'Max Richter's Sleep' Review: Drift Into Serenity With This Ambient Opus
Today, Friday March 19th, is "World Sleep Day." This is one of the only oddball holidays I'd like to acknowledge not only because it's an excuse to sleep in a couple of extra minutes, but because it also marks the release of Max Richter's Sleep on MUBI.
Max Richter is a composer that I've admired for years. His beautiful, soulfully constructed compositions have scored the cinematic achievements of Ad Astra, Arrival, and Shutter Island, among others. And now, it's Max's turn to step into the spotlight as the star of his own feature film.
Directed by Natalie Johns, Max Richter's Sleep is an arresting look at the infamous performance of his celebrated eight-hour ambient opus "Sleep" at an open-air concert in Los Angeles. Together with his creative partner Yulia Mahr, the documentary explores the genesis of the complex piece, as well as the relationship that his fans have developed to it after spending the night under the stars while Max and company performed it live.
Max Richter's Sleep is not only a groundbreaking composition but also a massively overwhelming physical performance. Running eight hours long (his original performance–not the doc) the "Sleep" composition consists of 204 classical movements and was composed in consultation with American neuroscientist David Eagleman, whose input was to scientifically examine the relationship between music and the subconscious mind during sleep.
Natalie Johns precisely documents the strength that it takes to create the perfect calming atmosphere, all the while emphasizing Richter's mission statement of "stillness and meditation." As the world seems to be swinging from one disastrous news event to the next, Max Richter's Sleep aims to unite all who watch in a collective moment of musical reflection. Celebrate "World Sleep Day"–and every day after–with this spell-binding experience.
Distributed by Dogwoof, 'Max Richter's Sleep' is available to stream on MUBI on Friday, March 19, 2021.
'ON-GAKU: Our Sound' Review: For Lo-Fi Fans and Arthouse Rockers
A star is born in ON-GAKU: Our Sound, the latest release from the much-loved distributor, GKids. Stuck in production for over seven years (which includes over 40,000 hand-drawn frames that were animated almost entirely by director Kenji Iwaisawa), ON-GAKU: Our Sound tells the story of teenage misfits turned rock & rollers who prove that you don't have to be talented to play music–you just have to be passionate (although, having talent definitely helps).
ON-GAKU: Our Sound centers around three friends (including one voiced by Japanese cult singer and multi-instrumentalist Shintaro Sakamoto) who, after growing tired of their rebel misfit image, decide to reinvent themselves as musicians. After strumming the same chords over and over again and beating the drums in the same tempo (clearly lacking any sort of technical skill), the trio promptly decides they're good enough to enter the town's local music festival. What follows when they hit the stage can only be described as a magical musical moment.
With a 70-minute runtime and a minimalist, scratchy 2D animation that immediately feels full of heart, ON-GAKU: Our Sound is a short and sweet watch. Those familiar with Japanese Anime and the modern manga landscape will recognize this story, which was adapted from Hiroyuki Ohashi's most popular manga release. Full of deadpan humor, a buzzy score, and a laconic style reminiscent of Jim Jarmusch, ON-GAKU: Our Sound is a fun, refreshing watch that may even inspire you to pick up a guitar yourself.
Distributed by GKIDS, 'ON-GAKU: Our Sound' is now available to rent on Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime, Blu-Ray, and DVD.
'Stray' Reflection: How To Reach Enlightenment? Live Life Like a Dog
"Human beings live artificially and hypocritically and would do well to study the dog." - Diogenes of Sinope, 360 BC
Elizabeth Lo's Stray is more than just a canine cinéma vérité documentary on the roaming street dogs of Istanbul. Sure, the premise of the film lends itself to comparisons to another one of my recent favorites (Acasa, My Home) in furthering the old adage that you can't tame a wild spirit. But Stray felt bigger than this simple message. Watching Stray (available in virtual Laemmle Theaters this Friday) is to see a pathway towards enlightenment unfold before your eyes, through the actions of very untraditional four-legged teachers.
In general, dogs possess many characteristics of the Buddha: Basic principles of Buddhism include showing unlimited compassion, living in the moment, and wanting little besides survival needs like food, water, and shelter. There are Four Noble Truths that I was taught when I studied Buddhism in college, and after watching this beautiful film, I found that dogs possess them all.
First Noble Truth (Dukkha): Life is Suffering
They say there are two universally unavoidable things in life: death and taxes. For most people, fixating on the fact that they will in fact pass away one day is not a pleasant experience, and so they numb themselves with distractions (albeit mostly positive ones). Focusing on work, creating families, and living out their passions and dreams are all outlets that provide happiness and joy. But this Noble Truth reminds us that this is all temporary. Happiness and joy are temporary, especially when we pin all of our emotional stability on materialistic possessions. This however isn't something that should burden us, as moving through life with the mindset that everything is temporary will only help us to appreciate the beauty (tragic and otherwise) of the present moment.
The dogs in Stray, without even knowing it, embody this Noble Truth perfectly. Of course, they don't think about their inevitable ends because I doubt their consciousness extends that far. To that end, they also don't have expectations of living a "perfect life." To dogs, basking in the sunny spot on the floor or getting a good head scratch brings contentment–and most importantly, is enough.
Second Noble Truth (Samudāya): The Origin of Suffering
To live like a dog is to want little and live in the moment. As one man states in Stray, "Nothing happens to a person who lives day to day." This mindset seems to be in direct opposition to our current culture of future planning and our unnecessary stresses of "want." This Noble Truth is fairly easy to identify in our own lives; social media, capitalism, and the media are all contributing factors that continuously tell us that we're not "enough."
It's an endless cycle of believing that acquiring "that something" will make us happy, buying "that something," realizing "that something" didn't fix our problems, and then holding onto "that something" which becomes clutter in our physical and emotional space. As long as their basic needs are met, dogs are satisfied. Do you see how excited a dog will get when you give them a new toy? Or sneak them a piece of food from your dinner plate? The reason why they get so excited is because they never expect anything. Their lack of vices and desires allows them to avoid expectations and ultimately, any suffering at all.
Third Noble Truth (Nirodha): The Cessation of Suffering
This Noble Truth is about reaching Nirvana, which means living a life free from suffering. Another principle that isn't as comforting is the realization that, ultimately, we are all alone. Moving through life, we are lucky to bond and share love amongst family and friends, and while these relationships should be cherished, they should also be acknowledged for what they truly are: temporary. This may sound shallow and cold, but Buddhists whole-heartedly believe that the practice of unattachment–getting rid of our desire to be liberated from attachment–is the key to reaching Nirvana.
Much like the dogs in the film who move freely through various packs and environments searching for their next moment of serenity, the aspiration to live as unattached to material possessions as possible is the ultimate goal of Buddhism. "Things" will never make us happy, and the sooner we believe this, the sooner we can reach Nirvana.
Fourth Noble Truth (Magga): The Path to the Cessation of Suffering
This Noble Truth acts as a guideline on how to live an enlightened life, known in Buddhism as the "Noble Eightfold Path." Similar to The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, these eight steps are attainable practices that consist of Right Understanding, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration. Living in tandem with the Eightfold Path is the key to a life without suffering.
In Stray, director Elizabeth Lo intuitively (and perhaps unintentionally) shows us how dogs exhibit many admirable qualities of the Buddha. A bit of historical background: Turkey is one of the only countries that has made it illegal to euthanize or hold captive any stray dog, motivating Lo to film this documentary in Istanbul and across Turkey from 2017–2019 to capture this reality. Using street dogs as her subjects, and propelled by an evocative string score from composer Ali Helnwein, Stray is a quiet and highly-meditative depiction of conscious living and contentment in which we could all learn to live a little more freely.
Distributed by Magnolia Pictures, 'Stray' is available in virtual Laemmle Theaters on Friday, March 5, 2021.
Ariel Marx Interview: 'Rebel Hearts' Composer Talks Sonic Experimentation
I had the opportunity to chat with the highly accomplished composer Ariel Marx after the world premiere of the documentary Rebel Hearts at the 2021 virtual Sundance Film Festival.
Directed by Pedro Kos, Rebel Hearts offers a look at Los Angeles's Sisters of the Immaculate Heart, the nuns who challenged the patriarchal conventions of the Catholic Church 50 years ago and are still taking a stand today.
In our exclusive interview, Ariel Marx talks about creating the dynamic and layered score in only one month, the difference between being a composer vs a musician, and the future of remote recording.
Learn more about Ariel Marx here, and stream her new album 'Luthier' here.
'Crestone' Review: SoundCloud Rappers Capture Spiritual Metamorphosis
If you look up Crestone, Colorado on Google Maps, you'll find your pin surrounded by vast desert valleys, rocky mountains, and, if you look real close, clouds of weed smoke coming from a few abandoned, dilapidated shacks. This is Crestone and what might sound like isolation to the highest degree, is considered nirvana to the heavily tattooed group of twenty-something-year-old guys living out their dreams among acres of nothingness.
Set to a psychedelic score from Animal Collective, Crestone is a jivey, avant-garde look at the reality of novice Soundcloud rappers like @highmynamesryan and @champloosloppy who live and work together in the middle of the desert, hoping their big break is around the corner. The monotony of their daily lives is broken up by growing weed and making music that they post on social media, a routine that is skillfully captured by the group's old high school friend, director Marnie Ellen Hertzler.
Crestone is an exciting debut feature release from Hertzler, whose multi-media approach serves as a solid jumping ground into the depths of the human desire for friendship and fame. For eight days and nights, we're absorbed into their post-apocalyptic world, where we're equally awed by the beautiful golden hour light and horrified at the ketchup on ramen noodle dish that constitutes dinner.
Like lost boys out of a storybook, Crestone artfully blurs the lines of fact and fiction (much like social media itself), begging us to question how much we would be willing to physically pay for intangible things like "fame." More than just a profile piece on the hopeful artists of tomorrow, Crestone is a psychologically engaging thought piece about recreating ourselves and living authentically.
Distributed by Utopia, Crestone is now available to rent on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+.
'Jumbo' Review: An Untraditional Love Story About Unrestricted Love
When we feel a desire for someone–or something–are we brave enough to express that love, uninhibited of others’ thoughts?
And what if that something isn’t human at all? But rather, an inanimate object–or in the case of Jumbo–a towering amusement park ride?
In Jumbo, Jeanne (Noémie Merlant), a shy theme park worker, falls in love with a new “attraction” and explores what love means. What’s even more fascinating about this concept is that Jumbo is in fact based on a true story. And while it may sound like a silly premise for a film, Jumbo (the pet-name that Jeanne gives to "The Move It" theme park ride) is actually–somewhat surprisingly–heartfelt, sincere, and emotionally felt.
Zoé Wittock directs the film with such compassion (and sensuality) that you really could substitute "Jumbo” with anything at all and the film would still hold strong as an involving, stimulating movie about forbidden love. But the fact that Jumbo is specifically about this sort of tilt-a-whirl attraction is what gives the film its visual identity, which Wittock uses to highlight its oscillating movement, and kaleidoscopic light design, which Jeanne is succumbed by.
Jumbo really only works because of the lead performance from Noémie Merlant (who audiences will recognize from Portrait of a Lady on Fire). She gives an incredibly vulnerable, yet sincere and committed performance as Jeanne, who we may or may not immediately recognize is suffering from mental health issues (I felt a similarity to Alison Brie’s character in Netflix’s Horse Girl).
And also of note is the committed performance of Emmanuelle Bercot as Jeanne’s mother, who also pushes herself to understand her daughter’s odd expression of love.
While Jumbo is certainly strange in its conceit, it does also show bravery in what committed, true love looks like.
Distributed by Dark Star Pictures, Jumbo is opening in virtual theaters this Friday, February 19, 2021.
'PVT Chat' Review: Exposing the Erotic World of Webcam Connections
Technically, PVT Chat isn't rated. But what I can tell you after watching this sexually-charged dark drama is that it should be rated "B," for "Bold," "Brash," and–let's be honest here–"Boobs." Directed by Ben Hozie, PVT Chat is a low-budget, hyper-realistic look at a dark corner of the online sex industry that unabashedly brings the snuff film into the 21st century. Gaspar Noé, meet your successor.
Peter Vack stars (and bares all) as Jack, a single, NYC-dwelling millennial who passes his days playing online blackjack and chatting with cam girls from his janky apartment. He's a good-looking guy, someone who we wouldn't expect turns to sex workers and erotic masseuses to fulfill his kinks. Then again, this just proves that everyone carries secrets, especially the people we may not expect.
Jack carries out his relationships in both a transactional and superficial manner, but even though his life is lived mostly online, Jack soon finds out that his actions have consequences that extend beyond the computer screen. Reality hits when his daily chats with San Francisco-based dominatrix Scarlet (Julia Fox, Uncut Gems) turn from standard dirty talk to more personal confessions. One night, convinced he's spotted her on the streets of Chinatown, Jack is determined to turn his online fantasy into a real-life relationship.
At its core, PVT Chat is a romantic film about hedonistic freedom and fantasy, littered with vices and eroticism. Shot in a shaky manner reminiscent of the Safdie brothers, the cinematography feels as unstable as its protagonist. That is the point, though, as filmmaker/provocateur Ben Hozie wrote, directed, shot, and edited PVT Chat as a response to society's rigid view of sexual exploration and imagination. Peter Vack carries the film with total vulnerability (and full frontal nudity, including a self-pleasure sequence), and Julia Fox's tenderness and strength play perfectly into Vack's desperate need for human connection.
You've probably gathered by now that PVT Chat won't be for everyone. However, if you're curious to see out a film that will push you to the threshold of your comfort level–and beyond–PVT Chat aims to satisfy.
Distributed by Darkstar Pictures, PVT Chat is now available on-demand.
'Nordic Film Music Days' Celebrates The Year's Top Nordic Composers
Since its inception in 2010, the HARPA Film Composers Award and the Nordic Film Music Days (NFMD) has been a highlight of the Berlin International Film Festival. Since we're still living in a virtual film festival world, the six-day long event has moved online, which is great news for those who have always wanted to sit in on the inner workings of the Nordic film and music scene without paying for a flight to Berlin.
The goal of any composer is to tell a story with sound, and Nordic films are generally known for going directly to core feelings. Each film has a unique sound that is easy to spot, and even easier to get lost in the swirling and dramatic emotions they elicit.
The Nordic Film Music Days kicks off this Saturday, February 13th, and includes screenings of nominated films, a panel conversation with the HARPA nominees, an overview on promotional materials for composers, a seminar on creating sustainable contracts, a panel on creativity, collaboration & working together and breakout rooms for composers & director meetings.
The highlight of the event takes place on Thursday, February 18th, when the crowning of the new HARPA award winner is announced. Over the last two months, national juries from each Nordic country have watched, listened, discussed, and decided which of the 50 submitted scores will proceed as their national nominee.
The 2021 nominees of the HARPA Nordic Film Composers Award include:
Flemming Nordkrog (Denmark) | Shine Your Eyes
Pessi Levanto (Finland) | Psychosia
Hugar aka Bergur Thorisson, Petur Jonsson (Iceland) | The Vasulka Effect
Marcus Paus (Norway) | Torden
Jon Ekstrand (Sweden) | 438 dagar
Past winners include:
2020 Berlin | Gaute Storaas (Norway) | Bröllop, begravning & dop
2019 Berlin | Davíð Þór Jónsson, Benedikt Erlingsson (Iceland)| Woman at war
2018 Berlin| Daníel Bjarnason (Iceland) | Under the Tree
2017 Berlin and Cannes | Sune Martin (Denmark) | Land of Mine
2016 Berlin | Honor award | Johann Johannsson (Iceland)
2016 Berlin | Atli Örvarsson | Rams
All events are free of charge and open to the public.
Register at Nordic Film Music Days.