Greetings again from the darkness. Who among us doesn’t enjoy a nice, leisurely bike road around the neighborhood? Taking in the fresh air while getting a little exercise is good for the mind, body, and soul. While golf has been described as “a good walk spoiled”, after watching this documentary, I believe it’s safe to say that the Race Across America (RAAM) is “a good ride spoiled.” RAAM is an ultra-endurance bicycle race that begins in Oceanside, California and winds across the continent to the finish line in Annapolis, Maryland.
For those counting, that’s 3071 laborious and tortuous miles pedaling through desert, mountains, plains, and just about all types of weather. And if that’s not enough, most of the ride is on open road where the danger of automobile and truck traffic is usually present. Oh, and riders get very little sleep, must meet certain markers within a given timeline to stay eligible, and require a full team to help prevent death, injury, starvation, dehydration, or insanity. To put this in perspective, we are told a rider would need to average 10.5 mph for 12 days riding 24 hours per day. While that is obviously unsustainable for humans, you should know that those who finish, typically do so in 8-12 days, while riding 20+ hours per day. That, my friends, is why they call it ultra-endurance.
Those are the details to know about the race itself, but this is really the story of one man and his crew. John Tarlton’s daughter kicks things off by explaining that “my dad” finished the RAAM in 2014 and is preparing to go again for 2019 (the basis for this project). We learn only about 300 riders have ever finished the race, and Mr. Tarlton explains that he will be much better prepared this time, with a goal of winning his age 50-59 bracket. Joining his crew this time will be his wife Jeanne, and their kids … turning this into a true family experience (or nightmare, depending on your perspective).
Climbers go up Everest “because it’s there”, and clearly this is just another way to push one’s mind and body to the extreme … an extreme most of us will never experience ourselves, especially after watching the pain endured by Tarlton and his family. If you’ve watched a loved one suffer with an illness, you know how difficult it can be. What about a loved one who chooses to suffer? His family is there as his body slowly deteriorates and his tired mind becomes muddled. In addition, we witness some of the tension and drama as it unfolds within his crew – something that obviously doesn’t help in these circumstances. In fact, the only downside here is that Tarlton’s wife (the film’s producer) pushes a bit too hard on her own story, rather than the guy pushing through exhaustion and pain.
Tarlton rides to raise money for the Stanford Cancer Institute, though we are never quite sure how the fundraising is handled. This is definitely not a cheap hobby, nor is it one for the masses. You are either the type that wants to push your body, mind, and finances to the limit, or you’re not. Described here as “a defining life experience”, it’s a race where the clock never stops and the scenery is unparalleled (though riders are likely too groggy to appreciate it). Don’t confuse this race with the Tour de France (stages over 3 weeks) or this movie with the HBO documentary, TONY HAWK: UNTIL THE WHEELS FALL OFF.
Available on VOD
Posted by David Ferguson 
Greetings again from the darkness. Jacques Audiard is one of the filmmakers who has won my cinematic loyalty through his consistently thought-provoking and entertaining films. His five features since 2005 have all been excellent: THE BEAT THAT MY HEART SKIPPED (2005), A PROPHET (2009), RUST AND BONE (2012), DEEPHAN (2015), THE SISTERS BROTHERS (2018). This latest is a different kind of story for Audiard, and it’s based on the stories from animator Adrian Tomine. Audiard adapted the screenplay with Nicholas Livecchi, Lea Mysius, and Celine Sciamma (writer and director of PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE, 2019). The result is a unique vision of modern-day love set in an area of Paris that is rarely featured in films.
Greetings again from the darkness. Well, if you are going to make a movie about redemption and bettering one’s self, who better to cast than Mark Wahlberg and Mel Gibson? Both men are stars who on multiple occasions have needed redeeming. Writer-director Rosalind Ross’ first feature film is based on the true story of Stuart Long, and Mr. Wahlberg was so committed to the project that he funded production when others chose not to.
Greetings again from the darkness. Thanks to James Bond, Jason Bourne, and Ethan Hunt, we’ve grown accustomed to globetrotting action-packed thrillers in the spy genre. But of course, there is the flip side: the quiet and unheralded work done by intelligence agents … those who typically use their brains more often than their fists or guns. Director Janus Metz (the underrated BORG VS MCENROE, 2017) has based his film on the 2015 book by Olen Steinhauer.
Greetings again from the darkness. Every writer has a story about what inspired them to put words on the page. What we have here is Eva Husson directing a script from Alice Birch (LADY MACBETH, 2016) who has adapted the 2016 novella from British author Graham Swift. We follow Jane Fairchild through three stages, as her work as a maidservant allows her to become “an occupational observer of life.”
Greetings again from the darkness. Farming and ranching are about two main things: commerce and sourcing food and other items (wool, leather, cotton, etc). Director Andrea Arnold won an Oscar for her short film WASP (2003), and also directed a couple of narratives that I’ve seen, WUTHERING HEIGHTS (2011) and AMERICAN HONEY (2016). Her first feature documentary takes us to a dairy farm in rural England, and closely follows the daily life of the cows on the farm.
Greetings again from the darkness. Ana Gasteyer’s “Saturday Night Live” parody of Celine Dion not-so-humbly announcing herself as “the greatest singer in the world” was brilliant sketch comedy and good for a hearty laugh. All these years later, filmmaker Valerie Lemercier cast herself as the lead in this unofficial biopic “inspired by” the story of Celine Dion. It’s a fictionalized account co-written with Brigitte Buc that sticks to the real story in some parts, while also being a bit creepy and serving up a quasi-horror film sensation in others. You might ask, “How can the story of Celine Dion” have anything to do with horror?”, and well the answer is that Ms. Lemercier (a woman in her 50’s), plays the fictionally named Aline Dieu at ALL ages (thanks to some CGI). Seeing that face on the young girl peering up at her family on stage is as creepy and discomforting as any screen image we will see this year.
Greetings again from the darkness. It’s bonkers, I tell ya’! Co-writers and co-directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, known collectively (by their choice) as “Daniels”, follow up their ‘farting corpse movie’ SWISS ARMY MAN (2016) with one that is somehow more bizarre, more audacious, and more fun. It’s one of the most innovative films I’ve seen in a while, and although I can point out influences, I’ve yet to come up with a movie comparison that seems just or fair.
Greetings again from the darkness. Trust the science, they said. Dr. Michael Morbius is a brilliant doctor/scientist who has devoted his life to formulating a cure for the rare and crippling blood disease he and his friend Milo were born with. This is an origin story pulled from the Marvel comic book characters created by Roy Thomas and Gil Kane. The film is directed by Daniel Espinosa (LIFE 2017, SAFE HOUSE 2012) with a script adapted by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless, who previously collaborated on DRACULA UNTOLD (2014) THE LAST WITCH HUNTER (2015) and GODS OF EGYPT (2016). Sometimes past work tells you what you need to know.
Greetings again from the darkness. “What made him do it?” That’s the question we always ask after a mass shooting. Rarely does any answer make much sense. Director Justin Kurzel and his TRUE HISTORY OF THE KELLY GANG (2019) screenwriter Shaun Grant join forces in collaboration again for a story based on the man responsible for the 1996 Port Arthur Massacre in Tasmania. It was the worst lone gunman mass shooting in Australian history with 35 killed and 23 injured. The filmmakers tread lightly here and never mention the shooter’s name, though the film’s title is a backwards hint. Their film is an attempt to answer that question we always ask.
