanwa, Keppy Ekpeyong Bassey.

ESCAPE FROM TRIBECA

Mind-bending premieres, spine-chilling classics, and Godzilla-sized dance parties make for an unforgettable escape tailor-made for adventurous movie lovers craving the extraordinary.

AMFAD: All My Friends Are Dead (United States) – World Premiere. Slasher cinema gets a candy-coated and raucous new spin as a group of young friends staying at an Airbnb are picked off one by one by a killer whose elaborate murder set pieces are inspired by the seven deadly sins. Directed by Marcus Dunstan. Written by Josh Sims, Jessica Sarah Flaum. Produced by John Baldecci, Sarah Donnelly, Kirk Shaw. With Jade Pettyjohn, Jojo Siwa, Jennifer Ens, Ali Fumiko Whitney. A Cineverse Release.

Kill (India) – New York Premiere. A passenger train bound for New Delhi becomes a battleground of close-quarters combat as a pair of commandos square off against 40 invading bandits. Relentless and wildly entertaining, Nikhil Nagesh Bhatโ€™s action thriller is the most brutal fight film in years. Directed and written by Nikhil Nagesh Bhat. Produced by Hiroo Yash Johar, Guneet Monga Kapoor, Achin Jain. With Lakshya, Raghav Juyal, Tanya Maniktala. A Roadside Attractions Release.

She Loved Blossoms More (Greece, France) – World Premiere. Hoping to bring their dead mother back to life, three brothers build a time machine in this visually decadent, bizarre and altogether mesmerizing head-trip. Directed by Yannis Veslemes. Written by Yannis Veslemes, Dimitris Emmanouilidis. Produced by Fenia Cossovitsa, Christos V. Konstantakopoulos. With Panos Papadopoulos, Dominique Pinon.

Stay tuned at InSession Film for complete Tribeca Festival coverage, including written reviews, transcribed interviews, and more!

Women InSession: The Career of Sean Bean

JD Duran
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Women InSession: The Career of Sean Bean

This week on Women InSession, we talk about the fascinating career of Sean Bean and his reputation for his glorious on-screen deaths! From The Lord of the Rings to GoldenEye to Patriot Games to Game of Thrones, and many others, no other actor has died more courageously on camera than the great Sean Bean. Which is what makes him a fan favorite and one of the most compelling actors out there.

Panel: Kristin Battestella, Jaylan Salah

On that note, check out this week’s show and let us know what you think in the comment section. Thanks for listening and for supporting the InSession Film Podcast!

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Women InSession – Episode 81

Chasing the Gold: Best Actress

JD Duran
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0
Chasing the Gold: Best Actress

This week on Chasing the Gold, Shadan is joined by our very own Andy Punter to discuss the Best Actress category, which he will be covering this year for our awards content!

On that note, check out this week’s show and let us know what you think in the comment section. Thanks for listening and for supporting the InSession Film Podcast!

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Chasing the Gold – Best Actress

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Movie Review: โ€˜Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiverโ€™ is an Explosive Mess

Dave Giannini
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Movie Review: โ€˜Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiverโ€™ is an Explosive Mess

Director: Zack Snyder
Writer: Shay Hatten, Kurt Johnstad, Zack Snyder
Stars: Sofia Boutella, Djimon Hounsou, Ed Skrein

Synopsis: Kora and surviving warriors prepare to defend Veldt, their new home, alongside its people against the Realm. The warriors face their pasts, revealing their motivations before the Realm’s forces arrive to crush the growing rebellion.

This review brings me no pleasure, I promise you. I canโ€™t quite say the same about Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver. Itโ€™s not that there is no pleasure, itโ€™s simply that the film hammers the viewer into a kind of submission in which it is difficult to feel much of anything. I somewhat enjoyed the first film in this series, even if in a mildly bemused fashion. You can see my thoughts here. The largest sin from director Zack Snyder shown in this new film is essentially tossing away any fun from the first film.

Although I did rewatch the first, it proved more than useless, for a few reasons. First, this one opens up with an elongated sequence of narration from Anthony Hopkins. Donโ€™t get me wrong, I love to hear that man talk, but he basically sums up the first two hours of this fantasy story in about 2-3 minutes. While I understand the purpose is to catch people up who didnโ€™t bother with the first, it immediately brings the idea of โ€œcontentโ€ to the foreground. There is clearly no care for story (even if it is just Seven Samurai with lasers), if it can all be described this quickly. So, essentially, it makes the original film shrink in your estimation as the opening credits begin. Secondly, if you thought that original film provided a lot of exposition, oh boy, buckle in.

So anyway, The Scargiver picks up where the last film dropped us off, they were victorious and killed the villain, or so they thought. They quickly figure out that he is still alive and on the way back to the peaceful village to kill them all. Thatโ€™s right, besides picking up some cool heroes, the movie startsโ€ฆwhere the first movie started. I hope you enjoyed that circle around the universe, because now weโ€™re back. This is where the Seven Samurai/Magnificent Seven comparisons get extra on the nose. Itโ€™s fine to have similarities, but to make that same movie with different weapons? I have questions for you, Netflix.

But these, strangely, are all things I can get past. Sadly, these are not the only problems. There is legitimately a scene in which one of our characters, previously imprisoned Titus (Djimon Hounsou) leads a discussion around a table imploring each and every one of them to tell their story. He starts with his flashback and they literally go around the table elucidating their individual motivations and willingness to fight and die. This is truly the mark of a weak screenplay. Clearly, they could not figure out how to make us understand these characterโ€™s desires within the bounds of naturalistic conversation, so hey, its your turn to talk. Tell us why you hate the Empire, err Motherworld. These scenes are exhausting and also fail to make you care about these histories.

There are a few saving graces, though. Our lead warrior Kora (Sofia Boutella) with yet another more detailed tragic backstory, managed to come out mostly unscathed by the messy script and direction. Now, that doesnโ€™t mean that her burgeoning romance with farmboy Gunnar (Michael Huisman) works, but hey, you can only do so much. Hounsou also is able to perform in a way that not only preserves his honor as a hero, but allows him to emote effectively. Of course, Snyder cuts away from his face trembling with emotion so we can see another flashback action sequence, but what do we really expect at this point?

And yeah, the action. Itโ€™s definitively cool, and it seems like Snyder can do this in his sleep. The final climactic, one-on-one battle 100% works. Of course, there is a glut of slow motion sequences, but if youโ€™re going to get hung up on that, Iโ€™m not sure why youโ€™re watching a Snyder flick to begin with. I will say that, unlike many action directors, the violence is well plotted, easy to follow geographically, and is ultimately satisfying. Itโ€™s just a real shame aboutโ€ฆwell, the rest.

Unless you love every, and I mean every, movie that Snyder has ever created, Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver will be an exercise in patience and frustration. The film could make a great 15-minute sizzle reel, but thatโ€™s where the entertainment ends. It is rare that a sequel can make a first film worse in retrospect, but here we sit. The fact that Snyder has stated that he wants to make six (!) films in this universe (not to mention endless directorโ€™s cuts), shows us that storytelling is not paramount for his work or for certain streamers. Content has become king, even if all of us poor subjects are the ones who suffer.

Grade: D

Podcast Review: Wicked Little Letters

JD Duran
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Podcast Review: Wicked Little Letters

On this episode, JD and Brendan discuss Thea Sharrock’s wicked little comedy Wicked Little Letters, starring Jessie Buckley and Olivia Colman! We may not have been aware of this film until recently, but what a surprise it ended up being. It’s a very funny movie that we really enjoyed discussing here.

Review: Wicked Little Letters (4:00)
Director: Thea Sharrock
Writers: Jonny Sweet
Stars: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Anjana Vasan

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InSession Film Podcast – Wicked Little Letters

Chasing The Gold: What to Watch For At Cannes 2024

InSession Film Staff
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Chasing The Gold: What to Watch For At Cannes 2024

Itโ€™s that time of the year again where all eyes are on the Mediterranean coast for arguably the most glamorous film festival of them all. It is time for Cannes and, after the debut of Anatomy Of A Fall and Zone of Interest, both of whom won here and stormed their way to Oscar gold, the anticipation is high for these next releases. Major names are attached, some with winning history at Cannes (Jacques Audiard, David Cronenberg), are part of the competition, out of competition (Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga) with other notables coming through Un Certain Regard. The glitz of the red carpet and the very judgmental nature of the audience raises the stakes for all of these films, especially in front of a jury of their peers led by Greta Gerwig. Hereโ€™s a sample of what will come out.

The Apprentice – Dir. Ali Abbasi, CAN/DEN/IRE/USA

Thereโ€™s a good reason Cannes accepted this film into competition. With the Presidential election months away, Donald Trump continues to be relevant and writer Gabriel Sherman wrote a script focusing on the early years of Trumpโ€™s career under the eyes of his lawyer, Roy Cohn, and raised under his influence alongside his wife, Ivana, and father, Fred. Sebastian Stan, Jeremy Strong, Maria Bakalova, and Martin Donovan star in director Ali Abbasiโ€™s (Holy Spider) biopic of the man who played a massive role in Trumpโ€™s career and how Trump was shaped after the 1980s.ย 

Kinds of Kindness – Dir. Yorgos Lanthimos, USA/UK

Instead of going to Venice as he did with The Favourite and Poor Things, Yorgos Lanthimos has his immediate follow-up here with an anthology piece starring Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qually, and Hong Chau. Reteaming with his fellow countrywoman, co-writer Efthimis Filippou, it is back to a modern tale of that surreast feel Lanthimos is known for. What exactly to expect here is unknown, but it doesnโ€™t matter. Only thing to do is hold on for the ride that Lanthimos loves to bring us on as with films like Dogtooth and The Lobster.ย 

Limonov: The Ballad – Dir. Kirill Serebrennikov, FRA/ITA/SPA/RUS

Ben Whishaw plays the Russian writer and politician Eduard Limonov from his years as an exile from the former Soviet Union and now spending his life in the United States and France. While not a complete portrait of the controversial author (who died in 2020 in Russia as a neo-fascist advocate), Limonov tracks the life of this radical who found his footing in subcultures and made himself into a well-known literary figure. It was co-scripted by Pawel Pawlikowski, who at one point was going to also direct the film before passing it onto the Russian-born Serebrennikov, whose last film, Tchaikovskyโ€™s Wife, played at Cannes in 2022.ย 

Megalopolis – Dir. Francis Ford Coppola, USA

This is probably the biggest film to come out this year because it has been the 85-year-oldโ€™s pet project for decades. After many stalls, Coppola independently made what probably will be his last film with Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Jason Schwartzman, and Talia Shire leading an ensemble cast. It is a science fiction story of a city being rebuilt by an ambitious architect conflicting with the corrupt mayor and the mayorโ€™s daughter (Nathalie Emmanuel) deciding to go out on her own to discover what she hasnโ€™t seen. Coppola is two-time winner of the Palme dโ€™Or with The Conversation and Apocalypse Now, cementing him as a legend at Cannes. If he releases one last masterpiece, he may become the first director to win a third.ย 

Parthenope – Dir. Paolo Sorrentino, Italy

Following his semi-autobiographical The Hand of God, Sorrentino stays in Naples with a story about the titled woman who, in Greek mythology, drowned herself and washed up on a rock in Naples. But, according to Sorrentinoโ€™s story, she is not a myth, and it follows her life from the 1950s through today. Gary Oldman stars alongside an ensemble including Celeste Dalla Porta, Silvia Degrandi, Isabella Ferrari, Silvio Orlando, and Luisa Ranieri as the mystery of the non-mythical woman is traced throughout the decades. 

Movie Review: ‘LaRoy, Texas’ is a Pale Imitation of Better Black Comedies

Jaylan Salah
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Movie Review: ‘LaRoy, Texas’ is a Pale Imitation of Better Black Comedies

Director: Shane Atkinson
Writer: Shane Atkinson
Stars: Steve Zahn, John Magaro, Dylan Baker

Synopsis: When Ray discovers that his wife is cheating on him, he decides he’s going to kill himself. His plans suddenly change when a stranger mistakes him for a low-rent hitman.

LaRoy, Texas is a Coen Brothers-inspired black comedy noir. It has all the elements for that particular mix to succeed; a hot and unbothered blonde, a down-on-his-luck reluctant protagonist, a sneaky detective, and a smug villain. But it lacks one of the most important elements of this specific sub-genre, and that is a captivating script.ย 

The feature starts with a simple premise, a driver picking up a hitchhiker. What could go wrong? With that simplicity on the table, LaRoy, Texas starts with an expected conversation that fails to build up the tension to the ensuing crime. The film soon moves to another world; a bored former beauty queen wife and her loser husband, his emotionally abusive brother, and a murder in between. Both worlds collide and we find ourselves watching as the husband flees the city with the help of a friend.

The hitman shows up in the film, oozing a presence that promises menace but borders on cheesy, overt wickedness. Dylan Baker plays him with an in-your-face performance, not as subtle as I would have preferred, but still enjoyable to watch, although in more than one instance I sensed a Steve Buscemi impact underneath the surface. John Magaro shows a major departure from his Past Lives self, and here he plays a character that is difficult to sympathize with, or at least, he lacks the tools to bring him the proper sympathy. 

The scene stealer, however, is Steve Zahn as Detective Skip. Heโ€™s funny and sly. He brings to the role the perfect blend of goofiness and pseudo-confident masculinity. Other actors are somehow forgettable, as the script doesnโ€™t allow particular moments to shine, and the charactersโ€™ growth is inhibited by the attempts to tie in different storylines and revolve them around the central anticipated crime.

The film tries so hard to belong to the world that it is displaying. It is more or less a spectacle of these characters and how they navigate a worn-out world. Small-town motels and family dynamics share the spotlight with the main plot, competing for the center stage.

I found The Velvet Saddle Motel the true hero of the story. Itโ€™s the place where people cheat, murder, conspire, and attempt suicide. With its pink neon sign and seedy vibes, The Velvet Saddle brings out the best and the worst in our heroes and villains, especially in a world where thereโ€™s neither of these simple classifications. Writer-director Shane Atkinson ties an invisible thread between all major and minor plotlines and despite The Velvet Saddle not being that impressive of a Chekhov’s Gun, it carries some weight that adds to the presence of the film location.

This is an overall enjoyable feat, heavily influenced by the Coens and Noah Hawleyโ€™s American desert-town-world in Fargo (the series) where the good and the bad seem to blur, creating a large portion of grey that has nothing to do with either. Atkinson doesnโ€™t try to condemn or commend any of the characters. He allows them a breather amidst the insanity and the ridiculous turn of events. 

LaRoy, Texas doesnโ€™t leave audiences hungry but also doesnโ€™t satisfy the senses like other black comedy/noir dramas do. Thereโ€™s still a lot that couldโ€™ve been cut through, a lot that stalled and lingered especially when it comes to dialogue -Atkinsโ€™s weakest link- but if anyone is in the mood for a film with a bowl of popcorn and a cold drink.

Grade: C+

Movie Review: ‘Challengers’ is an Erotic Ace

Nadine Whitney
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Movie Review: ‘Challengers’ is an Erotic Ace

Director: Luca Guadagnino
Writer: Justin Kuritzkes
Stars: Zendaya, Mike Faist, Josh O’Connor

Synopsis: Tashi, a former tennis prodigy turned coach is married to a champion on a losing streak. Her strategy for her husband’s redemption takes a surprising turn when he must face off against his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend.

โ€œLOVE ALLโ€

Luca Guadagninoโ€™s Challengers is sweaty, sizzling, and so sexy. It pumps and throbs with desire and power โ€“through the lens of professional tennis. The opening shots establish we arenโ€™t just watching a spectator sport, we are watching the spectator; Tashi Duncan (Zendaya) and what sheโ€™s seeing is intercourse. We are voyeurs and Luca Guadagnino trains our eye to the hyper-erotic. Challengers is the love triangle film of the year and possibly one of best films about carnal and professional drive, ever.

Utilizing a non-linear narrative, Challengers feeds the audience all they need to know about what motivates the characters, but also leaves certain aspects unexplained. The first shot is the โ€˜nowโ€™ (2019) the country club challenger match in New Rochelle sponsored by some random tire shop โ€“ where the three protagonists metaphorically come together to consummate their decades long love affair, not only with tennis, but with each other. Love and hate co-exist between all of them, for the sport and for each other. Justin Kuritzkesโ€™ clever Mรฉnage ร  trois drama uses the tennis court as the space for them to expend their galvanizing chemistry.

In the lead up to the grimy match we see Tashi Duncan push her now burned out former Grand Slam winning husband Art Donaldson (Mike Faist) through a punishing training regime. He has been injured (scars and calluses show that professional tennis is brutal) and his confidence is gone. He doesnโ€™t particularly want to play any longer and is being beaten by people who are not even on the seeded table. Heโ€™s sliding down the ATP rankings. Despite Tashi, who is both his manager and trainer, telling him to โ€œcrush that little bitch,โ€ Art is having trouble dealing with the pressure to always come out on top. 

Flashback to a young Art Donaldson and Patrick Zweig (Josh Oโ€™Connor) playing the junior doubles at the US Open. The best friends are in sync and playing with, and for, each other. That is until they see rising star Tashi and her intense balletic match with a bad-tempered opponent. For the first time, they become rivals trying to one up the other in a battle for Tashiโ€™s attention. The boarding school rich kids see what tennis is for an up and comer like Tashi. Itโ€™s not just sponsorship or riding the high of serotonin and endorphin release – itโ€™s a relationship and commitment to a life-changing beast. 

Tashi becomes a siren luring the two into a world where she is the locus for their repressed desires. She sizes them both up in seconds and pits them against each other by being the acceptable heterosexual avatar for Patrickโ€™s bisexuality. She tells them tennis is about connecting and good tennis is about almost being in love with your opponent on the court (the Goldilocks dose of noradrenaline). Despite her comparative youth, there is nothing innocent about Tashi. She is already power playing. She is already in control. Tennis is life โ€“ because everything is about sizing up your opponent and using whatever means you can to unbalance them and force errors. Advantage, Tashi.

A visit to their shabby hotel room has Patrick and Art admitting their own sexual awakenings as boarding school roomies happened at the age of twelve where Patrick taught Art how to beat off. Art is embarrassed by the story, Patrick is proud. Tashi is immediately clued in as to how Patrick feels about Art. An almost threesome happens where Tashi makes out with them both simultaneously and then leans back when she has ensured Patrick and Art are passionately kissing each other. She has them hooked. Whoever wins the match the following day gets Tashiโ€™s number and attention. Despite saying sheโ€™s not a โ€œhome wreckerโ€ โ€” she is. 

Initially, Patrick comes out on top. But in Tashiโ€™s eyes heโ€™s not a tennis player. His arrogance, swagger, and dilettantism (plus enormous downstairs package) make him an excellent lover. But his lack of understanding the true rules of the game means heโ€™s excited about the wrong things. He went pro too early and isnโ€™t winning. He jokes about Tashi and Art slumming it at Stanford playing college tennis. Heโ€™s turned on when Art begins to make active plays for Tashi (youโ€™ll never forget Patrick chomping on Artโ€™s churro). 

An argument ensues in which Art has managed to psych out his opponent even if Patrick finds it amusing. Tashi knows that she is beautiful โ€“ she has her own devoted fan club. Every match she plays is an event. Patrick chafes at her suggestions that he could be better. โ€œIโ€™m your equal, your peer,โ€ he screams. But deep down he knows heโ€™s not. Itโ€™s all bravado. He storms out of her room wearing her โ€œI Told Yaโ€ t-shirt. Later that afternoon, Tashi suffers a career ending accident on court. Art is the one to pick her up because he has been waiting in the wings to openly worship her. Patrick is the one who is forever expelled from their lives.

Tashiโ€™s immense intelligence and acumen becomes affixed on building Art into a world class player. Sheโ€™s savvy, she knows that now she canโ€™t play; she can train and create a champion. But her simmering resentment for looking after her โ€œlittle white boysโ€ is barely concealed. Tashi and Art are a power couple โ€“ sponsorship darlings, but Justin Kuritzkesโ€™ script reveals their competing obsessions. Art loves Tashi. Tashi loves tennis. She says sheโ€™d murder to have an injury recovery like his. โ€œIโ€™d kill an old lady or a child,โ€ with her mother (Nada Despotovich) and her daughter, Lily (A.J. Lister) chattering and ignored in the background. You have to wonder how much of a joke it is.

Josh Oโ€™Connorโ€™s down and out Patrick in the present is the essence of hubristic failure. Heโ€™s broke, heโ€™s hungry, heโ€™s a bed hopping player but heโ€™s just using sex to ensure he doesnโ€™t have to live in his car. When he realizes he has the opportunity to have a rematch with Art โ€“ the man he thinks stole his life, he truly starts playing the โ€œgameโ€ again โ€“ both on and off the court. Tashi plays it too. The only person who seems to be mostly in the dark is Art until he sees on the court through his secret language with Patrick what has been happening behind his back.

Guadagninoโ€™s direction along with Sayombhu Mukdeepromโ€™s cinematography and Marco Costaโ€™s editing creates a masterpiece of erotic cinema. Zendaya is stunning but even with her lithe and beautiful body sheโ€™s not the main event; sheโ€™s the conduit. The main event is the mostly clothed โ€œfuckingโ€ on the tennis court between Art and Patrick. The sex is there, and it is queer as hell. All the other sex in the film has been a tease – ended up in coitus interruptus or never shown reaching a climax. 

Challengers is a masterpiece of hyperbole. Itโ€™s hilarious, deliberately over the top, and forces people to get into its deliciously perverse groove. The soundtrack by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is employed to amp up the crowd, but also to camp up the film. Sticky short shorts, wet designer tennis shirts being discarded to reveal the male form, banana eating in one bite. Slow motion, tennis ball camera, Josh Oโ€™Connor in ruffled beast mode, psychosexual tension in spades and the final โ€œmoneyโ€ shot bring Challengers to its orgasmic ending. Love is a blood sport and Guadagninoโ€™s titillating tennis is game-set-match. Juicy, sticky, and horny as hell โ€“ Challengers is dynamite.

Grade: A+

Podcast Review: Civil War

JD Duran
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Podcast Review: Civil War

On this episode, our own Shadan Larki joins JD and Brendan to discuss Alex Garland’s latest film Civil War! It’s been a very polarizing film, ironically, as it very purposefully avoids politics as a way to express the problems of polarization. We get into all of that and much more in this discussion.

Review: Civil Warย (4:00)
Director: Alex Garland
Writers: Alex Garland
Stars: Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny

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InSession Film Podcast – Civil War

Interview: Louise Woehrle, Director of ‘A Binding Truth’

Will Bjarnar
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Interview: Louise Woehrle, Director of ‘A Binding Truth’

Writer Will Bjarnar interviews Louise Woehrle, director of A Binding Truth. Will also reviewed the film here.

Will Bjarnar: How did you first come across Jimmie and Deโ€™s story?

Louise Woehrle: I was in New York screening my previous film, Stalag Luft IIIโ€”One Man’s Story. My two cousins from Charlotte attended. My cousin Katie, who is married to De, one of the main subjects of the film, asked me what my next project might be.ย I said I really didn’t know but that I had a few ideas. She said, “What about the Jimmie Lee and De story?” I knew very little about their story at the time. I met Jimmie at Katie’s daughter’s wedding, and De told me how he and Jimmie got together and about the Charlotte Observer series about Jimmie back in 2013.

WB: Both men are incredibly forthcoming in the documentary; their openness and comfort, both with this subject and each other, is refreshing. Was that the case from the moment you approached them with the project?ย  How collaborative was the process?

LW: That’s an interesting question because I really didn’t approach them. It was my cousin Katie’s suggestion that we consider the idea. When we met to discuss the potential of doing a documentary, Jimmie andย De were very open to it. They were forthcoming during the interview process, which led to their providing me withย archival documents, photos, etc. They also introduced me to Gary Schwab, the journalist at the Charlotte Observer who did the original story. Gary was a goldmine of information and a consultant on the project. What impressed me was they were both willing to show up fully for this story and that was a gift. Establishing a relationship with each of them was wonderful and it did not take long for them to drop in and forget the cameras were there.

WB: When it comes to preparation and storytelling, respectively, what was your โ€œorder of operations,” if you will, with this particular project?

LW: I like how you ask this question because there is a process for me when starting a project. In this case, I read the series of articles about Jimmie and De’s story in theย Charlotteย Observer from 2013 and 2014 to get a lay of the land, so to speak. I brought Gary Schwab in early as a consultant to pick his brain because he had written those articles for the Charlotteย Observer. Simultaneously, I needed to raise money for the project, and thankfully, my executive producer fromย Minnesota, Jay Strommen, was all in and said he would front the start-up capital to get the project going.ย  A friend of De’s in Charlotte, Jock Tonissen, wanted to help, so he arranged a luncheon to get local funders interested. Next, I set up a way for people to donate through a nonprofit, FilmNorth, in St. Paul, MN, which I have utilized as a fiscal sponsor for several projects. I live in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. After I initially interviewed Jimmie and De and filmed them in a few locals in Charlotte, we edited what I call a sizzle reel to show a brief overview of Jimmie and De’s story. Thankfully, we received a lot of support from the Charlotte community, and a fundraising campaign was initiated by businessman Chuck Hood. I needed to hire a production team and luckedย out when I found my Director of Photography, Scott Gardner, based in Charlotte. I also found advisors in the Black film production community as advisors. A Black lens on the project was very important to me, and I was fortunate to connect with Lewis Erskine (Freedom Riders, The Birth of Cool),ย a highly regarded editor in New York, who came on board as one of our advisors before he passed away. Lewis was a great loss to the documentary community.

WB: I found it interesting how though the documentary’s central focus is on Jimmie and Deโ€™s discovery, it also goes into great detail about the challenges Jimmie faced as a Black athlete in 1960โ€™s North Carolina. How much of a priority was it to weave these two narratives together
while still primarily attending to your main subject matter?

LW: It was very important to weave the 1960s story of segregation, racism, and civil rights into the film because it gives important context to Jimmie’s story and the struggles that were happening for Blacks during that time. We can’t fully know who we are if we don’t know our history. That’s definitelyย a theme in our film.

WB: I read that there is a longer cut of the film than the one viewers are likely seeing now, one that you fittingly showed in Charlotte? Iโ€™m curious, what was removed from that longer cut and why?

LW: We cut scenes and interviews that did not necessarily move the story forward, but were certainly solid sequences. It’s tough cutting scenes and surgically removing parts of scenes to economize the story, but in doing so, it did make the film better. One scene we cut was between Jimmie and his good friend and fellow teammate Neb Hayden, the star quarterback on the Myers Park team. It showed them walking on the Myers Park High School campus, talking about the good old days, and laughing. I loved that sequence. An interview section we cut was a Pastor, who is White, talking about racism and how White people need to look into their own hearts and minds and address this issue. As much as I loved what he said so eloquently, De said it in the film, which was the right choice. We didn’t need it said twice.

WB: Youโ€™ve made a number of films over the better part of 20 years, and many seem to have this throughline of found family or found community. How does A Binding Truth fit into that thematic focus, as well as differ?

LW: Wow, you do your homework. Thanks for that. My mission statement has been the same for over 20 years:ย Telling stories that help us see ourselves and others in new ways, promote healing, and connect us as human beings. No film exemplifiesย that better thanย A Binding Truth. The common thread is our humanity and willingness to look at ourselves first and discover what we can do to shift or see things in a new light. Jimmie and De exemplify this and have personally witnessed that they and the film are serving as a catalyst for meaningful conversation about race and the truth of Slavery that leads to understanding, new awareness, healing, and moving the needle forward.

WB: This story is obviously rooted in the South, but your film cuts no corners when it comes to noting that this is also very much Americaโ€™s story. Was that a clear point of emphasis from start, or did that come more from Jimmie and Deโ€™s testimonies throughout your interview
process?

LW: This is a good question. Although racism is everywhere, I initially looked at this story as a Southern Story, but the more immersed I became in the journey of both men’s stories, I realized that everything that happened in the South also happened in the North with discrimination, redlining, lynchings, Black Veterans coming back from war not able to get a loan to purchase a home, and the list goes on and on. I know for me, learning more about Slavery from De and Jimmie and our historians shed a brighter light on white privilege and the foundation of white supremacy and racism.

WB: I wrote in my review that the film is academic but still intimate, not a delicate balance many documentaries of this nature are able to strike. How important is that tone to you from a filmmaking perspective, the ability to teach audiences something while also
making them feel something?

LW: Thank you so much for acknowledging the delicate balance between feeling something, while learning. I take your comment and question as a great compliment as a filmmaker. This is key for me as a storyteller. I have always trusted the intelligence of my audience. I know that I learn best when there is a story involved. When we feel something, we are more open to the truth, which was my hope for this film – to tell the truth from Jimmie and De’s perspective and others who show up in our story. It’s authenticity that rings true, so learning is a byproduct. Storytelling is a powerful tool for learning and understanding ourselves and others better.

WB: Do you know what your next project is, and if so, can you tell us anything about it?

LW: I have not started my next project yet because I’m still so involved in the roll-out of this film,ย developing a workshop with Bob Johnson,ย Learning From the Futureย and Viewers’ Guide, written by Queens University of Charlotte that will serve schools, churches, organizations, and whoever wants to set the table for meaningful conversation about race and the truth of our Slave history in America. I’m also in the process of creating awareness aboutย my previous documentary, Stalag Luft III – One Man’s Story, the story of my Uncle who flew in the Mighty Eighth during WWII, wasย shot down, and spent two long years as a prisoner of war in Stalag Luft, III. His personal first-person story parallels the series “Masters of the Air”ย on Apple TV, and is gaining more interest because of the series.

You can learn more atย whirlygigproductions.com

Podcast VIP: Revisiting the Apes Trilogy

JD Duran
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Podcast VIP: Revisiting the Apes Trilogy

On this episode, JD tells the story of how he ended up revisiting the recent Planet of the Apes trilogy, which led to a discuss about how it’s still one of the best trilogies of the modern era!

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