Review by Sean Boelman
Jessica Hausner’s latest film, Club Zero, debuted at the 2023 Cannes Festival to a polarized reception, but that’s nothing new for the Austrian filmmaker. This dark comedy is very edgy and designed to disgust, which will either leave viewers with a foul taste in their mouths or perplexed by what the movie has to offer.
The film follows a teacher who takes a job at an elite private school teaching a class for “healthy eating habits” before forming a close bond with some of her students who form unhealthy obsessions. If you think you know where this story is heading, you don’t, but the result isn’t as satisfying as one might hope. How successful Hausner’s latest movie is for viewers will depend on how much they vibe with the extremely dry sense of humor. Many moments go for broke and attempt to do something incredibly weird that will either win viewers over or utterly disgust them. If nothing else, it’s undeniably provocative. If you look at Club Zero for commentary on the surface in relation to its central theme of eating disorders, it’s incredibly shallow — maybe even offensive in its satire. However, the film is much more effective in condemning indoctrination. Hausner and co-writer Géraldine Bajard simply use this extreme example to illustrate the absurdity of the issue they actually want to satirize. Sure, the approach is clumsy, but it’s at least intriguing.
Where Hausner and Bajard’s script begins to fall apart is its characterization. The movie too frequently switches between the teacher's and her students' perspectives. Hausner and Bajard are attempting to strike a balance where the characters aren’t villainized, but their actions are shown to be wrong, and it doesn’t quite work.
Still, Mia Wasikowska’s performance in the lead role is astounding. She is funny, endearing, and a little off-putting — all at once. The character is complicated to a fault, and Wasikowska makes the most out of it. The kids that play her students are all solid, too, but none of them stands out above the rest. From a technical standpoint, Club Zero is fine, if not all that impressive. There is some interesting production design and costume work that makes good use of color, and the cinematography’s use of centered shots is effectively disquieting. However, much of the filmmaking feels obvious and in service of the satire, which can sometimes be frustrating. Club Zero has many elements that work well and quite a few more where you see their potential to be something great. The film, understandably, will not work for everyone, but for those willing to meet it on its confrontationally awkward level, it’s a mostly entertaining, somewhat thought-provoking experience. Club Zero hits theaters on March 15. Rating: 3/5
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Review by Sean Boelman
For a filmmaker as young as Freddy Macdonald to show as much control behind the camera as he does in Sew Torn is frankly astounding. Although the thriller’s script follows some very familiar threads, its presentation is much more fun than it has any right to be.
Adapted from the short of the same name, Sew Torn follows a seamstress who gets entangled in an increasingly complex web after getting caught up in a drug deal gone wrong. The film then plays out the consequences of all three of her choices: committing the perfect crime, calling the police, or driving away and doing nothing. With movies that follow this type of multi-track storyline, it can be easy for it to feel repetitive and predictable. Although the predictability is an issue here, Freddy and Fred Macdonald’s script gives us plenty enough over-the-top antics for it to stay consistently entertaining and refreshing. It avoids feeling gimmicky, instead being an all-around entertaining crime thriller. From a technical standpoint, Sew Torn is pretty incredible. Multiple sequences in the film are crafted with an astounding level of production design and editing that plays out in an entertaining fashion. Considering that the film’s protagonist is a seamstress, it’s only natural that there is such a high level of attention to detail. Granted, the movie’s script is somewhat shallow. The film delivers some commentary on how our choices have consequences, but this fable’s moral is incredibly obvious from both the story and the expositional narration. Although some intriguing themes in the subtext are mostly related to the characters’ backstories, these are largely left unexplored. The characters themselves are pretty archetypal. The protagonist struggles to step out of her late mother’s shadow — a motivation that is about as generic as it comes. The father-son drug dealer duo has an equally telegraphed dynamic. A few of the supporting characters are comedically creative, but the premise and set pieces do much of the heavy lifting regarding the movie’s creativity. Still, every cast member gives it their all with fully committed performances. Eve Connolly starts very reserved, but as the character begins to show her wits, Connolly’s performance becomes unexpectedly commanding. Calum Worthy also gives a turn that shows a lot of range. However, the biggest highlight of the cast is John Lynch, who is wonderfully hammy as the villain. Sew Torn is an extremely fun crime thriller that, while a little shallow in its themes and predictable due to its structure, is satisfying in how it is presented. Despite its narrative shortcomings, Freddy Macdonald’s feature debut has plenty of ambition in the directorial department and heralds him as a talent to watch. Sew Torn is screening at the 2024 SXSW Film Festival, which runs March 8-16 in Austin, TX. Rating: 4.5/5
Review by Sean Boelman
When a documentary filmmaker makes a movie about their own story, there are generally two ways it can go: an ego trip or something incredibly revealing and humanistic. Alison Tavel’s Resynator falls mostly into the latter category, telling its intimate story in a way that feels quite moving, even if you don’t have any personal connection to the material.
Resynator follows the filmmaker as she discovers a prototype synthesizer created by her dad, who died when she was an infant, sending her on a quest to form a connection with the father she never knew. Although this starts as a very music-focused documentary, as Tavel uncovers her father’s overlooked role in music history, it becomes much more. The parts of the movie discussing the history and technology of synthesizers are interesting — especially if you are a fan of music and sound. However, it arguably works better as a sort of “road movie” that Tavel is sharing with the memory of her father. It hits many of that genre's sentimental beats in an emotionally satisfying way. One of the most intriguing things about Resynator is how unafraid Tavel is to go into the complexities of her father’s story. At a certain point, the movie takes a very dark turn, and Tavel leans into it. She begins to ask difficult questions about not only her father’s legacy but also his life, being willing to interrogate her presuppositions.
This is an incredibly personal film, and with that comes the risk that the filmmaker will spend too much time talking about themself. Thankfully, Tovel manages to avoid this for the majority of the runtime. After a brief introduction in which she discusses her own creative ventures, Tovel keeps the movie primarily focused on her father and his invention.
The film's most interesting moments are those in which she speaks with her father’s peers and relatives, unearthing the story of what happened to the invention — and, eventually, her father. To lend a bit of a bigger profile to the project, Tovel interviews famous musicians about her father’s synthesizer, including Peter Gabriel, Gotye, Fred Armisen, Grace Potter, and more. While these interviews don’t say much of anything, they feel like a natural part of the research process. In addition to the interviews, Tovel incorporates archive materials and animated sequences. The animated sequences, created by Danny Madden (who was in the animation department on Everything Everywhere All at Once), are cool and lend the movie a nice bit of personality — although they are a bit scant in number. Resynator impresses thanks to filmmaker Alison Tavel’s willingness to explore the darker, more complex aspects of her father’s legacy. It’s a fascinating, emotional investigation that — while not particularly challenging for the viewer — allows Tavel to be introspective in a way that is engaging and surprisingly egoless. Resynator is screening at the 2024 SXSW Film Festival, which runs March 8-16 in Austin, TX. Rating: 4.5/5 [SXSW 2024] BLACK BOX DIARIES -- Journalist Shiori Ito Shares an Incredibly Personal Journey3/10/2024
Review by Sean Boelman
Shiori Ito’s documentary Black Box Diaries debuted at the Sundance Film Festival, where it received a great deal of buzz. With a unique and personal approach to difficult subject matter, the film and its creator should be praised for their bravery, even if the presentation occasionally underwhelms.
Black Box Diaries tells the story of journalist Shiori Ito, who set out on an investigation of her own assault in the hopes of getting her high-profile assailant prosecuted after the Japanese justice system fails her like it has so many women in her shoes. The movie serves as an expansion of her book, Black Box, by exploring the developments that have happened since publishing. The first two-thirds — primarily focusing on the initial incident and the process of sharing her story in the book — are incredibly harrowing. It is in the final thirty or so minutes, when the film enters the courtroom, that it starts to feel overly familiar. Although the anticlimactic nature of the courtroom battle could be intentional to frustrate the audience with its inefficiency, it could also cause some to check out. Part of the reason why the movie drags is that its presentation is somewhat dry. Much of the film is fly-on-the-wall footage of Ito in her investigation, writing her book, and participating in her court case. However, some scenes go a bit more abstract — like nature shots accompanied by narration from Ito — and the result simply isn’t cinematic enough. Ito does an exceptional job of exploring some aspects of this issue that aren’t often discussed, such as the complicity of bystanders and people who could have stopped the events from escalating. In her investigation, Ito interrogates people like the cab driver and doorman who did not listen to her pleas for help, leaving her vulnerable in ways she should not have been. That being said, Ito does not explore some of the political aspects of the story as well as one might hope. Some interesting questions are asked about the Japanese justice system and how it makes reporting a sexual assault and having a case prosecuted so difficult. However, when the movie starts to point its finger at those who are obstructing this justice, its condemnation feels frustratingly indecisive. While Ito’s desire to guide rather than tell the audience is noble, it prevents some of the political aspects from being as impactful. Still, as the title implies, Black Box Diaries is a tremendously personal film for Ito, and this emotion pulsates through every moment. The vulnerability and courage Ito shows not only by standing up for herself but also by documenting her story in film is nothing short of awe-inspiring. This is what makes the movie feel truly meaningful. Black Box Diaries is undeniably urgent, exposing legal and political injustices that plague Japanese society and the world at large. Although inconsistent pacing holds the film back from making quite as much of an impact as it should have, Shiori Ito should be applauded for telling her story in a way that pulls back the curtain on an important issue. Black Box Diaries is screening at the 2024 SXSW Film Festival, which runs March 8-16 in Austin, TX. Rating: 3.5/5
Review by Sean Boelman
Not to be confused with the book that inspired last year’s GameStop stock movie Dumb Money, the documentary The Antisocial Network is being billed as an “elaboration” on Arthur Jones and Giorgio Angelini’s Feels Good Man. However, this feels much more like a broadening than an elaboration, with an overly broad scope that prevents the film from being as impactful as it should be.
The movie explores the development and use of the website 4Chan, which started as a relatively harmless website for a particular niche of nerdom but soon evolved into something much more sinister. Although it seems that Jones and Angelini want to pull back the curtain on the notorious forum, they only succeed in asking questions that go unanswered. There is a fascinating thesis at the core of The Antisocial Network, but the argument is frustratingly timid and unfocused. Although the film asks some interesting questions about the toxicity of online culture and the use of technology to indoctrinate young people, this is the type of documentary that skirts by on “there are no easy answers” instead of interrogating the culpable institutions. Part of the issue with The Antisocial Network is the inherent anonymity of 4Chan. Feels Good Man worked so well because it gave the audience an incredibly compelling central subject to empathize with. This is missing from The Antisocial Network. The closest we get is Christopher Poole (aka moot), but he’s not the central subject of the story. Jones and Angelini also paint with much broader strokes here than in Feels Good Man. The alt-right movement that was born out of 4Chan is a much larger counterculture than that which appropriated Pepe the Frog as a hate symbol. Yet the filmmakers seem unwilling to assign any blame here. The central question seems to be whether the technology is responsible or simply the bad people who misuse it, and the movie feels shockingly soft on both. Worse yet, with a runtime of less than 90 minutes, there simply isn’t enough time to explore this topic in depth. There are enough angles to this story that a miniseries could easily be made about technology's role in the proliferation of dangerous ideology. Condensing every perspective into the length of a single feature causes it to feel like a cursory introduction to these ideas. Still, the presentation of the film is certainly sleek. The success of Feels Good Man allowed this project to garner Netflix's interest, and the result is more animation, a more energetic soundtrack, and more polish as a whole. It’s certainly very entertaining and engaging, even if it doesn’t go as in-depth as one would hope. Compared to the excellent Feels Good Man, The Antisocial Network is incredibly disappointing. Although it’s a well-made, mostly engaging watch, one can’t help but see the potential this had if it had explored its themes with more depth. If anything, it makes you want to seek out more thorough sources. The Antisocial Network is screening at the 2024 SXSW Film Festival, which runs March 8-16 in Austin, TX. Rating: 3/5
Review by Sean Boelman
Shane Carruth is one of the worst things to happen to indie cinema this century. He inspired a generation of filmmakers to create indecipherably dense indie sci-fi films that are overambitious to a fault. Shannon Triplett’s Desert Road is the latest in that unwelcome subgenre of cinema. However, what makes it so much worse is that it’s infuriatingly dumb despite its noble attempts at intelligence.
The movie follows a woman who crashes her car in the middle of the desert, only to find herself trapped in a loop where she always ends up back at her car. You may be shocked to learn that this is not, in fact, an expansion of a short, as it is the type of high-concept filmmaking that’s heavy on ideas but weak on execution you would expect from that. The most frustrating thing about Desert Road is how little it trusts the audience. The moment in which this becomes most painfully obvious is when the protagonist is trying to decipher her situation, as she writes theories down in her journal (which we can see through unfathomably sharp cinematography, so kudos to Nico Navia) and also reads them out loud. Although a certain level of exposition is expected from a sci-fi film like this, the amount in Desert Road is nearly insulting. It might not be all that insufferable were it not for the fact that the pacing is atrocious. The movie takes its sweet time to get moving, with a solid fifteen minutes spent in set-up before we even get to the inciting incident. Then, we go through the obligatory “mysterious” phase before finally getting into the final act, which is incredibly rushed. Even at a mere 90 minutes, the film feels anything but brisk and merciful. Furthermore, the character motivations don’t make much sense. The protagonist is given a generic backstory for traveling cross country and a lesson she must learn, but you’ll forget both as soon as the credits roll. Pretty much everything you learn about the characters goes out the window in the third act anyway in what seems to be an attempt at a “twist” that instead comes off as lazy writing. It really is a shame, as Triplett assembled a decent cast. Kristine Froseth has the chops and charisma to be a great lead, but the character she is given has no personality. Beau Bridges, Frances Fisher, and Ryan Hurst all give valiant efforts in the supporting cast, but their dialogue is so laughable that it’s almost embarrassing. Triplett also clearly has a skilled eye as a director, likely owing to her work in the visual effects department on several major blockbusters. You’d almost expect a bit more effects work in a debut from someone with that resumé, but what we get is a mostly confined and generally effectively-shot indie. Still, it’s hard to shake some of the writing issues with Desert Road. Nearly all the pieces are here for Shannon Triplett’s debut to be a knockout, except for one fundamental element: a strong script. Triplett either needed to make less ambitious swings or follow through on the ones she made, but the movie, as it stands, is incredibly frustrating. Desert Road is screening at the 2024 SXSW Film Festival, which runs March 8-16 in Austin, TX. Rating: 1.5/5
Review by Sean Boelman
Often, directorial debuts are more effective as calling cards for what’s to come in a filmmaker’s oeuvre than as satisfying products in and of themselves. Annick Blanc’s Hunting Daze works as an exercise in genre, but if you come into the film expecting to be rewarded with anything more than fleeting entertainment, you’ll be disappointed by its lack of substance.
The film follows an exotic dancer who, after getting stranded in the remote wilderness, convinces five strangers to take her in on a bachelor’s party trip, only to find a strange sense of belonging amongst the men. What we have is a pretty straightforward thriller with tinges of dark comedy, and while it’s not the pinnacle of either genre, there’s enough good here to make it worth watching. Although the story seems like it would lend itself to explosive pacing, it’s quite slow-burning. Yet despite this, the film breezes by at a mere hour and nineteen minutes in length. The protagonist's interactions with her unlikely companions are often funny and occasionally unsettling, but they are always enough to keep viewers interested. However, although Hunting Daze is consistently entertaining, it is also pretty shallow. The film’s assessments that men are animals and that you can’t tame a wild beast are simplistic, albeit not entirely false. Deeper themes run through this, though — especially regarding the film’s sole Black character — but Blanc’s script doesn’t have enough breathing room to explore them. The characters are all incredibly archetypal. Each member of the “stag squad” falls into their prescribed niche to the tee: the sensitive one, the leader who seems reasonable at first but has a mean (in this case, misogynistic streak), and so on. Worse yet, the protagonist is about as much of a “hooker with a heart of gold” trope as you can get. Still, the cast manages to make the most of their roles and turn their stock characters into something surprisingly memorable. The unparalleled MVP is Bruno Marcil, whose performance is unbelievably menacing and fun to watch. However, Nahéma Ricci has a gripping screen presence and holds her own against the much flashier Marcil. The film is also buoyed by solid crafts across the board. Compared to most festival midnight pictures, Hunting Daze is pretty tame. However, where Blanc excels is creating tension and atmosphere. She uses the woodsy setting to her advantage, immersing viewers in this lawless world of toxic masculinity. Hunting Daze had the potential to be the next great feminist thriller, and while it doesn’t come close to meeting those ambitions, it’s at least an entertaining way to spend a little more than an hour. It will be interesting to see what filmmaker Annick Blanc can do if she can spend more time fleshing out her characters and themes in her next script. Hunting Daze is screening at the 2024 SXSW Film Festival, which runs March 8-16 in Austin, TX. Rating: 3/5
Review by Sean Boelman
With her past work, Crystal Moselle has shown a knack for discovering extraordinary voices. First, she found the boys of The Wolfpack; then, the girls of Skate Kitchen; now, she has discovered Derrick B. Harden, with whom she co-directed The Black Sea. A funny, subtly sharp satire, The Black Sea is a film that can be hard to wrap your head around but is incredibly ambitious and undeniably intriguing.
Based on Harden’s experiences traveling in Bulgaria, the movie is about a Black man stranded as the only person of color in a small town with no way to get back home. Although the story starts somewhat familiar, the level of lived-in authenticity that Harden brings to the film allows it to remain refreshing. The movie takes a very documentary-like approach, which seems to be where Moselle’s background comes in. Even her narrative work (Skate Kitchen, Betty) has a clear verisimilitude. There’s no denying how gorgeous The Black Sea is, though, with cinematographer Jackson Hunt excellently capturing the Bulgarian setting in a consistently picturesque, often poetic way. The Black Sea is certainly relaxed in its pacing, but viewers would be unwise to confuse that patience with lethargy. Harden and Moselle know precisely what they are building towards, and it’s a conclusion that pays off in unexpected ways. However, the filmmakers effectively keep the audience engaged — even through some of the moments that are lighter in conflict — with an odd sense of humor that almost creates a facade over the sinister undercurrents. It’s surprising how subtly the movie manages to work in its commentary. There’s a lot to be said here, not only about racism but also about the fetishization of other cultures. The film calls into question both the discriminatory actions the protagonist is subjected to and the objectification he faces and how these are equally harmful in the long run. Much of the movie’s success is owed to its co-director/star, who has such an incredible screen presence that it’s hard to believe this is his first role. Harden is charming, funny, and — most importantly — authentic. It genuinely feels like he’s a guy who could charm his way into a community of people who are reluctant to embrace him. That being said, the characters that comprise the community in which the protagonist nests himself are rather archetypal. Each person has a role to play in the protagonist’s journey and rarely strays outside of that prescribed formula. Regardless, the cast — mostly nonprofessional actors — is all quite effective at what they do. The Black Sea is a compelling, intimate, and often funny film. It’s not the type of movie to force-feed the audience, and while this does cause it to come across as aimless at times, it is always evocative. If nothing else, it introduces the world to the extraordinary talent that is Derrick B. Harden, and it will be exciting to see what he does next. The Black Sea is screening at the 2024 SXSW Film Festival, which runs March 8-16 in Austin, TX. Rating: 4/5
Review by Sean Boelman
Slice-of-life films require one thing to work: authenticity. There is no shortage of that in Natalia Santa’s Malta, a Colombian drama premiering at the 2024 SXSW Film Festival. A promising sophomore feature, the movie may not explore particularly novel themes, but it’s carried by a strong lead performance and a hefty dose of relatability.
Malta tells the story of a young woman who, having grown tired of the stagnation of her life in Colombia, dreams of starting anew abroad. Santa has created a film that captures what it means to grow older in a comfortable but not entirely satisfying world — something that many dreamers will find relatable. Malta will prove to be an incredibly poignant watch for anyone who has gone through — or is going through — a period in their life where they feel stuck. Although many movies have captured the mundanity of an unfulfilling life, Santa effectively captures the emotion of it: the depression and anxiety one feels when they don’t feel like they have accomplished enough. The protagonist is not always likable, often making decisions that feel self-centered. Although the character’s arc hits many familiar beats, Santa tells the story with a lot of earnestness. The struggle to decide between what one must do for oneself and what others want you to do is a conversation many have tried and failed to introspect within themselves.
Visually, Malta does a good job of capturing these emotions. Much of the first act is shot with a very plain lens with muted color, but as the protagonist grows and her perspective on life begins to shift, the film takes on a much more vibrant visual style. It’s not always a pretty movie, but it’s very deliberate in its stylistic approach.
Santa’s pacing is very slow yet effective. Given that the film is about capturing the protagonist’s disillusionment with her current life, it makes sense that there’s not a ton of excitement to be found in the runtime. However, the movie’s ability to avoid melodrama keeps it refreshingly quaint and engaging enough for its runtime of just over an hour and a half. The film works exceptionally well as a showcase for the talents of actress Estefania Piñeres. Although Piñeres hasn’t had roles in anything that broke out with American audiences, she has all the talent to become a star. She has a ton of natural charisma but in a way that feels quietly alluring, not conspicuous and flashy. Malta is a quaint movie that will hardly blow anyone away — not that it’s even intended to. However, Natalia Santa has perfectly captured the balance of hopefulness and resignation many of us struggle with in life, and it’s likely to strike a chord with audiences as a result. Malta is screening at the 2024 SXSW Film Festival, which runs March 8-16 in Austin, TX. Rating: 3.5/5
Review by Sean Boelman
Directed and shot by National Geographic photographer-turned-filmmaker Charlie Hamilton-James, Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story is an adorable film that you can’t help but love. Boasting great visuals and an engaging story, this movie is perfect for animal lovers but will warm even the most cynical hearts.
The documentary follows a man living in the remote Shetland Islands of Scotland as he forms an unexpected friendship with a wild otter who suddenly shows up on his doorstep. Although the story is slight, it has such a deeply rooted humanist undercurrent that it works as a crowd-pleaser. This is a gorgeous movie to behold, considering that Hamilton-James’s cinematography is done in 4K. It’s much more intimate than your average nature documentary, as it’s not the story of an entire ecosystem but a specific individual, so it doesn’t have as many of the sweepingly beautiful shots as you may expect. However, the chance to see something this up close and personal is refreshing in and of itself. Furthermore, with a runtime under 80 minutes, Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story moves along at a nice pace. It’s light and buoyant, reminiscent in many ways of the Disneynature movies of the 2010s with how well it uses the breathtaking footage to tell a narrative story. Of course, it also has the cuteness factor working in its favor.
However, that short runtime does come at the expense of exploring some of the deeper conservationist themes. The subject’s wife often raises the question of whether it is ethical to continue this potentially disruptive relationship to the wild otter’s natural way of life. It would have been nice to see this explored with a bit more depth.
Using the subject’s wife as the story's narrator is also somewhat mixed in effect, as it introduces another player into the story. Although she is obviously an essential part of the subject’s life, her inclusion in the film adds another element of conflict to the story that’s not fully necessary — much less thoroughly explored. Still, when Billy & Molly focuses on why audiences will be seeing the movie — to see an adorable friendship between a man and an otter — it’s fantastic. It’s perfectly saccharine without ever feeling too forced, allowing it to be one of the most pleasant, ineffably lovable documentaries you will see all year. Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story has some incredible 4K footage and uses it to tell a charming, endearing story. Although the film doesn’t dive into some of the questions raised by this situation, it’s undoubtedly effective as a movie that’s just meant to warm your heart and make you smile. Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story is screening at the 2024 SXSW Film Festival, which runs March 8-16 in Austin, TX. Rating: 4/5 |
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