MORE THAN ROBOTS (SXSW 2022, doc)

March 23, 2022

SXSW 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. For as far back as we can trace human existence, the older generation has grumped on the younger one. It’s unlikely Neanderthal parents used the term ‘slacker’, but they undoubtedly got their point across to the youngsters who were inept at hunting and never seemed to gather much. Gillian Jacobs is best known for her acting (the TV series “Community”), and in directing her first feature length documentary she serves up proof that the rising generation offers plenty of hope for the future.

The film opens on a crowded gymnasium filled with noisy kids and action around some funky looking automated devices. It turns out what we are seeing, and what Ms. Jacobs set out to document, is the 2020 FIRST Robotics competition in Los Angeles. For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) is an international non-profit organization co-founded in 1989 by Dean Kamen. The mission is to encourage and develop students in the field of engineering and technology through what they term, “coopertition”, a blend of cooperation and competition.

We follow four distinctly different teams as they prepare for the competition. One team is from an upper-middle class California area and has 60+ team members. Another is from the Watts area and is much smaller. Interestingly, the adult mentors for these two teams are a married couple, displaying the true meaning of coopertition! The other two teams are from Japan and Mexico, respectively, and Ms. Jacobs wisely focuses on one student leader from each of the four team, making it easier for us to connect and follow.

The pandemic wreaked havoc on the teams as the competition was canceled for two consecutive years. However, the kids proved just how resilient they are as they committed their time and skills to building facemasks, respirators, and contributing to society in every way possible. Of course this meant even more excitement was generated as the 2022 FIRST Robotics competitions kicked back in … and we get to experience the emotions. The focus on teamwork and alliances is refreshing to see, and the joy on the faces of students makes it all worthwhile. This may seem to revolve around robots, but it’s actually life lessons for everyone involved.

WATCH THE TRAILER

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Posted by David Ferguson

COME PLAY (2020)

October 28, 2020

 Greetings again from the darkness. Hopes are always high this time of year for a creative new horror film. As each Halloween approaches, we search for new movies that will frighten us in an entertaining way, or at least be creepy enough to make us sleep with the lights on! Looking to be this year’s horror breakout, writer-director Jacob Chase has expanded his own 2017 5-minute short film LARRY into a full-length feature film.

Azhy Robertson (the young son in Noah Baumbach’s Oscar nominated MARRIAGE STORY, 2019) stars as Oliver, a dead-ringer for Danny Torrance in THE SHINING (1980). Oliver is an autistic, non-verbal boy who has no friends and depends on his electronic devices to communicate and entertain (he loves “SpongeBob SquarePants”). His parents, Sarah (Gillian Jacobs, “Community”) and Marty (John Gallagher Jr, SHORT TERM 12, 2013) constantly argue, which exacerbates Oliver’s hyper-sensitivity. When Dad moves out, an overwhelmed mother does her best to follow the advice of Oliver’s therapist. What she doesn’t know initially is that some being or creature named Larry is tracking her son through an online story called “Misunderstood Monsters” that pops up on his mobile devices.

“Larry just wants a friend.” As the story slowly unfolds on the tablet Oliver’s dad found in the lost & found in the parking lot booth where he works, we come to understand exactly what is happening, and who and what Larry really is. The theme has some similarities to Jennifer Kent’s excellent film, THE BABADOOK (2014), with a dose of THE RING (2002), but the suspense never builds to that level despite a nice performance from young Mr. Robertson.

A clever twist actually ends up lessening the fright factor here. The monster can (mostly) only be seen via the mobile devices, which means the visuals are often limited by the size of the screen, although I’m a fan of the practical effects. Because of this, sound effects are critical, as are the reactions of Oliver and his parents … as well as the classmates unfortunate enough to get volunteered for a sleepover.

It seems only fitting that in 2020, loneliness is the real monster, and technology is the conduit for its impact. Additionally, all parents will relate to the extremes Sarah and Marty go to protect Oliver, and the final scene does offer an all-knowing moment that reverts to a simpler time … one that Larry wouldn’t appreciate.

watch the trailer

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE LOOKALIKE (2014)

November 2, 2014

lookalike Greetings again from the darkness. Familiar faces are everywhere in this crime thriller from husband and wife filmmakers Richard Gray (director) and Michele Davis-Gray (writer). The familiar faces make the most of a story with no shortage of characters or sub-plots, though sometimes the movie tries a bit too hard to be gritty and hard-edged.

Jerry O’Connell plays Joe Mulligan, a former basketball star turned club owner and drug dealer. Joe is dealing drugs to pay off his dead dad’s debt to loan shark Luis Guzman, all while keeping his dream of hosting his own cooking show on the Food Network. See, Joe is mostly a nice guy caught up in an ugly world. This world includes his brother Holt (Justin Long) who may not be the straight-laced guy he first appears as, his drug boss Bobby (John Corbett), Bobby’s henchman Frank (Steven Bauer), and William Spinks (John Savage) as the powerful guy who demands a set-up in exchange for a big pay day.

The set-up is on track until one of the freakiest fatal accidents strikes Sadie Hill, the object of Spinks’ attraction. Desperate for the money, the bumbling drug dummies, decide to find a substitute. Enter Joe’s customer and Holt’s squeeze as the titular lookalike. Gillian Jacobs (TV’s “Community”) as Lacey does a nice job making us believe she is just desperate enough to agree to the job. Yes, desperation is a trait shared by most every character in the movie … even the detective played by the always reliable Gena Gershon. The final character of note is Mila (Scottie Thompson), who plays the “girl walks into a bar” role and proceeds to muddy the water in this big plan.  Both Ms. Jacobs and Ms. Thompson flash the ability necessary for more ambitious projects.

Slow-motion and cheesy music negatively impact some of the dramatic moments and the sex scenes … especially an otherwise effective cross-cut between O’Connell and Long as they seduce Thompson and Jacobs, respectively. Still, for a rainy day mindless crime thriller that won’t require much investment, this one is satisfactory and offers a chance to catch up with some of our most familiar character actors.

**NOTE: If you don’t recognize Jerry O’Connell’s name, you might remember him as a child actor … he played Vern in Stand By Me (1986)

watch the trailer:

 

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Posted by David Ferguson