Highlights from The 17th Annual Phoenix Film Festival 2017 – Part 3
Article by Ray Schillaci
Quaker Oaths
Secondhand Hearts
Found Footage 3D
Dave Made a Maze
I mentioned before that there was a multitude of competition films that were so well crafted. When you get that many movies to judge, there are bound to be those that are disappointed that they were not recognized. But, that did not hold back the love the audience displayed for these highly entertaining films.
Quaker Oaths
Writer/director Louisiana (Lucy) Kreutz delivers a delightful off-beat comedy with her first venture into feature films. Quaker Oaths is a wonderfully conceived quirky tale about a couple, Joe and Emily, who have a Quaker wedding and are separated a year later. Four years down the road, Emily wants a divorce so she can marry her new fiancee. Joe is amicable, but not without reservation, he still loves her. One major hitch, the Quaker tradition insists they must have every guest initial and cross off their name on their certificate of marriage to make the split official.
Therein lies the proverbial road trip. But, to Kreutz’s credit, and her cast, what could have felt like so many road trip retreads feels fresh and fun. Alex Dobrenko plays Joe as a lovable sad sack who is subtle about his feelings for his soon-to-be ex-wife, Emily. He’s one of those guys that would do practically anything for the woman he loves, but may lose touch with what her real needs are. He adopted the Quaker way of life for her, and continues on with it while she has moved onto a very different lifestyle. He even lives in their original place which is a tiny guest house in her folks’ backyard. But it is Joe’s predictability and lack of enthusiasm that has been the death blow to his relationship with Emily.
The natural chemistry between these two, Dobrenko and Fede Rangel as Emily, that makes this film such a pleasant ride. Ms. Rangel is perky, adorable, and plays genuinely confused about her feelings while on this trip with her ex. Then there is Emily’s fiancee, Mikey, played with goofy charm by Pete Dahlberg, who happens to be that spontaneous guy’s guy that is the polar opposite of her soon-to-be ex.
Although annoying, and a true man/boy, Mikey happens to be the spark that’s lit Emily’s fire and raises Joe’s ire. That’s when Joe brings back his old self that attracted Emily. At one point, Mikey joins the two, and adds a great deal of fun to the couple’s dilemma. Along the way, it is the former wedding guests that really add humor to all the proceedings, from a miserable old couple to the baby who is now a 5 year-old who happens to be more mature than Mikey. Such scenes are not only memorable, but make us laugh and warm our hearts. In the end, it’s writer/director Kreutz’s adept handling of comedy that makes Quaker Oaths such a joy to behold.
Secondhand Hearts
Writer/director Austin Everett also delivered an audience favorite in the romantic comedy genre, but with a very uncomfortable twist. Imagine, a young man is about to ask a girl he’s been dating for some time to marry him, when suddenly he meets his soul mate, and realizes he needs to end the relationship with the other girl. Problem being: he soon discovers it’s his girlfriend’s older sister. That is the funny and poignant conundrum of Secondhand Hearts.
Ben, a photographer, has a good life, and is being somewhat cornered by his girlfriend to pop the question. Jaime seems to be the “one,” but there are some yellow flags ahead for Ben. What could be interpreted as cute in the beginning of a relationship, may be very annoying in the long haul. But, Ben eventually decides to buy a ring and jump in until he gets called off for a photoshoot in Japan. He decides he’ll pop the question when he gets back. His plans derail the moment he meets the young vivacious American woman, Emily, who turns his life upside down.
While in Japan, they have an impromptu tryst, and Emily discovers the engagement ring in her new man’s backpack. Ben, with much conviction, tells Emily that what he had in the States is nothing like what he’s experienced with her, and promises not to marry, and break off the relationship with the other girl. Of course, not all goes as planned when Ben arrives back and is invited to a holiday dinner. To make matters worse, the girls’ father insists on putting awkward pressure on Ben about making a big announcement to his youngest daughter at the family gathering.
From there, things only get worse, and funnier. The two women fare the best on screen. Allie Rae Treharne as Jaime has that wild card gift as an actress like Reese Witherspoon. She’s able to play annoying, yet still come across sympathetic and likable, while Mallory Corinne easily wins over our heart as Emily with her earthiness and subtle sex appeal.
On the other hand, Ben Isaacs proves to have a more difficult role as Ben. He comes across more like a man/child, and struggles with the hard decisions. Somewhere in the middle of it all, we don’t particularly care for Ben, and have far more sympathy for not only the two young women, but also for Emily’s beau, Kenneth played comically dizzy by Kenneth Lopez. Eventually, writer/director Austin Everett manages to turn his lead around and have him mature in a nice powerful moment. In the end, it’s the honesty that Austin Everett and his cast deliver that makes this film stand above most romantic comedies, and turns Secondhand Hearts into a surefire winner.
Found Footage 3-D
(shown in 2-D)
Writer/director Steven DeGennaro can probably be credited for finding the one angle left for the “found footage” genre, presenting this overdone concept in 3-D. Now, he was not going to settle on just coming up with a flimsy storyline and shooting in 3-D. He’s taken a nod from Wes Craven and his Scream franchise to poke fun at the genre and deliver a semi-spooky cabin-in-the-woods story about an evil entity that actually comes to life and takes vengeance on the film crew.
The only drawback, the festival (for some reason) was only given a 2-D print, and therefore DeGennaro’s film had to rely on the strength of its story. For the most part, it works only because it’s so damn goofy. It may not be as wild of a ride as Raimi’s Evil Dead movies, and not nearly as inventive, but DeGennaro and cast have fun with the idea while managing to muster a few chills and thrills.
The backdrop is perfect: a rural part of El Paso, Texas, an abandoned cabin, the rumor of a “Specter of Death,” and a crew of six filmmakers with diverse personalties. On top of that, a film critic from FearNet makes an appearance to mount the edginess and humor. It’s a bare bones crew with the director/lead actor and his “ex-wife” as his female lead. Tell me that’s not going to cause some friction among the frights.
All six actors give it their all to evoke fear while giving a wink and a nod as to why anyone would continue filming when people are dying left and right. The splatter meter hits significant proportions while laughs hit and miss. But for the most part, Found Footage 3-D can actually be enjoyed in either format.
Dave Made A Maze
And now, for the most creative, fantastical film of 2017…Dave Made A Maze. I do not say this lightly. Writer/director Bill Watterson, and writer Steven Sears have come up with a gem that can best be described as “Slacker in Wonderland.” Except, wonderland is made of all kinds of paper (along with many of its occupants), and we are treated to absurdist humor with a small dash of horror.
Dave is an artist that never seems to be able to finish anything he has started. One day, his live-in girlfriend, Annie, steps into their apartment and finds a maze of makeshift boxes in their living room. As ridiculous as it sounds, Dave is trapped and wounded in the maze and issues Annie strong warnings; no one should go in due to booby traps and the maze cannot be taken apart because he’s built it so strong. Oh, and it’s much bigger inside than it is out.
Of course, Annie thinks the whole thing is ridiculous until she finds that she cannot take the damn thing apart, and Dave pleads for her to drop food in one of the openings in the hopes that he can find it. From there, Annie invites their friends over to see what Dave has gotten himself into. The group of oddballs turns into a search party, much to Dave’s dismay. Once in, the maze is much bigger than imagined, meticulously built with a fantastic imagination, set with life threatening booby traps, and off-the-hook creatures including a ferocious paper måché minotaur.
The humor is fast and freewheeling with some of the most creative effects seen in years. It’s like watching a wonderful amalgamation of Monty Python and Edgar Wright. But being a Python or Wright fan isn’t required to take the plunge into this film’s insanity and witness something you have never quite seen before, made with such passion and creativity. Watterson and Sears should be commended for their ingenuity. Flat out funny, outlandish, and mind-boggling, Dave Made A Maze is so off-the-wall that it should come with a warning for people not to be on drugs when viewing. This is one that has to be seen to be believed. Gravitas has announced its acquisition with a release date this August.
Horror Shorts
I have to give a scream out to some of the horror shorts from the international Horror and Sci-Fi Film Festival. Luke Asa Guidici’s Time to Eat is a delightful morsel of dark humor with great creature effects. Hasan Can Dagli takes us to a very dark unsettling place in Black Ring, regarding fashion, the black market and murder. Jason Tostevin manages to offend many while providing laughs with Born Again. And Abe Epperson and his cast deliver big laughs with sharp tongue in cheek humor with From Dusk Till Dad, the story of a stepson dealing with his new father that is an overt vampire.
I encourage you to seek out all the films suggested, especially the short films. Once again, another great year for the Phoenix Film Festival, all the independent filmmakers involved, and the gracious audience. That’s a wrap!
