Morgan Rojas

The Trial of 'Reality Winner': Hero or Traitor?

Former Air Force veteran and NSA contractor Reality Winner was just 25 years old when she was charged under the Espionage Act, facing a decade in prison for leaking a classified document that seemed to prove Russia's interference in the 2016 Presidential election. At the time, then-President Trump vehemently denied any wrongdoing in his quest for the ultimate power position, claiming that any talk of Russia's collusion was just a distraction from his victory. It was a tense time in America, made even more unbearable for Reality as she stared at a document that contradicted everything Trump was saying publicly. Taking matters into her own hands, she made a rushed decision to leak the document. Just as quickly, she was faced with the consequences.

The politically-charged documentarian Sonia Kennebeck (Enemies of the State, National Bird) brings the story of the now 31-year-old Reality Winner back into the public's consciousness in the self-titled documentary, Reality Winner. Executive produced by Wim Wenders, the film is the first official statement from Reality since her release from prison on June 2, 2021. Using intimate, never-before-heard conversations between Reality and her family, Kennebeck crafts a thought-provoking exposé about the risks of whistleblowing, even if acting in good faith on behalf of the country, and begs the question if her actions constitute that of a traitor or a hero.

Throughout the swift 94-minute runtime, Reality recounts the morning of her initial confrontation with FBI agents, her struggle to adjust to prison, and her eventual release and acclimation back into the world post-Covid. Soft-spoken yet unabashedly confident, Reality conducts the sit-down interview in the yard of her parent's home (and who can blame her for wanting to be outside after spending years in a jail cell). Assisting in the storytelling is Reality's mother, Billie Winner-Davis, whose own emotional rollercoaster is a painstaking watch. Through their own words and corresponding verité footage, Reality and Billie's individual experiences over the last five years show an unwavering strength in the midst of a radioactive political climate.

The story of Reality Winner is a fascinating one but we must remember that at the center of it all is a young woman who still struggles to navigate through these uncharted territories. She says as much toward the end of the film by professing she is still battling an uphill fight. She has joined the ranks of previous whistleblowers Chelsea Manning, Thomas Drake, and Edward Snowden, a group she never intended to be part of. While there isn't any "new" information shed on Reality that isn't already accessible on Google, the documentary is still an engaging story and recounts a historic moment in American politics.

Ironically, in June of 2023, Donald Trump was also indicted under the Espionage Act for his possession of classified documents, just like Reality five years prior.

Codebreaker Films / 94 minutes / English

by Morgan Rojas

'The Mission' Investigates a Fatal Sermon

The Broadway musical "The Book of Mormon" is highly praised for its tongue-in-cheek mockery of well-meaning but ignorant religious zealots. As the story goes, a young and naive Mormon missionary enters into unwelcome territory with his Godly paraphernalia in hand, determined to convert an entire Ugandan tribal community into followers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The musical is outrageous, flamboyantly exaggerated, and makes for the perfect date night activity. However, after American missionary John Chau died during an attempt to proselytize his beliefs to the isolated and highly unpredictable Sentinelese tribe, the plot of the silly musical that felt so farfetched suddenly feels much darker.

Emmy-winning directors Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine (Boys State) bring the tragic story of John Chau's fatal sermon to the screen in The Mission. In 2018, John's death made headlines around the world when he was killed with bows and arrows at the hands of the Indigenous people who live on the remote North Sentinel Island. The Sentinelese are widely considered to be among the most vulnerable and dangerous in the world, and history has shown that they don't take kindly to foreigners entering their territory. John saw these obstacles as all the more reason to venture, illegally, to the remote island. He viewed the Sentinelese as victims of Satan's last stronghold, and he was determined to be the one who could convince them to follow God and was willing to die trying.

The backbone of the documentary relies on John's posthumous diary, which was turned over to his family after his death. Journal entries are read aloud by a voice actor who captures John's wide-eyed optimism and free spirit mentality. "If God is for you, who can be against you," he writes–an eerie foreshadowing of how his false sense of security put him in a deadly situation. Interviews with his family and friends tell a similar story of a young man who was adventurous, self-sufficient, and deeply committed to his church. Limited archival footage also means that the dependency on video archives is crucial, and animation is used to depict scenes that could otherwise not have been shown.

What makes John's story all the more heartbreaking is his unintentional arrogance and assumption that he was invincible under God's eye, which turned his final sermon into a self-inflicted suicide mission. Experts and religious leaders comment on the fact that "people who exist out of time"–much like the Sentinelese–is a seductive narrative to Westerners who feel compelled to push their beliefs and societal structure onto them. But not everybody needs or wants "saving."

On one hand, John's Evangelical Christian faith gave him purpose. On the other, his dedication was responsible for his death. The filmmakers bring up both sides of this conundrum, making it difficult to confidently place blame on any one person. Was he brainwashed into thinking he could actually save these people? Did he literally believe he was a messiah? And if so, did the church encourage these delusions? John's story is harrowing because of how unavoidable the outcome could have been, making The Mission a fascinating albeit heartbreaking watch.

National Geographic Documentary Films / 103 mins / USA / 2023 / English, Latin, Piraha, Hindi, Sarikoli, Onge

by Morgan Rojas

'A Binding Truth' Uncovers a Complicated Familial History

Two former high school classmates, one black and one white, explore a complicated familial history in director Louise Woehrle's incredible documentary, A Binding Truth. What initially started out as a sports biopic about the regional football superstar Jimmie Lee Kirkpatrick gracefully morphs into something far more affecting. Making its Midwest Premiere at the Heartland International Film Festival in Indianapolis next week, A Binding Truth turns a sports story into a larger civil rights story, ultimately crafting a universal story of America.

Back in the mid-1960s, Jimmie Lee Kirkpatrick was highly regarded as one of the best football players in his hometown of North Carolina. His skill and coordination on the field were so precise that he caught the attention of a neighboring high school coach, who persuaded Jimmie to transfer and play for his team. This move was unprecedented for many reasons but mainly because that meant Jimmie would be leaving his black, segregated high school in order to join the team at the white, affluent school. The move ultimately ended up being the best decision Jimmie ever made. Not only because he made history as the high school's first black football star, but because a connection he made with one of his classmates nearly 50 years later uncovered a decades-long truth about his family's history as slaves in the American South.

Despite their superficial differences, Jimmie Kirkpatrick and his new white classmate, Hugh "De" Kirkpatrick, had more in common than they realized. They shared the same last name, which led to an investigation into the backstory of both Jimmie and De's family trees. Burdened with the guilt of generations before him, De, a forensic psychologist, dives deep into his research to ask the question, "How could anyone justify owning another human being?". The reason they shared a last name is because De's family had forced it upon Jimmie's family as a signal of "property ownership". This family secret of once being slaveholders was unknown to De, and the film gracefully allows both De and Jimmie to come to terms with this uncomfortable reality at their own pace.

There are some moments that are difficult to get through with dry eyes. The archival interviews from Jimmie and De's family and friends can be haunting, uncomfortable, and yet absolutely necessary to hear. As far as subject matter goes, the film has a Remember the Titans quality to it, so fans of the Denzel Washington-led blockbuster should no doubt seek out this indie documentary.

Ending on an overall heartwarming note, the film does leave audiences with some sobering statistics. It's hard to imagine now, but in 1860, nearly 40% of the county's population, where they grew up, was enslaved. While De Kirkpatrick is not at fault for the actions of the generations before him, he teaches us that acknowledging the wrongdoings and committing to making a change is all any of us can do to ensure a compassionate future for all. Jimmie's resilience throughout the film is equally as commendable and an example of how resiliency and the power of positive connection contribute to healing.

by Morgan Rojas

'Foe' Explores Modern Love in A Dystopian Future

Paul Mescal continues to ignite indie film fans with his sensitive, connection-driven characters. Most recently, this includes Foe, the sci-fi dystopian romance from director Garth Davis. Based on the book by Iain Reid, who co-wrote the screenplay alongside Davis, Foe is a dysfunctional love story for our modern times. More than just an examination of a relationship on life support, Foe seductively gets under the skin and passionately pulls at the heartstrings of anyone who has ever felt like an outsider looking in on their own life, trapped in a body with no control over how to use it.

Set forty years in the future but for the most part, still grounded in reality, a young man and his wife live in a secluded farmhouse far away from the commotion of the city. There is a palpable tension from the moment we meet Junior (Mescal) and Hen (Saoirse Ronan) but it is hard to pinpoint exactly what is creating their invisible walls. There does not seem to be a presence of anger, but more so the lack of empathy.

One night, Junior and Hen receive an unexpected knock at their door and find a stranger named Terrance (Aaron Pierre) on the porch. The man claims to be a representative of OuterMore, a corporate entity exploring the viability of off-world habitation, and he comes with shocking news: Junior has been involuntarily drafted into their space program. The exact dates are unclear but it wouldn't be a stretch to assume that Junior would be gone for years. Hen, rightfully devastated and confused, is consoled by Terrance's follow-up proposition. He tells her that in Junior's absence, an AI body double will be created in his place.

Junior–who has had no say in the matter and is visibly agitated that his life is being thrown into chaos–is against the idea of an AI model. Despite his outrage, Terrance tells Junior he has no choice but to go along with the plan and quickly infiltrates the couple's life, conducting experiments and intimate interviews all in the name of research. Going through this uncertainty together creates an unstable and highly emotional ebb and flow between Junior and Hen that swirls to a tsunami-like crescendo towards the film's bittersweet end.

https://youtu.be/sAh-xgggcfI?si=qlk25ddNdH9ty9wZ

Garth Davis crafts an emotionally-drenched story about autonomy and choice in the name of love. Three characters make up the world of Foe, and all are truly spellbinding. For his part as the slowly unraveling and desperate Junior, Paul Mescal gives the performance of a lifetime. No stone is left unturned as he dials up the manic and physical outbursts, with his vulnerability (including his naked body) on display. Saoirse Ronan commands the room in every scene with her gentle and quietly stirring force. Her embodiment of a woman who exists as just a shell of herself is both relatable and frustrating.

Setting the film's visual tone is award-winning cinematographer Mátyás Erdély who makes desolation and despair look so beautiful. Musically, the score is stunning-which is no surprise given that composer and cellist Oliver Coates reteams with the Aftersun star for another melodic heartbreaker. Coates contributes more of the classical elements to the score while Korean composer Park Jiha aided in more of the soundtrack's primal and worldly sounds.

At times, the film does feel a bit clunky and overly dramatic. A more subtle approach, especially with Junior's emotional expression, would have felt more authentic and made his periodic breakdowns feel more impactful and affecting. Instead, we begin to lose compassion seeing him wail in nearly every other scene. I also couldn't help but wonder how Drake Doremus would have approached this script. His gentle touch when it comes to stirring up the raw and ugly side of love is what this film would have benefited from immensely.

While the film is not perfect, it does bring up existential questions that are worth pondering like the use of AI to express our thoughts through words that we don't write ourselves, and the harsh reality of saving troubled relationships on a declining planet. "Do you think more about the future, or the past," asks Hen one morning. It's a simple question but one that I personally haven't been able to honestly answer myself. Foe is a film that asks thought-provoking questions like these in spades. If you are like me and love a film that leaves you spiritually and intellectually stimulated, Foe will be your friend.

Amazon Studios / 108 Minutes / Rated R / English

by Morgan Rojas

The Crazy Case of 'Mister Organ': David Farrier Dips Into Darkness

From the filmmaker behind the disturbingly engrossing 2016 documentary, Tickled, comes another wacky story about the dark underbelly of society. Journalist David Farrier stumbles into another absurd dimension in Mister Organ, where an accidental run-in with a man acting as a wheel clamper turns into a nonstop psychological game of cat and mouse, and the repercussions of engaging with a psychopath still haunt David to this day.

This story is one that only David Farrier is qualified to tell. In his own words, this is the type of "weird mess" that he has become synonymous with.  What starts out as a rather mundane inquiry into the abnormal parking enforcements of a New Zealand antique shop, Bashford Antiques, spirals into a whodunit-type mystery that ends up leaving David with more questions than answers.

Jillian Bashford is the owner of Bashford Antiques, and she has a parking problem. Frustrated with the public using her private carport, she hires a man named Michael Organ as her late-night watchdog. If anyone is caught parking in the shop's designated area, Michael clamps their tires and only releases them for $700. Naturally, people are outraged. But not Ms. Bashford or Mr. Organ. Hearing the outrageous fee piques David's interest, and so he begins investigating the situation. Quickly, he discovers that there is so much more than meets the eye. As David gathers clues in real time, he begins piecing together the fact that Michael Organ is a mysterious, possibly dangerous, man. Court records and public documents show that he has claimed to be a prince as well as a lawyer, but his discovery is quickly met with caution as David discovers that Michael has also purposefully misspelled his name on legal documents to cover his tracks. Conversations with former acquaintances uncover even more intrigue, and all roads eventually lead to David and Michael meeting face-to-face.

What follows is unhinged chaos. Michael Organ is a black hole, and David Farrier has fallen into it. Michael is hostile and intimidating but also flamboyant and speaks in a monotone, molasses-like cadence. He is also extremely arrogant, the type of man who talks over you and won't stop talking until his point is made, regardless if he's interrupting an interview or live radio broadcast. Over the course of the film, as David unrelentingly pursues answers to his questions, his sanity begins to suffer. A psychological battle against a narcissist is one that David cannot win, and he realizes he has to stop.

Mister Organ will stir up plenty of emotions throughout its 96-minute runtime. Intrigue, annoyance, and hilarity all stay at the surface, mixing interchangeably depending on Michael Organ's mood and willingness to engage with David. Bringing the dark energy to an already palpable sense of tension is the score by composer Lachlan Anderson. The music is simmering and creepy, the perfect slow burn to accompany the arc of the film.

As a documentary journalist, David Farrier proves in Mister Organ that not all stories have happy endings or even conclusive ones. Calling Michael a "fuckwit who bores people to death until they jump off a building" may not live up to traditional journalist standards but David's vulnerability and defeatedness after engaging with Michael for three years on and off is a fascinating thing to witness. Mister Organ is an enthralling and equally disturbing documentary that exposes hidden secrets. It's also a cautionary tale about blind trust, begging us to think twice before engaging with a stranger.

Distributed by Drafthouse Films and MUBI / 96 minutes / New Zealand / 2022 / English

by Morgan Rojas

'Grasshopper Republic': Discover the Magic of These Delicate-Winged Insects

Shot in cinema verité style with special attention paid to spatial structure, director Daniel McCabe immerses audiences into the harvest season of a Ugandan grasshopper trapping team in the reverential documentary, Grasshopper Republic. Mesmerizing close-ups of these intricate and delicate winged insects with vibrant coloring and distinct chirping sounds, display a quality of beauty that is so often overlooked. As magical as they appear, the grasshoppers are more often regarded as a life source for a section of the Ugandan community, both as a bartering tool and in their food supply. Over the course of three seasons, McCabe highlights the tireless efforts of the trapping team and the lengths they go to secure this elusive prey by the barrel load.

Grasshopper Republic opens with the trance-like birth of a grasshopper, which looks more like an alien species than an earthly animal. Pale green transparent bodies with long extended antennas and black beady eyes fill the screen, all captured with special macro cameras akin to BBC's Planet Earth. This birth sequence foreshadows the pacing of the remainder of the film, which is to say it is slow and methodical. There is an intentional lack of dialogue and no talking head interviews are given. Rather, Daniel McCabe relies on field recordings and natural audio from the remote forests and villages to help build out the film's natural aesthetic.

With no acknowledgment of a camera presence, the documentary's biggest strength is its commitment to being immersive and observational. We quietly watch as the trapping team builds makeshift traps to catch grasshoppers and the ecological fallout that comes along with it, including the potential havoc wreaked on the village crops. Bringing this intensity to life is the wonderfully rich score from composer Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe (Candyman, Master, Telemarketers). His use of synths and reverb sounds like the buzzing of a swarm of insects, which really hits a crescendo near the end of the film when millions of grasshoppers appear in the sky like shooting stars.

Director Daniel McCabe found inspiration for Grasshopper Republic in the photobook "Nsenene" by Michele Sibiloni. This influence translates into a gorgeous documentary that plays more like an art piece than a traditional film. Commentary on living in symbiosis with nature is prevalent throughout the 94-minute runtime and serves as a beautiful reminder of gratitude for nature and its abundance.

by Morgan Rojas

'Carpet Cowboys': Look Inside the "Carpet Capitol of the World"

When was the last time you thought about the creation of carpet? If your answer is almost never, join the club. That plushy surface that embraces our feet is rarely given a second thought. Modern homes typically avoid the aesthetic altogether, citing its dated look and maintenance as a burden for homeowners and prospective buyers. Although carpet may be out of vogue for the majority, for a small cult-like community in Dalton, Georgia–often referred to as the "Carpet Capitol of the World"–carpet is the only thing on their minds.

The stylish documentary Carpet Cowboys is a macro look at the businessmen and innovators behind some of the country's mundane masterpieces. Directed by Emily Mackenzie and Noah Collier with Riel Roch-Decter producing and John Wilson (yes, of Max's docu-series How To with John Wilson) and Sebastian Pardo as Executive Producers, the meticulously eccentric Carpet Cowboys is the result of sharp-witted and contemporary creatives behind the lens. Humorous (sometimes uncomfortably so) while remaining observational and objective, this documentary is an all-around fresh and fun watch.

Throughout the film's swift 84-minute runtime, we're introduced to some of the men who have disrupted the carpet industry. That includes Scottish ex-pat Roderick James, a hotel and casino carpet designer (the most animated of the bunch). Like a Michael Scott-type caricature who's passionate about textiles, Rod peacocks his personal style through his wardrobe which primarily consists of his cowboy hat, fringe suede jacket, and stacks of thick silver rings. His eye for design may not translate in a fashion sense but when it comes to patterns for his textile business, Rod knows a good carpet design when he sees one. His iPhone is his tool and the outside world is his inspiration. Capturing the bark of a tree or blades of grass in a field can become Rod's next pattern (which is ironic considering he is capturing natural elements and memorializing them on an item that belongs indoors).

In a similar way that How To with John Wilson acts as an observation commentary on the niche cultural interests of a community, Carpet Cowboys follows the same blueprint. Mastering the balance of neutrality while also infusing comedy into the pacing and editing is a tricky task but one that Emily Mackenzie and Noah Collier accomplish gracefully. They set up various scenes with a keen eye for dramatics but don't interfere with the subjects onscreen to create the humor. Rather, they patiently let the characters bring the humor themselves, which they always do. This makes the film feel truly authentic, and not forced or contrived. These are real people with a real passion for carpets and no matter how silly or lighthearted that sounds, the subjects are never painted in a negative or "less than" light. To each, their own.

Carpet Cowboys is more than just a film about carpets. It also serves as a commentary on the American Dream and the rapidly changing landscape for small business owners and entrepreneurs. Set to a score by electronic ambient artist Kara-Lis Coverdale (stage name K-LC), Carpet Cowboys is an offbeat yet heartfelt film that, possibly for the first time ever, will have you pondering the story behind what's beneath your feet.

85 mins / USA / 2023 / English

by Morgan Rojas

'Scrapper': Growing Pains and Young Parenthood

When it comes to finding indie films, this year's Sundance darling Scrapper is a needle in a haystack. Honoring both the magical bewilderment of childhood and the stark realization of adulthood, Scrapper is an emotionally deft drama that is brimming with creativity and an abundance of love.

Slotting nicely in between The Florida Project and Aftersun–two films that also perfectly execute the young parent and adolescent relationship dynamic–director Charlotte Regan crafts a charming, heartfelt film about the growing pains within a family when an estranged young father re-enters the life of his pre-teen daughter after a tragedy.

Scrapper stars Lola Campbell as Georgie, a precarious and independent twelve-year-old who lives alone in the house she once shared with her single mother who recently passed from cancer. When we meet our protagonist, it is some time after her mother’s death, and Georgie seems to have adjusted to parenting herself. She spends most of her time with her best friend Ali (Alin Uzun), stealing bikes for money to make ends meet, and lies to anyone who questions her living situation, claiming that her fictional uncle is her guardian.

But for as brave of a face Georgie masquerades with in public, the loneliness is never far. Prominently displayed on a wall within the house is a checklist and upon closer inspection, it’s clear that Georgie is working her way through the 5 stages of grief. Little does she know that her life is about to change when she gets an unexpected visitor one morning: her estranged dad.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slyUJ1_eK4E

Jason (Harris Dickinson) has been an absentee father for all of Georgie’s life, so their first encounter is no different than meeting a stranger. It takes time before Georgie begins to slowly warm up to Jason, whose well-intentioned but immature outlook on life comes with its own set of consequences. It’s clear that father and daughter both have a lot of growing up to do and in their own eccentric ways, Georgie and Jason start to navigate their new normal with each other by their side.

Charlotte Regan’s past career as a music video director is evident throughout Scrapper, from the quick cuts to the interesting composition and a beautifully stoic color grade. The film lands in a similar orbit to Andrea Arnold’s Fish Tank in the sense that both share a powerful point of view of the British working class, but Scrapper offers the viewer a more optimistic, playful experience. Lola Campbell is a delight to watch light up the screen and is the perfect scene partner with Triangle of Sadness star Harris Dickinson. For his part as the reformed bad boy, Dickinson wears his heart on his sleeve as the character’s vulnerability unravels throughout the film.

Winner of the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, Scrapper is a full-bodied coming-of-age film that ranks among the best of the year. Tenderly told with creative execution and striking performances, this independent film serves as a springboard for all involved, proving that these are all stars on the rise.

by Morgan Rojas

Mob Land

Director Nicholas Maggio is pushing the boundaries of what a “crime film” can be. At first glance, the lush, artful aesthetic in his neo-noir drama, Mob Land, looks like it belongs on the cover of Vogue as much as it does on American Cinematographer. It’s a welcoming observation, one that the arthouse crowd will most certainly be surprised by. The photographer-turned-filmmaker builds a bridge between the traditional and untraditional schools of thought with Mob Land, proving that a crime film can be just as effective with less frills and more visceral observation. 

Mob Land is a devastating look at the consequences of desperation. The film centers around Shelby (Shiloh Fernandez) and his brother-in-law, Trey (Kevin Dillon). Living in a small, Southern town that is in the throes of addiction, Trey schemes up a plan for some quick cash. Enlisting his hesitant brother-in-law, Trey and Shelby decide to rob a pill mill with the agreement that no one gets hurt. What was supposed to be a relatively harmless act quickly turns violent when shorts are fired, derailing the expectations for a silent steal and causing the men to fall into a panicked fight-or-flight state.

Meanwhile, the local sheriff, Bodie Davis (John Travolta) catches wind of the robbery and throughout his investigation, discovers harsh truths and dirty secrets about this small town and the people in it. But Sheriff Bodie isn’t necessarily the one to fear, Shelby and Trey know that there is an unspoken hierarchy amongst the community which puts mafia man Clayton Minor (Stephen Dorff) in charge. When they realize that the money they stole from the pill mill was Clayton’s, Shelby and Trey are terrified that they may have accidentally executed their own death warrant. 

Mob Land lends itself to traditional themes of family and trust, but what makes this feel different from other crime films is how Maggio captures the quiet nuances of a drug-addicted Americana town. The story itself is told through an unconditional lens with its overall dark and gritty texture; handheld camerawork by cinematographer Nick Matthews makes the film feel alive as if the viewer is a cowering witness hiding from the fights that erupt on screen. The score by composer David Gerald Steinberg swells with tension and emotive energy but also knows when to restrain itself and let the characters organically reach certain arcs without the aid of the music. Performances by all involved, including Ashley Benson who plays opposite Shiloh Fernandez as his wife Caroline, capture an authentic sense of clinging to any strands of hope for a better future, no matter how grim the odds.

The juxtaposition at the heart of Mob Land is the act of doing the “bad” in an attempt to regain the “good.” Shelby isn’t a bad guy, and neither is Trey or Clayton for that matter. They are all just men fighting to survive in a cruel, unfair world, using whatever resources they have to gain any sense of security. The philosophical questions of morality and nihilism arise throughout the film, encouraging the viewer to imagine what their role would be in this scenario. 

There are consequences to living fast, which Mob Land explores in rich detail. Paying homage to the independent crime thrillers of the past, Mob Land is a fresh and thrilling joyride worth taking.

Mob Land is distributed by Saban Films. Now playing in select theaters, coming to digital and VOD this Friday, August 25th.

by Morgan Rojas

On The Line

To say that On The Line, the emergency dispatch thriller from filmmaker Oliver Pearn, covers new territory would be a stretch. Predecessors with a generally similar storyline include the Danish award-winning film The Guilty (2018), the 2021 remake of the same name starring Jake Gyllenhaal, The Call (2013) starring Halle Berry, and the 2015 drama Operator (2015) starring Mischa Barton, to name a few. However, it’s worth admiring that On The Line utilizes a minimalist approach to give this micro-indie film an edge over its studio counterparts. The film builds tension with its use of only one location and one performer.

On The Line tells the story of a telephone operator residing in the northern Channel Islands in the UK. It’s the mid-1960s and telephone calls are dependent on operators successfully transferring the lines on their switchboards. For 24-year-old Agnes (Victoria Lucie), her shift at the office starts out like any other. She listens to conversations among friends and loved ones as she connects their calls without a second thought. However, Agnes is pulled back into reality after intercepting a phone call from a woman in distress who is desperate for police intervention. The woman, Martha, is in trouble and cannot share many details about her situation due to her captor being close by, so Agnes is forced to play detective and figure out how to save Martha on her own.

Shot entirely in a single room and with only one actor on screen (although the voices of the other actors are heard through the telephone), On The Line successfully builds authentic tension. The audience is with Agnes for the entirety of the film, hearing events unfold in real-time and anticipating the next move right alongside her. To this end, actor Victoria Lucie doesn’t just carry the film, she is the film.

Using a minimal, no-frills approach, filmmaker Oliver Pearn also plays into the psychology of the situation. Over the course of their scattered calls, Agnes develops a parasocial attachment to Martha and blurs the line between professional integrity and personal curiosity. This simple yet effective internal struggle adds another dimension to the character of Agnes and provides the film with an overall sense of tiptoeing around disaster.

On The Line is a microbudget indie with a bounty of potential. Never reaching above its comfort zone, the film doesn't intend to reinvent the wheel but rather add a very satisfying option to this crime drama genre.

by Morgan Rojas

Medusa Deluxe

The cutthroat world of competitive hairstyling turns into an up-do whodunnit in writer/director Thomas Hardiman’s murder mystery, Medusa Deluxe. Set in contemporary England, the unthinkable happens backstage at a local hairdressing competition: a stylist is scalped. Once the body is discovered, what follows is a rupture of chaos and mayhem as friends and frenemies alike begin pointing their fingers at each other, proving that in this business, obsession breeds jealousy and talent can be deadly.

Medusa Deluxe, the feature film debut from Thomas Hardiman, is a stylish thrill romp that will have you mesmerized right from the jump. Shot entirely as a one-take (and pretty convincing at that), the film effortlessly weaves in and out of green rooms and intimate conversations, building insurmountable tension with every passing minute. Obvious comparisons include Birdman, which Medusa Deluxe seems to take inspiration from in its use of backstage maze-work and seamless transitions.

Perhaps not as easily digestible for the general population as Rian Johnson’s Knives Out, Medusa Deluxe is the arthouse answer to the stereotypical whodunnit. Using shears instead of knives, Thomas Hardiman crafts an edgy, pulpy murder mystery that is propelled by a trifecta of excellence: cast, craft, and vision.

The cast of mostly unknown actors all give emotionally engaging performances. Many actors recite monologues with the intonation of seasoned thespians, which gives a sense of weight and seriousness to an otherwise surreal circumstance. The ensemble cast includes Anita-Joy Uwajeh, Clare Perksins, Darrell D’Silva, Debris Stevenson, Harriet Webb, Heider Ali, Kae Alexander, Kayla Meikle, Lilit Lesser, Luke Pasqualino, and Nicholas Karimi who are all vital players in the story’s bigger picture.

One of the biggest strengths of the film comes from the score by British electronic artist, Koreless. His signature sound of sleek, percussive electro is the perfect counterpart to the film’s fluid nature. The score consists of less “start and stop” musical moments and more continuous mood-building that fuels revelations onscreen. Feelings of uneasiness take shape through the use of off-tempo beats that sync up and then fall out of rhythm, thus painting a dreary, twisted soundscape.

Operatic in both its images and sound, Medusa Deluxe is a visionary breakthrough. Filmmaker Thomas Hardiman has created something truly unique with a voice and vision all its own. Dedicated to the hairdressers of the world, Medusa Deluxe is one fantastical trip worth taking.

Distributed by A24. Now playing on VOD and in select theaters, including the Los Feliz Theater.

by Morgan Rojas

Lola

Imagine Back to the Future as art-house science fiction with Christopher Nolan flare, and you’ll have some semblance of what to expect from Lola, the feature film debut from director Andrew Legge. One-of-a-kind in its execution and storytelling, Lola is a hidden gem that is just waiting to be discovered by larger audiences.

The film industry is in a tumultuous time right now with the ongoing conversations surrounding A.I. and its unknown impact. We’re seeing, firsthand, the ramifications of how technology is altering the future of film as we know it. This controversy sets the perfect backdrop in which to watch Lola, an ambitious story about how history can be made and unmade by human invention.

Lola takes place in 1941 England and centers around two sisters, Thom (Emma Appleton) and Mars (Stefanie Martini), who have built a machine that intercepts radio and TV broadcasts from the future. The machine, which they call LOLA, opens a limitless portal to the future. Turning on the device and seeing David Bowie singing “Space Oddity” is a revelation. They listen to iconic songs before they have been made, like The Kinks “You Really Got Me”, and place bets on games already knowing their outcomes. The sisters’ intention is to use LOLA for good, and they do… until things go terribly wrong.

With World War II impending, Thom and Mars use LOLA to change history by altering the course of the deadly event. Ecstatic about their contribution to history, they quickly realize that adding new variables has led to a new set of consequences. For starters, David Bowie is no longer a pop icon. In fact, they may have accidentally erased him altogether. They stopped the war and saved lives, but also existentially grapple with what they sacrificed.

Lola encourages critical thinking, much like the anecdote of the train going down the tracks toward a group of people. If you were to control the lever, would you let fate prevail and let the train strike the group, or would you alter its course by intentionally switching tracks, instead going in the direction of a single person? The film encourages audiences to examine these hypothetical questions, and therefore, I recommend watching with another person to engage in a post-screening Q&A. Transfixing performances by Stefanie Martini and Emma Appleton further add to the film’s charm. The experimental score by Irish singer-songwriter Neil Hannon is one of the most inventive and clever I’ve heard all year.

If you could control the butterfly effect, would you? Technology has the capability to enhance humanity thereby creating a perfect society, but at what cost? Lola tackles universe timeline jumping in the same fashion as Everything Everywhere All At Once, but even compared to the 7-time Academy Award-winning film, it still stands tall. A nominee for Best First Feature at the 2022 Locarno International Film Festival, Lola is a delightful film that deserves your attention.

Distributed by Dark Sky Films. Now available on VOD.

by Morgan Rojas