[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
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Review by Dan Skip Allen
Photograph Courtesy of HBO Max.
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. 
Photograph Courtesy of HBO Max.
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
Tzod (Lucy Lawless) in THE SPINE OF NIGHT. (Photo Credit: Gorgonaut Pictures/ Yellow Veil Pictures.)
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. 
Tzod (Lucy Lawless) and Lord Pyrantin (Patton Oswald) in THE SPINE OF NIGHT. (Photo Credit: Gorgonaut Pictures/ Yellow Veil Pictures.)
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  Martina García as Alma in the horror/thriller, PHOBIAS, a Vertical Entertainment release. Photo courtesy of Vertical Entertainment. 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.  [L-R] Leonardo Nam as Johnny and Martina García as Alma in the horror/thriller, PHOBIAS, a Vertical Entertainment release. Photo courtesy of Vertical Entertainment. 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 |