Joe Swanberg & Adam Wingard's Autoerotic is a playful study of sexual vices, fetishes, and desires, following the lives of four interconnected Chicago couples as they navigate the murky waters of sexual exploration. An honest and raw portrait of sexuality in contemporary America, Autoerotic is a film that really captures the social stigma and inherent awkwardness that can exist when attempting to express one's own sexuality, revealing how difficult it can be to express oneself even around one's own sexual partner. Autoerotic is a film that shot with a real weight to its photography, using surprisingly complex compositions that attempt to visual emote the feeling of its characters. There is almost a voyeuristic quality to the whole experience, as the viewer is given an front row seat to the various sexual desires, fetishes, and difficulties these four couples experience, though i'd never call the film particularly sexy or stimulating in that way. Autoerotic explores gender roles while simultaneously skewering their inherent bias from segment to segment, as the film is intent on displaying a wide variety of sexual liberation that can exist in both male and female characters. While Autoerotic's subject matter and craft at times make the film sound painfully dense, Swanberg & Wingard keep the tone of the film quietly comedic, finding the humor in the vast array of human behavior implemented when it comes to sexual pleasure. While the lighter, comedic tone is bound to turn some viewers off, I'd argue it makes Autoerotic less judgmental and easier to digest, though it certainly never reaches the profound heights that some viewers will demand. Joe Swanberg & Adam Wingard's Autoerotic is more an interesting experiment than fully-realized feature, being a playful, comedic exploration of sexuality which still manages to offer a few compelling insights.
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Michael Larnell's Cronies tells the story of Louis and Jack, two young African American men who have been friend's since childhood, growing up in a low income neighborhood in the heart of St. Louis, Missouri. Now 22 years old, Louis works at a car dealership, doing his best to provide for his young daughter and girlfriend. Louis' newfound responsibility is increasingly putting him at odds with Jack, who continues to live a much more unhinged lifestyle, chasing skirts and having a general anger at the world he inhabits. Jack is threatened by Louis' new friendship with Andrew, a young, Caucasian man he knows from his job, and Cronies follows a day in the life with these three individuals, delivering both a poignant portrait of friendship and a nuanced examination of the inner city environment. The narrative of Cronies is ingenius, presenting itself as a faux-documentary that jumps between the day-in-the-life main narrative and in-person interviews, a gimmick that only increases the general authenticity of the film while also providing a unique ability to provide further insights into these three characters. One thing that really struck me about Cronies is just how subtle and assured it is, as many film's dealing with similar subject matters can sometimes be too forceful in their portrayal of the rough environment they inhabit. Cronies focuses more of the strained relationship, using Jack and Louis story to present a vivid portrait of this small, impoverished neighhorhood. The sense of hopelessness, an important aspect of any film about this environment, doesn't outright consume the viewer, instead slowly revealing itself as the film progresses. There is an undercurrent of animosity between Jack and Louis, that is somewhat restrained due to their longterm friendship, and the way Cronies explores this dynamic is one of it's most interesting attributes. While Jack views Louis newfound friendship as yet another straw in what he perceives as Jack abandoning him, Louis grows further agitated by Jack's inability to grow up, which routinely puts the two at odds. I particularly liked the dichotomy which the film is able to create between Jack and Andrew, each representing different forces in Louis' life that are pulling him in opposite directions. At it's core, Cronies is simultaneously a beautiful ode to friendship but also a film that perfectly captures the environment of it's characters, delivering a fresh, honest, poignant, and funny portrait of inner city culture. Set in the post-apocalyptic future of 1997, Turbo Kid, tells the story of The Kid, a young, solitary scavenger who spends most of his time with his head buried in the comic book, obsessed with 80's pop-culture. Due to the death of his parents at a young age, The Kid has gotten used to living a life of solitude, but all that changes with the arrival of Apple, a mysterious girl who is uncomfortably friendly. As The Boy and Apple grow closer, their lives come under attack by Zeus, the sadistic leader of the Wasteland, who rules over the remaining land showing little mercy. The latest movie to make an impression on the midnight movie festival circuit, Turbo Kid is a vibrant, creative piece of outlandish film-making that wears its infatuation with 80's culture as a badge of honor, delivering a tongue-and-cheek, off-the wall piece of pastiche that impressively spoofs the post-apocalyptic subgenre with fervor and glee. For films like this I'd argue that the more tropes injected into the narrative the better, and Turbo Kid doesn't disappoint, as this film is basically the classic archetype, with the unlikely hero having to overcome his own inhibitions in order to rid the world of evil and save the girl in the process. The film shows a great ingenuity in its world building, with lots of winks and nods to '80s schlock and post-apocalyptic culture which makes the film feel like a unique vision. Unsurprisingly, Turbo Kid is very violent, having some of the best use of extreme violence I've seen in awhile, featuring two particularly memorable sequences featuring an umbrella and an exercise bike. Considering its liberal use projectile blood splatter, Turbo Kid is a film that will only be appreciated by a certain type of person, but for those who enjoy their midnight movies ultra-violent and tongue-and-cheek, the film has a lot to offer. aniel Wolfe's Catch Me Daddy is a stylish descent into the world of organized crime that uses a rather unique narrative to offer insights into the relation dynamics which exist in this cruel world. The story itself is centered around Laila, a girl living on the outskirts of West Yorkshire with her boyfriend Aaron. Living a seemingly simple existence fueled with minor drug use and a job at a hair salon, Laila's story takes an unexpected turn with the arrival of her brother and a gang of thugs. Catch Me Daddy is a film that wisely keeps the viewer in in the dark about Laila's connection with these men from the onset, relying far more on visual storytelling then expositional dialogue to set the story in motion. As the film progresses it becomes clear that Laila is the daughter of a powerful man, who has sent his son and other various men to track down his daughter and bring her home. Catch Me Daddy is perhaps best described as a chase film, finding Laila and her boyfriend, Aaron, trying to stay one step ahead of those in pursuit. Very little is ever given as to exactly what Laila's running from, but by the conclusion it becomes clear that she was raised in a dark world in which she has little hope of escaping. A good looking film, Catch Me Daddy uses it's setting well, with an abundance of landscape shots of the desolate countyside and overcast skies that create the perfect ominous atmosphere for this dark tale. I particularly liked the ingenuity used during the night sequences, as the filmmakers uses flashilights, headlamps, and tale lights to amplify the surrounding darkness. While the film works well as a thriller, Catch Me Daddy's most interesting aspect is how it juxtaposes the criminal lifestyle and paternal instincts, contrasting the conflicting nature of these two things. I wouldn't say this dissection is as fully baked as it could have been, but how Laila finds herself at the mercy of her father's ways is fascinating, as one could even make an argument centered around feminisms lack of place in her father's world. While Catch Me Daddy's most interesting aspects could have been a bit more developed, the film is a well-crafted thriller full of strong performances and tension-filled energy. Rick Alverson's Entertainment is an oddly transfixing examination of a broken comedian who is en route to meet his estranged daughter. Traveling through the California desert as he makes stops at various dive bars and third-rate venues to deliver his increasingly disparaging comedy, the comedian becomes further detached and alienated from everything and everyone around him. Entertainment is a polarizing piece of filmmaking that is bound to captivate some as much as it infuriates others. Featuring a very, very dry sense of humor, Entertainment is a film that confronts the viewer with this cynical, directionless man, whose disenchantment with everything and everyone around him seems to be escalating with each subsequent cold encounter. Entertainment is a challenging and often beguiling experience, and while the film touches on some interesting aspects about comedy and how we as people define entertainment, the films's dry humor and tepid pacing became a bit grating for my taste. The film assaults the viewer with desolate desertscapes and an ever-increasing surreal encounters that certainly transport the viewer into the psyche of this character, but i'd still argue Alverson's penchant for offbeat energy and dry tone ultimately leads the film's true message being a bit illusive. The film works best simply as a transfixing portrait of disillusionment, as this Comedian character shows almost a complete lack of empathy for everyone and everything around him. Perhaps a bit of a stretch, but one could argue that Alverson's film is truly a powerful examination of the comedy profession as a whole, capturing how the culture of this man's profession can suppress empathy while cultivating an overall cynicism to the world around him. Personally, I think Entertainment works best on a broad thematic level, as Alverson uses this character to raise fascinating and challenging questions about what 'Entertainment' actually is, exploring the relationship that exists between those receiving and those delivering the entertainment, capturing just how different those two things can actually be. This disillusionment which the main character feels is without question related to his audience, whose expectations and desires simply don't align with the brand of humor this man is creating. While i'd argue the film suffers from a bloated running time that at times hurts the film's general pacing and engagement, Rick Alverson's Entertainment is a beguiling experience full of fascinating ideas about comedy and entertainment, exploring what it means and the expectations and demands the strain an audience can have on its creators. Living up the old idiom, truth is stranger than fiction, Bryan Carberry & J. Clay Tweel's Finders Keepers is a stunning documentary that is funny, engaging, and heartfelt, as the filmmakers show such impressive empathy for their subjects as they document the outlandish events which took place in a small town in North Carolina. The story begins when self-proclaimed "entrepreneur" Shannon Whisnant purchases a smoker from a foreclosed storage unit. The surprise comes when Shannon first opens the grill, discovering a severed human foot inside, one that has been mummified and preserved. The foot belonged to John Wood, a South Carolina man who lost the foot in a tragic plane accident back in 2004, one responsible for the death of his father. In this severed foot, the always hustling Shannon finds potential business opportunity, taking advantage of the buzz around town and charging admission to see the grill in which a foot had been found. Strangely enough, Shannon didn't have the foot his possession at this point, as a police officer, on the day of discovery, had taken it to a local funeral home. What ensues in Bryan Carberry & J. Clay Tweel's Finders Keepers is the astonishing and bizarre custody battle which took place between Shannon Whisnant and John Wood, with the documentary offering up a beautiful and transfixing portrait of two men in the process. Finders Keepers is a impressively designed documentary that lulls the viewer into this strange story with a playful tone, revealing its colorful characters and absurd story-line in a very comedic way, only to eventually rip the carpet out from under the viewer as it reveals its true poignancy, being a haunting and intricate examination of two flawed, hurt men. The strange story-line is just the juicy logline to what is nuanced and intricate character study of two men, each of which have ultimately been shaped by their past, most notably through their respective relationships with their fathers. What becomes clear as this film progresses is that the foot isn't just a body part to John Woods but something way more, being a symbol of John's grief and guilt centered around the death of his father. Finders and Keepers is as much a study of grief, regret, despair, and forgiveness, as anything else through its portrait of John, a man who struggled with alcoholism and drug abuse for many years after the death of his father, unable to forgive himself for his perceived failures as a co-pilot during the tragic accident. Considering John's suffering and troubles he becomes the clear protagonist of this bizarre story, as the viewer finds themselves rooting for a man's attempt to find some sense of closure. With that being said, Shannon Whisnant could definitely be described as the antagonist of this story, a man who bullishly refuses to give up ownership of the severed leg to John. He is a colorful character with a very high opinion of himself, who instantly grows ire from the audience due to his fixation of using another man's foot for his own financial gains. While this character may not be the most likable of sots, Finders Keepers greatest accomplishment is how even Shannon eventually becomes a sympathetic character, as the film slowly reveals nuanced aspects of his life that explain him as a man. Finders Keepers paints a portrait of a man in Shannon who had a tough time growing up with a stern father who neglected him, never giving him the attention or confidence he craved. While subtle, one could argue this relationship with father is what shaped Shannon as the man he would become, a man who has essentially becomes transfixed with the idea of being famous or somebody important, with John's severed foot being what he perceives is his ticket to success. The end of Finders Keepers reveals how this bizarre, dragged out custody battle was the thing that ultimately saved John's life, as he is now able to find some semblance of happiness and peace. We learn that John Wood has been sober and drug free for many years after getting the severed foot back and finding some sense of closure, yet unfortunately for Shannon he becomes what could be described as a tragic anti-hero, finding himself still intoxicated by the allure of fame, desperately needing to be someone important as he still seeks closure centered around his strained childhood relationship with his father. Noah Baumbach's latest film, Mistress America, tells the story of Tracy, a lonely college freshman in New York who has aspirations as a writer. Not having the exciting college experience she envisioned, Tracy contacts her soon-to-be stepsister, Brooke, who invites her to visit in New York City. Living in Times Square, Brooke is essentially an energetic manifestation of what a stream of conscious would look like, an adventurous 30 year-old who has a million ideas a minute, bouncing from one scheme to the next, never following through on her vast ambitions. Allured by Brooke's energy and optimism towards the future, Brooke begins to spend all of her down time with her soon-to-be sister. Noah Baumbach's Mistress America is a kinetic piece of filmmaking full of energy and life, which is bound to instantly appeal to some viewers while others will find its bubbly energy endlessly annoying. The film is witty and clever, but while I was watching Mistress America I struggled at times to understand the point of Baumbauch's latest effort, a film which felt like another charming, well-written film but simply more directionless and uneven at first. Brooke is a character who is very self-involved and borderline annoying at times, but as the film progresses it becomes clear that she is a quietly tragic character, a woman who isn't directionless, just desperate to make her imprint on the world. This is where Mistress America transcends what I feared was becoming more-of-the-same from the filmmaker, as the Mistress America slowly reveals its thematic intentions about the oppressive nature of societies' viewpoint of success. Through this energetic character of Brooke, Baumbach touches on how finances can define an individuals success, never vilifying money but capturing how the exuberance of youth is typically shattered under the weight of "growing up". The film certainly doesn't paint Brooke as a victim, and perhaps what makes this film so interesting is Baumbach's ability to stay relatively neutral in this dissection of youth, capturing the clash with adulthood and direction in a way that never chooses sides between them. I also found it interesting how Mistress America feels much more sporadic than much of Noah Baumbauch's other work, almost as if the film itself is constructed to match the actions of Brooke's indecisive nature. I wouldn't say it's the most nuanced and full-developed theme, the commentary centered around money's ability to stifle creativity is also interesting. While I would argue the film struggles on some of its more dramatic beats, Noah Baumbach's Mistress America is hip, funny, energetic comedy, offering a unique vision and examination of youth and adulthood. Just like his previous effort, the remarkable Welcome to Pine HIll, Keith Miller's latest film, Five Star, blends elements of reality and fiction to tell a powerful story of inner city struggle. Five Star is centered around the relationship between two men, Primo, a notorious drug leader in the Bloods gang both in reality and the film, and John, a young man whose father, a gang member himself, was shot and killed. Taking John under his wing, Primo verses the teenager on the code of the streets, explaining to him how respect and fear are the two most important things in order to survive and prosper in this game. Keith Miller's Five Star touches on a lot of the same issues we've seen before in similar films, such as the romanticism of gangs and violence by youth, but not many touch on the more personal aspects of family and paternity in such a nuanced way. What gives these observations more weight and elevates the film on many levels is Primo, the real-life 'Five Star' Blood gang member who is probably playing himself. Five Star is a tale of fathers and sons, a piercing portrait of two men struggling with gang life. While John's struggle between potentially going down the same path as his dad is the more external arch, Primo's struggles are by far the more nuanced and powerful aspect of Five Star. From a piercing opening sequence that captures the raw power of Primo as he explains why he has so much devotion to his sons to an off screen presence it become apparent he struggles with guilt and doubts about still being a part of the gang lifestyle. In this opening sequence it's abundantly clear that he loves his sons very much, never wanting them to have to suffer through the same tumultuous lifestyle that he did. In a world that views any type of love or affection as weakness, Primo sits on the throne, with internal struggles centered around him knowing he himself needs to get out of the drug trade haunting his psyche. Five Star is a film that feels 100% authentic, with Primo demanding your attention every time he is on the screen. The film shows attention to detail, not only in Primo's menacing calmness, but even in smaller details, like how when driving Primo checks his rearview mirror every few seconds. While Five Star doesn't have the same overall weight as Welcome to Pine Hill due to its more familiar subject matter, the film is still a vivid portrait of inner city struggle, told in a very authentic way. Considering the subject matter of Albert Brook's first feature, Real Life, it's quite remarkable and quite frankly depressing, how much foresight the film shows in what has become what we now know as 'Reality TV'. Real Life is a wicked and highly amusing satire that sees Albert Brooks playing "Albert Brooks", an arrogant comedian turned filmmaker who has decided to create a documentary centered around the "typical American family". After an highly technical and exhaustive screening process led by Brooks and the studio to find the "perfect American family" is carried out, the Yeager family from Phoenix, Arizona is selected. Moving in across the street and having cameras filming day and night, Albert Brooks' chronicles the Yeager families' lives, with the support of psychiatrists and sociologists who wish to document what Brook's has described as "true reality". Of course things don't quite go as planned, with Brook's antics and high-tech cameras becoming incredibly obtrusive for the Yeager family, which begins to lead to drastic emotional changes and distress. Brooks never seems to write roles for himself that are sympathetic or likable and Real Life certainly isn't the exception, as he portrays himself as an arrogant, self-obsessed comedian who will stop at nothing to create what he perceives is his great masterpiece. Brooks is a character who never takes any suggestions from anyone, whether it be his subjects or his psychologists, constantly attempting to manipulate and craft the story he hopes to create. Real Life argues that inherent distraction of filmmaking makes it essentially impossible to document reality when the subjects are completely aware, setting its sights on the manipulative practices of egomaniac creatives and studioheads who have no issues destroying the lives of the Yeagers for their own personal gain. I particularly loved a sequence in the middle of the film, which finds Brooks in a meeting with the psychiatrist, socialogist, and studio, as they discuss the success of the production so far. While the scientists argue that the filming has strongly altered the reality of the Yeagers, Brooks isn't having it, headstrong in the belief that he is creating true drama. The studio exec shows little interest as well, instead focusing on trying to convince Brooks to introduce a big name star into the film for financial reasons, having absolutely no interest in being true to the "reality" which Brooks is so hellbent on creating/simulating, with only the almighty dollar in mind.. Full of lots of fun satirical moments that poke fun at Hollywood, Reality TV, and creative types in general, Real Life ends with a wonderfully realized finale, which finds Brooks on the verge of a nervous breakdown, eventually setting fire to the Yeager's house in a last ditch effort to create drama, due to his own twisted addiction to making a successful film. Kiah Roache-Turner's Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead is an extremely violent, surprisingly comedic rift on the zombie genre that brings enough new elements to the table to keep zombie enthusiasts more than entertained. The story is centered around Barry, a mechanic, who finds his whole life flipped upside down when everyone around him, including his own wife and daughter, become flesh-eating zombies. Arming himself to the teeth, Barry sets out into the Australian countryside to rescue his sister from the same fate, only to discover she is at the mercy of a deranged, mad scientist of sorts who has has a penchant for disco-dancing. Wyrmwood: Road of The Dead is a film that embraces its chaotic nature, providing a visceral energy that is so strong at times that it triggers an uncomfortable comedic response. This film never holds back in its absurd violence and strange humor, delivering a unique, chaotic vision that is reminiscent of Shin'ya Tsukamoto's work in terms of style. Given the film's minuscule budget, Wyrmwood features some impressive world building, with elaborate, homemade weaponry and chaotic set-pieces which feel like a Mad Max films set in a zombie apocalypse. My biggest complaint about the film would be that it all becomes a little monotonous, as the storyline itself provides very little to grasp onto outside of the heavy dosage of absurd violence and creative set-pieces. Those who have little interest in the genre probably won't find too much to like in Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead, but for those that are, Wyrmwood delivers in spades, being a film bulging with energy and , offering a heavy dose of blood and guts. |
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June 2023
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