Welcome to WeeklyWilson.com, where author/film critic Connie (Corcoran) Wilson avoids totally losing her marbles in semi-retirement by writing about film (see the Chicago Film Festival reviews and SXSW), politics and books----her own books and those of other people. You'll also find her diverging frequently to share humorous (or not-so-humorous) anecdotes and concerns. Try it! You'll like it!

Category: Reviews Page 1 of 60

Chicago International Film Festival: 2016-2023 (Con’t).

(*Photos are nearly all mine, taken at the respective film festivals. Installment #2 describing festivals of the past 21 years I’ve attended.)

Peter Bogdanovich

Peter Bogdanovich.

2016:  Damien Chazelle showed up to promote “La La Land.” He was very gracious and friendly. I anticipated “La La Land” winning for Best Picture (and so did most of the Academy when the team of Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway somehow announced the wrong film as Best Oscar winner that year), but it did not.  Peter Bogdanovich was given a Lifetime Achievement Award .  Also present were Geraldine Chaplin as the head of the jury, a Tribute to Director Steve McQueen, and Danny Glover appearing with the Nigerian film “93 Days” about the spread of the Ebola virus epidemic in Africa.  It was  bloody disappointing.  Both adjectives apply. Glover was presented a Visionary Award.

 

 

Geraldine Chaplin

Geraldine Chaplin.

 

Chadwick Boseman

Chadwick Boseman of “Black Panther”

Sterling K. Brown

Sterling K. Brown

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Damien Chazelle

Damien Chazelle, Writer/Director of “La La Land” and “Whiplash.”

Michael Shannon

Closing night Tribute to Michael Shannon, along with showing of Guillermo del Toro’s “The Shape of Water.”

Tracy Letts

Playwright/actor (“August: Osage County”) Tracy Letts, at the showing of “Lady Bird” in Chicago in 2017.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017:  The film “Marshall” was a big one this year, with Chadwick Boseman and Sterling K. Brown in attendance.  I had the opportunity to speak with Vanessa Redgrave about her direction of the film “Sea Sorrow,” concerning the immigrants washing up on the shores of countries like Greece.  Redgrave was there with her son and quoted former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, saying that the plan was to take countries like England to court to force them to deal with the immigrants flocking to their shores.  The films that impressed me this year were “Lady Bird” (Tracy Letts in attendance), Ruben Ostland’s Swedish film “The Square,” and Michael Shannon appearing on behalf of “The Shape of Water,” as was Michael Stuhlbarg (“Call Me By Your Name”). I remember chatting with Michael Stuhlbarg in the lobby area. As I spoke with Michael Shannon on the Red Carpet, he asked me, “How did you like me in ‘Hud?;” I attribute this to Shannon’s puckish sense of humor, as “Hud” was a 1963 Paul Newman vehicle, which I well knew. I also asked him what his favorite role was, and he said, without hesitation, “Take Shelter,” which also happens to be my favorite of his many fine films. I was surprised that he would answer the question at all, as it’s a little like asking someone which child is their favorite.

Steve Gukas and Danny Glover

Director Steve Gukas and star of “93 Days” Danny Glover.

 

Michael Stuhlbarg

Michael Stuhlbarg: Dr. Robert Hoffstetler (aka, Dmitri) in “The Shape of Water.”

Sir Patrick Stewart

Sir Patrick Stewart give Lifetime Tribute Award at the 53rd Chicago International Film Festival on October 25, 2017.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Viola Davis

Viola Davis.

Guillermo del Toro and Ron Perlman

Ron Perlman in the background and Guillermo del Toro on the Red Carpet at the Chicago Film Festival. (2010).

 

 

2018:  This year the U.K.’s Steve McQueen’s film “Widows” screened and he was given an award. Among those who appeared on behalf of the film were Viola Davis, Cynthia Erivo, and Brian Tyree Henry. (Seen more recently co-starring in the 2022 Jennifer Lawrence film “Causeway.”)  William Friedkin—the GREAT William Friedkin—appeared and was given a Lifetime Achievement Award. I had just heard him in Austin at the Alamo Drafthouse on Lamar talking about his film project, “The Devil and Father Amorph,” where he went in, solo, with a GoPro Camera and filmed a demonic possession and an exorcism. It was a far cry from “The French Connection” (1971), “The Exorcist” (1973) and “To Live and Die in L.A.” (1985), but it was a “local boy makes good” moment, as Friedkin began his career working for WGN and making documentaries. Carey Mulligan also received an Artistic Achievement Award and appeared to promote Paul Dano’s film “Wildlife.”

Helen Hunt

Helen Hunt at the screening of “The Sessions” on October 20th in Chicago.

Jason Reitman was on hand with “The Front Runner” about the ill-fated Gary Hart campaign for the Senate. When I spoke with Reitman in Nashville last month, where he was promoting his latest film “Saturday Night,” he made the humorous comment that I might be the only one in the theater during the Q&A who had seen “The Front Runner” and said, “I guess audiences are more enthused about SNL than about Gary Hart.” “The Hate U Give” showed this year as did Joel Edgerton’s “Boy Erased.” And—-most notably for me—Robert Forster was present with “What They Had,” a wonderful film that co-starred Michael Shannon and dealt with the effects of Alzheimer’s on the family unit.  I took the opportunity to tell Robert Forster how much I had enjoyed his 1969 appearance in “Medium Cool” for Haskell Wexler and he was very gracious in saying I was too young to have seen it when it was new (wrong.) I will always remember this exchange with Robert Forster, because he died exactly one year later to the day on October 11, 2019, a fact which has stuck with me.

Vanessa Redgrave and son being interviewed by Connie Wilson

Interviewing Vanessa Redgrave on the Red Carpet in Chicago.

Steve McQueen and (founder) Michael Kutza

Michael Kutza (CIFF founder) points out that the Black Perspectives Artistic Achievement award is one inch taller than the Oscar while awarding it in presenting it to Director Steve McQueen.

Robert Forster

Robert Forster, taken exactly one year to the day before his death.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gael Garcia Bernal

Gael Garcia Bernal in Chicago to receive a Tribute and screen his second film on October 26th, 2019. (Photo by Connie Wilson).

 

 

 

 

 

2019:  The thing I remember the most about the 55th CIFF, besides the screening of “Clemency,” was the appearance of Gael Garcia Bernal with his directorial effort, “Chicuarotes.” This was the largest crowd I remember seeing crowded in to a theater, all to see Bernal. I had  a seat, but others were sitting on the steps to the theater. I left before the film ended; I felt bad that so many didn’t have a real seat.

2020:  This was the year of the pandemic. I watched “One Night in Miami” (Regina King) via streamer and others by streaming, like most of America.

 

 

Rebecca Hall

Rebecca Hall, director of “Passing,” in Chicago in 2021.

Kenneth Branagh

Kenneth Branaugh on October 21, 2021, with his Lifetime Achievement Award from the Chicago International Film Festival.(Photo by Connie Wilson.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2021:  This was the year that Sir Kenneth Branagh showed up with “Belfast,” which seemed to have a good shot at winning an Oscar. Rebecca Hall also appeared, promoting her film “Passing,” about a Black woman passing for white.   For that one, I actually bought the book and read it, as it was short.  Todd Haynes “The Velvet Underground” also screened and the documentary “Punch 9 for Harold Washington,” which was a local success story about the election for Mayor.

58th Chicago International Film Festival

58th Chicago International Film Festival logo

 

 

 

2022:  The opening film was the documentary “A Compassionate Spy” by local director Steve James. His documentaries are great, but this one was a bit of a slog.  Kathryn Hahn received a Career Achievement Award and the film “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” was highlighted.  The Al Sharpton documentary “Loudmouth” gave us a look at the activist’s life, while “For Love & Life: No Ordinary Campaign” was promoted by Katie Couric and detailed the harrowing journey of Chicago attorney and Obama supporter Brian Wallach as he is diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s Disease and fights for himself and other patients in the same boat.

John C. Reilly and film critic Connie Wilson

Connie Wilson with John C. Reilly at the 2011 Chicago Film Festival.

“We Need to Talk About Kevin” (2011) brought John C. Reilly to the CIFF AMC screening. He sat one seat from me (empty seat in-between) watching the Tilda Swinton co-starring film about a psychopathic school shooter. Watching him watch this intense hard-hitting film reminded me of sitting across from Nelson Algren at the Englert Theater in Iowa City, Iowa, watching him viewing the adaptation of his book “Walk on the Wild Side” (1962) for the first time. (Later that night, Nelson had a small brush with the law when he was caught smoking what we used to callditch weed” on a country road, but nevermind about that.) Watching someone see their creative effort onscreen for the first time is unique. I’ve never seen any of my screenplays put on the screen, but I’ve been present when they were given table reads at the Windy City Film Festival and the San Antonio Film Festival, and it’s an experience I can’t convey or describe well enough.

2023:   It was my 20th anniversary.  I was back where I started, which, was pretty much me buying my own tickets and attending and writing up my thoughts on the films (with memories of having done so for the past 50 years). In 20 years of attendance, I had only ever asked for one “free” ticket. I saw Michael Berg’s “We Grown Now,” which was fantastic in its recreation of the Cabrini-Green Housing Projects and Michael Shannon was present with his directorial debut, “Eric Larue.” Emerald Fennell appeared in support of “Saltburn,” which I liked very much. “The Bikeriders” brought Director Jeff Nichols to town, who directed Michael Shannon in “Take Shelter,” which he had told me many years before was his favorite role. Since Michael Shannon and Jeff Nichols are close, it was a good year for the festival, especially in terms of the top-notch films  secured, including “The Killer” (Michael Fassbender) and Clare Cooney’s full-length film “Departing Seniors.” My favorite film of the festival was “Dream Scenario” with Nicolas Cage, directed by newcomer Kristoffer Borgli. It was razor sharp and hilariously funny, while being a very smart satire on what sells in America. Cage deserved an Oscar nomination for his performance.

Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore

May December. (L to R) Natalie Portman as Elizabeth Berry and Julianne Moore as Gracie Atherton-Yoo in May December. (Cr. Francois Duhamel / courtesy of Netflix). My least favorite 2023 film.

Carey Mulligan

Carey Mulligan, appearing in support of “Wildfire” in 2018.

Emerald Fennell

Emerald Fennell at the Music Box Theater in Chicago at the 59th Chicago International Film Festival on October 20, 2023. (Photo by Connie Wilson).

Kristoffer Borgli

Director of “Dream Scenario,” Kristoffer Borglii at CIFF 2023.

Jeff Nichols

Jeff Nichols in Chicago at the closing night of the 59th Chicago International Film Festival on October 22, 2023.

Jason Reitman

Jason Reitman in Chicago with “The Front Runner,” closing film of the 54th Chicago International Film Festival. (Photo by Connie Wilson in 2018.

John Papsidera, Connie Wilson & Jason Reitman

(L to R) Casting Director John Papsidera, Connie Wilson, and Writer/Director Jason Reitman in Nashville at the Nashville Film Festival showing of “Saturday Night” on September 21, 2024,

60th Chicago International Film Festival: A Stroll Down Memory Lane – 21 Years of CIFF

CIFF 2015 poster

My first memory of attending a Chicago International Film Festival was  2003’s “The Human Stain”  at the Chicago Theater. The film was miscast from the get-go, featuring Anthony Hopkins as a (secretly) Black man and Nicole Kidman as a washer woman. I went to school with Nicholas Meyer (“Time After Time,” “Star Trek II:  The Wrath of Khan”) at the University of Iowa, who wrote the screenplay based on the Philip Roth book. [In fact, he dated my roommate.]  Robert Benton directed. The film had problems, not the least of which was being badly miscast. The fun part of the night was watching Harold Ramis come down the aisle and take his seat.  Leonard Maltin said it was “An exceptional film.” I agree with that. It was exceptional for all the wrong reasons. It reminds me of the couple whose  wife sent her spouse a bouquet of balloons with a card that read “Thank you for 20 Interesting Years.” You can take adjectives like “exceptional” and “interesting” and interpret then any way you want. Remember that trick (from a wordsmith with over 6 decades of published writing).

“The Human Stain” was 21 years ago.

It Came from the 70s: From The Godfather to Apocalypse Now

“It Came from the 70s: From The Godfather to Apocalypse Now”

I began writing print reviews in the Quad City Times in 1976 with “Lipstick,” a film featuring the Hemingway sisters, Margaux and Marielle. A book emerged: “It Came from the 70s: From The Godfather to Apocalypse Now.” The book contained my reviews of some of the best films of the decade, with interactive trivia and answers on the following page, upside down. It was published by a small Rhode Island press in 2016, long after my reviews went from real newspapers to digital, initially for Associated Content, for which I also covered politics during the Iowa primaries of 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2016. (Yahoo Content Producer of the Year for Politics in 2008). After my first CIFF in 2003, I attended and wrote reviews that appeared on Associated Content and other defunct digital outlets. I remember reviewing 2008’s “Synecdoche” and  Steve McQueen’s “Hunger.” I started blogging (www.WeeklyWilson.com) at my own blog in 2007 and began writing for www.TheMovieBlog.com soon after that.

2010: I met Alan Cumming, Guillermo del Toro and Forest Whitaker on the Red Carpet. Guillermo was also accompanied by his long-time friend Ron Perlman and were very kind and friendly at the after-party. Alan Cumming was not interested in speaking with those of us on the Red Carpet, but Guillermo could not have been nicer or more charming. I gifted Guillermo del Toro with a copy of “It Came from the 70’s.” He did not want to move on down the Red Carpet and began leafing through the book. At that point, he noticed that his shoe was untied and said, “Oh, no! Fat man with untied shoe,” and laughed.  His handlers came and hurried him down the runway. Forest Whitaker was delayed for a very long time when his suit had to be pressed. He was much trimmer and smaller than he appeared onscreen.

Connie Wilson, film reviewer, at the AMC on lower Illinois

At the former AMC Theater headquarters.

2011: Claude LeLouch (“A Man and A Woman”, 1966) attended.  He was accompanied by Valerie Perrine, to whom he has been married since June 13, 2023. Perrine is LeLouch’s fourth wife (He was divorced from wife #3 in 2009). LeLouch was 74 in 2011 and is 86 today.  In 1975, Perrine was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress[4] and the Golden Globe[5] for Best Motion Picture Actress (Drama) and won the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival for her role as comedian Lenny Bruce‘s wife, stripper Honey Bruce, in Bob Fosse‘s Lenny (1974). I recognized Valerie Perrine instantly. She was then 68 years old and as beautiful as ever.  She was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2015. Another interesting Perrine fact is that she was the first to show her nipples on television (and did a fair amount of nudity on film) and that she was to have been  hairdresser Jay Sebring’s date at  Roman Polanski’s home (which belonged to Terry Melcher, son of Doris Day)  the night that the Manson family attacked and killed the residents, including the then-pregnant wife Sharon Tate on August 9, 1969. (She couldn’t go at the last minute). “The Last Rites of Joe May” featuring Dennis Farina was the Opening Night film. Farina brushed past anyone with a still camera to head directly towards the television cameras present, but Gary Cole (a co-star) was very gracious and spoke with us all.

Gary Cole at the AFS gathering of Risky Business' anniversary

Gary Cole (Photo by Connie Wilson).

2012:  Al Pacino, Christopher Walken and Alan Arkin showed up for the premiere of “Stand Up Guys.” Lana and Lily Wachowski showed up for “Cloud Atlas.” Helen Hunt was present and was terrific in “The Sessions.” “Holy Motors” came to us from Cannes with talking cars, which was not my favorite. Cannes’ films have a different sensibility, and this one certainly did.

Michael Shannon

Michael Shannon.

2013:  Bruce Dern showed up with “Nebraska.” He told a very funny story about working with Alfred Hitchcock, who got stuck in his chair when he attempted to rise. Dern was then 78 (he’s now 88) and was not as mobile as in his prime, but he is still working today.  Oscar Isaacs had his breakthrough role in “Inside Llewyn Davis: that year and was one of the nicest celebrities I’ve met, especially at the after party, where he chatted very sociably.  Dario Argento was also in town for the festival and “The Immigrant” screened.  Michael Shannon was there, and often is, which is a wonderful addition, always.

Haskell Wexler gave a presentation about his directing of films beyond 1969’s “Medium Cool.” He was instrumental in George Lucas going to film school. Wexler, a Chicago resident, is one of the 10 most influential cinematographers in Hollywood history. I’ll never forget seeing him covering the 2012 NATO demonstrations (with his granddaughter handling the camera work) in Grant Park when he was 90. Wexler won Oscars for his cinematography on Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) and Bound for Glory (1976) and over the course of his 60 years behind the camera and worked with directors as diverse as Mike Nichols, John Cassavetes, Hal Ashby, John Sayles, Elia Kazan, Norman Jewison, Tony Richardson and many more. He was a well-known liberal activist and did documentaries that supported his views, which I admired. He also has the distinction of having been fired by Milos Forman and Francis Ford Coppola.

Haskell Wexler, 90, and me in 2012 in Grant Park at NATO demonstrations

Famed cinematographer Haskell Wexler in Grant Park during the NATO demonstrations in May, 2012.

When I saw him in Grant Park covering the NATO demonstrations, I quit, mid-interview, to streak across the park and get a picture of us together. Among his films that I admire greatly (besides “Medium Cool,”  1969) are “The Best Man” (1964), “In the Heat of the Night” (1967), “The Conversation” (1974), “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (1975) and “Coming Home” (1978). Haskell Wexler died in Santa Monica on December 27, 2015. He was a true visionary and his film “Medium Cool” (1969) featuring a young Robert Forster was set in the streets of Chicago in 1968 against the backdrop of the 1968 Democratic Convention.

2014:  This was a banner year, the 50th anniversary of CIFF. Liv Ullman came with “Miss Julia,” which she directed, and Colin Farrell and Jessica Chastain, the stars of the film, were here as well. I was sent over to Liv Ullman’s hotel suite to interview her. That morning, Rahm Emmanuel’s brother (the doctor) had written an editorial in the Chicago Tribune that advocated for everyone dying at 75. I took a copy to the interview and Liv and her elderly cinematographer and I had a spirited discussion of the piece. Also present that year were Kathleen Turner and Oliver Stone. Director Taylor Hackford came and reported to a headquarters temporarily rented for the 50th. Hackford was the star of a round table interview and later told me he was glad I was there, because the young journalists present were mainly interested in hearing about “Ray” (2004), whereas I go all the way back to “The Idolmaker”(1980)and “An Officer and a Gentleman.” (1982).

Liv Ullman and I during an interview for "Miss Julie"

Liv Ullman and me.

2015:  The famous guests who stick in my mind this year are Michael Moore with “Where to Invade Next?” (his first foray back to film in 6 years), Charlie Kaufman, and Howard Shore, the composer.

NEXT INSTALLMENT:  2016-2023

“Falling Stars” Presents a Creepy Witch World on October 11 (Just In Time for Halloween)

"Falling Stars"

“Falling Stars” movie about witches.

“Falling Stars” is a film about witches written, directed and edited by Richard Karpala (co-directed by Gabriel Bienczycki). It releases on October 11th. The film begins with these words onscreen: “Every year by the full moon of late October witches from high use the night as cover to descend onto earth’s harvest.  Skygazers say they resemble falling stars.  In hungry years, the stars fall early.” The film is a story about three brothers who make an ill-advised journey to see the body of a dead witch.

Witch World

This Fantastic Fest 2023 entry establishes an entire witch world, with rules for preventing witches from putting a curse on the humans they  prey upon during harvest season. An entire mythology exists around the falling witches. There are even warnings on radio and television telling the locals to stay indoors, although the danger is said to be wind. And there are ingredients for performing protective spells.

I now know that the spell requires apples, rue, sage and something called valerian. (I was unsure what “rue” was. Had no idea what “valerian was.” We might need another movie. Had to look both of them up.)  I now have a rudimentary idea of what the boys were thinking of using to protect themselves from mysterious witches who fall from the sky like falling stars.  Apparently, the spell doesn’t really work, especially if you desecrate the witches’ sacred circle in any way…for instance, by spilling beer on a witch’s corpse. There is a protective option involving sacrificing a child, but nobody seems keen on that choice —(which could make for good conflict in a sequel for “Falling Stars II.”)

After we become aware that the title of the 80 minute film could more accurately have been “Falling Witches,” the script moves quickly to inform the audience of the various idiosyncrasies of witch world. For instance, although you’re not supposed to be able to kill a witch,  one of the group, Rob (Greg Poppa) has already proven that wisdom wrong. He shot and killed a witch and buried her. (The corpse is appropriately gnarly. Kudos to Noodle Mikael Gustaffson who did the creepy creature effects.)

THE PLOT

Mike in "Falling Stars" (Shaun Duke Jr.)

Mike, lead brother in “Falling Stars.”

The three brothers of the story, Mike (Shaun Duke Jr.), Sal (Andrew Gabriel) and the youngest, Adam (Rene Leech) want to see the dead witch.   Mike— the leader of the brothers—decides without much consideration or discussion, that the three brothers should go pick up Rob (who lives in a nearby trailer with his wife and 2-year-old daughter Katelyn) and visit the grave of the deceased witch. Bad idea. The male trio’s curiosity certainly was not good news for the family of Rob and Meg (Orianne Milne and baby Katelyn Felicia Milne.)(*Spoiler alert) Because the brothers decided to make a joy ride to the witch’s grave, an entire family is wiped out. (Talk about not thinking through the consequences of your actions.)

Because the brothers are driving a pick-up truck without enough seating, some have to ride in the back. One passenger disappears from the back of the truck without so much as a struggle or a scream. We assume that a fallen witch carried him off. The fraternal trio do an excellent job of acting, but they don’t seem particularly close as brothers, nor do they look alike. The youngest of the trio (Adam) comes off a lot more intense and emotional than the other two, but we can attribute that to his unique personality or because he’s the baby of the family.

Adam in "Falling Stars" (Rene Leech)

Adam, the youngest (and most emotionally intense) of the trio of brothers in “Falling Stars.

We get radio station KNWK giving the locals, via Barry Foyle, Radio Host, directives to stay indoors. The warnings mainly mention wind. There is no acknowledgement that the populace is really being told to watch out for falling witches. The system seems fairly well-established, so these Witch World Warnings must have been going on for  years. Everybody understands the situation.  Think of it a bit like the “red/yellow/orange” terrorist threat warnings some of us remember from the “W’ years. Certainly a good way to get the locals concerned, then and now. (Apologies for the fact that “W” was in office from 2001 to 2009, so you have to go back 14 to 23 years to remember when we, as citizens, were constantly being given color-coded “terrorist threat” warnings by the Republicans in office after 9/11, a date which most of us do  remember.) So the televised  warnings are a bit like those in  “The Purge” in warning people of a long-established tradition.

THE GOOD

"Falling Stars" movie

“Falling Stars”

Cinematically, there are a lot of overhead shots. Even the very first shot of a girl walking her dogs is shot from above. (That girl is also the head make-up person). I found the overhead shots really worked, as did the acting, the witch corpse, and the creepy, tense mood set in this indie film set in Joshua Tree, California and shot on location. The music (Patrik Herman) was good. Coupled with the excellent acting, this horror outing was a welcome departure from most recent indie horror films.

The cast is rounded out by a hitchhiker Ouami (Piotr Adamczyk), who just came off as weird. There is also the excellent radio host Barry (J. Aaron Boykin), and his assistant Elana (Samantha Turret) who are under-utilized.

 

CONCLUSION

Baby Katelyn and Meg in "Falling Stars" (Felicia & Orianne Milne)

Meg and baby Katelyn in “Falling Stars,” innocents in peril.

I hope this team gets the opportunity to fill in some of the blanks in witch world in another outing because “Falling Stars” showed real promise.

 

“They All Came Out to Montreux” and “The Black Sea” at Nashville Film Festival 2024

 

Two documentaries at the Nashville Film Festival caught my eye on Sunday and Monday, September 22 and 23. The first was “They All Came Out to Montreux,” followed by “The Black Sea.”“They All Came Out to Montreux” was a love letter to the man responsible for creating, founding and sustaining the Montreux Jazz Festival, Claude Nobbs.  Oliver Murray created this documentary as a tribute to  Claude Nobbs. Nobbs dedicated his entire life to making Montreaux, Switzerland, his home town, a premier destination for the very best musicians in the world. Claude and his partner showcased the Shakespeares and Picassos of  Jazz and, over time,  branched out to include other forms of music.

Nobbs was so devoted to musicians and helping preserve their work that he and his partner since 1987, Thierry Ansalm, digitally preserved every concert ever given there from 1970 on. (There are even a few from 1968 and 1969).  They created a huge archive collection of the premier performers of the past 60 years. On this documentary there were many famous musicians either performing or talking about Claude—a wealth of talent from jazz, rock, blues, and beyond.

CLAUDE’S INFLUENCE

Claude was universally loved by all the musicians whom he encountered, although some of the locals in Montreux (Switzerland) on Lake Geneva (the Swiss Riviera) were not keen on having a bunch of hippies pitch tents on their well-manicured lawns. There was even an arrest of Claude based on his homosexuality that represented a trumped-up charge designed to stop his quest to make Montreux into a must-stop destination for World Class musicians.

Quincy Jones produced the festival for at least 3 years, with Miles Davis appointed as an honorary greeter. The voices we hear talking about the legendary Claude Andre Nobbs include Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones, who lived nearby for some time and considered Claude’s archived music collection an oasis in the desert. Here is a (partial) list of the renowned names who either testify to Claude’s supremely enthusiastic vision or actually perform onscreen in short vignettes: Jack White; Wyclef Jean, George Clinton, Lizzo, Questlove, Carlos Santana, James Brown, Marvin Gaye, B.B. King, Ray Charles, Roberta Flack, Nina Simone, Herbie Hancock,  Van Morrison, Sting, Carol King, Queen, AC/DC, Deep Purple, Muddy Waters, Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald, Joan Baez, Shania Twain, Z.Z. Topp, Elvis Costello, Dizzy Gillespie and Frank Zappa. And many, many more.

CATASTROPHE

During Frank Zappa’s show, an audience member fired a flare gun towards the ceiling of the casino. The casino  caught fire and burned to the ground. Claude personally rescued some teenagers from the burning structure. The song “Smoke on the Water” was composed to describe the incident. The fire didn’t stop Claude. He directed his irresistible enthusiasm and passion to the project of rebuilding. Three years later, there was a new casino for performers to utilize.

Nesuhi Ertegan, head of Capital Records, offered Claude a full-time job during the period that represented the manufactured gay charges, but Claude did not want to leave his home town. He was enthusiastic to the point that one admirer said, “Claude was too much.” He cared  deeply about the music and the musicians. One voice on the film says, “When I started in the Music Business 35 years ago, the emphasis was on the 2 words The Music. Now it’s on the 2 words The Business.” Many said that Claude was fighting for the human factor of the music business and would be very unhappy with the trend today toward monetizing music. “His passion was deep.  His whole life resolved around the festival.”

Claude was killed in a skiing accident on Dec. 24, 2012. He fell into a coma and died on January 10th, 2013 at age 76. But Claude’s friends and supporters like Quincy Jones (a producer of the film) collated this film to honor him and his irrepressible enthusiasm and passion for music and life.

“The Black Sea”

Derrick B. Hardin in The Black Sea

“The Black Sea”

 

The second documentary that we saw on Monday, September 23,  chronicled a charming man who could also bring others together, even if he didn’t speak their language. That was the film “The Black Sea” which told the story of a Black guy from Brooklyn who ends up in Bulgaria with no money and no passport.

The synopsis reads: “Khalid, a charismatic big dreamer from Brooklyn gets stuck in a small Bulgarian resort town on the Black Sea after chasing a fast cash opportunity that goes awry. As the only Black guy around, he becomes the center of the town’s curiosity. His New York City street hip-hop rap is all he has to survive and figure out how to get home. But in his pursuit he finds connections in a way he never expected.”

The film showcased Derrick B. Harden as Khaled (who also did the rap music) and Ina, played by Irmena Chichikova .  Crystal Moselle and Derrick B. Harden are the movers and shakers on this one, which has been picked up by Metrograph Pictures for distribution,. It had no real script and was shot during the pandemic, apparently in Bulgaria with cinematography by

The film was promising when Derrick arrives in Bulgaria only to learn that he has no passport, no money and no ability to communicate with the locals. It’s an absolutely terrifying feeling, which I have experienced. Derrick reminds of a younger version of J.B. Smoove and he uses his charismatic personality to figure it out (much like Claude Nobbs did in the Montreux documentary).

The lack of a plan for what happens next  begins to pull the story down after that; the end of the film is not entirely satisfactory, but congratulations to the makers of this small film. The setting was beautiful in both films and there is a common thread beyond the beautiful geography and that is but one of their similarities. Both Claude Nobbs and Derrick B. Harden were positive people who had the charisma to organize others and that means a lot.

World Premiere of “Catch A Killer” on 9/21 at Nashville Film Festival

Catch A Killer

Poster for Catch A Killer

The World Premiere of “Catch A Killer” took place at the Nashville Film Festival on Saturday, September 21st. The idea of a serial killer basing his (or her) kills on famous slasher movies was somewhat original, but the entire film needed work. There are low-budget horror movies out there that  show signs of originality (“Cuckoo” comes to mind), but this isn’t one of them. Written and directed by Teddy Grennan, the film starred Sam Brooks (“Fear Street, Part 2: 1978,” “Stargirl,” and “Long, Slow, Exhale”). Grennan is known for “Ravage” (2019) and “Wicked Games” (2021).

The film should have been a natural fit for me, since I was as an active voting member of the Horror Writers’ Association for years (and the author of “The Color of Evil” trilogy”). It wasn’t. I thought the plot, which leaned heavily on familiarity with the horror movie genre would be a natural and that Writer/Director Teddy Grennan had an intriguing concept, but it just didn’t work, for me.  What were the weak points? The sound, the cinematography, the story and the over-use of herky-jerky shots of previous gory murders from famous films.

SOUND

For one thing, the screener had sound problems. I actually changed computers three times to watch it. You could not hear the dialogue well on any of three computers, especially at the very beginning of the film. I’d blame my computers, but this was on a desktop and two laptops. Beyond the volume issues, the sounds that were used to accompany the action of the film never seemed to “fit.” At one point, a sound like a drain backing up was used, which had nothing at all to do with what was onscreen.

CINEMATOGRAPHY

Flashes of murders in a herky-jerky fashion opened the film. It was disorienting. Did not encourage me to keep going, but I did. (Once more into the breach!)

PLOT

Sam Brooks.

Leading man Sam Brooks as Otto in “Catch A Killer.”

I found it unlikely in the extreme that the handsome leading man, Otto (Sam Brooks), had joined the police force at 17 by forging his GED and lying about his age. We may need more police officers, but no 17-year-old has been hired to be a policeman by pretending to be 18. Unbelievable. I also wasn’t buying the hot 26-year-old blonde getting Otto fired from the force.

Why a pregnant love interest?  Although “Rosemary’s Baby” is mentioned at one point, the connection was tenuous. It was just something thrown into the plot that added nothing, ultimately.

 THE SCREENPLAY

The dialogue was  unrealistic. At one point the line is “I know this sounds pretty strong.” The term “Yo” was heard just prior to that. Nothing about the screenplay sounded “normal” or “natural.” (“Kojak is back, Baby.” “Kojak” ran from 1973-1978. Nothing like a timely allusion.)

Then there’s the factual content, like the statement that “9 out of 10 murders have forced entry.” Really? We’ve all been watching marathon doses of the Forensic Files for years,  so that is not gonna’ fly. 55.7% of burglaries involve forced entry, while 37.8% are unlawful entries and 6.5% of would-be burglars attempt forcible entry. The most common time for break-ins is between 10 AM and 3 PM Those statistics are from a site called Statistica.com. True, it does not mention break-ins that lead to murder, but I think we all know that the cops will be focusing on people who knew the victim(s)—often the spouse, unfortunately. Yes, this is supposed to be a serial killer, but even serial killers have what are known as M.O.’s and the Orion map tie-in was really reaching.

CONCLUSION:

Sam Brooks

World Premiere of “Catch A Killer” at the Nashville Film Festival on September 21st.

The acting by the principals was adequate. Sam Brooks was photogenic and the supporting female leads were fine.

As I’ve said in other reviews, the actors (or actresses) are only as good as the material they are given. I will be surprised if this film rises above the 4.0 to 4.5 ratings that previous efforts by this writer/director/producer have garnered.  I was also irked by the obvious attempt to “coast” on the much bigger movie “To Catch A Killer.” I have had this happen to me many times with my novel trilogy “The Color of Evil.” Somebody pops up with just “Color of Evil” and takes ads on your Amazon page, etc.

It is really annoying to have a different creator attempt to “coast” on the good reviews you may have built up with a similarly named film or book. Yes, it is legal, but maybe create your own title. Having said that, I learned only years later that there was a short story (Stephen King) with the same title, so perhaps  that is what happened here and there really was no attempt to “use” the much better-known film. I hope that’s the explanation, except that “To Catch A Killer” seems much more widely disseminated as a title.

This one just didn’t work for me. Good luck to all on future ventures. After all, even Matthew McConaughy started out with “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and look at him now.

 

 

“Saturday Night” Lights Up the Screen at the Nashville Film Festival on 9/21/2024

 

Jason Reitman brought his newest film, “Saturday Night,” a re-enactment of the opening night (October 11, 1975) when “Saturday Night Live” went on the air “live” for the first time to the Nashville Film Festival on September 21, 2024. When “Saturday Night” played to a packed house at the Nashville Film Festival, Writer/Director Reitman brought casting director John Papsidera with him. That was a master stroke, because this re-enactment of the opening night of “Saturday Night Live,” boasts a star-studded cast. There are so many up-and-coming young talents (and established talents, like Willem Dafoe and J.K. Simmons) involved, that it is almost impossible to list them all.  But it’s worth trying, so you can keep an eye out for the identities of the over 80 speaking parts, figure out who that individual was (in historical terms), and marvel at the job that casting them all must have represented.

THE CAST

The plot is told through the eyes of the creator of “Saturday Night Live,” Lorne Michaels. Michaels is  played by Gabriel LaBelle, who was cast as young Steven Spielberg in “The Fabelmans” (2022).  Jon Batiste plays Billy Preston; Kaia Gerber (daughter of Cindy Crawford) is Jacqueline Carlin; Finn Wolfhard (“Stranger Things”) portrays an unnamed NBC page; Lamorne Morris (recent Emmy winner for “Fargo”) is Garrett Morris; Tommy Dewey (“Casual”) is head writer Michael O’Donoghue; Nicolas Braun (“Succession”) handles two roles, as Jim Henson and Andy Kaufman; Matthew Rhys (“The Americans”) is George Carlin; Cooper Hoffman (“Licorice Pizza”) plays Dick Ebersol; Andrew Barth Feldman (“No Hard Feelings”) is Neil Levy; Taylor Gray (“Star Wars: Rebels”) is Al Franken; Rachel Sennott (“Bottoms”) is Lorne Michaels’ first wife, Rosie Shuster, and Dylan O’Brien (“The Maze Runner,” 2014) is Dan Aykroyd. I’m certain I’ve failed to properly mention all of the up-and-coming stars of tomorrow in the film about 1975’s up-and-coming stars of tomorrow, but you’ll want to see how close the actors come, appearance-wise, to the real stars of “SNL.”

John Papsidera, Connie Wilson and Jason Reitman at the Nashville Film Festival.

(L to R) Casting Director John Papsidera, Connie Wilson, and Writer/Director Jason Reitman in Nashville at the Nashville Film Festival showing of “Saturday Night” on September 21, 2024.

 

There are over 80 speaking parts in the film. John Papsidera (a sometimes Nashville resident), who also worked on “Oppenheimer,” described that as a huge number. The most difficult cast member to decide upon turned out to be Dan Aykroyd,(said the duo in the Q&A after the screening). Finding the right actor to play Aykroyd took the longest and turned out to be the most difficult. With the others, they said, they “tried to find the essence of the person. The movie is about who they are.” The key was to find one main characteristic per character, so Chevy Chase was primarily portrayed as egotistical. Garrick Morris was trying to identify how he fit in amongst the cast. O’Donaghue displayed the ability to say the nastiest things but have them come from a place of humor. Gilda Radner was always taking care of others.

THE PERFECT DIRECTOR FOR THE FILM

Back in 2007, right after “Juno” had made waves for Reitman, garnering Best Director and Best Picture Oscar nominations, Jason was asked what he wanted to do next. He mentioned his desire to write for SNL (as well as continuing to direct.) Jason was given a one-night stand opportunity to participate in the behind-the-scenes goings on writing for one SNL episode. He shared that Ashton Kutcher was the host (and starred in the skit Reitman wrote, entitled “Death by Chocolate”) and Gnarls Barkley was the musical guest “which gives you an idea what decade it was,” laughed Reitman. The cast members were discouraged from interacting with their real-life counterparts during shooting—(assuming the original was still alive.)

SETS

Jason Reitman

Writer/Director Jason Reitman.

Reitman shared this,  “We rebuilt the 8th and 9th floors of Rockefeller Center from the original floor plans. We lived on that set for 2 months.” Various catastrophes present themselves in the hour leading up to the first broadcast. As the press notes say: “The writers are stoned.  The sound system is f*****. The actors are physically assaulting each other. The crew is in open revolt. They have 90 minutes to get their shit together or the network is pulling the plug.” It’s just a good thing that Lorne Michaels “believes in his vision and he doesn’t really bend.” Many wonder if the fabled creator of “SNL” will bend after this season and pass the torch to a new generation. After all, it’s been a good year for creative visionaries who believe in their visions to step back from power and hand off the baton to their subordinates.

THE SCORE

Jason Reitman & John Papsidera

Jason Reitman and John Papsidera in Nashville on September 21, 2024.

Jason Reitman:  “Jon Batiste is a genius unlike anyone I’ve ever met in my life.  He has a photographic memory of sound.  We decided we should try to do the sound track the way they did SNL: live. There is music in the movie that would never have been there if Jon hadn’t been giving it to me like that.” Batiste’s rendition of “Nothin’ from Nothin” that kicks off the first show is electric. Batiste’s interpretation of the Afro-haired musician Billy Preston (who actually wore wigs for his gigs) was spot-on. Steven Colbert had Batiste for a short time as his band leader; he seems destined for much more greatness. Another recommendation for those who love great documentaries would be the new one by Paris Barclay about Billy Preston’s life, entitled “That’s the Way God Planned It.” There’s an entire feature film in  there, for sure.

SCRIPT

The writing shows Reitman’s award-winning touch (Gil Kenan is co-writer.) Reitman’s film “Juno” won a nomination for Best Screenplay based on Diablo Cody’s collaboration on the script in 2007. “Up in the Air” won the Golden Globe in 2010 for Best Screenplay (based on the Sheldon Turner book). The script was also Oscar-nominated for an Oscar (2009) while winning the BAFTA that year. The script for “Saturday Night” has more zingers and one-liners than any film released this year.

Here’s just one quick example: “Let me know when my expectations exceed your capabilities” (to the light crew, after lights nearly fall on the performers.) Another good one, aimed at a meddling middle-aged female censor  (Catherine Curtin as Joan Carbunkle; no relation to Jane Curtin):  “I’ve heard that love is blind, and now I know why.” A continuing joke involves the cast trying to sneak sexual references into their scripts by misleading Carbunkle, the censor, as to what the phrases actually mean.

AWARDS

Jason Reitman

Writer/Director Jason Reitman of “Saturday Night” in Nashville on 9/21/2024.

Jason Reitman (born in 1977)  was on the set of “Animal House,” which his father directed, in 1978 He has been involved in making movies ever since, beginning with 6 short films submitted to  Sundance” in 1998. Reitman actually won the BAFTA in 2009 for Best Screenplay and has continued turning out truly enjoyable films like “Tully” (2018) and “The Front Runner,”(also 2018)  a story about the ill-fated Senatorial campaign of Gary Hart of Colorado which starred Hugh Jackman. If I see it is a Jason Reitman film, I’m in.

When I spoke with Reitman  and mentioned meeting him previously in Chicago the year of “The Front Runner” he suggested (ruefully) that I might be one of the few at tonight’s screening who had seen the film. (While I’m not sure about that, I have been reviewing since 1970, and that is 7 years before Reitman was born.) When I mentioned “The Front Runner” (Hugh Jackman starred) Reitman said, “It turns out that people were less interested in Gary Hart’s Senate campaign than in Saturday Night Live.” It’s a shame, as “The Front Runner” and “Up In the Air,” “Tully,” “Thank You for Smoking” and “Jennifer’s Body” are among my favorite films by any director working today.

More recently, Reitman directed “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” (released on November 11, 2021) and “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024), which co-writer and collaborator Gil Kenan went on to direct solo. Reitman also produced (but did not write or direct) the DuPlass Brothers comedy “Jeff, Who Lives At Home” with Susan Sarandon, Jason Seigel, and Ed Helms starring, an early film (2011) with a lesbian subplot (also remembered from the Chicago International Film Festival in 2011).

STYLE

John Papsidera and Jason Reitman at the Nashville Film Festival on 9/21/2024.

John Papsidera and Jason Reitman during the Nashville Q&A following the screening of “Saturday Night” on 9/21/2024 at the Nashville Film Festival.

There were discussions of trying to shoot the film in one long scene (as Hitchcock attempted with “Rope”). It didn’t work for Hitchcock in 1948, either.  Instead “Rope” is made up of several 8 minute continuous shots. This was the length of film that fit onto one reel then. That ambitious idea had to be shelved in 2024 as well.

“Saturday Night” is shot using 16 millimeter film. The pace of the film is the pace of the production that night, as the cast struggles to make the project gel before 11:30 p.m. on Saturday night.  That was a great idea to assist the pacing, which is frenetic. As we learn, Johnny Carson was NOT supportive of SNL (originally called just “Saturday Night”).  It represented the network (NBC) manipulating him during contract negotiations. The great (and oft-nominated Willem Dafoe) portrays David Tebet, the Chief Suit who will decide if “Saturday Night” goes on the air live or if canned re-runs of Carson’s “Tonight” show,  will bump it. Like “Apollo 13,” even though we know how that  plays out, it adds pacing and tension to the plot’s story and the show’s dilemma. (*I don’t know if that is true or creative license; it was a great idea and helps build the sense of confrontation.) Referencing the frenetic and often chaotic pace of the show on that night (and any Saturday night), the comment was made, jokingly, that the Michael Ritchie style was like “Robert Altman on amphetamines.”

KUDOS

Jason Reitman and John Papsidera

Jason Reitman and casting director John Papsidera.

This is such an ambitious project. Hats off to all involved.  “Saturday Night” is documenting the passing of the torch from one comedic generation to another. With the current political situation in the United States, movies about passing the torch from one generation to another are a hot commodity. With Jean Smart (“Hacks”) set to hostess the opening program of the 50th year of “Saturday Night Live” on October 11th, this edge-of-your-seat attempt to show who the original “Saturday Night Live” not-ready-for-prime-time players were yields  a great movie that makes you feel something.  As Reitman said, “It requires so much control to pull off the chaos.” He also pointed out “the distinction between simply telling a story and feeling something.” Paying tribute to his profession, he marveled, “It (filmmaking) draws on the talents of people in so many different disciplines.”

The film is “the prism that captures the light of an emerging generation.” The 50th season of “SNL” is upon us; the release date of October 11th is an homage to the television show’s debut date. Let the comedy begin

Does “Saturday Night” work?

Yes, it does. “Saturday Night” is hugely entertaining and never flags. Check it out at the theater on October 11, 2024,

“Bang Bang” with Tim Blake Nelson at Nashville Film Festival on 9/20/2024

Tim Blake Nelson
Tim Blake Nelson

Tim Blake Nelson

Nelson at the 2016 Fantastic Fest
Born
Timothy Blake Nelson

May 11, 1964 (age 60)

EducationBrown University (BA)
Juilliard School (GrDip)
Occupations
  • Actor
  • playwright
  • director
  • producer
  • screenwriter
Years active1989–present
Spouse
Lisa Benavides

(m. 1994)

Children3

Tim Blake Nelson is the kind of excellent character actor around whom an indie film can be built, and  Vincent Gashaw (“What Josiah Saw,” 2021) has done exactly that. Nelson is a Brown University graduate who has also studied at Julliard.  I met him in 2019 in Chicago, where he appeared in support of “Just Mercy” in which he played Ralph Myers. His short stature ( 5’ 5”) marks him as someone who would make a great Lee Harvey Oswald in any future bio-pics dealing with the JFK assassination. His roles include Delmar O’Donnell in O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), Gideon in Minority Report (2002), Danny Dalton Jr. in Syriana (2005), Samuel Sterns in the Marvel Cinematic UniverseRichard Schell in Lincoln (2012), the titular character of The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018) and Henry McCarty in Old Henry (2021).. His involvement in this film sold me on checking it out at the Nashville Film Festival, where it screened on September 20, 2024.

THE PLOT

In “Bang Bang” Nelson portrays a down-on-his-luck former boxing champion (Featherweight Champion) out of Detroit, Michigan, whose brother Bobby also fought. Bernard “Bang Bang” Rozyski and  brother Bobby fought “so we wouldn’t catch a beating from our father.” Bang Bang is now many years past his fighting prime and living in a run-down house. He is still remembered in the old neighborhood as “the Pride of Poland.” Nelson even speaks a little Polish to the locals on the streets of his former neighborhood.

Bang Bang harbors a great deal of ill will towards his arch enemy, a Black boxer, Darnell Washington (Glenn Plummer, “Strange Days,” 1995), who is now running for Mayor of Detroit. As the story unfolds, courtesy of writer Will Janowitz (who also played Dylan in the film), we learn that Robinson was the fighter who battered Bernard’s brother Bobby into a nursing home. Washington was booked for a return fight against Bang Bang just 4 months after Washington had beaten his brother half to death. The outcome of that fight has haunted Bernard ever since. He has blamed all of his bad luck in life on Washington, whether justified or not. There is a classic showdown meeting between the two that takes place in Washington’s home.

The film opens with Bang Bang in a wheelchair and actually considering shooting Washington as the candidate is giving a campaign speech at a local church. The wheelchair is something that Bang Bang only needs at times, if at all. The other set of wheels that is highlighted in the film belong to a vintage gold TransAm that the fighter says he was gifted by local Detroit singing legend Bob Seger of the Silver Bullet Band (“Old Time Rock and Roll”). When Bernard’s daughter, Jen (Nina Arianda, “Midnight in Paris,” 2011) takes a new job in Chicago, she asks Bang Bang to temporarily watch over her teen-aged son Justin while she is getting established in the new city. By “watching over” she does not mean starting him on a path of training as a boxer, but that is the direction the action takes. It does not end well for Justin, his grandson (Andrew Liner, “Gray Matter”), his daughter, or him.

THE GOOD

The script was well-written and the fighting scenes—especially the climactic one at Washington’s house—are well done. The acting is good from one and all. Erica Gimpel portrays a cancer-stricken love from Bang Bang’s past. It was nice to see an actress portray a beautiful woman fighting cancer, mastectomy and all, who actually looks to be the right age to be Bang Bang’s girlfriend. Kevin Corrigan portrays Bang Bang’s best friend John Eaton, an alcoholic trainer who owns a small gym. He is also good in his part.

The sets, especially the mansion that Bang Bang revisits which he once owned and the gorgeous mansion in which Darnell Washington now resides are great set finds. Detroit is a character, itself. There are lines like, “This city may be down, but it most certainly is not out.”

The fight scenes were well choreographed and added vastly to the production.

THE BAD

Bang Bang is portrayed as so universally negative and depressed that it’s hard to root for him and relate to him in the light of his days of former glory. That’s the way the part is written. The entire movie turns out to be an anti-boxing polemic that is dedicated to all boxers of the past, present and future. Much blame for the brutality and corruption of the sport is laid at the feet of journalists who glorified boxing in print.

Bang Bang was released on June 11, 2024. It was entertaining, although the lead character’s failure to take any responsibility for his downfall makes him a hard hero to root for. “Rocky” this is not. It’s a grim look at the reality of the boxing game, as seen through the prism of one man’s shattered and battered life.

 

“Will & Harper” At Nashville Film Festival on 9/20/2024

The Josh Greenbaum directed documentary “Will and Harper” is showing at select theaters now and will stream on Netflix beginning  September 27th. It showed at the Nashville Film Festival on Friday, 9/20/2024 having premiered, originally, at the 40th Sundance Film Festival in January, 2024.  The 114 minute documentary depicts Will Ferrell’s 17-day cross-country trip with his close friend of 30 years, Harper Steele, who has just come out as a transgender female. Over 250 hours of film was shot and then reduced to this  2-hour look at being transgender in America in 2024. Harper—who was head writer at “Saturday Night Live” and started the same week that Ferrell did in 1995—was born Andrew Steele in Iowa City, Iowa, one of five children of University of Iowa professors.

THE GOOD

The best thing about the unscripted 17-day trip from New York to Santa Monica, California was how authentic and genuine the emotional relationship between Ferrell and Steele is. Both of them are reduced to tears, and you will be, too. Viewers come away with the feeling that Will Ferrel in real life is very much like his character in “Elf:” one of the nicest guys you could know. I hope that is sincerely the real Will Ferrell because, as a stranger in an Oklahoma City, Oklahoma bar tells him, “I like your support for your friends.  There’s not a lot of it out there now.”  Many have commented on how brave Harper is to have come out. There should also be praise for Will Ferrell (and friends) for being so supportive of Harper in MAGA America.

The trailer for the film shows Ferrell reading from the e-mail he received from Steele. It informed him that his old buddy was undergoing transgender surgery and would now be called Harper. Ferrell realized, somewhat belatedly, that he didn’t really know much about the transgender community. He proposed a 17-day cross-country road trip in Steele’s vintage Jeep Wagoneer (remember the wood?) to re-acquaint the new old friends. They were followed, discreetly, by a camera crew. As the film defines the goal of the documentary, “What are the new ground rules? How much has changed? How much is the same?” Apparently Steele had a reputation as someone who loved to take cross-country trips that stopped at dive bars, diners, and other such places—all of which sound dicey for a transgender woman traveling solo in the United States in 2024.  Will would be able to run interference for his longtime friend as they criss-crossed America.

The music (Nathan Halpern) is very good, including the idea of having Kirsten Wiig write a “theme song” for their trip (She sings it at film’s end). The cinematography—including a stop at the Grand Canyon—is also wonderful.  Harper” is simply a real-life, honest comic gem amidst a sea of boring drek. Hopefully, it will do some good in the world in the ongoing fight against hate. We’ve had enough of divisive rhetoric and mean-spirited people who  want to make themselves feel powerful and others feel fearful. Let’s hear it for inclusivity and the love and good will towards others we are urged to practice by all religions.

THE STOPS

 

The pair set out from New York and made stops in Washington, D.C., Indianapolis, Iowa City, Oklahoma City, Amarillo, Las Vegas and various other cities, most of them in “red” states. They were received well everywhere but Texas, where rude tweets follow the duo’s appearance at a steakhouse (Ferrell dressed as Sherlock Holmes and attempting to eat a 72-ounce steak). One Texas tweet that commented on the stop the pair had just made at Harper’s sister Eleanor’s house in Iowa City, called  Ferrell “a Satanic illuminati pedophile in Iowa.” But the general reception was the opposite, although one critic has asked the obvious question if that is  because a celebrity was running interference for his old friend. (Others wondered about product placement, since Pringles and Duncan Donuts get a lot of conversational time,)

IOWA CITY & SORROW

Harper’s sister, Eleanor, when she received the same e-mail that Ferrell got, responded to him quickly, “Oh, good! I’ve always wanted a sister.” However, when the pair actually stops for the night at her home in my old college town, Ferrell asks her what her reaction was upon receiving the news. She admits that “I was totally surprised” and defines the emotion she felt as “sorrow.”

I felt that sorrow, too, when Harper shared journaling snippets of the pain experienced for decades: “It wasn’t about body parts.  It was about how I am in my head. Fix me or kill me,” is one entry. “A lot of transitioning is learning to accept yourself” is another truth shared in Peoria, Illinois, in a meeting with a 65-year-old transgender woman. “I dream of a world where I can lay my vulnerabilities out there for anyone…I knew something was weird in me growing up in Iowa, but it was impossible to think of doing anything about it.”

In a world where gay men are being executed in certain countries, you just want to repeat Rodney King’s mantra. May 1, 1992, King called a press conference in hopes of stopping the death and destruction after the L.A. riots. “I just want to say, you know, can we all get along? Can we stop making it horrible for the older people and the kids?”

CONCLUSION

This is a gem of a documentary, which contains so much pain and yet provokes so much laughter.  One can’t help but smile when Ferrell, asked about his share of piloting the vintage automobile cross country responds, “I’m a narcoleptic and I’m not a good driver.”

As the theme song for the documentary goes, “a friend is a friend is a friend till the end.”

Catch this one when it streams on Netflix beginning September 27th.

 

 

 

“DEVO” Opens the 55th Nashville Film Festival on 9/19/2024

Opening night of the 55th Nashville Film Festival on September 19, 2024, highlighted a  documentary, DEVO, directed by Chad Smith, which premiered originally on January 21, 2024 at Sundance. As it was introduced to the audience at the Belcourt Theater, the comment was: “So insightful in ways that I never thought it would be.” The “Whip It” creators  formed DEVO in 1973 in Akron, Ohio. They still seem to be ready and willing to continue as a band, if not as able  as they were in the 70s and 80s. The dedication at documentary’s end was to three members of the group who are dead. At film’s end three of the surviving members—Bob Mothersbaugh, Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerard Casale—answered questions from the audience via zoom screen.

Connie Wilson in Nashville.

At the Opening of the 55th Nashville Film Festival.

The band credits the impetus for their formation to the political unrest at Kent State, Ohio, that led to the May 4, 1970 deaths of 4 students (and the wounding of 30) who were demonstrating against the Vietnam War. As someone who took part in  demonstrations of the era at Berkeley, I can remember and relate to the horror the members of the group experienced at this historic mis-use of power in the United States. Nixon had expanded the war in Vietnam without an act of Congress; my generation’s young men were being sent to Vietnam to die in a war that was ill-advised and unwinnable. The draft was in full swing; we were mad as hell and not going to take it any more.  The students  had set fire to the ROTC headquarters on campus and burned that building down. President Richard Nixon decided to send in the National Guard, who opened fire on the unarmed students.

AHEAD OF THEIR TIME

DEVO

DEVO:
 photographed in Holland, 1978 by Barry Schulz.

Through the years, the band doggedly worked to satirize society and, as they admit, “We did some absurd things.” In explaining the famous “energy hats,” as well as the lacquered hair-dos that the band wore (based on JFK, not Reagan), the group admitted, “We like ironic humor.” They also said that the masks and hats and odd costumes were “a way to amuse ourselves—a very Meta idea.” DEVO was anti-punk rock, saying, “We’re the fluid in the punk enema bag.” Over the years, the group saw the future of film in music and began making music videos which were shown on MTV (MTV didn’t exist when the band first formed). Casale went on to helm music videos for current groups like Dave Grohl’s Foo Fighters and Soundgarden.

Not only was the band way ahead of the curve in using music videos to promote themselves (most of which were directed by Gerard Casale), but they contributed to the birth of electronic music. Jim Mothersbaugh created circuit bending before there was a name for that process. Jim Mothersbaugh went to a muffler shop to build a guitar that was the precursor of the Moog synthesizer. In this respect, the film reminded me of the SXSW documentary “Resynator,” ,helmed by Alyson Tavel, which catalogued her father Don’s similar pioneering attempts to create the Moog synthesizer. (Highly recommended). DEVO has been nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018, 2021 and 2022.

FAMOUS FANS

DEVO fans in Nashville.

Audience members at DEVO at the Nashville Film Festival on 9/19/2024.

After a video that the band submitted won an award at the Ann Arbor Film Festival their fortunes took a turn upwards. Famous fans included David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Jack Nicholson, Mick Jagger, Dennis Hopper, Leonard Cohen and Neil Young. Over the years, the band made appearances on “Saturday Night Live,” David Letterman’s “Tonight” show, daytime talk shows like Merv Griffin’s, “American Bandstand” and many others. Neil Young put them in a movie entitled “Human Highway” in 1977 (released in 1982) where the members of the group wrote their own parts and portrayed nuclear garbagemen.

However, the group said, “Being self-aware put us in a delicate position” and added, “How soon will you become the people you hated?”

Q&A

During the post-film conversation with three members of DEVO the trio shared some amusing details of what they term the “headache” solo.  This episode is shown onscreen. The small audience of 12 people dwindled to 6 people when all the band played were electronic high-pitched sounds.  As Mark said, “The guitar players backstage were having a horrible time trying to tune their guitars. The bit ran five times as long as we thought it would. It was Supreme Dada—like Andy Kaufman performance art.”

Zoom interview with 3 DEVO members.

Bob Mothersbaugh, Mark Mothersbaugh, and Gerard Casale during the zoom interview after the documentary DEVO.

CONCLUSION

This documentary about a band best-known for their #14 Billboard Hit “Whip It” was quite interesting. It drives home the need for good marketing, good management, and good legal advice in areas like the music, publishing and entertainment businesses. While  DEVO’s video marketing was good, it was ahead of its time as MTV did not yet exist. The management and the legal advice seem to have been spectacularly MIA.

That, as much as anything else, led to the death of DEVO—(if they are really and truly dead.) As Mark Mothersbaugh said, “Somebody decided that DEVO should die.  We succumbed to the same reality we were satirizing.” He added, “DEVO didn’t officially end” and said, perhaps prophetically, “It’s better to burn out than to fade away.”

A solid opening to the 55th Nashville Film Festival.

 

 

 

2024 Emmies: In the Books, September 15, 2024

Just finished watching the Emmies and—although not a comprehensive run-down of who won what—here are some impressions of the evening.  Eugene Levy and his son Dan Levy (“Schitt’s Creek”) hosted and did an excellent job.

SHOGUN, ET. AL.

While I do realize that “Shogun” set a record for the number of nominations,  I have not seen it and will now have to find the time to take it in.

For me, given my admittedly not-comprehensive viewing of the nominees, I most enjoyed seeing “Baby Reindeer,” “Hacks” and “Ripley” win multiple awards. The Writer/Director/Lead Actor of “Baby Reindeer,” Richard Gadd, had one of the most inspiring remarks of the night (for me), upon accepting one of the three awards (Lead Actor in a Limited Drama or Anthology Series), which was this: “If ‘Baby Reindeer’ has proven anything, it is that the only constant is good storytelling that speaks to our times.” As a failed writer who attempts to speak to our times, thanks for that, Mr. Gadd. Co-star Jessica Gunning, who was fabulous in her role, was also present and won (Best Supporting Actress for a Limited or Anthology Series). It was nice to see Gadd wearing a kilt.

HACKS

Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder in "Hacks."

Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder in “Hacks”.

As for the “Hacks” win, I was present at the sneak peek of this year’s “Hacks” at SXSW. The love and sense of community in the room eclipsed even the time that “This Is Us” cast came to town; in all honesty, I was not as big a fan of “This Is Us,” but everyone else in the room was. You could feel the love, just like this year’s season preview of “Hacks.” Jean Smart had some serious health issues that delayed filming.  I was fearful that the series might die if she did. I truly enjoy her comic timing. It’s so nice to see a woman over forty with the lead in a wonderfully written humorous show. [If you haven’t watched it, get on that!] Hannah Einbinder, daughter of “SNL’s” Laraine Newman, portraying  her young assistant needs to win an Emmy soon, however, as she is just as good in this two-woman series.  This one I applauded loudly with its 16 nominations (48 overall).

THE BEAR

I enjoyed the dig at “The Bear” as not really being a comedy series. As a sometimes Chicago resident, I really tried to get “in” to the series. I just could not. I’m not that interested in watching people cut up vegetables. To me, the potential plot trajectory was easy to figure out. We watched about five of them and stopped. I really like Jeremy Allen White (Lip in “Shameless”), however, so maybe we will try it again. Not sure I have it in me, but it’s worth a shot.

KATHY BATES

Kathy Bates is going to reprise “Matlock” and she has lost tons of weight since I met her at the Texas Filmmaking Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Austin a few years ago.  I enjoyed her quip about how it was hard to get a date after “Misery.” There was also a jab at how the network is aiming the series at old people.

RIPLEY

Steven Zaillion, who directed “A Civil Action” (1998), “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” (2011) and many other memorable films won for this series based on “The Talented Mr. Ripley.”  “A veteran go-to script doctor in the industry, Steven Zaillian has contributed, uncredited, to screenplays on a number of projects over the years. They include Patriot Games (1992), Crimson Tide (1995), Twister (1996), Primal Fear (1996), Amistad (1997), Saving Private Ryan (1998), Black Hawk Down (2001), Road to Perdition (2002) and Body of Lies (2008). He was also called upon in post-production to rewrite some scenes for re-shoots of Salt (2010). Zaillion wrote four screenplays for feature films that were nominated for the Best Picture Oscar:  Awakenings (1990), Schindler’s List (1993), Gangs of New York (2002) and Moneyball (2011). Of those, Schindler’s List (1993) won Best Picture and earned Zaillian an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.”

With that pedigree as a writer, I sat up and watched every episode of the series “Ripley” on Friday night and he won tonight. It is based on the book and film that starred Matt Damon and Gwyneth Paltrow (1999). It took me until 4 a.m, to make it to the final installment, which was exceptionally clever.

I came away with this observation about Italy: I CAN’T CLIMB THAT MANY STAIRS!!! As I watched character after character (policemen, victims, suspects, etc.) struggling to carry luggage up huge staircases (the elevator was always broken) I quickly abandoned any thought of strolling through the storied streets of Rome or Venice. Of course, I have been there a few times in my life, but my left knee was in better shape then. I didn’t injure it in the bicycling accident until 1997.

Having devoted most of Friday night to finishing off “Ripley,” I was happy to see Zaillion win. The end of the series was masterful, and the series was much different from the book or the film based upon it. It was a much more successful new look at an old property than the recent revival of “Presumed Innocent” from David Kelley. But “Ripley” is shot in black-and-white so be warned.

CANDACE BERGEN

Candace Bergen.

Candace Bergen.

It was nice to see Candace Bergen again.  She got in a good dig at former VP Dan Quayle and how he had criticized her character of Murphy Brown on her hit TV show for giving birth without benefit of marriage. She commented that no current Vice President would criticize her for having a child. She ended her (veiled political) remarks with “Meow,”

OUTSTANDING REALITY COMPETITION

This winner (“The Traitor”) won for Peacock and Allen Cummings, the host, picked up the award. He’s literally one of only two celebrities in my 20 years of covering the Chicago International Film Festival who came to Chicago years ago and was  rude to we “little people” (press). I won’t bore you with the details, but I did not clap when he won, even though I enjoyed his work on “The Good Wife.” The only one who was worse all those many years ago has since died, so that makes Allen Cummings the worst, for me.

LAST WEEK TONIGHT

Photo of Oliver standing against a black background, wearing glasses and a dark suit jacket.

John Oliver in November 2016

John Oliver won for the Outstanding Scripted Variety Show, which had 6 nominations this year and has amassed 67 total nominations. It was a well-deserved win, but the bit about Lorne Greene of “Saturday Night Live” having been nominated 85 times without winning was a comic jewel. There was also a similar bit about being nomiated 17 times without a win for a woman I think was Padma Lakshi (although, without a scorecard and in this category, not sure.)

OUTSTANDING TALK SERIES

“The Daily Show,” with 4 nominations, saw Jon Stewart (who only appears on Mondays) take the podium. Jimmy Kimmel, who was also nominated in the category and lost, got in a good zinger when he said something to the effect of, “I thought you said you were retiring.”

WRITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES

This one went to someone named Will Smith for “Slow Horses.” “Slow Horses” is British and stars Gary Oldman. We needed captioning to watch it and tried hard to do so, without success. I wondered if Will Smith was going to slap anybody. (Oh. Wait. Wrong Will Smith).

My failure to know much about “Slow Horses” (other than that it is supposed to be good, like “The Bear,” but we couldn’t get into it), leads me to admit that I don’t know who Lamore Morris is or what show by Noah Hawley he stars in, except that he beat out Robert Downey, Jr., for the statue and he almost could not be gotten offstage. Seriously, he did not appear to have prepared any kind of “thank you” and it showed. All I can say is, “So many shows; so little time.”

JODIE FOSTER

Jodie Foster in 2011.

It was nice to see Jodie Foster win for her spooky role on “True Detective: Night Country” (even though the plot eventually defied logic and collapsed under its own weight ) but I have to admit that the thing that struck me the most about seeing her again (besides the fact that she had bare arms that looked toned and muscly) was that she publicly kissed her female Significant Other as she rose to accept her award. That is after beaucoup years of being mum about her status as a lesbian raised by a lesbian mother. There was also an award (The Governor’s Award) given to a man nobody knew, Gary Berlanti, for his LGBTQ support and activities,

Berlanti came to the microphone and made a very heartfelt statement about being gay in America in the bad old days. It made me happy that we do not live in the Russia or Iran or Iraq that actually makes it a crime to be gay (and, in some cases, executes such individuals) and reminded me of a powerful documentary I saw years ago at CIFF entitled “Be Like Others.”

Berlanti’s win and trip to the stage led me to hope that he would put in a pitch about voting for the candidate who promoted acceptance of all races, colors, creeds and sexual orientations. He missed that opportunity, although John Leguizamo got in some very relevant remarks about how nice it was that Latino actors (et. al.) are now getting to play the roles that they were born for, i.e., people of whatever ethnic persuasion the script required. Rita Moreno’s documentary “Just A Girl Who Decided to Go For It” stressed this aspect of movies of yore, and Leguizamo  mentioned Natalie Wood being cast as Maria in the original “West Side Story,” by name (as well as Marlon Brando and others being cast for roles that should have gone to the minority  portrayed.)

Ask yourself which presidential candidate or ticket would be most likely to welcome minorities and promotes inclusivity and vote accordingly. It will be interesting to see and hear the reactions of networks like Fox to tonight’s Emmy ceremony.

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