'Living Wine' Gets to the Root of Organic Winemaking
Where to watch: Living Wine is releasing in theaters and watch now @ home virtual cinema on Friday, July 15, 2022
One of my favorite staycations is escaping to Temecula aka Southern California's wine country. The atmosphere, the ambiance, the chardonnay... it's hard to think of a better way to spend a long weekend. It never ceases to amaze me that the wine I'm drinking during those intimate tastings was once a small grape growing in a vineyard right outside the tasting room walls. The circle of life is really something beautiful. This sentiment–and sediment (sorry, wine joke)–is explored in the new documentary, Living Wine.
Living Wine, directed by novice filmmaker and wine enthusiast Lori Miller, is both an homage to the act of organic winemaking as well as an environmental documentary that highlights the risk our vineyards face today, including global warming, increasing wildfires, and unending drought. One thing that Miller wants to make clear is not all wine is created equal. Just because it grows in the ground doesn't mean it's organic. Calling on experience from winemakers Megan Bell of Margins Wine, Gideon Beinstock & Saron Rice of Clos Saron, Darek Trowbridge of Old World Winery and experts Elizabeth Candelario (Mad Agriculture) and Dr. Timothy LaSalle (Center for Regenerative Agriculture), Living Wine is an eye-opening journey into what it takes to go from vineyard to glass and everything in between.
The natural wine movement is about 20 years behind the natural food movement in terms of cultural awareness and accessibility. The subjects in the film passionately discuss their organic grape farming methods, which vary greatly from the methods of more conventional winemakers. Synthetic fertilizer and pesticide use are some of the biggest distinctions between what makes a wine conventional or organic. It's actually quite shocking to learn that less than 1% of the wine produced in California is all-natural, meaning that most of the wine we drink is full of additives and manipulation of flavors.
So the next time you're tempted to pick up a bottle of Decoy in grocery stores because you like the duck logo, remember that the little bit of extra effort it takes to acquire a bottle of natural wine is well worth the investment. The environment, your health, and your wine-drinking buddies will thank you.
Fire of Love
This review originally ran on January 21, 2022 during the Sundance Film Festival.
Where to Watch: Fire of Love is now playing at AMC Sunset 5
"This is Katia. This is Maurice... tomorrow will be their last day." Making its World Premiere in the U.S. Documentary competition at this year's Sundance Film Festival is Fire of Love, the incredible true story of a couple whose passion for chasing danger eventually caught up with them, but whose legacy made a lasting impact on their tight-knit community.
In an effort to show the world the strength and beauty of the misunderstood natural phenomena of volcanoes, wife and husband Katia and Maurice Krafft routinely put themselves in the path of danger. One day, they inadvertently found themselves caught in the middle of an unexpected volcanic eruption.
Although their love story ended too soon and their contribution to the scientific community feels incomplete, what they did leave behind is hundreds of hours of in-depth and deep archival footage, which director Sara Dosa weaves together fervently to create a sweeping portrait of two people passionately in love with science, nature, and each other.
"Have you ever loved something so much, you would sacrifice your life for it?" We're left to contemplate this stirring hypothetical question as we're led through the vividly rich life of French scientists Katia and Maurice Krafft. Voiceover narration is provided by filmmaker and performance artist Miranda July, who so sensitively captures the couple's self-proclaimed "outsider" and "weirdo" personas. From their first meeting in 1966 to the very last image before their untimely death in 1991, the common thread throughout Fire of Love is the Krafft's commitment to curiosity and exploration, which overrode any sense of fear.
Katia and Maurice documented volcanoes from all over the world, capturing some of the most breathtaking images in the process. Dressed like extras from Wes Anderson's The Life Aquatic in light blue onesies and red beanies, Katia and Maurice are as goofy as they are brilliant, and were as close to soul mates as you can get (if you believe in that sort of thing). Their shared passion to educate the world on these natural wonders enabled life-saving research. It would prove to be bittersweet, as that same unwavering passion and fascination with danger ultimately led to their deaths.
In telling the Krafft's story, director Sara Dosa took inspiration from French new wave films with fun and light-hearted editing techniques (Dosa makes volcanoes and science fun!). Aesthetically, Fire of Love looks like it was pulled from a time capsule from the 70s with its retro fonts and text color, and it totally works.
If Katia and Maurice were alive today, I'd imagine they would be absolutely humbled by the attention this documentary will bring to their life's work. It encapsulates everything they sacrificed their lives for: an unfiltered look at the unmatched beauty of volcanoes and the mineral world, and how connecting with the earth can help us connect with each other, too.
93 minutes.
'Flux Gourmet' Serves a Wild, Off the Menu Culinary Experience
Where to watch: 'Flux Gourmet' is now playing at The Frida Cinema in Santa Anita and on-demand.
Director Peter Strickland likes to keep it weird. In his latest offering, Flux Gourmet, Strickland creates a devilishly obscure feast for both the eyes and ears. Keeping a comedic slow burn sizzling throughout its nearly 2-hour runtime, Flux Gourmet is singularly the most out-of-the-box, off the menu film I've seen this year.
Flux Gourmet tells the hilarious and horrifying story of one experimental culinary group's month-long residency at a secluded institute devoted to culinary arts, called the "Sonic Catering Institute." This isn't your typical culinary arts: this is unlike anything that exists in the real world. But in Strickland's world, culinary arts is a hybrid of performance art, experimental music, and live cooking demos. The sonic collective is made up of three artists: Elle di Elle (Fatma Mohamed), Billy Rubin (Asa Butterfield), and Lamina Propria (Ariane Labed). They are given the opportunity to experiment with and perfect their craft, which consists of creating new sounds like hooking up microphones to blenders and running them through synthesizers.
Their progress is overseen by the institute's head Jan Stevens (Gwendoline Christie), whose own insecurities with power dynamics leaks into the sonic collectives' tense relationship with each other. As tensions bubble within the immediate group, the institute's "dossierge," a man named Stones (Makis Papadimitriou), very candidly admits to the audience in VO that he is struggling to disguise his flatulence. Wrought with gastrointestinal problems, he laments in a stoic tone that holding in his farts has become a social nightmare. "The flatulence was relentless," he says in a hilariously poetic manner. "Why can one stomach be so free and another can't?" But Stone's internal pain sparks inspiration in one of the members of the collective, who convinces him to use his gas as an act in their culinary public performance.
Bold, bonkers, and savagely confident, Flux Gourment feels like familiar territory when compared to his previous films, including In Fabric and The Duke of Burgundy. In addition to its striking production design and ASMR tendencies, the real strength comes from its entire ensemble cast (imagine if the Knives Out cast was even kookier). Here, every actor does a fantastic job of toeing the line between untrustworthy and sympathetic.
If NTS internet radio collaborated with everyone's favorite guilty pleasure "Master Chef," the end result would be something very similar to Flux Gourmet. Satisfying in storyline and visual aesthetic, Flux Gourmet is quite a treat for the arthouse enthusiast.
1h 51m.
'Apples': It's Man Versus Memory in This Greek Weird Wave Comedy
Where to watch: Apples is now playing in select Laemmle Theaters.
One of my favorite film genres is Greek Weird Wave. Think Dogtooth, Attenberg, and Boy Eating the Bird's Food. Christos Nikou's directorial debut is an enjoyably familiar yet excitingly unique story that slots perfectly into this niche canon. It's darkly humorous; a dry and poignant study of how memories shape identity and what happens when we lose it all.
Our protagonist is Aris (Aris Servetalis), a middle-aged man who has been hit with amnesia. Amnesic spells have been spreading all across Greece, much like a pandemic, with those infected being sent to a hospital/rehab hybrid in order to either get claimed by family members or start over and rebuild a new identity.
When days pass and no one comes to claim Aris, he enters the facility's "Learning How to Live" program. This program, led by two scientists–one of whom bears a striking resemblance to Colin Farrell in The Killing of a Sacred Deer– puts Aris through various memory tests and challenges, like riding a bike and going to the movies, which he is instructed to photograph as proof of completion. Aris is determined to live an everyday life again, and undergoes the tasks with relative ease. He meets a woman (Sofia Georgovasili) in the same identification program as himself during one of his outings and there seems to be a spark, simultaneously Aris's memory becomes slightly less hazy. But is this the result of his new relationship, or his heavy diet of apples?
Following in the footsteps of Greek auteurs like Yorgos Lanthimos and Athina Rachel Tsangari, Christos Nikou's sense of direction further propels the genre of "Weird Wave" forward. If you're a fan of obscure comedy, 4:3 aspect ratios, and unconventional narratives that are far from mundane, then Apples is for you.
'Marcel the Shell with Shoes On' Gives Us More of a Good Thing
Where to watch: Marcel the Shell with Shoes On opens at AMC theaters this Friday, June 24th.
In 2010, a then amateur filmmaker named Dean Fleischer-Camp uploaded a nearly three-and-a-half-minute short film called "MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON" to YouTube. In it, a young, enthusiastic mollusk named Marcel talks to a man behind the camera (voiced by Fleischer-Camp) and invites him into his small, unique little world. Marcel shared his secret to the perfect skis (men's toenails) and what he does for fun (hang glide on a Dorito). The video quickly went viral and has racked up over 32 million views as of today. It's obvious that the people love Marcel, but as the new feature film hits theaters, the biggest question is: did we need a feature-length version of Marcel's saga as a shell?
To cut to the point: no. However, what Fleischer-Camp gives in this extended runtime of 89 minutes is more charming backstory to Marcel's life. Since the short film premiered 12 years ago, we learn that Marcel–impeccably voiced by Jenny Slate–was accidentally separated from his family in a hurried packing job by tenants of the house where they all lived. This has resulted in a pretty lonely existence in an empty house. The only family member left with Marcel is his grandmother, Nana Connie (voiced by Isabella Rossellini), who enjoys simple pleasures like gardening and watching 60 Minutes with Lesley Stahl. Another thing to note, Nana Connie was born in the garage and traveled by coat pocket all the way to the house, hence her foreign accent.
The hybrid of stop-motion/live-action is more finessed in the feature, bringing Marcel to life in a way that we've never seen before. Acknowledgment for the seamlessness of the visuals should be credited in large part to Animation Director Kirsten Lepore, whose own history of viral moments is plentiful. This, combined with the spontaneous, naturalistic approach of a real documentary, makes Marcel the Shell with Shoes On an enjoyable way to spend an hour and a half. It's really just more of a good thing.
Some jokes are recycled from the short (including the goof introduction as "Mar-shell" and the piece of lint portraying his pet dog named Alan) but there are plenty more relevant one-liners that gave way to multiple laugh-out-loud moments as well as introspective, serious ones. Marcel's relationship with his grandmother is the pinnacle of the film's emotional depth, their bond will lead you to think about the people in your life who you hold near and dear.
The music in the film is also worth highlighting. Composer Rich Vreeland aka Disasterpeace creates delicate, charming moments (in stark contrast to his other films, including A24's upcoming Bodies, Bodies, Bodies). More kudos go to music supervisor Joe Rudge (Hereditary, Blue Valentine) for including a handful of songs from one of my favorite artists, Hiroshi Yoshimura.
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is lighthearted entertainment that aims to please. Fans of the short will get so much enjoyment out of Marcel's charming antics and chipper outlook on life and so it's hard to say that this film shouldn't exist at all. Sure, it's not the most necessary of films to hit theaters this year, but anything that brings a smile to your face is a film worth supporting.
Tribeca: 'My Love Affair With Marriage' Is a Cheeky Look at Womanhood
Animator Signe Baumane's mixed-media documentary My Love Affair With Marriage is as cheeky as its title suggests. Telling the story of womanhood through musical numbers and neurochemistry, this Latvian film is both a fun and unflinching look at the journey from adolescence to adulthood.
My Love Affair With Marriage is broken up into three chapters: inception, implementation, and reconsideration. Drawn in a style similar to one of my favorite books as a kid (Strega Nona), the film tells the story of Zelma as she figures out what it means to be a woman and come of age surrounded by unspoken gender rules and conformities.
A Greek choir of Latvian women acts as the devils on her shoulder as they farcically sing musical numbers like "Not a complete person without your soulmate" or "Ignorance is a girl's bliss." The older Zelma gets, the more she is confronted with the reality of being a woman. From period stains on her bed sheets to failed marriages, Zelma's journey comes with many bumps in the road.
To articulate why Zelma acts the way she does (biologically speaking), Signe Baumane incorporates "School House Rock" style education through animation. Throughout the film, we're given a detailed diagram that explains what parts of her brain are controlling her decisions, which body parts are activated during puberty, and more. Acting as a semi-autobiographical musical exploration of love, sex, romance, gender–and yes, the complications of marriage–My Love Affair With Marriage is a sophisticated cartoon that all grown-ups can enjoy.
Tribeca: In 'TÍU,' Of Monsters and Men Celebrate 10 Years Together
Ten years ago, there wasn't a day that you could turn on the radio and not hear the Icelandic indie folk/pop-rock band Of Monsters and Men's catchy pop hit, "Little Talks." It was an earworm that catapulted them to worldwide stardom. It was even featured as a playable song in Guitar Hero and Rock Band (every musician's dream, right)? Since the release of their debut (and arguably their most popular) album, 'My Head is an Animal,' Of Monsters and Men released two additional records, which contributed to their achievement of hitting one billion streams on Spotify (becoming the first Icelandic band to do so). It's been 10 years since "Little Talks," and Of Monsters and Men's iconic debut album shook up the pop culture zeitgeist, and they're looking back at their success with gratitude and nostalgia. Director Dean DeBlois captures this very special moment in time in the 48-minute short documentary, TÍU.
Set in the band's home country of Iceland, TÍU - which means "ten" in Icelandic – is a picturesque portrait set to the whimsicalness of the group's music. Following in the same format as Sigur Rós: Heima (which was also directed by DeBlois) the documentary follows Of Monsters and Men on a locals-only tour around Iceland to places that are special to them. Here, they perform "new" old songs–or, songs written before 'My Head is an Animal' dropped, but didn't make it onto the record. We watch as the group–comprised of Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, Ragnar Þórhallsson, Brynjar Leifsson, Kristján Páll Kristjánsson, and Arnar Rósenkranz Hilmarsson–reminisce about the early days of the band and where they hope to be 10 years from now.
Throughout the various locations, we gain more insight behind the meanings of the songs. "Embrace the cuteness" is a phrase often repeated amongst themselves, with the band acknowledging they have a charming aesthetic working in their favor. Fans of Of Monsters and Men will enjoy this insider access to a group that's been predominately private. TÍU is a beautiful celebration of uplifting music, stunning landscapes, and extraordinary artists.
'Cha Cha Real Smooth': Cooper Raiff's Cha Cha Charming Comedy
Our ‘Cha Cha Real Smooth’ review was first published as part of our Sundance Film Festival 2022 coverage.
Where to watch: Now playing in select theaters and on Apple TV+ today, June 17, 2022.
Renaissance man Cooper Raiff once again proves that he can do it all–and do it all well, too. The writer-director-producer-actor's follow-up to the breakout indie hit of 2020, Shithouse, is another low-key, high reward coming-of-age comedy that effortlessly ticks every box for what makes the perfect independent film. Cha Cha Real Smooth is the total package.
Raiff plays Andrew, a 22-year-old post-college graduate who, like most young adults these days, moves back in with his parents to regroup before joining the real world. And, like most grads, Andrew feels lost. His relationship with his college sweetheart gets complicated when she moves out of the country for an extended period of time. His job prospects include working the counter at Hot Dog on a Stick rival, "Meat Sticks," and he's sharing a bedroom with his younger brother. Things could be better. But Andrew does find joy in the most unexpected of places when he chaperoned his brother at a teenage bat mitzvah.
Andrew has an uncanny knack for turning any situation into a fun and lively experience. He embodies the "dance like no one's watching" attitude and revels in removing the inherent awkwardness that comes with preteen slow dancing. His enthusiasm and all-around good nature are such a draw that parents begin hiring him to be a designated party orchestrater at their children's events. Calling himself the "Jig Conductor," Andrew starts to think that maybe this humble, small-town role could be his future. Especially as he becomes infatuated with local young mother Domino (Dakota Johnson), and her autistic daughter Lola (Vanessa Burghardt)–whose names may or may not be inspired by the Kirke sisters.
This is the point in the film when Cha Cha Real Smooth evolves from coming-of-age comedy to relationship drama. Andrew is drawn to Domino's sweet soft voice, fiery spirit, and independent attitude; and like a moth to a flame, Domino can't resist Andrew's genuine charm and authenticity. The bond they create is undeniable, it's a connection that is rare for both of them. Andrew even likens her to a soul mate. That's why he is quietly devastated when Domino admits that she has a fiancée, and the relationship she's building with Andrew can't go past the friend stage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3XyUmlRAnk&feature=emb_title
He doesn't want to lose her, and so he sticks around in whatever capacity she will have him. Domino is gentle with his vulnerable heart, and their mutual maturity allows them to write their own unconventional, platonic love story. After all, the role a soul mate plays in your life doesn't have to be romantic. A soul mate can spark personal growth and inspiration–and there's no denying that Andrew and Domino are better people for having met each other at that bat mitzvah.
Cha Cha Real Smooth is cha cha charming from start to finish. Cooper Raiff wears his heart on his sleeve and has made a feel-good movie about good people that just screams good from top to bottom. Little nuggets of wisdom about growing up are sprinkled in throughout the film, like reminding us that things that scare you are the things that will help you grow the most. Despite only being 24-years-old, I will gladly accept life advice from his films.
Behind the scenes, Cha Cha Real Smooth will make you want to throw your own party, thanks to the incredible soundtrack curated by music supervisor Rob Lowrey. Dancefloor favorites like The Show Goes On by Lupe Fiasco to Big Red Machine's swelling Forest Green are an emotional rollercoaster that we want to ride. The film is further supported by a pitch-perfect score from 1/3 of the Haim sisters, Este Haim, and Chris Stracey (worth noting that this is their film debut).
Equally sweet and endearing, Cha Cha Real Smooth is a joy to watch. Raiff's star is only getting brighter. And he deserves it.
107 minutes.
'Santos - Skin to Skin' Celebrates a Latin Jazz Artist and Afro-Caribbean Music
John Santos is a celebrated Latin Jazz musician, band leader, seven-time Grammy nominee, and one of the directors of the San Francisco Jazz Center. Beyond being a highly accomplished musician, he's also an academic and community and political activist who uses Afro-Latin music to educate others about his heritage and the genre's historical roots. In the lively and music-filled documentary Santos - Skin to Skin, we learn all about John Santos and his lifelong dedication to championing and celebrating music.
Sitting for the camera, as well as being followed through various parts of his life (handheld cameras allow us to follow him everywhere), Santos shares his story directly with us. As soon as he speaks–in a soft but spiritually grounded voice–you can feel his inner warmth and wisdom come through. It's amazing to hear the way John talks about music as well as life, making the connection that when he plays, he "awakens the ancestors."
A native of Oakland, California, Santos grew up in the progressive lifestyle that the 1960s San Francisco offered, inclusive of the many races and sexual orientations that lived within his community. That, along with the legendary rock acts that rose to fame in the area (among them Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and Carlos Santana) inspired John to pursue music and art and love, learning to play the congas and timbales (even playing in Santana's band for a short stretch).
But Santos wasn't drawn towards pursuing classic rock stardom and fame. Instead, as Santos - Skin to Skin shows, he followed his curiosity of learning more about his people's musical roots: Afro-Cuban and Afro-Caribbean music. He learned about the music's connection to its peoples' history, and specifically its connection to Colonial history. Specifically, drumming–the instrument he was drawn towards–was an expression of the pain felt from oppression, slavery, and injustice.
It's powerful to hear the connection that John makes between the two types of "skin" in music: both the human body and the impact of its various skin colors, as well as the material that wraps drums. When conga players hit these drums with their hands, a beautiful and direct connection between skins occurs. Conga players channel the struggle and fight that the ancestors lived through, and are being expressed today to new audiences.
This deeply felt connection is what formed Santos not just as a musician, but also as an activist. In concerts and in classrooms, he talks about conflicts that exist in so many societies, even within the Afro-Latin music world amongst LatinX and African American groups. As Santos says, "The drums and rhythms are a beautiful blend that shows how music can unite people."
Santos' life sounds like one of pure musical magic, but we also learn about the personal pains that he endured too. We learn about the death of his young daughter at one-month-old. As his wife shares, Santos transferred his grief into music, seeking out folklore and his ancestors to better understand the relationship between life and death. It's a touching sentiment that he imparted onto his family, including a young son and daughter.
Besides learning about art, spirituality, and philosophy that Santos shares, what makes Santos - Skin to Skin such a rewarding movie is that it celebrates a figure who has done so much for the community and world without looking for personal recognition. Santos is candid in saying that his decision to forgo commercial aspirations so as to champion political issues has also left him with lesser fame and financial success. A scene of him and his family packaging up CDs into letters to send out to various press outlets reveals that he is also the person who promotes the music of his people, having devoted thousands of hours in his career to keep the Afro-Caribbean flame alive.
Santos - Skin to Skin is a celebratory portrait of John Santos, whose role in playing music is as important as his documenting it. It's how we learn "who we are," and "the basics about life." This portrait and music documentary is sure to inspire you to learn more about international music, or at the very least, to get up and dance.
75 minutes.
Dustin O'Halloran, Herdis Stefánsdóttir Debut 'The Essex Serpent'
Composers Dustin O’Halloran and Herdís Stefánsdóttir bring a little bit of Icelandic influence to their score for Apple TV+'s English gothic drama, The Essex Serpent. Life partners and now first-time collaborators, O’Halloran (American pianist/composer) and Stefánsdóttir (Icelandic composer) push past the stereotypical confines of a Victorian period piece by using electro acoustics and reverberating strings to create a unique, multidimensional landscape.
Their freedom to experiment with sound was encouraged by the series' director, Clio Bernard (Ali & Ava, The Selfish Giant), who was already a fan of the duo's individual work. Complimenting each other's strengths in a way that feels more intimate than most other TV scores, O’Halloran and Stefánsdóttir explored subjects like fear of the unknown, the constant conflict between science and religion, and the complexity of superstition. What results is a soundtrack that is rich in emotional depth.
Cinemacy is proud to premiere “Fata Morgana” from The Essex Serpent, below:
The Essex Serpent is based on the 2016 novel by Sarah Perry and stars Claire Danes and Tom Hiddleston. Set in 1800s England, the series follows London widow Cora Seaborne (Danes) who moves to Essex to investigate reports of a mythical serpent. She forms a surprising bond of science and skepticism with the local pastor (Hiddleston), but when tragedy strikes, locals accuse her of attracting the creature.
“This was our first collaboration together as composers," says O’Halloran and Stefánsdóttir. "Even though it was a period piece set in the late 1800s, we took a modern approach to the music and how we wrote and recorded it, accentuating the sound of the wood and bow of the strings, and we went deep into capturing the sound limits of the cello and electro-acoustic manipulation.”
O’Halloran and Stefánsdóttir both come to The Essex Serpent with their own impressive history of work. Notable recognition for O'Halloran includes writing the Emmy-winning main title theme to Amazon’s Transparent and receiving multiple nominations (Oscar, Golden Globe, and BAFTA) for the Dev Patel-starring drama Lion. Stefánsdóttir recently won the 2022 Icelandic Music Award for her score to the FX series Y: The Last Man, in addition to receiving a nomination for her score in Ry Russo-Young’s feature film, The Sun Is Also a Star.
Lakeshore Records is releasing 'The Essex Serpent' Original Series Soundtrack on Friday, June 10th.
'Neptune Frost' Is a Boldly Imagined Afrofuturist Sci-fi Musical
Where to watch: 'Neptune Frost' opens in Los Angeles this Friday. Now playing at the Quad and BAM in NYC.
At its core, Neptune Frost is an Afrofuturist, utopian, sci-fi musical (how's that for descriptive adjectives?). Co-directors Anisia Uzeyman and multi-disciplinary artist Saul Williams create visual and tonal poetry in this electric feature film, backed by incredibly passionate performances and musical numbers. It's a boldly imagined film that requires an attentive, open-minded audience. If that is you, then keep reading, because you're in for quite a ride.
Neptune Frost is executive produced by Lin-Manuel Miranda (tick, tick...BOOM!) and Stephen Hendel (Finding Fela). The film explores themes of exploitation, corruption, and politics through mesmerizing song and dance. Set in the East African country of Burundi, the coal miners that make up the working class use music to express their frustration with the authoritarian regime while simultaneously forming a sense of community with fellow salt of the Earth folk. "There's energy in pairing" is a common saying, meaning that banding together with their community is the only way to survive.
This proves true for a group of coltan miners who manage to escape and set up refuge in what can be described as an eclectic e-waste dump. Covered in technical equipment and wires, they are literally and figuratively connected to each other. However, things get thrown off course when an intersex runaway and a former coltan miner connect, resulting in a short circuit throughout the ominous "Motherboard" that is their society.
Reading between the lines (or, in this case, computer code) shows a familiar David vs Goliath tale from a futuristic, avant-garde perspective. William has his own history of creating boundary-pushing art, including publishing five books of poetry, releasing six albums, and collaborating with artists including Janelle Monae, Trent Reznor, Nas, Massive Attack, and Erykah Badu. It's no surprise that the music of Neptune Frost is absolutely dynamic and eclectic.
Beyond being an amalgamation of art, color, sound, and images, Neptune Frost also switches between Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, Swahili, French, and English languages throughout the film. Its 105-minute runtime spans entire states of being: between past and present, dream and waking life, colonized and free, male and female, memory and prescience. Its maximalist and unrestrained vision shows a world where all can live free. That's absolutely something worth singing and dancing about.
105 minutes. Distributed by Kino Lorber.
Composer Dominik Scherrer Drops Title Track from 'The Tourist'
Out of his studio in Spitalfields, London, Dominik Scherrer creates a spacious, other-worldly sound that feels far removed from any remnants of city life. The Emmy-nominated composer’s soundtrack to the six-part HBO Max series The Tourist is a sonic escape from our daily lives as he transports us to the Australian outback with slow-burning guitar melodies and layered choral vocals.
Dominik’s approach to this score was to bring the Australian desert to life, and he did so by highlighting acoustic elements like solo strings and guitars, choir, and electronically-processed percussion. Masterfully mixed, the end result is a fresh and brilliantly diverse score. The Tourist soundtrack will be released this Friday both in standard stereo and Dolby Atmos format (the latter being recommended for an optimal, fully immersive experience).
Cinemacy is thrilled to premiere “The Tourist” from The Tourist, below:
Jamie Dornan (Belfast, The Fall) stars as a nameless traveler who attempts to rebuild his life after being run off the road in a brutal car chase and, consequently, wiping his memory. Set in Australia, The Tourist is a character-driven thriller series that sees Dornan attempt to rediscover who he is. As he searches for answers about his identity, he has to contend with merciless figures from his past pursuing him.
“There are two major roles in The Tourist score," says Dominik Scherrer. "It’s almost a kind of yin and yang concept. One is the dark and brooding, unnerving one, with processed solo strings, in particular cello solos, processed vocals played through guitar amplifiers, some slowed down as well as chopped up elements. The other side is the lyrical one. I was inspired by early 19th-century hymns - I felt there was an unwritten religious tone to the script."
In addition to his TV scores, which include the Netflix/ BBC series The Serpent, Dominik also produces sound design and composition for fine art installations, most notably for artist Suki Chan. As a composer/director, he is developing a new kinetic opera for the screen called 'Hell For Leather’, which premiered at Sundance and went on to win him 10 awards.
Dubois Records is releasing the 'The Tourist' Original Soundtrack on Friday, May 20th. Pre-save here.
Karl Frid Shares Track From NEON's 'Pleasure'
An unconventional film calls for an unconventional score. Swedish composer Karl Frid creates a genre-blending soundscape, which acts as a disruption of predictability, in director Ninja Thyberg's very NSFW film, Pleasure. One could assume a film of this sexual magnitude would include fairly stereotypical syncs–slow jams like Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" or porno groove music of the 70s come to mind almost immediately. But what Frid delivers reverberates with such artistry and angelic grace, it's obvious that Pleasure offers a different and refreshing view on an industry previously dominated by men.
A choir of layered, operatic voices (vocalized by Caroline Gentele) swells into an anthemic theme song in “Una Gioia Sempre Viva”, the latest track to be released from the Original Motion Picture Score. This sacred opera juxtaposes the images of overt sexual exploration and provides an interesting contrast in perception, specifically the dichotomy in how the main character views herself vs how men and society see her.
Cinemacy is thrilled to premiere “Una Gioia Sempre Viva” from Pleasure, below:
Starring Sofia Kappel as 19-year-old aspiring porn star Bella Cherry, Pleasure is a journey into the Los Angeles porn industry through the lens of a confident young woman, who is determined to reach a level of stardom at any cost.
Karl knew that he not only wanted–but needed–to attach his name to such a bold and provocative film. He says, “The female gaze on the working conditions from within this huge industry that no one wishes to speak about, let alone even acknowledge the existence of, was as liberatingly upfront and honest as provoking. I aimed to arrive at a musical universe that was not judgmental or too revealing, a process made in close collaboration with director Ninja Thyberg. The making of the film and the score has been a long journey and I’m very excited to finally share this music with the rest of the world.”
Karl Frid brings with him an admirable and vast knowledge of music, ranging from classical and jazz to Latin, hip-hop, and pop music. Frid studied classical music, with an emphasis on trombone, at the Royal College of Music in London before studying Afro-Cuban music in Havana. He is currently a member of the Swedish Latin group Calle Real, the Swedish jazz group Platina Jazz (performing original arrangements of Japanese anime music), and was a touring member of the Swedish jazz-electronica duo Koop.
'Pleasure' opens in select theaters in New York and Los Angeles this Friday, May 13. Special Q&A events with Ninja Thyberg are planned for both Los Angeles (Nuart) and New York (Angelika) following select screenings of the film.
Milan Records is releasing the 'Pleasure' Original Motion Picture Score on Friday, May 13th. Pre-order here.
'The Innocents' Bends From Coming of Age Drama to Supernatural Thriller
Where to watch: 'The Innocents' opens this Friday, May 13 at Laemmle Royal and Laemmle's Playhouse 7.
Screenwriter Eskil Vogt is stepping out from behind his recent Oscar-nominated screenplay (The Worst Person in the World) and into the spotlight as a director for the first time since 2014. Eight years after his directorial debut Blind, Vogt's reintroduction as a multi-talented filmmaker is a bold one as he channels an atmospheric and darkly surreal coming-of-age story in the Norwegian film, The Innocents.
It's often said that babies are born good; free from bias, hatred, and general erratic impulses. In a slightly contradictory stance, Vogt himself states, "I think kids are beyond good and evil, or rather, before good and evil. But I don't think children are little angels, that people are born pure. I think children are born without any sense of empathy or morals, we have to teach them that."
No matter where you personally lean on the spectrum, it's still alarming to witness seven-year-old Ida (Rakel Lenora Fløttum) sneakily abuse her older sister Anna (Alva Brynsmo Ramstad), who suffers from a type of "regressive autism." Unable to use words to communicate her pain–from forearm pinches to broken glass in tennis shoes–it's heartbreaking to watch Ida be so mean. But why is she acting out in the first place? One thought is her aggression is misplaced frustration at her family's decision to move into a new apartment complex, new school district, and forgoing any summer plans due to her father's hectic work schedule.
With nothing but time on her hands, curious Ida spends her sunny summer afternoons taking Anna outside, only to ditch her and explore the grounds of the apartment complex alone. This is where she meets Ben (Sam Ashraf), a boy a little older than herself. He is mysterious but troubled, as if a dark cloud looms over him constantly.
While Ida and Ben are busy making mischief, another young apartment-dwelling neighbor, Aisha (Mina Yasmin Bremseth Asheim), takes up a special friendship with Anna, seemingly able to understand what the non-verbal girl is saying. In fact, when the four of them are together, they are able to conjure up supernatural abilities that start off innocent enough but end up taking a deadly turn. It's all very suspicious.
It isn't long before the four children unite and when they do, the film seemingly shifts tone from coming-of-age drama to supernatural thriller. In a haunting display of childhood trauma being expressed by four 7–11 year-olds, The Innocents genre-bends to a disturbing degree. Beware, the animal cruelty alone is enough to make you shudder.
The Innocents isn't a traditional horror film, but more like the genre's dark and twisted cousin. Using child actors as protagonists, a minimal score, and haunting imagery, The Innocents is a hard pill to swallow but it will no doubt leave a lasting impression. Vogt–who has been a constant collaborator with filmmaker Joachim Trier–is certainly making a name for himself as a director to watch with this whiplash of a title.
1h 57m. Distributed by IFC Midnight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm45yGSwArY&feature=youtu.be
'Montana Story' Makes Amends On The Great Plains
Our ‘Montana Story’ review was first published as part of our Toronto International Film Festival 2021 coverage.
Where to watch: 'Montana Story' opens this Friday, May 13th at the Landmark in West Los Angeles and AMC Sunset 5.
Extending an olive branch of forgiveness proves difficult when the past feels impossible to confront in Scott McGehee and David Siegel's Montana Story. A story of radical acceptance set on the vast Americana plains (with a similar aesthetic to this year's Best Picture winner Nomadland), Montana Story is a richly layered familial drama that will leave audiences thinking about the importance of making amends before it's too late.
Estranged half-siblings Erin (Haley Lu Richardson) and Cal (Owen Teague) are forced to make overdue reconciliations when they end up face-to-face with one another at their family ranch to be with their dying father, with whom both have complicated relationships. The distressing circumstances of the occasion do not make for an ideal reunion; the presence of a hospice nurse (Gilbert Owuor) is hard to accept and the added stress of impending bankruptcy has Cal on edge, but the unconditional love that binds a family together proves too strong to break as brother and sister work to make amends, better late than never.
The sweeping Montana skyline is the backdrop to on-the-ground resentment and heartache and is wonderfully crafted by directors Scott McGehee and David Siegel, photographed by cinematographer Giles Nuttgens, and further illustrated through editor Isaac Hagy's keen eye for dramatic storytelling. The juxtaposition between the beautiful and ethereal nature of the environment and the gritty emotional distress of its lead actors in Teague and Richardson gives the film palpable tension. Both young actors give compelling and complex performances that will tug on your heartstrings throughout the duration of its nearly two-hour runtime and will reward you with a smile at the end.
Set to an original score by singer/songwriter Kevin Morby, Montana Story is, at its core, a film about embracing change and encouraging personal growth. Let go of the resentment that no longer serves you and focus on the beauty of life in the present moment. Because once that moment passes, we can't get it back.