From Take to Taxidermia: Short Reviews of Films at The Sixth Tribeca Film Festival
The 2007 Tribeca Film Festival (April 25th through May 6th) makes six years of showcasing movies throughout Manhattan, and ironically for the first time I am going to be seeing some of the film. Sadly, because of schooling ahead, this will probably be the last time I go for some time. The Festival consists of 157 films, and about 16 short films, as well as panel discussions, music, and family fare. My festival consists of fourteen films-ranging from drama, to comedy, to anime. I will be seeing some premieres, some films that have no distributor, and some films that will be coming out in the next couple of months. I have the early scoop.
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April 27th
Take ***1/2
Written and Directed by Charles Oliver
99 Minutes
This Films Has Not Yet Been Rated, but would probably be a PG-13 for the strong adult material.
The Festival started on April 25th with films about the environment, hosted by Al Gore. My festival's opening selection was "Take," the writing and directing debut of Charles Oliver, who tells a uniquely tragic and hopeful story of Ana, a struggling mother, and Saul, a struggling nobody with a gambling problem. We know that something has happened between the two, but what exactly it is is the mystery that Oliver takes us through during the film. All leading up to a climax in a grocery story that starts the beginning of an extremely tense and moving final act. The problem with "Take" is that there isn't much of a mystery. I was able to figure out exactly what happened between Ana and Saul before Oliver actually shows it, but the scene was still effective because of the powerful acting by Minnie Driver and Jeremy Renner. Driver has been making a very deep impression on me between this and her work on "The Riches," and Renner has also done some decent work in the past. This is easily the best that I've seen him. "Take" is a story of both redemption and forgiveness, something that doesn't seem to happen enough.
I attended the world premiere of "Take." At the screening was director Oliver, Minnie Driver, some of the producers, and Bobby Coleman, the young actor who plays Driver's son. I do not see any reason why this should not be picked up anytime soon, and could be considered for Oscars at the end of the year, especially for Driver. Oliver does drama without being melodramatic, and is able to convey multiple symbols without being too pretentious. "Take" has a perfect tone, and conveys a beautiful message without getting overly preachy. It is a complex story, well written, and acted to perfection.
Black Sheep **1/2
Written and Directed by Jonathan King
87 Minutes
This Film Has Not Yet Been Rated, but would be a hard R for strong graphic bloody violence and some language.
Although it is being released on June 22nd, "Black Sheep" is making a tour at Tribeca as well. "Black Sheep" is from New Zealander Jonathan King, who creates a horror comedy, which has become all the rage these days. Here he takes a quite obserd plot, which is probably what makes it the most compelling. This is the story of a bunch of farmers who are experimenting on sheep, until one of the activists trying to save them accidentally unleashes the experiment onto the exisiting sheep, turning them into blood sucking killers. In additon there is the visiting brother of the scientist farmer who has a deathly fear of sheep, but must band together with the female activist(Experience) and another friend of him to try and survive the attack. "Black Sheep" is a pretty ridiculous film, but is made hilarious by the fact that there are killer sheep on the loose.
There is just something funny about a sheep suddenly popping up and than hearing creepy music to go with it. And the sheep travel in droves, which of course make them even more scary. To make matters even more surreal, there are those the sheep bite, who turn into super strong were-sheep. My only problem here is that eventually is gets somewhat tedious, especially towards the final battles at the end. The resolution is somewhat brilliant, but over time you wonder how many different organs can the sheep rip out before the end. It is still a fun time and one seriously worth checking out when it is released on June 22nd. "Black Sheep" was part of the midnight program at Tribeca, which show some off color and strange films to a crowd of people that is probably stoned or drunk. In addition, there was a Q and A with King after the film, to some decent questions, and then a bunch that were probably the results of some of those substances.
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April 29th
The Matrimony *1/2
Directed by Hua-Tao Teng
Written by Qianling Yang and Jialu Zhang
90 Minutes
This Film Has Not Yet Been Rated, but would probably be a PG-13 for scary scenes.
It's a shame that my festival was made imperfect with "The Matrimony," which was such a sad and pitiful horror film that for a second I thought that it was made by an American director. And I'm sure that in the future this will be remade with someone like Jennifer Love Hewitt. "The Matrimony" tells the story of doomed love-Junchu wants to marry Manli, until Manli is killed in a horrible accident. As per his mothers wish, Junchu marries Sansan but refuses to touch her or even take a part in her life. Sansan eventually unlocks the mysteries of Manli, and Manli visits her and tries to possess her body to be close to Junchu again. "The Matrimony" just isn't scary-and it offered nothing memorable in any way. The actually jump scenes are either extremely forced, or are just based on the most unscary things-at one point there is scary music accompanying a woman seeing her own reflection in a mirror. Any creepy atmosphere is also destroyed by the over the top nature the film has. "The Matrimony" is competing for the audience award, which gives 25,000 dollars to the winning director of the winning film. This does not stand a chance, and it's participation in the festival cheapens the whole affair. Based on the future selections I have a feeling that "The Matrimony" will be crowned the worst of the fourteen next week.
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April 30th
Nobel Son ***
Directed by Randall Miller
Written by Randall Miller and Jody Savin
107 Minutes
This Film Is Not Yet Rated-will most likely be an R for the violence, language, sex-rather unsavory content all around.
"Nobel Son" is the newest film from husband/wife team Randall Miller and Jody Savin. If you are not aware of anything they have done in the past, they made a little fiom called "Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing and Charm School" which was released last year. Met with no profit and little praise, "Marilyn Hotchkiss" was really a very sweet and tender film which I adored. Now there is "Nobel Son," an extreme shift in direction for the two, going from sentimental to a gritty dark comedy thriller. Assembling a cast as good as before-Alan Rickman, Bill Pullman, Bryan Greenberg(who has clearly come a long way since "Prime"), Mary Steenburgen, Ted Danson, Danny DeVito, and Eliza Dushku, "Nobel Son" begins with Eli(Rickman) learning that he is about toe recieve the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Eli's already inflated ego gets even bigger, until his thunder is ruined when his son Barkley(Greenberg) is kidnapped by someone who claims to be Eli's other son from an affair. He demands two million dollars. The rest is a mystery with a detective played by Bill Pullman, and then a family thriller where secrets are revealed and nothing is sacred anymore.
Miller and Savin cram their script with twist after twist, and the direction style is quick paced and filled with loud techno music. This creates a feeling of constant urgancy, and you are always trying to figure out what is going to happen next. Be warned that this style takes a little time to get used to, and the constant loud noise from the opening scenes may seem annoying at first, but when you get into the page turner aspects of the script the style simply makes it more effective. The acting is strong and on par, with Rickman once again charming the audience no matter how much of a bastard he is. I do not see how this film should have a problem finding someone to distribute it, and the Christmas themes should make for a great dark Christmas caper at the end of the year. At the screening I attended Greenberg, Dushku, and Shawn Hatosy from the cast were there, as well as Miller and Savin.
Numb ***
Written and Directed by Harris Goldberg
93 Minutes
This Film Is Not Yet Rated-Would be R for Language and Sexual Content/Nudity, and Drugs
"Numb" is a seriously funny kind of love story-something in the vein of "Punch Drunk Love." Matthew Perry delivers some of the best work that he's ever done as Hudson, a man who one night smoked far too much pot and ended up getting a disorder known as depersonalization. He often feels detached from reality, as if everything is happening around him and he isn't partaking in it at all. He is a struggling screenwriter with his friend and business partner, and he is constantly either taking pills or seeing a new shrink to try and cure his problems. Everything changes when he meets Sara, a beautiful business executive who falls for him as well. The two of them try to work things out with his problem, but can the relationship last?
Perry brings a strong human side to this character that is basically freaking out at all times, and whenever you feel a little doubt as to if you should like him or not, you are reassured through the eyes of his friend, girlfriend, and shrink/lover in the middle, that he truly is a good man. Screenwriter Harris Goldberg tells his off-color love story without resorting to the quirky nature that many indie comedies feel they must go to in order to be successful. He could have easily turned this into a wacky story with Sara being a Kate Winslet in "Eternal Sunshine," but he managed to make the characters original without trying to have them go over the top. It is really a well written script. Not once throughout this film did I connect Perry with Chandler, and he truly is the only man for the job. As Harris Goldberg said in his introduction of the film, "Perry is my Gregory Peck." Hopefully he will extend his arms once again past "Friends" and do more solid work like this. This is an easy crowd pleaser.
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May 2
The King of Kong ****
Directed by Seth Gordon
79 Minutes
This Film Is Not Yet Rated-Probably PG for a brief sexual joke.
"The King of Kong" is by far one of the best documentaries I've seen in ages-informative, fun to watch, intense. It was a complete blast, and at times it was like I was watching a narrative piece. It was the first film I actually ripped a five for the vote ballot that they pass out before each feature. It's that's good! "The King of Kong" dives into the world of competitive arcade game playing, and follows Steve Wiebe, a good hearted family man who just lost his job and finds solace in the arms of Donkey Kong. And not the Super Nintendo Donkey Kong, but the classic game where Mario is on the construction site and has to rescue the girl who has been captured by the beast. It was one of my favorite games as a child, and after I write this I plan on digging out the Game Boy and playing a few rounds of my own. Wiebe wants to have the highest score, which was set in 1982 by Billy Mitchell, who scored almost 900,000 points. We follow Wiebe through his struggles, and through Mitchell's plans to ensure that he keeps the highest score. Mitchell plays subtle, but hard.
The information comes from the knowledge of video games that I learned about. I have never really made fun of "gamers," because truth be told they have a skill that I could only dream of having. And the old simple 80's arcade games are a favorite, but you cannot be fooled by the simplicity. They require an intense amount of logic and skill and memorization, and they certainly are not for everyone. If anything this film gave me a larger respect for them. There were also some fun facts. For instance, I did not know that there is an ending to every arcade video game. Eventually the game will run out of memory and a KILL SCREEN will come up, which will have the level start like normal and then randomly kill you character because it can't go on. The intensity comes from the battle between Steve and Billy, even though we all want Steve to win and everybody clearly wants him to win behind the camera. Steve is definitely the hero. Billy is easily the villain-portrayed as a pompous jerk (with a beautiful, large chested wife, which was actually hilarious), he never once plays Steve at the game and does not even say hello to him. (for some reason if they made a Hollywood version of this story I could see Peter Dinklage in the part).
"The King of Kong" plays like a film, which is rare for a documentary. It has an amount of intensity and fun that many narrative features lack nowadays. There is even a surprise twist ending that will have you smiling, and then an emotional final shot which will actually make you a little sad because you laughed at a joke relating to it just a minute earlier. This is the best documentary of the year, and easily surpasses the winning at the Oscars last year-sorry Al Gore, Steve Wiebe entertained me more. "The King of Kong" is set for a release date from Picture House in the middle of August, so look for it then.
The Poughkeepsie Tapes ***1/2
Written and Directed by John Erick Dowdle
87 Minutes
This Film Is Not Yet Rated-an easy R for extremely disturbing content, some nudity, strong violence).
"The Poughkeepsie Tapes" is a rare film. It is one of the only films that I could think of that actually succeeded in scaring the living daylights out of me, something that no modern day horror film has ever done. The film takes fear to a new level, and actually makes death and torture creepy. This is really a strong competitor to the sniff violence and torture films of late-"Saw," "Hostel," "Texas Chainsaw Massacre," etc. "Poughkeepsie Tapes" is shown in mockumentary style, and tells about a killer who terrorized a few towns for ten years. The killer would basically take anybody, bring them into his basement for an extended amount of time, and then mangle their bodies. The twist is that he would record everything, and eventually he left a series of tapes in his house in Poughkeepsie for the police to find. The film focus is that of the killer and Cheryl Dempsey, a young teenager who he kidnapped and held in his lair for eight years, calling her slave, having her repeat the phrase "You are the master and I am pleased to serve you," over and over again, while wearing some kind of freaky mask. Meanwhile the cops try with no avail to find the killer.
Much of the film actually takes place on the videos that the killer does, which allows for a creepy atmosphere, similar to the feeling of watching January's "Alone with Her," only this time there is actual fear. And the torture mostly takes place off screen, with the most shocking things either taking place in the dark or off camera. The scenes between Cheryl and the killer in the basement will make you hold your breath, and the green tint of the tape as well as the no edits make for extreme realism. there is also a somewhat dark comedic tone at times, especially the way that the police and reporters handle the situations-sometimes it seems like writer/director Dowdle is actually saying that this killer is smarter than everyone else, which is usually the case. I also enjoyed the way September 11th is used, another commentary on where priorities lie in this country. At the screening the woman that played Cheryl made a comment saying that this film is not disposable like films like "Saw," and "Hostel" are. And that is the truth. This is something so shocking and creepy that it will stay with you long after you leave the theatre. It is a tragic horror story that borders on real life, which is often worse than what is concocted out of people's imaginations.
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May 3rd
The Cake Eaters **
Directed by Mary Stuart Masterson
Written by Jayce Bartok
95 Minutes
This Film Is Not Yet Rated-Probably a PG-13 for some light sex, and language.
"The Cake Eaters" repersents the directorial debut for Mary Stuwart Masterson, and she certainly doesn't go for any extroadinary lengths to try and make a name for herself. "The Cake Eaters" is a rather uninspired family drama that centers around three men in the Kimbrough clan. There is the patriarch Easy, played lovingly by Bruce Dern, who lives with his son Beagle, who works in the lunchroom in the local school. The two lead a peaceful life recovering over the death of their wife and mother. They get by selling her things in a field with other vendors, including Marg, who turns out to be having an affair with Easy, and her granddaughter Georgia, a young teenager with a muscle disease that makes her want to do a few things before she dies-and one of them involves Beagle. Also entering the picture is Guy Kimbrough, played by writer Jayce Bartok.
There is no real pressing reason for this story to be told, and none of the characters really standout. With the exception of the scenes with Kristen Stewart's Georgia, almost everything throughout the film fell flat. And the character of Guy Kimbrough was the most extra considering Bartok gets second billing. I suppose he wrote himself in for the sole purpose of writing himself into the movie, even though his silent presence makes his scenes boring, and the lack of any development with the character makes him utterly useless. I simply did not get much enjoyment out of "The Cake Eaters," found it somewhat dull and a little bland. The script does not really care about bringing out dimensions in any of the characters, and Masterson's directing is standard and extremely basic. Mary Stuwart Masterson was present at the screening for a Q and A after the film, which I sadly had to miss because I had to take quite a trip to the next screening. Perhaps she would have shed some light and made me reconsider my position on the film.
Purple Violets ***
Written and Directed by Edward Burns
100 Minutes
This Film Is Not Yet Rated-Probably R for language and a coupla sexual references.
"Purple Violets" is clearly some of the best work that Edward Burns has does. Burns is known for his coming of age stories involving male bonding, and that pattern was broken last year when he released "Looking for Kitty," which was more of a buddy/detective story. Sadly nobody saw "Looking for Kitty," and Burns male-bonding movie "The Groomsmen," also released last year, has a much larger audience. "Purple Violets" is basically told from a female perspective-here played by Selma Blair. Blair plays Patti, a writer who has taken ten years off to do research for something else and is married to a foul husband. While eating with her friend Kate(Debra Messing) she runs into her old college boyfriend Brian(Patrick Wilson) and Kate's old college boyfriend Michael, played by Burns himself who constantly calls himself by his own name. Michael wants to say sorry to Kate for wronging her in college, and Patti and Brian rekindle old flames, by sadly both of them are tied down-her to her husband and him to his younger girlfriend. Brian is a writer as well and wants to break away from the mystery fiction he is famous for and move on to literature-something meaningful. Nobody likes meaningful.
"Purple Violets" is a funny and sweet little gem with four terrific performances to boot. Blair is transcendental in the lead, and her soft and frail nature makes her glow onscreen. Patrick Wilson is slowly making a strong name for himself with brilliant work here continuing his best performance from "Little Children." Debra Messing is witty, and it is Burns himself that actually works here. Burns usually plays the same character in all his films, but her you see a certain amount of maturity that I saw emerge in 'Looking for Kitty," but disappear in "The Groomsmen." On the side, I have a hard time between those two films-"Kitty" was made first but the fact that it was released second often does confuse me. Perhaps my only problem with the film are the characters of Patti's husband and Brian's girlfriend. We know that the central love story is between Patti and Brian and that their others are keeping them apart, but their others are two of the worst people you could ever meet-only done to the extreme. Had they been better people there could have been more conflict within Patti and Brian. "Purple Violets" proves that Burns is growing up, and is a fascinating study on what happens after college, the types of people we become, and the types of people that we want to be.
Watching the Detectives ***
Written and Directed by Paul Soter
93 Minutes
This Film Is Not Yet Rated-Probably PG-13 for sex and language.
"Watching the Detectives" is a departure for both writer/director Paul Soter, and the star Cillian Murphy. Soter, who is one fifth of Broken Lizard-the comedy team that make such raunchy hits as "Super Troopers" and "Beerfest," has crafted a delightful romantic comedy, and Murphy, who is probably best known for his intense and heavy work in "Batman Begins" and "Red Eye" is taking an active part in a heavily comic role. And yet they are both so comfortable in their parts to the point where it seems like they are pros at the genre. "Watching the Detectives" has Murphy play Neil, the owner of a small Mom and Pop video store that is facing problems from the big guns up the street. Neil is a good man who loves the movies, and often spends the day in his store with the other movie obsessed people that hang out there. One day he meets Violet, an adventurous femme fatale type that takes Neil on an adventure of his own-and teaching him that doing is sometimes better than watching, and lession that I hope somebody will teach ME some day.
"Watching the Detectives" mainly works because of the chemistry between Murphy and Lucy Lui, who plays Violet. It is also a smart script that Soter has penned, with plenty of sly movie in-jokes, and special cameos by members of the Broken Lizard team. I counted three of them, including Soter himself. Murphy plays the screwball comedy scenes very well, and he is extremely funny and likable. I have seen him do lighter work in "Breakfast on Pluto," his best role, and here he is witty and can appeal to a mainstream audience as well. "Watching the Detectives" should have no problem getting a release by the end of this year, and is a fantastic indie romance. And for once it's not exactly a quirky type of romance.
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May 4th
The Killing of John Lennon ***1/2
Written and Directed by Andrew Piddington
120 Minutes
This Film Is Not Yet Rated-Probably R for violence and language.
"The Killing of John Lennon" is a kind of cross between "Taxi Driver" and "The Assassination of Richard Nixon." It is also the second John Lennon film in the last year, the first being "The U.S. vs John Lennon," which I never saw. While that film told Lennon's story about what he did, "The Killing of John Lennon" describes the results of that. Mark David Chapman was fed up with life, living in Hawaii in the 80's with his wife that he probably doesn't really love. One day Chapman came across "The Catcher in the Rye" and was completely enaromed in the story, believing that the story was really about him. Chapman eventually comes to the conclusion that he is Holden Caulfield and goes on a quest to get rid of the biggest phony around-John Lennon. The man that promotes anti-materialism and yet has numerous houses and other things. Chapman travels to New York and begins waiting outside Lennon's apartment for his chance.
"The Killing of John Lennon" does not provide sympathy for Chapman. Unlike "The Assassiantion of Richard Nixon," we don't even get the chance to watch the man slowly fall down. He had already fallen. Instead we get to study the pathology of this man-we see him get ready to do it, and than change his mind at the last minute. And then he was driven to do it again. And the success of the film clearly comes from Jonas Ball, who plays Chapman, virtually being in every single frame of the film. Ball has this naturally appareance on screen, drifting from the somewhat charming to the completely insane. The close-ups are actually frightening. This is an interesting film to watch. It also gave me some knowledge on Chapman, who I did not know much about at all. I always heard that "The Catcher in the Rye" was a book for serial killers, but I did not know where that concept came from. "The Killing of John Lesson" is a fascinating film, well acted and well written. Before the film there is a disclaimer saying that "All of Chapman's words are his own." This is important because its clear the amount of research that went into the film-with actual testimonials. And it clear that Piddington really wanted to get into Chapman's head, which he does well. At a Q and A after the film, Piddington declared that he never met Chapman and never wanted to because of his manipulative nature, and his ability to speak to the press. While I think meeting him would have made the research complete, to each his own. Mad at Chapman or not, this is fine film making.
On a side note, there is also a lot of editing that needs to be done. Piddington said that this was the first print that they made on the film, and it is shows. While the film is supposed to be set in the 80's, there is a scene where Chapman is in a cab and billboards reflecting on the windsheld advertise such films as "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers," and "Shrek 2." I really don't think that those films were around in the 80's.
In the Land of Merry Misfits **
Written and Directed by Kevin Undergaro
108 Minutes
Not Rated-Probably R for Language, Nudity.
"In the Land of Merry Misfits" will go down in Mattina history for certainly being the strangest film at this year's Tribeca Film Festival. A colorful, wacky, and zany adventure that looks like it should been a B-70's movie, is an instant cult classic that, if was able to get around, would be a prime candiate for midnight movie status. It also helps that I saw the film at midnight. "In the Land of Merry Misfits" could be considered a "Rocky Horror" of the 21st century. Narrated by John Waters this is the story of Will, who is traveling to see his girlfriend and stop her from moving far away for a job. On the way his car breaks down in the town of Bethany, where misfits run rampage. They are a weird bunch, generating from a Junkie to a group of men that dress in rabbit costumes for the Bunny Scouts. Will meets Heather, a beautiful woman that helps the misfits after a tradgey in her life, mainly because she wanted to have a good time. And Will gets involved in a strange quest for a "grail of popularity," as well as a mechanic that has to take his clothes off whenever he works on a car.
"In the Land of Merry Misfits" is almost impossible to rate. Because as a movie it clearly isn't anything groundbreaking-it is horribly acted and the over the top nature kills all seriousness. But it is special because it is unlike anything ever seen before, so I think a two is perfect. This is a film that will find an audience and could one day be popular at the midnight screenings. I really cannot see a full release for it, and many people walked out of the screening room. John Waters narration makes the film even more strange, and if Waters was involved it means that it is A-okay in his book. At the screening were members of the cast, who entertained the audience in character, and at times those little ditty's were more entertaining than the film. There was A.V, the director of the play within the films "Santa and Hitler's Christmas in July," and there was Monchichi, a large man in drag that sings a "Song of Popularity." Sitting right in front of me was Ronathan the Town Thespian, and when I heard the name Ronathan I couldn't stop laughing. "In the Land of Merry Misfits" has taken ten years out of the lives of all these people, a constant bruden and strain as the cast dealth with constant setbacks, reshoots, and even death. The introduction proclaimed that this film was "change my life!" While "In the Land of Merry Misfits" is not life changing, it is enjoyable and special in its own zany way, and certainly one of the more unique films at the festival.
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May 6th
Brave Story **
Directed by Koichi Chigira
Written by Ichiro Okouchi, based on a novel by Miyuki Myiabe
113 Minutes
This Film Is Not Yet Rated-Probably PG for some scary scenes
Written and Directed by György Pálfi, based on short stories by Lajos Parti Nagy
91 Minutes
This Film Is Not Yet Rated, and will probably stay that way. This film includes, to name a few. . .
Graphic Nudity
Sex
Violence
Language
Graphic Organs being Ripped out of the Body
Vomit and Other Gross Excretions
Taxidermy
"Taxidermia" is the last film of my Tribeca Film Festival, and it proves the old adage of "saving the best for last." A month ago at this moment I did not even consider the Tribeca Film Festival, and I only went on the website to look up something. I came across the "T" in the Film Guide and next to this film there was a picture of a very very fat man against a black background, and I knew that I must see this film. I did not know how many others I would see in such a short period of time, and before I knew it Toranto was in the mix, and that's all in the future. "Taxidermia" is a complete masterpiece-tender and delightful wicked, featuring some of the most graphic images that I have ever seen in any film. . . ever. It is unusual, with a script boasting three insanely unique tales that interweave into the story of three generations of one of the most dysfunctional families ever put on screen. The first story is of Morosgoványi Vendel, a soldier who has the power of shooting fire from his penis. Morosgoványi, in his spare time, also enjoys pleasuring himself to the women around him, which eventually gets him into trouble. The second story is of his obese son, born with a tail that was cut off, who spends his days practicing for eating contests. The third is of this man's son, who is a taxidermist that allows his father to live with him (now at least ten thousand pounds) and has the job of making sure the cats do not get a hold of him.
It is extremely difficult to describe how strange a film this is. From the first image of the fire coming out of Morosgoványi's penis, you know what you are in for. Scratch that. From the opening logos, seeing the ever so infamous Tartan logo, you should know what you are in for. Tartan films always offer extremely dark and strange tales, and this might be one of the darkest. I am extremely fascinated with films from these dark and impoverished countries. "Taxidermia" is from Hungary, but there is also "The Death of Mr. Lazarescu," (Romania) and "Lunacy," (Czech Republic) which are similarly themed and which also blow my mind with their originality of images. This is not for the squemish, and there is something that happens in the last ten minutes that blew my mind as I watched it. This is one of those films that I feel I will never see again even though I really want to. I could only hope there is a New York release in the future, or some kind of access to it. This is a dark masterpiece, and easily the best film that I saw at the Tribeca Film Festival.
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That being said, I guess it is safe to say that the festival is really over. It has been a fun week and a few days, and I feel privilaged to have seen everything, even the bad. I am pleased to see some future indie hits (Numb, Watching the Detectives, Purple Violets, Nobel Son), obsure films that I had the pleasure of experiencing at least once in my life (Taxidermia, The Poughkeepsie Tapes, In the Land of Merry Misfits), films that are coming soon that I managed to get a sneak peek at (The King of Kong, Black Sheep), and even the films that I did not really like very much (The Cake Eaters, Brave Story, The Matrimony.) But it was all an experience, and one that I will value. I look forward to Toronto in September, and I look forward to getting some sleep for the next few weeks. Sadly I will not be present at next years Tribeca Film Festival, but hopefully one day I will return. It's sad to say that it is complete. . .
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April 27th
Take ***1/2
Written and Directed by Charles Oliver
99 Minutes
This Films Has Not Yet Been Rated, but would probably be a PG-13 for the strong adult material.
The Festival started on April 25th with films about the environment, hosted by Al Gore. My festival's opening selection was "Take," the writing and directing debut of Charles Oliver, who tells a uniquely tragic and hopeful story of Ana, a struggling mother, and Saul, a struggling nobody with a gambling problem. We know that something has happened between the two, but what exactly it is is the mystery that Oliver takes us through during the film. All leading up to a climax in a grocery story that starts the beginning of an extremely tense and moving final act. The problem with "Take" is that there isn't much of a mystery. I was able to figure out exactly what happened between Ana and Saul before Oliver actually shows it, but the scene was still effective because of the powerful acting by Minnie Driver and Jeremy Renner. Driver has been making a very deep impression on me between this and her work on "The Riches," and Renner has also done some decent work in the past. This is easily the best that I've seen him. "Take" is a story of both redemption and forgiveness, something that doesn't seem to happen enough.
I attended the world premiere of "Take." At the screening was director Oliver, Minnie Driver, some of the producers, and Bobby Coleman, the young actor who plays Driver's son. I do not see any reason why this should not be picked up anytime soon, and could be considered for Oscars at the end of the year, especially for Driver. Oliver does drama without being melodramatic, and is able to convey multiple symbols without being too pretentious. "Take" has a perfect tone, and conveys a beautiful message without getting overly preachy. It is a complex story, well written, and acted to perfection.
Black Sheep **1/2
Written and Directed by Jonathan King
87 Minutes
This Film Has Not Yet Been Rated, but would be a hard R for strong graphic bloody violence and some language.
Although it is being released on June 22nd, "Black Sheep" is making a tour at Tribeca as well. "Black Sheep" is from New Zealander Jonathan King, who creates a horror comedy, which has become all the rage these days. Here he takes a quite obserd plot, which is probably what makes it the most compelling. This is the story of a bunch of farmers who are experimenting on sheep, until one of the activists trying to save them accidentally unleashes the experiment onto the exisiting sheep, turning them into blood sucking killers. In additon there is the visiting brother of the scientist farmer who has a deathly fear of sheep, but must band together with the female activist(Experience) and another friend of him to try and survive the attack. "Black Sheep" is a pretty ridiculous film, but is made hilarious by the fact that there are killer sheep on the loose.
There is just something funny about a sheep suddenly popping up and than hearing creepy music to go with it. And the sheep travel in droves, which of course make them even more scary. To make matters even more surreal, there are those the sheep bite, who turn into super strong were-sheep. My only problem here is that eventually is gets somewhat tedious, especially towards the final battles at the end. The resolution is somewhat brilliant, but over time you wonder how many different organs can the sheep rip out before the end. It is still a fun time and one seriously worth checking out when it is released on June 22nd. "Black Sheep" was part of the midnight program at Tribeca, which show some off color and strange films to a crowd of people that is probably stoned or drunk. In addition, there was a Q and A with King after the film, to some decent questions, and then a bunch that were probably the results of some of those substances.
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April 29th
The Matrimony *1/2
Directed by Hua-Tao Teng
Written by Qianling Yang and Jialu Zhang
90 Minutes
This Film Has Not Yet Been Rated, but would probably be a PG-13 for scary scenes.
It's a shame that my festival was made imperfect with "The Matrimony," which was such a sad and pitiful horror film that for a second I thought that it was made by an American director. And I'm sure that in the future this will be remade with someone like Jennifer Love Hewitt. "The Matrimony" tells the story of doomed love-Junchu wants to marry Manli, until Manli is killed in a horrible accident. As per his mothers wish, Junchu marries Sansan but refuses to touch her or even take a part in her life. Sansan eventually unlocks the mysteries of Manli, and Manli visits her and tries to possess her body to be close to Junchu again. "The Matrimony" just isn't scary-and it offered nothing memorable in any way. The actually jump scenes are either extremely forced, or are just based on the most unscary things-at one point there is scary music accompanying a woman seeing her own reflection in a mirror. Any creepy atmosphere is also destroyed by the over the top nature the film has. "The Matrimony" is competing for the audience award, which gives 25,000 dollars to the winning director of the winning film. This does not stand a chance, and it's participation in the festival cheapens the whole affair. Based on the future selections I have a feeling that "The Matrimony" will be crowned the worst of the fourteen next week.
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April 30th
Nobel Son ***
Directed by Randall Miller
Written by Randall Miller and Jody Savin
107 Minutes
This Film Is Not Yet Rated-will most likely be an R for the violence, language, sex-rather unsavory content all around.
"Nobel Son" is the newest film from husband/wife team Randall Miller and Jody Savin. If you are not aware of anything they have done in the past, they made a little fiom called "Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing and Charm School" which was released last year. Met with no profit and little praise, "Marilyn Hotchkiss" was really a very sweet and tender film which I adored. Now there is "Nobel Son," an extreme shift in direction for the two, going from sentimental to a gritty dark comedy thriller. Assembling a cast as good as before-Alan Rickman, Bill Pullman, Bryan Greenberg(who has clearly come a long way since "Prime"), Mary Steenburgen, Ted Danson, Danny DeVito, and Eliza Dushku, "Nobel Son" begins with Eli(Rickman) learning that he is about toe recieve the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Eli's already inflated ego gets even bigger, until his thunder is ruined when his son Barkley(Greenberg) is kidnapped by someone who claims to be Eli's other son from an affair. He demands two million dollars. The rest is a mystery with a detective played by Bill Pullman, and then a family thriller where secrets are revealed and nothing is sacred anymore.
Miller and Savin cram their script with twist after twist, and the direction style is quick paced and filled with loud techno music. This creates a feeling of constant urgancy, and you are always trying to figure out what is going to happen next. Be warned that this style takes a little time to get used to, and the constant loud noise from the opening scenes may seem annoying at first, but when you get into the page turner aspects of the script the style simply makes it more effective. The acting is strong and on par, with Rickman once again charming the audience no matter how much of a bastard he is. I do not see how this film should have a problem finding someone to distribute it, and the Christmas themes should make for a great dark Christmas caper at the end of the year. At the screening I attended Greenberg, Dushku, and Shawn Hatosy from the cast were there, as well as Miller and Savin.
Numb ***
Written and Directed by Harris Goldberg
93 Minutes
This Film Is Not Yet Rated-Would be R for Language and Sexual Content/Nudity, and Drugs
"Numb" is a seriously funny kind of love story-something in the vein of "Punch Drunk Love." Matthew Perry delivers some of the best work that he's ever done as Hudson, a man who one night smoked far too much pot and ended up getting a disorder known as depersonalization. He often feels detached from reality, as if everything is happening around him and he isn't partaking in it at all. He is a struggling screenwriter with his friend and business partner, and he is constantly either taking pills or seeing a new shrink to try and cure his problems. Everything changes when he meets Sara, a beautiful business executive who falls for him as well. The two of them try to work things out with his problem, but can the relationship last?
Perry brings a strong human side to this character that is basically freaking out at all times, and whenever you feel a little doubt as to if you should like him or not, you are reassured through the eyes of his friend, girlfriend, and shrink/lover in the middle, that he truly is a good man. Screenwriter Harris Goldberg tells his off-color love story without resorting to the quirky nature that many indie comedies feel they must go to in order to be successful. He could have easily turned this into a wacky story with Sara being a Kate Winslet in "Eternal Sunshine," but he managed to make the characters original without trying to have them go over the top. It is really a well written script. Not once throughout this film did I connect Perry with Chandler, and he truly is the only man for the job. As Harris Goldberg said in his introduction of the film, "Perry is my Gregory Peck." Hopefully he will extend his arms once again past "Friends" and do more solid work like this. This is an easy crowd pleaser.
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May 2
The King of Kong ****
Directed by Seth Gordon
79 Minutes
This Film Is Not Yet Rated-Probably PG for a brief sexual joke.
"The King of Kong" is by far one of the best documentaries I've seen in ages-informative, fun to watch, intense. It was a complete blast, and at times it was like I was watching a narrative piece. It was the first film I actually ripped a five for the vote ballot that they pass out before each feature. It's that's good! "The King of Kong" dives into the world of competitive arcade game playing, and follows Steve Wiebe, a good hearted family man who just lost his job and finds solace in the arms of Donkey Kong. And not the Super Nintendo Donkey Kong, but the classic game where Mario is on the construction site and has to rescue the girl who has been captured by the beast. It was one of my favorite games as a child, and after I write this I plan on digging out the Game Boy and playing a few rounds of my own. Wiebe wants to have the highest score, which was set in 1982 by Billy Mitchell, who scored almost 900,000 points. We follow Wiebe through his struggles, and through Mitchell's plans to ensure that he keeps the highest score. Mitchell plays subtle, but hard.
The information comes from the knowledge of video games that I learned about. I have never really made fun of "gamers," because truth be told they have a skill that I could only dream of having. And the old simple 80's arcade games are a favorite, but you cannot be fooled by the simplicity. They require an intense amount of logic and skill and memorization, and they certainly are not for everyone. If anything this film gave me a larger respect for them. There were also some fun facts. For instance, I did not know that there is an ending to every arcade video game. Eventually the game will run out of memory and a KILL SCREEN will come up, which will have the level start like normal and then randomly kill you character because it can't go on. The intensity comes from the battle between Steve and Billy, even though we all want Steve to win and everybody clearly wants him to win behind the camera. Steve is definitely the hero. Billy is easily the villain-portrayed as a pompous jerk (with a beautiful, large chested wife, which was actually hilarious), he never once plays Steve at the game and does not even say hello to him. (for some reason if they made a Hollywood version of this story I could see Peter Dinklage in the part).
"The King of Kong" plays like a film, which is rare for a documentary. It has an amount of intensity and fun that many narrative features lack nowadays. There is even a surprise twist ending that will have you smiling, and then an emotional final shot which will actually make you a little sad because you laughed at a joke relating to it just a minute earlier. This is the best documentary of the year, and easily surpasses the winning at the Oscars last year-sorry Al Gore, Steve Wiebe entertained me more. "The King of Kong" is set for a release date from Picture House in the middle of August, so look for it then.
The Poughkeepsie Tapes ***1/2
Written and Directed by John Erick Dowdle
87 Minutes
This Film Is Not Yet Rated-an easy R for extremely disturbing content, some nudity, strong violence).
"The Poughkeepsie Tapes" is a rare film. It is one of the only films that I could think of that actually succeeded in scaring the living daylights out of me, something that no modern day horror film has ever done. The film takes fear to a new level, and actually makes death and torture creepy. This is really a strong competitor to the sniff violence and torture films of late-"Saw," "Hostel," "Texas Chainsaw Massacre," etc. "Poughkeepsie Tapes" is shown in mockumentary style, and tells about a killer who terrorized a few towns for ten years. The killer would basically take anybody, bring them into his basement for an extended amount of time, and then mangle their bodies. The twist is that he would record everything, and eventually he left a series of tapes in his house in Poughkeepsie for the police to find. The film focus is that of the killer and Cheryl Dempsey, a young teenager who he kidnapped and held in his lair for eight years, calling her slave, having her repeat the phrase "You are the master and I am pleased to serve you," over and over again, while wearing some kind of freaky mask. Meanwhile the cops try with no avail to find the killer.
Much of the film actually takes place on the videos that the killer does, which allows for a creepy atmosphere, similar to the feeling of watching January's "Alone with Her," only this time there is actual fear. And the torture mostly takes place off screen, with the most shocking things either taking place in the dark or off camera. The scenes between Cheryl and the killer in the basement will make you hold your breath, and the green tint of the tape as well as the no edits make for extreme realism. there is also a somewhat dark comedic tone at times, especially the way that the police and reporters handle the situations-sometimes it seems like writer/director Dowdle is actually saying that this killer is smarter than everyone else, which is usually the case. I also enjoyed the way September 11th is used, another commentary on where priorities lie in this country. At the screening the woman that played Cheryl made a comment saying that this film is not disposable like films like "Saw," and "Hostel" are. And that is the truth. This is something so shocking and creepy that it will stay with you long after you leave the theatre. It is a tragic horror story that borders on real life, which is often worse than what is concocted out of people's imaginations.
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May 3rd
The Cake Eaters **
Directed by Mary Stuart Masterson
Written by Jayce Bartok
95 Minutes
This Film Is Not Yet Rated-Probably a PG-13 for some light sex, and language.
"The Cake Eaters" repersents the directorial debut for Mary Stuwart Masterson, and she certainly doesn't go for any extroadinary lengths to try and make a name for herself. "The Cake Eaters" is a rather uninspired family drama that centers around three men in the Kimbrough clan. There is the patriarch Easy, played lovingly by Bruce Dern, who lives with his son Beagle, who works in the lunchroom in the local school. The two lead a peaceful life recovering over the death of their wife and mother. They get by selling her things in a field with other vendors, including Marg, who turns out to be having an affair with Easy, and her granddaughter Georgia, a young teenager with a muscle disease that makes her want to do a few things before she dies-and one of them involves Beagle. Also entering the picture is Guy Kimbrough, played by writer Jayce Bartok.
There is no real pressing reason for this story to be told, and none of the characters really standout. With the exception of the scenes with Kristen Stewart's Georgia, almost everything throughout the film fell flat. And the character of Guy Kimbrough was the most extra considering Bartok gets second billing. I suppose he wrote himself in for the sole purpose of writing himself into the movie, even though his silent presence makes his scenes boring, and the lack of any development with the character makes him utterly useless. I simply did not get much enjoyment out of "The Cake Eaters," found it somewhat dull and a little bland. The script does not really care about bringing out dimensions in any of the characters, and Masterson's directing is standard and extremely basic. Mary Stuwart Masterson was present at the screening for a Q and A after the film, which I sadly had to miss because I had to take quite a trip to the next screening. Perhaps she would have shed some light and made me reconsider my position on the film.
Purple Violets ***
Written and Directed by Edward Burns
100 Minutes
This Film Is Not Yet Rated-Probably R for language and a coupla sexual references.
"Purple Violets" is clearly some of the best work that Edward Burns has does. Burns is known for his coming of age stories involving male bonding, and that pattern was broken last year when he released "Looking for Kitty," which was more of a buddy/detective story. Sadly nobody saw "Looking for Kitty," and Burns male-bonding movie "The Groomsmen," also released last year, has a much larger audience. "Purple Violets" is basically told from a female perspective-here played by Selma Blair. Blair plays Patti, a writer who has taken ten years off to do research for something else and is married to a foul husband. While eating with her friend Kate(Debra Messing) she runs into her old college boyfriend Brian(Patrick Wilson) and Kate's old college boyfriend Michael, played by Burns himself who constantly calls himself by his own name. Michael wants to say sorry to Kate for wronging her in college, and Patti and Brian rekindle old flames, by sadly both of them are tied down-her to her husband and him to his younger girlfriend. Brian is a writer as well and wants to break away from the mystery fiction he is famous for and move on to literature-something meaningful. Nobody likes meaningful.
"Purple Violets" is a funny and sweet little gem with four terrific performances to boot. Blair is transcendental in the lead, and her soft and frail nature makes her glow onscreen. Patrick Wilson is slowly making a strong name for himself with brilliant work here continuing his best performance from "Little Children." Debra Messing is witty, and it is Burns himself that actually works here. Burns usually plays the same character in all his films, but her you see a certain amount of maturity that I saw emerge in 'Looking for Kitty," but disappear in "The Groomsmen." On the side, I have a hard time between those two films-"Kitty" was made first but the fact that it was released second often does confuse me. Perhaps my only problem with the film are the characters of Patti's husband and Brian's girlfriend. We know that the central love story is between Patti and Brian and that their others are keeping them apart, but their others are two of the worst people you could ever meet-only done to the extreme. Had they been better people there could have been more conflict within Patti and Brian. "Purple Violets" proves that Burns is growing up, and is a fascinating study on what happens after college, the types of people we become, and the types of people that we want to be.
Watching the Detectives ***
Written and Directed by Paul Soter
93 Minutes
This Film Is Not Yet Rated-Probably PG-13 for sex and language.
"Watching the Detectives" is a departure for both writer/director Paul Soter, and the star Cillian Murphy. Soter, who is one fifth of Broken Lizard-the comedy team that make such raunchy hits as "Super Troopers" and "Beerfest," has crafted a delightful romantic comedy, and Murphy, who is probably best known for his intense and heavy work in "Batman Begins" and "Red Eye" is taking an active part in a heavily comic role. And yet they are both so comfortable in their parts to the point where it seems like they are pros at the genre. "Watching the Detectives" has Murphy play Neil, the owner of a small Mom and Pop video store that is facing problems from the big guns up the street. Neil is a good man who loves the movies, and often spends the day in his store with the other movie obsessed people that hang out there. One day he meets Violet, an adventurous femme fatale type that takes Neil on an adventure of his own-and teaching him that doing is sometimes better than watching, and lession that I hope somebody will teach ME some day.
"Watching the Detectives" mainly works because of the chemistry between Murphy and Lucy Lui, who plays Violet. It is also a smart script that Soter has penned, with plenty of sly movie in-jokes, and special cameos by members of the Broken Lizard team. I counted three of them, including Soter himself. Murphy plays the screwball comedy scenes very well, and he is extremely funny and likable. I have seen him do lighter work in "Breakfast on Pluto," his best role, and here he is witty and can appeal to a mainstream audience as well. "Watching the Detectives" should have no problem getting a release by the end of this year, and is a fantastic indie romance. And for once it's not exactly a quirky type of romance.
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May 4th
The Killing of John Lennon ***1/2
Written and Directed by Andrew Piddington
120 Minutes
This Film Is Not Yet Rated-Probably R for violence and language.
"The Killing of John Lennon" is a kind of cross between "Taxi Driver" and "The Assassination of Richard Nixon." It is also the second John Lennon film in the last year, the first being "The U.S. vs John Lennon," which I never saw. While that film told Lennon's story about what he did, "The Killing of John Lennon" describes the results of that. Mark David Chapman was fed up with life, living in Hawaii in the 80's with his wife that he probably doesn't really love. One day Chapman came across "The Catcher in the Rye" and was completely enaromed in the story, believing that the story was really about him. Chapman eventually comes to the conclusion that he is Holden Caulfield and goes on a quest to get rid of the biggest phony around-John Lennon. The man that promotes anti-materialism and yet has numerous houses and other things. Chapman travels to New York and begins waiting outside Lennon's apartment for his chance.
"The Killing of John Lennon" does not provide sympathy for Chapman. Unlike "The Assassiantion of Richard Nixon," we don't even get the chance to watch the man slowly fall down. He had already fallen. Instead we get to study the pathology of this man-we see him get ready to do it, and than change his mind at the last minute. And then he was driven to do it again. And the success of the film clearly comes from Jonas Ball, who plays Chapman, virtually being in every single frame of the film. Ball has this naturally appareance on screen, drifting from the somewhat charming to the completely insane. The close-ups are actually frightening. This is an interesting film to watch. It also gave me some knowledge on Chapman, who I did not know much about at all. I always heard that "The Catcher in the Rye" was a book for serial killers, but I did not know where that concept came from. "The Killing of John Lesson" is a fascinating film, well acted and well written. Before the film there is a disclaimer saying that "All of Chapman's words are his own." This is important because its clear the amount of research that went into the film-with actual testimonials. And it clear that Piddington really wanted to get into Chapman's head, which he does well. At a Q and A after the film, Piddington declared that he never met Chapman and never wanted to because of his manipulative nature, and his ability to speak to the press. While I think meeting him would have made the research complete, to each his own. Mad at Chapman or not, this is fine film making.
On a side note, there is also a lot of editing that needs to be done. Piddington said that this was the first print that they made on the film, and it is shows. While the film is supposed to be set in the 80's, there is a scene where Chapman is in a cab and billboards reflecting on the windsheld advertise such films as "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers," and "Shrek 2." I really don't think that those films were around in the 80's.
In the Land of Merry Misfits **
Written and Directed by Kevin Undergaro
108 Minutes
Not Rated-Probably R for Language, Nudity.
"In the Land of Merry Misfits" will go down in Mattina history for certainly being the strangest film at this year's Tribeca Film Festival. A colorful, wacky, and zany adventure that looks like it should been a B-70's movie, is an instant cult classic that, if was able to get around, would be a prime candiate for midnight movie status. It also helps that I saw the film at midnight. "In the Land of Merry Misfits" could be considered a "Rocky Horror" of the 21st century. Narrated by John Waters this is the story of Will, who is traveling to see his girlfriend and stop her from moving far away for a job. On the way his car breaks down in the town of Bethany, where misfits run rampage. They are a weird bunch, generating from a Junkie to a group of men that dress in rabbit costumes for the Bunny Scouts. Will meets Heather, a beautiful woman that helps the misfits after a tradgey in her life, mainly because she wanted to have a good time. And Will gets involved in a strange quest for a "grail of popularity," as well as a mechanic that has to take his clothes off whenever he works on a car.
"In the Land of Merry Misfits" is almost impossible to rate. Because as a movie it clearly isn't anything groundbreaking-it is horribly acted and the over the top nature kills all seriousness. But it is special because it is unlike anything ever seen before, so I think a two is perfect. This is a film that will find an audience and could one day be popular at the midnight screenings. I really cannot see a full release for it, and many people walked out of the screening room. John Waters narration makes the film even more strange, and if Waters was involved it means that it is A-okay in his book. At the screening were members of the cast, who entertained the audience in character, and at times those little ditty's were more entertaining than the film. There was A.V, the director of the play within the films "Santa and Hitler's Christmas in July," and there was Monchichi, a large man in drag that sings a "Song of Popularity." Sitting right in front of me was Ronathan the Town Thespian, and when I heard the name Ronathan I couldn't stop laughing. "In the Land of Merry Misfits" has taken ten years out of the lives of all these people, a constant bruden and strain as the cast dealth with constant setbacks, reshoots, and even death. The introduction proclaimed that this film was "change my life!" While "In the Land of Merry Misfits" is not life changing, it is enjoyable and special in its own zany way, and certainly one of the more unique films at the festival.
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May 6th
Brave Story **
Directed by Koichi Chigira
Written by Ichiro Okouchi, based on a novel by Miyuki Myiabe
113 Minutes
This Film Is Not Yet Rated-Probably PG for some scary scenes
Part of the Tribeca Film Festival every year is their program for families-this includes a street fair, some drive-thru films playing "Surf's Up" and "Gumby," and then the public screenings early in the morning. In order to make my festival complete I picked one of the family films to go and see and settled upon "Brave Story." "Brave Story" is an anime film, and while those are never my forte, I am sometimes intriqued by the more original ones. "Brave Story" works like a Miyazaki if Miyazaki was not as magical as he is. Director Chigira is obviously influenced by the work of Miyazaki as he weaves us through the story of Wataru, a young boy whose father has left the family to be with another woman, and his mother is ill. Wataru gets stuck into a magical world where he must find the Tower of Fortune, which will give him one wish which he hopes to change his destiny and bring his family back together again.
"Brave Story" lost me in a few parts, plotwise, which is probably not a good thing because the film is intended for kids. I was confused at times, and usually when I am confused in a film like this I try to ignore it and let the visuals wash over me. But the visuals here are standard, and the colors and images did not stand out to me. In fact much of it was CGI meshed with the 2D animation, which always somewhat distracted me. I did enjoy the last ten minutes, mainly because of the moral of the story-which is to not want to change yourself in any way because it is all the little things that make up a person which makes them them. It is a valuable lesson, and I can admire the magical lengths that this film goes to get that point across, only for a better anime see a Miyazaki, which can never go wrong.
Taxidermia ****Written and Directed by György Pálfi, based on short stories by Lajos Parti Nagy
91 Minutes
This Film Is Not Yet Rated, and will probably stay that way. This film includes, to name a few. . .
Graphic Nudity
Sex
Violence
Language
Graphic Organs being Ripped out of the Body
Vomit and Other Gross Excretions
Taxidermy
"Taxidermia" is the last film of my Tribeca Film Festival, and it proves the old adage of "saving the best for last." A month ago at this moment I did not even consider the Tribeca Film Festival, and I only went on the website to look up something. I came across the "T" in the Film Guide and next to this film there was a picture of a very very fat man against a black background, and I knew that I must see this film. I did not know how many others I would see in such a short period of time, and before I knew it Toranto was in the mix, and that's all in the future. "Taxidermia" is a complete masterpiece-tender and delightful wicked, featuring some of the most graphic images that I have ever seen in any film. . . ever. It is unusual, with a script boasting three insanely unique tales that interweave into the story of three generations of one of the most dysfunctional families ever put on screen. The first story is of Morosgoványi Vendel, a soldier who has the power of shooting fire from his penis. Morosgoványi, in his spare time, also enjoys pleasuring himself to the women around him, which eventually gets him into trouble. The second story is of his obese son, born with a tail that was cut off, who spends his days practicing for eating contests. The third is of this man's son, who is a taxidermist that allows his father to live with him (now at least ten thousand pounds) and has the job of making sure the cats do not get a hold of him.
It is extremely difficult to describe how strange a film this is. From the first image of the fire coming out of Morosgoványi's penis, you know what you are in for. Scratch that. From the opening logos, seeing the ever so infamous Tartan logo, you should know what you are in for. Tartan films always offer extremely dark and strange tales, and this might be one of the darkest. I am extremely fascinated with films from these dark and impoverished countries. "Taxidermia" is from Hungary, but there is also "The Death of Mr. Lazarescu," (Romania) and "Lunacy," (Czech Republic) which are similarly themed and which also blow my mind with their originality of images. This is not for the squemish, and there is something that happens in the last ten minutes that blew my mind as I watched it. This is one of those films that I feel I will never see again even though I really want to. I could only hope there is a New York release in the future, or some kind of access to it. This is a dark masterpiece, and easily the best film that I saw at the Tribeca Film Festival.
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That being said, I guess it is safe to say that the festival is really over. It has been a fun week and a few days, and I feel privilaged to have seen everything, even the bad. I am pleased to see some future indie hits (Numb, Watching the Detectives, Purple Violets, Nobel Son), obsure films that I had the pleasure of experiencing at least once in my life (Taxidermia, The Poughkeepsie Tapes, In the Land of Merry Misfits), films that are coming soon that I managed to get a sneak peek at (The King of Kong, Black Sheep), and even the films that I did not really like very much (The Cake Eaters, Brave Story, The Matrimony.) But it was all an experience, and one that I will value. I look forward to Toronto in September, and I look forward to getting some sleep for the next few weeks. Sadly I will not be present at next years Tribeca Film Festival, but hopefully one day I will return. It's sad to say that it is complete. . .
posted by Eric at
2:09 PM
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