Highlights from The Phoenix Film Festival 2018 – Part 2
Article by Ray Schillaci
With so many good films at this year’s Phoenix Film Festival, and I may sound like a broken record, it made it very hard to see everything. I even missed some award winners and, sadly, all of the World Cinema entries. Many people came out raving about this year’s Best Director and Picture for World Cinema, Switzerland’s entry, Streaker (Flitzer) by director Peter Luisi. A sheer good time with plenty of laughs about a struggling high school teacher who starts recruiting and training streakers (people running naked at events) for illegal sports betting.
Also missed was the Audience Award, All the Wild Horses by director Ivo Marloh, from Mongolia and Best Documentary from South Korea, Becoming Who I Was, from directors Moon Chang-Long and Jeon Jin. All the Wild Horses concerned international riders developing unexpected bonds as they compete in the Mongol Derby, the longest and most challenging horse race in the world. Becoming Who I Was is the fascinating account of a Buddhist boy in the highlands of Northern India who discovers he is the reincarnation of a centuries-old Tibetan monk, and his godfather takes him on a journey to discover his past.
Some of the award winners I did catch ended up being very audience-specific. That is not to say that others did not appreciate them, in fact, two of the films had their audiences grow with appreciation. Laura Somers’ Rich Kids won Best Ensemble Acting with a group of troubled teens who step into the better side of their neighborhood and have their way with an affluent home while the residents are gone. Somers’ film captures the angst of today’s youth that live in such close quarters, well-to-do and poverty level neighborhoods. There is rawness in Somers’ presentation, and although not for everyone, it does touch a nerve that had its audience praise the film’s intentions and ignore whatever shortcomings there might have been.
As mentioned, Best Picture and Screenplay went to another audience-specific film, The Idea of Manhood. Writer/director Serge Kushnier delivered a tale concerning unhappy middle-aged men similar to a film I had seen several years before at the festival, King of Herrings. That film also won Best Picture. The are both going for a John Cassavetes (Faces, Husbands) feel. Although King of Herrings felt closer to Cassavetes with its black & white cinematography, Kushnier’s film cuts deeper into the psyche of the unfulfilled male. There were women in the audience that did appreciate what Kushnier had to say, but there were far more men that this film appealed to.
The films that did not get recognition, but played to nearly sold out theaters were Locating Silver Lake, The Best People and Good After Bad (formerly, More Than Enough). Two out of the three films were incredible feel-good movies while the other started off amusing and ended up taking a very dark left turn. All three had people talking long after their screenings.
Locating Silver Lake, written and directed by Eric Bilitch, focuses on a young aspiring writer played by Josh Peck (Mean Creek, Drake & Josh), always dependable as the puppy dog nice guy. Having both just graduated college and his heart crushed, he moves to L.A. for inspiration and to set off into a writing career. Once there, he encounters two very different types of people: a racially diverse set rooted in community and loyalty to one another, and a group of young upstarts retaliating against anything considered normal, living on the edge, and creating a set of rules that honor chaos in motion.
Sure, for a young writer, the later is more attractive and exciting, especially with the charismatic leader, Seth, played by Finn Wittrock (American Horror Story), once agin playing an outlandishly flamboyant role. But, it’s the earthy quality of Amaury Nolasco’s (Prison Break) character, Jose, and the middle-age, but oh-so-attractive Luisa played with consummate charm by Valerie Cruz (Cellular) that eventually wins him and the audience over.
Aside from some awkward writing and situations that some may question, writer/director Bilitch has us caught up with the characters that he has created, and the actors only enhance his writing. Locating Silver Lake keeps us so captivated that it actually has us skipping over its plot holes. All around, it’s worth seeing.
The Best People has fun with characters that are as amusing as they are aggravating to where you could almost forgive the lagging pace in the beginning, and the awkwardness of a first film for both writer Selina Ringel and director Dan Levy Dagerman. The entire production eventually ends up being completely charming. This is the kind of first film effort I look forward to, because it signifies some real talent that we can look forward to in the future.
Ringel and Dagerman casually roll out the story of two sisters, Anna and Claire, who are complete opposites yet have that wonderful sister bond that gets them through rocky moments. Anna, the troubled and somewhat outlandish sister, is just recovering from a breakdown when she finds out that her sister Claire, practically the prodigal daughter and nearly saccharine sweet, has accepted a proposal from her boyfriend of all of three months. This freaks Anna out and also the fiancee’s best friend, Art, who has more in common with Anna than he would like to admit.
Anna and Art are asked to be the bridesmaid and the best man at Claire’s wedding, but Anna and Art only see one big disaster ahead with this whirlwind romance. Together Anna & Art conspire to break up the lovebirds, much to our amusement. Not only does writer Ringel work well with these conspirators, but she has a true gift for capturing the hard heart of Anna, and the sisterly bond she has with Claire.
Director Dan Levy Dagerman has gathered a very capable cast and has them shine while snaring us into this comedy/drama. He juggles that fine line of laughs and sincerity. The Best People may not be perfect, but it has such a big heart that you can’t help but love the whole movie by the end. Also, big kudos to Anna Evelyn as Anna, and Claire Donald as Claire, they make this film all the more worth watching.
I’m going to declare this right now, Anne-Marie Hess is a talent worth watching. This writer/director has delivered a film that is so powerful and professional that it appeared more like a mainstream movie from a studio rather than an independent in a competition. Good After Bad is a remarkable journey of one gawky teen trying to discover herself and deal with the effects of bullying while trying to get through the pitfalls of high school and a very rough family situation.
Maddie Hasson (God Bless America) is a revelation as Shelly, the awkward teen, that has no one to turn to after rumors rip her life apart. It’s devastating watching this young girl suffer the pettiness that goes on in school. She withdraws until a young effeminate guy, Dabier, played with humility and warmth, befriends her. Wes, a wealthy middle-age eccentric, played by Billy Burke (Twilight, Drive Angry), takes her in.
The situation with Burke’s character is very complex. It throws us off as much as it does Shelly. Wes is kind of an enigma. Okay, he’s handsome, an obvious womanizer, a man with no friends. He’s also mysterious, and a bit on the bizarre side to where you laugh with him while questioning him.
Wes appears to have a heart, but he keeps us guessing as to his intentions with the troubled teen. Burke is so memorable and delivers an incredibly subtle performance that catches you off guard. It’s the kind of role that actors rarely get right. But writer/director Hess and Billy Burke bring to the screen the kind of man rarely seen in cinema today.
I dare not say anything more about Shelly’s sojourn to maturity, for it’s the kind of triumph that we experienced in Alan Parker’s Fame, and so many Michael Ritchie films (Smile, (1976) The Bad News Bears) that had me cheering for our underdog. Writer/director Anne-Marie Hess has delivered a Rocky for women. Good After Bad is a triumph, and should be seen and enjoyed by everyone.
That’s all for now. I will return soon with part III of PFF, reviewing the uber-like adventures of Driver X starring Patrick Fabian (Better Call Saul), the best of short films, and the International Horror and Sci-Fi Film Festival. Can’t wait to pull back the bloody curtain for you on Secret Santa, Chimera, and Cynthia.
Remember, life is too short not to be entertained.
