A college graduate has to re-think his entire post-college plans in Drunk Bus after his girlfriend decides to leave him for an opportunity in New York City. Michael (Charlie Tahan) finds himself in somewhat of a pickle after his girlfriend up and left him. When we first meet him, he’s driving the “drunk bus” on a college campus. Night after night, it’s the same routine for Michael during the late shift. Michael’s girlfriend is probably…
"SXSW 2020: Drunk Bus"Category: Film Festival
One filmmaker treks across the globe We Don’t Deserve Dogs to see how our four-legged friends are able to improve our daily lives. I’m a dog lover. There were two dogs in my house while I was growing up. Not at the same time, of course. It took quite some time following one’s passing when I was in elementary school. It wouldn’t be until the summer of 2001 when we brought home a border collie/husky…
"SXSW 2020: We Don’t Deserve Dogs"
My Darling Vivian offers a new perspective on the life of Johnny Cash’s first wife, Vivian Liberto, through accounts shared by their four children. Take everything you know from Walk the Line and pretend it never happened. Think of the film as a myth with all the illusions now currently shattered in front of your eyes. After viewing this documentary, one cannot watch the film in the same light ever again. It should certainly make…
"SXSW 2020: My Darling Vivian"
Coded Bias explores a researcher’s discovery of facial recognition algorithms and how they aren’t accurate for dark-skinned people. If you’re not familiar with facial racognition software, this film will quickly get you up to speed. It’s all because of MIT Media Lab researcher Joy Buolamwini. Her discovery led to some startling results and in some cases, lack thereof. Despite her best efforts, there is still no federal regulation of facial algorithms. Or at least, this…
"SXSW 2020: Coded Bias"
Animation Outlaws is a documentary that manages to revisit the touring film festival that is Spike and Mike’s Festival of Animation. If you aren’t familiar with Spike Decker or Mike Gribble, you’re in for a treat. Many now-famous animators got their start thanks to Spike and Mike’s Festival of Animation. The original touring festival–started in 1977–would soon gave way to the Sick & Twisted Festival of Animation later on. The promotion techniques they used would get…
"Slamdance 2020: Animation Outlaws"
Tahara focuses on pair of young Jewish women who are grieving the loss of their Hebrew school classmate following a suicide. Carrie Lowstein (Madeline Grey DeFreece) and Hannah Rosen (Rachel Sennott) are best friends. When we first meet them in Tahara, they are Hebrew school classmate Samantha Goldstein’s funeral. Following this, they attend a session run by Moreh Klein (Bernadette Quigley) allowing for them to learn the Judaic teachings on grief. It’s a film that…
"Slamdance 2020: Tahara"
Viggo Mortensen’s feature directorial debut, Falling, benefits from having a superb performance from actor Lance Henriksen. When we first meet Willis (Lance Henriksen), we can immediately tell that he’s a character from a different era. The more that we learn about him, the more we truly begin to know why: he has dementia. One moment, Willis can be living in the present. The next minute, he’ll be shouting for a wife who is no longer…
"Sundance 2020: Falling"
Shirley sees filmmaker Josephine Decker returning to Sundance with a period drama that features strong performances from its acting ensemble. Fred (Logan Lerman) and Rose (Odessa Young) are moving to a small college town in Vermont as Fred hopes to land a job at the local college. Before they know it, professor Stanley Hyman (Michael Stuhlbarg) offers them free room and board. It comes with something of a catch because it means Rose must clean…
"Sundance 2020: Shirley"
The Nowhere Inn aims to put a different perspective on the music documentary genre but manages to miss the mark in bringing something new. Annie Clark aka St. Vincent asks best friend Carrie Brownstein to direct a documentary about her. The goal is a documentary about her music, touring life, and the musician’s on-stage persona. But in making this documentary, their friendship ultimately gets tested to the point of maybe not even surviving the film. …
"Sundance 2020: The Nowhere Inn"
Kajillionaire is a heist movie that follows a family of con artists living in Los Angeles and struggling to keep a roof over their head. Robert (Richard Jenkins) and Theresa Dyne (Debra Winger) are con artists. They’ve raised their daughter, Old Dolio (Evan Rachel Wood), to follow them into the family business. It may not be the best life but it’s the life they have for themselves. The family owes money while also living in…
"Sundance 2020: Kajillionaire"