USA FILM FESTIVAL 2025 preview

April 21, 2025

April 23-27, 2025

Angelika Film Center, Dallas

There may be no such thing as a Free Lunch, but thanks to the USA Film Festival, there is something even better … FREE MOVIES! Of course, not all screenings are held at no charge, yet this remains an affordable and entertaining festival experience for all film lovers.

Celebrating its 55th anniversary, the festival has long been one of my favorites due to the schedule of diverse films: narratives, documentaries, shorts, students, and experimental. Mix in a selection of repertory films, attendance by a slew of filmmakers and celebrities, and the annual tributes to industry icons, and you quickly see why this Dallas-based festival holds a special place in my heart.

This year’s opening night event on April 23 is “The World of Nancy Kwan – A Salute to Nancy Kwan”. The breakout star of THE WORLD OF SUZIE WONG (1960) will participate in a book signing and an on-stage conversation, following a career retrospective including clips of her performances in film and television. Also on opening day, there is a Salute to renowned director Jon Avnet with a screening of his new film, THE LAST RODEO. Mr. Avnet will attend along with the film’s co-stars, Neal McDonough and Mykelti Williamson. All three were involved with the fantastic TV series, “Justified” and “Boomtown”, and Mr. Avnet is known for having directed FRIED GREEN TOMATOES (1991), as well as Broadway plays.

Other highlights on the festival schedule include Beth Lane’s powerful documentary UnBROKEN, a look at how the Holocaust impacted her own family (with Q&A session); Mitch Yapko’s short film WATCHING WALTER featuring Ft Worth’s own Stephen Tobolowsky in the title role (director and star in attendance); William Shockley’s directorial debut, LONG SHADOWS, a western with an impressive cast; director Daniel Minahan’s stunning ON SWIFT HORSES (based on the novel by Shannon Pufahl) with another tremendous cast; and Jason Buxton’s psychological thriller, SHARP CORNER starring Ben Foster.

That’s just a quick taste of what’s coming, along with other feature films, documentaries, and short films. In a perfect example of what sets this festival apart, actor Martin Kove will attend and be honored at a special 50th anniversary screening of the cult classic, DEATH RACE 2000 (1975). The closing night film will be the soon-to-be-released TONIC from local filmmakers, writer-director Derek Presley and editor Jason Starne. Filmed entirely in Dallas’ Deep Ellum area, the film covers a rough night of what-else-can-go-wrong for a washed-up pianist played by Billy Blair.

USA Film Festival excels in offering a diverse festival experience with something for everyone.

For more details and to view the full schedule of programs, visit
https://www.usafilmfestival.com/
 
Tickets range from Free – $10 (quantities are limited).
https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/55th-annual-usa-film-festival-4150893
 
DAY-OF-SHOW TICKETS — (Based on availability) Any unsold/unreserved tickets will be made available  at the Angelika Film Center upstairs Sales Desk beginning ONE HOUR prior to EACH showtime.

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Posted by David Ferguson

ELVIS FROM OUTER SPACE (2020)

July 6, 2020

 Greetings again from the darkness. All you Elvis Presley fans out there can relax. This is not a documentary. In fact, trying to put a label on the film co-written and co-directed by Marv Z Silverman and Tracy Wuischpard would be pointless … unless we can just agree on “Midnight Movie Madness”, and leave it at that.

Not that I would ever encourage such activity, but some have declared that the best ‘midnight movies’ are most enjoyed whilst a sufficiently mind-altered state is achieved, and one is unnaturally influenced by beverage or ‘other’. Now that’s a category this film easily and happily (and likely by design) fits in. There is no reason to start this film while thinking clearly, and actually, thinking is best avoided for the entire 90 minute runtime.

The story kicks off with the narrator explaining that Elvis has spent the last 30 years or so with the aliens of Alpha Centauri. He has been playing music for the community of ETs proving “music is the universal language.” ’But now Elvis is homesick for Earth and wants to see his daughter, Linda Bess Truman. The aliens contact the CIA and arrangements are made for the drop in Area 51. Some quick math places the story sometime around 2010 or a couple years prior.

There is no way I will risk spoiling the zaniness that occurs, but Elvis, now codename John “JB” Burrows, finds himself in the 1970’s Elvis World Crown Competition at the Desert Sands Hotel in Las Vegas. You may have heard about the time that Charlie Chaplin lost a Charlie Chaplin look-alike contest, but here, JB brings down the house as an Elvis impersonator. He’s so good the other contestants (quite a motley crew) question his identity. One of those is “Big M” who is also the film’s narrator. All of this drama is broadcast via “Barry Live”, a TMZ type show delivers laughs along with the daily scoop.

George Thomas plays JB/Elvis, and he seems at ease in the jumpsuits, although those fake sideburns are a punchline by themselves. David Heavener is Big M and the narrator, and his initial role as rival shifts as the story progresses. Diane Yang Kirk plays CIA Agent Messina, who is on JB’s side, and Lauren-Elaine Powell is Jackie, the earthly love interest. Barry Ratcliffe nearly steals the show as the TV host of “Barry Live”, and I believe TJ Myers plays daughter Linda, while Martin Kove (you’ll recognize as bad guy Kreese from THE KARATE KID, 1984) is the State Trooper. Alexander Butterfield is CIA Chairman Townsend, and in real life, Mr. Butterfield served as Deputy Assistant to President Richard Nixon, and was the one who revealed the existence of the Oval Office recording system during the Watergate investigation. Best of all, Sonny West appears as himself. Sonny was part of Elvis’ “Memphis Mafia” back in the day. Sonny and his cousin Red West died within a couple of months of each other in 2017.

Hopefully you’ve picked up that this move is so far outside of mainstream that a traditional review is simply not possible. Animation is used for the aliens and spaceships and the rest of it must be seen to be … well, seen. It appears to be a re-boot of Mr. Silverman’s 2011 project entitled MEMPHIS RISING: ELVIS RETURNS, making most of the footage almost 10 years old. Still, a passion project is the heartfelt pursuit of a filmmaker, whether it’s SCHINDLER’S LIST or Elvis being held captive in ‘Area 52’.

watch the trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4In3Yn9dTUQ

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Posted by David Ferguson