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By Sean Boelman
After having been one of the festivals to set the standard for virtual presentations, the Fantasia Film Festival returns in 2021 with a hybrid edition. Featuring many selections with virtual-only or both virtual and in-person screenings, and a few with only theatrical screenings, the lineup this year is as exciting as ever, even kicking off with a special screening of The Suicide Squad on August 4. We at disappointment media are excited to be covering the festival remotely this year, and below, you can find some of the film’s we’ve seen that we hope you’ll check out!
Coming Home in the Dark
Coming Home in the Dark is likely the least fun to watch of these recommendations, but that doesn’t mean that people attending Fantasia shouldn’t check it out. It’s often hard to stomach in all of its brutality, but this revenge tale isn’t one that viewers will soon forget. Admittedly, the story is pretty straightforward, but James Ashcroft’s lean direction allows it to be impactful nevertheless. Those who already have a taste for New Zealander genre cinema will definitely be impressed.
King Knight
Richard Bates Jr. has gained quite a cult following since Excision, making it almost ironic that his newest film is literally about a cult. However, the film shares more in common with Suburban Gothic than it does with his debut feature, as Bates Jr. leans more heavily into his comedic tendencies here than the dark and cynical ones. Combined with an excellent performance from Matthew Gray Gubler, this results in what is probably the filmmaker’s most agreeable film yet — an all-around wholesome and enjoyable watch.
Mother Schmuckers
In what is sure to hold the title for the most disgusting film at this year’s Fantasia, Harpo and Lenny Guit’s Mother Schmuckers is nonetheless a must-see film for any genre aficionado. A charming exercise in excess, the film follows two brothers who set out on a journey to find their mother’s lost dog, getting into all sorts of ridiculous antics along the way. Its over-the-top nature is sure to appall some, but the shock value is absolutely what makes it so memorable.
Prisoners of the Ghostland
In recent years, Nicolas Cage has given plenty of memorable unhinged performances, and Prisoners of the Ghostland sees him at the top of his game. Directed by Japanese filmmaker Sion Sono, it’s nice to see Cage working again with an auteur behind the camera, this film giving off heavy shades of Face/Off. It’s a blend of Eastern and Western tropes that is undeniably a hell of a lot of fun to watch, but packs a surprising political punch under the surface. Hi-fucking-ya.
We're All Going to the World's Fair
Jane Schoenbrun’s We’re All Going to the World’s Fair debuted quietly at Sundance this year but has had a steadily growing cult following singing its praises, and hopefully Fantasia will be the place where it makes its big breakout. On its surface an exploration of online culture, but beneath that, a deeper exploration of identity, this is probably one of the most complex and nuanced horror films to have debuted in recent years. Festival-goers won’t want to miss their chance to say they experienced this film early on.
The 2021 Fantasia Film Festival runs from August 5-25.
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Review by Sean Boelman
The Cannes Film Festival is back for its 74th edition after having to take a break for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Filled with some highly anticipated premieres of both auteur-driven films and new discoveries, the lineup should have any cinephile excited for the state of film for the rest of the year. Unfortunately, we at disappointment media were unable to attend the festival in person, but we are providing remote coverage where possible. Here are some of our thoughts! We will be updating this article with more capsule reviews as we screen additional films.
Small Body
The Italian period piece Small Body starts out very interestingly and loses steam over the course of its hour and a half runtime. Laura Samani’s film, about a woman who sets out on a journey to save the soul of her stillborn child, is a visually stunning exploration of spirituality for much of its first act. However, after about thirty or so minutes, it settles into a much more conventional rhythm resembling a traditional road movie. It’s still good by all means, just not as great as the opening shows the potential to be.
Aya
Simon Coulibaly Gillard’s coming-of-age drama Aya certainly has some emotionally affecting moments, but it falls victim to convention a bit too often for its own good. Following a young woman who faces an identity crisis as her home is threatened, there is obviously a very important message here, although the pacing does detract from it a bit. The visuals are frequently gorgeous, and Gillard is clearly very talented, but from a narrative standpoint, it feels a bit too much like things we have already seen.
The Heroics
Sometimes, an inspirational crowd-pleasing drama is what is called for, and the Maxime Roy film The Heroics fits that bill wonderfully. It’s a pretty simple film about a former junkie who is trying to make himself into a better person for the sake of both himself and his kids. At times, it feels like it’s a bit too self-serious, but there are plenty of absolutely heart-wrenching moments sprinkled throughout. François Creton’s leading performance is brilliant as well, bringing a lot of emotion to the role.
Babi Yar. Context
In terms of documentaries composed solely of archive footage, Sergey Loznitsa’s Babi Yar. Context is pretty brilliant. It’s simple yet effective in what it hopes to depict, the tragic massacre of thousands of Jewish people in the Ukraine. It’s undoubtedly a difficult film to watch because of how brutal some of the footage it utilizes is. At two hours in length, it’s perhaps a bit longer than it needs to be, but it achieves the point it is trying to make quite effectively.
Returning to Reims (Fragments)
Based on Didier Eribon’s novel, Jean-Gabriel Périot’s documentary Returning to Reims (Fragments) offers a very compelling portrait of the French working class. However, despite some excellent archive footage and great narration from Adèle Haenel, this feels more like an essay and less like a film, for better or worse. It argues its point quite effectively, but it may not connect with viewers in a way that will allow its message to be entirely resonant. There are a lot of really good things going on here, but it won’t expand beyond the audience that is already interested in it.
A Radiant Girl
Sandrine Kimberlain’s coming-of-age drama A Radiant Girl joins the tradition of the great Holocaust comedies that have a sense of optimism to them which one wouldn’t expect from a film like this, even if it doesn’t live up to the same level. Rebecca Marder’s performance is absolutely exceptional, bringing a lot of personality to a character archetype that has been done many times before. Yet even though the film might struggle with a genre that is overstuffed, it sticks the landing in a way that won’t soon be forgotten.
Zero Fucks Given
Almost entirely dependent on the success of the lead performance from Adèle Exarchopoulos, Julie Lecoustre and Emmanuel Marre’s dramedy Zero Fucks Given doesn’t live up to the enormous amount of potential it has. The first half of the film, following the protagonist as her world falls down around her, is really compelling, but the second half struggles to keep up the strong momentum. There are a lot of really good things going on in the film, but it’s a bit too meandering for its own good.
Little Palestine (Diary of a Siege)
The ACID-selected documentary Little Palestine (Diary of a Siege) makes an expectedly compelling and emotional watch. A verité look at the residents of a Palestinian refugee camp in Syria, the narrative through-line in the film isn’t the strongest, but the footage that director Abdallah Al-Khatib utilizes to depict this political crisis is absolutely astounding. The film inspires in how it showcases the members of this community creating art and enjoying life despite all the turmoil that surrounds them, but it also calls attention to the important issues at hand.
Tom Medina
One of the selections from the cancelled 2020 edition that were invited back to screen at the 2021 festival, Tony Gatlin’s film Tom Medina is gorgeous, but it features a very wandering narrative. There is a point to all of the antics that the eponymous protagonist gets into, but it’s really conventional in a way that isn’t entirely satisfying. The highlight here is the performance from David Murgia, who gives a turn that is far better than everything that surrounds it.
A Corsican Summer
Pascal Tagnati’s film A Corsican Summer screened in the ACID sidebar to the Cannes Film Festival, a parallel section devoted to finding distribution for independent films from across the world, and it is definitely a very independent production. This very specific slice-of-life film about a group of people going about their routines one summer is completely stagnant in a narrative sense. The visuals are frequently gorgeous, and there are definitely some compelling vignettes, but they don’t amount to a compelling enough film to justify a two-hour-plus runtime.
The 2021 Cannes Film Festival runs from July 7-17.
By Sean Boelman
The first half of 2021 has seen a return to (somewhat) normal moviegoing, as we have already had two $100 million+ blockbusters in theaters (Godzilla vs. Kong and A Quiet Place Part II) with a third well on its way (F9) and plenty of indie darlings debuting on the festival circuit, both online and in-person. Now that six months of the year are over, it is time to reflect back upon some of the best films we have seen in that time. Here are our top 10 films of 2020 so far, in alphabetical order:
Bo Burnham: Inside
Bo Burnham’s comedy special Inside is perhaps the best portrait of what it felt like to live during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hilarious, insightful, and poignant, the special features all of the brilliant comedy that one would expect and some catchy songs too. Everyone will have their own favorite part, but some clear highlights include “How the World Works” and “Welcome to the Internet”. It’s perhaps the most purely entertaining eighty-seven minutes of content released this year so far, and it will be hard to find anything funnier in the next six months.
Cruella
Unlike most of Disney’s live-action reimaginings of their classic animated properties, Cruella feels less like a cash-grab and more like a legitimate attempt to tell a story. Director Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya) was able to make a film that is stylish and fun, featuring the best costumes and soundtrack of the year so far. Of course, the performances are also exceptional, with Emma Stone and Emma Thompson having a competition to see who is better, and the audience being the only winner.
Derek DelGaudio's In & Of Itself
Directed by Frank Oz, Derek DelGaudio’s In & Of Itself is a performance film capturing the mind-blowing stage show by magician DelGaudio. And while this magic show, which is very heavily rooted in audience participation, may not sound on paper like it would make for a great film, the power of the performance is absolutely undeniable. It’s an experience that is best left unspoiled, but there are plenty of absolutely awe-inspiring moments that will have audiences glued to the screen even though they are watching this from the comfort of their own home.
Judas and the Black Messiah
One of the films to take advantage of the extended Oscar eligibility window, Judas and the Black Messiah was honored in the most recent Academy Awards ceremony but is still a 2021 film nonetheless. And no halfway list would be complete without mentioning this emotionally-charged and unorthodox biopic following Black Panther chairman Fred Hampton. Daniel Kaluuya’s award-winning performance as Hampton is obviously the highlight, but it’s an all-around exceptional film that people will hopefully be talking about for years to come.
Love Spreads
Jamie Adams’s comedy Love Spreads is ultimately just a hangout movie about a group of musicians trying to make an album, but it’s exceptional at what it does and offers some surprisingly insightful commentary. Alia Shawkat and Eiza González are great in the film as the two creative forces in the band, giving performances that are uncharacteristically low-key for both of them. The thing that impresses most about Adams’s film, though, is how lived-in it feels, something which so many films in this genre struggle and fail to pull off.
Profile
Timur Bekmambetov’s Screenlife format of filmmaking has resulted in some really bad and gimmicky films, but his terrorism thriller Profile is not one of them. Having debuted on the festival circuit three years ago but not receiving a release until now, the film definitely isn’t as timely as it would have been had it been released when it was made, but that doesn’t keep it from being an entertaining and anxiety-inducing thriller.
Raya and the Last Dragon
The output of Walt Disney Animation Studios has been very inconsistent in recent years, but Raya and the Last Dragon is absolutely exceptional. It’s an energetic and emotional adventure with some really strong action and plenty of laughs for both kids and adults. The voice cast — including Kelly Marie Tran, Awkwafina, Daniel Dae Kim, Benedict Wong, and more — is great, but the true standout of the film is the gorgeous animation which builds this intricate world of Kumandra so wonderfully.
The Sparks Brothers
Somehow cult-favorite filmmaker Edgar Wright’s first foray into nonfiction filmmaking, The Sparks Brothers is undoubtedly one of the most fun and energetic music documentaries in recent memory. Telling the story of the groundbreaking and underappreciated duo Sparks (who will definitely receive their due when their musical Annette is released in August), Wright’s documentary has great interviews, wonderful archive footage, and of course, plenty of great music, and what else could someone want from a documentary like this?
Supernova
Harry Macqueen’s gay love story Supernova is a brilliant film that got the short end of the stick in awards season because of the level of competition. However, this film features career-best performances from Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci that deserve plenty of recognition, especially the latter. The other thing that allows this film to stand out is that it is an LGBTQ film that isn’t about homophobia or being gay. It’s nice to see love between two men treated as love between two men, not as an obstacle.
There Is No Evil
The Iranian film There Is No Evil is hard to watch, but fittingly so, as it deals with the very difficult theme of capital punishment in Iran. The first two out of four segments of this anthology are riveting, containing some of the most harrowing moments of the film, and the latter two serve to reinforce the point. The fact that this film exists is extraordinary, and cinemagoers should take advantage of that to inform themselves on this issue.
This list only included films that received a regular release between January and June of 2021. Films such as Cryptozoo (releasing in August), We Need to Do Something (releasing in September), A Cop Movie, and Mass (both releasing later this year) might pop up on our end-of-year list.
By Sean Boelman
AFI DOCS was one of the first film festivals to go entirely virtual during the COVID-19 pandemic, and this year’s edition features a virtual program with an in-person component in Washington, D.C. happening simultaneously. With a lineup including multiple exciting high-profile premieres and some screenings of intriguing films from unique voices, this is a festival not to miss for lovers of non-fiction cinema.
At disappointment media, we are proud to be covering the 2021 edition of AFI DOCS. As films screen at the festival, we will be updating this article with capsule reviews of select titles. Be sure to check out this page for the length of the festival to see our thoughts on what we’re watching! Storm Lake
There was a time in which print journalism was one of the most important institutions in the country, and now there are documentaries about how print is dying. Perhaps the most depressing documentary of the festival, even if it isn’t as hard-hitting as some of the others, Storm Lake documents how a community can fall into total disarray as it loses the newspaper that is the glue that holds it together. Yet like the subjects of the film, Beth Levison and Jerry Risus maintain a sense of optimism that this small town paper will succeed in its fight to survive, and the result is generally moving.
The Neutral Ground
CJ Hunt’s documentary The Neutral Ground is ultimately about a lot of things. In exploring New Orleans history, white supremacy, and Confederate monuments, Hunt presents a deeper commentary on Black identity than a lot of documentaries have been able to achieve. Often harrowing and sometimes funny, Hunt gets right into the front lines, interviewing activists from both sides in an attempt to bridge the gap between them and debunk the myth of a neutral ground that exists between them. It’s a really compelling and informative documentary that challenges what we think we know about our past.
The Story Won't Die
David Henry Gerson’s The Story Won’t Die is a film that should be applauded for its attempt at handling a difficult issue in a way that is sensitive and unique, even if its ambitious goals never really pay off. Following a group of musicians who create music despite brutal and oppressive conditions in Syria, this had the potential to be a harsh commentary on the reality of one of the world’s most war-torn countries, but is disappointingly slight. As a whole, the film is somewhat… uplifting? And that feels like the wrong approach when dealing with a story that involves war crimes.
The One and Only Dick Gregory
Viewers may be familiar with the name of Dick Gregory for one of a few reasons: as a comedian, as an activist, or as an entrepreneur. Andre Gaines’s documentary The One and Only Dick Gregory does an exceptional job of capturing the talents and impacts of this multihyphenate, serving both as a wonderful tribute and a reminder of why his work is so necessary. Interviews with numerous well-known comedians from today attest to the impact that Gregory had on the comedy world, and while it doesn’t feature enough in the way of hearing from Gregory himself, it’s still a funny and touching documentary.
No Straight Lines: The Rise of Queer Comics
No Straight Lines: The Rise of Queer Comics is definitely very conventional in terms of how it is presented, but this deep dive into the history of LGBTQ+ artists is so fascinating that it makes for an interesting documentary nevertheless. Some viewers may be familiar with the stories of some of the more well-known people profiled in the film, such as Allison Bechdel, but the portions of the film that tell the story of the more underground artists in the movement are much more effective.
Pray Away
Executive produced by Ryan Murphy and Jason Blum, the documentary Pray Away is absolutely one of the most heartbreaking films to come out in quite a while. Following some of the former leaders of the “Pray Away the Gay” movement, it’s hard to watch the level of self-loathing that is demonstrated in the film. However, the horrors that are being discussed are very much real and need to be talked about so that society doesn’t make the mistake of repeating history. The fact that this is director Kristine Stolakis’s feature debut is absolutely astounding.
Cusp
Isabel Bethencourt and Parker Hill’s documentary Cusp is a very uncomfortable film to watch because of some of the content and issues which it addresses, but the way in which the filmmakers were able to put their finger on the pulse of today’s youth is extremely impressive. Following a group of teenage girls over the course of a Texas summer, this is very reminiscent of the classics of the fly-on-the-wall documentary genre, with a presentation that is typical but a level of empathy that is anything but. It’s a film that finds power in the seemingly mundane moments.
President
The Presidential election in Zimbabwe might not sound like the most compelling story for a documentary, but filmmaker Camilla Neilsson’s film President is surprisingly fascinating. Although this is about an African country, this exploration of a democracy in decline is shocking and riveting. Much of the first half of the film plays out like a race-against-the-clock thriller as the subject struggles to fight back against the corrupt status quo of the Zimbabwean government, and while the second half is much more conventional as a political documentary, it’s still quite interesting.
Searchers
Pacho Velez’s documentary Searchers is definitely very messy, but there is a unique charm to it. Featuring a set of New Yorkers who reflect on their experiences of online dating, this is a topic that is going to be quite relatable to many and is presented in a way that is unorthodox and fascinating. The first half of the film quite literally just observes the subjects as they scroll through potential matches on various dating platforms, and it’s quite entertaining. The remainder of the film is less abstract, and perhaps less effective, but still surprisingly insightful.
The First Step
Following CNN political contributor Van Jones, the documentary The First Step is just as well-intentioned as its subject, but similarly, it is also likely to receive a good deal of controversy. In an era of so much division, the idea of centrism might sound nice on paper, but it’s very difficult to recommend that as a genuine solution. Ultimately, as a whole, the documentary feels like Jones complaining about getting so much heat from both sides, acknowledging but not really accepting why he earned that heat in a very whiny way.
Try Harder!
Debbie Lum’s documentary Try Harder! should absolutely be required viewing for anyone who is in the process of applying for colleges. As someone who is less detached from this process than a majority of critics, this portrait of a group of high school students striving to get admission into their dream colleges would have proven an invaluable resource when going through the same thing. It would have been nice to see Lum go into more depth with the students on a personal level beyond their academic ambitions, but the film is successful in communicating how these students’ broken mindset continues to present them with challenges.
The Lost Leonardo
Robert Simon inspection of the Salvator Mundi at the National Gallery (2011). Copyright Robert Simon. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
A documentary about one of the most mysterious paintings in the world sounds like it should be very entertaining on paper, but in execution, filmmaker Andreas Koefoed overestimates the amount that the average viewer cares about the art scene. The Lost Leonardo wastes an absolutely insane story and a solid sense of style with talking-head interviews that will easily lose the viewer’s interest. It may be a bit of a stereotype, but the experts who are telling the story are either overzealous and obnoxious or monotonous and boring to listen to, and as a result, this “real-life art thriller” can feel like watching paint dry at times.
Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain
Anthony Bourdain stars in Morgan Neville’s documentary ROADRUNNER, a Focus Features release. Photo Credit: CNN / Focus Features.
Filmmaker Morgan Neville’s last documentary, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, tapped into the audience’s nostalgia to deliver a moving and heartbreaking portrait of its subject. With his newest film, Neville again sets out to document the life of a beloved television personality, this time the late celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain. However, those who expect this to be another sweet crowd-pleaser will be caught off-guard by the surprisingly dark tone this film takes. Much like Bourdain himself, the film is interested in exploring the unknown in a way that is unexpectedly insightful and poignant. It’s an extraordinary tribute to an extraordinary man, and it works brilliantly.
Naomi Osaka
A three-part docuseries from director Garrett Bradley (last year’s Oscar-nominated documentary Time), Naomi Osaka tells the story of the eponymous world-class championship tennis player. However, those who are familiar with Bradley’s work will know that this isn’t an average sports biography, as Bradley’s approach is exceptionally tender and nuanced. It’s really unexpected to see a portrait of an athlete be so humanistic and empathetic, which will allow it to connect with audiences more than many films like it. Only the first episode screened for festival-goers, but if it is representative of the quality of the series as a whole, this will be an absolute must-see when it drops on Netflix next month.
The 2021 AFI DOCS festival runs from June 22-27, 2021.
By Dan Skip Allen
Courtroom dramas are a dime a dozen in Hollywood. A lot of them have flashy lawyers played by a who's who of Hollywood A-listers. The lawyer is usually considered the star of courtroom dramas. In the case of Primal Fear, the star lawyer in the film is Martin Vail, played by Richard Gere. He's a hot defense attorney on the news at night and the cover of magazines. The star power of Richard Gere is all a film like Primal Fear needed, but it has a hell of a lot more star power in it. The least of which is Academy Award nominee Edward Norton as Aaron Stampler.
Martin Vail (Richard Gere) is a hotshot lawyer who defends the biggest criminals in Chicago. He gets them settlements and results for himself. When an altar boy, Aaron Stampler (Edward Norton) is caught running from a murder scene at the house of a prominent priest in Chicago, Archbishop Rushman, covered in his blood. Vail zeroes in on this high-profile case. This could be the whale he's been trying to catch for his entire career. Does all the evidence point to this altar boy or is there more to this case than meets the eye? Looking back at Primal Fear is an incredible thing because of the story based on the novel by William Deihl. This is an amazing story of mistaken identity or possibly multiple personality disorder. This film has an amazing cast that all play their roles terrifically. From the prosecutor Janet Venable (Laura Linney) to the shrink Molly (Frances McDormand) to the Judge Shoat (Alfre Woodard), this cast is packed! Andre Braugher, John Maloney, Maura Tierney are just a few more names in this film that all do excellent work. The real star is Edward Norton! It's the role of a lifetime for him and he got robbed of an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. 
Primal Fear has a great story, but it's the twist that makes it work. Gere's character has to sell his side of the story. If he does, the jury and audience can buy into the twist. This film is a classic whodunnit, but everybody already knows who done it. Or do they? The twists and turns in this film are off the wall, which makes it a great courtroom drama. This film isn't straightforward. That's a good thing because it keeps everybody on the edge of their seats throughout. All great courtroom dramas have this effect.
The director, Gregory Hoblit, takes the words of the author and puts them into capable hands: the actors'. He creates an atmosphere that the actors bring their a-game in every scene. He films the courtroom scenes with a lot of up-close shots so the viewers can see all the emotions on the actor's faces as they perform this great dialogue. All great films start with the script and the source material. This film is no different than all the rest in that regard. Primal Fear takes the classic courtroom drama and turns it on its head. It has great performances from the entire cast, but most notably from Gere and Norton. They both give career-best performances in this film. Hoblit put the camera in the right places every time including a lot of close-ups. The script is terrifically acted out by everybody involved in the film. The suspense was there every moment Norton was on screen. He gives one of the best performances ever as the altar boy with multiple personalities. This is the main reason why this film is so great!
By Sean Boelman
Note: We at disappointment media do not support many of the decisions that the Tribeca Film Festival has made in regards to its treatment of the media during the 2021 edition. However, we also recognize the fact that the festival is an important launchpad for many films seeking distribution. As such, we will continue to cover films in the lineup, but will focus on the films themselves rather than the festival as a whole.
Wu Hai
Wu Hai is a film with a ridiculously intriguing premise that ultimately ends up being another entry in the slow cinema movement. Following a man whose world comes crumbling down around him, this would work much better as a race-against-the-clock thriller than the meditative character study that it is. There are definitely some compelling moments, but more often than not, this feels like a redo of emotional beats that have been done better so many times before. The only thing that there is to really recommend about this film is the absolutely stunning visuals.
Wu Hai is currently seeking distribution. Ultrasound
Rob Schroeder’s sci-fi movie Ultrasound is one of those movies that is extremely complicated to the point of feeling really intelligent, even if it isn’t as profound as it seems to think it is. Yet even though the film is a bit hard to follow at times, it’s generally entertaining thanks to the way in which Schroeder creates the atmosphere. Ultimately, it works best as an exercise in eeriness rather than a horror film in its own right, and as such, it will appeal to hardcore genre fans.
Ultrasound is currently seeking distribution. Paper & Glue
Street artist JR has always been known for being very socially conscious, but his new documentary Paper & Glue takes his activism to the forefront. Following JR as he uses his art to give a voice to regular people who are underrepresented, it has some pretty powerful aspirations but never manages to reach them. A lot of the issues that JR sets his eyes on are very important, but the focus here seems to be more on the art and less on the issues. It’s a noble step, but it isn’t as great as it should have been.
Paper & Glue is currently seeking distribution. Clean
Adrien Brody is clearly a very talented actor, but his skills when it comes to writing screenplays have yet to be proven. If the revenge thriller Clean is any indication, he definitely needs a bit more work in that department. As a starring vehicle for himself, it works well enough, as it allows him to give a performance that is predictably strong. However, the script is painfully dull and generic, rehashing the beats of any other movie in the genre in a way that can be hard to get through.
Clean is currently seeking distribution. Ballad of a White Cow
The Iranian film Ballad of a White Cow is perhaps one of the most haunting films on the festival circuit right now, a slow-burn melodrama that escalates into something more sinister with its expertly-crafted tension. Following a woman who learns that her husband was executed for a crime of which he was innocent, this is a bleak film that can be very hard to watch at times, but it’s consistently stirring and very thoughtful. Great direction from Maryam Moghadam and Behtash Sanaeeha and a fabulous performance from Moghadam make this an absolute stand-out.
Ballad of a White Cow is currently seeking distribution. With/In Vol. 1
Pandemic films are certainly going to be a mainstay in the industry for the next year or so, and so audiences need to get prepared for both good ones and bad ones. Thanks to the talent involved, With/In Vol. 1, an anthology film composed of shorts from notable talent including Sanaa Lathan, Rosie Perez, Morgan Spector, and Bart Freundlich trends towards the positive side, with Spector’s segment “Mother” being a particular highlight. However, even though the intentions are good, filmmakers using the same, widely-available equipment to create a film, the fact that all of these creators are well off is a little suspect.
With/In Vol. 1 is currently seeking distribution. The Novice
Having earned several comparisons to Whiplash, Lauren Hadaway’s thriller The Novice is an enthralling glimpse into obsession. In terms of the script, it’s on the conventional side, hitting all of the beats in a predictable manner, but the execution is so stylish that it works nevertheless. The visuals in Hadaway’s film are effectively nightmarish, drawing the viewer into the tense world of the protagonist, and Isabelle Fuhrman gives an amazing performance that was clearly very demanding, both physically and emotionally.
The Novice is currently seeking distribution. Catch the Fair One
Executive produced by Darren Aronofsky, Catch the Fair One, the sophomore feature of filmmaker Josef Kubota Wladyka may be a bit conventional in terms of its script, but it’s certainly confident in its style. A lean, entertaining revenge thriller, even if it plays it a bit too safe, this story of a boxer trying to find her missing sister packs quite the emotional punch. The lead performance from real-life boxer Kali Reis is also worthy of note, as she manages to pull a lot of nuance out of a character that is somewhat by-the-book.
Catch the Fair One is currently seeking distribution. Claydream
A must-see for anyone who is interested in film history, the documentary Claydream tells the story of one of the originators of the claymation style of filmmaking. Documentarian Marq Evans profiles filmmaker Will Vinton in a way that is somewhat formulaic, but the film does a good job of playing out in a way that is cinematic and entertaining. The incorporation of clips from Vinton’s work will undoubtedly leave viewers in awe of his craft, but the real appeal of this film comes in when the story takes a crazy turn in the third act.
Claydream is currently seeking distribution. Italian Studies
From the looks of it, Italian Studies would have been a huge breakout because it features a rising star in Vanessa Kirby, but this film is way too abstract to connect with a majority of audiences. Following an amnesiac writer who wanders the streets of New York City, possibly or possibly not having conversations with teenagers, this is basically a series of metaphorical and philosophical ramblings. Sometimes they are insightful, and other times they feel empty and pretentious. But there’s no doubt that the film is gorgeous to look at, and Kirby’s performance is quite good.
Italian Studies is currently seeking distribution. Mark, Mary + Some Other People
Mark, Mary & Some Other People is a hilarious romantic comedy exploring the somewhat taboo idea of polyamorous relationships. It’s the type of comedy that deals heavily in secondhand embarrassment, as we watch the characters make the wrong decision time after time, but it’s very funny at what it does. Lead actors Ben Rosenfield and Hayley Law have exceptional chemistry together and pull off both the romantic and comedic aspects of the script. From previous outings, it was clear that writer-director Hannah Marks was talented, but this proves that she is great at comedy.
Mark, Mary & Some Other People will release later this year. Blind Ambition
Offering a compelling blend of underdog story, food porn, and a political documentary, Robert Coe and Warwick Ross’s film Blind Ambition seems like an unlikely candidate for success, but much like the team of sommeliers it follows, there is much more to this film than it initially lets on. Audiences can expect to be pulled into the story of the Zimbabwean Wine Tasting Olympics team, and the film also does a very good job of diving deep into the stories of these four men who are fighting against the odds.
Blind Ambition is currently seeking distribution. False Positive
False Positive is a deeply unoriginal film with a script that borrows heavily from, if not entirely ripping off, better films. Anyone with even a passing knowledge of classic horror will be able to predict where the story is going from a mile away, and the fact that the film seems to think it is smart and subversive is, quite frankly, insulting. A decently eerie style from director John Lee and a devilishly fun performance from Pierce Brosnan are nowhere near enough to make up for this joyless attempt at atmospheric horror, especially with the ending being so outright laughable.
False Positive streams on Hulu beginning June 25. Creation Stories
Creation Stories is clearly meant to exist in the same vein as the much better 24 Hour Party People, a comedy-tinged biopic about someone whose hand guided the evolution of British pop. However, despite having plenty of interesting stories to pull from, the script by Dean Cavanagh and Irvine Welsh is so messy that it’s nearly impossible to make anything out of it. Ewen Bremner is solid as music mogul Alan McGee, and the soundtrack is obviously great, but the writing is just horrid, and director Nick Moran’s failed and cheap-looking attempts to infuse the film with a sleek style don’t help.
Creation Stories will be released later this year. The Justice of Bunny King
Gaysorn Thavat’s tear-jerking drama The Justice of Bunny King offers some genuinely heartbreaking commentary on the failures of the system which it critiques, but its emotional beats are too predictable and artificial for it to be especially resonant. The performances by Essie Davis and Thomasin McKenzie are fabulous, but this story of a mother struggling to provide for her children has a script that is less than impressive. The first two thirds are sentimental but bearable, but the final act goes way overboard, nearly to the point of being unwatchable.
The Justice of Bunny King is currently seeking distribution. Larry Flynt for President
The story of Hustler founder and unlikely Presidential candidate Larry Flynt is so insane that it got the biopic treatment in 1996, but the charm of Nadia Szold’s new documentary Larry Flynt for President is that it features lots of unearthed, never-before-seen footage from the Flynt campaign. Clocking in at a lean ninety minutes, the film is definitely very entertaining thanks to its subject’s larger-than-life personality and the often absurd antics in which he involved himself. But beyond that, it’s an interesting exploration of the issue of freedom of speech and the press, which has always been a hot-button topic.
Larry Flynt for President is currently seeking distribution. a-ha: The Movie
Norwegian pop band a-ha has a large, passionate fanbase, so one would think that a documentary about their rise to fame would be absolutely delightful. However, director Thomas Robsahm’s approach to telling the story is very straightforward, to the point of it becoming dull. There are some interesting moments that feature animation in the style of a-ha’s iconic music videos, but other than that, it’s mostly a compilation of interviews and archival performance footage. It’s good enough to be worth watching, but there’s also no doubt that fans and the group deserve something better.
a-ha: The Movie is currently seeking distribution. Bernstein's Wall
Perhaps the most influential American composer in all of history, Leonard Bernstein lived an absolutely fascinating life and the documentary Bernstein’s Wall allows audiences to hear about it in his own words. It’s a bit traditional in how it’s presented — mostly archive footage with the interviews used as voiceover — but Bernstein is such an exceptional subject that flashiness isn’t necessary. Admittedly, it’s a film that’s going to appeal more to those who are already interested in classical music, but it could also win over some fans for Bernstein’s impressive body of work.
Bernstein's Wall is currently seeking distribution. We Need to Do Something
Vinessa Shaw as ‘Diane,’ John James Cronin as ‘Bobby,’ Pat Healy as ‘Robert,’ and Sierra McCormick as ‘Melissa’ in Sean King O’Grady’s WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING. Courtesy of IFC Midnight. An IFC Midnight release.
Sean King O’Grady’s film We Need to Do Something is an absolute masterclass in tense horror filmmaking. Following a family who find themselves trapped in a bathroom after a devastating storm, this starts out as a lean slow-burn thriller before going absolutely off the rails around the thirty-minute mark. The things that O’Grady is able to do with sound and set design are thoroughly impressive and succeed in capturing the feeling of anxiety that the film requires, and Pat Healy’s unhinged performance as the family’s patriarch is a scene-stealer. Genre fans definitely need to check this one out.
We Need to Do Something hits theaters and VOD on September 3. Shapeless
Kelly Murtaugh wrote and stars in Shapeless, which is clearly a very personal film, but personal and compelling aren’t always synonymous. Following a lounge singer with an eating disorder that turns her life into a waking nightmare, the film does some interesting things with body horror, but for the most part, is just dull and repetitive. It gets its point across early on, and the rest of the runtime feels like we are trapped in an endless loop of misery. Of course, this seems to be the point, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s an altogether unpleasant film to stomach.
Shapeless is currently seeking distribution. Fathom
Dr. Michelle Fournet and Natalie Mastick Jensen in “Fathom,” premiering globally on Apple TV+ on June 25, 2021.
No matter how many are made, there is a seemingly eternal demand for nature documentaries, and the streaming services are often the ones who provide the supply. The newest film from Apple TV+, Fathom, follows two scientists who set out to decode the language behind humpback whale songs. The mission that these researchers are undertaking is pretty fascinating, even if the sound of these whale calls is so soothing to almost lull the viewer to sleep. Still, director/cinematographer Drew Xanthopoulos has a tremendous eye, shooting the film in a breathtakingly gorgeous way that will make this a crowd-pleaser.
Fathom streams on Apple TV+ beginning June 25. Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road
If one is discussing the best albums made of all time, at least one by the Beach Boys should undoubtedly come up — Pet Sounds — but the documentary Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road seeks to remind audiences of just how prolific Wilson’s entire discography is. In terms of how filmmaker Brent Wilson (no relation) presents the eponymous musician’s story, this is a pretty standard biographical documentary, but it’s an entertaining watch nevertheless, especially for those who are already fans. And of course, the best part of the documentary is getting the chance to hear about the origins of some of the best songs ever straight from the mouth of their creator.
Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road is currently seeking distribution. The Beta Test
Jim Cummings as “Jordan’ in Jim Cummings’ and PJ McCabe’s THE BETA TEST. Courtesy of IFC Films. An IFC Films release.
Jim Cummings has become quite the indie superstar since his feature debut Thunder Road, and his newest film, The Beta Test (co-written and co-directed with PJ McCabe), is his best and most ambitious yet. Although the film is a tad busy, biting off a bit more than it can chew in terms of themes, it is a mind-blowing satire of Hollywood and social media. Many films have tried and failed to do this same thing before, but Cummings and McCabe have pulled it off in a way that is thoroughly stylish, entertaining, and anxiety-inducing, making for one of the best thrillers of the year so far.
The Beta Test will be released in theaters and on VOD this fall. Wild Men
The Danish dark comedy Wild Men starts off strong, with some excellent situational humor and the promise of a twisty storyline, but after a while, one begins to wonder why it all matters. Entertaining moments are sprinkled throughout, but the film peaks early and plateaus for much of the rest of the runtime. Perhaps the best thing in play here is a great performance from Rasmus Bjerg, who does a great job with both the comedy and the action. Still, viewers will largely be left unfulfilled, wishing that the film had lived up to the untapped potential of the set-up.
Wild Men is currently seeking distribution. Roaring 20's
Although the adjective gets thrown around a lot more frequently than it needs to be used, there is no better word to describe Elisabeth Vogler’s film Roaring 20’s than “pretentious”. Although the execution of the film as a one-take ensemble drama shot on the streets of Paris during the COVID-19 pandemic is certainly impressive, it often feels like the purpose of this film is merely to prove what Vogler was able to do. It’s gimmicky in all the wrong ways, with minimal story or character development and themes that are scattered at best. It’s a shame that Vogler couldn’t put her obvious talent to use on something more profound.
Roaring 20's is currently seeking distribution. No Man of God
As long as audiences aren’t able to get enough true crime content, filmmakers will keep putting it out, and No Man of God is the latest film that will come and go in the genre. Strong performances from Luke Kirby and Elijah Wood keep this chamber piece about conversations between serial killer Ted Bundy and an FBI psychoanalyst from being entirely forgettable, but the whole affair is frighteningly one-note. The first two thirds are competent but largely dull, but once it gets to the climax, it starts to get outright bad with hokey and forced emotional beats.
No Man of God will be released in theaters and on VOD on August 27. No Running
Recent years have seen an uptick in the amount of socially conscious genre films, and Delmar Washington’s feature debut No Running hopes to put a timely spin on the sci-fi mystery genre. However, the fundamental issue with the film is that first-time writer Tucker Morgan’s script has next to no suspense. There are a lot of genuinely great ideas at play within the story, but an unsubtle hand and a failure to take advantage of the intriguing premise keep the film from elevating beyond competent B-movie level.
No Running is currently seeking distribution. The Last Film Show
A coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of the cinema should be an immediate hook for any cinephile, but The Last Film Show is far too familiar for its own good. Pam Nalin’s film is impeccably shot, and it sticks the landing tremendously well, paying off with an unsurprisingly resonant finale, but the abundance of tropes (particularly in the first two acts) make this more sentimental than genuinely emotional. It clearly wants to recapture the magic of Cinema Paradiso, but it just doesn’t have the same level of oomph as that classic.
The Last Film Show is currently seeking distribution. See For Me
Many horror movies capitalize on the very common fear of the unknown to create a sense of terror. Randall Okita’s film See For Me attempts to double down on that by having a blind protagonist, but fails to translate that to an experience that is particularly tense for the audience. It’s an entertaining and lean thriller, but a very basic one at that, and there have been plenty of movies that have done this same thing much more effectively in the past (just watch Wait Until Dark instead).
See For Me is currently seeking distribution. My Heart Can't Beat Unless You Tell It To
Although the magnificent title is one of the best in the horror genre since the days of giallo, My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To is a disappointingly dull affair. Following a brother and sister who begin to clash over the care of their sickly younger brother, this film is far more interested in mood and tone than anything else. Filmmaker Jonathan Cuartas is playing with some interesting ideas here, but the slow burn it takes to the minimal payoff isn’t worth suffering through in the name of an occasionally distinctive take on genre tropes.
My Heart Can't Beat Unless You Tell It To will hit theaters and VOD on June 25.
By Sandy Robinson
Ned Beatty passed away this week and it got me thinking about his various roles and which I liked the best. Some will say Deliverance, Network, Rudy, or as a character in Toy Story 3, but for me, it will always be the lovable nitwit Otis in the Superman franchise.
I was born in the early ’70s and other than Star Wars, the only other movie that I watched as a young kid was Superman: The Movie. Released in 1978, this movie is essentially about good versus evil: Superman/Clark Kent as the good and Lex Luthor as the evil. Played by Christopher Reeve and Gene Hackman respectfully, the two main characters have their story written. By themselves, this is still a good movie; however, you need to have great secondary characters to thicken the plot, and in this case, someone to bungle Lex’s plans. That is right, Otis. Otis, played by Beatty, is a simple-minded minion of Lex Luthor and does whatever he commands, or at least tries to. In one scene, cops are following Otis into the subway as he heads to the secret base unknown to him, but not unknown to Lex who has cameras up and takes care of the police. You can actually see on Otis’s face how sorry he is because he wants to protect and help Mr. Luthor as much as he can. This character is flawed but provided the majority of the lighter, funnier scenes in the movie. When Lex first tells us of his plans and reveals the new map, we see one city named Otisville. Lex has a fit and Otis slinks back from comments. His reaction is like he’s been hit multiple times and is waiting to get hit again. As soon as Lex yells for him he comes running like nothing ever happened. Otis getting the codes wrong because he wrote them on his arm and they wore off, classic comedy right there. And his body language alone tells Lex that he screwed up and they would need another plan. This movie, in my opinion, is an exceptionally good origin story. It is so because the actors took their roles seriously and played them to perfection. Ned Beatty played Otis perfectly and had he not, the movie may have looked silly and not very believable. You can have the greatest hero and greatest villain of all time but without secondary characters like Otis to make it more realistic. While he may be more recognizable in some of his other more serious roles, this one for me is my favorite of his. Rest in peace, Ned Beatty. Now you can fly as well.
By Sean Boelman
The 2020 Gasparilla International Film Festival was one of the first major film events to be cancelled in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic, but with vaccinations rolling out and audiences returning to the cinema, the festival returns for a 2021 edition featuring a lineup of exciting premieres and screenings of films that have been picking up buzz on the festival circuit.
This year’s Opening Night Film, screening on June 10 at 7:30pm at the Tampa Theatre, is Lady of the Manor, the feature directorial debut of brothers Justin and Christian Long. A comedy following a stoner who befriends a ghost at the Civil War-era estate where he works as a tour guide, this sounds like an absolutely delightful watch, and the writer-directors will be in attendance for a Q&A session after the screening. The other big event screening is the Closing Night Film, Midnight in the Switchgrass, a crime thriller which serves as the directorial debut of prolific film producer Randall Emmett. It follows a pair of FBI agents who team up with a state cop to investigate a string of murders. Starring an ensemble cast of Bruce Willis, Megan Fox, Emile Hirsch, and Lukas Haas, the film’s local connections are sure to interest Tampa filmgoers. Other high-profile films playing the festival include Enemies of the State, an Errol Morris-produced documentary which explores how a family is torn apart when their hacker son is targeted by the U.S. government, and Lorelei, a family drama about an ex-convict forming a bond with a single mom, starring Jena Malone and Pablo Schreiber. In terms of films that we have gotten to see at other festivals, the GIFF lineup includes a few interesting selections. We recommend the quirky comedy-thriller Paul Dood’s Deadly Lunch Break, which offers a goofy but entertaining spin on the revenge arc, and Superior, a visually intriguing surreal drama. As always, the festival also includes some intriguing independent offerings. The documentary Mentally Al, about an unsung comedian, sounds like it could be both funny and endearing, and the Indian film Khape will probably fill the spot of the tear-jerking but crowd-pleasing international festival flick. We are excited to be getting the opportunity to return to the more normal film festival experience after what felt like an eternity, and it is local festivals like GIFF and the Florida Film Festival (which happened in April in Orlando) that are starting to usher back those experiences. And we at disappointment media would like to say with all our hearts… welcome back to the movies. The 2021 Gasparilla International Film Festival runs from June 10-13 in Tampa, FL with in-person and virtual options available.
By Dan Skip Allen
It's no secret that George Lucas and Steven Spielberg were fans of the pulp serials of the early '40s and '50s. They loved the movies, don't get me wrong, but they really loved the pulp serials of Batman, Buck Rogers, Tarzan, and the like which kept them coming back week after week. The cliffhangers were almost unbearable for the duo as kids growing up on the verge of becoming filmmakers decades later. These serials were what gave Lucas the idea for Indiana Jones. With that, he got his good friend Spielberg to come along for the ride on this extraordinary adventure.
Dr. Henry Jones (Harrison Ford) is a professor for his day job, but on the weekends he goes by Indiana, whether it was the dog's name will soon be determined in later installments of the franchise. He galivants around the globe on a crazy adventure and dangerous exploits. When his friend and sometimes assistant, Dr. Marcus Brody (Denholm Elliott), comes to him with the idea that the Ark of the Covenant still exists and they need to find it before the Nazis, he can't resist the chase and the danger that goes along with it. The Nazis make the perfect villain! They are set on world domination and the ark can help them get it. Like a lot of the shorts, Indiana Jones has its share of heart-pounding escapes. He also has to deal with "Snakes? Why does it have to be Snakes?" a phobia we didn't know about until that moment. Disney even adapted one of his most famous hair's-breadth escapes into a show at their theme parks. He encounters several natives and sword-wielding assassins, as well as men who turn their back on him when he needs them the most. He does have a few friends though, Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen) who he meets on his trip, and Sallah (John Rhys Davies) his trusty ally in far-off lands. The stage is set for an epic adventure for the ages. 
Another frequent collaborator to Lucas and Spielberg is the composer of the Boston Pops, John Williams. He has done epic scores for the Star Wars movies, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial by this point in his career, six of the most famous compositions in his long and storied career as a composer. He would need to do something even greater for Indiana Jones though. It had to live up to everything he had done in the past, but bring something new to the table. He did just that. His Raiders of the Lost Ark score is one of the best he ever did. It had such a great catch to it. It was a perfect addition to this amazing film.
Harrison Ford was an established actor by this point in his career. He had a small role in American Graffiti, but his big role came when he got the no-good swindler himself, Han Solo. He brought a sense of colorful suave ladies' man to the table in the Star Wars films. He brought an entirely different side to his performance in the Indiana Jones films. He got to flex his action muscles in Raiders of the Lost Ark. This film required a lot of running and jumping which was very vigorous and hard on him. He enjoyed every moment of it though. He loved playing Indiana Jones, and it showed on screen. As a kid, I was looking for different kinds of films that I could get behind. I loved everything growing up. I'm not as old as Lucas and Spielberg so I didn't grow up on these serials as they did. I sure as hell grew up on Indiana Jones, though. I was about 7 when the first Indiana Jones film came out and I had never seen anything like it before. The action and adventure were off the charts. The acting, campy at times, was funny and cool. The score by Williams was so amazing as well. Everything combined for a great experience for me and a lot of other people I'm sure of. Forty years later Raiders of the Lost Ark stands up better than ever. Nothing like it has come since so it makes sense.
By Dan Skip Allen
In the last couple of decades, some mergers and acquisitions have been going on. Some of them are from Disney. They acquired Marvel, Pixar and just last year they made a huge move by buying 20th Century for 86 billion dollars. They got their entire library of films, Fox Searchlight, all the Marvel properties they owed, and their cable tv stations. Those were just the tip of the iceberg on all the mergers and acquisitions that have been made in recent years. The landscape of film and entertainment is always changing. With streaming becoming a huge media outlet, things will continue to change as long as people want to keep digesting it.
A few years ago, the telecommunications giant AT&T acquired Warner Media which included HBO, Warner Brothers Studios, and DC Comics, amongst others. This would help make AT&T one of the largest entertainment conglomerates in the world. It didn't last long. The COVID-19 pandemic caused some problems for AT&T and its plan to be a major player in the world of entertainment. They couldn't put their movies out in theaters. Which meant they could make the money back that they spent on making them. So as a stop-gap measure they decided to put their films on their streaming service, HBO Max. If you had this service, it would seem like a good idea. In the overall scheme of things, it's not a great business move. AT&T wasn't getting much money back by putting their films on HBO Max and in theaters at the same time. They were losing money. Also, people balked at this decision, especially some of their biggest talents such as Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve. And James Gunn said he would never work with them again. This all led to the decision last week to spin off Warner Media from AT&T. Discovery Media is to merge with Warner Media, which includes HBO/HBO Max, Warner Bros. Studios, and DC Comics for 43 billion dollars. Discovery is in the entertainment industry. They are a better fit for Warner Media. On the heels of the AT&T spin-off of Warner Media, last week came the merger of Amazon and MGM. Amazon acquired MGM for 8 billion dollars, give or take a few hundred thousand. With this acquisition also came some of the big IPs, namely 4,000 plus films including the James Bond franchise, co-owned by Eon/The Broccoli Family, the Rocky franchise, Robocop, Stargate, the Silence of the Lambs franchise, the Pink Panther franchise, and the Legally Blonde franchise. Amazon also acquired the 17,000 tv shows that MGM has created in its past. All this would help strengthen Amazon Prime which is the streaming service of Amazon. They are looking to use some of these IPs to create new shows and movies down the road. The acquisition would help strengthen Amazon in the entertainment industry which is continuing to move more and more toward streaming services. This may have been a great deal for Jeff Bezos and Amazon. With these major sales and acquisitions comes the inevitable question. What is going to happen to physical media involving these companies? With both Discovery and Amazon focusing on streaming services and theatrical releases, does physical media still have a chance with these power moves? Amazon already has a deal in place with Warner Media to sell their discs on their service Amazon Prime. The Warner Archive store is now on Amazon Prime. MGM has a huge library of shows and movies. This may lend itself to create exclusives for Amazon Prime so they get all the money, leaving Best Buy and Target out of the loop on these properties. The 4K format could really benefit from exclusive boxed sets for some of the James Bond films, Rocky, Robocop, and the others. Currently, MGM has deals in place with Criterion and Arrow Video that release physical media, but this could change with this acquisition. It may benefit everybody in the end, including Discovery who is merging with Warner Media. It would all come full circle for these companies |