Every year I find myself with more appreciation for the Slamdance Film Festival. Celebrating innovative independent filmmaking, the lineup always features creative and unconventional movie projects – often from filmmakers just beginning their journey. Below are brief reviews on some of the films I caught virtually through this year’s festival.
BRANDO WITH A GLASS EYE
This story from writer-director Antonis Tsonis is based in Greece, where we find two brothers in dire need of funds. Luca (Yiannis Niarros) is a talented actor who has just received notice that he has been accepted into a prestigious method acting program based in New York City. He needs money for the trip, the tuition, and living expenses. Alekos (Kostas Nikoulis) has a dream of starting his own business. The two come up with the not-so-brilliant idea of a heist to secure the necessary funds.
Predictably, the heist goes bad for these two (previously) non-criminals, and in the ruckus, an innocent bystander gets shot in the stomach. The brothers manage to get away without being caught or identified. Already burdened with the guilt of his mother’s passing, Luca tracks down the gunshot victim, Ilias (Alexandros Chrysanthopoulos) and visits him at the hospital. These visits are a bit funny and quite uncomfortable – making them intriguing to watch. Soon, Luca and the well-to-do Ilias have formed a strange bond of unexpected friendship.
One of the entertaining pieces here is the Luca is always playing a role. Famed method actor Dustin Hoffman is referenced a few times via MARATHON MAN and DOG DAY AFTERNOON, as is the titular Marlin Brando (thankfully no scenes with butter). Luca’s acting exercises make for good entertainment, as both Nikoulis and Chrysanthopoulos are excellent in their roles. We are told that theater is about giving everything to art, and Tsonis has done that with his first feature-length film.
DARLA IN SPACE
Original with a big “O” (wink-wink, nudge-nudge), this zany film from co-writers and co-directors Eric Laplante and Susie Moon is offbeat and humorous while making a statement about money and ethics. It also manages to make orgasms as unsexy as possible.
Darla (Alex E Harris, director Laplante’s wife) is on her 18th business. This serial entrepreneur has cut a commercial for her Kitty Kasket, an artsy, customized product for the remains of deceased pet cats. We see the commercial and it’s as cringeworthy as you would imagine. A trip to the CPA reveals Darla owes a tax lien of a staggering (and unusual) $349,002 thanks to the selfish actions of her overbearing and irresponsible mother (Constance Shulman).
In a most head-scratching turn of events, while mopping in the required figure 8 motion, Darla stumbles on a ‘sentient orgasm-granting kombucha scoby’ named Mother (voiced by JS Oliver) that’s been hidden in a warehouse container. Picture a huge flapjack or pancake and then visualize Darla covering up with it and being treated to a Timothy Leary-inspired orgasm. Darla and Mother cut a deal so that Mother will help Darla raise the money to pay off the tax lien, while Darla will assist Mother fulfill the inexplicable dream of going to space.
Of course, we recognize Mother’s speech pattern as a nod to HAL9000 of Kubrick’s classic 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, but that’s about all we recognize here. Another character, Dr Brittney St Clair (Jenn Lyon) seems to always be on TV and is Darla’s inspiration, along with the “Yeah, OK” book. For those of us who respect creativity and risk-taking, filmmakers Laplante and Moon deliver a whopper.
THE ACCIDENT
How do we react when it seems the world is conspiring against us? Do we seize the opportunity to cheat the system if it means gaining an advantage that has eluded us? Does it matter if we are a kind and gentle person just trying to stay afloat? Italian filmmaker Giuseppe Garau delivers a film that offers one set of answers, while asking other questions, and reminding us that there is always a price to pay when our decisions skirt the bounds of ethics.
Marcella (a wonderful Giulia Mazzarino) is a stressed-out woman. Separated from her husband, the demands on her time cause her to be late picking up her daughter and ultimately losing her job. She possesses what we used to call a doormat personality – one who just seems to get walked on and taken advantage of at every turn. In hopes of digging herself out of a hole, Marcella goes into debt to purchase a used tow truck. Unprepared for the backlash from fellow “rescuers”, things turn ugly as her truck is vandalized and she is assaulted. Her claim that Italy is a “civilized country” clearly doesn’t apply to all citizens.
Mr. Garau’s unconventional storytelling is accompanied by an even more unconventional shooting style. Much (probably three-fourths) of the movie is shot inside the truck cab with the lens aimed at Marcella’s profile. We as viewers are literally riding shotgun on her daily adventures. We have such empathy for kind Marcella … right up until the tone changes. An opportunity pops up and she can’t resist, despite knowing this crosses a line of morality that she would have never previously dreamt of crossing. Does this decision prove her mettle, or does it cast her in a true light? We want people to be inherently good, and when they prove they aren’t, we can’t help but be disappointed. However, in Marcella’s situation, we (and she) can’t help but wonder if these actions are forgivable … until the moment we (and she) know they aren’t. It’s a terrific thought-provoking film with one of the best final lines you could ever ask for. The film won the Narrative Feature Grand Prize at Slamdance 2024.
INVISIBLE NATION (documentary)
The festival’s closing night film selection was this penetrative documentary by Vanessa Hope (granddaughter of producer Walter Wanger and classic film actress Joan Bennett). Given the state of global geopolitics at the moment, this inside glimpse of Taiwan through the eyes of its first female President, Tsai Ing-wen couldn’t be more timely.
It’s tough to decide which is more heartbreaking: watching high school students proclaim their identity through a Taiwan they view as an independent nation, or China President Xi Jinping stating, “Taiwan is China”, and that reunification is inevitable. Taiwan has been a democracy for decades, but it’s also a de facto country, one that isn’t even allowed to use their own name at the Olympics (Chinese Taipei).
We immediately gain respect for President Tsai Ing-wen as an exceptionally smart and wise and tough leader. On a daily basis, she deals with suppression from China, and has to walk a fine diplomatic line between supporters and detractors. We learn a bit more about The Sunflower Movement, a student-led rebellion and what role that has played in recent history. Unfortunately, this well-made and informative documentary reinforces the dread we feel towards the future of Taiwan as an independent nation.
Posted by David Ferguson 
Greetings again from the darkness. Actor Bryan Greenberg’s (PRIME, 2005) first feature film as writer-director could have been subtitled, “those who suffer vs those who profit.” Most of us can agree that businesses providing a desired product or service are entitled (not guaranteed) to turn a profit. And on a seemingly unrelated note, most of us can agree that those suffering from addiction deserve and need assistance in breaking the cycle that is destroying their life. The road where these two intersect is when drug companies produce an effective yet addictive product that is prescribed by doctors. The issue arises when profits soar due to the spread of addiction.
Greetings again from the darkness. The intensity and stress of everyday life and of everyday people are on full display in this film from writer-director Iler Catak and co-writer Johannes Duncker. They have brilliantly crafted a terrific suspense thriller from the most unexpected setting and group of characters … a junior high school and the faculty and students.
Greetings again from the darkness. This film surprised me with two clear and valuable reminders. First, with a bit of effort, we can always have a positive impact on others – sometimes to the degree that we change their life. Second, everyone has a life story, and we only learn it if we take the time to ask and listen. Writer-director Christian Carion is known for THE GIRL FROM PARIS (2001) and the superb Oscar nominated JOYEUX NOEL (2005). With co-writer Cyril Gely, Carion delivers a heartfelt story of two people with seemingly nothing in common, crossing paths and making a difference.
Greetings again from the darkness. Since there was no early screening of this for Dallas-Ft Worth critics and it hit theaters on Christmas Day, this review is a bit tardy, yet I find myself not caring too much – kind of how I feel about the movie itself. Rossa corsa is the official name of the red color used by Italian automaker Ferrari on their racing cars. Of course, most just refer to it as ‘Ferrari red’. It’s as distinctive as the familiar roar of Ferrari engines, and director Michael Mann takes advantage of both in his latest film. If only the story were half as interesting as the racing scenes.
Greetings again from the darkness. It all began with Alice Walker’s 1982 novel, for which she was awarded a Pulitzer Prize. Shortly thereafter, Steven Spielberg turned it into the movie event of 1985, with a memorable cast including Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover, and yes, Oprah Winfrey. The film received eleven Oscar nominations, yet was shut out in all categories. Jumping ahead 20 years (2005), Marsha Norman created a musical stage book that turned into a smash hit on Broadway, receiving eleven Tony nominations. It was 2015 when the musical revival hit the stage, re-establishing the story as part of the fabric of the entertainment world. Along the way, Ms. Walker’s book had been frequently banned and censored, and the adaptations were sure to pick and choose what to cover and how to do so. Here we are forty-one years after the book’s publication, and director Blitz Bazawule (Beyonce’s BLACK IS KING, 2020) delivers a moving and bold film version (screenplay by Marcus Gardley) based on the musicals, the novel, and the original film.
Greetings again from the darkness. It’s always disappointing when a book is so interesting and enjoyable to read, only to be followed up by a movie version that doesn’t live up to the source material. My son recommended the 2013 best-selling non-fiction novel from Daniel James Brown, and it was truly fascinating to read such an inspirational story around the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. Of course, we all know the Jesse Owens story, yet somehow the remarkable and unlikely tale of the University of Washington crew team never received the publicity it earned. Director George Clooney (GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK, 2015) and screenwriter Mark L Smith (THE REVENANT, 2015) have attempted to reach a wider audience by adapting Brown’s book for the big screen.
Greetings again from the darkness. From one who watches too many movies every year, I’m amazed this film is the work of a director making his feature film directorial debut. Writer-director Cord Jefferson was one of the lead writers for the excellent series “Master of None”, and he has adapted the 2001 novel “Erasure” by Percival Everett for the big screen. It’s a brilliant satire and commentary on a society that has twisted things to the point where no one knows what to say or how to say it.
Greetings again from the darkness. Tragedy. Destiny. Curse. Those last two may be a matter of perspective or opinion, but without a doubt, that first one fits, and is actually mandatory when discussing the infamous wrestling family known as the Von Erichs. I was fortunate to attend the world premiere of writer-director Sean Durkin’s movie at the historic Texas Theater in the Oak Cliff community of Dallas, Texas. While it’s a movie worth celebrating, it had to be an emotional evening for Kevin Von Erich, who attended with members of his family, as did most of the main cast, the director, and some crew members.
Greetings again from the darkness. So many people allow unresolved issues from their past to weigh down or complicate their efforts to live for today. Writer-director Andrew Haigh has loosely adapted the 1987 novel “Strangers” by Taichi Yamada most notably by a shifting of locale and gender. It features the powerful literary trio of loss, loneliness, and love, none of which come easy for Adam, played beautifully here by Andrew Scott.
Movie Reviews from the Dark 