Copyright Apple 2022This summer’s Sundance charmer is “Cha Cha Real Smooth,” the festival’s audience favorite. It is written, directed, produced, and co-edited by Cooper Raiff, who stars as Andrew, at a loss following his graduation from Tulane. His girlfriend has gone to Barcelona on a Fulbright scholarship and her social media suggests that she has moved on. He is sharing a room with his middle-school-age brother David (Evan Assante), in the home of the mother (Leslie Mann) he is very close to and the step-father (Brad Garrett) he is decidedly not very close to. He is working at that most dispiriting of jobs, a fast food place called Meat Sticks. Just at the moment when he should be moving forward, he is stuck.
We’ve seen a lot of movies about this difficult moment, from “The Graduate” to “Laggies,” when the promise and structure that have propelled someone from kindergarten through college somehow have not produced the sense of purpose and direction they were expecting. Raiff brings something unusual to the predicament this time. Andrew has a buoyant optimism, natural charm, and innate kindness that make him appealing both to the other characters in the story and to us. Raiff has an easy authenticity on screen that is especially impressive from someone directing himself.
in a brief prologue, we see young Andrew attending a bar mitzvah party, with a crush not on one of the girls his age but on the “party starter.” That’s the job of the “tummler” (in Yiddish), the person whose job is to keep the party mood happy and make sure everyone is involved and having a good time. It’s especially important for middle school parties, when the attendees are very excited but inexperienced. Once we’re in the present day, Andrew again finds himself at a bar mitzvah party for one of David’s classmates. And no one is on the dance floor.
Andrew has a gift for making kids feel confident and ready to participate. One girl is in a corner with headphones and a puzzle cube. Her name is Lola (Vanessa Burghardt) and she has autism. He bets her mother he can get her to dance. And he does. He is immediately surrounded by mothers who want to hire him to be the party starter for their b’nai mizvot. And since the kids involved all go to school together, he sees the same people over and over, including Lola and her mother Domino (Dakota Johnson, who also co-produced).
Andrew is drawn to Domino, who warms to him for his ability to connect to Lola. After he comes to her rescue at yet another bar mitzvah party, she invites him to be Lola’s sitter.
Andrew and Domino have to sort through their feelings for one another and Andrew has to do for himself what he does so skillfully for the 12- and 13-year olds he entices to the dance floor; he needs to find encouragement to take that next, seemingly-perilous step. Sometimes those lessons are painful, even when everyone involved is well-meaning. Raiff wisely lets Andrew learn them anyway. We leave knowing that Andrew will find his way and that Raiff already has.
Parents should know that this movie includes some very strong language, sexual references and situations, drinking and drunkenness, bullies, a miscarriage and some scuffles.
Family discussion: Why was it hard for Andrew to take the next step? What should he have done to prepare? Do you agree with Domino’s decision?
If you like this, try: “Laggies” and “Post Grad” and Raiff’s previous film, “S***house”
Movies For Homebound Grown-Ups: Two Cool New Indies
Posted on April 16, 2020 at 12:05 pm
Copyright Aspiration 2020
You can have your own indie film festival at home now with some new releases:
Phoenix Oregon: James Le Gros plays a bartender and would-be graphic memoirist (James Le Gros) who has lost his way. The outstanding cast includes Lisa Edelstein as a liquor distributor, Dietrich Bader as the restaurant owner, and especially Jesse Borrego as the perfectionist chef who joins forces with the bartender to open a bowling alley.
Standing Up, Falling Down: Billy Crystal gives one of his all-time best performances as a doctor with a number of issues, including substance abuse, who befriends a would-be stand-up comic (Ben Schwartz). Grace Gummer is terrific as the comic’s sister.
And check out a new streaming service for indie films, Topic.
Spirit Awards 2019: If Beale Street Could Talk, Glenn Close, Roma
Posted on February 24, 2019 at 8:00 am
Copyright Annapurna 2018For me, the most significant and enjoyable movie awards of the year are the Spirit Awards (formerly Independent Spirit). I was thrilled that my favorite film of 2018, “If Beale Street Could Talk” was selected for Best Picture, Director, and Supporting Actress.
Here are the awards:
Best Feature
IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK (WINNER)
Best Director
Barry Jenkins, IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK (WINNER)
Best First Feature
SORRY TO BOTHER YOU
Best Male Lead
Ethan Hawke, FIRST REFORMED
Best Female Lead
Glenn Close, THE WIFE
Best Supporting Female Actor
Regina King, IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK
Best Supporting Male Actor
Richard E. Grant, CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?
Best Cinematography
Sayombhu Mukdeeprom, SUSPIRIA
Best Screenplay
Nicole Holofcener & Jeff Whitty, CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?
Best First Screenplay
Bo Burnham, EIGHTH GRADE
Best Editing
Joe Bini, YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE
Best Documentary
WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR?
Best International Film
ROMA (Mexico)
The Truer Than Fiction Award
Bing Liu, MINDING THE GAP
Producers Award
Shrihari Sathe
The Someone to Watch Award
Alex Moratto, SÓCRATES
The Bonnie Award
Debra Granik
Robert Altman Award
SUSPIRIA
Director: Luca Guadagnino
Casting Directors: Avy Kaufman, Stella Savino
Ensemble Cast: Malgosia Bela, Ingrid Caven, Lutz Ebersdorf, Elena Fokina, Mia Goth, Jessica Harper, Dakota Johnson, Gala Moody, Chloë Grace Moretz, Renée Soutendijk, Tilda Swinton, Sylvie Testud, Angela Winkler
Spirit Award Nominees for the Best Indie Films of 2018
Posted on November 20, 2018 at 5:47 pm
The nominees for the Spirit Awards have been announced:
Copyright A24 2018
BEST FEATURE
EIGHTH GRADE
Producers: Eli Bush, Scott Rudin, Christopher Storer, Lila Yacoub
FIRST REFORMED
Producers: Jack Binder, Greg Clark, Gary Hamilton, Victoria Hill, David Hinojosa, Frank Murray, Deepak Sikka, Christine Vachon
IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK
Producers: Dede Gardner, Barry Jenkins, Jeremy Kleiner, Sara Murphy, Adele Romanski
LEAVE NO TRACE
Producers: Anne Harrison, Linda Reisman, Anne Rosellini
YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE
Producers: Rosa Attab, Pascal Caucheteux, Rebecca O’Brien, Lynne Ramsay, James Wilson
(Award given to the producer)
BEST FIRST FEATURE
HEREDITARY
Director: Ari Aster
Producers: Kevin Frakes, Lars Knudsen, Buddy Patrick
Copyright Annapurna Pictures 2018
SORRY TO BOTHER YOU
Director: Boots Riley
Producers: Nina Yang Bongiovi, Jonathan Duffy, Charles D. King, George Rush, Forest Whitaker, Kelly Williams
THE TALE
Director/Producer: Jennifer Fox
Producers: Sol Bondy, Lawrence Inglee, Mynette Louie, Oren Moverman, Simone Pero, Reka Posta, Laura Rister, Regina K. Scully, Lynda Weinman
WE THE ANIMALS
Director: Jeremiah Zagar
Producers: Andrew Goldman, Christina D. King, Paul Mezey, Jeremy Yaches
WILDLIFE
Director/Producer: Paul Dano
Producers: Andrew Duncan, Jake Gyllenhaal, Riva Marker, Oren Moverman, Ann Ruark, Alex Saks
(Award given to the producer and director)
BEST DIRECTOR
Paul Schrader, First Reformed
Barry Jenkins, If Beale Street Could Talk
Debra Granik, Leave No Trace
Tamara Jenkins, Private Life
Lynne Ramsay, You Were Never Really Here
BEST SCREENPLAY
Nicole Holofcener, Jeff Whitty, Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Richard Glatzer (writer, story by), Rebecca Lenkiewicz, Wash Westmoreland, Colette
Paul Schrader, First Reformed
Tamara Jenkins, Private Life
Boots Riley, Sorry to Bother You
BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Quinn Shephard (writer, story by), Laurie Shephard (story by), Blame
Bo Burnham, Eighth Grade
Christina Choe, Nancy
Jennifer Fox, The Tale
Cory Finley, Thoroughbreds
JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD
A BREAD FACTORY
Writer/Director/Producer: Patrick Wang
Producers: Daryl Freimark, Matt Miller
EN EL SÉPTIMO DÍA
Writer/Director/Producer: Jim McKay
Producers: Alex Bach, Lindsey Cordero, Caroline Kaplan, Michael Stipe
NEVER GOIN’ BACK
Writer/Director: Augustine Frizzell
Producers: Liz Cardenas, Toby Halbrooks, James M. Johnston
SÓCRATES
Writer/Director/Producer: Alex Moratto
Writer: Thayná Mantesso
Producers: Ramin Bahrani, Jefferson Paulino, Tammy Weiss
THUNDER ROAD
Writer/Director: Jim Cummings
Producers: Natalie Metzger, Zack Parker, Benjamin Weissner
(Award given to the best feature made for under $500,000; given to the writer, director and producer)
BEST MALE LEAD
Copyright 2018 Foley Walkers Studio
Daveed Diggs, Blindspotting
Ethan Hawke, First Reformed
John Cho, Searching
Christian Malheiros, Sócrates
Joaquin Phoenix, You Were Never Really Here
BEST FEMALE LEAD
Elsie Fisher, Eighth Grade
Toni Collette, Hereditary
Helena Howard, Madeline’s Madeline
Regina Hall, Support the Girls
Glenn Close, The Wife
Carey Mulligan, Wildlife
BEST SUPPORTING MALE
Adam Driver, BLACKkKLANSMAN
Richard E. Grant, Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Josh Hamilton, Eighth Grade
John David Washington, Monsters and Men
Raúl Castillo, We the Animals
BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Tyne Daly, A Bread Factory
Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk
Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie, Leave No Trace
J. Smith-Cameron, Nancy
Kayli Carter, Private Life
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Ashley Connor, Madeline’s Madeline
Benjamin Loeb, Mandy
Sayombhu Mukdeeprom, Suspiria
Zak Mulligan, We the Animals
Diego Garcia, Wildlife
BEST EDITING
Luke Dunkley, Nick Fenton, Chris Gill, Julian Hart, American Animals
Nick Houy, Mid90s
Anne Fabini, Alex Hall, Gary Levy, The Tale
Keiko Deguchi, Brian A. Kates, Jeremiah Zagar, We the Animals
Joe Bini, You Were Never Really Here
BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM
BURNING (South Korea)
Director: Lee Chang-Dong
HAPPY AS LAZZARO (Italy)
Director: Alice Rohrwacher
ROMA (Mexico)
Director: Alfonso Cuarón
SHOPLIFTERS (Japan)
Director: Kore-eda Hirokazu
THE FAVOURITE (United Kingdom)
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
BEST DOCUMENTARY
HALE COUNTY THIS MORNING, THIS EVENING
Director/Producer: RaMell Ross
Producer: Joslyn Barnes, Su Kim
MINDING THE GAP
Director/Producer: Bing Liu
Producer: Diane Quon
OF FATHERS AND SONS
Director: Talal Derki
Producers: Hans Robert Eisenhauer, Ansgar Frerich, Eva Kemme, Tobias N. Siebert
ON HER SHOULDERS
Director: Alexandria Bombach
Producers: Hayley Pappas, Brock Williams
SHIRKERS
Director/Producer: Sandi Tan
Producers: Jessica Levin, Maya Rudolph
WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR?
Director/Producer: Morgan Neville
Producer: Caryn Capotosto, Nicholas Ma
(Award given to the director and producer)
ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD
SUSPIRIA
Director: Luca Guadagnino
Casting Directors: Avy Kaufman, Stella Savino
Ensemble Cast: Malgosia Bela, Ingrid Caven, Lutz Ebersdorf, Elena Fokina, Mia Goth, Jessica Harper, Dakota Johnson, Gala Moody, Chloë Grace Moretz, Renée Soutendijk, Tilda Swinton, Sylvie Testud, Angela Winkler
(Award given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast)
BONNIE AWARD SPONSORED BY AMERICAN AIRLINES
Karyn Kusama
Tamara Jenkins
Debra Granik
(Bonnie Tiburzi Caputo joined American Airlines in 1973 at age 24, becoming the first female pilot to fly for a major U.S. airline. In her honor, the second annual Bonnie Award will recognize a mid-career female director with a $50,000 unrestricted grant, sponsored by American Airlines.)
PRODUCERS AWARD
Jonathan Duffy and Kelly Williams
Gabrielle Nadig
Shrihari Sathe
(The Producers Award, now in its 22nd year, honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources demonstrate the creativity, tenacity and vision required to produce quality, independent films. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.)
SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD
LEMONADE
Director: Ioana Uricaru
SÓCRATES
Director: Alex Moratto
WE THE ANIMALS
Director: Jeremiah Zagar
(The Someone to Watch Award, now in its 25th year, recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted.)
TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD
HALE COUNTY THIS MORNING, THIS EVENING
Director: RaMell Ross
Fantasy peril and violence, characters injured and killed, monster
Diversity Issues:
None
Date Released to Theaters:
August 18, 2017
Copyright 2017 Gravitas Ventures
For generations, there have been children who have had more fun playing with the box than with the toy that came inside. The reason is easy to understand: a blank box puts no limits on imagination. It can be a clubhouse, a rocket ship, or a submarine, or all at once. It needs no batteries and there is no technology to break down. There’s no disappointing discovery that what looks cool on the commercial does not actually work. Cardboard can be anything and imagination can take you everywhere.
That is the theme of “Dave Made a Maze,” both the story on the screen and the story of the movie itself. Annie (Meera Rohit Kumbhani) comes home from a short trip out of town to find her boyfriend Dave (Nick Thune) has taken over their living room with a cardboard maze, or, rather, a labyrinth so intricate that he is literally lost inside it. Like the TARDIS, Dave’s construction is bigger on the inside. Annie grabs some friends and a box cutter and goes inside. A film crew led by their friend Harry (James Urbaniak) comes along to document (and sometimes shape) the adventure.
Co-writer/director Bill Watterson (not the Calvin and Hobbes cartoonist) has created a slacker/artisanal “Cat and the Canary” or “Ghost and Mr. Chicken,” a comedy/horror film with real stakes and deadpan delivery, all the funnier for being so understated.
The star of the film is unquestionably the maze/labyrinth itself. Production designers Trisha Gum and John Sumner, clearly having the time of their lives, worked with the genius artists of the Cardboard Institute of Technology to create an endlessly inventive world, enchanting, spooky, hilarious, and, when you don’t expect it, pretty scary. Just because the blood is made of yarn and paper, we learn, does not mean it is not real. On the other hand, one labyrinthian portal somehow turns the characters into paper bag puppets, a transformation which thankfully turns out to be temporary. Dave’s maze, a manifestation of his frustration at not having a job that fulfills him, turns out to have a malevolent sentience he and his friends have to battle. Having different artists work on different rooms and corridors adds to the continuous surprise and disconnect, with one section looking like a mock-up from “2001,” another sporting origami birds, and others playing with perspective and space. I was especially taken by the intricate cardboard mechanics underneath one space, with several others hinting at an even more expansive and complex cardboard world.
Part of the film’s charm is the way Annie and Dave’s friends immediately accept the premise and just go for it. But what makes this one of the most imaginative films of the year is the way it makes a virtue of its micro budget. Like Dave himself, the filmmakers have found what the cheapest materials can do better than the most sophisticated animation equipment. They’ve created a tactile environment that puts no limits on their imagination or ours.
Parents should know that this film has very strong language, fantasy peril and violence, a monster, and characters who are injured and killed.
Family discussion: Which was your favorite room in the maze? Why did the maze get out of control?
If you like this, try: “Safety Not Guaranteed” and “Coherence”
