This is the 2nd year that I volunteered as a screener for the Temecula Valley International Film Festival. Below are a list of films that I came across that stood out as films worth watching either at the festival or at your local indie theatre or on Netflix. This list is not all-inclusive as I didn't have the opportunity (or would even have had the time) to watch every film that was submitted. I would say that most of the films on the program (listed here) have been well-vetted by a number of capable and critical screeners.
October Baby, Dir. The Erwin Brothers (Jon and Andrew) (2011) (IMDB)
This narrative drama by the Erwin Brothers, as a whole, is both engaging and beautiful. The story is not novel by any means, but nevertheless it is well-written, and from a well-written story was built a great film. Most, if not all, of the arcs all come around in the end and it is well-structured, which I'm sure audiences will appreciate. The cinematography is visually gorgeous as a combination of both great image selection and also great choice of location and geography. (Set in Alabama, I believe) Rachel Hendrix (Hannah) was fantastic playing the lead, a really strong performance. Up and down, the cast performed very well and their strong chemistry was evident on screen. Combine that with a strong, albeit emotional, score throughout the film, with a noticeably fresh soundtrack.
The film, for better or worse, plays it safe structurally. It seems a lot of films nowadays attempt challenging approaches, employing flashbacks, non-linear construction, etc. However, audiences won't find that kind of more challenging structure here; the film does mostly play by the rules and feels very mainstream. This isn't necessarily a knock on the film; if you have a strong story plus a strong cast, in my opinion, there's really no need to make it more complicated than that. "October Baby" certainly had those aspects and it showed.
The film isn't without its weaknesses, though, if you could even really call it that. For example, I didn't feel that the road-trip with the friends and the subsequent hate from Alanna (Colleen Trusler) toward Hannah was really necessary. The biggest strength of the film comes in the Hannah-Jason (Jason Burkey)-Hannah's parents relationship and, as a whole, the Hannah-Alanna arc didn't feel like it added much. In addition, it felt like there was an emotional over-pull during certain stretches of the film, whether through the score being over-the-top or some shots being too long.
Those minor points being said, as a whole, I think the Erwin Brothers should be proud of themselves. "October Baby" is well-envisioned and well-executed. Given the political landscape regarding the subject matter, it was handled deftly and effectively without being preachy or overbearing. Though some may object to the injecting of religious discussion toward the latter half of the film, I believe those who are able to look beyond politics will find a powerful film underscoring forgiveness and grace that can be found in human relationships, even in its complicated interactions and regrettable consequences. I found the film very compelling in both its construct and its narrative, and I do think that audience members that are willing to engage the Erwin Brother's characters will walk away very impressed.
5th and Alameda, Dir. Richard Friedman (2011) (IMDB)
Off the bat, this film is definitely violent and there is certainly some deep psychology involved. No one is spared, regardless of race, gender, profession. It is so equal-opportunity, in a sense, that I think it take considerable textual analysis by most audiences to a conclusion on the film's various social and cultural themes. Beyond the larger thematic arcs, some of the smaller arcs, though they reach their destination, feels underdeveloped; for example, the Detective Trevor (Mario Van Peebles, of all people, how awesome is that??) arc with his son. I felt that the film also got bogged down in some of the dialogue between Sara (Saye Yabandeh) and Derek (Corey Sevier) toward the latter portion of the film. And, yes, as some people have mentioned, it can be hard at times to follow the flashbacks and keep track of who is who and what is what. And yes, the end was not exactly a surprise.
All that being said, why do I think this film is worth watching? The one thing I commend Dir. Friedman on is that he is willing to take on such a complex and challenging style of filmmaking. Even after just two years of doing this screener thing, I've seen a number of filmmakers attempt this style of filmmaking and fail horribly. Few filmmakers attempt and succeed, either as a result of poor planning, poor visualization, or poor general vision. You can't just mash things up and hope it sticks. I don't know this for sure, obviously, but I imagine Dir. Friedman put in the necessary work for what I consider a well-executed film. Beyond just that, responding to the previous criticism, I don't fault him for the (seemingly) confusing flashbacks or non-linear storytelling. I admit it confused me a little bit, too, but I was able to puzzle it together. I think it is important to engage the audience and not just passively entertain them, and it speaks of Dir. Friedman's great confidence to trust that audiences will be able to decipher the film's construct. And considering the deep psychological themes involved, I think the piece-by-piece understanding/revealing is appropriate structurally. (Though, since I think it fades in intensity a little toward the latter half, I can't say much about its presence as a whole structure) Finally, Dir. Friedman does a very good job in character development, as Derek and Sara's (both potential and realized) keeps audiences engaged in a what-will-happen-next, what-will-she-do-next suspense.
All considered, I found it to be a very compelling film. It is intense and there isn't much of a break till the latter parts of the film.
Other Films of Note
Kings (Short), Dir. Barbara Mones. (2011)
The Conquest of High Passes, Dir. Wout Conijn. (2011)
East of Berlin (Short), Dir. Dean Yamada. (2011) (IMDB)
Lost Airmen of Buchenwald, Dir. Mike Dorsey. (2011) (IMDB)
Pepper (Short), Dir. Kim Noon. (2011)
The Man Who Knew How to Fly (Short), Dir. Robi Michael. (2010) (IMDB)
Hope people get a chance to go out and support some great films this year at TVIFF 2011. You can visit the website for more information here .
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