[SXSW 2021] SWAN SONG -- An Adorable Road Movie Featuring an Unforgettable Turn from Udo Kier3/19/2021
Review by Sean Boelman
Todd Stephens’s gay dramedy Swan Song is probably the most unabashedly gay movie you will ever see outside of a dedicated queer film festival, and that’s a compliment. Sweet and funny, Stephens’s movie definitely has some structural and pacing issues but benefits from great character work and a glorious turn from the legendary Udo Kier.
The film follows a gay hairdresser who, once flamboyant and charismatic but now curmudgeonly, picks back up his scissors to style the hair of one of his dead former clients. It’s not a particularly complex story, feeling like a road movie without much of a focus on the travelogue aspects, but it’s charming nevertheless. Admittedly, the movie isn’t particularly subtle with what it has to say. The film’s messages about forgiveness and righting one’s wrongs as a final act are certainly moving, but the movie doesn’t go much beyond the surface. However, the film is at its most effective when it is exploring the impact that even the most seemingly insignificant of people can make a huge difference in someone’s life. Without a doubt, the best part of the movie is the way in which Stephens writes his protagonist. At first, it seems as if the character is going to be rather one-note: a grumpy old man who has to open his heart again. However, as the character becomes more reflective, more layers are revealed and he turns into something much more complex and approachable.
Kier is largely known for intimidating supporting roles, especially in genre pictures, but this chance in the spotlight shows that he is plenty versatile in addition to his talents as a character actor. He’s hilarious, nailing the comedic timing with ease, but he’s also charming and endearing, making the emotional core of the film work quite well.
If the movie does struggle with one thing, it is finding a focus. The main story of the film is about the protagonist’s relationship with his dead client, but there is a subplot exploring his past life as a drag queen. It’s probably the most interesting and unique aspect of the script, but it’s not fully developed in a way that leaves something to be desired. The aesthetic of the movie is a little rough around the edges, which is a tad disappointing given that the film is quite literally about style and fashion, but it’s never too distracting. That said, there are some inspired selections on the soundtrack that give it a very jovial tone and make the movie a lot more fun to watch. Swan Song is far from perfect, but there’s no denying the charm of getting to see Udo Kier in a road movie about a gay hairdresser. It’s an uplifting and adorable movie that audiences should be clamoring to see. Swan Song is screening as a part of the online edition of the 2021 SXSW Film Festival, which runs March 16-20, 2021. Rating: 3.5/5
0 Comments
Review by Dan Skip Allen
The Snyder Cut is considered the most ambitious fan campaign in movie history. Not since fans petitioned CBS to do a third season of Star Trek in the '60s has there been a fan campaign this big. Sure fans have gotten things changed after seeing a trailer (see Sonic The Hedgehog last year) but not anything to this level. Well, the fans got what they wanted and Zack Snyder got a chance to make amends for not being able to do this film himself from the start.
The bones were there for Snyder to come back and build his Frankenstein's monster. He just needed a push and the fans were that push that got Warner Bros. to rectify this situation. A film critic by the name of Sean O'Connell wrote a book about all the reasons this needed to happen and the fans and WB took it from there. Snyder got all the footage and went to work. The original Justice League film (with re-shoots directed by Joss Whedon) had great cinematography, but this version really accentuated how gorgeous this film is. DC and WB went with a darker look for their films and that helped with cinematography. It gave their film a more gritty feeling to them. A more grounded and lived it feel to them. Fabian Wagner, supervised by Snyder did a great job with this film, making it fit in with the previous films in this series, Man of Steel and Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. All the films since have had the same aesthetic to them. One of the things that were wrong with the previous iteration of this film was the fact that the characters weren't as fleshed out as in previous films. The introduction of Victor Stone (Ray Fisher) wasn't handled very well at all. This version does his character and that of his father justice, no pun intended. Along with some added context to Barry Allen/The Flash (Ezra Miller) and Arthur Curry/Aquaman (Jason Momoa), this version helps understand the motivations of why all these characters came together to fight for a common good. The four-hour cut of the film was cut into six parts. That allows for people to take breaks if needed or even stop the film and come back later to finish watching it. HBO Max was the perfect place to premiere this much longer (and better) version of this film. Longer is sometimes better if it's done right and in this case, it was. Some of the greatest films of all time are very long epics. So being longer, in this case, could only help the film and my viewing experience.
While these new characters had their moments to shine this film was essentially a film about redemption for Bruce Wayne/Batman (Ben Affleck) and Clark Kent/Superman (Henry Cavill). They had to have their moments to shine and they both do. Wayne needs to show he's worthy of being a leader and trusted by the rest of the group and Kent just needed to come back and discover what he had lost and how that affects him moving forward. He didn't let this new lease on life go to waste. Thanks to Lois Lane (Amy Adams).
The film also improved on the music and score by Danny Elfman. Thomas Holkenborg was brought in to bolster the score in places and to help give the film the feel it needed in that department. The music was placed in strategic places in this cut to make certain sense feel more necessary and vital to the overall film. This was a great addition to the film. The visual effects needed a little work as well. Steppenwolf was pretty cool looking in the previous version of the film, but Snyder's version really cleaned him up a lot. He almost looked and sounded like an entirely different character, in a good way. The fight scenes were great as well. Cleaning up the CGI was a must for this cut of the film. Snyder must have known that going in and he delivered on that. The film looked much better on this cut, that's for sure. The pieces were all in place to make Zack Snyder's Justice League an epic film that it should have been from the start. The cinematography, the music, visual effects, and fleshing out of the story were all key parts of this film. Zack Snyder knew what the fans wanted and he gave it to them. I needed this version as well to wash the stench of the Whedon version out of my mouth. This version is an achievement of filmmaking that stands with other great epics and superhero films alone. Zack Snyder's Justice League is now streaming on HBO Max. Rating: 4.5/5
Review by Sean Boelman
It’s hard to nail down exactly what BenDavid Grabinski’s feature debut Happily is, but it’s definitely… something. A crazy, genre-bending romance (or maybe not), Grabinski’s film isn’t always as sharp as one would hope, but thanks to great direction and performances, it overcomes the sometimes inconsistent nature of the script.
The movie tells the story of a couple who has been happily married for years, causing resentment to form among their friend group, when a strange series of events on a couples’ trip forces them to confront themselves and their relationship. As a deconstruction of romantic comedy tropes, Grabinski’s script works quite well, but it’s not quite as effective when it tries to be something a bit more involved. Perhaps the biggest issue with the film is that Grabinski uses mystery as a crutch. There is enough tension in the dynamic between the characters that the intrigue of keeping the audience in the dark isn’t necessary. Instead, the audience has to wonder whether they are watching a high-concept sci-fi or a low-concept erotic thriller, and the payoff is a tad anticlimactic. Additionally, the movie throws around a lot of themes but doesn’t say much of anything about them. Grabinski is obviously using the film to explore modern relationships and the different flaws that can tear them apart, but short discussions of infidelity, sexual identity, and especially domestic abuse don’t go into enough depth.
That said, what Grabinski has done extremely well is create a cast of characters that is fascinating to watch and surprisingly busts archetypes. The movie is at its best in the second and third act when it puts all of these couples together and at each other’s throats, resulting in interactions that are hilarious and anxiety-inducing.
The ensemble cast for the film is also excellent. Joel McHale (taking the lead for once) and Kerry Bishé are awesome as the lead couple, having excellent chemistry together and both nailing the comedic and sinister elements. Highlights among the other couples include Natalie Morales, Paul Scheer, Breckin Meyer, and Charlene Yi. Stephen Root also has an intriguing supporting role. Grabinski also has a very stylistic approach that is infectiously energetic. The first half of the movie really pops with color and has a soundtrack that is genuinely inspired with unique and fitting song choices. Then when it turns into something more intimate for the final act, it will keep viewers on the edge of their seats with its very well-paced editing. Happily is a really interesting film, even if it is hard to classify why. It’s one of the rare examples where there’s a lot going on to the point of inconsistency, but it still manages to work because of the clarity of the director’s vision. Happily hits theaters and VOD on March 19. Rating: 3.5/5
Review by Sean Boelman
Philip Gelatt and Morgan Galen King’s animated fantasy-horror film The Spine of Night is perhaps the most epic independent production ever made. Beautifully and painstakingly animated, the movie suffers some narrative shortcomings but is an entertaining and awe-inspiring treat nevertheless.
The film follows generations of heroes as they fight against a common evil that lasts through the ages. It’s the type of intimate but grand in scale animated fare that will remind viewers of some of the classics of the genre, like Akira, and while it doesn’t hit all of the ambitious targets it sets for itself, it is at least fascinating as an exercise in experimentation. Like so many movies in the fantasy genre, the film is about a battle between good and evil, but the reason that this theme has such longevity is that it still resonates. What specific societal evil the movie is addressing changes a few times, and could use a bit more focus, but Gelatt and King offer some interesting metaphors. If there is one clear sign of the film’s success, it is that audiences will be wishing that they had the opportunity to stay in this world for longer. Gelatt and King have built a world that is truly immersive and has so much room for growth. A mere ninety minutes doesn’t do justice for the talents they have in world-building.
Admittedly, a lot of the characters are very archetypal, but that comes with the episodic structure of the narrative. For the most part, there isn’t much time to develop them beyond their core heroic principles, but the filmmakers are still able to get the audience to identify with the characters in the necessary ways.
There is a pretty massive voice cast in this movie, and while none of the roles are especially large, each player adds their own touch to the film. Most memorable are Lucy Lawless and Betty Gabriel, who play two kickass heroines, but Patton Oswalt, Richard E. Grant, and Joe Manganiello all turn up at points throughout the story. Of course, the main reason to pay attention to this movie is its technical achievement. The film is hand-rotoscoped, and every single frame of it looks absolutely gorgeous. From the intricately-crafted settings to the emotive characters, it is obvious that this movie was a labor of love, and it’s all the better for it. The Spine of Night heavily benefits from the evident level of passion that went into it from everyone involved. The act of creating this film in and of itself is impressive, and the fact that it works so well is even more so. The Spine of Night is screening as a part of the online edition of the 2021 SXSW Film Festival, which runs March 16-20, 2021. Rating: 4/5 Review by Adam Donato Phobias is directed by a group of people including several first time directors. Camille Belle, Maritte Lee Go, Joe Sill, Jess Varley, and Chris von Hoffmann come together to make one film about a group of individuals who have their fears tested in a government facility. Just like how there are several directors, there are also several stars in the movie including Alexis Knapp, Lauren Miller Rogen, Hannah Mae Lee, Martina Garcia, Macy Gray, and Leonardo Nam. The story follows Nam’s character of Johnny who has his fear chase him to the brink as he ends up in a government facility and learns of the other patient’s fears. A crazy doctor revels in them and tries to harness their fear into some kind of weapon. Almost like The ABCs of Death and other horror anthologies, Phobias is an excellent opportunity to see new filmmakers get a shot to direct a short that would contribute to a larger picture. One of the more interesting parts of a movie like this is choosing a favorite of the set of short stories. The directors worked together to make the script feel cohesive, but each of the stories have their own feel, which helps to keep the movie feeling fresh. It’s easy for something like this to feel very rinse and repeat. Despite this, the movie as a whole doesn’t work as well as the shorts do on their own. The purpose of a scary movie is to be scary. Phobias is scary enough... barely. The short stories are more interesting than actually scary. One thing that does not help with the tone is the scenes at the government facility. Ross Partridge plays Dr. Wright in an over the top kind of way. It’s also clear that, while the individual stories are fleshed out, the overarching plot is silly. The government is secretly kidnapping people and trying to weaponize their fear? That doesn’t fit well with the story of the mom who has ptsd from being a cop. Also, some of the stories are more high concept, while others are extremely grounded in reality.
Overall, there’s enough here to satisfy the hunger for horror here. It’s nothing great, but it’s certainly enjoyable enough. It will be interesting to see where certain directors go after this movie, which is hopefully a jumping off point. Once again, movie by committee is a great opportunity to do some weird individual stuff, but as an overall picture it lacks a compelling through line. Phobias hits VOD on March 19. Rating: 3/5
Review by Sean Boelman
Directed by Michael Parks Randa and Lauren Smitelli, Best Summer Ever is a charming new musical that’s notable for the message of inclusivity that it both teaches and practices. A tongue-in-cheek riff on teen musical tropes, it’s understandable why this won the award for Best Screenplay in the remote judging for the cancelled 2020 SXSW Film Festival.
As is the case with most teen musicals, the film follows two star-crossed lovers who are destined to be together but part ways at the end of the summer, only to find themselves reunited by a twist of fate. Even though the overall arc of the movie can seem a bit conventional at times, the script does an excellent job of subverting expectations in regards to the characters. All of the common archetypes for the teen movie are present, albeit in a slightly altered form. For example, one of the film’s leads starts off the movie seeming like he is going to be a stereotypical jock, but when he starts to show his true colors, it becomes clear that the writers have much more ambitious goals with the film. Running a brief seventy-two minutes, the movie does start to feel rushed at times, but it is understandable given the ambitious nature of the film. It’s not easy to make a musical, much less one with such a low budget as this, and yet Randa and Smitelli are able to pull it off in a gloriously entertaining fashion.
There are eight songs on the soundtrack, and they are all pop-infused and very catchy. The musical numbers themselves are also pretty impressive, with dance choreography that is energetic and mostly very well-executed. Additionally, the use of color in the movie is very strong, giving the film that bright and jovial feel it needs to succeed.
More than anything else, though, the movie’s wonderful intentions are worthy of praise. The film features a fully-integrated cast of people with and without disabilities. What really makes this movie stand out, though, is that it doesn’t center itself around this fact. The plot has little to nothing to do with the characters’ disabilities. Instead, it’s simply a musical that features disabled actors. The ensemble is definitely very talented, with plenty of great performers in the cast. It’s always nice to see a film like this that gives opportunities to actors and actresses like Shannon DeVido, who may not otherwise get the opportunity for a lead role like this. Higher-profile celebrities, such as Maggie Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, and Benjamin Bratt, also make cameos in the movie, presumably as a show of their support to the film’s cause. Best Summer Ever will likely catch attention for the work of social activism that it is, but it will keep it as a legitimately entertaining and creative musical. It’s a sweet, wholesome, and crowd-pleasing movie that is so needed in times like these. Best Summer Ever is screening as a part of the online edition of the 2021 SXSW Film Festival, which runs March 16-20. Rating: 3.5/5
Review by Dan Skip Allen
Foreign films are sometimes some of the best films in a given year or decade or even of all time, but there are a lot of bad foreign films as well. The Fever is one of them. It's as if it was without any real direction of where the film wants to go with its story and main character. That is a problem for the producers and filmmakers. That tells me this film shouldn't have been made at all.
The film focuses on a man who is a security guard at a loading area surrounding a body of water in Brazil. The man has a daughter who lives with him who is a medical worker who seems to have a normal life until the lead character comes down with a fever. The film focuses on the lead character and his life from work to his travel back home every day: his hospital visits and some family that come over to visit him and his daughter. It is a pretty boring film. There really isn't anything interesting going on. Browsing films can be interesting sometimes such as Patterson. This one just doesn't have any redeeming qualities. Whereas films like that have a great leading performance to center it, the lead actor in The Fever gives a very dull turn.
There is an overlying story of something going on in the woods around the main character's home, but it isn't fleshed out enough for the viewer to really care about it. It may as well not have been in the film at all. This subplot did have some interesting stuff, but it never went anywhere. That's a shame. That could have saved this film.
The same goes for the illness of the main character. It has a few scenes dedicated to it, but never really goes anywhere. These subplots needed to be more of the overall story instead of an afterthought. The actual title of the film is The Fever and it's hardly brought up in the film. This film has a lot of parts that just don't come together in the end. Overall the main character in The Fever is very boring and the film is an odd mash-up of different scenes that don't come together in the end. Foreign films can sometimes be hard to translate to American audiences. This was definitely one of those. I just didn't understand where the filmmakers were going with this concept. It's a shame because I hate to see all of these resources used on this film go to waste. The Fever hits virtual cinemas on March 19. A list of participating locations can be found here. Rating: 1/5
Review by Sean Boelman
The story of filmmaker Kevin Smith is an inspirational one for any young person who hopes to find their way into the film industry. And while Smith has always been very vocal about sharing his experiences, Malcolm Ingram’s documentary Clerk brings it to the screen in a compassionate and encouraging way.
The documentary explores in depth the life and career of Kevin Smith, from his beginnings as a young cinephile making a movie with his friends in New Jersey to becoming the face of a generation of American independent filmmakers. Both a biography and a behind-the-scenes look at Smith’s films, this is truly the ultimate watch for fans of the subject. Smith has gained quite the cult following over the years, through both his filmography and his podcasting (or SModcasting) endeavors, and so Ingram’s focus is understandably on appealing to that group. Although this does lead the documentary to feel like surface-level adulation at times, those who already admire him won’t think twice about showering more praise on him. Ingram interviews Smith himself, in addition to many of the actors with whom the filmmaker has worked over the years, and the result is a pretty good portrait of who he is as a person. Since so much is already known about his movies, the documentary is at its most interesting when it gives this insight on a personal level.
Those who are familiar with Smith’s life story will know some of the challenges he has experienced over the course of his life, including a recent heart attack, but others will almost certainly be inspired by his experiences to seize the day and make the most out of what they are given.
At over an hour and fifty minutes, this is certainly pretty lengthy for a documentary, but Ingram has such an abundance of material to cover that it will never lose the audience’s interest. Ingram moves nicely through the making of Smith’s films, with anecdotes from his personal life to tie it together. The documentary is also very impressive on a technical level. The editing here makes this feel more like a quirky independent narrative film than a documentary. There is a rhythm about it that will draw viewers into the story. The music by Martin Rae is also wonderful, complementing the tone quite well. Clerk is a great documentary for fans of Kevin Smith. Even if one already knows much of the information it contains, it’s a nostalgic reminder of why his work and public persona are so beloved by his passionate following. Clerk is screening as a part of the online edition of the 2021 SXSW Film Festival, which runs March 16-20. Rating: 4.5/5
Review by Camden Ferrell
Based on the Pulitzer-nominated book LAbyrinth by Randall Sullivan, City of Lies is a new crime film from director Brad Furman. A film that was supposed to be released in 2018 but was delayed due to controversy and lawsuits, it is now finally getting its wide release this year. This movie takes a fascinating and significant case and fails to elevate the story past a bland and meandering crime film without much to say.
This film follows LAPD detective Russel Poole in 1997 as he works on the investigation of the murder of Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G. He works alongside journalist, Jack Jackson, in order to learn the truth and grant justice to the victims. These are very famous events with a lot of real-life mystery surrounding them, so it had the potential to be a compelling film. The main problem with the film is that it doesn’t seem remotely interested in its subjects. There is a noticeably lack of energy from every scene, and it is increasingly dull. It’s a lot of continuous exposition that doesn’t emulate the charisma and confidence needed to carry a good detective story. The film obviously has empathy towards its victims, but it isn’t particularly invested in them. The acting in this film can be decent. It’s led by Johnny Depp and Forest Whitaker, two highly established actors. While their acting is fine, it’s obvious that they are both out of their element in this film. Their chemistry does lead to some interesting interactions, but other than that, the performances aren’t anything spectacular.
The film aims to uncover the corruption in the LAPD, but its message is so convoluted that it becomes a narrative mess. It’s not hard to follow, but it does juggle too many balls at once, and this leads to central themes becoming muddled and certain story elements getting lost in the mix. The movie could have greatly benefitted from some more concise execution and storytelling.
Running nearly two hours, this movie consistently dragged. It treats its own story like a chore, and this is evident to the viewer. Scenes are paced slowly with no real purpose, and there is a lack of urgency in its scenes that don’t match the story or the performances of its leads. It’s a forgettable retelling of unforgettable events. Despite the film’s flaws, it’s not awful. It just settles into its own mediocrity and is fairly bland. It has a great basis and some decent performances, but it squanders its immense potential, considering how iconic these two rappers were to the community. Its noble in its pursuit of exposing the widespread corruption in law enforcement, but it’s nothing new. City of Lies is a forgettable crime film that lacks the energy needed to tell the story of this investigation. Depp and Whitaker aren’t their best, but they give decent performances that are overshadowed by the confounding narrative and tepid execution. City of Lies is in theaters March 19. Rating: 2.5/5
Review by Camden Ferrell
Doors is a science fiction film from directors Jeff Desom, Saman Kesh, and Dugan O’Neal. It is a movie that explores mysterious concepts and tackle the question of our existence in the universe. While it’s a very interesting movie in concept, the movie fails to truly develop any of its segments into something meaningful.
Millions of “doors” start to appear all over the Earth. They are mysterious and clearly not of our world. Many who have had contact with the doors disappear, so people must learn about the nature of these doors. The movie is told in various segments. One follows a group of high schoolers who discover a door, another follows a group of volunteers who venture into a door, and one follows a man trying to establish contact with a door. The segments all have very interesting concepts that benefit from its mystery. However, the movie is just far too short to properly flesh out any of these individual stories. We never really learn the true nature of the doors. This is somewhat intentional, but it fails to invest us into these entities, and it doesn’t say much about our existence and the presence of other sentient life. The acting is fairly decent throughout. Rory Anne Dahl, Julianne Collins, Aric Floyd, and Kathy Khanh play the high schoolers and even though their chemistry isn’t entirely there, they each give some adequate performances in their segment. However, the best performance comes from Josh Peck. His demeanor is somewhat flawed, but he is able to inject the film with some energy and personality.
Out of all the segments, the high school segment, titled Lockdown, is the strongest. Directed by Jeff Desom, this is the most tense and well-executed part of the film. It builds off of the mystery and uncertainty of what’s going on in the world, and it frames it through the eyes of children, locked in a school while all hell is breaking loose. It’s not perfect, but it has some very strong aspects working in its favor.
The film is under 90 minutes, so every segment ends before anything of substance can occur. For example, the Knockers story with Josh Peck could have warranted another thirty minutes, but it ends before it can explore any meaningful themes of the film. Similar things can be said of the rest of the film. It’s a few pushes away from being a great film. It had the premise and the set pieces, but it sold itself short on its own narrative. It’s a heavily flawed film that feels inconsistent due to the various directors, but there are still some commendable aspects. The cinematography in the Knockers segment and Lamaj segment is fantastic. Starr Whitesides worked on the Knockers segment which utilizes light and space in a very compelling way. Todd Banhazi worked on the Lamaj segment that used a dull palate to frame its subjects and still tell an interesting visual story. Doors is incredibly imperfect and works better as a group of ideas rather than a feature length film. It suffers from some tonal inconsistencies and an underdeveloped story. It has some redeeming qualities, but not enough to compensate for its squandered potential. Doors is in select theaters March 19 and on VOD March 23. Rating: 3/5 |
Archives
April 2024
Authors
All
|