If you’re like me, you scour over reports from all the film festivals about the newest and latest and greatest in film. We’ve been incredibly lucky to have some awesome coverage of Sundance this year, including this great wrap-up asking whether it’s really worth it. Spoiler alert: it totally is.
While it’s totally normal to question whether a festival like Sundance (or SXSW, which I will be covering for my– gasp! — fifth year for BSR! in March) is still worth it, part of the calculus is how so many of the films get some sort of a release regardless.
It used to be a film was at Sundance, then maybe Telluride, Tribeca, Toronto, then trash heap. If you missed it, you missed it. Unless it’s a major cult hit like “Clerks,” “Reservoir Dogs,” “El Mariachi” or “The Blair Witch Project,” in which case it launches anything from a career in film to hundreds of imitators, and you might be able to find it at Blockbuster.
But just like movie rental chains, distribution models for independent films are changing so rapidly. Like the above mentioned films, it used to be you had to go to Sundance and get picked up by a studio who traffics in indie cinema projects: Miramax, Dimension, Fox Searchlight, etc.
These days with what is known as “day and date releasing,” movies can get shown in theaters for a week or two and make themselves available streaming or via Video on Demand on many cable networks. Many films hit the festival circuit and then get released for those of us not lucky enough to be able to make it to Park City, Austin, etc.
So, here are a few of the best films from the festival circuit from the past year or so that you can check out right now via the interwebs, starting with one that premiered at Sundance just last week.
1. “Mitt” Produced and Directed by Greg Whiteley (New York Doll, Resolved, The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters) Starring Mitt Romney and the rest of the Romney family. Documentary. 94 minutes. Available exclusively on Netflix.
The tagline is, “Whatever side you’re on, see another side.” And so this largely hagiographic documentary attempts to humanize Mitt Romney and reveal what was going on in his mind and his family during his unsuccessful bid for the White House in both 2008 and 2012. Truth, I did see another, more human side of Romney that was absent during his campaign.
But even more revealing is what we didn’t see. No comprehension that he might, in fact, lose to Barack Obama. A man so mired in family-centric groupthink that he can’t understand why people call him a flip-flopper. And someone so rooted in white privilege that, while he pays lip service to his father George Romney to whom he owes everything, he can’t deal with what is so fundamentally wrong with his 47% comment. Or who can’t believe it when he is shut down during the second debate with Obama over his ridiculous Benghazi allegations.
Forget John Travolta — “Mitt” reveals that Mitt Romney is the real boy in the plastic bubble.
It’s sad that this portrayal is so relatively two dimensional when director Whiteley has shown his ability to tell complex stories, like that of Arthur “Killer” Kane in “New York Doll,” a film that this does not even compare to.
For political junkies only: 6 out of 10
If you voted for Romney and think he was robbed: 8 out of 10
If you are LDS and both of the those descriptions apply to you: who am I kidding, you already watched this and it’s like catnip to you.
2. Short Term 12 Written and Directed by Destin Cretton. Starring Brie Larson, John Gallagher, Jr. Drama. 96 minutes. Winner: Grand Jury Prize, Audience Award for Narrative Features SXSW. Available on Amazon
As the trailer explains, “Short Term 12” is the name of a short term government housing facility for adolescents transitioning in or out of rehab, hospitalization, juvie, etc. Grace and Mason try to help the troubled kids who pass through their doors while also navigating the troubles of their own relationship and emotional baggage.
This is the kind of movie tailor-made for a film festival audience. And make sure your have your tissues handy for this one. “Short Term 12” is beautifully acted and might be a little emotionally overwrought except for the light touch employed by the director and actors.
As a big fan of HBO’s “The Newsroom,” I was very pleased to see John Gallagher, Jr in another role. Granted, it’s another strong yet sensitive nice guy role, but why go against type?
7 out of 10
3. Zero Charisma Written by Andrew Matthews. Directed by Katie Graham and Andrew Matthews. Starring Sam Eidson, Anne Gee Byrd, Garrett Graham, Brock England, Cyndi Williams, Vincent Prendergast, Katie Folger. Comedy-Drama. 86 minutes. Winner: Audience Award for Narrative Spotlight SXSW. Available on Amazon streaming.
By far my favorite film to play at SXSW in 2013, “Zero Charisma” ought to be required viewing for geeks. Anyone with a love of tabletop gaming, fantasy role-play, and other permutations of Dungeons and Dragons, Pathfinder, Warhammer, etc, this is your film.
Our main character, Scott, takes his weekly game very seriously. Perhaps too seriously. So when a new player, Miles — a charismatic hipster type — starts playing and rocking the system, Scott goes nerd rage.
The script is funny without being jokey. It’s clever without showing off. It’s emotional without being overbearing. Perfectly balanced, brilliantly acted, especially by the lead Sam Eidson, this film rings true on so many levels. Even if you’re not into D&D but you’re passionate about another area of geekery, this movie should be geek catnip. Especially if you hate hipsters harshing your nerdery.
And at the end we all learn a lesson about maybe not taking everything so seriously. Or maybe the lesson is we should all take it a little more seriously? Just watch. You’ll love.
8 out of 10
4. In a World… Written and Directed by Lake Bell. Starring Lake Bell, Demetri Martin, Fred Malamed, Ken Marino, Tig Notaro, Rob Cordry. Comedy. 93 minutes Winner: Best Original Screenplay at Sundance. Available on DVD/BluRay, Amazon, Google Play
In a world where men dominate the movie trailer voice over industry, a struggling female voice actor (triple threat – writer, director, star Lake Bell) gets the chance of a lifetime to be the voice for the next big franchise movie. Hijinks ensue.
But this movie isn’t about the plot. It’s about the funneh. And the charm of star Lake Bell, who you may have seen on “Children’s Hospital.” Oh, right — a lot of her co-stars from that show end up in this movie. Funny how that happens. It’s great because their chemistry works together.
This is a lot of a fun and a breakout performance for Bell. With a lot of subtext about just how sexist Hollywood continues to be, her jokes are the spoonful of sugar that helps the medicine go down.
7 out of 10
5. Bad Milo: Directed by Jacob Vaughan. Starring Ken Marino, Gillian Jacobs, Peter Stormare, Patrick Warburton, Mary Kay Place, Stephen Root. Horror-Comedy. 85 minutes. Available on DVD/BluRay, Amazon
Did I mention Ken Marino was in “In a World?” Well, he is. He’s also the star of “Bad Milo,” who is the eponymous monster who lives in our protagonist Duncan’s colon. Fed by his stress, when he becomes overwhelmed by rage he erupts from his smelly cocoon and goes out to seek retribution on those who have done poor Duncan wrong.
Similar to other horror comedies, it’s a spiritual sibling to films like “Gremlins.” As a monster (actually a puppet done 100% with practical effects) Milo manages to be both frightening, cute, and extremely gross depending on the puppeteering skills of the people controlling him.
This had one of my favorite murders on screen in recent history which included death by, err. . .dis-“member”-ment. It also had some real pathos. So many of us who have horrible bosses, horrible jobs, family and relationships that stress us out. Let’s not let our stresses and fears turn into murderous ass tumors. Instead, watch “Bad Milo.” Good movie.
7 out of 10
6. Sound City: Directed by Dave Grohl. Starring Tom Petty, Trent Reznor, Rick Rubin, Lindsay Buckingham, Mick Fleetwood, Paul McCartney, Neil Young. . . and on and on. Music Documentary. 108 minutes. Available on DVD/BluRay, Amazon — free to stream for Prime members
My favorite documentary from SXSW 2013, “Sound City” is the story of a Van Nuys recording studio that changed musical history. Directed by Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters and Nirvana, he shows off just how much of a music nerd he is by delving into the history of the studio and trying to capture some of that magic on film.
Filled with more musicians than you could possibly believe, this is an time capsule of just how important the Sound City studios were to American pop music in the last 30 years of the 20th century.
8 out of 10
7. 20 Feet from Stardom: Directed by Morgan Neville. Starring Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer. Music Documentary. 91 minutes. Available on DVD/BluRay, Amazon. Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary, Grand Jury Prize at Sundance.
Also a rock documentary, “20 Feet from Stardom” explores the completely not glamorous world of being a backup singer. Though it, we meet the voices behind some of the most iconic songs of the last half century.
Let’s be honest: “Gimme Shelter” is a great Rolling Stones song, but what seals it is not Mick Jagger’s vocals on the track, but Merry Clayton’s. The film follows Merry and others as they’ve left their indelible mark on pop culture.
Because of the film’s nomination for an Academy Award, you might be able to find it in a local theater, but this is available streaming or on some sort of video disc pretty readily. Watch it and wow your friends at your Oscar party being able to talk about what a great film it was. (Just don’t take the bait and think it will win: that Oscar will go to “The Act of Killing.”
7 out of 10 stars
Honorable mentions that are available streaming but technically came out during 2012:
Indie Game: The Movie
Iron Sky (Space Nazis on the moon!!!)
God Bless America
Safety Not Guaranteed