'The Sunlit Night' Sees Jenny Slate Confronting the Crossroads of Life in Unending Daylight
Quick Take: Jenny Slate's dry humor and natural charisma make The Sunlit Night an enjoyable watch with a deep impact if you go in with an open mind.
The last time a movie was set in a Nordic country where the sun never set, a violent Pagan cult (and jilted girlfriend) wreaked havoc in horror master Ari Aster's Midsommar. Eternal sunshine seems like the perfect breeding ground for confronting demons and facing the unknown. In director David Wnendt's The Sunlit Night, Jenny Slate plays a struggling artist who faces her own personal horror on the idyllic Scandinavian coast– the fear of not living up to her full potential.
Francis (Slate) is struggling. Fresh off of a breakup, her sister announces she's engaged, her parents announce their plans to divorce, and the Japanese artist-in-residency program she dreamt about falls through. With nothing to lose, she accepts an apprenticeship with Nils (Fridtjov Såheim), a straightlaced Norwegian master painter in the Northern islands of Norway. Meeting his expectations proves challenging, but it's the tough love Francis needs to push her out of her comfort zone. Throughout her time on the island, she also meets an eccentric ex-pat who has dedicated his life to Viking re-enactments (Zach Galifianakis) and a New Yorker (Alex Sharp) who has come to give his father a proper and historical Norwegian burial. Through all of their interactions, Frances comes to realize that in death, and in this case the death of her expectations, is where true freedom lives.
Jenny Slate's dry humor and natural charisma make The Sunlit Night an enjoyable watch with a deep impact if you go in with an open mind. The Norwegian landscape is jaw-droppingly beautiful and juxtaposed nicely with the film's soundtrack curated by music supervisor Dan Wilcox. The Sunlit Night, based on the book of the same name by author Rebecca Dinerstein Knight, played at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival.
Quiver Distribution will release The Sunlight Night on VOD this Friday, 7/17.
Spend Your Summer Nights at the Tribeca Drive-In
One of the perks of living in Los Angeles is the summer movie season when we roll out the blankets, pour a glass of wine, and watch films under the stars. If you've ever been to Cinespia or similar outdoor screening events, you know that it's a feeling unlike any other. While the 2020 summer season is undoubtedly still in flux (will Tenet come out or not?), Tribeca has curated a one of a kind experience with their summer Drive-In series.
Throughout the entirety of July, the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena will be hosting multiple films per day, ranging from cult classics like The Goonies and Do The Right Thing to last week's latest NEON release Palm Springs. In addition to the films, the series will feature some surprise elements including special filmmaker and talent introductions, live stand-up comedy, new teasers of upcoming releases, and more.
Incredible lineup aside, Tribeca is also using this platform as a way to give back to the community during these monumental times. For every ticket purchased, a percentage of proceeds will be donated to the Black Lives Matter organization, and by engaging vendors and restaurants across the country, the Tribeca Drive-In series is truly a community effort that will help support local businesses in communities nationwide.
Programming schedule and ticketing information can be found at www.tribecafilm.com.
See you at the movies, from 6ft away, of course!
Tribeca Drive-In Series Lineup
JOHN WICK – Thursday, July 16 at 04:15 PM
THE DARK KNIGHT – Thursday, July 16 at 07:45 PM
MEAN GIRLS - Friday, July 17 at 05:30 PM
SUPERBAD – Friday, July 17 at 08:45 PM
THE GOONIES – Saturday, July 18 at 12:30 PM
BE WATER – Saturday, July 18 at 04:30 PM
STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON – Saturday, July 18 at 08:00 PM
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS – Sunday, July 19 at 04:30 PM
WONDER WOMAN – Sunday, July 19 at 08:00 PM
MEET THE PARENTS – Thursday, July 23 at 05:00 PM
MEET THE FOCKERS – Thursday, July 23 at 08:30 PM
GIRLS TRIP – Friday, July 24 at 05:00 PM
BRIDESMAIDS – Friday, July 24 at 08:30 PM
THE LEGO MOVIE – Saturday, July 25 at 01:00 PM
INSIDE MAN – Saturday, July 25 at 05:00 PM
DO THE RIGHT THING - Saturday, July 25 at 08:15 PM
PEE-WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE - Sunday, July 26 at 05:30 PM
BEETLEJUICE – Sunday, July 26 at 08:45 PM
The Sound! The Color! 'We Are Little Zombies' Will Get All Of Your Senses Tingling
Bursting at the brim with color and sound, director Makoto Nagahisa's debut feature is one of the most imaginative and fun films of the year.
It's no surprise why We Are Little Zombies won the World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Originality at this year's Sundance Film Festival. Like an addictive video game come to life and bursting at the brim with color and sound, We Are Little Zombies is one of the most imaginative and fun films of the year. The protagonists may be dead inside, but I have never felt more alive than after watching this film.
We Are Little Zombies tells the story of four orphaned Japanese teens Hikari (Keita Ninomiya), Ikuko (Sena Nakajima), Ishi (Satoshi Mizuno), and Takemura (Mondo Okumura) who are void of emotion. It doesn't matter that their parents died in horrible ways - car crash, suicide, fire, and murder - the teens have never grieved, never even shed a tear. They decide that their new normal, which is now without authority, is a lifestyle they enjoy and with their newfound sense of freedom, decide to form a pop-electro band. What else would one do?
The teens' nonchalant attitudes give the film its darkly humorous energy and combined with the technically advanced camera movements and overly decadent and intricate sets, We Are Little Zombies is a cinematic feat. It's like Edgar Wright's Scott Pilgrim vs the World or a Wes Anderson film on acid. Hats off to Makoto Nagahisa, who not only directed the film but is also credited as the screenwriter and contributed the music. I would love to spend a day inside his brain.
With a runtime of two hours, We Are Little Zombies borders on a style-induced overdose that can leave more unadventurous viewers with a slight hangover, but that's a risk worth taking.
Oscilloscope Laboratories with release the film this Friday, July 10th on VOD.
If You Miss Your Local Dive Bar, Watch 'Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets'
I remember going out to bars, oh how I took those nights for granted.
In this current COVID-19 world, the simple pleasure of making small talk with a bartender or cheers-ing with new friends are only fond memories now. Filling the cinematic void of going out to a bar is the Sundance selected Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets, a hidden gem that gives you the feeling of debauchery, togetherness, and nostalgia from the comfort of your couch (and best viewed with a Gin & Tonic in hand).
It's 10:59 AM and the Roaring 20s Cocktail Lounge in a Las Vegas strip mall is in full swing, bittersweetly celebrating their last day in business. A local favorite among misfits and loners, the dedicated patrons consider the dimly lit, smoke-filled bar their safe haven. Society may not accept them, but at Roaring 20s, they're loved for who they are. As day turns into night, the small talk among bartenders and customers turn into more drunken, heartfelt conversations as they pay homage to the friends and memories made throughout the bar's long history. People sharing their stories of vulnerability and uncertainties are not only relevant in this current moment, but it also taps into our universal, timeless desire for comfort. For a film about a dive bar, Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets is so much deeper than I expected.
Directed by Bill and Turner Ross, the reason why Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets is a hidden gem is because of its cinéma vérité style within the subject matter. This unconventional mumblecore is so believable, and it's ensemble cast so terrific, it's as if we're watching a documentary. At certain moments you can even see the cameraman's reflection in the bar's many mirrors, adding to the loose, docu-style. In other instances, you can see the lavalier mic attached to a character's shirt. I'm not sure if these sightings were intentional, but it works for this film.
The stale, sticky, smoked filled image of the Roaring 20s Cocktail Lounge brings back memories of a time pre-COVID-19 when a night out meant a night of possibility. But all good things must come to an end, and Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets is an uplifting ode to the good times. It was fun while it lasted.
Special nationwide virtual event screenings will be held for National Dive Bar Day today, July 8th, benefiting USBG Foundation's Bartender Emergency Assistance Program.
Utopia Films will release Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets on Friday, July 10th, via Alamo Drafthouse and others.
Herzog Reveals That You Can Literally Choose Your Family, in 'Family Romance, LLC'
Romance is a business in Werner Herzog's latest, Family Romance, LLC.
Inspired by the phenomenon of renting actors to act as stand-ins during important events in the lives of their clients, the real-life Japanese company Family Romance has capitalized on a very niche market. "Family rentals" sound insane – because they are – but Herzog humanizes this need for connection and compassion. In one scenario, a single mother rents a father, played by Family Romance's founder Yuichi Ishii, to have an ongoing relationship with her preteen daughter Mahiro (Mahiro Tanimoto). Mahiro never met her real father, and this gives her the opportunity to feel a father's love, even if it's fabricated. The intention behind this rental is sweet, but things become more unsettling when actors are hired to play paparazzi for a wannabe social media influencer looking for fame, or a rail worker renting a stand-in to accept a reprimanding lecture by his boss. The whole thing is so bizarre but we can't look away.
A self-proclaimed return to "his filmmaking as a young man," Family Romance, LLC has the aesthetic and authenticity of a documentary, it shocked me to discover that this is actually scripted. Leaning towards mumblecore, even. We're not getting any classic Herzog narration here or spontaneous moments, although it may feel like it, this film is pure fiction (although the human for hire agency is, in fact, very real). This directorial approach creates what feels like a documentary/soap opera hybrid, bringing up a mixture of emotions that range from intrigue to uneasiness to fascination.
Family Romance is in the business of creating illusions to make their clients' lives better. However, those lines become blurred when real emotions start to develop, and "acting the part" starts becoming more harmful than helpful. By the end of the film, Herzog begs the question: How much is "fake" sometimes necessary for human survival?
Now streaming on MUBI.
'John Lewis: Good Trouble' Highlights a Congressman's Life of Fighting For Civil Rights
It's hard for me to understand why anyone would want to go into politics; the corruption, power trips, and inflated egos seem like enough frustration to turn any sane person away.
But seeing pictures of a 21-year-old Bernie Sanders protesting at a civil rights demonstration in 1963, and a young John Lewis – the subject of this film – marching with Martin Luther King Jr. from Selma to Montgomery in 1965, reminds me that there are some people who get into politics for pure reasons: to fulfill a life-calling to ensure liberty and justice for all. Directed by Dawn Porter, John Lewis: Good Trouble is a fascinating documentary that acts as a highlight reel of the career of Democratic Congressman John Lewis.
You may know the 80-year-old civil rights activist from his fight to end voter suppression (or his viral "Happy" dance), but even if his name is unfamiliar, after watching this film, John Lewis is one name you'll never forget. John speaks to the camera as he recalls life-changing moments throughout his 60-year (and counting) political career. There are moments when he watches footage from the 1965 Selma march and his jaw drops – apparently, he has never seen some of these images before. It's a powerful moment made even stronger with original compositions from musician Tamar-kali. High ranking political players, including Hillary Clinton and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, discuss John's vital contributions to social activism and echo the sentiment that he's an effective leader because he's lived through harrowing racial injustice.
His dedication to fighting a cause bigger than himself is inspirational, especially at this very moment. Keep protesting, don't be afraid to get into a little "good trouble," and most importantly, register to vote.
Help Register Voters In Areas With Voter Suppression:
Magnolia Pictures and Participant will release John Lewis: Good Trouble on-demand this Friday, July 3.
Maya Korn Shares Her Tips For Success as an Independent Producer
A UK/German native, Maya Korn has produced in Beijing, New York, Mexico City, and London. Prior to this, she moonlighted in marketing (The Weinstein Company; BBC and Film Society of Lincoln Center) before landing in the female content space (Refinery 29 & Maven Pictures). She is a Columbia University Creative Producing MFA Graduate ’19 & WIF Creative Producing Mentorship Program ‘20. Through her company, MHK Productions, she focuses on uncovering stories in the genre space that give a voice to minorities and highlight political issues.
What/Who inspires you, both professionally and personally?
For "the what" professionally, I’m inspired by great storytelling.
Personally, I’m super inspired by 80s goth/punk counter-culture aesthetic. I love the photos from that time and haunting music.
For "the who" professionally, I’m very inspired by producer Christine Vachon. Her first company was a scrappy non-profit inspired by the anti-Hollywood New York scene and her next, Killer Films, made my all-time favourite movies (Kids, Party Monster, Boys Don’t Cry). Her projects are queer, feminist, say something, and she is known for being uncompromising in protecting the director’s vision. Christine’s work has had a huge influence on my taste and approach (her book Shooting to Kill is under my pillow), sharpening skills I learned in the immersive theater.
For "the who" personally, I’m really inspired by the Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Arden. I was lucky enough to see her speak once and she’s such a powerhouse. I hope she’ll inspire more women to go into politics all over the world.
Director or studio you'd love to work with?
I would LOVE to work with Floria Sigismondi. Her ethereal music videos for Marilyn Manson and Björk had a deep effect on teenage Maya. I have always been attracted to macabre stories and I’m sure digesting Floria’s work is why.
Floria has evolved, directing The Handmaid’s Tale, The Runaways movie; fashion, and branded content videos while maintaining a photographic career. I’d love to work with a creative multivalent like her.
Studio wise, it’s not exactly a studio but I’d love to work with A24. They represent the new generation of storytelling I just adore. I’m sure every bright-eyed filmmaker says that though.
Can you describe your first experience in the industry?
My first experience in the industry was when, at 16, my high school told me I had to do a ‘work placement’. I already knew I wanted to be in film, just not in what capacity. After some begging emails, I somehow landed at Richard Curtis’s incredible company Working Title as a runner, one of the biggest and brightest in the UK. I remember running around Soho delivering things for Pride and Prejudice with Keira Knightley which was their big upcoming release. I thought this was so cool and had no idea what I was doing.
Three takeaway lessons for aspiring independent producers?
Perseverance! It takes time and a bit of luck to build your network and skillset. It took me 10 years to go it on my own fully.
Become a "Yes" person! Get involved, say yes to random job opportunities and, if you can afford it, some free work. It’s important to understand what good and bad sets feel like as you’ll probably end up putting them together and what different people do. As well as building your network.
Read everything! Our business is storytelling so you should be up on books, new scripts, articles, epic poems, anything with interesting IP.
Who you know vs What you know are both important for success in this industry. In your experience, have you seen one outweigh the other? And, how important is getting a degree in the field of work you're in?
I think it’s a balance of both. If you’re super connected but don’t know how to do the job you say you do, word will spread and people won’t want to work with you. I’m not really a ‘fake it till you make it’ kinda gal. If it’s my first time producing something, like a branded content piece, I would ask people I know who’ve produced that before to give me the rundown on what to expect and how it’s different from film.
I don’t think having a film degree is the be-all and all, most people in the UK learn on set. For me, my Creative Producing MFA at Columbia was an invaluable resource that transformed me from a cinephile to someone who knew technically what she was doing. Also, the alumni network is incredible. You always bump into alums at festivals and share a kindred spirit as you were in the trenches together. Film degrees are highly expensive and a privilege though and there are so many great resources and panels [outside the school system]. Check out No Film School, NY Women Filmmakers, Shooting People, WIFT, Etheria (for women in horror), Film Independent, IFP, NALIP (for Latin Filmmakers), and many more.
Have you been working while in quarantine? If so, what's been a normal day in your life?
I’ve not exactly been working in quarantine, I guess it depends on how you define working, is it for pay for example. My day incorporates a lot more self-care and hobbies than it used too. I wake up, meditate with the Calm App, and pull a tarot card to see how my day is looking. Then I check my emails, I have some shorts doing the festival circuit so there may be some admin to do with that. I’m also researching and giving notes on a couple of features I have in development and I may watch a Zoom panel related to how the industry is coping with COVID-19.
Then the other half of my day is doing on an online class usually to do with witchcraft- I’ve been getting very into my witch practice in quarantine or reading a book, a luxury I didn’t have before since I was reading endless scripts. Then I may do a Zoom happy hour with friends I haven’t seen and finish my night watching an alien movie which relates to research for the feminist alien feature we have in early development.
There aren’t really guidelines on how to resume a short film or micro-budget feature production safely. I’ve seen some for projects over a million dollars and heard about 3 person crew docs, music videos, and branded content shoots, so my work is basically in limbo for now.
Any new projects on the horizon?
Most likely nothing till next year when we have disease-safe shooting guidelines! I have, as I mentioned, this micro-budget feminist alien movie in development that we’d love to shoot next year in New Mexico with fab director Vivienne Vaughn; a short called Becoming (dir. Alexandra Velasco) that looks at inequality and class struggle in the Mexican American community after a privileged young boy mistakenly kills his nanny; a double identity ghost story that will be shot between Virginia and Morocco (dir. Yossera Bouchtia); an anthology feature based around phobias, the brainchild of director Sydney Brafman called Tiny Terrors; a mad horror musical; a Fox Digital Halloween short; a top-secret multi-million dollar feature and so many more!
'Shoplifters' Director is Back With His Next Dysfunctional Family Film, 'The Truth'
After receiving critical acclaim for his Palme d'Or-winning feature Shoplifters at Cannes in 2018, director Hirokazu Kore-eda is back with another mesmerizing tale of emotionally turbulent familial dysfunction, in The Truth (La Vérité).
This time, we're transported to Paris and into the mansion of the famed Parisian actress Fabienne Dangeville (Catherine Deneuve), a self-absorbed, aging icon who is unwilling to accept responsibility for questionable choices she has made throughout her life. These choices are purposefully omitted from her new memoir, which frustrates her daughter Lumir (Juliette Binoche), who flew with her husband (Ethan Hawke) and daughter from New York to celebrate the book's release. Although resistant to engage with Lumir's questioning, Fabienne is eventually forced to confront the white lies she's told herself throughout her life in order to deal with certain unbearable truths
Aware that her career is beginning to wind down, Fabienne's first line of defense is to belittle others to feel superior. Her entitlement is apparent on the set of her latest film, which also acts as a vehicle that allows her to work through her past. Her obvious jealousy towards her much younger co-star is petty, and also terribly sad. Fabienne is terrified of being considered "washed up," and while she acts tough on the exterior, she's really just overcompensating for a bruised ego and shrinking confidence. Lumir's presence brings out Fabienne's moody side, but it's ultimately the catalyst that was needed for true self-reflection.
Expertly crafted by Hirokazu Kore-eda, The Truth is a sensitively told story that never villainizes Fabienne, even when a case can be made against her terribly selfish ways. There is a warmth that radiates from the actors, all of whom offer sensational performances. Legendary Catherine Deneuve and Juliette Binoche play against each other perfectly, and Ethan Hawke is a fantastic supporting character. Once again, Hirokazu Kore-eda shows that family dysfunction is normal and can be sorted out if the bonds that tie them together come from a loving place.
IFC Films is releasing The Truth (La Vérité) on VOD this Friday, July 3rd.
'Suzi Q' Review: All Hail Suzi Quatro, the Overlooked Queen of Rock & Roll
"Drawn to the Light" is for Fans of Sigur Rós and We've Got The Exclusive
These days, it seems as if we're paddling upstream a river of uncertainty, doing our best doggy-paddle to stay afloat (or maybe that's just me). The relentlessness can feel overwhelming, but it's in these moments when a song can become more than just a few chords strung together; a simple song has the power to transform into an emotionally charged life raft that gets us through tough times. LA-based composer Jeff Cardoni (The Kominsky Method, Silicon Valley) has just released one such life raft with "Drawn to the Light," the first track off of his upcoming EP Nuovo Futuro, which will be available for purchase and streaming on July 24th.
Stream “Drawn to the Light” here: https://distrokid.com/
“I wanted to write a piece of music that would guide the listener away from the cacophony and chaos of our current world,” says Cardoni, describing his inspiration behind the new single. “I believe music can unite the human condition in the darkest times and lift the spirit towards better times ahead.”
"Drawn to the Light" is a minimalist's dream, comprised of only electric guitars and a string quintet – two violas, two celli, and upright bass – playing in a lower tonality. The slow build throughout the 3-minute song is as delicate as it is beautiful. If you're drawn to the mysticism of Sigur Rós (my Icelandic dream band), Explosions In The Sky, or Max Richter, you'll find warmth in Cardoni's similar sound.
If "Drawn to the Light" is any indication, then Nuovo Futuro will have a "less is more" purity to it. Sometimes the most beautiful things are the simplest.
'Disclosure' Review: Discussing Harmful Trans Depictions in Media
According to a GLAAD survey, about 80% of Americans don't know a trans person. Even more unfortunate, most of their knowledge about the trans community comes from the media (aka not the best for unbiased portrayals). Mrs. Doubtfire, The Silence of the Lambs, Yentel, Dallas Buyers Club, and Boys Don't Cry are just a handful of the divisive films discussed in the Netflix documentary Disclosure, an urgent showing of the problematic representation of trans people on-screen.
Interviews with Laverne Cox (Orange Is the New Black), Lilly Wachowski (dir. The Matrix), Yance Ford (dir. Strong Island), Mj Rodriguez (Pose, Rent), Jamie Clayton (Sense8), and Chaz Bono (writer, musician, actor) all shed light on how they navigated their specific journey through Hollywood. Growing up, many expressed their feelings of being torn between hopefulness when seeing a trans character on-screen and fear when said trans character is met with disgust, visceral reactions, and abuse. Recalling painful moments in the industry, they express that the sensitivity of laughing "with" these characters vs laughing "at" them is a very thin line. It's telling that despite the film industry existing for well over 100 years, one of the only positive reinforcements of a trans depiction onscreen is in the 1957 Bugs Bunny episode "What's Opera, Doc." A cartoon got it right in the '50s.
When "being invisible" is considered "a privilege," as many expressed in the documentary, that's a sign that things need to change. Since D.W. Griffith's Judith of Bethulia (1914), Hollywood has been guilty of perpetuating the transgender victim narrative for too long – and we haven't even talked about the self-gratifying shoo-in Oscar or Golden Globe nominations cis men receive for playing trans roles (ahem Jared Leto, Eddie Redmayne, Jeffrey Tambor). In order for social change, we need a fair representation of trans people on screen so we can make a difference off-screen, and with social justice and equality at the forefront of everyone's minds, Disclosure should be considered essential viewing.
Disclosure is available on Netflix this Friday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysbX6JUlaEc
'Babyteeth' Shows When Your Life is Ending, You're Free to Fall in Love With Your Local Drug Dealer
Eliza Scanlen plays a terminally sick teenager who, after accepting that her future has an unfair expiration date, decides to live out one of her last days with her family at the beach.
No, this isn't Greta Gerwig's Little Women (where Scanlen has found herself in this exact scenario before). This is a tender moment from director Shannon Murphy's quirky dramedy, Babyteeth.
This Australian-set, coming-of-age story centers around Milla (Scanlen), a single child to her self-medicating mother (Essie Davis) and therapist father (Ben Mendelsohn). After discovering that her cancer has returned, Milla embraces the You Only Live Once lifestyle by opening up and letting herself fall in love with the town's local drug dealer, Moses (Toby Wallace). His tough-guy exterior doesn't deter Milla from finding the softy inside, and together, Milla and Moses bring out the bold and beautiful in each other.
Babyteeth has an interesting editing cadence to it, reminiscent of a Greek Weird Wave dark comedy. It took me almost forty-five minutes to finally settle into the story, but once I did, I was hooked. The film is an exciting feature-length directorial debut from Shannon Murphy, assisted by strong performances from Ben Mendelsohn and Scanlen, who I hope is able to play a healthy leading lady soon!
The independent arthouse theatre, Arena Cinelounge, will be the first physical movie theater to open in Los Angeles and screen Babyteeth this Friday, June 19th. The film will also stream on VOD.
'Aviva' Breaks–No, Smashes–All Conventions Through the Beauty of Dance
Aviva is a surreal, dance-driven fever dream set against a Jewish-Israeli NYC backdrop of love, loneliness, and the yearning for growth. Breaking the fourth wall immediately and casually addressing this loose and transparent structure with confidence and ease, Aviva shouldn't work. But it does, and wonderfully.
What starts out as a promising long-distance relationship becomes much more complex when French-living Aviva – played by both Zina Zinchenko (and at times by Or Schraiber) – moves to New York City to be with the man she loves, Eden (played by Tyler Phillips, and at times Bobbie Jene Smith). The protagonists, at times, are played by both a man and a woman, interchangeably swapping genders in the middle of scenes. The masculine and feminine qualities within every person are given a physical body here, showing how we all are gender-fluid when it comes to expressing emotions and navigating through life. The rest of the film is just as poignant, including entire scene-long monologues, naked interpretive dance, and beautiful cinematography.
Aviva is a groundbreaking production from Boaz Yakin, who is probably better known as the director of the Denzel Washington football drama Remember The Titians or the Brittany Murphy/Dakota Fanning comedy Uptown Girls. Aviva is nothing – nothing – like his previous work. In fact, I had to do a double-take when I saw his name in the credits. The choreography from former Batsheva Dance Company member and co-star Bobbi Jene Smith is a visionary feat, landing the arthouse Aviva at the top of my favorite films of 2020.
If No Other Film Comes Out This Year, 'Shirley' Might Just Be The Year's Best
Director Josephine Decker returns to Sundance after her award-winning film Madeline’s Madeline with another captivating dramatic entry, Shirley.
Starring an eccentric Elisabeth Moss as famed author Shirley Jackson and the ever-wonderful Michael Stuhlbarg as her husband Stanley Hyman, Shirley tells the story of a young couple, Rose (Odessa Young) and Fred (Logan Lerman), whose life becomes forever changed by the famous horror writer and her college professor husband. After accepting room and board in exchange for household chores and companionship, Rose becomes an accidental muse for Shirley, who spends all day chain-smoking over her typewriter in the musky home office of her large Victorian house.
Decker's signature style of euphoric imagery and layered, complicated female protagonists in control is the film’s strongest calling card. Moss gives a phenomenal performance as a kooky yet brilliant artist whose inner turmoil is a constant battle. Not to be overlooked is Michael Stuhlbarg, who delivers yet another scene-stealing monologue that is almost as memorable as his Call Me By Your Name performance. Beautifully captured by cinematographer Sturla Brandth Grøvlen (Victoria, Wendy), who juxtaposes light and dark to create unforgettable moments and a moody score by composer Tamar-kali, Shirley is a hauntingly powerful film about a strong woman, made by a strong woman.
Shirley is available to rent via virtual cinemas this Friday.
How Else Would Spike Jonze and the Beastie Boys Make Their New Documentary? By Doing It Live
Admittedly, I didn't know much about the Beastie Boys–the iconic punk rock/rap trio from Brooklyn–aside from some of their biggest hits, including (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party). Turns out, 34 years after releasing that ironic frat bro anthem, that's the song Mike "Mike D" Diamond and Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz are the most embarrassed about. In Spike Jonze's live documentary, Beastie Boys Story (now streaming on Apple TV+), the remaining two members take to the stage to share the band's journey through all of its highs and lows, heartbreaks, and made-it moments.
Beastie Boys Story plays like a TED talk, with a slideshow of visuals from the band's early years aiding Mike D and Ad-Rock's energetic and lighthearted storytelling onstage. For a Beastie Boys novice (like me), the stories about their childhood in the early 80s, running around the NY punk scene as a group of misfits, is endearing (and left me slightly envious- how were these 13-year-old boys that cool?) Their evolution from a four-piece (Kate Schellenbach was their original drummer) to collaborating with a college-aged Rick Rueben and eventually opening for Madonna on tour (and earning a whopping $500 a show!), is a trip as we live vicariously through the energetic stories of Mike D and Ad-Rock.
The Beastie Boys were Monty Python as much as they were Black Flag. They embraced the celebrity and had fun with it while it lasted. Mike D and Ad-Rock also make themselves vulnerable as they go into detail about their burnout and, heart-wrenchingly, the decision to stop performing after the death of Adam "MCA" Yauch, who died of cancer in 2012. Beastie Boys was MCA's idea, after all.
For a group whose creative process has been described as "fucking around," Mike D and Ad-Rock emphasize that being themselves, in all of it's wacky and zany glory, is what skyrocketed them to success. That's a lesson we can all live by. When in doubt just think, What Would The Beastie Boys Do?
Beastie Boys Story is now streaming on Apple +